Killer Heat (2024)
Genre: Thriller, Crime, Drama
Director: Philippe Lacôte
Writers: Matt Charman, Roberto Bentivegna, Jo Nesbø
Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Richard Madden
Plot: On a remote Greek island, twin brothers find themselves entangled in a perilous love triangle. When tensions escalate, the case falls into the hands of a wounded detective known as “The Jealousy Man,” whose task is to unravel the mystery and resolve the deadly conflict.
* * *
[wind blowing]
[dramatic music playing]
[Bali] There’s that old Greek myth about the guy who flew too high.
Icarus was his name, and he had a pair of homemade wings.
And he thought he could just keep going up forever, higher than anyone, higher than the gods.
And he knew what would happen if he got too close to the sun.
But he did it anyway.
[dramatic music swells, stops abruptly]
[mysterious music playing]
[camera clicking]
[church bell tolling]
[women singing somber song in Greek]
The Icarus myth was set on the island of Crete.
And apparently, nobody there had learned much from his story.
Of course, neither had I.
Not yet.
That’s the thing about myths.
Easy to ignore.
The family of the fallen guy were rich… really rich.
They were in shipping.
They ran the island through violence and extortion.
And they were only half Greek.
That’s hubris for you.
Fatal flaw of the gods and all the rest of us.
[woman] Welcome, Mr. Bali.
[Bali] Thanks so much.
[woman] Here you go. Enjoy your stay.
All right, have a good one.
[speaking Greek] I hope you find what you’re looking for.
I hope so, too. Thank you.
You’re welcome.
[Bali] She sent a message with the plane ticket.
Said to look for the vintage brown Benz.
She didn’t mention the white pants.
Mrs. Vardakis.
You can call me Penelope.
Okay.
I appreciate you coming, Mr. Bali.
Nick is fine.
Sally Burnham is a friend of mine.
She told me that you helped her with a little problem in Athens.
Sorry, could I ask you a favor? You mind taking off your sunglasses?
Excuse me?
I don’t mean to be rude.
I just like to look people in the eye when I talk to them.
I have a problem of my own, and I can’t trust the local police.
Why is that?
My husband’s family owns them.
Vardakises are like gods here.
And in Crete, no one goes against the gods.
Uh-huh.
We buried my brother-in-law two days ago.
He died climbing on the island.
I read about him. Sorry for your loss.
What a terrible accident.
Murder.
No one will investigate.
It’s not a narrative that works for my husband’s family.
They run Eurytus, the shipping company.
Right, I know it.
Yeah. Anything other than an accident could cause turbulence to the stock,
and they won’t have that.
I need a private investigator to sort this out for me.
I have money.
My question to you is: why?
Your husband’s a powerful man.
This might make trouble for him, for his family, your family.
I knew Leo before I ever met my husband.
He was a good person.
A friend of mine.
And if I don’t do this, no one else will.
I’ll double your rate.
Well, thank you.
This has to stay between us.
No one can know that you’re working for me.
Of course.
I’ve arranged your accommodation.
You can follow me.
[car door closes]
[Bali] I’d been doing P.I. work in Athens, following cheating husbands and wives,
but this felt different.
She made me feel less like an investigator and more like her accomplice.
[mysterious music playing]
♪ ♪
[birds chirping]
What is this place?
I found it a few years back.
The monks have an extensive library they let me use.
[Bali] She stuck me in a monastery, which is the last place I wanted to be.
[monks chanting quietly in Greek]
I wasn’t looking for redemption.
No churches, no confession.
No, thank you.
[chanting continues]
[chanting continues]
[chanting stops]
[quietly] Father.
This is Mr. Bali.
Welcome to the monastery.
I’ll try not to be any trouble.
[Bali] There’s a calculus to drinking.
And if I got the math right, I’d land in the perfect blackout.
No memories.
[indistinct chatter echoing]
[mysterious music playing]
[exclaiming]
[Bali] You were great, babe.
[girl’s laughter echoing, fading]
[birds chirping]
[shutter creaking]
[church bell tolls]
[church bell tolls]
[dog barking in distance]
[monks chanting quietly]
[church bell continues tolling]
[mysterious music playing]
[lively chatter]
♪ ♪
Ten minutes.
That’s all the time I need.
His injuries are consistent with a fall from a height of 30 meters.
Multiple skull fractures, major brain trauma.
And, uh, what’s this? On his fingers?
Climbing chalk.
Uh-huh.
And, um, why the broken fingers?
It’s common with rock climbers. Lot of pressure on the hands.
He must have been trying to hang on.
So this is, uh, an equipment failure?
No. There was no equipment.
He climbed free solo, no ropes.
Isn’t that kind of risky?
Evidently.
Are we done here?
Yeah, one more thing.
You got the name of the investigating officer?
It’s, uh, Georges Mensah.
Thanks a lot.
[Bali] Sometimes you use a carrot.
Sometimes you use a stick.
Sometimes you just lie your ass off.
[knocks]
Detective Mensah?
Who let you back here?
Sorry to disturb.
I’m from Eastern Global Life Insurance.
I’m, uh, head of investigations with our American office.
Leo Vardakis had a policy with us.
[laughs] Look at this guy.
I had a dog just like this when I was a kid. Hey, baby.
Oh, hello.
[Mensah] Uh, if you don’t mind, I’m busy, so…
[grunting playfully]
Uh, yeah, this is just a formality as far as I’m concerned.
