Closer To God (2014) Movie Script

1
We've got a problem,
some things have been leaked.
I don't know how, I just got a phone call.
We've gotta get this on the plane
as fast as we can.
It's going to be hard enough
for them to accept Elizabeth
without confusing the issue
with gene therapy.
It's my advice that you don't talk
about it. Oh, and we should...
have the receptor removed from these pictures
before they're handed out to the press.
Leak or no leak, I don't think
we should be considering this at all.
We're not ready.
Elizabeth just started her treatment.
We're nowhere close to presenting
our work to the public.
I'm not prepared for anyone to see Elizabeth,
and I'm not prepared to release
- any of my research data.
- I'm not sure that you have to.
It's perfectly acceptable to announce it
today without having everything lined out.
They're going to want to see her.
Of course they'll want to see her,
but we have the pictures.
And it's still better than not
getting ahead of the story.
We're not prepared.
If we're not prepared to talk about her,
we're not prepared to talk about
their reactions to her, about any of it.
- It's my strong opinion that we wait.
- Well, we can't wait.
It's already out there.
It's a gaining momentum as we speak.
It's going to get more and more intense
unless you find a way to control it.
- You don't have a choice.
- Of course we have a choice.
This is our research. Okay?
This is our ten plus years of work.
What happens when they start distorting your
research or they start reporting hearsay?
Or for that matter,
they paint whatever picture they want?
Okay, gentlemen. Please.
Now, Sidney... What do you think?
Whether you go public now,
or a month for now,
you are going to be facing
potentially serious consequences.
- I thought we were covered.
- Yeah, we are.
In this state, what you did
would be considered felony.
But since you didn't conduct
the experiments you're within the law.
- That is not my concern.
- Then what is?
It's what we haven't prepared for
that I am most worried about.
This is all new territory.
We just don't know.
This state, the federal government,
local authorities,
religious groups...
you, my friend, are going to have
a big target on your back.
Hi, girls.
- Hi, Mary.
- Hello, ma'am.
Did Victor call?
No, not yet. Is he due in tomorrow?
I'm not sure.
Girls, will you go with Mary, please?
Mommy's not feeling very good.
I'm going to go lie down, okay?
Thank you.
Good morning. Thank you for coming.
My name is Dr. Victor Reed.
Over the past ten years,
through private financing,
I put together a state-of-the-art
research facility
and handpicked a team of scientists
from across the country in order to study
and implement groundbreaking genetic
and biological experiments.
I'm here to report that on December 2nd,
Elizabeth was born.
To my knowledge
she is the first human clone.
She's been alive
for a little over a month.
She will not be joining us today,
as she is not yet ready to leave
her controlled environment, but...
I have arranged for photographs
of her to be submitted to all of you.
I see this...
as a defining moment in science
and our progress as human beings.
It's my privilege and honor to share
this great news with all of you today.
We will be significantly closer to cures
for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's,
and so many other diseases
as well as leading to all kinds of incredible
advantages we have not yet imagined.
Okay, thank you.
I will now take questions.
- Dr. Reed, when can we see her?
- She will be ready in about a month.
At that point in time I will allow
my peers to examine her
- and independently report their findings.
- Who was Elizabeth's donor?
- Me. I was the main donor.
- Are you the father?
Yes, I suppose you can look at it that way.
I am also biologically her brother.
Was there more than one donor?
Yes, as I stated, the cell's DNA sequence,
my DNA sequence was altered
so she would not be an exact copy.
You probably already heard some of the
many problems associated with cloning.
Whose DNA was yours mixed with?
I'm not at liberty
to disclose that information.
I'm only at liberty to disclose
my own involvement. Like I said...
Dr. Reed, who is the mother
who gave birth to Elizabeth?
I'm not at liberty to disclose
that information.
As you know, most Americans believe
that human cloning is morally wrong
and it goes against God's will.
How do you respond to that?
Well, I would say that all life
is precious in God's eyes.
- Dr. Reed, where is she now?
- I'm sorry, I can't tell you that.
That's all the time I have
for questions right now.
Thank you all for coming. Thank you.
I don't want to.
- I love... do you think I like mine?
- Yes.
I ate all of it. You know what happens
when I eat a big meal like that?
- What?
- I go to sleep.
Thank you so much!
I thought I was going to fall in my food.
I hear something.
