Gerry (2011) Movie Script
Five minutes, Gerry.
Look, it's your brother!
See how handsome he is?
I think he has a calling.
Come on, Grald!
He's just a drum major,
not a bishop or a cardinal!
Go!
Faster!
Go ahead. I'll keep watch.
OK, good idea.
- We've been here for 20 minutes!
- Sorry, I didn't know...
Not so loud!
I spoke to Brother Henri.
The way things are now,
you'll never get into the seminary.
I'm so disappointed in you, Grald.
You had a chance to...
Mr. Boulet, Mrs. Boulet. Grald?
Calm down.
What's happening, Mr. Boulet?
When you started here
your average was 83%.
Now, you're barely passing.
Have you lost faith?
No.
I beg your pardon?
No, Brother.
Very well.
Then how do you explain
these abysmal grades in religion?
I just don't have a calling, Brother.
At least, not for that.
If that doesn't interest you...
What does?
Music, Brother.
You do know that,
without this school,
you would never have been able
to develop your musical talents.
I know, Brother.
And now...
you're turning your back
on the very Creator
who so kindly gave you the gift of music.
Do you think the dropout son
of a factory worker
can do whatever he likes in life?
Do you want to end up
at the plant, too?
Like your brother?
Like your father?
And like your father's father?
What's happening, Mr. Boulet...?
Shit! Wait till you hear me
play this on the Vox!
- You've never played the organ!
- What do you mean?
Can't be too hard to learn.
Nothing's ever too hard
for my brother.
Stop right here, big brother!
- Why?
- Stop, I said. Goddammit!
- Out!
- What's gotten into you?
Come help me.
We didn't go all the way to New York
to buy this organ
just to pay border taxes on it!
What are you doing?
Help me hoist it up
onto my shoulders.
For Christ's sake,
you'll throw your back out!
OK, perfect.
- You're not really doing this?
- Don't worry.
Go wait for me in the parking lot.
Don't get caught.
The bastard's doing it.
Jesus.
From here on in,
it will be smooth sailing for us!
We're gonna get the English!
Let's go.
Save some of that for tonight, Gerry!
Don't you worry about me, Willie.
Hey, his name's Grald.
Grald's an accountant's name.
Well, don't get on
the accountant's bad side.
He's the one who pays you.
Here, Grald.
Oh, wow.
Did you see these, big brother?
Drum-major gloves.
No, I'm not playing with gloves.
Thank your mother. She found them.
I will for sure, Pops. Thanks.
There's no way I'm playing with gloves.
- I think I'll get going.
- OK.
- Bye, guys.
- Later.
Bye, Mr. Boulet.
I'm not playing the guitar
with gloves on.
Come on, Johnny!
Wouldn't matter if they were mittens,
you'd be great.
You just have to cut the fingertips off.
I only wear white gloves
when I play golf.
Well, I'll be.
Did you hear that, big brother?
- Willie plays golf.
- With your dad, I suppose?
Willie Lamothe doesn't always sing
on horseback.
Sometimes he sings on a golf cart!
Yeah, yeah.
Thank you. Good night!
Haven't we met somewhere before?
We might have.
What's your name?
Denise.
This is my cousin Manon.
- Hi.
- Hi.
I'm Grald.
I know.
Is this the first time
you've come to see us?
No, I've been to a few other shows.
Personally, I'm into the Classels.
- You got something against them?
- No, nothing.
They're a bit cheesy,
with their white hair
and matching suits.
Don't you think...
they look a little stiff
in their getups?
Like four guys who never
have time to change.
I swear they even bathe in those suits.
Maybe all they need is some white gloves
to make them look even cheesier.
Oh yeah?
Is that what you think?
I'm going for a walk.
Don't leave without me.
You really think
you're better than the Classels?
Sure. Especially when we start singing
our own songs.
- Oh yeah? Your own songs?
- Yeah.
- In English, too.
- In English?
So we can play in the States.
Do you know who Ray Charles is?
The one who sings
"Georgia on My Mind"?
Yeah, rings a bell.
Well, he's an American singer
who's now a millionaire.
Of course he's popular there.
He's an American.
I think we could be a hit
in the States, too,
and make our millions.
You gonna ask me to dance?
There's nothing else I'd rather do.
Listen to this!
This one's for Johnny:
"The Methodicals"!
That's a good riff, Johnny.
- Try another one.
- OK.
Oh yeah!
How about "Who Goes There?"
- it's really smoky in here.
- Can you get me another one?
- I'll have one, too.
- Me too, Denise.
Grald, can you go?
My hands are full, babe.
- Mine, too!
- I'll go.
Thanks, big brother.
OK, let's try out some famous names.
Well, holy shit!
Check this out, Willie! Read this.
Johnny. Johnny.
Jacques "Offen-bash"?
Who's that? Some big fat loser?
"Offen-bash"?
It's Offenbach, Willie.
Don't you know anything outside
of country and western? Read it.
"German-born French composer
of operettas."
Operettas, for fuck's sake!
"Offenbach" sounds good, huh?
Right, big brother?
In both languages, too.
Yeah. "Offenbach" in French.
"Offenbach" in English.
Watch out!
Push!
- Careful, it's caught.
- It's all right.
OK, just one more step.
I'm gonna get the beer.
Forget about the beer.
Move your case out of the way.
Bring me an extension cord.
Did you send the payment
to my father?
- You plugged in?
- Two secs.
Fuck, what you doing?
Take that beer off of there!
Take it.
Hey, a deal is a deal.
If you don't send Dad $20 a month,
that B-3 will be out of here.
Listen to this.
Hey, man!
Isn't that fantastic?
This place is hopping.
Willie, $5 for gas.
$5... beer for the crew.
The beer wasn't included?
Willie, don't even try.
Johnny, you owe me a small fortune.
- You drank all week long!
- I paid for lunch yesterday.
Lunch yesterday was to make up
for the night before.
- How much did you drink tonight?
- Six beers.
- Eight!
- Eight.
- I drank six beers.
- Eight!
Johnny...
Seven?
- Lou! How are ya?
- Good show.
- Thanks.
- This is Pierre Harel.
- Yeah, we've met.
- Hey, man.
Still need a band for your movies?
After what I heard tonight,
I'm done looking.
Do you pay more than this gig?
We'll finish this up later.
Lou, we gotta talk.
Right, about the bar...
Hello. The name's Harel.
Denis.
You keep a solid beat.
You'd give the Stones' drummer
a run for his money.
I'm not sure many people
would agree with you on that.
I hope you realize that nobody else
in Quebec sounds like you guys.
If we were in the States,
we'd be a lot bigger.
I think you could go far,
with some decent lyrics.
What do you mean by that?
I'm a writer. Poetry, songs...
Whoa...
This guy's serious.
I'm paying. They're on me.
So...
if I understand correctly, Harel,
if we do the music for your flick,
we have to sing your songs.
That's not how I see it.
Well then...
if we don't play your tunes...
can we still do the music?
Let him have his say, Gerry.
Can we do the music for your flick?
You don't get it...
You guys are almost as good
as the Stones.
Almost.
Sorry, guys.
My mistake.
You are the Rolling Stones of Quebec.
Now you're talking!
To Offenbach!
Pop Opera!
Party's at Lou's place!
Yeah!
Watch out!
Willie can't hold his liquor!
Johnny! You wanna drive?
Yeah, give me those.
Forget it. You're too wasted.
Johnny's too smashed!
Johnny's too smashed!
Enough!
Quiet down!
You're gonna wake up
the whole neighbourhood!
We're gonna wake up the dead,
big brother!
With poetry!
Yes, sir!
Poetry!
You coming home for supper?
I can't. I've got rehearsals.
I gotta stay in town tonight.
I never see you anymore, Grald.
You're never here.
You're always downtown at your commune.
It's not a commune, Denise.
It's a rehearsal studio.
Music's gotta be played.
Can't your music wait for just a while?
Christ, you know I love you, Denise.
Stop it, dammit.
My brother's on his way here.
Fucking hell.
Jesus...
Quit it.
He'll be up here any minute!
Try to make it back
before the week's out.
Hey, big brother! Looking good!
- She's one hell of a car.
- Couldn't resist, huh?
Four-cylinder 400.
Check out the curves on her.
She looks nice.
But how does she ride?
Get in. Have a listen to this.
Hear that? That's your music, man!
What are you singing?
That a new song?
We're jamming, Harel!
Is that a new song in French?
No! I'm just singing whatever!
I'm improvising!
Knock it off, guys.
Try singing that instead.
Harel, you're a stubborn fucking mule,
you know that?
I told you. English is the language
of rock music, not French.
Are you ashamed
of your own goddamn language?
I'm not ashamed of anything,
is that clear?
Charlebois sings in French
and he's huge.
Charlebois is Charlebois,
and I'm me. Right?
Right on.
Last night, last night
That's why, that's why
Take it easy.
It sounds the same.
You wanna sing it?
Let's use the same pattern, boys.
The Blueberry Hill chords.
Sing in French! Asshole!
What's wrong with you,
you bunch of morons?
