Book of Love (2022) Movie Script
[upbeat pop music playing]
[man] "London,
a city built of stone",
"and iron, and concrete,
and steel."
"Reassuringly sturdy."
"Sturdy like our love,"
"now that we've decided
to remain apart."
"If it is to survive,
love cannot be crazy, or hot,"
"or sweaty, or naked..."
[typewriter clacking]
"but instead must be practical."
- [music stops]
- [typewriter clacks]
"It is with this practical love,"
"this love from afar,"
"where we can each prosper."
"A heart..."
"A heart that beats slowly,"
"a heart that beats
with purpose."
"My sensible heart."
Er...
- Hi. Thank you. Er...
- Hi.
[woman chuckles]
Er, Henry. Thank you
for coming to the reading.
Ah, no. Well, it was lovely.
Do you... Do you work here?
No. God, no.
No. No, no, no, no. No, no.
I'm... [chuckles] I'm an author.
That was actually my book
that I was reading.
[chuckles] Oh, my God.
Okay, wait.
You're a writer? That's... Wow.
- [Henry laughs] Yes.
- Okay. That's amazing.
Yes, well,
it's just the one book.
It's The Sensible Heart,
- it's called.
- Oh, okay.
Yeah. I mean, what's it about?
Well, it's about
a man and a woman.
Oh, okay.
- And, er...
- So, it's a love story?
- Yes. Yes, it is a love story.
- Yeah?
And does it get
a little saucy? [chuckles]
No. No.
Er... No.
Not every story about love
has to be about sex.
You know, someone once wrote
that chastity is the body
in the soul's keeping,
and that's how I feel, so...
Right. Yeah.
[quietly] What!
- Yeah.
- I mean, is it...
Is it selling well, the book?
- Jill? How's it selling?
- [Jill] Hmm?
I... I think it needs
a little longer on the table.
The sign's not necessary.
[Jill] Henry, the book
came out six months ago.
- Yes?
- Two people bought it,
one of them being you.
And you're still using it
- as a chat-up line.
- I'm...
I'm not trying to...
I'm not trying...
Okay. Well,
you know, I'm gonna...
I'm gonna go. But it was
really nice to meet you.
- You, too.
- And good luck with it.
- Did you want a copy?
- Um, nah, it's fine.
- Want my advice?
- No, not particularly.
Do something else
with your life, Henry.
Get a real job.
Go on dates.
Move on. Stop talking
- about your bloody book.
- [cell phone chimes]
Wow.
[Jill sighs]
- Ooh.
- Now what?
Okay. Well, my publisher,
who I haven't heard
from in a long, long time...
Oh, she dropped you, didn't she?
No. No, actually, no.
She wants me
to go in and see her now.
Brutal. She's going
to do it in person.
Just take the sign down.
- No.
- Yeah.
- No.
- Please.
It's staying, Henry.
[lively music playing]
[Henry] Hi.
Er...
Hello? Are you... Are you Jen?
Yeah.
Great.
Erm...
[exhales sharply]
Henry Copper.
You published my book,
The... The Sensible Heart.
Henry?
- Yes.
- Yes.
Don't move.
Please take a seat.
You look more
like an air traffic controller
than a publisher.
Hilarious.
Well, with all the screens
and whatnot.
Okay. You're Henry Cooper?
- Copper.
- Copper, yes.
- Yes. You sent me a text.
- I did.
- Um, I hope everything's okay.
- Take a look at this.
"So boring I wished"
"I'd watched paint dry instead."
Oh, no, no, no.
That's one of your reviews.
Oh, well, that's just
one person's opinion, so...
Mm, no. There are several
similar reviews, some worse.
Okay.
Take a look at that.
[Henry] Picture of me?
Your book is number one.
Er... Erm...
Er, what?
The Sensible Heart is a hit.
It is number one
in the bestsellers.
[chuckles in disbelief]
[chuckles] Sorry, what?
I can't quite believe this.
Well, believe it, Henry.
The figures don't lie.
I... I mean, I... I knew it.
I knew it. I knew it.
[Henry chuckles]
I knew people in this country
had taste.
It's not this country.
Yeah, no,
because there's something
that I remember
E. M. Forster said.
- He said...
- How about remembering
something I just said?
It's not this country.
It's Mexico.
Your book is a bestseller
in Mexico, Henry.
Felicidades.
Mexico.
The official
Mexican fiction chart,
number one, Henry Cooper.
Copper.
So, my book's Spanish?
When did that happen?
How did that happen?
I don't know how
to explain this to you, Henry.
I think your Mexican publisher
saw that it was in English,
and decided
that would make it harder
for Mexican readers.
So, they had it
translated by, um...
Yes.
- Well, whoever he is...
- Mm-hmm.
I hope he's managed to capture
all the nuances of the story.
Yeah.
[instrumental folk music
playing]
[man] "Oh, to be in England
now that April's there."
"And whoever wakes in England
sees some morning unaware."
[in Spanish] I wish you'd knock.
I did knock. This... [knocks]
is knocking.
Come on, Grandpa,
I need to clean in here
before taking Diego to school.
You can read your poetry
in the living room.
Come on.
[Henry in English] Mexico.
Well, does that mean
people know me there?
The book, yeah.
You, not so much.
Uh, apparently, you have
zero presence on social media.
That has to change if we're
gonna take this global.
Are you not engaging
with followers?
- Engaging? What?
- You are on Facebook?
Twitter?
Instagram?
I have a LinkedIn.
Okay, Henry.
Okay, I'm going to set you up
with some accounts.
Um, people aren't coming to you,
so you have to go to them.
- It's all about engagement.
- I'm a... I'm a writer.
Yeah, a writer who needs
to get his ass to Mexico
and start plugging that book
in person and online.
You do this right, this could
be just the start for you.
[Henry] But...
Henry, do you want
to pay your rent?
Yes.
Then let's build the hype
till they're begging you
for a sequel.
Go make us some
real money off this thing.
Okay, that's your schedule
for the book tour.
- My book tour?
- Of Mexico,
just three cities
and you leave in...
tomorrow.
- As in?
- Tomorrow.
Okay, you know what? Take this.
It's on an international plan.
You have to start building
a massive following
for the book on social, okay?
I want to see cute,
casual pictures on Instagram.
Be hilarious on Twitter.
Express your true self
on TikTok.
My true self?
Just sell the book, Henry.
[woman] Diego?
[in Spanish] Do you want
to take the Rubik's Cube?
Yes.
Let's go, son.
[woman sighs]
Where is he?
[Max] Maybe he forgot.
Do I have to go with him?
Yes, son. He is your dad.
[doorbell twittering]
- [door opens]
- [man] Ah.
Here he is.
Your role model.
[both] Hi!
What's up, Max?
Hello, Antonio.
How are you, little man?
Hi Dad!
Not a little man any more,
you have grown up a lot...
You're so grown up! Look!
It's cool, right?
It's super cool, Dad.
You're not too old to play
with small cars, right?
No! It's very cool!
It has a helmet and the
full gear for an adventure.
- Thanks, Dad.
- Cool, little man.
[woman] Don't you think
this might be too much?
I bought him something simple
for his birthday.
- It's only a small car...
- [woman sighs]
it's really not a big deal.
Besides,
it's not that expensive.
[in English] Okay.
[in Spanish]
I have to leave now.
Remember,
try not to give him candy...
that he needs to brush
his teeth, and is in bed at 8.
[sighs]
What?
Oh Mara, it's just that...
A job came up.
No, come on! No...
It's a very important
recording session
in San Miguel de Allende.
Also, it's important
for my reputation!
You have one of those?
[laughs]
Gosh, Max.
How do you manage
to be that rude to me
and still make me laugh?
[chuckles]
So what do I do? What do I do?
- I don't know.
- I can't take Diego with me.
I don't know what to do.
But I can't quit either...
please?
I promise this is
the last time I let you down.
- Ok?
- Mm-hmm.
[Antonio] Thank you.
Son...
I have to leave.
I'll come get you after
and we'll have a great time...
and I'll bring something
back for you from my trip.
Thank you.
I love you little man!
See you, Max. Thank you.
I owe you one.
[Mara] No, no,
you owe me like three hundred!
[Antonio]
Let's make it four hundred!
I'll make it up to you
later, OK?
- Thank you!
- [door closes]
Well, I've still
got this work trip!
So, what do we do?
Well, I can stay
with my great grandpa.
[Max] Of course,
I can take care of him.
No, no. The two of you alone
are more dangerous
than a monkey with a gun.
I am eighty years old.
Exactly.
Come on, go pack!
[upbeat pop music playing]
[cell phone chimes]
- [woman chuckles]
- [Henry] Oh... Er...
Pervert.
No. Er... Sorry.
[upbeat pop music continues]
It's fine.
- [man speaking Spanish]
- Gracias.
Oh.
Thank you.
[man grumbles in Spanish]
- Hola.
- [Henry] Ah, Mr. Rodrguez?
- Yes.
- [Henry chuckles]
It's a pleasure to meet you...
- Nice to meet you.
- Seor Cooper.
This is my family,
Diego and Mara.
- Hi.
- Hola.
Er, it's Seor "Copper,"
Henry Copper.
I'm sorry.
[in Spanish] I made the card!
I made it!
[in English] Sorry.
What did he say?
He made the card.
Oh! Er, gracias. Muchas gracias.
Okay, we better hurry.
We've got 30 minutes
to get to your event.
My what, sorry?
Your event, see?
[in Spanish]
It's in Spanish, Mama.
- What?
- It's in Spanish.
Oh yes, of course.
[in English]
I translate for you.
Oh, well, thank you.
[chuckles] Er, so,
what does it say?
- What?
- Email?
You... You said
you'd translate for me.
Oh, no, no, no.
I translate for you.
I'm the translator of your book.
You're M. F. Rodrguez?
S. Mara Fernando Rodrguez.
- Okay. [chuckles]
- [Mara] Okay?
- Okay.
- [Mara] Let's go.
rale.
- Let's go.
- [mutters]
Diego, vamos.
Diego?
[Mara speaks Spanish]
[Henry] Gracias.
[upbeat pop music playing]
[cell phone chiming]
[cell phone chimes]
[man grunts provocatively]
[upbeat pop music continues]
[Max] Mara, how does it feel
to be related
to a great translator?
- [laughs]
- [Max] Huh?
[music continues on car stereo]
Yeah.
- [Mara clears throat]
- It's... not that funny.
[chuckles]
[in Spanish]
Why is she laughing?
This English man thought
I translated his book.
[giggles] That's very funny
because you don't do anything!
[Max exclaims]
[in English] I'm... I'm...
I'm sorry I thought my book
was translated
by your father, all right?
My "father"?
He's my grandfather.
So, either he's very
young-looking,
or I'm an old hag.
Hey, Diego.
- [in Spanish] I'm a hag!
- [Diego giggles]
[Mara whoops, laughs]
- Careful!
- [brakes screech]
- [man yells]
- [car horn honking]
- [man] Hey!
- Watch your step!
Do you have your eyes
stuck up your butt, dude?
What's up with that guy?
[sighs]
[in English] So, what did you
think of my book?
Okay, here we are.
[music volume increases]
- [music stops]
- [brakes screech]
[Mara] Everybody out.
Come on, come on.
[Henry] You really do that
without a seatbelt?
[Mara in Spanish]
Come on Diego, let's get out.
Help your great grandpa.
Yes, help him, help him.
The car seat!
The seat!
The seat, please!
[in English]
Why are all these people here?
Well, they like your book,
I guess.
So, just get up on stage
and do your thing.
Oh, no. I can't.
I can't. [chuckles]
I mean, I don't speak
a word of Spanish.
Oh, yeah.
Um, okay, okay. Uh...
[man speaking indistinctly]
[soft music playing]
[upbeat pop music playing]
[people chattering]
[upbeat pop music continues]
[camera shutter clicking]
[imperceptible]
[Mara in Spanish]
Yes, just next to it.
[women chattering excitedly]
Huh.
[in English] Oh. Hi.
[in Spanish] Please welcome
the author
of El Corazn Sensible...
Henry Copper!
[audience cheering loudly]
[Henry] Er... Oh.
[in English] Thank you. Gracias.
[host in Spanish]
Welcome, Mr Copper.
First I'd like to thank you,
on behalf of everyone here,
for this gift...
this delicious book.
[audience exclaiming]
Um... [in English]
They like the book.
[whispers indistinctly]
Well, er...
[in Spanish] Thank you.
Thank you very much.
[audience laughs]
I would like to start,
if I may, by asking you...
how did you get the idea
for this torrid romance?
[in English] Okay.
She wants to know
where you got the idea.
- The idea? Erm...
- Mm-hmm.
Erm...
Well, I guess the answer
to that, erm,
is, well, it... it's a mixture.
It's a mixture
of one's experience
and, er, one's imagination.
[audience] Oh!
[in Spanish]
Experience and imagination.
- [audience] Ooh!
- [host chuckles]
[in English] Okay, okay, okay.
[in Spanish] You must be
very imaginative then...
and very experienced!
[laughter]
Of course,
when I say this I'm thinking
of one particular part
of the book.
Do you mind
if I read it out loud?
- Uh...
- [Henry] Er...
You know what? We would love to.
But Mr. Copper is a busy man.
He has many things to do...
novels to write...
OK. OK. I'll just read it
quickly. Just quickly.
Chapter nine,
the morning
after Claire meets Martin.
[in English]
She's going to read.
[in Spanish] We've all
read it, what's the point?
"Every fibre of Claire's being
was transformed..."
Martin's powerful desire
"had overcome her fear of love."
[in English]
Claire was transformed.
What, that... that's it?
It... It sounded like
there was a bit more to it.
I'm paraphrasing.
Right.
[in Spanish] You describe
the workings
of desire, of lust, so well.
[audience] Mm.
[host] It's incredible.
And best of all it's like you
understand what it is to be a
man and a woman,
sexually possessed.
- [exhales heavily]
- [audience murmurs]
[in English] You're great.
Gracias. [chuckles] Thank you.
[in Spanish]
May I read my favourite part?
Another one? Dear God.
I am going to read THE scene.
[audience] Ooh!
"That night
he came to her again,
charged like a stallion."
"Claire, he said,
we will always long
for each other's touch,
each other's taste,
but it will always
be forbidden."
[in English] Yeah, mm...
That night he came to her again.
"Claire," he said,
"We will always be together.
"We will always be
two minds in one body,
- "two halves of one coin."
- [host] Okay.
[in Spanish] "But tonight
let us forget the rules..."
tonight we are unashamed,
we are beasts...
"beasts in the desert heat."
"Claire, he said, tonight..."
[whispers in English] And that?
Yeah, um...
Um... [hesitates]
But... Yeah.
- Could someone else please?
- [Mara] No.
I can do it.
"Tonight, we are like beasts
in the desert."
"In the desert heat."
Beasts in heat?
That's... That's quite
a free translation.
[laughter]
Erm...
- Please go on.
- [host chuckles] Okay.
[in Spanish] "Claire. Tonight...
[in English]
"Claire, tonight..."
[speaks Spanish]
[audience exclaiming excitedly]
[giggles]
"Tonight, Claire, we part..."