Some rich guy fell off a rock ’cause he was too vain to use a rope,
but I do need some details.
You could’ve picked up the phone.
Would’ve saved you a lot of trouble to come all this way,
find out the case is closed.
I’m not sure you realize how much money is involved here.
It’s a very high-value account, so the company doesn’t part ways
with that kind of cash without sending somebody in person,
for due diligence.
Good-looking family. Quite a funeral?
I don’t know what you’re hoping to find.
The official report recorded it as an accidental death.
Any witnesses?
No.
What was the time of death?
It’s in the report.
Great. Could I see that?
No.
It’s bad luck though to just fall without anybody else around, don’t you think?
Doesn’t matter what I think.
When did forensics make their determination of cause of death?
A day after he died last week.
Two days ago, you showed up to his funeral with a camera.
It looks like they were all there.
[mysterious music playing]
The widowed matriarch, Audrey Vardakis.
Leo’s twin brother, Elias.
The CEO with his perfect wife.
A clan worthy of Tolstoy, right?
Each unhappy in their own way.
But who was unhappy with Leo?
You must have some idea.
If I could just get a half hour with this stuff before it’s archived.
Any chance you could help me out, my friend?
Is that supposed to be Greek?
I am Greek.
My dog is more Greek than you are.
Look, all I need is just a quick look…
Stop.
Bribery is punishable by imprisonment under Greek law,
so if the next thing that comes out of your pocket is money…
I’ll be in town a few days.
Anything changes with the case, let me know.
Case is closed.
You said that already.
“Zoun Gia Panta.”
I’m a little rusty, obviously.
What’s that mean again?
“They live forever.”
Tell that to Leo Vardakis.
[lively chatter]
[horns honking]
Excuse me…
Any idea where I’d find the yacht, “Zoun Gia Panta”?
Yes, it’s out there on the left. Zoun Gia Panta?
Thank you.
You’re welcome.
[seabirds calling]
[mysterious music playing]
[Bali] Some days, the gods are just on your side.
The family was sitting out there in a $250 million fishbowl, coming unwound.
Rich people always look guilty,
and this guy was no exception.
Parading around barefoot in his white pants.
Tough day on the yacht.
[coin clinks in slot]
♪ ♪
[engine starts]
[engine revving]
[tires squealing]
Shit.
[dramatic music playing]
[engine roaring]
[tires squeal]
[engine revving]
[quiet chatter in Greek]
[Bali] Elias Vardakis.
His brother had just died climbing free solo,
but there he was without a rope.
You might call that confidence.
I’d say he had something to prove.
Just like Icarus.
Some guys need to feel like they’re above everyone.
Lot of climbers out today.
There’s usually more. It’s too hot.
Hmm.
You climb?
Nah, it’s not my thing.
Uh, my name’s Nick Bali. I’m here to talk to you about Leo.
I’m with the National Intelligence Service.
An American in the Greek NIS?
I know. I’m actually a Greek-American expat.
My accent’s not the best, but I get by.
There’s a couple of us in the organization.
They bring us into situations like this
where your company’s taken heavy investment from my side of the pond.
Well, of course.
Can I see some I.D.?
Absolutely.
And you know, it’s good you ask.
Not everybody does.
I’m trying to be discreet, out of respect, but, uh, if you want,
I could go now and then bring back a couple more agents.
We could, uh, search your house, your car…
My mother’s not to be disturbed.
All right, so let me buy you a coffee.
[Bali over device] Are you sure you, uh… you don’t want anything? Coffee?
[mysterious music playing]
What can you tell me about what happened to your brother?
I was told the police had closed their investigation.
Yeah, they have. It’s just, your family’s profile being what it is,
it’s important that we come in and dot the I’s, cross the T’s.
Remove any suspicion there’s been criminal activity.
Is that what you think happened?
If you don’t mind, could we start with, uh, the morning of your brother’s death?
Where were you?
At home in bed.
My wife come in, woke me, told me Leo’s body had been found.
Mm-hmm. And, uh, what time was that?
8:30-ish. She’s usually up for a swim by 7:00, has her breakfast by the pool.
When’s the last time you saw your brother alive?
It was three weeks before he died.
Three weeks? Since you’d seen your brother?
Is that so strange?
When’d you last see your brother?
I don’t have one.
Well, your family then, your mother, father, wife.
It’s an island.
I just figured you’d run into each other.
You’ll hear this anyway, so I’ll tell you myself.
The last time Leo and I were together, we had a fight.
Okay. Uh, what was it about?
Don’t remember.
We were drunk.
My father pit us against each other from an early age,
gave us boxing gloves when we were four.
It stuck as a habit.
So you two, uh, you didn’t get along?
We were monozygotic twins, Mr. Bali.
You don’t get closer than that.
I loved my brother.
I just wish I’d been there for him.
Well, this must be a very hard time for you, your family, your wife.
Uh, was she very close with your brother?
Not really.
[suspenseful music playing]
My apologies.
I have a business matter I need to attend to.
The life of a CEO of a multinational like Eurytus.
Listen, I’ll get the coffee.
You’ve been very generous with your time.
If you think of anything else
or if, um, perhaps your mother would be willing to speak…
Look, I am happy to help you.
Leave my mother out of this.
She’s lost her husband and a son in the space of 18 months.
I don’t want anything else upsetting her.
[paper rustles]
[engine roaring]
You get all that?
