Original subtitles

IRIS HOEGAARDE portraits

Great photos. Willem Steenhouwer, lawyer.

You were going to quit. You'd finally tell me everything.

Why do you insist on defending the guy?

I didn't want him to fall over the rail.

Maybe not manslaughter but involuntary manslaughter?

He's told them everything.

He looks like that criminal. - He's my grandfather.

Is it true what they write about him? - Shove the shit party up your arse.

Bugger off, get out of my house.

Can't I do a job for you? - Find out who the real squatters are.

But keep your mouth shut and be careful.

What I mean is, can't we think of something...

...so you and Bjorn won't face criminal proceedings?

Something. Or someone.

You're never going to tell me anything. - I can't.

Bugger off.

Bugger off.

Mum.

BETRAYAL

CUT AND SLASH

Are you asleep? - Damn, do you know what time it is?

I know. Can you come here?

What, now? Is it that urgent?

Yes, it is.

See you in a bit.

Hello?

Willem.

What time is it?

Christ, not again.

How dare you wake an old man who needs his sleep.

The prosecutor was here, just now.

Here? - He'll let Bjorn go.

In exchange for Willem.

Marco. - Are you his mother?

Yes. - Hello, I'm doctor Van Voorst.

Has the police informed you? - Yes, sort of.

Your son has been stabbed.

He was stabbed in his stomach several times.

I'll be honest with you. He's lost a lot of blood.

He'll return to the operation theatre shortly, the surgeon will be here soon.

He'll be alright though, won't he?

But how, for Christ's sake? And why?

Some story about being a lawyer of dirty affairs...

...an architect of crime, or some such nonsense.

The prosecutor keeps on about the alibi and the whore.

Don't worry, they don't know anything.

The only thing they found is a bottle of champagne.

With fingerprints, and they're not hers.

I was wearing gloves. Those prints must be from the off-license.

I left the bottle there. - What an expert.

Come with me.

Voicemail of Willem Steenhouwer.

Voicemail...

You know how much I love him. Maybe as much as I love Bjorn.

But... - More than 15 years.

Joy and sorrow. Family.

And now he doesn't want to work for me and he leaves his wife and children.

And that chick of his ridicules my daughter in some woman's magazine.

Jesus, Huub. - Everything was normal not long ago.

When Louis didn't try to screw me, when Bjorn could still play games...

...when Willem still slept with Elsie. Look at us now.

You tell me what I should do. You tell me.

You're lucky I left something for you.

I almost ate the last slice...

...and you wouldn't have had anything.

Do you like ham now too?

Hello, sir. - Hello, Menno.

I'm Willem.

Did you dream? - Yes.

Me too. - About what?

Pokemons. - Yes, huge Pokemans that chase you.

We have to go. Hurry up.

It's not next door anymore. Get your coat.

'III

Will you close the door when you leave? - I'm sorry.

I'm sorry for everything.

Bye, Willem. - Bye, Menno.

Make sure your teacher doesn't do anything strange.

Hurry UP-

Darling, wait here. Mum has to go back.

Willem, it's me.

Call me as soon as possible. Something terrible has happened to Marco.

I'll start work.

Marco Steenhouwer.

In the operating room. Your family's there.

He's still being operated on. - Still?

What happened? - I called you a dozen times.

He was stabbed in a squat. - A squat? What was he doing there?

No idea. - What do you mean?

No idea.

Who will pick me up this afternoon? - Daddy.

And you? - Not this time.

When will you come home again?

Well?

I don't know, darling. - Why not?

It depends on a lot of things. - Like what?

We'll talk about it another time.

Will you have a nice day today? - Yes.

Have fun.

Your suitcase.

Bye.

How are you?

Terrible.

Did you sleep?

When will I get out?

You were going to get me out.

Dad?

Good morning. Anything new? - Yes.

Van Erkel. - Couwenberg.

Hello. - Mr Couwenberg, what can I do for you?

Can we meet somewhere?

Yes, but it won't help.

Is there any news? Keep me updated, OK?

Of course we will. - He's being operated now, right?

Yes. - I have class in a minute.

Leave your phone on. I'm sure they'll understand.

I have to hang up now.

Willem Steenhouwer. - I'm the surgeon.

I'm afraid his condition is critical.

We've removed his spleen, but his stomach and intestines are punctured too.

It could still lead to severe problems.

For now, we have to wait and see.

He'll go to intensive care soon.

Thank you.

What are my guarantees?

We'll work something out. - A bit vague.

I can assure you it'll work out.

Provided you offer me something substantial.

Willem knows everything about me and the company.

If he talks to you... - He's not allowed to talk.

Against you too? - Impossible. Lawyer-client confidentiality.

You can check it if you don't believe me.

He's...

Willem has...

Willem has what?

Will I have to repeat this in court?

Depends on what you say.

I want my guarantees.

I can't tell you till I know what you're going to say.

