Netflix has 200 million subscribers.
Prime Video has 150 million.
Put these two platforms together and it comes to 350 million viewers,
plus family members, and multiple users...
That's a lot of people.
It means that by now, in 2020, these streaming services
define our collective imagination, the zeitgeist, the spirit of our times...
But then there's Pornhub, the porn content streamer
with 42 billion visitors per year.
3.5 billion a month, 115 million every day.
Netflix, Prime Video and other platforms represent our public discourse.
But Pornhub is the unconscious, it's what we repress,
it's what society doesn't show,
what we really are.
That's how this whole story started.
The way you start a painting.
With a splash.
CLOSE TO ME
Hi.
All good?
For you maybe!
Five minutes in the sample room.
For her, a month of hormones and surgery.
Excuse me, doctor.
You're right, Robi.
We've been taking our time.
We need the bed. Get out of here.
No, just a little longer, please?
That anesthetic is a treat, I know.
Some days... right, Robi?
You don't want to know.
Hey, remind me what we have to do now, my brain is all foggy...
You, nothing... We'll take care of it.
We'll fertilize all your eggs.
Instead of Mr. Urinary Infection here.
Come on, sweetie.
My name is Luca Messico,
son of Giovanni Messico,
who retired but then died while saving two kids from a fire.
I always envied his courage. He saw a house on fire and jumped in.
I don't jump I procrastinate.
A man destined to have a brilliant academic career,
if only he finished his PhD thesis.
A textbook case of self-sabotage.
But this isn't the story of how I finally finished
my PhD thesis on Peter Sloterdijk and the taming of mankind.
As John Lennon said, "life is what happens to you
while you're busy making other plans."
Honey, are you coming?
Yes.
Oh god, more images from Milan?
Great timing for planning to have a baby.
What are we going to do, stay at home 24/7?
Speak for yourself. I spoke with the chief medical officer,
I won't be at home much at all.
What the hell am I going to do, alone in here all the time?
Write your thesis.
You always say you want to finish it. You've got all the time in the world.
Use it.
All Italians, from March 10, 2020,
had their lives turned upside down.
But this isn't the story of how the Covid-19 pandemic
derailed our entire existence.
I thought we had to limit our contacts...
Come on, it might be our last dinner, for a while.
And it has to be with him?
He didn't charge us.
You can tolerate a little sarcasm.
Why is it always about money for you?
Why is it never about money for you?
Hi, welcome.
- Right on time. Unbelievable! - Hi kiddo.
Better late than never.
Speaking of better late than never.
- Valerio... - May I?
- Hi, you. - Do you remember your sister?
- Hi Daria. - Hi Sara.
While we can still see each other in person.
Let's try, come in.
Five minutes in the freezer, just to be safe.
- Yes, sir. - FFP2 masks.
Use them sparingly, they're harder to find than white truffles.
Ok.
- Hi. - Hi Luca.
He's so cute! Sleepyhead.
Thanks.
- Wow, what a beautiful home. - Thanks.
You bet it is. I bought it for them.
Antonello!
Where exactly, along the Appia Antica?
Just after the Cecilia Metella Mausoleum, on the right.
It's huge!
How much did it cost?
The mausoleum would have cost less.
I'm getting old, let me do whatever the hell I want.
Honey, you're not dying. Please!
What's this hole, the swimming pool?
20 x 6, infinity pool, salt water.
But the idiots made it too deep. What am I, an Olympic diver?
I'm making them fill it up with dirt, so I can pour another load of concrete.
Unless they shut the construction down.
This Covid is a pain in the ass!
I'll have a half-finished villa for who knows how long.
It doesn't seem like the most serious problem in the world right now,
with all due respect.
I get it, you're offended by what I said earlier,
but this house is clearly not something
an ER doctor and a teacher could afford, right?
Daria could figure it out on her own.
Come on...
I know where this is going...
He's going to bring up the Clinic again.
When you graduated from medical school, I was the happiest man in the world.
What can I say? I feel more useful in the hospital.
- Ah, "useful". - Yes, useful!
But when you needed help you came to the Clinic, didn't you?
Do you even hear yourself?
If you wanted to turn down a lucrative job,
you should've married a man with a certain position.
With all due respect.
You might have a tumor pressing against your frontal lobe.
It would explain your total lack of inhibition.
See how he learns, our professor. That's a medical joke.
And a good one. Well done!
I like the fact that my husband is not ambitious.
Who is it, now?
I dunno, I'll go see.
The Grim Reaper, like in that Monty Python movie.
Would you cut it out with these jokes about death?
Sorry, you should touch wood. That's chipboard. I bought it.
Oh, sorry...
This is the story of Amanda, and how she ruined my life.
Yes?
I'm staying at the B&B down the hall.
To get in you need a code, but my battery is dead,
and the code is on my phone.
Too much information. What do you need?
Can I charge my phone for a minute?
Yeah, sure, of course.
The plug is right there. It should work...
- Who is it? - The neighbor, honey!
What neighbor?
A girl staying in the B&B next door.
She needs to charge her phone to get into the apartment.
Sorry to bother you.
It's no trouble.
So someone actually lives in this building!
No neighbors, no problems, remember that.
A building full of offices is a real luxury.
The Prime Minister is making an announcement.