Somebody's home.
Daddy!
Hello, sir.
Where's Claire?
She wasn't feeling well,
so she went to bed early tonight.
Is there something wrong?
No.
So, they're taking care of the girls now?
Who?
Mary and Richard.
They're a lot to deal with.
I need the help.
Did you see them?
Listen, Claire.
I need to talk to you for a moment.
Sorry, I'm going to lie down
with the girls.
Now, Ethan is terminal.
He may last a week, he may last...
He may last a month, it's hard to say.
Do you know what hospice is?
Okay, I want you to think of it like that.
Okay, ready?
Say 'wake up!'
Wake up!
Good morning, sir.
Morning.
I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but...
we should... we need to talk about Ethan.
Is there a problem?
Yes.
He's...
gotten out of control.
We've been waiting for you to
come home to talk to you. It's just...
He's become...
He's getting worse.
If you'd just come see for yourself...
Yes. I'll look in on him.
I can't today, but maybe tomorrow.
That's fine.
Human cloning. What was once a debate
about a hypothetical possibility,
mow appears to be reality, and it's
reignited an intense ethical debate.
Dr. Victor Reed announced
in a press conference yesterday
that he cloned the first human being,
calling her Elizabeth.
Joining me now is a leading genetic scientist
from Darton University Dr. William Scott.
Doctor Scott, you're in the camp of disbelief,
why do you think this is a fraud?
Well, I'm not saying that it's a fraud,
per se, but it is hard to believe.
But let's just say that it is true
and that he's succeeded in the birth
the child will most likely be born
with severe abnormalities
and most likely not survive
for more than a few months.
You see, for a donor nucleus
to develop into a clone...
Mommy!
I'll be there in a minute.
- Why didn't you call me, James?
- Because there's nothing to worry about.
- There's nothing to worry about.
- It's infant eczema.
I've already treated it
with a simple skin cream.
You treated her?
Yes.
Did you agree to this?
I had stepped out of the room, but she
told me about it as soon as I returned.
We're talking about a harmless skin cream.
I'll decide what's harmless.
Subject number...
M-124.
Okay.
Let's target...
175 through 350.
Okay.
We're ready for her.
Yes.
No, I... I couldn't say.
Is Laura still here?
Excuse me.
You're not allowed down here.
I was looking for the cardiology floor.
How'd you get down here?
I'm sorry. I must have gotten lost.
This isn't the cardiology floor?
No.
What's down here?
Sir...
you need to turn around
and leave this floor.
Sir, you need to leave right now.
Alright. I'm leaving.
Must have gotten lost.
- Have you seen him before?
- No.
Never been on this floor?
Was he aggressive to you?
- Yes.
- Okay.
- Would you recognize him again if you saw him?
- Yeah, absolutely.
Okay. Doc, here's what I'm going to do.
I'm going to post a man at each one
of the entrances coming onto this floor.
Ethan. Where are you?
Ethan?
Ethan?
Where are you?
There you are!
Are you hurting?
What did you say?
Ethan, what did you say?
Can you say "Mary"?
Mary.
That's... that's my name. Mary.
Let's try your name. Ethan.
Ethan.
Ethan. You can do it. E...
Enough. Now stop it.
Ethan.
I said stop it!
Do you want me to take that toy?
Ethan. Ethan!
We're looking into this to see
if he's broken any laws in this state.
At the very least, though, the state
wants a right to examine the baby,
make sure she's not a health risk
to the community.
- We petition the court to do just that.
- Well, what if she is a health risk?
I'm not in position to answer that.
It's going to be up for the courts to decide.
I will say this, though...
there are a lot of people
upset about this, including me.
I'm not going to sit idly by.
I want answers.
We're not just talking about state and
federal laws, we're talking about God's law.
Intense reaction continues following
Dr. Reed's shocking announcement.
Protestors are gathering
outside Parkland Hospital
where Dr. Reed is rumored
to be keeping the cloned baby.
Hospital officials aren't confirming
if baby Elizabeth is indeed inside.
But rumors continue to draw out crowds.
With police, at on point, breaking up
an angry group of protesters,
forcing them off the hospital's property.
Now, joining us live at the studio is
our medical expert Dr. Rachael Morison.
Dr. Morison,
what do we know about Dr. Reed?
Well, we know he received
his doctorate from MIT in 1994,
and then he did a surgical
residency in Johns Hopkins.