You want us to sing in French?
Well, we don't sing in French.
French is what they speak in France.
This is Quebec!
And we speak Qubcois!
And we sing in Qubcois!
Thanks, guys.
The third take was the best.
Should we use that one?
We fucking nailed it!
You like what you just heard?
I like it a lot.
You're gonna take off.
You're amazing.
Go on without me, guys.
I'm heading home.
Come have one beer with us, big brother.
We gotta celebrate.
My girlfriend's waiting for me.
Let her wait!
- Want a puff?
- No.
I'll have a beer
and drink to your health.
You'll have a dozen.
- Good night, big brother.
- Good night.
Hey, babe.
I gotta push myself
There's nothing I can do
I'm scared as hell
I feel split into two
Yeah, that sounds good.
You have a fucking way with words.
I like it.
I don't know whether
I'm too small
Maybe love is dead
Her nails were red as fire
Her eyes sparkled like fool's gold
it would've been a shame
if she played a game
Just to...
get me.
Get me...
On my knees
Grald, are you almost done?
I gotta push myself
There's nothing I can do
I'm scared as hell
I feel split into two
I don't know whether
I'm too small
Maybe love is dead
it's like you wrote it for me!
I gotta push myself
There's nothing I can do
I'm scared as hell
I feel split into two
I don't know if
I'm too small
She's waiting.
Maybe love is dead
it's great, Harel.
I'll finish it off tonight!
Good.
I gotta push myself
There's nothing I can do
I'm scared as hell
Grald, we have to talk.
Your mother called yesterday.
She was wondering how things were,
if we're making out all right.
She wanted to know
if we needed anything.
We're not hard up.
No, we're not hard up...
as far as the necessities go.
What did my mother want?
She said they were looking
for part-time help at Bruck Mills.
No way in hell.
Denise...
We found a new producer, all right?
Yeah, and he knows what he's doing.
He's gonna get us out of the bars,
and book us in some real venues.
Only two nights a week?
It would help us pay for the baby's things.
Just the nights the band's not playing.
They said Friday. it's Tuesday!
Pack of liars!
Goddamn motherfucking son of a bitch!
They could've given me one more month!
Four fucking months.
What's one more, give or take.
Calm down, kid.
Tell them to go to hell!
Calm down, kid.
What's going on, big brother?
Repossessors.
I'm four months behind.
Get in. Forget about it.
Get me the fuck out of here.
Cheer up, big brother.
You can always buy another car.
It's not just the car.
I'm...
I'm done with music, Grald.
I knew it!
I'm fed up with being flat broke
all the time.
My heart's not in it anymore.
Yeah...
Yet another sorry excuse?
You can't leave. We've always
done everything together.
I'm not a real musician anyway.
It's better this way.
You wanna end up like Dad?
Is that it?
Punch in every single morning
and do what they tell you to
like a goddamn robot!
Ask for permission to piss
and then get laid off
at the end of it, fuck?
There's nothing wrong
with an honest day's work.
Jesus Christ, what's the matter
with this fucking wreck now?
What do we do?
Let the piece of shit burn.
I don't remember the name.
All I know is that
it was the same guitar Elvis had.
A Harmony, Pierre.
Exactly, a Harmony.
I practised playing like him
in front of the mirror.
I was more into gospel music
and Negro spirituals...
Church music!
Blotter, gentlemen?
Can't turn that down!
It's a gift from me to you.
Hey, don't take advantage of me.
When I used to go
into the cathedral near our house
and see the organ,
I'd leave like...
in a trance.
I always knew there was something
mystical about you, Gerry.
When I was a choirboy,
I'd go watch the organist play.
Those were the first shows
I went to.
And when I saw...
the light pouring in from either side
of the church through...
The stained glass!
Yeah, the stained glass!
Just like it is here!
And the acoustics, Gerry!
- The acoustics!
- The acoustics!
I can't get over the sound it produced.
Even today,
churches are the best place
to play music.
You sparkle like the northern lights.
The acoustics! Gerry!
What?
The Oratory!
Where?
I know.
The Oratory...
We'll hold a mass!
A mass for the dead!
Johnny told me
you're looking for a drummer
for the show at the Oratory.
Can I bum a cigarette?
We're not doing the show in Latin,
are we?
Brothers...
for if you live according to the flesh,
you will die.
But if by the Spirit,
you put to death
the deeds of the body,
you will live.
For as many are led
by the Spirit of God,
these are sons of God.
Grald!
Hello.
Hi.
We're leaving.
Oh yeah?
But before we go,
I just wanted to say...
You can talk louder, Mom!
OK.
It was such a beautiful mass.
Oh yeah?
The lighting, the music...
I thought it was a beautiful mass, too, Mom.
I've never been prouder.
Your father, either.
Bye, Pops.
Check this out.
Welcome to the band, Wezo!
Don't move. I'm taking a picture.
Jesus fucking Christ, guys!
Dammit!
This is brand-new!
I bought it to wear to the Oratory!
Fuck! it's gonna reek like beer now!
Shit!
Come see the picture!
- Bingo night, goddammit!
- What do you mean?
They say our mass
was like a giant fucking bingo night!
What the hell?
"Offenbach at the Oratory:
"A bingo night
that could've been so much more."
Three thousand people at a mass.
The bastards didn't write
a single good thing.
What are they bashing us for?
Problems with the sound,
the amps that blew,
the lighting...
This is great.
Yesterday, we were prophets.
Today, we're pariahs.
Stupid fucking showbiz.
Mom, it's Grald.
Yeah, I'm fine.
I just wanted to tell you,
don't buy any newspapers this morning.
Just don't buy the papers, OK?
We'll talk later.
OK? Bye. Yeah, bye.
Falardeau, right?
Faraldo. Claude Faraldo.
Right, well, I listened
to Saint-Chrone de Nant,
the album you made at the cathedral.
It was brilliant.
You absolutely have to come
to France with me.
All we have are these lousy
American wannabes.
It's ridiculous.
I can assure you
they've never experienced anything
like your style of hard-core rock.
So that's it.
What I'm really interested in
is making a movie about you.
What fascinates me about your music
is what I call the spontaneous creation,
stripped down, straight from the gut.
I can't afford any plane ticket.
No worries about the cost.
I'll take care of all of that.
The dope, the beer, every last detail.
The dope?
Yeah, but there is one catch.
I have to be able to shoot you
at all times.
Day, night, whenever.
You wanna see our dicks, too?
And watch us while we get laid?
You're getting the wrong impression...
Listen up, Frenchie.
I make movies, too. I know how it is
with a camera always rolling.
It gets everything.
It's in your face and up your ass.
With a guy like him,
we're gonna look like a bunch of idiots.
You must be Harel, right?
If that's what it takes
to make a good movie about us,
I don't see why
we wouldn't give it a try.
Ever since I saw Brigitte Bardot
naked on screen,
I've dreamt of banging a French girl.
You'll see. I'll introduce you
to lots of French girls.
It's not like there's anything exciting
going on for us here.
I want nothing to do with his movie.
The way I see it, Claude,
I've got all the time in the world.
I'm with you, Gerry.
I don't have time to go to France.
I have a movie to finish.
Does he mean that?
You're the man of the house now.
Look after your mother.
I won't see you for a little while.
Behave yourself, OK?
Give me an Eskimo kiss.
All right!
- I'll miss you.
- Yeah.
Maybe we could come spend
some time with you over there?
When school's over?
Yeah, sure.
That's an idea.
We'll see.
I've never been to France.
Haven't you? No, I guess not.
Bye, Dad.
We won't run out of beer.
There is a God!
You've already started shooting?
Are you camera-shy?
Here's a close-up on Wezo.
Hey, follow Willie.
A little closer!
The first beer always tastes
so fucking good!
You're Gerry, right?
Yeah. And you're Franoise?
Pleased to meet you.
You smell real nice.
Gerry? Want a beer?
This is my sister Franoise.
We've introduced ourselves.
You're watching me.
You're listening to me.
And I don't give a shit.
Did you take my beer?
From Montreal to France
We've got to play the blues
Light it!
Franoise is in the car!
Franoise, they burned
our honeymoon car!
Franoise...
Why do you keep avoiding me?
Did I do something wrong?
Do I make you feel uncomfortable?
- Don't start, Gerry.
- Why not?
Because with me, it's all or nothing.
So long as love
Floods my mornings
So long as my body
Trembles at your touch
No problem
Can defeat me
My love
Because
You love me
I would go to the end of the world
I would dye my hair blond
if you asked it of me
I would flee my homeland
I would deny my friends
Have you lost your marbles?
What's so funny?
It's just when you sing, I...
Spit it out. I don't get it.
About dyeing your hair blond.
That's usually something
you'd hear a woman say.
A guy dying his hair blond,
especially a guy like you.
That's pretty far out!
He thinks he's a riot.
Listen up, pal.
Just because I'm some hick
from Quebec,
it doesn't mean
I can't appreciate good lyrics.
These ones were written
by dith Piaf.
And I think...
it's important to respect
every last word,
every last fucking comma.
