The Girl Before (2021) - full transcript

It's not your typical London one-bed.

But I think once you've looked round

you'll see why it's a bit special.

Bloody hell.

Wow.

I mean...

Just...

wow.

It's like an art gallery or something.

It's amazing.

Everyone says that.

I've never seen anywhere like it.

And this is in our budget?

The owner sets an affordable rent

to people who'll live here

the way he intended.

The way he intended?

Yes. He's the architect.

He was going to live here

himself at one stage, I believe.

But now...

he rents it out instead.

So, it's stuff like, what?

No smoking, no pets?

It's a bit more than that.

No pictures, no ornaments,

no carpets or rugs, no books.

No books?

No children, obviously.

No planting anything in the garden.

Anything else?

Oh, yes.

There's about 200 in all.

No drinks coasters,

no magazines, no knick-knacks.

How do you turn the lights on?

He's not a fan of switches, either.

Everything's automatic.

So, who lives here now?

No-one. It's been empty for quite a while.

Then why was the front door unlocked?

You just walked in.

Again, all automatic.

You wear one of these,

you don't even need a key.

Do you want to see upstairs?

What's he like?

The man who built this.

Pretty strange, presumably.

People say he's charming.

You might get to meet him,

if you go for it.

Might?

He interviews prospective

tenants personally,

those who get through the initial stages.

There's a questionnaire to fill in first.

Then usually we just get a email saying,

"Thanks, but no thanks."

Not a fan of banisters, either.

And what sort of people get accepted?

Since I've been the agent, no-one has.

And how long has that been?

Three years.

Pretty much everything

you'll need is provided.

Linen, pillows, mattress,

even toiletries.

He's er...

he's very particular like that.

Everything you see in the house

has been chosen by...

And where do you put all your stuff?

He's not really into stuff, either.

This is your only cupboard.

But, just to warn you,

one of the rules is nothing on the floor

or left on the bed.

Everything has to be put away.

Well, how would he know?

Regular inspections

are built into the contract.

And if the rules are infringed,

we have to tell him.

No way, then. That's like school.

I'm not having someone

tell me off for leaving

a pair of dirty socks out.

I mean, if it wasn't for all those rules,

then maybe,

but, you know,

we're messy people.

Em's side of the bedroom

looks like a bomb went off in Zara.

We could change.

Yeah, right. Sorry, mate.

It's got to be a no from us.

Si.

I'm just being practical.

Where's next?

Brent Cross.

A one-bed just came on,

a bit more conventional than this.

So, what do you think?

I think somewhere like this

shouldn't be left empty.

Not for three years.

Feels like...

..it's waiting for someone.

Bye, house.

It's all right.

Question one.

"Please make a list of every possession

"you consider essential to your life."

And then he's left space

for about five things.

Yes, but you can see his point.

He's a minimalist architect.

If you've designed something

for a certain way of living,

why let people just do

what they want with it?

Look, are you sure about this?

Why wouldn't I be?

The house is amazing, honestly.

I could help you redecorate that bedroom.

And you... you could just think

about getting some counselling.

I don't want to redecorate the bedroom.

Besides, living in a...

a different way,

a different place...

..I think it'll help.

"Please make a list of every possession

"you consider essential to your life."

Em, we're not doing it.

I'm just reading it.

You know what, though?

I think that's a trick question.

Cos he's not really into stuff, remember?

I think the smart thing would be

to leave this answer blank.

Yeah, because we're not filling it in.

Yeah. So we're agreed on question one.

Question two.

"Would you sacrifice yourself

to save ten innocent strangers?"

Maybe I could start a blog.

My Minimalist Journey.

Emma Matthews,

the princess of less.

You haven't posted anything

on the last one you set up.

Yeah, cos I've not had any time because...

..I'm always clearing up clutter.

Oh, clearing up?

Uh-huh.

This must be the only flat in

London where the burglar left it

tidier than the occupants.

Fucking hell, Si.

Not funny.

Em...

You promised we'd move out!

This is so cool.

I know.

Let's not get our hopes up, though.

It's just an interview.

"Welcome, Emma and Simon.

"Please make your way

to the ground floor."

How do they know we're here?

Emma, Simon, hi.

I'll take you to Edward.

They're here.

Ah. Come in.

Thank you.

Coffee?

It's good to meet you, mate.

I'm Simon.

This is my girlfriend, Emma.

Er, please.

Coffee would be great. Thanks.

So...

Tell me why you'd like to live

at 1 Folgate Street.

Well, it would obviously

be a great opportunity

to live somewhere incredible.

