Those Who Work (2018) - full transcript

Daddy?

You know, at school
we're going to grow a vegetable garden.

What are you going to put in it?

Loads of fruit, loads of vegetables
and some plants.

- And you know what I'm going to plant?
- No.

Guess?

- Carrots?
- No.

Leeks?

No.

- Turnips?
- No, tomatoes.

Time to get up!



- Okay! I still have 2 hours...
- C'mon!

Let me sleep, please...
For fuck's sake, just today!

OK! I'm awake now!

Get up.

Come on!

- Bom Dia.
- Good morning, Sir.

THOSE WHO WORK

- They didn't stick to the payload.
- What went overboard?

I make that 2 overboard, 14 damaged.

They loaded the heaviest containers on top...

They had 3 hours less to load
because of the port authorities.

What's going on?

We're sorting the problem out.

How late?



Four hours late,
and the containers are screwed,

it's gonna cost us 30 000 dollars minimum.

So you find a solution. I don't want
to hear another word about it, understood?

- If we hurry, we may catch up…
- It's ok, I'll manage.

I'll take care of it: call the client about
the containers overboard. I'll do the rest.

Give me a hand.

OK, I’m going to freeze that.

Daddy?

It's Awareness Day at school,
can you sign here?

- What's it for?
- We have to...

...go to our parent's workplace.

For once they get you guys
to do something useful.

Thanks.

You look like a smart guy, what do you think of
"working harder to make more money"?

- It's a bit simplistic, isn't it?
- Why do you say that?

- There isn't enough work for everyone.
- Agreed, but we're taking about you,

Which side do you want to be on?
Those who work or the others?

- Those who work.
- Then we agree.

Daddy?

Can we play musical chairs?

- Party's over.
- I want to play some more.

Ask your brothers and sisters,
if they want to play it's fine by me.

C'mon!

Go round!

No, no, no!

It hasn't stopped!
Music's still playing!

It stopped.

Yeah it's true, it stopped.

Oh man…

- Are you Frank Blanchet?
- Yes.

Here's the chair you ordered,
please sign here.

Just a second...

Yeah.

School called, Mathilde wants to come home,
she says she has tummy ache.

I suppose you can't take
1/2 an hour off work to pick her up?

I can't right now.

I'm with my mum at the nursing home,
I just got here.

I tried calling Jeanne,
but she's not picking up.

- OK then, I'll go.
- Are you sure?

I'm telling you it's ok.

Can I sit in front?

Buckle-up.

- What's wrong?
- My tummy hurts.

Get into bed, you'll feel better.

I have to go back to the office.

I'll drop you off at home,
you'll have to wait for Mum to get back.

Shall we stop at the shop
to get you a magazine?

Yeah.

Please go and do that somewhere else, girls.

Daddy?

Is that right?

No, it's wrong.

Where are you off to?
Finish your homework.

- Inès, help your sister to finish her homework.
- Wait a minute, I'm with a friend…

Inès!

Frank, can you come here for a minute, please?

- I'm coming.
- In the meeting room.

We've noticed an unexplained
five-hour stop made by the Cervantes...

between Monrovia and Marseille.

The ship started to turn around
then set on its original course again.

We've just spoken to the captain
but we'd like to have your take on the subject.

An unexpected problem came up but it's sorted now.

We know the nature of the problem.

In such cases there's a procedure.

The crew didn't do their job,

the situation was going to delay everything,
increase costs...

and would have seriously tarnished
our reputation with the clients...

who are already
beginning to turn to our competitors.

I think we would all have felt it
on the quarterly turnover.

The quarterly turnover
is not the staff's problem.

Have you thought of the risks for you,
for the crew and the company?

No-one's going to say anything.

Frank?
Come in.

Have a seat.

We feel it's in no-one's interest
to notify the authorities,

but we can't keep you here any longer.

We'd like you to hand in
your resignation immediately to the company.

Jérémy, what's this load of crap?!

You should have told us.

It's a load of rubbish.

Suppose the media gets hold of this,
with everything we see on TV these days.

I'm here till 8 o'clock every evening.

I work my arse off to make
some profit margin...

to get this company out of the shit-hole,
and I should take the brunt for some arsehole...

the other side of the world who gets things wrong
and doesn't think of the consequences of his actions?

I can't believe what I'm hearing.
I just can't believe it!

And you, when you...

transport cereals
without paying for the containers to be cleaned,

the lead-filled cornflakes, the hundreds of cancers
it caused, that you'll keep quiet about.

