Yeah, absolutely. I totally understand what you're saying.
But… I just think, working in TV
and raking in some money doesn't necessarily mean selling your soul.
It could also… mean something else.
Like what?
-Do you know how many people watch TV? -No, but I bet it's probably a lot.
Exactly. That's because people love TV.
And if I was on the inside,
I… I could probably change the medium, and move it forward,
and elevate it for the viewer.
-Hmm. -Huh?
-Do you think that's possible? -Well, yeah.
Look, you and me are artists.
We'd be right in the belly of the monster.
Wait. What about this?
We work together, the two of us. We'd be the Trojan horse.
Mm. You're offering me work now?
Sure.
Why not? You're unemployed.
And besides being a perfect opportunity to make money,
it could be an opportunity to transform television.
Come on. You know it's a good idea.
Before I deliver the script,
they want me to turn in a basic overview of an episode, like an outline.
It's about a neighborhood, right?
Yeah, the director told me about this show.
It's a comedy on the air right now called Don Chinche.
Apparently it's broadcast on Sundays,
but I don't wanna wait until sometime this weekend to watch it.
I wanna deliver the outline of the story tomorrow, if possible.
Keep the momentum going, and all that.
-Okay. Right, so… -Yeah.
Well, I've heard that the… the comedy's similar to You and I.
You seen it?
-No. -No? Happy Saturdays?
-I haven't seen that either. -Well, uh… um…
Different Strokes? Or, uh… Who's the Boss?
They're American shows.
Oh, well, I must have seen one episode, at some point. I probably don't remember.
But, Camilo, if we wanna transform television for good,
it'd be smart to change our references.
We have to start aiming higher, right?
Sure. I agree. Shaking things up is important.
But we have to go step-by-step to make it work.
Mm, but, I don't know. I don't think that's true.
'Cause we can make it more of a shock strategy.
So it's about a family arriving in a neighborhood for the first time,
who, as it turns out,
are looking for the writer who created them to begin with.
Right. And so, uh…
uh, the characters are a little out of place and dissatisfied.
They feel uncomfortable,
uh, because they all know they're from some comedy show.
So they're in the wrong world, you know?
And then they come into contact with the…
with the ensemble of characters in this comedy.
Once they're together, they decide to revolt.
They make all these plans to rebel against the writer.
One thing leads to another, and by the end,
they wind up kidnapping the writer and taking full control of the plot.
They totally change the story and their destinies,
and their ending is totally different from the one the writer imposed on them.
It's a bit different, uh… from Chinche.
But, you know… well…
-No, it's clever. -We…
Uh… it's reminiscent of…
It's a little taste of Pirandello.
Six Characters in Search of an Author.
Ah, you know it.
Yeah, the play did prove to be useful as reference material.
Uh, Camilo,
uh, listen, this industry is all about us
tuning into the exact expectations that all of our viewers have
when they get a TV, park in front of it, and turn it on.
-Right. -And don't get me wrong.
Pirandello is very important in the history of contemporary theater.
-But for television… I have my doubts. -Of course.
Camilo.
I just want to say that I… that I know Julio,
and I know, deep down, he loved that you were bold
and you pitched something crazy.
Believe me, if it weren't for that,
he would have kicked you out of the office.
But, look, you have an opportunity.
No, well… I mean, thanks.
It's just that I'm not sure if I'll ever actually…
if I'll ever be able to live up to his expectations, that's all. Mm.
Look, if you can come up with an idea as clever as your take on Pirandello,
I know you can find something that feels fun and authentic to you
but within the parameters of television and comedy.
Mm. Hope you're right.
Thanks a lot.
You have my number.
Listen, anything you need, if you have any questions…
-…call me up. I'm serious. -Okay. Thank you.
I want television to change too, Camilo.
But the most important changes, they happen little by little.
Right.
The first step is getting inside the system.
-Yeah, yeah. -Next step…
-…impress the boss. -I'll do my best. Appreciate it. Thanks.
-See you. -See you.
