- [engine revving] - [crying] Please, Robert.
[cries]
[breathing heavily]
[cell phone ringing]
Fuck off.
Fuck off!
[children laughing]
[blows]
We can't miss the Rembrandt exhibition at the National Gallery...
like we missed the Pollock and the Monet.
Also, the new Almodóvar film is out next month.
[Brigstocke] They say that destiny knocks at the door.
- That is not true. - [doorbell rings]
Who can that be on a Sunday?
The neighbors, whinging about the smoke.
[doorbell rings]
Well-- Well, are you gonna answer it or what?
[sighs] Right.
[Brigstocke] Destiny doesn't knock on any door.
Destiny doesn't ask permission.
It crashes in without calling
and grabs you mercilessly by your body and soul.
[inspector] Mr. Brigstocke?
[Brigstocke] Yes.
Can we please come in, sir?
[Brigstocke stammers] Nancy.
Nan-- Nancy.
Nancy.
[sighs]
Stephen?
The police are here, in the sitting room.
[Nancy] Take this off.
[Nancy] Yes?
Um.
[sighs] I'm DCI Duggins. This is PC Davis, uh, Metropolitan Police.
- What can we do for you? - [Duggins] Would you please take a seat?
[television presenter speaks indistinctly]
[Duggins sighing]
[television muted]
Uh, you have a son.
- Jonathan, age 19. - Yes.
- Traveling in Italy? - Yes. Yes, he's in--
He's in Italy. We had a postcard from him yesterday.
We're so sorry, but Jonathan died in-- in a-- in an accident yesterday.
We're very sorry.
What sort of an accident?
[inhales shakily]
[Duggins] He drowned.
Would you like some tea?
Uh, it was, um, an accident in... [sighs]
Forte dei Marmi.
An accident?
[Duggins] Yeah. The Italian police are very clear about that.
Now, you'll have to go to Italy to identify your son.
The closest airport is Pisa.
The Italian authorities, um, they won't release the body
until there's been a formal identification.
So it might not be Jonathan? It could be a mistake? [sniffles]
No, I'm-- I'm sorry, Mrs. Brigstocke, but there's no mistake.
The Italian police have been through your son's belongings,
- and his bag was on the beach. - Somebody could have stolen it.
Well, they found his passport.
I'm sorry, I'm afraid it's definitely Jonathan.
The body can't be released until it's been formally identified.
After that, you can bring him home.
Is there anyone else who can do that for you?
- No, there's no one else. - [sniffles]
[Duggins] Here's the number for the consulate.
And I've given you mine too, in case you have any more questions.
Again, we're very, very sorry for your loss.
We can find our own way out. [sighs]
It's too milky.
Excuse me?
The tea is too-- too milky.
Right.
I'm sorry.
[Davis] Please call if you have any questions.
[sobbing]
Jonathan.
[sobbing]
[wailing]
[automated voice] Welcome to the O2 messaging service.
The person you're calling is unable to take your call.
Please leave a message after the tone.
- [sighs] - [message tone beeps]
Robert. [sighs]
I-- I unders-- I understand you're upset.
Would you just please, please call me?
I need to know you're safe.
[breathing deeply]
[narrator] You want to make him understand why you hadn't told him.
It wasn't for you.
It was for them.
For Robert, but mainly for Nicholas.
Your silence had been to protect your son,
and Jonathan's death had sealed it.
There had been no need for anyone else to suffer.
[breathes deeply]
[intercom dings]
[announcer, speaking Italian]
[exclaims] Uh, Mr. and Mrs. Brigstocke?
[sighs] Hello, my name is Richard Perkins.
Uh-- Uh, the consulate sent me to be of assistance during this painful process.
I have a car if you're ready.
Oh, yeah. Yes. Let me help you with that, Mrs. Brigstocke.
Uh, Mr. Brigstocke?
Okay, if you'll follow me, please.
I'm sorry I was late. Uh, there was a closure on the autostrada.
The, uh-- The motorway, that is.
[Brigstocke] The sun was shining as if nothing terrible had happened.
The heavier the burden, the more real things become.
A marble statue becomes nothing more than a piece of stone.
[sighs]
[mumbles]
[sighs]
[groans]
[sighs]
[groans] Fuck off.
[narrator] Robert recognizes that he can't drive to work.
He daren't risk it.
Surely he's still over the limit.
He could call for a cab but decides that he'll take the bus.
