Downtime (1997) Movie Script

So if you'll excuse me,
I'll now be escorting our newly
arrived representative...
up to the woman's flat, where we
expect a very speedy resolution
to this whole unfortunate affair.
Thank you.
Excuse me, excuse me.
Come here any time of any day
and this place is dead.
Come here when someone's about
to die and the place wants to party.
What the fuck's all that noise
out there, man, Jimmy?
There's a huge crowd down here.
There must be a couple of hundred people.
The woman, Chrissy Long, 26...
is understood to have been standing
out there for nearly 2 hours now.
Chrissy! Chrissy!
That's Rosey, man.
You stupid fucking sod,
that's Rosey!
Jesus Christ! Come on... up!
A constable? You've got
a constable talking to her?
What's he saying, you know,
"Look at all the things you've got
to live for."?
You can't just talk these cases
down like that.
That's why you're here.
Any wonder she wants
to kill herself.
Look at the state of this place.
It's falling apart.
The whole building is condemned...
there's only 10 families left in it.
And that's because they can't find anywhere else to
place them.
Just tell her you love her.
She's only 15... and I don't
love her anyway, man!
Aye, I know, but fucking
tell her so then...
Fuck her or else you want, man.
She's on holiday though
with her mum and dad,
so I can't tell her, can l?
Rob, look.... I know
you won't wanna do this..
but there is no-one better
at face-to-face.
You're right.
I don't wanna do this!
No.
Mike... employed to build
the Empire State building...
was a tribe of lndians
called the Mohawk
from a small reservation
near Montreal.
Why? Because they have
no fear of heights.
Me? I'm from a small semi
near Whitley bay
and I'm shit scared of them!
'Lads, weren't he fucking daft
to tell her in the first place, eh?
Jacko, man, she said she didn't mind!
She said I could get off
with anyone I wanted too!
That's right, like, man.
She said she didn't mind, like.
Aye, ask Hammy, he was there!
Give him a break, man, Jacko.
She's only 15, isn't she?
- I told you that!
- I know, yer shite!
Not telling. Well that's like
kind to them, innit?
Just tell her you love her.
You fucking love it!
She's on holiday
with her mum and dad.
There's people coming in
and going out all the time.
It must be really cold up there
and it looks like it's going to rain.
Hello.
Hi, Jake.
Who the fuck are you?
It's a bit chilly here, isn't it?
Are you gonna jump?
Ma, don't.
Amazing really isn't it, we're not
better equipped to deal with the cold.
D'you realize, if we lived on the moon
we'd die of frostbite every night.
If we lived on the moon
you could fuck off now
cos I'd step off here
and float around.
But right now we're on the earth...
and I'm gonna die.
No, no, no, no, no, that's not right,
you're not meant to jump!
I'm only here
because my mate said
that only one in 40 suicide attempts
is actually carried through.
But... she says she's gonna jump!
She... Excuse me,
don't jump while I'm gone.
I can't say right now where or...
or why he's gone.
He's leaving her.
He's just left her.
I can fucking hear that, man.
I think she's gonna go.
And take the kid.
No, let us through,
she's my friend.
It's all right, it's all right,
I know her.
Mrs Mulcahy, come through.
Wait here, please. Please.
Great, still here?
- You know why?
- Why what? What this time?
Why you'll fall and puree
on the pavement?
Stun me.
- Gravity.
- No shit!
Yup, it's a universal force of
attraction which affects all bodies...
Yeah? Doing fucking wonders
between us two!
Which, which, of course,
lsaac Newton discovered
when the apple fell on his head.
Is this it?
Is this the last human voice
I'm gonna hear before I go?
You droning on about fucking fruit?
You know what else he discovered?
Are you trying to bore me down?
Calculus.
And cat flaps.
And cloth and cows and...
Capstan, full strength.
What?
Well no, actually, no he didn't.
But...it's true.
Isaac Newton discovered cat flaps.
Nice one, lke!
Why do you want to die, Chrissy?
Because...
because...
there is no end to this.
There's no end to coming home
and finding those bastards
have taken me and
my son's clothes our shoes...
our beds, for fuck's sake!
We've tried
we've all tried stopping it,
but it's getting worse.
It's got to, like...
I'm not just sacred
when I go out now, you know.
I'm more scared of coming home
and finding those bastards here
in my home!
Fuck!
I don't wanna die.
I just don't wanna live any more.
And it's my choice!
It's my life!
Well, what about your son's life?
Are you gonna kill your son?
Is that your choice too?
Fuck off!
If I go... I'm not leaving Jake
in this place without me.
Kill my son.
Fuck off!
Go on, go!
You've been very good.
Aye, but I'm still gonna go!
Mum, don't do it.
Yeah.
Yeah, okay, you're right.
I mean, I can see...
it must be hard to come in now.
It takes a lot of guts to admit
you're wrong.
I think it'll take a lot more guts
to go and jump.
Absolutely. No, no...
Eskimos, now...
