Alone in Venice (2025)

[bunniefuu]

[ominous music]

[water swishing]

[gentle music]

Oh, my God! Hi!

[woman sighs]

You lost weight.

I can't believe

this is happening.

This place is unreal.

So this is where

you sold your soul, huh?

It's not really

about the place.

Although it is beautiful,

this is where she wants

me to be.

[gentle music]

[key jingling]

[lock clicks]

[woman sighs]

This is the place she

pays for you to live?

[sighs]

There's no view at all.

It's just narrow streets

and windows

of another building.

Saul, seriously?

Look, there's mold on the walls

and the sheet is torn.

Saul, this has got to be

the trashiest, lousiest place

in Venice that she could find.

It's getting late.

Why don't you crash in here

with me tonight?

That's not the point.

Look, Saul, I am your friend

and I'm rooting for you, okay?

And I would not settle for this

trashy place if I were you.

Okay?

You're worth more than that.

You're only 26. How long

have you been waiting?

How many times

has she visited you?

-[Saul sighs]

-Do you f*ck as soon

as she gets here?

[Saul sighs]

I don't understand you, Saul.

You're here rotting,

wasting your life away.

[sighs]

Tell me, what keeps you here?

How did you fall into this

dark and twisted abyss?

[gentle piano music]

I met her in San Francisco.

I had been in a couple

campaigns she produced.

Never really

got to talk to her

until, one day,

I got a call from her.

"Are you the one

with the blond hair

and the blue eyes?

The lefty with two left feet?"

[both chuckling]

She called me

in for a screen test.

[Mia] A screen test?

Yeah, it's kind of

like an audition,

but there's almost

no line to it.

Yeah,

it's all about your looks.

So she wants to make a movie?

Yeah, after years of fashion

photography and videos,

she made a couple

of independent films

and got addicted to it.

-[Mia] Independent?

-Yeah.

Saul, you're doing all of this

for an independent film?

I could maybe understand

a Marvel movie or a Disney film,

but not some boring,

low-cost, low-quality indie.

[Saul chuckles]

You have no idea, Mia.

Jules is someone very

firm on her own ideas.

Although you are right,

independent is cheap,

but she said she wants to

make it for her own purpose.

"Her own purpose."

See? It's all about her.

[Saul sighs]

What's the movie about?

Anyway, Jules is someone

who takes her work

very seriously.

It's like her life and her work

are inseparable.

Okay.

So, what, she made you

the lead of her movie?

What's your character like?

What's the status of the film?

Ongoing? Pre-production?

Saul, do you know

anything about this movie?

What's the fuss

with the orchid?

She says that I am

like her favorite flower.

The only flower she loves,

the orchid.

"Unlike the rose

which boasts fragrance

and beauty and pride yet

not as plain as the daisy,

the orchid stands on its own,

seemingly weak

but pure and prudent.

A flower that endures

loneliness in all its strength

yet never forgets

who it belongs to."

Wow.

What a poetic way

to string you along

with nothing but words.

No, it's true.

[Mia] No, it's not.

She's manipulating you.

She says when she's around,

her orchid blooms,

and doesn't do so well

when she's away.

She gave it to me

and it is true.

If I don't hear from her,

it's as if it's dying.

When she calls, it's like--

it's like it becomes alive

again.

Look... it's barely

surviving now.

[people murmuring]

Look at all this fresh seafood.

Ooh.

I could totally

use this to make a dish.

You know, if you come to

the culinary institute with me,

we can be chef

buddies together.

Mm.

Mm.

You know, she's someone

who's really particular

about what she eats.

Wonder how

they make Chinese food

in this city full of

tourists and Italians?

[knife chopping]

[knife rasping]

[paper rustling]

[gentle music]

[patrons murmuring]

[Mia] Thanks.

[Saul speaking Chinese]

[server speaking Chinese]

[Saul speaking Chinese]

[server speaking Chinese]

Okay.

Who would've thought of having

Chinese food in Venice?

[chuckles]

I was impressed by how well

you could speak Chinese.

I know your boss

girlfriend is Chinese,

but you don't have to learn

the language for her.

Seriously,

she's not even by your side.

She's never around.

[sighs]

It's just something

that I picked up

while I've been here

waiting for her.

Look at you,

becoming an expert,

not because of her,

but because of waiting for her.

Mm. So it's been,

what, almost a year?

How many times

has she come to visit you?

Wait. Seven months.

How can you

stay here that long?

That exceeds

the length of all types

of visas to stay in Italy.

She made me a permanent

resident of Italy.

I can stay here

as long as I want to.

Is she a resident

of Italy as well?

I don't know.