[audience murmuring]
"never to meet again. The end."
[audience gasps]
[in Spanish]
That's not what it says!
[in English] You don't speak
English at all.
She's making it up!
[Henry in English] What?
[in Spanish] Oh so now
we're all translators!
- She's a liar!
- Yes! Translate it properly!
Yes! Translate it properly,
you cow!
Hey, hey...
a little respect, no?
- I mean, I mean...
- [host interrupts in Spanish]
Perhaps you would like
to refresh
your memory of the text.
[in English] Of course. Yeah.
[in Spanish] But...
What the hell
is with this woman?
[woman] It's her job...
No, no, I'll read it.
I'll read it!
[in English] Okay.
"Tonight we're unashamed."
"Tonight we're beasts
in the desert heat."
"Tonight we... [sighs]"
"we fudge."
Er, sorry, I didn't quite...
Louder!
"Tonight..."
[shouts] "we fuck!"
[audience exclaims in relief]
[woman 2] That's better!
[mic feedback whining]
[indistinct chatter]
- [host chuckles]
- [footsteps thudding]
- Erm...
- [audience groans]
[in English] I'll just...
[all exclaiming in Spanish]
- [applause]
- Bravo, bravo!
What was that all about?
I think your mother
is about to get into trouble.
[in English] What was that?
- [sighs]
- Er...
What's going on,
with the poster?
And why are people sending me
naked videos of themselves?
What have you done to my book?
What...?
I made some changes.
"Some changes"?
Okay, what other parts
have you changed?
Only the boring parts.
Okay. It...
It sounds like you've
rewritten the whole book.
Like I say,
only the boring parts.
Hey, I'm not finished.
Do you know how long it took me?
Five years of writing,
rewriting,
waiting for the right phrase.
I think maybe
you waited too long.
Listen, and then you came along,
and you turned it
into a bucket of filth.
- "Filth"?
- Yes, filth.
Miss Rodrguez,
my characters
do not have sex, all right?
Of course, of course not.
A writer writes from experience.
Oh. [laughs in disbelief]
Do you know what? I can't
believe you're defending
this monstrous sack
of pornography.
- It is not pornography.
- It is pornography!
Claire and Martin make love
once, just like your parents.
Don't bring my parents in...
[Mara sighs]
I can't believe this.
I'm going mad.
Go on. Tell me,
what else have you changed?
Come on,
what have you changed exactly?
[exhales sharply]
Well, I took out
some of the long descriptions.
What long descriptions?
You spend a page
describing a bicycle
and a sentence
describing the heroine.
But that... that... that's...
And I also improved the grammar.
There's nothing wrong
with my grammar.
- So you say, Mr. Writer?
- [sighs]
And I made Claire's husband gay.
Well, I made it clear
he was gay.
He's not gay.
- Why would you make him?
- Come on.
Come on, he was always gay.
He just wasn't comfortable
coming out to you.
Oh. Oh-ho-ho!
[in Spanish] Pedro!
So happy you're here now!
[Pedro] Hi Mara! [gasps]
[in English] Here he is,
the love guru himself.
- Hello.
- Hello.
I am Pedro, your publisher.
Welcome to Mexico City.
I got you on TV.
But I have a publisher. Jen?
No, no, no. Jen is
your British publisher.
I am your Mexican publisher.
We are going to have
a swell time. Come on.
- Did you say "TV"?
- Yes. Are you excited?
[Max in Spanish] Where were you?
[in English] T... TV interview?
[Mara in Spanish]
We were just talking, Grandpa.
[Pedro in English]
You're going to have fun.
[Mara in Spanish] I'll
explain later. Get in! Get in!
- [Max in English] Come on.
- [indistinct chatter]
[upbeat folk music playing]
[music continues on radio]
[exhales heavily]
Do you know what? I have
one question. One Question.
Why did you make
Claire's husband gay?
- Do you not like gay?
- Ugh. Typical.
No, that's...
Yes, I do like gay.
I... I...
But Claire's husband isn't gay.
It gives Claire a motive
- for the affair.
- "Affair"?
After she finds her husband
in bed with Andrew.
Andrew? Who's Andrew?
Martin's brother.
Martin doesn't have a brother.
Well, he does now.
I made him a sexy plumber.
I had to make chapter six
more interesting.
What was wrong with chapter six?
Nothing happens.
Like, in chapter seven,
and chapter five,
and chapter three,
and chapter one,
and the entire book,
nothing happens. Nothing.
Stop the car.
Stop the car!
[brakes screech]
[sighs]
[in Spanish] Damn English.
- [sheep bleating]
- Shoo, shoo.
[Diego] Mama, shouldn't
you say it's your book?
It seems really unfair.
Welcome to the entire history
of women, Diego.
- [sucks teeth]
- [car door opens]
[woman speaking Spanish]
[Mara] Hey.
[in English] I'm sorry, okay?
I'm sorry.
But nothing happens.
Nobody does anything.
Nobody says anything.
Everybody wanders around, like,
"Can I just please
have a glass of water"
"while I describe
this beautiful bicycle?"
- [insect buzzing]
- And then, boom.
I mean, well, no boom.
Boom is too exciting.
Then... Then, a squit.
- "Squit"?
- Yeah, squit.
They fall in love,
if you can call it that.
I don't believe this.
[grunts]
Do you know what?
I... I don't believe this.
First, you insult my book,
then you insult me.
Now I'm expected
to go on television
and... and say
that this morass of filth
is something that I wrote.
[sighs]
Do you know what?
No, I've had enough.
- Yeah, yeah.
- [Henry] Yup! Yup!
- Okay.
- Yes, okay!
God! Has anyone
got any phone signal?
[sighs]
Listen to me, both of you.
This book is a hit.
So please, work together,
and help me sell it,
so we can all make some money.
She has ruined my book,
and I plan on telling
every single person I meet.
And then what?
You would be known as the idiot
who didn't even
read his own book.
Worst, the man who said,
"Oh, yes, my book is a success."
"But I would like it more
if it was a flop."
A boring flop
that nobody wants to read.
Okay, Mara. You spiced it up.
And now you think you wrote
50 Shades of Grey?
But that book says on the cover
"Henry Cooper,"
not "Mara Rodrguez."
[Henry] Copper.
Mara, you want
to tell everybody?
Okay, fine.
We'll have a scandal,
and the book dies a quick death.
So please, smile.
Tell people what they want
to hear. And get into the car.
Argh.
[reggaeton music playing]
[cell phone chimes]
[music continues on radio]
Does this car
have air conditioning?
No. It's a Volkswagen Beetle,
not the Ritz hotel.
Most cars have air
conditioning. It's not rare.
That's broken. Also...
[music blaring]
It is the radio!
We're here!
Are we?
Oh, for Pete's sake.
You should see
the one we rejected.
[woman in Spanish] Oh my God!
Oh my God!
It's you! Henry Copper! [gasps]
I love your book! [chuckles]
- [in English] Er, sorry?
- [Beatriz] Um...
[in English] "Oh, my God.
It's you, Henry Copper."
"I love your book."
Oh, my goodness.
Thank you. Um...
Sorry. This is my...
Er... Er...
- Mara. Yeah.
- My translator.
- Hola.
- Hi.
I'm Beatriz.
- Welcome to my show.
- Thank you.
El Corazn Sensible
is my Beatriz Book Club
Book of the Year.
- Oh, wow.
- I am so pleased to meet you.
Yeah, nice to meet you, too.
Don't forget to give me
your autograph after the show.
[in Spanish] You're so handsome!
[Beatriz giggles]
[in English]
Maybe you can give her
your phone number, too.
Oh, God.
[upbeat Latin music playing]
[in Spanish] My next guest
is the author
of the literary sensation
of the year,
The Sensible Heart.
I love this book!
It makes me tingle inside!
Henry, bienvenido.
[in English] Welcome.
Thank you. Thank you
for having me, Beatriz.
[in Spanish] And his
translator, Mara Rodeo.
Uh, Rodrguez.
[in English] Henry.
You studied English literature
- and the classics.
- Yeah.
So, people might
expect your book
to be boring, but it's not.
It actually reads
like a telenovela,
like a really sexy soap opera.
Y... Yes.
Yeah. Well, er...
I... I... I'm open
to many influences.
Er, not every story about love
has to be about sex.
You know, someone once wrote,
"Chastity is the body
in the soul's keeping."
Okay, but please tell us,
what's your favorite telenovela?
The one with...
with the twins...
and... and the president
and the stray dog.
[gasps]
[in Spanish] Of course.
The Usurper!
[in English] What a classic!
- [women chuckle]
- [chuckles dryly] Ha.
Yeah. Erm, but this novel,
my work, erm,
it's nothing like a telenovela.
It's very, very different.
The way I approached...
What's wrong with telenovelas?
I mean, telenovelas
contain drama,
excitement, emotion, story.
Mara, since
you really like talking,
I have a question for you.
Was it hard,
as a mere translator,
to convey the meaning
of Seor Copper's amazing words?
- [chuckles]
- Thank you. Thank you.
[Henry chuckles]
No.
[in Spanish]
I just changed everything.
I'm sorry, what?
Yes, I mean...
[tense music playing]
I changed everything
from English to Spanish...
making sure to keep
the brilliant, amazing words
of Mr. Copper.
You must feel very lucky?
You have no idea.
[chuckles]
Yes. Yes.
[in English] Yeah, we, er...
We work very well together.
Uh-huh.
[women chattering]
[in Spanish]
Always ask for a hardback.
More money for the author...
and me.
[in English]
Oh, Henry, please...
- [Henry] Hola.
- Hola.
[in Spanish] Your book
has filled my heart with love
and my body with desire.
[Pedro in English]
Next! Shoo, shoo.
I thought you'd be
more attractive in person.
[Pedro in Spanish] You!
Mr. Copper, I never understood
men before I read this book.
Now my bed is never empty!
[in English] "Seor Copper",
"your breath smells
like a monkey's ass."
S.
Gracias.
[in Spanish]
My partner and I dress
as your characters for...
our intimate moments.
[in English] He and her partner
dress as your characters,
and they like to...
[whispers indistinctly]
Oh, come on.
Give me your autograph.
Okay.
[in Spanish] Here, here. Look!
[in English] Oh, God.
This is happening.
[woman moaning]
- [in Spanish] Thank you.
- [Henry] Thank you.
No, no. Stop, stop.
- Hola.
- Hola.
For Miguelito.
[in English]
Miguelito's having an orgasm.
[signing]
Gracias.
Good luck.
[light music playing]
- [device ringing]
- [gasps]
- Jen...
- Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Put some clothes on, please.
Oh.
[mumbling] What are you
doing up this late?
It's 9:00 p.m.,
which I realize isn't that late.
It's 3:00 where you are,
though. Why?
Henry, I'm just checking in.
I'm hearing attendance
is through the roof.
So is my blood pressure.
Jen, did you know
my so-called translator
has changed every single word?
I think we've got
a bad connection.
- Every single word?
- I'm not getting any of that.
- Jen?
- [Jen shushing]
Listen, because of the following
you've been building over there,
The Sensible Heart
is getting re-released
in the UK.
[fumbles] That's... That's...
- That's great news!
- Yeah.
- Right? That's...
- Yeah.
- That's good.
- It is great news.
What we're going to do, Henry,
we're going to take
the Mexican version,
which is so popular,
and we're going to have it
translated back into English.
Everyone's gonna love it.
We've got a new jacket
and everything.
[sighs] Show me.
- Huh?
- Jen...
- Oh, the jacket, yeah...
- Jen, show me.
Hello.
Jen... [sighs]
God.
Jen.
What?
Is it the nipple, Henry?
We can lose the nipple.
- There's only one.
- What's the point?
You may as well
just include a free poster
of a couple having sex
on the back of a horse.
That's funny.
Now, you're thinking, Henry.
Don't actually do... Oh.
Okay, sweet dreams. Talk soon.
Yeah, thanks.
- Bye.
- Thanks, Jen. Thanks.
[fake-sobs]
I need a drink.
[romantic Spanish song playing]
[indistinct conversation]
Hmm.
[Henry] Killing
someone else's darlings?
[sighs]
I don't even know
what that means.
- More translation?
- I'm writing.
Mm, I can see that.
What are you writing?
Characters that is for a novel.
You should try it.
[chuckles sarcastically]
Well, I'm sorry to be intruding.
I can go if you like.
No, please. Just, be my guest.
Only because
I can't get back to sleep.
- [Henry groans]
- [music playing softly]
So, tell me...
What's it about, the novel?
Everyone seems to like
your ideas better than mine.
Oh, no, no.
I don't have time to write it,
anyway, so...
So, what do you drink?
Er, what are you drinking, beer?
How do you even ask for a beer?
Is it, "Uno beero, por favor"?
[men laughing]
[Mara mutters indistinctly]
[laughter and chatter]
Antonio?
[in Spanish] What the hell?
What's up, Mara?
What are you doing here?
What am I doing here?
What are YOU doing here?
You said you were in San Miguel.
Ah, yes. I did go.
We had the recording session,
- and I did really well!
- [sighs]
[sighs] I'm sorry,
I know I should have told you.
But that's how
these things are...
they invited me on a tour
so here I am.
[imperceptible]
Where is Diego?
Where do you think? Sleeping.
[Antonio scoffs]
Let's see.
You left my son alone?
You really are unbelievable.
[in English]
Everything all right?
Who... Who was that?
Oh, um, nobody.
He's... He's a nobody.
Sorry.
[light instrumental music
playing]
[Henry] Where are we going?
Palenque.
Our last stop
before we all go home.
It's an old Mayan city.
Is it far?
Only, like, 10 hours.
Ten?
[light instrumental music
continues]
Henry.
It's so cold. Why is it so cold?
Because it's Mexico,
it has to be hot?
Well, yes.
[scoffs] Unbelievable.
I never met anyone
who was racist
about the weather before.
I mean, do you hear me say,
"It's always raining
in England"?
But it is always raining
in England.
[Max in Spanish] Here!
[Henry] Oh, gracias.
Erm...
[in English] What sort
of blanket is this?
It belonged to my Alicia.
Was... Was...
Was that your wife?
No, my dog.
I miss her.
She died in... in that blanket.
- [thud]
- [car rattles]
[Max exclaims in Spanish]
Ay, no!
[grunts]
[sighs]
Hold this.
Okay. Wow.
It's a tire.
Yes, sorry, this just really
isn't my area.
- Anyone can see that.
- [indistinct chatter]
[Henry] Is it that obvious?
Yeah.
You've had an easy life.
Well, that's not true.
[Mara] Isn't it?
Okay, let me tell you
the life you've lived.
A beautiful house with garden.
Private school, university,
and now you're a writer.
And you're not rich,
but you have an easy life.
And maybe, sometimes,
you get a sore finger
from typing too much.
I'm sure the life
of a translator must be awful.
Is that what you think I am?
A translator?
I work in a bar. And when
I don't work in a bar,
I work in a kitchen.
And when I don't do that,
I go to sleep.
And if I'm lucky, sometimes,
I make notes for a novel
that I'll never have time
to write.
So, like I said,
you have an easy life.
