In America (2002) Movie Script
There's some things
you should wish for...
and some things you shouldn't.
That's what my little brother Frankie
told me.
He told me I only had three wishes.
And I looked in his eyes...
and I don't know why I believed him.
- Remember, we're on holiday, all right?
- Knock it off, Christy, love.
Christy.
- Passports, please.
- We're on holidays!
- Are you, little girl?
- Yeah. And my dad's not working.
What's the purpose of your visit?
What are your purposes
in visiting the United States?
We're on holiday.
And how long have you been in Canada?
Just visiting.
Listening to my mom and dad,
I was scared we weren't gonna
get across the border.
And if I didn't talk to Frankie,
how were we going to get into America?
"Please, Frankie. "
"Please. Please help us," I said.
- How many children do you have?
- Three.
Two.
Two.
Says three here.
We lost one.
- What's your name, little girl?
- Ariel.
And who are you?
She's Christy.
- What age are you, Christy?
- She's ten.
- Welcome to America.
- Thanks very much.
And that was my first
wish used up.
But I still had two left.
1020 on your AM dial.
We heard Manhattan
before we ever saw it,
a thousand strange voices
coming from everywhere.
And you're not going to believe this,
but we had to go under the water
to get to the city.
No, I swear it.
It was a real alien.
And we lost contact
with everything.
It was like we were on another planet.
...classics from
the '60s, '70s, '80s and '90s.
We looked all over Manhattan
for a place to live,
till finally we found the house
of the man who screamed.
What are you doing
with the camera, little girl?
- You the police?
- What?
Are you the police?
- No. We're Irish.
- All Irish are police.
- We're not.
- Are we going to live here now?
- You gonna live in here, in this building?
- Yeah.
All right.
Keep an eye on their car.
Papo's gonna keep you safe now.
All right?
Come on in.
Welcome to your new mansion.
Come on.
Look! A lift!
That hasn't worked forever.
Come on, come on.
- Are we going to live here now?
- Yeah.
- Why?
- Nowhere else will take us.
Why?
- They don't want kids in Manhattan.
- Why?
Why do you think they call it "Manhattan"?
Papo!
Yo, Papo. Don't come any further, man.
Yo, relax, Tony. It's just me.
I know who the hell it is, man.
Go back downstairs to your apartment.
I'm clean, man. I'm showing this family
the empty apartment.
- No way, Papo!
- All right!
All right, Papo.
We'll take over from here.
- Why does he scream?
- Maybe he sees ghosts.
Is this a haunted house?
- It's like Fort Knox.
- Cool!
- Where did you learn that?
- What?
- "Cool. "
- I just heard it.
You're American already.
It's disgusting.
- Race you in, Christy.
- Wow!
- It's huge!
- I know, it's enormous.
- This is my room.
- This is my room.
I get top bunk.
I get top bunk.
Look, Dad!
There's a bath in the middle of the room.
Wow! There's pigeons!
Ariel, come and look at this!
- It's a bit of a hole.
- It'll be fine when we do it up.
It'll cost us, Sarah.
How are we gonna pay for this place?
We'll sell the car.
- Are you OK?
- Mm.
- Are you?
- I'm great.
Are you?
- Dad?
- What?
Can we keep the pigeons?
Dad, can we keep the pigeons?
Dad?
Can we keep the pigeons?
No. We have to leave 'em go.
It seemed like
all our problems were flying away.
Dad, can I help?
Go and ask your ma.
- Mom, can I help?
- Why don't you go on your skates?
I'll fast-forward through this bit.
Ariel got to know
everybody in the neighborhood.
My mom couldn't get a job teaching,
so she got a job in the ice cream parlor
so Dad could go to auditions.
I really like the character.
I'm glad you asked me back. I just
wanna say I'm real pleased about that.
How about the part of Vinnie?
Has he looked at that?
New York guy.
He's a bit of a stereotype,
but if you want him, you got him.
Can you do a London accent?
What? You 'avin'
a laugh? He's only got two lines.
Do you want me to come up there
and sort you out?
- Do you like him?
- Yeah.
But acting's about more than just accents.
I wanted to cast you, but you've got to
give me more. Much, much more.
Don't you understand?
Get it out of your head.
It's from here and from here.
Just give me one more chance.
But he didn't get another chance.
And then summer came,
and with it the heat.
And a new word: humidity.
- Dad, it's still not working.
- Wait.
Wait.
It's too hot.
It's still not coming
through the holes, Dad.
Hang on there.
Wait.
Wait. It's coming.
It's coming.
It's working.
- Well done, Dad. It's lovely and cold.
- I love youse.
Shh, Ariel. Dad has an audition.
- Dad?
- What?
- What are you doing?
- I'm reading me script.
- Why?
- 'Cause I'm learning me lines.
- Dad, can we stay here all day?
- Mm-hm.
- Dad, America's OK.
- Great.
- Dad?
- What?
Nothing.
What are we doin' here?
Huh? What are we doin' here?
What are we doin' here?
What are we doin' here?
What are we doin' here, huh?
What are we doin' here?
What are we doin' here?
Dad, Dad, Ariel's upset.
She spent too long in the bath.
- What's wrong with you?
- My feet are like prunes.
- What?
- They're like prunes.
Oh, Jesus. Where's your ma?
Are you OK?
It's too hot.
Dad, how are you gonna get
that air conditioner up and down the path?
- Dad, how are you gonna...
- Jesus!
Come on.
Come on.
Dad, they're gonna shoot you.
- Dad, look out!
- Asshole!
Mom!
Look! It's Dad!
You're using, Papo.
You're using. No, no.
No, don't you walk...
Argh!
Hey, can I have some of whatever he's on?
Crazy freaked-out Irishman.
Christy, open the door.
Mom! Mom, Dad's got
an air conditioner!
He's coming!
He's coming!
Walk away from me!
Go on!
Jesus, Johnny!
You'll have a heart attack.
- Open the window.
- Open the window, Mom!
Open the window!
- Mom, open the window.
- Open the window!
Open the window!
What's wrong?
Wrong plug.
25 cents short.
That's no use to me.
I gotta make a living. $1.99.
I'll give it to you tomorrow.
- You're from the junkies' building, right?
- So?
Look at that.
That's from holding the knife of a junkie.
I got 25 stitches.
He got probation.
Do I look like a junkie to you?
$1.99.
- What's that?
- There's five cents on each of those.
Where's the $100 I gave you?
I put it in the bank like you insisted.
And 25 cents.
And $2, Mr. American Dream.
And one plug.
And one cent.
Dad, don't worry.
Mom's breathing's OK.
Is it OK?
It's the lemon drops. They're magic.
You take them
and you forget about your breathing.
Say your prayers.
Scary, Dad.
It's all right.
Let's get your head in there.
Is that good?
Is that good for you?
Yeah? Whoo-hoo!
Come on, get your face in there.
Look at that.
You're a genius, Dad.
Hey, gringo!
Gringo, what the hell is goin' on up there?!
We got out of there
as fast as we could.
We went to the bank, took out our money,
and went to the movies,
where it was lovely and cool.
Listen, don't be upset.
E.T.'s gone to heaven.
- But they said he went home.
- Well, that's the same thing.
No.
It's not.
I miss things.
What do you miss?
Things.
I have no one to play with.
- You have your sister to play with.
- No. She plays with her camcorder.
And I've no one to tell my secrets to.
Christy tells them to her camcorder.
And she won't let me
hear what she says.
And you don't play with us anymore.
- I do play with youse.
- Not like you used to.
Here you go!
Dad! Dad!
Dad, you can win E. T! You can win E. T!
It's a game of chance.
It's as simple as pie.
It's a game of chance. It's simple as pie.
All you have to do is throw the ball through
the hoop seven times and you win E. T!
- Seven times? Is that all?
- Yeah.
- Can adults play?
- Sure.
- Simple as pie.
- That's $2.
You can keep throwing
as long as you double up your dollars.
If you win, you get every dollar back
and any prize you like.
You get all your money back if you win?
You get all your money back
and any doll you like.
All right.
- Whoo!
- Yes!
- That's one in there.
- Come on, Johnny.
That's two.
Whoo!
- Two down, five to go. $4.
- Come on. We'll get there.
- We'll get there.
- Come on, Dad.
- You're excellent. You're brilliant.
- All right. Don't worry, I'll get it.
- Mom, is Dad going to win?
- Of course he is.
Come on, Dad.
Yes! Yes! Yay!
Three, four, five. Very good.
Only two to go.
$8.
Game of chance. Simple as pie.
You can keep throwing
as long as you double up your dollars.
Shh...
Number five.
Two to go. $16.
Come on, Dad.
Only two more to go.
All right, all right, we'll get this.
$32. We got $32 over here.
- I don't need a crowd.
- Well, you're the main attraction.
Game of chance. Simple as pie.
One to go, one to go!
One more throw.
One more for the big
doll for the little girl!
Are we finished, sir?
I got 55.
- Here. I have another five.
- I just need four more.
