Flamingo (2020) Movie Script
(upbeat music)
(people chattering)
Loving it.
- Come on, smile.
- Yeah, one more.
Come on, come
on, smile this time.
Yeah, that's the one.
So, thank you guys.
You know, it's about intense
observational development.
Awards, you know,
I really don't care.
Of course I've had more
than my fair share.
Don't you dare breathe a word.
Remember, I got you this job.
But that's not what drives me.
Only when I first really
understood what a city was.
Fucking crazy.
Are you mad?
[Man] Okay guys,
let's have a photo.
Look, their marriage is...
Come on Francesca,
you can stand behind me,
and Rebecca yeah, you
stand here, that's good.
- Oh wow.
- Okay guys.
Just a bit more tight.
Okay, big smiles.
(camera clicking)
Now a silly one, guys.
Yeah.
(pleasant music)
You know when
I set up this firm,
I had a dream about the
breadth of work we would do.
And today is about delivering
another bit of my vision.
Human and animal
takes us new places,
so why not add God in there,
and put them in an ark?
We're reaching back, and we're
reaching forward with this,
and reaching is something
that's always been pivotal
to Handon Architects.
Now we've just gotta
crack on and get it built.
Francesca, would you
like to say something?
Oh, um.
Thank you everyone
for your amazing work
developing this concept.
It's been quite a journey,
and couldn't have done it
without all of your input.
Ben and Rebecca
particularly, thank you.
We've learnt so much
from working with you
over the last couple of months,
and thank you for
trusting us with this.
And Ben in particular, thank
you for seeding the idea
of the ark for the new
visitor's center for the zoo.
That was a real game changer.
Thank you everyone, congratulations.
Yep, cheers, well done.
[Francesca] Cheers.
(gentle music)
(water splashing)
Plane's in an hour,
Uber's on its way.
- Then you've gotta go.
- Yeah.
That's almost there.
All right, that's fine. I'll
look after the rest of this.
Okay, thanks.
Okay, well I'll
see you Sunday?
Could be a bit longer,
depends on the client.
- Oh.
- Yeah.
Well, see you when I see you.
Yeah, that'll be good.
Okay darling, bye-bye.
(horns honking)
[Woman] Yep they're
here for you now.
[Woman] Yeah, this one
is called Rising Strong.
(machinery beeping)
Oh, oh you didn't
have to do that.
Oh no, I'm happy to.
It's fine.
Ah thanks.
At least I have someone I can
gossip about the party to.
I dunno, everyone
seemed pretty happy.
Yeah, yeah, everyone's
really excited about it.
Yeah.
Hey, thank you very much
for what you said before.
That was really nice.
Oh gosh, no thank you.
Using the ark was such
a simple, good idea.
Yeah, yeah well the zoo
seemed to like it, so.
Mm, that's a pretty good
connection you have with them.
You and Rebecca seem
like pretty good friends.
Yeah, yeah, actually
when I first got into
landscaping I gave her a call,
and I've had bits and pieces
of work for the zoo ever since.
Well, you obviously
do a good job for them.
Hey, would you be very shocked
if I had a cigarette right now?
[Ben] Oh no, you go for it.
I know it's a bit
of a revolting habit,
I just, sometimes I
have to have one...
(door slams)
[Ben] What?
I don't suppose
you have a key.
No.
I think I've got
one in my bag.
God.
(things clattering)
Oh my god.
Shit!
Tim, hi it's me.
I'm stuck on the roof
with the landscape guy.
Can you give me
a call back please?
Preferably before
you get on the plane.
(Francesca groans)
Battery, where's your phone?
Downstairs charging.
Great.
Well do something!
(upbeat Latin music)
Hello!
Hello!
Hello, excuse me!
Hi!
Hello?
Ah, we're stuck up here!
Oi!
Ugh, no one's paying
me any attention!
(Francesca whistles)
Oi!
(Francesca sighs)
(Francesca sighs)
(Francesca groans)
Tim should be getting
off the plane about now.
Someone should
be here soon then.
Mm, hopefully.
Come on, come on, come on!
[Francesca] You
spelt rescue wrong.
(horns honking)
(gulls cawing)
[Ben] I don't think
Tim got your message.
[Francesca] No, doesn't
look like it, does it?
Anyone else come into the
office on the weekends, or?
No, not usually.
I mean the cleaners
will come, but...
What, tomorrow morning?
Middle of the day Sunday?
Fuck.
Well you must have a
wife, or a girlfriend,
or someone that will call you?
Ah god.
(machinery whirring)
(foghorn blares)
(helicopter whirring)
Suppose we may
as well have a drink.
Wine?
So you got any
plans for the weekend?
Of course.
What about you?
Just going
surfing with a mate.
You ever been
stuck like this before?
Yeah, actually.
Once in a lift.
What happened?
Power cut out
and we got stuck.
What'd you talk about?
Mainly about how
we were gonna escape.
What about you?
No, I've never
been stuck in a lift.
That'd be awful.
I did actually get snowed in
in a tramping hut
once for three days.
That was actually all right,
we just played heaps of cards
and gave morning
talks to pass the time.
What was your talk on?
I think built manifestos
expressing my philosophy
around architecture and
the inherent contradictions
of, I don't know.
Something low key.
You know, it's frustrating
looking at all these buildings
and thinking about what
I've ended up designing.
A bunch of McMansions
for people at the beach.
It's the same thing every time,
sweeping floor to ceiling
windows towards the view,
polished concrete floors,
and a skillion roof.
It's like, ugh, have
some imagination, people.
Pretty boxes, though.
Thank you.
Nah, it's all good.
I just, I really only
have myself to blame.
I kind of followed down this
path with Tim, and here I am.
It's just not really what
I thought I would be doing
when I finished my degree.
What did you
think you'd be doing?
I don't know, I thought
I'd be doing public work,
or something
humanitarian, you know?
Build houses for people
that actually needed them.
What about you?
No, I had no good intentions
about saving the world.
Took my year of architecture,
and then I shot off overseas.
What'd you do?
Well, I
bounced around a lot.
Ended up working
yachts in Turkey.
Sailing's kinda my thing.
Yeah, I started skippering them,
and I dunno, after a while
I was having too much fun.
Didn't really wanna come back.
Well, for a while anyway.
I've always wanted
to go to Turkey.
You should.
(gentle guitar music)
You need to turn around.
(horns honking)
Hey!
(Francesca whistles)
Oi!
You know what, I think we're
the last people to
live on this planet.
I know every
generation says that,
but things have become
so screwed up lately,
I really don't
see a lot of hope.
Isn't that moon beautiful?
Maybe we can live
out there somewhere.
Like I think that's all
that's left to us now,
to go and fuck up someone
else's solar system.
Sorry, I know, my brain's
been infected by podcasts.
Yeah, really needs
to calm down a bit.
Yeah, it's stuck on repeat
between global catastrophe
and my shoe fetish.
[Ben] You scared of heights?
A little bit.
What about you?
No, I've been up and
down riggings and masts
most of my life, so you know.
Would you walk on this ledge?
Yeah.
Yeah I think I would.
Yeah, why not?
Actually don't do it,
no I'm kidding, Ben!
Okay Ben, seriously get down.
Please get down.
It's not that bad.
Ben, get down!
- It's not bad, look.
- You're freaking me out!
[Ben] Although
that is quite steep.
Yes, please get
down, seriously!
Come on.
- No, come down!
- It's fine!
Okay.
(Ben grunts)
Your turn.
That was unnecessary.
Come on.
No, absolutely not.
Doesn't look
like your husband's
sending out a search party.
Well, he doesn't always
listen to his messages.
Maybe he'll pick it up later.
Yeah, but come on.
He doesn't call you, or?
Not necessarily,
who's gonna call you?
No one, really.
Just your surfer friend?
Yeah, but he's not gonna
assume anything if I don't call.
What about your family?
They're used to me taking
some time to get back to them.
Yeah, I bet.
Well actually, I'm meeting
a girl tomorrow, 10 a.m.
Well will she call anyone
if you don't show up?
Probably not, no.
That's not much
good to us then, is it?
(sirens wailing)
(eerie music)
Who's the cat?
Dunno yet.
I'm more of a dog person.
Had some pretty strange
pets as a kid, though.
Yeah?
Yeah.
I had an axolotl.
That's pretty strange.
I don't do weird fish.
I did have a guinea pig,
and a mental bird for a bit,
but Dave was the best.
He was always trying to escape.
Who was Dave?
Dave was a tortoise
that lived in the pond
outside the house
that I grew up in,
and you could always hear
when he was trying to escape
because there'd
be this loud thwack
as he fell out of the
pond onto the concrete.
You'd climb up the
side of the pond,
and then there'd be more
thwacks as he fell off
over, and over, and over again
until finally, he
made it over the top
and he'd head for the park.
In the end, my mum just
wrote our phone number
on his shell with a Sharpie.
It's amazing, people would
always bring him back.
Poor little guy, he must have
been pretty frustrated by it.
Anyway, eventually
he made it over
to the tortoise
rescue lady's place.
I know, who knew there was
a tortoise rescue lady?
Well there was, and she had
hundreds of rescue tortoises.
Anyway, she told
us Dave's secret.
What was his secret?
Dave was not
a boy, but a girl.
And when tortoises ovulate,
they have to find somewhere
to lay their eggs,
which is what Dave had been
doing over and over again,
and we just thought he
was trying to escape.
Ah.
God, how did I get there?
Maybe Dave was trying
to tell you something.
You know I was
eight years old,
and I don't really
think I understood Dave.
What happened to him, or her,
what happened to her?
Got run over by a car.
Oh for God's sake.
Yeah.
You know, the death of your pet
is your first big existential
crisis as a human.
Parents say all kinds of rubbish
to try and make you feel better,
but as a child, you just,
you just have this feeling about
it that can't be explained.
My parents kept
talking about God.
I never believed them.
Yeah, I think I was
much more gullible.
I was at a Catholic school.
- Uh-oh.
- And I was
open to persuasion, yeah.
Actually there was a
time when I was hoping
God would show up.
He didn't.
(Francesca laughs)
Lucky for you.
Yeah.
(Francesca chuckles)
Ah god, I'm such a hypocrite.
You know I got
married in a church?
Tim didn't even
want to, but I insisted.
All form and no content,
perfect architect.
My god is detail.
I guess I'm a bit
OCD, like I really like
my kitchen cupboards
to be in order,
otherwise I get
really freaked out.
I get great pleasure
from cleaning
my stainless steel bench tops.
I try to resist it, but I can't.