There he is.
That is why I'm about to sign a decree
that we can sum up with the expression:
"I'm staying at home".
There will no longer be a red zone.
There will no longer be a zone one and a zone two in our country.
There will be one Italy, one protected zone.
Traveling is therefore restricted throughout the nation,
unless it is motivated
by one of three specific circumstances:
business reasons,
cases of necessity or health reasons.
We are also banning outdoor gatherings.
Right...
We'd better get going.
If he wakes up, we're doomed, Sara.
God help us.
I thought I was done with all this forever...
Fertility is your speciality.
Unbelievable.
I can, and he can't.
He's not the problem. Stop it.
He isn't?
Don't you know that the water in Rome is full of estrogen?
A concentrate of female hormones. Sooner or later...
I'll help you clear the table.
No, no.
How long have you been staying in the B&B? I thought it was empty.
A few days.
You might be stuck for a while.
Did you hear? Lockdown starts tomorrow.
Yeah.
What the hell am I supposed to do, barricaded inside?
If I can ever get in.
Luca, by the way. Nice to meet you.
Amanda.
Like the protagonist of 'Bright Lights, Big City'.
Why is it taking so long?
Are you leaving?
Going home, for good it seems.
- Hang in there. - Sure.
- 'Night Luca, thanks for everything. - Bye. Don't mention it.
- Goodbye. - Goodbye.
Have we met?
No.
Dad, please. "Have we met?".
Goodbye.
- What did I say? - Go.
- Bye. - Bye, Sara.
Bye, you! Fast asleep.
- Show some affection! - You're talking of affection?
Go on.
- Bye. - Bye.
Bye, good night.
- My name's Sara. - Hi Sara.
- And you are? - Amanda.
Amanda.
Sorry for intruding, I didn't know what else to do.
Don't mention it.
I'll go clear the table.
- It came back on! - Thank God.
There it is, 014217.
Got it?
I think so.
- Thanks. - No problem.
Zero fourteen...
- Zero fourteen twenty-one seven. - Right.
Ok. Thanks again.
Bye. Good night.
No, I wouldn't say she was rude, poor thing.
She was embarrassed.
I would be too, if I married an old man.
I'm not going to be friends with her, mom.
The problem here is dad, not Daria.
Alright, I have to go now, ok?
Yes, I'll be careful. Bye.
Obviously, it's a gorgeous day, now that we can't go out.
I mean, I can't.
Going to the hospital isn't exactly going out.
Any coffee left?
Of course. Who do you take me for?
I was thinking...
Should we reschedule it?
The IVF, you mean?
I don't know, honey, it's up to you.
Come on, don't leave me all the responsibility.
Tell me, what do you think?
- I just woke up. - Right.
Hey, calm down.
Whenever we talk about the baby, you make me feel alone.
You're not alone.
What should we do?
There's a fucking pandemic,
it doesn't seem wise to have an operation now.
Let's reschedule it.
You're right.
Ok.
Fine.
How do I look?
Miss Afghanistan.
What are you up to?
I have a zoom call with the other teachers,
then nothing.
Well, write your thesis.
- When are you coming back? - Wish I knew!
Bye.
- Bye. - Have a nice day.
You too.
I am ambitious, by the way.
I knew you'd be upset about it.
Bye!
Bye.
We told the students Monday,
so we have enough time to gather their digital addresses.
What? You mean email!
Casaro, think you're funny?
Have you ever done distance learning before?
Exactly, none of us has.
This is unprecedented.
Some parents don't even have computers for their children to work on, from home.
We have to play this by ear.
Ok, but let's not get carried away
with these bureaucratic expressions, that's all.
Sorry, but when do we have to start with this distance learning?
Let's give the families a few days to sort things out.
Monday, at the latest, let's hope.
In the meantime, they can do the homework you gave them.
Monday 16th?
Why? Is it too soon for you?
No, just asking.
No need to snap for a simple question.
Alright, let's stay in touch. I'll keep you updated.
Bye everybody! Hang in there!
- Hang in there. See you soon. - Ok.
Bye.
- Talk to you soon. - Bye bye, thank you, bye.
Bye.
Would you stop this?! Leave me alone.
No. I'm not telling you.
You need help.
- Hey. - Hey.
What the fuck am I supposed to do until Monday?
For once in my life, I'd rather work.
Listen, do you know anyone who can deliver some weed?
Instead of being cooped up 24/7 with Betta,
I'd rather explain trigonometry to those teenage bonobos.
That woman bosses me around, for Christ's sake.
Seriously, there must be a way to have weed delivered.
Even drug dealers have families, right?
How long has the human race existed?
250,000 years?
For 249,990 years, we were in charge.
Women have been in charge over the last decade
and what happens? The species is on the verge of extinction.
The evolutionary pattern is clear:
they won, but we have fucked-up the planet.
They'll have nothing left to reign over. Only deserts and cockroaches.
That sounds a little overdramatic, don't you think?
Not really.
What is that racket?
It's my neighbor dancing.
Turn the phone around.
That's not fair.
What?
Me, segregated in 850 square feet with my wife,
and you, alone in a penthouse
with Dua Lipa's hot sister in front of you.
Oh shit. She saw us!
Us? She saw you.
Listen, I'll call you back. Bye.