Have you seen Bjorn today?

You're a bunch of assholes. Everyone of you.

With your shaved heads, and so-called integrity.

It's a free country. If that's what you think, fine.

If you screw me, I'll retract everything. - I can't screw you, don't you understand?

I'm bound by laws and rules. This so-called integrity is terribly annoying.

Those fingerprints on that bottle of champagne...

...could well be his.

Willem?

Why would a lawyer want to murder a prostitute?

Must I think it all out for you?

What about Bjorn? - If you're right about this...

...this afternoon.

A nice place to live. - Weren't you looking for an apartment?

Three pay scales higher and I'd call the landlord.

The bottle stood here.

Astonishing. It's fantastic evidence.

The file says there were no other prints on the glass besides hers.

A bad job then. - How come?

Wiping the glass clean, but not the bottle. Isn't that weird?

Maybe. Maybe he was in a rush or panicked.

No prints on door post or cupboard.

But why does a lawyer murder a Ukrainian whore?

Because she's no good at blowjobs? Or because of a tongue piercing?

I wouldn't know.

My friends say it makes no difference, but I can't imagine it being nice for a man.

What's your experience?

You can take the piercing out...

...I have been told.

His fingerprints.

Hey.

I'm sorry for what I said about your grandpa.

I have to go.

That party yesterday. - Yes?

Do you know where it was?

No.

Sorry.

I have to do some things. I'll be back as soon as I can.

Call me if anything happens.

Huub, something's happened to Marco.

What? - He's been stabbed.

What? - The police says it happened in a squat.

I told everything to the police, although I didn't know much.

When I got home I started googling.

Are you sure?

Delta building.

Couwenberg Investments Ltd.

'Between dreams and deeds stand laws...

...and practical objections.'

'And melancholy that no one can explain.'

'That comes at night when one sleeps.'

By? - Elsschot.

But... - It's called 'The Marriage'.

It's about a man who wants to kill his wife who isn't attractive anymore.

But he doesn't kill her.

'Years passed, the children grew up.'

'But the man who was their father who sat by the fire, still and silent...

...was a godforsaken and frightful sight.'

Beautiful, but what has it got to do with you?

Do you know how old he was when he wrote it?

28. - And?

I am 28.

SQ?

A flush, a dream.

An ride in an amusement park.

When you get off, you're nauseous and dizzy.

But you're a long way from the exit.

Iris, love.

Love.

I have a child.

He's part of gangster family.

End of story.

Hey.

Are they letting me go? - Why?

Dad said that...

...that I would get out soon.

Do you know if Marco hung out at a squat?

The Delta building, you mean?

And now?

I don't know. You came here, because suffer from demophobia...

...and we haven't gotten anywhere.

That was my biggest problem.

You know I once considered...

What?

I found papers in my dad's study.

I thought...

I'll just go to the police...

...and give them that whole pile of paper and tell them everything.

And then it's all over.

The lying, cheating and whatever else they're doing.

But you didn't.

No.

Of course not.

Just do two courses: meat and fish.

And two desserts.

Yes, I don't know.

They don't say much. We have to wait and see.

Marit's here. I have to hang up.

Hey, darling.

Not much news. He has a hole in his stomach.

What now? - Wait and see.

Can I see him? - Yes.

Bloody hell.

When? - Next week.

I thought a burn-out usually lasted about six months.

He's feeling much better, and I can use him.

And he probably wants his case back. - We haven't talked about that.

You'd better do that then.

What's the plan with the lawyer?

I'm waiting for a match. We just got some prints.

They said you were here. - Yes.

And? - The fingerprints on the bottle match.

Willem Steenhouwer?

He called Couwenberg that evening. The signal was not picked up at his home.

But we can't use that.

Not the content no, but the call itself, yes.

Motive?

Bjorn has a row with Louis Karelse on the bridge.

Karelse falls in the water. Heart problems, cold water, dead.

Justice doesn't have a case against Bjorn...

...but the Couwenbergs are scared.

Do you know what you've done? - He's confused.

Their lawyer, Willem Steenhouwer, thinks of an alibi.

They're in a hurry, because the police could get there any moment.

What do those dumbasses think of?

Steenhouwer? No one mentioned him at the club.

No, I would arrange the same if I was Steenhouwer.

What about proof?

That he thought of the alibi, I mean. - A statement by Couwenberg.

But then Mireille, or whatever her name is, the Ukrainian girl...

...begins to rebel. She wants more money. - The girl's causing trouble.

After which Steenhouwer makes an appointment to give her the money.

Why Steenhouwer? Why not someone else?

Because his fingerprints are on the bottle.

Well, I think we can arrest him.

Can you two leave us alone for a second? You'll hear from us.

Have you gone completely nuts?

How did you get those prints? A judge... - A judge won't do anything.

We arrest him and then we take his prints again. Not a problem.