Maybe it's 'cause I'm an Aries,
or maybe I'm just fucked
up. What star sign are you?
Sagittarius.
(Francesca gasps)
No.
What?
I've always wanted
to be a Sagittarius.
Really?
Yeah, they're the best!
Aries are all like
high expectations
and strong willed,
stupidly devoted.
You know,
Sagittarius and Aries are
meant to be quite compatible.
(bells jangling)
(people chanting)
How do those Hare Krishnas keep
doing that year after year,
just dancing around with
everyone staring at them
like they're goldfish?
Maybe they're just
high on spirituality,
like believing in something
makes you feel so good
that you just don't care.
Wish I believed in something.
I have this creature in
my brain that straightaway
just says Frankie,
you're being an idiot.
Stops me, it's no fun at all.
Maybe I can pay someone
to teach me to be mindful,
or be a Buddhist or something.
That's probably the
best I can hope for.
[Ben] I don't
think your creature
would even allow
that, to be honest.
[Francesca] Pisses me off,
but I kinda depend on it.
[Ben] I was in
India for a while.
The whole idea of reincarnation
kinda started to make
more sense to me.
[Francesca] Okay,
so what do you think
you might come back as?
An orangutan.
Definitely!
Swingin' around in the
trees and the branches?
Having sex to keep the peace.
Okay.
Yeah.
When I was a kid, I lived in
Indonesia for a little bit.
My dad was constructing
a road in Sumatra,
so I got to go into the jungle.
And, I could be standing there,
and I'd have this amazing sense
of being connected
to everything.
Like I was breathing
with the whole world,
and ceasing to be
a singular entity.
Mm, I'd just be scared
something was gonna bite me.
You know, I saw
an orangutan once.
I will never forget it.
It looked me
straight in the eyes,
and I was mesmerized.
You know, they're the
smartest of the apes.
They're always the ones
that'll escape the zoo.
And they're really noble.
They've got a dignity about them
that I think us as
humans have lost.
Yeah, an orangutan
would be good.
I mean, I wouldn't
wanna be a chimpanzee.
They're way too violent.
Bonobos are just
little sex pests.
Yeah, orangutans
probably the best choice.
(sirens wailing)
(Ben grunting)
(both grunting)
(both laughing)
I quite like you
as an orangutan.
The irony of your story
is that your father
was building a
road in the jungle,
which was probably gonna
destroy the orangutan's habitat.
Sorry, but it's true.
I mean, you read
all these articles
about these
multinational companies
just raping the jungle
so that they can
plant more palm oil
and completely
destroy the habitat
of all the creatures
that live there.
You know, like one time I
actually went to Borneo,
and it's miles of these
uniform rows of palm,
which used to be
forest, you know?
And it's just destroyed,
and all the animals
that used to live there.
Man is just this
homicidal maniac,
who thinks that because it's got
a well developed frontal lobe
that we can just destroy
whatever we want.
I mean, human
beings are such killers,
and consciousness
is not just something
that homo sapiens have, either.
I mean I think a
lot of other species
probably have that ability.
Sorry, I'm getting a
little bit carried away.
No, hey, hey, no.
What you're saying's great.
I mean, I love that.
I agree with it.
I really like how your
eyes narrow when you,
and you've got this
urgency about your body
when you're passionate
about something.
I will take that
as a compliment.
(low key music)
(gentle saxophone music)
Oh it's so good!
So why are you not
married, or with anyone?
Little bit of art direction,
you could scrub up all right.
I guess the right person
just hasn't come along yet.
Really?
Maybe I'm just
fundamentally beyond hope.
[Francesca]
Mm, that must be it.
Nah.
No, I just think
life isn't really
taking me in that
direction at the moment.
Oh come on, I've
never believed that.
You gotta find
someone that you have
some kind of connection
with and make it work.
You have to kind of
grab hold of things,
otherwise everything just
crumbles away, you know?
Sure.
Oh, people have
all these expectations.
But you have to manage them,
otherwise you
become their prisoner.
I mean, nothing is ever
gonna be perfect, right?
You just have to work
with what you've got.
You know, be realistic and
appreciate what you have.
But if you just try and
control things all the time,
you end up missing half of life.
But nothing in my life
happens unless I make it.
If I don't organize
it, it doesn't happen.
I don't believe in waiting.
(sirens wailing)
[Ben] Are you cold?
No, I'm fine.
Are you sure?
Yeah.
Do you want a jacket?
No, I'm fine, thank you.
I'm cold just looking at you.
No, 'cause then
you'll be cold.
I don't feel the cold.
I don't wanna
look at you shivering.
Come on, wear it.
I'm fine.
- Wear the jacket.
- I'm not wearing the jacket.
Wear the jacket.
Okay fine, give me the jacket.
(siren wailing)
Tim's finally sent someone.
You really think your husband
is gonna rescue
us at this point?
He might rescue me.
Who's gonna rescue you?
How did you guys meet?
He came to Sydney on a project
that my company was working on,
and I was about
to go to Nicaragua
and work on this UN sponsored
housing project over there.
This volunteer thing,
and then I met Tim,
and he just had this confidence,
and I dunno, he kind
of overwhelmed me.
And he offered me a job,
and I jumped at it.
He was doing a lot of really
interesting work back then
with community housing,
and it was kind of what
I'd always wanted to do,
and so, I said yes.
And getting away from my family
seemed like kind of a good idea.
I could sort of go off
and do my own thing
without my father
breathing down my neck,
and Tim was just,
I dunno, I was working with him
as part of a team,
and learning so much.
And I think it was
probably about six months
before we were living together.
Wow.
Yeah.
I mean, he is 20
years older than me.
Just kinda made him
seem more interesting.
He does have two
teenage children.
Uh-huh?
That's a challenge.
What about their mother?
She, um, it's complicated.
Their marriage
was effectively over.
Oh.
(sirens wailing)
It's all good, I just...
Do you still love Tim?
Crikey.
This notion of love,
it's a little overrated,
don't you think?
I mean, how much
do you really need?
Well, are you happy?
Happiness?
Come on!
- What?
It's a trap.
I just think people
get so caught up
in this idea of
happiness, and really
what we should do is just,
I don't know, settle for
what's in front of us.
(gentle guitar music)
[Ben] Can you see
the Southern Cross?
- Oh yeah, there it is.
- Yeah.
What else?
I dunno, the only other
one I know is Orion's Belt.
It's just there.
[Francesca] Ah, oh yeah.
What about the Archer?
Never really got that one.
See Orion's Belt?
It's the middle part.
And he's drawing his bow
there, just there, see that?
I mean, it just looks
like a saucepan to me.
Okay, well,
try and picture it,
like he's side onto us,
and he's slightly rotated.
If you start at the belt,
and you go down from there,
those two stars,
they're his feet.
Again, in profile.
And if you go up from
there, those three stars,
that's his bow, and
he's drawing that back.
- Oh yeah, yeah.
- Yeah?
Totally see what you mean.
Well you know, he's easier
once you click onto him.
Yeah.
Hey, maybe if you study him
a little bit more intensely.
Yeah, you just have to
squint your eyes
the right way, sort of.
Like this?
What?
I can't see it.
I dunno, he's tricky
to find, that Archer.
Uh, let's not go there.
I...
I just...
I mean, we're working together.
No of course, yeah
no, of course, yeah.
Yeah.
(gentle music)
(birds chirping)
(ominous music)
You know, I
designed a house once
for a woman who
was scared of the dark.
It was so weird.
There weren't allowed
to be any corridors.
She didn't want any
wardrobes or cupboards
in any of the bedrooms,
and she was really
specific about the distance
that the walls had to be apart.
She was so neurotic,
but the house
ended up being
really interesting.
I think we won an award for it.
Did it work?
I mean, you know,
could she sleep?
Yeah.
I think mostly
'cause I also gave her
the number of my hypnotherapist.
Yeah.
You know, I used to be
terrified of the dark.
Sneak down the
hallway every night,
and I'd end up sleeping
on this little mattress
at the end of my parents' bed.
What was it that
was frightening you?
That's the thing,
I can't remember.
I just got the
extraordinary sense of the,
like the intensity
of the terror.
I mean, it was vivid.
What about now, are you
still scared of the dark?
No, not so much
the dark anymore,
but I would really
love to remember
what it was that was
terrifying me so much.
'Cause I've got this feeling
that if I could reconnect
with whatever that was,
I could unlock this profound
secret in my life, you know?
I've got this sense
of this other place
that's trying really
hard to talk to me,
if only I could just
work out how to listen.
Yeah, I know what you mean.
It's like there's something
at your fingertips
that you can't quite grasp.
I think we all wanna
know what that thing is,
but I think,
I don't know if we
ever really can know.
You know, when I,
when I sleep, I can't
bear to be touched.
Like obviously, I
love to be touched,
I just mean not when I sleep.
I'm probably a nightmare
to go to bed with.
I mean, not like that.
I'm a nightmare
to go to sleep with.
Maybe you just
need your own bed.
No, it's not that.
I like to feel that there's
somebody else there.
They're just not allowed
to touch me when I sleep.
Okay.
(crickets chirping)
(wood creaking)
(birds chirping)
(somber music)
(birds chirping)
(sirens wailing)
(birds chirping)
(percussive music)
(upbeat Latin music)
Ben, oi.
Wake up!
Come on.
What?
Come on, wake up.
Time to get on with the day.
(Ben groans)
How'd you sleep?
Yeah, all right.
Must've just dozed off.
[Francesca] Here, what
do you want for breakfast?
Gee, a short black would
go really nicely right now.
Can you face that way, please?
(urine pattering)
You know I just peed
in the same pot plant.
Ah, we're bound
together for life then.
That's an ancient
Indian proverb.
Mm, I am a night owl with
aspirations to be a starling.
Morning is not my time.
Nighttime I kind of rev up,
but I'm useless in the morning.
Normally I just
look at my phone.
This is weird, having like
a real person to talk to.
Well I can shut
up if you'd like.
That'd be good, thanks.
I'm kidding you
can talk obviously
I'll make an exception.
What'd you dream about?
Just random stuff, I dunno,
what about you?
We were floating
on an ark somewhere.
- Really?
- Yeah.
You know that
was a genius idea.
I'm very glad Rebecca
put me onto you.
Yeah, she's been
very good to me.
Were you guys
ever like a thing?
Oh no, no.
[Francesca] Really?
No.
God, I dunno, it's weird
what we imagine
about each other, right?
I am starving.
I haven't actually decided if
I'm gluten intolerant or not,
but I think I'm gonna eat
some of this bread anyway.
It's like, you can never
really know someone, can you?