Eskimos have got guts.
They've got this... this ritual
in their culture where the youths...
have to kill the elders.
Now that takes guts!
I know. I mean,
see it's good because...
it gets rid of all the old the unwanted,
all the unimportant people in society.
Are you saying I'm not important?
No, no, you're saying
you're not important.
You're gonna kill yourself.
You're gonna jump?
You're saying I can die cos
I'm not as important as you?
Are you gonna jump?
Are you gonna jump?
Chrissy, are you gonna jump?
Or are you gonna come on in?
Are you gonna come on home?
Go on, Jake. Go on!
Come on, Jake.
There we go. Come on, Jake.
Good boy.
Come here, pet.
Come on. Come on.
Come on.
Come on.
Help, please!
Rob?
Rob?
Watson, Jones, go now!
- Jesus!
- No!
All right, Rob.
Jesus!
No.
Come on, that's it.
I have now made it up
to Miss Long's flat
where I'm speaking to a neighbour,
Jan Mulcahy.
Mrs Mulcahy, I understand you
and Ms Long are friends.
Yes, we are.
- Kevin!
- Your mam.
WAVE, Women Against Victimization.
What' we've seen tonight is not surprising...
there's only 10 families left
in this tower block.
And most of those are too scared
to leave their flats.
There's robberies every day.
And most of the crime is committed
by 2 families and the kids they recruit.
Those people are the Graingers...
and then down here we have the Hursts...
their sons Jacko and Davy.
Door, you little bastard!
What the fuck was mam playing at?
She's dead now, you know!
Jacko's gonna fucking kill her!
So, Janet, what you are saying is
that the poverty in society
is forcing the under class to react
with drastic measures.
Well, no, that's not quite
what I'm saying.
Jimmy! Jimmy! Jimmy!
I dreamt about her last night.
No, really?
Well go and see her later on.
What? That's unethical.
- Ethics? Bollocks!
- Come on, Michael.
When was the last time you
and I asked someone out?
Forecast says rain later on.
So why don't you pack up now
and go and see her?
I don't mind a bit of rain.
Well I'm off if it rains again.
Listen, Mike, if it hadn't have
rained yesterday...
I think you'd have had 2 more dead
to add to your statistics.
She was gonna go!
It's just, it's just when it rains
you think...
"My perm's gone, I need a bath,
I think I'll kill myself tomorrow.
I survive because I do not struggle
against the water's superior power."
I think the general gist of that is...
when it rains wise men pack up
and go home.
Go and ask her for a date.
Take a little gift.
And then meet me in the Pike
and Reel for a celebration.
I bet you have a great time.
Fuck off!
- I haven't said anything yet.
- I said fuck off, copper!
Chrissy, I'm not the police.
I've not been with the force
for 3 years now.
Then who the fuck are yer?
Well, I occasionally work for them nowadays.
Sort of psychological and cultural consultant.
- I help in hostage situations...
- Loony situations!
- No, well, I mean...
- Look, look, mam.
No, it's more the sociology of the environmental that
I tend to...
- Oh, so you study us like poor people?
- No!
Well, tell me, copper...
what would you say if it was
a middle class situation, eh?
Do you say, "Go on, shoot,
I haven't studied you yet".
"Jump, I don't understand you
properly".
Cos that's what you did to me.
Aye, you may as well've
for all you did after I fell.
I'm sorry, all right?
I came, I came to say I'm sorry.
I get, I was scared. I get scared
in those situations!
I shouldn't have even been
doing the job in the first place.
But is it so unreasonable to leave
helping you to somebody else?
Well, yes!
Cos, like, everyone else
who comes here...
basically you were just looking
after yourself!
Goodbye.
Bye!
Come on, come on, Jake.
Pat!
Pat, are you going home?
Rosey, I'm off home.
You'll have to walk up
to the next floor, Pat.
You'll have to walk up to the next floor,
Pat. I won't stop here.
I'm getting the stairs, Rosey.
Come on you.
Hey you.
Hi ya. You okay?
- Wet.
- Go through to the bedroom.
- You okay, baby?
- No. I don't want to be wet.
You're all wet!
- Hey.
- Hey.
Fucking hell, Jan.
Are you okay?
When was it, last night?
Not after the radio?
Fucking bastards.
Fucking bastards!
Nearly all our clothes.
And all Jimmy's shoes.
He's only got his slippers left.
I just can't afford any new ones.
It's getting worse, Rosey.
Look.
He got it this morning.
He just got up and got it...
fuck knows where.
And old mate from one of the sites,
I don't know.
I swear, Rosey, if it happens again...
he'll shoot them.
- I won't tell you again, Kevin.
- Aye, man.
Where have you been?
Your mother's waited half an hour
to serve your dinner for yer.
- Where have you been?
- You can have me dinner!
I don't want your dinner!
You'll eat with us!
- It's okay, pet, we'll save it.
- But it's not okay, is it?
Because, look, he's banged the door
and the picture's gone crooked again.