Pep, I'm warning you. - I'm doing my job, as good as I can.

As always. - No, you're not.

This is retribution.

A personal vendetta.

This is kicking him in between his eyes. - We have a murder case.

We have prints, we have a motive. He's a top mafia pal.

Really, what are you complaining about?

Without Steenhouwer that whole gang is powerless.

Don't you understand it's out of the question...

...that you, if your wife who left you for... - Me? Who said anything about me?

De Ruiter comes back on Monday. I'll give the case back to him.

It'll be his case, which it was already. I'm picking my kid up from school.

I'll work from home the rest of the afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Is it true a boy was stabbed here last night?

Can you hear me?

Is it true a boy was stabbed here last night?

This is Holland. Our language is nicer than English, you know?

The English use the same word for cutting with scissors or a knife.

Now that's what I call poverty.

Clear? Who was waving his knife around?

The police has been here all day, so...

Yes?

Do they know who did it?

It's an Israeli guy, but we've never seen him before.

Oh, really? What's his name?

I just said we don't know him.

Listen to me, clever clogs.

You're going to give me your name and phone number...

...and tonight when I call you you're going to pick up. Is that clear?

And you'll tell me his name and where I can find him.

If you don't pick up or can't tell me anything, I'll come back...

...with my friends.

Good news.

Turn it off.

What? - Turn it off.

Get out. - Why?

Get out.

Let's get going-

The golden boy. How was school? - Good.

Hey. - What?

There, it's mum.

Shall we go home?

Yes?

Police. May we come in? - Yes.

Good afternoon.

What can I do for you?

Is Mr Steenhouwer here?

Is it about his son? - His son?

The stabbing?

Stabbing?

No, we wanted to talk to him about something else.

He was here only briefly. He's in the hospital mostly.

Which hospital?

Hey, Willem. - What are you doing here?

I'm off to the shops, the cupboards are bare.

How come you're out? - They dropped the case. Great, eh?

The Delta building.

What about it? - What was Marco doing there?

Why? - What was he doing there?

Yes? - Come now, now.

I'm on my way.

'III

...I don't know what to say.

Neither do I to be honest.

If you think I should leave, if you...

...don't want me here. I understand.

I can't just switch back.

No.

I'll just go out for an hour, so you can think.

Dad? Where's mum going?

Where were you? - What's going on?

Another hemorrhage. - What did they say?

What did they say? - That it doesn't look good.

Yes, OK.

They're operating on him now.

He was stabbed in the Delta building.

Guess who that building belongs to.

Let's go.

Do you really want to arrest someone whose son is being operated on?

It's taking so long.

Do you know which squat he was in? - Yes.

Which one?

It's not important.

I heard it was the Delta building. - Could be.

Do you know who owns that building?

What's that got to do with it?

Damn it, why is it taking so long?

I don't understand.

I'd like to try again.

I understand this must be strange for you...

...and that you're still angry at me.

I only know that I love my son, and that I want to be with him 24 hours a day...

...and that I don't want to fight about who gets parental access.

What part do I play in all of this?

To be honest, I think it's hard.

I want to...

...love you again, I mean.

I think it can work.

The question is: is it enough for you?

Soup, stew and beans, and all on a dirty cardboard plate.

It was very nasty. - Food is never nasty.

If I said that as a child I got hit on the head.

OK, not tasty.

Bon appetit. - Bon appetit, Bjorn.

What was that about Marco?

An accident.

Is Marco short-tempered too?

What do you mean?

Just like all of us.

We're all short-tempered, right?

Is Marco like that too? Short-tempered? I think he is.

Once we were gaming...

You've only just got home and you've got verbal diarrhea again.

What are we doing?

It's taking a long time. - What is?

They're still operating on the boy.

I want him off the streets. - Streets?

He's in the hospital... - Arrest him tonight.

I want him locked up before 12 o'clock. - Are you sure?

He won't run away. - I'm sure.

OK, if you say so.

Go tickle daddy.

It was some Israeli guy.

Did you get him? - No, but it won't be long now.

It wasn't my idea, damn it.

He wanted to do a job for me. And now look what happened?

Willem came round.

He could die, you know.

My grandson, barely 17.

When you find him...

...make sure he never has kids.

'What's wrong with blue?'

'Blue is a cool colour. The sea is blue, the sky is blue.'

'And some crocodiles are blue too.'

'I'm hungry now.'

The end. - Again tomorrow?

How about something else?

No?

Sleep tight.

Mr and Mrs Steenhouwer.

About the operation... - Mr Steenhouwer.

He's charged with killing a whore.

I'm thinking of leaving, of going abroad.

This Couwenberg, how should I assess him?

Marit looks at me like she wants to kill me. - What was that 150 grand for then?

And you're telling me now?

Everything around you gets destroyed.

Shame on you. - Did I risk everything for a murderer?

What's tying you to that bloody family?