THE LIFE OF THE DEAD
Hi!
- You just came? - Anybody there?
No, they're at the hospital.
Well, anything new?
No.
OK. Can I help? Should I climb up?
Sure, come on.
Oh, shit, I'm gonna get dirty.
Take that branch.
Grab it!
Wait, wait!
Don't let go!
Don't fall!
Watch out!
Grab this. Be careful!
OK, give it to me.
A sex fiend.
You mess around and...
What's up?
What are you mumbling over there?
No, nothing. There's nothing.
Well, I know what you mean.
I must say I disagree. Is that why you're mumbling?
You just don't go and fuck anybody anywhere...
A bitch.
You get each other worked up.
Call Irina so you can get really mad!
Was it good?
Delicious.
Lust and deception. That little whore.
Ah, a whore, an hetaera!
This bitch ditched him, is that it?
He was in love, I must say.
- You can talk, can't you? - About what?
Why do you commit suicide?
Does anyone know why you kill yourself?
We can't brood over it forever.
You can't rule over things,
prevent people from talking.
What's going on?
It's war, that's all.
- Don't leave, mom. - I'm not leaving.
Can I eat in peace?
We all do it for the same reasons.
Suicide has absurd reasons. There is no reasons.
Joy and despair, shame or fun, it's the same.
Everyone feels alone, everyone feels wretched.
OK, it's his mother's fault. He hated her.
We all hate our mother.
Thank you. Thanks a lot.
Don't take it personnally.
I'm not a dummy. I know I'm your mother.
You hate your mother too. She disgusts you.
- What? - Excuse me.
Thank you Pascale, thank you.
Is Dolly very angry?
Did I do anything wrong?
You're a real pain, you know?
But did you hear the way she talks about her?
- Is it forbidden to talk? - Stop!
Won't you stop, now?
You must take care of the living, not of the dead.
Should we tell about last year?
What?
He tried to commit suicide last year.
He got really close. His mother doesn't know.
Neither did I.
I thought he told you.
I didn't realize.
Don't tell them about it.
Do you know anything else?
I looked for you all over.
- Here come the cousins. - Can I come?
- Did you store your mother? - She'll come.
Here's mom.
Come in.
Put the luggage here.
Your house's always so beautiful.
We try to keep it up.
Jeanne, won't you stay?
This house's beautiful.
Are the beds ready?
Yes, they are.
Did you have a nice trip?
Hello, Isabelle!
How are you?
I'm fine.
Well, all aside, how are you?
She's wiped out.
And here we come with all our gang.
She was waiting for you. It's fine this way.
She'll be very happy.
Well, kids, prepare the bedrooms.
And no stampede. Mom's in the veranda.
Would you like to eat?
Who's hungry?
Well, let's go.
You have cigarettes?
Just a couple.
I'll give you some.
May I take one?
Is the sportsman smoking now?
Me?
The old man isn't into sports anymore.
That's for you and your brother.
He brought his girlfriend.
That girl?
Yes, she's his girlfriend.
Here's the whole medical file.
Over there you see a piece of the brain, smashed.
This is at the back.
This is a sagittal section.
The light areas show squamation.
You can't see the haemorrhage.
But you can see the cardiovascular deficiency.
That is to say, there is no more blood here.
So what?
They say he could get over it.
That's possible.
He's as healthy as...
Twenty years old.
An athlete. He doesn't smoke.
They're all enraptured at the hospital.
But then there will be after-effects.
Not necessarily.
The doctors say so. But I don't believe so.
There is still three lead shots here.
They don't want to operate, not yet.
You can't take them out.
Have you got a cigarette?
I smoke again because, well...
How did he shoot?
Like this.
It's a guy he lived with who called us.
Patrick asked him to get a sedative, he was in agony.
It seems he had a anguish attack.
So this guy went down to the drugstore,
and when he came back he had shot himself.
It was a shotgun.
Where the fuck did it come from?
You have to have a licence, haven't you?
Patrick's stories, I guess...
They left the gun on the spot,
so the police...
I'm Isabelle.
This is Pascale's parents' house.
So you're a friend of the boys?
A girlfriend?
I guess our welcome isn't very cheerful.
It's a real shame.
He is my brother.
Where can I find the sheets?
Towels are in the yellow cupboard.
You're beautiful. Damned beautiful.
Penelope, her arms full of linen.
I know, I know.
OK Tony, give me a break.
Will you help me?
It's here. You open the window.
You stick your hand,
down here.
Under the gutter.
You're still on pot?
I just thought...
I'm sure glad to know about this pot stash.
There's rolling paper in the office.