Only what they tell
you about themselves,
or what you see.
I think you and Rebecca
make a good couple.
I don't think so.
So what have you got on
for the rest of the day?
What about that girl you were
meant to meet at 10 o'clock?
Well that's obviously not
happening anymore, is it?
I don't think you're
gonna make it, sorry.
It's all right.
Probably would've
blown it, anyway.
Well thank you for
the vote of confidence.
I've been told
I'm quite charming
on first dates, actually.
- Really?
- Yeah.
All right.
What's your opening line?
Show me, I'll be the girl.
Hey, oh god
look, sorry I'm late.
I got stuck on this rooftop.
I didn't think you
were gonna make it.
You canceled all
those other times.
What is it you
said you did again?
An architect or something?
Landscape architect, yeah.
So it that like
gardens or something?
No, no, it's a lot
more boring than that.
Just in offices
drawing stuff, mainly.
Is that a job?
It is a job, yes.
So I don't meant
to pry or anything,
but have you just come
out of a relationship?
(Ben chuckles)
Well, I mean not just.
How long ago?
Sorry, I'm a little bit nosy.
I'm always getting
in trouble for that.
So do you actually
have girlfriends,
or are you gay?
No, I'm not,
yes I had a girlfriend.
I mean, you know...
Good, were you
in love with her?
No, it was more of
a sex thing, actually.
Yeah, once the
attraction wore off,
we just, we drifted.
Really?
That's a shame. I didn't
pick you for that.
Really?
Your profile said you
were after something
kind of long term.
Oh god, who
believes that stuff?
What a waste.
You do actually have quite a
nice smile, very dreamy eyes.
Thank you.
Well, what about you?
Well, I'm not seeing
anyone, obviously.
How could I be,
I'm on this date.
Yep, I was just checking.
You actually, you,
yeah you've got very
pretty eyes as well.
Sorry, have I said that already?
No.
And that, that growth
on the side of your face,
that is captivating.
Have you thought about surgery,
or is that just like
a beauty spot?
Yeah all right, that's enough.
I'm calling this
date quits, right now.
You are exactly the kinda guy
that this girl
doesn't wanna meet.
Some horny hipster
who lies on his profile
with a sex addiction.
Jesus, here's me thinking
it was actually
going quite well.
So.
What else do you
do on a day like this?
You know, I normally go to
the gym on a Saturday, but...
Oh yeah?
Well, do you wanna come?
It's not far, I could
probably drive us.
(upbeat music)
Let's take the
waterfront, actually.
You're navigating, fine.
No no, don't crash into it.
Ooh, I'm gonna destroy
all these buildings,
could be a red letter
day for architecture.
Let me tell you.
Oh look at this
woman on her cellphone.
What are you doing?
Concentrate, please.
- Left.
- Okay.
- No, left.
- Ah, what?
You said left, right or left?
Oh yeah you're fuckin' right.
Get back in the car!
All right, where now?
Cyclers, watch the cyclers!
Sorry!
Oh my god.
I can't stand Lycra.
It reminds me of
being in the circus,
and I hate circuses
because I hate clowns.
Okay where now,
where are we going?
Round the roundabout.
Red light, shit, stop!
And okay, we can go.
Round the roundabout,
round the roundabout,
- Oh my god, again?
- Round the roundabout.
Yes.
- Seriously?
Here we are.
(both sigh)
I can't stand clowns.
They just really creep me out.
I can't handle all that
enforced happiness, you know?
Makes me wanna rebel. I
don't know, they used to
really freak me
out as a child too.
Yeah, I really think
you're overthinking this.
Yeah, probably.
Okay, side plank.
Did you hear
about that orangutan
in the Perth Zoo
with Nicole Kidman?
What?
Yeah.
There was an orangutan
in the Perth Zoo
and somehow it got a
copy of Woman's Day,
and it went nuts, it like
tore out half the pages.
When the keepers went in,
they found that Nicole Kidman
was on most of the pages.
That is weird.
Yeah.
That is so weird!
I know, well she
does have red hair.
Yeah, must be pretty
strange for Nicole Kidman.
Maybe it's flattering
though, you know?
Like it's nice to be recognized
by another species in that way.
She should be very happy.
Do you think they're looking
at us looking at them?
The animals in the zoos, I mean?
Thinking how weird we are?
Definitely.
You're really good at this.
Thanks, I try and go
once or twice a week.
Come on, it's
much more than that.
Maybe, what about you?
Just surfing, really.
What, is that it?
Yeah.
It's obviously
working for you.
(horns honking)
You know, when I
run around a field,
I always have to go clockwise.
I've tried making
myself go the other way,
but it just doesn't feel good.
I've decided I'm not gonna
worry about it anymore,
just gonna keep going clockwise.
(jazz music)
What?
You know my dad used
to read me that story
about the enormous crocodile
that plans to eat
all the children?
The Roald Dahl one, wasn't it?
- Yeah.
- Yeah,
with all the cunning plans
and the clever tricks?
That's the one.
It used to terrify me as a kid,
but I'd always make
him read it to me,
and my dad would creep up to us
like a crocodile like this rah!
Okay, yeah that
was pretty scary.
I know, imagine
being six years old.
You know, sometimes
my dad was fantastic,
but other times
he'd just be so mean.
I never knew which
one he was gonna be.
The wonderful crocodile,
or the one that
was gonna eat me.
I think I got a bit
carried away last night.
I mean, when I was
saying all that stuff.
I don't mean to sound negative.
My life's pretty good,
it's just not exactly in
the shape I imagined it.
(birds chirping)
(bell tolling)
(wood creaking)
(papers rustling)
What's the news?
It's just the births
and deaths section.
Ah, sometimes that
can be the best part.
There's an interesting
one here, though.
It's in the death notices.
Who died?
A woman from Auckland.
She was an architect.
Really?
Yeah.
Yeah, in fact it says
here that she died alone.
She wasn't survived by any kids.
Guess she didn't have any,
but it does mention
she was married
to a prominent Auckland
architect who died sometime ago.
Weird thing is though, just
lists several of his buildings
but none of hers.
It's like you know, the
whole thing's all about him.
You know, I was reckon
it was probably placed
by a kid of his from
a previous marriage.
Hey!
- What?
- You know I'm the one
that does all the
concept design, right?
Tim just goes to lunch meetings
and takes all the credit.
Hey, I'm just reading
what I read here.
Yeah well, pisses me off.
Okay, well fine.
It's really unfair!
Well, you shouldn't put
up with it then, should you?
Ah, okay.
Yeah right, well that's
easy for you to say,
but I'm the one that has to
make this whole thing work.
I know you think I'm
just some kind of dipshit
that sits back and
does what she's told,
but that is not how it is.
I never said that.
Yeah, but that's
what you're thinking.
You make all these assumptions,
and I don't like it.
Well then get out
of the business, then.
Go and do your own thing.
Oh, like that's a
great idea right now.
Anyway, your obituary
isn't looking so flash.
What have you done?
You spent years
mucking around on boats,
but you haven't really
achieved anything.
[Ben] I did exactly
what I wanted to do.
Yeah, but it hasn't
added up to much, has it?
At least I wasn't
screwing the boss, was I?
Well fuck you!
(horns honking)
(truck beeping)
Jesus, that could've
killed someone.
Yeah, it'd be a shame to
go to jail for a bad throw.
It wasn't a bad throw,
you missed the catch.
Yeah you're right, my
arms are just too short.
It's a bit like
life, isn't it?
Just dropped from
the sky randomly,
who knows where
you're gonna land,
and you're lucky if
you don't get run over,
and then you die.
You know, we're two sad asses,
we're stuck up here,
and who's noticing?
Isn't your husband gonna
notice you've gone off the air?
We don't really talk
to each other that much
when we're apart, so.
What about you, Nigel no mates?
Who's gonna miss you?
Well it's not all that bad.
Friends aren't just
gonna freak out
if I don't contact them
for a couple of days.
Doesn't seem like you've
got much on, anyway.
I have stuff on.
I will have you
know I am booked in
for a gong bath tomorrow.
A gong bath?
Uh-huh.
It's really cool.
It's this thing
where you lie down
and they play all these gongs,
and the sound kind
of washes over you
and it gets louder and louder
until it kinda takes over,
and that's all there is.
And it's supposed to get
into your theta brain waves,
which is like a deep
form of meditation
that makes your mind stop.
Hey, what is that?
Oh it's a drone.
Well, how did it get there?
I don't know, I mean
there's heaps of them
all over the place these days.
It's probably someone in one
of these buildings around here.
Well where is it going?
I don't know.
It's probably Tim.
It's not Tim.
It's freaking me out,
I don't like drones.
I feel like it's watching us.
- Okay.
- What?
What?
Go away!
(Francesca groaning)
Just relax, it's
fine, it's okay.
(Francesca sighs)
Hey, hey, just breathe.
- Okay.
- Just relax.
Okay.
(Francesca sighs)
You all right?
I fuckin' hate drones.
Technology's gone too far.
You know, one day we are
all just gonna be owned
by a few global empires,
and we'll all just
be little data cows
who like things on
Facebook all day.
Okay, I know, my
brain needs refreshing.
Yeah.
You know what, I'm glad
I didn't have children
because if I did,
they're just gonna end up
being little computers run
by artificial intelligence
having sex with their phones.
Well luckily, it
doesn't look like
you're gonna have
that problem, does it?
I didn't mean that to sound...
Sorry.
- Jesus.
(jazz music)
[Ben] Frankie,
come to the beach.
Yeah all right, walk
down by the water.
Oi, careful!
- What, what?
You're about to
stand on a jellyfish.
Oh, haha.
I must've been distracted by
that guy and his schnauzer.
Yeah.
It's funny how people actually
look like their pets, isn't it?
I mean that's a thing.
You know, I had a whippet.
Her name was Harriet.
She was the best.
- Yeah?
She had such a
good personality.
She died like a year ago.
Do you think I
look like a whippet?
Only in a good way.
I mean, sure you're very sleek.
Okay, sleek is good.
- And...
- And what?
If you say something
about my nose...
No, no I was just gonna say
apparently they're
very intelligent.
What kind of a
dog did you have?
Well...
Wait, let me guess.
I reckon
a black lab, or an
Irish Wheaten terrier.
I had a border collie.
Ah, border collie,
they're the best!
I love those dogs.
I can see that.
You've got a bit of a
border collie about you.
They're very handsome dogs.
You know the
thing about dogs is,
they don't have a
problem with desire.
They approach it in a
very uncomplicated way.
Yeah.
(horns honking)
All right, we're up on the
deck, beautiful blue sky,
and the water is dead calm.