- Dad, it doesn't matter.
- Ah, no.
Just take it, Johnny.
$1 change for the big girl.
Only one to go.
One ball to go over here. One ball to go
for the big doll for the little girl.
Don't let him break your concentration,
Johnny, yeah?
- Give me the rent money.
- What?
Give me the rent money.
Johnny, please don't do this to me tonight.
I can't lose in front of
the kids again, Sarah.
Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
We got $128 over here.
We're finished now, sir.
Leave it, please.
Wow! Go for it, man.
We can't blow all our money.
I believe in you and the kids believe in you
and you can win that doll.
- Go on.
- Dad, you're gonna win. I just know it.
And then I used all my
will power to quieten the crowd.
But it didn't work.
Every cent of every
penny we owned
was down for an
E. T. doll worth $30.
So I said:
"Frankie, I have to ask you
for a second wish. "
And to this day, my dad still believes
it was him who won the E. T. doll.
Thank you. Thank God.
Great! Oh, my God!
Fee,
fi,
fo,
fum!
I smell the blood of an Irishwoman!
Give me a bite of ya!
Give me a bite of ya!
Come on, Christy! Come on!
Ah! Help!
Fee,
fi,
fo,
fum!
I smell the blood of an Irishwoman.
Christy, hurry up!
Fee,
fi, fo, fum!
I smell the blood...
- Run, E. T! Run, E. T! It's the monster!
- Fee,
fi,
fo,
fum.
I smell the blood of an Irishman!
Johnny, what's wrong?
I was looking for him.
I was looking for Frankie.
Just play with the kids, Johnny.
I couldn't find him.
Am I going insane?
Just act, Johnny. Just act.
Go on, love.
Fee,
fi,
fo,
fum!
I still smell the blood...
of an Irishwoman!
Christy, I'll save you!
Johnny.
Johnny.
You didn't find me.
I wasn't looking for you.
Exactly.
You weren't looking for me.
There's nowhere you could hide
I wouldn't find ya.
Fee,
fi,
fo,
fum.
- Girls.
- I still smell the blood of an Irishwoman.
Take the bag. Take the money.
Go to Heaven. Marina will look after you.
I smell the blood of an Irishwoman.
- Oh, hi, you two.
- How you doing, girls?
You're a little later than usual.
Where's your mom?
My mom is playing with Dad on her own.
Fee,
fi,
fo,
fum.
I smell the blood of an Irishwoman.
Fee,
fi,
fo,
fum.
I still smell the blood... of an Irishwoman.
- Where are the kids?
- Leave it on.
It's all right.
It's OK.
- Ah, where are the kids?
- They're fine.
They're in Heaven.
Marina's looking after them.
Come on to me. Come on.
- No! No.
- Go on!
And that was the moment
the baby was conceived.
What's wrong?
Was it that good?
Was it that bad?
Look at me, Sarah.
You all right?
What's wrong?
- Come here to me.
- I can't.
- Come here to me. Hey.
- I can't.
Look at me and tell me the truth.
Frankie had your eyes, Johnny.
Say something.
You blame me.
I should have been there to catch him
when he fell down the stairs.
It's my fault.
I don't blame you.
- Oh, shit! Oh, shit!
- Hurry, get inside.
We had to go to a Catholic
school, so my dad took a night job.
Ariel was worried about
a blind man called Jos.
Everybody smile and say "Cheese!"
Cheese!
Christy, why can Jos not see?
It's not "Jos. " It's:
I helped too.
Fill the bag with leaves like that,
yellow ones.
OK.
Statue of Liberty, nation,
friends and caring,
so now we are all together.
I'm hungry!
Right, keep your eye on the meter.
And get in the cab and keep your ear
on the radio, all right? I won't be long.
And lock the doors.
401 to base.
If you can hear me, come in.
Hello, base here.
Hey, where's your dad, girls?
- He's in his audition.
- Oh.
- Where are you?
- I'm not positive.
Christy, do you know where you are?
- No.
- Oh.
- Are you on Broadway?
- Yeah, I think so.
- Near where?
- Near...
- Near the audition.
- Yeah. Very good.
Is my baby all right?
- How are you feeling?
- Fine.
Little bit tired,
but other than that I'm OK.
Mom, do you think
Dad will know who I am?
Wow, youse look great.
You'll knock 'em out.
- Can you guess what they are?
- Ariel's an angel.
Uh-huh.
- Christy's a forest.
- She's autumn.
- No, fall.
- Fall?
Yeah. That's what they call it
here in America - fall. Like, leaves fall.
Oh, you guys look great. They look great.
Irish. Irish. Spare a quarter, please?
Please, please.
- I got a quarter.
- You're the best.
- All right.
- He gave me a quarter, Angela.
- He gave me a quarter.
- There you go.
Thank you, sir.
Thank you. Thank you.
Who are they?
That's the Irish.
What's wrong?
What's wrong?
Everyone else
has bought their costumes.
We look stupid.
No, you don't.
Come on, sweetie.
And, last but not least, a special prize
this year for the best homemade costume
goes to the Sullivan sisters.
Ah, you can't throw away your prize -
best homemade costume.
- They made it up 'cause they pity us.
- You got it 'cause you're different.
We don't want to be different. We want
to be the same as everybody else.
Why would youse wanna be
the same as everybody else?
'Cause everybody else
goes trick-or-treating.
- What's that?
- It's what they do here for Halloween.
What do you mean?
Like, help the Halloween party?
No, not help the Halloween party.
You don't ask for help in America.
You demand it.
Trick or treat -
you don't ask, you threaten.
- You can't do that on our street.
- Why not?
Because you can't threaten drug addicts
and transvestites, that's why.
What are transvestites?
A man who dresses up as a woman.
- For Halloween?
- No. All the time. All the time.
Come on.
- Why?
- It's just what they do here, OK?
We were allowed to go
trick-or-treating in our stupid building.
Trick or treat!
Trick or treat!
- Trick or treat!
- Dad, get out of here.
Trick or treat!
Come on, let's try another door.
Trick or treat!
Trick or treat!
Trick or treat!
- Trick or treat!
- Answer the stupid door.
Trick or treat! Trick or tr...
- Why won't they answer?
- Maybe they're afraid.
Trick or treat!
- Trick or treat!
- Let us in!
Hey, mister, we're nice kids, so let us in!
- How many doors is that?
- Four.
Trick or treat!
Why am I so anxious?
Trick or treat!
It's the stairs, Johnny.
- That says "Keep away. "
- I don't care. Come on, Christy.
Trick or treat!
Trick or treat!
Trick or treat!
Trick or treat!
Who's there?
Tr...
- Someone's in there.
- Come on.
Trick or treat!
Trick or treat!
Trick or treat!
A otra puerta!
...treat!
No drugs here! Other door!
Knock again, I dare you.
- Trick or treat!
- Who's...
Trick or treat!
Trick or treat!
Go away!
Trick or treat!
Trick or treat!
What?
Hello.
You're the kids from upstairs?
Yeah.
- Is this Halloween?
- Yeah.
Hm.
- Where are you from?
- Ireland.
You came all the way to America
to trick-or-treat?
Yeah.
Come in.
Are there only two of you?
Two girls.
Are they all right in there?
- Are they all right in there?
- Mm-hm. They'll be fine.
What's your name?
Mateo. What's yours?
Ariel. Hello.
- My name's Christy.
- Hi, Christy.
- Is that our building?
- Yes, it is.
It looks like a haunted house.
It is haunted.
But it's not scary.
It's a magic house.
Frankie believed in magic.
- Who's that?
- Frankie, our brother. He died.
He fell down the stairs when he was two.
We thought he was OK,
but there was something in his brain.
A brain tumor.
And for three years
it got bigger and bigger.
It was malignant.
Are you crying?
Are you?
It's OK. He's in heaven now.
Is that your hand?
Ah, yes.
Is that blood?
Spaghetti sauce.
Come here!
I better treat you or you'll trick me.
Am I right?
- Yeah!
- OK. Let's find something.
Let's see, uh...
So, what's in the fridge?
Nothing. Nothing, nothing,
nothing, nothing, nothing.
Uh...
Oops. How about this?
- How much is in it?
- A lot.
- Mateo's fortune.
- It's too much.
No, it's not. When luck comes knocking
on your door, you can't turn it away.
- Happy Halloween!
- OK. Happy Halloween. Bye.
Hi, Dad!
We're going to show Ma what we got, OK?
Rumba makela.
Happy Halloween.
Happy Halloween, Mateo.
He was really nice
and he gave us lots of money.
How much does it add up to, Christy?
240 pennies,
12 nickels and two dimes.
How much is that altogether?
Three dollars twenty.
Wow.
- And he had nothing in his fridge?
- Just medicine.
- We should invite him over.
- No way.
He gives me the heebie-jeebies.
- What is it?
- It's called colcannon.
- It's potatoes mixed with curly kale.
- Hm.
Plates, please.
Thank you.
Hm.
Whoo!
Wow!
