Love, Brooklyn (2025) Movie Script
1
[funky music]
[Roger] Evolving city?
What in the world is that?
Look at all this obscene money
just flowing in, right?
Like, it's just erasing
the culture. It's just, like,
smashing everything.
And the people, right?
The people, the community.
This community, right?
Which was so beautiful,
which was one of the few places
where, like, folks could live
with, like, grace and dignity.
Right? And the people who,
like, made the neighborhood,
who built the culture,
can no longer afford to live
in the damn neighborhood.
But it's evolving? No, no.
Hell, no. I'd say that shit is
devolving, if anything.
-You need to right that.
-Apparently.
That's not the story
that I pitched, and it's not
what their readers wanna hear.
As long as I've known you,
you're always "Oh,
I don't know, I can't do it.
I can't do it."
And you get it done.
-Yeah, yeah. Maybe.
-You always get it done.
-Maybe in the past I did it.
-Yeah, don't start with me.
I know you.
-I'm not trying to...
-I've known you a long time.
-You think you know me.
-I know you!
-You think you do.
-And you always figure it out.
Maybe in the past
I've gotten it done.
But I'm telling you,
this time
I'm completely gone. [sighs]
Man, I've gotta figure out
something to tell them
or put them off somehow.
What if you told them
the truth?
Right, and have them think
that I'm an incurable fuck-up?
That,
or that it's just taking you
a little longer
than you thought
and you need a month or so.
Which they will hear
as "incurable fuck-up."
Anyway, should we get a...
get another one of these?
-I thought you had to work.
-Yeah, I do have to work,
but one work is not gonna
make me any more stupid.
Hi, can we get one more?
-Than I already am.
-Sorry,
I have an early date tomorrow.
-[Casey] I can't.
-Right, yes. Good.
-Good.
-Two checks, separate.
Hey, I'm happy to...
I can take care of it,
it's fine.
-Separate.
-I've got it.
Yeah.
Okay. [snorts]
Thank you. Hey, listen.
I was thinking about
this DeCarava show
up at the museum. I thought
maybe you'd like to go
check it out with me.
You like art now?
Oh, that's new.
I'm into all kinds
of things now. Okay?
-I'm broadening my horizons.
-You do know I look at art,
all day, every day.
You don't look at art all day,
every day, with me.
If nothing else, they have
a great bar. It's a good place
to get a drink.
-Yeah, maybe.
-Oh,
gotta think about it that much?
-Damn, okay.
-[Casey laughs]
Okay.
[slow music]
[sighs]
[music ends]
[phone vibrates]
Hey.
Yeah, yeah. How you doing?
Oh, uh... Yeah, just working.
Yeah, making...
making progress.
What you up to?
[clears throat]
I was thinking
about calling you too.
Yeah, okay. Just give me
a few minutes to change and...
I'll be right there.
[doorbell rings]
-[Roger] Hello, hello.
-Hello.
What you up to?
-You know,
cleaning up a little bit.
-Alright.
-For me?
-[chuckles]
-Hey, you want me
to help you with this?
-Sure.
-Have you been smoking?
-Uh... a little bit.
-Are you also?
-Ah...
-No, that's okay.
-Ah.
So, I haven't had a chance
to take a shower. Do you mind
if I take a quick one?
-No, no. Do your thing.
-Okay.
-Can I offer you anything?
Water, tea?
-No, I'm good. I'm good.
[sighs]
[Nicole]
You know what to do with me.
-[Roger chuckles]
-How is that?
Well,
you tell me what you like.
And I...
-oblige.
-No.
-Yeah.
-[chuckles]
-No, no, no.
It's... it's more than that.
-[chuckles]
It's like...
-You know what gets to me.
-Hm?
Good.
-Our chemistry is real good.
-Mh-hmm.
-Sexually.
-Mh-hmm.
But I'm still not
your girlfriend.
-What's that supposed to mean?
-Come on,
you know what it means.
Yeah.
Okay, but who's asking?
I don't know. I'm just, uh...
You know.
What?
I just wanna be clear.
Okay.
[chuckles]
Okay, well, you're clear.
You are very clear.
You're always clear, Nicole.
You don't have
to worry about that.
-Good.
-Okay, good.
Well, since we've been clear...
there's something
I should be clear about.
-If that's okay.
-Of course.
Well, there's something
that's been on my mind
for a while now, I guess.
-[sighs]
As your non-boyfriend...
-[chuckles]
I'm thinking that, if it's okay
with you, I would really,
really like to...
-[whispers]
-[chuckles]
Again?
Yeah.
-Is that okay?
-Mh-hmm.
[door closes]
[Alice] Mommy?
When Roger's done with you,
can I come sleep with you?
In a minute, Alice. We...
Okay.
[chuckles]
You should be sleeping now.
Hey, Ally.
What's this?
Good night.
[slow music]
[construction noise]
-Morning.
-Good morning.
These guys from next door
were snooping around again,
looking at the building.
-They asked when you'd be here.
-Did you tell them
I was out of town?
Well, they're right next door.
They can see that you're here.
I don't care if they're staring
into my eyeballs. I'm not here.
I have these new slides up,
if you wanna take a look.
-Thank you.
-[pneumatic drill]
Thank you, Riley. It would be
a relief to look at the slides.
[pneumatic drill]
Is this you?
-Yeah, yeah, just got it.
-[snorts]
Always buying shit
when you should be working.
You look like trash.
-You too.
-Look at your hair.
Stop it. It was a late night.
I'm becoming
completely nocturnal
at this point.
-By the time
I got home from Nicole's...
-Nicole's?
-Are y'all still...?
-Yeah, yeah. Still.
It's a bit of a complicated
situation with the kid and all,
but it works.
-So it's good, you and Nicole?
-Yeah.
-The sex, I mean.
Tell me about the sex.
-Yeah, it's good.
Is it wild?
-It's good.
-So it is wild.
How wild are we talking?
Come on, man. What you want?
Details about what I do?
Yes, yes I do.
-'Cause I'm just...
-So in love with your wife.
Well, yeah, that.
So it's good.
-Yeah.
-It's good for you.
Do you talk to Casey still?
Uh, I guess, yeah.
-How's that going?
-It's fine, you know.
I met her yesterday.
And then went to see
your current girlfriend.
She is not my girlfriend.
-Yeah, whatever.
-Yeah, it's fine.
Me and Casey,
we're just hanging out.
Is there anything better
than breasts?
I mean,
breasts are just so perfect.
Okay, man, just chill, okay?
Just chill.
Oh, me and Beth
are doing something
on the 24th for Sam's birthday.
You should bring
your non-girlfriend.
There will be some kids there.
I'll ask her.
We generally don't go out
together much,
but I'll ask her.
'Cause y'all are inside,
having all
that crazy perverted sex.
I don't mean perverted.
I'm sorry.
[Casey] It's a good idea.
-The what?
-This is a good idea.
-The museum? Thank you.
-Mh-hmm.
-I like, I like.
-[chuckles]
I have a good idea
every now and again.
-Okay.
-That's pretty, that's nice.
-It's boring.
-No, look at the texture.
-Texture?
-The shadows on her cheek.
Oh, now.
Of course
you'd like the danger.
-The action.
-Yeah.
The DeCarava thing
should be good.
Now, to that, if you want to,
you can go upstairs
to the third floor and check
out some of that ancient shit.
Ancient shit? [laughs]
What's this?
-It's dope.
-Sodom and Gomorra.
This was painted
by Henry Ossawa Tanner.
Tanner? I never heard of him.
Who's that?
He was the first
truly famous black artist.
This actually hang
in the MET, 1920s.
But yeah, like many others,
he left racist America
for slightly
less racist France.
-Wait, he did?
-Everybody did.
-Wait.
- Baldwin, Nina Simone,
and, I mean, come on.
I didn't ever heard
of this guy.
I will say, I always thought
that Lot's wife got
a pretty raw deal.
She couldn't resist taking
one more glance
over her shoulder and,
in exchange
for that transgression,
that slight transgression,
she got turned
into a pillar of salt.
-Don't look back.
-Yeah,
but she probably was scared.
I'm sure she was scared, but,
yeah, you can't get caught in
what's behind you.
Okay, well,
you can learn from it.
Yes, you can learn from it,
but you can't get stuck in it.
Otherwise, salt.
-Okay.
-Yeah?
Yeah.
Why salt?
-Are you asking me?
-Come on, now.
[coughs] Okay.
[clears his throat]
Why salt? Uh...
Well...
Salt, because you can't hold it
in your hands.
When you try to,
it just slips right through
your fingers.
I think that, perhaps, that is
the point, because you cannot
take it with you.
And when you cannot hold it
in your hands the things
that you love the most,
you just take the things
you can remember.
[glasses clinking]
Yeah.
You see how he painted them?
They're looking ahead,
but there's something
drawing them back.
It's like it's almost static,
but there's
an internal tension.
I mean,
given the circumstances,
I kind of understand.
You know, you are
the one
who said "don't look back."
You know what I mean.
You wanna look back, but...
no matter how much
you look forward,
there's always something...
drawing you back.
-This? That's how he's doing.
-Mh-hmm.
Just like I'm trying
to move forward and...
-[groans dramatically]
-[both laugh]
-Oh, my God.
-Like I'm trying
to move forward.
-Stop.
-[groans dramatically]
[chuckles]
Oh, what's that?
Oh, my goodness.
-Who left that here?
-What is it?
-Oh!
-Wow!
-Just...
just dropped from Heaven.
-Mh-hmm...
-Oh, no.
-Since they're here...
Don't mind if I do.
-Not quite bad.
-Oh, you bad.
You bad, you bad, you bad,
you bad, you bad. Okay.
-Yeah, yeah, yeah.
-Oh! Oh! Oh!
[Casey savors loudly]
[wheezes and laughs]
Shall we?
You are too much.
That's how you did it, right?
Like...
Get me out of here!
-[whispers] Out of here.
-[groans] [giggles]
Momma.
Just...
give me a second, sweetie.
Why did you kiss Roger so hard?
Well, that's just the way
that grown-ups kiss sometimes,
when they feel
a certain way about each other.
Okay?
When they love each other.
Something like that.
When they like
each other a lot.
It's not fair
that you get to see Roger
and I don't.
I never get to see him.
Would you like
to spend some time with Roger?
Yes.
Okay.
We'll see.
I'll ask him, alright?
We'll see.
[soft music and laughter]
Which way? Which way?
Oh! This way...
We're thinking
the same thing...
[Roger]
So, Alan seems to be losing it.
[Casey] How so?
Well, he's been very vocal
about his marital frustrations
and so.
-Hmm.
-Yeah.
But you know,
he got such a good thing
going with Beth.
I don't know why he'd wanna
mess that up.
Sounds like he doesn't know
how to sustain an adult...
[vocalizing] relationship.
-Oh. [chuckles]
You talking about me?
-No!
-But Beth asked me over.
-Yeah?
Yeah, party for Sam's birthday.