EVA LASTING
"SIX CHARACTERS IN SEARCH OF AN AUTHOR"
"EPISODE 9"
Well, at least we tried.
Wait, but I still think something can change
now that I'm on the inside, seriously.
Oh, so… so your plan is to… try again?
We're in this together, right? I can't do it alone.
No, Camilo.
No, Camilo, it's better if you do this alone.
Because clearly I'm not helping you. I'm just… getting in the way.
-Eva, that's not true. -Of course it is.
Look, we don't agree about this TV stuff.
I still respect you though.
But I want you to listen to this, okay?
You can't just disregard literature and dedicate yourself to television shows.
That's not gonna happen, Eva. Come on. I wouldn't do that.
I better get some sleep.
-Wait. Are you mad? -No.
Uh…
I could tell from the way she looked at me
and the way she left the room, Eva was disappointed.
And, deep down, I felt that I was betraying her.
But even so, at that moment, I needed to be consistent with myself,
no matter the cost.
After that night, we stopped working together on creative projects.
We'd tried collaborating, and it wasn't a good idea.
On the contrary, it was pushing us apart and straining our relationship.
And now we had plenty of evidence to prove it.
-Well, I like it. -Yeah?
-I like it a lot. -Oh, good. I'm glad.
A couple of production changes and it's ready to shoot.
Congratulations. The adjustments you made are exactly what I was hoping for.
Well, thanks a lot.
Uh, Marcela's gonna give you the production requirements
so you can take them into account.
Then stop by the payroll office.
Tell them you want a negotiation appointment immediately.
Perfect. Really, thank you so much.
Start writing the second episode as soon as you can.
-Of course. Yes, sir. -Welcome aboard.
Much appreciated. See you around.
I swear to God, what you just did is, like, historic.
Why?
Because, normally, Julio doesn't like anything before the third draft.
And you got the script approved right off the bat.
Well, I was lucky, right?
Talented too.
You're too modest, Camilo.
Well, I'm very flattered.
Hello.
-Oh, hey. -What's up?
-Not much. How'd it go? -Pretty good. They liked the script.
Oh?
Mm-hmm.
Hello?
This is she.
Yeah. Hey. How are you?
No, I'm not doing anything right now.
Why?
Yeah. Any other details?
Well, yes. That's great.
No, yeah, I'm interested. I appreciate it.
Yep, tomorrow's perfect. Sure.
Well, great. Thanks a lot. Sounds good.
You too.
-So who was it? -That editor.
-Yeah? What'd they want? -Yeah. It was actually a job offer.
Oh, really?
Yeah, there's an American writer, who's in vogue,
and they want me to try to, uh, translate his new novel into Spanish.
Wow. Amazing. Look at you.
I have an appointment at the publisher's tomorrow.
Well, congratulations.
Yeah. Thanks.
Um… all right.
It was pretty clear that something wasn't working between us.
Normally, a job offer like that would have been a cause for celebration.
But soon, both of us would wind up in tears.
This one's a newer model than the other one.
It has a double cassette player.
Plus, with this one, we can equalize the sound.
Let's go with this one.
Psst, psst, psst.
Come here.
Do you like it?
Yeah. But, uh, thought we just came for the stereo.
Mm… but we need a comfy bed a lot more.
What do you mean?
What about the bed we have at home? That one's perfect.
Well, yeah, but look.
This one's bigger, nicer, prettier.
It's new too.
Luisa, come on. We agreed we're gonna buy the stereo first.
We can always buy a boom box later.
I don't think so.
Well, I do.
So we're buying the new bed.
Wonderful.
It's becoming clear how we're making decisions in this family.
What's wrong?
Well, it seems unfair that, since I'm not the one making money in this family,
I'm not allowed to make any decisions, doesn't it?
What? How could you say that? You know that's not true.
Oh no? Doesn't feel like it.
Know what?
-Let's talk about it later. -Rodrigo.
And now I hold the knife!
-Hold the knife! -And it barely fits in my hand.
It penetrates, cold as ice, piercing the flesh and muscle.
And the knife stops there,
right in the heart, where it trembles, entangled inside to the darkest root.
