Lost for Words (2025) Movie Script
(slow tempo gentle piano music)
(door clicking)
(body thuds) (Lana exhaling)
(Lana chuckling)
(phone thuds)
(switch clicks)
(door bangs)
(Lana retching)
(birds chirping)
(Lana exhales)
(slow tempo rock music)
(toaster clicks)
Fell in love on a Friday
By Saturday you were gone
Didn't know you could be so cruel
I didn't know where we went wrong
I'm gonna find my way to you
Just like you said you'd always do
And tell me what he
fuck am I supposed to do
Until I find my way to you
When the leaves are falling
They need some time to blossom again
I know it's gonna take some time
For me to find my way through
And any road that
you lead me down, I'll
Hey, what's the story?
My alarm didn't off.
You're lucky Steve wasn't
here when you walked in.
I did cover for you earlier.
Oh my savior.
Maybe the 10th time I'll get cake.
Oh sure.
- What kind of cake?
- Oh, coconut.
Tell me what?
You like coconut.
I love coconut.
Who do you think eats all the bounties
out of the celebration box?
Every box, every Christmas.
They call me the bounty hunter.
(rock music continues)
Hi.
[Customer] Can I
please return this jumper?
And they do, they go very, very nicely.
I've got these as well.
But I only caught three diseases this year.
- Only three?
- Yeah.
Which is really good.
Proud of you.
[Becky] Come on, chop, chop.
Okay, that's fine.
(slow tempo rock music)
You wanna see something cool?
Always.
Check this out.
Okay.
(Lana laughs)
- Okay.
- Turn around.
- What is it?
- What is it?
It's only the most revolutionary clothing
technology known to man.
And we've got this in our little store.
Watch this.
Ready?
Okay.
Wa, wa.
- So?
- So it folds clothes.
Yeah, I can do 35 in one minute.
If that's not dripping with efficiency
I don't know what is.
Time me.
Ready?
I don't have my phone.
Just count.
Okay, one, two.
To yourself.
You distracting my perfect technique.
Okay, one.
(slow tempo gentle music)
Hmm, you're on the open
tomorrow at 8:00 AM, yeah?
Yeah, I know.
And thank you again for covering.
I appreciate you.
Well, Lana, I'm gonna be real,
as a friend. I know you hate working here.
- I don't.
- Don't argue with me.
It's supposed to be a part-time thing.
Turned into a full-time thing.
And selfishly, I love working with you,
but you really need to
get your shit together.
I know, I know.
There's just too much going on right now.
Well, when do you, your life to start?
Because it could be tomorrow.
Come on, get your arse in gear.
I love you.
- Fuck off.
- Okay.
See you later.
(door bangs)
(group chattering) (rock music)
(slow tempo gentle music)
(door clicks)
(door bangs)
(register beeps)
(resister beeps)
(slow tempo gentle music continues)
(tape player clicks)
(slow tempo brooding piano music)
(book thuds)
[Tom] You're in my spot.
Sorry.
I'll leave.
I'm kidding. (Laughs)
Hey Lana.
It's Tom.
Of course it's you.
How have you been?
Oh, can't complain.
Is this the part in the conversation
where I say, how long has it been?
You say a decade and we laugh.
Let's start with a brief
overview since college.
Hi, I'm Tom.
I used to be in musicals at school.
Now I work in an office.
I have a mortgage that scares me.
And I ironically listen
to the Backstreet Boys far too often.
(Lana chuckles)
I'm Lana.
I work in fashion,
but I take photos when I can.
And I don't know what else to say.
Fashion nice.
What do you do in fashion may I ask?
Um, I, I work in a, a
clothes shop down the road.
[Tom] Which shop?
Wood Editions.
I think I caught that backpacking once.
Let me ask you something.
Honest, expert opinion.
What are your thoughts on these?
Nice, classy.
Classy.
Lovely.
And these in or out?
In most definitely.
Good, good.
(Lana chuckles)
You know what I need?
- Huh?
- I need a really nice suit.
I can help get a suit.
But do you remember the uniforms
they used to make us wear at school?
Mm.
With the ties all long and thin.
The top on always having to be done up.
I remember feeling like
I was gonna suffocate.
They so tight in the neck.
(Lana chuckles)
Yeah, they used to, to
count the lines on them.
If it was less than seven, detention.
It was you girls, I
felt sorry for the most.
No short skirts.
Couldn't dye your hair.
No makeup.
It was ridiculous.
Why did they make us jump
through the hoops anyway?
Well, technically, I mean,
supposed to promote equality.
Yeah, that's what they tell you.
Sure.
But really it's to suck all
the creativity out of you.
Get you prepared for obey rules and orders.
You think?
Very rarely.
So I guess it worked.
What? (Chuckles)
No, it's just been a while.
You look different.
You look the same.
Just a little more mature I suppose.
[Tom] Are you saying I got fat?
No, no, just mature.
Oh, mature much better.
Thank you.
Yeah.
You know I go to bed whenever I want now.
- Oh.
- Mm-hmm.
The other day I ironed a
pair of my own trousers.
It would be weird if you
were ironing someone else's.
(Tom and Lana chuckles)
I remember you at school you know?
You were cute.
Always polite if I remember correctly.
I'm not always polite.
Nor should you be.
You know, I saw Mr. Redbrand the other day.
Our, old drama teacher.
Do you remember when he would make us
read our scripts out loud?
Go up into the storage cupboard and drink.
Yeah, he would always stink of whisky.
He'd literally wander back there
nodding along like he was
paying attention, down shot,
walk out again as if
nothing happened. (Laughs)
(Lana chuckles)
Poor guy had a problem, didn't he?
Still nice guy.
Used to study bugs as a hobby.
I remember this one time we were in Spain
and I, I saw a flash of color by the pool.
I swam over to it
and found this huge beetle
with a rainbow like coating.
I showed my dad it was dead.
And he didn't know what it was
so we emptied out his
matchbox, put it inside,
took it home, gave it to Mr. Redbrand.
A few days later he
tells me it's a rose chafer.
Even wrote a little summary about it.
And a poem too, which is a bit weird.
So a nice guy.
Mm, but he definitely fancied you.
Oh my God.
[Lana] I can't believe I just said that.
You just ruined Mr. Redbrand.
Oh, I'm kidding. I'm kidding.
He was, he was genuinely sweet.
You know, I used to, I
used to sit near him at lunch
and he was always talking about his wife.
(Tom chuckles)
You know what I have a
craving for the other day?
One of those rice puddings
they used to give us.
Do you remember those?
Strange, isn't it?
We can have the fancies of foods now
but all we really want is the
comfort foods we had as kids.
Like those pizza rolls.
Remember those?
And you'd have to run from class
'cause for some reason
they'd only make a few dozen.
Do you think if they made a cafe now
that served all the
same stuff we had as kids
people would go?
Maybe for nostalgic reasons.
One taste in you're back.
Did you really like those rice puddings?
God no, they were awful.
That's not the point.
The point is, Mr. Redbrand
was not a pedophile.
(Lana chuckles)
What you listening to?
Chopping?
Chopin.
Chopin.
(Lana laughs)
What is that band, solo artist, what?
- You're kidding.
- What?
(Lana laughs)
(slow tempo brooding piano music)
Classical music.
It helps me relax.
It's pretty.
Pretty?
Yeah.
Do you think a musical taste
is something we're born with
or do we base it on what's
around us while we're growing up?
Never thought about it like that.
You know baby is born some god of music
stamps it with jazz rock, K-Pop.
(laughs) Maybe.
Take you for example.
Does anyone you know listen to Tom Waits?
Actually, no.
All right, so why do you like him?
Just scratches the right itch.
Yeah, exactly.
You, you just like it.
You, you can't even explain why.
Did your parents or friends
listen to your kind of music?
Well, yes, but I have the white bread
of musical taste, I'm afraid.
Mm, pop lover.
Afraid so.
See, this is why I need
someone like you around.
Show me what I'm missing out on.
I spent 26 years of my life not knowing
who this Chopping guy was.
- Chopin.
- Chopin.
Chopin was.
I, and now I know him.
And now that I do, he is not half bad.
(laughs) But, well, you
were in musicals, weren't you?
Surely some of that rubbed off.
Yeah, but it's all the same stuff, right?
Like musicals all sound the same to me.
Pop music has a similar DNA.
It's just noise and notes really.
Same with books.
I can't remember the
last time I read a book.
Then what are you doing in here?
Well, I could ask you the same question.
Are you allowed to just sit here and read?
Would you buy a car
without test driving it?
- Okay.
- Mm-hmm.
- Got a point.
- Mm.
So what makes a good book?
Well, I have to relate to it in some way.
It has to have a good plot.
Interesting characters.
I wanna know and think
how they feel, what they do.
And if it's got a happy
ending, it's got me.
Even if happy endings are just fiction?
(lights click)
Shit, oh shit.
What's the time?
Oh crap, I think that, wait.
(footsteps stomping)
[Tom] Oh, this is just fun.
(footsteps thudding)
All right, oh, watch that on that one.
Okay.
(hand pounding)
Hello, we're still in here.
We're locked in.
Okay, come on.
There must be a phone somewhere.
I can't get my bus.
Do you not have a phone?
Left it in the car.
Literally just ran in for something.
(switch clicks)
Let there be light.
Must be for the sockets.
Okay, there has to be an
emergency phone or CTV.
I...
Does someone watch that feed 24/7?
I don't know.
Do they?
No idea how it works.
Let's try to do something
to get their attention.
(upbeat classical music)
[Lana] What the hell are you doing?
[Tom] (grunts) Something
out of the ordinary.
(feet thud)
Okay.
(Tom grunts)
This is stupid.
(Tom pants)
Could just smash the window.
[Lana] Well, we can't do that.
Last resort.
There'll be someone
coming by in the morning.
I'm not staying here all night.
Why not?
We're in a bookshop.
We can make do.
Start reading now we might be able
to get through them all
by morning. (Chuckles)
(Lana scoffs)
(upbeat classical music continues)
(hands pounding)
Hello, hello, hi, hello, hello, hello.
We're stuck in here.
Hello, hello, hello, hello, we're stuck.
Give it a rest, kid.
They can't hear us.
Well we have to get out.
There has to be a way.
(door clicks)
What do you think fire exit?
(brooding classical music)
Fuck.
Hang on.
There we go.
This isn't the way out.
No, it's not.
Hang on, they might have a spare key.
Maybe.
(drawer thudding)
No.
Um...
(switch clicking)
(light clicks)
(slow tempo brooding music)
What are you doing?
I'm just going to sit here,
wait for someone to pass
and when they do, I'm just
gonna knock us loud as I can.
And eventually someone
will have to notice us.
[Tom] Is my company really that bad?
Do you have somewhere to be?
Well, no, but.
Right.
Me neither.
So, and hear me out.
Look, we've got this whole
bookshop to ourselves.
We haven't seen each other in what?
10 years.
Why don't we stay, catch up,
fall in love, whatever you'd like.
Look, if you have somewhere to be,
or if you'd just rather leave,
I will stay with you here
and hammer down that door
until some passerby notices us.
So what do you think?
I'm hungry.
Oh, that explains it.
