Heroes Don't Come Home (2016) Movie Script
1
- Oh hey, look, desert.
And more desert.
The, 10 meters up on the right.
Here come left.
- Coming left.
- Fuck, there's another one!
Come right, come right!
- Almost lost one!
- Look, look, look,
look, look, look!
- Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,.
Whoo!
- Woo!
Woo!
- I say they walk the plank.
They walk the plank.
- Walk the plank to the lake!
To the lake!
Ah!
Ah!
- Boom, boom!
Get him in the lake.
- Don't worry, I won't do it.
- Get him in there!
- Whoa!
- I win!
Boom!
Come on, old man!
You're sleeping in
the cave tonight!
Come on
- Almost there.
Come on.
- Oh god.
- Oh, you crampin'
up them muscles?
- Not a god damn fish!
- Clearly.
What stroke was that?
- It's the black stroke,
you little bastard.
Huh?
Get over here.
- Alright, alright, alright.
Too much suction,
too much suction!
Little Jack Johnson, huh?
That better?
- Yes.
- Yeah.
- Much better.
- I just didn't
realize it was a shared plan.
- I mean we've been
talking about it
for like a couple of months now.
Then we'll do the surgeries,
and then I'll do his pt.
- Sounds fantastic.
- Yeah, I mean you know,
we'll probably have
to start out small,
but eventually we want to
do professional athletes,
and police and
firefighters, you know?
- Well it sounds like
a solid plan to me,
Mr. 1,500.
- Ooh, that's Mr. 1,520, to you.
Tim got the 1,500.
- I have to measure 1,520.
- Hey.
Remember that time
you were jealous
'cause your sat score
was lower than mine?
- Fuck you.
- Hey, I ever show you
guys a campfire bomb?
- No.
No, no thanks.
- One, two, three!
- Fire!
- Now I can roast
my marshmallow.
- Where you go?
- Ben!
- Tim!
- Where you at?
- I watched it fly right
into the world trade center.
And it was flying really low
and going incredibly fast.
I could hear the engine.
I've never seen
anything like this.
It just plants this side
of the building.
- Ben, what's up?
- Something's wrong,
I need to talk to Tim.
- What's going on?
- Turn on the TV.
You'll see there's been like
an accident, or something.
- Tim, can you come out
in the hallway please?
- What's up, man?
- Where's your dad today?
- Um, I don't know.
What's today?
- Today's Tuesday.
- He just flipped it so he
wouldn't miss any of my games.
So Tuesdays and Thursdays
he's in the city.
Why?
- Crashed into
the world trade center.
Apparently there is very
little information available,
but we do have Kelly
Bolicky on the phone
who saw the events unfold.
Kelly, can you hear me?
- Hey which, which
tower is that?
- Shock right
now, but I came out...
- Ben man, which one is that?
- And I heard this explosion.
Then people started...
- No!
- You okay right now...
- No!
- Mom! Mom!
Mom!
Hey!
Where are you?
- No, no, no, don't, don't.
- Hey, guys.
This just isn't supposed
to be the way it happens.
There's just so much
that I never got to...
When I tried going
down the stairs,
but there wasn't any stairs.
Tim, there's so much that
I never got to teach you.
That I never got to show you.
Know that I'm proud of you.
So proud of you.
Son, you'll make a
great man, one day.
Sweetheart, Annie, I'm so sorry.
- I can graduate
early, if I want.
At least, that's what
Ms. Henshaw said.
14-5.
I'm up.
If I do that, I can
enlist by February.
- What about basketball?
And prom, and college?
- None of that
shit matters, man.
- Let's do it, man.
Fuck this place.
- Wait, really?
- Yeah.
- What about your med school?
- I'll be a medic.
There's always gonna
be sick people, right?
They'll be here
when we get back.
We'll go in for a
couple of years!
Win the war!
- Kick some fucking ass!
- Not like we're gonna miss
anything here, anyways.
- We're gonna miss
the apple festival.
- Dude, I don't
even like apples.
Hurt my teeth.
Hook shot!
Come on!
- Oh!
- Alrighty, you get it now.
Get that now.
Huh, you ticklish?
Yeah, yeah?
- Dinner!
- Shh, shh, shh.
You know what, you know what?
Here we go.
Dinnertime.
- Here you go, sweetie.
Got it?
Is that enough to start?
It's good.
Why don't you help
yourself to that?
- What's for dinner?
- It's called Whisky fish.
I ran out of white
wine, so I used Whisky.
It's good.
Try it.
It'll be good.
Take some rice.
What are you
thinkin' about, Ben?
Benny?
What you thinkin' about?
- Nothin'.
- A-1 today.
- No, 7-16.
- Well, better than usual.
- Yeah.
- And how long do we
have to do that for?
- Tim, we haven't
seen her for four months.
I'm just asking for
one night of your time.
- I know, but can't
she come here?
- Why, what's the problem?
- Well, for starters, the whole
place smells like mothballs.
Mom, they're in her pantry.
- It is a little disgusting.
- They're in the refrigerator.
- They are not.
- Yes they are.
They roll around inside
the door when you open it.
I swear to...
What's wrong?
- It's okay, leave it.
Leave it.
- Yeah.
We both were.
- Infantry?
- Yeah, I was hoping
to be a medic.
- Okay, couple things.
We don't have medics.
Navy gives us corpsman.
Guys, you can do
anything you want.
You could be NBC specialists,
intelligence specialists,
helicopter pilots.
- No, the infantry
is what we want.
- Okay.
I'll work with you guys.
There's something
called a buddy program.
You'll both go to boot together,
that's all I can guarantee ya.
From there, your best
bet's to go infantry.
Excel.
Try out for recon.
You want to be the tip of the
spear, that's how you do it.
You will deploy, and
you will kill bad guys.
- Nope, absolutely not.
No.
- Why?
- Ugh, okay I got
the whites in the...
- you have to sign this.
- I'm not signing anything.
- Josh is asleep, okay?
Now what's going on?
- Ask your son.
- My son?
- Yeah, your son.
- Ben?
- I'm 17, so I need parental
permission to join the marines.
- Okay.
- Guys, I've been talking about
this since like September.
- What brought this on?
- We went to the
recruiter's office today.
- You went to the
recruiters today?
- Why do you keep asking
me the same questions
just over and over again?
It's not gonna change my answer.
- Don't talk to us like that.
- Yes, I went to the
recruiter's office today.
- Okay look, you're frustrated.
I get that.
You made it perfectly clear.
Ben, you've gotta see
this from our perspective.
- And what's the problem?
You went to war.
Look, I just wanna be
there for my friend, okay?
His dad was killed.
He was fucking murdered.
- Watch your mouth.
- What's the problem?
'Cause I'm willing
to risk my life
Sp Josh doesn't have
to grow up with this?
Yeah, I'm a real dirtbag.
- No, you're our little boy.
And I'm not gonna bury you, too.
You're 17 years old.
What if something
happened to you?
I'm not doing this right now.
- What's the problem?
- I'm scared!
- You could get hurt.
Or worse, you could die.
Ben, you're gonna
have to kill people.
Do you think that's
not gonna affect you?
Who are you gonna become
when you watch somebody die
because of something
that you did?
I mean we love you, buddy.
Right now, you...
But what if somebody
else comes home?
- I'll be fine.
What?
I need to do this.
I have to be there for him.
I gave him my word.
- I know.
I know.
- I'm gonna do it.
It's just a matter of
now, or in eight months.
- What?
This country is worth defending.
- Oh.
That's what he's doing, huh?
Do you remember how
messed up you were
when you came back?
Have you forgotten that?
You know, you have
to tell him, okay?
At the very least,
you have to tell him.
- Alright.
- Dedicated it to you.
I ran 2,000 yards.
I'm sorry.
I miss you.
- Up in there.
Got this.
Ah, rookie.
Listen, Ben.
I don't like to
talk about this, but
when I was drafted,
they put me in a
helicopter and they told me
to shoot anything that
wasn't wearing green.
I did.
To this day, I don't know
why I killed those people.
You need to make
your own decisions.
Before you pull the trigger,
you need to be able to
look yourself in the mirror,
and say why you're doin' it.
And that you believe in it.
- It's fucking weird,
not playing this season.