I just know that the coffee

shop at the end of this road,

pasta restaurant by the canal,

one of the Louis Vuitton

franchises,

and the menswear showroom

at St. Mark's Square,

all owned by her.

Well...

So why does she station you

in Venice and nowhere else?

Is this where she

accumulates all her property?

She says that, eventually,

she wants to come

and film here.

"Eventually."

But she's not here

and she hasn't been here

since she placed you here.

And it's, what,

almost a year ago.

Saul.

She's off living merrily

in the United States

and other places

and you're stuck here.

That's the point.

Don't you think something is

weird and fishy about this?

She is married.

Of course she is. We all know

that, and it's disgusting.

Saul, how would you feel

if you had a wife

with a boyfriend waiting for

her in another city or country?

This woman is evil.

And you know

what that makes you?

-Hmm?

-Even more evil than her.

You're a homewrecker!

I don't know.

Can't really say that yet.

I mean, although we're close,

we haven't crossed that line.

But you're walking

down that line,

and that's your intention,

isn't it?

I don't think anyone

would pay for a meal

they wouldn't consume later.

But you, the problem

essentially stems from you.

Are you here just because

you're paid for?

Are you some bum who's

too lazy to get a job

and grow the f*ck up?

Saul, this is not the Saul

that I used to know.

[sighs]

Look, do you think

she'd like this restaurant?

Here, she loves vinegar ribs.

I have no idea

how to make them.

I don't even have

a kitchen here.

She, she, she.

Her, her, her.

Saul, when you called me

in the US at midnight,

I thought you were

going to commit suicide.

And now you're here talking

about thinking about making

your married Chinese

girlfriend's favorite dish.

Here, try some.

If you like it, she might.

f*ck. I don't know,

Saul, I'm not her. Okay?

Don't you have like some

life purpose or something?

Aren't you--

aren't you wasting

your life here?

What about Mom and Dad

in Florida?

Okay?

What about your doggy Moo?

What about Sean

and Michael in LA?

I think one of them was

signed by the CAA recently.

We miss you, Saul.

We just want you back.

We just want you to wake up.

Come home with me.

They say--

they say that when a man

is living his purpose,

he's the happiest man on Earth.

To me, this is my purpose,

to be her other man.

I love her.

But I am not yet

the happiest man on Earth...

because she hasn't come to

visit me after all this time.

This is how she likes

her dumplings done.

If there's no steam

coming out of it,

she will not pay for it.

[people murmuring]

[Mia chuckles]

Is it hard for you, living

here when you're not Italian?

Yeah, it was hard at first

because I don't speak

the language

and I'm not really an extrovert.

[Mia laughs]

To be honest, I haven't

really made any friends here,

and I'm always alone.

[cellphone ringing]

Oh.

I got to take this one.

[Mia chuckles]

[camera snaps]

[Mia laughs]

[camera snaps]

Mia, Mia, Mia,

you are my lucky star.

-What's going on, Saul?

-Oh, my gosh.

-What just happened?

-I got a call from her.

She called me.

It's been a month, Mia.

It's been a month since

she called.

That's why I said

you're my lucky star.

You arrived yesterday

and she calls.

You must've really missed her.

So what did she say?

No, I didn't miss her.

She said she'll be here

in two weeks.

Okay. I'll be gone by then,

but that's still pretty soon.

Aren't you excited?

Nah, I wouldn't say that.

[sighs]

I only let myself feel

when I can see her

in real person.

Okay, but it's still something

worth celebrating. Huh?

Yeah.

[gentle music]

Are you in love, Saul?

[people murmuring]

If so, why pick someone old,

ugly, married, not famous?

Someone 20 years

older than you,

different cultural background,

occupation,

geographical location?

Out of 7 billion

people in the world,

are you sure

you can't find a better deal?

Tell me, what's it like to be

in love with a married person?

Don't the lonely

waiting nights burn you,

thinking about how she's

f*cking her husband?

Look, I told you,

there's nothing going

on between us for now.

Are you so sure

she'll be willing

to leave everything

behind just for you?

If not,

then are you ready to settle

for just the breadcrumbs

she throws at you

from time to time?

[gentle music continues]

Fall is coming,

Venice is flooding soon.

If you change your mind, I'll be

in Rome for the next week.

Maybe she'll come this time.

Best of luck to you,

Saul Larson.

If you ever decide

to wake up from your dream,

you can always come home.

[gentle music]

[people murmuring]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[sighs]

[music continues]

[birds chirping]

[speaking Italian]

Sorry, I don't speak Italian.

I'm looking for some

plant food for my orchid.

Oh, only orchid?

We ran out, I think.

Try this.