That's the last time!
You understand now?
Great!
Where have you been?
This morning, eh?
Look, man, Jimmy.
We can move the picture.
We won't!
- Where have you been?
- I'm going out in a minute!
I don't care.
Where have you been?
- Jimmy.
- Leave it, pet!
- Look, we can fix it.
- We won't fix it!
It'll stay there and he'll
stop banging the door!
And he'll eat his dinner with us.
And he'll get out
and he'll get a fucking job!
Where d'you want me, man?
In the house or out the house?
I want you out the house and earning.
What? Like you?
Kev, man, head on.
Kev, man, the lift.
Look, they don't stop here.
The doors are fucked on both of them.
You all right?
What are you thinking about?
That... bloke.
No... nothing.
You better get yourself back.
He saved your life, Rosey.
Yeah. And what sort of life is it?
- Chrissy, please, just hear me.
- Fuck off!
Oh jeez, Chrissy, I came to apologize.
Jesus Christ!
Chrissy, I've had enough now.
- This is gonna need something.
- What about a glass of milk?
- Milk?
- It's got calcium for the bones.
Well, it's more of a long-term
answer, really.
I've got some Dettol.
Shall I put some on?
- No, I don't like doing that.
- No, I'll do it.
Yeah, but you don't have to live
with the pain though, do you?
Listen, Chrissy. I do know
what it's like to feel like shit. Okay?
I lost a son asthma attack.
because she couldn't stand
the thought
that another of her children would
catch asthma from their daddy.
Fuck off!
What's this, a competition to see
who's had the most depressing life?
Right... well, okay.
When I was 12,
I used to hear me mother's cries
as my daddy beat her up at nights.
How's that?
Your turn again.
What?
I don't want to argue with you.
I don't believe in fighting fire with fire.
- Why did you come back here?
- Why did you let me in?
Cos you'd hurt yourself.
I didn't wanna see yer.
You came round.
I'm going out!
Going out, that's, that's why
I came back!
Will you go out with me?
- What?
- On a, on a date.
You know, a meal or something.
Jeez, I don't know.
Look, I let you in,
I helped you with your hand.
I don't need your fucking pity in return!
Pat, where are you going?
Rosey, my girl,
I'm taking the stairs this time.
- No, look, you don't understand.
- Pat!
I'm not some single mother
who was dumped on by the guy.
I decided not to marry him because
unlike most of the girls at the factory...
I could see the difference between a wedding and a
marriage, all right?
Pat, where are you going?
- I'm buying peas today.
- Jesus. Fine.
I didn't mean it like that.
- Don't swear in front of the bairn.
- What?
Don't swear in front of me kid.
Pat, Pat, not by the stairs, man.
In the lift this time. It's coming.
How can you say that?
Every time I come here you
tell me to fuck off!
A 'fuck' is not religious, is it?
Not like 'Christ' or 'Jesus'.
I don't take the Lord's name,
do l, like you?
Pat, you know you can't manage
all those stairs any more.
In the lift this time with me.
Will you stop standing there
and staring at us
as if it stops me shouting at yer.
No, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,
I'm so sorry, sorry.
I'm, I'm actually genuinely surprised.
I hadn't realized you were religious.
Oh yeah, I was very young
when I fund Jesus in my life.
I found him hiding underneath a pew
when I was 4.
Except, of course, he wasn't Jesus...
he was just an old, purple handkerchief.
I was a very bored kid
with a hyperactive little mind.
Pat, go on.
Yeah? Are you coming?
To the shop, on a date?
All right.
Only if you let me buy you a milk.
Don't do this.
What the fuck did you do that for?
You better at pushing little
fucking buttons, are you?
Great looking fucking Madonna
look alike, all right?
So I give it all the lines, then
she goes "fuck off you wanker".
Fuck off you wanker!
Propper posh voice, y 'know...
Aye, but tits and arse,
the lot, right?
Tits, arse, fucking legs right up
to her, bum, mate.
"So, so, so fuck off you wanker!"
So, I've gans... "aye, tonight
I am a wanker... thanks to you!"
"Thanks to you", man,
that's fucking funny that!
Ma, you pressed it this time.
"Tonight I'm a wanker
thanks to you" Johnny.
Do you not get it, Johnny man?
What's the matter, boy?
Have you not started
wanking yet, eh?
Fuck off, Jacko, I've been wanking
since I was 12.
Well you must be fucking tired.
Oh aye... where the fuck
have you been?
What's that mark there?
- Me dad hit us.
- Your dad hit ya?
Your dad's a soft shite but...
Never fucking hit me, did he?
Nah, that's cos I'd have
fucking killed him.
I just pushed him and he fell over.
Your mum and dad got
what they fucking deserved.
Anyway, she gans... "aye... and you
can wank all the way to the bank."
I, I don't know why like.
Doesn't mean nowt.
I mean it rhymes but it's like crap.
I'm just, sorry, I've got wide feet.
Really sore... unless I wear sandals.