Bravo!
Hell yeah, Pabón!
Whoo!
Hey! Bravo!
Thanks so much, everyone.
We appreciate you being here tonight to see us onstage.
And thank you for celebrating the official opening of our theater.
We're extremely proud of our work. We're so grateful you were able to see it.
I hope you enjoyed the play.
-Did you like it? -Yeah!
It's our mission to use this great space to showcase our work, of course,
but we also want to invite members of other theater companies
to use it as well.
So I hope you will join me in spreading the word about our season,
including Blood Wedding, which runs through the end of this month.
Next month, we're doing a play called Perfect Black,
which we will perform right here, directed by Fabio Rubiano.
He's from the Petra theater, and it's… mwah, a totally amazing play.
Thanks, folks. Please come again. It'd be much appreciated.
Bravo!
And, finally…
Finally,
I want to share my deep appreciation
to my best friends, who are here tonight.
You guys made this dream come true.
Without you, this would have been impossible.
Thanks a lot.
Whoo!
It was so good.
Haven't been out in a long time. I've missed stuff like this.
I know.
It's a shame Rodrigo couldn't be here, but it's nice he's watching Toñita.
Mm.
What happened?
Nothing.
Truth is, I didn't wanna say anything because I didn't wanna explain this,
but we… Rodrigo's not here tonight because we got in an argument.
-I don't know where he is. -What? What set it off?
I don't know.
It was so silly.
It's just, he can be so sensitive.
Right.
So who's watching Toñita?
The two best nannies in the world.
Her grandparents.
The midfielders are the ones who play right in the center of the field,
the ones who make the transition from their defense to attack.
Are you following this?
Hey, guys!
-Hello. -Hi.
-Hey there. -Hey, Professor Grandma's here.
Please tell me you're not making this poor girl watch--
-Hey, trust me. She loves it. -Are you serious?
-It was lights-out for her hours ago. -Yes, I know. Honey, come here.
You take this.
I'm telling you, this girl sits down, starts watching the Cardinals, and she…
she's glowing like a light bulb, I swear.
-Mm. -Have a seat there…
-Thanks. -…so I can keep an eye on the girl, okay?
-Oh. -Mm-hmm.
-Well, how did it go? -Oh.
-It was exhausting, José. -Mm.
Teaching night school is just…
It's a huge commitment, both physically and mentally.
Of course. That's why I watch soccer, sweetheart.
-Right. -It's relaxing.
Mm.
-Oh, wow. She likes it. So dialed in. -Yeah, I told you. Right?
-She's turning into a Cardinals fan. -Mm.
When she's a bit older, I'm gonna take her to a game.
Mm. She'll wanna be a soccer player when she grows up.
Or she'll be a sportswriter like Camilo. He chose that job 'cause of you.
Right. Sure. But there are no female soccer players or sports writers. None.
Yeah, but think back, like, a couple decades ago.
There was not a single female reporter. They didn't exist.
And look at us now. There's a whole list.
María Elvira Samper,
María Isabel Rueda,
Maruja Pachón, Amparo Pérez, Amparo Peláez.
Oh, and there's this one reporter, Judith Sarmiento.
Well, that's true. I don't know.
It's not a sport that's meant for women.
-Really? Why not? -Because it can be so brutal.
It's a game of sweat, you know, and contact. Women shouldn't play.
But I have a feeling it might be good for soccer
if someone encouraged the participation of women.
-I don't know. -Mm.
Who knows? Maybe it could be a little less savage, more complex too.
It'd be very interesting.
Hmm.
Look, don't be surprised
if, in a few years, when there are women playing soccer…
-…and women writing sports columns too. -Nah.
-Mark my words. -Please. I'll believe it when I see it.
-I have my doubts. -Mm-hmm.
-God, I'm starving, José. -Great. Supper's all ready.
-Hmm? -You can go change. I'll make you a plate.
I'm impressed. That's very thoughtful of you.
-Mm-hmm. -Thanks a lot. I won't be long.
Perfect.
I'm telling you, it could really happen.
