Je l'aimais (2009) - full transcript

What the hell is this?
The parts don't need crates.

It's absurd.

You need to see Jacques about it.

Jacques, can you come here?

What's all this unbudgeted packaging?

Well, the thing is...

The thing is what?

The estimate was so complex,
I couldn't study every detail.

You know
we can't fully assess everything.

We'll make it back.
What can I say?

What can you say?
Say I won't lose more money!



This contract is our biggest ever.

So we'll get to work on it
and find a solution.

I thought of her all day long.

I knew she was there,
somewhere on this planet.

I was waiting.

She told me not to call.

And I didn't want to...

And she said she'd be in touch
for Christmas.

So I was waiting.

How did he seem?

He seemed very happy.

I should hope so.

To us.

Sorry.



Bravo!

Bravo, all of you.

- I'll get you a glass.
- That's kind.

Excuse me.

Yes.

It's you? Hold on.

Just a second.

Genevieve...

Hang up.

Thank you.

News travels fast.

We're having a drink to celebrate.

You're in Paris?

Wednesday?
Want me to pick you up?

Fine, if you prefer.

- Mr Blanchard wants to leave...
- Just a second.

Can I call you back?

All right. I'll see you

Wednesday at that wine bar.
At midday?

One o'clock then.

Take care.
Yes, I can't wait.

Goodbye.

Forgive me.

It's ok.

I've missed you so much.

I can't be without you.

Let me call you
when you're away.

Let me call you when I want.

Mathilde...

I think of you all the time.

Of everything about you.

My love...

I'm going?

You're asking me?

No, I'm telling you.

I have to go.

You know.

Why ask my opinion then?

I don't know.

Because...

I don't know.

What are you doing?

Nothing.

It doesn't show on your face.

I feel like it does.

So? What would happen?

I'd rather not think about it.

What will become of us?

How do you mean?

How do I mean?
What do you think will become of us?

When you left me
in this room last night,

I felt I'd never know this again.

Never again.

Never again.

So I dressed and went out.

I didn't know where to go.

I don't want to know that again.

I don't want see you leave like that.
It's too hard.

I don't think I deserve that.

So what will become of us?

Nothing to say?

Only natural.

What can you say?
What can you do?

I said I'd try to live without you.

I really tried...

but I think of you all the time.

So please, answer me. Now.

I won't keep asking you this.

What am I to you?

What do you plan to do?

Love you.

I won't abandon you again.
I promise.

Forgive me.

I love only you.
Trust me. I love you.

I love you.

I'll join you soon,
across the world.

Will you let me?

But...

I'll wait for you.

I said soon
but it's only been 10 days.

That still ranks as "soon"?

I want you.

What are you wearing?

I'm wearing my grey suit

and black lisle socks.

When do you leave?

We have plenty of time
for breakfast then.

I can't be very far away.

I'm at the intersection
of Moncock Road

and Portland Street.

Mathilde?

Why don't you answer?

For once, I don't know what to say.

You've...

- I've amazed you.
- Yes.

I have to go.

I'm a pretty surprising guy.

I have a few more tricks
up my sleeve.

You'll see.

I bet the landing scared you.
It's terrifying

with the buildings so close.

I imagined landing in your bedroom.
It helped.

- You're not in your suit.
- Not at all.

You're interesting, you know.

Seen this?

You still have it?

Is that a sign?

No way.

Pierre...

Pierre, please, I have to go.

I'll stay with Miss Li then.

I haven't seen her.
Where's Miss Li? Is she pretty?

Very!

Come on.

All right.

Okay?

She's pleased to meet you.

- Unless it's you I cry about.
- She said that?

Almost.

Miss Li!

It won't close?

They know you here?

Very well.

And Mr Xing?

What about Mr Xing?

He could be eating here.

So?

He could blackmail you.

Good evening, Mr Houdard.
Fancy seeing you.

You'll do me a good price, right?
A nice little discount?

You sound German!

