Josephine Doe (2018) Movie Script

[typewriter clacking]
["That Haunting Melody"
playing in background]
Mm. This place is starting
to look more like a...
...museum...
...than a storefront.
[chuckles]
Maybe we ought
to start charging admission,
what do you think?
-Maybe.
-Hm.
All right.
I'm gonna go stop by
for some coffee uh...
Want some?
Yeah. I'll take
my usual.
[typewriter clacks]
[fan blades whirring]
[keyboard clacking and echoing]
[wind chimes chiming]
[clacking continues]
[deafening static]
[sighs wearily]
Hi, there.
Hi.
Are you okay?
Yes, I...
Yeah, I can see that.
I'm sorry, um...
Angie's not here... so...
Who's Angie?
I... I just thought
you were here for her.
I'm Josephine.
Claire.
Okay, which one
do you think is winning?
I don't know.
Looks like the tortoise
is a little nervous.
[chuckling] Yeah, he does.
He's probably losing.
[chuckles]
I should get back inside.
Are you coming in?
No. I don't like funerals.
Yeah.
[windchimes chiming]
[door opens]
[footsteps approach]
[papers rustling]
Well, the house
has been paid for in full.
Dutton Hoffers Books and News
has been given to your sister,
Angela Mitchell.
Uh... the only thing left
is to transfer
the conservatorship.
You'll need to have the doctors
fill out these forms to renew.
After all the expenses have been
taken out for the hospital,
the funeral, my fees,
you have $384.23 cents.
[phone ringing]
[rain pattering]
[door slams shut]
-I got five minutes.
-I won't be long.
Why weren't you guys
at Dad's funeral?
We were working.
-Is that it?
-No.
I was going through Dad's will
and I saw that he left you
the shop and the house.
-Yep, I know.
-You know?
I'm the executor on the will.
Did you talk to Dad about that?
I didn't ask him for it
if that's what you mean.
Don't take it personally.
It's probably just
easier on him that way.
Can I still stay at the house?
Claire, I'm not
going to kick you out.
Are you keeping the shop open?
-Yes.
-Do I still work there?
Do you wanna work there?
Yeah. Of course.
Then, yes.
That's fine.
Are we done?
Yeah, I'm done.
[door opens]
[wind chimes chiming]
[door shuts]
[footsteps approaching]
[papers rustling]
[footsteps moving away]
[quickening heartbeats]
Read this one before?
Yeah.
-How much is it?
-Two dollars.
[money rustling]
You wanna come out
with me tonight?
Um...
You got some
crazy plans already?
[laughs]
Not really.
I just don't really...
Okay! But...
if you change your mind
I'll be in the bar
on Fifth and Main.
Okay.
-Thanks.
-Yeah.
[wind chimes chiming]
[wind chimes chiming]
[traffic sounds]
[traffic sounds]
[clock ticking]
[sighs]
[lounge music plays]
Excuse me?
-Claire?
-Oh, hey.
-You made it.
-Yeah, yeah. I uh...
I was just passing through,
thought I'd stop by.
I brought your book.
-You left it at the store.
-Oh, thanks.
You... you really
didn't have to do that.
I was passing through
so, you know, passing through.
Yeah.
You know what?
You should stay.
Um...
-Yeah, I don't...
-Come on. Order a drink.
Okay.
Can I get a whiskey, neat?
Oh, that's Vicki and Steve.
They're here every week,
same time, doing the same thing.
-Oh.
-Yeah.
[both laughing]
Come on.
What's up, Check?
...ended up with this sailboat
that I bought on eBay
when I was drunk
out of my mind.
That cannot be true.
Um. It's true.
It's true. Paton's honor.
[both laugh]
But like I always say,
life is either a daring
adventure or nothing at all.
You always say that?
Did you come up with that?
I always say it and...
No. No.
But... you know,
whoever said it,
it's true, no matter what.
Right.
-To new friends.
-New friends.
-Do you wanna get some air?
-Yeah, yeah.
-You finished with that?
-Yeah.
[clicks tongue]
[laughs]
[crickets chirping]
-What are we doing?
-[shushing]
If somebody sees us...
-[laughs]
-[shushing]
[footsteps]
[whispering]
This is it.
If I can make it budge...
-Not now. Just... Hang on.
-Okay.
I'll get here. Okay.
[both grunt]
There we go.
[laughs]
[door slams]
Whoa.
Oh.
Ready? Set. Go!
[both laugh]
[screams and laughs]
Whoo.
You get the skates.
I'll get the music.
Um... uh.
[grunts and laughs]
[whispers]
Okay.
[music starts]
Whoo!
[both laugh]
-What are we doing?
-Choo choo.
[laughing hysterically]
[music slows]
Whoops.