- But this is where it gets pretty hazy.
- Where have you been?
We have confirmed reports that he
spent several years out of the country.
- Working.
- You didn't call.
The girls were expecting you for dinner
and I didn't know what to tell them.
Now that you're home, you have to call.
Not for me, but for your daughters.
I don't know what to say.
You know what we're working on.
This is just the beginning, isn't it?
I don't mean to sound harsh,
but right now this is more important.
Fish is coming through,
fish is coming through.
My finger.
Dr. Reed is home.
You better take a look.
When did it start?
It's been going on since I got home.
Did you feed him?
Well, no. I won't feed him
when he's like this, you know that.
Well, don't worry about it.
He'll calm down in a little while,
and I'll take care of it then.
This is different.
I don't like it.
- Would you listen to him? He never stops!
- Well, he's in a lot of pain.
You always say that.
Did you give him his medicine?
- Yes.
- Well, why is he acting like this?
I thought the medicine was supposed
to help. When's it gonna stop?
I don't know, Mary! I don't know,
I'm not a doctor, so I don't know.
You know how it is.
We just have to wait it out.
Besides, he's coming tomorrow, right?
He's gonna come tomorrow,
he'll look at him, and then...
you know, we'll take it from there.
- Did you see all the security?
- Yeah.
He brought the baby home.
Really?
Did you... did you see her?
She looks normal.
I gotta go lie down. Sorry.
I'll be right back.
Victor.
Victor!
What is it?
You need to wake up now.
There are people outside.
Dr. Reed, we need to get you
back to the house immediately.
- When did all this happen?
- They've been coming in all morning.
- Have you called the police?
- They've been notified, they're on their way.
I have more men coming.
But right now we need to get you back up.
This is insane.
So that's another indication
that our sources are right.
That baby Elizabeth may very well
be right here at Dr. Reed's estate.
We know Dr. Reed is here.
We know there are several guards on hand.
Jamie, would you say the intense security
presence is a pretty good indication?
Certainly. And as big as the story is,
it's likely they'll be here a while.
Thank you, Jamie. And now we
have exclusive breaking news,
an extraordinary development
in this story.
There's one picture submitted by Dr. Reed
to the press that has been the only glimpse
the world has seen
of this little girl until now.
We have never before seen
photos of baby Elizabeth
that were taken by an anonymous source
inside the Reed estate.
And as you can see, there's
a mysterious device on her forehead.
To find out what that might be,
we have asked medical and science expert
Dr. Lawrence Freedman to join us.
Dr. Freedman is a professor in both
- biology and genetics at...
- Sydney?
Victor, so glad you answered.
I have something urgent.
Have you seen
what's going on outside my house?
Yes, I know. I'm afraid there's more.
I have a source over at the governor's office.
They're building
a criminal case against you.
You're going to be arrested, Victor.
Most likely in the next day or two.
They're having a hard time
charging you with cloning,
so they're going to charge you
for transporting her into this state.
They're using it to get a court order
to examine Elizabeth.
No, no.
Did they not hear what I said?
She's not ready yet.
I need at least another month, and they
can do all the examinations they want.
Can you not convince them of that?
I'm sorry, we can't stop this.
My advice is cooperate, let 'em see her.
Dammit! Goddammit!
Kind of breaks something natural
about the human cycle.
It's not a matter of can we.
It's a matter of should we, I guess.
I just think we're going to lose
something valuable to us
if we just start manufacturing people.
I can't imagine a world where...
we are vegetables, you know?
Grown in some farm.
You're playing with things that we as
humans have no business playing with.
This is something
that only God can take care of.
I don't know why everybody's so upset
about this. I mean, it's pretty incredible,
and I think we should give this a chance.
We don't know where this could go.
This is a violation. God is the author
of life, not Dr. Frankenstein.
God is the author of life. Who would think
anything other than that?
I'm concerned for her well-being,
and I'm here to help save her
and to make sure
that she's not being harmed.
Because if she's being harmed,
she needs to be taken away from Dr. Reed
and be given to someone
who's going to care for her
and take care of her as the person
that she is. She's not a test subject.
It's very important to us
that cloning continues.
- Yeah.
- I have a brain disorder,
and there's no chance for me
and for millions of people like me.
And this is a hope. This is a reality.
Richard, are you home?