Why don’t we listen back to it together?
We can compare notes.
Yeah, well, first you’re gonna have to let me know who you really are,
because one minute you’re from an insurance company and now you’re NIS.
I was a detective for the NYPD.
Now I’m doing P.I. work out of Athens.
Why Athens?
Because my uncle owns an apartment here.
It’s a piece-of-shit place, but rent’s cheap.
It’s somewhere to escape to.
What are you escaping from?
Family things.
Look.
I can imagine how the Vardakis family treats people on this island,
so I can also imagine why a good cop like you
would want to knock them down a peg if you saw a way.
So why don’t you and me…
…help each other out a little bit?
[Mensah sighs]
[mysterious music playing]
Come on.
[chuckles]
[Bali over speaker] When’s the last time that you saw your brother alive?
[Elias over speaker] Three weeks before he died.
Oh.
It’d been three weeks since you’d seen your brother?
[Elias] Is that strange?
When was the last time you saw your brother?
[Bali] I don’t have one.
[Elias] Well, your family then, your mother, father,
wife.
Smart. Turning it around on me. He’s good under pressure.
You think he’s hiding something?
Yeah.
He was fussing with his wedding ring right there,
and he scratched his chin.
If scratching was a sign of guilt, my dog would be doing 20 years to life.
[Bali over speaker] …your family, your wife.
Was she very close with your brother?
[Elias] Not really.
He hesitated there.
And he’s too emphatic, the way he shuts it down.
He’s jealous of something, of someone. I can feel it.
But he’s got everything a man could possibly want.
Money, power, a beautiful wife.
If anyone would’ve been jealous, it was Leo.
Yeah, that’s the part I’m stuck on. Something doesn’t fit.
Could you send me a copy of that audio file?
Yeah, all right.
Who’s this?
That’s Yannis Dimitriou.
Local fixer.
When high rollers come into town, he hooks them up with whatever they need.
[phone chimes]
Drugs, parties, women.
Him and Elias are good friends.
Sorry, uh… I got to go.
So you still think he’s just some rich guy who slipped off a rock?
You still think the case is closed?
Officially, sure.
Unofficially, I never did.
But, you know, let’s keep all this between us.
These walls have big ears.
[church bell tolling]
[monks chanting quietly]
Thank you.
I loved it.
You’re welcome, my child.
Did you speak with Elias?
Yeah.
You have to ask me before you talk to anyone in this family.
Was Elias jealous of his brother?
Why would he be jealous?
I don’t know. That’s what I’m trying to figure out.
But you knew Leo before you knew him, right?
Sure.
You want to tell me about that?
What do you want to know?
Tell me the whole story.
Um, all right, I met Leo Freshers’ week
at Oxford.
I didn’t come from money, so I had to work my ass off to get a scholarship.
Anything else?
Not unless you want to help me write a paper…
[Penelope] But even with a scholarship, I still had to get another job
just to offset bills.
Can I buy you a drink later?
[Penelope] I didn’t have any free time for friends or social life.
[Leo] I like a little pressure…
[Penelope] But that didn’t stop Leo from hanging around.
It was strange.
Yeah, I didn’t really know what to make of it at first.
You know, this rich kid who went to the best boarding schools
his entire life, and…
and him showing attention to me.
It was flattering, don’t get me wrong,
but, um, there was just always something that was very…
He was trying really hard, and it came across as desperate and needy…
Uh, when we first spoke, you said he was sweet and kind.
Now you’re saying he’s desperate and needy, so which is it?
Well, both things can be true.
Uh, okay.
And tell me how Elias enters the picture.
It’s late. I should go.
I’m just trying to understand what happened here, okay?
You brought me into this.
You ever do something you regret?
And… no matter how hard you try to make it right,
you just… can’t?
Sure.
That why you left New York?
I’ll take you to where it happened tomorrow.
[mysterious music playing]
[door opens]
[door closes]
♪ ♪
Hey.
What? I’m not done yet.
I can’t believe I get to be with you.
[chuckles] Stop it.
What are you all dressed up for?
Going to meet someone.
Oh, yeah? That sounds cool.
Yeah.
Who?
[chuckles]
Am I being interrogated?
[Bali] I can remember the exact moment I first felt real jealousy.
She hadn’t even crossed any lines, not yet.
But it didn’t matter.
From then on, it was like I’d been poisoned.
It owned me.
And I held on so tight, killed our marriage.
It did make me better at my job, though.
Knowing that kind of jealousy…
…I could now see in suspects what I saw in myself.
I assume that you’re gonna want to see Leo’s apartment.
Right?
Yeah.
[mysterious music playing]
[Bali] Digging into other people’s pain…
…I could somehow put a Band-Aid on my own.
So, the deceased had a thing for his brother’s wife.
The mother was clearly a crazy person.
And then there’s always the friend.
♪ ♪
[Bali] Good morning.
I’m not open yet.
[speaks Greek]
I don’t want a drink.
You sure about that?
I wanted to ask you about Leo Vardakis.
You’re his friend, right? You were at his funeral.
You’re V-Victoria Lekaki, right?
Yes.
Elias told me that he and Leo had a fight a couple weeks before he died, at a bar.
Was that this bar?
Um…
Are you a friend of Elias?
Well, I’ve, uh, talked to him a little bit,
but I’m actually not sure how I feel about him.
What do you want to know?
Who started the fight?
I didn’t hear it. We were busy.
