A Better Life (Une vie meilleure)

We can't risk hiring an inexperienced cook.

Who's inexperienced? You ought to give me a try-out.

Name a dish, I'll make it for you.

I'm too busy right now.

Nadia, see him out, please.

Thanks, Nadia. Want a cig?

- You know my name? - It's what that asshole called you.

He's just running a business.

It's always the same.

No job without experience.

No experience without a job.

You can't get ahead in this shit country.

You drown and they push you under.

I'm fucking sick of it.

I'm slaving in a school canteen when I should be a chef.

- Laughing at me too? - No.

The way you say "chef". So self-important.

A chef, that's what it's called.

Calm down. If I was in charge, I'd have hired you right away.

Yeah? That's sweet.

You have drive. You'll find something soon enough.

Drive's no use with assholes like him.

Anyhow...

- I'll be going. - Finish your smoke.

He'll only hassle me.

- Sure? - Thanks for the cigarette.

You're welcome.

What are you doing tonight?

- I'm working. - Until when?

We finish around 3 am.

Want to go for a drink after?

- You'd wait until 3? - I've nothing else to do.

I don't do school meals at night.

All right then.

I'll be right here, ok.

See you later.

A BETTER LIFE

See you, Salim.

- Want a drink? - Sure!

Coming for a drink?

Not tonight.

I'm going...

- Got a date? - Not at all.

See you tomorrow.

Ok?

And you?

- Not too tired? - I am.

- Want to go out anyway? - Sure.

There's a bar still open down this way.

I said I'd be here.

Got anyone?

Got anyone?

- In your life, I mean. - I understood.

No.

No one.

And you?

I had someone but it's over. She was a nutcase.

There must be lots of guys chasing after you.

- Plenty of them, right? - Well...

- No? - A few.

What are our chances of sleeping together?

Zero.

- Zero? - Yeah.

A kid lives here?

My son.

- How old is he? - Nine and a half.

- You had him really young. - At 19.

When I got to Paris.

Where were you before?

Lebanon.

You're Lebanese?

Where is he?

He sleeps at the neighbour's when I work.

His father too?

No. He has no father.

Watch...

Push here.

This brings it down. Go easy on the throttle.

My turn now!

Just a second. Let me show you how.

Go easy on the controls.

I'm doing pretty well.

See how good I am?

My turn!

Just a second and you can have it.

You'll make it fall!

- I'll land it for you. - Hurry up!

Gently, ok.

Gently... Towards the lake! The other way!

The other way, I said!

- I didn't do it on purpose. - I know.

That's why I wanted to do the take-off for you.

Ok?

I don't think it'll take off now.

Because of you.

Towards the lake!

Towards the lake!

To your left!

Very clever. Now it's wet, it's had it.

Here?

Don't look where I'm looking. Look somewhere else.

Give me a stick.

That one there. To the right.

That's the one.

Watch out.

Fucking hell!

What a jerk!

Try to grab it from there.

Try there. Don't fall in.

What a jerk!

Go on, try to grab it.

Yann, where are you?

Over here!

Where?

Behind the hedge. By the house.

Look...

You see that little bar?

Try to move it. I'll lift you.

You have to reach it. Slip your hand in and grab it.

I can't.

A bit further.

No good? Pull your hand out.

- You can climb in. - Are you nuts?

Cut it out.

Don't be such a baby!

It's safe. Just slip your feet in.

Slip your feet in. Cut it out.

Cut it out.

Go on.

Cut it out!

Stop slapping me. Hold the edge.

Now slip down. Ready?

Jump!

Now go to that wooden bar you saw.

To the right!

I'll open it. Let me open it.

Give it a push now.

Wait a second.

- It's jammed. - Watch out.

Here! That's it!

Ace!

Well done.

- Let's get Nadia and show her. - I'll go.

How did you find this?

Look...

Check the fireplace.

It's wild, isn't it?

Just think about it.

A restaurant, a terrace by the lake, theme evenings...

Concerts in winter, karaoke...

A treetop adventure in the woods...

Loads of stuff.

The place is for sale.

- How do you know? - There's a sign round the back.

- Really? - Where?

Back there. With a phone number.

Let's call.

- No harm in trying. - You're right.

Show me where.

No, that's great. We'll be waiting.

Thank you. Goodbye.

He'll be here in an hour.

Wouldn't a place like this be great?

Paradise, isn't it?

Let's close up before he gets here.

This is ok.

There's likely to be a leakage problem here though.

They told us it needs redoing.

It all has to go.

All of it?

Just kidding. Replacing the plasterboard is simple.

Sheet metal to replace here. My guys will do a great job.

- With insulation. - We'll make it watertight.

Can you hold the ladder?

I don't freak out but...

I've no head for heights.

There's plenty of space anyhow.

You can have a really great place here. That's for sure.

You can lose this.

An open kitchen here. They're all the rage.

People love it. It reassures them.

They see you're not cooking up crap.

Two seasons, two moods.

In summer, a nice terrace overlooking the lake,

barbecue and so on...

In winter, something cosier around the fireplace.

The trapper spirit, the cabin deep in the woods.

Where is it exactly?

One hour west of Paris.

The outer suburbs. In a forest, by a lake.

It's really beautiful.

All right. Any big towns nearby?

Three average-sized towns...

All the same distance from the place.

- How far? - 4 or 5 kilometres.

You should add directions and the exact address.

Then I can get our local agency to take a look.

The former owners' accounts?

Just there.

How do you calculate profitability?