Got it?
I love it when you sing Piaf.
Don't change a thing.
I would go to the end of the world
I would dye my hair blond
if you asked it of me
They can go ahead and laugh at me
I would do anything
if you asked it of me
Show's over!
Milady...
Genital-men...
Frenchies, do something French.
Why did you hold back so long?
I don't know.
Everybody's always watching us and I...
They are?
You think they're checking us out
all the time?
"Checking us out"?
Yeah.
Watch this then.
You'll see what I mean.
Yeah.
Looks good, huh?
This way,
they can watch us...
all they want.
They'll see we're together.
Because we're together now?
Just you and me.
Denise!
Hey, buckaroo!
How's my little Justin?
You've gotten so big!
Did you take a plane?
Did you like it?
Let's fly like an airplane
over to Wezo, OK?
Flying over to Wezo!
You're looking pretty spiffy
in your Indian shirt!
- This is Cristal.
- Carole!
- Hi!
- Hi.
- How are you?
- Fine.
You know everyone.
Cameraman.
Christophe.
Wezo, Laurence...
Denise.
And this is Claude's sister.
- Franoise.
- Hello.
Denise.
Come, sweetheart.
Come with Mom.
- Did you have a nice trip?
- We did. Justin was really good.
You're so tall, buckaroo!
You'll be as tall as me soon!
Quiet! Time for a sing-along!
An old-fashioned sing-along song
for the cameraman.
The ones who heard them said:
"You're all no-good shitheads."
The ones who answered said:
"You can eat shit till you're dead."
Guys, I just talked to Harel.
Harel.
He says the music scene
back home is hot.
Apparently everybody's
listening to Quebec music.
There's tons of new bands.
I don't know about you guys,
but I'd like to go back.
I fucking like it here.
We've been gone for almost two years.
It'd be fun to find out
what's going on at home.
Gerry?
Jesus, Boulet, are you listening?
If you wanna go back to Montreal,
Willie, you go right ahead.
I'd kind of like to go home, too.
Are you staying?
You'll be alone.
Are you quitting Offenbach?
- I'm not quitting.
- Yes, you are.
- I'm not quitting.
- Yes, you are.
I'm not.
You don't have the guts
to go at it alone.
You're shitting yourself
just thinking about it.
Go to hell, Gerry!
I'm fucking leaving.
Go right the fuck ahead, Willie.
Why do you guys always gotta be
at each other's throats?
Yeah, but we don't do politics.
Still, making a record in English
when people are prouder than ever
to speak French
and a separatist government
has just been voted in...
The timing's a bit odd, isn't it?
In English, in French,
in Chinese, in Japanese,
rock is rock.
Aren't you worried
you'll look like sellouts?
People are gonna think
what they wanna think.
Any truth to the rumours
about your breaking up?
- Why are you asking that?
- To find out.
Where'd you get that from?
It's going around.
It's just gossip. Idle gossip.
You bastard reporters
and your trick questions.
The album in English
was your fucking idea.
And what's it to you?
How come you didn't help me out?
You left me neck-deep in shit!
What if we're a hit in the US?
You gotta really be top-notch
to make it in the States.
Our shows are dead boring.
You never move on stage.
You look comatose.
You want a fucking piece of me, asshole?
- Cool it, twerp.
- You son of a bitch.
Cool it, twerp.
Take it easy, asshole, and sit down.
I'm sick to fucking death
of your fights.
I've got one thing to say to you, Willie.
I'm gonna go to the States.
And I'm gonna go without you.
Got it?
You can start working
on that right away.
I quit.
I'm out of Offenbach.
Anyway, everybody knows it's over.
If Willie goes...
I'm going with him.
Now what?
What the fuck do we do now?
We make music.
- Hi, Dad!
- Hey there!
- You got your clothes?
- Mom's bringing them.
Here, it's all there.
Bye, big guy.
Go wait in the car.
Can I talk to you?
I've got nothing to say.
Denise...
Jesus!
Press down on two keys.
Watch how I do it.
See? You do this
and it changes the sound.
We knocked, but you didn't hear us.
- What is it?
- Willie sent us.
- What's he want?
- His B-3.
Come on.
What are you gonna do now, Dad?
Don't you worry about your old man.
I don't know what to do.
I think you'd be better off
if you did your own thing.
Don't let this eat you up inside.
I can't do this to Johnny.
I can't do this to Johnny.
Lord Almighty.
They went and got some chick
to be their lead singer.
Pushy bastards!
A new group for Harel and Lamothe.
"Corneille."
I contacted a couple of guys.
We're gonna put a new band together.
CORBEAU:
A NEW ROCK GROUP IS BORN
Pretty snazzy, huh?
Happy you're here, Breen.
- Me, too.
- You know Johnny?
Yeah, I know he plays a mean guitar.
I was glad you called.
We've still got some great songs in us.
And we're team players!
Team players that are changing teams.
Guys, I'd like to introduce...
- How are you doing?
- What's up?
Pull up a chair.
Bring some glasses over.
Today is a fresh start!
I told you running off to France
for all that time
would be dangerous for the group.
I started a new band, Ren,
with two guys from Ontario.
We're not in each other's faces
like we used to be.
Get an album out.
You're old news now.
That's the problem.
Nobody wants to produce us.
I see.
That's why I'm here.
Gerry, you know we go way back.
But I've been out of the music biz
for four years. I make movies now.
You realize the financial risk?
Our songs are dynamite, Ren.
Trust me, you're gonna love them.
First, I want to hear you.
And if I do get involved,
I choose the songs.
You won't regret it, boss.
You got your goddamn string
back on, McGale?
Read this.
It's called
"My Blues Get Stuck at the Door."
Shut your traps for two minutes, guys.
All right...
Here I am at home alone
Too many problems
to face on my own
I need something wicked
I need something wild
To survive
Nice start.
Maybe I should call the drug hotline
Christ!
Wait. Read the next bit.
You never know
They might deliver mine
I know I should be looking for more
But my blues get stuck at the door
The fridge is making an awful racket
I don't think it, or I will hack it
Between me and my phone,
there's no good will
I want someone to call
it wants to be still
To hell with my soul
If the devil wants it near
It's more fun down there
Than it is up here
I'd like to sing this one, Gerry.
It's really good.
- You like it?
- Yeah, a lot.
I do, too.
I think it's our best album yet.
I got my test results back.
Did you?
Yes.
- And?
- I'm pregnant.
- No way!
- Yes, we're having a baby!
Fucking A!
A baby!
The song you're hearing right now, Pops...
it was written by a poet,
Gilbert Langevin.
He won a slew of prizes.
He's a friend of mine now.
And I wrote the music.
What do you think?
I can't say.
I don't know anything about it.
No, but, what I mean is,
do you like it?
People seem to enjoy it,
so it must be good.
What are they doing here?
Go away! Shove off!
OK, positions, everyone.
Drink up, asshole!
You can't put out an album cover
with a picture like that on the front.
You look like a lineup of guys
who just took turns screwing this girl
in a back alley.
Drop the deer-in-the-headlights
routine, Simard.
It's just a hot babe
hanging out with a few guys!
It's extremely sexist, Gerry.
Sexist!
For Christ's sake, Andr.
People think Offenbach
is a bunch of macho jerks.
- This won't fly.
- No.
You want to put this in their hands?
I think she's gorgeous.
We're not saying she's not!
We're not asking you to change
the way you sing, your hair...
But you can meet us halfway
so we can make you
a little more palatable to the masses.
You have to try,
because we have big plans for you.
Big, big plans for you.
What the hell are you getting at?
Well...
Alain and I were digging around,
and it seems the Forum is free in April.
- Yeah, so?
- I don't know.
How does it sound to you?
"Offenbach at the Forum."
Are you guys for real?
We want Offenbach
to be the first Quebec group
to play the Montreal Forum.
And it's perfect.
Only a month before the referendum.
The timing is excellent.
People are gonna eat it up.
Gerry Boulet and Johnny Gravel.
Gerry Boulet.
- Offenbach!
- Offenbach!
We're playing tonight.
He doesn't want to let us in.
It's all right. They're the band.
Thanks, buddy.
The next time we play the Forum,
it'll be with your big band.
Sound like a deal?
Breen, we were on fire out there!
I can't get over it!
What do you think, McGale?
Not bad for a band from Quebec!
Don't forget your friends in Ontario.
Hey, Big Bob, easy on the beer!
I was just saying to Johnny
it's the best show I've ever seen.
You were out of sight.
- You're as good as ever.
- You know it!
Get one.
They're going down smooth as water.
Grald, I'm so proud of you.
I'm happy you're here, big brother.
A toast!
Long live Offenbach!
The first to play the Forum
like the Americans.
We fucking did it!
Please wake up!
What's wrong?
- The baby, Gerry.
- Jesus Christ!
- What is it?
- Go look.
- Where?
- In the bathroom.
I don't know. I'm not sure.
Franoise...
We'll have another baby, OK?
Stop tormenting yourself.
Come on.
I want to walk for a while.
One last shot!