You have no idea what it was about?
No.
Could it have, uh, been about money?
Leo didn’t need any money.
He had a salary from the family business.
Mostly for appearances.
Um, Audrey Vardakis cares very much about appearances.
She’s British, but she married into a Greek family,
so she’s always trying to act Greek.
Um, we have a word for this.
[speaks Greek]
It’s not a good word.
Yeah, sounds pretty bad.
So she didn’t trust him around the business?
He was more, um… a creative, uh, soul.
And for his family, they thought this made him weak.
But, um…
…Leo was strong.
He had endurance.
He could, um, stay the course, yeah?
They were wrong about him.
And about Elias.
Whoa. What about Elias?
[scoffs]
He’s a… he’s a bullshit man.
Leo hated how his brother treated people.
Especially his wife.
Did Leo love Penelope?
Mm-hmm.
How’d Elias feel about that?
How would I know?
And what about you?
Was that tough for you, Leo having feelings for her?
Sorry, I…
No judgment. I just, uh, know how it feels.
Leo was a friend.
But, um, I know my place.
He was the son of a billionaire, and I’m a, I’m a daughter of a bartender.
Penelope wasn’t from money.
Well, I’m not Penelope.
[chuckles]
None of us are.
You think she married the wrong man?
Her life would’ve been easier with Leo.
But I guess Elias won that match.
Um, because that’s always what happens.
Elias has to win.
But even if it means killing his own brother?
[chuckles]
I may not like him, but I-I don’t think he’s capable of that.
If-if Leo threatened Elias…
You said yourself Leo didn’t like how Elias treated people,
so if he had a story, something really juicy,
and he was threatening to go public,
like, that could be damaging to the CEO of a billion-dollar company,
impact the stock price…
I-I don’t know.
I mean, Elias runs the company, but Audrey runs the family.
You understand?
Uh-huh.
But… but, um, who am I…
No, no, no, keep going. What do you mean, Audrey runs…
Sorry, sorry.
I mean, you don’t stand against this family.
Not someone like me.
I-I just pour the drinks.
[opens bottle]
[pours drink]
[sets down glass]
No judgment.
[sighs softly]
[speaks Greek]
Leo has been climbing that rock since he was a boy.
Soon as I heard about the accident, I knew something didn’t fit.
I hope you find whoever killed him.
[mysterious music playing]
Come on. I don’t have long.
Oh, what’s happening?
There’s a benefit tonight to reelect the governor.
The whole family is gonna be there.
[grunts] Sounds like fun.
♪ ♪
This is where they found his boat.
Oh. It’s always this quiet?
Yeah, you can only get here by water.
Which is why Leo liked to climb.
It’s very remote, peaceful.
Perfect place to kill somebody.
Sorry.
[Penelope] This is where they found his body.
[Bali] Right here?
Yeah.
[Bali] Geez.
I spoke to someone at the morgue.
They said he fell 30 meters.
There’s a path up. I could show you.
Okay.
[both chuckle]
Ah, so he climbed that with no rope?
Yeah.
Yeah, both brothers grew up climbing free solo.
Their dad was adamant that it would prepare them for a life in business.
Audrey pushed in a different way.
It was psychological with her, and Leo really took the brunt of that.
I, uh, talked to Victoria Lekaki.
She also thinks Leo was murdered.
Probably the first thing she and I have ever agreed on.
Oh, you don’t like her?
She thinks I broke Leo’s heart.
Uh-huh. And did you?
[Penelope] I knew Leo had a twin, but I’d never met him before.
What’s her name, then?
Penelope.
You fucked her yet?
[chuckles]
[Penelope] Elias had been working with their father,
so he started a semester late.
[phone beeping] I got a message one night
asking if we could study together.
I was falling behind with all the shifts I was doing,
so I was actually really grateful that he’d asked.
[low, upbeat music playing]
Cheers.
[glasses clink]
Hey.
You didn’t bring your books?
We don’t need them.
[Penelope] It was him, but…
What are you doing?
…he was different.
He had this confidence to him that Leo never had.
It was like he was just completely present.
I’ll go if you ask me to.
[both breathing heavily]
[Penelope moaning]
[heavy breathing slows]
And you really had no idea that it was Elias, not Leo that night?
I knew.
Elias and I started seeing each other.
I met his parents, and it was obvious he was Audrey’s favorite.
She was so protective of him.
I just had no idea how much Leo was excluded from the family.
Or how deep the rivalry was with his brother.
That must have been, uh, very painful for Leo.
Being in love with you.
Watching you fall for him.
Yeah.
Elias and Leo got in a fight the last time they saw each other before Leo died.
Did Leo know something about your husband that got him killed?
Killed by who?
By someone with a vested interest in keeping Elias in power.
I want to talk to Audrey.
That’s not gonna happen.
If Leo was threatening Elias, threatening the company, threatening the family,
Audrey would know.
Yeah, but even if she did, she wouldn’t say anything to you.
That’s why I want to see her face when I bring it up.
Well, you’re not gonna get anywhere near her.
[sighs]
She has security, and ever since Elias’s dad died,
he’s been very protective of her.
Yeah.
Okay, what about, uh… the… thing tonight?
The benefit?
It’s an exclusive event, and it’s on the yacht.
It’s an exclusive… What are you, uh, protecting her?
No. God, no.
Then get me on the list.
I can’t. You don’t understand.
I am trying to help you. Do you want answers or not?
