This is the story of a man with every reason to be happy
and the lucidity to realize it.
About to turn 40,
Antoine Godin has never felt better about himself.
In perfect health.
Lemonade!
No financial worries.
Damn squirrels!
Parents still alive.
Father of two magnificent girls.
Madly in love.
Antoine radiates happiness from every pore.
The Meaning of Dreams
Our Past Lives
Come on, let's go.
Shh, be quiet!
To heaven?
No!
To heaven'?
Come on!
The big fish.
And the knees.
5, 6, 7,
8,9,10...
Times 4?
40!
And here's a boy who doesn't have every reason to be happy,
or the lucidity to realize it.
Now turn to the left.
Fortunately,
he has Jacqueline.
Goodbye, tiger. Mom has to work.
Bye, Mom. I love you.
I love you.
What?
Not on your life.
We're not missionaries!
Why are we whispering? He can't understand. He's a baby, and to boot, a...
Say it.
There are people trained to look after those kids.
Those kids have parents too.
His son is born handicapped.
Instead of helping him, he wants to send him away.
You disgust me.
I didn't think you were that kind of a man.
I'm his mother, I'm keeping him.
If you don't like it, you know what to do.
Average life expectancy: 25...
Go to hell!
That day,
at that precise moment,
Jacqueline gave her life meaning.
Her baby, Laurent, would live to a ripe old age.
Daddy, look!
She bought a hamster!
He's smelly but smart.
I like to cut the sound.
It gives more punch to what's coming.
Know what I noticed sorting out my old photos
when I moved out?
Every other photo, I swear,
there's the Royal Guard.
The gin dude.
I saw him last week in London.
He asked after my dad.
That song puts you in a good space.
You understand fuck all, but it soothes the soul.
And on every other photo...
she's there.
Listen only with headphones
Not many girls get off on music like guys do,
know the titles of songs, the names of bands,
and trip on the jackets, old rock, jazz, you name it!
That day, at that precise moment
Antoine and Carole wished to love each other forever.
I love him!
To heaven...
I'll go to her one day...
Stay here.
To heaven...
Breastfed four years...
To supercharge his immune system.
Three years of vitamin supplements: A...
B, C, D, E...
To stimulate the motor organs.
I told you.
Take your scalpels.
You'll make him crazy with all those classes.
Haven't you noticed? He learns by imitation, idiot!
So now we'll try the sound "sh".
Push out your lips.
Teeth almost touching,
tongue against your palate...
The shadow of Sean's sheep...
Sean has a sheep?
Sean's his friend.
Not that sheep, my love.
I mean, not that Sean. Another Sean. Sorry.
Her little angel, Jacqueline believed,
would disprove life expectancy stats for Down syndrome.
Enough, scram!
Monique, replace Jacqueline.
Mommy!
It's Mom's darling little tiger!
How often do I have to tell you to go easy on your clothes?
Hi, Sean. I'm Laurent's mom.
Yes, madame.
See how nice I am? What a nice smile I have?
If you hurt my son again,
I won't be smiling, and I won't be nice.
Bye, Sean. Have a nice day.
Come on.
You're not serious?
Well?
Have I told you how much I love you?
I don't want to box, Mom.
You have to learn to defend yourself.
Besides, I know you'll be great.
You're good at everything.
Everything you touch turns to gold.
Don't worry, you'll never have to fight.
Mom will teach you to use words, not fists.
Dickwad!
Quit busting my balls!
I'll rip out your eyes, scumbag!
I'll rip out your eyes...
scumbag!
And kick your teeth out your ass!
I'm proud of you, tiger.
Don't smile. Let's go home.
Don't smile. You did great.
To heaven...
What are you doing? It's pouring!
To heaven!
Put it back, you thief. I'll teach you!
I want one.
No, go sit down.
What did he say?
Tobby walks through the field
and follows the goat.
Valerie walks through the field
and follows...
and follows Daddy.
Who is it?
Your dad.
Let Mom sleep.
Mom, Café.
Café, Mom!
Don't bug me this morning. You do it.
Mom showed you how to.
No, come!
Come, Mommy, my teddy bear of love.
You must be a dream.
Or a real heartbreaker.
Either way, women can't resist you.
You win.
You're not going to get away with that!
What did I tell you?
Never wake up the monster
who leaves its lair to eat little children!
You'll be sorry!
- Café? - Yes.
Here it is. Come on. As if you didn't know.
Turn it on. Push the arm.
It's the first song.
33 RPM? Yes. Volume? Yes.
Café? Here you are, sir.
Morning, noon, and night,
seven days a week,
365 days a year,
Jacqueline clings to her dream.
This hymn had become its symbol.
The symbol of a mythical love, she thought.
Greater than mankind,
stronger than life.
Mom?
Oops!
Sorry!
Have a good week, baby.
Have a good week, Dad.
Bye, beautiful.
Bye, Carole!
Still sleepwalking?
Bye, have a good week!
You too.
Hey, handsome!
How are you?
You're looking good.
I {FY-
It's working.
Still the jet setter?
Can't complain.
Playing in Montreal soon?
Yeah, I have a gig at the Piknic in two weeks.
If you feel like it. The two of you.
See you soon.
Asshole!
Bitch!
He's lost weight, no?
Is he having a relapse? Did his bimbo dump him?
Only a matter of time.
You're starting in early.
Just watch, won't be long.
And when he's alone, rock bottom,
I hope you'll wise up
and do what any clear-thinking woman
would've done long ago in your shoes:
Sue his ass.
The bastard.
I don't think it's normal.
Two years later,
I feel like bawling
whenever I hear songs she liked.
Our oldest girl, little brat,
she does it on purpose,
rubbing salt in the wound,
playing songs that remind me of her mom.