Mm, that beautiful
Mediterranean blue.
Like swimming
in a gin and tonic.
Feel like a G&T right now.
We're all out of gin,
by the looks of it.
But we do have an ample
supply of champagne.
Let's have one of those.
Of course, I wouldn't usually.
Not while I was on duty,
but you know, seeing as all
the guests are on the island.
I guess I could.
(glasses clink)
So how long do
you think they'll be?
Oh, once they have lunch,
look at a couple of temples.
Could be all day.
It's kind of nice
having some space.
I was feeling a
little claustrophobic
with everyone on board before.
That old guy you're
with, is he your husband?
As a matter of fact, he is.
Yeah, I wasn't sure.
You don't seem very
relaxed around each other,
and he does call you Francesca
in that parental way.
You're very observant.
Thank you.
Actually, things
haven't been great
between us for a while.
That's why we've
come on this trip
to try and spice things up.
I see.
Can I tell you a secret?
We haven't had sex in ages.
Feeling kinda desperate.
Well, it's interesting
that you say that actually,
'cause I haven't
told you about this
special island that
we're anchored off.
Hm?
Yeah, on this island,
all bets are off.
People are free
to do as they wish.
It's an ancient Greek thing.
They used to come here
to roll the dice a bit.
How does that work?
It's kind of like a free pass.
Yeah, people are free to
reassess their situations
without being subject to guilt.
Your cruises must have
been pretty popular.
They were.
So what do we do?
We sunbathe, we go swimming,
just the usual stuff.
(percussive music)
Ooh, how'd you get that scar?
Oh yeah, yeah, shark bit me
when I fell off my motorcycle.
Nasty shark.
Yeah, yeah.
What about that one?
Oh, sprint, game of rugby.
Quite tough, you know.
Really?
I've got a third one too.
See that one there?
Yeah.
Yep.
(gulls cawing)
What about your scars?
Oh mine are mainly internal.
Oh.
No, I don't really,
oh I do have actually one
little one on my finger.
My sister jammed it in
the door when I was six,
and you know what, I'm pretty
sure she did it on purpose.
But she never admitted
to that, of course.
I was determined not to cry.
Like I didn't wanna give
her that satisfaction.
I think it's the first time
I ever consciously realized
I could manipulate someone
by deciding
whether or not to cry.
That's quite a moment.
Mm, see what
you're dealing with?
Tell me more
about the flamingos.
I told you everything I
know about the flamingos.
I thought you
were a wildlife fan.
Okay, yeah sure, there
is one thing actually.
Go on.
When they mate, they do
this extraordinary dance.
You know, cluster together
in this big group,
and they do this funky little
walk thing with their hips.
And then they get real sexy
with their neck like this.
Are you making this up?
No, it's true.
Kinda goes like this.
Here, I'll show you.
(percussive music)
(Francesca laughing)
I like it!
All right.
What are you doing?
(lively Latin music)
(singing in foreign language)
What is it?
[Ben] It's the mark
of our new tribe.
We're just gonna start
civilization from scratch.
No religion, no
books, no ice cream?
Just gonna have to
make the whole thing up.
Well, I suppose we've
got time on our hands.
Tell me about crocodiles.
I don't know much
about crocodiles.
Just know what
they like for lunch.
Down by the Limpopo
River you mean.
You know that one?
The great Grey-green
greasy Limpopo River?
Yeah yeah, where the
Kolokolo bird lives,
and where the
elephant got its trunk.
Yes, but it's
never a good idea
to ask a crocodile what
he wants for lunch.
Or what happened
to your girlfriend's.
No.
Well it didn't go well
for the crocodile, did it?
No.
Okay, David Attenborough.
[Ben] They're not just crying
because they're
feeling sorry for you.
You wanna hear how the
Kolokolo bird cry goes?
Oh yes, yes please.
Okay, you ready?
(Francesca caws)
(Francesca caws)
(Francesca caws)
(pleasant music)
(wood creaking)
(crocodile snarling)
(glass tinkles)
(birds chirping)
Hey.
What are you doing?
It's getting a bit cold.
How long was I asleep?
About an hour?
Yeah I really can't really
drink in the afternoons anymore.
I've had plenty
of practice with Tim.
Tim?
Mm.
You know, my husband?
What are you gonna tell him?
Ooh, I don't know.
Trying not to think about it.
(Francesca sighs)
Tim doesn't even need to
know about this weekend.
I can keep up the charade,
he's an expert at it.
I don't think you
would wanna subscribe
to the type of logic that
your husband runs his life by.
Isn't that what
everyone does though,
so that we can get
on with our lives?
That's really
cynical, Frankie.
Maybe we just have
this one weekend,
but I'm not sorry
that it happened.
It's gonna be hard going
back to my life after this.
Hey, don't then.
Don't go back.
Just leave it.
You know,
sometimes the universe opens up
and we have these glorious
moments, but they're not real.
We just have to appreciate
them for what they are.
Why, why are you
putting on your jewelry?
We can go.
Sorry?
I found the key.
What do you mean
you found the key?
It was in my bag, it
was just, I don't know...
- When did you find it, when?
- Just before.
Well then why didn't
you say something?
I'm saying something now!
(Francesca sighs)
Look.
Nothing needs to change, Ben.
We can go back to
how we were on Monday.
No one needs to know.
We've, we've had our moment.
It was beautiful,
but we're done.
What do you, sorry, what
do you mean we're done?
It just, I mean you what,
you're just gonna walk
out now, and that's it?
You've had that key the
whole time, haven't you?
No I haven't.
And everything we've
been talking about,
that's just what,
that's just bullshit?
Oh fuck it.
Fuck you!
(Francesca gasps)
No, no, you cannot
just walk out on this.
This is not a game, Frankie.
I mean, is that
all this is to you...
So what exactly
is throwing the key
on the street going to achieve?
I can't believe you did that.
What is wrong with you?
What planet are you on?
Who are you anyway?
You won't tell me a single
thing about your past,
or your relationships, your
girlfriends, friends, anything!
You keep telling me what I
should be doing with my life,
but what about you?
You're just happy
to joke around,
but you won't
face up to anything.
You know what, maybe my life
isn't so great at the moment,
but what are you hiding from?
You piss me off!
(birds chirping)
(upbeat Latin music)
(horns blaring)
(Francesca crying)
Are you okay?
Yep.
You don't seem okay.
I'm fine.
(Francesca crying)
(percussive music)
(low key music)
(thunder rumbling)
(thunder booming)
(rain pattering)
(thunder booms)
When the door
blew shut I didn't,
I didn't have the key.
Really, I found it this
morning in the pool.
I don't mind that
you had the key.
I'm kinda flattered by it.
(rain pattering)
And I'm really
sorry about before,
I just got kinda
anxious and panicked
and wanted to leave.
And you know, we're working
together with my husband.
You don't seem to
be in love with him.
What's keeping you together?
I've had anxiety
my whole life, okay?
And I,
I've never really felt
like I can rely on myself,
and marrying Tim felt like
stepping into
someone else's shoes.
Like I was taking on a role
that had been laid out for me,
and there's safety in that.
I guess I got comfortable.
Yeah, but you're not happy.
At least I function in the
space that I'm in now, okay?
I have a good
life, I have friends,
I have a good job.
I mean, maybe,
maybe I'm a coward.
Maybe I've been waiting for
someone like you to come along,
or maybe life's
just too complicated
and there are no good solutions.
Or maybe the
gods, or whatever,
are giving you a nudge here.
Do something about it.
There are other options.
(gentle guitar music)
(rain pattering)
[Francesca] You've never
told me what happened
in your last relationship.
I know.
I lost faith in myself.
Okay, all right.
I'd gone through
a few relationships.
They hadn't really
gone anywhere.
Then I came back to New Zealand,
and I met a girl.
She was beautiful, I loved her.
It was really nice.
We lived together,
were together for
like three years.
It was good.
So why did you break up?
She wanted kids,
and I kept putting her off.
Then one day she just,
yeah she just walked out,
she just left.
I couldn't believe
that she'd do that.
I mean, we were close.
We were really close,
and then she just,
she just walked out.
That hurt.
I dunno, I just, I misread
the situation, that's all.
(Ben sighs)
Sometimes you
just, you know in life
you end up missing
the important stuff.
The really important stuff
that's right there
in front of you.
That's why,
that's why I threw the key.
I just, you know, I wasn't,
I didn't like the idea
of you just walking out.
I'm not walking out.
You know,
last night I was thinking about
that little boy who
was scared of the dark.
Oh.
What ever happened to him, eh?
He didn't like being
left alone, did he?
No, no he did not.
He was a lot of
trouble for his parents.
In fact, they tried everything.
All kinds of techniques.
Eventually, they took
me to a psychologist.
She took one look at me,
and prescribed me
a bottle of courage.
Aww.
I mean, sure it was
probably palm oil,
or something like that,
but I think she was trying
to send me a message.
And did it work?
No.
Of course not.
I just, you know,
I grew up.
I learned how to cope.
And now the dark's
not really that bad.
You know what,
I think I could use
some of that bottle about now.
I don't think Tim went
to Queenstown by himself.
I think he went with Rebecca.
Yeah, I know.
What?
I know.
What do you mean you know?
You just said that,
sorry you just said you thought
they were in Queenstown.
Yeah, but I didn't,
I mean I had a feeling,
but I wasn't certain.
What do you mean you know?
It's been going
on for a month.
And you've known
this whole time?
Hey, hey, I just, I
found out by accident.
Jesus!
No I...
Frankie!
Listen, she made me promise.
You prick!
You knew this whole time.
You let me say
all of that stuff.
No, it was not like that.
Hey, it's not...
What do you mean
it was not like that?
It's not like that!
How could you not say
anything this whole time?
How could I say anything?
Fuck you!
Hey, Frankie?
Frankie, get down please.
Frankie, I'm serious,
can you get down please?
(Francesca sobbing)
Hey, Frankie, look at me.
Frankie.
You know what?
Yeah, Tim's in
Queenstown with Rebecca.
Why do you care?
Hey?
I don't know!
You deserve better than him.
What are you,
what are you doing?
(Francesca sobbing)
What makes you think
I'm the one for you?
Because you are.
You are.
(gentle music)
(soothing music)
(wood creaking)
This time always makes
me feel so close to death,
like so, ephemeral.
It's like nothing much is
holding us to this earth,
and if we stripped away
everything around us,
I dunno, there'd
just be nothing there.
Maybe we're the last two
humans watching the final dawn.
(bell tolling)
(birds chirping)
(horns honking)
(upbeat Latin music)
(wood creaking)
(low key music)
(people chattering)
Loving it.