Or grey socks for some reason.
Can l, can I take?
No.
- Rosey, why are we not there yet?
- Roy's coming. Just wait.
Didn't complete the game card.
Well I can tell you that we actually
got the game card and checked it.
- And you didn't win.
- No!
Had to tease you there.
But I can now give you a cheque
for 1,000 pounds.
- Well done, Jason.
- Thank you. Thank you.
It's all right, Rosey...
we're going soon.
Chrissy, why does he keep
calling you Rosey?
Rob, after 30 years of building roads
Pat here is only deaf, not senile.
Rosey was my nickname in the factory.
Why?
Because... Well, cos... well, I was the
only one who didn't have a nickname.
Well, one day my sister turned up
and she's like really fat, big bones
and someone said we looked
like Roseanne and her sister.
Yeah, but surely that makes
her Roseanne and you...
Can't remember her sister's name,
can ya? Neither could they.
Keep looking at your watch, don't ya?
Yeah. I'm, I'm supposed to
be meeting a friend quite soon.
A friend... Right. What time?
There you go again.
That won't tell you when you're
meeting him, will it?
- Good friend is he... she?
- Not bad.
- That lift thing hasn't moved in ages.
- Aye, I know.
That's cos it's stuck, man.
Look at the light.
- How does he know that?
- Jacko's a fucking expert, man.
- Fucking expert, aren't ya!
- Aye.
How the hell like?
Cos me brother taught us
how to the move lifts.
So as you can ride on them and that.
Aye, you can fucking ride on them?
Aye, you can fucking control them,
if you want you know.
From right at the top or the lift
or that board 'ere.
Aye, watch this, man.
You just flip these switches, right?
Me brother... fucking smashed
that up right?
And the machine doesn't know
what it's doing.
The whole lift just crashed.
Just fell!
Jesus.
All right, Jacko, show them
what you showed me, man. Go on.
Right, you just flick these switches here.
And that's 'Lucky letters' done
for this Wednesday night.
"Out of order"
I'm sorry. Insomnia this time.
Asthma, recurring nightmares...
It's a bad mix. I've tried everything.
I got this book once...
'Better beddy Byes'... which I tried
reading at night but... What?
- Is that a joke?
- Actually no, it's a true story.
Which I used to, I used to tell as a joke until l
decided it wasn't very funny.
Because lots of people read books
before going to sleep.
Lots of people read books about insomnia.
Therefore lots of people must read books about
insomnia before going to sleep.
- And that makes it not funny?
- Well it makes it less funny.
- You analyze everything, don't you?
- Yeah well, I have time... I don't sleep!
What's that?
I told ya!
It's moving.
It's not man, it's...
Jake, stay there.
Chrissy, what is it?
What's doing that?
Come on, come on!
- Go on like.
- Come on, again!
Jesus Christ!
All right, lads fucking have it!
Hey, go on, Jacko hit the top.
- Mam!
- It's okay, Jake. It's okay.
Kev, man?
- Rosey... Rosey, I'm gonna go.
- What does he mean 'go'?
What is it? What?
Come on, lads.
It's them fucking kids!
Fucking less it, you bastards,
Pat's in here!
Jesus Christ!
Watch it, Jacko!
Chrissy, he's epileptic!
Jesus Christ!
What are we gonna do?
- Get out the door.
- What?
- Get out the doors. Now!
- What? Now?
Now!
Fucking aye.
- We've stopped.
- Kev, man. Don't be daft.
No. Go on! Go on!
Hammy!
Fuck that, man.
Shit!
Out me way, man. Get out!
- Help!
- Please, someone.
- Is there anybody there?
- Help!
- Roy!
- Where are you?
- What we gonna do?
- Wait. We'll find them.
Hey, hey, hey, hey.
Come on. Come on.
Come on, baby.
Just wait a bit longer. Here we...
Come on, baby!
Jesus!
Well... are you getting out this time?
Well, if this thing moves while I'm up there, I'm
gonna be fucking severed.
Well that's funny that...
cos that's what me mam would say.
You know, if I was doing something dangerous or
silly.
"Don't do that, Christine,
you'll be fucking severed!"
Really?
No, Rob. You're going.
Jesus!
Let me get a grip.
Hang on, hang on.
It would be a lot easier if someone
hadn't broken my hand an hour ago.
Quick, Chrissy! Chrissy!
Fucking hell, Rob.
I just need to...
Jesus! No, don't. Don't push.
Don't push, I'm coming back in.
Right. Right.
I'll pull.
- Chrissy...
- I'm pulling!
- I'm tra... I can't breathe. Chrissy!
- I'll push!
- I can't...
- I'm pushing!
- I'm gonna die!
- I'm pulling!
- Thanks.
- Don't swear!
Sorry.
Right, come on.
- What?
- Pat.
What? You still want me to...
Quick! Go!
Chrissy! Chrissy!
Chrissy!
Chrissy!
Yeah, we're okay.
Hang on. I'll go for help!