- Yeah, it's bullshit,
coach won't let you play.
- Nah.
I understand.
I mean, I'm not gonna be here
for half the games anyway.
Wrong of me to even
try out like that.
- Yeah, why didn't you wait
'til after after
basketball season?
- I don't know.
I guess I just didn't
think about it.
But in the scheme of things,
what's more important?
Couple high school
basketball games, or the war?
- You were gettin'
looks from colleges.
- Easy decision, bro.
Easy decision.
- Your mom still bein' a
bitch about that paperwork?
Man, I'm right behind you.
I mean one way or another,
I turn 18 in August.
- I know, man.
It's not your fault.
We're gonna kick
some fucking ass.
Don't you worry about it.
Shoot the fucking ball.
- So um, you, you
know, watch out for yourself.
- I will.
- Take care of yourself, really.
- I will, I will
- okay.
- Don't you worry about me.
- Okay.
- Alright.
- Say goodbye, sweetie.
- I'll see ya, buddy.
You take care of her.
Got it?
We'll write to you.
- Perfect.
- Come here.
You come back.
Okay?
We got a tradition to
maintain every summer.
- You know I will.
- I'm gonna miss you.
- Thanks, man.
See ya, buddy.
- I'm right behind you.
- Hey Ben!
It's five months, man!
Five months 'til you graduate.
- Fuck!
- Benny, are you okay?
- I'm fine.
- Look, if you want to
yell, then go ahead.
We understand that you're mad,
and you have a right to be.
You can be mad.
- And what's there
to be mad about?
'Cause you won't let me
be there for my friend?
Won't let me serve my country?
- Okay, we will.
As much as it kills us to
think about you getting hurt,
or worse, we're prepared
to sign the papers
when you graduate.
- I'll do whatever you want.
- You continue to
apply to colleges,
and you seriously
think about the ROTC.
- Done.
- This hurts us, but
we don't want to
stand in your way.
You know, we just
wanna make sure
that you really
thought this through.
- Hello?
- Hey, Josh!
- Tim!
- Hey, buddy!
- You want to
talk to my brother Benny?
- Yes, that would be awesome.
- Ben, Tim's on the phone.
Ben, Tim's on the phone.
- Hey, man!
- Say Ben, what's up?
- Same shit, man.
How's boot camp?
- Fuckin' sucks!
But I crushed it, bro.
Thank god it's family day.
Feels like I haven't
slept in 53 days.
- Oh yeah, not that
you're counting, right?
- Oh and dude?
The fucking guys down
here, they are scary.
One of 'em asked me who
the commander of chief was.
I told him it was the king
of all native Americans.
- Your picture looks
really good there, Josh.
- Hey!
- Hi!
- Oh, hey guys.
How are you?
- Good.
How are you?
- I'm good.
- So, what's for dinner?
- Benny!
- Oh, what's this?
Dear Benjamin, we're
pleased to announce
you've been accepted to
northeastern university.
Please see attach...
- yes!
- For important
financial worksheets.
- Oh!
Congratulations.
- What does that mean?
- Benny got into college.
- Yay, Benny doesn't
have to go away!
- Oh.
- Shh.
- Here, let me get that.
- Brick!
Say, Ben!
- Hey.
Nice hat.
- Alright, fuck you.
It's cold up here.
- What's up, man?
- What's goin' on?
Your dad said I'd
catch you here, man.
Yeah, I got a few days of leave,
and then I fucking deploy.
- Damn, that's quick.
- Yeah.
Some unit had a group
of guys get in trouble
a few months back,
so they got no choice
but to take me and a
few others from SOI.
But hey, sure beats
sittin' in my barracks
listen to the other guy in
my rack beat off above me.
- Oh, fuck.
- It's cool, he never
lasts that long.
- What?
Some ROTC recruiter
guy came by the school
and a bunch of guys signed
that letter of interest thing.
- Yeah, a bunch of pussies
need a back-up plan
'cause they're soft.
Tryin' to get
something out of it.
So what's goin' on
since I've been gone?
- Teachers, they don't
know what to do with us.
Nobody does their
homework, and you know.
- Homework?
That's so weird.
- Yeah.
Everybody's already gotten
into college, you know?
- Yeah, where's everyone goin'?
- Well your ex got rejected.
- Good.
She's a fucking whore.
- Okay.
Bobby Lachey's goin' to Harvard.
- Smart bastard.
- Joe is goin' to Westfield.
- Of course he's
goin' to Westfield.
His grandfather went there,
his father went there,
his fucking kids are
gonna go to Westfield.
Shit.
- Yeah.
I got in.
Got a scholarship, too.
- Okay.
What does that mean?
- Nothin'.
I mean that was
the deal, you know?
I apply to college, my
dad sign the papers.
Three more months
'til I graduate.
- Yeah, I better get going.
Mom's making Shepherd's pie.
I'll see ya.
- Dig a little hole.
Let's go, form up,.
Okay, we're
approaching our target.
Everybody watch your sectors.
We're gonna move in
a wedge formation
to the south side
of that mountain.
Let's head out.
- Take cover!
Cover me!
- Take cover! Go!
- In position! Move!
- Oh fuck.
Oh shit.
- Coming! Coming!
- I got this.
Go!
You're gonna be alright, buddy.
I'll take care of ya.
Are you hit anywhere else?
- Ammo discipline!
- He shot...
- Move out!
Get him behind cover!
- Come on!
He sees me!
Come down!
I'm up!
Down!
I'm up!
- In position! Move!
- Don't have a clear shot!
Take that fucker out!
- Is target neutralized!
- Esty!
Go make sure that
target is down!
Esty!
- If you were a chick,
you'd have a pretty nice ass.
- Hey esty, how
long you been back there
thinkin' about that?
- Heh, for the last five miles.
- Sounds like four
and a half miles too long.
You know what?
Go ahead and put that
on the list of shit
you can't say to me anymore.
- Aye-aye, sergeant.
- Ben,.
Ben, Ben.
I love you.
It's alright.
- This is bullshit.
- Better down here
than up there.
- I don't like this.
- We've been scoutin'
for seven hours.
Seven miles out.
The Hajis are all
up in the mountains.
Fucking huge, man!
Blister on my big toe so big
I think it's got a fucking face.
- Esty, let me check my big
book of I don't give a shit,
and see if that blister on
your big toe is in there.
Yup, hey it's right there.
Right next to your jock itch
and erectile dysfunction.
- Oh whoa, whoa, whoa.
It wasn't erectile dysfunction.
I have poor circulation.
- Poor circulation.
I'll be sure to
tell that to my wife
the next time I...
- Hi.
Listen.
Just keep trying.
We don't give up.
Now, chop me some ship.
Get in there.
Oh, after you're done,
can you get your father, please?
- Yo, pop!
Pop.
- I refuse to answer to that.
- Pop!
- What?
- Dinner.
- Stop calling me that.
- Calling you what?
- Pop.
God, you're making me feel
so old with that pop shit.
- Which is exactly
why he does it.
You're just encouraging him.
- Oh, this smells delicious.
Oh, hey.
You don't know what
you got here, kid.
This broad's a gem.
Hey you remember
your mom's cooking.
- Oh, recipes are
merely a suggestion,
not a requirement.
- Yeah, she was
certainly creative.
- As long as you have
barbecue sauce, it was okay.
- Hah!
Barbecue sauce and
ranch dressing.
They were a whole food group.
That's probably
why you already got
that high blood pressure, huh?
- Yeah, I'm pretty sure
that's because of
your shitty genes.
- Shitty genes, me?
- Okay, sit, sit, sit.
It's ready.
Hey, hey, hey, hey.
Light on peppers, go.
Some peppers.
- Hmm, no.
That's enough.
- At least two.
- God damn calorie gestapo.
- Did you take your pills?
They're on your nightstand.
- Okay, okay, okay.
- And the surgeon just starts
sawing into this guy's leg
with what was
essentially a chainsaw.
I mean no warning whatsoever.
There was blood and bone
chips shooting everywhere.
- I was taking bone out of
his hair when he came home.
- The last thing I remember
I was trying to swallow
that hot spit you get
right before you throw up,
and then just, wham!
My head hits the floor.
Oh, I mean when I finally
did regain consciousness,
I was sitting in a wheelchair
in the middle of a hallway.