It's for the person

that I love.

She only loves orchids.

You know, it's okay.

Never mind.

[gentle music]

[people murmuring]

[music continues]

[gentle music]

[boats rumbling]

[birds chirping]

[gentle music]

[sighs]

[people murmuring]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[sighs]

[music continues]

[people murmuring]

[music continues]

[boat rumbling]

[water swishing]

[music continues]

[people chatting]

[music continues]

[water swishing]

[music continues]

[people murmuring]

[music continues]

[door closes]

[key jingles]

-[sighs]

-[woman moaning]

[sighs]

-[woman continues moaning]

-[sighs]

[Mia] Don't the lonely

waiting nights burn you,

thinking about how she's

f*cking her husband?

[woman moaning]

[sighs]

-[woman continues moaning]

-[sighs]

[pants unzips]

[woman continues moaning]

[gentle music]

[rain pattering]

[cellphone ringing]

[sighs]

[cellphone continues ringing]

Hey.

You going back today?

[gentle music]

[inhales]

[sighs]

No, I haven't heard

from her yet.

I will not k*ll myself.

I promise you.

[inhales]

[sighs]

Look, is it okay if I continue

to call you every day?

[gentle music]

[people murmuring]

You don't look Italian.

I assume you speak English?

Canal's beautiful, isn't it?

Look at the lovers

kissing on the gondolas.

To me, it just means love.

It's like Paris to France.

Venice to me is

the city of love for Italy.

[gentle music]

[music continues]

[people murmuring]

[line ringing]

[Jules]

Hey, this is Jules.

I'm probably filming right now.

Please leave a message

and I'll call you back.

[Mia] You should look

a little closer

at what she's doing

with other men.

I just want you

to wake up from this.

She isn't worth

your time, Saul.

She's probably with

someone else right now,

if not just her husband.

This woman is evil.

Imagine if your wife

does this to you.

Saul, you need to wake up!

Could it be that

all of these are only

a big illusion of yours?

[panting]

[door closes]

[painting clatters]

[jacket rustles]

[jacket thuds]

[breathing heavily]

[bed thudding]

[panting]

[shirt thuds]

[shirt rustles]

[gentle music]

[door creaks]

Where are you going, honey?

For you, there's no charge.

[gentle music]

-[kisses smacking]

-[Saul moaning]

No. No, no, stop, stop.

[Saul panting]

[speaking Italian]

[gentle music]

[heavily breathing]

[crying]

[cellphone ringing]

[Jules faintly speaking]

I've been here waiting

seven months for you.

[Jules faintly speaking]

Yeah, what kind of excuses are

you gonna give me this time?

[Jules faintly speaking]

My friend says I'm wasting

my time here waiting for you.

[Jules faintly speaking]

Look, can I...

[sighs]

can I come fly to see you?

[Jules faintly speaking]

Soon?

How fast is soon?

[Jules faintly speaking]

Seven months, eight months,

one year, three years?

[Jules faintly speaking]

I'm not your baby!

[cellphone thuds]

[water swishing]

[gentle music]

[music continues]

[gentle music]

[footsteps pattering]

[gentle music]

[footsteps pattering]

[music continues]

[panting]

[Jules] Do you know

why I am a filmmaker?

I make films because, in life,

we can't always

get what we want.

And through films,

we live it.

I can have my hero

in a hilarious, clownish hat.

[playful music]

Or I can have him in dress

with pearls and pink lipstick.

[upbeat music]

Everything comes to life just

like how I've imagined it.

[gentle music]

[narrator] Look at the ripples

created by the waves.

Focus on the dark, shadowy

sides of these orbital waves.

You'll know the answer

when those shadows become

real and solid.

[water rumbling]

-[waves crashes]

-[water bubbling]

[water running]

[camera snaps]

[camera snaps]

[bathrobe thuds]

[camera snaps]

[camera snaps]

[camera snaps]

[gentle music]

[Jules faintly speaking]

[rain pattering]

I never f*cking cared

about your movie!

[panting]

[music continues]

No.

Just...

I wanted to spend

a little time together!

[Jules faintly speaking]

Chance I keep waiting for!

-[Jules faintly speaking]

-[inhales]

[sighs]

[Jules faintly speaking]

No, no, I'm not leaving.

Even if I'm the star.

Even if I'm gonna

cry my eyes out.

Even if I have to be alone.

[Jules faintly speaking]

I'll be here waiting

until you come to see me!

[Saul sighs]

[inhales]

[sighs]

[people murmuring]

[gentle music]

[sighs]

[chuckles]

-[gasps]

-Going anywhere?

[Saul groans]

The port is on

the other direction.