- Come on, smile.
- Yeah, one more.
Come on, come
on, smile this time.
Yeah, that's the one.
So, thank you guys.
You know, it's about intense
observational development.
Awards, you know,
I really don't care.
Of course I've had more
than my fair share.
Don't you dare breathe a word.
Remember, I got you this job.
But that's not what drives me.
Only when I first really
understood what a city was.
Fucking crazy.
Are you mad?
[Man] Okay guys,
let's have a photo.
Look, their marriage is...
Come on Francesca,
you can stand behind me,
and Rebecca yeah, you
stand here, that's good.
- Oh wow.
- Okay guys.
Just a bit more tight.
Okay, big smiles.
(camera clicking)
Now a silly one, guys.
Yeah.
(pleasant music)
You know when
I set up this firm,
I had a dream about the
breadth of work we would do.
And today is about delivering
another bit of my vision.
Human and animal
takes us new places,
so why not add God in there,
and put them in an ark?
We're reaching back, and we're
reaching forward with this,
and reaching is something
that's always been pivotal
to Handon Architects.
Now we've just gotta
crack on and get it built.
Francesca, would you
like to say something?
Oh, um.
Thank you everyone
for your amazing work
developing this concept.
It's been quite a journey,
and couldn't have done it
without all of your input.
Ben and Rebecca
particularly, thank you.
We've learnt so much
from working with you
over the last couple of months,
and thank you for
trusting us with this.
And Ben in particular, thank
you for seeding the idea
of the ark for the new
visitor's center for the zoo.
That was a real game changer.
Thank you everyone, congratulations.
Yep, cheers, well done.
[Francesca] Cheers.
(gentle music)
(water splashing)
Plane's in an hour,
Uber's on its way.
- Then you've gotta go.
- Yeah.
That's almost there.
All right, that's fine. I'll
look after the rest of this.
Okay, thanks.
Okay, well I'll
see you Sunday?
Could be a bit longer,
depends on the client.
- Oh.
- Yeah.
Well, see you when I see you.
Yeah, that'll be good.
Okay darling, bye-bye.
(horns honking)
[Woman] Yep they're
here for you now.
[Woman] Yeah, this one
is called Rising Strong.
(machinery beeping)
Oh, oh you didn't
have to do that.
Oh no, I'm happy to.
It's fine.
Ah thanks.
At least I have someone I can
gossip about the party to.
I dunno, everyone
seemed pretty happy.
Yeah, yeah, everyone's
really excited about it.
Yeah.
Hey, thank you very much
for what you said before.
That was really nice.
Oh gosh, no thank you.
Using the ark was such
a simple, good idea.
Yeah, yeah well the zoo
seemed to like it, so.
Mm, that's a pretty good
connection you have with them.
You and Rebecca seem
like pretty good friends.
Yeah, yeah, actually
when I first got into
landscaping I gave her a call,
and I've had bits and pieces
of work for the zoo ever since.
Well, you obviously
do a good job for them.
Hey, would you be very shocked
if I had a cigarette right now?
[Ben] Oh no, you go for it.
I know it's a bit
of a revolting habit,
I just, sometimes I
have to have one...
(door slams)
[Ben] What?
I don't suppose
you have a key.
No.
I think I've got
one in my bag.
God.
(things clattering)
Oh my god.
Shit!
Tim, hi it's me.
I'm stuck on the roof
with the landscape guy.
Can you give me
a call back please?
Preferably before
you get on the plane.
(Francesca groans)
Battery, where's your phone?
Downstairs charging.
Great.
Well do something!
(upbeat Latin music)
Hello!
Hello!
Hello, excuse me!
Hi!
Hello?
Ah, we're stuck up here!
Oi!
Ugh, no one's paying
me any attention!
(Francesca whistles)
Oi!
(Francesca sighs)
(Francesca sighs)
(Francesca groans)
Tim should be getting
off the plane about now.
Someone should
be here soon then.
Mm, hopefully.
Come on, come on, come on!
[Francesca] You
spelt rescue wrong.
(horns honking)
(gulls cawing)
[Ben] I don't think
Tim got your message.
[Francesca] No, doesn't
look like it, does it?
Anyone else come into the
office on the weekends, or?
No, not usually.
I mean the cleaners
will come, but...
What, tomorrow morning?
Middle of the day Sunday?
Fuck.
Well you must have a
wife, or a girlfriend,
or someone that will call you?
Ah god.
(machinery whirring)
(foghorn blares)
(helicopter whirring)
Suppose we may
as well have a drink.
Wine?
So you got any
plans for the weekend?
Of course.
What about you?
Just going
surfing with a mate.
You ever been
stuck like this before?
Yeah, actually.
Once in a lift.
What happened?
Power cut out
and we got stuck.
What'd you talk about?
Mainly about how
we were gonna escape.
What about you?
No, I've never
been stuck in a lift.
That'd be awful.
I did actually get snowed in
in a tramping hut
once for three days.
That was actually all right,
we just played heaps of cards
and gave morning
talks to pass the time.
What was your talk on?
I think built manifestos
expressing my philosophy
around architecture and
the inherent contradictions
of, I don't know.
Something low key.
You know, it's frustrating
looking at all these buildings
and thinking about what
I've ended up designing.
A bunch of McMansions
for people at the beach.
It's the same thing every time,
sweeping floor to ceiling
windows towards the view,
polished concrete floors,
and a skillion roof.
It's like, ugh, have
some imagination, people.
Pretty boxes, though.
Thank you.
Nah, it's all good.
I just, I really only
have myself to blame.
I kind of followed down this
path with Tim, and here I am.
It's just not really what
I thought I would be doing
when I finished my degree.
What did you
think you'd be doing?
I don't know, I thought
I'd be doing public work,
or something
humanitarian, you know?
Build houses for people
that actually needed them.
What about you?
No, I had no good intentions
about saving the world.
Took my year of architecture,
and then I shot off overseas.
What'd you do?
Well, I
bounced around a lot.
Ended up working
yachts in Turkey.
Sailing's kinda my thing.
Yeah, I started skippering them,
and I dunno, after a while
I was having too much fun.
Didn't really wanna come back.
Well, for a while anyway.
I've always wanted
to go to Turkey.
You should.
(gentle guitar music)
You need to turn around.
(horns honking)
Hey!
(Francesca whistles)
Oi!
You know what, I think we're
the last people to
live on this planet.
I know every
generation says that,
but things have become
so screwed up lately,
I really don't
see a lot of hope.
Isn't that moon beautiful?
Maybe we can live
out there somewhere.
Like I think that's all
that's left to us now,
to go and fuck up someone
else's solar system.
Sorry, I know, my brain's
been infected by podcasts.
Yeah, really needs
to calm down a bit.
Yeah, it's stuck on repeat
between global catastrophe
and my shoe fetish.
[Ben] You scared of heights?
A little bit.
What about you?
No, I've been up and
down riggings and masts
most of my life, so you know.
Would you walk on this ledge?
Yeah.
Yeah I think I would.
Yeah, why not?
Actually don't do it,
no I'm kidding, Ben!
Okay Ben, seriously get down.
Please get down.
It's not that bad.
Ben, get down!
- It's not bad, look.
- You're freaking me out!
[Ben] Although
that is quite steep.
Yes, please get
down, seriously!
Come on.
- No, come down!
- It's fine!
Okay.
(Ben grunts)
Your turn.
That was unnecessary.
Come on.
No, absolutely not.
Doesn't look
like your husband's
sending out a search party.
Well, he doesn't always
listen to his messages.
Maybe he'll pick it up later.
Yeah, but come on.
He doesn't call you, or?
Not necessarily,
who's gonna call you?
No one, really.
Just your surfer friend?
Yeah, but he's not gonna
assume anything if I don't call.
What about your family?
They're used to me taking
some time to get back to them.
Yeah, I bet.
Well actually, I'm meeting
a girl tomorrow, 10 a.m.
Well will she call anyone
if you don't show up?
Probably not, no.
That's not much
good to us then, is it?
(sirens wailing)
(eerie music)
Who's the cat?
Dunno yet.
I'm more of a dog person.
Had some pretty strange
pets as a kid, though.
Yeah?
Yeah.
I had an axolotl.
That's pretty strange.
I don't do weird fish.
I did have a guinea pig,
and a mental bird for a bit,
but Dave was the best.
He was always trying to escape.
Who was Dave?
Dave was a tortoise
that lived in the pond
outside the house
that I grew up in,
and you could always hear
when he was trying to escape
because there'd
be this loud thwack
as he fell out of the
pond onto the concrete.
You'd climb up the
side of the pond,
and then there'd be more
thwacks as he fell off
over, and over, and over again
until finally, he
made it over the top
and he'd head for the park.
In the end, my mum just
wrote our phone number
on his shell with a Sharpie.
It's amazing, people would
always bring him back.
Poor little guy, he must have
been pretty frustrated by it.
Anyway, eventually
he made it over
to the tortoise
rescue lady's place.
I know, who knew there was
a tortoise rescue lady?
Well there was, and she had
hundreds of rescue tortoises.
Anyway, she told
us Dave's secret.
What was his secret?
Dave was not
a boy, but a girl.
And when tortoises ovulate,
they have to find somewhere
to lay their eggs,
which is what Dave had been
doing over and over again,
and we just thought he
was trying to escape.
Ah.
God, how did I get there?
Maybe Dave was trying
to tell you something.
You know I was
eight years old,
and I don't really
think I understood Dave.
What happened to him, or her,
what happened to her?
Got run over by a car.
Oh for God's sake.
Yeah.
You know, the death of your pet
is your first big existential
crisis as a human.
Parents say all kinds of rubbish
to try and make you feel better,
but as a child, you just,
you just have this feeling about
it that can't be explained.
My parents kept
talking about God.
I never believed them.
Yeah, I think I was
much more gullible.
I was at a Catholic school.
- Uh-oh.
- And I was
open to persuasion, yeah.
Actually there was a
time when I was hoping
God would show up.
He didn't.
(Francesca laughs)
Lucky for you.
Yeah.
(Francesca chuckles)
Ah god, I'm such a hypocrite.
You know I got
married in a church?
Tim didn't even
want to, but I insisted.
All form and no content,
perfect architect.
My god is detail.
I guess I'm a bit
OCD, like I really like
my kitchen cupboards
to be in order,
otherwise I get
really freaked out.
I get great pleasure
from cleaning
my stainless steel bench tops.
I try to resist it, but I can't.
Maybe it's 'cause I'm an Aries,
or maybe I'm just fucked
up. What star sign are you?