Imagine opening your eyes,
and the first thing you see
is this guy wearing his
hospital gown backwards...
- ew.
- And he just looks
at you, and he says,
do you know how we got here?
- Oh no!
- Which way is the bathroom?
- Oh, I'll go with you.
- Tim?
- Yeah.
- I didn't know you were home.
- No?
- We should,
we should get together
some time, catch up.
It's been awhile.
- You know I got every one
of those letters you sent me?
There's a reason you
never got a response.
- That's bullshit,
and you know it.
I mean you know exactly
why he told me to fuck off.
And you know, I deserve it.
I deserve worse.
I mean I fucking promised him.
I should've just...
- Ben, you didn't
believe in it, okay?
It wasn't you...
- but I gave him my word.
- You were 17!
- I did believe in it!
Was I just scared?
- I don't know.
You know, maybe you
stopped believing in it.
Listen, you hate how
the military is used.
You say it all the time.
- This thing's just so fucked
up, and there's no fixing it.
I mean what did I
think was gonna happen?
I'm so fucking stupid.
- Ben, you're not stupid.
- No, I'm worse.
- Hmph.
- Catch much, pop?
- Hey, if I wanted
any of your lip,
I'd unzip my pants.
- That is gross.
- Remember when you said that
to your kindergarten teacher?
Mrs. umm...
- oh, Mrs. Pinkum.
- God.
Your mother was mortified.
- Yeah, you
really let me go down
with the ship on that one.
- Well that's.
Yeah well I had to, pal.
She would've crucified me.
- You know what, this is good.
You've been cooped up in that
house ever since mom died.
It's...
- I'm sellin' the cabin, Ben.
Ben...
That place...
It's her.
She picked out the doorknobs.
I just can't do it.
I'm gonna go up there.
I'm gonna pack some things.
I'm gonna close the house down,
I'm gonna put a sign out front.
Hey, you're coming with me.
- Dad, I got so
much stuff goin' on,
and with layoffs at Lily's...
- I already talked to her.
Yeah, you're coming with me.
- Alright.
- Just make sure you're there
in case he needs to talk.
- We're goin' to the cabin.
He loves it up there.
He's gonna be fine.
- He hasn't been there
since your mom passed away.
- I know.
- Just promise me you'll
keep an eye on him.
- Lill, he's my dad.
Okay?
I got this.
Gonna be fun.
What's wrong?
- Nothin', I just wanted
to get on the road sooner.
- Oh, okay.
Well bye.
Love you.
- I love you, too.
- You sure old
Susie's gonna make it?
- Oh, I already offered.
He does not want
to take the car.
- Yeah, don't worry.
She's got one more trip in her.
Hey Susie and I have
been through a lot worse
than a quick trip to Maine.
- How long a drive is it?
- 10 hours.
- Is there cell service?
How will I know
you got there safe?
- That's the fun of it.
Now don't worry.
We'll be back in three days.
- I'll let you know
when we get to Portland,
and then again when
we're on our way home.
- Keep him safe.
- I will.
- I didn't know you were coming.
- I'm here for your father.
- Hey, he's here.
We're all here.
That's all that matters.
- Oh!
I forgot how long
of a drive this was.
- It's 574 beautiful miles.
- Pull over.
I gotta take a piss.
- So you gonna tell
me what the deal is?
- No deal.
Just thought I'd ask
him to come along.
- Yeah, this is gonna be fun.
- Seat belts.
- Hey! Hey!
I'm up.
Hey, hey, hey knock it off!
I didn't live through two tours
to die in the middle
of butt-fuck Maine!
- Now we're in business!
- No, no, no, no!
Cut this shit out!
Fucking hilarious.
- Oh, stop being a pussy!
- How far out are we?
- About 100 miles.
- Oh, that's fucking great.
This truck bed's real fucking...
- smell that?
There's nothing like that.
Now you guys grab the
bags out of the truck,
bring the fishing poles.
I'm gonna go throw
the boat in the lake.
- Want a hand?
- Fuck you.
I'm old, I'm not dead.
- You remember that
time you got the hook
stuck in your thumb?
- Oh man, I got
myself pretty good.
- We were all bent
outta shape after that.
- I was bleedin'
like a stuck pig!
- You remember what you said?
- No.
- You wrap that
shit in duct tape.
You said, better than stitches.
- Well yeah, it turns out it
wasn't better than stitches.
Left me with a pretty good scar.
- You use duct tape for all
sorts of shit out there.
Saved our sorry asses
more than a couple times.
What?
- Nothing.
- Didn't sound like nothing.
- Whoa.
- You got something?
- No.
You're making this awkward.
You both got great,
big veiny dicks, okay?
Let's just fish.
- Big?
Jesus.
- Hi.
Whoa, that's what I call
a successful day, huh?
- Yeah.
- Oh no, after you, our
resident angler, huh?
Oh, excellent.
Well now we're in business.
Cutting board.
What do we got here?
What the fuck?
You call this a keeper?
What?
- It's pitch black out there.
It felt way bigger than that.
- Yeah, that's what she said.
- To who?
- Mm, there's not enough
here to make a fish stick!
Gentlemen!
Tonight we dine like kings!
- I had no idea.
- Her grandfather
was a bush pilot.
Flew her up to moosehead lake
when she was a little girl.
She wanted to
share that with me.
- How did you end up here?
- Oh, the directions
were 20 years old,
and so faded, you
could barely read 'em.
We drove around for hours.
God, she got us so lost.
And then, then we found
this dilapidated cabin.
No electricity, no water.
But she knew that was where
we were meant to
spend our honeymoon.
She knew it.
Only cost $14,000.
So we broke in that night,
spent the night on the floor,
and we bought it the next day.
Your father and I, we
built that back section
when you and Ben were born.
But that first week,
that was the happiest
time of my life.
So simple.
I'm hungry.
Who's hungry?
Oh!
Oh.
- Pop!
Morning.
- What time is it?
- Like, 10.
- No shit.
How long has he been out there?
- Oh, I shoulda gotten up.
Dad!
Dad!
Dad!
Dad!
Dad, dad!
- Hey slow down, slow down.
I'll go to the other side.
Go, go, go!
Alright, Ben!
Ben.
Ben.
Grab my hand.
- No, no, no, no!
- Ben, Ben, grab my hand.
Over here, over here.
Grab his head, grab his head!
Pull him back, come on!
Come on!
On his back, on his back.
You know CPR?
Okay, I'll do three
minutes, then you.
One, two, three, four, five,
six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15,
16, 17, 18, 19, 20,
21, 22, 23, 24, 25,
26, 27, 28, 29, 30.
One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight,
come on!
Come on, come on
not today, old man!
Come on!
Today's not your day!
Come on!
28, 29, 30!
Go breathe, breathe!
Breathe, breathe!
Good, good, good, good, good!
- Somebody!
Somebody help us!
- Breathe, breathe.
It's been two hours, Ben.
Ben!
- Six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
- Ben, he's gone...
- don't stop!
Keep going!
- He's gone.
- Five, six, seven,
eight, nine, ten.
- Hey!
- What do you want to do?
We need to do something.
It's been three hours.
Things are gonna
start to happen.
- I know.
- Put him in the truck?
Drive to the nearest hospital.
Want to tie it down?
I just don't want
it sliding around.
- Just get in the truck.
No!
No!
Fuck!
- Alright, what's
your plan here?
- I'm gonna walk.
- Okay great, now let's
think this through.
- What's wrong with you?
He's dead, Tim!
My dad just died.
- Yeah I know, I was here.
- Do you even know
what this is like?
I mean can you be
human for one second?
- We need to think this through.
That's 175 pounds.
We're at least 100 miles
from any kind of help.
We don't have the gear, the
supplies, or the manpower
to carry him that far.
- I'll take care of it.
- No, you'll end up dead from
dehydration or exhaustion.
Then you become my problem.
Ben, your arm's already shaking.
You haven't even reached
the end of the driveway.
- Don't worry about us!
We'll be fine.
- No!
You won't be fine!
What you're trying
to do cannot be done!
Better men have
tried, and failed!
- Then help me.
- I'm trying to.
- What is wrong with you?
- He was old.