I don't know why I'm invited
if it's mostly for children.
It's on the 24th?
-That's it. You're going.
-Ah...
Yeah, yeah. I'll be there.
[singing] Party! It's a party!
-Um...
-What?
Well, nothing. Nothing.
No, when you say nothing,
it means there's something.
-No, it's nothing really.
-Give it up.
-It's nothing. It's...
-Give it up!
It's just that I...
I might be there with someone.
-Oh! Okay.
-Like... a date.
Okay, that's good.
Yeah, I just wanted to let
you know that I'll be there,
you know what I mean,
with somebody. Might.
Might be there
with somebody, so...
-[mocking him]
Thank you for telling me.
-Stop.
-See? You bait too much.
-[laughs]
-[shushes her] Look there.
-I might...
-Bears.
-Stop! Oh, my God!
[Roger laughs]
[both laugh]
-What's this?
-[talks like a child]
-Casey?
-[mimics explosion]
-[Casey laughs]
-Casey.
Oh, Steve!
[Casey sighs] Hey.
-Sorry.
[chuckles] We were just...
-Good to see you.
Yes, good to see you.
[Casey]
What are you doing in New York?
My movie's opening,
at the Metrograph.
-Oh.
-[Steve] We just came in
for the premiere.
This is Dani.
-Hello, it's good to meet you.
-Uh, this is my friend...
[chuckles]
Roger.
-What's up, man?
-What's up, man?
-All right. Hi.
-Yeah.
[Dani] Hi.
So, your movie's opening. Uh...
-That's good.
-[Steve] Yeah, yeah.
-Congrats.
-[Casey]
I read about it in the Times.
Sounds good.
Well,
the response has been good.
You know, we're hopeful.
-Congratulations.
Yeah, it's good.
-[Steve] Thank you.
-How's... how's the gallery?
-Oh, it's fine. I'm...
[chuckles] They're trying
to buy out the block, but...
Yeah, I imagine that property
has appreciated a good bit.
-It was your...
your grandmother's?
-Mh-hmm.
-[Steve] Right?
-Right, yeah.
-I'm not going anywhere.
-[Steve] Well, good for you.
[Steve] I know how much
that gallery has always meant
to you. You hang on to it.
[Steve] Yeah.
Well, nice to see you.
-We'll check it out.
-Alright. Thank you.
[chuckles awkwardly]
Corny.
It's not that I really care.
Yeah.
You never told me
he was Mr. Cool.
-That sweater...
-Condescending prick.
Dani seemed nice, though.
-Oh!
-[chuckles] I hate you.
[coughs]
Why do you think
we drink so much
when we're together?
Smoke so much? You abuse
yourself like this
with anybody else?
-Do you?
-[groans]
Do you?
No. I guess I don't.
[yawns]
So, you said somebody's
trying to buy you out?
It's a giant...
[sigh]
construction project next door,
buying up the block.
-Yeah.
-How long have you been
dealing with that?
A while.
And you kept that
to yourself, did you?
[chuckles]
Whose business is it but mine?
Well... [snorts] Okay, alright.
But what you wanna do?
-Are you thinking
about selling?
-Get the fuck outta here.
-What?
-No fucking way.
Awesome.
-You know, the...
-[sighs]
"The property value is
appreciating quite a bit."
The fuck was that?
-He's the worst.
-Yeah.
But you're seeing somebody.
Right?
[mocking her] Whose business
is that but mine?
-Tell me. Tell me about her.
-What you wanna know?
-Her name? Her name is Nicole.
-Nicole.
-Yeah. You do not know her.
-How do you figure I don't?
-I know, I know you.
-It's Brooklyn.
I know who you know,
and you don't know her.
-Okay?
-Okay.
-But she's cool.
-Yeah?
She's cool.
She's, uh... She's...
An open person. Honest.
-Super honest about...
Radically honest.
-Mh-hmm.
Yeah.
About what she wants and needs,
to a fault sometimes, but...
Yeah, I guess she has to be.
-Yeah?
-Yeah, she's got a little girl.
Her husband died
in an accident.
-Jesus!
-Yeah.
So, I don't know
what's gonna happen,
but, for now, you know,
we're seeing each other
and it's good.
[groans]
-But what about you? You...?
-Hmm...
-Aye, aye.
-Me? No.
No one special.
No, no, no
-Okay, I kinda knew. [chuckles]
-What do you mean?
I knew
you were seeing somebody!
-What?
-Oh, yeah.
-How did you know?
-Ah, Beth told me.
-What? She told you?
-A few weeks ago.
-Wait, so, a few weeks ago?
-[Casey laughs]
Okay.
You want some?
-Ah, thanks.
-You're welcome.
Alright...
-Million-dollar question.
-Yeah.
-How goes it?
-I... I'm working on it.
And it is in progress.
-Is there a date
attached to it?
-[Roger chuckles]
-I will do the best I can.
-Oh, super wrong answer.
You actually just
don't have more time.
Look, I just don't understand
what the big deal is, okay?
Like, I'm trying to...
I'm trying to, like,
create something here, okay?
I'm trying to put something new
into the world.
And I think you would agree
with me
that this idea of the...
Sorry, "the evolving city"
doesn't really align
with the world around us,
the Brooklyn around us.
You got hired
because you just made us
all so excited
about this renewed city
and all the feelings
we were feeling after being
locked up. It was about joy...
Yeah, but that was just
bullshit, it was bullshit
and you know it was bullshit.
It's why I hired you.
And now you want what?
Like, reverse it?
And like, just...
Talk about how we've devolved
and how miserable it is?
I thought you hired me because
you believe in me, you believe
in what I have to say,
and now I have something
to say that is different
to what I had to say then.
So, shouldn't you
also believe in that?
So, we were given
some time to talk
about those things,
because the world was
in a place to receive them,
and now it is no longer
on that place.
And that free moment
of black expression?
That's over.
So, now you need
to write the piece
about Brooklyn evolving.
And you need to turn it in
on time, so that we both
don't lose our jobs.
Yeah, great.
Great.
You are really...
a wonderful editor.
-Thank you so much
for your time.
-Oh, don't. Don't act
-like I'm the worst person
in the world.
-I mean it.
No, you're the best.
Thank you for the drink.
It's the fibular...
No, hold on. I'm
on the wrong page. Here we go.
-It's the fibularis tertius.
-[chuckles] Yeah.
-Well done.
-Yeah.
-That is great, thank you.
-My pleasure.
Are you trying to butter me up?
You just really want me
to go to this party.
Well...
I do want you to go.
You're invited and...
there will be
other kids there for Ally.
Sure. But do you want me to go?
Of course I do.
So...
This is a... [sighs]
[chuckles]
I don't know what this is.
Ally wants to go
on a date with you.
A date?
She's a little jealous
and she said
she wants to see more of you.
-What do you think?
-Okay. Yeah, of course.
So, uh...
What-- what do you think?
-Dinner and a show?
-Uh...
You haven't spent much time
around kids, have you?
-No, not really.
-[giggles]
-Just pick her up after school.
-Okay.
-Take her to the playground.
-Check.
Maybe offer some ice cream.
She'll be thrilled.
-Great. Done.
-Yeah.
Got it.
Do you wanna...?
Yeah, we'll shut him.
Did you bring any weed?
I did not.
-I thought...
-What a shame.
Thought you said
you wanna be good.
Oh, I know.
But, lately, I've just...
-I've been feeling bad.
-Bad?
[inhales] Bad.
Oh...
-Oh, "bad."
-Quite bad.
-Oh, shit...
-Quite.
Quite bad.
[Lorna, loudly]
Oh, my god!
What are you talking about?
Of course, I'm just so thrilled
that I got a grant. A grant!
I mean,
do you hear me right now?
I have a grant!
It's like
I'm finally something!
Oh, dear!
But you know what? I don't have
anything to complain about,
except when I think
about traveling.
Oh my god! JFK is a nightmare,
just trying
to get there is a nightmare.
[kids playing]
[Nicole] Wow, okay.
-Never done this for Ally.
-I mean,
you've got to pin the date.
-What?
Is Lorna wearing you out?
-Is an elephant heavy?
What you all talkin' about?
-The littles.
-Mh-hmm
-[Beth] She's adorable.
-[Nicole] Thank you.
Ally!
[Alan] Let's play a game, OK?
I like her, Roger.
-Yeah?
-[giggles]
Okay, me too.
Yeah, I'm so glad
she was able to come!
I appreciate you inviting us.
Thank you.
Don't thank me,
-thank Alan.
It was really his idea.
-Yeah?
Honestly,
I think he just wanted
to get a little look at her.
Anytime any one of our friends
finds somebody new,
Alan gets like a little fever.
Okay... Okay.
My husband is obsessed
with the idea
of having an affair.
I know my name's Bennet,
and I ain't in it.
No, but he wouldn't do it.
-[Beth] You know, y'all talk.
-[Roger] Yeah.
-It would take too much energy.
-[groans]
And I just wanted
to say I'm sorry
for inviting Casey without...
-It was before Alan
told me about Nicole.
-It's fine, it's fine.
Me and Casey are cool.
Really, we cool.
-Ain't no problem.
-Okay.
As a matter of fact,
just the other day, I met one
of her guys and it was fine.
Oh, uh...
Who do you mean? Jason?
Jason? No, Steve. I met Steve.
-Oh, yeah, Steve.
Yeah. He... Mh-hmm.
-Yeah. The guy who...
He has a movie coming out.
-At the Metrograph. Yeah.
-At the Metrograph, yeah. Yeah.
But you didn't tell me
who Jason was.
Who's Jason?
-No, no, I don't know.
-You don't know?
-You know what?
-[giggles]
It's fine. Whatever it is,
I know it ain't serious,
otherwise
she would have told me.
-She'll tell me
when she's ready.
-Exactly.
-Where she's at, anyway?
-I don't know.
But, you know,
she did say something
about running late.
-Some Jason issues?
-No, it was probably just work.
Okay.
Yes,
she's been really busy lately.
[phone vibrates]
Hello?
Yeah, I was gonna call you
first thing tomorrow, but yes.
Everything is set.
The piece
is going out on Monday.
And you can... When you see
this finishes up...
Mh-hmm.
Alright.
Alright.
Okay.
That isn't exactly
what we talked about, I...
Right, but my client has worked
really hard.
She's giving you exactly...
Okay.
Oh, no. Oh, my God,
you know I understand.
Of course.
Okay. Yeah.
Yeah, you have my number
if anything changes.
Alright, bye.
[whispers] Fuck.
Massages,
just massaging people just...
all day long.
It's one way to make a living.
I'm actually just starting
to roll up some clients.
In case you ever need
some body work.
Uh, I will.
I'll give you a call.
-For body work.
-For body work.
-If I need body work.
-Good.
Any body work.
-Hey.
-Hey.
-Networking.
-You know.
Why do you think I came?
-I was asking myself
the same question.
-[chuckles]
By the way,
I think Ally
might be getting a little...
Yeah, she's overtired.