Jesus.
What are you doing?
Are you not hungry?
Are you not feeling well?
You have to eat. Now, come over here.
Okay, I'm leaving.
I have to go.
We could reverse the aging process,
reverse heart attacks.
Heart disease is still the number one
killer in this country.
We could replace organs,
replace skin for burn victims,
help for spinal cord injuries,
down syndrome,
potentially cures for cancer, Parkinson's.
I mean, the list, it just goes on and on.
This is a real scientific breakthrough,
and we need to be applauding this man.
Seriously? Applauding this man? For what,
for destroying our family structure?
Let me ask you something. Is he going
to be the father and the brother?
Is he going to be the mother?
This is terrifying.
Think about it,
clone after clone after clone.
We will have no idea where something
begins and where something ends.
No more fathers, mothers,
brothers, sisters, cousins.
We will just bleed
into some huge genetic mess.
Welcome to our brave new world.
Dr. Stuart, why did you decide
to come forward with these pictures?
Well, I had several reasons,
but mostly it was Dr. Reed's
treatment of Elizabeth.
I felt that it was inhumane
and borderline abusive.
Well, what was inhumane about it?
Well, for one, it's extremely
too rigorous for a newborn.
Sometimes Elizabeth would undergo
treatment for six hours straight.
And how am I to believe him
when he says that that's safe?
This is the first infant
to ever undergo this treatment,
so how can he possibly know what's safe?
How can anybody know what's safe?
Do you want this one or this one?
Which one do you like better?
- That.
- But you already got one.
You can have this one.
You can have this one, too.
Be very careful, don't touch them yet.
Do you want this one?
No? Okay. Well, okay. You can have
one of these that we knock over.
Now, we have to be
very careful, all right?
I'll take it from here.
You sure?
What are you gonna do with the body?
Incinerator.
Let's try it again.
All right, let's try again,
you gotta be ready to catch it.
Are the girls okay? Are they with Richard?
They're downstairs.
Is it okay if she's up here?
You want to hold her?
God is not science! God is not science!
Humans, not clones! Humans, not clones!
- Humans, not clones! Humans, not clones!
- We will have our voices heard!
- Amen!
- God is not science!
- God is not science!
- There is evil among us!
- There is evil among us!
- There is evil among us!
- There is evil among us!
- There is evil among us!
Why do I do it?
All the difficulties.
The awful mistakes.
Ambition?
Pride? The greater good?
To tell you the truth,
I don't know, Claire.
I never stopped long enough to ask.
I'm not very good at this.
But I'll try.
I'm sorry...
Claire.
Now our voices aren't heard!
What are we gonna do about it?
- Stay here!
- Humans, not clones!
Humans, not clones! Humans, not clones!
Humans, not clones!
- Science is wrong!
- Humans, not clones!
- Science is wrong!
- Science is wrong!
- There's evil among us!
- There's evil among us!
- There's evil among us!
- There's evil among us!
- There's evil among us!
- There's evil among us!
And science is wrong.
How long will they be out there?
I don't know.
We have to leave.
Okay? Just...
- Okay.
- Just pack enough for a few days.
- We'll send for the rest.
- Okay.
- Science is wrong!
- The science is wrong!
- The science is wrong!
- The science is wrong!
- There's evil among us!
- There's evil among us!
- There's evil among us!
- There's evil among us!
Oh, my goodness. Hey, big girl.
- Can I hold her?
- No, not right now.
- Maybe when she gets a little bigger.
- Mommy, is it your baby?
No, she's not my baby.
- Is she our sister?
- Do we keep her?
No, but she's going to stay
with us for a little while, okay?
- Hi, Mary.
- Hello girls.
Okay, hop off the bed. Mary needs
to make the bed. Quick, quick, quick.
Scoot, scoot, scoot.
Will you all be all right
on your own tonight for dinner?
I think we'll be fine. I think you should
just go home and get some rest.
She is so adorable.
She just now woke up,
but she's been sleeping and sleeping.
Do you want to hold her?
I do. Mary? Mary!
Stop! Mary! Mary, stop!
- I'm sorry.
- You okay?
- What's wrong? What's wrong?
- I can't take it anymore.
- Mary, what's wrong? What happened?
- I want to leave. No. No!
Mary, what happened?
- Would you please talk to me?
- Please. I want to leave.
Okay.
