The Heartbreak Agency (2024) Movie Script
["Let's Do It Now"
by Rocky Wallace playing]
And when my partner left,
I felt, initially, I was just empty,
and... and I was... feeling depressed
and kinda hopeless about it.
And I was... tired of always complaining
about the breakup to my girlfriends
when we'd hang out, and the expectation
is that after a couple of months
you're going to get over it.
That wasn't my case.
So, there I was, feeling completely alone.
You make me think that love is real
So that's when you said, "I'm going
to set up an agency for heartbreak."
- Actually, against heartbreak.
- [chuckles]
It didn't get going that quickly.
Fall in love with me then do it now
Let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now, let's do it now
I can't be without him.
Heartbreak's really tough for everyone.
Thank you for being here
for me through this.
[song continues]
THE HEARTBREAK AGENCY
SEMINARS, COACHING,
ONE-ON-ONE SESSIONS
HEARTBROKEN?
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE US!
You know the way you make me feel
You make me think that...
I think that the main thing I can offer
people who've had their hearts broken,
is to be there for them.
[snoring]
If you're gonna fall in love with me
Then do it now, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now...
[music stops abruptly]
Everything is just fine, Santje.
This is just the beginning.
No. I'm done with you.
We have a great relationship!
- This isn't a relationship, Karl.
- Well, then, what is it?
Sex and breakfast.
- Those are necessary in a relationship.
- [scoffs]
- Yeah. [sighs]
- Baby, baby, come on.
Baby.
Let's just... I think we should maybe
take a... shower together.
Actually, for once,
this is about me.
[inhaling] This feels good.
Just like my heartbreak counselor said.
- Your what?
- My heartbreak counselor.
She says some people can't love.
You can't.
She... She says what? But... What... I...
[door slams]
["Let's Do It Now" resumes playing]
[gasps faintly]
[sighs]
W... W... Wait, where's my car?
What?
My... My... My 1970s GT.
Fuck you, Karl!
Santje! Santje! Santje! Santje!
You make me think that love is real
It's a collectible!
Just show me how-ow-ow
Show me how-ow-ow
If you're gonna fall in love with me
Then do it now, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now, let's do it now
THE HEARTBREAK AGENCY
[song ends]
[door shuts]
Karl? Why are you here?
I live here.
You cheat on her?
Wait, or did she wanna meet your mother?
- You're actually way off, man.
- Come on.
You always end things
before they get too cozy.
She broke it off with me.
Sure. She popped your break-up cherry.
Come on, dude.
I've been broken up with before.
I just don't cry about it endlessly.
And actually, it wasn't really Santje.
Somebody else made her
think I'm no good for her.
A heartbreak counselor.
Hang on a minute,
that's that agency, right?
[sighs]
Hey, wait! Don't go in there.
Sorry.
[quiet, upbeat music playing]
Not in my bed, Anton! Really?
What the hell's wrong with you, man?
Why would you do that?
So that's when you said, "I'm going
to set up an agency for heartbreak."
- Actually, against heartbreak.
- [chuckles]
"So I figured, "'If I can't get laid, I'll
break up everybody else's relationship'."
[interviewee] ...change in people's lives.
I think that the main thing I can offer
people who've had their hearts broken,
is to be there for them.
[cell phone ringing]
Great story, great woman.
- Thanks, Sucre.
- [man] What's your angle?
This woman used to be a PR manager at DWH.
She knows marketing.
And so now, this woman's agency creates
emotional needs that she then fixes.
At 120 euros an hour.
No, not that again, Karl.
I'd prefer it if you wrote articles
that didn't always result in lawsuits.
Focus on her
and how she's making this all happen.
Write about heartbreak and overcoming it.
Ah, so, seems Splash is becoming
a magazine about our feelings now?
Feelings aren't anything to be ashamed of.
- Now we can talk about them.
- Of course.
At 120 an hour.
Or, better yet, pay me 150,
and I'll not only cure your heartbreak,
but also scurvy and your unicorn bites.
A three-for-one deal.
- You can run the story.
- Thank you.
But there better be a killer interview.
Okay.
[upbeat music playing]
[woman 1]
Welcome to Heartbreak Counseling.
- Head on in, Maria will be right with you.
- [music stops]
[telephone rings]
[woman 2] Hold, please.
[telephone rings]
She is currently in a meeting.
[telephone rings]
Yes, I think her meeting gets out
around two o'clock.
I can take a message for you
if you'd like.
BACK ON CLOUD 9
[quiet, upbeat music playing]
The North Korea of lonely hearts.
- Are you impressed?
- [gasps faintly]
Maria Geiger, hello.
Karl Nieke, Splash Magazine.
[inhaling]
I always like to start my interviews
with an awkward moment.
- Ah.
- [music stops]
The personality cult here comes off as
a little, uh, obsessive, don't you think?
No.
I mean, we use a lot of hearts
in our decorations, yeah,
but we think it's a great symbol for love.
Why do you need to symbolize it?
It represents what we do here.
Would you like one?
[inhaling] No, thank you.
And the name "heartbreak counselor"
doesn't do that?
You wanna mess with Kim Jong Un?
[chuckles] Take a seat.
- It's okay to record this?
- Of course.
I'm happy to tell you what we do here.
The thing is, people with broken hearts
are often against the idea
of seeing a therapist about it.
The pain associated with it can be
very similar to a depressive episode.
You all right?
Yeah.
I originally set up the agency
because I went through a very painful
and difficult heartbreak.
Thanks, but I've seen
your interviews, all of them.
What do you wanna know?
[inhaling]
Um...
Let's talk about
how all this works, exactly.
- Mm-hm.
- So if a woman comes along...
Or a man.
Uh, or a man,
and they're in a relationship.
I mean, that happens, right?
Since, you know, heartache
can still occur in a relationship.
Oh, and in that case you'd advise them
to leave their significant other?
Mmm... I tend to encourage a process
without offering specific advice.
- [woman] She'll be with you shortly.
- So, the woman is sad...
Or the man.
Or the man, which leads you
to the conclusion that
this man is unable to love?
Yeah, I do. It happens.
Sometimes we get so wounded
that we don't trust ourselves
and we forget.
Ah, but the man
you're diagnosing is someone
you haven't met before in a session.
We don't offer couples therapy.
You make your assessment from a distance,
reaching the verdict
that this man is incapable of love.
Well, we don't assess,
and we don't reach verdicts.
But yeah, some people cannot love.
[upbeat music playing]
- Bye.
- Bye.
My car.
[telephone ringing]
[music becomes lively]
Bye! Thanks again.
This is the condition
of the 21st century woman.
[inhaling] Forever self-aware
and self-optimized,
they clamor shrilly
about using gender pronouns
and not having enough seats on the board.
[inhaling] But no sooner does the...
does the so-easily-dismissed man
dare to willingly retreat
into the shadows when...
Thwack!
...the modern-day matriarchal snowflake
suddenly snaps back
into conventional female behavior
quicker than she can
say, "sexist bullshit."
Jeez.
- Too much?
- For sure.
Good!
[upbeat, lively music playing]
"Fifty years on from sexual liberation,
a savvy self-promoter
makes heaps of money."
"Women still have yet to grasp the idea
that freedom carries a price itself."
"You might get dumped. Big deal!"
[sighs]
"And previously,
for generations before them,
the emotional wounds
that these sissies bemoan
would have been
just another day at the office."
[sighs]
Unbelievable.
[woman] "So they spend what amounts
to two days' worth of a mailman's salary
to have a woman, who lives surrounded
by cardboard cut-outs of herself
like some narcissistic ice queen,
tell them that their boyfriends aren't
turned on by their pussies any longer."
[music pauses abruptly]
[chuckles faintly]
[upbeat music plays less lively]
- Good morning.
- [telephone ringing]
- Hey buddy.
- 'Sup?
Hey, Sucre, what's up?
Uh-huh!
[mimics explosion]
You gotta go talk to Adam.
So who are we takin' down today?
[music stops]
Sorry, Karl, you.
I mean, "Sissies"?
Girls can be sissies too, man.
Man, this article had so much potential,
but this is what you came up with?
Your views on gender are so crusty.
Maybe you get away with writing this
in the '90s, but that was so long ago.
The '90s were not...
This article uses the same
old patriarchal stereotypes.
Now more than ever, we need
to handle these issues with sensitivity.
- Generation Z.
- [long sigh]
We show respect, we don't discriminate...
I don't discriminate.
I'm gender-neutral.
- Gender-neutral?
- Girls can be sissies.
[Adam sighs]
Karl, you posted the article
without getting my permission.
Maybe you could get away with that
with Benno, but not with me.
I don't think this is gonna work out.
[scoffs] What?
I'm letting you go, without a reference.
[chuckling]
Wha... Uh... Uh...
What? You can't...
What do you mean? [chuckles]
I... I... People love me!
It... I've torn everybody apart
in this town, it's...
This is different, Karl.
And because you can't understand that,
you can't work here anymore.
[rustling sound]
[Maria] Mr. Nieke.
Ms. Geiger. I'm sorry.
It was never our intention
to wreck your agency's reputation.
Thanks, it's okay.
I just wanted
to have a quick word with Mr. Nieke.
[Adam] He no longer works here.
See? Everything's worked out
as you wanted.
I actually had something to say.
Go on ahead, then.
It's-It's kinda private, so...
No, no, no, no, just say it here.
Everyone, Ms. Geiger wants
to say something!
Go on.
I know you didn't write the article
because you were
actually interested in the topic.
You were at our offices yesterday
and took something out
of the "Let It Go" box, yeah?
No, I didn't.
Come on.
What's with all this bullshit, huh?
The "Let It Go" box is for clients
so they can symbolically release
an item that reminds them
of their bad relationship.
[scoffs]
It appears Mr. Nieke stole an item.
An item that was released
by his ex-girlfriend.
It was a little toy car, I think.
- A little toy car?
- [Maria] Mm-hm.
It's my little toy car, you know!
A 1970s GT that you can't throw
into a stupid box when it isn't yours!
If I'm right, you met with me
because you think my agency
is responsible for your break-up.
With Santje everything was great
until she talked to you.
And I hope you find out
why the relationship
did not really work out for you.
[inhaling]
And I'm here to offer you my support,
as you get over the loss
of this relationship.
Thank you.
Good day.
[upbeat music playing]
Bye.
[telephone ringing]
- I stubbed my toe really badly.
- [music recedes]
Right against the dresser.
And it really, really hurt.
And the best part of your day?
Getting ice cream with you, hon.
And you?
Also ice cream.
I'm glad the ice cream man
had banana ice cream.
I love you so much.
[quiet music continues]
[girl exhales deeply]
Mom, I forgot about the cactus.
It's a cactus, don't worry.
But I promised.
[Maria] I can't come, I'm sleeping.
[music becomes lively]
[music becomes quiet and contemplative]
Mmm.
[breathing deeply]
[breathing deeply]
[girl] You've got a cheese sandwich,
plums, a pickle...
Oh, and a little cookie.
Mmm, yum.
You've got a honey sandwich,
cucumbers and a couple of tomatoes.
Do I get a little cookie?
We'll see.
[cell phone ringing]
[ringing stops]
- Olaf, hello.
- Is it Dad?
I wanna talk to Dad.
Wait a sec.
Uh, I'm dropping Hedi off at school.
When do you need it?
Okay.
Let me give you to Hedi.
[playing badly]
[Karl] I wanted to let you know
that your favorite columnist
is back on the market.
All right.
Call me back. Bye.
[typing on keyboard]
[breathing out deeply]
What is it?
Uh... a date.
I have a date with Luca. Tonight.
Luca, he or Luca, she?
You love pronouns.
This is my chance, Karl!
He said,
"We should get to know each other."
- [door buzzer rings]
- [clicks teeth]
[Anton] Hey.
[sighs]
Sorry. You're not my type at all.
[quiet, upbeat music playing]
You neither.
Sorry.
[music stops]
A lot of folks have trouble
eating after heartbreak.
Have you eaten yet?
I haven't.
Not in a couple of days.
Want some cake?
[woman] Mm.
I think it's great
that you reached out to talk.
[woman] Mm.
Taking that first step is very difficult.
First step? So there's more?
[inhaling]
You're not under
a time constraint, are you?
I'm 41 years old.
How am I supposed to start all over again?
Yeah. I... I mean,
Splash was not a good fit for me anymore.
[upbeat music playing]
It got really stuffy and mainstream.
[chuckles faintly]
Yeah, why don't... I give you what
you've always wanted, an article.
Yeah! [laughs]
I'm back on the job market,
if you put it that way.
Me? No. Not everything I write
is sexist, you know, so...
[chuckles]
That was the spirit of the time.
Yeah, that was... asshole-y. Mm.
[playing badly]
[snickering]
Please let me know
if you have anything come up, hm?
[phone clicks off]
- [bumps head]
- [music stops]
So you couldn't find anything else, huh?
No, there's been a lot of interest.
[inhaling]
I'll write anything.
I'll write about destiny,
or feelings.
I can make an apology and take back that
manly bullshit.
[sniffs]
Write a proper article instead.
Okay. Count me in.
[inhaling] What kind of article?
An article about heartbreak, Karl.
How to get over it.
With sincerity.
And with feeling. I'll be frank.
For this to work,
you will have to go
to therapy with Maria Geiger.
Uh...
[quiet, upbeat music playing]
[Maria] Sibylle, can you tell me why
you think this has been so hard for you?
I always wanted to have kids, but
I have to tell my parents
they won't have grandchildren now.
I mean, I feel like I've been
wasting my time all these years.
For me, last week...
it was just so...
[nervous chuckle]
- It's okay.