You know,
I could tell
from reading your book
that you don't know
anything about life.
[speaks Spanish]
[in English]
You have no experience.
Yes, I do.
- Of course, I do. Yes, I do.
- No, you don't.
And you've never been in love.
How do you know that?
I told you, I read your book.
This pure love you talk about
doesn't exist.
Aah!
[Mara exclaims in Spanish]
You okay?
[sighs]
Do you want me to...?
You know, the only reason
you're even here
is because of the words
I wrote about love.
Do you know how that feels?
[in Spanish] Do you want
to know what love is?
Love is being lied to.
Love leaves you stranded...
alone, and penniless...
with a grandfather and a child
who won't let you
even breathe...
Ay, Diego...
Diego, listen to me...
No, no I didn't mean it!
Diego, Diego, Diego...
Erm...
[in English] Let me try.
[Mara] Mm.
[somber music playing]
- Hola.
- Hola.
Er...
Hi, can I sit?
Yup.
Okay.
Okay. [grunts]
Er...
Whew.
The only, er...
The only thing I remember
about being a child
is just how bloody awful it is.
Yeah, everyone telling you
what to do.
I mean, literally everyone.
Your parents...
Teachers...
Even the lollipop men.
[chuckles]
Do you have lollipop men here?
[in Spanish]
I don't speak English.
[in English] Right. Yeah.
[in Spanish] Don't speak...
[in English] Ooh, here we go.
[in Spanish] One moment.
[in English] I don't suppose
there's a child-parent
section here,
but let's have a go.
Er...
Okay.
Er...
[in Spanish] I wish... to buy...
some hens.
[in English] No, I know.
[chuckles]
[in Spanish] Your mother...
is...
ill.
[in English] No. No, no...
[in Spanish] Your mother...
is... angry.
But...
I love you.
[softly] I love you.
She... loves you.
She... loves you.
Erm, the woman...
is crazy...
[both chuckle]
but she loves you...
because, er...
you are...
her husband.
[chuckles softly]
Her man.
She is angry, erm...
with me because...
I am...
a spoon.
[laughs]
Please...
show me...
your towels.
- [giggles]
- Er...
I have broken my bottom.
[giggles]
[Henry laughs]
Erm...
You understand?
- [softly] Mm.
- [laughs]
[in English] It's okay.
Er...
[gentle music playing]
[Pedro] Smile!
[Max laughing]
[in Spanish] Very good,
Pedro, very good.
Mama, you didn't say
he was funny!
[Mara] Where were you?
Ay.
Can you forgive me, son?
[Diego] Mm. Mm-hmm.
I'm sorry my love.
Can I have a hug?
[kissing loudly]
[pop music playing]
[cell phone chimes]
[music continues on car stereo]
[cell phone chimes]
[in English] I must say,
they're saying
some nice things about the book.
[pop music continues playing]
Oh, thank you.
- What is this?
- [people cheering]
[Mara chuckles]
[Henry] Is this for us?
[people cheering and clamoring]
[Mara] Hey! Wait, wait, wait!
[Henry] Oh, my God!
This is crazy.
[fans clamoring]
[Henry] Wow.
Gracias.
- [laughter]
- [Mara speaks indistinctly]
[laughing]
[people chattering]
[mouths]
Good evening, everybody,
and welcome
to a very special event,
live on TV
across this beautiful nation.
And tonight,
I am very proud to present
the author of an amazing book,
El Corazn Sensible.
Henry Copper. Welcome!
[all cheering and applauding]
Gracias.
And with him, his translator...
Mara Rodrguez!
Yes, Mara!
[host] Mara Rodrguez,
that's right.
[Mara] That's me.
You already have fans.
[in Spanish] Do you have
the TV remote? Turn it up!
[host in English]
One of the main themes
of this wonderful book of yours
is the relationship
between two people
that really care
and love each other.
Whether it's a man
and a woman...
Yes.
Or a woman and a woman...
Page 92!
[audience members laugh
and chatter]
Yes, er...
Indeed.
Even though
the book is quite, er, lively,
what it's really about,
for me, is love.
Love is,
well, love is at the heart
of everything, isn't it?
It's the one thing that we're,
all of us, searching for.
For me, love is patience,
more than passion.
[host] But, Henry, your book
is completely full of passion,
isn't it?
[Henry and Mara] Mm-hmm.
Well, at least,
passion about sex, anyway.
- [chuckles]
- [Mara] Mm-hmm.
Yes, it is.
That it is.
Er, but I think
there was something
that was slightly lost
in the translation.
Erm...
Well, you know,
maybe love itself is not good.
'Cause love is a dream, right?
It's a... It's a mirage.
Love will always let us down.
People let us down.
People are flawed.
- [Mara clears throat]
- Er...
Love is an ideal.
And ideals, unlike people,
are not real.
Well... Sorry. [chuckling]
- We agree to disagree.
- Yeah. [laughs]
[Antonio in Spanish]
Who is this guy?
[mutters indistinctly]
[scoffs]
[in English] I am going
to name my child after you.
Er, you don't need to do that.
- Yes!
- [Henry] No.
Henry Copper Valdez.
- That's good, hmm?
- rale.
Er, but...
But what if it's a girl?
[speaks Spanish]
You could call her Mara.
- [Henry] There you go.
- Nah.
Erm...
- Henrietta Copper Valdez.
- [fans exclaim agreeingly]
- [overlapping chatter]
- [Henry] Henrietta.
Henry, we wrote
our own fan fiction
based on your book.
[women chuckle]
Wow, guys.
- You like it?
- [Henry chuckles] Oh, wow.
It's fantastic.
Just a quick... Who is this?
It's Thomas.
[in Spanish]
Thomas the chauffeur!
[in English] The love machine.
- [all laugh]
- [Henry] Yes, he is.
Thomas, with the big heart,
who makes love
to everyone in the book.
- To everyone?
- [woman 1] Everyone.
[woman 2] Everyone.
To everyone. There we go.
Henry Copper...
Henry Copper...
[in Spanish] Who are you?
[in English]
I know you're there.
I can hear
your English breathing.
[Henry chuckles]
English people don't breathe
any differently to other people.
Of course they do.
It's all that roast beef.
"Roast beef"?
Roast beef, yeah.
Are you following me,
with that bottle of tequila?
Mm-hmm.
Are you flirting with me?
No, er...
Since it's my last night
in Mexico,
I just thought
you might wanna share it.
It's a big bottle.
Er, I don't know,
someone gave it to me
at the fan event.
Mm. Let's drink!
- Yeah, okay.
- Yeah.
[Mara] Mmm.
I like it here.
- Yes, right?
- Yeah.
- It's so cool.
- Ah, it's hot.
[Mara chuckles] You English.
- Always so...
- [eerie snarling]
What was that?
What was that? Was that a tiger?
[chuckles] A tiger?
Or a lion? I... I don't know.
Oh, yeah, yeah,
the famous Mexican lion.
[Henry] Okay, what was it?
What was that?
- It's the monkeys.
- The monkeys?
That was... That was a monkey?
- That was a monkey.
- Sounded like a dragon.
[Mara laughs,
blows raspberries]
What?
- You were scared.
- I was scared.
Just for a minute.
[chuckles] And you don't
mind saying that?
Why would I?
No, it's just
that a lot of men would rather
be killed by a monkey than,
you know,
admit they were scared.
[soft music playing]
- [Henry] Salud.
- Cheers to that.
Oh, wow.
Who was that man?
- Mm...
- From the other night.
Mexico City, in the bar.
Uh...
Diego's father, isn't it?
Uh-huh. Yeah, he is.
He looks like the kind of man
who isn't afraid of anything.
- Antonio?
- Mm.
He's scared of nothing...
except being
with his own family.
Why do you mention him?
No reason.
It's funny.
I usually find it hard
talking to women.
It's not hard.
- [chuckles]
- You just have to say, "Mara,"
"you're an amazing writer
- "and an incredible person."
- [chuckles]
What do you mean,
you can't talk to women?
Er... I don't know.
I went to a same-sex
boarding school.
The only woman
I've ever really known well
is my mother.
And she died
when I was young, so...
Oh, I'm sorry.
And how about your father?
My father was distant.
Yeah. I mean, literally.
He was a missionary
in the Antarctic.
And then he was eaten by a seal.
What?
Or was it dang vicious penguins?
I'm kidding.
You are a strange man,
Henry Copper.
[soft music playing]
[Henry] Erm...
Back at our rooms.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, we better go in then.
Yeah, an early start tomorrow.
[Mara] Hmm.
[Henry sighs]
Thank you.
Thank you.
- No, thank you.
- [chuckles]
No, seriously,
it was... it was...
fun.
So... [chuckles]
good night, Henry Copper.
[in Spanish] Goodnight.
[chuckles]
[Mara mutters indistinctly,
chuckles]
[soft music continues]
[Max in English] Are you ready
to go home, Henry?
Yeah.
- Okay, let's go.
- No, no, no.
Henry, give me your tablet.
- Give me your tablet.
- What?
How you say,
let's take one for the road.
[in Spanish] On the count
of three, say "Pedro!"
[in English] One, two, three...
[all] Pedro.
[all laugh]
[Pedro] Okay.
Well, that's it. Er, thank you.
- [Mara] Okay.
- Max, Pedro.
[Mara in Spanish] Let's go!
[in English] Bye, Diego.
The sky is...
cloudy.
- Cloudy.
- Cloudy.
It look...
like rain.
- [Max laughs]
- Very good.
[Max] Okay.
- Goodbye, Henry.
- Adis.
[in Spanish] Come on son,
get in the car.
[tender music playing]
[in English] She hates goodbyes.
[tender music continues]
[in Spanish] Expecting someone?
[Antonio] No.
For you and me.
But I'm working, Antonio.
Mara, the place is empty.
- Come on, sit with me!
- Ok, fine.
[sighs]
So where's your British friend?
Ah! So you're watching me?
I'm not watching you,
it's just social media!
Yes, you're watching me!
No! You open social media
and photos start to show up...
[Mara] Uh-huh.
Anyway. This is why I came.
For Diego and for you.
From the gig.
Thank you.
I'll take it off
what you owe me.
[laughs] It's not that much!
[Mara] Mm-hmm.
Um...
You're wearing the shirt
you had on
when I first met you.
And the truth is...
you look just as beautiful
and as sexy.
Hmm.
Thanks for reminding me
I have no new clothes.
Mara, how are you?
Hey, Mara.
You know
you can count on me, right?
- Mm-hmm.
- You can trust me.
We're a family.
[sighs]
Have you ever...
Have you ever had
a week where...
where everything made sense?
As if...
as if your life
was just as you dreamt it?
And then suddenly...
you come back to reality and...
[voice breaking] ...it's over.
Nevermind, forget it.
Pretend I didn't say anything.
- Hey, hey, hey...
- [Mara speaks indistinctly]
I understand.
I understand perfectly.
We've all been through
moments like these.
Come on!
Why don't we go somewhere else?
This place is
a little depressing, isn't it?
We could go somewhere else
and talk.
Talk?
Though not at my house
because my roommates
are having another party...
and you know how it gets.
Ok. Let's go to mine.
But just to talk.
Just to talk.
[tablet ringing]
- Jen.
- Henry!
Oh, I am so glad I caught you.
Did you check in yet?
No, my flight's been delayed.
Good. Don't.
- What?
- First off...
"Don't"?
The new edition
is doing really well.
- And...
- And that makes me happy.
I'm not finished.
We need a new novel.
We want a new Henry Copper book.
Oh...
What?
And we need it in ten weeks.
Ahh!
- Ten weeks? Jen, I...
- I know.
Jen, I can't write a novel
in ten weeks.
I know
it's a crazy deadline, Henry.
But we figured it was doable
if you did it with, um,
your translator.
- M... Mara?
- Yes.
What do you say?
- Erm...
- Henry...
You would... You would make
a lot of money from this.
But this is my creation.
- You know? It's my...
- Oh, come on, Henry.
We both know
that's not totally true.
Hmm?
From what I understand,
Ms. Rodrguez made
quite a material contribution
to the new version.
Mostly sex, Jen.
Which was integral
to the entire storyline
of the version that people
actually liked, Henry.
It sounds to me
like she breathed
some life into your book.
She did that, all right.
Look, you don't even have
to be in the same room.
Wouldn't I?
Unless you wanna be
in the same room, then sure.
What do you think, Henry?
Come on.
[bell tolling]
[soft music playing]
[sniffles]
[mutters]
[soft music continues]
[camera shutter clicks]
[Mara grunts]
[whispers in Spanish]
I'll come back for breakfast.
[both] OK.
I'll call you.
Sure.
[grunts]
[Mara on phone]
No, no, Pedro, no!
I've helped you already,
I'm done!
[Pedro] But Mara,
you'd only do half the work!
Yes, and he would be getting
all the credit.
[Pedro] Yes, but it's his name
that will sell the book.
Credit doesn't pay your bills.
Just think about it,
and then say yes.
You can use my house.
We both know that man
can't do it without you.
[instrumental folk music
playing]
Good morning,
Mara Fernanda Rodrguez.
It's good to see you again.
- Wow.
- Mm-hmm.
[in English] Very good.
[in Spanish]
Good morning, Mr. Copper.
[in English] I'm learning,
all right?
- Mm.
- I'm learning.
[gasps]
What have you done?
She's redecorated.
This is my house.
There are other rooms.
This is the workspace.
[Pedro] You moved
my Murano clown.
You two drink
and smell the roses.
I have to go now
and take care of other men
who need me.
Goodbye.
[in Spanish] Goodbye!
[in English] To another
fantastic beginning.
I see good things
about to happen.
[instrumental folk music
continues]
- Hey.
- Hey!
[in Spanish] How are you?
[in English] Are you writing
without me?
No. No, no, no...
I'm not...
I was just working
through some ideas.
I was just getting started.
Okay, we're gonna have one rule.
Okay.
You never write without me.
This is a collaboration,
do you understand?
Like, we're... we're partners.
I... I... I understand.
A collaboration. I cannot...
I cannot do this without you.
So this will be
a blend of both of us.
- I get it.
- Cool.
So, tell me your ideas.
Erm...
Er, well, okay.
Er, I have a man
who works in a library...
No.
[upbeat music playing]
There's an elderly vicar, er...
- No, very much, no.
- Well...
And this woman
finds her happiness
in caring for her sick mother.
[gasps loudly]
[imitates gagging]
[whooshes, imitates grunting]
You could have just said no.
Let me show you some magic.
- [upbeat music continues]
- [inaudible conversation]
- what you want.
- But it is who we...
This is my book. My name is...
Do the book the way...
Earth calling Henry.
Sorry. I was
just working through
some of your ideas
from yesterday.
Oh.
- They're good.
- Mm.
- When they stop in the road...
- Yeah.
[conversation continues
indistinctly]
Surprise!
[speaks indistinctly]
Right, how about this?
What if he is in love with her?
No.
- Bear with me. Bear with me.
- Uh-uh-uh.
- Pap-pap-pap...
- [Mara gibbers]
[Mara] No.
He is in love with her
but he doesn't know it yet,
because he's never been
in love before.
[Mara] Hmm.
[upbeat music continues]
What about her?