Let's go upstairs.
I come up in a minute.
It's a real smoke den in here.
So this is Laurence, my fiancée.
- Hi! - Please to meet you.
I'm Pascale, Christian and Yvan's sister.
Yvan! You know the cousins Lenéhans. Isabelle.
We've met before.
Paul and Simon, who's a jerk.
What did I do?
Why are you sniggering with Christian?
- It's nice here. - No, it's old.
I'am just wiped out. It's been nearly a week.
I'm working, but I have to lunch with mom.
The hospital, the waiting, the house.
- I'll do the homework. - Exactly.
And stop coming to see mom. We'll manage.
Suzanne called me on the phone yesterday night.
She had insomnia.
What should I do?
I didn't say a word about Edouard.
I can't do that to her, God knows!
If it was my child, it's the worst thing possible.
I understand her, you know.
But I can't bear it. I feel guilty.
You have your husband, and nice children.
And what if I didn't feel so well?
What does she want?
Making me feel guilty? I'm already guilty, so...
I'm just closing the door, because, well...
So what's up?
Drama. Everyone's waiting.
The parents argued a little.
They ripped each other.
Do you know anything?
I met his flatmate.
He wrote to me. He was fine.
What do the adults believe? How bad is he?
What do you know?
I told you, nothing.
They know for the drugs?
No. But he didn't take that much.
Nothing harmful. He just sold a little.
And what's the official version?
There's several. At home we think it's the girl.
You screw twice so you're married. That's family stuff.
Even worse: Some say he was a sleepwalker.
They bring out the old stories.
He needed guidance, he was lost.
Actually they talk trash about his mother.
Disgusting.
There is the version from his mother's parents:
Patrick is a screw up, he did it to make a show.
And the McGillis version: He had troubles,
a nervous breakdown.
Personally, I didn't know about it.
No, Pat's crazy, it's not new.
Please, Paul.
He's always been, even as a kid.
No more than me or you, or our mothers.
Do you love your mother?
Will he live?
Well, it seems that...
We don't know.
I don't believe in his recovery.
If he shot himself in the head, I can't see how.
They told this?
They told it to daddy.
He was alone, so they told the truth.
What about him?
He's telling jokes for the fun.
They will operate on Tuesday.
That's strange.
I'll see your mother.
And mom too.
Kill two birds with one stone.
Are you coming?
That jerk came with his fiancée.
She's really ugly.
You're disgusting.
She's stupid.
Did you even talk with her?
She's an airhead for sure. You can see it right away.
She breaks his balls.
Nice. That's really refined. Bravo.
We really needed to meet his fiancée.
Yvan, forget this guy.
You are a motherfucker.
It's bogus to bring a fiancée to a burial.
He's not dead.
I won't go. This woman bugs me.
It's your mother, though.
It's yours, too.
The girl's not so bad...
I thought she was a jerk.
She is, but not so bad.
I've got my eye on you, so beware!
Simon, go get your brother, we're leaving.
Please. There's no inconvenience.
Simon, go get your brother. True, go get him.
Go get yourself invited. We're not beggars.
Who wants a snack?
Will you have something, miss?
No, don't bother.
OK, I'll make a good cup of hot chocolate.
May I sit down?
Won't you have a snack?
I'm stepping in the middle of the drama.
I thought I could be of some use.
I guess I'm not.
Christian likes you, doesn't he?
He's hanging around you.
I don't think so.
This is the family of the dead.
There are five sisters.
Their father, my grandpa, died when he was 35.
They never got over it.
Their brother died, too.
He died at 30, in an accident.
He was Patrick's father.
His mother spent ten years in a convalescent home.
Then a sister died in a pyschiatric asylum.
- The heart. - That's terrible.
Can't complain. It happens.
She had children?
No. She was Georges' wife, the one with the jacket.
He is with his new wife.
That's good he's married again, isn't it?
I know Bob's parents really well.
That's why I came.
I had a cousin who died in the same way.
She had BZD, electric shocks, all that stuff,
and she died.
She was Paul's sister, the one with my brother.
My grandmother's a widow,
she lost two children,
now it's her grandchildren's turn.
Then Pat's brother lost his memory.
It was such a drama.
There is another brother of Patrick.
He disappeared two years ago.
We guess he's gone to Lyon.
We don't know how to get in touch with him.
Do you know Pat?
He's a really nice guy.
Really nice guy.
They'll operate on Tuesday.
We told you already.
Well, that's alright.
Don't worry.
Everything's gonna be fine.
Keep your guard up!
- Stop! - Will you keep your guard up?
Stop!