- [man] Thanks.
Kryptonite. [clears throat]
That's how I see it.
Timea is my kryptonite.
Look at Superman.
He's invincible but there's something
that makes him vulnerable,
and that's Kryptonite.
She went and ghosted me. Even on MySpace.
She hadn't used MySpace for years.
[clears throat] We didn't even
know each other back then. [inhaling]
So she ghosted me using her old account.
So she still thinks about me.
[woman] I know how that feels.
But, doesn't all that false hope
hurt us even more, though?
I don't know
what I could've done differently.
But you're Superman.
- [upbeat music playing]
- [Karl chuckles]
[Maria] Karl.
Sorry. [sighs]
Very sorry, guys. Go right ahead.
Tell us about you.
Please.
[inhaling]
Okay, fine.
My girlfriend ended things, and...
[all] Oh. Mmm.
Guys, please, please, please.
Please don't do that, you guys.
Karl, how does that make you feel?
When the group
shows their concern, I mean.
[breathing deeply]
It feels like the group's totally crazy.
We're free.
We're single people.
Maybe we'll meet somebody,
and if not, then we'll meet somebody else!
So what?
You're all single!
Don't you know how great that is?
- You should be locked up, you stalker.
- [music stops]
Karl, we need to talk.
- I get it, you think this is funny.
- [sighs]
However, you will not ruin the progress
this group has made together so far.
I mean, they're just so... so...
[inhaling]
You know,
I don't think this is gonna work out.
No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!
No, I believe in this.
It's not that I don't
have respect for you.
I mean, I have big respect
for... for... for women in business.
For all women, actually.
I... [breathing deeply]
I would like...
I would really like to learn.
And... [clicks teeth]
...if you keep me...
I'll never do that in the group again.
So, if I keep you then,
you have to leave the group alone.
Okay.
And do the entire program,
Karl, all of it.
["Make You Believe" by Andrea Christina
Obeid & Henry Parsley playing]
Okay?
It looks like the rain
Is taking a day off
The sun shines, taking over
There's no time to waste
If it's a one-off
Let's take that chance
We're one step closer
[song fades out]
[woman] Welcome to the Heartbreak Retreat.
You're gonna see how much
we can aid in your recuperation.
We're gonna help you heal,
we're gonna help you
get over your heartbreak.
- Okay?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
- All right, here's your course outline.
And here is your workbook.
We've got some... self-care products,
and this, this is your water bottle.
Okay, what else?
For a good night's sleep.
And, lastly, your yoga mat.
Surely not everybody gets
the same level of marketing merchandise?
Well, it looks like it says
you're registered
for the full intensive program.
[whimsical music playing]
Ah. Okay.
Indeed. Yeah. And...
Oh! One more very special thing for you...
- A little something sweet. There.
- [music stops]
Hm.
[seagulls calling]
- [chair creaks]
- [brushing sound]
[Karl inhales] I hated
doing this in school.
What is the point of all of this?
It's for self-reflection.
I've reflected, and I'm totally okay.
[woman] Trust me.
Maria knows how to help you.
Well, is Maria ever gonna show up?
- She had an emergency.
- Ah.
You should just try out the exercise.
[Karl sighs]
[jazzy, lounge music playing]
Karl?
May I?
Be right with you two.
Everything going all right?
Honestly?
I don't really think so.
I kinda hit a rough patch.
I started going through
a rough patch around a year ago.
And, the university
decided to make a few job cuts.
However, after Timea left me,
I've actually wanted to have
that kind of rough patch again.
Well, you'll never get over this woman
if you always talk about her.
[sighs]
[inhaling]
I wrote an article
about the different theories
on how long it takes people
to get over a relationship.
Well, then?
Well, I'm a believer in, uh,
trying people who are the opposite of you.
Timea is perfect.
I don't wanna try anyone different.
Are there other options?
Well, there's the gin and tonic.
Four thousand gin and tonics,
or 530 Mai Tais.
Whichever one you want.
What can I get you?
A glass of every drink
you have on the menu.
I'll have a...
[people singing along
to "Ohne Dich" by Selig]
[in German] It's not what I want
Do you think about me sometimes?
It's so
Without you!
And when you're lonely
Do you think about me too?
[cell phone clicks]
- [typing on phone]
- [song continues]
- [indistinct chatter]
- [seagulls calling]
[indistinct chatter and laughter]
[person] Whoo!
[woman 1] I'm gonna find someone new
and never look back.
[woman 2] That's right, you will.
He'll be so sorry
that he let you get away.
[woman 1] Exactly.
He'll beg me to come back.
[music fades out]
What's up, man?
Well, Timea's getting married.
- What?
- Mm-hm.
Yeah, she... she's getting married.
To the other guy. In three days.
Shit.
Mm-hm. Mm. Mm.
Shit.
Mm. Mm.
Okay, don't panic.
Don't panic.
You won't let this happen.
Yeah.
What?
Be a man.
Go see her, and lay down the law.
[both snickering]
Mmm.
You don't know Timea.
No, I don't know Timea.
No one tells her what to do.
Why were you... told about the wedding?
To stop me from calling her.
Not true.
She could've chosen
not to mention anything.
The reason is because
she wants you to break them up.
[sighs]
I couldn't do that.
I couldn't do that to Timea. I...
That would be wrong.
Come on, you can totally do it.
No.
It's not wrong.
Okay? Now let's head back.
Come on, big man, come.
Here. Okay, let's go.
There you go. Come on.
["Ohne Dich" by Selig continues playing]
Hey. Guys.
Or, should I say, guy-ettes? [snickering]
[music continues]
[Karl] Hey, this is what
we all need right now,
booze and music.
Things don't work out like you expect
Heart given away, given as a gift
[humming]
[song continues]
[song continues]
- Are we there yet?
- [song continues over car stereo]
We're really close now. Grandma's
probably already made you breakfast.
- And when do you pick me up?
- It'll only be three days.
Or maybe four.
[song continues]
I actually told him that somebody else
dropped out, and we'd cover his bill.
- You really shouldn't have done that.
- [song fades out]
Zolt hasn't worked since the breakup.
[cell phone ringing]
[ringing stops]
Hey, can I call you back?
Yeah, yeah, I can try
to take care of it later today. Bye.
Olaf?
- Has our special guest given up yet?
- [shouting]
Have a look.
[indistinct shouting]
He's been getting along
really well with everyone.
[laughter and indistinct shouting]
- Uh-huh.
- Mm-hmm.
- Hey, man, come on, join us. Awesome.
- [quite upbeat music playing]
[Sibylle] Karl told me
to separate sex and love.
To masturbate and think about people
that I don't even like.
Obviously ridiculous but...
I was finally able to laugh again. A lot.
Cool.
Yeah.
Ovid. Karl brought up one
of Ovid's cures for heartbreak,
and he said that all I gotta do
is pretend I'm over Timea.
[mimics explosion]
He's so...
[chuckles]
- Understood, I think I get the gist.
- [music fades out]
[Maria] Karl, maybe you just need
to let the therapists give the advice.
'Cause they're actually
trained to do that.
Actually, I don't think you need
therapists to get over a break-up.
Listen, this makes you money,
but it's almost... like when we paid
for ringtones back in the day.
Father time eventually fixed
that problem for all of us.
Five ninety-nine?
For... For, uh, for a singing animal?
[chuckling]
I just mean...
Maria,
maybe what I'm doing is helping people.
And it's free.
[both] Apart from the drinks.
- And the Tinder profiles.
- The Tinder profiles.
Yeah.
I'll see you
at the meeting, then. At three.
[sentimental music playing]
[music fades out]
Sure, if we see our relationship
as our only source of happiness,
then, of course, we are going
to suffer when that source dries up.
I think there are other things that can
serve as a source of happiness, like...
Nature?
Yeah, but maybe, mm,
you can think of something more specific.
[woman] Um...
A pair of jeans that fit?
Is that okay?
[Maria chuckles]
Yeah, of course that's okay. Yeah.
[quiet, upbeat music playing]
[Maria] Turgay?
I guess something good to eat?
[Maria] Mm-hm.
Um... dancing?
Or, I don't know.
[Maria] Dancing. Yes. Nice.
Penguins are nice.
Hmm.
I don't know, I just think
penguins are really... friendly.
Wonderful, Sibylle.
[sighs] Karl?
Uncommitted sex.
Hmm.
And about the penguins, eh...
- I really like them too.
- Hm.
Hm.
[music stops]
- I really do love penguins.
- Hmm.
They walk funny, quack, quack, quack,
quack, quack, quack, quack, quack, quack.
Or the... Or how they huddle, you know,
all together
when it's really cold outside?
Or the way they slide
across the ice on their big bellies?
They're so cute.
I think if someone
doesn't like penguins, then there's...
there's something wrong, am I right?
Can we talk?
[Karl] So it has to involve oaths
of lifelong fidelity?
[Maria] Of course not,
but when you say "uncommitted sex,"
instead of just "sex,"
that's saying something.
It's like you're immediately
thinking of no commitment.
Like a... a butterfly.
[chuckles]
I mean, I'm not a butterfly.
I'm... I'm Han Solo.
Well, Han Solo got together with Leia.
I bet it's all downhill
from there for him.
They have a kid,
they struggle, and they break up.
- Not gonna watch that one.
- Doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
[birds calling]
Sometimes sex just makes you happy.
Haven't you ever had a quickie
in a nightclub or something?
It doesn't have to be
a long-term thing. Sex is sex.
Got it.
And what if it led
to falling in love with someone?
You said that doesn't make people happy.
I said relationships aren't the only thing
that can make you happy.
You see, that's my point exactly.
[quiet, contemplative music playing]
YOU STILL CRYING
OR ARE YOU PAINTING?
[chuckling]
[crickets chirping]
[music fades out]
When's the last time
you got a good night's rest?
[sobbing faintly]
You wanna meditate?
Mm.
Talk?
[quiet, sentimental music playing]
Nah.
Swimming?
I didn't bring a bathing suit with me.
Mm. Me neither.
[Maria chuckles]
[screams]
[sentimental music continues]
Oh, yeah!
[chuckling]
Oh!
[both chuckling]
Wow. Whoo!
This feels so good!
[women chuckling]
[Sibylle] Yes!
[sentimental music continues]
[ringtone]
Hi, hon, how're you doin' over there?
Can you please come pick me up?
Svea and Feli get to go skating every day,
and I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere.
Hey, ho... hold on a second, honey.
Maybe... Maybe there's a skate park
near Grandma's place or something.
You could ask the neighbor's kids to...
You don't know anything.
- [disconnect tone]
- [sighs]
Shit.
You smokin' weed?
You gotta take care of yourself
when you're a mom.
[chuckles faintly]
My daughter's insisting
that I go pick her up right away
because she wants to go to a skate park.
Even though she can't even skate at all.
I bought her all the gear.
But she's never even used it.
[snickers faintly]
What?
Nothing. You've never been
to a skate park before, have you?
This would help make
the whole trip bearable.
- It's helpful.
- Yeah.
'Cause with everything else,
you don't even try.
You act like a little kid.
Right when anybody wants even
a little emotional connection with you,
you say you're out.
[Karl inhales]
Love needs effort,
people just don't get that.
All they want
is to have their one true love,
problem-free, fulfilling.
But it's an idea that...
Was only made up
to sell flowers and cards.
That's my line.
Not true.
Having a flawless kind of love
doesn't happen very often.
And I've seen so many people
who are expecting that
in relationships they're in,
and it makes them unhappy.
Maria...
do you believe
in big romantic love or not?
Of course I do.
[snickering]
Not even a little!
- [chuckling]
- [sighs]
But you don't tell anyone.
Well, I can't.
'Cause I'm trying to help clients
get their lives back together again.
As individuals...
who can find happiness alone.
No one can do that anymore.
And all of those...
romantic comedies did this...
[Maria chuckles]
...with their big,
pointless romantic gestures.
And their annoying love songs.
- And sunsets.
- [faint violin music playing]
People actually like those?
- Yeah.
- The Earth keeps turning.
- Wow, like, this happened yesterday too.
- Yeah.
The sun's always setting
somewhere on the planet.
- Yes.
- Right?
[chuckling]
From an evolutionary point of view
that makes no sense at all, am I right?
So, what, you're gonna go out there
when wild animals start hunting
and you're just gonna sit there
quietly on a boulder
watching the sun go down?
- I mean, what is that? Crazy.
- [chuckling]
[violin music continues]
Do you hear something?
[violin music continues]
[Karl] Oh.
- I've got ten euros.
- [Maria] You have a request?
[Karl] Nope. Not at all.
I'll pay him to go away.
[both chuckle]
[violin music continues]
It's kinda lovely to meet a woman who...
I'm not... I'm not a woman.
- Hm?
- I'm your therapist.
It's on me.
Do you know how much
it costs for 15 minutes?
Ten euros.
Oh, you know what?
He requests "Eternal Flame."
[playing "Eternal Flame" by The Bangles]
[snickering]
Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no, no,
no, no, no. No, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no. No, no, no, no, no.
["Eternal Flame" by The Bangles playing]
[chuckling]
No, no, no, no. Nope. No, no, no, no.
Say my name
Sun shines through the rain
A whole life so lonely
And then come and ease the pain
I don't want to lose this feeling
Oh
[song fades out]
[Karl] Sorry. I overslept.
- Morning.
- Morning.
Morning.
Um, he's not upstairs, or by the pool,
and he won't answer his phone.
[Maria] Mm.
What's wrong?
Turgay's kind of gone.
Can you check the library, Martha?
And what are they here for?
They're here for a wedding.
Huh?
Oh my God.
[upbeat music playing]
- That's Timea.
