Brief Crossing (Brève traversée) (Brève traversée)

BRIEF CROSSING

Shit.

Fuck.

Shit.

Your ID card's torn. And it has expired.

- When was it issued? - 1990.

- It's their lousy paper. - You should have it laminated.

Yeah, but...

Am I okay?

Yes, it's okay.

Thanks.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Captain and his crew

welcome you aboard the Pride of Le Havre, bound for Portsmouth.

The ship is ready to cast off. We'll soon be leaving port.

Children should not run around or disturb other passengers,

or use the elevators unaccompanied.

We wish you a pleasant crossing. Thank you.

Excuse me.

Do you need a...?

I speak French. We can stick to French if you want.

I bought a packet with my friends, to show off.

I never thought I'd get hooked.

Anyway, at home everyone smokes.

My mom smokes a couple with me at night. She enjoys it.

- She enjoys it? Yes, she does.

She's smoked like a chimney since she was 14.

She never managed to quit.

All my friends smoke.

Those whose parents aren't cool smoke secretly.

They say their parents are idiots.

Your mother's cool?

Yeah. Very cool.

My dad chews her out because she gives me things.

- What does your dad do? - He's a county auditor.

He's not very cool, but it's okay. He's nice.

But not as nice as my mom. She adores me.

But one thing made her mad.

When I dorked up the eighth grade. She didn't like that.

- Dorked up? - Flunked.

- Flunked. - I didn't study.

In the last semester, I usually get down to it.

This time, it slipped right by. I goofed off.

Not very smart of you.

Okay, but my teachers were all idiots.

- They couldn't all be idiots. - They were.

It's a dumb job anyway.

- Hope you're not one. - No, I'm a photographer.

To finish school and go right back there,

to teach kids that very same crap...

There are better things to do in life.

And it's badly paid.

If all your teachers suck,

who wants to study?

Still, since you have to attend classes,

why not give it a try?

That's what my mom says, but I goofed off.

So now I'm doing academic upgrading.

Which is a real drag. But it serves me right.

How old are you?

18 years old.

- 18 years old? - Yeah.

You don't want some?

No, stops me from sleeping.

Nothing stops me. I can drink 10 cups.

My problem is waking up. That's always hard.

Because life is boring.

Interminable and boring.

But it also goes by incredibly fast.

You'll see, years go by like weeks, you get nothing done.

The irony is: "How to earn a living, since we're losing time."

I do nothing.

What do you want to do? Got any idea?

Aren't you amazed how adults finance cars, apartments,

their weekend cottages?

They cost a fortune.

Where does the money come from? How do you earn it?

Not with a job.

Nor the career pamphlets they give you. There's no choice.

There's just teacher,

doctor, veterinarian, lawyer...

That's what's frightening when you're young.

You don't know what you'll do later,

but they want to push you into something sooner and sooner.

You try this and try that, so you're sure to get nowhere.

But don't be frightened.

It will happen all by itself as you get older.

But you need to be confident, and not worry about the future.

People make a big fuss about planning for the future.

It just happens. It's like a gift.

What you really need is grace.

To be ready for it, like a tennis shot. You mustn't miss it.

Why do grown-ups always clip your wings?

Sometimes your future escapes you.

We're all born in one piece, but people break us with their fears,

their talk of security, full employment, of being reasonable.

Don't you find life a bit horrible these days?

But you must think seriously about what you want to do.

A job that pays well, in a field where there's still room.

No point in doing sociology or law.

Later you'll weep when you get left behind.

Today what matters is your appearance.

That's all women over 30 worry about.

Depends.

Even men now are scared of losing out in their careers.

The smart choice is plastic surgeon.

All the old farts have their faces redone.

Even if they're against it.

I don't know. The day I need it...

Everyone has their faces fixed sooner or later.

And I'll be there, waiting for them.

Thomas Seigner.

I'll take 10 years off their faces, and grab all their savings!

I'm kidding, but...

You can earn plenty, and charge what you want.

10 grand a throw. Two or three times a week.

I can live with that.

But I refuse to study till I'm 30. Not my style.

Because you're very young.

30 isn't old, it goes by very fast.

Another coffee, Madame?

You're right, we could booze it up.

You want to hit the bars?

Let's just say it's our one night on an ocean liner.

It'd be a shame to hit the sack at 10 p.m.

Without a bit of romance.

Can I ask for a favor? Something men hate to do.

What do men hate to do?

Everything! But most of all, errands.

Shopping.

- I thought I'd lost it. - This is not the time.

That's incitement to alcoholism.

Advise me. Is it all French wine?

I don't know. I only drink Coke.

They force us to buy their rotgut,

because you can get two bottles of wine for a bottle of whisky.

Mouton Cadet is very good.

I'll take champagne. It's bubbly and has no taste. It's perfect.

This is half of what I usually pay for it.

You don't give a damn. It doesn't interest you.

How about chocolate mints?

- No, I'm fine. - It's a specialty.

No, thanks.

Orange marmalade. You can't find a good one in France.

You don't have to explain anything to anyone.

You must think I'm a nerd.

No, 16 is almost 18.

It's nerdy. Now I'll seem grotesque.

There's no point in opening my mouth anymore.

- I feel I'll ruin your evening. - No!

Look, there's nothing but teens.

That's no accident.

Look behind me.

That's even worse.

I said the wrong thing?

Unforgivable!

I don't find them young. They're conformists.

Can't you see? They're such yuppies.

Even the girlfriend is just for show.

They don't give a damn.

But they need to be "with it," to have the right look.

You heard their conversation? Pathetic!

I'll go get myself a brandy.

You shouldn't have.

Don't, or I'll get angry.

Next time it's on me.

Once I've drunk my fix, I'll feel much better.

You think I'm crazy because I drink?

Young people want to age, and old people want to forget.

To erase what they've been through.

- I don't think you're old. - I am. That's why I drink.

You don't drink that much.

Two neat brandies isn't nothing.

I'd like to see you. You'd be out cold.

You'd be on the floor right away.

Whereas I can take it.

It's a bad sign. Now I can hold my liquor.

Privilege of aging.

You're not that old.

"Not that old." Listen to him! He means: "Not that young."

- Disillusion inevitably sets in. - Not always.

Yes, always.

But we don't know of anything better.

The magic moment just lasts long enough for them to seduce us.

We get to frolic in green pastures.

It's miracle time.

Then, we're led back to the stable like cows, to chew dry hay.

It's over.

We've been paired off, it's all over.

That's a bit rough.

But it's our fault too.

Since we know men are all alike, we shouldn't get hooked.

But women are like that.

Too poetic, they have to believe in it.

They don't realize they're just a lay. Then it's over.

They're yesterday's news.

It's true, aren't men like that?

You're all like that.

You're right. That's your strength.

Being a couple is abominable, but you tell yourself

it's better to stick it out than be alone.