You must have thought that

I'm a kind of creepy guy

trying to stalk you around,

but I'm not that kind of person.

It's just that you stood out,

and the center of Venice

is not that big, you know?

Not everyone would like

to take company with them

through their journey

through life,

but usually there's a reason

why a person is alone.

It all happened by coincidence

at first, you know?

I saw you walking alone

every day, the same way.

I'm sorry for intruding,

but sometimes

I see you crying alone here

or over the bridge

at the Grand Canal.

So I wonder why...

a beautiful young man

like you has

such a great sadness inside.

Anyway, you don't look

you belong here.

But I see you walking alone

here in Venice

for such a long time.

What about you?

You don't look like

you belong here either.

No, I'm not from here.

I have a farm in Tuscany

and I'm an estate owner,

you know?

I came here in Venice just

to meet some old customers.

And I don't know why,

but they always want to

meet me here in Venice.

Can you imagine?

Well, you speak English well.

[accordion music]

Well, I was a professor before

in United State,

and got retired, you know?

[music continues]

Hey, do you want

to have drinks sometimes?

I will be here until

the flood season begin.

And when will

the flood season begin?

I don't know, maybe in

one or two weeks from now.

[music continues]

Are you waiting for someone?

Look, I have an apartment

here in Venice,

so if you like,

whenever you like,

you can come over and I will

cook you a great pasta

because I'm very good

at cooking pasta, you know?

[pan clacking]

[groans]

Oh, my God.

Hey, I got it. I got it.

[grinding]

[gentle music]

[speaking Italian]

I mean, you are very good

in cooking pasta.

Better than me.

Yeah. So shall we eat?

Yeah.

[forks clattering]

Mm.

Mm.

[slurps]

So she's a director, hmm?

Big shot,

and must have a huge ego.

And she makes you waiting

here for how long?

Six month?

Seven month?

Oh, my God.

What a waste of time for a

beauty like you here in Italy,

alone for such a long time.

So why do you love her?

If one can tell the reason

of why a person falls in love,

then it's not love.

You're falling for the reason

and not for the person.

So let me understand.

If a, um...

ugly person falls in love

with a beautiful one...

he's actually falling

in love with beauty.

And if a poor person fall

in love with a rich one,

he's falling in love

with wealth.

It's kind--

it's like, I don't know,

the pursuit of perfection?

To fall in love and to gain...

qualities that you don't have?

Yeah.

So how do you know...

that the specific person

you love is the one?

And not all the people

that you love in your life.

To me, it's the feeling

that she is my person.

She was made for me

and I was made for her.

If she dies one day...

I wouldn't be

with anybody else.

I would rather die...

than be with anybody else.

I have never liked

a single woman

in my entire life, you know?

Yeah, I like men only.

It used to be a problem

in Italy before,

but now it's not

a big deal anymore.

Yeah, it's not like

San Francisco, of course,

where you can marry

whoever you want.

Here in Italy,

we don't have g*y marriage.

Don't you want to have

a family?

[chuckles]

Yeah, maybe.

Maybe sometimes,

but I'm not young anymore.

Oh, gosh.

No.

Now you made me thinking

that I'm not young anymore.

[inhales]

[sighs]

The last person

that I love, Angelo...

he left me because,

you know,

the pressure

from the family, yeah.

And now... [sighs]

I don't know

if he ended up marrying

maybe, I don't know,

maybe a girl or something.

[gentle music]

[sighs]

Well, I'm sorry,

I'm telling you too much

about myself,

my love and everything.

Do you hate gays?

Gender, age, and occupation

don't matter to me.

We're all the same

beneath the differences.

But it's also

that we are the same

that makes those differences

important, don't you think?

Angelo, that person

was also blond like you.

[chuckles]

But he didn't have your

beautiful blue eyes.

[music continues]

For you,

you at least you have--

you have someone to--

to look forward.

You have someone to wait for.

He...

my Angelo...

[sobs]

My Angelo...

[crying]

[sobbing]

You're okay.

It's okay.

[inhales]

[exhales]

[groans]

[grunts]

[gentle music]

[people murmuring]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[music continues]

This is for you.

I've been such

a stupid fool last night.

It's okay.

Thank you for the flowers.

I don't know, seems

that I'm following you.

I really didn't mean it.

It's okay.

You look like

you're not happy today.

Is it because of her?

She's not coming?

I feel like she doesn't

try to understand how I feel.

She never takes me seriously.

It's okay.

I'm here.

So why does she keep

postponing on me?

I don't know,

maybe she's busy.

She told me that she

just finished filming.

She said that today.

Now she's taking a break.

She told me not to bother her.