- That's what?
Turgay's Timea!
He's gonna stop the wedding!
[music becomes very lively]
I wonder who put that
thought in his head, Karl.
- Are you out of your damn mind?
- Oh please.
She just wants Turgay to be a man.
This wedding is a charade.
A charade that costs thousands?
Why don't you think sometimes?
- Ow.
- Sorry.
[church bell ringing]
[Maria] Oh, man.
[people chattering]
[Maria sighs]
[people chattering]
[Maria] What are you wearing?
Go away!
Hey, that's no way
for a therapist to talk.
I am fixing the mess you created,
so I'm gonna talk how I want to.
- This could really ruin things for him.
- He'll be fine.
You can't stand that I might be right!
Ah, just shut up! And get out of here,
so I can stop Turgay.
- Jeez.
- You can't do that! Wait. Wait!
["Wedding March" playing on organ]
[officiant] Dearest Timea,
dearest Egbert...
[music stops]
...dear relatives and friends
of the bride and groom,
all of us are looking for our soul mate.
For that one special person
who may seem so hard to find.
This one special person
is somebody who completes us,
somebody who makes us whole,
who makes us feel perfect.
- He's gotta be here somewhere.
- Or not.
- This person is someone...
- Maybe he didn't come.
...that we must be open to finding.
- All of his progress will be ruined.
- He needs to figure out his own way.
Please explain how this is
his "own way" when it was your idea.
- That's ridiculous.
- Yeah, and he'll be totally humiliated.
[officiant] Timea and Egbert
chose this Bible verse to be read...
- Turgay!
- Hey! Shh!
...before they begin
their marital journey together.
- Turgay!
- Really?
- So sorry.
- I'm so sorry.
[officiant] Dear Timea, dear Egbert.
Before us, these two stand
- ready to begin that journey.
- What are you doing? Stop. Come back.
- [tense music plays]
- Come back here!
- Don't do it! [grunts]
- [clattering]
[bride gasps]
- [people muttering]
- [music stops]
[bride chuckles]
[sizzling]
And so that which belongs together
- also wishes to be found before God.
- Come on. Just let it happen.
- [Maria sighing] Oh, God.
- [sizzling]
[officiant] Before Timea
and Egbert recite their vows,
- if any of those present at this ceremony...
- Shit.
- ...object to this union...
- [blowing]
[upbeat music playing]
- ...I ask that you speak now...
- [chuckling]
...or forever hold your peace.
- [Maria whispers] Shit. It's spreading.
- [Karl] The hat.
[Turgay clears throat]
Timea!
Turgay?
- [Maria] Fire! Oh, my God!
- [alarm blaring]
- [people screaming]
- [lively music playing]
- [alarm blaring]
- [panting]
[lively music continues]
[music stops]
[distant telephone ringing]
Don't worry, Karl. You'll be done soon.
I grew up around here, you know.
Splendid.
[officer clears throat]
Do you still take milk?
Now I'm actually an oat milk guy.
But I'll make an exception.
[giggling]
That picture I saw in her office
has a little kitten in it.
It's a sign that she
wants children someday.
Not interested now, are you?
[chuckles faintly]
You don't even wanna be my therapist.
No, because when I tried
you didn't let me.
That's because I don't even need therapy.
Wow.
I'm only doing all of this
to get my job back.
- [buzzer ringing]
- [chuckling]
Well, you're doing a bad job.
[upbeat music playing]
Honey, hello! Mommy's here!
[music stops]
I actually miss the police station.
- Karl used to be there all the time.
- Ah!
They were gonna name a cell after him.
[Maria chuckles]
- I'm taking you to back home.
- [Karl] What?
- I'm fine. Bring us back to the hotel.
- Yeah.
The hotel would be perfect, thanks.
Don't believe a word he says about me.
I make a wonderful potato salad.
No one wants potato salad.
Please, Mom, just drive us back
to the hotel. Thank you.
I would actually love
to try the potato salad.
- What?
- He hasn't told me anything about you.
He didn't mention you at all.
- How'd you meet?
- Mom, please.
- Ah, through my job.
- [Karl groans]
- Maybe Karl can tell you about it.
- [Karl groans]
No?
And so... So there's
no misunderstandings, we're...
We're friends. Friends.
I'm glad you're sleeping together.
The formalities can all come later.
[upbeat music playing]
[rooster crowing]
[rooster crowing]
[music ends]
This is like a shrine to the '90s.
DJ Bobo, "Love is All Around", wow.
I had a Backstreet Boys poster too.
Now there's gotta be...
Ah!
- Hey! Hey! That's trespassing!
- Yeah, I'm becoming known for that.
Interesting that you held on
to all this... stuff.
Look, you even kept a little heart.
"My heart beats like crazy
when it sees you."
"Like, badly."
That was a school project.
[chuckles]
It's so crazy
you make a living off of writing.
What's this?
[quiet, contemplative music playing]
[inhaling]
Um... Uh...
Wanna talk about it?
[sniffling]
You've never done something stupid?
So much that it couldn't all fit in a box.
[inhaling] Come, let's go eat.
[contemplative music continues]
[music fades out]
Usually he just goes for bimbos.
He's broken up with all the good ones.
He just doesn't wanna get hurt.
He has real commitment issues.
It's amazing that man
can even tie his own shoes.
[both chuckle]
Wilhelm and I are probably to blame.
Even though our divorce
was completely drama-free
and, honestly, totally amicable.
Karl had already turned 16 by then.
- Well, can I ask you about...
- Why did we get divorced?
Because we had just one thing in common.
We both got married on the same day.
[both chuckle]
There was another reason,
because of some health issues.
[soft rock music plays over speaker]
Whenever we looked at each other,
we wanted to throw up.
[both chuckle]
We both enjoyed crazy sex.
Every day. From Monday to Sunday.
Having sex was always crazy.
- [both chuckle]
- Mom, give it a rest.
[Mom] I mean,
that was last week's hit joke.
You don't have enough
of a sense of humor. [chuckles]
Karl hates that I do
my stand-up routine in public.
The show is just a bunch
of weak marriage jokes.
[Mom] Weak? Come some time.
On Wednesday, I'll be performing
my set at the local theater.
Karl's never even seen my set,
you know. I can get tickets.
- I'd rather get a tramp stamp.
- [upbeat music playing]
[Maria] Your mom's a blast.
[Karl] Trust me,
you'd get tired of her really quick.
Can't you say that for all moms?
[Karl sighs]
[Maria] Can I ask you something?
[music fades out]
Her name was Claudia.
We... [inhaling]
...dated since we were 14.
And, um, before college...
[inhaling and exhaling]
...I asked her to marry me.
[scoffs] I couldn't lose her.
But, she...
Said no.
[inhaling] I mean, you know, I get it.
[exhaling] She... wanted to see the world,
not immediately settle down
with her first boyfriend.
She saw the ring,
panicked, and ended things.
[seagulls calling]
Was she the love of your life?
Yeah.
[inhaling] But I'm totally over it.
Seriously. I don't even know
why I still have the ring.
And I feel like
I dodged a bullet, honestly.
I'm thankful.
Yeah.
Lucky that didn't happen.
- [sentimental music playing]
- [both chuckle]
[music fades out]
[distant dog barking]
[sheet rustling]
[Maria] Mm.
I'm glad the two of us
took this little trip together.
We finally have an angle.
It's... It's not an angle. It's nothing.
This was a traumatic event, Karl.
It must've hurt a lot.
[scoffs] Yeah. Wow. So insightful.
It's always the same thing.
"That was a very traumatic event, Karl."
You made that up, right?
It's a publicity stunt!
[sighs]
Good night.
- [loud metallic thud]
- [Maria gasps]
[both laugh]
Relax, I don't find you attractive.
I'm with you on that one.
Very good.
[both exhale]
But everything I've said is true.
My heart was broken.
By Olaf.
[inhales] He cheated on you?
Yeah.
He left me for penguin research.
[both chuckle faintly]
- You don't like talking about them, right?
- I hate penguins.
- Psycho.
- Back at ya.
Olaf is a zoologist and studies climate.
Did you know that penguins
are an endangered species?
- And Olaf's fixing that?
- Yes.
He works in conservation. Worldwide, so...
And he's traveling the world
while my daughter and I are here.
[inhales] You do a good job
of managing it all.
Thank you.
[inhales] Apart from being a goody
two shoes and kind of a know-it-all.
And the thing with the Kim Jong Un
cardboard cut-outs is very odd.
Don't get jealous.
Does he come visit you, or his daughter?
Yeah, he does, when he's in Germany.
But, when he's traveling,
we have no option but to talk
on the phone, especially him and Hedi.
We made that decision back then because
we thought it was for the greater good.
[exhaling]
But me...
Sometimes I wonder,
"What if he showed up at our door
and... wanted to stay with us?"
Dumb, right?
No.
[quiet, contemplative music playing]
[exhaling]
Not dumb at all.
[breathing deeply]
I get that saving the planet
is really important...
but if it meant we couldn't be together,
I'd let it go to hell.
[sighs]
What happened to Han Solo?
You've gone soft.
Can't you leave Han Solo out of this?
No.
[contemplative music intensifies]
- [rooster crows]
- [birds chirping]
[music becomes quiet again]
[music fades out]
[man] It's a lovely hotel.
You'll have a great time.
[Maria] Mmm.
It's romantic.
[Maria clears her throat]
You got bags?
[chuckling] As if a young couple
like yourselves need clothes.
I'm his therapist.
- [man] Oh.
- [Maria clears her throat]
What?
Nothing.
Look, I'm sorry about yesterday.
I'm not, I loved it.
[breathing deeply]
I know what you're thinking.
But he's my client.
It's not happening, that's just one
of many reasons why it's a bad idea.
- What holds you back the most?
- There's no future.
Oh, and are you looking for someone
to share a long
and happy family life with you?
I am not looking at all!
You've already got one. An empty
apartment you take care of all alone.
Olaf and I are friends,
which is good for Hedi.
And it's a good excuse
for you not to meet new people.
[sighs]
You realize you two
are pretty similar, right?
I think you'd both learn
how to take risks.
[sighing] How are we similar?
He has a bad case of Peter Pan syndrome,
and I'm a mom with a kid.
You know how long it took me
to find balance after Olaf left.
Is that what you call it?
"Balance"? Really?
[sighing] Thanks a lot, counselor.
I need to go to the office.
Martha will take over.
Don't have time
for individual sessions today.
You do know that ignoring people
after sex is kinda my thing.
But have a good trip.
[Maria] Mm.
That's like I told you, sex is sex.
[inhaling] And that was all it meant.
[chuckles] That's really good. Same here.
Good.
Good.
When you're done,
just say "thanks" and leave.
Okay.
- Thanks.
- [chuckling] Exactly.
[both chuckle]
- Bye.
- Bye.
[contemplative music playing]
I thought you hated sunsets.
I met somebody recently who agrees.
[inhales] The only girl I've met
who thinks they're overrated.
Now every time I see one I wonder
if she's somewhere hating it like I do.
You know what that is?
- That's love, man! [chuckling]
- [contemplative music intensifies]
[chuckling] Shut up.
- [music fades out]
- [doorbell ringing]
[sighs]
[vacuum turns off]
- Hello.
- [Maria] Who is it?
- [Karl] Hello, who are you?
- Hedi.
[Maria] Karl?
Uh, what are you doing here?
This is my apartment.
Do you have a session today?
[inhaling] I... Um...
I was wondering where you
kept the cardboard cut-outs.
We don't keep those at the house.
[Karl chuckles]
But they could be useful, though.
They'd scare off anyone
trying to break in.
Or you could hang clothes on them.
[Hedi] Or for bowling.
[chuckling]
[Hedi chuckles]
I'm going to the skate park.
Uh, be back by six?
Okay.
Bye, Hedi.
[Hedi] Bye.
What... Uh, so what
do you wanna talk about?
[Karl inhaling]
I... [inhales] Well, I don't think
we should ignore each other
just 'cause we had sex one time, you know?
Okay.
Coffee?
Doesn't have to be great.
I have some bad coffee, yeah.
[chuckles]
- [both panting]
- [R&B song playing over speaker]
This can't become a regular thing we do.
No. No, it...
it can't become a regular thing.
Okay.
[both sigh]
We could do it one more time
before it's a regular thing.
Uh-huh.
[R&B song fades out]
["Eternal Flame" by The Bangles
playing over speaker]
Close your eyes, give me...
No! Wait, wait, wait,
wait, wait, wait, wait!
[chuckles]
Don't turn that off.
[contemplative music plays
over "Eternal Flame"]
[contemplative music continues]
[typing]
[music continues]
[cell phone ringing]
- [call picks up]
- [inhaling]
Hi. Um...
I...
I was just, um, I was thinking that...
- Um, maybe we could...
- No, no, not today.
Work's been crazy, Hedi's sick,
and I don't have a babysitter.
I can babysit.
Uh...
I love children.
[chuckles]
Okay, how about we...
google your symptoms?
- Let's see here. Okay.
- [distant children shouting playfully]
Trouble eating?
[inhaling] Fever?
- You been sleeping?
- A little.
A little. [inhaling]
Ah! Here's the results.
What's wrong with me?
A midlife crisis.
Or a prostate issue, or...
possibly heartbreak.
Let me guess.
Eleven, skater, doesn't know you exist.
How'd you know that?
You don't use your skateboard,
Hedi, something was off.
[breathing deeply]
He has the greenest eyes
in the entire world.
But I can't get his attention.
[sighing]
Okay.
I might not be a total expert
on heartbreak,
but I do know how to skateboard.
[upbeat music playing]
Ta-da. My old skateboard.