We should probably
head out soon.
-Okay.
-Um...
-Alan.
-Yes.
-It was really nice
to meet you.
-You too. Good to meet you too.
And I'll make sure
to give you a call
for body work.
-For body work, okay.
-For body work.
-Not rub work.
-I'm gonna go
say goodbye to Beth.
Alright, okay, you do you.
-What's up, man?
-How you doing, man?
-I'm alright. How you doing?
-You made
some moves out there, bro.
Yeah, thank you,
I appreciate it. You think
you might be getting a massage?
-No, of course not.
-You sure?
I'm past it, man.
I don't need a massage.
So you probably
don't need this thing.
OK... [mumbles]
-You ready?
-Momma,
can I just say goodbye to Sam?
Sure, but don't take too long.
Okay? We really need to go.
You know,
I've been watching you.
You have?
All day, and it turns out
you are very beautiful
by daylight.
-Thank you.
-Yeah.
-I might have been
watching you too.
-Really?
-Mh-hmm.
-And?
I was wondering something.
You have evening plans?
[snorts] Not yet.
Make me an offer.
Well, she should knock-out
around 9:00, 9:30.
-Mh-hmm.
-You think, hopefully?
Keep a light on for me.
[phone vibrating]
-Hey.
-[Casey, through phone] Hi.
-[Casey, through phone]
How you doing?
-I'm good, good.
-How you doing?
-[Casey, through phone] Uh...
I'm sorry
I didn't make it earlier today.
I meant to, I just...
Oh, I am not having a good day.
-It feels like... You know?
-You alright?
[Casey, through phone]
I'm okay. Just had a hard time
getting out of the house.
Ah, okay. Well...
-We... we missed you.
-[Casey, through phone]
Ah, good.
I'm feeling
a little antisocial.
You know what I'm saying?
-[Roger, through phone]
Yeah, yeah.
-You know how it is.
-How was it?
-Uh... Yeah, it was cool.
-I mostly just hanged out
with Beth.
-And I miss Beth.
-I really like her.
-[Roger, through phone]
She's good people.
[Roger, through phone] You know
how she makes everybody
feel at home.
Anyway, Casey,
it's just not a great time.
I was about to head out, so...
Okay. Um...
I don't wanna hold you up.
I'm just not having
the greatest day,
and I could use a friend.
[Roger, through phone]
Yeah, yeah.
I'm sorry, it's just not
a great time. I was just about
to walk out the door.
Hello?
Okay.
Well, I was just checking in.
[exhales]
Thank you for talking.
I'll talk to you soon.
[Roger, through phone]
Yeah, yeah, sure.
[Roger, through phone] Me...
You know where to find me.
I'll be here.
I'm avoiding work, so...
Anytime, you just let me know,
-and we'll make it happen,
okay?
-Okay, I'd like that.
Actually, I'm gonna be
in your neighborhood
on Tuesday, visiting a studio.
I don't know
if you'll be around.
[Roger, through phone]
Tuesday? Yeah.
Yeah, that should be cool.
I'll be... Oh, wait, hold on.
Actually, no. That's my...
There might be a date.
You have a date?
Yeah.
With, uh...
Nicole's daughter.
Nicole's daughter.
Mh-hmm. I'm taking her
to the playground.
Playground.
Sounds like you
finally found your level.
[snorts] Shut up.
Anyway, any day besides Tuesday
is cool, so just let me know
and we'll do it.
Alright, enjoy.
Bye, Roger.
Bye.
[soft piano music]
[sighs]
-I do.
-You're high.
-I'm not.
-You're so high.
-You've got beautiful eyes too.
-It's been a while
since I had sex high.
-I feel like I'm in college.
-You've gotta be careful.
Don't let
all these partying
mess up your G.P.A.
We gonna... up.
-It was fun
hanging with you today.
-Yeah.
-In the daylight.
-Hmm.
Your friends are nice.
Yeah, they're cool.
They're cool.
It was kinda odd how people
were sizing me up, though.
Sizing us up.
Hmm, you noticed that too?
-Hard to miss.
-Yeah, yeah.
Is that weird for you?
I thought Casey
was supposed to be there.
Yeah, I don't know...
I don't know
why she didn't come.
-I hope
it wasn't because of me.
-I doubt it.
-You two ever talk about me?
-No.
I mean,
of course I've mentioned you.
You know,
but not much more than that.
Really?
Yeah, really.
We don't really talk about,
you know, relationships.
-Never?
-Well...
I mean, more or less.
Give or take.
-[chuckles]
-What?
-Why are you?
-Why don't you just
get back together?
Oh, Lord.
Come on, Nicole.
Me and her? No.
No.
Why?
Why? Nicole.
-I mean, you love her.
Don't you?
-Can you stop, please?
-What?
-Please.
No, it's fine.
I don't mind.
I can't mind. I really...
I really don't.
-You love her.
-Look...
-We had our time, right?
And it was good.
-Mh-hmm.
But, you know,
it just didn't work out for us.
In that way, so...
Yeah, outside the realm
of possibility.
Must make it easier for you.
Having someone else attend
to your physical needs.
Oh, come on.
I guess...
-It does make it easier
to deal with her.
-So you are just using me.
-Yes, I am.
-[gasps]
-You asshole!
-Well, you don't mind.
-All your women.
-All my women?
What are you talking about?
-You think
I'm just out here like...
-[laughs]
"Come to me. Come."
Fun.
-But what if it came up?
-What?
You two getting back together.
What would you do?
It... It won't come up.
But what if it did?
What if you just talked
about it.
Yeah, but we won't, so...
-Hear me out.
-Okay.
What if...
it did?
It won't. We won't.
-Okay.
-Look...
She's apparently already seeing
some other dude, okay?
Oh, please. [sighs]
That's not going anywhere.
She's gonna break up
with him soon.
What?
Beth told me today.
Does everybody know
about her love life
except for me?
Apparently.
Great.
Mama?
-One second, Ally.
-Well, that's my cue.
-Wait, no.
-What?
It's late. Stay the night.
Stay?
Yeah.
-Uh...
-Hey, I'm sorry I pushed it.
I...
The truth is I feel
a little weird right now.
I think I need to...
just take a beat.
But if the offer stands,
then maybe...
Maybe next time?
See you Tuesday.
Tuesday?
Oh, right.
Tuesday in the park with Ally.
Bring it on.
[soft music]
Hey.
Thank you for coming yesterday.
Come on, man.
You don't gotta thank me.
Of course. It was great.
Nicole seems very nice.
Yeah, yeah. She is.
She actually wanted me to stay
over last night for the first
time. With the kid.
[chuckles]
Yeah, it was a lot, so...
So I split.
I mean,
we were talking about Casey...
You were talking
about Casey with Nicole?
-Yeah.
-No, man, that seems kind of...
Actually, healthy.
-Yeah.
-Huh...
I got twisted up,
so I had to get out of there.
Did you wanna stay, though?
With Nicole? Yeah, yeah.
Uh... No.
Both, neither.
Look, bro,
I'm no expert on any of this.
I'm really not an expert.
Hey, man. Hey, hey.
Focus.
Look, man, as a friend,
I'm just telling you.
"All of the above"
is not an answer.
You've got to find
your way to the center of this.
"Got to find your way
to the center of this."
That sounds like therapy.
-Are you seeing a therapist?
-No, no more.
I don't, but I did.
When I did, she told me to get
to the center,
so you get to the center.
[phone beeps]
[Editor, voice message]
Hey, Roger. It's your favorite
editor, just checking in.
I hope the piece is ready soon.
We really, really need to have
the draft of it.
No pressure, of course.
Absolutely no pressure.
Just kidding. All the pressure.
We really need to get it in.
Can you let me know
what's going on?
[beep]
[construction noise]
-Are you good?
-Mh-hmm. I am.
[Casey] I am.
Kind of a rough weekend.
Yeah, I hear that.
Don't even get me
started on mine.
[construction noise]
So, are you like anything?
What does it matter?
I can't sell anything
anymore anyway, right?
I mean, you were excited about
what you were going
to see today, right?
Mh-hmm.
[loud construction noise]
[phone ringing]
Hello?
Oh, hi, Ms. Percy.
[Assistant] Yeah.
One second,
let me check for you.
It's Lorna Percy.
Yes, give me one second.
Hey, Lorna.
And then the other two
were in the cage,
but there was an animal
that dug a hole under the cage,
then got them.
-What kinda animal was that?
-Mh-hmm
[kids playing]
I used to have
a puppy when I...
You okay?
Are you...
-tired?
-Yes.
Let me take your bag.
How about a piggy-back ride?
Oh, okay.
I'm getting old.
Alright?
-You having fun?
-Yeah.
I'm glad, me too.
[kids playing]
-Roger, look!
-What?
-That tree. Can I go climb it?
-[chuckles]
Ah, I think that's a little
too high for you, Ally.
My daddy lets me climb things
all the time.
-Does he?
-Yes.
Okay.
Okay.
Have fun, go ahead.
Uh, hi.
-You stalking me?
-No.
-[chuckles] Well...
-[chuckles] Not really.
I told you
I had to see
something over here.
-Mh-hmm.
-And I decided to take
a walk in the park,
and the gallery's
uninhabitable, so...
I remember you said
you might be here
with your little girl.
[chuckles]
Wait, with my little girl?
I want to see her.
If you don't mind.
I don't mind at all,
it's totally fine.
She's over there.
-Which one?
-Right there, right...
-Hey, Ally.
-Aww.
-Ally?
-Yeah, Ally.
Hey, Ally,
this is my friend Casey.
Casey, well, okay.
This is Ally.
Hello.
-What are you...? Wait.
-Hi, Ally.
It is very nice to meet you.
-Are you two going to kiss?
-What?
[Ally] Are you two
going to kiss on the lips?
-Ah... No, Ally,
Casey's my friend.
-My mom's your friend.
Yeah, but she's
a different kind of friend.
It's different
because you love her?
Ah... Well, Ally,
there's all kinds of love,
you know.
[Ally] Don't you love her?
It's not... It's...
In a different,
I guess, sort of way, yeah.
Ally, grown-ups
can be so impossible,
can't they?
What are we gonna do?
-Bubbles!
-Bubbles.
Well, it turns out human beings
are pretty complicated
after all.
Yeah. She's just trying
to figure stuff out.
Yeah, well, maybe she can
teach me something
when she does figure that.
-Hmm, anyway...
-Yeah.
-I'm going to Lorna's
for dinner tonight.
-Okay.
-She invited some folks over.
-Hmm.
Yeah, gotta keep
the costumers satisfied.
You know,
she's basically
keeping us open.
I thought you said
that new sale
was gonna pay you well.
Not so much, so...
-Oh, shit. I'm sorry.
-Whatever.
Lorna's fine.
And she's funny, at least.
-Yeah, I guess. I guess.
-Mh-hmm.
Do you wanna come back later
and rescue me? Maybe?
What is that?
-Thanks.
-It's all good.