Sagittarius.
(Francesca gasps)
No.
What?
I've always wanted
to be a Sagittarius.
Really?
Yeah, they're the best!
Aries are all like
high expectations
and strong willed,
stupidly devoted.
You know,
Sagittarius and Aries are
meant to be quite compatible.
(bells jangling)
(people chanting)
How do those Hare Krishnas keep
doing that year after year,
just dancing around with
everyone staring at them
like they're goldfish?
Maybe they're just
high on spirituality,
like believing in something
makes you feel so good
that you just don't care.
Wish I believed in something.
I have this creature in
my brain that straightaway
just says Frankie,
you're being an idiot.
Stops me, it's no fun at all.
Maybe I can pay someone
to teach me to be mindful,
or be a Buddhist or something.
That's probably the
best I can hope for.
[Ben] I don't
think your creature
would even allow
that, to be honest.
[Francesca] Pisses me off,
but I kinda depend on it.
[Ben] I was in
India for a while.
The whole idea of reincarnation
kinda started to make
more sense to me.
[Francesca] Okay,
so what do you think
you might come back as?
An orangutan.
Definitely!
Swingin' around in the
trees and the branches?
Having sex to keep the peace.
Okay.
Yeah.
When I was a kid, I lived in
Indonesia for a little bit.
My dad was constructing
a road in Sumatra,
so I got to go into the jungle.
And, I could be standing there,
and I'd have this amazing sense
of being connected
to everything.
Like I was breathing
with the whole world,
and ceasing to be
a singular entity.
Mm, I'd just be scared
something was gonna bite me.
You know, I saw
an orangutan once.
I will never forget it.
It looked me
straight in the eyes,
and I was mesmerized.
You know, they're the
smartest of the apes.
They're always the ones
that'll escape the zoo.
And they're really noble.
They've got a dignity about them
that I think us as
humans have lost.
Yeah, an orangutan
would be good.
I mean, I wouldn't
wanna be a chimpanzee.
They're way too violent.
Bonobos are just
little sex pests.
Yeah, orangutans
probably the best choice.
(sirens wailing)
(Ben grunting)
(both grunting)
(both laughing)
I quite like you
as an orangutan.
The irony of your story
is that your father
was building a
road in the jungle,
which was probably gonna
destroy the orangutan's habitat.
Sorry, but it's true.
I mean, you read
all these articles
about these
multinational companies
just raping the jungle
so that they can
plant more palm oil
and completely
destroy the habitat
of all the creatures
that live there.
You know, like one time I
actually went to Borneo,
and it's miles of these
uniform rows of palm,
which used to be
forest, you know?
And it's just destroyed,
and all the animals
that used to live there.
Man is just this
homicidal maniac,
who thinks that because it's got
a well developed frontal lobe
that we can just destroy
whatever we want.
I mean, human
beings are such killers,
and consciousness
is not just something
that homo sapiens have, either.
I mean I think a
lot of other species
probably have that ability.
Sorry, I'm getting a
little bit carried away.
No, hey, hey, no.
What you're saying's great.
I mean, I love that.
I agree with it.
I really like how your
eyes narrow when you,
and you've got this
urgency about your body
when you're passionate
about something.
I will take that
as a compliment.
(low key music)
(gentle saxophone music)
Oh it's so good!
So why are you not
married, or with anyone?
Little bit of art direction,
you could scrub up all right.
I guess the right person
just hasn't come along yet.
Really?
Maybe I'm just
fundamentally beyond hope.
[Francesca]
Mm, that must be it.
Nah.
No, I just think
life isn't really
taking me in that
direction at the moment.
Oh come on, I've
never believed that.
You gotta find
someone that you have
some kind of connection
with and make it work.
You have to kind of
grab hold of things,
otherwise everything just
crumbles away, you know?
Sure.
Oh, people have
all these expectations.
But you have to manage them,
otherwise you
become their prisoner.
I mean, nothing is ever
gonna be perfect, right?
You just have to work
with what you've got.
You know, be realistic and
appreciate what you have.
But if you just try and
control things all the time,
you end up missing half of life.
But nothing in my life
happens unless I make it.
If I don't organize
it, it doesn't happen.
I don't believe in waiting.
(sirens wailing)
[Ben] Are you cold?
No, I'm fine.
Are you sure?
Yeah.
Do you want a jacket?
No, I'm fine, thank you.
I'm cold just looking at you.
No, 'cause then
you'll be cold.
I don't feel the cold.
I don't wanna
look at you shivering.
Come on, wear it.
I'm fine.
- Wear the jacket.
- I'm not wearing the jacket.
Wear the jacket.
Okay fine, give me the jacket.
(siren wailing)
Tim's finally sent someone.
You really think your husband
is gonna rescue
us at this point?
He might rescue me.
Who's gonna rescue you?
How did you guys meet?
He came to Sydney on a project
that my company was working on,
and I was about
to go to Nicaragua
and work on this UN sponsored
housing project over there.
This volunteer thing,
and then I met Tim,
and he just had this confidence,
and I dunno, he kind
of overwhelmed me.
And he offered me a job,
and I jumped at it.
He was doing a lot of really
interesting work back then
with community housing,
and it was kind of what
I'd always wanted to do,
and so, I said yes.
And getting away from my family
seemed like kind of a good idea.
I could sort of go off
and do my own thing
without my father
breathing down my neck,
and Tim was just,
I dunno, I was working with him
as part of a team,
and learning so much.
And I think it was
probably about six months
before we were living together.
Wow.
Yeah.
I mean, he is 20
years older than me.
Just kinda made him
seem more interesting.
He does have two
teenage children.
Uh-huh?
That's a challenge.
What about their mother?
She, um, it's complicated.
Their marriage
was effectively over.
Oh.
(sirens wailing)
It's all good, I just...
Do you still love Tim?
Crikey.
This notion of love,
it's a little overrated,
don't you think?
I mean, how much
do you really need?
Well, are you happy?
Happiness?
Come on!
- What?
It's a trap.
I just think people
get so caught up
in this idea of
happiness, and really
what we should do is just,
I don't know, settle for
what's in front of us.
(gentle guitar music)
[Ben] Can you see
the Southern Cross?
- Oh yeah, there it is.
- Yeah.
What else?
I dunno, the only other
one I know is Orion's Belt.
It's just there.
[Francesca] Ah, oh yeah.
What about the Archer?
Never really got that one.
See Orion's Belt?
It's the middle part.
And he's drawing his bow
there, just there, see that?
I mean, it just looks
like a saucepan to me.
Okay, well,
try and picture it,
like he's side onto us,
and he's slightly rotated.
If you start at the belt,
and you go down from there,
those two stars,
they're his feet.
Again, in profile.
And if you go up from
there, those three stars,
that's his bow, and
he's drawing that back.
- Oh yeah, yeah.
- Yeah?
Totally see what you mean.
Well you know, he's easier
once you click onto him.
Yeah.
Hey, maybe if you study him
a little bit more intensely.
Yeah, you just have to
squint your eyes
the right way, sort of.
Like this?
What?
I can't see it.
I dunno, he's tricky
to find, that Archer.
Uh, let's not go there.
I...
I just...
I mean, we're working together.
No of course, yeah
no, of course, yeah.
Yeah.
(gentle music)
(birds chirping)
(ominous music)
You know, I
designed a house once
for a woman who
was scared of the dark.
It was so weird.
There weren't allowed
to be any corridors.
She didn't want any
wardrobes or cupboards
in any of the bedrooms,
and she was really
specific about the distance
that the walls had to be apart.
She was so neurotic,
but the house
ended up being
really interesting.
I think we won an award for it.
Did it work?
I mean, you know,
could she sleep?
Yeah.
I think mostly
'cause I also gave her
the number of my hypnotherapist.
Yeah.
You know, I used to be
terrified of the dark.
Sneak down the
hallway every night,
and I'd end up sleeping
on this little mattress
at the end of my parents' bed.
What was it that
was frightening you?
That's the thing,
I can't remember.
I just got the
extraordinary sense of the,
like the intensity
of the terror.
I mean, it was vivid.
What about now, are you
still scared of the dark?
No, not so much
the dark anymore,
but I would really
love to remember
what it was that was
terrifying me so much.
'Cause I've got this feeling
that if I could reconnect
with whatever that was,
I could unlock this profound
secret in my life, you know?
I've got this sense
of this other place
that's trying really
hard to talk to me,
if only I could just
work out how to listen.
Yeah, I know what you mean.
It's like there's something
at your fingertips
that you can't quite grasp.
I think we all wanna
know what that thing is,
but I think,
I don't know if we
ever really can know.
You know, when I,
when I sleep, I can't
bear to be touched.
Like obviously, I
love to be touched,
I just mean not when I sleep.
I'm probably a nightmare
to go to bed with.
I mean, not like that.
I'm a nightmare
to go to sleep with.
Maybe you just
need your own bed.
No, it's not that.
I like to feel that there's
somebody else there.
They're just not allowed
to touch me when I sleep.
Okay.
(crickets chirping)
(wood creaking)
(birds chirping)
(somber music)
(birds chirping)
(sirens wailing)
(birds chirping)
(percussive music)
(upbeat Latin music)
Ben, oi.
Wake up!
Come on.
What?
Come on, wake up.
Time to get on with the day.
(Ben groans)
How'd you sleep?
Yeah, all right.
Must've just dozed off.
[Francesca] Here, what
do you want for breakfast?
Gee, a short black would
go really nicely right now.
Can you face that way, please?
(urine pattering)
You know I just peed
in the same pot plant.
Ah, we're bound
together for life then.
That's an ancient
Indian proverb.
Mm, I am a night owl with
aspirations to be a starling.
Morning is not my time.
Nighttime I kind of rev up,
but I'm useless in the morning.
Normally I just
look at my phone.
This is weird, having like
a real person to talk to.
Well I can shut
up if you'd like.
That'd be good, thanks.
I'm kidding you
can talk obviously
I'll make an exception.
What'd you dream about?
Just random stuff, I dunno,
what about you?
We were floating
on an ark somewhere.
- Really?
- Yeah.
You know that
was a genius idea.
I'm very glad Rebecca
put me onto you.
Yeah, she's been
very good to me.
Were you guys
ever like a thing?
Oh no, no.
[Francesca] Really?
No.
God, I dunno, it's weird
what we imagine
about each other, right?
I am starving.
I haven't actually decided if
I'm gluten intolerant or not,
but I think I'm gonna eat
some of this bread anyway.
It's like, you can never
really know someone, can you?
Only what they tell
you about themselves,
or what you see.