You've done such a

fantastic job of designing it,

and we'll just...

try and do it justice.

And it would really just be

our dream to live there.

Wouldn't it, Si?

Uh, definitely.

And I think it will change us.

In what way?

We were burgled.

Well, I was.

Simon was out with his mates.

The burglar had a knife.

Carry on.

I think 1 Folgate Street could...

..help me be a stronger person.

Someone who wouldn't just stand there...

..and let someone like

that walk all over me.

If that makes any sense.

Your coffee.

Thank you.

Oh! Jeez, Emma!

I'll get a cloth.

No need, no need. No need.

Alyssia.

Dispose of them, would you?

Don't worry, don't worry.

They were very bad drawings.

I should have abandoned them weeks ago.

Mate, I am so sorry.

A word of advice, Simon.

You never apologise for someone you love.

It makes you look like a prick.

I'll let you know.

Thank you for coming, Emma.

You too, Simon.

I could have you struck off.

By all means, try.

For fuck's sake, I worked on

that house for six months!

It was a different house.

The house you worked on

never would have won.

Fuck you.

Jane Cavendish.

Of course.

Come in.

Did you win?

Please.

Win what?

That argument.

Oh.

That was nothing.

A former partner.

We had different approaches.

He wasn't a minimalist?

I don't actually think of

myself as a minimalist.

When you relentlessly eradicate

everything unnecessary

or imperfect it's surprising

how little is left.

My houses...

..make demands of people, Jane.

Peter, my technology partner,

talks about something called UX.

User experience.

The housekeeper system gathers

data from whoever lives

at 1 Folgate Street to improve

the user experience in real time.

What sort of data?

What spaces you use most,

the temperature the shower's set at.

That kind of thing.

And some more...

psychological.

That strange questionnaire

I had to fill in.

Once we have a baseline,

we redo it from time to time

to see how the answers are changing.

It's almost nothing Google or

Facebook wouldn't know about you.

I don't think Facebook

follows me into the shower.

It's the price the tenant

pays for living there.

Data instead of market rent.

We have no shortage of applicants.

And yet you struggle

to find anyone acceptable.

Three years, I understand.

We need to find the right fit.

But perhaps we've found her?

Look, I'm not going to give

you some long, gushy spiel

about why I want to live there.

Just that...

..you've built a house with integrity.

And I'll try to live there

with integrity, too.

The agent mentioned you were going

to live there yourself, originally.

Not in that house.

A different building on the same site.

Oh.

That house never got built.

Why not?

Ed, we need to talk.

The idiots are scrimping

on the fibre optics.

I'm so sorry, Jane,

you'll have to excuse us.

Of course.

Alyssia.

Please see Miss Cavendish out.

Thank you for coming.

Just this way.

The only solution is for it

to have its own satellite link.

That way, we could get a

low Earth orbit of about five to...

..ten satellites,

and it would create a mesh.

I'll leave you here.

Why didn't he build the original house?

He said it was going to be different.

Well... Folgate Street was

meant to be his family home.

Then his family died.

You know, his...

his wife and their son.

She was one of the partners here.

They designed it together.

I'm surprised he mentioned it.

He almost never does.

We'll be in touch.

Then the bastard pulls out a knife.

And that's what I see mostly,

when I have the flashbacks.

Well, that's a completely

natural response to trauma.

It feels horrible.

Like they're real and I can't stop them.

When bad things happen,

sometimes, the brain

doesn't process the memory correctly.

So memories can feel like

they're happening to you now.

And Simon?

Previously, you said you found his response

to the burglary somewhat trying.

He seems to think if he was there, he...

..could have beaten the guy to a pulp

and made a citizen's arrest, or something.

The truth is, he would have been stabbed.

Society has a kind of construct

of what masculinity is

in these situations.

When that's undermined,

it can leave any man feeling threatened.

Yeah.

But I think Si was like that before,

actually.

So, I just...

So?

It's my fault.

It was me.

What do you feel is your fault, Emma?

Nothing.

Rachel. Hi.

I am so sorry to hear your news.

I've got us a quiet room.

Morning.

Morning, Jane. Morning, Jane.

Good to see you.

I've had some thoughts, actually.

Different ways of structuring the team.

Well, we are so looking

forward to having you back.

And I'm thinking about a strategy review.

Right. So, the thing is, that I've, erm...

I've spoken to HR,

and your maternity cover, Belinda,

well, we can't just, uh...

terminate her contract.

So, erm...

We have very generous

compassionate leave.

Are you sure that you don't want to...?

