The Lying Life of Adults (2023–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - Solitudine - full transcript
A secret gets out and unravels two families. Giovanna falls out of school and has her first sexual encounter. Vittoria demands her bracelet back.
A NETFLIX SERIES
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
♪ Every day I spend my time ♪
♪ Drinkin' wine, feelin' fine ♪
♪ Waitin' here to find the sign ♪
♪ That I can understand ♪
♪ Yes, I am ♪
♪ In the days between the hours ♪
MARCH
♪ Ivory towers, bloody flowers ♪
♪ Push their heads into the air ♪
♪ I don't care if I ever know ♪
♪ There I go ♪
♪ Don't push your love too far ♪
APRIL
♪ Your wounds won't leave a scar ♪
♪ Right now is where you are ♪
♪ In a broken dream ♪
♪ Did someone bow their head? ♪
MAY
♪ Did someone break the bread? ♪
I'M GONNA SLAM
♪ Good people are in bed ♪
♪ Before nine o'clock ♪
♪ On the pad before my eyes ♪
JUNE
♪ Paper cries, tellin' lies ♪
♪ The promises you gave ♪
♪ From the grave of a broken heart ♪
♪ Mmm ♪
♪ Every day I spend my time ♪
♪ Drinkin' wine, feelin' fine ♪
JULY
♪ Waitin' here to find the sign ♪
♪ That I can understand ♪
♪ Yes, I am ♪
♪ Oh ♪
AUGUST
♪ I sit here in my lonely room ♪
♪ Don't push your love too far ♪
♪ You know
Your wounds won't even leave a scar ♪
SEPTEMBER
♪ But right now is where you are ♪
♪ In a broken dream ♪
♪ And don't you forget what I said ♪
Why won't you just be reasonable?
Huh? Please think about it.
What do you want?
What the fuck do you want from me?
So now that you need me,
you're asking me to be reasonable?
- I see.
- You're right. Yeah.
- You're smart.
- What do you want me to say?
- Lord Almighty.
- Of course!
You didn't fall in love with Costanza.
You fell in love with Posillipo.
- And that poor fool even believes you.
- Oh, please.
You're supposed to edit novels,
not write them.
You come up with these crazy stories!
You're a born liar
just like my father always told me.
Enough, come on.
Nothing is leaving this house.
Not a pin. Not even a sock.
Nothing! Nothing is leaving this house.
What's in here is mine too.
Mine and yours, that's it.
Bye.
When you're little, everything seems big.
When you're grown-up,
everything seems small.
CHAPTER 4
LONELINESS
Are you mad at me?
- No.
- Tag, you're it.
- Thank God.
- I was it last time!
At home, everyone
is constantly pissed off.
And then they cry, they all cry. Ida, Mom...
Even my father cried.
You know, the night he left,
he had the suitcase in his hands,
and he had tears in his eyes.
Then he yelled at my mother.
He was saying...
..."And who can guarantee that... that...
that these are even mine
or if they're that asshole's?"
"That piece of shit is one of a kind."
He meant your father.
That's absurd.
Well, not really.
Your father is a bit of an asshole.
Does he travel too?
No, he reads.
After the divorce, they'll get married.
I have to tell you something.
But you have to promise
not to tell anyone.
I already know that you're dating Tonino.
You already know?
But aren't you mad at me?
Are you crazy?
Thank God. I was so worried
that you'd be mad at me.
- Why would I be mad at you?
- How would I know?
Well, first you said you loved him,
and then you didn't. I need an update.
I'm happy that you're together. Enjoy it.
Know that you have my blessing.
- How was your summer?
- Good, yeah.
My mom's depressed because my dad left.
And I flunked out.
I've heard.
When they found out,
they stopped fighting just long enough
to agree not to let anyone know about it.
What hypocrisy.
I'm not complaining,
'cause I think next year will be better.
Apparently,
our parents are getting married.
Mm, yeah. It's gonna be a big celebration.
Well, don't get too excited.
Even if those misfits get married,
your father will always be Mariano,
and mine's Andrea.
Where are you going?
She left me alone.
Giannì, I hear you.
Didn't want to open up?
No. Mom doesn't want me to open up
when I'm alone.
That's why I did it. Come on.
Hi, Nello.
"Hi, Nello."
You're a troublemaker.
There. Come on.
- You like being a troublemaker, huh?
- Yeah.
Would you like something?
No. I just had a coffee.
- Okay.
- Would you mind turning down the music?
Sure.
Wow.
- Corrà.
- Yeah?
Hurry up.
It's a beautiful house
you have, Giannì.
Thank you.
You have a mountain of books.
- I like to read.
- Yeah?
- Do you?
- No, I get bored.
- I start and then never finish.
- Oh.
Would you like a cookie?
No, thanks. I'm not hungry.
And how are your siblings?
Who, those two lovebirds?
"Lovebirds" makes me laugh.
My brother's a dummy
because he's dating your friend Angela,
- who's even dummier than he is.
- Yeah.
I asked him,
"Tonì, so... have you kissed her?"
And he said, "A few times."
"Tonì, but did you touch her tits?
Did you touch her pussy?"
"No, because I respect her."
"You really are so dumb!"
Only a dummy would date a girl
and respect her.
What the fuck are you dating for
if you respect her?
Angela, if she wasn't such a dummy,
would have told him,
"Tonì, I love you,
but stop respecting me, or I'll dump you."
And Giuliana, my dummy sister,
is dating this guy named Roberto.
- Do you know Roberto?
- Yeah.
- Tonino's intellectual friend.
- Mm.
They fell in love when they were children.
And now, you know, they've started dating.
Sounds good, right?
- It's a nice thing.
- Mm.
Except Giuliana's lost her mind.
She's just so dumb.
"You know, Roberto is...
I don't know, the coolest,
the most handsome, intelligent,
the best of them all."