- [nurse speaking Italian] - [doctor speaking Italian]
[Nancy sniffs]
[gasping]
[sighs]
Italian law requires that the body be embalmed before transporting abroad.
Do you understand what that means?
Mrs. Brigstocke?
His face isn't swollen.
[Richard] Excuse me?
You-- You-- You-- You said he drowned, but his face is not swollen.
[doctor] There's no reason for inflammation.
The body didn't spend too much time under the water.
[Brigstocke] What's that on his arm?
[doctor] That is, uh, probably an injury he sustained during the accident.
[Nancy inhales deeply]
- Mrs. Brigstocke? - [crying, breathing heavily]
M-Mr. Brigstocke, we can go now.
[muttering]
- I can't thank you enough. - [Jonathan chuckles]
It's the least I could do after you treated me to a pizza.
Oh, during which you entertained my son so that he would eat his supper.
[Jonathan] It was fun. [chuckles] I like kids.
Good luck in Rome.
[Jonathan] Thank you.
[Catherine] Enjoy the rest of your trip.
[Jonathan chuckles] I'll try.
[Catherine] Okay.
[Jonathan] Okay. Come on, Nicholas. Ooh.
Sorry.
- [sighs] - [inhales deeply]
Okay. Thank you.
Thank you.
- Bye, Jonathan. - [chuckles]
Goodbye.
Jonathan?
[Jonathan] Yeah?
Would you mind waiting a second while I just take him up to bed?
I think-- I think you deserve a proper thank-you drink.
Uh, yeah. [stammers] Yeah. I can-- I-- I can-- I can wait.
Okay. Great.
Actually, I wouldn't mind some adult company for a change.
[chuckles]
Why don't you just wait in the bar, and I'll take him upstairs.
- Uh, yeah. Yeah. - Okay. Great.
I won't be long.
[Jonathan] All right.
- [Catherine] Buonasera. - [porter speaks Italian]
[narrator] It's been years since Robert's taken public transport.
He looks at the people that he doesn't normally travel to work with.
He thinks that the woman probably works shifts
to support herself and her family.
A good woman.
A woman without vanity
who has no time for affairs and deceit.
He can smell the lunch coming from the rucksack
of the man sitting two seats away.
He guesses the man is a builder,
probably working in some privileged Londoner's home,
a home like his,
where this man will be begrudged cups of coffee and the use of the toilet.
[snoring]
He wonders whether his thoughts are racist or patronizing,
or both,
and decides they probably are.
- This presumption of simplicity. - [bus announcer speaks indistinctly]
His imposition of worthiness to their existence.
"Sanctimonious twit" is his judgment of himself.
[bus rumbles]
You're uncertain of what Stephen Brigstocke wants.
An apology?
An admission of guilt?
You know that you have to reach out to him before things go too far.
Before Nicholas is touched by Stephen Brigstocke's anger.
[exclaims]
[classical music playing]
[Brigstocke] I still had some preserves in the larder that Nancy had made.
I hadn't touched them since she died.
I was keeping them for special occasions.
And today was a special occasion.
The plan was flowing seamlessly.
Executing every part of it
- made me feel closer to her. - [telephone ringing]
[Nancy, on answering machine] You have reached 020 7946 0534.
Neither Stephen nor Nancy are here to respond to this call,
but if you would please leave a message with the date, time
and your telephone number, we'll try to get back to you.
Have a nice day.
[answering machine beeps]
[Catherine] Yes. Hello.
Thi-- This is a message for, uh, Stephen Brigstocke.
Uh, my name is Catherine Ravenscroft.
I've read The Perfect Stranger and it, uh--
it was written with an intense, uh, emotional commitment.
And there is a-- a pain at the-- at the heart of this book
which is-- is just undeniable.
So it's impossible not to feel moved, uh, by the heart that penned these words.
And, uh, it's rare, actually, for a-- a work of fiction
to produce such, uh, powerful feelings in-- in its reader.
Yes, it's a-- [sighs] an exquisite work of fiction
and I wish you well.
[breathing deeply]
[narrator] You feel you did the right thing.
That what Stephen Brigstocke needed was your acknowledgment.
And it helped you as well.
Writing those words and saying them has forced you to think about his pain.
Perhaps some balance was restored between the two of you.
[Brigstocke] The devil had knocked at my door.
[classical music continues]
She'd figured out who I was.
I was expecting it to happen. But hearing her voice startled me.
The book was not an "exquisite piece of fiction"
as she called it.