I know, but if Elias ever found out that I was the one who arranged this…
He’s not gonna know that. No one’ll know that.
Fine. Uh, okay. Uh, all right.
Okay.
Okay. [sighs]
You can’t go looking like that, though.
I’ll have something sent over.
Wait, wait. Looking like what?
[lively chatter]
[Bali] The suit she had sent over cost more than a decent car.
And guess what color the pants were.
Welcome, sir. Enjoy the party.
[lively chatter continues]
[upbeat music playing]
[tapping on microphone]
[music and chatter stops]
[Elias over speaker] I’ll keep this brief.
I just want to thank you all for joining us this evening
to support the reelection of our governor, Kostas Gerontas.
Kostas… [speaks Greek]
[applause]
This island has always been a haven for our family,
and never more so than this past week,
which has been the hardest that we’ve known.
Governor Gerontas and the entire police department
have made my family feel protected and safe,
which, when you lose someone, is what matters most.
Thank you, my friend.
With your help, we can give this good man another term in office to protect us all.
[applause]
[Gerontas] Thank you all very much for being here.
Thank you for all of your support.
[applause]
[lively chatter and music resume]
Well done.
Thank you, Mother.
Nice to see you.
Nicki, you’re looking lovely.
Oh, thank you.
Whiskey.
[speaks Greek]
[bartender speaks Greek]
[speaks Greek]
Elias’s words were perfect.
I’m sorry. I should introduce myself.
I’m Nick. I’m a friend of Leo’s.
My family always used to vacation here. They still do, actually.
So there were a whole bunch of us that used to hang out.
Victoria, you know.
Yes, of course.
I’m so sorry for your loss, Mrs. Vardakis.
Mm.
Thank you.
Leo was a kind soul.
So creative.
He was a dreamer.
[laughs] Yeah.
Yeah, he was.
And Elias is holding up okay considering what happened.
The strange way that Leo died.
I can’t believe this thing they’re saying about it being an accident, do you?
I mean, Leo was a good climber. He wouldn’t just fall.
I’m used to people coming after me and my family.
So let’s cut the shit, Nick.
Why did you buy a new suit and come here tonight?
What do you want?
Trying to understand what really happened to my friend.
Get away from her!
[people gasp]
I told you to leave her alone.
[Audrey] You know this man?
He said he was NIS looking into Leo’s death.
He’s a fucking liar. He’s a P.I.
Who hired you? Victoria?
I’m afraid that’s between me and my client.
[Elias] My brother’s death was an accident.
I don’t think so.
Is that what you’re trying to prove
bribing your way into the morgue?
Hanging around the police station? It’s pathetic.
This man gets no more cooperation from now on. Do you understand?
Now get the fuck off my boat before I throw you off.
Oh. Was that a confession?
Now go back to Athens.
Better yet, go back to New York.
To the wife and kids you walked out on.
Governor, my apologies.
Some people have too much to drink.
Get a bit silly on boats, don’t they?
[lively chatter and upbeat music continues]
[door opens]
[door closes]
I got a call from my boss.
If I’m seen within three feet of you, then I’m suspended.
I can’t risk it.
You should just go.
[Mensah sighs softly]
Yeah.
Maybe you should call this… all this a day.
[sighs]
Whatever’s going on here, it is not worth it.
The police aren’t gonna reopen the case.
Just go.
Live your life.
[sighs, chuckles]
What life? I don’t have a fucking life.
Guys like that, they get the life.
They get everything.
They want something, they just fucking take it.
They got money.
Dressed like a male fucking model.
Whole world wants to suck his dick.
You know what? That guy is scared.
He’s fucking scared, and he fucking should be.
[sighs heavily]
Be careful, my friend.
A man like that, he doesn’t ask twice.
You should go.
[Bali] He was right.
Of course he was.
[door opens]
But…
[door closes]
…I’ve never been great at letting things go.
[Monique laughing]
[laughing]
[dramatic music playing]
When I caught her, she didn’t hold back on her reasons.
She told me that I worked too much, that I drank too much,
that she wasn’t happy.
But… did I let it go?
[sobbing]
We’re gonna be okay.
We’re gonna be okay.
[church bell tolling]
[door creaking]
[birds chirping]
Any reasonable person would’ve been off that island before breakfast.
[door creaking closed]
But the monks made really good coffee.
[sighs]
And I am not a reasonable person.
[mysterious music playing]
[Victoria] I-I don’t know.
I mean, Elias runs the company, but Audrey runs the family.
You understand?
[scoffs]
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
[Bali] Icarus didn’t make his own wings.
His father made them.
And Elias never made his own money.
But he didn’t seem to mind spending his dad’s.
♪ ♪
[sighs]
[engine revving]
[dramatic music playing]
[engine roaring]
♪ ♪
[tires screech]
[lively chatter]
[man speaking Greek]
[upbeat music playing in distance]
[man speaking Greek]
[upbeat music continues]
[engine revs]
Stop. You wait there.
Did you see the American?
The American, Yannis is looking for him.
[grunting]
[dramatic music playing]
[Yannis] He likes it.
[choking]
I told you to leave the island.
[grunting, gasping]
I won’t tell you again.
[Yannis] Next time we see you, you’re fucking dead.
[coughing]
[panting]
[car door closes]
[crickets chirping]
[Bali] I don’t mind getting beat up.
There’s a certain dignity in it.