Hey.
Were you making a video of me?
No, no, no. I was on the phone with a friend.
It was a video call,
he heard the music and said "where's it coming from?"
So I showed him...
Sorry. The gyms are closed, we have to make do at home.
No worries, I get it.
Anyway, there's always the roof terrace.
Can I see it?
Sure, I'll get the keys.
Here we are.
Nice, huh?
Doesn't anyone use it?
No, except us. This is an office building, mainly.
If you want I'll leave the door open, you can come whenever you like...
Perfect.
I'll do my lessons here, and not bother you anymore.
You give lessons, too?
I teach history and philosophy. You?
Tabata hip hop.
Stuff people do at the gym to lose weight, basically.
I don't see the point of going to the gym.
It might actually be good for you.
What time is your class?
Four o'clock.
Interested?
No, no, I just don't want to disturb you.
Alright, I'm off. Are you coming or staying here?
I'll stay here.
Hey, thanks.
- Bye. - Bye.
So according to Heidegger,
and his anti-biological theory,
the essence of man is closer to the divine than to the animal world.
I wonder what he would say
about this confinement we're all experiencing,
just like animals in cages.
Alright, that's all for today, go back to sleep,
if you haven't already done so.
Bye, guys.
Fabbri, stay online a moment.
- Goodbye. - Bye.
Are you ok?
I'm sorry, Mr Messico.
What's going on?
No, nothing.
So what's the problem? A boy?
A girl.
We just started seeing each other. Now she won't call me.
So, you call her.
I don't want to be intrusive.
If I could be your age again,
I'd save myself a lot of unnecessary fears.
Listen, no more school today, I'll write you a note.
Do something nice, listen to some music.
Do you play?
Yes, the guitar.
Maybe some day you could play something for me.
Ok?
Hey, don't be afraid.
If you want to call her, call her.
And remember, no one gives you back the things you didn't do.
Thanks.
Don't mention it.
Good evening.
Let's start with a few statistics, because for better or worse,
most of all worse,
today's numbers are unprecedented.
The cases of infection currently stand at 28,000.
Honey.
You look like a raccoon.
We have to wear visors all day.
We look like those guys who were chasing E.T.
There he is.
Hi, dad.
What's going on? You seriously want to postpone?
Please, not now. I'm exhausted.
Know what all my patients have in common?
At some point, they all said, "let's wait, just a bit more".
Procrastination made my fortune.
You shouldn't wait if you want kids.
Says the man who became a father at 65.
But looking 10 years younger.
But then I'm a male. We might lose a lot of sperm cells
but just one is enough to do the job.
I love to talk about sperm with my father.
It'll be thanks to me if you have a baby.
Thanks for pointing this out, very thoughtful of you.
Listen, we have to eat, now. I'll call you later.
Sure, bye.
In sports, there's no comparison.
We have more muscle mass, you may say, fine.
But what about chess?
Know what position the top woman has in the chess ranking?
52nd!
What?
Hey, snap out of it.
I've been talking for ages but you're not listening.
What are you thinking about?
Hi.
You're going to break your back, that way.
You have to go down with your shoulders and use your abs, here.
You mean these ones here, the classic ones.
- Exactly. Come up. - Like this, right?
Like this.
Do you even have abs?
- I left them at home. - I figured.
- Hey, I'm trembling. - You're supposed to tremble.
Hang on, I'll help you.
Yes, careful.
Like this.
That's better.
You're a hero.
Bye.
Can I steal some wine?
I didn't hear you coming.
- Sure, but I only have one glass. - That's fine.
Is it a secret?
No, no, I'm trying to finish my PhD thesis,
that I abandoned years ago.
- Aren't you already a teacher? - Yeah, but at high school.
I had bigger plans once.
I wanted to be a university professor
but then my father died.
And I ended up wasting a lot of time.
I'm sorry to hear about your father.
Mine's an asshole, if that's any consolation.
I only found out recently.
My mother worked for him as a maid.
When she got pregnant the scumbag gave her money for an abortion,
then he fired her.
Quite the gentleman.
She took the money and went back to Cuba.
And, obviously, she didn't have an abortion.
Is he the reason you came back to Italy?
One of the reasons.
Who knows what I was expecting.
What was your father like?
Taciturn, unaffectionate.
At least with me.
But he was also some kind of hero.
He died saving children from a fire.
I'm totally the opposite,
if I see a drop of blood I faint.
I take after my mother:
she died two years later, because she couldn't cope without him.
Any siblings?
No.
You?
I just found out I have two half-siblings, but I don't even know them.
Ironically, I always wanted a big family.
Be careful what you wish for.
What the fuck were you thinking?
- Nothing. - Nothing?
Did you think I wouldn't find you?
I'm the one who found this fucking place, remember?
- I just needed some time. - Some time.
Who are you fucking?
Nobody.
We're in lockdown, who do you think I'm seeing?
What the fuck are you laughing at?
Don't give me this bullshit, ok?
You're hurting me, leave me alone.
Now you want me to leave you?
But when you needed me, it was different.
What are you doing?
Write down the door code for me, now.
I can come and go as I fucking please.
If this code isn't right I'll break your teeth.
- Why are you doing this? - Me?
Why am I doing this?!
You think you can fool around with me? What am I, your toy?