Well, she's sure she isn't
in love with him.
Yes.
But actually she is in love
with him.
And they ride a bicycle? No.
- It works. It works.
- No, no, no.
It's not love. It's desire.
[upbeat music continues]
What if she wants him
and loves him?
You can have both.
It's just lust.
[sighs] Okay, all right. Okay.
Okay, let's try it
your way first,
and then we'll try it my way.
Eh., no.
I'm joking.
Let's try it your way.
[music continues faintly
on speaker]
- [typing]
- No.
- Yeah.
- What? No.
- No!
- Mm-hmm. Eeh-hee.
"They looked at each other.
They were naked, magnificent."
"They made l..."
- No, I can't even say that.
- What's wrong with it?
What's w...
"They made love like two dragons"
"exploding in the flames
of a volcano."
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
- This is the end.
- Come on.
Yeah, this is the ending.
It's not an ending.
That's not an ending.
Lost in passion and dragons
exploding in a volcano.
We need a powerful ending.
We cannot end
with milk and cookies
and goodnight,
Teddy in the nursery.
I'm not asking
for milk and cookies.
I'm not asking
for Teddy in the nursery.
[Pedro] What is this?
Keep working!
You're nearly done.
No, we are done.
I can't go on
with this unreasonable man.
I'm not the one
who's unreasonable.
[Pedro] They split up,
they get back together,
they make love. The end.
It's not as simple
as that, Pedro.
Love never is.
- Oh, wow.
- Where are you going?
To see my mother.
Carnival! I'm going to Carnival!
[speaking Spanish]
- It's Carnival!
- Yes!
Uh-uh. No, no, come on.
Let's crack on.
No, let's not "crack on,"
whatever that means.
- Yes. Please...
- Let's get out.
- Let's...
- No. No.
Sit down and...
Let's please
just finish this chapter.
Okay.
- [upbeat drums music playing]
- [fireworks crackling]
I think that's worked.
[both muttering indistinctly]
You know what? I hate to say it,
but I think we've done enough.
[Mara] Mm?
I think...
I think we've done enough.
Okay. What time is it?
[gasps] No!
It's too late!
Come on, the Carnival.
Why didn't you
say anything before?
- Because I'm not...
- Let's go.
Overly fond about the idea.
[Mara] Oh, come on. Let's go.
I think we're a little late.
I'd say.
Look, why don't we just go back?
No! Hell, no!
We deserve a party!
What party? There's nobody here.
- [both laugh]
- We are here.
[man in Spanish]
Hey! Here you go!
- Thank you!
- Happy Carnival!
[in English] He's here.
Don't drink that, though. You
don't know where it's been.
No. But I know where it's going.
- Don't drink it.
- Eh, eh, eh...
Mara?
- Oh, stop. Let's go.
- [Antonio] Mara?
[in Spanish]
How are you, Antonio?
How are you?
[in English] You're the British?
- Er, yes, Henry. Hello.
- Oh, Henry.
Like, Henry Style. Henry Potter?
Henry the Prince?
Er, I think you mean Harry.
Oh, whatever.
Okay.
Okay.
[chuckles]
[in Spanish] I get it now.
I get it.
- [Mara] Mm-hmm?
- Everything you talked about
in the bar...
is because you met
this English man, right?
So what? You thought
that your life was going
to suddenly become
marvelous and fantastic?
Mara, you really think this guy
is going to make you a writer?
No, I don't think so,
because I already am a writer,
Antonio. Yes, I am.
Mara, be realistic. He is
a writer. You work in a bar.
That's it. That's reality,
whether you like it or not.
I'm not saying it's fair...
but life isn't fair
and you know that very well.
[people cheering]
I don't understand
what the hell you want!
You do know. Stop playing,
you're not a teenager anymore,
Mara.
[crowd cheering]
[gasps]
[in English] Hey, where are
you going? Wait! Wait for me.
[in Spanish] It's your turn
to take care of Diego
on Saturday. Show up!
No, no. If you want
I can pick him up right now...
so you can party!
[people continue cheering]
[Mara] Hey!
Henry!
- [upbeat music playing]
- [people cheering]
[upbeat music continues]
[music stops]
[in English] What are they?
Oh, my gosh.
What?
Oh, gosh.
[chuckles]
Oh, my God.
Well...
Well, it's been nice
to get out of the house.
You're right.
Yeah. And I've actually,
actually enjoyed myself.
No, you're...
you're right about the book.
I didn't think
we're talking about that.
We are.
Passion fades.
And...
these two characters...
deserve more.
[gentle music playing]
Passion is a part of love.
Desire, all these things,
you know,
they're all a part of love.
But...
But what about the mind?
[imitates Henry]
What about the body
in the soul's keeping?
- In the soul's "kipping."
- "Kipping."
[Henry chuckles]
Er... Forget about that. I...
I didn't even know
what I was saying.
I can't find the words.
You don't need words.
[gentle music continues]
[Mara] Mm!
[both panting]
[Henry] Hey, wait, wait, wait.
What about Pedro?
- He's not gonna come.
- How do you know?
Well, you don't dress up
like that
and come back home
for cocoa. Right?
[both grunt softly]
[Mara] Mm? [shrieks]
[Mara shrieks]
[door unlocks]
[door opens and closes]
[footsteps approaching]
Method writing.
[gentle music playing]
[birds chirping]
[Mara groaning softly]
[gentle music continues]
Morning.
[in Spanish] Good morning.
[Mara] Hmm.
[in English]
Two dragons exploding
in the flames of a volcano.
[chuckles]
- [Henry] Hm?
- [Mara] Mm-hmm.
[Mara sighs and grunts]
Argh. I have to go and get
Diego ready for the day.
Okay?
[in Spanish] See you later.
[exhales heavily]
[gentle music continues]
[Pedro humming]
Good morning.
[in English] Did you sleep well?
[scoffs]
[resumes humming]
[gentle music continues]
[Pedro] Writing on your own?
- She won't like that.
- [Henry] I know.
I know. I'm just, er...
I just got a bit carried away.
When she sees what I've done
with her ideas, I think...
Ah, you better discuss it.
I know. I know. I'm just...
[Pedro] Mm...
Or it won't end well.
[cell phone chimes]
[pensive music playing]
[typing]
[in Spanish] Hello!
[in English] I'm late. I know.
I'm sorry.
Let's start.
What's this?
What's this?
[somber music plays]
[sighs heavily]
[in Spanish]
That son of a bitch!
[in English] You told me
it was over between you two.
You told me he was nobody
in your life.
He is nobody.
And yet you believe him
before you believe me?
[voice breaking]
So you don't trust me.
And... And I can't trust you.
[shudders]
- Wait... Stop... Just...
- Leave me alone.
- Leave me alone.
- Just give me a minute, okay?
[sniffs, exhales heavily]
Okay.
Okay.
Look, um...
My entire life, all I ever
wanted to do is write,
you know?
And instead of that,
what do I do?
I take care of men.
I clean and I work in a bar
for men.
And then one day,
Pedro asks me if I wanna
translate your book.
And you know why I said yes?
No.
I knew I could make it better.
And I did.
I... I made it better.
[voice breaking]
And then I started
to feel good
about myself [sobbing]
for once in my life.
And then we work together
and I began to feel
really good about myself.
And even though my name
would never be on the cover,
I still felt like a writer.
I thought we were a team.
We are.
I'm so stupid.
I am.
'Cause I trusted you
but you don't trust me.
I do trust you. Er...
- Look, we are a team.
- [sighs]
I shouldn't have said anything
about the photo, all right?
It's not about the photo, Henry.
You finished the book
without me.
It's the one thing
you promised you wouldn't do.
Mara...
Goodbye, Henry. Go home.
[sentimental music playing]
[sentimental music continues]
[reading in Spanish
indistinctly]
[sentimental music continues]
[knocking on door]
[Jen] Happy publication day.
- Thank you.
- I could've put them
in the post, but I wanted
you to see 'em first.
Pants, Henry.
- Sorry?
- Pants.
Yes, right. Good point.
Oh.
I got your plane ticket
as requested.
Thank you.
It's on me.
We booked late,
so it's a middle seat,
at the back.
Next to the lavatories.
[chuckles]
Good luck.
That's... Thank you. Er...
[door closes]
Bye.
Erm...
[sighs]
[soft music playing]
[in Spanish] Mama!
Come with me! Quickly!
What are you doing here, son?
No, you have to see this!
Hurry!
[Mara] Wait! Wait, Diego!
Hey! What?
That's your name.
- [Mara] Wow.
- He put your name on it!
[Mara] Yes.
- You wrote it, right?
- Yes.
[Diego] Then you should
be there!
It's today!
Let's go!
[soft music continues]
[in English]
Here is your speech.
I didn't write a speech.
I know! I did.
- It's in Spanish, Pedro.
- S.
How do you say it in English?
- Duh! [chuckles]
- [sighs]
It's very easy. Just read it.
[woman in Spanish]
Ladies and gentlemen.
Please welcome,
Mr. Henry Copper!
[audience cheering]
[in English] Make it count.
Make it count.
- Bravo!
- Bravo, Henry!
[clears throat]
[in Spanish]
Er, thank you very much.
Thank you
for your warm reception.
Er, I don't deserve it...
even though I am pretty sexy...
[audience laughs]
Yes, he is!
For an Englishman.
[Pedro encouraging]
I mean it...
you should see some of us.
[audience laughs]
Generally, we are awful.
[all laugh]
- Yeah, sometimes they stink.
- Oh.
Thank you.
[cheers and applause]
- [in English] Okay.
- Okay.
First of all, Henry,
I want to say what
a great book Two Hearts is.
- [people cheer]
- Oh, thank you.
It is, if I may say,
even more powerful
than The Sensible Heart.
You might even say
a big leap forward.
[Henry] Yes, I mean, I agree.
It is, er...
It is a better book, yes.
I am confused, though.
Two Hearts
is credited to yourself
and to Mara Rodrguez.
That's correct, yes.
[host] So, she helped you
write it?
Well, much more
than that, really. Erm...
Can you be more specific?
Well...
Mara Rodrguez...
She is the... the second heart.
[audience] Aw.
Erm...
If not for her, nobody here
would be reading this book.
In fact, I would say...
It might exist without me,
but it wouldn't exist
without her.
And this is
the same Mara Rodrguez
who translated
The Sensible Heart?
Yes, well...
only, she didn't translate it.
Erm...
She rewrote it.
[audience gasps]
[in Spanish]
I knew it. I knew it!
[shushing]
[in English] I suppose
what I'm saying is...
I wrote it, yes.
Erm, but she rewrote it.
And then she rewrote me.
[tender music playing]
She absolutely did.
She, er...
You...
completely rewrote me.
[audience gasps]
Aw...
I'm sorry. I'm having
difficulty with this...
understanding this phrase.
Sorry. [chuckles] Erm...
Well, perhaps there's
a translator in the house.
Erm...
I said...
Er...
Is there a translator...
- I heard you the first time.
- [audience gasps]
[in Spanish] It's her!
Mara!
[in Spanish] Hello.
[Mara speaking indistinctly]
[Henry] Erm...
[in English] I was wrong.
I was... I mean,
I was completely wrong.
And you were right.
You're an amazing woman.
Er, a much better writer.
And I'm an idiot.
I'm an idiot.
[chuckles]
I'm an idiot who loves you.
[all gasp]
[in Spanish] Eh?
What did he say?
He said he's an idiot.
- Yes!
- [audience gasps]
He's an idiot.
[dramatic music plays]
[Mara] Antonio!
What are you doing here?
[in English] Here you are.
The Englishman who comes here
and helps a Mexican housewife
become a star.
[chuckles] It's a lovely story.
[in Spanish] According to them,
it's a lovely story, but...
[in English] It's not
the whole story, right?
[in Spanish] Sorry? Who are you?
[Antonio] Ah.
Sorry.
I'm her husband, she's my wife!
- [audience exclaims]
- It's the husband!
Through common law.
It's not the same thing!
This is better
than a telenovela! [laughs]
And him?
Who is he?
Have you asked yourselves?
Eh?
That Englishman has come here
and stolen my woman.
[gasps, in English] Shame!
[in Spanish] Are we
in the stone age or what?
Mara, what happened?
I thought
I could have you back...
and my son...
and the love of my family.
And then, I open this shit
and I read page 125.
"They made...
love like two dragons...
exploding in the flames
of a volcano."
Hey, spoilers!
No, no it's not a spoiler.
It's the trash
that Henry Copper wrote
about my woman.
[in English]
This is your trash, man.
Hey, that is not trash!
I wrote it.
And it may be
a little over the top, sure,
but it's still very sexy.
[in Spanish] Yes, yes, very sexy
[laughs] Sexy?
This nerd? No, no...
[in English] You English,
button-topped cabbage.
What do you know about sexy?
[Mara in Spanish]
Believe me, Antonio...
Henry knows a lot about sexy.
[audience] Ooh!
You think because
you play the trumpet,
and lounge about all day...
and never button up your
shirt, that you're a man?
Is that what being a man is?
Staying out, never being home,
and never being there?
- [audience booing]
- No, no, no, no...
That's not true, Mara.
I've always been there for you.
A few days ago
when you were sad.
Where did you cry, huh?
Here! On my shoulder!
[in English] Hey, I...
I think that's enough.
[Antonio] No, no, no.
I'm gonna tell you
when it's enough...
'cause I'm gonna kill you.
No!
- [audience clamoring]
- [uptempo music playing]
I think we can talk about this.
[in Spanish] Stop him!
[host shrieking]
[both screaming]
- [both grunting]
- [audience exclaiming]
[speaking indistinctly]
- Henry!
- Oh, thank you.
[dramatic music plays]
I'm so sorry.
[Antonio in Spanish]
I'm going to kill you!
Let me go!
Yeah, get out!
[cheers and applause]
[in English] Always go
for the hardback!
[in Spanish] Tie him up
and throw him
straight into the trash!
Hey!
- [in English] Are you okay?
- [Henry] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Erm...
[panting] I'm sorry.
- Are you okay?
- [chuckles] Yes.
Yeah. [chuckles]
- Phew!
- Yes, I am.
[both chuckle]
Oh, gosh.
- Hola.
- Hola.
[chuckles] Erm...
Now, I need you
to translate something for me.
- Oh, gosh.
- Mm-hmm.
All right, I'll try.
[speaks Spanish]
Whoa.
Well, that... that's easy.
Yeah?
[romantic music playing]
[Mara chuckles]
I love you.
- [both gasp]
- [cheers and applause]
[imperceptible]
[in Spanish]
I think my water just broke.
[repeating]
[in English] Her water broke!
- [both gasp]
- [in Spanish] It's coming!
[romantic music continues]
[typewriter clacking]
[romantic music continues]
[in English] Please welcome
the international
best-selling debut novelist
and my personal choice
for Beatriz Book Club
Book of the Year,
our very own, Mara Rodrguez.
- [applause]
- [Diego] Whoa! Te amo!
[whooping]
[host in Spanish]
Mara, what a pleasure!
So, what a great book!
Very impressive!