- We're joking. - Alright.
Left! Left!
Stop! Stop! We're not at home!
I don't wash dishes cause it bores me to death.
May I help?
Thanks, you're kind.
Yes, sure, absolutely, come on.
You take this and you put it in that.
Slowly cause it doesn't fit the size of the tin.
When my sister goes, I kiss you.
I don't know, because...
I'd really like to go out with you.
I noticed, I guess you came with a friend.
I play the fool, but Bob's a really nice guy.
Really nice, yes.
I won't tell I'm nice cause I ain't.
You shouldn't say that.
I'm scared of women: My mother, my sister, my aunt...
Isn't Bob here?
I thought opera was boring.
People tell you so.
Mozart isn't boring at all.
Dad hates opera.
But if you know the story, the theme...
Violins crescendo. It's fantastic.
The conductor is wonderful.
Did you sing this?
No, this is a mezzo soprano part.
Et benedictus fructus ventris tui.
Jesus.
Cut it out! Leave them alone. He's pulling your leg.
It's too bad if Patrick isn't buried.
This good old Jesus.
Let's talk about the manger.
You're driving me crazy.
That's OK, he sinned, we don't bury him.
I'm not the one who believes in God.
The cross! You carry your cross.
You feel miserable. The cross.
- Pretty cross, Mr priest. - You'll get it!
Why don't you stop? It's just breakfast.
Let them be. Respect their belief.
Listen! I can say what I think!
We have a discussion about Jesus with my mother.
- We're in a secular democracy. - Stop it!
You'd better set the table before grandma comes.
Yes. Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.
She's not there.
They're at the hospital, they'll come back soon...
No, it's Laurence, I am...
I'm not at home...
I don't know...
I'm alone now, I don't know where they are.
They are... at the hospital I think...
I don't know.
I can't.
Yes, it's Bob. How are you?
Yes, she's my friend.
He'll call you as soon as he comes.
Alright, goodbye.
No problem.
Are we going to leave?
Let's go.
I can't stand it anymore.
Where's my father?
At the hospital.
Will he come back?
Don't wait before playing.
Just give me two seconds.
Well, so what?
Wait, he's thinking.
The jack's on my pile, the queen goes.
You found the most recent list.
That will do.
Who's this uncle Lucien?
The priest. There's a priest in the family.
Don't start again.
It's funny to have a priest in the family, isn't it?
Don't you think so, Bob?
You think it's funny?
If someone takes the holy orders,
he's not part of the family anymore.
It's like a pile of plates,
you look who's under. Whose turn is it?
We all knew it had to be Patrick underneath.
Can't you talk of something else?
Why not break another plate this year?
You can laugh! I'm next.
You were always served first,
it won't change now.
We're gonna get you.
It gives me the creeps.
Who's winning, now?
- Who wins? - Stop!
He just needs a good trashing.
Stop. You're scaring our guest.
You can laugh, but I know I'm next.
Come on, stop it now!
Did you go to the hospital?
Nothing new.
He's alright.
Well, he's not worse.
Is that daddy?
- Stop yelling! - What's up?
- Get going! - Alright, alright!
So what?
So there's nothing.
The doctors?
Nothing. What do you want them to say?
We just visited Suzanne. The boys are badly hurt.
You have to stick together, to help them.
"The child enthralled by lithographs
"Satisfies his vast hunger for the world.
"How limitless is it beneath the lamp,
"How it shrinks in the eyes of memory!
"One morning we set out. Our heart's full.
"Our mind ablaze with rancor and longings.
"We yield to the rhythm of the wave
"Our infinite self on the finite sea.
"Some are escaping from their country's shame
"Some from the horror of life at home..."
Dry the dishes.
"Astrologers drowned in a woman's stare
"The tyrannic Circe with poisonous fragrance
"Rather than be turned to swine they get drunk
"On space and light and glowing skies.
"The biting snow, the incinerating sun
"Gradually erase
"Her kisses' scars
"Only those who leave for leaving's sake
"Are travelers... Hearts lifting like balloons.
"From their fate they never step back
"And, not knowing why,
"Keep muttering... Away
"Their longings are like clouds"
It's ready!
"They dream, as conscript dreams of guns,
"Of vast delights,
"Fluctuating and obscure,
"None of which has ever had a name.
"Death, old admiral, it's time to lift the anchor.
"This country wearies us. Let us cast off!
"If the sky and the sea are black as ink
"You know our hearts are filled with light.
"Pour us your poison,
"Let us be comforted,
Not at all.
They're mad at me.