- "And very religious."
- Hm.
Once Jesus, right from the cross,
asked him, "Robè, tell me something."
"How come you're always here at church?"
"You believe in my father more than I do,
and I'm his son!"
- Wanna see something?
- Mm-mm.
Gimme your hand. You can touch it.
Hold it. Ah!
Ah-ah-ah-ah.
Not quite so strong.
You're hurting me.
Aah. Yeah, just like that.
This is the first time you touched one?
No, stop. My mother
could be back any time.
Oh, no, no, that's fine.
When she gets here, we'll let her
touch it too. What's the problem?
Wanna kiss it?
- You okay?
- Mm...
Stop, stop, stop, stop. One sec.
Oh, I, um...
I have to go, Giannì. It's late.
Mm-hmm.
But we had fun, right?
- Can I see you again?
- I can't. I have to study.
Study for what? You're so smart already.
- I'm not smart. I flunked out of school.
- Oh.
I stabbed a guy in his thigh with a pen,
so I failed the year.
Ah...
I'll see you out.
Oh!
- I almost forgot the reason I came here.
- What?
Oh my God,
Vittoria would have gotten so mad!
She yells like an animal.
- Vittoria?
- Yeah.
- What does she want?
- Uh, nothing, Giannì. She, uh...
- She sent me to get her bracelet.
- The bracelet?
- Mm-hmm.
- But why?
She says
that you don't know how to behave.
That you never call her,
that you disappear
if there's nothing in it for you,
and it's not true
that you love your relatives.
And then... she says
you're exactly like your father.
- Okay. Then I'll speak to her myself.
- No, no, no, no, no, no.
- Give me the bracelet.
- No.
Tell her this. "Giovanna will bring
you the bracelet herself." Hm?
You're stubborn, aren't you?
Mm.
Okay, then.
What can I say, then?
Nothing. Now go.
- Get out.
- Ah!
I'll see you out.
Thank you.
You're so kind.
Where's the door?
I can't find the way.
I can't find the way!
- So, how's school going?
- Good.
Are you studying?
Of course I am.
- How are your new classmates this year?
- I don't know.
I have to think about it.
If you want to laugh, then go ahead.
You scare me.
Scare you?
- Yeah.
- Hmm.
Your likability scares me.
Thanks.
I talked to the principal.
In the end,
I managed to convince her you were right.
That the bully really deserved
that pen in his thigh.
You shouldn't have.
Take it as a lesson.
You can make anyone come to attention.
For the rest of high school,
she'll be on your side now.
Not my side. Your side.
So you're saying
you didn't like the way I behaved?
No, actually, you did a good job.
If you had asked her to marry you,
she would have accepted.
Ha ha.
No. Asshole.
What should I have done, in your opinion?
Mind your own business.
You went away.
Now you have a new wife, new daughters.
- Leave Mom and me alone.
- Hmm.
Your mom and I really care for each other.
And you are my only daughter.
Bullshit.
No, it's the truth.
Sometimes people only lie to...
to protect the people
that they love, okay?
There you go.
That's the kind of bullshit
of those who lie for a living.
Remember, when you were little,
I called you "Croquette"?
Croquette!
When you're done eating, we can go.
Shall I drive you home?
Tell me something.
When you say "home,"
is it my home or your home?
- Wherever you want.
- Mm.
You have the ability
to get in people's heads, Dad.
But once you get inside their head,
and you get them to do whatever you want,
what are you left with?
Let's go.
Say hi to your mother.
The other day, Corrado came to see me.
- Who's Corrado?
- Margherita's son.
And why is that?
Nothing. I jerked him off,
and then he left. Bye!
UNITY
Dad says hi.
Did you two eat?
- Yes.
- And what did you have?
Panzerotti, some fritters,
and, uh, croquettes.
- You always eat the same things.
- Yes.
And he's not so young anymore.
It's not good for him.
Look at this. Hm?
His article is right
on the front page of L'Unità.
"Downtown and suburbs."
"An unstable balance
on the edge of the abyss."
He must be happy.
Didn't he tell you?
No.
What did you talk about?
Nothing.
Anyway...
- Here. Would you like to see?
- No.
I don't understand why you read it.
Aren't you ashamed?
What's this?
Oh.
I put it there for you.
I was rearranging the books.
I found it in the Italian dictionary.
- There's Aunt Vittoria.
- Look how handsome your dad is.
Dad and Aunt Vittoria
seem happy here.
Who's this lady?
Your grandma.
- What was she like?
- Hateful.
But why?
She cared more for strangers
than her own children. Or me.
She's wearing my bracelet.
I didn't even notice.
I saw it right away.
You saw it right away? I gave this
to you to show you your father,
but you didn't even look at him.
No, I did.
I don't find him as handsome as you do.
He's really handsome.
You're still too young to understand
the special beauty of an intelligent man.
To me, he looks like Vittoria.
Well, you know, he left me, not you, so...
He left both of us.
I hate him.
It's my job to hate him.
Since you're not doing it,
I'll do it for you.
You're angry, and I get it.
But your dad's an honest man.
And in his own way, loyal.
In all these years,
his true love has always been Costanza.
So we shouldn't be surprised
if he chose to give her
the bracelet that belonged to his mother.
Did something happen?
We're having a little party
to celebrate Ida's birthday.
Coming?
Giovà, come on.
Make this little effort.
Ida would love to see you there.
Adriana?
Yeah?
Can you take home my Vespa?
Just be careful with the clutch.
It's having trouble.
- Sure, no problem. I'll take care of it.
- Thank you.
Rino.
Angela had a dream about you
the other night.
She was looking for a shoe.
She couldn't find it anywhere.
Then you found it for her.
It's not my fault we don't see each other.
You're right.
Okay, groom.
Hug the beautiful bride.
- Okay, hold still.
