De guerre lasse (2014) - full transcript

Marseille

Take cover! Grenade!

Come on! Hurry up!

Listen to what I fucking say!

Shit, one of them
has fallen right there!

Can you pass me
the carton and the phone?

No problem.

Like we said: the carton is 30 euros,
the phone is 20. 50 euros.

I'll make it 45. Is it a deal?

Fifty.

- Right.
- Thanks.



Titoune,

Alex.

I thought
you were chasing the Taliban.

Not any more. I'm back.

What do you mean, back?

I'm in town.

And what brings you here, kid?

I need ID within 2 days.

You provide them,
I pay you and that's it.

Tell nobody.

Remember the Casablanca?
It's mine now.

Come over this evening.

That's best.

Then we can talk in peace.



Follow me?
Better than on the phone.

OK.

Out the way!

Come on, move it.

- What do you want?
- I'm looking for Rachid.

- Rachid who? Get out.
- Rachid.

No Rachid here. Get out.

I hear him.

I said no.

No, thanks.

- Don't smoke any more?
- Only at night.

- Doing Ramadan too?
- Yeah.

- Seriously?
- Yes.

You've put on weight.

Bulked up.

- You kidding?
- No, seriously.

- Weight training?
- No, boxing.

Boxing? You box?

- Yeah.
- Show me.

Come on!

Stop.

Been here long?

Since yesterday.

- Where you staying?
- The Saigon.

- Still at home?
- No. I've got a place.

Gonna stick around?

I've got stuff to sort out.

Will it take long?

How's your sister?

She's fine.

She's in love.

I met her guy.

Wears a suit, good family...

Now she has a job,
we don't see her.

It's good. We're happy for her.

Rachid,

tell no one that you've seen me.

Not your mates, not your girl.

- Gonna call your father?
- No.

We missed you.

I missed you all, too.

You scared me.

All right?

- You?
- Yes.

No, no. I don't want any.

Forget about your Ramadan.

I don't want any.

- Eat.
- No.

Then take this. For tonight.

They're halal.

Guaranteed.

Ah, you're here.

You're not dead.

Would it kill you to keep in touch?

Your mother worries.
She wears me out.

I swear.

Sit down.

Sit down.

I thought of something.
I told your mother.

Remember old Nico?
He was at the bowling alley.

Sit down. Sit down.

I need a young guy to do security.

The pay's good.

Listen to me.

Watch closely.

Once you see how it's run
the club's yours.

You'd like that, right?

Frankly, no.

Seriously? You'd rather
work for the Corsicans?

I don't: I'm an estate agent.

It's on my payslip.
Want to see?

Call that a job?

Don't you see the problem?

OK. Look,

Alex is back. I saw him.

Where?

How is he?

How can I reach him?

- Where's he staying?
- No idea.

He has my number, he'll call.

Did he say why he's here?
You spoke to him.

He asked about Katia.

What exactly did he ask
about your sister?

How she was, her job...

What else?

I forget.

If she had a guy
and if she was still in Aix.

Tell him to call me.

Even if it kills him.

Rachid.

Clémence always said
having a son would change me.

That it'd make me a different man.

Find him before Marciani catches him.

Fine my son, Titoune.
You have to.

Hasn't he called you?

No. Why?
Have you heard anything?

Has someone mentioned him?

No.

Why the hell is he here?
What's he playing at?

Marciani's bound to get him.
What can I do?

What you can.

This is family, Titoune.

How's it going with
your new pals, the Corsicans?

You don't mind
working for Marciani?

Doesn't it gall you?

No one forced you
to hand the business to Marciani.

If I hadn't,
there'd have been a bloodbath.

You gave up on us.

Did you think
I'd open a halal butcher shop?

I'd rather you worked
with the Arabs.

I know how much you like them.

Titoune, Algeria was 50 years ago.

Drop it.

The war's over.

They don't bother me,
but I make the rules here.

That's all.
You're the one with the problem.

You're a recluse. How long
have you and Raïssa been shut away?

Since those morons
have treated her like shit.

I'll try to find out about Alex.

Katia?

What are you doing here?

Are you on leave?

No, it's over. I'm back.

Are you at your father's place?

No.

So you're a solicitor now?

"Solicitor Larbi"?

I still can't get used to it.

It suits you. You're beautiful.

Hello.

You know what'll happen
if you stay.

What they're saying about you
and the death of Marciani's brother.