You know who I am,
why do you have to turn me into the bad guy?
You want to see how bad I am?
Is that what you want?
Now what?
You want to kill me?
Go ahead.
Do it.
You don't give a shit.
You want me to kill myself?
No, that's not what I want.
Give me the gun.
Police station. How may I help you?
Yes, hello. I'd like to report an emergency.
There's a man attacking a woman in the apartment facing mine.
Give me the address.
Sorry?
The address?
Hello, can you hear me?
Never mind, sorry, I made a mistake.
Hey.
Who was that lunatic?
If he saw you, God knows what would have happened.
Who cares.
You have to go to the police.
I didn't think he'd find me here.
I made a video of it. You have proof. You can get him arrested.
He is dangerous.
He's just putting on a show.
What show? He had a gun!
Promise me you'll press charges.
He's not a bad person.
He's had a difficult life, his dad used to beat him.
Are you making excuses for him?
If I really feel in danger, I'll do it,
I promise.
What more is it going to take?
Everything ok?
It's my wife, she's not coming home tonight,
she's staying at the hospital.
Listen, give me your number.
I'll send you the video.
Save it.
Call me if you need help.
I mean it.
Anyway, we didn't have sex.
I know you wanted to know.
I like that you worry about me.
Not here.
Wait, wait.
What are you doing?
No, it's my socks...
The first time, with socks on, is disgusting.
Honey?
Hey, home already?
Yes, but only for three hours, then I have to go back to the hospital.
I'm starving.
- Come on, I'll cook you something. - Thanks.
I peed in my pants today.
I didn't want to take off my protective suit.
I held it till the end of my shift, but before I got to the bathroom...
my bladder gave in.
Hey.
I'm just tired.
Listen, why don't you take a few days off?
You can rest, spend time with me.
I can't. There's a pandemic.
At one point I was afraid, for a second, I don't know why,
that I was having a miscarriage.
Then I remembered I wasn't pregnant.
When this is all over, we'll take care of everything.
Did you see the coffins? In Bergamo.
I don't watch the news. It makes me feel impotent.
You men always end up talking about your cocks,
in one way or another.
No, truth is...
I'm here all day doing nothing.
I admire what you do.
You're out there, saving people's lives.
The truth is, I envy you.
Say it again and we'll get divorced.
I envy you.
Lawyer?
I watch porn on Ecosia, the environmental browser.
So every time I jerk off I am planting a tree.
- Hey. I was on my way over. - I couldn't wait, sorry.
Wow, what a house.
I'm jealous.
I could tell looking through the window, but from inside...
You make a lot of money with philosophy!
What money? No.
Sara's father bought her this house.
Really?
Lucky her.
Her father must love her a lot.
Too bad he's an asshole.
He always reminds me that I could never afford this place.
I count on philosophy, to stop me from telling him to fuck off.
So, deep down, you're poor too?
I'm the son of a carpenter.
Sara was theoretically out of my league.
That's not true.
Because you're so good-looking.
Who plays?
No one.
It was a gift from Sara.
I told her I wanted to try... But I never touched it.
How long have you been together?
Seven years.
We met by chance, in the emergency room.
Don't tell me she even saved your life.
Not exactly.
I thought I was having a heart attack,
but it was just heartburn.
Or maybe it was karma.
Are you a Buddhist?
Why?
Ah, because of the statue?
It's not mine.
It must be the owner's.
It weighs a ton, by the way.
I like Buddhists.
They have this smiling chubby guy as a symbol.
Instead, ours is a man tortured to death.
No wonder we're troubled.
Are you troubled, Luca?
Nice kitchen, too.
Look at this.
Let's cook something together.
Let's go to your place.
You said she won't be back until tomorrow.
It was just to try something new.
It's just that, here...
Fine, I get it. You're not in the mood.
- Ok, let's eat here. - Don't worry about it.
Anyway... I'll see you tomorrow.
- I'm not very hungry anyway. - Let's go out.
- Out? - Yes.
With the curfew?
I'll get Sara's prescription pad and write a fake medical note.
What are you going to write?
That you are pregnant, and we need to do a checkup?
You have a twisted mind. I'm impressed.
When else can we see Rome empty?
I'll get my jacket.
Go.
In Australia, in an aquarium closed for Covid, the fish stopped eating.
They had to send a diver to swim with them,
to get over their depression.
We all need someone's attention.
It's hard to be alone.
Is that why you ended up with that asshole?
Cosimo is a stray dog. He bites out of fear.
You shouldn't let him get close to you.
I shouldn't get close to you either.
I'm a pro at fucking things up.
- Am I in the fuck-up's list too? - You tell me!
I want a family, and you already have one.
This story won't end well, you know that.
But at least I'm better than this Cosimo.
I don't know why I didn't report him.
Because it's none of your business.
Swear you won't call the police.
- Why? - 'Cause it's my life.
And I don't want the police snooping around.
Swear it.
Alright.
You must have secrets, too.
We are trying to have a baby with IVF.
But I feel like I'm having this baby with my father-in-law.
How's that?
He owns the clinic.
He's helping us,
but I don't know,
he makes me feel like it's my fault,
when actually, she's the one who has a problem.
What problem?
Polycystic ovary syndrome.
I have it too.