Look, she's too busy working,

she doesn't have time to see me,

I can understand,

but she's taking a break

and can't make time for me.

Then what am I to her?

What am I doing here?

Look, you told me that

she's a married woman

and maybe she doesn't want

to see you here alone.

She's seeing someone else.

What do you expect

from a married woman?

That she leaves

everything behind?

Like her husband, her family,

just to be with you in Venice?

Yeah, why does she

keep paying my bills?

I don't know,

maybe she's thinking.

It takes seven months to think?

Why don't you pretend to leave?

You come to my place

and then you will see

how she would react.

[gentle music]

[water swishing]

[water running]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[people murmuring]

The local people in the shops,

why don't they just move away?

Dinner will be ready in a bit.

And I made you a hot chocolate.

It's really hot and I don't

want you to burn yourself.

So have you told her

about your move?

Yeah.

I just don't care anymore.

Come.

Let's just show her what a good

time we're having right now.

[Saul chuckles]

[lips smacking]

[Saul chuckles]

What do you think?

[sighs]

Hey, if you like it here,

you can stay here

as long as you want.

It's flooding

and rain will come soon.

And when it's raining,

you cannot even go out

from the house.

[Saul sighs]

Look, have you ever wonder

about my property in Tuscany?

[accordion music]

It's beautiful there.

I have flowers, um--

-[music stops]

-Hey, if you were ever falling

in love with a married person

and you didn't want to damage

your life, what would you do?

I don't know.

Maybe, as time passes by,

you will forget about her.

I just want to take at least

one gondola ride with her

under the big full moon.

You know, get gelato

in the piazza together,

even though

she doesn't like gelato.

But we could have a tea.

She loves tea.

And although she doesn't want

to have any kids of her own,

I'd love to have

one or two with her.

You know, I could raise

them all on my own.

She wouldn't have

to do a thing.

Yeah, two kids,

a boy and a girl.

[chuckles]

And I could prove to her

how good I am at it

by taking care of the orchid.

Her favorite flower.

[chuckles]

Oh, no. Oh, no, the orchid!

[gentle music]

[splashing]

[water splashing]

[panting]

[music continues]

[breathing heavily]

[sighs]

[exhales]

[boat rumbling]

[boat rumbling]

[gentle music]

[boat rumbling]

[boat rumbling]

[music continues]

[boat rumbling]

[music continues]

[boat rumbling]

[music continues]

[boat rumbling]

-[panting]

-[footsteps approaching]

[Jules]

Are you looking for me?

So you're actually here?

You're here

to surprise me, right?

Why are you playing

such a trick on me?

You know that I've been

here waiting for you.

I just wanted

to spend a little bit of time

with you alone here.

Is that too much to ask?

But it's good

that you're finally here

after all this time.

You know how much

I've missed you, right?

I just want to be with you

for the rest of my life.

You know how I feel

about you, don't you?

[speaking Chinese]

[Jules speaking Chinese]

[Jules]

I know how you feel.

I know all the difficulties

you face.

All the loneliness

you have to endure

not knowing where you're

heading from here.

I want to give you

everything you want,

the unconditional love

you've shown me

since the very first day we met.

But I guess I can only wait

for you here on the shore.

[Jules speaking Chinese]

Just like how you

have waited for me here.

Can't we be together

in this life?

Like I told you,

there's only one thing

I can offer you in this life.

That is the film role

I told you about.

You are the perfect man

to play it.

By making this film together,

we can transform

and shine our love

to everyone who watches it.

Is that all

you have to say to me,

coming all the way

from the US?

You know what?

I don't care

about your f*cking movie.

How many times

do I have to tell you that?

You say that you know.

You know. You know you know,

but you don't!

[Jules]

So, are you taking this role?

No!

[gentle music]

[cellphone ringing]

[sighs]

She's coming.

She's finally coming.

And it's today.

Do you think I should see her?

Look, you have been

waiting for this person

for almost a year.

And now she's coming.

Is there any reason

for you not to see her?

Go and tell her everything

you think about her,

you feel about her.

It is in this way...

our life,

it is not wasting away.

[gentle music]

[boats rumbling]

[music continues]

[boats rumbling]

[cellphone ringing]

[man]

Hi, is this Saul Larson?

Jules has asked me

to call you

and let you know that she's

decided not to film in Venice.

That she's found a new cast

and has started pre-production

in Rome instead.

She said you're welcome to stay

at the hotel through December.

After that,

you're on your own.

Bye for now.

[music continues]

[water swishing]

[music continues]

[sniffling]

[gentle music]

[boat rumbling]

[rain pattering]

[music continues]

[boat rumbling]

[gentle music]

[gentle music]