"Were the shirts to your liking?" " Yes, thank you." " Did you find what you needed?" " Yes." "What's with the harp?" "It's our fifth anniversary" "The harpist will be here all week" "All week?" "That's something." "We have a survey for our customers." " Would you care to take it?" " No, thank you." "You could get a 15% discount on your next purchase." " That's all right" " OK." "These are beautiful shirts." "We just got them in." " How will you be paying?" " Amex" "I'm sorry, we don't take American Express." "Mister..." "Malinovsky." "Would it be possible to have your email address?" "I'd rather not, thanks." "OK." "In that case, could I have your postal code?" "I'm making a purchase." "Isn't that enough?" "Yes, but it's for our statistics about our clientele." "But I'm not interested in giving you that information." "It's really annoying" "Would you like your shirts in a plastic or paper bag?" "I'd like you to take a piece of paper." "Write down your name, your boss's name and your boss's phone number, OK?" "All right!" "It's no secret." "You all know what's going on" "My wife Beatrice has temporarily stepped down as minister." "She's not doing well." "She's going through a difficult time." "We have a country house." "She's resting there." "I have no other details to provide on the situation." "I'll be gone for a while, and I don't know when I'll be back." "I have complete faith in Celine." "I've seen the numbers." "It's not too bad." "We have three big contracts signed." "I'm very happy about that." "In short, we'll be able to get through this." "And again, I have faith in all the team leaders and in Celine." "And that's it" "Are there any questions?" "Mr. Malinovsky, I've been asked to bring you up to speed." "Michel is in the hospital." "The diagnosis is very bad" "Michel?" "Michel Malki, the building engineer He's in a coma." "What happened?" "He fell at his home, sir." "At home?" "I wish him well I'll try to visit him." "I'm sorry." "Thanks for letting me know, Moussa." "Would anyone else like to add anything?" "OK, stop!" "It's not even well written." "It's crap." "Where'd you find that?" "Yeah, Dr. Miller.." "Thanks." "I like your hair like that." "Thank you." "You handled the meeting pretty well yesterday." "You think so?" "Everyone understands, you know?" "It won't last They'll crucify me soon enough." "I don't care." "I won't go back for a while" "Do what makes you happy, baby." "This room isn't bad." "I'm not even sure this is a four-star hotel." " We deserve better" " You're so bourgeois!" ""Hatred of the bourgeois is the beginning of virtue," my dear." "Flaubert." "Don't become virtuous." "You'll break my heart." "I hate it when you use quotes to judge me" "You big jerk!" " Celine speaks well of you." " Good." "She says you're often late" "So I'm bothering Celine." " Aren't you tired of hiding?" " Am I hiding?" "Yes, you're hiding with me in love hotels." "We kiss in your car behind the factory like teenagers" " I can't bring you home." " Why not?" "I could pretend to be a Jehovah's Witness!" "Yeah..." "A pizza delivery girl." "A distant cousin from the US" "Big man!" "You're my big man." "They stopped talking about her." "On TV, in the newspapers." "They'll forget about her" "How's Dr. Miller?" "Is she good?" "No, I don't like her." "I don't want to be there when she comes." "She watches me." "I trust Klara." "She knows all the medication She's perfect." "You like when people take charge, huh?" "Why are you always judging me?" "You're proud." "You're handsome." "My boyfriend's seeing a shrink" " Tristan?" " Yes!" " No." " What?" "That's a shame!" "Whining to someone who pretends to listen, but who doesn't care who makes assumptions and condescending remarks, convincing you that he understands." "That's enough" "Sitting down in a shrink's chair is admitting defeat." "It's stupid, but.." "I feel like I can't handle him touching you anymore." "Mr. Malinovsky, it's nice to see you again" "On behalf of the council may I ask after your wife, Beatrice?" "Hello, Mr. Mayor." "She's not doing well" "I'd like to thank everyone for respecting our privacy." "We appreciate it." "The community feels for you, Mr. Malinovsky." "Yes, OK." "Well..." "I wanted to bring your attention to an ongoing problem." "You promised to pave a stretch of dirt road near my home." "Have there been any developments?" "It's just 100 metres, you know?" "That's among the work to be done in the next year, Mr. Malinovsky, but there are more urgent issues to be dealt with first." "I