That means you're gonna be rich.
Halloween is called the Day of Ancestors,
when the dead come back
and we hear their voices.
How do you hear them?
You hear their voices
through the men dancing.
What do they say?
Uh...
They complain.
"You don't pay attention to me. "
"You don't feed me. "
"I'm hungry. "
Are they ever happy?
When they're happy,
you never hear from them.
Oh.
You're magic.
You're winning everything.
That means you're gonna get married.
Christy!
Who's there?
You see that?
OK.
Do you not think I'm bad, or are you
just saying that I'm good 'cause...
You are.
- Am I doing the wings right?
- You're doing great.
- Really?
- Yes.
I thought I was bad.
You're doing great.
Is that you on the pictures?
Yeah.
So you were rich?
Is that why the angel has blue blood?
You know, in the Irish language,
the word for "black man" is fer gorm.
But that really means "blue man. "
The word for "black man" is fer dubh,
and that means "the devil. "
You have us figured out, huh?
They can't wipe us out.
They can't lick us.
We'll go on forever, Pa,
'cause we're the people.
Johnny, come to bed.
It's late. Come on.
Put the script down.
- You're happy.
- I am.
It's something Mateo said.
What's he say?
- He said everything's gonna be all right.
- Uh-huh.
And the baby
will bring its own luck.
The baby will bring its own luck.
That's it, there. You see?
I could be wrong but I haven't felt
the baby move for a couple of weeks.
It's serious.
This baby will not go full-term.
And if it did, it would be
extremely dangerous to your health.
If you decide to go ahead with this,
you'll have to be a very brave woman.
But I thought the doctors said
you couldn't have any more babies.
Well, sometimes, Ariel, doctors are wrong.
There!
It just kicked.
Oh, my God.
Johnny, feel it.
I remember the first time
you kicked, Christy.
It was in one of your dad's plays.
Every time he spoke, you kicked.
Like you were applauding him.
- Did I ever kick?
- You?
You kicked like a mule, night and day.
There it is again.
Johnny, did you feel it?
I can't feel anything.
Do you want me to lie?
You're the only actor in the world
who can't lie, Johnny.
- Not even for the sake of your kids.
- What does that mean?
If you can't touch somebody you created,
how can you create somebody
that'll touch anybody?
- What are you going on about?
- Acting, Johnny.
And bringing something to life,
it's the same thing.
That's why you can't get a job acting,
Johnny, because you can't feel anything.
This baby's not Frankie, Sarah.
Look at me.
Look at me.
Why don't you look at me?
You've gotten over him.
I've had to get over him, Johnny,
for the sake of the kids.
So you're gonna put your life on the line
for the sake of the kids?
- And that's protecting them?
- Yes.
- That's a total contradiction.
- How?
You know what the doctors said.
I don't care what they said.
What do they know about us?
And my baby?
I gotta bleeding get outta here.
Where are you going?
Where are you going?
This is real! Right?
This is real.
It's not a play!
- What are you talking about?
- Just let me get out, huh?
No.
You'll upset the kids!
I'll be back in a minute.
Johnny! Johnny, come back.
Johnny, where are you goin'? Johnny!
Johnny! Johnny, you're scaring me.
Come back. Just come back.
Johnny, please.
Johnny!
All right?
Everything all right?
The baby'll bring its own luck, will it?
I'll tell you the luck the baby'll bring.
The baby could infect her, and two girls'll
be left without their ma.
So keep your trap shut.
You don't believe.
In what?
God?
You know, I asked him a favor.
I asked him to take me instead of him.
And he took the both of us.
And look what he put in my place.
I'm a fucking ghost.
I don't exist.
I can't think.
I can't laugh. I can't cry.
I can't... feel!
Do you wanna be me?
Do you wanna be in my place?
I wish.
Are you in love with her?
Are you in love with her?
No.
I'm in love with you.
And I'm in love with your beautiful woman.
And I'm in love with your kids.
And I'm even in love
with your unborn child.
I'm even in love with your anger!
I'm in love with anything that lives!
You're dying.
I'm sorry.
Desperado,
why don't you come
to your senses?
You been out ridin' fences,
for so long now
Oh, you're a hard one
I know that you
got your reasons
These things that
are pleasin' you
Can hurt you somehow
Don't you draw the
queen of diamonds, boy
She'll beat you if she's able
You know the queen of hearts
is your best bet
It seems to me,
some fine things
- That's Frankie.
- Have been laid upon your table
But you always want the
ones that you can't get
Desperado,
why don't you come
to your senses?
Come down from your fences,
open the gate
It may be rainin',
but there's a
rainbow above you
You better let
somebody love you
You better let
somebody love you
before
it's too late
I'm just scared.
It's gone.
I can't make-believe anymore.
Sometimes I think our entire lives
are make-believe.
This is make-believe.
The air we breathe is make-believe.
Just make believe you're happy, Johnny.
Please, for the kids.
"Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer
by this sun of York. "
"And all the clouds that there around... "
"Dance to the lascivious pleasings
of a lute. "
"Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer
by this sun of York... "
So I'm a little high at the moment.
Sometimes it seemed like
everyone in New York was an actor.
Even the stockbrokers.
Hey, man, you know,
you mightn't think it to look at me but,
and I know I'm white and everything,
but I can rap.
Help, somebody!
Someone call an ambulance! Stevie!
Come on, man!
Please, somebody!
Somebody, help!
He's fallen down the stairs!
- I think someone's fallen down the stairs.
- Mateo's fallen down the stairs!
I think it's Mateo.
Get your coat.
It's Mateo.
Shall I get the lemon drops?
- Yeah. And a pillow.
- OK.
Mateo! Did anyone call for help?
He just fainted.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Keep the dog away, man.
Keep him away.
Go downstairs, Papo, man.
- Stevie doesn't let me. He locked me out.
- That's 'cause you're a junkie, Papo.
Go and get an ambulance.
Don't do that. Don't do that.
- I did this to my brother.
- No, it's different.
Come on! Come on!
Are you OK?
Are you OK?
- Can't seem to catch my breath.
- Just relax.
Mateo, here.
- What are they?
- They're lemon drops.
They're magic. If you suck on some,
they'll make you better.
Is it all right, Christy?
Yeah.
My mom takes them
to help the baby.
I think you saved my life, Ariel.
All right, that's it.
Get out the damn car.
- Come on, get out the damn car.
- I was right in the middle of a flow there.
Come on. What? You don't like... What
the hell's the matter with you, you freak?
Where's the Bill of Rights?
What the hell's the matter with you?
Don't you understand rights?
I got rights, bro. I got rights.
Take your fancy handbag.
Night, E. T...
- Are you awake, Ariel?
- Yeah. Are you, Christy?
Yeah.
- What's wrong with Mateo?
- Some disease.
- Will you get it?
- What?
Mateo's disease.
Why?
Because you kissed him.
No.
Night, Christy.
Night.
There's Dad.
Come on, Christy, get him!
You OK?
I was just out of breath.
What was Frankie like?
A warrior.
Maselu masela.
What does that mean?
A warrior who is not afraid
to go to the other side.
The other side of what?
This.
Hi, Dad!
Don't be scared.
He's not too well now.
Did he not take the lemon drops?
I don't think they agree with him anymore.
Why do you have sores?
If I tell you a secret,
will you tell nobody else?
No, I won't.
I'm an alien.
Like E.T.
From a different planet.
My skin is too sensitive for this Earth.
The air is too hard for me.
Are you going home, like E. T?
I suppose I'm going home.
When are you going?
Soon.
Will you say goodbye to me?
- I will.
- Promise?
Yes, I promise.
Mom's having a baby.
What do you think we should call it?
We're going to call it after you.
I think he's asleep.
My mom had to go into hospital,
so I thought about using my third wish.
But I had to be careful.
If the baby came too soon,
the baby might die,
and if the baby came too late,
my mom might die.
You have to be careful what you wish for.
Come on, kids, it's time to go.
- See you later, all right?
- Bye, Mom.
- Take it easy, love.
- See you tomorrow.
Bye.
Love you.
Excuse me. Mr. Sullivan?
We'll need that check by Friday.
- For how much?
- 5,000.
All right, OK.
That's great. Thanks.
You know the situation.
You know I'm in trouble.
- Come on.
- Shut up.
Look into my eyes.
What are they tellin' you?
They're tellin' you no.
You either do the job,
or you get out of town. Understand?
I understand.
That was good, Dad.
Yeah, it wasn't so bad from you.
You're gonna get it, Dad.
- You think so?
- Yeah.
Will we sell the camcorder?
No. No.
Don't be worrying, girl.
Everything's gonna be OK.
Hey, Irish!
Irish!
Hey!
Hey, Johnny! Hey, Johnny!
Haven't seen you for seven days.
- That means you owe me $7.
- Jesus, not again.
A dollar a day keeps Frank away.
Hey, I'm joking, I'm joking.
I've no money.
No, no, no, no.
I got something for you.
Here. Here.
- What are they?