Nice save!
OK, I gotta go.
Come on.
I'll come by next week.
I can't Saturday.
I'm playing baseball.
Are you?
Well, take this inside.
Oh boy.
Smells good.
I made lasagna.
Lasagna, huh?
There's plenty for three,
if you wanna stick around.
It's funny, Denise...
but tonight...
it's like I never left.
You're a goddamn riot.
We might still be married,
but you took off
a long time ago, darling.
Yeah.
But that's not what I mean.
Tonight, the supper...
Justin...
and...
the fact that you and me...
we can talk...
without flying off the handle.
I mean...
Thanks.
Yeah...
Fancy ride!
You can't skimp on comfort
when it comes to your roadies.
This sucker must cost an arm and a leg.
What do you wanna do,
have them hitchhike?
Offenbach's about to do the biggest rock tour
Quebec has ever seen.
The guys are gonna have to drive
day and night to keep up.
You bugger...
You're trying to pull a fast one on me.
Savoie, you son of a bitch.
Pretty nice, huh?
Come here.
No!
You never quit!
You're unbelievable!
Stop it!
Gerry, I have to get to work!
Making a baby
is a more important job!
You're hopeless!
Don't answer.
This is ridiculous!
Come on, Franoise...
Hello?
Sure, here he is.
Stop it. it's Denise.
Hello.
Yeah.
Listen, we'll talk about it later,
all right?
I'll call you back. Bye.
Is everything all right?
Yeah, it's...
it's Justin.
He's carrying on again.
You can tell me about it tonight.
I'm horribly late.
- Have a nice day!
- Yeah, right.
Shit.
I have to tell you something.
What's going on?
Denise is pregnant.
That's all?
Who's the father?
Me.
Denise is pregnant with your baby.
What the hell were you thinking?
You had just had the miscarriage...
I was shit-faced.
I didn't know what I was doing.
It was an accident.
An accident, my ass!
Wait. Franoise!
Franoise, please!
I gave up everything for you.
My home, my family, my friends.
You swore to me it was over with her.
It's over.
I don't believe you anymore.
Breen, are you comfortable
in our tour bus?
You could've invited us over
to your super-duper camper before.
I think I'll become
a goddamn roadie, too.
This is some fancy shit.
Look here, Breen, Beck's!
Not today, OK?
You have any idea
how much this bus costs?
Go get some sleep, Gerry.
Me and my pals are the ones paying
for your five-star motor home.
You think we sit on our asses
all day long?
Well, your sorry asses have it
pretty fucking cushy in here.
We work 18 hours a day to make
your goddamn shows happen!
Well, without my goddamn shows,
you would be collecting
fucking unemployment!
You and your loser friends!
- That's what you think?
- Absolutely!
I'm getting off at the next town!
You'll see how happy you'll be,
alone in your stupid tour bus!
If I listened to my gut, Savoie,
I'd have gone it alone a long time ago.
I don't need you! I don't need anyone!
You couldn't let me sleep.
I lost it again.
Yup.
It happens to everyone.
I can't do this anymore, Johnny.
The business...
A tour that isn't making a dime...
I just wanna turn my back
on the whole fucking mess.
What else would you do?
You have to give your marriage
another chance.
Why?
She's pregnant.
You have to be with her.
Yeah, but what about us?
We'll see each other every
once in a while, on the side.
But I want to be with you,
not with Denise.
Just promise me...
if you meet someone else,
you'll tell me.
Why are you saying that?
I know there are other girls.
I'm not blind. I can live with that.
But if you fall in love
with anyone else,
tell me.
Otherwise, it's just too humiliating.
You're the one I love, OK?
Mom said that someday
Franoise will go back to France.
And you'll come and live with us again.
Justin...
I'm gonna stay put.
But we'll still go fishing together,
you and me.
How does that sound?
Good.
Sweet Marianne.
Isn't she beautiful?
I want you to take good care of her.
I gotta go.
Bye.
Thanks.
Yeah, well...
I've thought about it long and hard,
guys, and...
I'm done with this.
I'm out.
Out of what?
Offenbach, Breen.
Offenbach.
You're not quitting Offenbach.
You're breaking us up.
Clear and simple.
Why?
All I can say, McGale...
is when I listen to our stuff now,
I don't hear anything of mine in there.
It's not my fault
that I wrote nine of the songs
on our last record.
Somebody had to step up...
You can't be serious.
Jesus Christ, twerp.
What you're doing
doesn't make any sense.
Breaking up the band like this.
Offenbach's going strong.
We've played the Forum three times.
We just released our 12th album.
We've been together for 15 years.
Fifteen years, dammit...
Fifteen years.
And the two of us go back even longer.
Did you think about that, twerp?
OK, Johnny.
We'll do one last show.
OK, guys!
It's our last fucking show.
Seriously, man.
I think I'm gonna cry!
You guys rock!
Thank you, my friends!
Maybe if...
What are you doing, Daddy?
I'll put that here...
I'm building my own music studio.
What for?
For recording my songs...
And maybe other people's, too.
All sorts of things.
All sorts of things.
Gerry, phone!
Coming.
I'll be right back.
Won't be long, Julie.
What the hell is going on, Gerry?
- What?
- There's blood everywhere!
Not everywhere.
Just in the toilet.
Where's it from?
It'll be all right.
I just did too much coke yesterday.
It can't be the coke.
The coke was yesterday, the day before...
Stop worrying.
This happens all the time.
It's fine.
This has been going on for months.
I see how you clutch your stomach.
You have to see a doctor.
No. No doctors.
I'm fine, OK?
Stop it. Stop worrying.
- This isn't good, Gerry.
- It's fine.
- No.
- Yes.
Franoise, could you please...
My sunshine.
So, doctor...
Time for a holiday.
You need chemotherapy, Gerry.
What for?
When we removed your tumour,
we discovered that it had metastasized.
Metastasized...
Well then...
Metastasized.
Any questions?
Am I gonna lose my hair?
Not necessarily.
We'll find a way.
- Come on!
- What are you doing?
You need to work.
I'm fed up with seeing you lying there,
brooding all day long.
What do you mean "work"?
I just finished Francoeur's album.
I did the music for Jzabel
for Denise Boucher.
That's not the same.
I want you to do something of your own.
I want you to write for yourself.
You...
Don't think about anything else.
Leave that to me.
Go on, Gerry. Turn around!
Sure, no problem.
This is the change of chords
I really like.
So that's it, Breen.
What do you think?
It's a hell of an album.
I'll be ready to record it in two months,
if you're in.
I'll make sure I'm there.
What about Johnny?
That would sound too much
like the old band.
I've got Richard Leduc
doing the arrangements.
It sounds great, man.
You're gonna love it.
I'm really happy for you, Gerry.
It's even better than I thought.
It took a poet like you
to put the right words in my mouth.
This album's gonna be a smash, Gerry.
I've got a really good feeling about it.
Now...
I have a duet I wanna do.
Well...
Any female vocalist in Montreal
would give her eyeteeth
to sing with you.
You think so?
The one I want...
isn't easy to get.
You've worked hard enough, Marjo.
Now, come dance with me.
Jesus Christ, that's it!
- How are you today?
- Feeling good, Carmen.
Better than I've felt in ages.
We're on our way to see
the latest X-rays.
And you know what?
I'm not nervous at all.
I know anything can happen
with this disease,
but I've taken good care of myself.
I've been a good boy, as you know.
We're here.
So let's go on in.
We'll see what's what.
The lesion has grown.
In fact...
the metastatic tumours
never stopped growing.
Oh yeah? Is that it here?
Yes, it's very clear.
- Here?
- Yes.
I'm sorry, Gerry.
What are you going to do, Gerry?
What do you mean?
Don't play dumb.
I mean about what the doctor said.
The surgery, the catheter...
What do you want to do
about the goddamn tumours?
I've sold 100,000 records.
That's something.
I need to go see those people.
Don't you think your health
is more important?
So what then?
You want me to hang around here
and do nothing?
Sit around and mope?
I don't care what they say.
I can't feel
any of my fucking tumours.
At least, not when I'm on stage!
Break's over.
Breen's waiting.
You all right?
Yeah, fine.
Gerry, are you OK?
Hey, Branger...
I won't be around this time next year.
I'll be dead, goddammit!
You hear me? I'll be dead!
Gerry, it's OK.
Call it off, man.
Here's to the happy couple!
Congratulations!
Franoise...
I haven't always been there for you.
I just wanted to say...
You're the best thing
that ever happened to me.
There's nothing to apologize for.
I'm hungry, Mom.
Coming.
You want something to eat?
No, thanks.
You know I love you, sweetheart?
- Me, too.
- Yeah?
I love you.
Go see your mother.
Franoise...
Come here.
Come.
Come lie down with me.
I can't. I'll crush you.
Just do it nice and gentle.
It'll be fine.
Come.
Nice and gentle.
Yeah.
We'll get married, you and me.
But we're already married, Gerry.
No.
We'll get married up there.
There'll be lots of people.
It'll be a party.
I love you.
A big party...