promise we'll get to it, though." "With all due respect, Mr. Mayor, may I know what these more urgent issues are?" "Yes!" "At the moment we're reviewing the area's cycling network" "As you know, we have a large student population." "It's starting to bother me that I can never get a real answer to questions that seem legitimate to me." "The mayor just told you that there are more urgent issues." "Your problem is concrete, and we've taken note of it, OK?" "I know what your allegiances are, Mr. Mayor" "I know about your conflicts with Beatrice" "You use your leftist politics to get the student vote and the green vote." "You speak to me in a haughty tone." "The land is within the city limits." "What I'm asking for is nothing." "This is the third time I've come to ask for a little asphalt and each time, you treat me with condescension, Mr. Mayor" "Why do you feel like you're less equal than everyone else?" "Take care of your wife instead of wasting our time with your fucking pride." "Francois, watch your language, please." "Go back to your damn mountain!" "You're as rich as Croesus!" "OK, whoa!" "That's enough!" "Let's maintain a bit of decorum, please." "Boris, we understand what you're going through, but you don't have a monopoly on suffering." "I aim to respect democracy and treat each citizen equally." "We'll pave your stretch of road, Boris, in due time." "Hello?" "Yes, I'm Malinovsky" "What?" "What are you talking about?" "You're coming to the country." "We'll talk tomorrow." "I won't say a word in the car." "I promise." "Did you sleep well?" "I never thought I'd say I was ashamed." "What was the protest about?" "Dad, don't play dumb." "It's the same one every year." "It's against police brutality." " Your annual tradition." " Dad.." "What do you do?" "You march, you scream?" "Yell slogans?" "Break windows?" "Have profound discussions?" "You can't and don't want to understand what it's about." "Right." "I'm just your right-wing dad who you call to pay your bail" "That's it?" "No fighting?" "No arguing?" "You don't want to tell me about injustice?" "It's embarrassing to see you wailing against the system" "I'm fighting for social justice, equality, fraternity." "The state needs to intervene to guarantee human rights, redistribute wealth and regulate the economy" "The police is being militarized." "I went out and said so" "Happy now?" "You must be able to understand that." "You've clearly learned that by heart." "It's the party line recited by a little soldier." "You're the one being militarized." "I'm taking a shower, then I'm out of here." "Hi, Beatrice." "It's me." "I slept here." " Can you give me a lift?" " No, not today!" "Public transportation is great, isn't it?" "It's green!" "Dear Monsieur Malinovsky" "It makes perfect sense that Beatrice's health matters greatly to you" "Consequently," "I would urge you to meet me tonight in the quarry at 11:00 p.m." "Come alone, without fear, with an open mind that you can take pride in and that may reward you." "Beatrice?" "Does this message mean anything to you?" "Good evening" "May I call you Boris?" "Come a little closer, Boris!" "Yelling would be inconvenient." "Who are you?" "I don't have time for niceties" "Finding that message on your private property may have seemed inappropriate, even alarming." "I'm sorry about that." "But I couldn't think of a better way to ensure that this moment would be confidential and private" "What do you want?" "You will have to abide by a certain etiquette in my presence." "As dramatic and charming as this location is" "I'm not in the habit of coming here for pleasure." "I come out of necessity." "Beatrice is an intelligent woman who has faced many challenges in this government" "All the stress of our modern world..." "Even the strongest are sometimes brought to their knees, right?" "What do you want?" "Whatwould you say if I told you that Beatrice is ill because of you?" "You have no answer, Boris?" "There are two reasons for that." "You have no answer because in your ivory tower, you aren't responsible for anything bad." "You're convinced of it" "But you also have no answer because buried deep in your subconscious, you're aware of the extent of your vanity and of your influence over others, isn't that right?" "You came here to lecture me, is that it?" "I don't give a damn about your insults and your theatrics." "What is this?" "Is this a game?" "I will ignore your insolence." "The truth is that Beatrice is in this state because ofyou," "Boris Malinovsky, and only you, Boris