When they found the body,

your father said
you'd joined the Foreign Legion.

For good.
That I'd never see you again.

It's been 4 years, Alex. 4 years.

Are you taking over
your dad's business?

He doesn't know I'm here.

What do you want?
Why are you here?

I missed you.

It's good to see you.

You know Marco, of course.

And Fabrice.

Handing out pens to kids
to win hearts and minds.

What a joke! Shit.

Next the elite will shake hands
with the fundamentalists.

If we don't win over there,
we've had it.

In Oran, when our parents
fought Algiers in '51,

the FLN was on its knees...

Algeria, Marseille...

The same guys.
We'll get screwed.

A passport with a name.

A new name.

An ID card and a driving licence.

Not in 2 days. Not enough time.
Really. I can do 3 days.

Give me 3 days.

Is my father
running knocking shops now?

Are they lucrative?

What do you mean?

There's a lot of them around.

You know, your father...

Why don't you call him?

It's been 4 years.

You can sort it out,
I'll arrange it.

No, don't arrange anything.

He made a deal with the Corsicans.
It was easier.

Right, son, you have to go now.

Fabrice will get your photo taken.

You pay Marcel
and he'll take care of everything.

Fabrice, come here.

Take my car.

Take the kid to Marcel's.

Go out the back way.
The car's there.

Got a light?

Don't I know you?

You were at Pietra Alba?

- The Battisti exchange?
- No. Docks security.

- The Gramblin brothers?
- Yeah.

Get off me! Get off me!

Calm down, friend!

Did you know Titoune works
with the Corsicans and Marciani?

No.

What is it with you and my father?

Your father packed it in.

What do you mean?

After you left,

he let Marciani
take over his turf.

Alex?

Why are you here?

- I need papers.
- Papers?

The Legion takes all your ID papers.

They destroy them.
You don't exist.

You know people.

In la Busserine, northern part.

- You're with the Barouhanes?
- No.

But I know them.

Seen my father?

Yeah.

- You told him I was here?
- Yeah.

- And?
- He wants you to call him.

The truck arrived.
We robbed them.

Listen, 200 kilos.

Yeah, 200 kilos.

We put the hash in the car.
Corsicans playing Clint Eastwood.

The bastard took out a 38
and shot Saïd in the head.

Know what he did?
Took off his hood.

Fucking moron.

The slug went through his cheeks
without breaking a tooth.

Shit.

I reckon
the Corsicans have got him.

Rachid, we're in the shit.

- I don't like it.
- Calm down.

- Don't you get it?
- Listen.

Saïd is hidden away.
I sent him a doctor.

- OK?
- Listen to me, fuck's sake!

I don't like it.
We're in deep.

Do you think we robbed a florist?

Look, we've got 300 kilos, 300.

With the Barouhanes,
we'll run the show.

Right?

What's beneath
those Corsicans' suits?

- I don't know.
- Country bumpkins.

They eat pork and chestnuts.
They're pigs.

This is our turf.

So relax.
Go home, smoke a joint

and leave the Barouhanes to me.

OK?

Third time we've been robbed.

They took 200 kilos.

Do you realise?
How do I pay my men?

Never the same route.
See the problem?

No? You got shit for brains?

One of our guys is in on it.

Find out who it is
and who he works for.

Who do you take me for?

It's OK.

I said it's OK.

So, how's business?

Didn't you tell me
you wanted to set up a film studio?

Now you're in property.

There's gonna be offices in Noailles.
A good thing to get into.

- It's bound to take off.
- You'd be welcome.

If you need office space...

Look, I gave you

the Opéra district,
the bars, slot machines,

your smokes business in Belsunce.

When my son left,
we wiped the slate clean.

Only now he's back.

My brother was a nutcase.

He got shot by accident
but he likely deserved it.

But he was my brother.

That's Matteo, my nephew.

How do I tell him his father's killer
is here and I'm doing nothing?

What do I say?
How do I look?

Does he think
he's going to get the business back?

- No. I doubt it.
- Are you taking the piss?

He told you why he's here.

It's a family affair.
Let me sort it.

You don't know
how right you are.

I'll hold off for now.

But solve this fast,

because the kid's a loose cannon.

He's uncontrollable.

A nutcase, like his dad.
So get a move on.

Why aren't we talking?

There's no need to sulk.

Do you want a coffee?

Is that forbidden during Ramadan?

I'm not hungry, that's all.