Thanks
Translation: Shonda Secord
Look, it's your brother!
See how handsome he is?
I think he has a calling.
Come on, Grald!
He's just a drum major,
not a bishop or a cardinal!
Go!
Faster!
Go ahead. I'll keep watch.
OK, good idea.
- We've been here for 20 minutes!
- Sorry, I didn't know...
Not so loud!
I spoke to Brother Henri.
The way things are now,
you'll never get into the seminary.
I'm so disappointed in you, Grald.
You had a chance to...
Mr. Boulet, Mrs. Boulet. Grald?
Calm down.
What's happening, Mr. Boulet?
When you started here
your average was 83%.
Now, you're barely passing.
Have you lost faith?
No.
I beg your pardon?
No, Brother.
Very well.
Then how do you explain
these abysmal grades in religion?
I just don't have a calling, Brother.
At least, not for that.
If that doesn't interest you...
What does?
Music, Brother.
You do know that,
without this school,
you would never have been able
to develop your musical talents.
I know, Brother.
And now...
you're turning your back
on the very Creator
who so kindly gave you the gift of music.
Do you think the dropout son
of a factory worker
can do whatever he likes in life?
Do you want to end up
at the plant, too?
Like your brother?
Like your father?
And like your father's father?
What's happening, Mr. Boulet...?
Shit! Wait till you hear me
play this on the Vox!
- You've never played the organ!
- What do you mean?
Can't be too hard to learn.
Nothing's ever too hard
for my brother.
Stop right here, big brother!
- Why?
- Stop, I said. Goddammit!
- Out!
- What's gotten into you?
Come help me.
We didn't go all the way to New York
to buy this organ
just to pay border taxes on it!
What are you doing?
Help me hoist it up
onto my shoulders.
For Christ's sake,
you'll throw your back out!
OK, perfect.
- You're not really doing this?
- Don't worry.
Go wait for me in the parking lot.
Don't get caught.
The bastard's doing it.
Jesus.
From here on in,
it will be smooth sailing for us!
We're gonna get the English!
Let's go.
Save some of that for tonight, Gerry!
Don't you worry about me, Willie.
Hey, his name's Grald.
Grald's an accountant's name.
Well, don't get on
the accountant's bad side.
He's the one who pays you.
Here, Grald.
Oh, wow.
Did you see these, big brother?
Drum-major gloves.
No, I'm not playing with gloves.
Thank your mother. She found them.
I will for sure, Pops. Thanks.
There's no way I'm playing with gloves.
- I think I'll get going.
- OK.
- Bye, guys.
- Later.
Bye, Mr. Boulet.
I'm not playing the guitar
with gloves on.
Come on, Johnny!
Wouldn't matter if they were mittens,
you'd be great.
You just have to cut the fingertips off.
I only wear white gloves
when I play golf.
Well, I'll be.
Did you hear that, big brother?
- Willie plays golf.
- With your dad, I suppose?
Willie Lamothe doesn't always sing
on horseback.
Sometimes he sings on a golf cart!
Yeah, yeah.
Thank you. Good night!
Haven't we met somewhere before?
We might have.
What's your name?
Denise.
This is my cousin Manon.
- Hi.
- Hi.
I'm Grald.
I know.
Is this the first time
you've come to see us?
No, I've been to a few other shows.
Personally, I'm into the Classels.
- You got something against them?
- No, nothing.
They're a bit cheesy,
with their white hair
and matching suits.
Don't you think...
they look a little stiff
in their getups?
Like four guys who never
have time to change.
I swear they even bathe in those suits.
Maybe all they need is some white gloves
to make them look even cheesier.
Oh yeah?
Is that what you think?
I'm going for a walk.
Don't leave without me.
You really think
you're better than the Classels?
Sure. Especially when we start singing
our own songs.
- Oh yeah? Your own songs?
- Yeah.
- In English, too.
- In English?
So we can play in the States.
Do you know who Ray Charles is?
The one who sings
"Georgia on My Mind"?
Yeah, rings a bell.
Well, he's an American singer
who's now a millionaire.
Of course he's popular there.
He's an American.
I think we could be a hit
in the States, too,
and make our millions.
You gonna ask me to dance?
There's nothing else I'd rather do.
Listen to this!
This one's for Johnny:
"The Methodicals"!
That's a good riff, Johnny.
- Try another one.
- OK.
Oh yeah!
How about "Who Goes There?"
- it's really smoky in here.
- Can you get me another one?
- I'll have one, too.
- Me too, Denise.
Grald, can you go?
My hands are full, babe.
- Mine, too!
- I'll go.
Thanks, big brother.
OK, let's try out some famous names.
Well, holy shit!
Check this out, Willie! Read this.
Johnny. Johnny.
Jacques "Offen-bash"?
Who's that? Some big fat loser?
"Offen-bash"?
It's Offenbach, Willie.
Don't you know anything outside
of country and western? Read it.
"German-born French composer
of operettas."
Operettas, for fuck's sake!
"Offenbach" sounds good, huh?
Right, big brother?
In both languages, too.
Yeah. "Offenbach" in French.
"Offenbach" in English.
Watch out!
Push!
- Careful, it's caught.
- It's all right.
OK, just one more step.
I'm gonna get the beer.
Forget about the beer.
Move your case out of the way.
Bring me an extension cord.
Did you send the payment
to my father?
- You plugged in?
- Two secs.
Fuck, what you doing?
Take that beer off of there!
Take it.
Hey, a deal is a deal.
If you don't send Dad $20 a month,
that B-3 will be out of here.
Listen to this.
Hey, man!
Isn't that fantastic?
This place is hopping.
Willie, $5 for gas.
$5... beer for the crew.
The beer wasn't included?
Willie, don't even try.
Johnny, you owe me a small fortune.
- You drank all week long!
- I paid for lunch yesterday.
Lunch yesterday was to make up
for the night before.
- How much did you drink tonight?
- Six beers.
- Eight!
- Eight.
- I drank six beers.
- Eight!
Johnny...
Seven?
- Lou! How are ya?
- Good show.
- Thanks.
- This is Pierre Harel.
- Yeah, we've met.
- Hey, man.
Still need a band for your movies?
After what I heard tonight,
I'm done looking.
Do you pay more than this gig?
We'll finish this up later.
Lou, we gotta talk.
Right, about the bar...
Hello. The name's Harel.
Denis.
You keep a solid beat.
You'd give the Stones' drummer
a run for his money.
I'm not sure many people
would agree with you on that.
I hope you realize that nobody else
in Quebec sounds like you guys.
If we were in the States,
we'd be a lot bigger.
I think you could go far,
with some decent lyrics.
What do you mean by that?
I'm a writer. Poetry, songs...
Whoa...
This guy's serious.
I'm paying. They're on me.
So...
if I understand correctly, Harel,
if we do the music for your flick,
we have to sing your songs.
That's not how I see it.
Well then...
if we don't play your tunes...
can we still do the music?
Let him have his say, Gerry.
Can we do the music for your flick?
You don't get it...
You guys are almost as good
as the Stones.
Almost.
Sorry, guys.
My mistake.
You are the Rolling Stones of Quebec.
Now you're talking!
To Offenbach!
Pop Opera!
Party's at Lou's place!
Yeah!
Watch out!
Willie can't hold his liquor!
Johnny! You wanna drive?
Yeah, give me those.
Forget it. You're too wasted.
Johnny's too smashed!
Johnny's too smashed!
Enough!
Quiet down!
You're gonna wake up
the whole neighbourhood!
We're gonna wake up the dead,
big brother!
With poetry!
Yes, sir!
Poetry!
You coming home for supper?
I can't. I've got rehearsals.
I gotta stay in town tonight.
I never see you anymore, Grald.
You're never here.
You're always downtown at your commune.
It's not a commune, Denise.
It's a rehearsal studio.
Music's gotta be played.
Can't your music wait for just a while?
Christ, you know I love you, Denise.
Stop it, dammit.
My brother's on his way here.
Fucking hell.
Jesus...
Quit it.
He'll be up here any minute!
Try to make it back
before the week's out.
Hey, big brother! Looking good!
- She's one hell of a car.
- Couldn't resist, huh?
Four-cylinder 400.
Check out the curves on her.
She looks nice.
But how does she ride?
Get in. Have a listen to this.
Hear that? That's your music, man!
What are you singing?
That a new song?
We're jamming, Harel!
Is that a new song in French?
No! I'm just singing whatever!
I'm improvising!
Knock it off, guys.
Try singing that instead.
Harel, you're a stubborn fucking mule,
you know that?
I told you. English is the language
of rock music, not French.
Are you ashamed
of your own goddamn language?
I'm not ashamed of anything,
is that clear?
Charlebois sings in French
and he's huge.
Charlebois is Charlebois,
and I'm me. Right?
Right on.
Last night, last night
That's why, that's why
Take it easy.
It sounds the same.
You wanna sing it?
Let's use the same pattern, boys.
The Blueberry Hill chords.
Sing in French! Asshole!
What's wrong with you,
you bunch of morons?
You want us to sing in French?