- They're food stamps.
- I'm all right, thanks.
- Come on, come on.
You helped me out. I'm just trying to help
you out for once. Come on, take 'em.
You can't take something from me?
Take the stamps.
Come on, take the stamps.
- Thanks.
- No problem, Irish.
Come on. I'll tuck youse in.
Dad, who's gonna iron
our school uniforms?
Daddo the Baddo.
- Dad?
- What?
- I need money for school.
- I have that sorted. It's all right.
- OK.
- OK?
- Night, Dad.
- Good night.
Dad, you forgot to say Christy's prayer.
I don't know 'em.
- I'll say it.
- All right.
Kneel?
- What?
- Will you kneel?
No. I'm not kneeling, no.
- Mom always kneels.
- But dads are different.
- I want Mom.
- Christy, do the prayer, would ya?
No monsters, no ghosts.
No nightmares, no witches.
No people coming into the kitchen,
smashing the dishes.
No devils coming out of the mirror.
No dolls coming alive.
Mateo going home.
Frankie in heaven.
The baby not coming too early or too late.
Mom, Dad, Christy and Ariel,
all together in one happy family,
and all well with the world.
Amen.
You're great girls.
I'll see youse in the morning.
- Night, Dad.
- Night, Dad.
How much does it cost in hospital?
- Thousands and thousands.
- Good night.
"To be or not to be. "
Blah, blah, blah.
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind
to stick me head
in the damn oven and end it all.
Where's Dad?
I want my dad.
- I am your dad.
- You're not my dad.
I want my real dad.
Come here.
- Stay away from me.
- Come here to me.
Where's Mom?
What'd you do to Mom?
- Come here, baby.
- No.
- Come here.
- No! Mom! Mom!
Mom! Mom!
Mommy! No!
- Come here. Shh.
- No! Mom!
Mom! Mom!
Mom! Mom!
- Come here to me.
- Oh, no!
No! No!
Shh! Look at me. Look at me.
Look at me. Look at me. Look at me.
Look at me.
Am I your da?
No.
Here, look. Look at me.
Am I your dad?
Maybe.
So spring came,
and with it the baby.
It had come too soon.
Will you get Karen for me?
Will you get Karen for me?
Please don't let my baby come.
I don't want my baby to come.
No, it's too early.
It's too early.
- Coming through, stat.
- I need a morphine drip.
Nurse? Morphine.
Johnny, why is my baby not crying?
Just go with the baby!
Go with the baby!
Oxygen.
We've stabilized her for now,
but she will need a blood transfusion
in the next couple of hours.
All right?
Everything's gonna be OK.
The baby needs a blood transfusion.
We have to sign this consent form,
the pair of us.
Is that OK?
All the blood is bad.
Mateo said all the blood is bad.
You're not giving my baby bad blood.
You gave my baby bad blood,
and that's why he died.
That's why he fell down the stairs.
This is the new baby, Sarah.
He tried to climb the gate, and he fell.
Why did you put it up?
- Where is he?
- Who?
Frankie.
Frankie's not with us, Sarah.
You should have taken the gate down.
It's your fault.
You should have taken the gate down!
- You're hiding him.
- You saw him die.
I want to get Frankie.
I want my baby!
Calm down, all right? Shh.
Where is he? I want Frankie.
Where is he?!
Doctor!
- It's your fault he fell down the stairs.
- It's all right.
Would you ring your bell there? Doctor!
Why didn't you take the gate down?
Why didn't you take the gate down?
- All right.
- No, no, no, no. Please.
Please, I'm begging you, please.
Johnny, please, please.
No, no, no, no. Please, Johnny, please.
No, no. I want to see my baby.
- Please don't take my new baby.
- I'm not taking her. OK?
Save my baby. Save my baby, Johnny.
Please, please.
Please.
I will.
If the baby dies, just don't wake me up.
- There's only one other solution.
- What's that?
- Are you O negative?
- I am.
Christy's O negative.
What if I have it?
Have what?
Mateo's disease.
That's not possible, Christy.
How do you know that?
God won't let that happen to you.
You don't believe in God.
- I'm scared.
- Don't be scared.
Everyone's dying.
- Will she survive it?
- Well, she can't survive without it.
That's what the doctor said
before they opened Frankie.
What do we do?
I'll give her the blood.
Is that a decision?
Christy'll give her the blood.
Are you OK, little girl?
Don't "little girl" me.
I've been carrying this family
on my back for over a year,
ever since Frankie died.
He was my brother too.
It's not my fault that he's dead.
It's not my fault that I'm still alive.
Ah, Christy...
Mom was always crying
because he was her son.
But he was my brother too.
I cried too... when no one was looking.
- I talked to him every night.
- She did, Dad.
I talked to him every night until...
Until when?
Until I realized I was talking to myself.
- Listen, I'll take her home, OK?
- All right. Thanks very much.
No problem.
Your check bounced.
I sat there with my dad, and all
the noises of New York disappeared.
All I could hear
was the blood thumping in my ear.
But for some reason I felt happy.
I wondered if Frankie had felt like this.
Special.
Everybody looking at you
like they were looking in a mirror.
And smiling... except in their eyes.
Did Frankie know he was going to die?
Is that why he kept nodding
and smiling at us?
When he died, I cursed God.
I told him, "You'll not see these snotty
tears running down my cheeks ever again. "
So now I can't cry.
You know, I thought I'd come in here,
and you'd wake up and hold me hand...
I'd cry and the kid'd be all right.
Everything'd be OK.
We need a miracle, Mateo.
Hey, Irish. Whoa.
Hey.
Hey.
You can't say hello?
Come on. What's up? What's up?
What's up? What's up?
- I'm sorry.
- I'm just, I'm just...
- A bad day?
- You could say that.
Yeah. The whole world had a bad day, Joe.
Joe, Joe.
Gimme a few bucks. Come on.
I don't have any money to give you.
Sorry. I'm stupid, stupid.
Stupid. I shouldn't be bothering you.
Come on, lighten up, Joe.
It's gonna get better.
Come on, Irish.
Come on, Irish. Fighting Irish.
I'm comin' to get ya.
Gimme some money.
I'm not doing this for me.
It's for Angela.
Come on. Put your hand in your pocket.
Take it easy.
Your other pocket.
Your other pocket.
Faster, Irish. Let me see it.
Get it out.
- Know what it is...
- Get it out.
I'm taking it out.
OK. There you go.
OK, OK, OK.
I just needed money.
I'm sorry, OK?
OK, I'm sorry.
Stop it.
I'm sorry. Joe, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Hey, Joe. Joe, we're still friends.
Go to hell.
We were waiting for the baby
to show some sign of life.
She just lay there and lay there.
The hospital bill arrived.
It came to,
thirty thousand, four hundred
and twenty dollars and twenty cents.
Look, just get me in the door
for the audition.
- I'll give 'em whatever they want.
- Sir? Your bill's ready.
All right.
Hm.
- Bill's been paid.
- What do you mean?
Ah, a Mateo Kwame paid it.
There's no balance.
Finally,
my dad got a part in a play,
and he came to tell us the good news.
Good news, girls. Sarah Mateo Sullivan
is coming home from the hospital.
Cool! Yeah!
- Oh, look who it is! Hey, Papo.
- How you doing there?
- Do youse want a look?
- Yeah.
- Mom, can I?
- Yeah. Grand.
Oh, she's so beautiful.
OK. See you later.
Big yawn. Big yawn.
What's wrong?
- He never said goodbye.
- What?
He never said goodbye.
Hello.
Shh! The baby's asleep.
Christy.
Come here to me.
Look up there and tell me what you see.
- Full moon.
- And what else do you see?
Stars.
Can you not see Mateo?
He's going past the moon on his bike.
I think he's waving goodbye to Ariel.
- Will we tell her?
- Yeah.
Ariel.
Yeah?
Look up there. It's Mateo
riding past the moon on his bike.
Where?
There. Look, right there.
Can you not see him waving to you?
No.
He's right there, look!
He's there, flying past the moon.
- Can you see him?
- No.
Can you not see him waving to you? He's
waving goodbye, just like he promised.
Oh, yeah! Bye, Mateo!
- Bye!
- Bye!
- Bye, Mateo!
- Bye!
- Bye, Mateo.
- Bye, Mateo.
- Look after Frankie. Look after Frankie.
- Bye, Mateo.
- Look after Frankie.
- Look after...
And then I asked for
my third wish.
Say goodbye to Frankie, Dad.
What?
Say goodbye to Frankie.
Bye, Frankie.
He can't hear you, Dad.
Bye, Frankie.
Mom?
Dad wants you.
It was as hard for Frankie
to smile when the tumor was malignant
as it was for my dad to cry after.
But they both managed it.
I'm going to switch this off now.
It's not the way
I want to see Frankie anymore.
Do you still have a picture of me
in your head?
Well, that's like the picture
I want to have of Frankie.
One that you can
keep in your head forever.
So when you go back to reality...