Claire, what were you thinking?
You guys missed the funeral.
We had to work.
Great.
Why would you break
into the roller rink?
I don't know.
We thought it'd be fun.
We thought it'd be fun?
Yeah. I mean, it was Jo's idea
-but I was in too.
-Hey.
Okay. Okay. It was as much
me as it was her.
-Who?
-Jo.
-Who's Jo?
-What do you mean?
Claire, I need you to be
completely honest with me.
Did you take anything tonight?
What're you...
what're you talking about?
Did you take anything?
Hallucinogens,
stimulants, prescriptions?
Did you...
did you leave your drink
unattended at the bar?
No.
[sighs]
Please tell me
you took something.
I didn't take anything.
Gimme your hand.
-Why?
-Just gimme your hand.
Cross your eyes.
Cross.
Close your eyes.
Open.
Did I pass, officer?
This isn't a joke.
Nobody here thinks it's a joke.
Claire, who is Jo?
Are you saying
somebody's sitting
next to you right now?
Yeah. Jo,
why aren't you saying something?
Why aren't you saying anything?
Jo, say something.
I'll be right back.
[instrumental music plays]
Hey, Claire?
Hey, Claire, I'm...
I'm really sorry.
Claire?
Oh, I love those.
Stay away from me, okay?
Um, hey look, I...
I'm just trying
to be a friend here.
[scoffs]
Uh... uh...
[voice speaking over PA system]
[cash till dings]
[receipt prints]
[cash till dings]
[receipt prints]
[cash till dings]
[receipt prints]
Hey... I'm pretty sure
that item was on sale, Claire.
And...
[voice announcing
over PA system]
Claire, the honey?
I mean, I thought I saw it,
it was on sale.
He's totally ripping you off.
Maybe you should
check the receipt?
[receipt prints]
$41.12
[cash register dings]
Thanks.
Good to know.
You know, you... you really
should read this.
I'm a little nervous.
[door opens]
[door shuts]
Ay...hey
[speaking in sing song]
Um... hm.
I'm sorry to have
kept you waiting.
It's nice seeing you again.
-How are you?
-Fine.
[Therapist] I heard you had
quite a night, recently.
Well, it's been a while,
so, I will go through
a series of standard questions
to make sure
your file is up to date.
Just feel free to answer
as well as you can
with whatever comes
to your mind first.
Okay.
All right.
Do you typically have
difficulties concentrating?
No.
-Trouble sleeping?
-No.
Feeling of irritability,
anxiety, anger or
indifference?
No.
Um...
Do you ever feel
lonely or isolated?
Sometimes.
Mmm-hmm.
Has there been
any other incident before Jo?
I don't know.
Maybe.
What do you mean?
I mean...
she seems so real,
I'm...
I don't know.
How can I tell the difference?
Claire...
When was the last time
you were at Graystone?
[Jo] What's at Graystone?
It sounds spooky.
I'm not crazy.
[traffic sounds]
[car starts]
What?
[crickets chirping]
[footsteps approaching]
[thunder rumbling]
Can I have some?
[sighs]
[laughs]
All right, all right, all right.
[laughs]
Favorite color on three.
All right.
One...
[laughs]
Two...
[laughs]
-Three.
-Paloma.
[laughs]
What is Paloma?
[chuckles]
I don't know.
I don't know.
[train tooting]
Oh, if I punch you,
will you feel it?
I don't know. I...
I've nev...
never been punched before.
If I punch you,
will I feel it?
I...
Try it.
-[both laugh]
-Not too hard.
-All right.
-Ah.
That was hard.
Did you...
you know...
I have two questions for you.
First one...
Okay, if you...
could do anything in the world,
what would you do?
[sighs]
You already know the answer.
No. I... I don't think
it works like that.
-It's a stupid question.
-No, it's not.
Yes, it is.
I'll tell you what I would do.
I... would get...
an RV...
or a campervan or something
with a bunch of friends,
maybe a dog...
I'd love to drive
from the top of Canada...
all the way down to Chile.
What?
Nothing. I like it.
I've never been anywhere.
-Not even on a road trip?
-No.
No?
My parents
traveled a lot before
us kids came along
and then...
[sighs]
things got complicated.
Is that because of Graystone?
[Claire scoffs]
My turn.
Why are you here?
I followed you up here.
[snorts and laughs]
Okay, that sounded a lot less
creepier in my head.
[both laugh]
[Jo] Okay, my turn.
Question two.
What's Graystone?
[train tooting in the distance]
Place where you send
crazy people.
-Really?
-Yeah.
Are we gonna end up there?
[laughs]
Probably.
That's where Mom is, so...
Who's Angie?
Was she your best friend
before I showed up?
Sorta.