You know, I would, but I think
I'm probably
gonna be busy, so...
But I'll give you
a call if I can.
-Okay.
-Alright.
Here, come on.
-Have fun.
-Alright.
[slow music, kids playing]
Ally, having fun?
-[Ally screams playfully]
-Is she yours?
-Yeah, well, for the day.
-Don't let the bubbles get you!
It's good
that you have a fun daddy.
[Ally] He's not my daddy.
My daddy's in heaven.
I'm sorry.
It's okay.
It's okay.
Hey, Ally, you wanna go?
-Sorry about that.
-It's alright. It's okay.
[doorbell rings]
[sighs]
Is it good?
Wanna put
a little black pepper on it?
Is that you over there
in that picture?
It is?
Cute.
Hey, this was delicious.
-Thank you.
-Yeah, my pleasure.
And I like a home-cooked meal.
You should eat at your home.
Sure, but your mother makes
the best curry chicken
I have ever had.
Do you ever eat
with that other lady?
-Other lady?
-The lady at the park.
-Oh, you mean Casey.
-[Ally] Yeah.
[Ally]
Don't you ever eat with Casey?
We ran into her
at the park today.
-Okay.
-I told her
we were gonna be there,
so she showed up.
She was working in the area.
I think she really just
came to laugh at me.
-[Ally] Roger?
-Yeah?
-Don't you ever eat with Casey?
-No, not really.
Why not?
She's just not the kind
of friend I eat with, usually.
Most of the time
I eat all by myself.
But you know
what I really like?
Eating with you
and your mother.
You know what? Why don't I...?
Why don't I do the dishes?
-That'd be great.
-I can... Here.
-Can I pick that.
-No.
You don't want me to do
the dishes? Your mother
did all the cooking.
No.
Ah, would you like it, maybe,
if Roger read you a story?
No. No,
I don't want Roger at home.
I want Roger to go.
[sighs] At the park today,
someone thought I was her dad.
And how did that go?
"Daddy's in heaven."
Yes.
Yes, he is.
Why don't I just...?
Thank you.
Ally?
-Yes?
-You wanna go upstairs?
-Yes.
-Okay.
Come on, let's go.
Alright, I've got you.
It's good.
Okay.
Thank you for taking her
to the park.
That was nice of you.
Yeah, of course.
-And thank you for dinner.
-Sure.
-It was delicious.
-Goodnight, Roger.
Hey, listen. Uh...
I was just thinking
that if I... If I said
something wrong
or did something wrong,
I'm sorry.
You know not everything
is about you, yeah?
-Okay. My bad.
-Yeah.
I don't know,
this is just all...
a lot more...
difficult...
than I thought it would be.
It's been really hard giving up
on the idea
of the way that things...
should have been.
And, like, I know I'm supposed
to put the past
behind me, but...
I don't want to.
I don't wanna put it behind me,
and Ally...
Anyway, uh...
-Anyway, thanks again.
-I'm s...
Good night.
[melancholic music]
Hey.
Still at Lorna's?
-[people laughing]
-[Roger] She was in...
Was it Florence?
[Lorna]
Oh, it's a fucking hellhole.
[Lorna] I'm just telling you,
it's a fucking hellhole.
-[Roger] A hellhole?
-[Lorna] Yes.
-Florence?
-[Lorna] Yes.
-Florence, Italy?
-Yes, it is a fucking hellhole.
I mean, it just needs
to disappear beneath the waves.
It just needs
to sink into the ocean.
Yeah, I think you might be
talking about Venice.
-[Lorna] Wait, wait, no. Not...
-Yeah, Venice, with the canals.
[Lorna] I know about Venice.
I have not been to Venice,
I hear
it's supposedly stunning. No.
Yeah, a lot of people would say
the same thing about Florence.
[Lorna]
Well, like there's people
in the world. Okay.
This is where you wanna live,
not there. Horrible!
Are you okay?
Not crosses. It's not Basquiat!
Can we move on from Basquiat?
Do we all need
to do the same thing?
[Lorna] This is
what I'm talking about,
people. This is what art is.
Not a fucking Virgin.
It's just... It's a feeling.
-[Lorna] You have great art.
-Hmm.
[Lorna] Great art.
And honestly, I do too,
-because
I keep coming back to you.
-I appreciate you deeply.
-[Lorna] Oh,
I appreciate you too.
-Yes, yes.
Do you know how many times
people told me
I should be a critic?
-I mean,
walk around my house...
-Hey, wanna take a walk?
-Mh-hmm.
-[Lorna] I preach things
that are real.
And I just feel like
a lot of these art galleries
don't have it,
but my girl here, you have it.
I love you so much.
Thank you for having us.
[Lorna] Thank you
for this beautiful
piece of art.
-[Lorna] Oh, my god.
What an eye!
-Yeah, it's beautiful.
So many people tell me
I'm the one with the eye,
and I have to agree.
But you need to take a break,
go somewhere.
-Oh, I'd love to.
-You know
what's really great right now?
Bora Bora.
Honey, you should go there,
like, yesterday.
-You know what I did
when I went there?
-I had such a early morning...
-Thank you so much for coming.
-I love you.
Thank you for having me.
This piece is remarkable!
Thanks for having me,
I appreciate it.
It was great. It was delicious.
-Thanks. See you later.
-[Lorna] I love you.
-Bye.
-[Lorna] I'm sorry,
I'm just jetlagged.
[Lorna] I have such a headache.
No, it's like I don't know
how to talk to kids.
Like,
I try to, but they just...
I don't know.
I just end up
resorting to bad comedy.
What's bad comedy?
Bad comedy, like bad jokes.
Like, just making faces
-and waving my arms around.
-Hmm.
I think kids like it
when you make faces
and wave your arms around.
-You think so?
-You're probably doing
it exactly right.
You're sweet, but I don't know.
[puffs] I don't know
anything about kids.
For real. I mean,
I barely remember being a kid.
-Because you still are one.
-[Roger chuckles] Funny.
But, for real. I think about,
like, my past. Right?
How do you know,
you know what I mean,
how to be a good dad?
You just,
I guess, figure it out.
But with me,
it's like kids have this,
like, an errant instinct.
You know what I mean?
It's like they see
right through me
and know they can't trust me.
[Casey] I saw you with her.
She likes you, you did well.
-Yeah?
-I think
you are being hard on yourself.
A little girl, she's kinda been
through some things and...
You can't expect you
to just accept you
as a father figure.
[chuckles]
Father figure? Oh, boy.
-That's not exactly
what I mean.
-It's not?
-No, not exactly.
-In a relationship
with a single mother,
you're gonna have
to think about that.
Okay. Alright.
Well, thank you for the advice.
-I appreciate it. Uh-huh.
-Uh-huh. Not what I'm doing.
Well,
it sounded like advice to me.
In some ways,
you're probably
the perfect person to...
No, I'm the worst person
to be giving you any kind of...
direction on... You know.
-[Casey] Anyway.
-Anyway.
[mimicking Lorna] Anyway,
we took the train to Rome.
To Rome!
[mimicking Lorna]
Oh, my God. Like,
I basically smell Marmite.
-Yeah, you did.
-You know?
And there was, like...
There was, like,
razorblades on the sea.
-Razorblades?
We had to sit on them.
-What? Yeah.
-We had to sit on them.
-Totally cut cooch.
-Exactly! Cut...
-Cut cooch.
All the things.
-And why?
-Alright, alright.
-Because of a fucking grant.
-I have to pee.
Move your leg, I beg.
Move, move. Seriously.
Hey, man. Let me just...
-Hey, hey.
-Hey, hey.
-Do you want another?
-No, no.
Why? You wanna go outside?
You are the Devil.
Yes. Yes, I am.
[Casey] Thank you,
thank you, thank you.
I'm Garfield.
[Roger laughs]
-[Casey] Hey!
-[Roger] What's that?
-[Roger] I've got you.
-[Casey] Oh, my God.
[Roger] Oh! It's time.
-[Casey] Thank God for you.
-[Roger] Oh, oh, oh!
Bam!
Mine. Mine.
-What?
-What?
Okay.
Okay.
-What was that?
-Uh...
-Casey, I...
-Oh, no!
-No?
-Oh... No, don't say that.
What?
You didn't even know what it is
that I was gonna say.
No, it's just not true.
You know?
You don't even know what it is.
I don't want you
to say it. Fuck.
-Come here. Come here.
-No.
No! Don't say, it's not true.
-Hey!
-Don't say it.
You don't mean it.
No!
[stutters]
Why are you messing with me?
-[whispers] Oh, my God.
-Hey!
Hey!
Casey!
Are you...?
Are you messing with me?
You don't know what you want.
It makes you strange.
-I'm not
the only strange one here.
-Am I saying otherwise?
Well...
You don't think
I know how fucked-up I am?
I want everything...
and I want nothing.
Every time
I try to get close to you,
I can't.
And if you were honest
with yourself,
you would admit...
you can't either.
Because if you wanted to,
you would.
-It's just too tangled.
Just let it go.
-I don't understand.
I'm supposed to be the only one
being honest?
Is that what it is?
-What do you mean?
-When we were together,
you never told me
you were unhappy.
You just broke it off.
I mean, shit!
You don't know what you want!
I do know what I want!
Well, say it.
Let it go.
I need to take this.
Okay, I'll talk to you later.
Goodnight. Bye.
[dramatic music]
[sighs]
Don't look back.
Don't look back.
[dramatic music continues]
[sighs]
[knocks on the door]
[rings the bell]
[knocks on the door]
[knocks on the door]
[knocks on the door]
[knocks on the door]
-[knocks on the door]
-Oh!
What the fuck, Roger?
You scared the shit out of me.
What are you doing here?
[sighs] It's, uh... I was...
in the neighborhood. [chuckles]
-You're drunk, actually.
-No, not exactly.
You've been with Casey.
And now you wanna come over.
-A quick one on your way home.
-[sighs] God, that's...
-That's not exactly
how I would put it.
-Mh-hmm.
And how exactly
would you put it?
Nice night.
-Romance is in the air.
-[chuckles]
God, I miss Steven.
I miss him so fucking much.
Like...
you can't even imagine.
You can't.
You can't even imagine.
I mean, I'm a human being.
You know? I have needs.
Does that make me a bad person?
I'm a decent person, right?
A drunken man, showing up
at my door in the middle
of the night now.
This is
what it's come to. After...
everything, it's come to this.
[snorts]
Alright, then.
Come on in.
Come on in, king.
That's what you want.
Come on in.
You know?
I'll mix up a bunch
of pina coladas, and we can...
rumba down the way.
No. Seriously, come on in.
No?
No.
[melancholic music]
[pants]
[melancholic classical music]
[doorbell rings]
Hey.
I'm sorry.
-Hey.
-Did I wake you up?
I'm glad you're here, actually.
I...
I said some things
last night that...
I don't know what got into me,
probably too much alcohol.
Are you alright?
Oh, no. Wait,
sit here. Sit here.
I don't think you're strange.