But that doesn’t mean I’m forgiving.
If you hit me…
…I’m gonna hit you back.
Just like, if you fuck my wife,
I’m gonna do something about it.
[mysterious music playing]
[footsteps approaching]
Thank you for not blowing my cover on the yacht.
What happened?
Ah. [scoffs]
I like to look people in the eye when I speak to them.
Who did this?
I followed Elias into Kíthira last night and saw him give Yannis some cash.
They spotted me. I should’ve been more careful.
Elias did this?
Yannis, technically.
Nick, they could’ve killed you.
Yeah, and if he finds out that you hired me,
what do you think he’s gonna do to you?
I’m not afraid.
Maybe you should be.
Come on.
These ruins date back to the seventh century B.C.
This city was named after this goddess Leto.
Story goes that Zeus fell in love with her.
But he already had a wife, Hera.
[Bali] She told me the myth behind these ruins.
About the gods of this island and their jealousies.
[Penelope] The lesson is do not betray the gods.
But Elias is not a god.
On this island, he is.
People like Yannis, they do anything he tells them to.
He’s the first person Elias calls when we land here.
Gets him anything he wants.
I heard about that.
Drugs, parties.
Women.
You can say it. You don’t have to be coy.
I know my husband fucks other women.
It’s been going on for years.
Started right after we got married.
I called him out about it early on, but somehow it was always my fault.
Like I was the one who drove him to do it.
Why didn’t you just walk away?
People do.
If it was that easy, don’t you think I would?
I’ve tried.
He doesn’t listen to me.
I tell him I need to leave. He tells me I can’t.
He goes on and on about being in love with me.
How if I ever did leave, he’d kill himself or kill me.
And he promises he’ll change.
You know, that he’ll do anything.
The fucked-up thing is that he actually does change.
Just long enough to make me believe.
I know that that sounds weak.
It is weak.
I’ve just never been strong enough.
That why you had an affair with Leo?
You left a hair tie in his apartment.
It was the same one you were using when you were swimming at the villa.
You lied to me.
I went to that party thinking it was blackmail,
thinking the whole gigantic family business was at stake
and that Audrey was involved.
I asked you, “Is there any reason Elias would be jealous of Leo?”
You said no.
I never said no.
Fine, but the whole time, you were covering up an affair.
Why didn’t you tell me?
I couldn’t risk that.
I didn’t trust you yet.
You saying you trust me now?
Maybe.
Can you trust me?
I don’t know. You cheated on your husband.
Elias doesn’t know about Leo.
I think he does.
I could tell that guy was jealous of something.
Now I know what. The guy’s brother slept with his wife.
He killed him for it. Talk about an old story.
Now I just need to prove it.
Beach where Leo died, could a person swim those waters?
Uh, it’s about two miles of rocky coast in either direction
and the currents are very strong.
So maybe a boat?
‘Cause you said the cliff’s inaccessible by land,
so whoever killed Leo had to get to the beach
and then leave the beach again by sea.
And if they can’t swim it, maybe there’s a boat waiting.
The first time we were there, I noticed some fishermen offshore.
Maybe someone saw something.
[Penelope] And if they did, you really think they’re gonna say anything to you?
[Bali chuckles]
Don’t betray the gods, right?
This is what I’m saying.
Elias owns everyone on this island.
Well, maybe not everyone.
[ringtone playing]
[speaks Greek]
[Bali over phone] Hey.
I owe you one.
You’re welcome.
Listen, I need a favor.
What happened to you owe me one?
It’s the last time, okay? Can you come meet me?
Bali, I don’t know, man.
Penelope Vardakis, okay? That’s who hired me.
Come on, man, you know better than I do this town deserves a shake-up at the top.
I need you to bring me the fishing charts for the coastal waters
around the island, especially the northern edge.
License numbers… [speaks Greek]
…what boats are working which stretches of water in…
Wait, wait, wait.
I.D.’s, northern… northern edge?
Yeah.
Okay, which boats.
And what about this boat here, BL-42?
[Mensah] What about it?
I mean, it’s out on the water
the day that Leo Vardakis dies,
but there’s not a catch recorded for months before that,
and then nothing since.
Well, that’s strange.
That is strange, right?
Yeah.
BL-42 is owned by and licensed to Nicos Adamos.
Mm.
I knew him.
You knew him?
What do you mean, knew him? Is he dead?
Six months ago. Heart attack.
Okay, then.
We got to find BL-42. Can I see that?
[man singing in Greek]
[busy chatter]
[sighs]
[singing and music continues]
Hello! Good afternoon!
Welcome, sir!
Come join us for a drink!
[Bali laughs]
[speaks Greek]
♪ ♪
[singing in Greek]
[all toasting in Greek]
Anyone know a boat named…
BL-42?
[man responds in Greek]
[conversation continues in Greek]
[ringtone playing]
[sighing]
[music stops]
Hey, man.
[Mensah over phone] Yannis is shipping the boat to Africa tonight.
Seriously? Yeah.
If the serial numbers match, we should have enough evidence to detain him.
Okay, uh, text me where you are.
Heading to the dock now.
Yeah, I’m coming to you.
Meet you there.
All right.
Gentlemen…
Thank you, thank you.
[lively chatter in Greek]
[music resumes]
[busy chatter]
[truck back-up alarm beeping]
[Bali] You think the boat is coming or y-you know that the boat is coming?
[Mensah] The boat is coming.