What I want...

..is to get back to work.

I need to keep busy.

Yeah, of course.

So, look, erm...

I'm sure we can find an appropriate role.

Maybe not...

client-facing.

Not just yet...

So, what have we got?

Leona?

Energy.

Positivity.

Dynamism. Reliability?

Emma. Hm?

You haven't written down "dynamism",

Well, isn't that the same as "energy"?

I think the question we need

to be asking ourselves is,

what exactly is Flow2o's higher purpose?

Supplying offices

with water coolers?

Water is life.

Emma, did you get that?

I do love to see a room full

of geniuses hard at work.

What's going down, Bri?

Mission statement hell.

How about...?

"To make...

"..more water cooler

moments happen every day."

Saul, you bastard!

Emma, write that down.

How's it going, Em?

Missing sales yet?

Best assistant I ever had.

Just don't get her on the shots.

Laters, guys.

I'm the same on shots.

Right, come on,

back to the task in hand.

How was it?

Erm, it was dynamic,

energetic and life-enhancing.

I thought marketing was going

to be way more exciting than this.

Oh, my God.

What?

I don't believe it.

We got the house!

I got the house!

I got the...!

Ah!

They don't deserve you.

And, of course,

the maternity's so generous,

Belinda's still got another

six months on her contract.

Oh, wow.

What?

It's the house.

I passed the interview, I got it.

Oh, good.

Good, you...

You deserve some good news.

It says I can move in next week.

How are you going to survive

with all this stuff in storage?

What's this?

Oh, erm, the house chose it.

Our house has a playlist?

It's better than that.

Our house has moods.

Are we feeling peaceful?

This is peaceful.

Playful or productive?

Hm...

..playful.

Playful, it is.

One Week Of Danger

by The Virgins

Woo!

Come on, loosen up!

I'm trying.

No!

Ooh, careful with that.

Ha-ha.

Hey, I'm not knocking it.

Clearly old Eddie Monkford

has a thing for people

who spill hot drinks over him.

And now here we are

in a really cool house

and a really tiny rent.

So you like it now?

Yeah. I love it.

It's my birthday next week.

Is it?

Shit, I'd forgotten.

I've booked us a table for two

at the new Saffron.

Or... we could have a party.

Are parties allowed?

Just be a few friends.

To make them all jealous of how

grown-up and sorted we are.

OK.

Let's do it.

We could invite Edward Monkford.

Why would we do that?

Yeah, you're right.

Bad idea.

Night.

Night.

Alyssia, hi. It's Jane Cavendish.

I really appreciate the welcome flowers,

but it's just getting a bit much.

Edward's in America.

And if he was sending flowers,

he'd ask me to do it.

Is there a florist's name?

Uh, let me check.

Oh, this one has a card.

"Emma, I will love you forever."

Who's Emma?

I think you'd better phone

the florist direct.

They're nothing to do with us.

Oh, wow.

Whoa.

Told you.

Martha, not the stairs.

Uh, has it sent you crazy yet?

No, actually.

The house and I are a

good match for each other.

Yeah.

And the man who built it, could you

be a good match for each other?

Behave.

And how are things with you?

Well, you know, erm...

Charlie's firm's talking

about redundancies,

Martha may have dyslexia,

Freddie's desperate for a guinea pig.

Freddie, don't do that!

Guys, come and sit on the sofa.

Come on.

Er, Charlie. Yes?

Er, get some toys or something

from the car, would you?

Yeah, sure.

It's not really a garden for playing in.

Mm.

Where do you keep those

wooden salad spoons?

I was hoping you wouldn't notice.

They went to a charity shop.

Oh. I know. I'm sorry.

It's just...

There's room for so few of

my own things here.

Is that awful of me?

Oh, no, no. It's fine.

Who's your admirer, Jane?

What?

I just found some bloke outside

leaving you flowers.

Jane.

Should I...?

No, let's not.

Wait!

Wait a minute, would you?

Wait! Why do you keep

leaving me flowers?

Who are you?

My name isn't Emma.

Well, they aren't for you.

Obviously.

And I only keep replacing them

because you keep taking them.

It was her birthday this week.

She would have been 30.

Oh, my God,

I'm so sorry.

Did she...?

She died in that house three years ago.

How? If you...

I know it's none of my business,

but...

It depends who you ask.

W-what do you mean?

People do die in houses.

It's where people used to

expect to end their lives.

Old houses, yes, and old people.

But this was someone our age.

Are you all right?

It seems so perfect.

Hard to imagine.

Strange.

Wow.

