Original subtitles

My son, our family owes a lot to the cyclo taxi

We work hard, day and night

Eating and sleeping in the street. Pedalling all the time

Some mornings, the backaches

nail you to the bed

I don't know where it all leads

This has been my life

When I die, I'll have nothing to leave you

If you can, see if you can find

something more worthy

You're late!

Look again and see if I'm right

"The People's Committee makes loans

"in line with the policy

"of fighting poverty"

Where is it? Show me

How old are you?

Eighteen

Parents' occupation?

We're very poor

Answer me, your parents?

My mother died in childbirth

My father too, an accident...

How did he die?

A truck...he died instantly, with two passengers

At Hang Xanh intersection, right?

Yes

Who's left?

My grandfather, my sisters

They study in the morning and work in the afternoon

What do they do?

The eldest delivers water to the market, the little one shines shoes

And your grandfather?

He repairs tires

Who rents you the cyclo taxi?

The boss lady in Cholon

Her name?

l don't know

How much per day?

5,000 dongs

And the deposit?

200,000 dongs

Okay, we'll consider your file

We'll let you know

Yes

These days it hurts

when I piss. What about you?

Me too. It burns

You've got to drink, it helps

It makes you sweat, wears you out

A doctor warned me, take anything to build muscles,

you end up impotent

Yeah, right! Who can afford a doctor?

Better to see a butcher

Shoe shine, sir, shoe shine?

You free, kid?

Cyclo !

Number 8, Le Loi Street

How dare you steal our clients?

It's her...

This is our turf. If you want to live, get lost!

Beat it, you're on our turf!

Yes, you're my little fish

So, how much?

It's a good day. 26,000

5,000 for you, 21,000 for me

No problem?

The thugs took a passenger from me

Careful, each turf has its gang

You hungry?

Want to eat?

Wash him, give him something to eat

Go with him

He was born that way, he must be your age

Take care of your tooth

You see, I told you

Okay, that's enough, get out

Come on Grandpa, it's late

Yes, let's go home

Bring tobacco for grandfather

ls your shoulder better?

It gets worse everyday

Do you have any balm left?

Hardly any

I'll bring some back for you

Grandfather, take the scale

they sent us by mistake

and change jobs, it'll be easier

See how it's done

Someone comes, you wipe

You invite him to try, 1000 dongs per person

We shouldn't. The scale isn't ours

Yes we can, we've waited long enough

No one has claimed it

Your shoulder's hurting

You can't keep pumping tires

Let's wait a while

On the old riverbanks Leaves and flowers fade

The sun dies, icy, shuddering

Hesitant, I cross the hamlet

My childhood, I remember you

I remember your graceful silhouette

You gazed at me, radiant, tender

I remember the sun was setting

On your ivory cheeks your rippling hair

Put him to bed

Tomorrow, I'll come see if you're dead or not

Get up, little brother

Go wash up

Ifl, the Heron, die by boiling

May it be in clear water

To ease my children's suffering

Follow them

And not a word to anyone

Bom has a fan made of palm leaves

The Rich Man says, I'll trade you

Three cows and nine buffalo

I don't want your buffalo

I'll give you

a pond full of fish

I don't want your fish

I'll give you

a raft of precious wood

I don't want your wood

I'll give you

a bird...

Tomorrow, come to the icehouse

l'll tell you what to do

Go now and be discreet

What's the matter?

Who is it?

Why?

He stole my cyclo

Don't be stupid, he works for the boss lady

Let's go!

Wait here

Don't go out

Except to eat

and don't lock the door

Close your mouth, it stinks

Do you have any money?

No

We stayed up all night again

Let's go to sleep

Can I sleep here?

Another time

I don't want to do it

I came

because you wanted me to

I called, no one answered

Can I come in?

Don't touch her

It's her first time

Would you like to pee?

You want to piss?

Peepee, you get it?

Understand?

Go on, pee!

Drink...go on, drink!

Drink and pee

Pee, please!

Drink again!

Again, drink up!

That's enough! Piss!

And do it standing up!

I brought you two friends

People are singing your praises

You're a Samaritan

You tried to save a drowning man?

The boss is happy

She sent you this reward

Damn, you're disgusting

She wants to see you, for another job

What? What did you say?

I don't dare

I didn't ask your opinion!

You dare refuse?

What does he want? Say it again!

Open your mouth!

Open it!

This is a taste

Next time it'll be straight

Sabotage!

250 tons of mouldy rice

Do you know who did it?

Imagine yourself in the headlines?

That's a life sentence!

Nameless river

I was born sobbing

Blue sky, vast earth

Black stream water

I grow with the months, the years

With no one to watch over me

Nameless is man

Nameless is the river

Colorless the flower

Perfume

Without a voice

O, river I O, passer-by I

In the closed cycle

Of the months, the years

I can't forget my debt to my roots

And I wander

Through worlds

Towards my land...

His father won't let me work

I'm bored

I'm going round in circles

So I busy myself

with small tasks

Is Papa well?

He just came home

When he leaves, I feel so alone

You're thin

When he was little, his nose bled

Does it still happen?

Yes. Sometimes

I'll show you a photo

What are you looking for?

He's still here?

He's our son

Please, speak to him

He came with his whore?

Please

What are you looking for?

He was five years old

Stay and eat with us

- Mama... - No, he won't let me

We were starving...

No rice...

People dying everywhere...

We loved each other deeply

At 16, or 17

We drank alcohol

to forget our hunger

A bit of shrimp paste...

on the end of a nail...

and we drank...

It lasted a year...

Then the child was born

He came out backwards

Too late...almost dead

The doctor said "Abnormal"

Coward. He was a coward

The father left us

Why coward?

He was only 17

Younger than his son is now

And then...

How much for a bottle of gasoline?

5,000

And this?

10,000

Not bad! And all alone! You're a real pro!

No cop can catch me

I know all the shortcuts

Sure, you're a cyclo driver

You like skirts?

Women's underwear?

That's all there was

You sure you're a guy? Show me

That's my gift. Take it. For real

I want to join the gang

What did he say?

What did you just say?

I got a shock, too

Which gang were you talking about?

I want to be like you

Take him to Mr. Lullaby!

Look at my hands? See?

ln 1956

I was 17 a bullet cut the nerve

my hand stiffened up

And look at this...

A bullet, through the neck

It came out the back

Guess which hole is bigger?

And then this

here

in 57, a bullet

shattered my shin

You know why I'm telling you all this?

I know what you're thinking faced with death

I understand you so well

Autumn wind blows

Sleep my child, sleep

The night is long

I'll watch over you

Until the night is over I'll watch over you

Listen carefully to

the art of syncopation

Sleep, my child, my beloved

My little one

Keep it as a souvenir

Take it!

Ah, for an iced tea!

Waiter! An iced tea!