Befriend and Betray

Synopsis: Criminal organizations succeed by enforcing a strict code of trust and loyalty. To penetrate these organizations and gain access to their inner circles the police need a magic bullet. Alex Caine is that magic bullet. Only thirty years old, Alex, who grew up hard on the mean streets of Montreal, already brings a lifetime's worth of experience (foster care, military service, prison time) to the world's most dangerous occupation: professional gang infiltrator. It is his job to befriend criminals, participate in their illegal activities, gather evidence - then live long enough to testify against them in court. Inspired by real-life events, Befriend and Betray tells the story of Alex's first infiltration assignment - the case that transformed him from a rootless young man into a highly effective, defiantly unconventional crime-fighting resource. Approached by P.C. Lau, a ruthlessly ambitious soldier for the Kam Tin Triad, Alex is asked to help his old prison acquaintance with a business pro
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
Director(s): Ken Girotti
  1 nomination.
 
IMDB:
6.1
Year:
2011
85 min
26 Views


Alex:

When it comes to crime,

most people

keep their distance.

Staying out of trouble

is human nature.

It's the smart thing to do.

(Muted chatter)

(Man speaks cantonese)

But if you're like me

and you infiltrate

criminal gangs for a living,

doing the smart thing

is not always possible.

(Sirens wail in the distance)

Alex:
Not that this job

doesn't have its perks -

going new places.

Meeting new people.

It's like a clubmed

for guys with a death wish.

(Door smashes open)

Alex:
But you wanna know

the best part of this job?

You are never, ever bored.

A week ago,

helping the law dismantle a gang

was the furthest thing

from my mind.

I was starting a new life,

teaching part-time,

and getting to know...

Very good.

Melanie Meadwell.

Now, when it comes to women,

you tell them

you did a little time

for a disagreement

with a drunk off-duty cop,

and they tend to dance

in the opposite direction.

This is safe, right?

We'll see.

Alex:

Not Mel.

Are you okay?

Alex:

(Pained grunt)

For her,

the past was exactly that

and the future was something

we would discover together.

So I was thinking,

after I finish

this research proposal,

maybe we could go somewhere

together.

You know,

have a little adventure.

Nothing expensive just...

Broke grad student

and her boyfriend on a budget

gone wild!

Any place you've never been

before

that you'd like to go?

Your house.

I prefer your place.

Alex:

Yeah.

While Mel was pursuing

her studies,

i was continuing

my own education after hours,

which is how

i became reacquainted

with winstead P.C. Lau.

P.C. was a 49 -

a soldier for

the Kam Tin Triad -

who earned his nickname

for settling an argument

with a polo mallet,

just like Prince Charles.

P.C. and Alex:

(Fighting grunts)

Alex:

We met in prison

and, well, you couldn't

exactly call us friends.

H-unit, right?

How long you been out?

Alex:
And that's the thing

about becoming an infiltrator.

You don't go looking

for the job,

it finds you.

And you don't see it coming

until it's already there.

Sorry. Didn't mean to put you

on the spot back there.

No disrespect.

None taken.

P.C.:
So how's the, ah,

kiddie karate business?

It's, uh, doing okay.

Doing okay?

Guy with your moves...

Did your time like a man,

not a b*tch...

You should be doing

a lot better than okay.

Listen. I wanna move

some weight into quebec.

Trouble is bikers hate us.

Frogs are such racists.

(Smarmy chuckle)

I here you grew up there.

You know the streets,

you know the people.

I make you my middleman

and they'll never see

a Tong Yan, all right?

It's just one Gwai Lo

doing business with another.

Listen,

hanging with those guys,

it's, uh...Not something

I do anymore.

Oh yeah. You're...

You're "Alex Caine" now.

(Laughs)

Listen.

I'll talk to my four two six,

all right?

And we'll check you out -

hei dai...

Make sure we can trust you.

Think it over.

Mel:

Are you coming up?

Yeah.

Mel:

I know where we'll go!

Skydiving in Newfoundland.

What?

