A NETFLIX SERIES
What's the matter, child?
It's not fair, um…
I finally met someone who I thought might actually be real.
A person who didn't look down on me,
who didn't treat me like a child that needed to be led
or an object to be molded.
And you're saying he's not coming back?
What will I do now?
I feel ugly.
An ugly personality.
But I still really want to be loved.
-Hey, Giannì. -Hi, Corrà.
Wanna go for a ride?
Take care, Corrà.
What, too busy?
CHAPTER 5 LOVE
When you're little, everything seems big.
When you're grown-up, everything seems small.
Each to their own.
…and then looked at me and said,
"Oh. You really look like a boiled fish."
Nobody knows.
I'd have said a buttery fish!
It's so greasy. Look, it looks dirty!
I can't believe it. He did a terrible job.
-Yeah. -Who cut it for you?
-It was Lino, as usual. -Oh, I see.
Now it all makes sense.
-Hi, Dad. -Hi, Giovà.
Hmm.
Everything okay?
Yes. Yes.
Don't you even have an ounce of respect for yourself?
Doesn't he disgust you?
Don't get any ideas. I just made him coffee.
I'm still disgusted.
Good to know. Thanks a lot, to both of you.
It's just that I forget to hate him from time to time.
As long as you're happy.
-I'm off. -To where? You just came home.
Hey, wait a minute, Giovà.
-Isn't it short? -What?
My hair.
Sorry, I don't give a damn about your hair.
Hmm.
-I'm getting old. Hm. -No, you look younger to me now.
You looked much older when I was a child.
Pain doesn't make you look any younger.
Well, then, maybe you're not suffering enough.
Giovà, cut him some slack, would you?
-Dad, I want to read the Gospel. -Ah.
Now you're really trying to piss him off.
Why the Gospel?
Because a guy talked about it in a way that I found fascinating.
-And you fell in love. -No. I want to be his friend.
-Mmm! -What's his name?
Roberto Matese.
-Roberto Matese? -Mmm.
Yes, there's a young ideologist with a Christian background with that name.
Then it's him.
Ah.
Did you meet him in Pascone?
Yeah, he's from there, but then after, he moved to Milan.
I was introduced by Vittoria.
Hm.
I'm pleased.
Yes.
There are some people that are worth getting to know a little better…
As for the Gospel,
remember, it's meant to study.
Is that clear? You don't just… read it.
Come, I'll show you something.
Here it is.
Read it with abandon.
It'll captivate you.
It's full of unfairness.
Thanks.
Giovà. What is this Matese guy like?
He looks you in the eyes.
-Bye. -Bye-bye.
Bye, Nello.
I'm going.
-I'll see you out. -No. Bye.
"DOWNTOWN AND SUBURBS"
GOLDEN CUBE OCTOBER 13, 1996 AT 21:00
Whoo!
Look out, I'm coming for you!
No, Tonino! Uh--
Get away from me.
-Giovà, I have a favor to ask. -Tell me.
-Please take back Tonino. -When was he ever mine?
Then take him now. I don't wanna date him anymore.
No, thanks. You can keep him. Enjoy.
I only wanted him because I thought you liked him.
What are you saying?
Giovà, you know ever since we were kids,
everything that you liked, I had to like too.
-Look at me. -Okay, but now you're 16.
It's time to make your own choices, don't you think, huh?
Plus, Tonino's a really nice guy.
You know, someone to get serious with.
Tonino is useless.
-You're exaggerating. -No, I'm not.
Whenever we're close, his pants are always bulging.
And I feel it. I can really feel it. And I like it, so I get closer.
And what's he do?
He moves and says, "No, no! I have to respect you!"
He's such a little wimp! Ugh!
When we go out together, I'm always around Giuliana.
At least I can laugh a little. Otherwise, it's boring!
And she says you're extraordinary.
-Me? -Mm-hmm.
And it makes me so proud.
Actually, Roberto says that, and she obviously agrees with him.
Let's get going. Roberto's coming.
Ugh! Roberto this, Roberto that.
Are you in love with him or what?
See, Giovà?
When you try to be serious with her, all you get is suspicion.
-I'm very suspicious indeed. -You see?
I'll get us something to drink.
It was a scarecrow from childhood.
Like a shadow.
Thin and frantic.
It was a messy figure.
It was lurking, in the corners of houses, as night falls.
Mmm.
Anyway, listen, Tonì. There isn't anything wrong in admiring someone.
I think it's great.
The others don't understand Roberto.
But I do.
He's the kind of person who just… makes you feel important.
Then he's like a treasure.