I'm sorry.
He had a great run.
Shit, he went out on top!
Heart attack in paradise!
I can come up with a
lot worse ways to go!
Sorry I'm not so
broken up about it,
but this, this is the world
I'm very fucking familiar with.
- Oh, you're such an asshole.
- Why?
'Cause I'm here for
him, and not you?
I loved the guy, man.
I really did.
I wouldn't be here if
it weren't for him.
Not a chance in hell!
Really though,
what'd you expect?
- My friend!
I expected my friend!
Where's that guy?
- Dead.
You left that guy.
And he died in some shit hole
in the middle of the desert.
I'm right behind you!
You remember that?
That guy held his real
best friend's hand
while he bled out
from a shrapnel wound
that tore his body to pieces!
He lied to him!
Told him he was gonna be
okay while he bled out!
Try being human after that!
You ever felt someone's
hopes and dreams
leave their body?
Held their hand as
their skin turned gray?
And they shit themselves?
Where were you?
- You never let me apologize.
I've always been sorry.
- You fucking should be.
Get the shovels.
Can't leave him inside,
and we can't carry him.
It's too far.
It's not a bad view.
You up?
- Yeah.
- Let's go.
You're not drinking enough.
Come on last thing we need
is you gettin' dehydrated.
Come on.
- Enough!
I'm fine.
- Your body needs water.
Simple biology.
- I'm not thirsty.
- Hey man, just take the water.
What the fuck, man!
We don't have enough
clean water, as it is!
- Then just leave me alone!
- If you get dehydrated,
I won't be able to get
us both outta here!
- I don't need you
to get me outta here.
- Alright, fucking tough guy.
- You know, I'm so sick
of your macho shit.
Excuse me!
Ladies and gentlemen!
But we have a real, genuine,
certified bad-ass here.
Fucking congratulations.
You hear that?
That's the sound of
the world not clapping.
- You're a fucking prick.
- I'm a prick?
- Yeah.
You.
Where do you get off?
What do you have
to be so mad about?
- Everything.
- Blowing this out of proportion
a bit, don't you think?
- I just buried my
father in the dirt!
- And where you goin' now, huh?
Back home?
To your wife?
To your perfect home?
Your perfect little life?
- You chose not to
have those things.
- What?
No, I didn't make that choice!
I didn't get to!
- Please, are you
fucking serious?
- Yes, I'm fucking serious.
No one chooses to watch
their friends die.
You think I choose to hear
them when I close my eyes?
- You enlisted again.
You chose it.
- Where were you?
I distinctly remember you
saying you'd be right behind me!
Where were you!
Say it!
- I couldn't do it, man.
I couldn't kill my
person for that.
- You were afraid.
Maybe you do think
it was wrong now,
but you were afraid then, and
that's why you weren't there.
That's why you feel so guilty.
While you were doing keg stands,
and fucking that pretty
little girlfriend of yours,
you know what I was doing?
- I'm sure you're gonna tell me.
- Defending your country.
Protecting this place.
A place you didn't earn.
- Then why are you so broken?
- I'm not broken.
- I think you can't deal
with what you've done,
and it fucking kills you.
- And what have I done?
- You killed people, man.
You murdered people
for something that
you didn't believe in.
- You think I murdered people?
- What else do you call
killing another person
for something you
don't believe in?
- Oh, please.
All that political bullshit
goes right out the window
the minute, the fucking second,
someone is trying to kill
you, or your friends.
I didn't murder them.
I stopped them from killing
people I cared about!
It was us, versus them!
We just, we just wanted
to stay alive, man.
There's no time to think
about anything else.
- So you save people?
You're a hero?
- No.
Heroes don't come home.
- Man, I should've
been there with you,
and for that, I'm sorry.
That is my greatest regret.
If I could have
that moment back,
I would do it so differently.
But I don't regret not getting
pulled into that bullshit.
- And you think I do?
- You should!
- You are fucking
something else.
- What did you expect?
That I was gonna worship you
and thank you for your service?
- I never asked for that.
- Huh, does that piss you off?
That I don't shake your hand,
and thank you for
everything you sacrificed?
- You got the freedom to say
whatever the fuck you want!
- Cut the canned bullshit, man!
I know you!
- You don't know me.
- I know it pisses you off!
I can see it in your eyes.
I'm an ungrateful fuck.
Sorry if I didn't want to get
dragged into that bullshit.
- Why don't you tell
my dead friends that?
- You volunteered!
You signed your name
down on a piece of paper!
At what point do you become
a willing participant
in something that
you know is wrong?
- By the time I re-upped,
do you really think
I gave a shit about
why we were there?
I wanted to make sure
that the 17 year old kid
with a 90 IQ, the guy who joined
because he wanted to
protect his country
got to come back home
to his mom and dad.
And if I didn't go,
somewhat who wasn't
as good as me, would've.
- That doesn't
justify this killing!
- Do you realize how fucking
ridiculous that sounds!
Soldiers go where
you ask us to go!
We are a tool, a concept
you refuse to understand!
- I understand it!
Do you?
Or do you just like
refuse to process...
- awful easy to say
coming from the safety
of your suburban
home, where people
aren't killing your friends!
- It's not that simple!
You put yourself
in the situation
where you had to kill somebody
for something you
didn't even believe in!
I couldn't do that!
Yeah, I would have trouble
sleeping at night, too.
- You done?
Enough Ben!
I don't want to hurt you!
- Fucker.
I'll fucking kill you.
- You're a scrappy mother
fucker, aren't you?
- I was fighting for my life.
- When I was over there
I kept turning on the news
expecting to see
people protesting
trying to bring
us home, you know?
You know what I saw?
Survivor, fucking Kardashians.
Did you once try
to bring me home?
Man, I can't sleep at night,
and I probably
never really will.
While the rest of
the country curls up
in their Egyptian cotton sheets,
and their cozy,
gas-heated homes.
And they get to dream
about fucking sugarplums.
The price of our way
of life is not shared.
I know I'm not a hero.
No sane person comes back
from that fucked-up nightmare
proud of everything they did.
All I could do was one thing,
and that's keep my guys alive.
And I did.
- So what now?
Oh fuck.
- Still feels like it's there.
IUD got us in a hum-v.
It was fucking.
Worst part is, I swear I have
a huge blister on my big toe!
But when I looked down, nothing.
No foot, no shin!
My whole god damn leg is gone!
I had the coolest fucking
tattoo on my calf.
400 bucks fucking wasted.
That shit pissed me off.
- So, so go to colleges.
I mean tell your story.
Call out the hypocrites.
- Come on, Benson.
A room full of teenagers
and listen to them
talk about shit they
know nothing about?
No thanks.
These kids were four
when 9/11 happened.
It's about as meaningful as
saying Pearl harbor, to them.
- If you're not gonna
tell them, then who will?
- I'm the enemy, man.
I'm the machine.
They'll never hear me even
if I did say something.
But you know what
I would tell them?
That it's criminal.
That hero shit.
When a life gets snuffed
out like it's nothing.
Imagine growing up so poor
where your only chance
for a better life
requires you to gamble with it.
And for what?
Free college tuition, or
to protect their country?
Which one is it?
That is what's fucking criminal.
They don't want
to be heroes, man.
They just want a chance.
They want adventure.
Wars destroy lives.
It shreds friendships.
It's not cool, it's not bad-ass,
there's no fast
cars, no hot chicks.
And all the heroes fucking die.
But you know what
I wonder the most?
Is who I would've been.
You feel good about yourself?
You beat up a cripple.
A god damn amputee!
- Hey, you remember that time
we drove up here with your dad?
- In the back of the pick-up?
- Dude, those puddles were huge!
- Downright dangerous.
We could've been killed
before our balls dropped.
- Yeah, I'm surprised
they did that.
- You know, you
weren't the only one.
We were all very concerned about
those lopsided little guys.
Whatever came of the left one?
- Oh, it's still crooked,
and way higher
than the other one.
- Can you still pull
it up inside your body?
- Hell yeah, man!
Oh, fuck.
- Jesus, what
happened to your face?
What's wrong with my face?
No seriously, what's
wrong with my face?
- It looks better than before.
Does anybody even pick
up hitchhikers anymore?
- Rapists and
murderers, I think.