I called you all day yesterday.
Where were you?

You haven't heard from Alex,
have you?

Not for 4 years.

Nothing.

Listen, can you stop by
rue de la République...

Look at me.

A big guy,

shaved head, tattoos,
like an angry soldier.

Follow me?

The guys remember him
after what he did.

No? Can't remember?

or wants to see you,

let me know.

Don't tell him you've told me.
Got it?

You think I'm a grass?

Want to return
to your stepfather's shop?

Stacking crates of apples?

Polishing floors, Arabs' work?

Go on,

order another tea for me.

In 1962, it was the end.

It was really dangerous.

But Armand and I weren't afraid.

We went to the village together,
despite the curfew.

There was a labourer's wife.
There she is. Fatima.

- Her?
- Yes.

She invited us to drink tea
in secret.

We were very close.

We grew up together.

When they killed my father,
Armand asked me to flee with him.

He was your boyfriend, there?

It was impossible back then.

His family wouldn't have allowed it.

On that front, nothing's changed.

I didn't even allow myself
to imagine it.

It took me years
to realise that I loved him.

He'll tell you about it one day.

Here. Can you help me?

So?

You have to talk to the kids.

Tell them the truth.

Alex can leave town.

He'll be safer.
So will his sister.

It'll be over.

You always said you'd do it.

Now's the time, Armand.

That's the El-Djezaïr, isn't it?

- And the frigate?
- It's gone.

For Oran, it's the SNCM ferry.

Have you been?

We were supposed to go together.

It was hard for me when you left.

It's important to me that you know.

Now you're here,
let's talk like adults.

Have you known the lawyer long?

Like the doctor
you were seeing at college.

What was his name?

- A doctor?
- The short guy.

Oh, François.

- You never liked him.
- No.

He was a pretentious prick.
You didn't like him either.

You can tell me now:
did you sleep together or not?

You had some flames, too.

That stuff never mattered to us.

Just a drag.

It's been a long time.

I was worried
you were getting nostalgic.

You scared me.

What happened between us
was a mistake.

Are you in love?

What do you think?

I've been with him a year.
He's been patient.

- I'm happy, Alex.
- You didn't answered me.

Are you in love?

That smile tells me you're happy.

Look at me.

Katia, look at me.

Hey, we find his hideout
and go back.

That's the plan.

Isn't it?

Do you know who I am?

Matteo Marciani.

Marciani, like my father.

Remember, you bastard? Eh?

Fabrice, come here!

Look at this piece of shit!

Come and see, Fabrice!

Get lost. Get lost!

Being a soldier means above all

no longer belonging to yourself.

Nor even

to your own family.

Here,

our soldiers

cast their lives before us.

Living or dead,

we belong to our country

more than to our loved ones.

Whereas some envisage

the possibility
of dying for the Afghans,

or even - as we've heard -

dying for nothing,

we reply unremittingly:

"It is for France that we will die."

Alex.

Alex?

If the Barouhanes ask,
we're childhood friends.

OK?

It's OK, he's with me.

Really?

This way.

Still with Ahmed?

Yeah.

Do you trust him?
He's a junkie.

He's a junkie.

- That's what they say.
- Hicham?

That's Vernou's son.

- It's Vernou's son.
- Who, him?

Yes, it's him.

What's going on?

Why does Vernou's son need us?

Rachid, explain.
What's he doing here?

Six seconds.

Weren't you in the army,
shooting up jihadists?

Who do you work for? The Condés?

- Couldn't your dad get you papers?
- I deserted.

- What?
- I deserted.

- What about your father?
- The Condés are after him.

Do your stuff,
then get him out of here.

And no discounts!

Rachid, you piss me off.

What are you playing at?

Another stunt like that
and you're dead!

- Got it?
- OK.

Move it.

- What's this?
- Give me that.

- What is it?
- Put it away.

It's loaded.
What are you playing at?

Are you working for them?
Dealing for them?

One day
you'll get scared and quit,

and you'll get killed
because you're no gangster.

You're not my father, OK?

You wanted papers, you got them.

Leave town.
You don't belong here.

Doubt the Corsicans will find you?

I'll go to Algeria.

Where are you?

Where? This place is big.

Stay there, I'll come down.

- You can't just turn up.
- Wait.

I got 2 tickets for Oran, tomorrow.

The El-Djezaïr
departs at 5:00 pm. Look.

There.

About 30 km from Oran,
on the road to Mascara.