- Hold on, Salvatore.
- I wanna take a photo without the crutch.
- Sure.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
- Hey, hey. Are you okay?
- I'm okay.
- Are you sure?
- Yes.
Okay. Smile.
That was great, you guys. All right?
Get closer. That's it.
Okay, great. Beautiful.
Here we are.
Let's take one more.
Okay, this one is gonna be a close-up,
so make sure those smiles are...
Beautiful. All right, here we go.
Nice.
Beautiful. One more.
You father is hurting.
He's worried about you. He can't sleep.
He's short of breath at night.
He misses you. And so do Angela and Ida.
Right there. Very good.
Beautiful.
I miss you all too.
And I even miss Mariano.
No one's to blame.
Sometimes we just make mistakes.
We hurt each other unintentionally.
You're wise.
No. I just read a lot of novels.
Beautiful. I love it.
Oh, these are gonna turn out amazing.
Can you tell I've cried?
A few more?
- No.
- Listen.
Can I ask you for a little favor?
Very nice.
- Do you guys want a wider shot?
- Yes. Yes.
Sure.
Beautiful. Beautiful.
- Lies, how many you all tell.
- Very good.
Hold still. A kiss?
A kiss? A kiss, a nice little kiss.
Go on, one more. One more.
- Congratulations.
- Thank you.
Look who I brought over.
Happy birthday.
Thanks.
Tonino is special.
He speaks little
and really slowly.
But he always says important things.
He picks me up from school
every day.
He's the most handsome man I've ever seen.
The other night, he took me to a pizzeria
with Giuliana and Roberto, her boyfriend.
I don't understand why Giuliana
is so head over heels for him anyway.
I mean, he just seems so... normal.
And Tonino is very fond of him too.
He says he's so smart,
but I think Tonino is better.
Angela, be careful saying,
"Tonino this" and "Tonino that."
Because if they find out
the two of you are together,
it's going to get really messy.
My mother mustn't find out.
- And Mariano?
- No way!
- If my father finds out, he'll make you...
- Your father is nobody!
- And he can't tell me what to do anyway.
- Angela's right.
Our father is Mariano.
But we've decided
we're no longer anyone's daughters.
We're not even our mother's daughter.
We're fed up.
She's just a whore.
She's just your father's whore.
I spat on my father's picture
the other day.
Would you?
I totally would spit on my mother's photo.
I wouldn't. On neither of them.
- I'd even piss on my father's picture.
- Let's do it together!
- If you do, I'll write about you.
- What?
I'll write about you two
pissing on the photo of Andrea.
Like a story?
Yes.
Well, if you like that story,
just wait until I tell you what I've done.
- Why, what did you do?
- I'm even more of a slut than your mother.
Do you have a boyfriend?
You don't need a boyfriend
to be a slut, you know.
You just do it with random guys.
That's what you do?
Yeah, they unzip their pants
and ask me to hold it in my hands.
Aren't you grossed out?
Yeah, it's gross.
It stinks like a public toilet.
- At least kisses are nice.
- How would I know?
Boys get bored of kissing you.
It's not true, because
Tonino's always giving me kisses.
Oh, he kisses you? What else?
No, he respects me.
Yeah, but what's the point
of any boy that respects you?
The point is he loves me, okay?
And it seems like no one loves you, Giovà!
You even failed school.
Is it true?
Yes, it's true. What?
We won't tell anyone.
Wake up, you children.
Anyway, only bitches like you study,
get respected and pass their exams!
I don't get respected,
I don't study, and I'm a slut as well.
Three, four, and a happy birthday!
Happy birthday!
- Thank you.
- Hooray!
I'm an adult now. So fuck you.
Ida, language!
Why hasn't Mariano shown up yet?
Giovanna, please.
Don't be rude, okay? Stop it.
- Did I say something wrong?
- You know what I mean.
Excuse me. Be right back.
Hmm. Happy birthday, honey.
Why are you wearing
Mom's bracelet?
She gave it to me.
Why'd you give it to her?
I wanted to have it!
Actually, I wanted it.
- Give the bracelet back, Giovà.
- No, it's done.
The bracelet belongs to Giovanna.
I gave it to her.
But why did you give it to her?
- She's a good girl, and she's studious.
- Bullshit. Why would you tell her that?
Oh, I'm a good girl who studies?
I stabbed a guy in the leg,
and I flunked out of school!
I told you to give
the bracelet back to Costanza.
No. The bracelet was my grandma's,
and I won't give it to a stranger.
Don't you think I know
who the bracelet belonged to?
Now give it back to her immediately.
You fucking piss me off!
The bracelet is Giovanna's.
I don't want to hear
another word about this.
Happy birthday.
I'll give you a slice of cake
to take to your mother.
Okay.
Did you get scared?
Because I'm not the same anymore, huh?
Maybe you're right.
Can you stop the car for a second?
I... love you.
I love you so much, Giovà.
And I love your mom too.
God, I love you.
Sorry, but don't you think it's ridiculous
that this pain means you love us?
Can't you... understand me?
Or at least...
...try to show some empathy?
Look how much I'm fucking hurting. Fuck!
No, I can't show you empathy.
I grew up thinking you were a great man.
Now give me some time to adjust
to what you really are.
I'm sorry you feel so bad.
You don't get it, Giovà.
I'm not feeling bad.
I'm feeling great.
Do you get it?
You and your mother
forced me to tell a bunch of lies
to avoid hurting you.
I loved your mother.
But I fell in love with another woman.
I fell in love with Costanza,
and I'm not ashamed of it.
I took what I wanted.
Excuse me.
Why did you send me the flutes?
I know.
Well, I'm just not that fond of them.
Don't you have any different glasses?
Sure.
Thanks.
- What's happening?
- Nothing.
They always seem to mess up
with these fucking glasses.