[makes swishing sound]
Right. Your turn, Hedi.
Believe in yourself, you got this!
That's good!
Good, good, good, good, good!
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
[mimicking old man] Good afternoon,
young lady. My name is Dr. Nieke.
I heard that you had
a skateboarding accident today.
- Because this idiot...
- [giggling]
...thought it'd be a good idea
to skate in a living room.
Boop! [exhales quickly]
[giggling]
Actually, common misconception,
turns out skateboarding...
isn't about skating.
["G.O.A.T." by Jesse McMullen playing]
I'm telling you right now
I'm that player
Greatest of all time
Yeah, I'm, ya savior
Don't be asking
'Cause I'm all out of favors
[Karl] Okay.
Who's Oskar?
[Hedi] That one.
["G.O.A.T." continues]
Hey! Hold on. That's a kiddie board.
Here, take mine.
Cool board!
Yes! Yeah!
- [Karl and Hedi chuckle]
- [door shuts]
[Karl continues chuckling]
- [Hedi] Mmm...
- You can make one wish.
- I have.
- [Maria] Hey.
- Hello.
- Hey.
- [Maria] Feeling better?
- Mm-hm, I do.
Well, you've got skills, Karl.
We're making pizza tonight.
Homemade pizza.
With lots of vegetables.
A ton of vegetables.
[Karl] Tons.
My turn?
["Dreaming of You"
by Sam Joseph Delves playing]
[Hedi and Karl laugh]
Can I cheat? I wanna win.
[all laugh]
[screaming on TV]
[Hedi laughs]
[all laugh]
["Dreaming of You" continues]
[Maria] Your grief stops you
from really remembering
how you felt during the good times.
But they're still good times.
It's your heart, and it's your love.
And you should get to choose
who to share it with.
[closes book]
["Dreaming of You" continues]
Dreaming of you
[breathing deeply]
[door buzzer rings]
I'm falling for you
[clears throat]
Hey.
[door shuts]
I'm calling
For you
[all laughing]
...because her hat got caught on fire.
[all] Cheers.
- To you too.
- Cheers.
For you
- [Karl] Turgay called me.
- [song ends]
- You hear about it?
- Mm. Timea is back.
She was impressed
by what he did at the wedding.
- [Maria] Mm.
- [Karl inhales]
And do you know who... told him to do that?
Don't tell me.
The super-therapist!
What ya got there?
Um, Hedi's breakfast.
I told her I'd bring her dessert.
You're really good with her.
That's all her. She's a great kid.
Can you please just accept the compliment?
It's not so easy
for me to say that, you know?
Haven't you noticed I'm a total introvert?
They say that every introvert
needs an extrovert to take care of them.
[contemplative music playing]
What's going on with us?
Huh?
We don't have to define
this whole thing or put a label on it.
He likes you, right, Maria?
She definitely knows how
I'm feeling about her, I'm pretty sure.
Mm-hm.
But I need to hear it.
Maybe tomorrow. I'll tell her.
[music becomes lively]
- [door opens]
- Excuse me?
- Could you hold the door, please?
- Oh, yeah.
Thanks.
- Well, I got it for you now.
- Thank you.
[music becomes quiet]
- [breathing deeply]
- Mm.
[music fades out]
Are you heartbroken?
Just kidding.
My girlfriend's the heartbreak counselor.
You're here to see Maria Geiger, right?
Yeah.
She'll be thrilled. She loves flowers.
[inhaling]
It's a thank you for... for the therapy.
I don't think she's back,
want me to take those?
I'll tell her you brought them.
[melancholic music playing]
[rapid footsteps down stairs]
- Hi, Karl.
- Hey, Hedi.
Wait, why are you here?
[sighs]
Um, I'm going away for a while.
How come?
Hard to explain. I...
I'll tell you later, okay?
Okay...
Want your board back?
It's yours. No way.
[melancholic music continues]
Bye, Hedi. Be good.
[rapid footsteps on stairs]
[Hedi] Dad! You're home!
[music continues]
[music fades out]
I've got a job offer.
To work at a biodiversity lab.
In Potsdam.
[chuckles]
[chuckles]
M... Wow.
[Maria chuckles quietly]
I should have never left you guys alone.
I'm sorry, Maria.
We said it was for the greater good.
We agreed to that.
No, you should have been the greater good.
The world's in a lot of trouble,
but if I'm not able
to see my family, then,
I'd let it go to hell.
[Maria chuckles faintly]
I...
I... I met somebody.
And so...
We don't have to do anything right now.
We can keep both apartments.
[contemplative music playing]
I just wanna be near you guys.
[music continues]
[passionate moaning]
[sighs]
Anton, I... My room again?
- Why my room?
- Sorry, sorry, sorry! Shhh!
She's the one, I know it.
How was it?
[inhales] Oh, I don't know.
Sorry. Just, hold on.
Hey. Uh...
[sighs]
[contemplative music continues]
[typing on cell phone]
[cell phone ringing]
[cell phone vibrating]
[vibrating continues]
[sighs]
[vibrating continues]
[ringing continues]
- [vibrating continues]
- [bad saxophone playing]
[call disconnects]
You have a cheese sandwich, a mandarin,
cucumber, and a candy bar, for once.
[Maria] Mmm.
For you, we've got a tomato,
you've also got a mandarin,
and then we have a cucumber,
and some leftover cake.
I was pretty sure
we had more leftovers, right?
Yeah, I put the rest
in Dad's lunch for later.
Oh, that's really healthy for your father.
He starts work today.
[chuckles]
He's picking me up this whole week.
Later, can we make my invitations?
Yup.
This'll be my first birthday with Dad
that I can even remember.
Can I invite Karl?
Um...
- Do you know when he's coming back?
- No, I don't.
He didn't tell you
how long "a while" is either?
[door shuts]
Dad!
Morning.
[Olaf] Ahh.
- [Maria] Morning.
- Morning.
[Hedi] Come look.
I've got a surprise for you.
I guess the other day
he told Hedi he'd be gone for a while.
I don't know what I was thinking, really.
And I should've expected that too.
He ghosted me,
this is completely ridiculous.
[breathing deeply]
I'm mad at myself too about it
because I really felt
like he had changed, you know?
It's such a clich.
And what about Olaf?
I'm lost.
I might give it another chance.
[sighs]
[breathing deeply]
You should get up before the neighbors
complain about a rotting dead body odor.
Yeah?
Hey.
Hm?
It'll be okay.
[Anton sighs]
[Hedi] Everything.
It was all good.
Sure? Not even anything annoying today?
No, nothing.
'Cause Dad's here.
And you?
Um, Oskar's great.
He told me that he heard
his parents talking about him.
He's the only reason
they're still together.
So dumb, right?
Well, I don't...
Parents sometimes
put their own needs aside.
For a lot of parents, the most important
thing is that their kids are okay.
Dad's staying, so I'm happy.
He promised that
he's going to stay home, so
he's here for good.
Even if you aren't together anymore.
[contemplative music playing]
[Adam] Are you writing the article or not?
You want your job back,
or are you wasting my time here?
I... I don't know.
Pull yourself together, then call me.
[disconnect tone]
[breathing deeply]
[music continues]
[clatters]
[Karl] When love hits you in the face.
Some people think
broken hearts don't exist.
They're the ones usually hit the hardest.
As unforeseen as ice in June,
as hard as Frazier's left hook.
I was someone who couldn't admit
that love comes at a price.
You can get hurt.
Big deal. Very big deal.
One where everything's taken away.
I don't know when it'll end.
Maybe never.
[sniffling]
Maybe this is how it is.
When love ends, we have to
hand over a piece of our heart.
A broken, used up piece.
Your heart gets smaller.
But that's okay.
We don't need it anymore.
Might as well throw it all out.
[music continues]
But I was wrong about that too.
It will heal.
At least that's what I've heard.
It just takes time for the heart to learn
how to live without that missing piece.
All we can hope for is that
the rest of our heart recovers
and is still big enough
in case, one day,
someone else wants to take a piece too.
[music fades out]
I'm glad that you're here for Hedi.
Yeah, sometimes
time actually breaks everything.
Wait.
Give Hedi the key.
She can visit me whenever, day or night.
[door opens]
[door shuts]
[contemplative music playing]
I COULD BE YOUR EXTROVER[chuckles]
[music becomes more lively]
[cell phone ringing and vibrating]
No.
[sighs]
- Shit.
- [call connects]
Turgay?
[Turgay] I locked myself in the bathroom.
- [pounding]
- [Timea] Open up, you coward!
I told Timea I wanted to break up,
and she wasn't having it, and now...
[Timea] Turgay!
[Turgay] She's trying
to break down the door.
[quiet, dramatic music playing]
Get out!
- And if I gotta go outside, then I...
- Turgay, open up!
- It'll start all over.
- You coward!
It... Kryptonite doesn't exist!
[music becomes contemplative]
What'd you say?
[chuckles]
It's made up! It's imaginary!
Open the door! I'll kick it down!
[breathing deeply]
You have ten seconds to leave my home.
Or I'll call the police.
Five seconds.
[groans loudly]
[rapidly receding footsteps]
[door slams]
[shudders]
[Turgay] I did it.
Yeah.
- I did it.
- Yeah, you really did it.
Maybe a costume party
is exactly what you need.
Hm?
[door buzzer rings]
[receding footsteps]
[door opens]
[Anton] Hey.
[Maria] Uh...
Um, is Karl here?
[door shuts]
[Maria] Hey.
Hey.
Sorry.
Um, I... Um...
I, uh...
I found the card that you wrote.
- Sorry I didn't find it sooner.
- Don't worry about it.
Would you like to get a drink?
[quiet, contemplative music playing]
Is it okay if we don't?
Mm...
For sure.
I mean...
I'm, uh...
I'm grateful for the therapy.
I learned what love could be like.
So what's... What's it like?
Like skydiving.
People say
it's the greatest feeling in the world.
You're flying, you're weightless.
[inhaling]
But what people forget is
it's not the flying that's important.
It's about having a parachute.
Like security, not crashing.
[quiet, contemplative music continues]
It's the thing that can make it skydiving
instead of a plane crash.
[Maria chuckles faintly]
But that's just me.
I mean, you're the expert on love.
At the agency, maybe,
but everywhere else, I'm an amateur.
And isn't it...
Isn't it okay
for an amateur to screw up sometimes?
[quiet, contemplative music continues]
Not when you're skydiving.
[music fades out]
[traffic sounds]
- [techno music playing]
- [people cheering]
[mock groaning]
Hey! It's me!
Zolt!
- Hey!
- Hi!
[Karl] How are you?
Well, I haven't been climbing
onto roofs anymore.
So not bad.
Gotta start somewhere.
You meet anyone?
No.
I believe in destiny.
Not me.
It's coincidence.
Tom and I?
That was destiny.
That was just... That was fate, man.
Listen up.
You were going to therapy.
And then some dude came along
and wrote a shitty article
about your therapist.
The guy lost his job and he was ruined.
And then he has to have therapy
with her to get his life back.
Sounds made up, you know?
Yeah. It does.
Anton!
This is Zolt.
A saxophone teacher.
And that's Anton, the worst
saxophone player in the world.
Ahhh, what a coincidence.
Hi. Uh, oh! Hi.
- Hi.
- Hi.
[Anton] There's no such thing
as coincidence, right?
No.
["You Better Run" by Shary Osman playing]
You better run
[kissing loudly]
- [mock groaning]
- [both chuckle]
You better run
You better run
You better run
You better run
You better run
You better run
You better run
You better run
You better run
You better run
You better run
You better run
You better run
[glass shattering]
[screaming] Where is she?
- Stop.
- Where... is she?
[music ends]
You! You brainwashed Turgay!
- [grunts]
- [gasps]
[hard thud]
Karl?
[gasping] I have something to say.
This isn't the greatest timing for this.
[gasping] I... I... I love you...
- [screams]
- [thudding]
Karl?
[echoing] Karl?
[Karl] Ow. That's so cold.
Ow.
- [man] Keep this on there, okay?
- [groans]
[groans]
I'm done with therapy for a bit.
We're just getting started.
- [chuckles]
- [quiet, contemplative music playing]
[groaning] Ouch.
Sorry.
Mmm.
Mmm.
[groaning]
[Maria] Oh. Again?
[Karl] Mmm. Mmm.
- [Maria] Does this hurt?
- [Karl chuckling]
- [Maria] Here?
- [Karl chuckling]
[quiet, contemplative music continues]
Whoo! Hey!
Whoo!
This is so cheesy.
Awful.
[clicks teeth]
- [Karl chuckles]
- [music fades out]
["Let's Do It Now"
by Rocky Wallace playing]
You know the way you make me feel
You make me think that love is real
If this is it
Just show me how-ow-ow
Show me how-ow-ow
If you're gonna fall in love with me
Then do it now
Baby, I want
Everything that you've got
Speak now first thought
Hit me with your best shot
Don't leave this running
Round my brai-ai-ain
Just tell me
That you feel the sa-a-ame
Just feel the same
You know the way you make me feel
You make me think that love is real
If this it just show me how-ow-ow
Show me how-ow-ow
If you're gonna fall in love with me
Then do it now, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now
Baby, I know
It's safer to move slow
Let's not say no
Let's see where the night goes
You make me think I'm in a drea-ea-eam
The sweetest thing
I've ever see-ee-een
You know the way you make me feel
You make me think that love is real
If this it just show me how-ow-ow
Show me how-ow-ow
If you're gonna fall in love with me
Then do it now, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now
Let's do it now-ow-ow
Let's do it now-ow-ow, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now
Let's do it now-ow-ow
Let's do it now-ow-ow, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now
[song ends]
by Rocky Wallace playing]
And when my partner left,
I felt, initially, I was just empty,
and... and I was... feeling depressed
and kinda hopeless about it.