- Perfect.
Just in case.
- Oh hey, look, desert.
And more desert.
The, 10 meters up on the right.
Here come left.
- Coming left.
- Fuck, there's another one!
Come right, come right!
- Almost lost one!
- Look, look, look,
look, look, look!
- Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,.
Whoo!
- Woo!
Woo!
- I say they walk the plank.
They walk the plank.
- Walk the plank to the lake!
To the lake!
Ah!
Ah!
- Boom, boom!
Get him in the lake.
- Don't worry, I won't do it.
- Get him in there!
- Whoa!
- I win!
Boom!
Come on, old man!
You're sleeping in
the cave tonight!
Come on
- Almost there.
Come on.
- Oh god.
- Oh, you crampin'
up them muscles?
- Not a god damn fish!
- Clearly.
What stroke was that?
- It's the black stroke,
you little bastard.
Huh?
Get over here.
- Alright, alright, alright.
Too much suction,
too much suction!
Little Jack Johnson, huh?
That better?
- Yes.
- Yeah.
- Much better.
- I just didn't
realize it was a shared plan.
- I mean we've been
talking about it
for like a couple of months now.
Then we'll do the surgeries,
and then I'll do his pt.
- Sounds fantastic.
- Yeah, I mean you know,
we'll probably have
to start out small,
but eventually we want to
do professional athletes,
and police and
firefighters, you know?
- Well it sounds like
a solid plan to me,
Mr. 1,500.
- Ooh, that's Mr. 1,520, to you.
Tim got the 1,500.
- I have to measure 1,520.
- Hey.
Remember that time
you were jealous
'cause your sat score
was lower than mine?
- Fuck you.
- Hey, I ever show you
guys a campfire bomb?
- No.
No, no thanks.
- One, two, three!
- Fire!
- Now I can roast
my marshmallow.
- Where you go?
- Ben!
- Tim!
- Where you at?
- I watched it fly right
into the world trade center.
And it was flying really low
and going incredibly fast.
I could hear the engine.
I've never seen
anything like this.
It just plants this side
of the building.
- Ben, what's up?
- Something's wrong,
I need to talk to Tim.
- What's going on?
- Turn on the TV.
You'll see there's been like
an accident, or something.
- Tim, can you come out
in the hallway please?
- What's up, man?
- Where's your dad today?
- Um, I don't know.
What's today?
- Today's Tuesday.
- He just flipped it so he
wouldn't miss any of my games.
So Tuesdays and Thursdays
he's in the city.
Why?
- Crashed into
the world trade center.
Apparently there is very
little information available,
but we do have Kelly
Bolicky on the phone
who saw the events unfold.
Kelly, can you hear me?
- Hey which, which
tower is that?
- Shock right
now, but I came out...
- Ben man, which one is that?
- And I heard this explosion.
Then people started...
- No!
- You okay right now...
- No!
- Mom! Mom!
Mom!
Hey!
Where are you?
- No, no, no, don't, don't.
- Hey, guys.
This just isn't supposed
to be the way it happens.
There's just so much
that I never got to...
When I tried going
down the stairs,
but there wasn't any stairs.
Tim, there's so much that
I never got to teach you.
That I never got to show you.
Know that I'm proud of you.
So proud of you.
Son, you'll make a
great man, one day.
Sweetheart, Annie, I'm so sorry.
- I can graduate
early, if I want.
At least, that's what
Ms. Henshaw said.
14-5.
I'm up.
If I do that, I can
enlist by February.
- What about basketball?
And prom, and college?
- None of that
shit matters, man.
- Let's do it, man.
Fuck this place.
- Wait, really?
- Yeah.
- What about your med school?
- I'll be a medic.
There's always gonna
be sick people, right?
They'll be here
when we get back.
We'll go in for a
couple of years!
Win the war!
- Kick some fucking ass!
- Not like we're gonna miss
anything here, anyways.
- We're gonna miss
the apple festival.
- Dude, I don't
even like apples.
Hurt my teeth.
Hook shot!
Come on!
- Oh!
- Alrighty, you get it now.
Get that now.
Huh, you ticklish?
Yeah, yeah?
- Dinner!
- Shh, shh, shh.
You know what, you know what?
Here we go.
Dinnertime.
- Here you go, sweetie.
Got it?
Is that enough to start?
It's good.
Why don't you help
yourself to that?
- What's for dinner?
- It's called Whisky fish.
I ran out of white
wine, so I used Whisky.
It's good.
Try it.
It'll be good.
Take some rice.
What are you
thinkin' about, Ben?
Benny?
What you thinkin' about?
- Nothin'.
- A-1 today.
- No, 7-16.
- Well, better than usual.
- Yeah.
- And how long do we
have to do that for?
- Tim, we haven't
seen her for four months.
I'm just asking for
one night of your time.
- I know, but can't
she come here?
- Why, what's the problem?
- Well, for starters, the whole
place smells like mothballs.
Mom, they're in her pantry.
- It is a little disgusting.
- They're in the refrigerator.
- They are not.
- Yes they are.
They roll around inside
the door when you open it.
I swear to...
What's wrong?
- It's okay, leave it.
Leave it.
- Yeah.
We both were.
- Infantry?
- Yeah, I was hoping
to be a medic.
- Okay, couple things.
We don't have medics.
Navy gives us corpsman.
Guys, you can do
anything you want.
You could be NBC specialists,
intelligence specialists,
helicopter pilots.
- No, the infantry
is what we want.
- Okay.
I'll work with you guys.
There's something
called a buddy program.
You'll both go to boot together,
that's all I can guarantee ya.
From there, your best
bet's to go infantry.
Excel.
Try out for recon.
You want to be the tip of the
spear, that's how you do it.
You will deploy, and
you will kill bad guys.
- Nope, absolutely not.
No.
- Why?
- Ugh, okay I got
the whites in the...
- you have to sign this.
- I'm not signing anything.
- Josh is asleep, okay?
Now what's going on?
- Ask your son.
- My son?
- Yeah, your son.
- Ben?
- I'm 17, so I need parental
permission to join the marines.
- Okay.
- Guys, I've been talking about
this since like September.
- What brought this on?
- We went to the
recruiter's office today.
- You went to the
recruiters today?
- Why do you keep asking
me the same questions
just over and over again?
It's not gonna change my answer.
- Don't talk to us like that.
- Yes, I went to the
recruiter's office today.
- Okay look, you're frustrated.
I get that.
You made it perfectly clear.
Ben, you've gotta see
this from our perspective.
- And what's the problem?
You went to war.
Look, I just wanna be
there for my friend, okay?
His dad was killed.
He was fucking murdered.
- Watch your mouth.
- What's the problem?
'Cause I'm willing
to risk my life
Sp Josh doesn't have
to grow up with this?
Yeah, I'm a real dirtbag.
- No, you're our little boy.
And I'm not gonna bury you, too.
You're 17 years old.
What if something
happened to you?
I'm not doing this right now.
- What's the problem?
- I'm scared!
- You could get hurt.
Or worse, you could die.
Ben, you're gonna
have to kill people.
Do you think that's
not gonna affect you?
Who are you gonna become
when you watch somebody die
because of something
that you did?
I mean we love you, buddy.
Right now, you...
But what if somebody
else comes home?
- I'll be fine.
What?
I need to do this.
I have to be there for him.
I gave him my word.
- I know.
I know.
- I'm gonna do it.
It's just a matter of
now, or in eight months.
- What?
This country is worth defending.
- Oh.
That's what he's doing, huh?
Do you remember how
messed up you were
when you came back?
Have you forgotten that?
You know, you have
to tell him, okay?
At the very least,
you have to tell him.
- Alright.
- Dedicated it to you.
I ran 2,000 yards.
I'm sorry.
I miss you.
- Up in there.
Got this.
Ah, rookie.
Listen, Ben.
I don't like to
talk about this, but
when I was drafted,
they put me in a
helicopter and they told me
to shoot anything that
wasn't wearing green.
I did.
To this day, I don't know
why I killed those people.
You need to make
your own decisions.
Before you pull the trigger,
you need to be able to
look yourself in the mirror,
and say why you're doin' it.
And that you believe in it.
- It's fucking weird,
not playing this season.
- Yeah, it's bullshit,
coach won't let you play.