I'll ask Frankie...
to please, please, let me go.
you should wish for...
and some things you shouldn't.
That's what my little brother Frankie
told me.
He told me I only had three wishes.
And I looked in his eyes...
and I don't know why I believed him.
- Remember, we're on holiday, all right?
- Knock it off, Christy, love.
Christy.
- Passports, please.
- We're on holidays!
- Are you, little girl?
- Yeah. And my dad's not working.
What's the purpose of your visit?
What are your purposes
in visiting the United States?
We're on holiday.
And how long have you been in Canada?
Just visiting.
Listening to my mom and dad,
I was scared we weren't gonna
get across the border.
And if I didn't talk to Frankie,
how were we going to get into America?
"Please, Frankie. "
"Please. Please help us," I said.
- How many children do you have?
- Three.
Two.
Two.
Says three here.
We lost one.
- What's your name, little girl?
- Ariel.
And who are you?
She's Christy.
- What age are you, Christy?
- She's ten.
- Welcome to America.
- Thanks very much.
And that was my first
wish used up.
But I still had two left.
1020 on your AM dial.
We heard Manhattan
before we ever saw it,
a thousand strange voices
coming from everywhere.
And you're not going to believe this,
but we had to go under the water
to get to the city.
No, I swear it.
It was a real alien.
And we lost contact
with everything.
It was like we were on another planet.
...classics from
the '60s, '70s, '80s and '90s.
We looked all over Manhattan
for a place to live,
till finally we found the house
of the man who screamed.
What are you doing
with the camera, little girl?
- You the police?
- What?
Are you the police?
- No. We're Irish.
- All Irish are police.
- We're not.
- Are we going to live here now?
- You gonna live in here, in this building?
- Yeah.
All right.
Keep an eye on their car.
Papo's gonna keep you safe now.
All right?
Come on in.
Welcome to your new mansion.
Come on.
Look! A lift!
That hasn't worked forever.
Come on, come on.
- Are we going to live here now?
- Yeah.
- Why?
- Nowhere else will take us.
Why?
- They don't want kids in Manhattan.
- Why?
Why do you think they call it "Manhattan"?
Papo!
Yo, Papo. Don't come any further, man.
Yo, relax, Tony. It's just me.
I know who the hell it is, man.
Go back downstairs to your apartment.
I'm clean, man. I'm showing this family
the empty apartment.
- No way, Papo!
- All right!
All right, Papo.
We'll take over from here.
- Why does he scream?
- Maybe he sees ghosts.
Is this a haunted house?
- It's like Fort Knox.
- Cool!
- Where did you learn that?
- What?
- "Cool. "
- I just heard it.
You're American already.
It's disgusting.
- Race you in, Christy.
- Wow!
- It's huge!
- I know, it's enormous.
- This is my room.
- This is my room.
I get top bunk.
I get top bunk.
Look, Dad!
There's a bath in the middle of the room.
Wow! There's pigeons!
Ariel, come and look at this!
- It's a bit of a hole.
- It'll be fine when we do it up.
It'll cost us, Sarah.
How are we gonna pay for this place?
We'll sell the car.
- Are you OK?
- Mm.
- Are you?
- I'm great.
Are you?
- Dad?
- What?
Can we keep the pigeons?
Dad, can we keep the pigeons?
Dad?
Can we keep the pigeons?
No. We have to leave 'em go.
It seemed like
all our problems were flying away.
Dad, can I help?
Go and ask your ma.
- Mom, can I help?
- Why don't you go on your skates?
I'll fast-forward through this bit.
Ariel got to know
everybody in the neighborhood.
My mom couldn't get a job teaching,
so she got a job in the ice cream parlor
so Dad could go to auditions.
I really like the character.
I'm glad you asked me back. I just
wanna say I'm real pleased about that.
How about the part of Vinnie?
Has he looked at that?
New York guy.
He's a bit of a stereotype,
but if you want him, you got him.
Can you do a London accent?
What? You 'avin'
a laugh? He's only got two lines.
Do you want me to come up there
and sort you out?
- Do you like him?
- Yeah.
But acting's about more than just accents.
I wanted to cast you, but you've got to
give me more. Much, much more.
Don't you understand?
Get it out of your head.
It's from here and from here.
Just give me one more chance.
But he didn't get another chance.
And then summer came,
and with it the heat.
And a new word: humidity.
- Dad, it's still not working.
- Wait.
Wait.
It's too hot.
It's still not coming
through the holes, Dad.
Hang on there.
Wait.
Wait. It's coming.
It's coming.
It's working.
- Well done, Dad. It's lovely and cold.
- I love youse.
Shh, Ariel. Dad has an audition.
- Dad?
- What?
- What are you doing?
- I'm reading me script.
- Why?
- 'Cause I'm learning me lines.
- Dad, can we stay here all day?
- Mm-hm.
- Dad, America's OK.
- Great.
- Dad?
- What?
Nothing.
What are we doin' here?
Huh? What are we doin' here?
What are we doin' here?
What are we doin' here?
What are we doin' here, huh?
What are we doin' here?
What are we doin' here?
Dad, Dad, Ariel's upset.
She spent too long in the bath.
- What's wrong with you?
- My feet are like prunes.
- What?
- They're like prunes.
Oh, Jesus. Where's your ma?
Are you OK?
It's too hot.
Dad, how are you gonna get
that air conditioner up and down the path?
- Dad, how are you gonna...
- Jesus!
Come on.
Come on.
Dad, they're gonna shoot you.
- Dad, look out!
- Asshole!
Mom!
Look! It's Dad!
You're using, Papo.
You're using. No, no.
No, don't you walk...
Argh!
Hey, can I have some of whatever he's on?
Crazy freaked-out Irishman.
Christy, open the door.
Mom! Mom, Dad's got
an air conditioner!
He's coming!
He's coming!
Walk away from me!
Go on!
Jesus, Johnny!
You'll have a heart attack.
- Open the window.
- Open the window, Mom!
Open the window!
- Mom, open the window.
- Open the window!
Open the window!
What's wrong?
Wrong plug.
25 cents short.
That's no use to me.
I gotta make a living. $1.99.
I'll give it to you tomorrow.
- You're from the junkies' building, right?
- So?
Look at that.
That's from holding the knife of a junkie.
I got 25 stitches.
He got probation.
Do I look like a junkie to you?
$1.99.
- What's that?
- There's five cents on each of those.
Where's the $100 I gave you?
I put it in the bank like you insisted.
And 25 cents.
And $2, Mr. American Dream.
And one plug.
And one cent.
Dad, don't worry.
Mom's breathing's OK.
Is it OK?
It's the lemon drops. They're magic.
You take them
and you forget about your breathing.
Say your prayers.
Scary, Dad.
It's all right.
Let's get your head in there.
Is that good?
Is that good for you?
Yeah? Whoo-hoo!
Come on, get your face in there.
Look at that.
You're a genius, Dad.
Hey, gringo!
Gringo, what the hell is goin' on up there?!
We got out of there
as fast as we could.
We went to the bank, took out our money,
and went to the movies,
where it was lovely and cool.
Listen, don't be upset.
E.T.'s gone to heaven.
- But they said he went home.
- Well, that's the same thing.
No.
It's not.
I miss things.
What do you miss?
Things.
I have no one to play with.
- You have your sister to play with.
- No. She plays with her camcorder.
And I've no one to tell my secrets to.
Christy tells them to her camcorder.
And she won't let me
hear what she says.
And you don't play with us anymore.
- I do play with youse.
- Not like you used to.
Here you go!
Dad! Dad!
Dad, you can win E. T! You can win E. T!
It's a game of chance.
It's as simple as pie.
It's a game of chance. It's simple as pie.
All you have to do is throw the ball through
the hoop seven times and you win E. T!
- Seven times? Is that all?
- Yeah.
- Can adults play?
- Sure.
- Simple as pie.
- That's $2.
You can keep throwing
as long as you double up your dollars.
If you win, you get every dollar back
and any prize you like.
You get all your money back if you win?
You get all your money back
and any doll you like.
All right.
- Whoo!
- Yes!
- That's one in there.
- Come on, Johnny.
That's two.
Whoo!
- Two down, five to go. $4.
- Come on. We'll get there.
- We'll get there.
- Come on, Dad.
- You're excellent. You're brilliant.
- All right. Don't worry, I'll get it.
- Mom, is Dad going to win?
- Of course he is.
Come on, Dad.
Yes! Yes! Yay!
Three, four, five. Very good.
Only two to go.
$8.
Game of chance. Simple as pie.
You can keep throwing
as long as you double up your dollars.
Shh...
Number five.
Two to go. $16.
Come on, Dad.
Only two more to go.
All right, all right, we'll get this.
$32. We got $32 over here.
- I don't need a crowd.
- Well, you're the main attraction.
Game of chance. Simple as pie.
One to go, one to go!
One more throw.
One more for the big
doll for the little girl!
Are we finished, sir?
I got 55.
- Here. I have another five.
- I just need four more.