And I was... tired of always complaining
about the breakup to my girlfriends
when we'd hang out, and the expectation
is that after a couple of months
you're going to get over it.
That wasn't my case.
So, there I was, feeling completely alone.
You make me think that love is real
So that's when you said, "I'm going
to set up an agency for heartbreak."
- Actually, against heartbreak.
- [chuckles]
It didn't get going that quickly.
Fall in love with me then do it now
Let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now, let's do it now
I can't be without him.
Heartbreak's really tough for everyone.
Thank you for being here
for me through this.
[song continues]
THE HEARTBREAK AGENCY
SEMINARS, COACHING,
ONE-ON-ONE SESSIONS
HEARTBROKEN?
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE US!
You know the way you make me feel
You make me think that...
I think that the main thing I can offer
people who've had their hearts broken,
is to be there for them.
[snoring]
If you're gonna fall in love with me
Then do it now, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now...
[music stops abruptly]
Everything is just fine, Santje.
This is just the beginning.
No. I'm done with you.
We have a great relationship!
- This isn't a relationship, Karl.
- Well, then, what is it?
Sex and breakfast.
- Those are necessary in a relationship.
- [scoffs]
- Yeah. [sighs]
- Baby, baby, come on.
Baby.
Let's just... I think we should maybe
take a... shower together.
Actually, for once,
this is about me.
[inhaling] This feels good.
Just like my heartbreak counselor said.
- Your what?
- My heartbreak counselor.
She says some people can't love.
You can't.
She... She says what? But... What... I...
[door slams]
["Let's Do It Now" resumes playing]
[gasps faintly]
[sighs]
W... W... Wait, where's my car?
What?
My... My... My 1970s GT.
Fuck you, Karl!
Santje! Santje! Santje! Santje!
You make me think that love is real
It's a collectible!
Just show me how-ow-ow
Show me how-ow-ow
If you're gonna fall in love with me
Then do it now, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now, let's do it now
THE HEARTBREAK AGENCY
[song ends]
[door shuts]
Karl? Why are you here?
I live here.
You cheat on her?
Wait, or did she wanna meet your mother?
- You're actually way off, man.
- Come on.
You always end things
before they get too cozy.
She broke it off with me.
Sure. She popped your break-up cherry.
Come on, dude.
I've been broken up with before.
I just don't cry about it endlessly.
And actually, it wasn't really Santje.
Somebody else made her
think I'm no good for her.
A heartbreak counselor.
Hang on a minute,
that's that agency, right?
[sighs]
Hey, wait! Don't go in there.
Sorry.
[quiet, upbeat music playing]
Not in my bed, Anton! Really?
What the hell's wrong with you, man?
Why would you do that?
So that's when you said, "I'm going
to set up an agency for heartbreak."
- Actually, against heartbreak.
- [chuckles]
"So I figured, "'If I can't get laid, I'll
break up everybody else's relationship'."
[interviewee] ...change in people's lives.
I think that the main thing I can offer
people who've had their hearts broken,
is to be there for them.
[cell phone ringing]
Great story, great woman.
- Thanks, Sucre.
- [man] What's your angle?
This woman used to be a PR manager at DWH.
She knows marketing.
And so now, this woman's agency creates
emotional needs that she then fixes.
At 120 euros an hour.
No, not that again, Karl.
I'd prefer it if you wrote articles
that didn't always result in lawsuits.
Focus on her
and how she's making this all happen.
Write about heartbreak and overcoming it.
Ah, so, seems Splash is becoming
a magazine about our feelings now?
Feelings aren't anything to be ashamed of.
- Now we can talk about them.
- Of course.
At 120 an hour.
Or, better yet, pay me 150,
and I'll not only cure your heartbreak,
but also scurvy and your unicorn bites.
A three-for-one deal.
- You can run the story.
- Thank you.
But there better be a killer interview.
Okay.
[upbeat music playing]
[woman 1]
Welcome to Heartbreak Counseling.
- Head on in, Maria will be right with you.
- [music stops]
[telephone rings]
[woman 2] Hold, please.
[telephone rings]
She is currently in a meeting.
[telephone rings]
Yes, I think her meeting gets out
around two o'clock.
I can take a message for you
if you'd like.
BACK ON CLOUD 9
[quiet, upbeat music playing]
The North Korea of lonely hearts.
- Are you impressed?
- [gasps faintly]
Maria Geiger, hello.
Karl Nieke, Splash Magazine.
[inhaling]
I always like to start my interviews
with an awkward moment.
- Ah.
- [music stops]
The personality cult here comes off as
a little, uh, obsessive, don't you think?
No.
I mean, we use a lot of hearts
in our decorations, yeah,
but we think it's a great symbol for love.
Why do you need to symbolize it?
It represents what we do here.
Would you like one?
[inhaling] No, thank you.
And the name "heartbreak counselor"
doesn't do that?
You wanna mess with Kim Jong Un?
[chuckles] Take a seat.
- It's okay to record this?
- Of course.
I'm happy to tell you what we do here.
The thing is, people with broken hearts
are often against the idea
of seeing a therapist about it.
The pain associated with it can be
very similar to a depressive episode.
You all right?
Yeah.
I originally set up the agency
because I went through a very painful
and difficult heartbreak.
Thanks, but I've seen
your interviews, all of them.
What do you wanna know?
[inhaling]
Um...
Let's talk about
how all this works, exactly.
- Mm-hm.
- So if a woman comes along...
Or a man.
Uh, or a man,
and they're in a relationship.
I mean, that happens, right?
Since, you know, heartache
can still occur in a relationship.
Oh, and in that case you'd advise them
to leave their significant other?
Mmm... I tend to encourage a process
without offering specific advice.
- [woman] She'll be with you shortly.
- So, the woman is sad...
Or the man.
Or the man, which leads you
to the conclusion that
this man is unable to love?
Yeah, I do. It happens.
Sometimes we get so wounded
that we don't trust ourselves
and we forget.
Ah, but the man
you're diagnosing is someone
you haven't met before in a session.
We don't offer couples therapy.
You make your assessment from a distance,
reaching the verdict
that this man is incapable of love.
Well, we don't assess,
and we don't reach verdicts.
But yeah, some people cannot love.
[upbeat music playing]
- Bye.
- Bye.
My car.
[telephone ringing]
[music becomes lively]
Bye! Thanks again.
This is the condition
of the 21st century woman.
[inhaling] Forever self-aware
and self-optimized,
they clamor shrilly
about using gender pronouns
and not having enough seats on the board.
[inhaling] But no sooner does the...
does the so-easily-dismissed man
dare to willingly retreat
into the shadows when...
Thwack!
...the modern-day matriarchal snowflake
suddenly snaps back
into conventional female behavior
quicker than she can
say, "sexist bullshit."
Jeez.
- Too much?
- For sure.
Good!
[upbeat, lively music playing]
"Fifty years on from sexual liberation,
a savvy self-promoter
makes heaps of money."
"Women still have yet to grasp the idea
that freedom carries a price itself."
"You might get dumped. Big deal!"
[sighs]
"And previously,
for generations before them,
the emotional wounds
that these sissies bemoan
would have been
just another day at the office."
[sighs]
Unbelievable.
[woman] "So they spend what amounts
to two days' worth of a mailman's salary
to have a woman, who lives surrounded
by cardboard cut-outs of herself
like some narcissistic ice queen,
tell them that their boyfriends aren't
turned on by their pussies any longer."
[music pauses abruptly]
[chuckles faintly]
[upbeat music plays less lively]
- Good morning.
- [telephone ringing]
- Hey buddy.
- 'Sup?
Hey, Sucre, what's up?
Uh-huh!
[mimics explosion]
You gotta go talk to Adam.
So who are we takin' down today?
[music stops]
Sorry, Karl, you.
I mean, "Sissies"?
Girls can be sissies too, man.
Man, this article had so much potential,
but this is what you came up with?
Your views on gender are so crusty.
Maybe you get away with writing this
in the '90s, but that was so long ago.
The '90s were not...
This article uses the same
old patriarchal stereotypes.
Now more than ever, we need
to handle these issues with sensitivity.
- Generation Z.
- [long sigh]
We show respect, we don't discriminate...
I don't discriminate.
I'm gender-neutral.
- Gender-neutral?
- Girls can be sissies.
[Adam sighs]
Karl, you posted the article
without getting my permission.
Maybe you could get away with that
with Benno, but not with me.
I don't think this is gonna work out.
[scoffs] What?
I'm letting you go, without a reference.
[chuckling]
Wha... Uh... Uh...
What? You can't...
What do you mean? [chuckles]
I... I... People love me!
It... I've torn everybody apart
in this town, it's...
This is different, Karl.
And because you can't understand that,
you can't work here anymore.
[rustling sound]
[Maria] Mr. Nieke.
Ms. Geiger. I'm sorry.
It was never our intention
to wreck your agency's reputation.
Thanks, it's okay.
I just wanted
to have a quick word with Mr. Nieke.
[Adam] He no longer works here.
See? Everything's worked out
as you wanted.
I actually had something to say.
Go on ahead, then.
It's-It's kinda private, so...
No, no, no, no, just say it here.
Everyone, Ms. Geiger wants
to say something!
Go on.
I know you didn't write the article
because you were
actually interested in the topic.
You were at our offices yesterday
and took something out
of the "Let It Go" box, yeah?
No, I didn't.
Come on.
What's with all this bullshit, huh?
The "Let It Go" box is for clients
so they can symbolically release
an item that reminds them
of their bad relationship.
[scoffs]
It appears Mr. Nieke stole an item.
An item that was released
by his ex-girlfriend.
It was a little toy car, I think.
- A little toy car?
- [Maria] Mm-hm.
It's my little toy car, you know!
A 1970s GT that you can't throw
into a stupid box when it isn't yours!
If I'm right, you met with me
because you think my agency
is responsible for your break-up.
With Santje everything was great
until she talked to you.
And I hope you find out
why the relationship
did not really work out for you.
[inhaling]
And I'm here to offer you my support,
as you get over the loss
of this relationship.
Thank you.
Good day.
[upbeat music playing]
Bye.
[telephone ringing]
- I stubbed my toe really badly.
- [music recedes]
Right against the dresser.
And it really, really hurt.
And the best part of your day?
Getting ice cream with you, hon.
And you?
Also ice cream.
I'm glad the ice cream man
had banana ice cream.
I love you so much.
[quiet music continues]
[girl exhales deeply]
Mom, I forgot about the cactus.
It's a cactus, don't worry.
But I promised.
[Maria] I can't come, I'm sleeping.
[music becomes lively]
[music becomes quiet and contemplative]
Mmm.
[breathing deeply]
[breathing deeply]
[girl] You've got a cheese sandwich,
plums, a pickle...
Oh, and a little cookie.
Mmm, yum.
You've got a honey sandwich,
cucumbers and a couple of tomatoes.
Do I get a little cookie?
We'll see.
[cell phone ringing]
[ringing stops]
- Olaf, hello.
- Is it Dad?
I wanna talk to Dad.
Wait a sec.
Uh, I'm dropping Hedi off at school.
When do you need it?
Okay.
Let me give you to Hedi.
[playing badly]
[Karl] I wanted to let you know
that your favorite columnist
is back on the market.
All right.
Call me back. Bye.
[typing on keyboard]
[breathing out deeply]
What is it?
Uh... a date.
I have a date with Luca. Tonight.
Luca, he or Luca, she?
You love pronouns.
This is my chance, Karl!
He said,
"We should get to know each other."
- [door buzzer rings]
- [clicks teeth]
[Anton] Hey.
[sighs]
Sorry. You're not my type at all.
[quiet, upbeat music playing]
You neither.
Sorry.
[music stops]
A lot of folks have trouble
eating after heartbreak.
Have you eaten yet?
I haven't.
Not in a couple of days.
Want some cake?
[woman] Mm.
I think it's great
that you reached out to talk.
[woman] Mm.
Taking that first step is very difficult.
First step? So there's more?
[inhaling]
You're not under
a time constraint, are you?
I'm 41 years old.
How am I supposed to start all over again?
Yeah. I... I mean,
Splash was not a good fit for me anymore.
[upbeat music playing]
It got really stuffy and mainstream.
[chuckles faintly]
Yeah, why don't... I give you what
you've always wanted, an article.
Yeah! [laughs]
I'm back on the job market,
if you put it that way.
Me? No. Not everything I write
is sexist, you know, so...
[chuckles]
That was the spirit of the time.
Yeah, that was... asshole-y. Mm.
[playing badly]
[snickering]
Please let me know
if you have anything come up, hm?
[phone clicks off]
- [bumps head]
- [music stops]
So you couldn't find anything else, huh?
No, there's been a lot of interest.
[inhaling]
I'll write anything.
I'll write about destiny,
or feelings.
I can make an apology and take back that
manly bullshit.
[sniffs]
Write a proper article instead.
Okay. Count me in.
[inhaling] What kind of article?
An article about heartbreak, Karl.
How to get over it.
With sincerity.
And with feeling. I'll be frank.
For this to work,
you will have to go
to therapy with Maria Geiger.
Uh...
[quiet, upbeat music playing]
[Maria] Sibylle, can you tell me why
you think this has been so hard for you?
I always wanted to have kids, but
I have to tell my parents
they won't have grandchildren now.
I mean, I feel like I've been
wasting my time all these years.
For me, last week...
it was just so...
[nervous chuckle]
- It's okay.
- [man] Thanks.
Kryptonite. [clears throat]
That's how I see it.