So, tell me something.
Doesn't that bathrobe bother you?
Yes.
Do you wanna talk about lies?
Your mother didn't refuse
playing footsie under the table.
She just didn't go all the way.
Because she didn't have the courage
to choose. But I did make a choice.
Because I'm passionate.
And now I can tell you the truth.
I love you more than my own life.
But you and Mom
have to stop being a pain in the ass.
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La-la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La-la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La-la, la-la, la-la-la ♪
♪ Who told you I had to leave you? ♪
♪ Death is better than this pain ♪
♪ Ay-yi-yi-yi ♪
♪ I'm dying, dying, dying ♪
♪ Breath of my heart
You are my love ♪
♪ Ay-yi-yi-yi ♪
♪ I'm dying, dying, dying ♪
♪ Breath of my heart
You are my love ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La-la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La-la, la-la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La-la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La-la, la-la, la-la-la ♪
♪ Who told you that, my darling? ♪
♪ My heart is breaking, little by little ♪
♪ Ay-yi-yi-yi ♪
♪ I'm dying, dying, dying ♪
♪ Breath of my heart
You are my love ♪
♪ Ay-yi-yi-yi ♪
♪ I'm dying, dying, dying ♪
♪ Breath of my heart
You are my love ♪
♪ The first time I made love
Was with you ♪
♪ And you ingrate, you are forgetting me ♪
♪ Let's make up, my love
Breath of my soul... ♪
- Mom?
- Huh?
Mom, you...
What is it?
Nothing.
I love you.
♪ La-la, la-la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La-la, la-la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La-la, la-la, la-la-la ♪
You learned perfectly.
Thanks.
Do your friends wear that much makeup
to go on a school trip?
You have no idea.
How will you get to Caserta?
The train.
Are there any teachers going?
No.
It's something we organized.
Okay.
- Don't be late.
- No.
- Hi.
- No, cutie, sit next to me here, okay?
I'll sit here, thanks.
Giannì, you deaf?
I just told you to come here.
We're leaving Rosario in the front alone?
Is he our driver?
Forget the driver. You belong to me.
You have to sit where I'm sitting.
"You belong to me," my ass!
Corrado, really?
I'll sit wherever I want.
You're silly.
Latin lover!
Is this your car?
It sure is.
You're rich, then?
Yeah.
Can we go to the Park of Remembrance?
Wherever you want.
As long as you do as I say.
Corrado, why don't you
calm down a bit, huh?
Giannì's a woman,
and she can do whatever she wants, right?
Can I put my hand on the gear stick?
Of course.
- Will you teach me?
- Absolutely.
Take off your scarf.
Come on.
No.
Open up a bit. Show us.
Enough, okay?
Hey, Giannì.
Don't you realize how much you disgust me?
I even disgust myself.
Go on, Giannì. We'll wait here.
We'll be up ahead right around the corner.
- Okay.
- Hey.
Don't tell her you came with us, okay?
And please hurry up. Be quick!
Hey, Vittoria.
- Hey, hi.
- Want a roasted chestnut?
- They're nice and warm.
- Thank you. Thanks a lot.
Your mom? She still in the hospital?
Yeah, I'll go see her today.
- Give her a kiss for me.
- Thanks.
I made a mistake.
You're not blood of my blood.
You're a stranger.
Give me back my bracelet, okay?
You don't deserve it.
I didn't give it back
because I thought it was mine.
But then I realized...
...it's yours.
Here.
I gave it to you.
It's enough that you care.
Come on. We'll be late.
For what?
To the church.
Roberto's giving a speech today.
Then we'll have lunch at Margherita's.
Come on.
- I don't want to intrude, Auntie.
- Shut up and take my hand.
Come on! Are you okay?
Come on now, let's go!
Aha! You came with Corrado
and that other asshole!
- No, no.
- Oh no?
Now, you listen to me!
- I didn't do anything!
- You little shitheads!
No! Assholes!
Go to fucking hell!
Shitheads.
You're a liar!
- Huh?
- Yes.
Yes?
Whatever.
Everyone lies once in a while.
When they have to.
It's not a life-or-death thing.
- Roberto, you still wanna go see him?
- Yes.
Okay.
What a horrible mess.
I feared Vittoria and her contempt.
I loathed Corrado and Rosario.
I couldn't even stand myself anymore.
- I was exhausted.
- Are you ready?
Yes, I am.
- You ready?
- Give me a minute.
I have to talk to Giovanna.
Okay.
And then suddenly,
Roberto, yes, him,
sat down right next to me
and very calmly began talking to me.
To me. As if I really mattered to him.
May I read it?
"Compunction."
This word is a very powerful one.
It means pain. Repentance.
But people have given it
the wrong meaning.
They think it means
ostentation, hypocrisy, and lies.
It's not true.
Compunction is like a needle
carrying the thread around
through the sparse weaves
of our existence.
It's an extreme form of self-supervision.
It's like a sharp knife
that has to wound our conscience
to prevent it from falling asleep.
Hurry up. Go.
Yeah, go.
Excuse me.
They're waiting for you.
Giovà, you coming?
And now, brothers and sisters,
can I have your attention?
Today, our guest speaker
is going to be Roberto Matese.
Roberto is an inspiring young man
who wants to share
the gift of his words with us.
He's able to open our hearts
in a unique way.
I got scared.
Because, for the first time in my life,
I thought I wanted
to make love to someone.
Today, I'd like
to talk to you about compunction.
Imagine a needle carrying a thread
through the weaves of a garment.
Giannì!
That garment is our soul.
And the thread...
Hey!
What you doing all alone? Come on!
Bye, Giovanna!
BASED ON THE NOVEL OF THE SAME NAME
BY ELENA FERRANTE
When you're little, everything seems big.
When you're grown-up,
everything seems small.
Each to their own.
Nobody knows.