Malinovsky, can get her out of it!" "You will change, Boris." "You have time." "Between two escapades in the arms of your lovely Helga, you have time." "You will fill these hours by facing the world, Boris." "Do you understand?" "I am certain that Beatrice also wants you to change." "You have power." "You use it poorly." "This is nonsense." "You're some kind of judge, is that it?" "The reward for your effort will be Beatrice's health." "Think of me as, yes, a judge and a friend." "Goodbye!" "Wait a minute!" "What is my daughter's name and birthday?" "Your stubbornness troubles me, Boris." "Justine was born on February 20, 1996, and has a birthmark behind her right ear." "Let's get serious." "Do it for Beatrice ifyour pride prevents you from doing it for yourself." "I'm not strong enough for this." "Servants have no opinions, sir." "Helga... am I a good person?" "That's all I'm asking you." "Who cares about the mystery man!" "Right?" "Did he scare you?" "He really scared you?" "He knew Justine's birthday!" "So what?" "I don't know, I..." "I'm asking for your advice." "Why would I give life advice to the big kid who's fucking me?" "I'm not an old army buddy." "You piss me off." "How long can you stay?" "I don't know." "Dammit, Boris!" "We're closing in 10 minutes, sir." "OK." "All the stress of our modern world..." "Even the strongest are sometimes brought to their knees." "Nothing renews the spirit like the serenity of a work of art, isn't that right?" "You have time." "You will fill that time by facing the world, Boris." "Even the strongest are sometimes brought to their knees." "Tristan is here." "That's impossible!" " What are you talking about?" " He's on my property." "Jesus!" "Go see what he wants, I guess." "Shit!" "Tristan!" "What are you doing here at this hour?" "How are you?" "How's Helga?" "You look sexy like this." "Why don't you ever speak to me in Russian?" "I don't feel like it." "I've forgotten it." "And you?" "Why don't you try French sometimes?" "Hello!" "Thank you for having us." " I'm sorry." " Welcome, Mr. Prime Minister." "I'M SORRY, BORIS." "MAYBE WE SHOULD TAKE A LITTLE BREAK?" "Hello, Beatrice." "What is your name, miss?" "Thank you!" "You're welcome!" "Mr. Prime Minister, it was an honour to have you." "She's good." "As often as I can be, sir." "Absolutely." "With all due respect, what exactly are you insinuating?" "I'm taking care of her, sir." "I don't have it in me to take care of others." "You are furious, Boris Malinovsky." "Anger renders us blind and mad, and it obscures reason, my dear man." "You tricked me!" "Betrayed me!" "Beatrice is worse than ever!" "That's quite possible, Boris!" "You're letting her down." "You're letting us all down." "You looked for excitement and turned your back on Beatrice." "Like an overgrown teenager, you had fun in your little race car." "You visited a museum with total hypocrisy." "I could destroy you by describing your dalliances with that girl a few metres from the room your vulnerable wife was in." "I just have one question for you:" "Who are you trying to fool?" "Who are you fooling?" "If I were Beatrice, I would spit that blood right in your face." "You are a very bad student who misunderstood the simple lesson that was asked of him." "Perhaps your feelings for Beatrice aren't sincere." "Does her illness mean that little to you?" "I love my wife, and I don't owe you anything!" "Each illness has a time." "a place, a history, maybe even a colour." "Beatrice will be returned to you at the cost of a major change." "Keep digging and searching within yourself, away from the superficial, away from your own pleasure and your pride!" "I don't want to see you again, Boris." "Don't talk to me that way!" "I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT IT." "HELGA." "WE CAN'T SEE EACH OTHER ANYMORE." "CALL FROM HELGA" "Are you OK, Mom?" "Who do you usually swim with?" "The water's nice!" "Just warm enough." "Why have you come to see me?" "I know I don't visit often, but, you know..." "There are my companies and Beatrice is sick." "You never visit." "Sick with what?" "It'll pass." "I just have to stay near her as much as possible." "You sure came up with a good reason before visiting." "Beatrice is sick, Mom." "Why do you have to be so cold?" "Would you like me to stay and eat with you afterwards?" "Ifyou have time." "So?" "Did you remember why you came to see me?" "Mom, do you love me?" "That's what you came here to ask me?" "Answer honestly." "It's a mother's duty to love her child." "Have I succeeded