[groans]
Thank you.
-I'm strange enough, in my way.
-Mh-hmm.
Casey.
I think...
I think we should take a break.
-From?
-Us.
Do you know what I mean?
Mh-hmm.
It's just all this messing,
it's tangled up. It's...
Don't. Don't do that.
We're not doing each other
no favors. You know?
So...
Yeah,
I think it's best that we...
-take a break.
-Take a break.
-Yeah.
-Get it.
Okay.
Alright.
A break is good.
It's all good.
Take a break.
Yeah. Okay.
Okay.
Talk soon?
Uh...
[sighs] Not soon.
Okay, bye.
[melancholic music]
-Hi.
-Hi.
Hello.
You're, uh...You're
without your friend today.
-Friend?
-Mh-hmm.
-Your homeboy with the bike.
-Oh, yeah. Yeah.
-Yeah, you're
with him almost everyday.
-Yeah, yeah.
Oh, so you noticed.
I did.
And your cool tie collection.
-Thank you.
-Yeah, no problem.
-I'm Adele, by the way.
-Alan.
Nice to meet you, Alan.
I was wondering...
Hello?
You were wondering.
I was wondering
what I should get
my wife for her birthday.
Her birthday is tomorrow,
and I haven't gotten her
anything yet, because...
Because I'm an idiot.
Don't be so hard on yourself.
I'm sure
you will think of something.
You don't have to overthink it.
Guys always think too much.
Just keep it simple.
And whatever you do,
don't forget the flowers.
-Flowers?
-Yeah.
Flowers are nice.
Flowers are really nice.
Can't go wrong.
-Thanks.
-My pleasure.
Anyway, uh...
-I've gotta roll.
-You have yourself
a lovely day.
-Absolutely, I will.
-I hope she loves the flowers.
-Alright.
-Hey, your...
-You don't wanna forget that.
-Thank you.
[chuckles]
[soft music]
[Roger, voiceover]
The city was perfect,
when I first got here.
[Roger, voiceover] I mean,
nobody ever said
it was an easy place.
[Roger, voiceover]
In those early days? Sure.
[Roger, voiceover]
Sometimes life could be tough.
[Roger, voiceover]
It was dirty.
[Roger, voiceover]
It was crowded. It was loud.
[Roger, voiceover]
But none of that
really mattered.
Twist had also found
a very special friend.
A friend different
than he ever imagined.
But, sometimes,
they are the best friends...
[yawning] ...of all.
-That's a good story.
-Yeah?
I like that the little pony
found a friend.
He wouldn't be lonely anymore.
-Do you sometimes feel lonely?
-No, because you're here.
[chuckles]
It's okay if you do, you know?
Good.
[Roger, voiceover]
The vast imperfections only
made the city more perfect,
this quaint,
wonderful universe to explore,
to find my way in,
to become a part of.
[Roger, voiceover]
Everything seemed inviting,
there was something intriguing
in every single block,
down every street.
If I tell you that the guys
next door called again,
please don't yell at me.
[Roger, voiceover]
It was complete,
and it was perfect.
[Roger, voiceover]
And then, my perfect,
complete city started to shift.
Do you know I've had this place
since I graduated from college?
My grandmother died,
left the building to me.
I had this Art History degree,
all these artist friends...
and I just loved it so much.
It was a lot of work
to get this place going.
But...
Different city,
back then.
Don't worry, Riley. I...
I know people.
There are other galleries.
You'll find something.
Where are you going?
Uh...
I'm gonna go next door,
and see what the neighbors
have to offer.
It's been nice.
[Roger, voiceover]
Little by little, bit by bit,
things turned,
revolved, broke up,
and got put back together.
[Roger, voiceover]
Spaces got filled up.
Other spaces emptied out.
[Roger, voiceover]
The streets seemed
to lead to the same places,
but the places
weren't the same.
Things that I assumed
were permanent
just disappeared,
replaced by bigger things,
newer things,
less familiar things.
[Roger, voiceover]
What was this place now?
[Roger, voiceover]
It wasn't mine anymore.
[Roger, voiceover]
I still lived here,
but all too often,
I felt like a stranger.
[Roger, voiceover]
The lost livable neighborhoods,
the lost sense that anyone
could come here
and anything could happen.
[Roger, voiceover] Sometimes,
I close my eyes
and I can still hear it.
[Roger, voiceover] It sounds
like the same as it ever was,
it smells the same.
[Roger, voiceover]
It feels the same.
It's right there.
[Roger, voiceover]
But then I open my eyes,
and it's not,
something has been lost.
[Roger, voiceover]
But, when I look
at the new city
with fresh eyes,
I have to admit that,
despite everything...
it is still a wonder.
[Roger, voiceover]
It still has magic,
just different magic.
[Roger, voiceover] I mourn
the loss of my old city,
but I don't live there anymore.
[Roger, voiceover]
I live in this one,
and this one
has wonders of its own.
[Roger, voiceover]
Something has been lost,
something has been gained.
[Roger, voiceover]
And it's possible to love
something and let go of it.
[Roger, voiceover]
It's also possible
to love something new
in a different way.
[Nicole] Two! OK, ready?
[Nicole] One, two. One, two.
One, one. Ha!
[laughs]
OK.
OK. One, two. One two.
One, two, two! [laughs]
OK.
Who are you waving at?
Hi, Roger!
-Hey, Ally.
-Hey, Roger.
Hey. I was just running by.
I saw you,
and thought I'd say hello.
Oh, you interrupted
your run for us. Wow.
[chuckles]
Please, please interrupt.
I was struggling.
-Hey.
-Where have you been?
I've been working.
Finishing some things.
-It's very boring.
-[giggles]
Anyway, I just wanted
to say hello, and...
have a good day.
[Ally whisper]
Can we tell Roger
to come eat ice cream with us?
-Yeah? Would you like that?
-[whispers] Yes.
So, we just finished lunch,
and thought it'd be nice to go
and get some ice cream
by the lake.
Would you like to join us?
Unless you're running.
You're running.
Hey...
I can walk.
-Strawberry with sprinkles?
-[Ally] Yeah.
[Roger] Alright.
-[Ally] And one scoop
of vanilla ice cream.
-[Roger] Oh, okay.
-Is there an ice cream spot
around here?
-[Nicole] I don't know.
We'll just have to walk
across the park and find out.
What's the worst
that could happen?
[Roger]
We could get attacked by bears.
[Ally giggles]
There's no bears in the park.
[Roger]
Say what? You don't think so?
[Nicole]
No, there are no bears, Roger.
[Roger]
Oh, bears come out and get you.
-[rawrs]
-[Ally laughs]
No, you're funny.
-I will always keep thinking
you're silly.
-[Nicole laughs]
[Roger] You think I'm silly?
-Alright.
-[Ally] You're always so silly.
[Roger]
Okay, you keep thinking that.
[soft music]
[funky music]
[Roger] Evolving city?
What in the world is that?
Look at all this obscene money
just flowing in, right?
Like, it's just erasing
the culture. It's just, like,
smashing everything.
And the people, right?
The people, the community.
This community, right?
Which was so beautiful,
which was one of the few places
where, like, folks could live
with, like, grace and dignity.
Right? And the people who,
like, made the neighborhood,
who built the culture,
can no longer afford to live
in the damn neighborhood.
But it's evolving? No, no.
Hell, no. I'd say that shit is
devolving, if anything.
-You need to right that.
-Apparently.
That's not the story
that I pitched, and it's not
what their readers wanna hear.
As long as I've known you,
you're always "Oh,
I don't know, I can't do it.
I can't do it."
And you get it done.
-Yeah, yeah. Maybe.
-You always get it done.
-Maybe in the past I did it.
-Yeah, don't start with me.
I know you.
-I'm not trying to...
-I've known you a long time.
-You think you know me.
-I know you!
-You think you do.
-And you always figure it out.
Maybe in the past
I've gotten it done.
But I'm telling you,
this time
I'm completely gone. [sighs]
Man, I've gotta figure out
something to tell them
or put them off somehow.
What if you told them
the truth?
Right, and have them think
that I'm an incurable fuck-up?
That,
or that it's just taking you
a little longer
than you thought
and you need a month or so.
Which they will hear
as "incurable fuck-up."
Anyway, should we get a...
get another one of these?
-I thought you had to work.
-Yeah, I do have to work,
but one work is not gonna
make me any more stupid.
Hi, can we get one more?
-Than I already am.
-Sorry,
I have an early date tomorrow.
-[Casey] I can't.
-Right, yes. Good.
-Good.
-Two checks, separate.
Hey, I'm happy to...
I can take care of it,
it's fine.
-Separate.
-I've got it.
Yeah.
Okay. [snorts]
Thank you. Hey, listen.
I was thinking about
this DeCarava show
up at the museum. I thought
maybe you'd like to go
check it out with me.
You like art now?
Oh, that's new.
I'm into all kinds
of things now. Okay?
-I'm broadening my horizons.
-You do know I look at art,
all day, every day.
You don't look at art all day,
every day, with me.
If nothing else, they have
a great bar. It's a good place
to get a drink.
-Yeah, maybe.
-Oh,
gotta think about it that much?
-Damn, okay.
-[Casey laughs]
Okay.
[slow music]
[sighs]
[music ends]
[phone vibrates]
Hey.
Yeah, yeah. How you doing?
Oh, uh... Yeah, just working.
Yeah, making...
making progress.
What you up to?
[clears throat]
I was thinking
about calling you too.
Yeah, okay. Just give me
a few minutes to change and...
I'll be right there.
[doorbell rings]
-[Roger] Hello, hello.
-Hello.
What you up to?
-You know,
cleaning up a little bit.
-Alright.
-For me?
-[chuckles]
-Hey, you want me
to help you with this?
-Sure.
-Have you been smoking?
-Uh... a little bit.
-Are you also?
-Ah...
-No, that's okay.
-Ah.
So, I haven't had a chance
to take a shower. Do you mind
if I take a quick one?
-No, no. Do your thing.
-Okay.
-Can I offer you anything?
Water, tea?
-No, I'm good. I'm good.
[sighs]
[Nicole]
You know what to do with me.
-[Roger chuckles]
-How is that?
Well,
you tell me what you like.
And I...
-oblige.
-No.
-Yeah.
-[chuckles]
-No, no, no.
It's... it's more than that.
-[chuckles]
It's like...
-You know what gets to me.
-Hm?
Good.
-Our chemistry is real good.
-Mh-hmm.
-Sexually.
-Mh-hmm.
But I'm still not
your girlfriend.
-What's that supposed to mean?
-Come on,
you know what it means.
Yeah.
Okay, but who's asking?
I don't know. I'm just, uh...
You know.
What?
I just wanna be clear.
Okay.
[chuckles]
Okay, well, you're clear.
You are very clear.
You're always clear, Nicole.
You don't have
to worry about that.
-Good.
-Okay, good.
Well, since we've been clear...
there's something
I should be clear about.
-If that's okay.
-Of course.