Nobody knows.
Each to their own.
Nobody knows.
Each to their own.
Nobody knows.
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
♪ Every day I spend my time ♪
♪ Drinkin' wine, feelin' fine ♪
♪ Waitin' here to find the sign ♪
♪ That I can understand ♪
♪ Yes, I am ♪
♪ In the days between the hours ♪
MARCH
♪ Ivory towers, bloody flowers ♪
♪ Push their heads into the air ♪
♪ I don't care if I ever know ♪
♪ There I go ♪
♪ Don't push your love too far ♪
APRIL
♪ Your wounds won't leave a scar ♪
♪ Right now is where you are ♪
♪ In a broken dream ♪
♪ Did someone bow their head? ♪
MAY
♪ Did someone break the bread? ♪
I'M GONNA SLAM
♪ Good people are in bed ♪
♪ Before nine o'clock ♪
♪ On the pad before my eyes ♪
JUNE
♪ Paper cries, tellin' lies ♪
♪ The promises you gave ♪
♪ From the grave of a broken heart ♪
♪ Mmm ♪
♪ Every day I spend my time ♪
♪ Drinkin' wine, feelin' fine ♪
JULY
♪ Waitin' here to find the sign ♪
♪ That I can understand ♪
♪ Yes, I am ♪
♪ Oh ♪
AUGUST
♪ I sit here in my lonely room ♪
♪ Don't push your love too far ♪
♪ You know
Your wounds won't even leave a scar ♪
SEPTEMBER
♪ But right now is where you are ♪
♪ In a broken dream ♪
♪ And don't you forget what I said ♪
Why won't you just be reasonable?
Huh? Please think about it.
What do you want?
What the fuck do you want from me?
So now that you need me,
you're asking me to be reasonable?
- I see.
- You're right. Yeah.
- You're smart.
- What do you want me to say?
- Lord Almighty.
- Of course!
You didn't fall in love with Costanza.
You fell in love with Posillipo.
- And that poor fool even believes you.
- Oh, please.
You're supposed to edit novels,
not write them.
You come up with these crazy stories!
You're a born liar
just like my father always told me.
Enough, come on.
Nothing is leaving this house.
Not a pin. Not even a sock.
Nothing! Nothing is leaving this house.
What's in here is mine too.
Mine and yours, that's it.
Bye.
When you're little, everything seems big.
When you're grown-up,
everything seems small.
CHAPTER 4
LONELINESS
Are you mad at me?
- No.
- Tag, you're it.
- Thank God.
- I was it last time!
At home, everyone
is constantly pissed off.
And then they cry, they all cry. Ida, Mom...
Even my father cried.
You know, the night he left,
he had the suitcase in his hands,
and he had tears in his eyes.
Then he yelled at my mother.
He was saying...
..."And who can guarantee that... that...
that these are even mine
or if they're that asshole's?"
"That piece of shit is one of a kind."
He meant your father.
That's absurd.
Well, not really.
Your father is a bit of an asshole.
Does he travel too?
No, he reads.
After the divorce, they'll get married.
I have to tell you something.
But you have to promise
not to tell anyone.
I already know that you're dating Tonino.
You already know?
But aren't you mad at me?
Are you crazy?
Thank God. I was so worried
that you'd be mad at me.
- Why would I be mad at you?
- How would I know?
Well, first you said you loved him,
and then you didn't. I need an update.
I'm happy that you're together. Enjoy it.
Know that you have my blessing.
- How was your summer?
- Good, yeah.
My mom's depressed because my dad left.
And I flunked out.
I've heard.
When they found out,
they stopped fighting just long enough
to agree not to let anyone know about it.
What hypocrisy.
I'm not complaining,
'cause I think next year will be better.
Apparently,
our parents are getting married.
Mm, yeah. It's gonna be a big celebration.
Well, don't get too excited.
Even if those misfits get married,
your father will always be Mariano,
and mine's Andrea.
Where are you going?
She left me alone.
Giannì, I hear you.
Didn't want to open up?
No. Mom doesn't want me to open up
when I'm alone.
That's why I did it. Come on.
Hi, Nello.
"Hi, Nello."
You're a troublemaker.
There. Come on.
- You like being a troublemaker, huh?
- Yeah.
Would you like something?
No. I just had a coffee.
- Okay.
- Would you mind turning down the music?
Sure.
Wow.
- Corrà.
- Yeah?
Hurry up.
It's a beautiful house
you have, Giannì.
Thank you.
You have a mountain of books.
- I like to read.
- Yeah?
- Do you?
- No, I get bored.
- I start and then never finish.
- Oh.
Would you like a cookie?
No, thanks. I'm not hungry.
And how are your siblings?
Who, those two lovebirds?
"Lovebirds" makes me laugh.
My brother's a dummy
because he's dating your friend Angela,
- who's even dummier than he is.
- Yeah.
I asked him,
"Tonì, so... have you kissed her?"
And he said, "A few times."
"Tonì, but did you touch her tits?
Did you touch her pussy?"
"No, because I respect her."
"You really are so dumb!"
Only a dummy would date a girl
and respect her.
What the fuck are you dating for
if you respect her?
Angela, if she wasn't such a dummy,
would have told him,
"Tonì, I love you,
but stop respecting me, or I'll dump you."
And Giuliana, my dummy sister,
is dating this guy named Roberto.
- Do you know Roberto?
- Yeah.
- Tonino's intellectual friend.
- Mm.
They fell in love when they were children.
And now, you know, they've started dating.
Sounds good, right?
- It's a nice thing.
- Mm.
Except Giuliana's lost her mind.
She's just so dumb.
"You know, Roberto is...
I don't know, the coolest,
the most handsome, intelligent,
the best of them all."
- "And very religious."
- Hm.
Once Jesus, right from the cross,
asked him, "Robè, tell me something."