You're a bunch of hypocrites,
those are the rules of the game, and you know it!

Pavel told us everything.
The young man put up a struggle,

it turned into punch up to sort things out,
and he was between life and death...

before they threw him overboard.
That's not what shipping is about.

You've really lost your balls with age.

Look me straight in the eyes,
and tell me...

that tomorrow, when you come back to work, you
won't be happy I did the dirty work for you?

Can you at least admit
that I sorted things out for you?

Daddy?

Did you have any cats when you were small?

- Yeah.
- How many?

Six.

- What were they called?
- They didn't have a name.

Why not?

Because they didn't come indoors,
they stayed outside,

they were left to their own devices,
and didn't have a name.

Get up!

- Leave me alone!
- C’mon, get up!

- Thorough?
- Yes.

- Reliable?
- Yes.

- Self-disciplined?
- Yes.

- Will to succeed?
- Yes.

- Extroverted?
- No.

- Outward looking?
- No.

- Like action?
- Yes.

- Expressive?
- No.

- Lymphatic?
- What does that mean?

- Weak?
- No.

- Even-tempered?

- Yes.

- Purposeful?
- No.

- Sensitive?
- No.

- Empathetic?
- No.

- Altruistic?
- No.

- Cooperative?
- Yes.

- Sentimental?
- No.

- Always looking for something new?
- No.

- Imaginative?
- No.

- Dreamer?
- No.

- What the fuck do you care?!
- Excuse me?

Whether I'm a dreamer or not?

It's just to draw up your profile.

To get to know you better.

Hello, yes?

- Hello, is this Frank Blanchet?
- It's me.

Marcel Gautier here.

I don't believe we've met.

Marcel Gautier as in Gautier & Co?

I'm very pleased to have found out
that you're on the labour market.

This comes at just the right time for us, we need
a new Sales Manager.

I'm honoured.

Would you be available on Thursday,
at 10 o'clock?

- I should be able to make that.
- In that case, see you then.

See you Thursday.

It's one of our last 20 000 containers,
With a tonnage of 200 000.

We named it after one of our
employees' daughter's name,

a project manager in Marseille,
a little unassuming fellow.

It's Cynthia or Clotilde...

Ah yes, Clotilde.

He was proud to be
at the inauguration with his little girl.

- Do you have any children?
- I have five.

Five!

I've looked at your profile,
you are full of surprises.

You didn't finish high school, started work
in a haulage company, as warehouse manager.

No knowledge of English, not a word.

Just a bloke
who knows forklifts and lorries.

You managed to convince our friends
at Atlas to hire you, and train you.

They kept you,
you climbed the ladder, they trusted you.

Between you and I, by now,
you could have been an associate.

How did you get this far?

I worked hard.

Alright.

But after nearly twenty years
of hard work, you leave?

It's surprising!?

Why would you want to leave
the place that made you?

It must have been
like a second family to you?

Not to mention the opportunities
that you've had over there.

So what's the deal?

Did you sense a change coming on?

I mean,

things can't be good
if employees like you are leaving.

I know they got it wrong with
the Continental contract, we got that one.

But what is it? There's something else.

Their ships
must be getting old by now,

their fleet is no longer up to scratch,
is that the problem?

I'm all in favour of professional secrecy.

I understand.

Then again it makes no sense to remain loyal
to a company we will have crushed within two years.

Ok then. I have other meetings.

What about the job?

What job, Frank? What job?

Daddy!

Are you eating with us?
Just for today...

Pleeeeease!

- No.
- Oh but, for once you are back early.

Here you go. Shall I add a pork chop?
There's enough.

I still have work to do, I'm just going to
have a sandwich at the office.

Ok then.

Can we come back to
losing your last job?

I was left to manage a
delicate situation.

There were several possible options,
all very costly for the company.

I found a way to get around
the problem in a...

not very legal fashion.

Doing that enabled me to avoid costs
for the company and problems with the clients.

Did you feel uncomfortable
about what you had to do?

You're asking if I feel guilty?

The answer is no.

Are you happy with the way
things turned out?

No.

If you had to start over, what would you do?

I wouldn't hesitate.

What do you mean by that?

What drew attention,

was the fact that I went back
on my initial decision.

If I'd stuck to a clear choice, I'd still be
there and everyone would be happy.

So, in fact, the real problem,
is this hesitation?

I was meant to warn the clients
that we had made a mistake,

my daughter was ill,
I had to go and pick her up from school.

I'd really had enough.

You'd had enough of what?

I don't know.

Medical Insurance: 3 500.