"Fire burns our brains and we want
"To plunge in the abyss, be it hell or heaven,
"Deep in the unknown to find the New."
That's it.
Hello. Who's sleeping in here, I can't see.
It's Simon.
Stop, Christian!
- It ain't Simon. - Hush!
Is it Tony?
Yes. It's Yvan and Tony.
- What's up? - Just roaming.
You want anything?
It's late, I watch over.
Come in. Sit down.
You don't look well.
My stomach's hurting me.
Shit!
You've got to lay down, no joke.
I'm not sleepy.
You stand here, so mysterious.
- I turn the light on. - We'll have a smoke.
No, I'd rather go to bed.
Anyway I can't sleep: Simon's breathing like a bull.
Goodnight. Don't be naughty.
I'm not snoring. You've kept me up.
Yvan! Get up!
He's impossible! Pascale!
Go wake Yvan up!
Pascale! Oh, nobody answers!
What's up?
Are you awake?
Yes I am awake.
Hurry up. The mass is at 11.
The bathrooms are in use.
Come and breakfast, then.
- I'm not hungry. - Oh, he's not hungry!
Yelling and shouting.
9 o'clock and being yelled at.
Well well. Yelling and shouting.
You're really pains.
You could clean the table and he could get up.
- There would be no shouting. - He got up.
OK, scram or I'll get out.
He's getting out.
I'm gonna get out.
He's gonna get out.
Alright, I get out.
You have to hurry.
You'll splash all over.
It's my bathroom.
- She's bugging. - Yes I am.
Can I come in?
Can you lend me your razor?
Yes, I'm done.
The cousins left?
It's 9:30, you're the last to get up.
Alright, hurry up.
I'm done, I'll go downstairs.
Don't dawdle, Christian.
Nice beginning.
They're all fanatics.
How are you doing?
Everybody's ready.
Anyway, Irina will be later than us.
Are they coming or what? What are they doing?
They're coming.
Take your time.
They're warm inside the car.
I don't want to go to mass.
I don't believe in prayers. It makes me sick.
Just breathe.
You can wait for us at the café.
I'm scared Patrick will die, Dad.
He is going to die now.
Shit! I'm such a motherfucker!
Maybe he'll be alright. It's not the burial.
Oh Lord, Thy providence...
sets each moment of our lives.
Please accept the prayers...
of Patrick's family...
in their pain and their waiting.
We beseech Thy goodness for his sake.
Just as his serious state has distressed us,
allow us to rejoice over his recovery.
In the name of our lord Jesus,
have mercy on us.
When someone this age dies,
it's assassination.
You have to find the culprit.
It's true that I'm the nearest culprit.
Don't say that.
Oh! I'm his mother, right.
I can tell you.
When I remember how I loved him,
I say to myself I loved him like a man.
I know...
it's monstrous...
to love a child like a man.
There's an ashtray behind you.
I think one never loves his children enough,
and I didn't quite do that.
Now, he speaks to me like a man.
It's a man who tells me he chose to die.
What do you want me other than listen to him?
I'm waiting here all day long,
with the two others,
thinking God forbid I kill another one.
Hi, how are you?
How are you, Paul?
I'm Simon's brother.
Oh, I see. Simon.
- I'm Simon. - I see, the brother of...
- Is that enough? - It's cold.
It's frezezing cold.
- So you came. - Yes. How are you?
- I'm fine, and you? - I'm fine.
I'm fine, too.
Everyone's fine then?
Well, you're being hasty.
I know someone who's not doing so fine.
Come on!
- It's not funny. - It's not very funny.
This is Bob.
Give 'em a break.
Yes, absolutely.
Absolutely, Christian.
Well, here we go?
The ball!
The ball, big bum!
Over here, you jerk!
Out of bounds!
Whose side is it...
The ball, here!
It's yours, you jerk!
Stop! Stop!
No, Alexandre, it's this way.
Come on, hurry up!
Come on! Hand ball! Penalty!
There's no hand ball! Are you dreaming?
Bravo!
No, it's this way. This way.
Come on!
Leave me!
Come on, big balls!
Hey Bob, tell him to let me go!
Here you are.
You're up already.
What time is it?
Half past six.
You should go back to bed.
Everyone's asleep. What are you doing?
You're tall, you really are.
Sit down.
No, that's OK.
What are you doing?
I made myself some coffee.
The hospital called this morning.
Patrick is dead.
Long ago?
No. At five o'clock.
They called at six.
It's strange. I didn't hear anything.
Does mom know?
No. I didn't wake anybody yet.
Shall we wait?
Until seven, still half an hour, what do you think?
It will scream.
Drama.