- Dad, it doesn't matter.
- Ah, no.
Just take it, Johnny.
$1 change for the big girl.
Only one to go.
One ball to go over here. One ball to go
for the big doll for the little girl.
Don't let him break your concentration,
Johnny, yeah?
- Give me the rent money.
- What?
Give me the rent money.
Johnny, please don't do this to me tonight.
I can't lose in front of
the kids again, Sarah.
Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
We got $128 over here.
We're finished now, sir.
Leave it, please.
Wow! Go for it, man.
We can't blow all our money.
I believe in you and the kids believe in you
and you can win that doll.
- Go on.
- Dad, you're gonna win. I just know it.
And then I used all my
will power to quieten the crowd.
But it didn't work.
Every cent of every
penny we owned
was down for an
E. T. doll worth $30.
So I said:
"Frankie, I have to ask you
for a second wish. "
And to this day, my dad still believes
it was him who won the E. T. doll.
Thank you. Thank God.
Great! Oh, my God!
Fee,
fi,
fo,
fum!
I smell the blood of an Irishwoman!
Give me a bite of ya!
Give me a bite of ya!
Come on, Christy! Come on!
Ah! Help!
Fee,
fi,
fo,
fum!
I smell the blood of an Irishwoman.
Christy, hurry up!
Fee,
fi, fo, fum!
I smell the blood...
- Run, E. T! Run, E. T! It's the monster!
- Fee,
fi,
fo,
fum.
I smell the blood of an Irishman!
Johnny, what's wrong?
I was looking for him.
I was looking for Frankie.
Just play with the kids, Johnny.
I couldn't find him.
Am I going insane?
Just act, Johnny. Just act.
Go on, love.
Fee,
fi,
fo,
fum!
I still smell the blood...
of an Irishwoman!
Christy, I'll save you!
Johnny.
Johnny.
You didn't find me.
I wasn't looking for you.
Exactly.
You weren't looking for me.
There's nowhere you could hide
I wouldn't find ya.
Fee,
fi,
fo,
fum.
- Girls.
- I still smell the blood of an Irishwoman.
Take the bag. Take the money.
Go to Heaven. Marina will look after you.
I smell the blood of an Irishwoman.
- Oh, hi, you two.
- How you doing, girls?
You're a little later than usual.
Where's your mom?
My mom is playing with Dad on her own.
Fee,
fi,
fo,
fum.
I smell the blood of an Irishwoman.
Fee,
fi,
fo,
fum.
I still smell the blood... of an Irishwoman.
- Where are the kids?
- Leave it on.
It's all right.
It's OK.
- Ah, where are the kids?
- They're fine.
They're in Heaven.
Marina's looking after them.
Come on to me. Come on.
- No! No.
- Go on!
And that was the moment
the baby was conceived.
What's wrong?
Was it that good?
Was it that bad?
Look at me, Sarah.
You all right?
What's wrong?
- Come here to me.
- I can't.
- Come here to me. Hey.
- I can't.
Look at me and tell me the truth.
Frankie had your eyes, Johnny.
Say something.
You blame me.
I should have been there to catch him
when he fell down the stairs.
It's my fault.
I don't blame you.
- Oh, shit! Oh, shit!
- Hurry, get inside.
We had to go to a Catholic
school, so my dad took a night job.
Ariel was worried about
a blind man called Jos.
Everybody smile and say "Cheese!"
Cheese!
Christy, why can Jos not see?
It's not "Jos. " It's:
I helped too.
Fill the bag with leaves like that,
yellow ones.
OK.
Statue of Liberty, nation,
friends and caring,
so now we are all together.
I'm hungry!
Right, keep your eye on the meter.
And get in the cab and keep your ear
on the radio, all right? I won't be long.
And lock the doors.
401 to base.
If you can hear me, come in.
Hello, base here.
Hey, where's your dad, girls?
- He's in his audition.
- Oh.
- Where are you?
- I'm not positive.
Christy, do you know where you are?
- No.
- Oh.
- Are you on Broadway?
- Yeah, I think so.
- Near where?
- Near...
- Near the audition.
- Yeah. Very good.
Is my baby all right?
- How are you feeling?
- Fine.
Little bit tired,
but other than that I'm OK.
Mom, do you think
Dad will know who I am?
Wow, youse look great.
You'll knock 'em out.
- Can you guess what they are?
- Ariel's an angel.
Uh-huh.
- Christy's a forest.
- She's autumn.
- No, fall.
- Fall?
Yeah. That's what they call it
here in America - fall. Like, leaves fall.
Oh, you guys look great. They look great.
Irish. Irish. Spare a quarter, please?
Please, please.
- I got a quarter.
- You're the best.
- All right.
- He gave me a quarter, Angela.
- He gave me a quarter.
- There you go.
Thank you, sir.
Thank you. Thank you.
Who are they?
That's the Irish.
What's wrong?
What's wrong?
Everyone else
has bought their costumes.
We look stupid.
No, you don't.
Come on, sweetie.
And, last but not least, a special prize
this year for the best homemade costume
goes to the Sullivan sisters.
Ah, you can't throw away your prize -
best homemade costume.
- They made it up 'cause they pity us.
- You got it 'cause you're different.
We don't want to be different. We want
to be the same as everybody else.
Why would youse wanna be
the same as everybody else?
'Cause everybody else
goes trick-or-treating.
- What's that?
- It's what they do here for Halloween.
What do you mean?
Like, help the Halloween party?
No, not help the Halloween party.
You don't ask for help in America.
You demand it.
Trick or treat -
you don't ask, you threaten.
- You can't do that on our street.
- Why not?
Because you can't threaten drug addicts
and transvestites, that's why.
What are transvestites?
A man who dresses up as a woman.
- For Halloween?
- No. All the time. All the time.
Come on.
- Why?
- It's just what they do here, OK?
We were allowed to go
trick-or-treating in our stupid building.
Trick or treat!
Trick or treat!
- Trick or treat!
- Dad, get out of here.
Trick or treat!
Come on, let's try another door.
Trick or treat!
Trick or treat!
Trick or treat!
- Trick or treat!
- Answer the stupid door.
Trick or treat! Trick or tr...
- Why won't they answer?
- Maybe they're afraid.
Trick or treat!
- Trick or treat!
- Let us in!
Hey, mister, we're nice kids, so let us in!
- How many doors is that?
- Four.
Trick or treat!
Why am I so anxious?
Trick or treat!
It's the stairs, Johnny.
- That says "Keep away. "
- I don't care. Come on, Christy.
Trick or treat!
Trick or treat!
Trick or treat!
Trick or treat!
Who's there?
Tr...
- Someone's in there.
- Come on.
Trick or treat!
Trick or treat!
Trick or treat!
A otra puerta!
...treat!
No drugs here! Other door!
Knock again, I dare you.
- Trick or treat!
- Who's...
Trick or treat!
Trick or treat!
Go away!
Trick or treat!
Trick or treat!
What?
Hello.
You're the kids from upstairs?
Yeah.
- Is this Halloween?
- Yeah.
Hm.
- Where are you from?
- Ireland.
You came all the way to America
to trick-or-treat?
Yeah.
Come in.
Are there only two of you?
Two girls.
Are they all right in there?
- Are they all right in there?
- Mm-hm. They'll be fine.
What's your name?
Mateo. What's yours?
Ariel. Hello.
- My name's Christy.
- Hi, Christy.
- Is that our building?
- Yes, it is.
It looks like a haunted house.
It is haunted.
But it's not scary.
It's a magic house.
Frankie believed in magic.
- Who's that?
- Frankie, our brother. He died.
He fell down the stairs when he was two.
We thought he was OK,
but there was something in his brain.
A brain tumor.
And for three years
it got bigger and bigger.
It was malignant.
Are you crying?
Are you?
It's OK. He's in heaven now.
Is that your hand?
Ah, yes.
Is that blood?
Spaghetti sauce.
Come here!
I better treat you or you'll trick me.
Am I right?
- Yeah!
- OK. Let's find something.
Let's see, uh...
So, what's in the fridge?
Nothing. Nothing, nothing,
nothing, nothing, nothing.
Uh...
Oops. How about this?
- How much is in it?
- A lot.
- Mateo's fortune.
- It's too much.
No, it's not. When luck comes knocking
on your door, you can't turn it away.
- Happy Halloween!
- OK. Happy Halloween. Bye.
Hi, Dad!
We're going to show Ma what we got, OK?
Rumba makela.
Happy Halloween.
Happy Halloween, Mateo.
He was really nice
and he gave us lots of money.
How much does it add up to, Christy?
240 pennies,
12 nickels and two dimes.
How much is that altogether?
Three dollars twenty.
Wow.
- And he had nothing in his fridge?
- Just medicine.
- We should invite him over.
- No way.
He gives me the heebie-jeebies.
- What is it?
- It's called colcannon.
- It's potatoes mixed with curly kale.
- Hm.
Plates, please.
Thank you.
Hm.
Whoo!
Wow!
That means you're gonna be rich.