Hangry.
Come on.
(gentle music)
And right this way.
(switch clicking)
(fridge door clicks)
And what can I get you this evening?
- What do you have?
- What do we have?
What don't we have?
Sandwiches that aren't too squishy.
Some slightly dry cakes
and mini packets of cookies.
A hearty feast for the soul.
Picnic.
Yes.
[Lana] That is all the old
food I could possibly eat.
[Tom] I must say the
three day old carrot cake
was particularly splendid.
Mm, my compliments to the chef.
Ah.
(Lana chuckles)
Oh, we should really get a picture of this.
Ah.
(Lana chuckles)
(Tom chuckles)
Oh, let's get one together.
- Oh, oh.
- Take off.
(Tom grunts)
(Lana laughs)
Well, you take pictures.
Here, I'll let you.
- Come on.
- Okay, all right.
Look at me.
Mm-hmm, all right.
(tongue clicks)
Is my hair okay?
Uh, just look a little more aloof.
- Mm.
- No, pretend I'm not here.
Lana?
(Lana laughs)
What, was that good then?
- Yes.
- Brilliant.
What do you usually take photos of?
Anything, I guess.
Whatever takes my fancy.
Do you have any hobbies?
Well, I know you can sing.
You were the musical lead from my memory.
I sing in the shower.
Does that count?
It's hottest ticket in town.
(Lana chuckles)
Wanna see what kind of photos I take?
Yeah.
I think these are my favorite.
- Hmm.
- I fucking love trees.
(laughs) Trees?
Yeah, you know, landscape shots, nature.
Look, they're majestic.
Okay.
Nature shots are nice.
What about you?
I like watching people, you know,
taking pictures when they
don't know you're looking.
It when you get the best
stuff, when they're just living.
You're such a little poet.
I mean, stalker.
Okay.
You see how they're just normal people?
Everyday situations.
But the photo makes it something special.
(book thuds)
Maybe better than the imaginary one.
Hmm, hmm?
Okay, yeah.
(upbeat classical music)
You love trees.
Remember you love trees.
Oh wow.
And...
(camera whirring)
Very nice.
Okay, yeah.
(camera whirring)
Loved.
Really, really good one.
Oh, you want the socks?
- Okay.
- Mm-hmm.
(laughs) Okay, okay, yeah.
Easy mate.
(camera whirring)
- Good.
- Thank you.
Yeah, get the legs kicking.
Oh, beautiful.
Beautiful. (Laughs)
Just be you.
Don't play up to the camera.
(Lana laughs) (camera whirring)
Well, it's not as
easy as it sounds is it?
You try, right?
What?
Okay.
No, no, no, no, just be normal.
Be normal.
Give me, give me more Lana.
Can I see more Lana?
- I'm giving you Lana.
- Mm.
That's not real Lana though.
- I need more Lana.
- No real Lana.
Okay.
Yeah, but more fierce.
- Be a lion.
- Okay.
(camera whirring)
(Lana chuckles)
I think we might be outta film.
[Lana] I think we're out.
(Lana and Tom laughs)
That's the longest sound I've ever heard.
I hope so.
(Tome exhales)
You're right about people too.
You can't smoke at a bookshop.
Rules don't apply tonight.
You know, those things will kill you.
[Tom] Hopefully.
I guess I do write about
people, but I'm a little rusty.
Got a long way to go.
Well, I'd love to read
whatever you have to write.
Sorry.
I don't have any of my writing on me,
but there's hundreds of
books here that inspired me.
You could always read one of those.
(Tom chuckles)
(air blowing)
What?
I don't read.
You've never read a book?
I didn't say I've never read.
I used to read a bit at school.
What was the last book you read?
"Treasure Island" I think.
You're kidding.
What?
Some people don't read.
Okay, okay, so you don't read.
What do you do other
than work in an office?
Watch TV, drinking in bars, the usual.
So you really don't sing or act anymore.
I gave that up after school.
Why?
You were so good.
I, I remember watching
you in "West Side Story"
and you were well, you were great.
You know I had a big crush on you.
Stop it.
You did not.
Wasn't just me.
We all did.
The Tom Harris.
Surprised you even remember my name.
Of course I remember you.
Quiet little Lana.
Nothing to do with the picture.
Of course it was that.
No, no, no, I never saw it.
Scout's honor.
Oh, you would've been the only person
at school who didn't.
You were in the chorus for
"West Side Story", weren't you?
That's how I remember you.
Corner of the rehearsal
room, nose in a book.
I auditioned for Maria.
Brooke got that of course.
Fucking bitch.
Hey Brooke and her
family worked at the school,
you didn't stand a chance.
Right, books.
Come on, kid.
Show me the books you love.
But one has to be a pop-up.
- Poetry.
- Yes.
I hate those kind of trees. (Chuckles)
Do you want me to what?
Read it?
[Lana] You don't have
to if you don't want to.
No, no. I'll read.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
and, sorry, I could not travel both
and be one traveler.
Long I stood and looked
down one as far as I could
to where it bent in the undergrowth.
[Lana] Go on.
Then took the other as just as fair
and having perhaps the better claim
because it was grassy and wanted wear.
Though as for that the passing there
had worn them really about the same.
I'm no good at reading poetry.
You don't like it, do you?
No, I don't hate it.
It's just, it's not me.
Haven't you ever loved someone enough
to write poetry for them?
Never written poetry for them no.
But you have loved.
Sure.
Are you in love?
Define in love.
If you have to define
it, then you're not in love.
And you?
Have I been in love?
Yeah.
Yes.
[Tom] And?
And it was complicated.
Well I have all night.
His name is Jamie.
Strong name.
Kidding.
But go on.
Jamie and I, well we've
been dating for a while,
a year maybe.
And he is great, but
he's like a firecracker.
I can't keep up with him.
Always out and about a
thousand projects going on.
We used to have so much
fun before he got busy.
We'd, we'd walk into a bar,
notice a sign saying drink
responsibly and laugh, you know?
I would be drunk and he would be smiling.
Just wish I could have
stayed that way forever.
Did you ever see "Dead Poet Society"?
Robin Williams film?
Yes, the Robin Williams film.
You know that part when
they, they go into the cave
and they start to improvise poems?
- Yes.
- Let's try it.
Lana, I'm no poet.
We've established that.
So you are already at an advantage.
Come on.
Oh, you always used to read
your lines in the play so well.
Lay it out.
It might be, I don't know, therapeutic.
(sighs) For who?
I don't know where, how to start.
Okay, we'll make it easy.
I'll say a word and you just
say whatever comes to mind.
Does it have to rhyme?
No, doesn't have to rhyme, Tom.
[Tom] Fine.
Trees.
Why don't you start?
Come on.
It's just me.
Trees.
With, with leaves of
green and bark of wood.
I sleep more soundly
when I'm laying under you.
Okay, that was actually good.
See, I knew you had it in you.
All right, give me one.
Uh, rain.
Um, your journey from lakes
and oceans to clouds in the sky.
Now on my skin, I wear you with pride.
Well what the shit?
(Lana chuckles)
Stop it.
That was awful.
That was really good.
(Lana chuckles)
You know I'm, I'm allergic to rain.
Sorry what?
Not, not life or death
allergic and not all types of rain.
But sometimes if it's really heavy
my skin gets all kinds of itchy.
You are a strange one, kid.
There's nothing wrong
with being unique or different.
Nothing wrong with
trying to fit in either.
Did Tracy Beaker fit in?
Did Jane Eyre?
Dorothy from the "Wizard of Oz"?
Both characters doesn't apply.
The real world's different.
You don't see Dorothy stopping off at a bar
on her way to the Emerald City
'cause if she were a real person,
she'd need a fucking drink
just to mentally deal with
the fact she's linking arms
with a sentient scarecrow.
(Lana laughs)
She was like 12.
It was the thirties.
(Lana laughs)
(Lana sighs)
A drink would be great right now though.
Actually I think I might
be able to help with that one.
- Hmm?
- Come on.
Oh, oh.
(Lana and Tom humming)
One moment.
Oh, one moment.
Bingo.
I could kiss you.
(upbeat rock music)
Ah.
[Both] 1, 2, 3, 4, I declare a thumb war.
- 5, 6.
- Ow.
Do it again.
5, 6, 7, 8, who will you annihilate?
Let's bow.
Kiss.
No, it not bow kiss.
- Hold that.
- Yes.
Five me a sin, spin, spin, spin.
Okay and then.
Go.
There you go, there we go.
- Okay.
- Wait, wait, wait, wait.
- Going up.
- Okay.
- Are we good?
- Wait, no, no, wait, wait.
Yeah.
And then we can do.
[Both] Bow kiss.
- Four, three.
- Compromise.
- Four.
- Okay.
Is that uh, specific?
Wait, wait, wait. (Grunts)
Okay, all right.
There you go.
[Tom] Good.
Be scared, try not to care
We better move
Fuck, you're so freakishly good at this.
Just imagine this.
Is this my Christmas star?
Star yeah.
- I don't know if I'm secure.
- Forward into the dark.
[Lana] Ah, okay, whoa, okay.
(body thudding)
I'm glad you turned out so nice.
Most of the pretty girls
at school are such bitches.
Like Brooke.
Fucking bitch.
Not all pretty girls are bitches.
But come on most of them
were at least a little cunty.
- Not me.
- No, not you, Lana.
- Thank you, I suppose.
- For what?
- Calling me pretty.
- Hmm.
Now you two are a pretty girl.
I feel like the real me.
You could be in a band with that look.
Wait a minute.
You were in a band in college, right?
Uh, uh, don't remind me.
[Lana] What was the name again?
- Tissue.
- Tissue.
- Tissue for an issue.
- Yeah.
(Lana laughs)
[Tom] Stop it.
I was a baby.
Hey, I was a fan, I was a fan.
What was that, that big song
you guys did at the school dance?
This is our time
Our place Our place
Our time right now
- Yeah.
- Oh my gosh.
And you were like all in it with the hair.
This is our time, our place
Okay.
Right here, right now
Didn't need the remix actually.
Our time, our place
Ah, that's enough of that.
Right here
Time for a nap.
Go to sleep, go to sleep,
go to sleep, go to sleep.
(Lana laughs)
It's over now.
All right, Mr. Redbrand.
Oh my God, Lana.
Oh.
(Lana laughing)
You really should
think about getting back
into music again.
Gave that all that up after school.
Besides, I don't think the
leather pants would fit anymore.
I liked those leather pants.
What about you?
You settled down at all
or you still living your Peter Pan fantasy?
Peter Pan.
[Tom] Yeah, not wanting to
grow up, staying young forever.
It's not about growing up, Tom.
It's about living a little.
You know, no one wants
to just rot away in an office
for the rest of their lives.
I didn't mean you.
No, no.
Out of all the musicals we did,
which one was your favorite?
Um, it wasn't a musical, rather a play.
But when you did Elliot in "Private Lives".
Noel Coward, yeah, that was a fun one.
I auditioned for that one too.
Ah, Brooke Strikes again.
Fucking bitch.
Yeah.
Hey, fuck the acting committee.
Let's see if we've still got it.
(dramatic classical music)
Unbelievable.
A sort of dream.