I wouldn't be surprised if Toñita was a pioneer of women's soccer.
Look at her. She's thrilled.
All right, Toñita, time for bed. Come on.
Let's go.
Come here, sweetie.
-Hey! Congratulations. -Hey, hey.
-Thanks, ladies. Did you like it? -I'm so proud of you, Pabón.
-Of course. -Congratulations.
I couldn't stop crying. From the first scene.
-You serious? -Bravo!
-Yo! Hey, brother! -Hey!
-Hit it outta the park. Congratulations. -Thank you. I love you.
Oh, hey. How's it going?
-You're the best. -Good shit.
-Eva. -I want to introduce you to Hugo López.
He's a journalist and works for an arts and culture magazine,
so… I invited him to the show tonight.
Nice to meet you.
-Pleasure. -Hugo.
-I loved the play. -Gustavo. Thanks.
I'd like to ask you some questions
about your career and your trajectory for the magazine.
Of course. My dressing room's right there. We can…
-Sure. All right. Sounds good. -Okay. See you later.
See you guys in a bit.
-Interview for a magazine? How cool. -How cool is that?
-I can't believe how packed-- -Whoa!
How are you? I didn't know you were coming.
Oh my God. I'm such a theater nerd.
And the boss always wants me looking for new talent, you know?
-Sure. -What better place than this?
Come on. Let me introduce you.
-Hey, everybody, this is Marcela. -Oh, hi. How are you?
She's the assistant director of that new comedy show I've been writing.
Nice to meet you.
Álvaro's been one of my best friends since school.
Eva is my partner, and Luisa is the… the mother of my daughter.
Long story. I better explain it to you later.
Oh, no problem. I love long stories.
I was thinking, maybe, after this, all of us could stop by the bar.
-The salsa bar. -Good call.
-You're welcome to come. -Cool. Sounds great.
So why put on Blood Wedding by Federico García Lorca in this moment?
Because, um…
I think… Well, I guess I felt, um…
that García Lorca is a…
Well, his work is…
Obviously, all his plays are from a different period.
And they have this intense weight to them.
So his work transcends time, truly. It has no expiration date.
Mm. I have a little theory.
What's that?
Well, that tragic intensity that you talked about,
it has to do with Lorca's homosexuality.
He lived in a time…
…and in a context where his own identity was considered sinful.
Mm.
And it was the same thing with Shakespeare,
with Oscar Wilde,
with Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee, Schaffer, all those guys.
They were intense writers and…
homosexuals.
And my guess is
that most of their work was a way to…
to desperately sublimate the inner conflict of living
in a time that didn't understand them.
That's why their work condemns their own sensitivity.
And I'm guessing that's why most of their works
are tragedies.
Definitely. Yep. Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Whoa.
Wow. I never thought of it like that, I guess.
That theory… makes a lot of sense.
Hmm.
Well…
…I'm very grateful for your time
and for your incredible work.
I hope you have a sold-out run.
Thank you.
Thanks so much for… for… for all your thoughts.
Mm.
Well…
-See you. -See you.
What's up? How'd it go? Hey--
What happened?
I think I'm in love.
-I am. -With…
I know I am. Mm-hmm.
-With Hugo? -Yes.
Tell me, and be honest.
Is Hugo like me or no?
-As in, does he like men? -Yeah. Does he like men?
Well, honestly, I don't know, really.
I mean, at the office, there's a rumor, but, you know, no one's confirmed it--
All right. Look, I need his number.
Well, I was coming to tell you
that we're about to go head over to the bar.
It's perfect timing, right?
Invite Hugo to come with us. And get his number while we're there.
The thing is, I don't wanna be an assistant director
for the rest of my life.
Eventually, I wanna direct on my own.
Wow.
But, in TV, isn't that tough? Are there any women directors?
No, because this part of the industry's pretty misogynistic and sexist.
-It's true. -But if you look at cinema now…
…there are a couple of examples.
Those women give me hope, at least.
There's this lady, Marta Rodríguez. She's a great documentarian and filmmaker.
I don't know if… Have you seen the movie Chircales?