- Nah.
I understand.
I mean, I'm not gonna be here
for half the games anyway.
Wrong of me to even
try out like that.
- Yeah, why didn't you wait
'til after after
basketball season?
- I don't know.
I guess I just didn't
think about it.
But in the scheme of things,
what's more important?
Couple high school
basketball games, or the war?
- You were gettin'
looks from colleges.
- Easy decision, bro.
Easy decision.
- Your mom still bein' a
bitch about that paperwork?
Man, I'm right behind you.
I mean one way or another,
I turn 18 in August.
- I know, man.
It's not your fault.
We're gonna kick
some fucking ass.
Don't you worry about it.
Shoot the fucking ball.
- So um, you, you
know, watch out for yourself.
- I will.
- Take care of yourself, really.
- I will, I will
- okay.
- Don't you worry about me.
- Okay.
- Alright.
- Say goodbye, sweetie.
- I'll see ya, buddy.
You take care of her.
Got it?
We'll write to you.
- Perfect.
- Come here.
You come back.
Okay?
We got a tradition to
maintain every summer.
- You know I will.
- I'm gonna miss you.
- Thanks, man.
See ya, buddy.
- I'm right behind you.
- Hey Ben!
It's five months, man!
Five months 'til you graduate.
- Fuck!
- Benny, are you okay?
- I'm fine.
- Look, if you want to
yell, then go ahead.
We understand that you're mad,
and you have a right to be.
You can be mad.
- And what's there
to be mad about?
'Cause you won't let me
be there for my friend?
Won't let me serve my country?
- Okay, we will.
As much as it kills us to
think about you getting hurt,
or worse, we're prepared
to sign the papers
when you graduate.
- I'll do whatever you want.
- You continue to
apply to colleges,
and you seriously
think about the ROTC.
- Done.
- This hurts us, but
we don't want to
stand in your way.
You know, we just
wanna make sure
that you really
thought this through.
- Hello?
- Hey, Josh!
- Tim!
- Hey, buddy!
- You want to
talk to my brother Benny?
- Yes, that would be awesome.
- Ben, Tim's on the phone.
Ben, Tim's on the phone.
- Hey, man!
- Say Ben, what's up?
- Same shit, man.
How's boot camp?
- Fuckin' sucks!
But I crushed it, bro.
Thank god it's family day.
Feels like I haven't
slept in 53 days.
- Oh yeah, not that
you're counting, right?
- Oh and dude?
The fucking guys down
here, they are scary.
One of 'em asked me who
the commander of chief was.
I told him it was the king
of all native Americans.
- Your picture looks
really good there, Josh.
- Hey!
- Hi!
- Oh, hey guys.
How are you?
- Good.
How are you?
- I'm good.
- So, what's for dinner?
- Benny!
- Oh, what's this?
Dear Benjamin, we're
pleased to announce
you've been accepted to
northeastern university.
Please see attach...
- yes!
- For important
financial worksheets.
- Oh!
Congratulations.
- What does that mean?
- Benny got into college.
- Yay, Benny doesn't
have to go away!
- Oh.
- Shh.
- Here, let me get that.
- Brick!
Say, Ben!
- Hey.
Nice hat.
- Alright, fuck you.
It's cold up here.
- What's up, man?
- What's goin' on?
Your dad said I'd
catch you here, man.
Yeah, I got a few days of leave,
and then I fucking deploy.
- Damn, that's quick.
- Yeah.
Some unit had a group
of guys get in trouble
a few months back,
so they got no choice
but to take me and a
few others from SOI.
But hey, sure beats
sittin' in my barracks
listen to the other guy in
my rack beat off above me.
- Oh, fuck.
- It's cool, he never
lasts that long.
- What?
Some ROTC recruiter
guy came by the school
and a bunch of guys signed
that letter of interest thing.
- Yeah, a bunch of pussies
need a back-up plan
'cause they're soft.
Tryin' to get
something out of it.
So what's goin' on
since I've been gone?
- Teachers, they don't
know what to do with us.
Nobody does their
homework, and you know.
- Homework?
That's so weird.
- Yeah.
Everybody's already gotten
into college, you know?
- Yeah, where's everyone goin'?
- Well your ex got rejected.
- Good.
She's a fucking whore.
- Okay.
Bobby Lachey's goin' to Harvard.
- Smart bastard.
- Joe is goin' to Westfield.
- Of course he's
goin' to Westfield.
His grandfather went there,
his father went there,
his fucking kids are
gonna go to Westfield.
Shit.
- Yeah.
I got in.
Got a scholarship, too.
- Okay.
What does that mean?
- Nothin'.
I mean that was
the deal, you know?
I apply to college, my
dad sign the papers.
Three more months
'til I graduate.
- Yeah, I better get going.
Mom's making Shepherd's pie.
I'll see ya.
- Dig a little hole.
Let's go, form up,.
Okay, we're
approaching our target.
Everybody watch your sectors.
We're gonna move in
a wedge formation
to the south side
of that mountain.
Let's head out.
- Take cover!
Cover me!
- Take cover! Go!
- In position! Move!
- Oh fuck.
Oh shit.
- Coming! Coming!
- I got this.
Go!
You're gonna be alright, buddy.
I'll take care of ya.
Are you hit anywhere else?
- Ammo discipline!
- He shot...
- Move out!
Get him behind cover!
- Come on!
He sees me!
Come down!
I'm up!
Down!
I'm up!
- In position! Move!
- Don't have a clear shot!
Take that fucker out!
- Is target neutralized!
- Esty!
Go make sure that
target is down!
Esty!
- If you were a chick,
you'd have a pretty nice ass.
- Hey esty, how
long you been back there
thinkin' about that?
- Heh, for the last five miles.
- Sounds like four
and a half miles too long.
You know what?
Go ahead and put that
on the list of shit
you can't say to me anymore.
- Aye-aye, sergeant.
- Ben,.
Ben, Ben.
I love you.
It's alright.
- This is bullshit.
- Better down here
than up there.
- I don't like this.
- We've been scoutin'
for seven hours.
Seven miles out.
The Hajis are all
up in the mountains.
Fucking huge, man!
Blister on my big toe so big
I think it's got a fucking face.
- Esty, let me check my big
book of I don't give a shit,
and see if that blister on
your big toe is in there.
Yup, hey it's right there.
Right next to your jock itch
and erectile dysfunction.
- Oh whoa, whoa, whoa.
It wasn't erectile dysfunction.
I have poor circulation.
- Poor circulation.
I'll be sure to
tell that to my wife
the next time I...
- Hi.
Listen.
Just keep trying.
We don't give up.
Now, chop me some ship.
Get in there.
Oh, after you're done,
can you get your father, please?
- Yo, pop!
Pop.
- I refuse to answer to that.
- Pop!
- What?
- Dinner.
- Stop calling me that.
- Calling you what?
- Pop.
God, you're making me feel
so old with that pop shit.
- Which is exactly
why he does it.
You're just encouraging him.
- Oh, this smells delicious.
Oh, hey.
You don't know what
you got here, kid.
This broad's a gem.
Hey you remember
your mom's cooking.
- Oh, recipes are
merely a suggestion,
not a requirement.
- Yeah, she was
certainly creative.
- As long as you have
barbecue sauce, it was okay.
- Hah!
Barbecue sauce and
ranch dressing.
They were a whole food group.
That's probably
why you already got
that high blood pressure, huh?
- Yeah, I'm pretty sure
that's because of
your shitty genes.
- Shitty genes, me?
- Okay, sit, sit, sit.
It's ready.
Hey, hey, hey, hey.
Light on peppers, go.
Some peppers.
- Hmm, no.
That's enough.
- At least two.
- God damn calorie gestapo.
- Did you take your pills?
They're on your nightstand.
- Okay, okay, okay.
- And the surgeon just starts
sawing into this guy's leg
with what was
essentially a chainsaw.
I mean no warning whatsoever.
There was blood and bone
chips shooting everywhere.
- I was taking bone out of
his hair when he came home.
- The last thing I remember
I was trying to swallow
that hot spit you get
right before you throw up,
and then just, wham!
My head hits the floor.
Oh, I mean when I finally
did regain consciousness,
I was sitting in a wheelchair
in the middle of a hallway.