That's the farm.

There's a water tower.

The road goes behind.
Should be easy to find.

A family lives there.

Algerians.
Friends of your grandfather.

They can help us find your family.

Let's not talk about that now.

You must understand.
It's impossible.

I don't even speak Arabic.

I know nothing about those people.

- It's madness.
- Trust me.

Wait, wait.

Not like this. Not here.

I won't lift a finger
for your mother's birthday.

I'm sick of this farce
with your family.

I'm sick of it, Armand.

You're not happy here?

It doesn't suit you?

Remember.

I remember you deprived
my children of a father.

I'll remember that all my life.

So protect them now

and tell them the truth.

That their father didn't
abandon them at birth like dogs.

Tell them their father,

their real father,
always looked out for them.

Tell them you love them.

That you're here.

Protect them.

We made the decision together.

I did it for you all.
For Rachid, Katia, Alex. For you.

At 60 I'm running a bowling hall
in a shithole

because you asked me to.

Your son wouldn't even
take over the business.

I'm not talking about that.

He's your son too.

I did it for us.

My family hounded us.

I wanted to protect you
from their hatred,

their bitterness.

No, Armand.

That's not true.

We did it
because you were ashamed.

I knew you'd tear yourself
away from beautiful Aix.

No kiss for Uncle Titoune?

I must be getting old.

I need to find Alex.

I need to talk to him.
Do you know where he is?

I always knew about you two.

They were blind.
You were clearly in love.

It was clear to me, anyway.

Alex hasn't changed.
As mad as ever, eh?

Did you know?

He just killed Matteo Marciani.

Like father, like son.

I have to talk to him
before it turns bad

for the family. Understand?

Get off or I'll have you
for assault and attempted abduction.

Your word against mine,
and you have a record.

Still the same Alex.

You're like your father:
you reek of death.

Katia, what's going on?

It's Titoune.

He told me about Marciani.

What have you done?

If you love me,
protect me: let me be.

See you tomorrow.

They said it was good.
And the docks?

Yeah?

Hey!

- All right?
- Yeah. You?

Rachid, coming? Let's go.

Where to?

Hurry up.

In Oran, on Sundays,

Armand stayed at the farm
with Raïssa.

While everyone went to Mass.

Armand and your mother.

An old story. Understand?

Think he's sleeping with her?
I mean Alex.

Is he fucking your sister?

It's weird.

It's not very halal,
fucking your sister.

Alex wants to go away with Katia.

That's what the ID's for.

He came to get her.

Tell me where he is
before he screws up again.

Go fuck yourself.

I've known you
since you were a kid.

A real heartbreaker
with your puppy-dog eyes.

I recall that angelic face
to keep me from disfiguring it.

You useless fucking shit.

You're alive thanks to me.

Get him out.

Shut him up.

Will you shut up?

What's that?

He'll never fit.

That's quite a lot, 300 kilos.

Did you think
we'd let you keep fucking us over?

Is that it?

Tell me who you work for.

Give me your hand. Get up.

Enough of this.

An Arab proverb:

"Shake your enemy's hand
if you can't cut it off."

You lot haven't changed.

Who do you work for?

Tell him who you work for.

Louder. Speak up.

Look at me.
Who do you work for?

For the Barouhanes?

Rachid, listen to me.

I'll turn a blind eye
to this Barouhanes thing,

but find Alex for me.

Preliminary tests are good.

No cerebral lesions.

It's tiredness.

Stress, apparently.

It's not serious.

He's indestructible.

He says he still wants
to do the birthday.

He'd so like you all to be there.

It's important to him,

I think.

I was so scared, kids.

I thought I was going to lose him.

Call Alex.

I know you're seeing him.

He has to talk to his father.

It's important.

Alex?

Your father's in hospital
but he's OK.

Where is he?

No, I won't go.

I won't go.

Alex, he's your dad.

Don't miss this chance

to talk to him.

If you don't, you'll regret it.

We shouldn't be seen together.

He had great plans for you.

He saw you as a lawyer.

For me it was different.

There's a family meeting.

Get lost.

Drive on.

- All right?
- Yes.

I'm fine.

Come in.

I'm glad you came.

Feeling better?

Yes.

It was nothing, really.

I'm getting old.

Help me.

You know, Armand,

things haven't always
been easy between us.

I didn't always show
the respect you deserved.

I won't stay
for your mother's birthday.

It's more than I can bear.