And she knew that better than anyone else. Such a deceiver.
She was so careful not to apologize, not to accept responsibility.
I was not interested in her acknowledgment of my pain.
It was too late for that.
She needed to feel it.
She needed to suffer as I had.
And Nancy's long, white hair was a sign.
Her seal of approval.
It made me think about what else I might do to please her.
"Be bold," I thought.
[traditional Italian music playing]
[music continues]
For saving me from murdering my son.
[chuckling] You wouldn't. You love him.
[Catherine] Well, he's really sweet.
He's just such a bundle of energy.
- "Mummy. Mummy, can you look at this? - [chuckles]
Mummy, look at me. Look at me."
And you love it.
- I do love it. - [chuckles]
- Every single second of it. [chuckling] - [chuckles]
But honestly, though. I see you, and I get a bit jealous.
J-Jealous of-- of me?
[Catherine] Yeah. But in a lighthearted kind of way.
Just jealous of your freedom.
M-My freedom?
You know, to explore the world.
To-- To travel.
To make decisions as you go.
To meet new people.
To-- To have wild, passionate romances in every place you go.
[chuckles] I don't know about that.
Are you saying you're not having wild, passionate romances?
[stammers] Well, [chuckles] n-n-not really.
[Catherine] Why is that?
Uh, I--
I was traveling with my girlfriend.
You have a girlfriend?
[Jonathan] Yeah.
Where is she?
Your girlfriend?
She, um-- She had to go back to London.
[Catherine] I see.
How long have you been together, you and your girlfriend?
Oh. [chuckling]
Uh, I don't know.
[stammers] A year or so?
And before that?
- [Jonathan] What? - Did you have many girlfriends before?
N-Not really.
- S-Sasha is my first proper girlfriend. - [Catherine] Aw.
- Sasha. - [chuckles] Yeah.
[hotel guests clapping]
Have you always been faithful with Sasha?
- Yeah. - [Catherine] Always?
[stammers] Uh, yeah.
Come on. You've never fantasized about being with some other girl at school
or some sexy mademoiselle that you saw
when you were queuing up at the Louvre?
- [Jonathan] N-Not really. - Kate Moss?
[chuckles]
[Catherine] Mmm, Salma Hayek?
Ah, well, you know.
Who?
Who do you fancy?
[Jonathan chuckles]
Uh. [chuckles]
Kylie?
Kylie Minogue?
Kylie.
Yeah, she's-- she's sexy.
[Jonathan] I don't know.
She's got a beautiful mouth.
What do you like about Kylie?
[stammers] I don't know. Sh-Sh-She's-- She's fit. [chuckles]
[Catherine] Yeah, I-- I guess she's-- she's fit. Yeah.
But in your fantasy,
what would you do to Kylie?
You-- You know.
[Catherine] I don't know.
[stammers] Things.
What things would you do to Kylie?
I...
k-kiss her.
[Catherine] On the cheek?
Y-Yeah.
Uh, I a-also kiss her on the mouth.
That must be nice.
What else do you do?
Um-- Uh--
Um. [chuckles]
[sighs] I-- I-- I touch her. [chuckles]
[Catherine] Where do you touch her?
[breathing heavily]
Um, her-- her skin?
Is it soft?
Is Kylie's skin soft?
Yeah.
Where else do you touch her?
[stammers]
[sighs] Uh. [chuckles]
[breathes deeply]
Her face.
[Catherine] Only her face?
Uh.
Her-- Her breasts.
You touch Kylie's boobs?
How do you touch them?
I, um-- S-S-S-Softly?
[stammers]
Hmm.
Does she like it?
[breathes deeply] I-- I think so.
Mmm. I'm sure she likes it very much.
And...
do you touch Kylie's...
nipple?
[Jonathan breathing heavily]
- Y-Yeah. [breathes heavily] - Mmm.
- Do you press it between your fingers? - [Jonathan] Mmm.
[Jonathan breathing heavily]
Yeah.
[breathes heavily]
Is it hard?
[breathing heavily] Uh-huh.
Mmm.
And you?
Do you get hard touching Kylie's nipple?
[moaning]
[stammers] Yeah.
Can she feel it?
Can she feel how hard you are?
[moans] Y-Yeah.
Oh, how lucky she is--
Kylie--
feeling you so hard.
Mmm.
Hmm.
[sighs]
It's getting late, so I think I'm gonna go back to my room.
But I would love to hear what else you would do...
to Kylie.