Hang on!
Come on, come on.
Where is everyone?
Hello.
Oh, come on, come on!
Do the shopping by yourself,
I've got no shoes!
- You can wear your sodding slippers!
- Hello?
- I've got no bloody shoes!
- Come on!
Fuck off!
Rob, this thing's going!
Yeah, Chrissy! It's okay.
I'm, I'm gonna get us out of this.
Well, does he mean, us?
I'll be there!
Hang on!
He's a silly man, isn't he?
- I'm level with you now.
- What's wrong?
I can't seem to... get the...
My hero!
It looks like it needs some kind of
key or rod or some... something.
Fucking what?
- Fucking watch.
- What the fuck are you doing?
I'm coming in there, Chrissy.
- You just...
- Rob!
Oh, yeah, Rob, don't worry.
We'll hang on. Me and the team.
Chrissy!
There's some sort of control unit
on the roof.
Yeah? Well just forget the fucking
and get us out of here.
Right... right...
I am now... descending the shaft.
I'm coming.
No, it's okay, darling.
Chrissy...
did you know that...
there's a tribe of lndians... that...
have no fear of heights?
- Really?
- Lucky sods, I reckon.
How the fuck do you know
these useless things?
It's, it's a friend who gets
them all from this...
'Believe It or Not' book... Like the kind
that you keep in your downstairs bog.
Not if one hasn't got a downstairs.
Hey, what the fuck are you doing, eh?
I thought you were getting us out.
Yeah, don't worry.
Oh, Christ!
Rob. Rob!
Don't be hurt, Rob. Please
don't be hurt. Don't hurt. Rob!
Rob!
Oh, shit!
Rob, are you...
- Hey.
- Where are ya?
It's okay, I'm here.
It's okay.
No, it's not okay. It's not okay.
In fact, it's very not okay.
In fact... All right. Oh, jeez,
I'm panicking. Come on, Robert,
you are 'Pot-Hero'.
Just add water...
and say goodbye to
all those perilous situations.
Buy 2... get one...
Okay?
I'm nearly there.
Are you okay, Jake?
- Yes.
- That's a yes.
Chrissy.
Get to the doors of the lift.
There's room for you all
to get out to the roof.
- Why, why? What's going on?
- You'll have to hand Jake to me.
Right. Hello.
What you doing?
Well why do I have to hand
Jake up to you?
Because this lift is gonna go!
Come on!
Well, Pat... Pat's never gonna
make it up there!
Yes he will, Chrissy.
Please. Come on.
Come on.
Just hand Jake to me, Chrissy.
Then we'll get you out. Come on!
- Come on!
- No, not without me.
In a minute, Chrissy.
Please, just pass Jake to me.
Come on, Chrissy.
Good boy.
You just sit there.
Good boy.
Now, come on!
- Pat!
- Now, Chrissy!
Jake.
Go and sit between the lift shafts.
Pat, Pat. Patrick.
Is it patrick?
- Patrick, Patrick Mulcahy.
- Patrick Mulcahy. Pat!
He can't hear you.
You'll have to shake him.
I'm afraid of doing that.
Patrick, come on.
Rob!
Rob!
I'm shaking him, I'm doing that.
He's not responding.
No, no...not that.
What?
There's something happening.
Above us where all the wheels
and things are.
- Get out of there quick. Quickly.
- I'm not gonna go without Patrick.
- Get out now!
- No, I'm gonna try...
Come on!
Look, you're the one who wanted
the hero, okay? So just shut up!
Look, Pat!
- He's with us. He's back.
- Oh, thank you.
Come on! Come on, Pat!
Pat! Come on. Come on.
Are you okay?
- Look, I've got to get you up there.
- Hurry up with him.
I have to...
- Rob! Get out, now!
- It's all right, son.
I know what you're saying.
- Off you go.
- Thank Christ for that.
Come on, Pat, quickly.
Give me your hand. Quickly!
- I can't push with these legs, son.
- It's okay, Pat.
It's not okay!
Right, come on.
- Leave him.
- I can't do that.
Yes, you can. It's going to be
too far in a minute. Rob, please!
Pat, once more. Two, three...
Pat, push, you bastard.
You bastard. Push!
Rob, please!
Come on you, buck up your ideas.
Okay, Jason, well done.
Now we're gonna chat later
about what you're gonna do
with the money. Okay?
Where the fuck is everyone?
Didn't anyone hear that?
What d'you expect,
the fucking cavalry?
The building's empty.
Jesus Christ.
- I'm sorry.
- It's okay.
Is Pat all right?
I'm sorry.
I know you are.
You did everything you could, Rob.
Rupert, my son...
he died in my arms.
Not metaphorically,
literally in my arms
of asthma. Not breathing.
And for 4 pretty fucking wonderful
years that kid would look up at me
and think that there was,
there was nothing I couldn't do.
Until one day there was something...
one thing that I couldn't do
and that was save his life.
And I did everything I could but
it wasn't good enough then either.