Okay.
They’re gonna ship it to the Gambia from here.
Okay.
“The Gambia”?
Yeah.
That’s what you call it, the Gambia?
Yeah, it’s called the Gambia.
Never heard of that before.
It’s called Gambia.
No, the Gambia, one of the few places with “the” in front.
Is that right, now? There’s the Bronx.
“The Bronx”?
“The” Bronx?
You know, the Bronx. Come on, what are you talking about?
No.
What, you think people just call it Bronx?
“Let’s go uptown to Bronx”?
Yeah. Yes. No?
Do they say the Brooklyn?
[laughing]
No. They don’t say the Brooklyn.
[Mensah] Why is that funny?
If they’re saying the Bronx, why don’t they say the Brooklyn?
[Bali] I don’t know, man.
Why do they say the Gambia?
Because of the river.
Oh.
The Gambia River. The Gambia.
I didn’t know, I didn’t know it was a river.
[Mensah] Why’d they call it the Bronx?
I don’t know. Nobody knows that.
You’re not from there?
I’m from Queens.
Not the Queens.
[laughing]
Just Queens.
[Bali sighs]
[ship horn blowing in distance]
[whispers]
[tarp creaking]
[sighs]
[mysterious music playing]
[clank echoes in distance]
[suspenseful music playing]
[clattering]
Is someone there?
Police!
[gunshot]
[grunts]
[gunshot]
[pained grunt]
[ragged panting]
Okay. Go.
Go. Go. I’m okay.
Go.
[panting]
[barks]
[barking]
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
[water splashes]
[water splashes]
[somber music playing]
[Bali] He was already knee-deep in this when I met him,
but I dragged him in deeper.
I wouldn’t let him escape.
Now his blood was on my hands.
[church bell tolling]
This was all on me.
[church bell continues tolling]
[sobs softly]
[sobbing softly]
[breathes deeply]
[Mensah] You think he’s hiding something?
[Bali] He’s jealous of something or somebody.
I can feel it.
Pain can be illuminating.
It can also drop you into darkness.
Buddy, I need a favor.
Yeah, I got a number. I just need an address.
When you’re driven by jealousy, you know what you’re doing isn’t right.
But you do it anyway.
[tense music playing]
Why the broken fingers?
[Mensah] If anyone should’ve been jealous, it was Leo.
♪ ♪
[tense music builds]
[grunting]
[sighs]
[laughs]
[mysterious music playing]
[church bell tolling]
[whispering] Oh.
Got you! [grunts]
[ringtone playing]
[Penelope over phone] Hello?
[Bali] Don’t let Elias leave the house.
I’m coming over now. You’re gonna need to let me in.
You’re coming to the house?
Yeah, I figured it out.
You know how he killed Leo?
Let the security detail go and come open the gate in five minutes.
Five minutes, okay?
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
This is a mistake. You have to go.
Where is he?
What are you gonna do?
Listen to me.
We got him. Okay?
Tell me where he is.
The terrace.
Call the police. Bring Audrey.
[suspenseful music playing]
[Penelope] Nick?
[Bali] You got to trust me.
Go get Audrey. I’ll meet you outside.
[door closes]
♪ ♪
Penny?
Who was at the door?
What are you doing in my house?
See, this is not your house.
I’m calling the police.
They’re already on their way.
And why would they already be on their way?
I’ll tell you in a sec, but I want your mother to hear this.
You’re trespassing. You need to leave.
Mrs. Vardakis, have you noticed that your son’s been
unable to fulfill his duties as CEO since his brother died?
[Elias] This is absurd.
The first time we met, I posed as an NIS agent,
and he believed me because I said…
…your company’s taken heavy investment from my side of the pond.
Of course.
But I looked it up later, and the Eurytus Shipping Company
doesn’t have any American investors, does it?
You’re financed by a credit facility with a Swiss bank.
What is he talking about?
[Elias] I have no idea.
He’s making things up.
Actually, I have evidence.
Could you send me a copy of that audio file?
Yeah, all right.
[Bali over speaker] …like this where
your company’s taken heavy investment from my side of the pond.
[Elias over speaker] Of course. May I see some I.D.?
[Elias] That’s not my voice.
That is your voice.
But it’s not Elias, ’cause you’re not him.
Mrs. Vardakis, this is Leo.
[gasps]
You’re out of your fucking mind.
You murdered your brother and you took his place.
It was Elias going climbing that morning, not you.
But you knew where he would be
because you two have been climbing that rock since you were kids, right?
Elly, what is he talking about?
He’s a drunk. Don’t listen to a word he says.
The beach is inaccessible by land, and you knew Elias would take the speedboat,
which meant you needed a different boat.
So you went to Yannis.
Posing as Elias.
And he got you a boat with a fishing license,
so if anybody looked twice, it wouldn’t seem out of place on the water.
And then he waited for you while you went and did what you came to do.
I was asleep when my brother died. Penelope can vouch for that, can’t you?
Uh, I was swimming.
You told me that yourself.
She’s usually up for a swim by 7:00, then has her breakfast by the pool.
[Bali] That gave you about 90 minutes.
[dramatic music playing]
But you still had to hurry so you could beat your brother to the top of the cliff.
[dramatic music builds]
He fell 30 meters and he died on impact just like you planned.
You’d been wanting to kill him since college, since he stole Penelope from you.
‘Cause it should’ve been you introducing your parents to this amazing woman.