Nothing happened. I'm just tired.
- Let me go.
- I talked to him.
I talked to him just now. Five minutes ago.
I called him, I talked to him.
He's gonna come over in the morning. He's
gonna check on Ethan, that's what he said.
And listen, once he sees Ethan,
he's gonna know what to do.
Oh, God.
How's she holding up?
Beautifully.
Wanted... this is what he said,
all he wanted
- was to rest among the reeds.
- It's brown.
Yes, are we... Rach, are we
in agreement that this is a duck?
- Yes.
- Okay, all right.
- So if this is a duck, what is this?
- A rooster.
It's a rooster? How can you tell
it's a rooster and not a chicken?
What does it mean to be human?
We are flesh and blood.
We are living, breathing organisms.
When we talk about changing ourselves,
from my perspective,
as a doctor and a biological scientist,
we talk about altering
our genetic structure,
our biology.
- What's on that?
- A butterfly.
That's right, it's a butterfly.
- Can we take the camel?
- You want to take the camel? We can.
- And the lamb.
- Dr. Reed!
Dr. Reed!
James, the girls wanted to see Elizabeth.
Can you watch them for a second?
He was gone when I found her.
Is she gonna be okay?
Ethan.
- Oh, my God.
- Claire!
You lied!
- Time and time again, you lied!
- If I told you the truth, you would've left!
Look, I made a decision. A bad decision.
I thought this was the more humane way.
Look, he was never supposed
to live this long.
He was harmless, I swear.
I couldn't kill him, Claire, I tried.
Believe me, I tried!
Claire! Claire!
Richard. Richard. Where's Ethan, Richard?
Where did he go?
I'm sorry, but there's nothing
we can do for her now.
I need you to listen to me, okay?
This is important.
I need to know how much he's grown.
How tall is he?
Four feet. Maybe.
Jesus.
You did this.
You did this. This is your fault.
It's your fault.
It's your fault. You did this!
Hey. Come on, you with me?
Claire, come on.
Will you at least hear me out?
Claire?
You're upsetting the girls.
Listen to me.
We need to leave here tonight, all right?
Claire? Claire, answer me!
Listen, there's nothing to worry about.
I found him, and I'm taking care
of it right now. Just...
you and the girls be ready to leave, okay?
What are you doing?
- Have you fed her?
- I was about to.
After you've fed her,
take her upstairs to Claire.
She has no soul!
She has no soul!
Do you know what that means?
Do you know what that means?
She has no soul!
You know what's next?
You know what's next?
You fucking die!
Hey, hey, hey, what's going on?
Hey!
Can you help me pick this up, please?
Settle down.
Quiet!
Monster!
Listen to me.
I want you to stay here on the bed,
and do not move from this spot, okay?
- Do you hear me?
- Yes.
Are you staying? Are you getting down?
Victor?
James?
Stop!
It's okay, it's okay.
The girls! No, no, the girls.
Go get the girls!
No, no. Stay right there.
Stay right there.
No, no, no. Hey, hey,
you're doing good. Real good.
I just need... no, no, no, no!
Ethan, no!
Dr. Frankenstein, go to jail, go to hell!
Dr. Frankenstein, go to jail, go to hell!
Dr. Frankenstein, go to jail, go to hell!
Is this who you're afraid of?
Is this who you're afraid of?
You think she doesn't have a soul?
I promise you,
she's closer to God than any of you!
What does it mean to be human?
We are flesh and blood.
We are living, breathing organisms.
When we talk about changing ourselves,
from my perspective,
we talk about altering
our genetic structure, our biology.
And we're understanding life
at an incredibly rapid rate now,
so much so that we are beginning
to be able to intervene
in the process of our own evolution.
Speed it up, take control of it.
Scary, or exciting?
This leads me to Elizabeth.
You see, Elizabeth...
is not just a human clone.
She's been undergoing
an intense gene therapy program
whereby we are altering her genes
and making them stronger.
We are actually expanding
the use of her brain.
So, in essence, she will be a smarter,
stronger version of us.
And with this new technology we've developed,
every new life in the world
can have the same treatment.
Our genetic structure will no longer
be left to fate. It will be in our hands.
We are on the brink
of a new human evolution.
And it's not a matter of if we go
down this path, because we are.
It's a matter of how we meet this future,
and how we allow it in our hearts...
and in our souls.