That was the moonlight I expect.
You must have seen it in the moonlight.
Moonlight can be cruelly deceptive.
And it didn't look
like a biscuit box, did it?
I've always felt that it might.
Oh darling, darling, I love you so.
Oh, and I do hope you
met a sacred elephant
they're lint white, I believe
and very, very sweet.
I've never loved
anyone else for an instant.
No, no, you mustn't, Elliot, stop.
You love me too, don't you?
There's no doubt about
it anywhere is there?
No, no doubt anywhere.
Fuck, line.
You're looking very.
You're looking very lovely
in this damned moonlight.
Your skin is clear and
cool, your eyes shining.
You're growing lovelier and lovelier
every second that look at you.
You don't hold any mystery
for me, darling, do you mind?
There's not a particle
of you that I don't know,
remember and want.
I'm glad, my sweet.
More than any desire anywhere,
deep down in my deepest heart.
I want you back again.
Please.
No, don't say anymore, Elliot.
You're making me cry so dreadfully. (Gasps)
Do we have to kiss?
Oh, ah.
(lips smack)
(Lana laughs)
- Oh.
- Oh.
- Okay.
- Oh, that's an emergency,
Okay, right, okay.
I'm gonna, I'm gonna.
Do you think you can do that?
Yeah, I got it, I got it.
I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
Oh my God, I'm so sorry. (Laughs)
It's fine really.
(chuckles) No, no, no, wait, wait.
- No, it is.
- I can fix.
I can fix it, I can fix it.
Okay.
Sorry.
God never suited me anyway.
Tom, I, I can't accept that.
No.
You got it?
Oh, something to remember me by.
So you really want to go back in time?
Hmm?
How about truth or dare?
No, no, we don't need to play games, Tom.
Why don't you just tell me
something about yourself?
Something no one knows.
All right.
You remember Chessy from the year above?
Not about school, Tom.
I wanna hear about you.
You tell me something.
Anything.
I sometimes put apple juice
on my cereal instead of milk.
You freak.
Right, hang on, hang on.
- Hear me out.
- Mm-hmm.
- Hear me out.
- Mm-hmm.
It has to be a very specific kind
of apple juice in a
particular kind of cereal.
The apple juice has to be the clear kind.
And the cereal has to be something
in the Corn Flake family, the Crunchy Nut.
Something like that.
Don't knock it till you've tried it.
Seriously.
Okay, okay, so what would you say
if I had apple juice with Cocoa Puffs?
You freak.
Alright.
You know a dark secret about me.
Let's hear one about you.
Go ahead out weird me.
Is that a challenge?
Absolutely.
Okay.
(Lana chuckles)
(liquid splashing)
Okay, um, let me think.
I used to love wearing nail polish.
Then I just had this awful day.
Later that evening, I
was taking my polish off
and everything just got better.
And for some reason since
then, can't wear nail polish.
What?
I know, it's weird.
(laughs) I just, I have this feeling
like I'm gonna have bad luck if I wear it.
And look, I, I'm not one
of those people that
believes in that kind of stuff.
I, I don't believe in God
but can't my nail polish without panicking.
All right.
You take the crown.
Oh, I'm beautiful.
Kneel.
It's Tom, your majesty.
I declare that from now and for evermore
thou shalt be named Neil.
Very well.
I shall relabel all my socks immediately.
And
(fingers snap)
Fetch me grapes.
We have no grapes, your majesty.
But I can offer you day
old muffin crumbs or,
or a bag of chocolate money.
Mm, money.
I lied.
We have only small packets of raisins.
Then off with your head.
Can royalty still make that happen?
I don't know.
Can they? (Laughs)
Can't picture the queen
ever doing something like that.
What about King Charles?
Oh hell yeah.
One leaky pen gets the heads rolling.
(Lana laughs)
I wonder what does happen after you die.
Thought you said you
didn't believe in God.
I just reckon we'll never know.
That's why it's a belief,
not a scientific theory, right?
Maybe.
Maybe we just dream.
Our consciousness keeps going.
Perhaps that's heaven.
And if you've been a naughty girl,
you therefore have a permanent nightmare.
Mm, that's hell.
Oh my God.
And that's how religions start.
But no God in your new religion?
Oh, be nice, wouldn't it if there was?
If someone out there making things happen,
looking after you.
- Sounds awful.
- What do you mean?
I don't want someone else
carving out my path for me.
I stand by the choices I've made.
Good and bad.
They're my choices.
Everything I seem to choose goes to shit.
(Tom laughs)
I don't know if I've made
an actual choice in years.
What are you talking about?
You make choices every day.
Do we?
Okay, that book you saw me reading earlier,
I wanted something nostalgic.
I found something nostalgic.
Was always gonna be that book.
And what if they didn't have your book?
They did have my book.
Or buy a bunch of books
and find a new favorite.
I can't afford to buy a bunch of books.
You never had to worry about money.
Your parents were rich.
I heard a rumor that your house was so big
when the cleaner finished the job,
she had to start all over again.
Oh.
We had a good sized house sure.
Not crazy big.
But big.
Yeah, big.
And your current home?
No, it's normal.
Surprisingly normal.
Were you close with your parents?
Ask me something else.
You ask me something.
[Tom] Did you really have a crush on me?
I knew that would come back to bite me.
A big crush.
Just a crush.
I saw you, you know, once after college.
- Oh.
- Just once.
When?
About a year ago you
were walking through town.
Look like you're on a
mission to get somewhere.
So I didn't stop you.
I remember thinking, that's a woman.
I mean it, Lana.
You've bloomed into this knockout.
You're smart, funny, sexy.
Any man would be lucky.
I remember you being
many things Tom Harris,
but corny wasn't one of them.
No it's your turn.
For what?
- Ask me a question.
- Oh.
Um, where did you go after college?
Pass.
(Tom panting)
You are beautiful.
You haven't changed a bit.
(ominous music)
[Lana] Haven't changed a bit.
What?
What did I say?
Didn't see the picture.
[Tom] God Lana, that's not what I meant.
[Lana] You did see it.
Maybe for like a second,
but they were being passed
around the school like wildfire.
(Lana gasps)
Do you know how it happened?
I was dating your friend Johnny.
Remember?
I was crazy about him.
I don't think the feeling was ever mutual.
But a month in he starts complaining
about us not sleeping together.
That everyone at school was doing it.
Tried to tell him I just wasn't
ready but kept pushing.
Finally, he suggests a compromise.
He asks me to take one
picture of myself naked for him.
Told me it would be for his eyes only.
That it would mean I, I truly loved him.
I'm young and I'm stupid so I do it,
believing that I should be doing it.
That that's what good girlfriends would do.
The next day I give him the picture
and he's so happy.
So all is well.
He's happy.
I'm glad that I could make him happy.
And I, I hear these whispers,
guys at school will
start shouting nice tits.
And I realized he's shown everyone.
I remember this one time
we were on a school trip
to, uh, Colchester castle.
Remember?
And I get past this photo copied pictured
of me naked and bare.
I've never felt so embarrassed.
If I could have sunk through the seats
of that bus onto the road
and kept going I would have.
And I almost left school because of that.
Johnny swore he never showed anyone.
But like anyone else could
have got a hold of a picture.
I put in his hands.
I mean, it's not something
you just leave lying around.
After that I got a bit better weirdly.
See, this thing was as
awful as the experience was,
I looked good in that photo.
Maybe that's when I
started taking photos for fun.
I don't know.
I'm sorry that happened to you.
[Lana] It's fine.
It was a long time.
Look, I really don't
remember the photo well.
But you're dazzling now.
Don't think it would be too
bad really living in a bookshop.
Entertainment, fine dining.
If the company's good, why not?
No shower.
That's where you're wrong.
Shower.
(water spraying)
(Lana laughs)
Toothbrushing.
- Mm-hmm.
- Right.
And pillow.
(Lana laughs)
You have the most beautiful smile.
(dramatic music)
(gentle music)
(Lana laughs)
Right, I'm gonna go find a toilet
or an appropriate
corner to take a piss into.
So both loos are working.
Also, I found "Treasure Island".
(Lana chuckles)
Ted as he took the chart,
but by the fresh look of the paper,
I knew he was doomed to disappointment.
This was not the map we
found in Billy Bone's chest,
but an accurate copy
complete in all things,
names and heights and soundings.
With the single exception
of the red crosses
and the written notes.
Sharp as must have been his annoyance,
Silver had the strength of mind to hide it.
"Yes, sir," said he.
This is the spot to be sure
and very prettily drawn out.
Who might have done that I wonder.
And the pirates were too ignorant I reckon.
Aye, here it is, Captain Kidds Anchorage.
Just excuse a quick nap, kid.
(groans) You can give me that much.
(cassette clicking)
(button clicks)
(gentle music)
Wishes on satellites
Used to stay up at night
Hoping one day that
the stars would align
Left a trail of broken hearts
But you were different from the start
How you smiled when
you said my name that night
It's like I dreamed you up
Inside my head I thought
The picture perfect love
Was only in frames
Guess I pulled you right from the page
Into reality
Feels like I'm falling deep
Into your gravity
'Cause it's like I dreamed you up
Every layer of your soul
Is better than the one before
Honestly you were so unexpected
(woman vocalizing)
Lana.
(woman vocalizing)
There you are.
(lips smack)
You should probably put that back.
(Tom chuckles)
Fascist.
Can you believe kids read these books?
Do your kids read these books?
(brooding music)
That's why I came in here.
Get something for my youngest.
How old is he?
Four tomorrow.
[Lana] Why didn't you
mention them before?
- Mention my kids.
- Yeah.
I mean, I don't have kids,
but if I did, I think I'd
mention them pretty quickly
when talking about my life since college.
You're right.
You don't have kids.
So are you married?
[Tom] Am I'm married?
Just yes or no.
Yes.
Who did you marry, Tom?
You know who.
(Lana laughs)
Brooke?
Yes.
Did I step through some portal to 2010?
Tom, you haven't changed a bit.
You're with the same girl.
You listened to the same music.
Is this, this is the same jacket
you wore at college too, right?
Am I right?
So once we went through
my pockets, did you?
You want the full story?
Sure.
Brooke and I got
engaged right after college.
We got married, we had kids
and then we just stayed the same
because that's what people do.
Lana, they settled down.
Don't look at me like I the strange one.
Brooke was sweet.
And the hotel?
The hotel, the keys.
When did you start
cheating on your wife, Tom?
Was I just a replacement
for some other affair?
You have no idea.
Oh, I think I do.
Tom Harris starts to get itchy feet
after the last baby,
starts to screw around.
You have the wife, the kids,
the fancy house and the rich family.
But you're bored.
Insert a string of women you
have meaningless sex with.
Does your wife know?
What can I split up, Lana?
Yes, I'm still married
officially, but I've moved out.
I've been living out of that
shitty hotel for a month now.
Out of a little suitcase.
And tomorrow tomorrow's
gonna be the first day
she let me see my kids in a week.
So that's that.
(paper rustling)
I'm just a bad father.
- Why?
- Why?
Why did you and Brooke break it off?
Neither of us were unfaithful,
if that's what you're talking about.
Hadn't been working for a while.