At first kids always dream of seeing their parents reunited.
Not just at first.
On the other hand, are there songs in your life
that make you want to crank it up?
To live?
To make love?
Please, send me the titles!
- Can I hold her? - Sure you can.
Two years earlier
Who is that?
You mean the song or the girl?
If only it'd been a masterpiece.
No,
a pleasant little tune,
almost banal,
but that makes you want to stop,
look around,
seize the moment.
That makes you see life the way it should always be.
Beautiful.
You know?
Complete strangers
all smiled at me
like they understood my joy
at seeing life the way I see it,
thanks to music.
They smiled because you smiled.
Prick my bubble.
I wasn't smiling.
I mean, I was smiling, thinking about what I was feeling,
experiencing,
what music brings to my life.
Dad?
Nadine invited me over. Can I go?
Did you ask Mom?
She said to ask you.
Go for it, kiddo!
Did you try to see her?
No.
Separating wasn't an option for us.
What's that?
I'm changing songs.
We've endured it for months.
Electro, chill out, lounge...
How many versions do you have?
Can't a guy like a song?
Yes, but not bug people with it.
Still, I prefer it to...
Three nutcases!
Lock 'em in the loony bin.
It's funny.
Happy as I feel today,
I still feel like I've fucked things up.
Fucked up my life.
My family's lives.
Like I don't deserve to live.
Don't worry.
I could never do that.
I'd never do that to my girls.
But, since I often take the plane
it's not me who'll decide if at some point...
You were here.
Time for your bath.
It's ironic.
It's my ex who pushed me into her arms.
When she was afraid I'd relapse,
she called my mother
to subtly let her know I wasn't well.
Next day my mom called,
pretending my dad wasn't well.
G'night.
The day after...
I asked him to come to a meeting with me.
Am I disturbing you?
What you up to?
Mom knew he'd never say no.
And my ex knew I'd never say no to my mom.
Pretty sly, those two!
So we went to a meeting because we thought the other needed it.
I hate A.A. meetings.
I can't stand the sanctimony,
the endless hugging.
What?
Go!
What's your name?
Véro. What's yours?
Laurent.
Mr and Mrs de Chesnay.
Hello.
Cute.
Bye, Mom.
I love you.
See you later.
Bye, girls.
Bye, Dad.
He smells good.
Your dad and I are written in the stars.
Don't worry.
Our Father in heaven...
Do you believe in soul mates?
I'm not sure.
I like it.
I like the idea.
That someone, somewhere is made for you, forever.
That's how I felt at first with my ex.
Maybe not as strong as this time but still...
Looking back, I feel like a loser.
Actually...
the idea loses its strength,
its meaning.
If it's a soul mate...
it's not supposed to end, right?
It's not supposed to happen twice.
Romantic.
I guess.
What made you leave one soul mate for the other?
You sound just like my dad.
Travel's good for kids, and for couples too.
Your grandmother and I...
The stories behind these photos...
You can't imagine!
We don't want to imagine.
Be polite, little brat!
One year earlier
Angéline?
Sorry.
- What is it? - Be right back.
Will you say your blessing?
Well, we'll ask the Good Lord to bless us.
To bless the new year that's beginning.
Or what's left of it.
Because in my day, the blessing was on January 1st,
not a month later.
May it brings us
health,
happiness,
and love.
In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Happy New Year!
Short and sweet, this year! Thanks, Gramps.
You cruising for a bruising?
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year my love!
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, big ears!
Same to you, smelly poo!
- Do you do this every year? - Yup.
Though not a soul here goes to Mass or believes in God.
I think it's nice.
You think everything's nice.
Only because
I'm happy-
Happier than I've ever been.
I wonder why.
People are staring.
Let them envy us our happiness, for once.
Whether they like it or not.
Know what I like about you?
The sense of peace.
The peace of mind, knowing that I've found it.
That I can stop looking.
I've finally found someone who feels love like I feel it,
who wants to believe in it the way I do.
It's reassuring, isn't it?
That we're both
such romantics,
pathetically so. Completely so.
Listening to you is giving me an erection.
You know what?
Something tells me that
even with no erection - because,
it'll hit us too, in a couple of years, our desire
won't come as often or as strong...
I hope so, 'cause you're wearing me out.
I can't keep up this rhythm long.
Even with zero desire...
With or without libido...
with your coffee breath, your habit of breaking things,
your hair clogging the tub drain...
I choose you. You're my last and only.
I don't want anyone else.
Marry me.
I want to take that vow with you. To love you all my life.
I wasn't planning to drop that on you here.
We don't have to tell anyone.
A small, intimate wedding just us two.
No church, no priest.
Or a big wedding with a huge mob, if you want.
Nowadays it doesn't mean much.
- But for me it does. - Stop it.
Shut up, ok?
Is that a yes?
Yes.
Why didn't I meet you sooner?
Sure you won't come for a nightcap?
Don't you miss it?
I miss it.
I'll leave them both to you.
I love you, you crazy nut!
Me too!
Bye, Mom!
Are you going for errands or not?
Love you!
Go slurp somewhere else.
If that's her way of getting mad at you,
she could be more rock'n'roll.
She seems nice, don't you think?
Who?
Rose.
She'd make a good friend.
Don't play it cool. Just keep hating her.
Get over it.
First time I've called her by her name.
It suits her.
Afresh spring blossom.
Bitch! That's her real name.
Turn it down, now.
I'm past all resentment.
It's time to move on.
You call this moving on?
I just want to know more about my dreams.
- Don't tell me you dream about her? - No.
I often dream about
a little monster.
I don't know, a little boy.
And?
I can't make him out very well. It's dark.
He doesn't want to be seen, or he's hiding.
But where is he? Who is he?
I don't know.