Your family...
I've got nothing to do with them.

I did my best, Katia.

I made mistakes.

For your brother, Rachid,
it was hard. As it was for Alex.

But you...

You have no idea
how proud I am of you.

I'm going now, Armand.

My taxi's waiting.

Go on, then.

Where are you going?

- I can't stay.
- I know why Alex came back.

Did you think I didn't know?

That you were going out together?

I kept quiet, Katia.

I shut my mouth
so no one would know.

You won't do it again, will you?

Will you, Katia?

Alex is at the Saigon.

Marciani will be ruthless.

He'll set the pack on you.

But you know that.

Listen, Raïssa's father was killed

by one of the farm workers.

They worked for us,
but they were FLN.

No one had left yet.

The French thought they could stay,
thanks to the OAS and all that.

Then 2 days later,
we boarded a ship to Marseille.

We chose life. Do you see?

Leave this town.

I can help you if you need money.

You always know
what's best for everyone.

Me, Katia, everyone.

Now I have to go away again?

The first time
was to save your life.

We had to get you out.

You wanted to carry on your business
and I had to disappear.

Why do you think I run
a rat-ass bowling alley

for peanuts?

I gave them everything.

Just to save your skin.

There's another thing
you need to know.

When Raïssa moved in,
2 years after your mother died,

she was pregnant
with Katia and Rachid.

I wanted to live with my children.
All three of them.

Don't tell Katia and Rachid,
I'll do it.

Where are you?

I'm in your hotel room.
Will you come?

I have to talk to you.

Lock yourself in.

Don't open the door.

Don't go near the windows.

Don't open the curtains.

Today we're reunited

after many years.
I don't know. 8 years?

We're here to celebrate
my mother's birthday.

Your 90th birthday.

Mum.

I raise my glass

in honour
of this extraordinary woman...

who has shown great courage

both here

and over there,

in Le Nadour.

The domain of Le Nadour

had vines,

orange trees...
Who'd have thought that one day...

It's hard. I'm sorry.

I'd like to take
this opportunity to...

to include in the celebrations
another woman...

who also lived there among us.

She's followed me always.

A woman who also left everything
to come here.

She has shared my life

for over 20 years.

Play the music, darling.

Mum, now I can tell you:

on Sundays
when you all went to Mass,

we were dancing in the living room.

My story

I raise my glass to Raïssa...

the woman I've loved
for a very long time.

A story like so many others

Which could be yours

People from here or elsewhere

It's the flame
that ignites without burning

It's the dream
you dream without sleeping

A tall tree that climbs

Full of strength and tenderness

Toward the daylight that's coming

It's the story of a love
both eternal and banal

That every day
brings good and bad

With the hour when we embrace

The hour when we say farewell...

I too raise my glass

to my mum and her two bastards.
Katia, who didn't want to see you...

Get off me.

And me, who's here to tell you

I don't love you
and you can all go to hell.

- What?
- Stop it.

- Get off.
- Rachid.

Let me go.

Katia.

I so wanted to go with you.

But I can't.

You can't stay here.

Hello?

Yes?

The devil who walks with us

We don't only have the weapons

We have the Devil at our side
Ha, ha, ha, ha,

For our elders of the Legion

Are fighting over there
and we follow in their footsteps

Heirs to their tradition

We are the men of the assault troops

I'll follow in their footsteps!

We don't only have the weapons

We have the Devil at our side

I wanted to tell you the truth
when you could understand,

but time went by.

To me you were my children,

and I brought you up as such.

But I couldn't find the words.

I thought about it every day.

I was afraid to lose you.

I didn't know how you'd take it.

A life of lies.

You shut it away, you think

it's too late, and then...

even the truth makes no sense.

Rachid...

you've always been my children.

You don't raise a son
like you do a bastard.

You're nothing to me.

She's in a coma, but she'll be OK.

She'll make it.

I had no choice, Alex.

Keys.

Give me the keys!

Get out.

Alex, wait.

Alex, wait.

Please.
Have you talked to Mum?

Don't do this.

- You know...
- On your knees!

Don't do it, Alex. Please.

Don't do it.

Don't do it, Alex.

Think of Katia.
What will you tell her?

Please. Don't do it.

I had no choice.
No fucking choice!

Don't do it, Alex.

Please.

Don't look at me.

Don't look at me.

To our beloved father
Katia, Rachid, Alex

Subtitles: ECLAIR