Actually,

my father was Chinese
but my mother came

from the suburbs of M?nchen.

No,

Mr Xing, you'll never be able
to pressurize me.

Unfortunately for you,

my assistant has just taken
a photo of you

and this pretty fr?ulein.

So?

I can show the photos, you know.

I have nothing to hide.

You see, Mr Xing, I made my mind up
while doing Miss Li's repairs.

I'm going to live with Mathilde.

Because,

you see, I can't without her.

I need her.

She gives me life.

I know who I am at last.
Do you realize?

I'm in love at last.

Understand, Mr Xing?

Don't cry.

I'm sorry.

It's my fault. I'm hurting you.

It's beautiful.

And that pisses me off.

But why didn't you leave with her?

What's Suzanne's secret?

How did she keep you?

You're not cold?

You don't stop loving someone,
you start loving someone else.

Maybe because there's room.

Or so they say.

It's not something you decide.

It just hits you
and you can't help it.

You can't do much at all.

I don't want to make anyone suffer,
but I know it'll happen, because it's...

It's unfair, it's wrong.

That's what I wanted to tell them.

Even if I'm no longer
your mother's husband,

I'll still be your father.

That will never change...

Shit!

Leon...

Come here.

Leon.

Oh, hi, Dad.

What's that?

This is Leon.

Leon... Dad.

I want it gone tomorrow.

Dad...

Wait.

Pain in the ass!
Always the same!

What's that rat?

Watch it!

Fucking knock first!

What the hell is that rat?

Good evening, Pierre.

- Good evening. What's that rat?
- A gift.

That's how it is now.
10 a cat, 15 a rat.

What can I do on my own?

We haven't talked
since you got back 5 days ago.

Adrien's a bit upset
about his birthday.

Didn't you get anything?
I bought

a load of electronics.

- The runner didn't come?
- He did.

Something to tell me?

It's a superb acquisition
with a lot of character.

Very bright, with high ceilings.

Hungarian point parquet floor.
Scope for development...

It will sell in no time.

And now the real clincher...
Come and see.

Look, Montmartre.

I'm still visiting apartments
for the two of us.

Do you love me?

Will you say it?

I need to hear it today.

Please, don't smoke here.

Stubborn, aren't you?

Let me know
when it's no longer to order.

Pretty but noisy.
I have 5 to go.

It's ok, we'll keep on travelling...

for holidays.

No, not anymore.

Even at take-off. I look at
the clouds and think of you.

I'm not scared of dying now.
You're my miracle.

Really? She said that?

Miss Li...

Tell her I miss her too.

But not you.

The last one wasn't bad.
In northern Paris.

Tiny but not bad.

If you stand on tiptoe

and lean to the left,
you can just spot

the Eiffel Tower.

Thank you.

Yes?

I don't feel well. May I go?
I'm up to date.

Can I call you back?
5 minutes at the most.

I didn't dare
but I'd like to ask for sick leave.

It's the first time in 30 years.

My daughter

says I need a break.
She told me to ask you.

I'd hate to make mistakes.
You know I like to do things right.

Everything's up to date,

the Cerex files are finished

and I've found a fine young girl

to take over until I'm better.
If she doesn't suit you...

But what's wrong?

It's my husband.

We're not together anymore.

I need rest because...

He's left?

What? Yes.

Since I'm not well, I'm taking pills

to help me sleep
and to keep working.

- I'd hate to make mistakes.
- How long ago?

Two months. But I'm ok.

My daughter's staying with me

but I find it hard concentrating
and getting up in the morning.

I can't go on.

Get some rest. I'll manage.
What matters is you.

And...

Between you, it wasn't...

Not especially.

I don't understand.

Maybe it's me, maybe it's him...

But things were ok.
We've been together 38 years.

But that isn't...

I don't know.

Genevieve, I'm so sorry.

This may not help now

but he'll see
he's made a huge mistake.

Thank you.

Forgive me. I'm sorry.

Do you need a taxi?