"How come you're always here at church?"
"You believe in my father more than I do,
and I'm his son!"
- Wanna see something?
- Mm-mm.
Gimme your hand. You can touch it.
Hold it. Ah!
Ah-ah-ah-ah.
Not quite so strong.
You're hurting me.
Aah. Yeah, just like that.
This is the first time you touched one?
No, stop. My mother
could be back any time.
Oh, no, no, that's fine.
When she gets here, we'll let her
touch it too. What's the problem?
Wanna kiss it?
- You okay?
- Mm...
Stop, stop, stop, stop. One sec.
Oh, I, um...
I have to go, Giannì. It's late.
Mm-hmm.
But we had fun, right?
- Can I see you again?
- I can't. I have to study.
Study for what? You're so smart already.
- I'm not smart. I flunked out of school.
- Oh.
I stabbed a guy in his thigh with a pen,
so I failed the year.
Ah...
I'll see you out.
Oh!
- I almost forgot the reason I came here.
- What?
Oh my God,
Vittoria would have gotten so mad!
She yells like an animal.
- Vittoria?
- Yeah.
- What does she want?
- Uh, nothing, Giannì. She, uh...
- She sent me to get her bracelet.
- The bracelet?
- Mm-hmm.
- But why?
She says
that you don't know how to behave.
That you never call her,
that you disappear
if there's nothing in it for you,
and it's not true
that you love your relatives.
And then... she says
you're exactly like your father.
- Okay. Then I'll speak to her myself.
- No, no, no, no, no, no.
- Give me the bracelet.
- No.
Tell her this. "Giovanna will bring
you the bracelet herself." Hm?
You're stubborn, aren't you?
Mm.
Okay, then.
What can I say, then?
Nothing. Now go.
- Get out.
- Ah!
I'll see you out.
Thank you.
You're so kind.
Where's the door?
I can't find the way.
I can't find the way!
- So, how's school going?
- Good.
Are you studying?
Of course I am.
- How are your new classmates this year?
- I don't know.
I have to think about it.
If you want to laugh, then go ahead.
You scare me.
Scare you?
- Yeah.
- Hmm.
Your likability scares me.
Thanks.
I talked to the principal.
In the end,
I managed to convince her you were right.
That the bully really deserved
that pen in his thigh.
You shouldn't have.
Take it as a lesson.
You can make anyone come to attention.
For the rest of high school,
she'll be on your side now.
Not my side. Your side.
So you're saying
you didn't like the way I behaved?
No, actually, you did a good job.
If you had asked her to marry you,
she would have accepted.
Ha ha.
No. Asshole.
What should I have done, in your opinion?
Mind your own business.
You went away.
Now you have a new wife, new daughters.
- Leave Mom and me alone.
- Hmm.
Your mom and I really care for each other.
And you are my only daughter.
Bullshit.
No, it's the truth.
Sometimes people only lie to...
to protect the people
that they love, okay?
There you go.
That's the kind of bullshit
of those who lie for a living.
Remember, when you were little,
I called you "Croquette"?
Croquette!
When you're done eating, we can go.
Shall I drive you home?
Tell me something.
When you say "home,"
is it my home or your home?
- Wherever you want.
- Mm.
You have the ability
to get in people's heads, Dad.
But once you get inside their head,
and you get them to do whatever you want,
what are you left with?
Let's go.
Say hi to your mother.
The other day, Corrado came to see me.
- Who's Corrado?
- Margherita's son.
And why is that?
Nothing. I jerked him off,
and then he left. Bye!
UNITY
Dad says hi.
Did you two eat?
- Yes.
- And what did you have?
Panzerotti, some fritters,
and, uh, croquettes.
- You always eat the same things.
- Yes.
And he's not so young anymore.
It's not good for him.
Look at this. Hm?
His article is right
on the front page of L'Unità.
"Downtown and suburbs."
"An unstable balance
on the edge of the abyss."
He must be happy.
Didn't he tell you?
No.
What did you talk about?
Nothing.
Anyway...
- Here. Would you like to see?
- No.
I don't understand why you read it.
Aren't you ashamed?
What's this?
Oh.
I put it there for you.
I was rearranging the books.
I found it in the Italian dictionary.
- There's Aunt Vittoria.
- Look how handsome your dad is.
Dad and Aunt Vittoria
seem happy here.
Who's this lady?
Your grandma.
- What was she like?
- Hateful.
But why?
She cared more for strangers
than her own children. Or me.
She's wearing my bracelet.
I didn't even notice.
I saw it right away.
You saw it right away? I gave this
to you to show you your father,
but you didn't even look at him.
No, I did.
I don't find him as handsome as you do.
He's really handsome.
You're still too young to understand
the special beauty of an intelligent man.
To me, he looks like Vittoria.
Well, you know, he left me, not you, so...
He left both of us.
I hate him.
It's my job to hate him.
Since you're not doing it,
I'll do it for you.
You're angry, and I get it.
But your dad's an honest man.
And in his own way, loyal.
In all these years,
his true love has always been Costanza.
So we shouldn't be surprised
if he chose to give her
the bracelet that belonged to his mother.
Did something happen?
We're having a little party
to celebrate Ida's birthday.
Coming?
Giovà, come on.
Make this little effort.
Ida would love to see you there.
Adriana?
Yeah?
Can you take home my Vespa?
Just be careful with the clutch.
It's having trouble.
- Sure, no problem. I'll take care of it.
- Thank you.
Rino.
Angela had a dream about you
the other night.
She was looking for a shoe.
She couldn't find it anywhere.
Then you found it for her.
It's not my fault we don't see each other.
You're right.
Okay, groom.
Hug the beautiful bride.
- Okay, hold still.
- Hold on, Salvatore.
- I wanna take a photo without the crutch.
- Sure.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
- Hey, hey. Are you okay?
