The Life Ahead (La vita davanti a sé)

NETFLIX PRESENTS

I'll give you some water, darling. You're badly sunburnt.

Are you tired? Come here.

Come. Sit down. I'll give you some water.

Of course, love. Let's see.

Momo? What are you doing here?

Momo?

Hold on!

Where are you going? Momo!

Momo!

Wait! Stop!

Momo!

Momo, open this door!

Momo, open!

Momo!

Some people say that everything is written

and nothing can be changed.

Open up!

But I wanna change it all…

And go back to the beginning, when nothing was written.

THE LIFE AHEAD

- -

SIX MONTHS EARLIER

Can we go take a look over there?

Yes, but don't wander off.

Hey!

Hey! Somebody, grab him!

That little jerk!

Many times in the weekend.

- Oh, wow, how cool! - I'll call you back.

- Is it new? - Hands off!

- What do you want? - Where's Ruspa?

- Why? - I got a deal for him.

- Oh, a deal? Yeah, sure. - Yeah, a deal! Look it!

These are worth a lot. They're antiquated.

This is shit.

Go back to your PlayStation.

- Ruspa! Rusp... - Hey! I told you he's not here.

Mind your own business!

- Are you trying to piss me off? - I wanna see him.

- When I say no, it's no! - But...

Go, go. Go away, asshole.

Don't come back.

Go. No, my bike! Son of a bitch! I'ma fuck… God damn it!

I'm 12 years old.

My name is Mohamed, but people call me Momo.

I'm an orphan.

When I was little, Social Services sent me to live with Dr. Coen.

He worked from home and there were patients everywhere.

According to him, I should behave like other kids,

so I wouldn't end up in trouble.

But I don't wanna be like other kids.

Momo, where were you? I looked everywhere for you.

What are those?

- I won them. - Ah!

Then it must be your lucky day. You won this, too?

I fell off my bike.

I'll ask you one more time. Whose are they?

Beats me.

In my house, I don't allow stolen goods.

If your memory doesn't come back…

I'll be forced to turn you in.

I could've paid a month's rent with those candlesticks. Get it?

I worked those streets 40 years.

I've never ever been cheated, huh? Never beaten up. My God!

Then you get to my age…

And you get screwed by a little brat.

Fuck that!

What's so funny to you, Babu? Huh?

And now what do I sell to make rent?

I know. You're hungry, huh?

Want a biscuit? Here, amore mio.

Here. Tiene.

And who is bugging us now?

Iosif, go open the door. Vai.

All right.

And remember, before opening, ask who it is.

Never mind, leave it, I'm coming.

Madame Rosa, it's Dr. Coen.

- Dr. Coen? - Eh. It's Dr. Coen.

- Rosa. - Ciao.

I see you look worried, but don't be, it's a good thing.

- Hmm. - I brought you a gift.

- Where did you find these? - The thief has come to apologize.

Right, Momo?

I fell because of you.

If only I could've gotten my hands on you…

Here, here. Go to Babu.

It's your turn.

Sorry.

I can't hear you!

Sorry!

"Sorry, Madame…"

How would I know your damn name?

Kids around here have always called me Madame Rosa.

I'm sorry, Madame Rosa.

Apology not accepted.

Thank you for the candlesticks. How could I repay you?

I do need a favor.

Eh, yes, tell me.

Are you nuts? Better off dead.

- Just a short time, two or three weeks. - No, no. No, no, no, no.

Uh, a month, at most.

Not even up for discussion.

Just until I find him a proper place to live.

Let me get this straight.

Why drag me into this? You're his guardian.

I'm convinced that here, with you, he'd be better off.

Oh, yeah? And why is that?

What the boy needs is a strong female figure.

Someone who's tough, who commands respect. Just like you.

I can't do it anymore. I'm old.

And what am I? A spring chicken, right? Huh?

You're my doctor.

You know about my heart troubles, my pains.

Like I said, it's just temporary.

- Until I... - No.

Momo isn't who you think he is. I know him very well.

He was placed in my care after the tragedy.

I tried, but I couldn't find anyone to adopt him.

The tragedy?

Go to the other room.

I'll be right there.

His mother was a patient of mine.

I was close to her.

Fact is, Momo came here from Senegal

when he was just three.

No, no, no. I am through.

I'm tired of having hookers' kids running around my house.

I've looked after too many and risked a lot over all these years.

But we working girls, we could always find some agreement.

Better me than Social Services.

That's what I'm asking you!

Let's find an agreement.

- But you, you're not prostitute. -

Like I told you, I am through.

- So, what about Iosif? - Never mind him.

He was only supposed to stay here one week.

It's been months, but we can't find his mother.

At least, thank God, she sends me money regularly.

- If it's a question of money... - No, no, just leave it.

You are my dear friend. I'm grateful you found my candlesticks.

Now I can pay the rent, but it's time. Go on, get out.

Would €600 a month do it?

I haven't completely run out of my savings.

- - Go.

Wait.

Oh!

You left your thief in my house!

Seven hundred.

Seven hundred and fifty.

Two months, and not one day more.

I'm not living with that old bag!

Don't call her that! Rosa's a good person.

If you like her so much, you go live with her.

Momo, it's either her or it's Social Services.

I don't give a shit!

Social Services!

- Here I come! Here I come! -

Hey, smartass!

If you'd talked to me that way, I would've punched your teeth in.

I was in the café and overheard you.

I wouldn't talk to you that way, especially if you give me work.

Why don't you wanna live with the old bag?

You'd get Social Services off your back.

And this would be useful for business.

Do you get what I mean?

When the old lady quit streetwalking,

she started looking after other hookers' kids to make some money.

She raised lots of kids.

One of them became chief of police, and he protected her from the inspectors.

In the neighborhood, they called this place "the refuge."

I called it…

"The shithole."

I promise you, he'll be all right.

- - And he'll behave properly.

He just needs some extra discipline and more affection.

Okay, Doctor, I get it. Now go before I change my mind.

Can you get off the bed, please?

Get off my bed now!

- Leave me alone. - Get off!

Stop!

Get up, you. Get up now!

Never put your shoes on the bed!

And, Iosif, instead of wasting your time, study your Hebrew.

Quiz you later.

You, with me. I set you up some place else.

Here you go.

What is this?

Your bedroom.

It's a hole!

What did you expect, a palace? Give me a break.

It's a hole.