And ever since the most
depressing thing has been that
I don't think
that he understood
how much that
I loved him.
- Well, did you tell him?
- Well, yeah... I told him.
Of course I told him but he,
he was 4, you know?
When I said "l love you", he, he just thought that's
dad being soppy.
That's what mummy says...
dad says...
"hey chum, come here".
Wrestled with him.
"hey chum, come here."
It's the words we use.
The words we use.
"You cloth eared cat"...
that's what me mam would say.
"Don't do that you cloth eared cat,
or you'll be fucking severed"
she's say.
Ah, she was funny, me mam.
No, she wasn't funny.
She was a sad woman actually.
I remember I asked her once,
just once why she put up with
me dad and his ways you know?
And one day she had enough.
And she killed him!
I swear to God.
She killed him and the years
of terror ended in an instant.
- Just like that!
- Really?
No, he died of a heart attack at 45.
But it sounded good though, didn't it?
I make her sound gutsy.
She was never gutsy my mam.
- Did you wanna die, Chrissy?
- Don't know.
Don't think I cared really.
No, I don't think right then
after everything that had happened
that I really gave a damn.
I suppose my life was in your hands.
- Are we going shopping?
- Oh, aye, all right, pet.
But there's no hurry
so just let's finish this first.
And then by the time we get back
it'll be time to go to Pat's for tea.
- Why?
- Because it's Saturday, pet.
Your dad'll have made us
the usual meat and 2 veg.
- Oh, shit.
- What?
My reliever.
It must have fallen out of my pocket.
Oh God, what next?
- Is that all?
- "ls that all"? It's my reliever!
That thing can be a lifeline.
I'm, I'm not being dramatic on you
but l, l... I can die if I have
a bad attack without it.
A bad attack? Well, what's this?
Well, it's not good.
Well, if I'm wheezing that's okay.
- That's a good thing.
- Good thing?
Yeah, if I go quiet... that means
my pipes are closing up.
That's a not good thing.
Oh, okay. Well don't worry.
You'll be fine.
Oh, fucking kids!
Do you see the pain they cause?
This fascination with fire and fear
and... and then you and Pat.
And we've got little fucking
cos they think it makes them, men.
And grown-up fucking men acting
like little kids.
- Fact... do you want a fact here?
- One!
In Madagascar...
do you know what they do
to turn boys into men?
Madawhat?
They have a rite of passage.
You know, like a wedding or a funeral.
A ceremony.
And at the, the age of 13 they, they circumcise them.
Over a pile of dung.
What, in a hospital?
No, no, no. No, no hospital, n
o anaesthetic.
Just a blade and
as much blood as possible.
And you, do you know what happens
to the prepuce after that?
The what?
- The foreskin, after that?
- No, what?
An elder has to eat it
between 2 pieces of banana.
- No!
- Yes, swear to God.
Oh, fuck off. Did you mate get this
from his book in the bog?
No. No.
I bet the kids wouldn't
mug women after that?
We'd just bash them on the cock.
You're dead clever you,
aren't you?
Hey, does that mean
I can take my shoes off?
What, here?
Yes. As a kind of... as a reward
for being dead clever.
No. Fuck right off!
You're not taking your shoes off.
No. I'm not having
your smelly, manly feet.
All right, I'll tell you what.
I'll, I'll do a deal with you.
I'll suffer with my shoes on,
you stop telling me to fuck off.
- Why?
- Because. That's the deal.
- Right?
- Okay, okay.
I promise. No more. Anything.
Them bloody stairs.
Aye, but you wouldn't catch me
dead in one of those lifts!
So, why are you always
supporting our Kevin?
- Cos I'm his mam, Jim. Watch it!
- Oh, shit!
It's wet!
And Kevin's not bad, he just needs
a bit of help right now.
He's gotta get work, Jan.
Stop being like a kid.
Start acting like a man.
Aye well, the way things are
in life at the minute, Jim...
being a man just seems
about not being a woman.
And you're doing the fucking
shopping in your slippers,
so I wouldn't make too much of it,
all right?
- So what do we do now?
- I don't know. Wait.
Someone's got to come.
Maybe they'll call the other lift.
- Where's your watch?
- l, fell off.
I bet you're glad you came
with me now, aren't you?
If we get out of this...
will you
come on a proper date with me?
At ground level.
Rob man.
We're not even opposites
you and me, you know?
We're like, completely different concepts, like.
We're like... chalk and ginormous.
You can't bring 2 things together
from such different worlds.
Of course you can. Have you never
heard of the birds and the bees?
You know, Mr Bird and Mrs Bee
love each other very much and...
well they... and this is
how we get the hummingbird.
No, Rob, this is
how we get sore bees.
Is this really why kept
on coming back?
To ask us out?
I can't say really, you were
in my head I suppose.
You know, I wanted to be
your knight in shining armour.
Climbing up the tower.
You know, yeah, your knight,
your prince, your king.
Well, wounded king.
Listen.
- What I can't hear anything.