Timea is my kryptonite.
Look at Superman.
He's invincible but there's something
that makes him vulnerable,
and that's Kryptonite.
She went and ghosted me. Even on MySpace.
She hadn't used MySpace for years.
[clears throat] We didn't even
know each other back then. [inhaling]
So she ghosted me using her old account.
So she still thinks about me.
[woman] I know how that feels.
But, doesn't all that false hope
hurt us even more, though?
I don't know
what I could've done differently.
But you're Superman.
- [upbeat music playing]
- [Karl chuckles]
[Maria] Karl.
Sorry. [sighs]
Very sorry, guys. Go right ahead.
Tell us about you.
Please.
[inhaling]
Okay, fine.
My girlfriend ended things, and...
[all] Oh. Mmm.
Guys, please, please, please.
Please don't do that, you guys.
Karl, how does that make you feel?
When the group
shows their concern, I mean.
[breathing deeply]
It feels like the group's totally crazy.
We're free.
We're single people.
Maybe we'll meet somebody,
and if not, then we'll meet somebody else!
So what?
You're all single!
Don't you know how great that is?
- You should be locked up, you stalker.
- [music stops]
Karl, we need to talk.
- I get it, you think this is funny.
- [sighs]
However, you will not ruin the progress
this group has made together so far.
I mean, they're just so... so...
[inhaling]
You know,
I don't think this is gonna work out.
No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!
No, I believe in this.
It's not that I don't
have respect for you.
I mean, I have big respect
for... for... for women in business.
For all women, actually.
I... [breathing deeply]
I would like...
I would really like to learn.
And... [clicks teeth]
...if you keep me...
I'll never do that in the group again.
So, if I keep you then,
you have to leave the group alone.
Okay.
And do the entire program,
Karl, all of it.
["Make You Believe" by Andrea Christina
Obeid & Henry Parsley playing]
Okay?
It looks like the rain
Is taking a day off
The sun shines, taking over
There's no time to waste
If it's a one-off
Let's take that chance
We're one step closer
[song fades out]
[woman] Welcome to the Heartbreak Retreat.
You're gonna see how much
we can aid in your recuperation.
We're gonna help you heal,
we're gonna help you
get over your heartbreak.
- Okay?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
- All right, here's your course outline.
And here is your workbook.
We've got some... self-care products,
and this, this is your water bottle.
Okay, what else?
For a good night's sleep.
And, lastly, your yoga mat.
Surely not everybody gets
the same level of marketing merchandise?
Well, it looks like it says
you're registered
for the full intensive program.
[whimsical music playing]
Ah. Okay.
Indeed. Yeah. And...
Oh! One more very special thing for you...
- A little something sweet. There.
- [music stops]
Hm.
[seagulls calling]
- [chair creaks]
- [brushing sound]
[Karl inhales] I hated
doing this in school.
What is the point of all of this?
It's for self-reflection.
I've reflected, and I'm totally okay.
[woman] Trust me.
Maria knows how to help you.
Well, is Maria ever gonna show up?
- She had an emergency.
- Ah.
You should just try out the exercise.
[Karl sighs]
[jazzy, lounge music playing]
Karl?
May I?
Be right with you two.
Everything going all right?
Honestly?
I don't really think so.
I kinda hit a rough patch.
I started going through
a rough patch around a year ago.
And, the university
decided to make a few job cuts.
However, after Timea left me,
I've actually wanted to have
that kind of rough patch again.
Well, you'll never get over this woman
if you always talk about her.
[sighs]
[inhaling]
I wrote an article
about the different theories
on how long it takes people
to get over a relationship.
Well, then?
Well, I'm a believer in, uh,
trying people who are the opposite of you.
Timea is perfect.
I don't wanna try anyone different.
Are there other options?
Well, there's the gin and tonic.
Four thousand gin and tonics,
or 530 Mai Tais.
Whichever one you want.
What can I get you?
A glass of every drink
you have on the menu.
I'll have a...
[people singing along
to "Ohne Dich" by Selig]
[in German] It's not what I want
Do you think about me sometimes?
It's so
Without you!
And when you're lonely
Do you think about me too?
[cell phone clicks]
- [typing on phone]
- [song continues]
- [indistinct chatter]
- [seagulls calling]
[indistinct chatter and laughter]
[person] Whoo!
[woman 1] I'm gonna find someone new
and never look back.
[woman 2] That's right, you will.
He'll be so sorry
that he let you get away.
[woman 1] Exactly.
He'll beg me to come back.
[music fades out]
What's up, man?
Well, Timea's getting married.
- What?
- Mm-hm.
Yeah, she... she's getting married.
To the other guy. In three days.
Shit.
Mm-hm. Mm. Mm.
Shit.
Mm. Mm.
Okay, don't panic.
Don't panic.
You won't let this happen.
Yeah.
What?
Be a man.
Go see her, and lay down the law.
[both snickering]
Mmm.
You don't know Timea.
No, I don't know Timea.
No one tells her what to do.
Why were you... told about the wedding?
To stop me from calling her.
Not true.
She could've chosen
not to mention anything.
The reason is because
she wants you to break them up.
[sighs]
I couldn't do that.
I couldn't do that to Timea. I...
That would be wrong.
Come on, you can totally do it.
No.
It's not wrong.
Okay? Now let's head back.
Come on, big man, come.
Here. Okay, let's go.
There you go. Come on.
["Ohne Dich" by Selig continues playing]
Hey. Guys.
Or, should I say, guy-ettes? [snickering]
[music continues]
[Karl] Hey, this is what
we all need right now,
booze and music.
Things don't work out like you expect
Heart given away, given as a gift
[humming]
[song continues]
[song continues]
- Are we there yet?
- [song continues over car stereo]
We're really close now. Grandma's
probably already made you breakfast.
- And when do you pick me up?
- It'll only be three days.
Or maybe four.
[song continues]
I actually told him that somebody else
dropped out, and we'd cover his bill.
- You really shouldn't have done that.
- [song fades out]
Zolt hasn't worked since the breakup.
[cell phone ringing]
[ringing stops]
Hey, can I call you back?
Yeah, yeah, I can try
to take care of it later today. Bye.
Olaf?
- Has our special guest given up yet?
- [shouting]
Have a look.
[indistinct shouting]
He's been getting along
really well with everyone.
[laughter and indistinct shouting]
- Uh-huh.
- Mm-hmm.
- Hey, man, come on, join us. Awesome.
- [quite upbeat music playing]
[Sibylle] Karl told me
to separate sex and love.
To masturbate and think about people
that I don't even like.
Obviously ridiculous but...
I was finally able to laugh again. A lot.
Cool.
Yeah.
Ovid. Karl brought up one
of Ovid's cures for heartbreak,
and he said that all I gotta do
is pretend I'm over Timea.
[mimics explosion]
He's so...
[chuckles]
- Understood, I think I get the gist.
- [music fades out]
[Maria] Karl, maybe you just need
to let the therapists give the advice.
'Cause they're actually
trained to do that.
Actually, I don't think you need
therapists to get over a break-up.
Listen, this makes you money,
but it's almost... like when we paid
for ringtones back in the day.
Father time eventually fixed
that problem for all of us.
Five ninety-nine?
For... For, uh, for a singing animal?
[chuckling]
I just mean...
Maria,
maybe what I'm doing is helping people.
And it's free.
[both] Apart from the drinks.
- And the Tinder profiles.
- The Tinder profiles.
Yeah.
I'll see you
at the meeting, then. At three.
[sentimental music playing]
[music fades out]
Sure, if we see our relationship
as our only source of happiness,
then, of course, we are going
to suffer when that source dries up.
I think there are other things that can
serve as a source of happiness, like...
Nature?
Yeah, but maybe, mm,
you can think of something more specific.
[woman] Um...
A pair of jeans that fit?
Is that okay?
[Maria chuckles]
Yeah, of course that's okay. Yeah.
[quiet, upbeat music playing]
[Maria] Turgay?
I guess something good to eat?
[Maria] Mm-hm.
Um... dancing?
Or, I don't know.
[Maria] Dancing. Yes. Nice.
Penguins are nice.
Hmm.
I don't know, I just think
penguins are really... friendly.
Wonderful, Sibylle.
[sighs] Karl?
Uncommitted sex.
Hmm.
And about the penguins, eh...
- I really like them too.
- Hm.
Hm.
[music stops]
- I really do love penguins.
- Hmm.
They walk funny, quack, quack, quack,
quack, quack, quack, quack, quack, quack.
Or the... Or how they huddle, you know,
all together
when it's really cold outside?
Or the way they slide
across the ice on their big bellies?
They're so cute.
I think if someone
doesn't like penguins, then there's...
there's something wrong, am I right?
Can we talk?
[Karl] So it has to involve oaths
of lifelong fidelity?
[Maria] Of course not,
but when you say "uncommitted sex,"
instead of just "sex,"
that's saying something.
It's like you're immediately
thinking of no commitment.
Like a... a butterfly.
[chuckles]
I mean, I'm not a butterfly.
I'm... I'm Han Solo.
Well, Han Solo got together with Leia.
I bet it's all downhill
from there for him.
They have a kid,
they struggle, and they break up.
- Not gonna watch that one.
- Doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
[birds calling]
Sometimes sex just makes you happy.
Haven't you ever had a quickie
in a nightclub or something?
It doesn't have to be
a long-term thing. Sex is sex.
Got it.
And what if it led
to falling in love with someone?
You said that doesn't make people happy.
I said relationships aren't the only thing
that can make you happy.
You see, that's my point exactly.
[quiet, contemplative music playing]
YOU STILL CRYING
OR ARE YOU PAINTING?
[chuckling]
[crickets chirping]
[music fades out]
When's the last time
you got a good night's rest?
[sobbing faintly]
You wanna meditate?
Mm.
Talk?
[quiet, sentimental music playing]
Nah.
Swimming?
I didn't bring a bathing suit with me.
Mm. Me neither.
[Maria chuckles]
[screams]
[sentimental music continues]
Oh, yeah!
[chuckling]
Oh!
[both chuckling]
Wow. Whoo!
This feels so good!
[women chuckling]
[Sibylle] Yes!
[sentimental music continues]
[ringtone]
Hi, hon, how're you doin' over there?
Can you please come pick me up?
Svea and Feli get to go skating every day,
and I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere.
Hey, ho... hold on a second, honey.
Maybe... Maybe there's a skate park
near Grandma's place or something.
You could ask the neighbor's kids to...
You don't know anything.
- [disconnect tone]
- [sighs]
Shit.
You smokin' weed?
You gotta take care of yourself
when you're a mom.
[chuckles faintly]
My daughter's insisting
that I go pick her up right away
because she wants to go to a skate park.
Even though she can't even skate at all.
I bought her all the gear.
But she's never even used it.
[snickers faintly]
What?
Nothing. You've never been
to a skate park before, have you?
This would help make
the whole trip bearable.
- It's helpful.
- Yeah.
'Cause with everything else,
you don't even try.
You act like a little kid.
Right when anybody wants even
a little emotional connection with you,
you say you're out.
[Karl inhales]
Love needs effort,
people just don't get that.
All they want
is to have their one true love,
problem-free, fulfilling.
But it's an idea that...
Was only made up
to sell flowers and cards.
That's my line.
Not true.
Having a flawless kind of love
doesn't happen very often.
And I've seen so many people
who are expecting that
in relationships they're in,
and it makes them unhappy.
Maria...
do you believe
in big romantic love or not?
Of course I do.
[snickering]
Not even a little!
- [chuckling]
- [sighs]
But you don't tell anyone.
Well, I can't.
'Cause I'm trying to help clients
get their lives back together again.
As individuals...
who can find happiness alone.
No one can do that anymore.
And all of those...
romantic comedies did this...
[Maria chuckles]
...with their big,
pointless romantic gestures.
And their annoying love songs.
- And sunsets.
- [faint violin music playing]
People actually like those?
- Yeah.
- The Earth keeps turning.
- Wow, like, this happened yesterday too.
- Yeah.
The sun's always setting
somewhere on the planet.
- Yes.
- Right?
[chuckling]
From an evolutionary point of view
that makes no sense at all, am I right?
So, what, you're gonna go out there
when wild animals start hunting
and you're just gonna sit there
quietly on a boulder
watching the sun go down?
- I mean, what is that? Crazy.
- [chuckling]
[violin music continues]
Do you hear something?
[violin music continues]
[Karl] Oh.
- I've got ten euros.
- [Maria] You have a request?
[Karl] Nope. Not at all.
I'll pay him to go away.
[both chuckle]
[violin music continues]
It's kinda lovely to meet a woman who...
I'm not... I'm not a woman.
- Hm?
- I'm your therapist.
It's on me.
Do you know how much
it costs for 15 minutes?
Ten euros.
Oh, you know what?
He requests "Eternal Flame."
[playing "Eternal Flame" by The Bangles]
[snickering]
Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no, no,
no, no, no. No, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no. No, no, no, no, no.
["Eternal Flame" by The Bangles playing]
[chuckling]
No, no, no, no. Nope. No, no, no, no.
Say my name
Sun shines through the rain
A whole life so lonely
And then come and ease the pain
I don't want to lose this feeling
Oh
[song fades out]
[Karl] Sorry. I overslept.
- Morning.
- Morning.
Morning.
Um, he's not upstairs, or by the pool,
and he won't answer his phone.
[Maria] Mm.
What's wrong?
Turgay's kind of gone.
Can you check the library, Martha?
And what are they here for?
They're here for a wedding.
Huh?
Oh my God.
[upbeat music playing]
- That's Timea.
- That's what?
Turgay's Timea!
He's gonna stop the wedding!