- Really? I didn't know. - How could you have known?
Right...
And as a contraceptive, it's awesome.
It's just like a cold.
Your father? I'm sorry.
It can be tough on old people.
Hang on, I'll call you back.
Hey, stop!
He's running by.
Don't you have a medical note?
Yes, but I was afraid I'd get caught anyway.
You're afraid of everything.
Your wife is lucky.
I'm not.
I'm warning you, I am a mess.
I don't care.
Let's make love right here.
Right now.
Wait, wait.
- Shit! - What's going on?
It's my wife, she's on her way home.
They put her in quarantine.
Hey!
Are you there?
In the bathroom!
Ok, you can come out!
How are you feeling? Are you worried?
No, I'm pissed off.
With me?
What does this have to do with you?
I'm mad at that Chinese asshole who ate a bat.
We had to replace everyone in the ward.
And explain to the nurses how to be doctors.
I'm sorry to hear that.
You're right.
There's no point in having a baby now.
The world is coming to an end.
The world is always coming to an end, for each of us.
Is that a twisted way of saying you still want to be a father?
Are you there?
Yes, I'm here.
I miss you.
I miss you, too.
Open up.
I'll quarantine with you, and get Covid.
No.
Are you crazy?
That's the dumbest thing you could say.
But also the most romantic.
Honey?
I'm home.
Did you buy water?
Yes.
Leave a bottle outside. I'm dying of thirst.
Hey.
Hey. What are you up to?
Scribbling.
Listen, I hate to admit it, but the risotto was amazing.
That's the butter. Even if no one wants it, it does its magic.
How's your thesis going?
Good. Did you know that Sloterdijk, 40 years ago wrote about the Great Catastrophe
as the goddess of the century?
Ah.
You sure Sloterdjik hasn't jinxed us all?
Honey, are you listening?
Yes...
I thought your video had frozen.
I'm reading Camus' "The Plague".
In high school I didn't realize what a masterpiece it is.
The characters are amazing:
the doctor, the guy who attempts suicide,
the journalist...
the tragedy brings them together
and makes them more human.
Who knows, maybe it will be the same for us.
Maybe this really is a chance to change everything.
Does that make any sense?
Being quarantined is making me more sentimental, I guess.
No, you're right, we have to...
What's going on?
I don't know, I'm hearing strange noises.
I think someone broke into the office downstairs.
What the hell?
Wait a minute, I'll go see, wait.
So?
- What's going on? - Shh, wait.
I never want to see you again.
Sorry, look what I did to you.
Sorry.
- Why don't you love me? - You know why.
You want me to disappear?
Yes.
One last kiss, and I'll disappear forever.
- One last kiss? - Yes, but a real kiss.
- Swear to me. - I swear.
That's enough.
- That's enough. Enough. - Wait, wait.
Enough.
What the fuck!
You disgust me, piece of shit.
Listen, I'm calling the police. I'll hang up now.
Are you sure? Ok.
What are you, a dog?
Covid-19 Emergency Service.
Due to heavy traffic, the line is temporarily busy.
- Please hold. - You said you liked the necklace!
Why the fuck did you say you liked it?
Honey, I'm going to the police station.
- Be careful. - I will.
Hello.
Yes, hello, there's an emergency.
You have to come to an apartment.
If it's an emergency, call the emergency service number.
You don't understand: there's a man with a gun outside my house.
Are you sure you saw this correctly?
Yes, of course I'm sure.
Did he aim the weapon at the woman?
What's that, excuse me? I can't hear you.
You're right.
Did he aim the weapon at the woman?
Not this time. Last time, he did.
I made a video of it.
Why, how many times has this happened?
Twice.
Listen, I want to press charges.
No, no. You're not the victim.
But you can make a report and I'll send a squad car to check it out.
Give me the address.
It's just around the corner! I can go with you, if you want.
I would rule that out. Can you find that video?
- I'll call the squad car. - Yes.
Deputy!
Look who I caught out here?
Who can recognize anyone with these damn face masks?
Who are you?
No, who the hell are you?
Bravetta!
How can I send it to you?
You can send it... here.
What are you doing around here? Weren't you in Casilino?
Same as always. I was following a case nearby.
He was getting into his car, without even stopping by to say hello.
It says it's too heavy.
Let me have a look, in the meantime.
Mina, I'd like you to meet a really nice guy, a colleague.
Nice to meet you. Cosimo Bravetta.
My pleasure.
How about a cup of coffee? You're still single, right?
Hey, leave her alone.
You have to excuse these animals.
Come on, let's go.
I'll finish here, and be right with you.
So, the video?
I don't know what... Sorry... My phone is broken.
What do you mean it's broken?
No... I guess I accidentally deleted it, I can't believe it...
- And no one else has this video? - No one, unfortunately.
Look, if you are afraid of somebody, you can tell us...
We are the police.
No, no.
I'm sorry, I think I made a mistake.
- Goodbye. - Where are you going?
Excuse me, where are you going?
Why didn't you tell me he was a cop?
How do you know that?
I went to the police.
I saw him, he was there with the other cops,
talking to them, all friendly.
You went to the police?
Why didn't you tell me? Huh?
- Come on in, we can talk inside. - Answer me.
He's blackmailing me, with false accusations...