- Exactly.
It's quiet.
In my throat, it's quiet.
What does that mean?
Oh fuck, don't worry me like this.
What does that mean?
It means...
that I should be
getting to a nebulizer.
A what? What the fuck is that?
It, it, a hospital. It's just a hospital.
Well how?
There's no-one sodding here.
What you doing? What, what,
what, what are you doing? What?
Right. I'm gonna get on
the roof of the other lift.
I'll use that control thingy to
take us up to the open doors.
No, no, no, no, no you're not.
No you're not.
Yes. If the alternative is
you dying on me I am.
Yeah, you're right.
I'll hold your cardi.
No, you got a much more
important thing to do for me.
Look after Jake.
He's all I've got.
Okay, all right.
Hey, hang on.
Mum.
Okay, darling.
I'm gonna be talking
to you all the way down. Okay.
- Jake.
- Yes?
There was once a little cornflake
who was very sad and weak.
Because he only had one lung.
And so cornflakes being
the stupid bastards
they are sent him to the bottom of
the packet where he couldn't breathe.
And so the little cornflake
had to start all over again.
Go up to the top of the packet...
but just as he got
to the top of the packet
some sod took the packet off
the shelf and put it in a lorry.
And the little cornflake
he had to start all over again.
He was very, very out of breath.
He didn't know
if he was gonna make it.
And then just as he got to the top
they unloaded the shopping
on to the shelf.
Oh, the little cornflake,
he thought he was gonna die.
But he kept on climbing,
and just as he got to the top...
someone, someone took him
off the shelf. Opened the packet
and all the cornflakes started
falling into the bowl.
And I'll have to tell you the rest
next week cos it's a serial.
Fuck!
Fuck, that hurts!
- What have you done?
- I can't...
I can't move,
move my hand.
- Rob, you'll have to help me!
- I can't. I can't.
Rob. Please get me out of this.
Okay. Okay, we're gonna try.
Here's what we're gonna do.
We've had reports of a fire
at Armstrong House.
Smoke has been spotted on the roof.
The Fire Brigade have been alerted.
Any cars in the vicinity?
3461 I'm nearby.
Be there as soon as I can.
Okay, just hold on. Hold on.
And squeeze.
No, no, no, don't squeeze.
- Hurry up!
- We're coming!
Ready? Steady.
Okay. All right,
Chrissy, we're coming.
Just hold on tight, son.
That's a good boy.
- I'm coming, mum.
- That's good, darling, well done.
It's okay.
Are you holing on tight, son?
You just hold on tight
that's a good boy. Good boy.
- Mum!
- Mummy's here, darling.
All free vehicles this is
a priority to Armstrong House.
You hold on tight, son.
You're nearly there.
Nearly there, darling.
Oh, shit.
- Oh, shit.
- What?
It's loosening.
- It's coming undone.
- What?
Jake, hold on. Hold on!
- Jake. Jake!
- Jake, hold on tight. Hold on!
Hold on, Jake!
- Jake!
- Mum!
- Chrissy, he's gonna drop!
- No!
Chrissy!
He's gonna drop!
- Jake, hold on!
- Mum!
He's gonna drop!
He's gonna drop!
Rob, if this lift goes too far,
we're dead.
No, stay!
- I'll stop the lift!
- How? Oh, God!
We're gonna die! Stop!
I'll call to 13.
Just hang on!
Who's there?
Hang on!
Hang on!
I'm nearly there.
Rob! Rob, you can't,
you can't stop it there.
Rob, Rob, is that you?
Stop. Stop. Stop.
Rob, are you there?
It's Mike!
- Oh, Jesus, it is.
- Mike! Stop lift now!
Stop!
I don't see how I can, Rob!
Hello!
Stop!
Stop!
No!
Oh, come on.
Jake.
I don't know, love, they want
to keep you in overnight.
For a night? Well, I'm gonna go and
have to get some clothes and stuff.
No, no, no, no.
We'll send somebody up there if you
tell 'em exactly what you want.
No, no you won't!
I can still walk you know.
Oh, shit!
Hold him a minute.
Jan. Jan.
Jan.
Miss Long.
- Jesus, Rosey, are you all right?
- Jan, it's Pat.
He's dead. I'm sorry, pet.
Oh, Jesus. Jesus.
- What happened?
- We're not entirely sure.
Apparently there was some
kind of accident with the lift.
The lift?
The lift. Yeah.
There was a fire involved.
Where it actually started
we don't really know.
- Miss Long.
- Aye, all right.
All right?
Are you gonna live?
Oh God, yeah. This is a nebulizer.
- Miss Long? We're setting off now.
- I'm talking, man.
So, who saved whose life this time?
Well I think, Mike saved us both.
So? So... do we say we had fun
or do we embarrass ourselves
with the truth?
Yeah, it was fun.
No, Rob. It wasn't.
I think he wants us to go.
- Where?
- Hospital.
Right.
- Bye.
- Right.
- I'll see ya.
