The Surprisers
are those whose imagination
is so powerful that they can change the world,
at least their own,
which is an excellent start.
A MERMAID IN PARIS
Just for you at the Flowerburger Boat,
a snowflake-man who never melts, even for Parisian beauties!
Gaspard Snow and the Barberettes!
Love to death I've been there before
Never again will I turn back the oars
To the land
Where fairies
On barbed-wire wings soar...
The ghosts of my memories are leaning on the bar.
Certainly, sir. Right this way.
Love to death
I've been there before
Barbed-wire girl, my heart was yours
Your transformation closed that door...
-Hey, Henri. -Richard.
Good to see you.
Your memory's with me forevermore
Stuck to my heart It's got a strong hold
Like a piece of bubblegum
I love you!
My piggy bank when I was 4.
Exactly, except that you're 40.
It was a little porcelain chick. I loved that chick.
I still have it, in fact.
The attic-man who couldn't part with things.
Except girls!
I got an offer this morning.
An offer?
A restaurant chain. They're willing to buy now.
We've had this talk, Dad.
There are too many ghosts here.
-Memories, you mean. -Memories, ghosts.
It's all the same.
You can't keep everything forever.
The Barberettes,
the florist for the burgers
and the voice-o-graph... We can't.
Why not?
-Nobody uses it anymore. -I do!
Take it home, then. I'll help you carry it up.
Its place is here.
It was created on board, it stays on board.
You look like a zombie. Go home.
It pains me to see you like this.
What kind of a zombie goes home to bed?
The roller-skating zombie is a rarity and it needs as much sleep as humans.
Evening, Mr. Gaspard!
Rossy, you scared me.
I'm sorry.
That's not very nice. Me, scary?
That's not what I meant.
Was the fishing any good?
No.
Here.
Not every time I come home alone.
It's a preventive measure.
I don't want you to end up all alone like me.
-Night, Rossy. -Good night, Mr. Gaspard.
Sleep well!
BEWARE OF CAT
Johnny boy.
My little Johnny Cash.
What do you think?
Charming.
-Mr. Snow? -Yes.
Your voice-o-graph.
Why did you do it?
Your grandma and mother are gone. We have to cope.
They'd have fought to keep the Flowerburger!
Do you seriously think I don't care?
I have more memories here than you do!
Now get out!
Miss!
Shit.
What is this?
Sorry.
Sir!
I found someone on the docks. She's unconscious.
Can you take us to the hospital?
Please!
Wait, wait!
Excuse me, I need to take her to the hospital.
-Were you looking for me? -Yes!
-You're handsome. -You're beautiful.
No, I don't feel well.
-What's going on? -I don't know.
Since this morning I feel
nauseous.
Nauseous?
Yes, that's right.
-Seriously? -Seriously.
-Is something of mine in there? -I didn't say that.
It may be the cheesecake I had for lunch.
No. This is not a cheesecake.
We'll do a test tonight?
Cut it out.
Cut it out!
Doctor, there's a bad case of delirium.
-Can you come? -Be right there.
Back I go.
Should I stay or not?
Wait, I won't be long. We'll go home together.
I'm so happy.
Stay put.
Hang in there. I'll be quick!
Hello, it's an emergency.
There's someone unconscious in my tuk-tuk.
I mean, in my car.
How long has it been?
Has what been?
How long has this person been unconscious?
No idea, I found her on the docks.
Her health insurance card.
What?
Her health insurance card, do you have it?
No, but I can give you mine.
Can you give me her date of birth?
No, but her date of death might be today!
Sorry, but without a card, I can't help you.
I have a card and I've been waiting for 4 hours!
You're not outta the woods yet, pal!
Miss, can you hear me?
Miss?
Miss, can you hear me?
Leaving me all his crap...
You OK back there?
Sir, this is a no-smoking area.
I don't feel well.
Did you have cheesecake, too?
I saw a mermaid
out front.
That's crazy because I just saw a unicorn in the hallway.
It was galloping. It almost impaled me!
You didn't sing Yves Montand, did you?
You OK?
Victor?
Damn.
Easy, kitty.
You like this one?
Temperature OK?
Me Gaspard.
Snow.
Yum-yum?
Eat?
It's me. Where you at? The first customers are here.
I can't come tonight, Dad.
You're still mad at me.
Is she the one I hear singing?
No, it's the cat.
Right, I believe you.