Halloween is called the Day of Ancestors,
when the dead come back
and we hear their voices.
How do you hear them?
You hear their voices
through the men dancing.
What do they say?
Uh...
They complain.
"You don't pay attention to me. "
"You don't feed me. "
"I'm hungry. "
Are they ever happy?
When they're happy,
you never hear from them.
Oh.
You're magic.
You're winning everything.
That means you're gonna get married.
Christy!
Who's there?
You see that?
OK.
Do you not think I'm bad, or are you
just saying that I'm good 'cause...
You are.
- Am I doing the wings right?
- You're doing great.
- Really?
- Yes.
I thought I was bad.
You're doing great.
Is that you on the pictures?
Yeah.
So you were rich?
Is that why the angel has blue blood?
You know, in the Irish language,
the word for "black man" is fer gorm.
But that really means "blue man. "
The word for "black man" is fer dubh,
and that means "the devil. "
You have us figured out, huh?
They can't wipe us out.
They can't lick us.
We'll go on forever, Pa,
'cause we're the people.
Johnny, come to bed.
It's late. Come on.
Put the script down.
- You're happy.
- I am.
It's something Mateo said.
What's he say?
- He said everything's gonna be all right.
- Uh-huh.
And the baby
will bring its own luck.
The baby will bring its own luck.
That's it, there. You see?
I could be wrong but I haven't felt
the baby move for a couple of weeks.
It's serious.
This baby will not go full-term.
And if it did, it would be
extremely dangerous to your health.
If you decide to go ahead with this,
you'll have to be a very brave woman.
But I thought the doctors said
you couldn't have any more babies.
Well, sometimes, Ariel, doctors are wrong.
There!
It just kicked.
Oh, my God.
Johnny, feel it.
I remember the first time
you kicked, Christy.
It was in one of your dad's plays.
Every time he spoke, you kicked.
Like you were applauding him.
- Did I ever kick?
- You?
You kicked like a mule, night and day.
There it is again.
Johnny, did you feel it?
I can't feel anything.
Do you want me to lie?
You're the only actor in the world
who can't lie, Johnny.
- Not even for the sake of your kids.
- What does that mean?
If you can't touch somebody you created,
how can you create somebody
that'll touch anybody?
- What are you going on about?
- Acting, Johnny.
And bringing something to life,
it's the same thing.
That's why you can't get a job acting,
Johnny, because you can't feel anything.
This baby's not Frankie, Sarah.
Look at me.
Look at me.
Why don't you look at me?
You've gotten over him.
I've had to get over him, Johnny,
for the sake of the kids.
So you're gonna put your life on the line
for the sake of the kids?
- And that's protecting them?
- Yes.
- That's a total contradiction.
- How?
You know what the doctors said.
I don't care what they said.
What do they know about us?
And my baby?
I gotta bleeding get outta here.
Where are you going?
Where are you going?
This is real! Right?
This is real.
It's not a play!
- What are you talking about?
- Just let me get out, huh?
No.
You'll upset the kids!
I'll be back in a minute.
Johnny! Johnny, come back.
Johnny, where are you goin'? Johnny!
Johnny! Johnny, you're scaring me.
Come back. Just come back.
Johnny, please.
Johnny!
All right?
Everything all right?
The baby'll bring its own luck, will it?
I'll tell you the luck the baby'll bring.
The baby could infect her, and two girls'll
be left without their ma.
So keep your trap shut.
You don't believe.
In what?
God?
You know, I asked him a favor.
I asked him to take me instead of him.
And he took the both of us.
And look what he put in my place.
I'm a fucking ghost.
I don't exist.
I can't think.
I can't laugh. I can't cry.
I can't... feel!
Do you wanna be me?
Do you wanna be in my place?
I wish.
Are you in love with her?
Are you in love with her?
No.
I'm in love with you.
And I'm in love with your beautiful woman.
And I'm in love with your kids.
And I'm even in love
with your unborn child.
I'm even in love with your anger!
I'm in love with anything that lives!
You're dying.
I'm sorry.
Desperado,
why don't you come
to your senses?
You been out ridin' fences,
for so long now
Oh, you're a hard one
I know that you
got your reasons
These things that
are pleasin' you
Can hurt you somehow
Don't you draw the
queen of diamonds, boy
She'll beat you if she's able
You know the queen of hearts
is your best bet
It seems to me,
some fine things
- That's Frankie.
- Have been laid upon your table
But you always want the
ones that you can't get
Desperado,
why don't you come
to your senses?
Come down from your fences,
open the gate
It may be rainin',
but there's a
rainbow above you
You better let
somebody love you
You better let
somebody love you
before
it's too late
I'm just scared.
It's gone.
I can't make-believe anymore.
Sometimes I think our entire lives
are make-believe.
This is make-believe.
The air we breathe is make-believe.
Just make believe you're happy, Johnny.
Please, for the kids.
"Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer
by this sun of York. "
"And all the clouds that there around... "
"Dance to the lascivious pleasings
of a lute. "
"Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer
by this sun of York... "
So I'm a little high at the moment.
Sometimes it seemed like
everyone in New York was an actor.
Even the stockbrokers.
Hey, man, you know,
you mightn't think it to look at me but,
and I know I'm white and everything,
but I can rap.
Help, somebody!
Someone call an ambulance! Stevie!
Come on, man!
Please, somebody!
Somebody, help!
He's fallen down the stairs!
- I think someone's fallen down the stairs.
- Mateo's fallen down the stairs!
I think it's Mateo.
Get your coat.
It's Mateo.
Shall I get the lemon drops?
- Yeah. And a pillow.
- OK.
Mateo! Did anyone call for help?
He just fainted.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Keep the dog away, man.
Keep him away.
Go downstairs, Papo, man.
- Stevie doesn't let me. He locked me out.
- That's 'cause you're a junkie, Papo.
Go and get an ambulance.
Don't do that. Don't do that.
- I did this to my brother.
- No, it's different.
Come on! Come on!
Are you OK?
Are you OK?
- Can't seem to catch my breath.
- Just relax.
Mateo, here.
- What are they?
- They're lemon drops.
They're magic. If you suck on some,
they'll make you better.
Is it all right, Christy?
Yeah.
My mom takes them
to help the baby.
I think you saved my life, Ariel.
All right, that's it.
Get out the damn car.
- Come on, get out the damn car.
- I was right in the middle of a flow there.
Come on. What? You don't like... What
the hell's the matter with you, you freak?
Where's the Bill of Rights?
What the hell's the matter with you?
Don't you understand rights?
I got rights, bro. I got rights.
Take your fancy handbag.
Night, E. T...
- Are you awake, Ariel?
- Yeah. Are you, Christy?
Yeah.
- What's wrong with Mateo?
- Some disease.
- Will you get it?
- What?
Mateo's disease.
Why?
Because you kissed him.
No.
Night, Christy.
Night.
There's Dad.
Come on, Christy, get him!
You OK?
I was just out of breath.
What was Frankie like?
A warrior.
Maselu masela.
What does that mean?
A warrior who is not afraid
to go to the other side.
The other side of what?
This.
Hi, Dad!
Don't be scared.
He's not too well now.
Did he not take the lemon drops?
I don't think they agree with him anymore.
Why do you have sores?
If I tell you a secret,
will you tell nobody else?
No, I won't.
I'm an alien.
Like E.T.
From a different planet.
My skin is too sensitive for this Earth.
The air is too hard for me.
Are you going home, like E. T?
I suppose I'm going home.
When are you going?
Soon.
Will you say goodbye to me?
- I will.
- Promise?
Yes, I promise.
Mom's having a baby.
What do you think we should call it?
We're going to call it after you.
I think he's asleep.
My mom had to go into hospital,
so I thought about using my third wish.
But I had to be careful.
If the baby came too soon,
the baby might die,
and if the baby came too late,
my mom might die.
You have to be careful what you wish for.
Come on, kids, it's time to go.
- See you later, all right?
- Bye, Mom.
- Take it easy, love.
- See you tomorrow.
Bye.
Love you.
Excuse me. Mr. Sullivan?
We'll need that check by Friday.
- For how much?
- 5,000.
All right, OK.
That's great. Thanks.
You know the situation.
You know I'm in trouble.
- Come on.
- Shut up.
Look into my eyes.
What are they tellin' you?
They're tellin' you no.
You either do the job,
or you get out of town. Understand?
I understand.
That was good, Dad.
Yeah, it wasn't so bad from you.
You're gonna get it, Dad.
- You think so?
- Yeah.
Will we sell the camcorder?
No. No.
Don't be worrying, girl.
Everything's gonna be OK.
Hey, Irish!
Irish!
Hey!
Hey, Johnny! Hey, Johnny!
Haven't seen you for seven days.
- That means you owe me $7.
- Jesus, not again.
A dollar a day keeps Frank away.
Hey, I'm joking, I'm joking.
I've no money.
No, no, no, no.
I got something for you.
Here. Here.
- What are they?
- They're food stamps.