You look gorgeous.

Thanks.

Ow!

You OK?

Mm.

I don't think the house likes me.

House doesn't have favourites, Si.

When you want to turn the hob on,

you just, like, give it a wave.

Then turn it off.

I want one of those.

In Real Life by Buvette

Sorry.

Don't worry, I've got it.

I've got it.

Hey, Emma.

Course I love you.

My beautiful wife.

Me and my wife...

OK, let's go.

Club. Club, club, club, club!

Oh, Saul, we're...

we're knackered, mate.

When did you get so boring, man?

You're my right hand man.

I can't go without you, can I?

Just not tonight.

Come on.

Let's go home.

All right.

Thank you!

Goodbye. Adieu.

Bedtime?

Yeah.

Ah... Our first party at 1 Folgate Street.

Mm. Went pretty well, I thought.

You know what else we

haven't done here yet?

Si, I'm not...

Stop. Oh...!

Sorry.

You remember how we

christened Cranleigh Gardens?

Every room within a week.

OK.

And that was before someone

came and shoved a knife in my face.

I know, I...

I know, I'm sorry.

There's no rush.

I just thought...

Look, you said you felt safe here.

I do. I just...

I'm not ready.

Not yet.

I love you.

Hello?

Erm... Uh, two minutes.

That was the police,

DS Willan and her boss.

What?

They're out... they're outside.

They said they want to talk to me.

Maybe they've caught the

bastards who burgled us.

Oh, fuck!

Oh, my....

Fuck...

Oh...!

OK...

Come on in.

Sorry about the mess.

Hello, Emma, how are you?

This is my colleague,

Detective Inspector James Clarke.

Have you caught him?

A man matching the description

Emma gave us has been arrested

carrying out another burglary.

We've recovered a number

of items listed as stolen.

Including your phone, Emma.

That's great. Isn't it, Em?

Mm-hm. Yeah, great.

We do need to ask you

some more questions.

Is there somewhere

we can talk in private?

What, in this house?

Not unless you count the shower.

We could go to the police station, Emma.

I think it's best we do this on your own.

I... No, I would come with Em.

You know, to support her.

No, here's fine.

I'm sorry to have to ask you this.

Uh, but when we examined your phone,

we found evidence

suggesting that a man may have

used it to film himself

forcing a sexual act on you.

Is that correct?

Emma, can you tell us who it was?

Emma.

He had a knife.

First, he...

..took my phone off me,

and then he made me...

..do that, what you saw.

He said if I told anyone...

..boyfriend or the police...

..that he'd send it out

to everyone in my contacts.

My family, work.

Erm, I'm afraid...

we have to ask something else.

Is there any possibility he could

have left any DNA behind?

Erm...

On the bed, perhaps?

Or... or maybe on your clothes?

It can be really powerful

corroborating evidence.

You understand what we're asking,

don't you, Emma?

Yeah, I understand.

No.

No, he made me...

Sorry.

There's no need to apologise.

None of this is your fault.

And please be aware that in this country

any kind of forced penetration,

including forced oral

penetration, is rape.

And that's what we'll be working to

get this individual convicted of.

I give you my word on that...

We're going to arrange for you

to give a video interview...

Hey.

Why didn't you tell me?

I thought you would find it difficult.

You mean...

You thought I wouldn't be sympathetic?

You thought I wouldn't care?

I didn't think, Simon.

I was scared.

You would have told me to tell

the police, and I didn't want to.

Em...

I know I can be a bit of

an idiot sometimes.

Of course I wouldn't have made you

do anything you didn't want to.

What does this say about us?

That you couldn't talk to me

about something as big as this?

It doesn't say anything.

This isn't about you.

Jesus.

Hello?

Hi, Jane, I've got a visitor here for you.

Thanks. I'll be right there.

OK, thanks. Bye.

Richard.

Jane.

They didn't tell me you were back.

Are you coming to the review?

And how's motherhood suiting you?

What did you have?

Richard? Belinda Best.

Nice to meet you.

Belinda. Great to meet you, too.

I'm Jane Cavendish.

You're my maternity cover.

It's nice to meet you.

Of course.

Lovely to meet you.

We should catch up.

Richard, shall we go through?

We've taken the opportunity to look

at the strategy with fresh eyes.

Sounds fascinating. Can't wait.

Oh.

Hello.

What are you...?

Hi, Jane.

I, uh...

I just wanted to apologise

about the flowers.

I should have told you

about the previous tenant.

I...

I guess I didn't want to put you off.

Well, it would have been good to know.