[host continues speaking
indistinctly]
[romantic music continues]
[romantic music ends]
[upbeat music playing]
[man] "London,
a city built of stone",
"and iron, and concrete,
and steel."
"Reassuringly sturdy."
"Sturdy like our love,"
"now that we've decided
to remain apart."
"If it is to survive,
love cannot be crazy, or hot,"
"or sweaty, or naked..."
[typewriter clacking]
"but instead must be practical."
- [music stops]
- [typewriter clacks]
"It is with this practical love,"
"this love from afar,"
"where we can each prosper."
"A heart..."
"A heart that beats slowly,"
"a heart that beats
with purpose."
"My sensible heart."
Er...
- Hi. Thank you. Er...
- Hi.
[woman chuckles]
Er, Henry. Thank you
for coming to the reading.
Ah, no. Well, it was lovely.
Do you... Do you work here?
No. God, no.
No. No, no, no, no. No, no.
I'm... [chuckles] I'm an author.
That was actually my book
that I was reading.
[chuckles] Oh, my God.
Okay, wait.
You're a writer? That's... Wow.
- [Henry laughs] Yes.
- Okay. That's amazing.
Yes, well,
it's just the one book.
It's The Sensible Heart,
- it's called.
- Oh, okay.
Yeah. I mean, what's it about?
Well, it's about
a man and a woman.
Oh, okay.
- And, er...
- So, it's a love story?
- Yes. Yes, it is a love story.
- Yeah?
And does it get
a little saucy? [chuckles]
No. No.
Er... No.
Not every story about love
has to be about sex.
You know, someone once wrote
that chastity is the body
in the soul's keeping,
and that's how I feel, so...
Right. Yeah.
[quietly] What!
- Yeah.
- I mean, is it...
Is it selling well, the book?
- Jill? How's it selling?
- [Jill] Hmm?
I... I think it needs
a little longer on the table.
The sign's not necessary.
[Jill] Henry, the book
came out six months ago.
- Yes?
- Two people bought it,
one of them being you.
And you're still using it
- as a chat-up line.
- I'm...
I'm not trying to...
I'm not trying...
Okay. Well,
you know, I'm gonna...
I'm gonna go. But it was
really nice to meet you.
- You, too.
- And good luck with it.
- Did you want a copy?
- Um, nah, it's fine.
- Want my advice?
- No, not particularly.
Do something else
with your life, Henry.
Get a real job.
Go on dates.
Move on. Stop talking
- about your bloody book.
- [cell phone chimes]
Wow.
[Jill sighs]
- Ooh.
- Now what?
Okay. Well, my publisher,
who I haven't heard
from in a long, long time...
Oh, she dropped you, didn't she?
No. No, actually, no.
She wants me
to go in and see her now.
Brutal. She's going
to do it in person.
Just take the sign down.
- No.
- Yeah.
- No.
- Please.
It's staying, Henry.
[lively music playing]
[Henry] Hi.
Er...
Hello? Are you... Are you Jen?
Yeah.
Great.
Erm...
[exhales sharply]
Henry Copper.
You published my book,
The... The Sensible Heart.
Henry?
- Yes.
- Yes.
Don't move.
Please take a seat.
You look more
like an air traffic controller
than a publisher.
Hilarious.
Well, with all the screens
and whatnot.
Okay. You're Henry Cooper?
- Copper.
- Copper, yes.
- Yes. You sent me a text.
- I did.
- Um, I hope everything's okay.
- Take a look at this.
"So boring I wished"
"I'd watched paint dry instead."
Oh, no, no, no.
That's one of your reviews.
Oh, well, that's just
one person's opinion, so...
Mm, no. There are several
similar reviews, some worse.
Okay.
Take a look at that.
[Henry] Picture of me?
Your book is number one.
Er... Erm...
Er, what?
The Sensible Heart is a hit.
It is number one
in the bestsellers.
[chuckles in disbelief]
[chuckles] Sorry, what?
I can't quite believe this.
Well, believe it, Henry.
The figures don't lie.
I... I mean, I... I knew it.
I knew it. I knew it.
[Henry chuckles]
I knew people in this country
had taste.
It's not this country.
Yeah, no,
because there's something
that I remember
E. M. Forster said.
- He said...
- How about remembering
something I just said?
It's not this country.
It's Mexico.
Your book is a bestseller
in Mexico, Henry.
Felicidades.
Mexico.
The official
Mexican fiction chart,
number one, Henry Cooper.
Copper.
So, my book's Spanish?
When did that happen?
How did that happen?
I don't know how
to explain this to you, Henry.
I think your Mexican publisher
saw that it was in English,
and decided
that would make it harder
for Mexican readers.
So, they had it
translated by, um...
Yes.
- Well, whoever he is...
- Mm-hmm.
I hope he's managed to capture
all the nuances of the story.
Yeah.
[instrumental folk music
playing]
[man] "Oh, to be in England
now that April's there."
"And whoever wakes in England
sees some morning unaware."
[in Spanish] I wish you'd knock.
I did knock. This... [knocks]
is knocking.
Come on, Grandpa,
I need to clean in here
before taking Diego to school.
You can read your poetry
in the living room.
Come on.
[Henry in English] Mexico.
Well, does that mean
people know me there?
The book, yeah.
You, not so much.
Uh, apparently, you have
zero presence on social media.
That has to change if we're
gonna take this global.
Are you not engaging
with followers?
- Engaging? What?
- You are on Facebook?
Twitter?
Instagram?
I have a LinkedIn.
Okay, Henry.
Okay, I'm going to set you up
with some accounts.
Um, people aren't coming to you,
so you have to go to them.
- It's all about engagement.
- I'm a... I'm a writer.
Yeah, a writer who needs
to get his ass to Mexico
and start plugging that book
in person and online.
You do this right, this could
be just the start for you.
[Henry] But...
Henry, do you want
to pay your rent?
Yes.
Then let's build the hype
till they're begging you
for a sequel.
Go make us some
real money off this thing.
Okay, that's your schedule
for the book tour.
- My book tour?
- Of Mexico,
just three cities
and you leave in...
tomorrow.
- As in?
- Tomorrow.
Okay, you know what? Take this.
It's on an international plan.
You have to start building
a massive following
for the book on social, okay?
I want to see cute,
casual pictures on Instagram.
Be hilarious on Twitter.
Express your true self
on TikTok.
My true self?
Just sell the book, Henry.
[woman] Diego?
[in Spanish] Do you want
to take the Rubik's Cube?
Yes.
Let's go, son.
[woman sighs]
Where is he?
[Max] Maybe he forgot.
Do I have to go with him?
Yes, son. He is your dad.
[doorbell twittering]
- [door opens]
- [man] Ah.
Here he is.
Your role model.
[both] Hi!
What's up, Max?
Hello, Antonio.
How are you, little man?
Hi Dad!
Not a little man any more,
you have grown up a lot...
You're so grown up! Look!
It's cool, right?
It's super cool, Dad.
You're not too old to play
with small cars, right?
No! It's very cool!
It has a helmet and the
full gear for an adventure.
- Thanks, Dad.
- Cool, little man.
[woman] Don't you think
this might be too much?
I bought him something simple
for his birthday.
- It's only a small car...
- [woman sighs]
it's really not a big deal.
Besides,
it's not that expensive.
[in English] Okay.
[in Spanish]
I have to leave now.
Remember,
try not to give him candy...
that he needs to brush
his teeth, and is in bed at 8.
[sighs]
What?
Oh Mara, it's just that...
A job came up.
No, come on! No...
It's a very important
recording session
in San Miguel de Allende.
Also, it's important
for my reputation!
You have one of those?
[laughs]
Gosh, Max.
How do you manage
to be that rude to me
and still make me laugh?
[chuckles]
So what do I do? What do I do?
- I don't know.
- I can't take Diego with me.
I don't know what to do.
But I can't quit either...
please?
I promise this is
the last time I let you down.
- Ok?
- Mm-hmm.
[Antonio] Thank you.
Son...
I have to leave.
I'll come get you after
and we'll have a great time...
and I'll bring something
back for you from my trip.
Thank you.
I love you little man!
See you, Max. Thank you.
I owe you one.
[Mara] No, no,
you owe me like three hundred!
[Antonio]
Let's make it four hundred!
I'll make it up to you
later, OK?
- Thank you!
- [door closes]
Well, I've still
got this work trip!
So, what do we do?
Well, I can stay
with my great grandpa.
[Max] Of course,
I can take care of him.
No, no. The two of you alone
are more dangerous
than a monkey with a gun.
I am eighty years old.
Exactly.
Come on, go pack!
[upbeat pop music playing]
[cell phone chimes]
- [woman chuckles]
- [Henry] Oh... Er...
Pervert.
No. Er... Sorry.
[upbeat pop music continues]
It's fine.
- [man speaking Spanish]
- Gracias.
Oh.
Thank you.
[man grumbles in Spanish]
- Hola.
- [Henry] Ah, Mr. Rodrguez?
- Yes.
- [Henry chuckles]
It's a pleasure to meet you...
- Nice to meet you.
- Seor Cooper.
This is my family,
Diego and Mara.
- Hi.
- Hola.
Er, it's Seor "Copper,"
Henry Copper.
I'm sorry.
[in Spanish] I made the card!
I made it!
[in English] Sorry.
What did he say?
He made the card.
Oh! Er, gracias. Muchas gracias.
Okay, we better hurry.
We've got 30 minutes
to get to your event.
My what, sorry?
Your event, see?
[in Spanish]
It's in Spanish, Mama.
- What?
- It's in Spanish.
Oh yes, of course.
[in English]
I translate for you.
Oh, well, thank you.
[chuckles] Er, so,
what does it say?
- What?
- Email?
You... You said
you'd translate for me.
Oh, no, no, no.
I translate for you.
I'm the translator of your book.
You're M. F. Rodrguez?
S. Mara Fernando Rodrguez.
- Okay. [chuckles]
- [Mara] Okay?
- Okay.
- [Mara] Let's go.
rale.
- Let's go.
- [mutters]
Diego, vamos.
Diego?
[Mara speaks Spanish]
[Henry] Gracias.
[upbeat pop music playing]
[cell phone chiming]
[cell phone chimes]
[man grunts provocatively]
[upbeat pop music continues]
[Max] Mara, how does it feel
to be related
to a great translator?
- [laughs]
- [Max] Huh?
[music continues on car stereo]
Yeah.
- [Mara clears throat]
- It's... not that funny.
[chuckles]
[in Spanish]
Why is she laughing?
This English man thought
I translated his book.
[giggles] That's very funny
because you don't do anything!
[Max exclaims]
[in English] I'm... I'm...
I'm sorry I thought my book
was translated
by your father, all right?
My "father"?
He's my grandfather.
So, either he's very
young-looking,
or I'm an old hag.
Hey, Diego.
- [in Spanish] I'm a hag!
- [Diego giggles]
[Mara whoops, laughs]
- Careful!
- [brakes screech]
- [man yells]
- [car horn honking]
- [man] Hey!
- Watch your step!
Do you have your eyes
stuck up your butt, dude?
What's up with that guy?
[sighs]
[in English] So, what did you
think of my book?
Okay, here we are.
[music volume increases]
- [music stops]
- [brakes screech]
[Mara] Everybody out.
Come on, come on.
[Henry] You really do that
without a seatbelt?
[Mara in Spanish]
Come on Diego, let's get out.
Help your great grandpa.
Yes, help him, help him.
The car seat!
The seat!
The seat, please!
[in English]
Why are all these people here?
Well, they like your book,
I guess.
So, just get up on stage
and do your thing.
Oh, no. I can't.
I can't. [chuckles]
I mean, I don't speak
a word of Spanish.
Oh, yeah.
Um, okay, okay. Uh...
[man speaking indistinctly]
[soft music playing]
[upbeat pop music playing]
[people chattering]
[upbeat pop music continues]
[camera shutter clicking]
[imperceptible]
[Mara in Spanish]
Yes, just next to it.
[women chattering excitedly]
Huh.
[in English] Oh. Hi.
[in Spanish] Please welcome
the author
of El Corazn Sensible...
Henry Copper!
[audience cheering loudly]
[Henry] Er... Oh.
[in English] Thank you. Gracias.
[host in Spanish]
Welcome, Mr Copper.
First I'd like to thank you,
on behalf of everyone here,
for this gift...
this delicious book.
[audience exclaiming]
Um... [in English]
They like the book.
[whispers indistinctly]
Well, er...
[in Spanish] Thank you.
Thank you very much.
[audience laughs]
I would like to start,
if I may, by asking you...
how did you get the idea
for this torrid romance?
[in English] Okay.
She wants to know
where you got the idea.
- The idea? Erm...
- Mm-hmm.
Erm...
Well, I guess the answer
to that, erm,
is, well, it... it's a mixture.
It's a mixture
of one's experience
and, er, one's imagination.
[audience] Oh!
[in Spanish]
Experience and imagination.
- [audience] Ooh!
- [host chuckles]
[in English] Okay, okay, okay.
[in Spanish] You must be
very imaginative then...
and very experienced!
[laughter]
Of course,
when I say this I'm thinking
of one particular part
of the book.
Do you mind
if I read it out loud?
- Uh...
- [Henry] Er...
You know what? We would love to.
But Mr. Copper is a busy man.
He has many things to do...
novels to write...
OK. OK. I'll just read it
quickly. Just quickly.
Chapter nine,
the morning
after Claire meets Martin.
[in English]
She's going to read.
[in Spanish] We've all
read it, what's the point?
"Every fibre of Claire's being
was transformed..."
Martin's powerful desire
"had overcome her fear of love."
[in English]
Claire was transformed.
What, that... that's it?
It... It sounded like
there was a bit more to it.
I'm paraphrasing.
Right.
[in Spanish] You describe
the workings
of desire, of lust, so well.
[audience] Mm.
[host] It's incredible.
And best of all it's like you
understand what it is to be a
man and a woman,
sexually possessed.
- [exhales heavily]
- [audience murmurs]
[in English] You're great.
Gracias. [chuckles] Thank you.
[in Spanish]
May I read my favourite part?
Another one? Dear God.
I am going to read THE scene.
[audience] Ooh!
"That night
he came to her again,
charged like a stallion."
"Claire, he said,
we will always long
for each other's touch,
each other's taste,
but it will always
be forbidden."
[in English] Yeah, mm...
That night he came to her again.
"Claire," he said,
"We will always be together.
"We will always be
two minds in one body,
- "two halves of one coin."
- [host] Okay.
[in Spanish] "But tonight
let us forget the rules..."
tonight we are unashamed,
we are beasts...
"beasts in the desert heat."
"Claire, he said, tonight..."
[whispers in English] And that?
Yeah, um...
Um... [hesitates]
But... Yeah.
- Could someone else please?
- [Mara] No.
I can do it.
"Tonight, we are like beasts
in the desert."
"In the desert heat."
Beasts in heat?
That's... That's quite
a free translation.
[laughter]
Erm...
- Please go on.
- [host chuckles] Okay.
[in Spanish] "Claire. Tonight...
[in English]
"Claire, tonight..."
[speaks Spanish]
[audience exclaiming excitedly]
[giggles]
"Tonight, Claire, we part..."