Well, I highly recommend it. It's amazing.
And the other one is Camila Loboguerrero. She makes short films mostly.
Although, I heard, right now, she's putting together a feature.
It's all about María Cano and her life, so…
And she… Who is that?
She… she was an activist.
She was famous for advocating
on behalf of the working-class in the '20s, here in Colombia.
She was also at the forefront of labor struggles on fruit plantations
against the United Fruit Company.
-You know her well. -Yep.
Yeah, she's always been my idol,
because she was able to put her own needs and desires aside
for a really good cause.
Hmm.
We're on the same page.
-Cheers! -Cheers.
I know everyone says this kind of stuff in moments like this…
Mm-hmm?
But don't you feel like we've known each other our whole lives?
Or…
No.
I do feel like… we've been…
looking all over the place for each other for a long time now.
Let's drink to what brought us together, then.
Here's to theater.
Salud!
What do you think?
About what?
Pabón has a new boyfriend. How about that?
Well, perfect.
Mm. Yeah.
Good for him, right?
But bad for us two.
Don't you get it?
Arbeláez is with your baby sis.
They're doing great.
Granados is already with Eva. That was his dream girl, right?
And now…
Pabón just found himself a stud, and he looks thrilled.
What about us?
Alone like a couple of dipshits.
And not to mention, we don't have anything happening for us in life.
Brother, you're gonna grow old pretending to be a fucking DJ?
And me? I don't know if I'm gonna keep trying with soccer.
I wanted to be a player.
Coaching isn't my thing.
Come on, bro. You're talking like you're 100 years old.
That's how I feel.
Well, stop whining all the time.
Why should I?
Tell me. Go ahead.
Because whenever I see my friends,
I realize that I'm a failure…
…and that my life is fucking bullshit, bro.
How 'bout we just do a couple lines of coke?
That usually cheers you up. Yeah?
No, brother. But thanks.
I'll pass.
You feel good for a couple of hours, you're flying, but the comedown
leaves you feeling even worse.
At this point, bro, I'm just gonna find a bridge and jump off it.
That way I can be done with this shit for good.
Say bye to the gang for me.
He's not in his room.
What exactly did he say to you at the bar?
I mean, that he was sad and that he was gonna jump off a bridge.
Nah, that's just talk. He was just hammered, brother.
Don't worry.
He seemed really bad.
Look, I think we should just
wait until tomorrow to check in and see how he is.
Uh… why don't we see if we can find him now?
-Go looking? -I don't know if--
No, it's so late. I don't think…
-Around the neighborhood, check the bars. -No. He's fine.
Someone might have seen him on the street.
Come on. Look, I'm thinking that maybe we should leave him alone.
These things happen. It's all right if he needs alone time.
Okay?
Think it's time for us to turn in.
Really? Both of you?
We'll talk tomorrow.
How shitty.
I get it now, Pabón. Castro means nothing to you.
But it's all good. Go to bed.
I'm shitty?
Here's the thing.
You need to learn to live without sticking your nose
into our business
and acting like I need your opinion to make every decision.
There you are.
I was worried about you, asshole.
Worried about me?
Relax, brother.
It's all good.
I couldn't find any bridges around here.
It's fine, okay?
Shouldn't we talk about it? I'll buy you a drink and we can--
No!
Leave me alone. Hmm?
Get outta here.
Come on. Look at you. You're drunk. You know what happened with Pabón just--
Dammit! No!
Just get out!
You hear what I said?
Jesus! Leave me alone, you prick!
-Go! Get out! -You know what, you asshole?
I hope you find a bridge tonight, and I hope you jump headfirst, you pussy!
-Go fuck yourself, you bastard! -Fuck you! Keep talking, you moron!
What are you doing here?
Wanna sleep in my old room.
Yeah, but why? Thought you were watching Toñita.
No, she's with her grandparents.
Look, man, me and Luisa were fighting--
Oh, watch it, Arbeláez. I warned you that if you mess with her--
Hey, you better back off, Don't be a fucking idiot.