Additional Health Insurance: 2 750.

Phone bill for Inès: 250 francs,

Jeanne: 57 francs,

Harold: 483.

- 483?!
- 483.

Benjamin: 78 francs.

Azura... 120...

with three zeros, is that 120 000?

That's the swimming pool, give me that,
we'll pay it later.

Nursing home "La Tour": 4 645 francs.

- Mézor Dental Clinic…
- Wait...

I'll be right back.

I think we could simply banish it...

To get those peasants to leave,
you'd have a nice little amount.

Move, move, move!

What the hell? You're a pain in the arse.

Oh c'mon, I was just kidding.

It's so cool, you're here! Just great.

- Are you eating properly?
- Yes.

- Are you sleeping properly?
- Yeah, it's ok.

It's not too hard?

No it's fine.

Are you ok?

Yes I'm ok.

See what I've got!

You're mad! Put that away!

Don't worry, I can handle it.

Be careful with that.

Are they suffering with the dollar?

When they stop giving up on me,
things will improve.

- It's the BNS.
- I'll do it.

- You'll be four then?
- Yes.

The Swiss franc which is sky high...

Thanks for having accepted my invitation.

Now I'm the one who needs you,
I quit my job, I'm available.

I don't get it,
you're part of the furniture at Atlas?

Yeah, why did you leave?

I left. That's all.

Now I'm counting on you.

There you go, Sir. Thank you.

Frank I'm really sorry,
we really don't have anything for you.

Don't forget it's a small world,
news gets around.

The Cervantes Chief Engineer
got off the ship in Marseille,

he says he never wants to work with you again.
He was even willing to work half price.

I did my own little research,
and I think I know what happened.

Personally, I think that things like this suck,
it's revolting.

You were brave and took a risk for them
and that's how they repay you? No!

These guys are bastards.

Anyway, as far as I'm concerned,
I'm with you all the way, honest.

If you feel things are not going right,
don't hesitate, call me.

Look.

It still works.

Yeah, but I want the 7.

No.

Why not?

That one's still working, you're keeping that one.

But I'm not gonna hang around with a broken phone
in front of my mates, am I?

Stoooop!
C'mon man!

It's great that you finally decided to come.

I needed to clear my mind a bit.

This afternoon's seminar
is really interesting, you'll see.

Yes, absolutely. There is one in the autumn
and another one in the spring.

- ...held in smaller groups?
- ...no, it would be exactly the same thing...

- On the other hand, afterwards,
we'll organise more relevant courses...

You feel like you're on top of the world,
that you are fulfilled,

that there's a future ahead of you.

All it took was losing my job
for my wife to leave me after 25 years.

From one day to the next, I was nothing.

Week-ends are ok: I have my daughters,
but during the week, I sink really low.

Maybe I'm a dreamer, but I think I should
radically change directions. It's crazy, I know.

After all the testimonies
that I heard today,

I'm convinced there's a solution.

I'm in control of my own destiny,
I can move mountains.

Thank you.

Thank you François.
Anyone else want to say something? Frank?

I'm not used to sharing my thoughts
and I don't like it.

I grew up on a farm and
I was never allowed to speak my mind.

They say farmers are good people,
that they have values.

In my home, children weren't brought up,
they were reared like animals.

When I didn't want to do something,
they'd thump me and I'd get on with it.

That's how I got where I got.

For fifteen years, I managed ships
that I never saw.

Life without work,

that's unthinkable for me.

I haven't told my wife anything.

She thinks
I'm on a business trip in Zurich.

My children...

still think
I go off to the office every morning.

I'm keeping up appearances.

But I know that one day,

they will find out
who their father really is...

and they will be ashamed.

It's ok...

- Wait, I'll ...
- Load of crap, this door!

I'll do it.

There you go.

Daddy!

Leave me alone.

Why?

Leave me alone.

The two of you go together
and give her an ice-cream, but only one scoop, ok?

- Yes.
- For me it's 200 usually, no?

- What a scrounger.
- Cool, thanks.

- We reconvene at 3:30, on the dot. Ok?
- Ok.

- The collar's ugly, don't you think?
- You can remove it.

Wait for me. Back in sec.

Well, well! How are you?

It's been a while!

- Are you ok?
- We do what we can.

- How about the family and all that?
- They're ok. We're doing a bit of shopping.

Yep.

Everything ok at the office?

Listen, I had...

I've had the time to think things over
and you were right.

- We were right?
- What you did: you were right.

I should never have done what I did.

You have to give me a second chance.