You would never forgive him even after all these years.
But you didn’t just want to kill your brother.
You wanted to be him.
[dramatic music playing]
♪ ♪
You knew that even with an autopsy, you’d be in the clear.
You told me that, too.
We were monozygotic twins, Mr. Bali.
You don’t get closer than that.
“Monozygotic.”
Had to look that up. It means your DNA is 100% identical.
I got to hand it to you, man. It was a well-played trick.
You had everyone convinced.
You fooled your mother.
You fooled your brother’s best friend.
You even got into bed with his wife.
♪ ♪
[Penelope] I knew it. I fucking knew it!
I knew something was different! You told me you were just grieving!
[Leo] Wait…
Tell me you didn’t do this.
Tell me!
Of course he did.
No.
He was jealous.
Penelope told me about that night that he took her from you.
[Leo] What did she tell you?
What are you doing?
You fucking quiet!
What did she say?
She said that your brother was like you but he was different.
Very different.
[moaning]
Is that true?
[panting]
[somber music playing]
[Audrey sobbing]
[Penelope whispers indistinctly]
[busy chatter]
[siren wailing in distance]
[police radio chatter]
[engines idling]
[car door closes]
[birds chirping]
[quiet chatter]
[indistinct chatter]
[electronic bell chimes]
[sighs]
[flight attendant] Would you like a glass of champagne, sir?
No, thank you.
[flight attendant speaking Greek]
[mysterious music playing]
He doesn’t listen to me.
I tell him I need to leave. He tells me I can’t.
You’re not hearing me.
I am miserable here. I am trapped.
Murder.
Is that what you think happened?
Do you trust me?
[Leo] You fucking quiet!
I knew.
And if I don’t do this, no one else will.
[tense music playing]
[speaking indistinctly]
Nick.
What are you doing?
When you and I first met,
you told me that Sally Burnham had recommended me to you.
That wasn’t true, was it?
I don’t understand.
Well, Sally and I didn’t part on such good terms.
My bet would be you heard from her that I was a mess,
and that worked for you ’cause you wanted someone you could lead around by the nose.
Uh, I have no idea what you’re talking about.
You don’t need to lie anymore.
Not to me.
I remembered something on the plane, something you said.
It reminded me of something that my wife said.
You said you wanted to leave your husband but he wouldn’t let you.
You were in on it the whole time.
You wanted Elias dead.
[moans]
[sniffles]
[sniffles]
[sniffles]
We both did.
The plan was that
I would walk away and that he would take over the company.
He would take over the company as Elias?
As Leo. [sniffles]
Which is what he always wanted.
But really he didn’t care about that company.
What he always wanted was you.
I didn’t know how much.
So you were the one that told Leo that Elias was gonna go climbing that morning.
[somber music playing]
And, uh, Yannis might have arranged that boat, but he was never on it.
That was you.
[sniffles]
Yeah.
And then once he came back, he just changed the plan.
[Bali] Got it. ‘Cause you were supposed to walk away,
and then he wouldn’t let you.
Mm-hmm.
Just like his brother.
I mean, it was different.
Um…
With Elias,
it was complicated, but it was love.
It was real love.
And with Leo, it was just scary.
[tense music playing]
He told me that, uh…
[breathes heavily]
He told me that he’d lost me once and he wasn’t gonna lose me again.
[sniffles]
And that eventually I would learn to love him.
That he’d be a better husband to me than his brother was.
So that’s why you needed me.
To expose him.
And once you had me on the hook, you made it easy.
[mysterious music playing]
Not too easy. [chuckles, sniffles]
[scoffs] Pretty easy.
[laughs]
[groans]
[sniffles]
Why didn’t you just tell Audrey?
I couldn’t tell Audrey.
She wouldn’t believe me. [sniffles]
I mean, even if she had, Leo would have found a way to spin it and pin it on me.
I needed someone else to find out the truth. [sniffles]
I knew that once Audrey found out, she would do something.
I just didn’t… I mean, I didn’t know that she would…
Nick. Nick!
What now?
Nothing.
You saved yourself.
I’m not gonna hold that against you.
The man you loved didn’t give you the life you deserved.
You said you wanted out.
He just should’ve let you leave.
Did you let your wife leave?
I wanted to kill her. [chuckles]
And the guy she’d been seeing.
I almost did, too. I could feel it…
…coming up in me.
But you didn’t.
[tense music playing]
[sobbing]
[dramatic music playing]
You saved yourself, too.
You didn’t hurt anybody. [chuckles]
Your daughter gets to grow up with a mother and a father.
I’m no good to her.
Not in Athens.
You’re a much better man than you realize, Nick.
[busy chatter]
[indistinct announcements over P.A.]
[gentle music playing]
[chuckles softly]
What did you whisper to him?
[whispers] Now I’m free.
[Bali] Freedom.
That’s what Icarus wanted.
And he ended up dying for it.
It’s what Penelope wanted, and…
she was willing to kill for it.
♪ ♪
I like to think of myself as free.
But I’m not sure that’s right.
I’m as caught up as anyone.
But right then…
…I was tired of flying into the sun.
[line rings]
[Monique over phone] What?
Hey, I want to talk to Clio.
[Clio] Hello?
Daddy?
Hey, sweetie.
Where are you?
Are you coming home?
Yeah, I’m coming home.
[hopeful music playing]
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
[music fades]
[mysterious music playing]
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
[music fades]