I think you and Rebecca
make a good couple.
I don't think so.
So what have you got on
for the rest of the day?
What about that girl you were
meant to meet at 10 o'clock?
Well that's obviously not
happening anymore, is it?
I don't think you're
gonna make it, sorry.
It's all right.
Probably would've
blown it, anyway.
Well thank you for
the vote of confidence.
I've been told
I'm quite charming
on first dates, actually.
- Really?
- Yeah.
All right.
What's your opening line?
Show me, I'll be the girl.
Hey, oh god
look, sorry I'm late.
I got stuck on this rooftop.
I didn't think you
were gonna make it.
You canceled all
those other times.
What is it you
said you did again?
An architect or something?
Landscape architect, yeah.
So it that like
gardens or something?
No, no, it's a lot
more boring than that.
Just in offices
drawing stuff, mainly.
Is that a job?
It is a job, yes.
So I don't meant
to pry or anything,
but have you just come
out of a relationship?
(Ben chuckles)
Well, I mean not just.
How long ago?
Sorry, I'm a little bit nosy.
I'm always getting
in trouble for that.
So do you actually
have girlfriends,
or are you gay?
No, I'm not,
yes I had a girlfriend.
I mean, you know...
Good, were you
in love with her?
No, it was more of
a sex thing, actually.
Yeah, once the
attraction wore off,
we just, we drifted.
Really?
That's a shame. I didn't
pick you for that.
Really?
Your profile said you
were after something
kind of long term.
Oh god, who
believes that stuff?
What a waste.
You do actually have quite a
nice smile, very dreamy eyes.
Thank you.
Well, what about you?
Well, I'm not seeing
anyone, obviously.
How could I be,
I'm on this date.
Yep, I was just checking.
You actually, you,
yeah you've got very
pretty eyes as well.
Sorry, have I said that already?
No.
And that, that growth
on the side of your face,
that is captivating.
Have you thought about surgery,
or is that just like
a beauty spot?
Yeah all right, that's enough.
I'm calling this
date quits, right now.
You are exactly the kinda guy
that this girl
doesn't wanna meet.
Some horny hipster
who lies on his profile
with a sex addiction.
Jesus, here's me thinking
it was actually
going quite well.
So.
What else do you
do on a day like this?
You know, I normally go to
the gym on a Saturday, but...
Oh yeah?
Well, do you wanna come?
It's not far, I could
probably drive us.
(upbeat music)
Let's take the
waterfront, actually.
You're navigating, fine.
No no, don't crash into it.
Ooh, I'm gonna destroy
all these buildings,
could be a red letter
day for architecture.
Let me tell you.
Oh look at this
woman on her cellphone.
What are you doing?
Concentrate, please.
- Left.
- Okay.
- No, left.
- Ah, what?
You said left, right or left?
Oh yeah you're fuckin' right.
Get back in the car!
All right, where now?
Cyclers, watch the cyclers!
Sorry!
Oh my god.
I can't stand Lycra.
It reminds me of
being in the circus,
and I hate circuses
because I hate clowns.
Okay where now,
where are we going?
Round the roundabout.
Red light, shit, stop!
And okay, we can go.
Round the roundabout,
round the roundabout,
- Oh my god, again?
- Round the roundabout.
Yes.
- Seriously?
Here we are.
(both sigh)
I can't stand clowns.
They just really creep me out.
I can't handle all that
enforced happiness, you know?
Makes me wanna rebel. I
don't know, they used to
really freak me
out as a child too.
Yeah, I really think
you're overthinking this.
Yeah, probably.
Okay, side plank.
Did you hear
about that orangutan
in the Perth Zoo
with Nicole Kidman?
What?
Yeah.
There was an orangutan
in the Perth Zoo
and somehow it got a
copy of Woman's Day,
and it went nuts, it like
tore out half the pages.
When the keepers went in,
they found that Nicole Kidman
was on most of the pages.
That is weird.
Yeah.
That is so weird!
I know, well she
does have red hair.
Yeah, must be pretty
strange for Nicole Kidman.
Maybe it's flattering
though, you know?
Like it's nice to be recognized
by another species in that way.
She should be very happy.
Do you think they're looking
at us looking at them?
The animals in the zoos, I mean?
Thinking how weird we are?
Definitely.
You're really good at this.
Thanks, I try and go
once or twice a week.
Come on, it's
much more than that.
Maybe, what about you?
Just surfing, really.
What, is that it?
Yeah.
It's obviously
working for you.
(horns honking)
You know, when I
run around a field,
I always have to go clockwise.
I've tried making
myself go the other way,
but it just doesn't feel good.
I've decided I'm not gonna
worry about it anymore,
just gonna keep going clockwise.
(jazz music)
What?
You know my dad used
to read me that story
about the enormous crocodile
that plans to eat
all the children?
The Roald Dahl one, wasn't it?
- Yeah.
- Yeah,
with all the cunning plans
and the clever tricks?
That's the one.
It used to terrify me as a kid,
but I'd always make
him read it to me,
and my dad would creep up to us
like a crocodile like this rah!
Okay, yeah that
was pretty scary.
I know, imagine
being six years old.
You know, sometimes
my dad was fantastic,
but other times
he'd just be so mean.
I never knew which
one he was gonna be.
The wonderful crocodile,
or the one that
was gonna eat me.
I think I got a bit
carried away last night.
I mean, when I was
saying all that stuff.
I don't mean to sound negative.
My life's pretty good,
it's just not exactly in
the shape I imagined it.
(birds chirping)
(bell tolling)
(wood creaking)
(papers rustling)
What's the news?
It's just the births
and deaths section.
Ah, sometimes that
can be the best part.
There's an interesting
one here, though.
It's in the death notices.
Who died?
A woman from Auckland.
She was an architect.
Really?
Yeah.
Yeah, in fact it says
here that she died alone.
She wasn't survived by any kids.
Guess she didn't have any,
but it does mention
she was married
to a prominent Auckland
architect who died sometime ago.
Weird thing is though, just
lists several of his buildings
but none of hers.
It's like you know, the
whole thing's all about him.
You know, I was reckon
it was probably placed
by a kid of his from
a previous marriage.
Hey!
- What?
- You know I'm the one
that does all the
concept design, right?
Tim just goes to lunch meetings
and takes all the credit.
Hey, I'm just reading
what I read here.
Yeah well, pisses me off.
Okay, well fine.
It's really unfair!
Well, you shouldn't put
up with it then, should you?
Ah, okay.
Yeah right, well that's
easy for you to say,
but I'm the one that has to
make this whole thing work.
I know you think I'm
just some kind of dipshit
that sits back and
does what she's told,
but that is not how it is.
I never said that.
Yeah, but that's
what you're thinking.
You make all these assumptions,
and I don't like it.
Well then get out
of the business, then.
Go and do your own thing.
Oh, like that's a
great idea right now.
Anyway, your obituary
isn't looking so flash.
What have you done?
You spent years
mucking around on boats,
but you haven't really
achieved anything.
[Ben] I did exactly
what I wanted to do.
Yeah, but it hasn't
added up to much, has it?
At least I wasn't
screwing the boss, was I?
Well fuck you!
(horns honking)
(truck beeping)
Jesus, that could've
killed someone.
Yeah, it'd be a shame to
go to jail for a bad throw.
It wasn't a bad throw,
you missed the catch.
Yeah you're right, my
arms are just too short.
It's a bit like
life, isn't it?
Just dropped from
the sky randomly,
who knows where
you're gonna land,
and you're lucky if
you don't get run over,
and then you die.
You know, we're two sad asses,
we're stuck up here,
and who's noticing?
Isn't your husband gonna
notice you've gone off the air?
We don't really talk
to each other that much
when we're apart, so.
What about you, Nigel no mates?
Who's gonna miss you?
Well it's not all that bad.
Friends aren't just
gonna freak out
if I don't contact them
for a couple of days.
Doesn't seem like you've
got much on, anyway.
I have stuff on.
I will have you
know I am booked in
for a gong bath tomorrow.
A gong bath?
Uh-huh.
It's really cool.
It's this thing
where you lie down
and they play all these gongs,
and the sound kind
of washes over you
and it gets louder and louder
until it kinda takes over,
and that's all there is.
And it's supposed to get
into your theta brain waves,
which is like a deep
form of meditation
that makes your mind stop.
Hey, what is that?
Oh it's a drone.
Well, how did it get there?
I don't know, I mean
there's heaps of them
all over the place these days.
It's probably someone in one
of these buildings around here.
Well where is it going?
I don't know.
It's probably Tim.
It's not Tim.
It's freaking me out,
I don't like drones.
I feel like it's watching us.
- Okay.
- What?
What?
Go away!
(Francesca groaning)
Just relax, it's
fine, it's okay.
(Francesca sighs)
Hey, hey, just breathe.
- Okay.
- Just relax.
Okay.
(Francesca sighs)
You all right?
I fuckin' hate drones.
Technology's gone too far.
You know, one day we are
all just gonna be owned
by a few global empires,
and we'll all just
be little data cows
who like things on
Facebook all day.
Okay, I know, my
brain needs refreshing.
Yeah.
You know what, I'm glad
I didn't have children
because if I did,
they're just gonna end up
being little computers run
by artificial intelligence
having sex with their phones.
Well luckily, it
doesn't look like
you're gonna have
that problem, does it?
I didn't mean that to sound...
Sorry.
- Jesus.
(jazz music)
[Ben] Frankie,
come to the beach.
Yeah all right, walk
down by the water.
Oi, careful!
- What, what?
You're about to
stand on a jellyfish.
Oh, haha.
I must've been distracted by
that guy and his schnauzer.
Yeah.
It's funny how people actually
look like their pets, isn't it?
I mean that's a thing.
You know, I had a whippet.
Her name was Harriet.
She was the best.
- Yeah?
She had such a
good personality.
She died like a year ago.
Do you think I
look like a whippet?
Only in a good way.
I mean, sure you're very sleek.
Okay, sleek is good.
- And...
- And what?
If you say something
about my nose...
No, no I was just gonna say
apparently they're
very intelligent.
What kind of a
dog did you have?
Well...
Wait, let me guess.
I reckon
a black lab, or an
Irish Wheaten terrier.
I had a border collie.
Ah, border collie,
they're the best!
I love those dogs.
I can see that.
You've got a bit of a
border collie about you.
They're very handsome dogs.
You know the
thing about dogs is,
they don't have a
problem with desire.
They approach it in a
very uncomplicated way.
Yeah.
(horns honking)
All right, we're up on the
deck, beautiful blue sky,
and the water is dead calm.