We both knew it.
You know what nobody tells you,
you don't need love for
a relationship to function.
It's like losing a toe.
You can walk perfectly fine without it.
You just always know something's missing.
That decision that did not come easily.
No, that was hard.
But no one else was gonna do it so I did.
Holy fuck when I made that choice,
I remember the feeling like
I wasn't trapped anymore.
Like someone opened a door
to an alternate future
right in front of me.
This is exactly why I
never wanna get married.
I think some relationships
are only meant to last a short time.
Why did you and James break up?
- Jamie.
- Jamie.
(Lana laughs)
Oh, it wasn't like we were
close to getting married.
We, we met at a gig he was playing,
I was taking photos for, hit it off.
Next thing I know, taking photos
for him as he plays around the UK.
So he's a musician.
I've never felt more high
when I was around him at that time.
We traveled, laughed and drank.
Screwed.
It was perfect.
Then we got home,
his band starts to take off a little
and they announced this world tour.
I got all worried and weird
about him going away.
(sighs) I've been at gigs for years.
I know how groupies act around these guys.
You know the closer they fly to the sun,
the more birds gather to them.
So we get in this big fight,
he tells me I have nothing to worry about.
And then I ask him where
he sees us in five years.
Do you know what he says?
He says he doesn't know.
He doesn't like hypothetical questions.
So I storm off saying I
can't just live on a maybe.
[Tom] When did all this happen?
Last night.
Last night.
Yeah, wound still fresh.
Anyway flies to Japan next week.
(paper rustling)
Can you go with him?
Sure.
But see, I, I got thinking
we'll never have a house,
a home to stay in, a family.
What if you wanna get a
dog, be in kennels every month.
And that's just cruel.
I don't know.
[Tom] So you ended it.
No.
I mean, not even broken up really.
I, I don't know just taking time to think.
You are the one sleeping around.
I'm kidding, kidding.
I get it.
You're on a break.
Team boss.
What do you think you'll do now?
Guess just see what happens.
You know, I never
dreamed of marriage or kids.
I don't even know if I want it.
But you want that choice, don't you?
Yeah.
Wouldn't want to leave it to fate.
I know what life I want.
I just don't know if I want it with him.
It's, it's complicated.
Yeah, you said that before.
I don't know.
Oh, my heart hurts.
It's pretty.
It's beautiful.
(Tom growling)
What's the real reason
you're not going to Japan?
It's just so far.
A world tour, no friends or family around.
And after the tour, what?
He gets famous.
This girl's begging to be with him.
I don't know.
It's just complicated.
So in an ideal world,
you'd just stay here?
Yes.
And do what?
Just, I don't know.
Work in an office.
Ah, I'm an awful person.
I get it.
The world's a scary place
and your path isn't clear.
But Lana, it sounds like
he's doing what he loves.
(gentle music)
I know what we need.
I need coffee.
And I need another
one of those steel cakes.
Right so beans in that one.
Grounds come out there.
This one, um.
Right, I'm not the expert to handle this.
I used to work in a cafe.
Okay.
I've only been on the other
side of the cafe counter.
Maybe we should just
stay here forever, huh?
No responsibilities, dry
food, bittersweet music, fiction.
Ah. (Groans)
Fuck what'd you do?
Let me see, let me see.
Ow.
Okay, it's just a little burn.
You'll live.
[Lana] Okay. (Groans)
Um.
(fridge door clicks)
Put the towel and rest like that.
There.
Thank you.
Well, I think we can save the arm,
but the leg is gonna have to come off.
(Tom imitates chainsaw buzzing)
Right.
Enough of playing doctor.
- Tom.
- Hmm?
Who showed you the picture?
- Who showed me the picture?
- Yeah.
Uh, so long ago.
Probably some football, Flawn maybe.
Tom, Tony was your best friend.
How did it happen?
You must know.
Lana, why does it matter?
Because I wanna move on.
You don't have the answers,
you can never fully forget about it.
- You really want to know.
- Yes.
I may have had something to do with it.
- What?
- Let me explain.
Please do.
I was, I was around Johnny's,
we were drinking and smoking, hanging out.
And I saw the picture on his bedside table.
We were gushing about how good you looked.
And I said something like, "You know,
if the guys at school
knew how lucky you were,
you'd be a living god or something."
And he was hesitant.
And I don't know why, but I kept pushing.
And eventually he gives
in, he brings the picture
to school and one of the guys gets greedy
and he starts passing it around.
Before you know it, it's gone.
And it's photocopied
and it's all around school.
And I couldn't do anything.
I swear I never meant
for it to go that far.
- You're lying.
- Lana.
[Lana] Why did you convince him?
Why did it matter?
I was stupid.
I was young.
I was young and stupid.
I'm not proud.
You didn't think to tell
me before you slept with me.
It was so long ago.
(scoffs) Not for me.
Oh, and you, when you're still there,
you're still living like you're a teenager.
What do you mean?
You're exactly the same person.
You, you lived your best life at 16
and you've just clung to it.
You, you don't actually know me, okay?
I know you had a talent, you sung
and, and you danced and you played music.
We all thought you would make it, Tom.
Oh, but you gave all that up.
Now look at you.
[Tom] You sound just like my wife.
Oh, I can't imagine
how frustrating it
must be to live with you.
Sat watching TV, drinking
beer, talking about the old days.
You know, we've spoken all night
and not once have you
detailed what you do in the office,
Tom, or, or what your passions are.
You are just a guy who used to be someone.
It's, it's pathetic.
You know, you should be thanking me.
You owe it all to me.
I put you on the market.
But before we saw the picture,
you were just some shy
girl that sat in the corner.
No one knew your name,
until I did something.
I saw your potential even then.
Are you actually trying
to defend what you did?
No, stop putting words
in my fucking mouth, Lana.
If I could take it back, I would.
Of course I would.
I'm just trying to get you to see it
from another perspective.
You said it yourself, you looked good.
People knew who you were after that.
You can't do a bad thing to
someone and ask for thanks.
That's messed up.
It's messed up, I know.
But a part of you's glad it happened.
No, I'm horrified.
How would you feel if the entire school
saw a picture of your dick, huh?
How would you feel?
Boy, I can't believe I slept with you.
Oh, great.
Is that what this was?
Just a, a way to make me feel vulnerable
then take advantage of me.
I, I would never do that.
[Lana] Well, you did.
Maybe I do live in the past sometimes.
(Lana scoffs)
Yeah, but I have a life.
I, I have kids.
I had a wife, I have friends and a job
and a house with a mortgage.
I did what I was supposed to do.
[Lana] You became a sheep.
[Tom] Oh, that's bullshit.
You're the copied and pasted version
of what life should be. (Laughs)
I bet your parents are proud.
Tommy has grown up giving
them the fruit of his loins.
Has a nice little job.
Holy shit, no wonder
he wants to go to Japan.
(Lana scoffs)
[Lana] What do you
even do in that office, Tom?
- I log things.
- Log things.
Yeah.
Admin mostly.
I add stock and order stock.
It's not exciting, but it pays well.
I used to watch you on stage
and wish I was like you.
Sing like you, look like you,
have your life, your parents.
I was so envious of you.
Now I just pity you.
How rich.
You're dating someone who loves you enough
to take you around the world
and you're saying no to it all
because what do you, you
want a dog and a nice house.
I never said that.
You're just scared.
You love all these arty things,
but you'll never do any of them
'cause you have to be daring.
Take chances.
You're so afraid of being alone.
You're are happy to string someone along
and are completely fine with
them giving up their dreams
because you don't like change.
If we hadn't met tonight,
you'd have gone home,
had a glass of wine,
listened to some Chopping
and pretended everything was just fine.
Chopin.
[Tom] You're just a dreamer.
I, I take photos.
I, I write, I, I write stories.
Fiction, escape.
But you'll never deal with your life.
[Lana] Stop it.
That boyfriend of yours is
probably sat at home right now
thinking about you and
your choosing to be here.
I'm stuck, I didn't choose this.
Please, we could have
kept hammering on that door
and someone would've answered it.
Stop it!
(dramatic music)
(brooding music)
(footsteps stomping)
(Lana panting)
[Tom] Why don't you want to go to Japan?
It's, it's too far.
[Tom] Why don't you want to go with him?
Because, because I don't
love him anymore. (Crying)
(book thuds)
(Lana crying)
I don't love him anymore.
I don't know how to tell him.
(Lana crying)
It'll hurt him so much.
And I'm, I'm so scared of being alone.
(Lana crying)
I had the best time tonight.
For the first time in years,
I was just having a
conversation with the pretty girl.
And you looked at me.
You looked at me like I still was somebody.
Nobody has looked at me like
that since, well since college.
I'm a dick.
It was a stupid thing I
did when I was a teenager.
And it hurt you.
I am so, so sorry.
It was a stupid thing to do.
I think I've become someone I don't like
and I think perhaps I
need to find myself again.
And I can only do that on my own.
It's just scary.
You put up with me for an entire evening.
If that doesn't show inner
strength, I don't know what does.
(Tom chuckles)
Your hair looks silly.
(Tom laughs)
(gentle music)
How's your arm?
It's fine.
I think you're a good dad.
Could be better.
We could all be better.
I'm sure they love you.
Well I love them.
Do you not want any children?
I think I do.
Could lend your mind for a couple days
see how much you want them then. (Chuckles)
I was wrong.
You did do something with your life.
You have little ones to look after now.
It's funny.
Yeah, you were right.
I used to chase this feeling
like I've wanted to be 16 forever.
But it really doesn't bother me anymore.
It's like that ever since
the first one popped out,
life just stopped.
I had my time to live
this crazy exciting life.
I may work a shit job and
have a failed marriage,
but I'm happy to keep going.
Because he know it's for them.
Yeah.
You have Lana, you've got
some exciting things coming up,
I can feel it my bones.
(laughs) You said you
were once envious of me.
Well maybe I said those things
because I feel jealous of you.
What is there to be jealous about?
Freedom, Lana.
Freedom.
You are going to be
tracing a ladder to the stars,
I just know it.
Tracing a ladder to the stars.
Yeah.
I've never heard that expression.
Really?
I say it all the time.
Why tracing?
Don't know.
Heard it somewhere.
You know what that is, Tom.
Tell me.
That's fucking poetry.
(Tom laughs)
And both that morning equally lay in leaves
no step had trodden back.
Oh, I kept the first for another day.
Yet knowing how way leads onto way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
somewhere ages and ages,
hence two roads diverged in a wood.
And I, I took the one less traveled by.