Well, we don't sing in French.
French is what they speak in France.
This is Quebec!
And we speak Qubcois!
And we sing in Qubcois!
Thanks, guys.
The third take was the best.
Should we use that one?
We fucking nailed it!
You like what you just heard?
I like it a lot.
You're gonna take off.
You're amazing.
Go on without me, guys.
I'm heading home.
Come have one beer with us, big brother.
We gotta celebrate.
My girlfriend's waiting for me.
Let her wait!
- Want a puff?
- No.
I'll have a beer
and drink to your health.
You'll have a dozen.
- Good night, big brother.
- Good night.
Hey, babe.
I gotta push myself
There's nothing I can do
I'm scared as hell
I feel split into two
Yeah, that sounds good.
You have a fucking way with words.
I like it.
I don't know whether
I'm too small
Maybe love is dead
Her nails were red as fire
Her eyes sparkled like fool's gold
it would've been a shame
if she played a game
Just to...
get me.
Get me...
On my knees
Grald, are you almost done?
I gotta push myself
There's nothing I can do
I'm scared as hell
I feel split into two
I don't know whether
I'm too small
Maybe love is dead
it's like you wrote it for me!
I gotta push myself
There's nothing I can do
I'm scared as hell
I feel split into two
I don't know if
I'm too small
She's waiting.
Maybe love is dead
it's great, Harel.
I'll finish it off tonight!
Good.
I gotta push myself
There's nothing I can do
I'm scared as hell
Grald, we have to talk.
Your mother called yesterday.
She was wondering how things were,
if we're making out all right.
She wanted to know
if we needed anything.
We're not hard up.
No, we're not hard up...
as far as the necessities go.
What did my mother want?
She said they were looking
for part-time help at Bruck Mills.
No way in hell.
Denise...
We found a new producer, all right?
Yeah, and he knows what he's doing.
He's gonna get us out of the bars,
and book us in some real venues.
Only two nights a week?
It would help us pay for the baby's things.
Just the nights the band's not playing.
They said Friday. it's Tuesday!
Pack of liars!
Goddamn motherfucking son of a bitch!
They could've given me one more month!
Four fucking months.
What's one more, give or take.
Calm down, kid.
Tell them to go to hell!
Calm down, kid.
What's going on, big brother?
Repossessors.
I'm four months behind.
Get in. Forget about it.
Get me the fuck out of here.
Cheer up, big brother.
You can always buy another car.
It's not just the car.
I'm...
I'm done with music, Grald.
I knew it!
I'm fed up with being flat broke
all the time.
My heart's not in it anymore.
Yeah...
Yet another sorry excuse?
You can't leave. We've always
done everything together.
I'm not a real musician anyway.
It's better this way.
You wanna end up like Dad?
Is that it?
Punch in every single morning
and do what they tell you to
like a goddamn robot!
Ask for permission to piss
and then get laid off
at the end of it, fuck?
There's nothing wrong
with an honest day's work.
Jesus Christ, what's the matter
with this fucking wreck now?
What do we do?
Let the piece of shit burn.
I don't remember the name.
All I know is that
it was the same guitar Elvis had.
A Harmony, Pierre.
Exactly, a Harmony.
I practised playing like him
in front of the mirror.
I was more into gospel music
and Negro spirituals...
Church music!
Blotter, gentlemen?
Can't turn that down!
It's a gift from me to you.
Hey, don't take advantage of me.
When I used to go
into the cathedral near our house
and see the organ,
I'd leave like...
in a trance.
I always knew there was something
mystical about you, Gerry.
When I was a choirboy,
I'd go watch the organist play.
Those were the first shows
I went to.
And when I saw...
the light pouring in from either side
of the church through...
The stained glass!
Yeah, the stained glass!
Just like it is here!
And the acoustics, Gerry!
- The acoustics!
- The acoustics!
I can't get over the sound it produced.
Even today,
churches are the best place
to play music.
You sparkle like the northern lights.
The acoustics! Gerry!
What?
The Oratory!
Where?
I know.
The Oratory...
We'll hold a mass!
A mass for the dead!
Johnny told me
you're looking for a drummer
for the show at the Oratory.
Can I bum a cigarette?
We're not doing the show in Latin,
are we?
Brothers...
for if you live according to the flesh,
you will die.
But if by the Spirit,
you put to death
the deeds of the body,
you will live.
For as many are led
by the Spirit of God,
these are sons of God.
Grald!
Hello.
Hi.
We're leaving.
Oh yeah?
But before we go,
I just wanted to say...
You can talk louder, Mom!
OK.
It was such a beautiful mass.
Oh yeah?
The lighting, the music...
I thought it was a beautiful mass, too, Mom.
I've never been prouder.
Your father, either.
Bye, Pops.
Check this out.
Welcome to the band, Wezo!
Don't move. I'm taking a picture.
Jesus fucking Christ, guys!
Dammit!
This is brand-new!
I bought it to wear to the Oratory!
Fuck! it's gonna reek like beer now!
Shit!
Come see the picture!
- Bingo night, goddammit!
- What do you mean?
They say our mass
was like a giant fucking bingo night!
What the hell?
"Offenbach at the Oratory:
"A bingo night
that could've been so much more."
Three thousand people at a mass.
The bastards didn't write
a single good thing.
What are they bashing us for?
Problems with the sound,
the amps that blew,
the lighting...
This is great.
Yesterday, we were prophets.
Today, we're pariahs.
Stupid fucking showbiz.
Mom, it's Grald.
Yeah, I'm fine.
I just wanted to tell you,
don't buy any newspapers this morning.
Just don't buy the papers, OK?
We'll talk later.
OK? Bye. Yeah, bye.
Falardeau, right?
Faraldo. Claude Faraldo.
Right, well, I listened
to Saint-Chrone de Nant,
the album you made at the cathedral.
It was brilliant.
You absolutely have to come
to France with me.
All we have are these lousy
American wannabes.
It's ridiculous.
I can assure you
they've never experienced anything
like your style of hard-core rock.
So that's it.
What I'm really interested in
is making a movie about you.
What fascinates me about your music
is what I call the spontaneous creation,
stripped down, straight from the gut.
I can't afford any plane ticket.
No worries about the cost.
I'll take care of all of that.
The dope, the beer, every last detail.
The dope?
Yeah, but there is one catch.
I have to be able to shoot you
at all times.
Day, night, whenever.
You wanna see our dicks, too?
And watch us while we get laid?
You're getting the wrong impression...
Listen up, Frenchie.
I make movies, too. I know how it is
with a camera always rolling.
It gets everything.
It's in your face and up your ass.
With a guy like him,
we're gonna look like a bunch of idiots.
You must be Harel, right?
If that's what it takes
to make a good movie about us,
I don't see why
we wouldn't give it a try.
Ever since I saw Brigitte Bardot
naked on screen,
I've dreamt of banging a French girl.
You'll see. I'll introduce you
to lots of French girls.
It's not like there's anything exciting
going on for us here.
I want nothing to do with his movie.
The way I see it, Claude,
I've got all the time in the world.
I'm with you, Gerry.
I don't have time to go to France.
I have a movie to finish.
Does he mean that?
You're the man of the house now.
Look after your mother.
I won't see you for a little while.
Behave yourself, OK?
Give me an Eskimo kiss.
All right!
- I'll miss you.
- Yeah.
Maybe we could come spend
some time with you over there?
When school's over?
Yeah, sure.
That's an idea.
We'll see.
I've never been to France.
Haven't you? No, I guess not.
Bye, Dad.
We won't run out of beer.
There is a God!
You've already started shooting?
Are you camera-shy?
Here's a close-up on Wezo.
Hey, follow Willie.
A little closer!
The first beer always tastes
so fucking good!
You're Gerry, right?
Yeah. And you're Franoise?
Pleased to meet you.
You smell real nice.
Gerry? Want a beer?
This is my sister Franoise.
We've introduced ourselves.
You're watching me.
You're listening to me.
And I don't give a shit.
Did you take my beer?
From Montreal to France
We've got to play the blues
Light it!
Franoise is in the car!
Franoise, they burned
our honeymoon car!
Franoise...
Why do you keep avoiding me?
Did I do something wrong?
Do I make you feel uncomfortable?
- Don't start, Gerry.
- Why not?
Because with me, it's all or nothing.
So long as love
Floods my mornings
So long as my body
Trembles at your touch
No problem
Can defeat me
My love
Because
You love me
I would go to the end of the world
I would dye my hair blond
if you asked it of me
I would flee my homeland
I would deny my friends
Have you lost your marbles?
What's so funny?
It's just when you sing, I...
Spit it out. I don't get it.
About dyeing your hair blond.
That's usually something
you'd hear a woman say.
A guy dying his hair blond,
especially a guy like you.
That's pretty far out!
He thinks he's a riot.
Listen up, pal.
Just because I'm some hick
from Quebec,
it doesn't mean
I can't appreciate good lyrics.
These ones were written
by dith Piaf.
And I think...
it's important to respect
every last word,
every last fucking comma.
Got it?