I'm ready to come back,
even on a trial-basis for a few months.

Can you try and talk to the others, tell them...

They'll listen to you.

Well,

I'm going to be honest with you.

The stowaway was not the real issue.

You'd been around too long.

The company was doing badly and they
waited for the first opportunity.

And you are a bit outspoken,

now we want people who are more discreet,
who keep their mouth shut.

How do I look?

Oh... fine, fine!

What's he doing here?

You're not at work?

No. I'm going to stay here.

I don't feel well.

Hurry up,
you're going to be late for school.

What?

What are you delaying for and
tell me what's going on?

I got the sack,
I'm out of a job.

I tried to understand what was going on with you,

no-one would tell me anything.

I thought it was worse,
that you had met someone else.

I had a...

a problem on one of the ships,

a stowaway,

a kid,

I didn't know how to tell you.

But you can tell me everything.

I told them to throw him overboard.

And he died?

They were mainly fruit containers.

We were half-way, and already running late.

Let me reassure you, the results
of your skills assessment were excellent.

For sure, your profile is more
'operations' than 'interpersonal relationships',

which means you'll have to be careful
with your colleagues...

who may not be as involved.
I feel you're really suitable...

for the work market challenges.

Especially in the Operations and
Commercial fields.

Most people are within this range,

and you are well above that.

These results fit in with
your psychological profile.

So, from my point of view,
all the lights are on green.

But I'm not going to look for any work
right now.

I'm going to take some time off, for myself,

to focus on what is important,

spend time with my family.

You know,
I see a lot of clients who come here.

They have often made poor choices
when they were 16 years old...

which then became their job.

The place where they stayed for 80% of their life.

Sometimes
it's an unbearable source of suffering.

You are lucky
to be made for it and,

quite frankly, I suspect you will never be
truly happy unless you are at work.

- Good morning, Sir.
- Good morning.

Are you looking for a particular model?

I was looking for the 7+
but I see there's an 8+ now.

Yes, the 8+ came out a month ago.

What colours does it come in?

It comes in Space Grey, Rose Gold or Silver.

- It's for my son.
- For your son: I would recommend Space Grey.

You told me one day, on the beach

I never want to leave you

I want to be here forever

I want to grow old with you

I told you baby, you've got it wrong

Love is not meant to last

And never will a ring

Ever go on my finger

- What are you doing here?
- I decided to come.

Thank you.

Cheers.

It was pretty good.

- There was a big crowd, you must be happy?
- Yeah.

It's a V8 570 horsepower.
You know what that means?

No?

That it goes from 0 to 100 km/h in three seconds,
so don't fuck around. Go on then!

- Sir, can I also have a go afterwards?
- Yes, after.

- Can I ask you a question?
- Yes, what?

Is it true that in your line of work
they throw black guys overboard if they sneak in?

Shut up!

Why did she tell you?

She tells us everything.

Do your brothers and sisters know?

Only Mathilde doesn't know.

The worst part is that you've had three months.

You'd rather pretend you were going to work
than spending time with us.

You'd better get it right with the money though.
We accepted to live without a dad,

but we won't accept changing
our lifestyle.

The surprising thing is...

I was actually happy you came today.

That’s crap...

You could have helped him.

You could have sneaked him off quietly.

There must have been another way.

I'd rather you slept downstairs.

Hello, pleased to meet you.

Hello Frank.

Hello Bernard.

We're not going to beat about the bush,
we have a vacancy

and we'd like it to be you.

Bernard has just become a partner
and his first move was to call you.

We need someone who is not afraid
to see a project through to the end.

Officially,
your job title would be Logistics Manager.

Officially, what does that mean?

You know as well as I do that we don't
make the same margins as we used to.

So I began discussions with
potential partners...

in Russia and in the Middle East.
The project would involve...

getting around the Syrian embargo,

by transferring cargo
in international waters, near Turkey.

One of our legit ships
would transfer a part of its cargo...

onto an unchartered vessel that would
do the last leg of the journey to Syria.

These operations
are potentially very lucrative,

but there's no doubt they are very risky.

We'd be looking at using a makeshift
vessel and crew.

We've calculated that
we can afford to...

replace them... in case of incident.

We need someone who is reliable
to coordinate this operation.

This is about guaranteeing our survival
and it will mean big bonuses for you.

- I have to think about it.
- What's to think about?

You're the only one who can pull this off.

We wanted to offer you a little welcome gift:
50 000 right away,

you know, to help you to get going.

- I'm sorry, I'm not interested.
- 80 000.

What's your problem?
Who do you think you are?