And that has made all the difference
(door clicks)
(door creaks)
Yeah we could be in
love by the end of the night
By the end of the night
I like that nervous look on your face
When you're starting to think
that you're talking too much
I like how we just met
And I'm not even slightly
afraid to be opening up
I like that we've been sitting here
Hands moving around the clock
And I still can't get enough
No I can't get enough
But we could go all in
We could be in love
by the end of the night
Sitting here talking
Kissing your lips
and I'm coming to life
Well we could start running
Make a list of ways that
the time just isn't right
But we could go all in
We could be in love
by the end of the night
(man vocalizing)
(man vocalizing)
(man vocalizing)
But we could go all in
We could be in love
by the end of the night
By the end of the night
(door clicking)
(body thuds) (Lana exhaling)
(Lana chuckling)
(phone thuds)
(switch clicks)
(door bangs)
(Lana retching)
(birds chirping)
(Lana exhales)
(slow tempo rock music)
(toaster clicks)
Fell in love on a Friday
By Saturday you were gone
Didn't know you could be so cruel
I didn't know where we went wrong
I'm gonna find my way to you
Just like you said you'd always do
And tell me what he
fuck am I supposed to do
Until I find my way to you
When the leaves are falling
They need some time to blossom again
I know it's gonna take some time
For me to find my way through
And any road that
you lead me down, I'll
Hey, what's the story?
My alarm didn't off.
You're lucky Steve wasn't
here when you walked in.
I did cover for you earlier.
Oh my savior.
Maybe the 10th time I'll get cake.
Oh sure.
- What kind of cake?
- Oh, coconut.
Tell me what?
You like coconut.
I love coconut.
Who do you think eats all the bounties
out of the celebration box?
Every box, every Christmas.
They call me the bounty hunter.
(rock music continues)
Hi.
[Customer] Can I
please return this jumper?
And they do, they go very, very nicely.
I've got these as well.
But I only caught three diseases this year.
- Only three?
- Yeah.
Which is really good.
Proud of you.
[Becky] Come on, chop, chop.
Okay, that's fine.
(slow tempo rock music)
You wanna see something cool?
Always.
Check this out.
Okay.
(Lana laughs)
- Okay.
- Turn around.
- What is it?
- What is it?
It's only the most revolutionary clothing
technology known to man.
And we've got this in our little store.
Watch this.
Ready?
Okay.
Wa, wa.
- So?
- So it folds clothes.
Yeah, I can do 35 in one minute.
If that's not dripping with efficiency
I don't know what is.
Time me.
Ready?
I don't have my phone.
Just count.
Okay, one, two.
To yourself.
You distracting my perfect technique.
Okay, one.
(slow tempo gentle music)
Hmm, you're on the open
tomorrow at 8:00 AM, yeah?
Yeah, I know.
And thank you again for covering.
I appreciate you.
Well, Lana, I'm gonna be real,
as a friend. I know you hate working here.
- I don't.
- Don't argue with me.
It's supposed to be a part-time thing.
Turned into a full-time thing.
And selfishly, I love working with you,
but you really need to
get your shit together.
I know, I know.
There's just too much going on right now.
Well, when do you, your life to start?
Because it could be tomorrow.
Come on, get your arse in gear.
I love you.
- Fuck off.
- Okay.
See you later.
(door bangs)
(group chattering) (rock music)
(slow tempo gentle music)
(door clicks)
(door bangs)
(register beeps)
(resister beeps)
(slow tempo gentle music continues)
(tape player clicks)
(slow tempo brooding piano music)
(book thuds)
[Tom] You're in my spot.
Sorry.
I'll leave.
I'm kidding. (Laughs)
Hey Lana.
It's Tom.
Of course it's you.
How have you been?
Oh, can't complain.
Is this the part in the conversation
where I say, how long has it been?
You say a decade and we laugh.
Let's start with a brief
overview since college.
Hi, I'm Tom.
I used to be in musicals at school.
Now I work in an office.
I have a mortgage that scares me.
And I ironically listen
to the Backstreet Boys far too often.
(Lana chuckles)
I'm Lana.
I work in fashion,
but I take photos when I can.
And I don't know what else to say.
Fashion nice.
What do you do in fashion may I ask?
Um, I, I work in a, a
clothes shop down the road.
[Tom] Which shop?
Wood Editions.
I think I caught that backpacking once.
Let me ask you something.
Honest, expert opinion.
What are your thoughts on these?
Nice, classy.
Classy.
Lovely.
And these in or out?
In most definitely.
Good, good.
(Lana chuckles)
You know what I need?
- Huh?
- I need a really nice suit.
I can help get a suit.
But do you remember the uniforms
they used to make us wear at school?
Mm.
With the ties all long and thin.
The top on always having to be done up.
I remember feeling like
I was gonna suffocate.
They so tight in the neck.
(Lana chuckles)
Yeah, they used to, to
count the lines on them.
If it was less than seven, detention.
It was you girls, I
felt sorry for the most.
No short skirts.
Couldn't dye your hair.
No makeup.
It was ridiculous.
Why did they make us jump
through the hoops anyway?
Well, technically, I mean,
supposed to promote equality.
Yeah, that's what they tell you.
Sure.
But really it's to suck all
the creativity out of you.
Get you prepared for obey rules and orders.
You think?
Very rarely.
So I guess it worked.
What? (Chuckles)
No, it's just been a while.
You look different.
You look the same.
Just a little more mature I suppose.
[Tom] Are you saying I got fat?
No, no, just mature.
Oh, mature much better.
Thank you.
Yeah.
You know I go to bed whenever I want now.
- Oh.
- Mm-hmm.
The other day I ironed a
pair of my own trousers.
It would be weird if you
were ironing someone else's.
(Tom and Lana chuckles)
I remember you at school you know?
You were cute.
Always polite if I remember correctly.
I'm not always polite.
Nor should you be.
You know, I saw Mr. Redbrand the other day.
Our, old drama teacher.
Do you remember when he would make us
read our scripts out loud?
Go up into the storage cupboard and drink.
Yeah, he would always stink of whisky.
He'd literally wander back there
nodding along like he was
paying attention, down shot,
walk out again as if
nothing happened. (Laughs)
(Lana chuckles)
Poor guy had a problem, didn't he?
Still nice guy.
Used to study bugs as a hobby.
I remember this one time we were in Spain
and I, I saw a flash of color by the pool.
I swam over to it
and found this huge beetle
with a rainbow like coating.
I showed my dad it was dead.
And he didn't know what it was
so we emptied out his
matchbox, put it inside,
took it home, gave it to Mr. Redbrand.
A few days later he
tells me it's a rose chafer.
Even wrote a little summary about it.
And a poem too, which is a bit weird.
So a nice guy.
Mm, but he definitely fancied you.
Oh my God.
[Lana] I can't believe I just said that.
You just ruined Mr. Redbrand.
Oh, I'm kidding. I'm kidding.
He was, he was genuinely sweet.
You know, I used to, I
used to sit near him at lunch
and he was always talking about his wife.
(Tom chuckles)
You know what I have a
craving for the other day?
One of those rice puddings
they used to give us.
Do you remember those?
Strange, isn't it?
We can have the fancies of foods now
but all we really want is the
comfort foods we had as kids.
Like those pizza rolls.
Remember those?
And you'd have to run from class
'cause for some reason
they'd only make a few dozen.
Do you think if they made a cafe now
that served all the
same stuff we had as kids
people would go?
Maybe for nostalgic reasons.
One taste in you're back.
Did you really like those rice puddings?
God no, they were awful.
That's not the point.
The point is, Mr. Redbrand
was not a pedophile.
(Lana chuckles)
What you listening to?
Chopping?
Chopin.
Chopin.
(Lana laughs)
What is that band, solo artist, what?
- You're kidding.
- What?
(Lana laughs)
(slow tempo brooding piano music)
Classical music.
It helps me relax.
It's pretty.
Pretty?
Yeah.
Do you think a musical taste
is something we're born with
or do we base it on what's
around us while we're growing up?
Never thought about it like that.
You know baby is born some god of music
stamps it with jazz rock, K-Pop.
(laughs) Maybe.
Take you for example.
Does anyone you know listen to Tom Waits?
Actually, no.
All right, so why do you like him?
Just scratches the right itch.
Yeah, exactly.
You, you just like it.
You, you can't even explain why.
Did your parents or friends
listen to your kind of music?
Well, yes, but I have the white bread
of musical taste, I'm afraid.
Mm, pop lover.
Afraid so.
See, this is why I need
someone like you around.
Show me what I'm missing out on.
I spent 26 years of my life not knowing
who this Chopping guy was.
- Chopin.
- Chopin.
Chopin was.
I, and now I know him.
And now that I do, he is not half bad.
(laughs) But, well, you
were in musicals, weren't you?
Surely some of that rubbed off.
Yeah, but it's all the same stuff, right?
Like musicals all sound the same to me.
Pop music has a similar DNA.
It's just noise and notes really.
Same with books.
I can't remember the
last time I read a book.
Then what are you doing in here?
Well, I could ask you the same question.
Are you allowed to just sit here and read?
Would you buy a car
without test driving it?
- Okay.
- Mm-hmm.
- Got a point.
- Mm.
So what makes a good book?
Well, I have to relate to it in some way.
It has to have a good plot.
Interesting characters.
I wanna know and think
how they feel, what they do.
And if it's got a happy
ending, it's got me.
Even if happy endings are just fiction?
(lights click)
Shit, oh shit.
What's the time?
Oh crap, I think that, wait.
(footsteps stomping)
[Tom] Oh, this is just fun.
(footsteps thudding)
All right, oh, watch that on that one.
Okay.
(hand pounding)
Hello, we're still in here.
We're locked in.
Okay, come on.
There must be a phone somewhere.
I can't get my bus.
Do you not have a phone?
Left it in the car.
Literally just ran in for something.
(switch clicks)
Let there be light.
Must be for the sockets.
Okay, there has to be an
emergency phone or CTV.
I...
Does someone watch that feed 24/7?
I don't know.
Do they?
No idea how it works.
Let's try to do something
to get their attention.
(upbeat classical music)
[Lana] What the hell are you doing?
[Tom] (grunts) Something
out of the ordinary.
(feet thud)
Okay.
(Tom grunts)
This is stupid.
(Tom pants)
Could just smash the window.
[Lana] Well, we can't do that.
Last resort.
There'll be someone
coming by in the morning.
I'm not staying here all night.
Why not?
We're in a bookshop.
We can make do.
Start reading now we might be able
to get through them all
by morning. (Chuckles)
(Lana scoffs)
(upbeat classical music continues)
(hands pounding)
Hello, hello, hi, hello, hello, hello.
We're stuck in here.
Hello, hello, hello, hello, we're stuck.
Give it a rest, kid.
They can't hear us.
Well we have to get out.
There has to be a way.
(door clicks)
What do you think fire exit?
(brooding classical music)
Fuck.
Hang on.
There we go.
This isn't the way out.
No, it's not.
Hang on, they might have a spare key.
Maybe.
(drawer thudding)
No.
Um...
(switch clicking)
(light clicks)
(slow tempo brooding music)
What are you doing?
I'm just going to sit here,
wait for someone to pass
and when they do, I'm just
gonna knock us loud as I can.
And eventually someone
will have to notice us.
[Tom] Is my company really that bad?
Do you have somewhere to be?
Well, no, but.
Right.
Me neither.
So, and hear me out.
Look, we've got this whole
bookshop to ourselves.
We haven't seen each other in what?
10 years.
Why don't we stay, catch up,
fall in love, whatever you'd like.
Look, if you have somewhere to be,
or if you'd just rather leave,
I will stay with you here
and hammer down that door
until some passerby notices us.
So what do you think?
I'm hungry.
Oh, that explains it.
Hangry.
Come on.