What happens between your sister and me is our business, not yours.
Time to act like a grown-up, you moron.
Motherfucker.
Whoa! Whoa!
-Ref! Ref! Red card! Hey! -Hey!
Gotta be joking.
Hey! Come on.
Huh? Hey!
Are you fucking kidding me, you moron?
That ref was a son of a bitch, huh? That was a red card, Pacho.
What are you talking about?
You fucked up bad. That was a huge mistake.
It's fuckup after fuckup with you. You hit him in the face.
You gonna pay the insane fine they slap on you?
No, no. I'm gonna make an appeal.
Pacho, he wasn't making any penalty calls on the other team!
What's gonna happen to me? Am I screwed?
I don't know.
But you can't work with us anymore.
So that's it?
Look, you left me no options here, Castro.
Go ahead.
M'kay.
You're not going anywhere,
and the same goes for your bullshit players out there.
And what are you?
What are your big plans, Álvaro?
I'm telling you this as a friend.
You need to get yourself serious help.
Because the only person running out of options is you.
So where's Eva?
Well, she just got some work as a translator.
And I really don't think we'll be seeing her around a lot
because I know her work habits.
She'll practically live at the editor's office.
So? Problems at home?
Nah.
Well, I mean, sort of.
She's still mad at me for selling out to work in television.
That sucks, man.
Hate to be a prick, or whatever,
but your wife's a spoiled little girl who thinks that money grows on trees.
What can you do?
So what's up? What brings you here, man?
You know what's up between Luisa and Arbeláez?
No. Something wrong?
Well, last night, Arbeláez slept at 364.
You ask him why or anything?
No. Actually, the two of us almost fought.
Ugh… not surprising, knowing you.
I was already pissed off.
All because of Pabón and Castro.
Wait, but why?
'Cause Castro's planning to commit suicide and I…
well, I tried to help, but he told me to go to hell.
Okay, and Pabón?
Pabón's got a new boy toy. Now he doesn't care about the rest of us.
Oh, man. Sucks.
I don't know what's happening, brother.
Hmm.
Ever since we stopped living together,
it feels like we've become six characters in search of an author.
It's a play. Uh, sorry.
What's up? How's it going, guys?
-Hey, hey. What's up, Castro, huh? -Hoo-hoo-hooie! It's good ol' Castro.
You been okay?
Fine. Fine, yeah. Hanging in there.
-How are you guys? -Well, not bad, right?
Just managing the office. Huh?
Mm. Nice. I see it. Sure.
-The place is all yours now, huh? -It's perfect, dude.
We pay the bills while knocking back beers.
You want something?
Nah. No, I'll pass.
Thanks.
And so? Go ahead.
It's simple, man.
The truth is, I need money, okay?
A shit ton. Now.
Tell me what you need, I'll handle it.
There's a lot that could be said about the Acuñas,
but one thing's for sure.
They were exceptionally creative when it came to pulling off heists.
For this one, their plan was to infiltrate an elegant party
thrown by a newlywed couple
who were going to move to the United States.
They'd asked their friends for cash to help them start their life,
and that was too good for the Acuñas to resist.
For them, that delightful euphemism "a shower of envelopes"
was music to their ears.
-I gotta get more champagne. -Sounds good, bro. Go ahead.
But if their past capers proved anything,
it was that their audacity could also be their downfall.
On this particular occasion,
a neighbor spotted a suspicious car on the street
and alerted the police.
Evening, folks. We got a call about a potential theft?
-Turn around. Turn around. -Stop him! He's a thief!
-Don't let him go! Police! He's a thief! -Hey! Stay there!
Oh, fuck! Son of a bitch! Son of a…
Stop!
No, we should set this scene in Lucho's room.
-Really? -Mm.
I was imagining it somewhere outside, actually.
A park with a few nice trees.
Well, that could work, but it's supposed to be a really intimate scene.
It's important that we pick up on what the characters are saying,
so the fewer visual distractions we have, the more we'll be focused on the dialogue.
Sure. That works.
-I have another thought too. -Mm-hmm?