- I'm okay.
- Are you sure?
- Yes.
Okay. Smile.
That was great, you guys. All right?
Get closer. That's it.
Okay, great. Beautiful.
Here we are.
Let's take one more.
Okay, this one is gonna be a close-up,
so make sure those smiles are...
Beautiful. All right, here we go.
Nice.
Beautiful. One more.
You father is hurting.
He's worried about you. He can't sleep.
He's short of breath at night.
He misses you. And so do Angela and Ida.
Right there. Very good.
Beautiful.
I miss you all too.
And I even miss Mariano.
No one's to blame.
Sometimes we just make mistakes.
We hurt each other unintentionally.
You're wise.
No. I just read a lot of novels.
Beautiful. I love it.
Oh, these are gonna turn out amazing.
Can you tell I've cried?
A few more?
- No.
- Listen.
Can I ask you for a little favor?
Very nice.
- Do you guys want a wider shot?
- Yes. Yes.
Sure.
Beautiful. Beautiful.
- Lies, how many you all tell.
- Very good.
Hold still. A kiss?
A kiss? A kiss, a nice little kiss.
Go on, one more. One more.
- Congratulations.
- Thank you.
Look who I brought over.
Happy birthday.
Thanks.
Tonino is special.
He speaks little
and really slowly.
But he always says important things.
He picks me up from school
every day.
He's the most handsome man I've ever seen.
The other night, he took me to a pizzeria
with Giuliana and Roberto, her boyfriend.
I don't understand why Giuliana
is so head over heels for him anyway.
I mean, he just seems so... normal.
And Tonino is very fond of him too.
He says he's so smart,
but I think Tonino is better.
Angela, be careful saying,
"Tonino this" and "Tonino that."
Because if they find out
the two of you are together,
it's going to get really messy.
My mother mustn't find out.
- And Mariano?
- No way!
- If my father finds out, he'll make you...
- Your father is nobody!
- And he can't tell me what to do anyway.
- Angela's right.
Our father is Mariano.
But we've decided
we're no longer anyone's daughters.
We're not even our mother's daughter.
We're fed up.
She's just a whore.
She's just your father's whore.
I spat on my father's picture
the other day.
Would you?
I totally would spit on my mother's photo.
I wouldn't. On neither of them.
- I'd even piss on my father's picture.
- Let's do it together!
- If you do, I'll write about you.
- What?
I'll write about you two
pissing on the photo of Andrea.
Like a story?
Yes.
Well, if you like that story,
just wait until I tell you what I've done.
- Why, what did you do?
- I'm even more of a slut than your mother.
Do you have a boyfriend?
You don't need a boyfriend
to be a slut, you know.
You just do it with random guys.
That's what you do?
Yeah, they unzip their pants
and ask me to hold it in my hands.
Aren't you grossed out?
Yeah, it's gross.
It stinks like a public toilet.
- At least kisses are nice.
- How would I know?
Boys get bored of kissing you.
It's not true, because
Tonino's always giving me kisses.
Oh, he kisses you? What else?
No, he respects me.
Yeah, but what's the point
of any boy that respects you?
The point is he loves me, okay?
And it seems like no one loves you, Giovà!
You even failed school.
Is it true?
Yes, it's true. What?
We won't tell anyone.
Wake up, you children.
Anyway, only bitches like you study,
get respected and pass their exams!
I don't get respected,
I don't study, and I'm a slut as well.
Three, four, and a happy birthday!
Happy birthday!
- Thank you.
- Hooray!
I'm an adult now. So fuck you.
Ida, language!
Why hasn't Mariano shown up yet?
Giovanna, please.
Don't be rude, okay? Stop it.
- Did I say something wrong?
- You know what I mean.
Excuse me. Be right back.
Hmm. Happy birthday, honey.
Why are you wearing
Mom's bracelet?
She gave it to me.
Why'd you give it to her?
I wanted to have it!
Actually, I wanted it.
- Give the bracelet back, Giovà.
- No, it's done.
The bracelet belongs to Giovanna.
I gave it to her.
But why did you give it to her?
- She's a good girl, and she's studious.
- Bullshit. Why would you tell her that?
Oh, I'm a good girl who studies?
I stabbed a guy in the leg,
and I flunked out of school!
I told you to give
the bracelet back to Costanza.
No. The bracelet was my grandma's,
and I won't give it to a stranger.
Don't you think I know
who the bracelet belonged to?
Now give it back to her immediately.
You fucking piss me off!
The bracelet is Giovanna's.
I don't want to hear
another word about this.
Happy birthday.
I'll give you a slice of cake
to take to your mother.
Okay.
Did you get scared?
Because I'm not the same anymore, huh?
Maybe you're right.
Can you stop the car for a second?
I... love you.
I love you so much, Giovà.
And I love your mom too.
God, I love you.
Sorry, but don't you think it's ridiculous
that this pain means you love us?
Can't you... understand me?
Or at least...
...try to show some empathy?
Look how much I'm fucking hurting. Fuck!
No, I can't show you empathy.
I grew up thinking you were a great man.
Now give me some time to adjust
to what you really are.
I'm sorry you feel so bad.
You don't get it, Giovà.
I'm not feeling bad.
I'm feeling great.
Do you get it?
You and your mother
forced me to tell a bunch of lies
to avoid hurting you.
I loved your mother.
But I fell in love with another woman.
I fell in love with Costanza,
and I'm not ashamed of it.
I took what I wanted.
Excuse me.
Why did you send me the flutes?
I know.
Well, I'm just not that fond of them.
Don't you have any different glasses?
Sure.
Thanks.
- What's happening?
- Nothing.
They always seem to mess up
with these fucking glasses.
So, tell me something.
Doesn't that bathrobe bother you?
Yes.
Do you wanna talk about lies?
Your mother didn't refuse
playing footsie under the table.