(gentle music)
And right this way.
(switch clicking)
(fridge door clicks)
And what can I get you this evening?
- What do you have?
- What do we have?
What don't we have?
Sandwiches that aren't too squishy.
Some slightly dry cakes
and mini packets of cookies.
A hearty feast for the soul.
Picnic.
Yes.
[Lana] That is all the old
food I could possibly eat.
[Tom] I must say the
three day old carrot cake
was particularly splendid.
Mm, my compliments to the chef.
Ah.
(Lana chuckles)
Oh, we should really get a picture of this.
Ah.
(Lana chuckles)
(Tom chuckles)
Oh, let's get one together.
- Oh, oh.
- Take off.
(Tom grunts)
(Lana laughs)
Well, you take pictures.
Here, I'll let you.
- Come on.
- Okay, all right.
Look at me.
Mm-hmm, all right.
(tongue clicks)
Is my hair okay?
Uh, just look a little more aloof.
- Mm.
- No, pretend I'm not here.
Lana?
(Lana laughs)
What, was that good then?
- Yes.
- Brilliant.
What do you usually take photos of?
Anything, I guess.
Whatever takes my fancy.
Do you have any hobbies?
Well, I know you can sing.
You were the musical lead from my memory.
I sing in the shower.
Does that count?
It's hottest ticket in town.
(Lana chuckles)
Wanna see what kind of photos I take?
Yeah.
I think these are my favorite.
- Hmm.
- I fucking love trees.
(laughs) Trees?
Yeah, you know, landscape shots, nature.
Look, they're majestic.
Okay.
Nature shots are nice.
What about you?
I like watching people, you know,
taking pictures when they
don't know you're looking.
It when you get the best
stuff, when they're just living.
You're such a little poet.
I mean, stalker.
Okay.
You see how they're just normal people?
Everyday situations.
But the photo makes it something special.
(book thuds)
Maybe better than the imaginary one.
Hmm, hmm?
Okay, yeah.
(upbeat classical music)
You love trees.
Remember you love trees.
Oh wow.
And...
(camera whirring)
Very nice.
Okay, yeah.
(camera whirring)
Loved.
Really, really good one.
Oh, you want the socks?
- Okay.
- Mm-hmm.
(laughs) Okay, okay, yeah.
Easy mate.
(camera whirring)
- Good.
- Thank you.
Yeah, get the legs kicking.
Oh, beautiful.
Beautiful. (Laughs)
Just be you.
Don't play up to the camera.
(Lana laughs) (camera whirring)
Well, it's not as
easy as it sounds is it?
You try, right?
What?
Okay.
No, no, no, no, just be normal.
Be normal.
Give me, give me more Lana.
Can I see more Lana?
- I'm giving you Lana.
- Mm.
That's not real Lana though.
- I need more Lana.
- No real Lana.
Okay.
Yeah, but more fierce.
- Be a lion.
- Okay.
(camera whirring)
(Lana chuckles)
I think we might be outta film.
[Lana] I think we're out.
(Lana and Tom laughs)
That's the longest sound I've ever heard.
I hope so.
(Tome exhales)
You're right about people too.
You can't smoke at a bookshop.
Rules don't apply tonight.
You know, those things will kill you.
[Tom] Hopefully.
I guess I do write about
people, but I'm a little rusty.
Got a long way to go.
Well, I'd love to read
whatever you have to write.
Sorry.
I don't have any of my writing on me,
but there's hundreds of
books here that inspired me.
You could always read one of those.
(Tom chuckles)
(air blowing)
What?
I don't read.
You've never read a book?
I didn't say I've never read.
I used to read a bit at school.
What was the last book you read?
"Treasure Island" I think.
You're kidding.
What?
Some people don't read.
Okay, okay, so you don't read.
What do you do other
than work in an office?
Watch TV, drinking in bars, the usual.
So you really don't sing or act anymore.
I gave that up after school.
Why?
You were so good.
I, I remember watching
you in "West Side Story"
and you were well, you were great.
You know I had a big crush on you.
Stop it.
You did not.
Wasn't just me.
We all did.
The Tom Harris.
Surprised you even remember my name.
Of course I remember you.
Quiet little Lana.
Nothing to do with the picture.
Of course it was that.
No, no, no, I never saw it.
Scout's honor.
Oh, you would've been the only person
at school who didn't.
You were in the chorus for
"West Side Story", weren't you?
That's how I remember you.
Corner of the rehearsal
room, nose in a book.
I auditioned for Maria.
Brooke got that of course.
Fucking bitch.
Hey Brooke and her
family worked at the school,
you didn't stand a chance.
Right, books.
Come on, kid.
Show me the books you love.
But one has to be a pop-up.
- Poetry.
- Yes.
I hate those kind of trees. (Chuckles)
Do you want me to what?
Read it?
[Lana] You don't have
to if you don't want to.
No, no. I'll read.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
and, sorry, I could not travel both
and be one traveler.
Long I stood and looked
down one as far as I could
to where it bent in the undergrowth.
[Lana] Go on.
Then took the other as just as fair
and having perhaps the better claim
because it was grassy and wanted wear.
Though as for that the passing there
had worn them really about the same.
I'm no good at reading poetry.
You don't like it, do you?
No, I don't hate it.
It's just, it's not me.
Haven't you ever loved someone enough
to write poetry for them?
Never written poetry for them no.
But you have loved.
Sure.
Are you in love?
Define in love.
If you have to define
it, then you're not in love.
And you?
Have I been in love?
Yeah.
Yes.
[Tom] And?
And it was complicated.
Well I have all night.
His name is Jamie.
Strong name.
Kidding.
But go on.
Jamie and I, well we've
been dating for a while,
a year maybe.
And he is great, but
he's like a firecracker.
I can't keep up with him.
Always out and about a
thousand projects going on.
We used to have so much
fun before he got busy.
We'd, we'd walk into a bar,
notice a sign saying drink
responsibly and laugh, you know?
I would be drunk and he would be smiling.
Just wish I could have
stayed that way forever.
Did you ever see "Dead Poet Society"?
Robin Williams film?
Yes, the Robin Williams film.
You know that part when
they, they go into the cave
and they start to improvise poems?
- Yes.
- Let's try it.
Lana, I'm no poet.
We've established that.
So you are already at an advantage.
Come on.
Oh, you always used to read
your lines in the play so well.
Lay it out.
It might be, I don't know, therapeutic.
(sighs) For who?
I don't know where, how to start.
Okay, we'll make it easy.
I'll say a word and you just
say whatever comes to mind.
Does it have to rhyme?
No, doesn't have to rhyme, Tom.
[Tom] Fine.
Trees.
Why don't you start?
Come on.
It's just me.
Trees.
With, with leaves of
green and bark of wood.
I sleep more soundly
when I'm laying under you.
Okay, that was actually good.
See, I knew you had it in you.
All right, give me one.
Uh, rain.
Um, your journey from lakes
and oceans to clouds in the sky.
Now on my skin, I wear you with pride.
Well what the shit?
(Lana chuckles)
Stop it.
That was awful.
That was really good.
(Lana chuckles)
You know I'm, I'm allergic to rain.
Sorry what?
Not, not life or death
allergic and not all types of rain.
But sometimes if it's really heavy
my skin gets all kinds of itchy.
You are a strange one, kid.
There's nothing wrong
with being unique or different.
Nothing wrong with
trying to fit in either.
Did Tracy Beaker fit in?
Did Jane Eyre?
Dorothy from the "Wizard of Oz"?
Both characters doesn't apply.
The real world's different.
You don't see Dorothy stopping off at a bar
on her way to the Emerald City
'cause if she were a real person,
she'd need a fucking drink
just to mentally deal with
the fact she's linking arms
with a sentient scarecrow.
(Lana laughs)
She was like 12.
It was the thirties.
(Lana laughs)
(Lana sighs)
A drink would be great right now though.
Actually I think I might
be able to help with that one.
- Hmm?
- Come on.
Oh, oh.
(Lana and Tom humming)
One moment.
Oh, one moment.
Bingo.
I could kiss you.
(upbeat rock music)
Ah.
[Both] 1, 2, 3, 4, I declare a thumb war.
- 5, 6.
- Ow.
Do it again.
5, 6, 7, 8, who will you annihilate?
Let's bow.
Kiss.
No, it not bow kiss.
- Hold that.
- Yes.
Five me a sin, spin, spin, spin.
Okay and then.
Go.
There you go, there we go.
- Okay.
- Wait, wait, wait, wait.
- Going up.
- Okay.
- Are we good?
- Wait, no, no, wait, wait.
Yeah.
And then we can do.
[Both] Bow kiss.
- Four, three.
- Compromise.
- Four.
- Okay.
Is that uh, specific?
Wait, wait, wait. (Grunts)
Okay, all right.
There you go.
[Tom] Good.
Be scared, try not to care
We better move
Fuck, you're so freakishly good at this.
Just imagine this.
Is this my Christmas star?
Star yeah.
- I don't know if I'm secure.
- Forward into the dark.
[Lana] Ah, okay, whoa, okay.
(body thudding)
I'm glad you turned out so nice.
Most of the pretty girls
at school are such bitches.
Like Brooke.
Fucking bitch.
Not all pretty girls are bitches.
But come on most of them
were at least a little cunty.
- Not me.
- No, not you, Lana.
- Thank you, I suppose.
- For what?
- Calling me pretty.
- Hmm.
Now you two are a pretty girl.
I feel like the real me.
You could be in a band with that look.
Wait a minute.
You were in a band in college, right?
Uh, uh, don't remind me.
[Lana] What was the name again?
- Tissue.
- Tissue.
- Tissue for an issue.
- Yeah.
(Lana laughs)
[Tom] Stop it.
I was a baby.
Hey, I was a fan, I was a fan.
What was that, that big song
you guys did at the school dance?
This is our time
Our place Our place
Our time right now
- Yeah.
- Oh my gosh.
And you were like all in it with the hair.
This is our time, our place
Okay.
Right here, right now
Didn't need the remix actually.
Our time, our place
Ah, that's enough of that.
Right here
Time for a nap.
Go to sleep, go to sleep,
go to sleep, go to sleep.
(Lana laughs)
It's over now.
All right, Mr. Redbrand.
Oh my God, Lana.
Oh.
(Lana laughing)
You really should
think about getting back
into music again.
Gave that all that up after school.
Besides, I don't think the
leather pants would fit anymore.
I liked those leather pants.
What about you?
You settled down at all
or you still living your Peter Pan fantasy?
Peter Pan.
[Tom] Yeah, not wanting to
grow up, staying young forever.
It's not about growing up, Tom.
It's about living a little.
You know, no one wants
to just rot away in an office
for the rest of their lives.
I didn't mean you.
No, no.
Out of all the musicals we did,
which one was your favorite?
Um, it wasn't a musical, rather a play.
But when you did Elliot in "Private Lives".
Noel Coward, yeah, that was a fun one.
I auditioned for that one too.
Ah, Brooke Strikes again.
Fucking bitch.
Yeah.
Hey, fuck the acting committee.
Let's see if we've still got it.
(dramatic classical music)
Unbelievable.
A sort of dream.
That was the moonlight I expect.