So I'm gonna go to reception because I think I left my key in my room.
Why don't you wait here, and then go to the bathroom?
On your way, you'll find the lifts.
How's that for a plan?
[stammers, breathes shakily] Okay.
W-W-What about Nicholas?
[Catherine] Don't worry about Nicholas, he sleeps like a log.
Room 207.
Scusi. Can you, um-- Can you just put that on my room, please?
- Certo. - Thank you.
[hotel guests clapping]
[in Italian] I'm Claudio Bramanti, from the judicial office of Forte dei Marmi.
We're here to collect Jonathan Brigstocke's belongings.
Second floor.
[in Italian] This is the room.
[flies buzzing]
[in English] Jonathan slept here?
Yes, Mrs. Brigstocke.
[Brigstocke sighs]
It was a birthday present.
Thirteen.
[Nancy] Fourteen.
You said he was too young to be trusted with it.
[Brigstocke] Nancy was against me giving the knife to Jonathan,
but I wanted to gain his affection.
I was never as close to him as she was.
When did he start smoking?
Probably that girl, Sasha, turned him on to it.
[Brigstocke] Nancy never approved of Sasha.
I wouldn't have wanted Jonathan to end up with her myself.
I never saw his camera.
A Nikon, top of the line, our gift to him on his 18th birthday.
I always assumed that it had been stolen by someone at the hotel.
Nancy must have found it,
and I wonder when it was that she decided to have the film developed.
Do we pack all of this?
Yes. Don't worry about that, Stephen. I'll take care of everything.
[stammers] Can you please slow down?
We're nearly there.
You've been saying that for the last 20 minutes.
Look, it's not gonna kill you to move that big bum of yours, old chum.
It's not my bum I'm worried about, it's my lungs.
- I feel like I'm going to have a stroke. - [sighs] Oh, stop whinging.
[panting]
Wha-- Wha-- What's-- What's with the smug smile?
You twit.
- Twat. What-- Where-- - [Banks gasps] Hello, Claire.
- [Claire] Hello. How are you? - [Banks] How are you?
[Claire kisses] Good.
- [Banks] Guess who I've brought. - [Claire] Oh?
[Banks] Stephen.
Stephen.
Come and meet Claire.
This is her lovely bookshop and she's also a publisher.
- Oh. Oh, it's so nice to meet you. - And you. I loved your book.
- [chuckles] - Oh, did you?
Very much so.
I've been recommending it to my customers. We've sold quite a few.
Stephen insisted that his book should be on display in your bookshop.
Yes. He was very specific about it.
Really? Oh, thank you. [chuckles]
May I ask you why?
Oh, well, I've read so much about it and, um,
I believe you have a lot of, uh--
quite a lot of high-profile customers who love books.
Well, yes. [stammers] Some people come.
[chuckles] We're very lucky.
Maybe we could, um, organize a reading of your book here.
- [Brigstocke] Oh. - [Banks] Yes.
Uh-- Uh, we had, uh, Adam Thirlwell last week.
Oh... [stammers] ...I would be honored.
- [chuckles] - Great.
You know, I was not expecting that ending.
- That took me by surprise. [chuckles] - Oh.
- Is that a bad thing? - No.
On the contrary, I was so happy she got what she deserved.
She's so awful.
Yes, she is.
[Claire chuckles]
[patrons chattering]
Excuse me. Is it possible to have a table here?
[sighs]
Um, could I have, um, some tomatoes on toast and a espresso, please?
[narrator] Last night, Catherine tried to convince Robert
that the book was not how it had been.
As far as he's concerned,
she lost her chance to give him her version years ago.
He knows that whatever he's about to read has happened.
[breathing shakily]
Come in.
[romantic music playing]
Close the door.
I'm glad you came.
I wanna hear more about Kylie.
- Come closer. - [chuckles]
My body hasn't been the same since giving birth.
[sighs] I'm sure you're used to much younger bodies.
[Jonathan breathing heavily]
[exhales deeply]
[Jonathan chuckles]
Come closer.
Give me your hand.
How do you touch Kylie's breasts?
Can you show me?
Okay. [breathing heavily]
Is it soft?
Uh-huh.
Do you feel my nipple getting hard?
Oh, yeah.
Can you squeeze it?
Softly.
Hmm.
[Jonathan panting, moaning]
I can feel you.
Hard.
Come.
Kneel.
- [Jonathan] Huh? - Kneel down.
Untie the laces.
Take them off.