- But... - But you won't report him.
The accusations aren't entirely false.
Sorry, what are we talking about?
Do you know what a sugar baby is?
A woman who has sex for money.
I did that for a while, last year.
In the beginning, he showed up as a client,
but when I offered him some coke, he told me he was a cop.
He seized it, but he didn't press charges.
Then he started coming more often,
but he's never been so violent.
I'm sorry for what you're going through.
I told you I was a mess.
A lower number of coronavirus patients in Italy
has been confirmed for the sixth consecutive day.
Today, there are 680 fewer than yesterday.
Admissions, intensive care and deaths are also down.
420 in the last 48 hours.
Doctor?
I'm right here.
Negative!
Wow, great.
You eat in the dark, these days?
No, you see, I was...
That's an awfully sad dinner.
Just a little appetizer.
I'll cook something.
Didn't you go out every day to buy groceries?
What do you buy? Just snacks? Fruit juice?
Every time I get to the supermarket, I forget what to buy.
Fine, I'll take care of it.
I'll write a list,
and tomorrow night I'll make a nice dinner to celebrate the end of the quarantine.
We can spend some time together.
- You're not going back to work tomorrow? - The day after tomorrow.
- They're giving me an extra day off. - Things have eased up a bit, so it's fine.
Listen, I was so caught up in my own problems,
I didn't stop to think that you were living through this lockdown alone.
It can't have been easy.
I'm sorry.
Let's make up for it, right away.
Hey, what's going on?
Nothing.
Look, I know you.
What I said was a load of rubbish.
Meaning?
I haven't written a single sentence. I'm completely stuck.
You're right. I'm not ambitious.
Jesus, I thought you were going to say something terrible.
You scared me shitless.
Never mind your thesis.
I thought it was something you cared about.
We all know what universities are like in Italy, anyway.
Anyway, they're all feminists, politically correct, "me too", great!
But then they do selfies looking like porn stars,
they shoot silicone into their lips and their asses.
- They seem a bit confused. - Would you stop it?
Stop what?
Disparaging women just because your wife makes more money than you.
Get tested for Covid, then.
You didn't just lose your sense of smell and taste,
but your sense of humor as well.
You resent Betta, because she makes you feel inferior.
She's a lawyer.
Anyone can make money by selling their soul.
Besides, you of all people have always been bitter
because Sara is richer than you.
What the hell are you saying?
Sara could have married a plastic surgeon, a millionaire,
but she chose a penniless teacher.
She could have worked at her father's clinic,
but she chose to work in a hospital. The truth is, she's better than me.
More courageous, and more resourceful.
- Women are better than us, admit it. - Well said!
- Thank you. - What the fuck are you saying?
- Men are assholes. - Go on, go.
You have no idea.
I got the chicory, but I almost had to beat up an old lady.
Well, I did something completely illegal. I invited people over.
Ah.
- Hi. - Hi.
You remember Amanda, from the B&B down the hall.
Right, Amanda, from the B&B... how are you?
- Fine, you? - Fine!
I needed some coffee.
No contact, I know, it's against the rules.
But I'm totally negative by now.
Sure, of course.
I'm off now.
- Thanks, Sara. - Don't mention it.
I'll show you to the door.
- Goodbye. - Bye.
Thanks again.
Isn't she nice?
What's all this familiarity?
It's not about familiarity, she just asked me for some coffee,
and I gave it to her...
She's pretty, isn't she? What a body... she's Cuban.
What's that supposed to mean, she's Cuban?
Sorry, but it's not like all Cuban women have amazing bodies.
- That was a bit racist of you, honey. - Why are you getting so pissed off?
I'm not getting pissed off, I'm just saying that being Cuban doesn't mean...
You can't say anything, these days, fine.
Bye, honey!
What were you trying to do?
I've been trying to talk to you for days and you won't answer.
We said no communication by phone, didn't we?
What was I supposed to do, send smoke signals?
- Better than ringing my doorbell. - I didn't know she was there!
I thought you were just avoiding me.
When I saw her, I improvised, and asked for some coffee.
First you act like the perfect lover,
and now you start looking down on me.
Maybe it's because I found out certain things about you, what do you say?
Ah, so it's true, you do judge me.
Oh, by the way, there's another thing you don't know.
What?
I'm pregnant.
You're what?
You heard me.
That's why I came looking for you.
Whose is it?
Fuck you.
You said you have a polycystic ovary.
What do you want me to say?
There was one chance in a thousand.
What am I supposed to do now?
Next week, Sara has her implantation.
We're going to have a baby.
I can't do this to her, do you understand?
She doesn't deserve it.
One is to terminate the pregnancy, and the other is to expel the fetus.
Good.
Listen, if you don't feel up to it, don't do it.
With ovaries like yours, it's not easy to get pregnant.
Everything ok?
What, are you afraid I didn't take the pill?
You can try to define the exact moment you fell in love, in hindsight.
But it's much easier to know the exact moment when it ended.
How can you live upside down?
You're amazing, really!
Four yesses!
That's not true, but thanks.
Sure it is.
Did you sing it to her?
Her, who?
Oh, come on.
Did you go?
Once.
But it was worth it. A whole afternoon.
We'll all be able to get out of the house soon.
I don't know what I would have done without you...