-Yeah. -To protect.
Do you feel understood?
I just know that I won't be locked in a cage.
I can't measure distances anymore.
I'm hitting walls.
Am I the only one who's going blind?
Was I more real when I saw everything clearly?
Or now that my strongest and deepest feelings,
love and hate…
blind me?
You said such beautiful words.
Thanks.
Hi.
Here we are!
You look good.
So how are you doing?
Costanza, sit.
I've been meaning to call for a long time, but… I couldn't find the courage.
I'd like to talk a little bit to clarify.
To clarify?
Now she wants to clarify.
What's there to clarify?
Uh… I guess I don't know anymore. I don't…
Maybe you want to cry.
Good for you.
It means you haven't cried enough.
I'm all out of tears now.
Nella, don't be mean. You know I love you, right?
In this town, people keep saying how much they love each other.
It's all a big lie. Not even a beautiful one.
You're right.
We stack one lie on top of the other.
But we think that if they're all mixed up in a big pile,
that the lies will become true.
Just because we end up believing them.
I just did what I felt. I didn't do it against you.
Oh, you did what you felt?
Mm.
You followed your instinct.
Yes.
So like an animal.
Then do me a favor and tell me something, because I'm getting a little confused.
Are you a woman or an animal?
I miss you.
I miss our dinners.
Why don't you come see me in Posillipo?
In that shithole you call your home or that cesspool you call a beach?
I'm not coming again. Ever.
Hi, Costà.
Mmm.
Hey, there.
Here we are.
We're still a nice crew, aren't we?
Let's make a toast.
To those who hate us.
No way we're toasting to that.
To the four of us.
To the four of us being here together.
All together again. Cheers.
Cheers.
Oh my God, the wine here is always disgusting.
Yeah, it is.
THE SUN OF THE FUTURE
It's not only about suburbs.
The expressive energy of the country
comes from outside, from the periphery.
-Carlo Levi, Italo Calvino, Pasolini. -Togliatti, Berlinguer, Ingrao.
Hm.
As a matter of fact, even Jesus came from the provinces.
You look so grotesque, you're almost pretty.
So you're telling us that the parallelism
isn't just downtown but in the suburbs
and also in the center of the provinces.
What I'm saying is that the cities are
where everyone thinks the power and ideas are, okay?
And nobody admits that this is only made possible
thanks to the energy coming from outside.
The influence coming from the suburbs brings a fresh take on many things.
-Huh? A change. -Yes.
Jesus has a fresh take.
The ethical power of someone who is selfless
but who is also bringing new energy.
The aim is to impose a link between who's in and who's out.
Isn't that the whole point, after all?
Not just the difficulties of the suburbs
but also the innovative potential of innocence.
I'm from the Pascone neighborhood. You might know it.
The place where you try to emerge from is the hardest part.
And you'll always carry it with you wherever you go.
However, I think we shouldn't focus too much
on the new forces emerging from the suburbs
but rather on the issues of the poor.
To see if there's a point of agreement between,
well, a good Communist…
You know, as we might say today, a good Communist and a good Catholic.
Both are after… well, the ability to… care about the needy.
I think this could be a good point of agreement between both of us.
We have to come up with solutions, for example.
Uh, a question for you, dear Matese.
When Jesus kicked the merchants out of the temple, was he just angry,
or did he have an objective too?
Hmm.
It's common to address we Catholics in a hasty fashion.
Like you say, "So what?"
"If God exists, why doesn't he solve all the world's problems?"
Well, more or less, that's the question.
There's a Russian saying that goes, "God knows the truth."
"He doesn't tell it right away."
The difference between Catholics and nonbelievers is this.
We Catholics have a plan that is long-term.
And in the Gospel, if we read it with an open heart,
the plan is very clear.
Thank you.
Nice.
Hey, good work.
That's very good.
Nice to meet you.
You were great, Robè.
People seemed to like it. Hey!
You were great.
-You heard it? -Absolutely.
-Thank you. -You did great.
-I'm so proud of you. -Okay, good.
I've read the Gospel too.
All four of them.
What'd you think?
-They don't make sense. -Oh!
She thinks just like her father.
Like what? Enlighten me.
Jesus is the son of God. He performs useless miracles.
He gets betrayed and put on a cross.
And also, he asks his father to save him from the cross,
but God doesn't do anything to spare him from the pain.
-It's true. -Why couldn't God come and suffer for him?
According to the Gospel, God creates a world that doesn't work.
The crazy part is, he blames the failures of this world on his son who's innocent.
-But why? -God isn't easy.