She's my sister. So...
[crickets chirping]
I like it here.
[door opens]
[door shuts]
[chimes chiming]
Hi, Claire.
Hi.
What's goin' on?
I just needed
to get some of Dad's old files.
[scoffs]
Right. Everything should
be back here.
[clears throat]
What're you doing?
Um... I'm trying
to fix this typewriter.
I think I broke it.
I like these drawings.
Yeah? Me too.
Is it your book?
Sorta.
If it your friend's book?
Um...
Is she here?
-Umm...
-What's her name?
Jo.
-Did you give her that name?
-Lily!
How about you go find a book
like we said, to take home?
I want this one.
No. Choose
a different book, okay?
But I wanna read Jo's book.
Do what I asked, please?
Pick a different one.
Fine.
You should know...
I'm... gonna sell the store.
What?
I've got a couple
of offers already.
You can't sell the shop.
It's Dad's.
I can. He left it to me.
Um, if you don't want it,
I can take it.
You can't expect me
to do that, Claire.
Why not?
Come on, Lily.
["That Haunting Melody" playing]
[birds chirping]
[tea cup clatters]
It's been a long time.
I'm glad you came.
How's Angie?
I haven't seen her.
Oh, well.
that's too bad.
[whispers]
It's time for your medication.
Sheldon, can we do this later?
You know you have to do it now.
There's only two of them.
-Uh.
-Can I see your hand?
Ah!
Lift your tongue.
Okay.
This is for you.
I'll see you later.
Reward system.
Oh, they're always
stuffing me with pills, here.
I told them it makes me foggy.
[sighs]
Well, you know that... I...
I'm going to need
a new tailor. The...
The clothes here... I...
they just don't seem to fit me
they way I'm used to them.
Nothing fits right.
I think you look fine.
Oh, well, thank you.
And...
where's Frank?
Dad died.
He had a stroke.
Well, when is the funeral?
It was last week.
-Oh.
-I should've told you sooner.
Sorry, I just...
Was it a nice service?
Yeah.
Well, that's good.
He was one of the good ones.
He... used to have a box
filled with mementos... uh...
Tickets to the theater...
little notes we'd written
to each other...
um... pictures of...
places we planned
to visit.
Things like that.
He came every Sunday,
after Church,
to see me.
You girls used to come
with him. Do you remember?
Yeah, I remember.
You know...
something about your eyes...
reminds me of my mother.
Are you okay here, Mom?
Yeah. I'm fine.
Okay.
[music playing]
[muffled buzzing]
What?
I asked how you were doing?
Fine.
Have you noticed any...
changes lately?
Any new people
entered your life?
No, everything's the same.
Exactly the same?
Well, Angie's selling
the shop.
So... I guess I'm out of a job.
[therapist] Hmm.
Do you have anything
you'd want to pursue?
No, should I?
It's... totally
up to you, isn't it?
It's not too late
to go back to college.
Or maybe pursue
a romantic relationship
with someone.
[Jo laughs]
Yeah.
Like that's gonna happen.
Well, um...
how is Jo?
-Still here?
-Hm.
What have you been up to?
Um, I saw my mom.
Oh, did you?
And how is she?
She's good.
What did you guys talk about?
Dad, mostly.
I told her that he died.
How did she handle the news?
Well.
Did Jo go with you?
Yeah. She's always with me.
Sweet.
What made you decide
to go see your Mom?
I thought she should
know about Dad.
Mmm-hmm.
I just needed to see her.
[birds chirping]
-Let's go this way.
-What?
This place is great.
Whoa. What're you doing?
You can't walk on people.
-What?
-Well, you gotta walk around.
It's creepy.
What if you fell through?
I'm not gonna fall through.
Suit yourself.
But I'm not walking
on dead people.
Is it
the Fourth of July, today?
Yeah. I think it is.
You know uh...
I've never seen fireworks.
What?
Yeah.
You wanna go?
No. It's crowded.
Don't be a weirdo.
And hot.
Oh... come on.
Come on, Claire, please.
Please, please.
Please, please.
Please, please.
Please, please.
Claire, come on.
Please, please.
Okay, okay, okay, we'll go.
-Really?
-Yes, really.
-Yes?
-Yes.
-Yes?
-Yes.
Should've brought flowers.
[footsteps approaching]
[grunting]
Oh, God.
Somebody's excited.
Yes. Yes, I am.
You know what?
Just do this.
[clicks tongue]
Yeah. That's it.
-Hi.
-Hey.
I've a huge favor to ask.
-Oh, no.
-Okay.
Can you watch Lily?
-No, we're going out.
-I can't. I have plans.
It'll only be for an hour, so...
No, I don't think
that'll be a good idea.