[music becomes very lively]
I wonder who put that
thought in his head, Karl.
- Are you out of your damn mind?
- Oh please.
She just wants Turgay to be a man.
This wedding is a charade.
A charade that costs thousands?
Why don't you think sometimes?
- Ow.
- Sorry.
[church bell ringing]
[Maria] Oh, man.
[people chattering]
[Maria sighs]
[people chattering]
[Maria] What are you wearing?
Go away!
Hey, that's no way
for a therapist to talk.
I am fixing the mess you created,
so I'm gonna talk how I want to.
- This could really ruin things for him.
- He'll be fine.
You can't stand that I might be right!
Ah, just shut up! And get out of here,
so I can stop Turgay.
- Jeez.
- You can't do that! Wait. Wait!
["Wedding March" playing on organ]
[officiant] Dearest Timea,
dearest Egbert...
[music stops]
...dear relatives and friends
of the bride and groom,
all of us are looking for our soul mate.
For that one special person
who may seem so hard to find.
This one special person
is somebody who completes us,
somebody who makes us whole,
who makes us feel perfect.
- He's gotta be here somewhere.
- Or not.
- This person is someone...
- Maybe he didn't come.
...that we must be open to finding.
- All of his progress will be ruined.
- He needs to figure out his own way.
Please explain how this is
his "own way" when it was your idea.
- That's ridiculous.
- Yeah, and he'll be totally humiliated.
[officiant] Timea and Egbert
chose this Bible verse to be read...
- Turgay!
- Hey! Shh!
...before they begin
their marital journey together.
- Turgay!
- Really?
- So sorry.
- I'm so sorry.
[officiant] Dear Timea, dear Egbert.
Before us, these two stand
- ready to begin that journey.
- What are you doing? Stop. Come back.
- [tense music plays]
- Come back here!
- Don't do it! [grunts]
- [clattering]
[bride gasps]
- [people muttering]
- [music stops]
[bride chuckles]
[sizzling]
And so that which belongs together
- also wishes to be found before God.
- Come on. Just let it happen.
- [Maria sighing] Oh, God.
- [sizzling]
[officiant] Before Timea
and Egbert recite their vows,
- if any of those present at this ceremony...
- Shit.
- ...object to this union...
- [blowing]
[upbeat music playing]
- ...I ask that you speak now...
- [chuckling]
...or forever hold your peace.
- [Maria whispers] Shit. It's spreading.
- [Karl] The hat.
[Turgay clears throat]
Timea!
Turgay?
- [Maria] Fire! Oh, my God!
- [alarm blaring]
- [people screaming]
- [lively music playing]
- [alarm blaring]
- [panting]
[lively music continues]
[music stops]
[distant telephone ringing]
Don't worry, Karl. You'll be done soon.
I grew up around here, you know.
Splendid.
[officer clears throat]
Do you still take milk?
Now I'm actually an oat milk guy.
But I'll make an exception.
[giggling]
That picture I saw in her office
has a little kitten in it.
It's a sign that she
wants children someday.
Not interested now, are you?
[chuckles faintly]
You don't even wanna be my therapist.
No, because when I tried
you didn't let me.
That's because I don't even need therapy.
Wow.
I'm only doing all of this
to get my job back.
- [buzzer ringing]
- [chuckling]
Well, you're doing a bad job.
[upbeat music playing]
Honey, hello! Mommy's here!
[music stops]
I actually miss the police station.
- Karl used to be there all the time.
- Ah!
They were gonna name a cell after him.
[Maria chuckles]
- I'm taking you to back home.
- [Karl] What?
- I'm fine. Bring us back to the hotel.
- Yeah.
The hotel would be perfect, thanks.
Don't believe a word he says about me.
I make a wonderful potato salad.
No one wants potato salad.
Please, Mom, just drive us back
to the hotel. Thank you.
I would actually love
to try the potato salad.
- What?
- He hasn't told me anything about you.
He didn't mention you at all.
- How'd you meet?
- Mom, please.
- Ah, through my job.
- [Karl groans]
- Maybe Karl can tell you about it.
- [Karl groans]
No?
And so... So there's
no misunderstandings, we're...
We're friends. Friends.
I'm glad you're sleeping together.
The formalities can all come later.
[upbeat music playing]
[rooster crowing]
[rooster crowing]
[music ends]
This is like a shrine to the '90s.
DJ Bobo, "Love is All Around", wow.
I had a Backstreet Boys poster too.
Now there's gotta be...
Ah!
- Hey! Hey! That's trespassing!
- Yeah, I'm becoming known for that.
Interesting that you held on
to all this... stuff.
Look, you even kept a little heart.
"My heart beats like crazy
when it sees you."
"Like, badly."
That was a school project.
[chuckles]
It's so crazy
you make a living off of writing.
What's this?
[quiet, contemplative music playing]
[inhaling]
Um... Uh...
Wanna talk about it?
[sniffling]
You've never done something stupid?
So much that it couldn't all fit in a box.
[inhaling] Come, let's go eat.
[contemplative music continues]
[music fades out]
Usually he just goes for bimbos.
He's broken up with all the good ones.
He just doesn't wanna get hurt.
He has real commitment issues.
It's amazing that man
can even tie his own shoes.
[both chuckle]
Wilhelm and I are probably to blame.
Even though our divorce
was completely drama-free
and, honestly, totally amicable.
Karl had already turned 16 by then.
- Well, can I ask you about...
- Why did we get divorced?
Because we had just one thing in common.
We both got married on the same day.
[both chuckle]
There was another reason,
because of some health issues.
[soft rock music plays over speaker]
Whenever we looked at each other,
we wanted to throw up.
[both chuckle]
We both enjoyed crazy sex.
Every day. From Monday to Sunday.
Having sex was always crazy.
- [both chuckle]
- Mom, give it a rest.
[Mom] I mean,
that was last week's hit joke.
You don't have enough
of a sense of humor. [chuckles]
Karl hates that I do
my stand-up routine in public.
The show is just a bunch
of weak marriage jokes.
[Mom] Weak? Come some time.
On Wednesday, I'll be performing
my set at the local theater.
Karl's never even seen my set,
you know. I can get tickets.
- I'd rather get a tramp stamp.
- [upbeat music playing]
[Maria] Your mom's a blast.
[Karl] Trust me,
you'd get tired of her really quick.
Can't you say that for all moms?
[Karl sighs]
[Maria] Can I ask you something?
[music fades out]
Her name was Claudia.
We... [inhaling]
...dated since we were 14.
And, um, before college...
[inhaling and exhaling]
...I asked her to marry me.
[scoffs] I couldn't lose her.
But, she...
Said no.
[inhaling] I mean, you know, I get it.
[exhaling] She... wanted to see the world,
not immediately settle down
with her first boyfriend.
She saw the ring,
panicked, and ended things.
[seagulls calling]
Was she the love of your life?
Yeah.
[inhaling] But I'm totally over it.
Seriously. I don't even know
why I still have the ring.
And I feel like
I dodged a bullet, honestly.
I'm thankful.
Yeah.
Lucky that didn't happen.
- [sentimental music playing]
- [both chuckle]
[music fades out]
[distant dog barking]
[sheet rustling]
[Maria] Mm.
I'm glad the two of us
took this little trip together.
We finally have an angle.
It's... It's not an angle. It's nothing.
This was a traumatic event, Karl.
It must've hurt a lot.
[scoffs] Yeah. Wow. So insightful.
It's always the same thing.
"That was a very traumatic event, Karl."
You made that up, right?
It's a publicity stunt!
[sighs]
Good night.
- [loud metallic thud]
- [Maria gasps]
[both laugh]
Relax, I don't find you attractive.
I'm with you on that one.
Very good.
[both exhale]
But everything I've said is true.
My heart was broken.
By Olaf.
[inhales] He cheated on you?
Yeah.
He left me for penguin research.
[both chuckle faintly]
- You don't like talking about them, right?
- I hate penguins.
- Psycho.
- Back at ya.
Olaf is a zoologist and studies climate.
Did you know that penguins
are an endangered species?
- And Olaf's fixing that?
- Yes.
He works in conservation. Worldwide, so...
And he's traveling the world
while my daughter and I are here.
[inhales] You do a good job
of managing it all.
Thank you.
[inhales] Apart from being a goody
two shoes and kind of a know-it-all.
And the thing with the Kim Jong Un
cardboard cut-outs is very odd.
Don't get jealous.
Does he come visit you, or his daughter?
Yeah, he does, when he's in Germany.
But, when he's traveling,
we have no option but to talk
on the phone, especially him and Hedi.
We made that decision back then because
we thought it was for the greater good.
[exhaling]
But me...
Sometimes I wonder,
"What if he showed up at our door
and... wanted to stay with us?"
Dumb, right?
No.
[quiet, contemplative music playing]
[exhaling]
Not dumb at all.
[breathing deeply]
I get that saving the planet
is really important...
but if it meant we couldn't be together,
I'd let it go to hell.
[sighs]
What happened to Han Solo?
You've gone soft.
Can't you leave Han Solo out of this?
No.
[contemplative music intensifies]
- [rooster crows]
- [birds chirping]
[music becomes quiet again]
[music fades out]
[man] It's a lovely hotel.
You'll have a great time.
[Maria] Mmm.
It's romantic.
[Maria clears her throat]
You got bags?
[chuckling] As if a young couple
like yourselves need clothes.
I'm his therapist.
- [man] Oh.
- [Maria clears her throat]
What?
Nothing.
Look, I'm sorry about yesterday.
I'm not, I loved it.
[breathing deeply]
I know what you're thinking.
But he's my client.
It's not happening, that's just one
of many reasons why it's a bad idea.
- What holds you back the most?
- There's no future.
Oh, and are you looking for someone
to share a long
and happy family life with you?
I am not looking at all!
You've already got one. An empty
apartment you take care of all alone.
Olaf and I are friends,
which is good for Hedi.
And it's a good excuse
for you not to meet new people.
[sighs]
You realize you two
are pretty similar, right?
I think you'd both learn
how to take risks.
[sighing] How are we similar?
He has a bad case of Peter Pan syndrome,
and I'm a mom with a kid.
You know how long it took me
to find balance after Olaf left.
Is that what you call it?
"Balance"? Really?
[sighing] Thanks a lot, counselor.
I need to go to the office.
Martha will take over.
Don't have time
for individual sessions today.
You do know that ignoring people
after sex is kinda my thing.
But have a good trip.
[Maria] Mm.
That's like I told you, sex is sex.
[inhaling] And that was all it meant.
[chuckles] That's really good. Same here.
Good.
Good.
When you're done,
just say "thanks" and leave.
Okay.
- Thanks.
- [chuckling] Exactly.
[both chuckle]
- Bye.
- Bye.
[contemplative music playing]
I thought you hated sunsets.
I met somebody recently who agrees.
[inhales] The only girl I've met
who thinks they're overrated.
Now every time I see one I wonder
if she's somewhere hating it like I do.
You know what that is?
- That's love, man! [chuckling]
- [contemplative music intensifies]
[chuckling] Shut up.
- [music fades out]
- [doorbell ringing]
[sighs]
[vacuum turns off]
- Hello.
- [Maria] Who is it?
- [Karl] Hello, who are you?
- Hedi.
[Maria] Karl?
Uh, what are you doing here?
This is my apartment.
Do you have a session today?
[inhaling] I... Um...
I was wondering where you
kept the cardboard cut-outs.
We don't keep those at the house.
[Karl chuckles]
But they could be useful, though.
They'd scare off anyone
trying to break in.
Or you could hang clothes on them.
[Hedi] Or for bowling.
[chuckling]
[Hedi chuckles]
I'm going to the skate park.
Uh, be back by six?
Okay.
Bye, Hedi.
[Hedi] Bye.
What... Uh, so what
do you wanna talk about?
[Karl inhaling]
I... [inhales] Well, I don't think
we should ignore each other
just 'cause we had sex one time, you know?
Okay.
Coffee?
Doesn't have to be great.
I have some bad coffee, yeah.
[chuckles]
- [both panting]
- [R&B song playing over speaker]
This can't become a regular thing we do.
No. No, it...
it can't become a regular thing.
Okay.
[both sigh]
We could do it one more time
before it's a regular thing.
Uh-huh.
[R&B song fades out]
["Eternal Flame" by The Bangles
playing over speaker]
Close your eyes, give me...
No! Wait, wait, wait,
wait, wait, wait, wait!
[chuckles]
Don't turn that off.
[contemplative music plays
over "Eternal Flame"]
[contemplative music continues]
[typing]
[music continues]
[cell phone ringing]
- [call picks up]
- [inhaling]
Hi. Um...
I...
I was just, um, I was thinking that...
- Um, maybe we could...
- No, no, not today.
Work's been crazy, Hedi's sick,
and I don't have a babysitter.
I can babysit.
Uh...
I love children.
[chuckles]
Okay, how about we...
google your symptoms?
- Let's see here. Okay.
- [distant children shouting playfully]
Trouble eating?
[inhaling] Fever?
- You been sleeping?
- A little.
A little. [inhaling]
Ah! Here's the results.
What's wrong with me?
A midlife crisis.
Or a prostate issue, or...
possibly heartbreak.
Let me guess.
Eleven, skater, doesn't know you exist.
How'd you know that?
You don't use your skateboard,
Hedi, something was off.
[breathing deeply]
He has the greenest eyes
in the entire world.
But I can't get his attention.
[sighing]
Okay.
I might not be a total expert
on heartbreak,
but I do know how to skateboard.
[upbeat music playing]
Ta-da. My old skateboard.
[makes swishing sound]
Right. Your turn, Hedi.