Well, he should become easy if he wants us to understand him.
-Do you like poetry? -Yes.
-You read it? -Sometimes.
Poetry's made of words.
Exactly like the chat we're having right now.
If a poet takes our trivial words and frees them from our conversation,
suddenly they will release from their irrelevance an unexpected energy.
God manifests in the same way.
That's a good point.
The poet isn't God.
He's just a person like us who knows how to write poetry.
But it's this skill that opens your eyes.
-That surprises. -If they're skilled, yes.
They will shake you. It's amazing.
And why should I believe in a shake?
-We'll explain some other time. -For religious spirit.
What is the religious spirit?
It's like an investigation in a detective story.
Except the mystery doesn't get solved.
That's what religious spirit is.
It's pushing forward. Always forward, until you unveil what is meant for you.
I can't hear you.
Don't waste it all, Giovanna. Just give it time.
The Gospels say way more than what you've just read.
Roberto, we need to leave soon. It's late.
-I know. -Let's go.
Giovà.
You were phenomenal.
I mean it. Well-done.
Remarkable.
-Seriously. -Thanks.
"If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change."
Yes. But let's go now. It's late, and tomorrow's a school day.
We'll go home and watch The Leopard.
My dad puts on The Leopard and then falls asleep.
We should go too.
-Did you hear what I said? -You were amazing!
I had to tell you right away. I was so proud of you.
I swear, you were so amazing.
Wait a second.
You put so much strength into words.
And you put even more into yours.
See you soon.
He has to go.
He'll miss the train for Milan.
-Bye, Angela. Bye, Tonì. -Giuliana! Will you hurry up?
-Let's go. -Move it!
-Bye. -Bye, now.
-Kiss and say goodbye! -Bye-bye.
Bye, my love.
Bring Giovanna when you come to Milan.
Okay.
You made an impression.
-I feel sorry for Giuliana. -Why?
Uh, she's obviously bored.
But she fakes it to keep her place.
-Bye, Vittoria. Bye, Mom. -Bye, honey.
What now?
You're a little slut.
And you act like you're her friend.
-Vittò, what are you talking about? -Vittoria, stop it.
Why are you getting between Giuliana and her man, huh? You're a slut!
Don't say that! Vittò!
-Hey! -Vittoria, please.
I'm not getting between anyone.
-You don't think so? -Mom, please, shut her up.
-Calm down, please. -Enough. Find someone of your own.
Little Miss Monster.
You showed off your feathers like a peacock.
You said a lot of pretty words.
And that fool noticed.
And he was amazed by you.
You confronted him. And now he wants you.
Roberto already lives in Milan,
so it's already hard for her as it is.
And now you too!
Sure, Roberto lives far away, but I know their love is clean.
Ah.
You're a poser, and I know it.
Giannì, you know nothing. You know nothing!
Love is not something clean.
It's opaque.
Like toilet stall windows.
Giuliana, be careful.
You're just a simple girl.
And this is a fucking snake.
-Come on. -I'm going.
-Vittò!
-Okay. -Don't run.
You'll stumble down the stairs.
-Let's go. The movie's starting. -I know what she's up to.
-We can try to have some laughs. -I can't believe her!
-That slut! -Let's go.
-Come on! -Hey!
-Get out of the way! -What are you doing?
-What now? -Watch out, or I'll run you over.
Hey, big head! Go get a shampoo!
Look.
Hey, Giannì! You're at this shit show too?
What are you doing here? What do you want?
We're just here. To disturb you a bit.
Well, Roberto already spoke.
Oh no, he did? Rosario, we missed it. Shit.
I told you to hurry!
Hey, Giannì.
Do you think you're better than us? You don't know who we are.
-Oh, Corrà, I'm shitting my pants. -Oh, very funny.
Rosario likes you.
Can Rosario speak for himself without an interpreter?
He's actually very shy.
You stood up to him, and now he's obsessed.
He can't shut up about your tits, you know.
-I love someone else. -Who?
I can't tell you.
All right, then you're a slut.
Maybe I wanna be.
Forget it, Rosario. Let's go.
-Look at all these Communists. -That's true.
Why don't you just leave?
Why don't we leave together, just you and me?
-Just what I had in mind. -Giannì, I really like you.
Seriously, I'm in love. I mean, your tits…
…are sweeter than the statues in Caserta Royal Palace.
And you have teeth like Don Chuck the Beaver.
-A lot of girls are after me, okay? -Then why don't you date one of them?
Come on, don't be mean. It's not right.
Wait. Giuliana's there.
She can tell you about my wonderful house with a view of the sea.