She just didn't go all the way.
Because she didn't have the courage
to choose. But I did make a choice.
Because I'm passionate.
And now I can tell you the truth.
I love you more than my own life.
But you and Mom
have to stop being a pain in the ass.
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La-la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La-la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La-la, la-la, la-la-la ♪
♪ Who told you I had to leave you? ♪
♪ Death is better than this pain ♪
♪ Ay-yi-yi-yi ♪
♪ I'm dying, dying, dying ♪
♪ Breath of my heart
You are my love ♪
♪ Ay-yi-yi-yi ♪
♪ I'm dying, dying, dying ♪
♪ Breath of my heart
You are my love ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La-la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La-la, la-la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La-la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La-la, la-la, la-la-la ♪
♪ Who told you that, my darling? ♪
♪ My heart is breaking, little by little ♪
♪ Ay-yi-yi-yi ♪
♪ I'm dying, dying, dying ♪
♪ Breath of my heart
You are my love ♪
♪ Ay-yi-yi-yi ♪
♪ I'm dying, dying, dying ♪
♪ Breath of my heart
You are my love ♪
♪ The first time I made love
Was with you ♪
♪ And you ingrate, you are forgetting me ♪
♪ Let's make up, my love
Breath of my soul... ♪
- Mom?
- Huh?
Mom, you...
What is it?
Nothing.
I love you.
♪ La-la, la-la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La-la, la-la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la-la-la ♪
♪ La-la, la-la, la-la-la ♪
You learned perfectly.
Thanks.
Do your friends wear that much makeup
to go on a school trip?
You have no idea.
How will you get to Caserta?
The train.
Are there any teachers going?
No.
It's something we organized.
Okay.
- Don't be late.
- No.
- Hi.
- No, cutie, sit next to me here, okay?
I'll sit here, thanks.
Giannì, you deaf?
I just told you to come here.
We're leaving Rosario in the front alone?
Is he our driver?
Forget the driver. You belong to me.
You have to sit where I'm sitting.
"You belong to me," my ass!
Corrado, really?
I'll sit wherever I want.
You're silly.
Latin lover!
Is this your car?
It sure is.
You're rich, then?
Yeah.
Can we go to the Park of Remembrance?
Wherever you want.
As long as you do as I say.
Corrado, why don't you
calm down a bit, huh?
Giannì's a woman,
and she can do whatever she wants, right?
Can I put my hand on the gear stick?
Of course.
- Will you teach me?
- Absolutely.
Take off your scarf.
Come on.
No.
Open up a bit. Show us.
Enough, okay?
Hey, Giannì.
Don't you realize how much you disgust me?
I even disgust myself.
Go on, Giannì. We'll wait here.
We'll be up ahead right around the corner.
- Okay.
- Hey.
Don't tell her you came with us, okay?
And please hurry up. Be quick!
Hey, Vittoria.
- Hey, hi.
- Want a roasted chestnut?
- They're nice and warm.
- Thank you. Thanks a lot.
Your mom? She still in the hospital?
Yeah, I'll go see her today.
- Give her a kiss for me.
- Thanks.
I made a mistake.
You're not blood of my blood.
You're a stranger.
Give me back my bracelet, okay?
You don't deserve it.
I didn't give it back
because I thought it was mine.
But then I realized...
...it's yours.
Here.
I gave it to you.
It's enough that you care.
Come on. We'll be late.
For what?
To the church.
Roberto's giving a speech today.
Then we'll have lunch at Margherita's.
Come on.
- I don't want to intrude, Auntie.
- Shut up and take my hand.
Come on! Are you okay?
Come on now, let's go!
Aha! You came with Corrado
and that other asshole!
- No, no.
- Oh no?
Now, you listen to me!
- I didn't do anything!
- You little shitheads!
No! Assholes!
Go to fucking hell!
Shitheads.
You're a liar!
- Huh?
- Yes.
Yes?
Whatever.
Everyone lies once in a while.
When they have to.
It's not a life-or-death thing.
- Roberto, you still wanna go see him?
- Yes.
Okay.
What a horrible mess.
I feared Vittoria and her contempt.
I loathed Corrado and Rosario.
I couldn't even stand myself anymore.
- I was exhausted.
- Are you ready?
Yes, I am.
- You ready?
- Give me a minute.
I have to talk to Giovanna.
Okay.
And then suddenly,
Roberto, yes, him,
sat down right next to me
and very calmly began talking to me.
To me. As if I really mattered to him.
May I read it?
"Compunction."
This word is a very powerful one.
It means pain. Repentance.
But people have given it
the wrong meaning.
They think it means
ostentation, hypocrisy, and lies.
It's not true.
Compunction is like a needle
carrying the thread around
through the sparse weaves
of our existence.
It's an extreme form of self-supervision.
It's like a sharp knife
that has to wound our conscience
to prevent it from falling asleep.
Hurry up. Go.
Yeah, go.
Excuse me.
They're waiting for you.
Giovà, you coming?
And now, brothers and sisters,
can I have your attention?
Today, our guest speaker
is going to be Roberto Matese.
Roberto is an inspiring young man
who wants to share
the gift of his words with us.
He's able to open our hearts
in a unique way.
I got scared.
Because, for the first time in my life,
I thought I wanted
to make love to someone.
Today, I'd like
to talk to you about compunction.
Imagine a needle carrying a thread
through the weaves of a garment.
Giannì!
That garment is our soul.
And the thread...
Hey!
What you doing all alone? Come on!
Bye, Giovanna!
BASED ON THE NOVEL OF THE SAME NAME
BY ELENA FERRANTE
When you're little, everything seems big.
When you're grown-up,
everything seems small.
Each to their own.
Nobody knows.
Nobody knows.
Each to their own.
Nobody knows.
Each to their own.
Nobody knows.