[audience murmuring]
"never to meet again. The end."
[audience gasps]
[in Spanish]
That's not what it says!
[in English] You don't speak
English at all.
She's making it up!
[Henry in English] What?
[in Spanish] Oh so now
we're all translators!
- She's a liar!
- Yes! Translate it properly!
Yes! Translate it properly,
you cow!
Hey, hey...
a little respect, no?
- I mean, I mean...
- [host interrupts in Spanish]
Perhaps you would like
to refresh
your memory of the text.
[in English] Of course. Yeah.
[in Spanish] But...
What the hell
is with this woman?
[woman] It's her job...
No, no, I'll read it.
I'll read it!
[in English] Okay.
"Tonight we're unashamed."
"Tonight we're beasts
in the desert heat."
"Tonight we... [sighs]"
"we fudge."
Er, sorry, I didn't quite...
Louder!
"Tonight..."
[shouts] "we fuck!"
[audience exclaims in relief]
[woman 2] That's better!
[mic feedback whining]
[indistinct chatter]
- [host chuckles]
- [footsteps thudding]
- Erm...
- [audience groans]
[in English] I'll just...
[all exclaiming in Spanish]
- [applause]
- Bravo, bravo!
What was that all about?
I think your mother
is about to get into trouble.
[in English] What was that?
- [sighs]
- Er...
What's going on,
with the poster?
And why are people sending me
naked videos of themselves?
What have you done to my book?
What...?
I made some changes.
"Some changes"?
Okay, what other parts
have you changed?
Only the boring parts.
Okay. It...
It sounds like you've
rewritten the whole book.
Like I say,
only the boring parts.
Hey, I'm not finished.
Do you know how long it took me?
Five years of writing,
rewriting,
waiting for the right phrase.
I think maybe
you waited too long.
Listen, and then you came along,
and you turned it
into a bucket of filth.
- "Filth"?
- Yes, filth.
Miss Rodrguez,
my characters
do not have sex, all right?
Of course, of course not.
A writer writes from experience.
Oh. [laughs in disbelief]
Do you know what? I can't
believe you're defending
this monstrous sack
of pornography.
- It is not pornography.
- It is pornography!
Claire and Martin make love
once, just like your parents.
Don't bring my parents in...
[Mara sighs]
I can't believe this.
I'm going mad.
Go on. Tell me,
what else have you changed?
Come on,
what have you changed exactly?
[exhales sharply]
Well, I took out
some of the long descriptions.
What long descriptions?
You spend a page
describing a bicycle
and a sentence
describing the heroine.
But that... that... that's...
And I also improved the grammar.
There's nothing wrong
with my grammar.
- So you say, Mr. Writer?
- [sighs]
And I made Claire's husband gay.
Well, I made it clear
he was gay.
He's not gay.
- Why would you make him?
- Come on.
Come on, he was always gay.
He just wasn't comfortable
coming out to you.
Oh. Oh-ho-ho!
[in Spanish] Pedro!
So happy you're here now!
[Pedro] Hi Mara! [gasps]
[in English] Here he is,
the love guru himself.
- Hello.
- Hello.
I am Pedro, your publisher.
Welcome to Mexico City.
I got you on TV.
But I have a publisher. Jen?
No, no, no. Jen is
your British publisher.
I am your Mexican publisher.
We are going to have
a swell time. Come on.
- Did you say "TV"?
- Yes. Are you excited?
[Max in Spanish] Where were you?
[in English] T... TV interview?
[Mara in Spanish]
We were just talking, Grandpa.
[Pedro in English]
You're going to have fun.
[Mara in Spanish] I'll
explain later. Get in! Get in!
- [Max in English] Come on.
- [indistinct chatter]
[upbeat folk music playing]
[music continues on radio]
[exhales heavily]
Do you know what? I have
one question. One Question.
Why did you make
Claire's husband gay?
- Do you not like gay?
- Ugh. Typical.
No, that's...
Yes, I do like gay.
I... I...
But Claire's husband isn't gay.
It gives Claire a motive
- for the affair.
- "Affair"?
After she finds her husband
in bed with Andrew.
Andrew? Who's Andrew?
Martin's brother.
Martin doesn't have a brother.
Well, he does now.
I made him a sexy plumber.
I had to make chapter six
more interesting.
What was wrong with chapter six?
Nothing happens.
Like, in chapter seven,
and chapter five,
and chapter three,
and chapter one,
and the entire book,
nothing happens. Nothing.
Stop the car.
Stop the car!
[brakes screech]
[sighs]
[in Spanish] Damn English.
- [sheep bleating]
- Shoo, shoo.
[Diego] Mama, shouldn't
you say it's your book?
It seems really unfair.
Welcome to the entire history
of women, Diego.
- [sucks teeth]
- [car door opens]
[woman speaking Spanish]
[Mara] Hey.
[in English] I'm sorry, okay?
I'm sorry.
But nothing happens.
Nobody does anything.
Nobody says anything.
Everybody wanders around, like,
"Can I just please
have a glass of water"
"while I describe
this beautiful bicycle?"
- [insect buzzing]
- And then, boom.
I mean, well, no boom.
Boom is too exciting.
Then... Then, a squit.
- "Squit"?
- Yeah, squit.
They fall in love,
if you can call it that.
I don't believe this.
[grunts]
Do you know what?
I... I don't believe this.
First, you insult my book,
then you insult me.
Now I'm expected
to go on television
and... and say
that this morass of filth
is something that I wrote.
[sighs]
Do you know what?
No, I've had enough.
- Yeah, yeah.
- [Henry] Yup! Yup!
- Okay.
- Yes, okay!
God! Has anyone
got any phone signal?
[sighs]
Listen to me, both of you.
This book is a hit.
So please, work together,
and help me sell it,
so we can all make some money.
She has ruined my book,
and I plan on telling
every single person I meet.
And then what?
You would be known as the idiot
who didn't even
read his own book.
Worst, the man who said,
"Oh, yes, my book is a success."
"But I would like it more
if it was a flop."
A boring flop
that nobody wants to read.
Okay, Mara. You spiced it up.
And now you think you wrote
50 Shades of Grey?
But that book says on the cover
"Henry Cooper,"
not "Mara Rodrguez."
[Henry] Copper.
Mara, you want
to tell everybody?
Okay, fine.
We'll have a scandal,
and the book dies a quick death.
So please, smile.
Tell people what they want
to hear. And get into the car.
Argh.
[reggaeton music playing]
[cell phone chimes]
[music continues on radio]
Does this car
have air conditioning?
No. It's a Volkswagen Beetle,
not the Ritz hotel.
Most cars have air
conditioning. It's not rare.
That's broken. Also...
[music blaring]
It is the radio!
We're here!
Are we?
Oh, for Pete's sake.
You should see
the one we rejected.
[woman in Spanish] Oh my God!
Oh my God!
It's you! Henry Copper! [gasps]
I love your book! [chuckles]
- [in English] Er, sorry?
- [Beatriz] Um...
[in English] "Oh, my God.
It's you, Henry Copper."
"I love your book."
Oh, my goodness.
Thank you. Um...
Sorry. This is my...
Er... Er...
- Mara. Yeah.
- My translator.
- Hola.
- Hi.
I'm Beatriz.
- Welcome to my show.
- Thank you.
El Corazn Sensible
is my Beatriz Book Club
Book of the Year.
- Oh, wow.
- I am so pleased to meet you.
Yeah, nice to meet you, too.
Don't forget to give me
your autograph after the show.
[in Spanish] You're so handsome!
[Beatriz giggles]
[in English]
Maybe you can give her
your phone number, too.
Oh, God.
[upbeat Latin music playing]
[in Spanish] My next guest
is the author
of the literary sensation
of the year,
The Sensible Heart.
I love this book!
It makes me tingle inside!
Henry, bienvenido.
[in English] Welcome.
Thank you. Thank you
for having me, Beatriz.
[in Spanish] And his
translator, Mara Rodeo.
Uh, Rodrguez.
[in English] Henry.
You studied English literature
- and the classics.
- Yeah.
So, people might
expect your book
to be boring, but it's not.
It actually reads
like a telenovela,
like a really sexy soap opera.
Y... Yes.
Yeah. Well, er...
I... I... I'm open
to many influences.
Er, not every story about love
has to be about sex.
You know, someone once wrote,
"Chastity is the body
in the soul's keeping."
Okay, but please tell us,
what's your favorite telenovela?
The one with...
with the twins...
and... and the president
and the stray dog.
[gasps]
[in Spanish] Of course.
The Usurper!
[in English] What a classic!
- [women chuckle]
- [chuckles dryly] Ha.
Yeah. Erm, but this novel,
my work, erm,
it's nothing like a telenovela.
It's very, very different.
The way I approached...
What's wrong with telenovelas?
I mean, telenovelas
contain drama,
excitement, emotion, story.
Mara, since
you really like talking,
I have a question for you.
Was it hard,
as a mere translator,
to convey the meaning
of Seor Copper's amazing words?
- [chuckles]
- Thank you. Thank you.
[Henry chuckles]
No.
[in Spanish]
I just changed everything.
I'm sorry, what?
Yes, I mean...
[tense music playing]
I changed everything
from English to Spanish...
making sure to keep
the brilliant, amazing words
of Mr. Copper.
You must feel very lucky?
You have no idea.
[chuckles]
Yes. Yes.
[in English] Yeah, we, er...
We work very well together.
Uh-huh.
[women chattering]
[in Spanish]
Always ask for a hardback.
More money for the author...
and me.
[in English]
Oh, Henry, please...
- [Henry] Hola.
- Hola.
[in Spanish] Your book
has filled my heart with love
and my body with desire.
[Pedro in English]
Next! Shoo, shoo.
I thought you'd be
more attractive in person.
[Pedro in Spanish] You!
Mr. Copper, I never understood
men before I read this book.
Now my bed is never empty!
[in English] "Seor Copper",
"your breath smells
like a monkey's ass."
S.
Gracias.
[in Spanish]
My partner and I dress
as your characters for...
our intimate moments.
[in English] He and her partner
dress as your characters,
and they like to...
[whispers indistinctly]
Oh, come on.
Give me your autograph.
Okay.
[in Spanish] Here, here. Look!
[in English] Oh, God.
This is happening.
[woman moaning]
- [in Spanish] Thank you.
- [Henry] Thank you.
No, no. Stop, stop.
- Hola.
- Hola.
For Miguelito.
[in English]
Miguelito's having an orgasm.
[signing]
Gracias.
Good luck.
[light music playing]
- [device ringing]
- [gasps]
- Jen...
- Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Put some clothes on, please.
Oh.
[mumbling] What are you
doing up this late?
It's 9:00 p.m.,
which I realize isn't that late.
It's 3:00 where you are,
though. Why?
Henry, I'm just checking in.
I'm hearing attendance
is through the roof.
So is my blood pressure.
Jen, did you know
my so-called translator
has changed every single word?
I think we've got
a bad connection.
- Every single word?
- I'm not getting any of that.
- Jen?
- [Jen shushing]
Listen, because of the following
you've been building over there,
The Sensible Heart
is getting re-released
in the UK.
[fumbles] That's... That's...
- That's great news!
- Yeah.
- Right? That's...
- Yeah.
- That's good.
- It is great news.
What we're going to do, Henry,
we're going to take
the Mexican version,
which is so popular,
and we're going to have it
translated back into English.
Everyone's gonna love it.
We've got a new jacket
and everything.
[sighs] Show me.
- Huh?
- Jen...
- Oh, the jacket, yeah...
- Jen, show me.
Hello.
Jen... [sighs]
God.
Jen.
What?
Is it the nipple, Henry?
We can lose the nipple.
- There's only one.
- What's the point?
You may as well
just include a free poster
of a couple having sex
on the back of a horse.
That's funny.
Now, you're thinking, Henry.
Don't actually do... Oh.
Okay, sweet dreams. Talk soon.
Yeah, thanks.
- Bye.
- Thanks, Jen. Thanks.
[fake-sobs]
I need a drink.
[romantic Spanish song playing]
[indistinct conversation]
Hmm.
[Henry] Killing
someone else's darlings?
[sighs]
I don't even know
what that means.
- More translation?
- I'm writing.
Mm, I can see that.
What are you writing?
Characters that is for a novel.
You should try it.
[chuckles sarcastically]
Well, I'm sorry to be intruding.
I can go if you like.
No, please. Just, be my guest.
Only because
I can't get back to sleep.
- [Henry groans]
- [music playing softly]
So, tell me...
What's it about, the novel?
Everyone seems to like
your ideas better than mine.
Oh, no, no.
I don't have time to write it,
anyway, so...
So, what do you drink?
Er, what are you drinking, beer?
How do you even ask for a beer?
Is it, "Uno beero, por favor"?
[men laughing]
[Mara mutters indistinctly]
[laughter and chatter]
Antonio?
[in Spanish] What the hell?
What's up, Mara?
What are you doing here?
What am I doing here?
What are YOU doing here?
You said you were in San Miguel.
Ah, yes. I did go.
We had the recording session,
- and I did really well!
- [sighs]
[sighs] I'm sorry,
I know I should have told you.
But that's how
these things are...
they invited me on a tour
so here I am.
[imperceptible]
Where is Diego?
Where do you think? Sleeping.
[Antonio scoffs]
Let's see.
You left my son alone?
You really are unbelievable.
[in English]
Everything all right?
Who... Who was that?
Oh, um, nobody.
He's... He's a nobody.
Sorry.
[light instrumental music
playing]
[Henry] Where are we going?
Palenque.
Our last stop
before we all go home.
It's an old Mayan city.
Is it far?
Only, like, 10 hours.
Ten?
[light instrumental music
continues]
Henry.
It's so cold. Why is it so cold?
Because it's Mexico,
it has to be hot?
Well, yes.
[scoffs] Unbelievable.
I never met anyone
who was racist
about the weather before.
I mean, do you hear me say,
"It's always raining
in England"?
But it is always raining
in England.
[Max in Spanish] Here!
[Henry] Oh, gracias.
Erm...
[in English] What sort
of blanket is this?
It belonged to my Alicia.
Was... Was...
Was that your wife?
No, my dog.
I miss her.
She died in... in that blanket.
- [thud]
- [car rattles]
[Max exclaims in Spanish]
Ay, no!
[grunts]
[sighs]
Hold this.
Okay. Wow.
It's a tire.
Yes, sorry, this just really
isn't my area.
- Anyone can see that.
- [indistinct chatter]
[Henry] Is it that obvious?
Yeah.
You've had an easy life.
Well, that's not true.
[Mara] Isn't it?
Okay, let me tell you
the life you've lived.
A beautiful house with garden.
Private school, university,
and now you're a writer.
And you're not rich,
but you have an easy life.
And maybe, sometimes,
you get a sore finger
from typing too much.
I'm sure the life
of a translator must be awful.
Is that what you think I am?
A translator?
I work in a bar. And when
I don't work in a bar,
I work in a kitchen.
And when I don't do that,
I go to sleep.
And if I'm lucky, sometimes,
I make notes for a novel
that I'll never have time
to write.
So, like I said,
you have an easy life.
You know,
I could tell
from reading your book
that you don't know
anything about life.