Come on, bring your opera singer. It's the miraculous catch here.
The flood's a crowd-puller. Time to save the Flowerburger!
We really need you here.
I can't, Dad.
Love you.
Does it hurt?
Give me a minute, I'll fix that.
When I was young...
I wanted to be a vet.
I only nursed hamsters, but I'm good with animals.
I don't mean you.
No, keep still!
Watch out...
It hurts a little.
If you don't move too much,
it should stick.
There.
Don't move too much.
Lula.
Sorry?
My name.
Lula.
You can speak?
Less than you, but yes...
Are you alright?
You need to eat.
I made you something.
You'll see. It's frozen but...
French brand.
But I'm all out.
So?
I'd like to go home now.
Maybe you should heal first.
If I'm not back in the water in two sunrises,
I'll die.
That leaves time for a good night's sleep.
It's best to take me now,
in case you die during the night.
Do I look that old?
Keep still and don't soak your bandage.
I'll take that. If you need anything, holler.
Tomorrow, I'll take you back before going to work.
Sound good?
Lights on?
Lights?
Light on.
Or off?
Off.
Good night.
That voice...
I'd never heard such a voice.
Sorry.
You noticed nothing, no particular symptoms?
No.
He was delirious.
At first, I thought it was a game. He loves messing with me.
But he wasn't, he was like...
hypnotized.
He had abnormally high nitrogen levels.
Like an inert gas narcosis.
The rapture of the deep...
You should go home and get some rest.
I'll keep you informed.
Love to death He's been there before...
Sorry, I woke you.
Feeling better?
And you?
What do you mean?
Does your heart hurt?
Me? Not at all.
Do you often sing like that?
Sometimes, why?
Are you a sailor?
No, I'm just... a shower crooner.
A mongoose!
There!
It's not a mongoose, it's Johnny Cash.
He loves country music.
He's very sweet.
Usually, men who hear my voice fall so madly in love with me
that their hearts explode.
Sorry.
You shouldn't laugh.
You're going to die
like all the others.
-All of them? -All of them.
My heart exploded long ago.
It exploded?
Yeah, several times.
I can't feel a thing anymore.
Love is over for me.
Gaspard...
Yes?
Your heart's going to explode
and this time for good.
Shall I change the water?
Take me back now.
In this state?
I'm immune, I tell you.
I'll take good care of you.
Once you're back on your feet, so to speak,
I'll take you back.
May I?
Excuse me?
With whom?
The number, in the top left corner.
Excuse me?
Yes?
Anything unusual happen yesterday?
You mean like every day?
When you saw Victor, was he with anyone?
No one.
Just before, there was an edgy guy with no shoes.
He forgot this, if it can help.
No, I'm asking for the number in the top left corner.
You're gonna love this.
Trust me. Be right back.
It's a portable movie theater, just for you.
Got it.
Be right back.
See anything?
Is it working?
Look at this. She's like you.
I'm gonna head out.
Gotta get going.
If you sing, make it "Piano, Piano."
I wouldn't want a heartbroken neighbor dead on my doorstep.
"Piano, Piano"?
Or "Hush, Hush."
Exactly.
OK, enjoy the movie!
Shit!
-Good morning, Mr. Gaspard! -Rossy.
-How's everything? -All good.
-Congratulations! -For what?
What?
I saw you come home with a hottie dressed as a fish.
-She's just a friend. -Just a friend...
I hope she's not a singer!
-No more singers! -All right, Rossy.
-Congratulations! -Thanks! Bye!
What's the rush? He's gonna fall.
Excuse me. Did you find a sort of seaman's book last night?
Health insurance card.
Where did you hear that?
It's been stuck in my head since yesterday.
You're not telling me something.
You can talk to me.
What if something extraordinary happened and you couldn't tell anyone?
I'd tell my best friend.
That's what friends are for.
But...
is that extraordinarily good
or bad?
Simply extraordinary.
Hello!
I'm Rossy, Gaspard's next-door neighbor.
Right there.
Taking a bath fully dressed. Interesting.
What a beautiful mermaid outfit you have. Very well done.
You're Gaspard's new girlfriend?
You're a singer?
A mysterious singer.
I hope it'll turn out well.
Gaspard is obsessed with singers.
The last one nearly killed him.
I tried to kill him, too.
Really?
-You're funny! -You think so?
Totally.
You met at the Flowerburger, right?