Apparently,

Gros Morne National Park

is spectacular

from 13,000 feet.

I love you.

Good night.

(Muffled footsteps)

P.C.:

Wakey, wakey!

I needed something

for the bagels.

Mornin'.

Don't worry.

I waited, uh... till she left.

Hey, listen.

My four two six is cool

with us doing business,

all right?

But only on a trial basis.

So, we take it slow,

build the trust.

Alex:

Won't work.

Why not?

'Cause I've been gone too long.

All my contacts are either dead

or in jail.

So make some new ones.

I'm not your man.

Except you already know

my business, which...

(Whispers) Puts me

in an awkward position.

Deal with it.

Deal with it.

She studying psychology?

Must be handy with a nut

like you, hmm?

Say "no" again,

try to leave town,

I'll be her new teacher.

(Door opens)

(Door closes)

Hi.

So, I've been doing

a little bit more thinking

about the best way

to introduce you to my parents.

Did you already eat?

Alex:

Uh, just a snack.

So, we take those aspects

of your past

that might be considered

negative

and we turn them

on their heads.

So, uh, prison.

That is, um...

A big fat negative.

Mel:
The point is

, you made a mistake

and now you're turning

your life around,

and that is a brave

and noble thing.

What's wrong?

The, uh...

The martial arts

and the criminal record:

Interesting.

The stoic silences?

Not so much.

Promise me that every time

I tell you something

that might make you freak out,

you'll count to three.

Okay.

Just now, this guy I knew

from prison dropped by...

P.C. Lau, a real bad ass -

and he wanted to talk.

So why did he drop by?

He wants me to go

into business with him.

Obviously, I said "no"

and then he threatened

to hurt you

unless I changed my mind

and then he left.

(Frustrated sigh)

Don't worry about it.

I will deal with him.

No, you'll go to the police.

(Half laughs)

No. I don't think so.

We're going to the police.

Alex:
If you have a record

and you go to the police,

no matter how pure

your intentions,

they see only one thing.

"P. C. Lau."

Never heard of him.

So what exactly did P.C.

do to you

that you needed to come in here

to rat him out?

Is this how you protect people?

He threatened to hurt me

unless Alex agreed to help him

sell his heroin.

Last time I checked,

extortion and trafficking

were against the law.

McBradden:

I appreciate you coming in.

We'll keep your complaint

on file.

Thank you.

Mel:

What does that even mean?

"We'll keep your complaint

on file."

Alex what it means is that

taxpayers get a pat on the head

and ex-cons get the door.

Bottom line:

P.C. Lau is a businessman.

Once he understands

I'd be bad for business,

he will change his mind

and the problem will go away.

P.C.:

You and me, Alex...

The only thing we like more

than a good fight's

a cheap movie.

Had time to think it over?

Alex:
You're Chinese; I'm not.

Very bad for business.

My product, your friends...

Perfect for business.

You say you know me

and my friends.

What do I know about yours?

Hop in.

(Cacophony of chatter

and music playing)

P.C.:

Huh? Meet my friends.

Not bad, huh?

(Laughs)

(Loud chatter and music)

Man 1:
All in.

Man 2:
Too rich for my blood.

Fold.

Man 2:

Woo!

(Man speaks cantonese)

Man 1:

Argh!

I just want one more hand.

We both know you're broke,

Bunny.

Look. 15-years-old,

wants to be a model.

Sweet.

And since you guys are friends,

you guys can get first crack.

Thousand dollars a night.

Ehn. 500.

Shades:

Come on, let's see.

Ooh.

Hmm?

This is for me,

this is for my friend.

Bunny:
Let's play.

P.C.:
Let's play.

P.C.:

(Grunts)

(Low hum of chatter,

sirens wail in the distance)

Morning.

Forgot your book.

Mel:

(Exhales, freaked out)

What? No moat?

Mel:

(Nervously) Yeah.

I thought you said

you were broke.

Well, yeah, me, not my parents.

No kidding.

How's the research proposal

coming?

Uh... slowly.

Uh, shall I, um,

lower the drawbridge

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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