Mm, that beautiful
Mediterranean blue.
Like swimming
in a gin and tonic.
Feel like a G&T right now.
We're all out of gin,
by the looks of it.
But we do have an ample
supply of champagne.
Let's have one of those.
Of course, I wouldn't usually.
Not while I was on duty,
but you know, seeing as all
the guests are on the island.
I guess I could.
(glasses clink)
So how long do
you think they'll be?
Oh, once they have lunch,
look at a couple of temples.
Could be all day.
It's kind of nice
having some space.
I was feeling a
little claustrophobic
with everyone on board before.
That old guy you're
with, is he your husband?
As a matter of fact, he is.
Yeah, I wasn't sure.
You don't seem very
relaxed around each other,
and he does call you Francesca
in that parental way.
You're very observant.
Thank you.
Actually, things
haven't been great
between us for a while.
That's why we've
come on this trip
to try and spice things up.
I see.
Can I tell you a secret?
We haven't had sex in ages.
Feeling kinda desperate.
Well, it's interesting
that you say that actually,
'cause I haven't
told you about this
special island that
we're anchored off.
Hm?
Yeah, on this island,
all bets are off.
People are free
to do as they wish.
It's an ancient Greek thing.
They used to come here
to roll the dice a bit.
How does that work?
It's kind of like a free pass.
Yeah, people are free to
reassess their situations
without being subject to guilt.
Your cruises must have
been pretty popular.
They were.
So what do we do?
We sunbathe, we go swimming,
just the usual stuff.
(percussive music)
Ooh, how'd you get that scar?
Oh yeah, yeah, shark bit me
when I fell off my motorcycle.
Nasty shark.
Yeah, yeah.
What about that one?
Oh, sprint, game of rugby.
Quite tough, you know.
Really?
I've got a third one too.
See that one there?
Yeah.
Yep.
(gulls cawing)
What about your scars?
Oh mine are mainly internal.
Oh.
No, I don't really,
oh I do have actually one
little one on my finger.
My sister jammed it in
the door when I was six,
and you know what, I'm pretty
sure she did it on purpose.
But she never admitted
to that, of course.
I was determined not to cry.
Like I didn't wanna give
her that satisfaction.
I think it's the first time
I ever consciously realized
I could manipulate someone
by deciding
whether or not to cry.
That's quite a moment.
Mm, see what
you're dealing with?
Tell me more
about the flamingos.
I told you everything I
know about the flamingos.
I thought you
were a wildlife fan.
Okay, yeah sure, there
is one thing actually.
Go on.
When they mate, they do
this extraordinary dance.
You know, cluster together
in this big group,
and they do this funky little
walk thing with their hips.
And then they get real sexy
with their neck like this.
Are you making this up?
No, it's true.
Kinda goes like this.
Here, I'll show you.
(percussive music)
(Francesca laughing)
I like it!
All right.
What are you doing?
(lively Latin music)
(singing in foreign language)
What is it?
[Ben] It's the mark
of our new tribe.
We're just gonna start
civilization from scratch.
No religion, no
books, no ice cream?
Just gonna have to
make the whole thing up.
Well, I suppose we've
got time on our hands.
Tell me about crocodiles.
I don't know much
about crocodiles.
Just know what
they like for lunch.
Down by the Limpopo
River you mean.
You know that one?
The great Grey-green
greasy Limpopo River?
Yeah yeah, where the
Kolokolo bird lives,
and where the
elephant got its trunk.
Yes, but it's
never a good idea
to ask a crocodile what
he wants for lunch.
Or what happened
to your girlfriend's.
No.
Well it didn't go well
for the crocodile, did it?
No.
Okay, David Attenborough.
[Ben] They're not just crying
because they're
feeling sorry for you.
You wanna hear how the
Kolokolo bird cry goes?
Oh yes, yes please.
Okay, you ready?
(Francesca caws)
(Francesca caws)
(Francesca caws)
(pleasant music)
(wood creaking)
(crocodile snarling)
(glass tinkles)
(birds chirping)
Hey.
What are you doing?
It's getting a bit cold.
How long was I asleep?
About an hour?
Yeah I really can't really
drink in the afternoons anymore.
I've had plenty
of practice with Tim.
Tim?
Mm.
You know, my husband?
What are you gonna tell him?
Ooh, I don't know.
Trying not to think about it.
(Francesca sighs)
Tim doesn't even need to
know about this weekend.
I can keep up the charade,
he's an expert at it.
I don't think you
would wanna subscribe
to the type of logic that
your husband runs his life by.
Isn't that what
everyone does though,
so that we can get
on with our lives?
That's really
cynical, Frankie.
Maybe we just have
this one weekend,
but I'm not sorry
that it happened.
It's gonna be hard going
back to my life after this.
Hey, don't then.
Don't go back.
Just leave it.
You know,
sometimes the universe opens up
and we have these glorious
moments, but they're not real.
We just have to appreciate
them for what they are.
Why, why are you
putting on your jewelry?
We can go.
Sorry?
I found the key.
What do you mean
you found the key?
It was in my bag, it
was just, I don't know...
- When did you find it, when?
- Just before.
Well then why didn't
you say something?
I'm saying something now!
(Francesca sighs)
Look.
Nothing needs to change, Ben.
We can go back to
how we were on Monday.
No one needs to know.
We've, we've had our moment.
It was beautiful,
but we're done.
What do you, sorry, what
do you mean we're done?
It just, I mean you what,
you're just gonna walk
out now, and that's it?
You've had that key the
whole time, haven't you?
No I haven't.
And everything we've
been talking about,
that's just what,
that's just bullshit?
Oh fuck it.
Fuck you!
(Francesca gasps)
No, no, you cannot
just walk out on this.
This is not a game, Frankie.
I mean, is that
all this is to you...
So what exactly
is throwing the key
on the street going to achieve?
I can't believe you did that.
What is wrong with you?
What planet are you on?
Who are you anyway?
You won't tell me a single
thing about your past,
or your relationships, your
girlfriends, friends, anything!
You keep telling me what I
should be doing with my life,
but what about you?
You're just happy
to joke around,
but you won't
face up to anything.
You know what, maybe my life
isn't so great at the moment,
but what are you hiding from?
You piss me off!
(birds chirping)
(upbeat Latin music)
(horns blaring)
(Francesca crying)
Are you okay?
Yep.
You don't seem okay.
I'm fine.
(Francesca crying)
(percussive music)
(low key music)
(thunder rumbling)
(thunder booming)
(rain pattering)
(thunder booms)
When the door
blew shut I didn't,
I didn't have the key.
Really, I found it this
morning in the pool.
I don't mind that
you had the key.
I'm kinda flattered by it.
(rain pattering)
And I'm really
sorry about before,
I just got kinda
anxious and panicked
and wanted to leave.
And you know, we're working
together with my husband.
You don't seem to
be in love with him.
What's keeping you together?
I've had anxiety
my whole life, okay?
And I,
I've never really felt
like I can rely on myself,
and marrying Tim felt like
stepping into
someone else's shoes.
Like I was taking on a role
that had been laid out for me,
and there's safety in that.
I guess I got comfortable.
Yeah, but you're not happy.
At least I function in the
space that I'm in now, okay?
I have a good
life, I have friends,
I have a good job.
I mean, maybe,
maybe I'm a coward.
Maybe I've been waiting for
someone like you to come along,
or maybe life's
just too complicated
and there are no good solutions.
Or maybe the
gods, or whatever,
are giving you a nudge here.
Do something about it.
There are other options.
(gentle guitar music)
(rain pattering)
[Francesca] You've never
told me what happened
in your last relationship.
I know.
I lost faith in myself.
Okay, all right.
I'd gone through
a few relationships.
They hadn't really
gone anywhere.
Then I came back to New Zealand,
and I met a girl.
She was beautiful, I loved her.
It was really nice.
We lived together,
were together for
like three years.
It was good.
So why did you break up?
She wanted kids,
and I kept putting her off.
Then one day she just,
yeah she just walked out,
she just left.
I couldn't believe
that she'd do that.
I mean, we were close.
We were really close,
and then she just,
she just walked out.
That hurt.
I dunno, I just, I misread
the situation, that's all.
(Ben sighs)
Sometimes you
just, you know in life
you end up missing
the important stuff.
The really important stuff
that's right there
in front of you.
That's why,
that's why I threw the key.
I just, you know, I wasn't,
I didn't like the idea
of you just walking out.
I'm not walking out.
You know,
last night I was thinking about
that little boy who
was scared of the dark.
Oh.
What ever happened to him, eh?
He didn't like being
left alone, did he?
No, no he did not.
He was a lot of
trouble for his parents.
In fact, they tried everything.
All kinds of techniques.
Eventually, they took
me to a psychologist.
She took one look at me,
and prescribed me
a bottle of courage.
Aww.
I mean, sure it was
probably palm oil,
or something like that,
but I think she was trying
to send me a message.
And did it work?
No.
Of course not.
I just, you know,
I grew up.
I learned how to cope.
And now the dark's
not really that bad.
You know what,
I think I could use
some of that bottle about now.
I don't think Tim went
to Queenstown by himself.
I think he went with Rebecca.
Yeah, I know.
What?
I know.
What do you mean you know?
You just said that,
sorry you just said you thought
they were in Queenstown.
Yeah, but I didn't,
I mean I had a feeling,
but I wasn't certain.
What do you mean you know?
It's been going
on for a month.
And you've known
this whole time?
Hey, hey, I just, I
found out by accident.
Jesus!
No I...
Frankie!
Listen, she made me promise.
You prick!
You knew this whole time.
You let me say
all of that stuff.
No, it was not like that.
Hey, it's not...
What do you mean
it was not like that?
It's not like that!
How could you not say
anything this whole time?
How could I say anything?
Fuck you!
Hey, Frankie?
Frankie, get down please.
Frankie, I'm serious,
can you get down please?
(Francesca sobbing)
Hey, Frankie, look at me.
Frankie.
You know what?
Yeah, Tim's in
Queenstown with Rebecca.
Why do you care?
Hey?
I don't know!
You deserve better than him.
What are you,
what are you doing?
(Francesca sobbing)
What makes you think
I'm the one for you?
Because you are.
You are.
(gentle music)
(soothing music)
(wood creaking)
This time always makes
me feel so close to death,
like so, ephemeral.
It's like nothing much is
holding us to this earth,
and if we stripped away
everything around us,
I dunno, there'd
just be nothing there.
Maybe we're the last two
humans watching the final dawn.
(bell tolling)
(birds chirping)
(horns honking)
(upbeat Latin music)
(wood creaking)
(low key music)