The Flowerburger is a fabulous place to fall in love.
"Twilight.
Very light bites you eat when day becomes night."
In order to understand Gaspard,
you must know the story of the Flowerburger.
His grandmother, Sylvia Snow, founded it in the early '40s.
A pint-size gem of a woman
with too big a heart.
Welcome to the Flowerburger...
Captain, poet, poker player, magician.
The ghosts of my memories
Are leaning on the bar
At first, she used the barge to hide resistant fighters.
And for them, she invented the voice-o-graph.
To help them send coded messages.
She also used it to record declarations of love,
poems
and songs.
I spend most of my life
Living it to the full
My nostalgia is rife
With the future
No time for a walk-through
It'd take splitting in two
It'd take slowing down
Fast-tracking, it'd take
Dreaming with you
At the Flowerburger
The Flowerburger was a Noah's ark
for those who had a lust for life,
who wanted to chat, to be saved, to enjoy it all in one place and time!
Everyone was in a state of...
No, not like that.
You have to be apt at wonder when you're a Surpriser.
When you're a what?
The Master Surprisers
were the active members of the Flowerburger.
Even, and especially, in times of war,
a handful of them
met in the hold of the Flowerburger
to practice poetry, like you practice a religion.
They went on commando raids of pure poetry.
Clandestinely distributed forbidden books.
Hid the strange toys they made on windowsills:
unicorns, dragons...
Mermaids?
Yes, maybe. I don't remember everything.
The Flowerburger Book.
The spirit of the Surprisers is chronicled inside.
Their greatest accomplishments,
the stories, the drawings...
Before she passed away, Sylvia gave it to Gaspard.
"One day, my grandson, you will read this book
and, more importantly, you'll write its sequel."
It was a secret society
whose members lived only for wonder and panache.
Panache.
What is "panache"?
That is the heart of the matter, sweetie!
Doing things for the beauty of it.
The spirit of adventure.
The art of surprise!
Imagination,
friendship, humor,
and above all,
love.
Why are you telling me all this?
Because without love, Gaspard's done for.
The Flowerburger is his engine,
but his fuel is the heart.
He needs help reclaiming his true self.
Are you a Surpriser, too?
That's the past.
I'm off.
What's this perfume?
Smells awful!
Don't tell Gaspard I came by. It's our secret.
But if you need tips to seduce him, ask me.
I know everything. His favorite songs, everything!
And I'm right next door.
This blue liquid is blood.
But the plasma analysis was impossible to cross-check.
The creature it belongs to is perfectly unknown.
You gave me the blood sample of a new species.
The corpuscles that give the blood this color
carry a low amount of oxygen.
The creature cannot survive for long far from the ocean's depths.
I'm a calamity these days.
I lost the Flowerburger Book.
It's a sign. Move on.
How can you say that, Dad?
It has poems handwritten by Mom.
You have many talents, son, but...
moving on isn't your thing.
I can't fight you. You're gifted.
Fighting is the heart of the matter.
A woman leaves you, you reject love.
Your boat leaks, you reject sailing home.
You have a problem with failure.
You have a problem with panache.
Panache.
Panache, son,
is accepting failure and bouncing back, not avoiding reality.
That's the true spirit of the Surprisers.
Who cares about the book?
-Yes? -Hurry, Gaspard!
Your apartment's burning!
Have you seen this?
A MERMAID IN PARIS?
Chief, everything OK?
Listen...
It's as if the smoke were singing.
You need some rest.
Let's go, we're done.
-The firemen are here. -What happened?
She must be hiding.
Where?
Hello.
You're lucky. The entire building could have burned down.
Be careful when putting out your cigarettes.
-Or stop smoking. -I don't smoke.
Thank you.
Good luck.
I don't believe this.
Lula?
Are you OK?
What happened?
I leave you with a movie in the tub, I come home to a fire.
What the hell?
I'm taking you to Rossy's.
She has a bathtub. Come on.
-But why? -Because.
Shit.
-Can you lock your bathroom? -Yes.
Don't let her out.
I have urgent matters to deal with. Then I'll take her back to the water.
Water?
Gaspard, are you OK? You're pale.
I'm OK.
I'm counting on you.
You should stop smoking.
I thought you had to smoke to be a Surpriser.
Sure, it gives you style, but you'll find something else.
Gaspard, he's...
I'll leave you two alone.
I'm so sorry.
You don't have much time left.
I could tell you the same.