For what it's worth,

it was an accident.

On the stairs.

It could have happened in any house.

Look, I'll...

I'll get out of your hair.

Edward.

Do you want to get a coffee?

Yeah.

Hi, guys, what can I get you?

I'll have a latte.

No, a milky cappuccino.

Yeah.

Double macchiato, please.

Sure.

They're very good here.

They do their own roasting.

I couldn't help overhearing.

You lost a child?

Yes.

A little girl.

Oh.

What was her name?

Isabel.

I called her Isabel.

Thank you for asking.

Most people don't.

It was a stillbirth.

39 weeks.

You lost a child, too, I gather.

Mm.

People trot out that platitude, don't they?

"Sorry for your loss."

I always thought they didn't

realise just how accurate

that word was - loss.

They had won their gamble with life,

genetics and happiness,

and I had...

lost.

When it comes down to it,

grief isn't that different to the...

..the feeling of the most...

..terrible, crushing defeat.

Yes.

That is exactly what it feels like.

I can't help wondering...

..did I want her enough?

They're doing an investigation,

postmortem and so on, but...

I'm still waiting to hear.

You mustn't blame yourself.

They wouldn't even let

me have a caesarean.

So...

..my baby died,

and then...

..three days later,

she had to be born.

It just feels so wrong, somehow.

Yes.

For a child to die before its parents.

Isabel wasn't, erm...

I'm sorry...

It's OK. Crying is good.

Something to do with

the chemicals in the tears.

Thank you.

Bastard.

Oh, I'm doing all the talking.

I like listening to you.

Jane, there's something...

I want to ask you.

Please forgive my directness.

I would like to have

a relationship with you.

That's...

very direct.

If it's too soon, just tell me

and I will go away.

But there is something I need

to explain to you first.

People aren't so very different

to buildings, it seems to me.

It's all too easy to

accumulate the unnecessary.

Valentine's cards,

romantic gestures, date nights.

All the clutter of conventional

relationships that are doomed

before they've even begun.

What if...

you strip all that back?

What if you were to have a

relationship unencumbered

by convention, expectation?

A relationship that lasts

for as long as it's perfect

and not a moment longer?

I quite like romantic gestures.

But would you say they're

essential to your life?

Er, I'm... I'm sorry,

Edward.

I'm... I'm...

I'm not really in that place

for a relationship.

For any relationship.

No matter how...

minimal.

I com... I completely understand.

I'd better get back.

Of course.

Hey, Em, you're not going to believe this.

What's that?

I did some research on your crazy house,

and I think someone might have died there.

What?

Yeah.

Ah, two people.

When it was being built.

You didn't know?

No.

Erm...

The architect was visiting the

site with his wife and baby

when a wall fell on them.

"After a lengthy sabbatical,

Monkford abandoned

"the original plans and rebuilt

the house in the minimalist style

"with which he has since

become synonymous."

Wow.

Like it's their monument or something.

Oh, my God.

Em, you need to see this.

That's his wife.

She looks just...

like you.

She does a bit, doesn't she?

What's all this?

Beef Wellyboot.

I, erm...

I wanted to do something special.

To say sorry for being

such an insensitive jerk

who does not deserve

to be with a supermodel.

And...

this is for you.

Just a little early birthday present.

Wow.

Do you recognise it?

Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Had it shipped over.

You really like it?

I love it.

And I'm sorry, too, Si.

What's wrong?

Nothing.

What?

I don't know.

Si, what...?

Si.

Talk to me.

I can't stop thinking about...

You know.

What?

What... what he did to you.

I'm sorry.

Must have put me off.

You mean...

..you think I'm damaged goods?

No.

After everything that happened to me,

all you can think about is that?

No, it's not like that.

Em...

You are so insecure.

I cannot breathe.

So needy!

Always wanting me to be your

amazing perfect girlfriend.

But I'm not, OK?

I'm sick of it.

But you are. Mm!

You are!

You're amazing and you're perfect,

and I love you.

And that's why it's so difficult.

Thinking of him violating you like that...

I don't love you, Si.

Not enough.

Not to stay with you forever.

W... what are you...?

This isn't working.

This isn't what I want.

I feel...

trapped.

No.

No, you don't mean that.

You're feeling vulnerable

because of what that man did.

And it's... it's this place.

You know, this place is like

a pressure cooker.

It's impossible trying to live this way.

It's not that.

I'm sorry.

I want you to move out.

Edward?

Hello, Jane.

Hello.

I've been thinking about

what you said earlier.

In the cafe.

I think I'd like that.