- 'Bye.
Right.
I'm gonna get some clothes you can
come if you want or not, I don't care.
Jake, be a good boy.
Sam, go with her, will you?
Bloody woman.
Come in if you're coming.
Oh, they're beautiful.
From my husband...
Today?
- Yes.
- Oh, bad luck!
No, no, that you're in here. Not bad
luck for being married all that time.
- No, congratulations.
- Thank you.
I mean a wedding is such an important
rite of passage, isn't it?
I mean it's not... as dramatic as,
what they have in Madagascar.
Oh, no, no. Hi.
You okay?
- Who did it?
- What, pet?
Who killed him?
No one.
They said that Rosey did
everything she could.
- The poor thing's in hospital herself.
- Rosey?
What's happened?
You granddad died today, son.
I'm sorry.
Is he...
Are you okay?
I'll just...
- We should move this picture now.
- How did he die?
Get a new one of just us three.
The police think that he was in a lift
with you know, Rosey and a man.
And there was a fire
in the machine room.
Rosey managed to get out.
I don't know really...
Your granddad got stuck in...
and he fell somehow. Kevin?
Shall we go up and use your
granddad's old camera tomorrow?
Oh, Christ!
- What?
- His gun. Hospital!
- Mam, I've got to...
- He's taken the gun, Kevin!
- But, mam, I have to tell you something.
- Let's go!
I know, but granddad's
dead though, isn't he?
He knows he's not in hospital.
I know, but that's where
Rosey is, man, Kevin!
Mam, please stop,
I have to tell you...
Shut up, Kevin,
we've got to find him.
Mam, it was me, I did it.
- Mam!
- What? What was you?
It was me.
I started the fire.
Up in the...
I didn't mean it, it was...
It just happened.
Excuse me, miss... Excuse me.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
He's a copper.
Inspector Emson here.
Anybody near the County Hospital?
Hold it.
Hello. Are you going
to shoot that thing?
Rosey...
Tell him to leave us alone.
This is Jimmy, Pat's son.
Jimmy, Rob.
Easygoing insomniac
with a few other ailments.
Asthma, sore feet in shoes.
I like fishing. I like reading.
And trying to remember things
that most consider best forgotten.
I was responsible,
more than anyone for the death
of Patrick Mulcahy.
- Rob, you're wrong.
- I'm sorry.
Jimmy, I'll tell you this.
I used to think that
it took guts to admit you were wrong.
But, I was wrong.
Sometimes it takes guts
to stand your ground.
Jimmy, point the gun at me.
It was me.
Jimmy!
Look, Jim, before we go
any further I must tell you
I've done all this before.
Okay, and you know what's the best solution in these
situations?
Is just to wait. Wait.
So, that's what we do.
We just wait.
Now, so I'm told,
end in surrender
with no casualties..
I fancy some fish and chips, me, eh?
Away...
Well, what shall we
talk about, Jimmy?
I could ask you things like
why do you wanna do this?
But I tend to find that,
that would only make
you think about the reasons
why you're here.
And, as I'm sure you understand
they're not the things that we would
all wish to dwell on at this moment.
And hopefully out of just chatting
we can get to a solution.
- Are you going to shoot?
- Rob, please!
The principle behind this,
Jimmy, is... Let's relax.
Let's put the gun down and talk.
Let's just put the gun down.
Rob, will you just fuck off
and leave us alone.
Did you tell me to fuck off again?
- Those were the words I used.
- To say what?
Jim. Jimmy,
please don't shoot, okay?
Chrissy, will you just tell me
what you want me to do.
Because I cannot keep coming
back here for more, now.
You do though, don't you?
You just keep on coming back!
Yeah, and it's not because I pity you
or I think you may need the company.
It's because, Chrissy
for the first time in a long time...
I, me... have actually found somebody
who I think that I might spend
some time with.
- Why?
- Well, I don't know why!
Okay, you're right, I analyse everything.
Everything far too much.
But I haven't actually analysed
this particular feeling.
But I know I'm right because you,
you, for years you can look and
look for a solution to your problems...
it's not till you sit down, you wait,
you look around... you realize
it's staring you in the face.
Oh, shit!
All I know, Chrissy, is that I've
spent years... Iooking for something,
something... something you don't
expect to find on a Friday night.
When you're called out to a crisis
and you'd rather be watching
the end of 'Cheers'.
All I really want to say is...
will you go on a proper date with me?
With restaurants and ice-cream and,
and perhaps sore bees, perhaps.
But me! Chrissy?
Chrissy.
Yeah.
- Hey, come here, chum. Come here.
- Hello.
- Hi.
- Hi.
You okay?
Me? Yeah, yeah. Cos...
- Really?
- No.
Sounded good though, didn't it?
Made me sound gutsy.
- Fuck off!
- Okay.
- Jackie.
- What?
Roseanne's sister, Jackie.
I just remembered her name.
- Oh, Rob man.
- What?
- Just shut up and come here.
- Okay.