You must have seen it in the moonlight.
Moonlight can be cruelly deceptive.
And it didn't look
like a biscuit box, did it?
I've always felt that it might.
Oh darling, darling, I love you so.
Oh, and I do hope you
met a sacred elephant
they're lint white, I believe
and very, very sweet.
I've never loved
anyone else for an instant.
No, no, you mustn't, Elliot, stop.
You love me too, don't you?
There's no doubt about
it anywhere is there?
No, no doubt anywhere.
Fuck, line.
You're looking very.
You're looking very lovely
in this damned moonlight.
Your skin is clear and
cool, your eyes shining.
You're growing lovelier and lovelier
every second that look at you.
You don't hold any mystery
for me, darling, do you mind?
There's not a particle
of you that I don't know,
remember and want.
I'm glad, my sweet.
More than any desire anywhere,
deep down in my deepest heart.
I want you back again.
Please.
No, don't say anymore, Elliot.
You're making me cry so dreadfully. (Gasps)
Do we have to kiss?
Oh, ah.
(lips smack)
(Lana laughs)
- Oh.
- Oh.
- Okay.
- Oh, that's an emergency,
Okay, right, okay.
I'm gonna, I'm gonna.
Do you think you can do that?
Yeah, I got it, I got it.
I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
Oh my God, I'm so sorry. (Laughs)
It's fine really.
(chuckles) No, no, no, wait, wait.
- No, it is.
- I can fix.
I can fix it, I can fix it.
Okay.
Sorry.
God never suited me anyway.
Tom, I, I can't accept that.
No.
You got it?
Oh, something to remember me by.
So you really want to go back in time?
Hmm?
How about truth or dare?
No, no, we don't need to play games, Tom.
Why don't you just tell me
something about yourself?
Something no one knows.
All right.
You remember Chessy from the year above?
Not about school, Tom.
I wanna hear about you.
You tell me something.
Anything.
I sometimes put apple juice
on my cereal instead of milk.
You freak.
Right, hang on, hang on.
- Hear me out.
- Mm-hmm.
- Hear me out.
- Mm-hmm.
It has to be a very specific kind
of apple juice in a
particular kind of cereal.
The apple juice has to be the clear kind.
And the cereal has to be something
in the Corn Flake family, the Crunchy Nut.
Something like that.
Don't knock it till you've tried it.
Seriously.
Okay, okay, so what would you say
if I had apple juice with Cocoa Puffs?
You freak.
Alright.
You know a dark secret about me.
Let's hear one about you.
Go ahead out weird me.
Is that a challenge?
Absolutely.
Okay.
(Lana chuckles)
(liquid splashing)
Okay, um, let me think.
I used to love wearing nail polish.
Then I just had this awful day.
Later that evening, I
was taking my polish off
and everything just got better.
And for some reason since
then, can't wear nail polish.
What?
I know, it's weird.
(laughs) I just, I have this feeling
like I'm gonna have bad luck if I wear it.
And look, I, I'm not one
of those people that
believes in that kind of stuff.
I, I don't believe in God
but can't my nail polish without panicking.
All right.
You take the crown.
Oh, I'm beautiful.
Kneel.
It's Tom, your majesty.
I declare that from now and for evermore
thou shalt be named Neil.
Very well.
I shall relabel all my socks immediately.
And
(fingers snap)
Fetch me grapes.
We have no grapes, your majesty.
But I can offer you day
old muffin crumbs or,
or a bag of chocolate money.
Mm, money.
I lied.
We have only small packets of raisins.
Then off with your head.
Can royalty still make that happen?
I don't know.
Can they? (Laughs)
Can't picture the queen
ever doing something like that.
What about King Charles?
Oh hell yeah.
One leaky pen gets the heads rolling.
(Lana laughs)
I wonder what does happen after you die.
Thought you said you
didn't believe in God.
I just reckon we'll never know.
That's why it's a belief,
not a scientific theory, right?
Maybe.
Maybe we just dream.
Our consciousness keeps going.
Perhaps that's heaven.
And if you've been a naughty girl,
you therefore have a permanent nightmare.
Mm, that's hell.
Oh my God.
And that's how religions start.
But no God in your new religion?
Oh, be nice, wouldn't it if there was?
If someone out there making things happen,
looking after you.
- Sounds awful.
- What do you mean?
I don't want someone else
carving out my path for me.
I stand by the choices I've made.
Good and bad.
They're my choices.
Everything I seem to choose goes to shit.
(Tom laughs)
I don't know if I've made
an actual choice in years.
What are you talking about?
You make choices every day.
Do we?
Okay, that book you saw me reading earlier,
I wanted something nostalgic.
I found something nostalgic.
Was always gonna be that book.
And what if they didn't have your book?
They did have my book.
Or buy a bunch of books
and find a new favorite.
I can't afford to buy a bunch of books.
You never had to worry about money.
Your parents were rich.
I heard a rumor that your house was so big
when the cleaner finished the job,
she had to start all over again.
Oh.
We had a good sized house sure.
Not crazy big.
But big.
Yeah, big.
And your current home?
No, it's normal.
Surprisingly normal.
Were you close with your parents?
Ask me something else.
You ask me something.
[Tom] Did you really have a crush on me?
I knew that would come back to bite me.
A big crush.
Just a crush.
I saw you, you know, once after college.
- Oh.
- Just once.
When?
About a year ago you
were walking through town.
Look like you're on a
mission to get somewhere.
So I didn't stop you.
I remember thinking, that's a woman.
I mean it, Lana.
You've bloomed into this knockout.
You're smart, funny, sexy.
Any man would be lucky.
I remember you being
many things Tom Harris,
but corny wasn't one of them.
No it's your turn.
For what?
- Ask me a question.
- Oh.
Um, where did you go after college?
Pass.
(Tom panting)
You are beautiful.
You haven't changed a bit.
(ominous music)
[Lana] Haven't changed a bit.
What?
What did I say?
Didn't see the picture.
[Tom] God Lana, that's not what I meant.
[Lana] You did see it.
Maybe for like a second,
but they were being passed
around the school like wildfire.
(Lana gasps)
Do you know how it happened?
I was dating your friend Johnny.
Remember?
I was crazy about him.
I don't think the feeling was ever mutual.
But a month in he starts complaining
about us not sleeping together.
That everyone at school was doing it.
Tried to tell him I just wasn't
ready but kept pushing.
Finally, he suggests a compromise.
He asks me to take one
picture of myself naked for him.
Told me it would be for his eyes only.
That it would mean I, I truly loved him.
I'm young and I'm stupid so I do it,
believing that I should be doing it.
That that's what good girlfriends would do.
The next day I give him the picture
and he's so happy.
So all is well.
He's happy.
I'm glad that I could make him happy.
And I, I hear these whispers,
guys at school will
start shouting nice tits.
And I realized he's shown everyone.
I remember this one time
we were on a school trip
to, uh, Colchester castle.
Remember?
And I get past this photo copied pictured
of me naked and bare.
I've never felt so embarrassed.
If I could have sunk through the seats
of that bus onto the road
and kept going I would have.
And I almost left school because of that.
Johnny swore he never showed anyone.
But like anyone else could
have got a hold of a picture.
I put in his hands.
I mean, it's not something
you just leave lying around.
After that I got a bit better weirdly.
See, this thing was as
awful as the experience was,
I looked good in that photo.
Maybe that's when I
started taking photos for fun.
I don't know.
I'm sorry that happened to you.
[Lana] It's fine.
It was a long time.
Look, I really don't
remember the photo well.
But you're dazzling now.
Don't think it would be too
bad really living in a bookshop.
Entertainment, fine dining.
If the company's good, why not?
No shower.
That's where you're wrong.
Shower.
(water spraying)
(Lana laughs)
Toothbrushing.
- Mm-hmm.
- Right.
And pillow.
(Lana laughs)
You have the most beautiful smile.
(dramatic music)
(gentle music)
(Lana laughs)
Right, I'm gonna go find a toilet
or an appropriate
corner to take a piss into.
So both loos are working.
Also, I found "Treasure Island".
(Lana chuckles)
Ted as he took the chart,
but by the fresh look of the paper,
I knew he was doomed to disappointment.
This was not the map we
found in Billy Bone's chest,
but an accurate copy
complete in all things,
names and heights and soundings.
With the single exception
of the red crosses
and the written notes.
Sharp as must have been his annoyance,
Silver had the strength of mind to hide it.
"Yes, sir," said he.
This is the spot to be sure
and very prettily drawn out.
Who might have done that I wonder.
And the pirates were too ignorant I reckon.
Aye, here it is, Captain Kidds Anchorage.
Just excuse a quick nap, kid.
(groans) You can give me that much.
(cassette clicking)
(button clicks)
(gentle music)
Wishes on satellites
Used to stay up at night
Hoping one day that
the stars would align
Left a trail of broken hearts
But you were different from the start
How you smiled when
you said my name that night
It's like I dreamed you up
Inside my head I thought
The picture perfect love
Was only in frames
Guess I pulled you right from the page
Into reality
Feels like I'm falling deep
Into your gravity
'Cause it's like I dreamed you up
Every layer of your soul
Is better than the one before
Honestly you were so unexpected
(woman vocalizing)
Lana.
(woman vocalizing)
There you are.
(lips smack)
You should probably put that back.
(Tom chuckles)
Fascist.
Can you believe kids read these books?
Do your kids read these books?
(brooding music)
That's why I came in here.
Get something for my youngest.
How old is he?
Four tomorrow.
[Lana] Why didn't you
mention them before?
- Mention my kids.
- Yeah.
I mean, I don't have kids,
but if I did, I think I'd
mention them pretty quickly
when talking about my life since college.
You're right.
You don't have kids.
So are you married?
[Tom] Am I'm married?
Just yes or no.
Yes.
Who did you marry, Tom?
You know who.
(Lana laughs)
Brooke?
Yes.
Did I step through some portal to 2010?
Tom, you haven't changed a bit.
You're with the same girl.
You listened to the same music.
Is this, this is the same jacket
you wore at college too, right?
Am I right?
So once we went through
my pockets, did you?
You want the full story?
Sure.
Brooke and I got
engaged right after college.
We got married, we had kids
and then we just stayed the same
because that's what people do.
Lana, they settled down.
Don't look at me like I the strange one.
Brooke was sweet.
And the hotel?
The hotel, the keys.
When did you start
cheating on your wife, Tom?
Was I just a replacement
for some other affair?
You have no idea.
Oh, I think I do.
Tom Harris starts to get itchy feet
after the last baby,
starts to screw around.
You have the wife, the kids,
the fancy house and the rich family.
But you're bored.
Insert a string of women you
have meaningless sex with.
Does your wife know?
What can I split up, Lana?
Yes, I'm still married
officially, but I've moved out.
I've been living out of that
shitty hotel for a month now.
Out of a little suitcase.
And tomorrow tomorrow's
gonna be the first day
she let me see my kids in a week.
So that's that.
(paper rustling)
I'm just a bad father.
- Why?
- Why?
Why did you and Brooke break it off?
Neither of us were unfaithful,
if that's what you're talking about.
Hadn't been working for a while.
We both knew it.