- I'm all right, thanks.
- Come on, come on.
You helped me out. I'm just trying to help
you out for once. Come on, take 'em.
You can't take something from me?
Take the stamps.
Come on, take the stamps.
- Thanks.
- No problem, Irish.
Come on. I'll tuck youse in.
Dad, who's gonna iron
our school uniforms?
Daddo the Baddo.
- Dad?
- What?
- I need money for school.
- I have that sorted. It's all right.
- OK.
- OK?
- Night, Dad.
- Good night.
Dad, you forgot to say Christy's prayer.
I don't know 'em.
- I'll say it.
- All right.
Kneel?
- What?
- Will you kneel?
No. I'm not kneeling, no.
- Mom always kneels.
- But dads are different.
- I want Mom.
- Christy, do the prayer, would ya?
No monsters, no ghosts.
No nightmares, no witches.
No people coming into the kitchen,
smashing the dishes.
No devils coming out of the mirror.
No dolls coming alive.
Mateo going home.
Frankie in heaven.
The baby not coming too early or too late.
Mom, Dad, Christy and Ariel,
all together in one happy family,
and all well with the world.
Amen.
You're great girls.
I'll see youse in the morning.
- Night, Dad.
- Night, Dad.
How much does it cost in hospital?
- Thousands and thousands.
- Good night.
"To be or not to be. "
Blah, blah, blah.
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind
to stick me head
in the damn oven and end it all.
Where's Dad?
I want my dad.
- I am your dad.
- You're not my dad.
I want my real dad.
Come here.
- Stay away from me.
- Come here to me.
Where's Mom?
What'd you do to Mom?
- Come here, baby.
- No.
- Come here.
- No! Mom! Mom!
Mom! Mom!
Mommy! No!
- Come here. Shh.
- No! Mom!
Mom! Mom!
Mom! Mom!
- Come here to me.
- Oh, no!
No! No!
Shh! Look at me. Look at me.
Look at me. Look at me. Look at me.
Look at me.
Am I your da?
No.
Here, look. Look at me.
Am I your dad?
Maybe.
So spring came,
and with it the baby.
It had come too soon.
Will you get Karen for me?
Will you get Karen for me?
Please don't let my baby come.
I don't want my baby to come.
No, it's too early.
It's too early.
- Coming through, stat.
- I need a morphine drip.
Nurse? Morphine.
Johnny, why is my baby not crying?
Just go with the baby!
Go with the baby!
Oxygen.
We've stabilized her for now,
but she will need a blood transfusion
in the next couple of hours.
All right?
Everything's gonna be OK.
The baby needs a blood transfusion.
We have to sign this consent form,
the pair of us.
Is that OK?
All the blood is bad.
Mateo said all the blood is bad.
You're not giving my baby bad blood.
You gave my baby bad blood,
and that's why he died.
That's why he fell down the stairs.
This is the new baby, Sarah.
He tried to climb the gate, and he fell.
Why did you put it up?
- Where is he?
- Who?
Frankie.
Frankie's not with us, Sarah.
You should have taken the gate down.
It's your fault.
You should have taken the gate down!
- You're hiding him.
- You saw him die.
I want to get Frankie.
I want my baby!
Calm down, all right? Shh.
Where is he? I want Frankie.
Where is he?!
Doctor!
- It's your fault he fell down the stairs.
- It's all right.
Would you ring your bell there? Doctor!
Why didn't you take the gate down?
Why didn't you take the gate down?
- All right.
- No, no, no, no. Please.
Please, I'm begging you, please.
Johnny, please, please.
No, no, no, no. Please, Johnny, please.
No, no. I want to see my baby.
- Please don't take my new baby.
- I'm not taking her. OK?
Save my baby. Save my baby, Johnny.
Please, please.
Please.
I will.
If the baby dies, just don't wake me up.
- There's only one other solution.
- What's that?
- Are you O negative?
- I am.
Christy's O negative.
What if I have it?
Have what?
Mateo's disease.
That's not possible, Christy.
How do you know that?
God won't let that happen to you.
You don't believe in God.
- I'm scared.
- Don't be scared.
Everyone's dying.
- Will she survive it?
- Well, she can't survive without it.
That's what the doctor said
before they opened Frankie.
What do we do?
I'll give her the blood.
Is that a decision?
Christy'll give her the blood.
Are you OK, little girl?
Don't "little girl" me.
I've been carrying this family
on my back for over a year,
ever since Frankie died.
He was my brother too.
It's not my fault that he's dead.
It's not my fault that I'm still alive.
Ah, Christy...
Mom was always crying
because he was her son.
But he was my brother too.
I cried too... when no one was looking.
- I talked to him every night.
- She did, Dad.
I talked to him every night until...
Until when?
Until I realized I was talking to myself.
- Listen, I'll take her home, OK?
- All right. Thanks very much.
No problem.
Your check bounced.
I sat there with my dad, and all
the noises of New York disappeared.
All I could hear
was the blood thumping in my ear.
But for some reason I felt happy.
I wondered if Frankie had felt like this.
Special.
Everybody looking at you
like they were looking in a mirror.
And smiling... except in their eyes.
Did Frankie know he was going to die?
Is that why he kept nodding
and smiling at us?
When he died, I cursed God.
I told him, "You'll not see these snotty
tears running down my cheeks ever again. "
So now I can't cry.
You know, I thought I'd come in here,
and you'd wake up and hold me hand...
I'd cry and the kid'd be all right.
Everything'd be OK.
We need a miracle, Mateo.
Hey, Irish. Whoa.
Hey.
Hey.
You can't say hello?
Come on. What's up? What's up?
What's up? What's up?
- I'm sorry.
- I'm just, I'm just...
- A bad day?
- You could say that.
Yeah. The whole world had a bad day, Joe.
Joe, Joe.
Gimme a few bucks. Come on.
I don't have any money to give you.
Sorry. I'm stupid, stupid.
Stupid. I shouldn't be bothering you.
Come on, lighten up, Joe.
It's gonna get better.
Come on, Irish.
Come on, Irish. Fighting Irish.
I'm comin' to get ya.
Gimme some money.
I'm not doing this for me.
It's for Angela.
Come on. Put your hand in your pocket.
Take it easy.
Your other pocket.
Your other pocket.
Faster, Irish. Let me see it.
Get it out.
- Know what it is...
- Get it out.
I'm taking it out.
OK. There you go.
OK, OK, OK.
I just needed money.
I'm sorry, OK?
OK, I'm sorry.
Stop it.
I'm sorry. Joe, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Hey, Joe. Joe, we're still friends.
Go to hell.
We were waiting for the baby
to show some sign of life.
She just lay there and lay there.
The hospital bill arrived.
It came to,
thirty thousand, four hundred
and twenty dollars and twenty cents.
Look, just get me in the door
for the audition.
- I'll give 'em whatever they want.
- Sir? Your bill's ready.
All right.
Hm.
- Bill's been paid.
- What do you mean?
Ah, a Mateo Kwame paid it.
There's no balance.
Finally,
my dad got a part in a play,
and he came to tell us the good news.
Good news, girls. Sarah Mateo Sullivan
is coming home from the hospital.
Cool! Yeah!
- Oh, look who it is! Hey, Papo.
- How you doing there?
- Do youse want a look?
- Yeah.
- Mom, can I?
- Yeah. Grand.
Oh, she's so beautiful.
OK. See you later.
Big yawn. Big yawn.
What's wrong?
- He never said goodbye.
- What?
He never said goodbye.
Hello.
Shh! The baby's asleep.
Christy.
Come here to me.
Look up there and tell me what you see.
- Full moon.
- And what else do you see?
Stars.
Can you not see Mateo?
He's going past the moon on his bike.
I think he's waving goodbye to Ariel.
- Will we tell her?
- Yeah.
Ariel.
Yeah?
Look up there. It's Mateo
riding past the moon on his bike.
Where?
There. Look, right there.
Can you not see him waving to you?
No.
He's right there, look!
He's there, flying past the moon.
- Can you see him?
- No.
Can you not see him waving to you? He's
waving goodbye, just like he promised.
Oh, yeah! Bye, Mateo!
- Bye!
- Bye!
- Bye, Mateo!
- Bye!
- Bye, Mateo.
- Bye, Mateo.
- Look after Frankie. Look after Frankie.
- Bye, Mateo.
- Look after Frankie.
- Look after...
And then I asked for
my third wish.
Say goodbye to Frankie, Dad.
What?
Say goodbye to Frankie.
Bye, Frankie.
He can't hear you, Dad.
Bye, Frankie.
Mom?
Dad wants you.
It was as hard for Frankie
to smile when the tumor was malignant
as it was for my dad to cry after.
But they both managed it.
I'm going to switch this off now.
It's not the way
I want to see Frankie anymore.
Do you still have a picture of me
in your head?
Well, that's like the picture
I want to have of Frankie.
One that you can
keep in your head forever.
So when you go back to reality...
I'll ask Frankie...
to please, please, let me go.