Well, there's something
that's been on my mind
for a while now, I guess.
-[sighs]
As your non-boyfriend...
-[chuckles]
I'm thinking that, if it's okay
with you, I would really,
really like to...
-[whispers]
-[chuckles]
Again?
Yeah.
-Is that okay?
-Mh-hmm.
[door closes]
[Alice] Mommy?
When Roger's done with you,
can I come sleep with you?
In a minute, Alice. We...
Okay.
[chuckles]
You should be sleeping now.
Hey, Ally.
What's this?
Good night.
[slow music]
[construction noise]
-Morning.
-Good morning.
These guys from next door
were snooping around again,
looking at the building.
-They asked when you'd be here.
-Did you tell them
I was out of town?
Well, they're right next door.
They can see that you're here.
I don't care if they're staring
into my eyeballs. I'm not here.
I have these new slides up,
if you wanna take a look.
-Thank you.
-[pneumatic drill]
Thank you, Riley. It would be
a relief to look at the slides.
[pneumatic drill]
Is this you?
-Yeah, yeah, just got it.
-[snorts]
Always buying shit
when you should be working.
You look like trash.
-You too.
-Look at your hair.
Stop it. It was a late night.
I'm becoming
completely nocturnal
at this point.
-By the time
I got home from Nicole's...
-Nicole's?
-Are y'all still...?
-Yeah, yeah. Still.
It's a bit of a complicated
situation with the kid and all,
but it works.
-So it's good, you and Nicole?
-Yeah.
-The sex, I mean.
Tell me about the sex.
-Yeah, it's good.
Is it wild?
-It's good.
-So it is wild.
How wild are we talking?
Come on, man. What you want?
Details about what I do?
Yes, yes I do.
-'Cause I'm just...
-So in love with your wife.
Well, yeah, that.
So it's good.
-Yeah.
-It's good for you.
Do you talk to Casey still?
Uh, I guess, yeah.
-How's that going?
-It's fine, you know.
I met her yesterday.
And then went to see
your current girlfriend.
She is not my girlfriend.
-Yeah, whatever.
-Yeah, it's fine.
Me and Casey,
we're just hanging out.
Is there anything better
than breasts?
I mean,
breasts are just so perfect.
Okay, man, just chill, okay?
Just chill.
Oh, me and Beth
are doing something
on the 24th for Sam's birthday.
You should bring
your non-girlfriend.
There will be some kids there.
I'll ask her.
We generally don't go out
together much,
but I'll ask her.
'Cause y'all are inside,
having all
that crazy perverted sex.
I don't mean perverted.
I'm sorry.
[Casey] It's a good idea.
-The what?
-This is a good idea.
-The museum? Thank you.
-Mh-hmm.
-I like, I like.
-[chuckles]
I have a good idea
every now and again.
-Okay.
-That's pretty, that's nice.
-It's boring.
-No, look at the texture.
-Texture?
-The shadows on her cheek.
Oh, now.
Of course
you'd like the danger.
-The action.
-Yeah.
The DeCarava thing
should be good.
Now, to that, if you want to,
you can go upstairs
to the third floor and check
out some of that ancient shit.
Ancient shit? [laughs]
What's this?
-It's dope.
-Sodom and Gomorra.
This was painted
by Henry Ossawa Tanner.
Tanner? I never heard of him.
Who's that?
He was the first
truly famous black artist.
This actually hang
in the MET, 1920s.
But yeah, like many others,
he left racist America
for slightly
less racist France.
-Wait, he did?
-Everybody did.
-Wait.
- Baldwin, Nina Simone,
and, I mean, come on.
I didn't ever heard
of this guy.
I will say, I always thought
that Lot's wife got
a pretty raw deal.
She couldn't resist taking
one more glance
over her shoulder and,
in exchange
for that transgression,
that slight transgression,
she got turned
into a pillar of salt.
-Don't look back.
-Yeah,
but she probably was scared.
I'm sure she was scared, but,
yeah, you can't get caught in
what's behind you.
Okay, well,
you can learn from it.
Yes, you can learn from it,
but you can't get stuck in it.
Otherwise, salt.
-Okay.
-Yeah?
Yeah.
Why salt?
-Are you asking me?
-Come on, now.
[coughs] Okay.
[clears his throat]
Why salt? Uh...
Well...
Salt, because you can't hold it
in your hands.
When you try to,
it just slips right through
your fingers.
I think that, perhaps, that is
the point, because you cannot
take it with you.
And when you cannot hold it
in your hands the things
that you love the most,
you just take the things
you can remember.
[glasses clinking]
Yeah.
You see how he painted them?
They're looking ahead,
but there's something
drawing them back.
It's like it's almost static,
but there's
an internal tension.
I mean,
given the circumstances,
I kind of understand.
You know, you are
the one
who said "don't look back."
You know what I mean.
You wanna look back, but...
no matter how much
you look forward,
there's always something...
drawing you back.
-This? That's how he's doing.
-Mh-hmm.
Just like I'm trying
to move forward and...
-[groans dramatically]
-[both laugh]
-Oh, my God.
-Like I'm trying
to move forward.
-Stop.
-[groans dramatically]
[chuckles]
Oh, what's that?
Oh, my goodness.
-Who left that here?
-What is it?
-Oh!
-Wow!
-Just...
just dropped from Heaven.
-Mh-hmm...
-Oh, no.
-Since they're here...
Don't mind if I do.
-Not quite bad.
-Oh, you bad.
You bad, you bad, you bad,
you bad, you bad. Okay.
-Yeah, yeah, yeah.
-Oh! Oh! Oh!
[Casey savors loudly]
[wheezes and laughs]
Shall we?
You are too much.
That's how you did it, right?
Like...
Get me out of here!
-[whispers] Out of here.
-[groans] [giggles]
Momma.
Just...
give me a second, sweetie.
Why did you kiss Roger so hard?
Well, that's just the way
that grown-ups kiss sometimes,
when they feel
a certain way about each other.
Okay?
When they love each other.
Something like that.
When they like
each other a lot.
It's not fair
that you get to see Roger
and I don't.
I never get to see him.
Would you like
to spend some time with Roger?
Yes.
Okay.
We'll see.
I'll ask him, alright?
We'll see.
[soft music and laughter]
Which way? Which way?
Oh! This way...
We're thinking
the same thing...
[Roger]
So, Alan seems to be losing it.
[Casey] How so?
Well, he's been very vocal
about his marital frustrations
and so.
-Hmm.
-Yeah.
But you know,
he got such a good thing
going with Beth.
I don't know why he'd wanna
mess that up.
Sounds like he doesn't know
how to sustain an adult...
[vocalizing] relationship.
-Oh. [chuckles]
You talking about me?
-No!
-But Beth asked me over.
-Yeah?
Yeah, party for Sam's birthday.
I don't know why I'm invited
if it's mostly for children.
It's on the 24th?
-That's it. You're going.
-Ah...
Yeah, yeah. I'll be there.
[singing] Party! It's a party!
-Um...
-What?
Well, nothing. Nothing.
No, when you say nothing,
it means there's something.
-No, it's nothing really.
-Give it up.
-It's nothing. It's...
-Give it up!
It's just that I...
I might be there with someone.
-Oh! Okay.
-Like... a date.
Okay, that's good.
Yeah, I just wanted to let
you know that I'll be there,
you know what I mean,
with somebody. Might.
Might be there
with somebody, so...
-[mocking him]
Thank you for telling me.
-Stop.
-See? You bait too much.
-[laughs]
-[shushes her] Look there.
-I might...
-Bears.
-Stop! Oh, my God!
[Roger laughs]
[both laugh]
-What's this?
-[talks like a child]
-Casey?
-[mimics explosion]
-[Casey laughs]
-Casey.
Oh, Steve!
[Casey sighs] Hey.
-Sorry.
[chuckles] We were just...
-Good to see you.
Yes, good to see you.
[Casey]
What are you doing in New York?
My movie's opening,
at the Metrograph.
-Oh.
-[Steve] We just came in
for the premiere.
This is Dani.
-Hello, it's good to meet you.
-Uh, this is my friend...
[chuckles]
Roger.
-What's up, man?
-What's up, man?
-All right. Hi.
-Yeah.
[Dani] Hi.
So, your movie's opening. Uh...
-That's good.
-[Steve] Yeah, yeah.
-Congrats.
-[Casey]
I read about it in the Times.
Sounds good.
Well,
the response has been good.
You know, we're hopeful.
-Congratulations.
Yeah, it's good.
-[Steve] Thank you.
-How's... how's the gallery?
-Oh, it's fine. I'm...
[chuckles] They're trying
to buy out the block, but...
Yeah, I imagine that property
has appreciated a good bit.
-It was your...
your grandmother's?
-Mh-hmm.
-[Steve] Right?
-Right, yeah.
-I'm not going anywhere.
-[Steve] Well, good for you.
[Steve] I know how much
that gallery has always meant
to you. You hang on to it.
[Steve] Yeah.
Well, nice to see you.
-We'll check it out.
-Alright. Thank you.
[chuckles awkwardly]
Corny.
It's not that I really care.
Yeah.
You never told me
he was Mr. Cool.
-That sweater...
-Condescending prick.
Dani seemed nice, though.
-Oh!
-[chuckles] I hate you.
[coughs]
Why do you think
we drink so much
when we're together?
Smoke so much? You abuse
yourself like this
with anybody else?
-Do you?
-[groans]
Do you?
No. I guess I don't.
[yawns]
So, you said somebody's
trying to buy you out?
It's a giant...
[sigh]
construction project next door,
buying up the block.
-Yeah.
-How long have you been
dealing with that?
A while.
And you kept that
to yourself, did you?
[chuckles]
Whose business is it but mine?
Well... [snorts] Okay, alright.
But what you wanna do?
-Are you thinking
about selling?
-Get the fuck outta here.
-What?
-No fucking way.
Awesome.
-You know, the...
-[sighs]
"The property value is
appreciating quite a bit."
The fuck was that?
-He's the worst.
-Yeah.
But you're seeing somebody.
Right?
[mocking her] Whose business
is that but mine?
-Tell me. Tell me about her.
-What you wanna know?
-Her name? Her name is Nicole.
-Nicole.
-Yeah. You do not know her.
-How do you figure I don't?
-I know, I know you.
-It's Brooklyn.
I know who you know,
and you don't know her.
-Okay?
-Okay.
-But she's cool.
-Yeah?
She's cool.
She's, uh... She's...
An open person. Honest.
-Super honest about...
Radically honest.
-Mh-hmm.
Yeah.
About what she wants and needs,
to a fault sometimes, but...
Yeah, I guess she has to be.
-Yeah?
-Yeah, she's got a little girl.
Her husband died
in an accident.
-Jesus!
-Yeah.
So, I don't know
what's gonna happen,
but, for now, you know,
we're seeing each other
and it's good.
[groans]
-But what about you? You...?
-Hmm...
-Aye, aye.
-Me? No.
No one special.