[speaks Spanish]
[in English]
You have no experience.
Yes, I do.
- Of course, I do. Yes, I do.
- No, you don't.
And you've never been in love.
How do you know that?
I told you, I read your book.
This pure love you talk about
doesn't exist.
Aah!
[Mara exclaims in Spanish]
You okay?
[sighs]
Do you want me to...?
You know, the only reason
you're even here
is because of the words
I wrote about love.
Do you know how that feels?
[in Spanish] Do you want
to know what love is?
Love is being lied to.
Love leaves you stranded...
alone, and penniless...
with a grandfather and a child
who won't let you
even breathe...
Ay, Diego...
Diego, listen to me...
No, no I didn't mean it!
Diego, Diego, Diego...
Erm...
[in English] Let me try.
[Mara] Mm.
[somber music playing]
- Hola.
- Hola.
Er...
Hi, can I sit?
Yup.
Okay.
Okay. [grunts]
Er...
Whew.
The only, er...
The only thing I remember
about being a child
is just how bloody awful it is.
Yeah, everyone telling you
what to do.
I mean, literally everyone.
Your parents...
Teachers...
Even the lollipop men.
[chuckles]
Do you have lollipop men here?
[in Spanish]
I don't speak English.
[in English] Right. Yeah.
[in Spanish] Don't speak...
[in English] Ooh, here we go.
[in Spanish] One moment.
[in English] I don't suppose
there's a child-parent
section here,
but let's have a go.
Er...
Okay.
Er...
[in Spanish] I wish... to buy...
some hens.
[in English] No, I know.
[chuckles]
[in Spanish] Your mother...
is...
ill.
[in English] No. No, no...
[in Spanish] Your mother...
is... angry.
But...
I love you.
[softly] I love you.
She... loves you.
She... loves you.
Erm, the woman...
is crazy...
[both chuckle]
but she loves you...
because, er...
you are...
her husband.
[chuckles softly]
Her man.
She is angry, erm...
with me because...
I am...
a spoon.
[laughs]
Please...
show me...
your towels.
- [giggles]
- Er...
I have broken my bottom.
[giggles]
[Henry laughs]
Erm...
You understand?
- [softly] Mm.
- [laughs]
[in English] It's okay.
Er...
[gentle music playing]
[Pedro] Smile!
[Max laughing]
[in Spanish] Very good,
Pedro, very good.
Mama, you didn't say
he was funny!
[Mara] Where were you?
Ay.
Can you forgive me, son?
[Diego] Mm. Mm-hmm.
I'm sorry my love.
Can I have a hug?
[kissing loudly]
[pop music playing]
[cell phone chimes]
[music continues on car stereo]
[cell phone chimes]
[in English] I must say,
they're saying
some nice things about the book.
[pop music continues playing]
Oh, thank you.
- What is this?
- [people cheering]
[Mara chuckles]
[Henry] Is this for us?
[people cheering and clamoring]
[Mara] Hey! Wait, wait, wait!
[Henry] Oh, my God!
This is crazy.
[fans clamoring]
[Henry] Wow.
Gracias.
- [laughter]
- [Mara speaks indistinctly]
[laughing]
[people chattering]
[mouths]
Good evening, everybody,
and welcome
to a very special event,
live on TV
across this beautiful nation.
And tonight,
I am very proud to present
the author of an amazing book,
El Corazn Sensible.
Henry Copper. Welcome!
[all cheering and applauding]
Gracias.
And with him, his translator...
Mara Rodrguez!
Yes, Mara!
[host] Mara Rodrguez,
that's right.
[Mara] That's me.
You already have fans.
[in Spanish] Do you have
the TV remote? Turn it up!
[host in English]
One of the main themes
of this wonderful book of yours
is the relationship
between two people
that really care
and love each other.
Whether it's a man
and a woman...
Yes.
Or a woman and a woman...
Page 92!
[audience members laugh
and chatter]
Yes, er...
Indeed.
Even though
the book is quite, er, lively,
what it's really about,
for me, is love.
Love is,
well, love is at the heart
of everything, isn't it?
It's the one thing that we're,
all of us, searching for.
For me, love is patience,
more than passion.
[host] But, Henry, your book
is completely full of passion,
isn't it?
[Henry and Mara] Mm-hmm.
Well, at least,
passion about sex, anyway.
- [chuckles]
- [Mara] Mm-hmm.
Yes, it is.
That it is.
Er, but I think
there was something
that was slightly lost
in the translation.
Erm...
Well, you know,
maybe love itself is not good.
'Cause love is a dream, right?
It's a... It's a mirage.
Love will always let us down.
People let us down.
People are flawed.
- [Mara clears throat]
- Er...
Love is an ideal.
And ideals, unlike people,
are not real.
Well... Sorry. [chuckling]
- We agree to disagree.
- Yeah. [laughs]
[Antonio in Spanish]
Who is this guy?
[mutters indistinctly]
[scoffs]
[in English] I am going
to name my child after you.
Er, you don't need to do that.
- Yes!
- [Henry] No.
Henry Copper Valdez.
- That's good, hmm?
- rale.
Er, but...
But what if it's a girl?
[speaks Spanish]
You could call her Mara.
- [Henry] There you go.
- Nah.
Erm...
- Henrietta Copper Valdez.
- [fans exclaim agreeingly]
- [overlapping chatter]
- [Henry] Henrietta.
Henry, we wrote
our own fan fiction
based on your book.
[women chuckle]
Wow, guys.
- You like it?
- [Henry chuckles] Oh, wow.
It's fantastic.
Just a quick... Who is this?
It's Thomas.
[in Spanish]
Thomas the chauffeur!
[in English] The love machine.
- [all laugh]
- [Henry] Yes, he is.
Thomas, with the big heart,
who makes love
to everyone in the book.
- To everyone?
- [woman 1] Everyone.
[woman 2] Everyone.
To everyone. There we go.
Henry Copper...
Henry Copper...
[in Spanish] Who are you?
[in English]
I know you're there.
I can hear
your English breathing.
[Henry chuckles]
English people don't breathe
any differently to other people.
Of course they do.
It's all that roast beef.
"Roast beef"?
Roast beef, yeah.
Are you following me,
with that bottle of tequila?
Mm-hmm.
Are you flirting with me?
No, er...
Since it's my last night
in Mexico,
I just thought
you might wanna share it.
It's a big bottle.
Er, I don't know,
someone gave it to me
at the fan event.
Mm. Let's drink!
- Yeah, okay.
- Yeah.
[Mara] Mmm.
I like it here.
- Yes, right?
- Yeah.
- It's so cool.
- Ah, it's hot.
[Mara chuckles] You English.
- Always so...
- [eerie snarling]
What was that?
What was that? Was that a tiger?
[chuckles] A tiger?
Or a lion? I... I don't know.
Oh, yeah, yeah,
the famous Mexican lion.
[Henry] Okay, what was it?
What was that?
- It's the monkeys.
- The monkeys?
That was... That was a monkey?
- That was a monkey.
- Sounded like a dragon.
[Mara laughs,
blows raspberries]
What?
- You were scared.
- I was scared.
Just for a minute.
[chuckles] And you don't
mind saying that?
Why would I?
No, it's just
that a lot of men would rather
be killed by a monkey than,
you know,
admit they were scared.
[soft music playing]
- [Henry] Salud.
- Cheers to that.
Oh, wow.
Who was that man?
- Mm...
- From the other night.
Mexico City, in the bar.
Uh...
Diego's father, isn't it?
Uh-huh. Yeah, he is.
He looks like the kind of man
who isn't afraid of anything.
- Antonio?
- Mm.
He's scared of nothing...
except being
with his own family.
Why do you mention him?
No reason.
It's funny.
I usually find it hard
talking to women.
It's not hard.
- [chuckles]
- You just have to say, "Mara,"
"you're an amazing writer
- "and an incredible person."
- [chuckles]
What do you mean,
you can't talk to women?
Er... I don't know.
I went to a same-sex
boarding school.
The only woman
I've ever really known well
is my mother.
And she died
when I was young, so...
Oh, I'm sorry.
And how about your father?
My father was distant.
Yeah. I mean, literally.
He was a missionary
in the Antarctic.
And then he was eaten by a seal.
What?
Or was it dang vicious penguins?
I'm kidding.
You are a strange man,
Henry Copper.
[soft music playing]
[Henry] Erm...
Back at our rooms.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, we better go in then.
Yeah, an early start tomorrow.
[Mara] Hmm.
[Henry sighs]
Thank you.
Thank you.
- No, thank you.
- [chuckles]
No, seriously,
it was... it was...
fun.
So... [chuckles]
good night, Henry Copper.
[in Spanish] Goodnight.
[chuckles]
[Mara mutters indistinctly,
chuckles]
[soft music continues]
[Max in English] Are you ready
to go home, Henry?
Yeah.
- Okay, let's go.
- No, no, no.
Henry, give me your tablet.
- Give me your tablet.
- What?
How you say,
let's take one for the road.
[in Spanish] On the count
of three, say "Pedro!"
[in English] One, two, three...
[all] Pedro.
[all laugh]
[Pedro] Okay.
Well, that's it. Er, thank you.
- [Mara] Okay.
- Max, Pedro.
[Mara in Spanish] Let's go!
[in English] Bye, Diego.
The sky is...
cloudy.
- Cloudy.
- Cloudy.
It look...
like rain.
- [Max laughs]
- Very good.
[Max] Okay.
- Goodbye, Henry.
- Adis.
[in Spanish] Come on son,
get in the car.
[tender music playing]
[in English] She hates goodbyes.
[tender music continues]
[in Spanish] Expecting someone?
[Antonio] No.
For you and me.
But I'm working, Antonio.
Mara, the place is empty.
- Come on, sit with me!
- Ok, fine.
[sighs]
So where's your British friend?
Ah! So you're watching me?
I'm not watching you,
it's just social media!
Yes, you're watching me!
No! You open social media
and photos start to show up...
[Mara] Uh-huh.
Anyway. This is why I came.
For Diego and for you.
From the gig.
Thank you.
I'll take it off
what you owe me.
[laughs] It's not that much!
[Mara] Mm-hmm.
Um...
You're wearing the shirt
you had on
when I first met you.
And the truth is...
you look just as beautiful
and as sexy.
Hmm.
Thanks for reminding me
I have no new clothes.
Mara, how are you?
Hey, Mara.
You know
you can count on me, right?
- Mm-hmm.
- You can trust me.
We're a family.
[sighs]
Have you ever...
Have you ever had
a week where...
where everything made sense?
As if...
as if your life
was just as you dreamt it?
And then suddenly...
you come back to reality and...
[voice breaking] ...it's over.
Nevermind, forget it.
Pretend I didn't say anything.
- Hey, hey, hey...
- [Mara speaks indistinctly]
I understand.
I understand perfectly.
We've all been through
moments like these.
Come on!
Why don't we go somewhere else?
This place is
a little depressing, isn't it?
We could go somewhere else
and talk.
Talk?
Though not at my house
because my roommates
are having another party...
and you know how it gets.
Ok. Let's go to mine.
But just to talk.
Just to talk.
[tablet ringing]
- Jen.
- Henry!
Oh, I am so glad I caught you.
Did you check in yet?
No, my flight's been delayed.
Good. Don't.
- What?
- First off...
"Don't"?
The new edition
is doing really well.
- And...
- And that makes me happy.
I'm not finished.
We need a new novel.
We want a new Henry Copper book.
Oh...
What?
And we need it in ten weeks.
Ahh!
- Ten weeks? Jen, I...
- I know.
Jen, I can't write a novel
in ten weeks.
I know
it's a crazy deadline, Henry.
But we figured it was doable
if you did it with, um,
your translator.
- M... Mara?
- Yes.
What do you say?
- Erm...
- Henry...
You would... You would make
a lot of money from this.
But this is my creation.
- You know? It's my...
- Oh, come on, Henry.
We both know
that's not totally true.
Hmm?
From what I understand,
Ms. Rodrguez made
quite a material contribution
to the new version.
Mostly sex, Jen.
Which was integral
to the entire storyline
of the version that people
actually liked, Henry.
It sounds to me
like she breathed
some life into your book.
She did that, all right.
Look, you don't even have
to be in the same room.
Wouldn't I?
Unless you wanna be
in the same room, then sure.
What do you think, Henry?
Come on.
[bell tolling]
[soft music playing]
[sniffles]
[mutters]
[soft music continues]
[camera shutter clicks]
[Mara grunts]
[whispers in Spanish]
I'll come back for breakfast.
[both] OK.
I'll call you.
Sure.
[grunts]
[Mara on phone]
No, no, Pedro, no!
I've helped you already,
I'm done!
[Pedro] But Mara,
you'd only do half the work!
Yes, and he would be getting
all the credit.
[Pedro] Yes, but it's his name
that will sell the book.
Credit doesn't pay your bills.
Just think about it,
and then say yes.
You can use my house.
We both know that man
can't do it without you.
[instrumental folk music
playing]
Good morning,
Mara Fernanda Rodrguez.
It's good to see you again.
- Wow.
- Mm-hmm.
[in English] Very good.
[in Spanish]
Good morning, Mr. Copper.
[in English] I'm learning,
all right?
- Mm.
- I'm learning.
[gasps]
What have you done?
She's redecorated.
This is my house.
There are other rooms.
This is the workspace.
[Pedro] You moved
my Murano clown.
You two drink
and smell the roses.
I have to go now
and take care of other men
who need me.
Goodbye.
[in Spanish] Goodbye!
[in English] To another
fantastic beginning.
I see good things
about to happen.
[instrumental folk music
continues]
- Hey.
- Hey!
[in Spanish] How are you?
[in English] Are you writing
without me?
No. No, no, no...
I'm not...
I was just working
through some ideas.
I was just getting started.
Okay, we're gonna have one rule.
Okay.
You never write without me.
This is a collaboration,
do you understand?
Like, we're... we're partners.
I... I... I understand.
A collaboration. I cannot...
I cannot do this without you.
So this will be
a blend of both of us.
- I get it.
- Cool.
So, tell me your ideas.
Erm...
Er, well, okay.
Er, I have a man
who works in a library...
No.
[upbeat music playing]
There's an elderly vicar, er...
- No, very much, no.
- Well...
And this woman
finds her happiness
in caring for her sick mother.
[gasps loudly]
[imitates gagging]
[whooshes, imitates grunting]
You could have just said no.
Let me show you some magic.
- [upbeat music continues]
- [inaudible conversation]
- what you want.
- But it is who we...
This is my book. My name is...
Do the book the way...
Earth calling Henry.
Sorry. I was
just working through
some of your ideas
from yesterday.
Oh.
- They're good.
- Mm.
- When they stop in the road...
- Yeah.
[conversation continues
indistinctly]
Surprise!
[speaks indistinctly]
Right, how about this?
What if he is in love with her?
No.
- Bear with me. Bear with me.
- Uh-uh-uh.
- Pap-pap-pap...
- [Mara gibbers]
[Mara] No.
He is in love with her
but he doesn't know it yet,
because he's never been
in love before.
[Mara] Hmm.
[upbeat music continues]
What about her?