Believe in yourself, you got this!
That's good!
Good, good, good, good, good!
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
[mimicking old man] Good afternoon,
young lady. My name is Dr. Nieke.
I heard that you had
a skateboarding accident today.
- Because this idiot...
- [giggling]
...thought it'd be a good idea
to skate in a living room.
Boop! [exhales quickly]
[giggling]
Actually, common misconception,
turns out skateboarding...
isn't about skating.
["G.O.A.T." by Jesse McMullen playing]
I'm telling you right now
I'm that player
Greatest of all time
Yeah, I'm, ya savior
Don't be asking
'Cause I'm all out of favors
[Karl] Okay.
Who's Oskar?
[Hedi] That one.
["G.O.A.T." continues]
Hey! Hold on. That's a kiddie board.
Here, take mine.
Cool board!
Yes! Yeah!
- [Karl and Hedi chuckle]
- [door shuts]
[Karl continues chuckling]
- [Hedi] Mmm...
- You can make one wish.
- I have.
- [Maria] Hey.
- Hello.
- Hey.
- [Maria] Feeling better?
- Mm-hm, I do.
Well, you've got skills, Karl.
We're making pizza tonight.
Homemade pizza.
With lots of vegetables.
A ton of vegetables.
[Karl] Tons.
My turn?
["Dreaming of You"
by Sam Joseph Delves playing]
[Hedi and Karl laugh]
Can I cheat? I wanna win.
[all laugh]
[screaming on TV]
[Hedi laughs]
[all laugh]
["Dreaming of You" continues]
[Maria] Your grief stops you
from really remembering
how you felt during the good times.
But they're still good times.
It's your heart, and it's your love.
And you should get to choose
who to share it with.
[closes book]
["Dreaming of You" continues]
Dreaming of you
[breathing deeply]
[door buzzer rings]
I'm falling for you
[clears throat]
Hey.
[door shuts]
I'm calling
For you
[all laughing]
...because her hat got caught on fire.
[all] Cheers.
- To you too.
- Cheers.
For you
- [Karl] Turgay called me.
- [song ends]
- You hear about it?
- Mm. Timea is back.
She was impressed
by what he did at the wedding.
- [Maria] Mm.
- [Karl inhales]
And do you know who... told him to do that?
Don't tell me.
The super-therapist!
What ya got there?
Um, Hedi's breakfast.
I told her I'd bring her dessert.
You're really good with her.
That's all her. She's a great kid.
Can you please just accept the compliment?
It's not so easy
for me to say that, you know?
Haven't you noticed I'm a total introvert?
They say that every introvert
needs an extrovert to take care of them.
[contemplative music playing]
What's going on with us?
Huh?
We don't have to define
this whole thing or put a label on it.
He likes you, right, Maria?
She definitely knows how
I'm feeling about her, I'm pretty sure.
Mm-hm.
But I need to hear it.
Maybe tomorrow. I'll tell her.
[music becomes lively]
- [door opens]
- Excuse me?
- Could you hold the door, please?
- Oh, yeah.
Thanks.
- Well, I got it for you now.
- Thank you.
[music becomes quiet]
- [breathing deeply]
- Mm.
[music fades out]
Are you heartbroken?
Just kidding.
My girlfriend's the heartbreak counselor.
You're here to see Maria Geiger, right?
Yeah.
She'll be thrilled. She loves flowers.
[inhaling]
It's a thank you for... for the therapy.
I don't think she's back,
want me to take those?
I'll tell her you brought them.
[melancholic music playing]
[rapid footsteps down stairs]
- Hi, Karl.
- Hey, Hedi.
Wait, why are you here?
[sighs]
Um, I'm going away for a while.
How come?
Hard to explain. I...
I'll tell you later, okay?
Okay...
Want your board back?
It's yours. No way.
[melancholic music continues]
Bye, Hedi. Be good.
[rapid footsteps on stairs]
[Hedi] Dad! You're home!
[music continues]
[music fades out]
I've got a job offer.
To work at a biodiversity lab.
In Potsdam.
[chuckles]
[chuckles]
M... Wow.
[Maria chuckles quietly]
I should have never left you guys alone.
I'm sorry, Maria.
We said it was for the greater good.
We agreed to that.
No, you should have been the greater good.
The world's in a lot of trouble,
but if I'm not able
to see my family, then,
I'd let it go to hell.
[Maria chuckles faintly]
I...
I... I met somebody.
And so...
We don't have to do anything right now.
We can keep both apartments.
[contemplative music playing]
I just wanna be near you guys.
[music continues]
[passionate moaning]
[sighs]
Anton, I... My room again?
- Why my room?
- Sorry, sorry, sorry! Shhh!
She's the one, I know it.
How was it?
[inhales] Oh, I don't know.
Sorry. Just, hold on.
Hey. Uh...
[sighs]
[contemplative music continues]
[typing on cell phone]
[cell phone ringing]
[cell phone vibrating]
[vibrating continues]
[sighs]
[vibrating continues]
[ringing continues]
- [vibrating continues]
- [bad saxophone playing]
[call disconnects]
You have a cheese sandwich, a mandarin,
cucumber, and a candy bar, for once.
[Maria] Mmm.
For you, we've got a tomato,
you've also got a mandarin,
and then we have a cucumber,
and some leftover cake.
I was pretty sure
we had more leftovers, right?
Yeah, I put the rest
in Dad's lunch for later.
Oh, that's really healthy for your father.
He starts work today.
[chuckles]
He's picking me up this whole week.
Later, can we make my invitations?
Yup.
This'll be my first birthday with Dad
that I can even remember.
Can I invite Karl?
Um...
- Do you know when he's coming back?
- No, I don't.
He didn't tell you
how long "a while" is either?
[door shuts]
Dad!
Morning.
[Olaf] Ahh.
- [Maria] Morning.
- Morning.
[Hedi] Come look.
I've got a surprise for you.
I guess the other day
he told Hedi he'd be gone for a while.
I don't know what I was thinking, really.
And I should've expected that too.
He ghosted me,
this is completely ridiculous.
[breathing deeply]
I'm mad at myself too about it
because I really felt
like he had changed, you know?
It's such a clich.
And what about Olaf?
I'm lost.
I might give it another chance.
[sighs]
[breathing deeply]
You should get up before the neighbors
complain about a rotting dead body odor.
Yeah?
Hey.
Hm?
It'll be okay.
[Anton sighs]
[Hedi] Everything.
It was all good.
Sure? Not even anything annoying today?
No, nothing.
'Cause Dad's here.
And you?
Um, Oskar's great.
He told me that he heard
his parents talking about him.
He's the only reason
they're still together.
So dumb, right?
Well, I don't...
Parents sometimes
put their own needs aside.
For a lot of parents, the most important
thing is that their kids are okay.
Dad's staying, so I'm happy.
He promised that
he's going to stay home, so
he's here for good.
Even if you aren't together anymore.
[contemplative music playing]
[Adam] Are you writing the article or not?
You want your job back,
or are you wasting my time here?
I... I don't know.
Pull yourself together, then call me.
[disconnect tone]
[breathing deeply]
[music continues]
[clatters]
[Karl] When love hits you in the face.
Some people think
broken hearts don't exist.
They're the ones usually hit the hardest.
As unforeseen as ice in June,
as hard as Frazier's left hook.
I was someone who couldn't admit
that love comes at a price.
You can get hurt.
Big deal. Very big deal.
One where everything's taken away.
I don't know when it'll end.
Maybe never.
[sniffling]
Maybe this is how it is.
When love ends, we have to
hand over a piece of our heart.
A broken, used up piece.
Your heart gets smaller.
But that's okay.
We don't need it anymore.
Might as well throw it all out.
[music continues]
But I was wrong about that too.
It will heal.
At least that's what I've heard.
It just takes time for the heart to learn
how to live without that missing piece.
All we can hope for is that
the rest of our heart recovers
and is still big enough
in case, one day,
someone else wants to take a piece too.
[music fades out]
I'm glad that you're here for Hedi.
Yeah, sometimes
time actually breaks everything.
Wait.
Give Hedi the key.
She can visit me whenever, day or night.
[door opens]
[door shuts]
[contemplative music playing]
I COULD BE YOUR EXTROVER[chuckles]
[music becomes more lively]
[cell phone ringing and vibrating]
No.
[sighs]
- Shit.
- [call connects]
Turgay?
[Turgay] I locked myself in the bathroom.
- [pounding]
- [Timea] Open up, you coward!
I told Timea I wanted to break up,
and she wasn't having it, and now...
[Timea] Turgay!
[Turgay] She's trying
to break down the door.
[quiet, dramatic music playing]
Get out!
- And if I gotta go outside, then I...
- Turgay, open up!
- It'll start all over.
- You coward!
It... Kryptonite doesn't exist!
[music becomes contemplative]
What'd you say?
[chuckles]
It's made up! It's imaginary!
Open the door! I'll kick it down!
[breathing deeply]
You have ten seconds to leave my home.
Or I'll call the police.
Five seconds.
[groans loudly]
[rapidly receding footsteps]
[door slams]
[shudders]
[Turgay] I did it.
Yeah.
- I did it.
- Yeah, you really did it.
Maybe a costume party
is exactly what you need.
Hm?
[door buzzer rings]
[receding footsteps]
[door opens]
[Anton] Hey.
[Maria] Uh...
Um, is Karl here?
[door shuts]
[Maria] Hey.
Hey.
Sorry.
Um, I... Um...
I, uh...
I found the card that you wrote.
- Sorry I didn't find it sooner.
- Don't worry about it.
Would you like to get a drink?
[quiet, contemplative music playing]
Is it okay if we don't?
Mm...
For sure.
I mean...
I'm, uh...
I'm grateful for the therapy.
I learned what love could be like.
So what's... What's it like?
Like skydiving.
People say
it's the greatest feeling in the world.
You're flying, you're weightless.
[inhaling]
But what people forget is
it's not the flying that's important.
It's about having a parachute.
Like security, not crashing.
[quiet, contemplative music continues]
It's the thing that can make it skydiving
instead of a plane crash.
[Maria chuckles faintly]
But that's just me.
I mean, you're the expert on love.
At the agency, maybe,
but everywhere else, I'm an amateur.
And isn't it...
Isn't it okay
for an amateur to screw up sometimes?
[quiet, contemplative music continues]
Not when you're skydiving.
[music fades out]
[traffic sounds]
- [techno music playing]
- [people cheering]
[mock groaning]
Hey! It's me!
Zolt!
- Hey!
- Hi!
[Karl] How are you?
Well, I haven't been climbing
onto roofs anymore.
So not bad.
Gotta start somewhere.
You meet anyone?
No.
I believe in destiny.
Not me.
It's coincidence.
Tom and I?
That was destiny.
That was just... That was fate, man.
Listen up.
You were going to therapy.
And then some dude came along
and wrote a shitty article
about your therapist.
The guy lost his job and he was ruined.
And then he has to have therapy
with her to get his life back.
Sounds made up, you know?
Yeah. It does.
Anton!
This is Zolt.
A saxophone teacher.
And that's Anton, the worst
saxophone player in the world.
Ahhh, what a coincidence.
Hi. Uh, oh! Hi.
- Hi.
- Hi.
[Anton] There's no such thing
as coincidence, right?
No.
["You Better Run" by Shary Osman playing]
You better run
[kissing loudly]
- [mock groaning]
- [both chuckle]
You better run
You better run
You better run
You better run
You better run
You better run
You better run
You better run
You better run
You better run
You better run
You better run
You better run
[glass shattering]
[screaming] Where is she?
- Stop.
- Where... is she?
[music ends]
You! You brainwashed Turgay!
- [grunts]
- [gasps]
[hard thud]
Karl?
[gasping] I have something to say.
This isn't the greatest timing for this.
[gasping] I... I... I love you...
- [screams]
- [thudding]
Karl?
[echoing] Karl?
[Karl] Ow. That's so cold.
Ow.
- [man] Keep this on there, okay?
- [groans]
[groans]
I'm done with therapy for a bit.
We're just getting started.
- [chuckles]
- [quiet, contemplative music playing]
[groaning] Ouch.
Sorry.
Mmm.
Mmm.
[groaning]
[Maria] Oh. Again?
[Karl] Mmm. Mmm.
- [Maria] Does this hurt?
- [Karl chuckling]
- [Maria] Here?
- [Karl chuckling]
[quiet, contemplative music continues]
Whoo! Hey!
Whoo!
This is so cheesy.
Awful.
[clicks teeth]
- [Karl chuckles]
- [music fades out]
["Let's Do It Now"
by Rocky Wallace playing]
You know the way you make me feel
You make me think that love is real
If this is it
Just show me how-ow-ow
Show me how-ow-ow
If you're gonna fall in love with me
Then do it now
Baby, I want
Everything that you've got
Speak now first thought
Hit me with your best shot
Don't leave this running
Round my brai-ai-ain
Just tell me
That you feel the sa-a-ame
Just feel the same
You know the way you make me feel
You make me think that love is real
If this it just show me how-ow-ow
Show me how-ow-ow
If you're gonna fall in love with me
Then do it now, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now
Baby, I know
It's safer to move slow
Let's not say no
Let's see where the night goes
You make me think I'm in a drea-ea-eam
The sweetest thing
I've ever see-ee-een
You know the way you make me feel
You make me think that love is real
If this it just show me how-ow-ow
Show me how-ow-ow
If you're gonna fall in love with me
Then do it now, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now
Let's do it now-ow-ow
Let's do it now-ow-ow, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now
Let's do it now-ow-ow
Let's do it now-ow-ow, let's do it now
If we're gonna fall in love
Let's do it now
[song ends]