You're a good person, Mr. Messico.
That's not true, but thanks.
What are you up to? Reply to my fucking messages!
Leave me alone or I will press charges!
The wait is over, business can resume
for large factories and construction sites as of today,
respecting the proper distances.
As of May 4, wholesalers, restaurants and bars will be back to work,
but only delivering food to be eaten at home.
Also as of next Monday...
Honey, I'm working tonight. I'll see you tomorrow morning.
...traveling form one region to another is not allowed, without justification...
All right, love.
See you tomorrow, good luck with your work.
..."Absolutely not",
said transportation minister De Micheli this afternoon,
along with other details concerning criteria
for using public transportation in urban centers.
Only those wearing masks will be allowed on ...
Go away.
We'll talk? What the fuck are we going to talk about?
I'll kill you and get rid of your body,
no one is even going to wonder where the hell you are-
What do you think you're doing?
No feeling, not even love, is as strong as fear.
It's time to decide: either live up to my father,
or be the coward I always suspected I was.
What's the fucking code?
Fourteen... No, zero fourteen twenty-one... seven.
You shouldn't have done that to me!
I'll kill you.
I'll kill you, bitch.
No one will come looking for you, here.
Tell me who the fuck made that video.
Who made the video?
Tell me!
Who was it, your sister?
As philosopher Peter Sloterdijk once said:
"What is man, if not the animal that too much is expected of?"
Who the fuck are you?
Put that thing down. Put that thing down!
- Drop it! - Yes, ok.
- Who the fuck are you? - Leave him alone.
Shut up!
How did you get in here?
How does this asshole know the code? Are you screwing him?
I'm just the neighbor, I heard someone shouting.
Ah, the neighbor? Did you make that video?
- No... What video? - Bullshit. Don't you bullshit me!
I know who you are. You're Sara Bernini's husband.
- Cosimo no, please. - You shut up!
So now you're fucking your sister's husband?
- What?! - What?!
You seriously didn't know? Really? Wanna know why?
Because she, in addition to being a whore, is also mentally-
You killed him.
When it was all over, I had a sudden revelation:
not only was I not the hero,
I wasn't even the main character in this story.
You suffer from polycystic ovary disease.
Have you ever been diagnosed with it?
No.
Why did you choose to come to our clinic?
I wanted to meet you.
Because of that interview I did on TV, right?
You can't guess how many women came here afterwards.
Goodbye, Doctor.
You didn't tell me if you wanted to go through with artificial insemination.
I wanted to understand a few things first.
About myself.
Your condition is nothing to worry about.
It's fairly frequent. My daughter has the same problem.
Your daughter?
My one unrequited love.
How old is she?
About your age, I'd guess.
What's her name?
Sara.
Why?
Goodbye.
All that time I thought I was the one spying on Amanda, from my window.
But actually, it was she who spied on us.
It's a bit like the fish in that Australian aquarium.
The tourists thought the fish were the show.
But from the fish's point of view, the humans were the show.
With no more visitors, they got depressed.
In the end, life is just a point of view.
He helped me find Sara's address.
But then he realized I had come to stay here.
You've been lying to me the whole time.
What happened between us wasn't part of my plan.
I just wanted to have a peek at Sara's life,
to understand why she had everything and I had nothing.
But then the lockdown came.
I was locked up in here,
and you started looking at me.
Oh, so now it's my fault?
How the fuck was I supposed to know you were my wife's sister?
I never planned on falling in love with you.
What a mess.
He was about to shoot you, what was I supposed to do?
Sorry if I saved your life.
Thank you very much.
Now they're going to send me to jail and throw away the key.
- What could I have done? - You could have left me out of this.
Did I force you to do anything?
We both wanted it.
No one saw him come here.
He couldn't exactly tell the other cops he would come here.
There are only offices here, and they're closed.
No one heard us.
So what?
Amanda.
Is that really your name?
Idiot.
Let's make a deal.
I'll take care of Cosimo,
but in return you leave Sara and me alone, forever.
What do you say?
How are you going to get rid of the body?
Antonello's villa on the Appia Antica.
The construction was suspended, but it'll start up again tomorrow.
Got any garbage bags?
Who knows about the two of you?
No one.
I'm off.
Someone whose name escapes me said that life is a tragedy
when seen in close-up,
but a comedy when seen in a wide shot.
You may talk with my colleague.
The truth is, all irrational actions are guided by rationality, basically.
There is always a logical reason for things you cannot explain, in hindsight.
My own Xanadu.
But it's not finished!
Because of Covid, the work had to stop!
But everything we need is here.
Come on Robi, let's celebrate the end of this damn quarantine!
...and he came in with that Buddha.
I can't remember anything else, it all happened so fast.
Well, Doctor?
What are you up to? Aren't you coming?
What's on your mind?
The end of the world, that's what was on my mind,
can you believe it?
But you're way better than the end of the world.
Look at you. You are fantastic.
Call from "Uppercase A".
What?
I want to change our deal.
What the fuck? I just finished my part.
I am not my mother.
I'm not going anywhere.
- Are you trying to screw me over? - No.
I'm turning you into a hero.
You were at your window
and you saw a man with a gun attacking your neighbor.
Do you want this?
You ran to help her, because you are a brave man.
The door was open.