Do you know what to do?
[exhales deeply] Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
- Softly. - [grunts]
[breathes heavily] A little bit higher.
Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, there. Do you feel it?
- Wait. Do you feel it? - Uh-huh.
Okay. Now wrap it with your lips and now suck it between your lips.
Yeah, like that. [moaning]
- And now with-- with your tongue... - Mm-hmm.
...do little circles.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, God. [gasps]
- Okay. Do you feel how wet it is? - Uh-huh.
[exhales sharply] Yeah.
Okay, now-- now take your finger, and bring your finger down.
- [pants] - Here?
Lower.
Just put a little bit of pressure.
Don't go in. Just a little bit over it.
- [Jonathan] Uh-huh. - [sighs] Yeah.
And now keep moving your tongue.
[panting, moaning]
Stop, stop. [panting]
[Brigstocke] I regret that I often considered Jonathan spoiled and misguided.
And it shames me to recognize I never believed in his courage.
But I can't recall any other time
when Jonathan didn't put himself first before anyone else.
Not once.
So, why then?
Why did he try to save that child?
Was it just reckless impulsiveness?
[speaking Italian]
Um, it happened over there. Next to the lifeguard chair.
Where was the lifeguard?
[speaks Italian]
[speaking Italian]
Uh, he was taking care of a-a child that had, um, cut his foot.
How can you be so sure it was an accident?
The, um-- The event was corroborated by-by many witnesses.
Jonathan was such a good swimmer.
- I'm so sorry, Mrs. Brigstocke. - Was anybody else involved?
[speaks Italian]
[speaking Italian]
Only the men that pulled him out and the lifeguard who tried to save him.
[speaking Italian]
And the English lady, the mother of the child.
What's her name?
[speaks Italian]
Um...
Catherine Ra-Ravenscroft.
Catherine Ravenscroft.
I want to talk to her.
[speaking Italian]
Um, I'm sorry but she returned this morning to London.
[stammers] She declared never having met Jonathan.
She left?
Just like that?
I want to get in touch with her.
[stammers] Don't you think it's up to her?
- [stammers] - I want her contact details.
I'll be sure to get you her contact details, Mrs. Brigstocke.
[Brigstocke] Nancy.
Nancy!
[Nancy crying]
- [breathing heavily] - [Catherine] Can you feel it?
Yeah.
[Catherine] Hmm. [chuckles] You taste like salt water.
[Jonathan] I-I-- I bathed in the sea.
- [Catherine] Hmm. - [Jonathan moans]
- [Catherine shushes] - [Jonathan moans]
[Catherine] I'm just doing what you did to me with my finger.
Just here.
[Catherine moans]
I don't want you to finish yet.
Come.
- Wait, wait, wait, wait. - [exclaims] Fuck.
[moaning]
- Now take my arse. - Okay.
Do the same thing with your finger.
- [gasps] Yeah. - [Jonathan breathes shakily]
- Just a little bit of pressure-- Don't-- - I'm going-- I'm going.
- No, wait, wait. - I'm gonna--
- Wait, wait, wait. Slow, slow, slow. - [panting]
- Slow down. Slow. - [moans, pants]
[moaning, panting]
[Jonathan] Oh, fuck.
Oh, shit. I'm sorry.
- Don't get out. Don't get out. - I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. You-- You're-- You're wild.
[pants] You're like a sex Yoda.
Nothing further than that.
Seriously, though. Th-Those things with the--
[panting]
To tell you the truth, I--
You know, those are things I just wanted to try.
What do you mean?
You know, just things that I wanted to do or wanted to have done to me.
Y-You mean you never did?
It's different when you're married.
[chuckles]
[stammers] But before?
Not much.
I mean, just teen sex, you know.
- [chuckling] What? - [chuckles] Sorry.
I didn't--
You're right, though.
This was different.
Yeah, it was.
[breathes heavily]
Oh, my God.
So quick.
Uh-huh.
[moaning]
[Nicholas] Mummy!
[shushes]
- Is he aw-- - I'm here, angel.
Just go back to sleep.
- Is he-- - [shushes]
[Nicholas] Okay.
[moaning]
[Brigstocke] I remembered a poem that I used to teach.
A poem that Mark Twain placed upon his daughter's headstone.
"Warm summer sun, Shine kindly here,
Warm southern wind, Blow softly here.
Green sod above,
Lie light,
- lie light." - [thunder rumbling]
"Good night, dear heart,
Good night,
good night."