I love it when you sing Piaf.
Don't change a thing.
I would go to the end of the world
I would dye my hair blond
if you asked it of me
They can go ahead and laugh at me
I would do anything
if you asked it of me
Show's over!
Milady...
Genital-men...
Frenchies, do something French.
Why did you hold back so long?
I don't know.
Everybody's always watching us and I...
They are?
You think they're checking us out
all the time?
"Checking us out"?
Yeah.
Watch this then.
You'll see what I mean.
Yeah.
Looks good, huh?
This way,
they can watch us...
all they want.
They'll see we're together.
Because we're together now?
Just you and me.
Denise!
Hey, buckaroo!
How's my little Justin?
You've gotten so big!
Did you take a plane?
Did you like it?
Let's fly like an airplane
over to Wezo, OK?
Flying over to Wezo!
You're looking pretty spiffy
in your Indian shirt!
- This is Cristal.
- Carole!
- Hi!
- Hi.
- How are you?
- Fine.
You know everyone.
Cameraman.
Christophe.
Wezo, Laurence...
Denise.
And this is Claude's sister.
- Franoise.
- Hello.
Denise.
Come, sweetheart.
Come with Mom.
- Did you have a nice trip?
- We did. Justin was really good.
You're so tall, buckaroo!
You'll be as tall as me soon!
Quiet! Time for a sing-along!
An old-fashioned sing-along song
for the cameraman.
The ones who heard them said:
"You're all no-good shitheads."
The ones who answered said:
"You can eat shit till you're dead."
Guys, I just talked to Harel.
Harel.
He says the music scene
back home is hot.
Apparently everybody's
listening to Quebec music.
There's tons of new bands.
I don't know about you guys,
but I'd like to go back.
I fucking like it here.
We've been gone for almost two years.
It'd be fun to find out
what's going on at home.
Gerry?
Jesus, Boulet, are you listening?
If you wanna go back to Montreal,
Willie, you go right ahead.
I'd kind of like to go home, too.
Are you staying?
You'll be alone.
Are you quitting Offenbach?
- I'm not quitting.
- Yes, you are.
- I'm not quitting.
- Yes, you are.
I'm not.
You don't have the guts
to go at it alone.
You're shitting yourself
just thinking about it.
Go to hell, Gerry!
I'm fucking leaving.
Go right the fuck ahead, Willie.
Why do you guys always gotta be
at each other's throats?
Yeah, but we don't do politics.
Still, making a record in English
when people are prouder than ever
to speak French
and a separatist government
has just been voted in...
The timing's a bit odd, isn't it?
In English, in French,
in Chinese, in Japanese,
rock is rock.
Aren't you worried
you'll look like sellouts?
People are gonna think
what they wanna think.
Any truth to the rumours
about your breaking up?
- Why are you asking that?
- To find out.
Where'd you get that from?
It's going around.
It's just gossip. Idle gossip.
You bastard reporters
and your trick questions.
The album in English
was your fucking idea.
And what's it to you?
How come you didn't help me out?
You left me neck-deep in shit!
What if we're a hit in the US?
You gotta really be top-notch
to make it in the States.
Our shows are dead boring.
You never move on stage.
You look comatose.
You want a fucking piece of me, asshole?
- Cool it, twerp.
- You son of a bitch.
Cool it, twerp.
Take it easy, asshole, and sit down.
I'm sick to fucking death
of your fights.
I've got one thing to say to you, Willie.
I'm gonna go to the States.
And I'm gonna go without you.
Got it?
You can start working
on that right away.
I quit.
I'm out of Offenbach.
Anyway, everybody knows it's over.
If Willie goes...
I'm going with him.
Now what?
What the fuck do we do now?
We make music.
- Hi, Dad!
- Hey there!
- You got your clothes?
- Mom's bringing them.
Here, it's all there.
Bye, big guy.
Go wait in the car.
Can I talk to you?
I've got nothing to say.
Denise...
Jesus!
Press down on two keys.
Watch how I do it.
See? You do this
and it changes the sound.
We knocked, but you didn't hear us.
- What is it?
- Willie sent us.
- What's he want?
- His B-3.
Come on.
What are you gonna do now, Dad?
Don't you worry about your old man.
I don't know what to do.
I think you'd be better off
if you did your own thing.
Don't let this eat you up inside.
I can't do this to Johnny.
I can't do this to Johnny.
Lord Almighty.
They went and got some chick
to be their lead singer.
Pushy bastards!
A new group for Harel and Lamothe.
"Corneille."
I contacted a couple of guys.
We're gonna put a new band together.
CORBEAU:
A NEW ROCK GROUP IS BORN
Pretty snazzy, huh?
Happy you're here, Breen.
- Me, too.
- You know Johnny?
Yeah, I know he plays a mean guitar.
I was glad you called.
We've still got some great songs in us.
And we're team players!
Team players that are changing teams.
Guys, I'd like to introduce...
- How are you doing?
- What's up?
Pull up a chair.
Bring some glasses over.
Today is a fresh start!
I told you running off to France
for all that time
would be dangerous for the group.
I started a new band, Ren,
with two guys from Ontario.
We're not in each other's faces
like we used to be.
Get an album out.
You're old news now.
That's the problem.
Nobody wants to produce us.
I see.
That's why I'm here.
Gerry, you know we go way back.
But I've been out of the music biz
for four years. I make movies now.
You realize the financial risk?
Our songs are dynamite, Ren.
Trust me, you're gonna love them.
First, I want to hear you.
And if I do get involved,
I choose the songs.
You won't regret it, boss.
You got your goddamn string
back on, McGale?
Read this.
It's called
"My Blues Get Stuck at the Door."
Shut your traps for two minutes, guys.
All right...
Here I am at home alone
Too many problems
to face on my own
I need something wicked
I need something wild
To survive
Nice start.
Maybe I should call the drug hotline
Christ!
Wait. Read the next bit.
You never know
They might deliver mine
I know I should be looking for more
But my blues get stuck at the door
The fridge is making an awful racket
I don't think it, or I will hack it
Between me and my phone,
there's no good will
I want someone to call
it wants to be still
To hell with my soul
If the devil wants it near
It's more fun down there
Than it is up here
I'd like to sing this one, Gerry.
It's really good.
- You like it?
- Yeah, a lot.
I do, too.
I think it's our best album yet.
I got my test results back.
Did you?
Yes.
- And?
- I'm pregnant.
- No way!
- Yes, we're having a baby!
Fucking A!
A baby!
The song you're hearing right now, Pops...
it was written by a poet,
Gilbert Langevin.
He won a slew of prizes.
He's a friend of mine now.
And I wrote the music.
What do you think?
I can't say.
I don't know anything about it.
No, but, what I mean is,
do you like it?
People seem to enjoy it,
so it must be good.
What are they doing here?
Go away! Shove off!
OK, positions, everyone.
Drink up, asshole!
You can't put out an album cover
with a picture like that on the front.
You look like a lineup of guys
who just took turns screwing this girl
in a back alley.
Drop the deer-in-the-headlights
routine, Simard.
It's just a hot babe
hanging out with a few guys!
It's extremely sexist, Gerry.
Sexist!
For Christ's sake, Andr.
People think Offenbach
is a bunch of macho jerks.
- This won't fly.
- No.
You want to put this in their hands?
I think she's gorgeous.
We're not saying she's not!
We're not asking you to change
the way you sing, your hair...
But you can meet us halfway
so we can make you
a little more palatable to the masses.
You have to try,
because we have big plans for you.
Big, big plans for you.
What the hell are you getting at?
Well...
Alain and I were digging around,
and it seems the Forum is free in April.
- Yeah, so?
- I don't know.
How does it sound to you?
"Offenbach at the Forum."
Are you guys for real?
We want Offenbach
to be the first Quebec group
to play the Montreal Forum.
And it's perfect.
Only a month before the referendum.
The timing is excellent.
People are gonna eat it up.
Gerry Boulet and Johnny Gravel.
Gerry Boulet.
- Offenbach!
- Offenbach!
We're playing tonight.
He doesn't want to let us in.
It's all right. They're the band.
Thanks, buddy.
The next time we play the Forum,
it'll be with your big band.
Sound like a deal?
Breen, we were on fire out there!
I can't get over it!
What do you think, McGale?
Not bad for a band from Quebec!
Don't forget your friends in Ontario.
Hey, Big Bob, easy on the beer!
I was just saying to Johnny
it's the best show I've ever seen.
You were out of sight.
- You're as good as ever.
- You know it!
Get one.
They're going down smooth as water.
Grald, I'm so proud of you.
I'm happy you're here, big brother.
A toast!
Long live Offenbach!
The first to play the Forum
like the Americans.
We fucking did it!
Please wake up!
What's wrong?
- The baby, Gerry.
- Jesus Christ!
- What is it?
- Go look.
- Where?
- In the bathroom.
I don't know. I'm not sure.
Franoise...
We'll have another baby, OK?
Stop tormenting yourself.
Come on.
I want to walk for a while.
One last shot!
Nice save!
OK, I gotta go.