How's your wound?
It's still a bit sore.
But it's much better.
And I've decided to stop smoking.
I'll take you back now.
It's for the best.
What would you like to do before leaving?
Parisian fish?
I'll get you some.
And a shower crooner song?
Be right back.
We have to make a record.
"Rescord?"
A record.
That's it.
With a voice like yours, we have to.
A killer record.
Oh, my bathroom mermaid
You rubber-ducky goddess
I'd love for you to confess
How you make my sadness fade
You are slowly falling
In love with me
Like every man in history
Who has heard my melody
Oh, my little Lula
If you only knew
How sad and broken I was
In last winter's snow
I no longer feel the joy
My heart's a broken toy
It's all over, I've closed the door
I'm immune, you see
I think it's ready.
It's gonna be a hit.
A hit?
What's wrong?
Nothing.
You're falling in love with me.
No, not at all.
You set my flat on fire.
And you're not my type.
Your voice is beautiful, but I'm done with singers.
Besides, what do you know about love?
How does love feel?
It's like joy.
And it stings.
It stings?
Very hard.
That voice...
I never heard a voice like it before.
What voice?
Where did you hear it?
-Answer me! -Milena!
-Calm down. -You calm down!
You calm down.
I'm going to find her.
Expect grilled fish on the menu.
Great, I love fish!
Bass, sole, sea bream... I love sea bream.
And sardines. Sardines are good, too.
Here's a deal.
We go to the Flowerburger. Not long.
And at midnight, I put you back in the water.
-Really? -Yes, I promise.
It'll be our farewell party.
Like a honeymoon, only backwards.
Honeymoon?
Yes, like married people.
Water?
The Paris Opera!
-All good back there? -Yes!
Great.
Wait for me. Be right back.
Miss.
FOR SALE
You stand me up,
then you appear like a flower in a burger?
My beloved son!
Dad, tonight, please behave.
A disabled opera singer? Good boy.
Henri, the best table for Gaspard and his lady!
-It's already taken... -Make it happen!
My dad...
-Come on... -Aren't you introducing me?
Sure... My dad.
Lula.
You can't eat that.
I didn't know that trick. It's sensational.
"Trout Fishing in America" for two.
House specialty.
Thanks.
That's an Olympic descent!
Worthy of...
Kitzbühel!
Henri, two Kiss-burgers!
The best burger for a kiss at the Flowerburger.
Come on, Dad...
-Sublime. -Yes.
What does "kiss" mean?
Good question. Thanks, Dad.
It's a love thing.
You can try anytime, but it's best to be in love.
Does it sting?
Depends.
Kitzbühel!
You're a nice one.
I tried to kill you and you call me nice?
It was nice to let me know.
You can sing here.
With a mermaid on stage, we'd be sold out every night.
-You're forgetting something. -What?
When I sing, people die.
True. It's not good for business.
As is the family tradition,
let's see what's inside Lula's heart.
You can't oppose the Surprisers' oldest tradition!
If he whacks her, she's gonna be pissed.
Go, Gaspard!
Put your heart in it!
Aim!
Your opera singer has a good heart!
You can fall in love safely, son.
Enjoy your evening!
You know my family now.
Good evening.
It's not a real one.
Just passing through. Pretend I'm not here.
Olympic indeed.
When I get caught in fishermen's nets, after they die, I drink their alcohol.
I see.
No one ever survives?
Never.
Since the dawn of time,
men have wanted us dead.
When my mother died, a desire for revenge came over me.
What happened?
One day, a sailor tried to steal some of my scales.
He pierced my fin.
My mother went crazy.
She attacked him...
and bit him violently.
He stabbed her in the heart.
I'm sorry.
So you lost your mother, too.
If I'd had my song, I could have saved her.
I'm the last living mermaid.
Singing is my only defense.
How many sailors have you killed?
Come on, tell me.
43, 44?
That many!
Funny, I've almost had the same number of girlfriends.
That many!
Some mattered more than others. But that's a different story.
I'm so happy you're not under my charm.
That's the most beautiful declaration of non-love ever.
...who have heard my melody
Oh, my little Lula
If you only knew
Miss?
I no longer feel the joy
My heart's a broken toy
It's all over, I've closed the door
I'm immune, you see
My dear Gaspard
Handsome Gaspard
I am a mermaid
Mermaid, mermaid
Take me away
Before it's too late
Too late for you
Too late for me
"The password song:
Welcome to the Flowerburger.