Maybe they should be making out at the end.
What can I say? I'm a sucker for romantic endings.
-Oh yeah. That's obvious. -I know.
I'll think about that.
-Shut the door. -Yeah, don't worry.
-Hey. How are you guys? Hey, Marcela. -Hey.
-Oh, hi. -What's up?
-You good? -Nothing.
Álvaro was at the front of the building trying to get in.
So you dressed as a waiter to crash a party and rip them off?
-It was the Acuñas' idea. -Oh, what a surprise.
-Well, it all turned out okay. -No.
Well, either way, the money's pretty good.
Hold on. That money was stolen.
Yeah, but… it's what I need to get to Venezuela.
What'd you say? What are you talking about?
I'm fed up.
Fed up wasting my life doing nothing
and watching my window of opportunity get smaller.
I don't get it. Become a criminal to move up?
No! I'm gonna use that money to start over.
No! Jesus Christ. You're such a moron!
Your whole life, you've been a moron! Now you've outdone yourself!
You forget what the Acuñas were like at school?
-No! But I have the money now. -Remember that?
-Yeah. So what? -All right! That's enough.
-Why come here? -God!
Because things got complicated.
Christ! Just say it, you fucking coward!
-All right, cool it. Quiet down. Sh! -Ugh!
The police arrested the Acuñas.
I know those guys.
Those fuckin' pricks are gonna throw me under the bus
to save themselves, I'm telling you.
I mean, they know where I live.
-I'm gonna get completely screwed. -Okay, so what now?
Well, I just need a place to stay until some of this bullshit passes.
Uh… What, here?
Nah.
Hang on. I'm gonna answer that.
Sorry.
You're a fuckup! Bullshit, man.
Hey.
Yeah. What happened?
Gotta be kidding.
Yeah, yeah. He's here.
Yeah, fine. Um…
Right, then.
We'll talk. I'll let him know.
That's right. I'll call you back, yeah.
-Okay. Bye. -What's going on?
-Um… -What?
So, it was, uh… the 364,
and turns out, the police were looking for you at the house.
-God. Dumbass. -This is bullshit, man.
Oh, it's sort of a long story…
…involving our friend here.
We should be looking for a solution. Don't be like that.
Clearly, the solution is he should confess, take responsibility.
-Be done. -Turn himself in? You gotta be joking.
Agreed. He should turn himself in. Go to the police.
Yeah, but he's so anxious about it.
He has a record from the trouble he got into at school.
Right, but that charge was pretty minor.
He might get some leniency if he returns the stolen money too.
Sure, but it's still a felony. Why the hell did he mess with the Acuñas?
Come on. You know why. Bro, he was desperate.
And, besides, no one here really cared.
We have to help him.
It's not our place to pass judgment or to turn him in.
How are we gonna help him?
Well, he…
He talked about wanting to take off and start over in Venezuela.
No, but he has no choice. He has to face the music.
-It'll be so much worse if he runs away. -Hey, guys.
It's Álvaro. He wants to talk to all of us.
Yeah, I just bought a couple of tickets.
First, the bus will take me over to Cúcuta.
And then I'll get picked up,
and the bus driver will take me across the border to Venezuela.
Come on, Castro.
Please don't freak out, man. Try to think this through.
-Yeah. -Yeah, be smart about this.
Listen, Pabón… I've thought about this, and I'm doing this.
That's all there is to it. I have no choice.
Uh… well, look, uh…
I guess this is…
Uh, just let us know… Let us know when you're in Cúcuta and…
and when you get to Venezuela.
Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Will do.
All right.
Everybody, wish me luck, okay?
I'm really gonna need it. I've got nothing without your support.
-Hang on. -We're here for you, brother.
Got your back forever.
Thanks.
I know, guys.
-Promise me that… -Whatever you want, man.
We'll help you out, man. Whatever you need.
You'll only remember the good things, okay?
-We'll always be here for you. -And forgive me.
Forgive me for everything.
I will carry you all deep in my heart.
Uh, when I'm settled in Venezuela, I'll send you money,
and you can take the bus and come out here and visit, and, uh…
It'll be like the old times. All right?