Imagine opening your eyes,
and the first thing you see
is this guy wearing his
hospital gown backwards...
- ew.
- And he just looks
at you, and he says,
do you know how we got here?
- Oh no!
- Which way is the bathroom?
- Oh, I'll go with you.
- Tim?
- Yeah.
- I didn't know you were home.
- No?
- We should,
we should get together
some time, catch up.
It's been awhile.
- You know I got every one
of those letters you sent me?
There's a reason you
never got a response.
- That's bullshit,
and you know it.
I mean you know exactly
why he told me to fuck off.
And you know, I deserve it.
I deserve worse.
I mean I fucking promised him.
I should've just...
- Ben, you didn't
believe in it, okay?
It wasn't you...
- but I gave him my word.
- You were 17!
- I did believe in it!
Was I just scared?
- I don't know.
You know, maybe you
stopped believing in it.
Listen, you hate how
the military is used.
You say it all the time.
- This thing's just so fucked
up, and there's no fixing it.
I mean what did I
think was gonna happen?
I'm so fucking stupid.
- Ben, you're not stupid.
- No, I'm worse.
- Hmph.
- Catch much, pop?
- Hey, if I wanted
any of your lip,
I'd unzip my pants.
- That is gross.
- Remember when you said that
to your kindergarten teacher?
Mrs. umm...
- oh, Mrs. Pinkum.
- God.
Your mother was mortified.
- Yeah, you
really let me go down
with the ship on that one.
- Well that's.
Yeah well I had to, pal.
She would've crucified me.
- You know what, this is good.
You've been cooped up in that
house ever since mom died.
It's...
- I'm sellin' the cabin, Ben.
Ben...
That place...
It's her.
She picked out the doorknobs.
I just can't do it.
I'm gonna go up there.
I'm gonna pack some things.
I'm gonna close the house down,
I'm gonna put a sign out front.
Hey, you're coming with me.
- Dad, I got so
much stuff goin' on,
and with layoffs at Lily's...
- I already talked to her.
Yeah, you're coming with me.
- Alright.
- Just make sure you're there
in case he needs to talk.
- We're goin' to the cabin.
He loves it up there.
He's gonna be fine.
- He hasn't been there
since your mom passed away.
- I know.
- Just promise me you'll
keep an eye on him.
- Lill, he's my dad.
Okay?
I got this.
Gonna be fun.
What's wrong?
- Nothin', I just wanted
to get on the road sooner.
- Oh, okay.
Well bye.
Love you.
- I love you, too.
- You sure old
Susie's gonna make it?
- Oh, I already offered.
He does not want
to take the car.
- Yeah, don't worry.
She's got one more trip in her.
Hey Susie and I have
been through a lot worse
than a quick trip to Maine.
- How long a drive is it?
- 10 hours.
- Is there cell service?
How will I know
you got there safe?
- That's the fun of it.
Now don't worry.
We'll be back in three days.
- I'll let you know
when we get to Portland,
and then again when
we're on our way home.
- Keep him safe.
- I will.
- I didn't know you were coming.
- I'm here for your father.
- Hey, he's here.
We're all here.
That's all that matters.
- Oh!
I forgot how long
of a drive this was.
- It's 574 beautiful miles.
- Pull over.
I gotta take a piss.
- So you gonna tell
me what the deal is?
- No deal.
Just thought I'd ask
him to come along.
- Yeah, this is gonna be fun.
- Seat belts.
- Hey! Hey!
I'm up.
Hey, hey, hey knock it off!
I didn't live through two tours
to die in the middle
of butt-fuck Maine!
- Now we're in business!
- No, no, no, no!
Cut this shit out!
Fucking hilarious.
- Oh, stop being a pussy!
- How far out are we?
- About 100 miles.
- Oh, that's fucking great.
This truck bed's real fucking...
- smell that?
There's nothing like that.
Now you guys grab the
bags out of the truck,
bring the fishing poles.
I'm gonna go throw
the boat in the lake.
- Want a hand?
- Fuck you.
I'm old, I'm not dead.
- You remember that
time you got the hook
stuck in your thumb?
- Oh man, I got
myself pretty good.
- We were all bent
outta shape after that.
- I was bleedin'
like a stuck pig!
- You remember what you said?
- No.
- You wrap that
shit in duct tape.
You said, better than stitches.
- Well yeah, it turns out it
wasn't better than stitches.
Left me with a pretty good scar.
- You use duct tape for all
sorts of shit out there.
Saved our sorry asses
more than a couple times.
What?
- Nothing.
- Didn't sound like nothing.
- Whoa.
- You got something?
- No.
You're making this awkward.
You both got great,
big veiny dicks, okay?
Let's just fish.
- Big?
Jesus.
- Hi.
Whoa, that's what I call
a successful day, huh?
- Yeah.
- Oh no, after you, our
resident angler, huh?
Oh, excellent.
Well now we're in business.
Cutting board.
What do we got here?
What the fuck?
You call this a keeper?
What?
- It's pitch black out there.
It felt way bigger than that.
- Yeah, that's what she said.
- To who?
- Mm, there's not enough
here to make a fish stick!
Gentlemen!
Tonight we dine like kings!
- I had no idea.
- Her grandfather
was a bush pilot.
Flew her up to moosehead lake
when she was a little girl.
She wanted to
share that with me.
- How did you end up here?
- Oh, the directions
were 20 years old,
and so faded, you
could barely read 'em.
We drove around for hours.
God, she got us so lost.
And then, then we found
this dilapidated cabin.
No electricity, no water.
But she knew that was where
we were meant to
spend our honeymoon.
She knew it.
Only cost $14,000.
So we broke in that night,
spent the night on the floor,
and we bought it the next day.
Your father and I, we
built that back section
when you and Ben were born.
But that first week,
that was the happiest
time of my life.
So simple.
I'm hungry.
Who's hungry?
Oh!
Oh.
- Pop!
Morning.
- What time is it?
- Like, 10.
- No shit.
How long has he been out there?
- Oh, I shoulda gotten up.
Dad!
Dad!
Dad!
Dad!
Dad, dad!
- Hey slow down, slow down.
I'll go to the other side.
Go, go, go!
Alright, Ben!
Ben.
Ben.
Grab my hand.
- No, no, no, no!
- Ben, Ben, grab my hand.
Over here, over here.
Grab his head, grab his head!
Pull him back, come on!
Come on!
On his back, on his back.
You know CPR?
Okay, I'll do three
minutes, then you.
One, two, three, four, five,
six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15,
16, 17, 18, 19, 20,
21, 22, 23, 24, 25,
26, 27, 28, 29, 30.
One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight,
come on!
Come on, come on
not today, old man!
Come on!
Today's not your day!
Come on!
28, 29, 30!
Go breathe, breathe!
Breathe, breathe!
Good, good, good, good, good!
- Somebody!
Somebody help us!
- Breathe, breathe.
It's been two hours, Ben.
Ben!
- Six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
- Ben, he's gone...
- don't stop!
Keep going!
- He's gone.
- Five, six, seven,
eight, nine, ten.
- Hey!
- What do you want to do?
We need to do something.
It's been three hours.
Things are gonna
start to happen.
- I know.
- Put him in the truck?
Drive to the nearest hospital.
Want to tie it down?
I just don't want
it sliding around.
- Just get in the truck.
No!
No!
Fuck!
- Alright, what's
your plan here?
- I'm gonna walk.
- Okay great, now let's
think this through.
- What's wrong with you?
He's dead, Tim!
My dad just died.
- Yeah I know, I was here.
- Do you even know
what this is like?
I mean can you be
human for one second?
- We need to think this through.
That's 175 pounds.
We're at least 100 miles
from any kind of help.
We don't have the gear, the
supplies, or the manpower
to carry him that far.
- I'll take care of it.
- No, you'll end up dead from
dehydration or exhaustion.
Then you become my problem.
Ben, your arm's already shaking.
You haven't even reached
the end of the driveway.
- Don't worry about us!
We'll be fine.
- No!
You won't be fine!
What you're trying
to do cannot be done!
Better men have
tried, and failed!
- Then help me.
- I'm trying to.
- What is wrong with you?
- He was old.
I'm sorry.
He had a great run.