So you stayed with Suzanne
thanks to your secretary's husband.

Come on, Chloe...

- I'd have found another excuse.
- No.

- You didn't want to leave.
- I did!

But I couldn't. I was scared.

I was convinced
Mathilde would leave me one day.

So I took the safe way out.

I'm like Suzanne.
I wanted that house by the sea.

It's atrocious.

You may not like it
when I say Adrien was right to leave

but I'll say it anyway
and repeat it.

It's not...

I'm telling you for your sake.

It means
you'll avoid the compromises,

the years of sterile conversation,

the forced tenderness, the pretence,

just to stay at any cost.

You have to live, dammit.

Look at me, Chloe.

I can't make it.

20 years on, I can't make it.

I think of her every day.
I wake up with her every morning.

I was lucky. I kept it all:
My home, my friends,

my neighbourhood, my butcher...

I have it all.

It's ok.

Yet I'm dead, Chloe.

And Suzanne too.

We're dead. You understand?

We're dead, Chloe.

Mum, Lucie's crying.

Are the girls ok?

Yes, they went back to sleep.

Did she hear me?

So you stopped seeing apartments?

Yes.

Did you tell Mathilde?

She guessed.

Of course.

She must have really loved you.

She then laid down her conditions.

It was that or nothing.

I accepted.
It suited me, of course.

She moved to London
and I had no right to know anything.

She told me,
"I'll have other affairs.

"I won't wait for you to call.

"I won't miss out on love.

"I want to sleep with whom I want,
with no misgivings."

I've been thinking.

Since what we're living isn't real,
it's a game.

Since it's a game, we need rules.

We'll see each other far away,
in other countries.

When you know where you'll be,
write to me at my sister's.

She'll forward my mail.

Don't bother writing love letters.

Just let me know in time.

Tell me what hotel, where and when.

If I can, I'll get away.
If not, too bad.

I'll pay for my flights.

I insist on that.

Don't try to call, to find out
where I am or how I live.

That's not the problem.

I think it's the best solution.

I'll do what you do.

Live my life while loving you,
but from afar.

This isn't how I saw things.

But why not?

It will be a game.

A special game. An exciting one.

When you arrive,
perhaps I'll be there, perhaps not.

Perhaps I'll join you in the night
to make love

without a word.

Or I'll arrive the next day

and you'll wait at the bar
all night.

Or I'll take another room
and you'll wait until morning.

You see,
I'm ready to try because...

You're right.

Life without misgivings is...

Room 329.
The lifts are over there.

Enjoy your stay.

Good evening, sir.

You know me, Genevieve.
I'm meticulous.

They enjoy showing me their plant.

I'll be back tomorrow.

- Do you love me?
- Yes.

Will you say it?

- Not like that.
- Not to order. I know.

I love you though.

- I love you, I love you...
- Me too.

Stubborn as a mule...

Why won't you say it, huh?

Say it. Obey me for once.

Say it.

It.

I'm yours.

Say it.

I'm yours.

Say it again.

I'm yours.

Pierre, you're hurting me.

Sorry.

Forgive me, my love.

Forgive me.

Forgive me.

Seeing other men?

We had a pact.

Screw the pact.

Leon's dead.
You know, Adrien's rat.

The day after Adrien turned 18.

It's odd. I'd grown used to him.

I'll miss not seeing him
when I get home.

He was my only ally at home.

He'd climb on the couch
and we'd watch TV together.

I have to ask you...

You know Billy, that guy I see?

He's proposed to me.

I don't know what to do.

What should I tell him?

Mathilde, stop it.

What?

You talked about your life.

Screw the pact, right?

Maybe I can work it out
differently...

- I think so.
- I'll take a look.

I'll go over it again

and see what I can do.

Pierre, I have the BV file.
I'll put it...

Hold on a second...

I focused on the overseas market.

I made deals around the world.

Any excuse to travel and maybe
spend a few hours with her.

That was it.

A few hours.

Then nothing.