Here, the hours flow like water.
We put flowers in the burgers. This is the great elsewhere.
The ghosts of my memories are leaning on the bar."
This way.
Follow me.
Does the lady have a name?
Milena.
Veal, Milena?
Don't pay attention.
Just kidding.
It's just that we serve it here.
Do you know whom this belongs to?
I know he'll be pleased.
We only have 30 minutes left.
You can still surprise me.
Isn't that your specialty?
You've got a point.
You're the best Surpriser I know.
Know many?
No.
But you're the best one I know.
By far!
Thank you very much.
Almost there.
Careful.
It's late.
So late even owls have red-eye.
Shouldn't we go home?
Want to go for a dip?
-We'd said midnight, didn't we? -Yes.
We'd said midnight.
Too bad you have to leave, though.
I was immune.
My dear Gaspard,
handsome Gaspard,
it's time to go now.
What if you stayed with me?
What?
What if you lived with me? I'd take care of you.
But you know the risks.
I would have died already!
No, it's too dangerous.
So I saw in two days.
I won't miss you at all.
I'll do everything for you.
And when you're homesick, I'll take you to any ocean you want.
I'll learn to scuba dive, so I can follow you.
Gaspard...
One last surprise.
It's not a real coral reef,
but with a little imagination...
You can change the world, at least our own,
which is an excellent start.
The Surprisers' motto.
You know what I'd love?
A real fish!
Can you find one?
I'd rob a Chinese restaurant with a water pistol
to get you fish.
Give me 15 minutes?
Rossy!
Yes, sweetie, I'm here! What do you need?
It's marvelous!
Incredible!
Thank you!
Gaspard has recovered his inner Surpriser.
Such beauty!
Help me escape, please.
Escape?
From him?
Why?
He can't see me, otherwise he'll die.
Die?
What are you talking about?
I've never seen him this happy.
I just saw him.
He was walking on air.
If you care about him, take me now.
Before he gets back. Please, get me out of here.
What's going on, Lula?
What is it, honey?
Please, take me back.
What are you doing here?
Where's Lula?
Where she won't cause harm!
Where is she? Answer me!
-Calm down. -Where?
You're under her spell!
She's killing you like she killed Victor!
Tell me where she is!
Oh, my bathroom mermaid
You rubber-ducky goddess
I'd love for you to confess
How you made my sadness fade
Take me away...
What are you doing?
Taking a blood sample
before it's too late.
I need to understand her toxicity.
Look at the state she's in. Taking more blood could kill her.
If she dies, she dies.
Stop!
Get out!
Gaspard...
Is he OK?
He's dying.
Like all the men you get close to.
It's not his fault.
It wasn't Victor's fault either.
Milena! Please come, it's urgent.
We need you!
It's another heart attack.
The patient says he's hearing voices.
Coming.
Gaspard, it's me.
Come on, time to go.
-Where's my patient? -Which patient?
Henri and your dad made it. I added salt water.
"Those whose imagination is so powerful
that they can change the world."
Go, quickly! To the Seine!
I can do better.
I'll take her much further.
Where are they going?
-What are you going to do? -Prevent other disasters.
Don't you see your friend's going to die?
He's going to die.
He's taking her back to the water.
On the docks.
Next to the Flowerburger.
Thank you!
That's it, run!
Poor thing's got no imagination!
The Flowerburger...
This just in:
a car hitched with a tub on a country road.
-Where? -Side road 613.
After the place known as the Old Oak.
I'll take this, too.
This and...
This is for the gas.
Keep the change. Thanks.
To talk to me, press here. I have the other one. OK?
I was blown
Blown to bits
I was blown
To kaleidoscope bits
In your arms
Lula, do you copy?
Gaspard...
It stings.
Very hard.
A little each day
Drowning
No, I swear
Never more
Did I want to fall in love forevermore
Fly away
Blown away
Falling back on our hearts
In the light forevermore
A little each day
Falling back...
Mr. Snow, hello.
Pierre Martin, biologist at Saint André Hospital.
I analyzed the strange pearls that belong to your friend Lula.
I hope you received the vial.
They're pure mother of pearl of exceptional fineness.
And they're set with gold and rough diamonds.
I thought this treasure was rightfully yours.
These tears, after all, were shed for you.
I hope you'll be better soon.
Goodbye.
Off you go!