Come on.
I'll come by next week.
I can't Saturday.
I'm playing baseball.
Are you?
Well, take this inside.
Oh boy.
Smells good.
I made lasagna.
Lasagna, huh?
There's plenty for three,
if you wanna stick around.
It's funny, Denise...
but tonight...
it's like I never left.
You're a goddamn riot.
We might still be married,
but you took off
a long time ago, darling.
Yeah.
But that's not what I mean.
Tonight, the supper...
Justin...
and...
the fact that you and me...
we can talk...
without flying off the handle.
I mean...
Thanks.
Yeah...
Fancy ride!
You can't skimp on comfort
when it comes to your roadies.
This sucker must cost an arm and a leg.
What do you wanna do,
have them hitchhike?
Offenbach's about to do the biggest rock tour
Quebec has ever seen.
The guys are gonna have to drive
day and night to keep up.
You bugger...
You're trying to pull a fast one on me.
Savoie, you son of a bitch.
Pretty nice, huh?
Come here.
No!
You never quit!
You're unbelievable!
Stop it!
Gerry, I have to get to work!
Making a baby
is a more important job!
You're hopeless!
Don't answer.
This is ridiculous!
Come on, Franoise...
Hello?
Sure, here he is.
Stop it. it's Denise.
Hello.
Yeah.
Listen, we'll talk about it later,
all right?
I'll call you back. Bye.
Is everything all right?
Yeah, it's...
it's Justin.
He's carrying on again.
You can tell me about it tonight.
I'm horribly late.
- Have a nice day!
- Yeah, right.
Shit.
I have to tell you something.
What's going on?
Denise is pregnant.
That's all?
Who's the father?
Me.
Denise is pregnant with your baby.
What the hell were you thinking?
You had just had the miscarriage...
I was shit-faced.
I didn't know what I was doing.
It was an accident.
An accident, my ass!
Wait. Franoise!
Franoise, please!
I gave up everything for you.
My home, my family, my friends.
You swore to me it was over with her.
It's over.
I don't believe you anymore.
Breen, are you comfortable
in our tour bus?
You could've invited us over
to your super-duper camper before.
I think I'll become
a goddamn roadie, too.
This is some fancy shit.
Look here, Breen, Beck's!
Not today, OK?
You have any idea
how much this bus costs?
Go get some sleep, Gerry.
Me and my pals are the ones paying
for your five-star motor home.
You think we sit on our asses
all day long?
Well, your sorry asses have it
pretty fucking cushy in here.
We work 18 hours a day to make
your goddamn shows happen!
Well, without my goddamn shows,
you would be collecting
fucking unemployment!
You and your loser friends!
- That's what you think?
- Absolutely!
I'm getting off at the next town!
You'll see how happy you'll be,
alone in your stupid tour bus!
If I listened to my gut, Savoie,
I'd have gone it alone a long time ago.
I don't need you! I don't need anyone!
You couldn't let me sleep.
I lost it again.
Yup.
It happens to everyone.
I can't do this anymore, Johnny.
The business...
A tour that isn't making a dime...
I just wanna turn my back
on the whole fucking mess.
What else would you do?
You have to give your marriage
another chance.
Why?
She's pregnant.
You have to be with her.
Yeah, but what about us?
We'll see each other every
once in a while, on the side.
But I want to be with you,
not with Denise.
Just promise me...
if you meet someone else,
you'll tell me.
Why are you saying that?
I know there are other girls.
I'm not blind. I can live with that.
But if you fall in love
with anyone else,
tell me.
Otherwise, it's just too humiliating.
You're the one I love, OK?
Mom said that someday
Franoise will go back to France.
And you'll come and live with us again.
Justin...
I'm gonna stay put.
But we'll still go fishing together,
you and me.
How does that sound?
Good.
Sweet Marianne.
Isn't she beautiful?
I want you to take good care of her.
I gotta go.
Bye.
Thanks.
Yeah, well...
I've thought about it long and hard,
guys, and...
I'm done with this.
I'm out.
Out of what?
Offenbach, Breen.
Offenbach.
You're not quitting Offenbach.
You're breaking us up.
Clear and simple.
Why?
All I can say, McGale...
is when I listen to our stuff now,
I don't hear anything of mine in there.
It's not my fault
that I wrote nine of the songs
on our last record.
Somebody had to step up...
You can't be serious.
Jesus Christ, twerp.
What you're doing
doesn't make any sense.
Breaking up the band like this.
Offenbach's going strong.
We've played the Forum three times.
We just released our 12th album.
We've been together for 15 years.
Fifteen years, dammit...
Fifteen years.
And the two of us go back even longer.
Did you think about that, twerp?
OK, Johnny.
We'll do one last show.
OK, guys!
It's our last fucking show.
Seriously, man.
I think I'm gonna cry!
You guys rock!
Thank you, my friends!
Maybe if...
What are you doing, Daddy?
I'll put that here...
I'm building my own music studio.
What for?
For recording my songs...
And maybe other people's, too.
All sorts of things.
All sorts of things.
Gerry, phone!
Coming.
I'll be right back.
Won't be long, Julie.
What the hell is going on, Gerry?
- What?
- There's blood everywhere!
Not everywhere.
Just in the toilet.
Where's it from?
It'll be all right.
I just did too much coke yesterday.
It can't be the coke.
The coke was yesterday, the day before...
Stop worrying.
This happens all the time.
It's fine.
This has been going on for months.
I see how you clutch your stomach.
You have to see a doctor.
No. No doctors.
I'm fine, OK?
Stop it. Stop worrying.
- This isn't good, Gerry.
- It's fine.
- No.
- Yes.
Franoise, could you please...
My sunshine.
So, doctor...
Time for a holiday.
You need chemotherapy, Gerry.
What for?
When we removed your tumour,
we discovered that it had metastasized.
Metastasized...
Well then...
Metastasized.
Any questions?
Am I gonna lose my hair?
Not necessarily.
We'll find a way.
- Come on!
- What are you doing?
You need to work.
I'm fed up with seeing you lying there,
brooding all day long.
What do you mean "work"?
I just finished Francoeur's album.
I did the music for Jzabel
for Denise Boucher.
That's not the same.
I want you to do something of your own.
I want you to write for yourself.
You...
Don't think about anything else.
Leave that to me.
Go on, Gerry. Turn around!
Sure, no problem.
This is the change of chords
I really like.
So that's it, Breen.
What do you think?
It's a hell of an album.
I'll be ready to record it in two months,
if you're in.
I'll make sure I'm there.
What about Johnny?
That would sound too much
like the old band.
I've got Richard Leduc
doing the arrangements.
It sounds great, man.
You're gonna love it.
I'm really happy for you, Gerry.
It's even better than I thought.
It took a poet like you
to put the right words in my mouth.
This album's gonna be a smash, Gerry.
I've got a really good feeling about it.
Now...
I have a duet I wanna do.
Well...
Any female vocalist in Montreal
would give her eyeteeth
to sing with you.
You think so?
The one I want...
isn't easy to get.
You've worked hard enough, Marjo.
Now, come dance with me.
Jesus Christ, that's it!
- How are you today?
- Feeling good, Carmen.
Better than I've felt in ages.
We're on our way to see
the latest X-rays.
And you know what?
I'm not nervous at all.
I know anything can happen
with this disease,
but I've taken good care of myself.
I've been a good boy, as you know.
We're here.
So let's go on in.
We'll see what's what.
The lesion has grown.
In fact...
the metastatic tumours
never stopped growing.
Oh yeah? Is that it here?
Yes, it's very clear.
- Here?
- Yes.
I'm sorry, Gerry.
What are you going to do, Gerry?
What do you mean?
Don't play dumb.
I mean about what the doctor said.
The surgery, the catheter...
What do you want to do
about the goddamn tumours?
I've sold 100,000 records.
That's something.
I need to go see those people.
Don't you think your health
is more important?
So what then?
You want me to hang around here
and do nothing?
Sit around and mope?
I don't care what they say.
I can't feel
any of my fucking tumours.
At least, not when I'm on stage!
Break's over.
Breen's waiting.
You all right?
Yeah, fine.
Gerry, are you OK?
Hey, Branger...
I won't be around this time next year.
I'll be dead, goddammit!
You hear me? I'll be dead!
Gerry, it's OK.
Call it off, man.
Here's to the happy couple!
Congratulations!
Franoise...
I haven't always been there for you.
I just wanted to say...
You're the best thing
that ever happened to me.
There's nothing to apologize for.
I'm hungry, Mom.
Coming.
You want something to eat?
No, thanks.
You know I love you, sweetheart?
- Me, too.
- Yeah?
I love you.
Go see your mother.
Franoise...
Come here.
Come.
Come lie down with me.
I can't. I'll crush you.
Just do it nice and gentle.
It'll be fine.
Come.
Nice and gentle.
Yeah.
We'll get married, you and me.
But we're already married, Gerry.
No.
We'll get married up there.
There'll be lots of people.
It'll be a party.
I love you.
A big party...
Thanks
Translation: Shonda Secord