A few hours, then nothing.

Four years like that.

I played, trying not to think
of what came next.

Trying not to think.

Can I ask you something?

Yes.

Don't you think
we go well together?

I do.

You think so too.

I think we go well together.

With you, I'm never bored.

I'm never bored.

I know your flaws. But I feel
that your flaws complement mine.

You're unassuming,
I'm the opposite.

I need your gaze
to help me attain more...

matter... more steadiness.

Why are you saying this?

I want you to know.

Why now?

I don't know.

It's incredible meeting someone
and thinking,

"I feel good with this person."

Why are you telling me this now?

Because I don't think you realize
how lucky we are.

Mathilde?

Yes.

You're leaving me?

No.

You're not happy?

Not very.

There was no reason
for her to be there the next time.

No reason at all.

I was so afraid,
I almost hoped she wouldn't be.

Good evening. Mr Houdard,
I have a reservation.

Mr Houdard...

that's room 319.

Thank you.

Who are you writing to?

You.

Me?

Why write to me?

Actually, I'm writing for myself.

"Picnicking, sleeping by a river,

"eating peaches,

"buying dishes and useless things,

"repainting a ceiling...

"dumping trash, forgetting our bags,

"hiring bicycles,

"not using them,

"introducing you to Martha and Tino,

"seeing a movie, shopping,
cooking together,

"singing songs to you, a child,

"talking to the neighbour..."

Who are Martha and Tino?

You're so beautiful.

Simon!

You don't know my friend Simon.
My boss, Mr Houdard.

Delighted.

Me too.
I've heard a lot about you.

I have to get back to work.
Take your time, Genevieve.

- I'll be right up.
- Goodbye.

Hello, Pierre.

Could you sign?

Then, one day, she broke the pact.
She came to Paris.

She wanted to see me.

I'm so happy you're here.

How are you?

Pierre, I'm pregnant.

Who by?

By no one.

Thank you.

I was waiting for those words.

I came all this way
to hear two words.

Don't move.

I couldn't leave you.

I can't spend my life
waiting for you and... Nothing.

I just needed to hear
those two words.

I had to see this.
I had to see it for myself.

No, don't move.

I have to go now.

I'm tired, Pierre.
You've no idea how tired.

I can't go on.

Keep away.

You have to let me go now.

Will you let me go?

Will you let me go?
You have to let me go.

You know I love you, don't you?

Hello.

Hello, sir.

Dad...

What's wrong?

Dad...

Close the curtains.

Are you sick?

I want to sleep...

I'll get Mum.

- Has he eaten?
- Hardly a thing.

- Has he said anything?
- No.

Dr Thioly is coming back
to check on him.

Travelling so much,
he had to catch something.

Mum, where are my jeans?

I don't know!
In the machine maybe.

It's murky! Open the curtains.

It bothers him.

- Ok, sweetheart?
- Yes.

Is that paint in your hair?

Sorry, but I have to get to work.

I haven't made my fortune.

Trying to stay trim?

Look at me,
230lbs and not a shred of muscle.

140lbs.
Try running every day, guys.

- Want one?
- No thanks.

- Where are you parked?
- That way.

I'm parked a bit further away.

Mathilde...

Mathilde!

Got 5 minutes for a coffee?

I'm sorry. No.

No, Pierre, he isn't 5.

He isn't 5, you understand?

What's his name?

Tom.

He speaks English?

English and French.

- You have other children?
- No.

And...

Do you live with someone?

Sorry, we have to be somewhere.

So soon? Can I drop you off?

Please...

Pierre, stop it.
I told you, he isn't 5.

I have to go now.

I've done all my crying.

Then what?

That was the end.

- The very end?
- The end.

I think of him sometimes.
He must be 15 now.

He must be so big.

Do you think she was lying?

I don't want to talk anymore.

No, leave that. I'll see to it.

I'm just tidying up a bit.

It's going to be a beautiful day.
Have you seen?

DVD Subtitling: CNST, Montreal