No, no, no
-Okay, I kinda knew. [chuckles]
-What do you mean?
I knew
you were seeing somebody!
-What?
-Oh, yeah.
-How did you know?
-Ah, Beth told me.
-What? She told you?
-A few weeks ago.
-Wait, so, a few weeks ago?
-[Casey laughs]
Okay.
You want some?
-Ah, thanks.
-You're welcome.
Alright...
-Million-dollar question.
-Yeah.
-How goes it?
-I... I'm working on it.
And it is in progress.
-Is there a date
attached to it?
-[Roger chuckles]
-I will do the best I can.
-Oh, super wrong answer.
You actually just
don't have more time.
Look, I just don't understand
what the big deal is, okay?
Like, I'm trying to...
I'm trying to, like,
create something here, okay?
I'm trying to put something new
into the world.
And I think you would agree
with me
that this idea of the...
Sorry, "the evolving city"
doesn't really align
with the world around us,
the Brooklyn around us.
You got hired
because you just made us
all so excited
about this renewed city
and all the feelings
we were feeling after being
locked up. It was about joy...
Yeah, but that was just
bullshit, it was bullshit
and you know it was bullshit.
It's why I hired you.
And now you want what?
Like, reverse it?
And like, just...
Talk about how we've devolved
and how miserable it is?
I thought you hired me because
you believe in me, you believe
in what I have to say,
and now I have something
to say that is different
to what I had to say then.
So, shouldn't you
also believe in that?
So, we were given
some time to talk
about those things,
because the world was
in a place to receive them,
and now it is no longer
on that place.
And that free moment
of black expression?
That's over.
So, now you need
to write the piece
about Brooklyn evolving.
And you need to turn it in
on time, so that we both
don't lose our jobs.
Yeah, great.
Great.
You are really...
a wonderful editor.
-Thank you so much
for your time.
-Oh, don't. Don't act
-like I'm the worst person
in the world.
-I mean it.
No, you're the best.
Thank you for the drink.
It's the fibular...
No, hold on. I'm
on the wrong page. Here we go.
-It's the fibularis tertius.
-[chuckles] Yeah.
-Well done.
-Yeah.
-That is great, thank you.
-My pleasure.
Are you trying to butter me up?
You just really want me
to go to this party.
Well...
I do want you to go.
You're invited and...
there will be
other kids there for Ally.
Sure. But do you want me to go?
Of course I do.
So...
This is a... [sighs]
[chuckles]
I don't know what this is.
Ally wants to go
on a date with you.
A date?
She's a little jealous
and she said
she wants to see more of you.
-What do you think?
-Okay. Yeah, of course.
So, uh...
What-- what do you think?
-Dinner and a show?
-Uh...
You haven't spent much time
around kids, have you?
-No, not really.
-[giggles]
-Just pick her up after school.
-Okay.
-Take her to the playground.
-Check.
Maybe offer some ice cream.
She'll be thrilled.
-Great. Done.
-Yeah.
Got it.
Do you wanna...?
Yeah, we'll shut him.
Did you bring any weed?
I did not.
-I thought...
-What a shame.
Thought you said
you wanna be good.
Oh, I know.
But, lately, I've just...
-I've been feeling bad.
-Bad?
[inhales] Bad.
Oh...
-Oh, "bad."
-Quite bad.
-Oh, shit...
-Quite.
Quite bad.
[Lorna, loudly]
Oh, my god!
What are you talking about?
Of course, I'm just so thrilled
that I got a grant. A grant!
I mean,
do you hear me right now?
I have a grant!
It's like
I'm finally something!
Oh, dear!
But you know what? I don't have
anything to complain about,
except when I think
about traveling.
Oh my god! JFK is a nightmare,
just trying
to get there is a nightmare.
[kids playing]
[Nicole] Wow, okay.
-Never done this for Ally.
-I mean,
you've got to pin the date.
-What?
Is Lorna wearing you out?
-Is an elephant heavy?
What you all talkin' about?
-The littles.
-Mh-hmm
-[Beth] She's adorable.
-[Nicole] Thank you.
Ally!
[Alan] Let's play a game, OK?
I like her, Roger.
-Yeah?
-[giggles]
Okay, me too.
Yeah, I'm so glad
she was able to come!
I appreciate you inviting us.
Thank you.
Don't thank me,
-thank Alan.
It was really his idea.
-Yeah?
Honestly,
I think he just wanted
to get a little look at her.
Anytime any one of our friends
finds somebody new,
Alan gets like a little fever.
Okay... Okay.
My husband is obsessed
with the idea
of having an affair.
I know my name's Bennet,
and I ain't in it.
No, but he wouldn't do it.
-[Beth] You know, y'all talk.
-[Roger] Yeah.
-It would take too much energy.
-[groans]
And I just wanted
to say I'm sorry
for inviting Casey without...
-It was before Alan
told me about Nicole.
-It's fine, it's fine.
Me and Casey are cool.
Really, we cool.
-Ain't no problem.
-Okay.
As a matter of fact,
just the other day, I met one
of her guys and it was fine.
Oh, uh...
Who do you mean? Jason?
Jason? No, Steve. I met Steve.
-Oh, yeah, Steve.
Yeah. He... Mh-hmm.
-Yeah. The guy who...
He has a movie coming out.
-At the Metrograph. Yeah.
-At the Metrograph, yeah. Yeah.
But you didn't tell me
who Jason was.
Who's Jason?
-No, no, I don't know.
-You don't know?
-You know what?
-[giggles]
It's fine. Whatever it is,
I know it ain't serious,
otherwise
she would have told me.
-She'll tell me
when she's ready.
-Exactly.
-Where she's at, anyway?
-I don't know.
But, you know,
she did say something
about running late.
-Some Jason issues?
-No, it was probably just work.
Okay.
Yes,
she's been really busy lately.
[phone vibrates]
Hello?
Yeah, I was gonna call you
first thing tomorrow, but yes.
Everything is set.
The piece
is going out on Monday.
And you can... When you see
this finishes up...
Mh-hmm.
Alright.
Alright.
Okay.
That isn't exactly
what we talked about, I...
Right, but my client has worked
really hard.
She's giving you exactly...
Okay.
Oh, no. Oh, my God,
you know I understand.
Of course.
Okay. Yeah.
Yeah, you have my number
if anything changes.
Alright, bye.
[whispers] Fuck.
Massages,
just massaging people just...
all day long.
It's one way to make a living.
I'm actually just starting
to roll up some clients.
In case you ever need
some body work.
Uh, I will.
I'll give you a call.
-For body work.
-For body work.
-If I need body work.
-Good.
Any body work.
-Hey.
-Hey.
-Networking.
-You know.
Why do you think I came?
-I was asking myself
the same question.
-[chuckles]
By the way,
I think Ally
might be getting a little...
Yeah, she's overtired.
We should probably
head out soon.
-Okay.
-Um...
-Alan.
-Yes.
-It was really nice
to meet you.
-You too. Good to meet you too.
And I'll make sure
to give you a call
for body work.
-For body work, okay.
-For body work.
-Not rub work.
-I'm gonna go
say goodbye to Beth.
Alright, okay, you do you.
-What's up, man?
-How you doing, man?
-I'm alright. How you doing?
-You made
some moves out there, bro.
Yeah, thank you,
I appreciate it. You think
you might be getting a massage?
-No, of course not.
-You sure?
I'm past it, man.
I don't need a massage.
So you probably
don't need this thing.
OK... [mumbles]
-You ready?
-Momma,
can I just say goodbye to Sam?
Sure, but don't take too long.
Okay? We really need to go.
You know,
I've been watching you.
You have?
All day, and it turns out
you are very beautiful
by daylight.
-Thank you.
-Yeah.
-I might have been
watching you too.
-Really?
-Mh-hmm.
-And?
I was wondering something.
You have evening plans?
[snorts] Not yet.
Make me an offer.
Well, she should knock-out
around 9:00, 9:30.
-Mh-hmm.
-You think, hopefully?
Keep a light on for me.
[phone vibrating]
-Hey.
-[Casey, through phone] Hi.
-[Casey, through phone]
How you doing?
-I'm good, good.
-How you doing?
-[Casey, through phone] Uh...
I'm sorry
I didn't make it earlier today.
I meant to, I just...
Oh, I am not having a good day.
-It feels like... You know?
-You alright?
[Casey, through phone]
I'm okay. Just had a hard time
getting out of the house.
Ah, okay. Well...
-We... we missed you.
-[Casey, through phone]
Ah, good.
I'm feeling
a little antisocial.
You know what I'm saying?
-[Roger, through phone]
Yeah, yeah.
-You know how it is.
-How was it?
-Uh... Yeah, it was cool.
-I mostly just hanged out
with Beth.
-And I miss Beth.
-I really like her.
-[Roger, through phone]
She's good people.
[Roger, through phone] You know
how she makes everybody
feel at home.
Anyway, Casey,
it's just not a great time.
I was about to head out, so...
Okay. Um...
I don't wanna hold you up.
I'm just not having
the greatest day,
and I could use a friend.
[Roger, through phone]
Yeah, yeah.
I'm sorry, it's just not
a great time. I was just about
to walk out the door.
Hello?
Okay.
Well, I was just checking in.
[exhales]
Thank you for talking.
I'll talk to you soon.
[Roger, through phone]
Yeah, yeah, sure.
[Roger, through phone] Me...
You know where to find me.
I'll be here.
I'm avoiding work, so...
Anytime, you just let me know,
-and we'll make it happen,
okay?
-Okay, I'd like that.
Actually, I'm gonna be
in your neighborhood
on Tuesday, visiting a studio.
I don't know
if you'll be around.
[Roger, through phone]
Tuesday? Yeah.
Yeah, that should be cool.
I'll be... Oh, wait, hold on.
Actually, no. That's my...
There might be a date.
You have a date?
Yeah.
With, uh...
Nicole's daughter.
Nicole's daughter.
Mh-hmm. I'm taking her
to the playground.
Playground.
Sounds like you
finally found your level.
[snorts] Shut up.
Anyway, any day besides Tuesday
is cool, so just let me know
and we'll do it.
Alright, enjoy.
Bye, Roger.
Bye.
[soft piano music]
[sighs]
-I do.
-You're high.
-I'm not.
-You're so high.
-You've got beautiful eyes too.
-It's been a while
since I had sex high.
-I feel like I'm in college.
-You've gotta be careful.
Don't let
all these partying
mess up your G.P.A.
We gonna... up.
-It was fun
hanging with you today.
-Yeah.
-In the daylight.
-Hmm.
Your friends are nice.
Yeah, they're cool.
They're cool.
It was kinda odd how people
were sizing me up, though.
Sizing us up.
Hmm, you noticed that too?
-Hard to miss.
-Yeah, yeah.
Is that weird for you?
I thought Casey
was supposed to be there.
Yeah, I don't know...
I don't know
why she didn't come.
-I hope
it wasn't because of me.
-I doubt it.
-You two ever talk about me?
-No.
I mean,
of course I've mentioned you.