You came up behind him and hit him with the first thing you found:
the Buddha figurine, which in fact has your fingerprints on it.
What the fuck are you saying?
You acted out of instinct, or self-defense.
You saved my life and then, since you were scared,
because he was a cop and he was blackmailing me...
Cosimo Bravetta.
...you said you would get rid of the corpse.
You did it for me.
Who are you with?
Who are you telling this story to?
You're the one who has to tell the story, Luca.
I told the police where you buried the body.
You did what?
Your brilliant plan was terrible, let's face it.
How long do you think it would have taken them
to trace Cosimo's last movements and learn about me?
You're crazy.
He was right, you are crazy!
You can become the hero you wanted to be.
Or else, you can tell the truth: you were a coward,
you dropped the figurine, you let me do the hard part,
and then offered to hide the body
on the condition that I disappear from your life.
You're going to jail anyway, as an accomplice.
But in that case, I will also tell the truth.
To your wife, first of all.
If you're so innocent, like you say,
why didn't you tell me she was your sister?
Why?!
I'll tell you why:
you planned it all, that's why.
You just wanted to hurt her.
If I wanted to hurt Sara, I would have told her everything, right?
But no, she'll never know a thing.
Who are you? You're a monster.
Jesus, you're a monster.
Make up your mind, Luca:
the truth...
Turn off the engine!
... or the happiest possible ending for all of us?
Good, now put your hands where I can see them, on the wheel.
This isn't the story of how I got myself arrested for murder.
No, officer, this is my house, and that is my husband!
The investigators couldn't understand why
I hid the body at my father-in-law's house.
But that's just because they don't know my father-in-law.
This is my home, I have to talk with my husband.
The construction site at his villa was sealed off as a crime scene,
for who knows how long.
It's a small consolation to know that after all, it is Antonello's fault.
Asshole!
Now that the lockdown was over and everyone else was finally starting to go out again,
I was going to be locked up again...
... but this time, in jail.
Anyway, I'm glad Betta is your lawyer.
You're in good hands, good for you. She's a tiger.
Yeah, I have more respect for her more than I do for you, you know that.
Can't say you're wrong.
Tell me the truth: what did you feel when you killed that piece of shit?
A sense of necessity.
What a man.
You're giving me a hard-on, I swear.
Moron.
Hey!
Know what I was thinking?
Your son will also have a hero for a father.
Except, you survived.
You are the evolution of the species, get it?
Goodbye, my friend.
Bye.
Besides, I was a bit of a hero, for real.
After all, I lifted that Buddha first.
I wasn't making everything up.
And even if I was a liar, compared to her I was an amateur.
What the hell is this all about?
What is this letter supposed to mean? Is it all true?
First of all, thanks for coming.
Couldn't you have explained things to me right away, instead of making such a mess?
I didn't have the courage.
So, you and I are...
Yes.
What a fucking mess.
Listen, there's a frozen embryo waiting to see what my intentions are.
But first I need to know if you slept with him.
Sara, please, don't get any ideas into your head.
Luca just made a video of me from the window.
Then he tried to convince me to press charges,
but I didn't want anyone to know.
It was all my fault.
So, it was an act of courage?
That doesn't sound like him.
Look, if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here.
Why didn't he tell me anything?
- Maybe he didn't want to get you involved. - I don't know what the fuck to do.
Do you understand that?
Of course I understand.
I even went to get an abortion.
but then I spat out the pill.
You're pregnant?!
Who is the father?
Cosimo, the cop.
If I can do it, you can, too.
Maybe we can be one big family.
This is all too... strange for me, sorry.
- Sara, please... Sara! - No, no.
SIX MONTHS LATER
In the name of the Italian people,
and with reference to articles 533 and 535 of the penal procedure
and articles 81 and 584 of the penal code, this court finds Luca Messico,
guilty of the crime of murder in the second degree,
while rejecting the charge of voluntary manslaughter per the indictment.
- Shame on you! - Clowns!
This sentence is ridiculous. It's disgusting.
Silence!
As well as being guilty of the crime of aggravated concealment of a corpse,
pursuant to article 61 number 2 of the penal code.
He is sentenced to four years and six months of imprisonment,
in addition to the payment of court and custodial costs...
Two years, and you're out.
Four and a half years...
That decided, this hearing is adjourned.
This is a travesty!
She says I'll be out in two years.
Dad, please!
This is not even the story of how I became a father, twice.
With two different mothers.
Who are sisters.
Amanda! Wait.
Sweetie, can I talk to you for a minute? Just a minute? Sara? Sara!
Sara, I'm your father!
This is the story of Amanda and how she ruined my life.
I did a lot of bad things, for her.
Recreation! Everyone, outside!
I'm not at all the good citizen the newspapers talk about.
I'm paying for a crime I didn't commit.
If you never take any responsibility,
life chooses one for you.
I have no idea how long it will take
for Amanda's mountain of lies to come crashing down.
Nor what my child, or rather my children,
will think of what happened, years from now.
If nothing else, I've started writing my PhD thesis.
I have all the time in the world to finish it.
I'm not doing it to get back into my university career.
It's too late for that.
I'm doing it for myself.
Come to think of it, this is the story of how, for the first time,
I finished something I had started.
CLOSE TO ME