You know what nobody tells you,
you don't need love for
a relationship to function.
It's like losing a toe.
You can walk perfectly fine without it.
You just always know something's missing.
That decision that did not come easily.
No, that was hard.
But no one else was gonna do it so I did.
Holy fuck when I made that choice,
I remember the feeling like
I wasn't trapped anymore.
Like someone opened a door
to an alternate future
right in front of me.
This is exactly why I
never wanna get married.
I think some relationships
are only meant to last a short time.
Why did you and James break up?
- Jamie.
- Jamie.
(Lana laughs)
Oh, it wasn't like we were
close to getting married.
We, we met at a gig he was playing,
I was taking photos for, hit it off.
Next thing I know, taking photos
for him as he plays around the UK.
So he's a musician.
I've never felt more high
when I was around him at that time.
We traveled, laughed and drank.
Screwed.
It was perfect.
Then we got home,
his band starts to take off a little
and they announced this world tour.
I got all worried and weird
about him going away.
(sighs) I've been at gigs for years.
I know how groupies act around these guys.
You know the closer they fly to the sun,
the more birds gather to them.
So we get in this big fight,
he tells me I have nothing to worry about.
And then I ask him where
he sees us in five years.
Do you know what he says?
He says he doesn't know.
He doesn't like hypothetical questions.
So I storm off saying I
can't just live on a maybe.
[Tom] When did all this happen?
Last night.
Last night.
Yeah, wound still fresh.
Anyway flies to Japan next week.
(paper rustling)
Can you go with him?
Sure.
But see, I, I got thinking
we'll never have a house,
a home to stay in, a family.
What if you wanna get a
dog, be in kennels every month.
And that's just cruel.
I don't know.
[Tom] So you ended it.
No.
I mean, not even broken up really.
I, I don't know just taking time to think.
You are the one sleeping around.
I'm kidding, kidding.
I get it.
You're on a break.
Team boss.
What do you think you'll do now?
Guess just see what happens.
You know, I never
dreamed of marriage or kids.
I don't even know if I want it.
But you want that choice, don't you?
Yeah.
Wouldn't want to leave it to fate.
I know what life I want.
I just don't know if I want it with him.
It's, it's complicated.
Yeah, you said that before.
I don't know.
Oh, my heart hurts.
It's pretty.
It's beautiful.
(Tom growling)
What's the real reason
you're not going to Japan?
It's just so far.
A world tour, no friends or family around.
And after the tour, what?
He gets famous.
This girl's begging to be with him.
I don't know.
It's just complicated.
So in an ideal world,
you'd just stay here?
Yes.
And do what?
Just, I don't know.
Work in an office.
Ah, I'm an awful person.
I get it.
The world's a scary place
and your path isn't clear.
But Lana, it sounds like
he's doing what he loves.
(gentle music)
I know what we need.
I need coffee.
And I need another
one of those steel cakes.
Right so beans in that one.
Grounds come out there.
This one, um.
Right, I'm not the expert to handle this.
I used to work in a cafe.
Okay.
I've only been on the other
side of the cafe counter.
Maybe we should just
stay here forever, huh?
No responsibilities, dry
food, bittersweet music, fiction.
Ah. (Groans)
Fuck what'd you do?
Let me see, let me see.
Ow.
Okay, it's just a little burn.
You'll live.
[Lana] Okay. (Groans)
Um.
(fridge door clicks)
Put the towel and rest like that.
There.
Thank you.
Well, I think we can save the arm,
but the leg is gonna have to come off.
(Tom imitates chainsaw buzzing)
Right.
Enough of playing doctor.
- Tom.
- Hmm?
Who showed you the picture?
- Who showed me the picture?
- Yeah.
Uh, so long ago.
Probably some football, Flawn maybe.
Tom, Tony was your best friend.
How did it happen?
You must know.
Lana, why does it matter?
Because I wanna move on.
You don't have the answers,
you can never fully forget about it.
- You really want to know.
- Yes.
I may have had something to do with it.
- What?
- Let me explain.
Please do.
I was, I was around Johnny's,
we were drinking and smoking, hanging out.
And I saw the picture on his bedside table.
We were gushing about how good you looked.
And I said something like, "You know,
if the guys at school
knew how lucky you were,
you'd be a living god or something."
And he was hesitant.
And I don't know why, but I kept pushing.
And eventually he gives
in, he brings the picture
to school and one of the guys gets greedy
and he starts passing it around.
Before you know it, it's gone.
And it's photocopied
and it's all around school.
And I couldn't do anything.
I swear I never meant
for it to go that far.
- You're lying.
- Lana.
[Lana] Why did you convince him?
Why did it matter?
I was stupid.
I was young.
I was young and stupid.
I'm not proud.
You didn't think to tell
me before you slept with me.
It was so long ago.
(scoffs) Not for me.
Oh, and you, when you're still there,
you're still living like you're a teenager.
What do you mean?
You're exactly the same person.
You, you lived your best life at 16
and you've just clung to it.
You, you don't actually know me, okay?
I know you had a talent, you sung
and, and you danced and you played music.
We all thought you would make it, Tom.
Oh, but you gave all that up.
Now look at you.
[Tom] You sound just like my wife.
Oh, I can't imagine
how frustrating it
must be to live with you.
Sat watching TV, drinking
beer, talking about the old days.
You know, we've spoken all night
and not once have you
detailed what you do in the office,
Tom, or, or what your passions are.
You are just a guy who used to be someone.
It's, it's pathetic.
You know, you should be thanking me.
You owe it all to me.
I put you on the market.
But before we saw the picture,
you were just some shy
girl that sat in the corner.
No one knew your name,
until I did something.
I saw your potential even then.
Are you actually trying
to defend what you did?
No, stop putting words
in my fucking mouth, Lana.
If I could take it back, I would.
Of course I would.
I'm just trying to get you to see it
from another perspective.
You said it yourself, you looked good.
People knew who you were after that.
You can't do a bad thing to
someone and ask for thanks.
That's messed up.
It's messed up, I know.
But a part of you's glad it happened.
No, I'm horrified.
How would you feel if the entire school
saw a picture of your dick, huh?
How would you feel?
Boy, I can't believe I slept with you.
Oh, great.
Is that what this was?
Just a, a way to make me feel vulnerable
then take advantage of me.
I, I would never do that.
[Lana] Well, you did.
Maybe I do live in the past sometimes.
(Lana scoffs)
Yeah, but I have a life.
I, I have kids.
I had a wife, I have friends and a job
and a house with a mortgage.
I did what I was supposed to do.
[Lana] You became a sheep.
[Tom] Oh, that's bullshit.
You're the copied and pasted version
of what life should be. (Laughs)
I bet your parents are proud.
Tommy has grown up giving
them the fruit of his loins.
Has a nice little job.
Holy shit, no wonder
he wants to go to Japan.
(Lana scoffs)
[Lana] What do you
even do in that office, Tom?
- I log things.
- Log things.
Yeah.
Admin mostly.
I add stock and order stock.
It's not exciting, but it pays well.
I used to watch you on stage
and wish I was like you.
Sing like you, look like you,
have your life, your parents.
I was so envious of you.
Now I just pity you.
How rich.
You're dating someone who loves you enough
to take you around the world
and you're saying no to it all
because what do you, you
want a dog and a nice house.
I never said that.
You're just scared.
You love all these arty things,
but you'll never do any of them
'cause you have to be daring.
Take chances.
You're so afraid of being alone.
You're are happy to string someone along
and are completely fine with
them giving up their dreams
because you don't like change.
If we hadn't met tonight,
you'd have gone home,
had a glass of wine,
listened to some Chopping
and pretended everything was just fine.
Chopin.
[Tom] You're just a dreamer.
I, I take photos.
I, I write, I, I write stories.
Fiction, escape.
But you'll never deal with your life.
[Lana] Stop it.
That boyfriend of yours is
probably sat at home right now
thinking about you and
your choosing to be here.
I'm stuck, I didn't choose this.
Please, we could have
kept hammering on that door
and someone would've answered it.
Stop it!
(dramatic music)
(brooding music)
(footsteps stomping)
(Lana panting)
[Tom] Why don't you want to go to Japan?
It's, it's too far.
[Tom] Why don't you want to go with him?
Because, because I don't
love him anymore. (Crying)
(book thuds)
(Lana crying)
I don't love him anymore.
I don't know how to tell him.
(Lana crying)
It'll hurt him so much.
And I'm, I'm so scared of being alone.
(Lana crying)
I had the best time tonight.
For the first time in years,
I was just having a
conversation with the pretty girl.
And you looked at me.
You looked at me like I still was somebody.
Nobody has looked at me like
that since, well since college.
I'm a dick.
It was a stupid thing I
did when I was a teenager.
And it hurt you.
I am so, so sorry.
It was a stupid thing to do.
I think I've become someone I don't like
and I think perhaps I
need to find myself again.
And I can only do that on my own.
It's just scary.
You put up with me for an entire evening.
If that doesn't show inner
strength, I don't know what does.
(Tom chuckles)
Your hair looks silly.
(Tom laughs)
(gentle music)
How's your arm?
It's fine.
I think you're a good dad.
Could be better.
We could all be better.
I'm sure they love you.
Well I love them.
Do you not want any children?
I think I do.
Could lend your mind for a couple days
see how much you want them then. (Chuckles)
I was wrong.
You did do something with your life.
You have little ones to look after now.
It's funny.
Yeah, you were right.
I used to chase this feeling
like I've wanted to be 16 forever.
But it really doesn't bother me anymore.
It's like that ever since
the first one popped out,
life just stopped.
I had my time to live
this crazy exciting life.
I may work a shit job and
have a failed marriage,
but I'm happy to keep going.
Because he know it's for them.
Yeah.
You have Lana, you've got
some exciting things coming up,
I can feel it my bones.
(laughs) You said you
were once envious of me.
Well maybe I said those things
because I feel jealous of you.
What is there to be jealous about?
Freedom, Lana.
Freedom.
You are going to be
tracing a ladder to the stars,
I just know it.
Tracing a ladder to the stars.
Yeah.
I've never heard that expression.
Really?
I say it all the time.
Why tracing?
Don't know.
Heard it somewhere.
You know what that is, Tom.
Tell me.
That's fucking poetry.
(Tom laughs)
And both that morning equally lay in leaves
no step had trodden back.
Oh, I kept the first for another day.
Yet knowing how way leads onto way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
somewhere ages and ages,
hence two roads diverged in a wood.
And I, I took the one less traveled by.
And that has made all the difference
(door clicks)
(door creaks)
Yeah we could be in
love by the end of the night
By the end of the night
I like that nervous look on your face
When you're starting to think
that you're talking too much
I like how we just met
And I'm not even slightly
afraid to be opening up
I like that we've been sitting here
Hands moving around the clock
And I still can't get enough
No I can't get enough
But we could go all in
We could be in love
by the end of the night
Sitting here talking
Kissing your lips
and I'm coming to life
Well we could start running
Make a list of ways that
the time just isn't right
But we could go all in
We could be in love
by the end of the night
(man vocalizing)
(man vocalizing)
(man vocalizing)
But we could go all in
We could be in love
by the end of the night
By the end of the night