Shit, he went out on top!
Heart attack in paradise!
I can come up with a
lot worse ways to go!
Sorry I'm not so
broken up about it,
but this, this is the world
I'm very fucking familiar with.
- Oh, you're such an asshole.
- Why?
'Cause I'm here for
him, and not you?
I loved the guy, man.
I really did.
I wouldn't be here if
it weren't for him.
Not a chance in hell!
Really though,
what'd you expect?
- My friend!
I expected my friend!
Where's that guy?
- Dead.
You left that guy.
And he died in some shit hole
in the middle of the desert.
I'm right behind you!
You remember that?
That guy held his real
best friend's hand
while he bled out
from a shrapnel wound
that tore his body to pieces!
He lied to him!
Told him he was gonna be
okay while he bled out!
Try being human after that!
You ever felt someone's
hopes and dreams
leave their body?
Held their hand as
their skin turned gray?
And they shit themselves?
Where were you?
- You never let me apologize.
I've always been sorry.
- You fucking should be.
Get the shovels.
Can't leave him inside,
and we can't carry him.
It's too far.
It's not a bad view.
You up?
- Yeah.
- Let's go.
You're not drinking enough.
Come on last thing we need
is you gettin' dehydrated.
Come on.
- Enough!
I'm fine.
- Your body needs water.
Simple biology.
- I'm not thirsty.
- Hey man, just take the water.
What the fuck, man!
We don't have enough
clean water, as it is!
- Then just leave me alone!
- If you get dehydrated,
I won't be able to get
us both outta here!
- I don't need you
to get me outta here.
- Alright, fucking tough guy.
- You know, I'm so sick
of your macho shit.
Excuse me!
Ladies and gentlemen!
But we have a real, genuine,
certified bad-ass here.
Fucking congratulations.
You hear that?
That's the sound of
the world not clapping.
- You're a fucking prick.
- I'm a prick?
- Yeah.
You.
Where do you get off?
What do you have
to be so mad about?
- Everything.
- Blowing this out of proportion
a bit, don't you think?
- I just buried my
father in the dirt!
- And where you goin' now, huh?
Back home?
To your wife?
To your perfect home?
Your perfect little life?
- You chose not to
have those things.
- What?
No, I didn't make that choice!
I didn't get to!
- Please, are you
fucking serious?
- Yes, I'm fucking serious.
No one chooses to watch
their friends die.
You think I choose to hear
them when I close my eyes?
- You enlisted again.
You chose it.
- Where were you?
I distinctly remember you
saying you'd be right behind me!
Where were you!
Say it!
- I couldn't do it, man.
I couldn't kill my
person for that.
- You were afraid.
Maybe you do think
it was wrong now,
but you were afraid then, and
that's why you weren't there.
That's why you feel so guilty.
While you were doing keg stands,
and fucking that pretty
little girlfriend of yours,
you know what I was doing?
- I'm sure you're gonna tell me.
- Defending your country.
Protecting this place.
A place you didn't earn.
- Then why are you so broken?
- I'm not broken.
- I think you can't deal
with what you've done,
and it fucking kills you.
- And what have I done?
- You killed people, man.
You murdered people
for something that
you didn't believe in.
- You think I murdered people?
- What else do you call
killing another person
for something you
don't believe in?
- Oh, please.
All that political bullshit
goes right out the window
the minute, the fucking second,
someone is trying to kill
you, or your friends.
I didn't murder them.
I stopped them from killing
people I cared about!
It was us, versus them!
We just, we just wanted
to stay alive, man.
There's no time to think
about anything else.
- So you save people?
You're a hero?
- No.
Heroes don't come home.
- Man, I should've
been there with you,
and for that, I'm sorry.
That is my greatest regret.
If I could have
that moment back,
I would do it so differently.
But I don't regret not getting
pulled into that bullshit.
- And you think I do?
- You should!
- You are fucking
something else.
- What did you expect?
That I was gonna worship you
and thank you for your service?
- I never asked for that.
- Huh, does that piss you off?
That I don't shake your hand,
and thank you for
everything you sacrificed?
- You got the freedom to say
whatever the fuck you want!
- Cut the canned bullshit, man!
I know you!
- You don't know me.
- I know it pisses you off!
I can see it in your eyes.
I'm an ungrateful fuck.
Sorry if I didn't want to get
dragged into that bullshit.
- Why don't you tell
my dead friends that?
- You volunteered!
You signed your name
down on a piece of paper!
At what point do you become
a willing participant
in something that
you know is wrong?
- By the time I re-upped,
do you really think
I gave a shit about
why we were there?
I wanted to make sure
that the 17 year old kid
with a 90 IQ, the guy who joined
because he wanted to
protect his country
got to come back home
to his mom and dad.
And if I didn't go,
somewhat who wasn't
as good as me, would've.
- That doesn't
justify this killing!
- Do you realize how fucking
ridiculous that sounds!
Soldiers go where
you ask us to go!
We are a tool, a concept
you refuse to understand!
- I understand it!
Do you?
Or do you just like
refuse to process...
- awful easy to say
coming from the safety
of your suburban
home, where people
aren't killing your friends!
- It's not that simple!
You put yourself
in the situation
where you had to kill somebody
for something you
didn't even believe in!
I couldn't do that!
Yeah, I would have trouble
sleeping at night, too.
- You done?
Enough Ben!
I don't want to hurt you!
- Fucker.
I'll fucking kill you.
- You're a scrappy mother
fucker, aren't you?
- I was fighting for my life.
- When I was over there
I kept turning on the news
expecting to see
people protesting
trying to bring
us home, you know?
You know what I saw?
Survivor, fucking Kardashians.
Did you once try
to bring me home?
Man, I can't sleep at night,
and I probably
never really will.
While the rest of
the country curls up
in their Egyptian cotton sheets,
and their cozy,
gas-heated homes.
And they get to dream
about fucking sugarplums.
The price of our way
of life is not shared.
I know I'm not a hero.
No sane person comes back
from that fucked-up nightmare
proud of everything they did.
All I could do was one thing,
and that's keep my guys alive.
And I did.
- So what now?
Oh fuck.
- Still feels like it's there.
IUD got us in a hum-v.
It was fucking.
Worst part is, I swear I have
a huge blister on my big toe!
But when I looked down, nothing.
No foot, no shin!
My whole god damn leg is gone!
I had the coolest fucking
tattoo on my calf.
400 bucks fucking wasted.
That shit pissed me off.
- So, so go to colleges.
I mean tell your story.
Call out the hypocrites.
- Come on, Benson.
A room full of teenagers
and listen to them
talk about shit they
know nothing about?
No thanks.
These kids were four
when 9/11 happened.
It's about as meaningful as
saying Pearl harbor, to them.
- If you're not gonna
tell them, then who will?
- I'm the enemy, man.
I'm the machine.
They'll never hear me even
if I did say something.
But you know what
I would tell them?
That it's criminal.
That hero shit.
When a life gets snuffed
out like it's nothing.
Imagine growing up so poor
where your only chance
for a better life
requires you to gamble with it.
And for what?
Free college tuition, or
to protect their country?
Which one is it?
That is what's fucking criminal.
They don't want
to be heroes, man.
They just want a chance.
They want adventure.
Wars destroy lives.
It shreds friendships.
It's not cool, it's not bad-ass,
there's no fast
cars, no hot chicks.
And all the heroes fucking die.
But you know what
I wonder the most?
Is who I would've been.
You feel good about yourself?
You beat up a cripple.
A god damn amputee!
- Hey, you remember that time
we drove up here with your dad?
- In the back of the pick-up?
- Dude, those puddles were huge!
- Downright dangerous.
We could've been killed
before our balls dropped.
- Yeah, I'm surprised
they did that.
- You know, you
weren't the only one.
We were all very concerned about
those lopsided little guys.
Whatever came of the left one?
- Oh, it's still crooked,
and way higher
than the other one.
- Can you still pull
it up inside your body?
- Hell yeah, man!
Oh, fuck.
- Jesus, what
happened to your face?
What's wrong with my face?
No seriously, what's
wrong with my face?
- It looks better than before.
Does anybody even pick
up hitchhikers anymore?
- Rapists and
murderers, I think.
- Perfect.
Just in case.