now by the will of the gods?" "You have come to the sight of what you have prayed for." "And do you know whom I was invoking?" "I know that you are pining for Orestes." "Then how have I found an answer to my prayers?" "Here I am." "Search for no other friend but me." "You are weaving some snare about me?" "Then I am devising plots against myself." "No, you wish to mock my distress." "Then my own also, if yours." "Am I then to address you as Orestes in truth?" "Even though you see him in me, you are slow to learn." "Yet at the sight of this tress placed on the tomb, happiness filled your heart." "When you scrutinized my tracks, your thought took wings, and you knew you had found me." "Look at my head, and you will see the place where the lock was cut." "Do not go mad with joy!" "I know that our nearest kin are bitter foes to us both." "O beloved brother, darling of your father's house," "saving seed longed for with tears, trust in your prowess, and you will win back the ancestral palace." "FUCKING COWARD!" "Hello!" "Hello." " Does Justine live here?" " Absolutely." "I'm her father." "May I come in and speak to her?" "Password." "Password?" "There's a password?" "Of course not!" "Can I come in?" "I love awkward silences." "Can I see Justine?" "Is she here?" "Maybe." "Are those Hermes cufflinks?" "It's possible." "$450, easy." "Listen, boys, if she's not here." "I can come back." "Is it true that you have a housemaid?" "Yes." "I guess Justine tells you what she wants to tell you." " Do you want something to drink?" " No, thanks." "Not even a little coconut water?" "So there are three of you living here?" "What are your names?" "He's Orestes and I'm Electra." "You're making fun of me, huh?" "Can you tell Justine that I'll come back?" "Please leave a detailed message after the beep." "We're excellent messengers." "What did I do to you, you little fag?" "What do you want, Dad?" "Justine?" "Hello?" " Are those your friends?" " Yes." "Don't mind them." "They're adorable." "How are you?" "Aren't you worried you'll hurt your eyes?" "It's dark in here." "It must be serious if you're here." "No, nothing serious, Justine." "I came to see you." "That's all." "How's the stepmother?" "Call her Beatrice, please." "Not much progress." "Would you like to get a coffee with me?" "Or visit the factory?" "It's impressive." "It's nearby." "Tell me what you want, Dad." "We have to rehearse today." "I know we don't have the same..." "Our worlds are..." "Justine, I love you." "You're my daughter, and I love you." "You don't have to respond." "I know I have a lot of work to do, and I'm doing it." "I like it when you swallow your pride, Dad." "Don't make me cry, you little brat." "I didn't have a lot to say, but I wanted to say it." "Is this where we hug?" "No, I'm not the father I want to be yet." "Give me some time." "You're stupid!" "When Beatrice is doing better, ifyou think your old man deserves a hug, you'll come over for dinner, OK?" "Can I ask you something?" "Don't take this the wrong way, but what do you see in Beatrice?" "I love that woman." "And I want to be loved by her." "That's it." "I'm sorry, but I don't have an answer that will impress you." "That's fine." "Well, this is where the father offers his daughter some money to buy a little peace." "You can buy your roommates some T-shirts." "I'm gonna go." "Thanks for your help with the pigs." "The pigs?" "At the police station the other day." "Take care ofyourself." "If you need anything, you know where to find me." "I'm not a toy." "I'm not your toy." "Call me back." "I'm waiting at your goddamn house." "Who are you?" "Who are you?" "I'm Klara." "What is this?" "Does Boris live here?" "Hello." "I'm not Klara." "My name is Helga." "I wanted to see you." "Now you know me, bitch!" "You admire him, don't you?" "You think he's intelligent?" "He impresses you, huh?" "The girl was angry." "Beatrice..." "I won't leave again." "I'm staying here with you." "There's no danger, sweetheart." "Come back to me." "It's nothing." "I will clean up." "Life is beautiful." "There's you and me." "There's nothing else." "Beatrice..." "Come out of the bedroom!" "Come out of the damn bedroom!" "Go away, Miller." "I never wanna see you again." "Be reasonable, Boris." "Get out of here, Miller!" "Let me know if you need anything, OK?" "Are you all right?" "I went to see the neighbour's vineyard." "It's flowering." "It's magnificent." "We could go and visit tomorrow if you like." "Did you hear that?" "Calm down, Dad!" "It's just us." "What are you doing