I got called in to work
for an emergency
and Angie's at the restaurant.
This is not happening.
I'm s... s... sorry.
Maybe you should
go home--
All right. I'll do it.
Thank you.
-Does Angie know?
-Claire!
Of course.
I'll be back soon.
I want you to behave
for your Aunt, okay?
Thanks.
How you play is,
if someone has a six
and they have...
or they have another card
If someone lays down,
they could take that card
and give it to someone
and then, if they don't have it,
they have to go fish.
So, what card do you have?
Like, if you had a six,
you could give it to me.
A six? I don't have a six.
-Then, I'll go fish.
-Oh.
Okay, game's over.
Let's go.
Jo, you know we can't go.
Where were you going to go?
Going to the fireworks'
festival.
Have you ever
seen the fireworks?
Oh, so Claire...
Claire, seriously,
why don't we go?
Lily, would love to go.
We can go.
We can go and have fun.
Come on.
Who can say no to these faces?
[music playing]
[all screaming]
[music slows and stops]
[fireworks exploding]
[music playing]
[fireworks continue]
Where were you? You okay?
Where were you?
I went to see the fireworks.
Oh, that's not right.
Get in the car, please.
Take her to the car.
Look, I'm sorry.
Told Rich I had plans.
How could...
how could you do this?
How could you?
I did you a favor.
What're you talking about?
I took Lily to the fireworks.
We had a great time.
We did something special.
What's the big deal?
You know exactly...
what the big deal is.
-Lily and Jo wanted
to go to the fireworks.
-Jo!
I took them.
-I didn't know--
-Jo wanted to go?
Can you hear yourself?
Can you hear yourself?
Uh...
Okay. I know
it's a little weird.
But I'm trying to figure it out.
It's not weird, Claire.
You're psychotic.
Did it not even cross your mind
that you might be dangerous?
What?
You of all people...
you should know...
we grew up in the same house.
It's not like that.
And you can act
like this is because of Jo?
Because you left years ago.
What did Dad do to deserve that?
He was selfish.
He was selfish.
He was in the same
imaginary world
as the rest of you.
And she almost
died because of it.
I found Mom, Claire.
Before it was too late.
I found her. Not Dad.
I do not want that
to happen to my little girl.
I'm not Mom.
Yes, you are.
Yes, you are.
["That haunting melody" plays]
Excuse me!
[woman screams]
[woman sobbing]
Get away. Get away, all of you.
What are you doing?
Who the fuck are you?
Get out of here.
[woman screams and sobs]
No, no, no. Stop.
Leave me alone.
Leave me alone.
Leave me alone.
No.
I don't wanna leave
my kids away.
I've never seen you before.
Get out of here.
No, no.
[footsteps running]
Ah. Oh, no.
No. Aah.
Give me the keys.
-Give me the key, Jo.
-No.
-Jo, give me the key.
-No.
-Jo, give me the key.
-No.
-Jo, give me the key.
-No!
Not until you talk to me.
You're not real.
Claire.
You're not real.
Get out... Jo.
-Get out, Jo.
-Claire, I--
Get out, Jo.
No.
Jo, get out.
Get out.
I didn't want--
Jo, go away.
Jo, please.
Please get out.
Okay.
Okay.
[door opens]
[whining]
[thunder rumbling]
Shit.
[bottles clattering]
[sighs]
[sighs]
[Therapist] How are you
feeling, Claire?
Has anything changed
since we last spoke?
How is Jo?
She's gone.
She's gone? When?
-The other night.
-What happened?
I went to see
my Mom after hours.
Why?
I was having a rough day.
Did it help you?
She was having
a rough day, too.
Have you seen Angie?
Uh, yeah.
I think it's a good thing.
[chuckles softly]
I think she would disagree.
She was there too.
And I think she understands.
You should give her a chance.
[sighs wearily]
You don't have to go
through this all by yourself.
Is it weird that I miss her?
[birds chirping]
[guitar music playing]
Claire, why are you down here?
What is all this?
What do you want, Angie?
I just wanted to tell you
that I'm not selling
the bookstore.
Why not?
The buyers were hesitant and...
they were talking about turning
it into something other
than a bookstore...
which I didn't like.
So...
I thought maybe it's time
for a change.
I could get out
of the restaurant business.
Be my own boss.
And we could spend
more time together.
At least until we get
the logistics sorted out.
Maybe in the meantime,
we...
try to keep you from
breaking anything.
I made out a little
'do not touch' sign
for the... typewriter.
[sighs]
Just kidding.
Are we okay?
Yeah, we're okay.
Great.
So I'll see you
at the bookstore.
Yeah.
Okay.
[footsteps going away]
[knock on window]
[engine revving]
[birds chirping]
[children chattering]