Well, she's sure she isn't
in love with him.
Yes.
But actually she is in love
with him.
And they ride a bicycle? No.
- It works. It works.
- No, no, no.
It's not love. It's desire.
[upbeat music continues]
What if she wants him
and loves him?
You can have both.
It's just lust.
[sighs] Okay, all right. Okay.
Okay, let's try it
your way first,
and then we'll try it my way.
Eh., no.
I'm joking.
Let's try it your way.
[music continues faintly
on speaker]
- [typing]
- No.
- Yeah.
- What? No.
- No!
- Mm-hmm. Eeh-hee.
"They looked at each other.
They were naked, magnificent."
"They made l..."
- No, I can't even say that.
- What's wrong with it?
What's w...
"They made love like two dragons"
"exploding in the flames
of a volcano."
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
- This is the end.
- Come on.
Yeah, this is the ending.
It's not an ending.
That's not an ending.
Lost in passion and dragons
exploding in a volcano.
We need a powerful ending.
We cannot end
with milk and cookies
and goodnight,
Teddy in the nursery.
I'm not asking
for milk and cookies.
I'm not asking
for Teddy in the nursery.
[Pedro] What is this?
Keep working!
You're nearly done.
No, we are done.
I can't go on
with this unreasonable man.
I'm not the one
who's unreasonable.
[Pedro] They split up,
they get back together,
they make love. The end.
It's not as simple
as that, Pedro.
Love never is.
- Oh, wow.
- Where are you going?
To see my mother.
Carnival! I'm going to Carnival!
[speaking Spanish]
- It's Carnival!
- Yes!
Uh-uh. No, no, come on.
Let's crack on.
No, let's not "crack on,"
whatever that means.
- Yes. Please...
- Let's get out.
- Let's...
- No. No.
Sit down and...
Let's please
just finish this chapter.
Okay.
- [upbeat drums music playing]
- [fireworks crackling]
I think that's worked.
[both muttering indistinctly]
You know what? I hate to say it,
but I think we've done enough.
[Mara] Mm?
I think...
I think we've done enough.
Okay. What time is it?
[gasps] No!
It's too late!
Come on, the Carnival.
Why didn't you
say anything before?
- Because I'm not...
- Let's go.
Overly fond about the idea.
[Mara] Oh, come on. Let's go.
I think we're a little late.
I'd say.
Look, why don't we just go back?
No! Hell, no!
We deserve a party!
What party? There's nobody here.
- [both laugh]
- We are here.
[man in Spanish]
Hey! Here you go!
- Thank you!
- Happy Carnival!
[in English] He's here.
Don't drink that, though. You
don't know where it's been.
No. But I know where it's going.
- Don't drink it.
- Eh, eh, eh...
Mara?
- Oh, stop. Let's go.
- [Antonio] Mara?
[in Spanish]
How are you, Antonio?
How are you?
[in English] You're the British?
- Er, yes, Henry. Hello.
- Oh, Henry.
Like, Henry Style. Henry Potter?
Henry the Prince?
Er, I think you mean Harry.
Oh, whatever.
Okay.
Okay.
[chuckles]
[in Spanish] I get it now.
I get it.
- [Mara] Mm-hmm?
- Everything you talked about
in the bar...
is because you met
this English man, right?
So what? You thought
that your life was going
to suddenly become
marvelous and fantastic?
Mara, you really think this guy
is going to make you a writer?
No, I don't think so,
because I already am a writer,
Antonio. Yes, I am.
Mara, be realistic. He is
a writer. You work in a bar.
That's it. That's reality,
whether you like it or not.
I'm not saying it's fair...
but life isn't fair
and you know that very well.
[people cheering]
I don't understand
what the hell you want!
You do know. Stop playing,
you're not a teenager anymore,
Mara.
[crowd cheering]
[gasps]
[in English] Hey, where are
you going? Wait! Wait for me.
[in Spanish] It's your turn
to take care of Diego
on Saturday. Show up!
No, no. If you want
I can pick him up right now...
so you can party!
[people continue cheering]
[Mara] Hey!
Henry!
- [upbeat music playing]
- [people cheering]
[upbeat music continues]
[music stops]
[in English] What are they?
Oh, my gosh.
What?
Oh, gosh.
[chuckles]
Oh, my God.
Well...
Well, it's been nice
to get out of the house.
You're right.
Yeah. And I've actually,
actually enjoyed myself.
No, you're...
you're right about the book.
I didn't think
we're talking about that.
We are.
Passion fades.
And...
these two characters...
deserve more.
[gentle music playing]
Passion is a part of love.
Desire, all these things,
you know,
they're all a part of love.
But...
But what about the mind?
[imitates Henry]
What about the body
in the soul's keeping?
- In the soul's "kipping."
- "Kipping."
[Henry chuckles]
Er... Forget about that. I...
I didn't even know
what I was saying.
I can't find the words.
You don't need words.
[gentle music continues]
[Mara] Mm!
[both panting]
[Henry] Hey, wait, wait, wait.
What about Pedro?
- He's not gonna come.
- How do you know?
Well, you don't dress up
like that
and come back home
for cocoa. Right?
[both grunt softly]
[Mara] Mm? [shrieks]
[Mara shrieks]
[door unlocks]
[door opens and closes]
[footsteps approaching]
Method writing.
[gentle music playing]
[birds chirping]
[Mara groaning softly]
[gentle music continues]
Morning.
[in Spanish] Good morning.
[Mara] Hmm.
[in English]
Two dragons exploding
in the flames of a volcano.
[chuckles]
- [Henry] Hm?
- [Mara] Mm-hmm.
[Mara sighs and grunts]
Argh. I have to go and get
Diego ready for the day.
Okay?
[in Spanish] See you later.
[exhales heavily]
[gentle music continues]
[Pedro humming]
Good morning.
[in English] Did you sleep well?
[scoffs]
[resumes humming]
[gentle music continues]
[Pedro] Writing on your own?
- She won't like that.
- [Henry] I know.
I know. I'm just, er...
I just got a bit carried away.
When she sees what I've done
with her ideas, I think...
Ah, you better discuss it.
I know. I know. I'm just...
[Pedro] Mm...
Or it won't end well.
[cell phone chimes]
[pensive music playing]
[typing]
[in Spanish] Hello!
[in English] I'm late. I know.
I'm sorry.
Let's start.
What's this?
What's this?
[somber music plays]
[sighs heavily]
[in Spanish]
That son of a bitch!
[in English] You told me
it was over between you two.
You told me he was nobody
in your life.
He is nobody.
And yet you believe him
before you believe me?
[voice breaking]
So you don't trust me.
And... And I can't trust you.
[shudders]
- Wait... Stop... Just...
- Leave me alone.
- Leave me alone.
- Just give me a minute, okay?
[sniffs, exhales heavily]
Okay.
Okay.
Look, um...
My entire life, all I ever
wanted to do is write,
you know?
And instead of that,
what do I do?
I take care of men.
I clean and I work in a bar
for men.
And then one day,
Pedro asks me if I wanna
translate your book.
And you know why I said yes?
No.
I knew I could make it better.
And I did.
I... I made it better.
[voice breaking]
And then I started
to feel good
about myself [sobbing]
for once in my life.
And then we work together
and I began to feel
really good about myself.
And even though my name
would never be on the cover,
I still felt like a writer.
I thought we were a team.
We are.
I'm so stupid.
I am.
'Cause I trusted you
but you don't trust me.
I do trust you. Er...
- Look, we are a team.
- [sighs]
I shouldn't have said anything
about the photo, all right?
It's not about the photo, Henry.
You finished the book
without me.
It's the one thing
you promised you wouldn't do.
Mara...
Goodbye, Henry. Go home.
[sentimental music playing]
[sentimental music continues]
[reading in Spanish
indistinctly]
[sentimental music continues]
[knocking on door]
[Jen] Happy publication day.
- Thank you.
- I could've put them
in the post, but I wanted
you to see 'em first.
Pants, Henry.
- Sorry?
- Pants.
Yes, right. Good point.
Oh.
I got your plane ticket
as requested.
Thank you.
It's on me.
We booked late,
so it's a middle seat,
at the back.
Next to the lavatories.
[chuckles]
Good luck.
That's... Thank you. Er...
[door closes]
Bye.
Erm...
[sighs]
[soft music playing]
[in Spanish] Mama!
Come with me! Quickly!
What are you doing here, son?
No, you have to see this!
Hurry!
[Mara] Wait! Wait, Diego!
Hey! What?
That's your name.
- [Mara] Wow.
- He put your name on it!
[Mara] Yes.
- You wrote it, right?
- Yes.
[Diego] Then you should
be there!
It's today!
Let's go!
[soft music continues]
[in English]
Here is your speech.
I didn't write a speech.
I know! I did.
- It's in Spanish, Pedro.
- S.
How do you say it in English?
- Duh! [chuckles]
- [sighs]
It's very easy. Just read it.
[woman in Spanish]
Ladies and gentlemen.
Please welcome,
Mr. Henry Copper!
[audience cheering]
[in English] Make it count.
Make it count.
- Bravo!
- Bravo, Henry!
[clears throat]
[in Spanish]
Er, thank you very much.
Thank you
for your warm reception.
Er, I don't deserve it...
even though I am pretty sexy...
[audience laughs]
Yes, he is!
For an Englishman.
[Pedro encouraging]
I mean it...
you should see some of us.
[audience laughs]
Generally, we are awful.
[all laugh]
- Yeah, sometimes they stink.
- Oh.
Thank you.
[cheers and applause]
- [in English] Okay.
- Okay.
First of all, Henry,
I want to say what
a great book Two Hearts is.
- [people cheer]
- Oh, thank you.
It is, if I may say,
even more powerful
than The Sensible Heart.
You might even say
a big leap forward.
[Henry] Yes, I mean, I agree.
It is, er...
It is a better book, yes.
I am confused, though.
Two Hearts
is credited to yourself
and to Mara Rodrguez.
That's correct, yes.
[host] So, she helped you
write it?
Well, much more
than that, really. Erm...
Can you be more specific?
Well...
Mara Rodrguez...
She is the... the second heart.
[audience] Aw.
Erm...
If not for her, nobody here
would be reading this book.
In fact, I would say...
It might exist without me,
but it wouldn't exist
without her.
And this is
the same Mara Rodrguez
who translated
The Sensible Heart?
Yes, well...
only, she didn't translate it.
Erm...
She rewrote it.
[audience gasps]
[in Spanish]
I knew it. I knew it!
[shushing]
[in English] I suppose
what I'm saying is...
I wrote it, yes.
Erm, but she rewrote it.
And then she rewrote me.
[tender music playing]
She absolutely did.
She, er...
You...
completely rewrote me.
[audience gasps]
Aw...
I'm sorry. I'm having
difficulty with this...
understanding this phrase.
Sorry. [chuckles] Erm...
Well, perhaps there's
a translator in the house.
Erm...
I said...
Er...
Is there a translator...
- I heard you the first time.
- [audience gasps]
[in Spanish] It's her!
Mara!
[in Spanish] Hello.
[Mara speaking indistinctly]
[Henry] Erm...
[in English] I was wrong.
I was... I mean,
I was completely wrong.
And you were right.
You're an amazing woman.
Er, a much better writer.
And I'm an idiot.
I'm an idiot.
[chuckles]
I'm an idiot who loves you.
[all gasp]
[in Spanish] Eh?
What did he say?
He said he's an idiot.
- Yes!
- [audience gasps]
He's an idiot.
[dramatic music plays]
[Mara] Antonio!
What are you doing here?
[in English] Here you are.
The Englishman who comes here
and helps a Mexican housewife
become a star.
[chuckles] It's a lovely story.
[in Spanish] According to them,
it's a lovely story, but...
[in English] It's not
the whole story, right?
[in Spanish] Sorry? Who are you?
[Antonio] Ah.
Sorry.
I'm her husband, she's my wife!
- [audience exclaims]
- It's the husband!
Through common law.
It's not the same thing!
This is better
than a telenovela! [laughs]
And him?
Who is he?
Have you asked yourselves?
Eh?
That Englishman has come here
and stolen my woman.
[gasps, in English] Shame!
[in Spanish] Are we
in the stone age or what?
Mara, what happened?
I thought
I could have you back...
and my son...
and the love of my family.
And then, I open this shit
and I read page 125.
"They made...
love like two dragons...
exploding in the flames
of a volcano."
Hey, spoilers!
No, no it's not a spoiler.
It's the trash
that Henry Copper wrote
about my woman.
[in English]
This is your trash, man.
Hey, that is not trash!
I wrote it.
And it may be
a little over the top, sure,
but it's still very sexy.
[in Spanish] Yes, yes, very sexy
[laughs] Sexy?
This nerd? No, no...
[in English] You English,
button-topped cabbage.
What do you know about sexy?
[Mara in Spanish]
Believe me, Antonio...
Henry knows a lot about sexy.
[audience] Ooh!
You think because
you play the trumpet,
and lounge about all day...
and never button up your
shirt, that you're a man?
Is that what being a man is?
Staying out, never being home,
and never being there?
- [audience booing]
- No, no, no, no...
That's not true, Mara.
I've always been there for you.
A few days ago
when you were sad.
Where did you cry, huh?
Here! On my shoulder!
[in English] Hey, I...
I think that's enough.
[Antonio] No, no, no.
I'm gonna tell you
when it's enough...
'cause I'm gonna kill you.
No!
- [audience clamoring]
- [uptempo music playing]
I think we can talk about this.
[in Spanish] Stop him!
[host shrieking]
[both screaming]
- [both grunting]
- [audience exclaiming]
[speaking indistinctly]
- Henry!
- Oh, thank you.
[dramatic music plays]
I'm so sorry.
[Antonio in Spanish]
I'm going to kill you!
Let me go!
Yeah, get out!
[cheers and applause]
[in English] Always go
for the hardback!
[in Spanish] Tie him up
and throw him
straight into the trash!
Hey!
- [in English] Are you okay?
- [Henry] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Erm...
[panting] I'm sorry.
- Are you okay?
- [chuckles] Yes.
Yeah. [chuckles]
- Phew!
- Yes, I am.
[both chuckle]
Oh, gosh.
- Hola.
- Hola.
[chuckles] Erm...
Now, I need you
to translate something for me.
- Oh, gosh.
- Mm-hmm.
All right, I'll try.
[speaks Spanish]
Whoa.
Well, that... that's easy.
Yeah?
[romantic music playing]
[Mara chuckles]
I love you.
- [both gasp]
- [cheers and applause]
[imperceptible]
[in Spanish]
I think my water just broke.
[repeating]
[in English] Her water broke!
- [both gasp]
- [in Spanish] It's coming!
[romantic music continues]
[typewriter clacking]
[romantic music continues]
[in English] Please welcome
the international
best-selling debut novelist
and my personal choice
for Beatriz Book Club
Book of the Year,
our very own, Mara Rodrguez.
- [applause]
- [Diego] Whoa! Te amo!
[whooping]
[host in Spanish]
Mara, what a pleasure!
So, what a great book!
Very impressive!
[host continues speaking
indistinctly]
[romantic music continues]
[romantic music ends]
[upbeat music playing]