-Rosario, that's enough. -Come on. Hey, hey!
Hey…
Are you in love with Roberto Matese?
-Are you crazy? -Don't look at her. Talk to me.
-Do you want me to bring him here to you? -You'd do that?
-It would be my pleasure. -And he'll come.
Not right away, but I can convince the guy.
That's ridiculous. We know Roberto,
and he would never do anything he doesn't want to.
I can be very persuasive. Giannì…
-Giuliana! -Let's go.
You shouldn't talk to that asshole.
I wasn't. He was the one talking to me.
Did you really sleep with him?
You get to a point where you just want to get it over with, Giovà.
-He's scary. -Rosario Sargente?
Yeah.
You're wasting your fear. He's a DA.
-What's "DA" mean? -A dumbass!
Don't listen to Vittoria.
And all her bullshit.
Vittoria says mean things, but it's not bullshit.
And you speak well, Giovà. But sometimes, you should shut up as well.
-But-- -Don't.
Angela, wait up.
Ah, Tonino, no!
Ugh!
Hey, beautiful.
Hey, cutie!
You haven't seen it?
I love his work. I just haven't seen this film.
MEDITERRANEAN CINEMA
Oh, yeah. Definitely.
-Hey. -Hey, Giuliana. For you.
-Here. -Thanks.
-There. -Let's go.
-There it is. -Where?
Right there.
I have a seat for you here.
-Right here. -Here.
Massimo Troisi is my favorite actor.
Check out this girl.
Good evening.
Hey, beautiful.
Why don't you come sit with us?
We'll show you a nice movie.
What, you laughing?
Hey, turn around.
Laugh at this dick. Come on.
-Yeah! -Nice hair.
-Oh, yeah. -Yeah. It feels like silk.
They're bothering me. Will you do something?
Angela. Let it go.
Come on, let's move to the front row.
-Let's go. -Really?
Tonino, that's it. I'm so done with you.
Wow! Leave that dickhead and come sit with us.
-See? -We scared them.
MAURO BERARDI PRESENTS
A FILM BY MASSIMO TROISI
SORRY FOR THE DELAY
Let's move.
Hey, what are you doing?
What the hell?
-Hey. Move. -Hey.
-Stop! -Oh my God.
Hey!
-Move. -What the fuck? Sit down!
Yeah, you.
Here we are again. Miss us?
Do you take orders from this asshole?
-We want to watch the movie with you. -Hear that? He called you "asshole."
-Asshole. -Tonino, did you hear?
Wake up, Tonì!
Ooh!
-Let's just go. -Are you okay?
Hey--
Piece of shit idiots!
-Busting my balls! You think you're funny! -Stop! Calm down, Tonino.
Oh no, we're so scared! You take it out on girls. Try me, bitch.
-No! -I'll kill you!
-Stop!
Stop it!
Tonino, stop!
Tonino, stop it!
You're hurting him!
-Stop. -Enough.
-Stop it! -Go!
Hurry up.
He did a good job. You asked for it.
The police are coming!
Let's run!
You know what? You're a shitty woman.
How dare you?
You're a selfish bitch, you know that?
You don't give a fuck about anyone.
You started this, now you want to run away?
How dare you say that, you bitch?
Angela, shut up, or I'll tear your hair out!
Try it bitch! Try to do it!
-I'll scratch your face, you hear me? -Stop it, girls.
-You're trash! -Angela, you're going too far!
I'm going too far? What about this one?
-This one? -Go back home.
-Tonì, let's go. -Enough. The police are coming.
-Me? -Come on, move!
Giannì! Stop!
Stop!
Oof!
You okay?
What is it?
Giannì, I'm leaving.
-Where to? -To Venice.
My life here is done now. You saw it all.
-But when? -Now, this very moment.
-Does Giuliana know? -No.
She doesn't.
No one does.
Does Roberto?
If he knew what I did tonight, he wouldn't even look at me.
Send me your address.
When I have one, I'll write you.
Why are you telling me this?
You understand me.
Bye, Giannì.
Everything is lost between us.
You don't love me anymore.
Nothing is lost. It just finished.
Then will you kiss me?
We're not kids anymore.
Roberto asked if you could come with me to Milan.
BASED ON THE NOVEL OF THE SAME NAME BY ELENA FERRANTE
When you're little, everything seems big.
When you're grown-up, everything seems small.
Each to their own.
Nobody knows.
Each to their own.
Nobody knows.
Each to their own.
Nobody knows.
Each to their own.
Nobody knows.
Each to their own.
Nobody knows.