I love you all. Don't forget, you are my home, and…
…you're my family forever.
You sure you don't wanna call your mom or a family member?
Yeah, I'm sure. All right.
Listen, promise me that you won't tell anyone, like we said.
No. Don't worry.
Come on.
It wasn't until later that we found out
Castro had voluntarily turned himself in to the police without telling anyone.
COLOMBIAN POLICE HONOR - NATION
It was his way of showing us how much we meant to him.
He didn't want us to have to worry about how he was faring in jail.
Nevertheless, his absence hit us very hard,
and the moment Castro hung up the phone,
no one knew what to say.
Ultimately, we were all still immersed in the smaller dramas of our own lives.
I've just been working at the office.
Why don't you get your work done at the apartment?
Well, I guess because you need to concentrate, don't you?
And is that really it, or do you not wanna see me?
-Where have you been staying? -At 364.
What? Oh, come on. That's ridiculous, Rodrigo.
No one listens to me. I warned everyone, but it doesn't matter.
-Stop it. I get it. -You're all in your own worlds.
-I'm super tired. -No, listen to me!
Did I not tell you? I told everyone. You should have paid attention.
'Cause if you'd cared what was happening with Castro…
…he'd be here, instead of a bus to Venezuela.
-I can't read his mind. -You didn't help!
Look, just be honest.
Just be clear, once and for all,
and tell me you think I'm a traitor for wanting to make more cash, for…
for not wanting to suffer and live hand to mouth.
It's just, cash shouldn't be your only goal in life.
-Obviously not. -We're arguing in circles. No point.
Oh, that's great. So why talk to me at all? Come on!
Look, Luisa, I don't wanna be here. I want a place that's my own, that's…
And what? Hmm? Complete the sentence. Say it.
Just say it, Rodrigo.
No, it's everyone's fault.
But it's all good.
If it'd be easier for you to ignore the situation, Pabón,
making out with your new boyfriend…
-God! You know what? -…go ahead!
-What? -I know you're angry about something else.
Oh yeah?
And why's that?
Go ahead. Tell me. Let's hear it.
Are you serious? Oh, sure! Really easy to say when you get to make--
To make what? Go ahead!
You know what? Let's just leave it here, okay?
Yeah. Perfect.
It was becoming clear that the problems of everyday life
were harder to manage when they couldn't be diluted by a group.
In fact, at that moment,
I thought about suggesting that we all live together again.
But that was a closed door.
It's one thing to share a house
because you've always dreamed of living with your friends.
It's another to share it because you're frustrated
in your individual relationships.
It didn't take long for me to realize, the latter arrangement would never work.
Fine. Perfect.
Just stop and consider one thing.
Our long and storied social history has shown that the couple is
the final bastion, the last defense against loneliness and despondency.
-Once, my teacher Schopenhauer said that-- -Okay, you know what, bro? Sh!
What will be the fate of this generation… these children impervious to reason?
Who knows?
Hey, yo!
Come in peace.
You should go hang with Luisa.
Gotta keep our hopes alive that the perfect couple exists.
I got bad news for you, brother.
Perfect couples never existed.
Look, right now, I need to shake things up a little,
see if I can stop thinking so much.
Well, now, it's your turn, my friend. Do it.
-It's my first hit of blow. -Ah, come on.
Take it easy, brother. There's a first time for everything.
And besides,
if you gotta lift your spirits a little, nothin' better than Madame White.
Trust me, dude.
There you go.
Be a man now. Let's see it.
All right, let's go, you little sluts!
Can I get some good vibrations in here, motherfuckers?
Hey!
Let's see. Let's see. Oh yeah. Hit it. And turn around. Turn around.
Yeah. That's all.
Hey! Ho! Ha! Ah!
Brother, nobody said…
Nobody said that…
-What, brother? What? -Nobody said…
-Salcedo, bro, are you all right? -No one said…
What happened?
I don't know. We were at the bar and…
Come on.
EMERGENCY ROOM
EVA LASTING OM