here?" "Give your mother a kiss, my son." "We came to have tea with Justine." "Hi, Mom." "I didn't hearyou come in." "What are you doing here?" "Sit down, my son." "Honestly, Dad, why are you making that face?" "We came to see you." "That's all." "Hello, Justine." "Boris, this is Mr. Lewis." "He's a volunteer at the residence." "I decided to invite him." "Mr. Lewis." "Should I make some more tea?" "Yes." "I can help, if you like." "It's OK." "I'll do it." "This is a special visit." "We could..." "I would've cleaned if I had known." "I'm going to use the bathroom." "I'll go with you, Mom." "Don't be silly!" "I'm warning you." "I have a gun in the house." "What are you doing here?" "Tell me." "There's no need for guns or for threats, Boris." "I don't know what your game is, but you're not welcome here." "Please be courteous." "Boris." "What do you want from me?" "You know perfectly well that this story isn't finished." "Mr. Lewis brought a delicious blueberry pie." "I put it in the fridge." "You'll love it." "Thank you, dear Pauline!" "It's all about the tapioca." "I cheat a little bit." "Pauline has told me a lot about you, Boris." "She tells me that your success has come easily." " Let's not exaggerate." " Of course not!" "There's no point in boasting about it, anyway." "Excuse me?" "Who's boasting?" "It's no secret, Dad." "It would be gauche of me to ask you about your many successes." "You'd be obliged to describe them one by one," "I imagine." "Not at all." "But if I felt like it, I would." "You're in my home, after all." "Absolutely!" "God help us, we're not competing to see who has the most pride." "I'm convinced, Mr. Malinovsky." "that you are a person who values restraint." "moderation and sobriety at all times, isn't that right?" "This isn't the time to discuss my personality traits." "When I was teaching," "I liked to tell the story of Tantalus." "I'll spare you the details, and there are many versions, but, in short, Tantalus was an important figure at Olympus." "He was very rich, and the gods considered him to be superior to other mortals." "Tantalus often ate at the gods' table, but he had a nasty habit of stealing things." "They say he would take medicinal plants and even the fabled nectar." "You speak so well, Mr. Lewis." "So, Tantalus wanted vengeance for a shady matter." "He invited the gods to dinner one day." "A proud man," "Tantalus decided to have his own son butchered and his flesh served to the guests to test their power of observation and their perceptiveness." "At first sure he had tricked them, Tantalus was quickly disappointed when the gods discovered the horror of his cannibalistic plan." "Why are you telling this story now?" "Dad!" "It's one of the best stories from Greek mythology." "As punishment," "Tantalus was placed in the middle of a river beneath fruit trees." "But the waterwould recede whenever he bent down to drink, and the wind would blow the tree branches away whenever he reached for fruit." "Tantalus's hunger is never sated and anguish forever strangles his throat." "Are you done?" "Come on, Boris!" "There are so many stories that illustrate man's vanity and excesses." " It's true." " Yes, OK." "But why are you telling that story here, right now in my house?" "Be polite!" "Mr. Lewis likes to tell these stories very much." "Don't get upset." "I'm not upset!" "Your little moment of frustration is reminiscent of what the ancient Greeks called hubris." "H-U-B-R-l-S." "They viewed fate as an independent force." "Fate is a draw." "It is the share of happiness and misery, of fortune and misfortune." "of life and death that each of us is due based on our social status and our relationships with the gods and with men." "A man guilty of hubris wants more than the share bestowed upon him by fate." "The ancients considered this to be a fundamental and grave sin." "People were put to death for such a transgression." "Thank God, we no longer punish the Tantaluses of the world!" "Mom, Justine, Mr. Lewis," "I'd like to ask you to leave, please." "I don't know if it's over, if it's finished, if we've witnessed any kind of transformation." "Let's just say that you're in a different place." "You hate me with all your might, and that's normal." "I shouldn't be back." "but who knows?" "Consider yourself under observation." "Until we meet again, Boris Malinovsky." "Who are you?" "An ally, Boris." "An ally." "Who needs an ally like you?" "No one." "Everyone." "Who knows?" "That was difficult, wasn't it?" "Where were you?" "BORIS WITHOUT BEATRICE"