I can't do that kind of thing anymore.

How much do you want?

120 000 ?

We’re doing ‘rock-paper-scissors’
for a spud?

You want a spud?

You know she’s still pissed off
about that story?

We’re just talking.
Having a chat...

Ooooooo! You’re in love!

Are you in love?!

We were just talking! Enough!

We had a good chat, yeah.

Which tongue were you speaking in, at the do?

When I was a kid,
about Mathilde's age,

perhaps a bit younger even,

your own uncles and aunts
were older than me,

I was the youngest one there.

Anyway,
one day, I was alone at home,

my brothers and sisters had all gone
to the fields to work with my parents.

I heard the dogs
barking like crazy.

I went to look out of the window
and saw a man in the courtyard,

it was an old guy from the village, a drunk who
spent his time wandering aimlessly around the area,

everyone found him scary.

He saw me at the window, walked up,
waved at me and came in.

I was scared to death.

I couldn't work out what he was doing there nor
what he wanted. Actually, he just wanted a drink.

He asked me in the kitchen
to pour him a glass of wine.

I remember I was barely big enough
to reach up and grab a glass on the shelf.

I poured the glass, he drank it
and then asked for another one.

I didn't dare say no.

Back then, at the farm,
we only had...

one single ham
to last the year for everyone.

We were allowed one single slice,
once a week.

The day we received that slice, I can tell you
we waited eagerly and savoured every bit of it.

After drinking a bottle and a half of wine,

he noticed the ham hanging from the ceiling...

and he asked if he could have some.

I was so terrified that I didn't dare say anything.

He took down the ham and started
carving slices.

As he could see I was uncomfortable
and to reassure me he offered me a slice,

I walked up and I took the slice.

Then he gave me a second one
and another one after that.

The two of us spent the rest
of the afternoon eating up the entire ham.

When my brothers and sisters came back,
I got a hell of a wallop.

I'd ruined
one of their rare moments of pleasure.

Anyway, you guys are lucky really.

Can you pass the water please?

Why are you up?

- I've taken colour pencils and stickers.
- What for?

We're going to your office.

It's Awareness Day,

I have to come to work with you, for school,
so you can show me what you do.

Why are you not dressed?

Where are we going?
That's not the way to your office.

There you go, this is my work.

You're telling me fibs.

You see these fish fingers?

How do you think they got there?

You think they appear by magic
in the supermarkets?

There's loads of people who worked
so that you can eat them.

Hundreds of people who work their butt off every day
to get the fish to the supermarket shelves.

And they only cost one franc fifty.

If just 1 fisherman fished 1 fish at a time and brought it
here himself, your fish would cost 700 francs.

That's what my job is about, transporting goods
so that everyone can have food to eat.

Come on.

What are you doing here?

I've come to explain my job to my daughter,
it's for school.

You don't remember me?

You were too small.

That's your uncle, Maurice.

It's been a while
since we've seen your dad here.

- Did you know he used to work here.
- No.

Can I show her around?

- Where does that come from?
- The avocados come from Chili.

The papayas from Brazil,
that's from Switzerland,

the tomatoes from Italy
and the fish from the Philippines.

See, there, those are salads,

they arrive in bulk by truck,
from France and we pack them,

we throw away the bad leaves,
we put them in plastic bags

to then send them to the
different stores that ordered them.

Your offices is not good enough for you?

You had to come back here and flaunt
your sorry arse about, you dick head?

He was nice, my uncle.

Where are we going?

We haven't finished looking at my work.

See this container?
It can go from -30 to +30 degrees.

It has to stay shut as tight as possible
to ensure there are no changes in temperature.

You can cool it down or heat it up.

What's that, is it Puma?

Yes, those are the shoes.
See the L?

L for left,
in English that means "left".

- There's only left foot shoes in that one.
- Where are the right foot ones then?

All the right foot shoes
are in Hamburg, 600 kilometres away from here.

That's to avoid someone stealing them.

What's in there?

Anything that can be bought, or sold.

8 euros.

Thank you.

- Do you have a pen and paper?
- Yep.

Thank you.

That's mummy's number,
If we get lost and you end up alone,

walk up to someone and ask them
to call this number.

Why should we lose each other?

Keep it in your pocket.

Here you go. Sign here please.

Thank you.

It was really cool.

Come on, go brush your teeth.

I'm here.

I'm here.

I'm here.

Let's go back home, daddy.

- Hi.
- Hi.

- Hi.
- Hi.

- Alright?
- Yeah, I'm alright.