You know,
but not much more than that.
Really?
Yeah, really.
We don't really talk about,
you know, relationships.
-Never?
-Well...
I mean, more or less.
Give or take.
-[chuckles]
-What?
-Why are you?
-Why don't you just
get back together?
Oh, Lord.
Come on, Nicole.
Me and her? No.
No.
Why?
Why? Nicole.
-I mean, you love her.
Don't you?
-Can you stop, please?
-What?
-Please.
No, it's fine.
I don't mind.
I can't mind. I really...
I really don't.
-You love her.
-Look...
-We had our time, right?
And it was good.
-Mh-hmm.
But, you know,
it just didn't work out for us.
In that way, so...
Yeah, outside the realm
of possibility.
Must make it easier for you.
Having someone else attend
to your physical needs.
Oh, come on.
I guess...
-It does make it easier
to deal with her.
-So you are just using me.
-Yes, I am.
-[gasps]
-You asshole!
-Well, you don't mind.
-All your women.
-All my women?
What are you talking about?
-You think
I'm just out here like...
-[laughs]
"Come to me. Come."
Fun.
-But what if it came up?
-What?
You two getting back together.
What would you do?
It... It won't come up.
But what if it did?
What if you just talked
about it.
Yeah, but we won't, so...
-Hear me out.
-Okay.
What if...
it did?
It won't. We won't.
-Okay.
-Look...
She's apparently already seeing
some other dude, okay?
Oh, please. [sighs]
That's not going anywhere.
She's gonna break up
with him soon.
What?
Beth told me today.
Does everybody know
about her love life
except for me?
Apparently.
Great.
Mama?
-One second, Ally.
-Well, that's my cue.
-Wait, no.
-What?
It's late. Stay the night.
Stay?
Yeah.
-Uh...
-Hey, I'm sorry I pushed it.
I...
The truth is I feel
a little weird right now.
I think I need to...
just take a beat.
But if the offer stands,
then maybe...
Maybe next time?
See you Tuesday.
Tuesday?
Oh, right.
Tuesday in the park with Ally.
Bring it on.
[soft music]
Hey.
Thank you for coming yesterday.
Come on, man.
You don't gotta thank me.
Of course. It was great.
Nicole seems very nice.
Yeah, yeah. She is.
She actually wanted me to stay
over last night for the first
time. With the kid.
[chuckles]
Yeah, it was a lot, so...
So I split.
I mean,
we were talking about Casey...
You were talking
about Casey with Nicole?
-Yeah.
-No, man, that seems kind of...
Actually, healthy.
-Yeah.
-Huh...
I got twisted up,
so I had to get out of there.
Did you wanna stay, though?
With Nicole? Yeah, yeah.
Uh... No.
Both, neither.
Look, bro,
I'm no expert on any of this.
I'm really not an expert.
Hey, man. Hey, hey.
Focus.
Look, man, as a friend,
I'm just telling you.
"All of the above"
is not an answer.
You've got to find
your way to the center of this.
"Got to find your way
to the center of this."
That sounds like therapy.
-Are you seeing a therapist?
-No, no more.
I don't, but I did.
When I did, she told me to get
to the center,
so you get to the center.
[phone beeps]
[Editor, voice message]
Hey, Roger. It's your favorite
editor, just checking in.
I hope the piece is ready soon.
We really, really need to have
the draft of it.
No pressure, of course.
Absolutely no pressure.
Just kidding. All the pressure.
We really need to get it in.
Can you let me know
what's going on?
[beep]
[construction noise]
-Are you good?
-Mh-hmm. I am.
[Casey] I am.
Kind of a rough weekend.
Yeah, I hear that.
Don't even get me
started on mine.
[construction noise]
So, are you like anything?
What does it matter?
I can't sell anything
anymore anyway, right?
I mean, you were excited about
what you were going
to see today, right?
Mh-hmm.
[loud construction noise]
[phone ringing]
Hello?
Oh, hi, Ms. Percy.
[Assistant] Yeah.
One second,
let me check for you.
It's Lorna Percy.
Yes, give me one second.
Hey, Lorna.
And then the other two
were in the cage,
but there was an animal
that dug a hole under the cage,
then got them.
-What kinda animal was that?
-Mh-hmm
[kids playing]
I used to have
a puppy when I...
You okay?
Are you...
-tired?
-Yes.
Let me take your bag.
How about a piggy-back ride?
Oh, okay.
I'm getting old.
Alright?
-You having fun?
-Yeah.
I'm glad, me too.
[kids playing]
-Roger, look!
-What?
-That tree. Can I go climb it?
-[chuckles]
Ah, I think that's a little
too high for you, Ally.
My daddy lets me climb things
all the time.
-Does he?
-Yes.
Okay.
Okay.
Have fun, go ahead.
Uh, hi.
-You stalking me?
-No.
-[chuckles] Well...
-[chuckles] Not really.
I told you
I had to see
something over here.
-Mh-hmm.
-And I decided to take
a walk in the park,
and the gallery's
uninhabitable, so...
I remember you said
you might be here
with your little girl.
[chuckles]
Wait, with my little girl?
I want to see her.
If you don't mind.
I don't mind at all,
it's totally fine.
She's over there.
-Which one?
-Right there, right...
-Hey, Ally.
-Aww.
-Ally?
-Yeah, Ally.
Hey, Ally,
this is my friend Casey.
Casey, well, okay.
This is Ally.
Hello.
-What are you...? Wait.
-Hi, Ally.
It is very nice to meet you.
-Are you two going to kiss?
-What?
[Ally] Are you two
going to kiss on the lips?
-Ah... No, Ally,
Casey's my friend.
-My mom's your friend.
Yeah, but she's
a different kind of friend.
It's different
because you love her?
Ah... Well, Ally,
there's all kinds of love,
you know.
[Ally] Don't you love her?
It's not... It's...
In a different,
I guess, sort of way, yeah.
Ally, grown-ups
can be so impossible,
can't they?
What are we gonna do?
-Bubbles!
-Bubbles.
Well, it turns out human beings
are pretty complicated
after all.
Yeah. She's just trying
to figure stuff out.
Yeah, well, maybe she can
teach me something
when she does figure that.
-Hmm, anyway...
-Yeah.
-I'm going to Lorna's
for dinner tonight.
-Okay.
-She invited some folks over.
-Hmm.
Yeah, gotta keep
the costumers satisfied.
You know,
she's basically
keeping us open.
I thought you said
that new sale
was gonna pay you well.
Not so much, so...
-Oh, shit. I'm sorry.
-Whatever.
Lorna's fine.
And she's funny, at least.
-Yeah, I guess. I guess.
-Mh-hmm.
Do you wanna come back later
and rescue me? Maybe?
What is that?
-Thanks.
-It's all good.
You know, I would, but I think
I'm probably
gonna be busy, so...
But I'll give you
a call if I can.
-Okay.
-Alright.
Here, come on.
-Have fun.
-Alright.
[slow music, kids playing]
Ally, having fun?
-[Ally screams playfully]
-Is she yours?
-Yeah, well, for the day.
-Don't let the bubbles get you!
It's good
that you have a fun daddy.
[Ally] He's not my daddy.
My daddy's in heaven.
I'm sorry.
It's okay.
It's okay.
Hey, Ally, you wanna go?
-Sorry about that.
-It's alright. It's okay.
[doorbell rings]
[sighs]
Is it good?
Wanna put
a little black pepper on it?
Is that you over there
in that picture?
It is?
Cute.
Hey, this was delicious.
-Thank you.
-Yeah, my pleasure.
And I like a home-cooked meal.
You should eat at your home.
Sure, but your mother makes
the best curry chicken
I have ever had.
Do you ever eat
with that other lady?
-Other lady?
-The lady at the park.
-Oh, you mean Casey.
-[Ally] Yeah.
[Ally]
Don't you ever eat with Casey?
We ran into her
at the park today.
-Okay.
-I told her
we were gonna be there,
so she showed up.
She was working in the area.
I think she really just
came to laugh at me.
-[Ally] Roger?
-Yeah?
-Don't you ever eat with Casey?
-No, not really.
Why not?
She's just not the kind
of friend I eat with, usually.
Most of the time
I eat all by myself.
But you know
what I really like?
Eating with you
and your mother.
You know what? Why don't I...?
Why don't I do the dishes?
-That'd be great.
-I can... Here.
-Can I pick that.
-No.
You don't want me to do
the dishes? Your mother
did all the cooking.
No.
Ah, would you like it, maybe,
if Roger read you a story?
No. No,
I don't want Roger at home.
I want Roger to go.
[sighs] At the park today,
someone thought I was her dad.
And how did that go?
"Daddy's in heaven."
Yes.
Yes, he is.
Why don't I just...?
Thank you.
Ally?
-Yes?
-You wanna go upstairs?
-Yes.
-Okay.
Come on, let's go.
Alright, I've got you.
It's good.
Okay.
Thank you for taking her
to the park.
That was nice of you.
Yeah, of course.
-And thank you for dinner.
-Sure.
-It was delicious.
-Goodnight, Roger.
Hey, listen. Uh...
I was just thinking
that if I... If I said
something wrong
or did something wrong,
I'm sorry.
You know not everything
is about you, yeah?
-Okay. My bad.
-Yeah.
I don't know,
this is just all...
a lot more...
difficult...
than I thought it would be.
It's been really hard giving up
on the idea
of the way that things...
should have been.
And, like, I know I'm supposed
to put the past
behind me, but...
I don't want to.
I don't wanna put it behind me,
and Ally...
Anyway, uh...
-Anyway, thanks again.
-I'm s...
Good night.
[melancholic music]
Hey.
Still at Lorna's?
-[people laughing]
-[Roger] She was in...
Was it Florence?
[Lorna]
Oh, it's a fucking hellhole.
[Lorna] I'm just telling you,
it's a fucking hellhole.
-[Roger] A hellhole?
-[Lorna] Yes.
-Florence?
-[Lorna] Yes.
-Florence, Italy?
-Yes, it is a fucking hellhole.
I mean, it just needs
to disappear beneath the waves.
It just needs
to sink into the ocean.
Yeah, I think you might be
talking about Venice.
-[Lorna] Wait, wait, no. Not...
-Yeah, Venice, with the canals.
[Lorna] I know about Venice.
I have not been to Venice,
I hear
it's supposedly stunning. No.
Yeah, a lot of people would say
the same thing about Florence.
[Lorna]
Well, like there's people
in the world. Okay.
This is where you wanna live,
not there. Horrible!
Are you okay?
Not crosses. It's not Basquiat!
Can we move on from Basquiat?
Do we all need
to do the same thing?
[Lorna] This is
what I'm talking about,
people. This is what art is.
Not a fucking Virgin.
It's just... It's a feeling.
-[Lorna] You have great art.
-Hmm.
[Lorna] Great art.
And honestly, I do too,
-because
I keep coming back to you.
-I appreciate you deeply.
-[Lorna] Oh,
I appreciate you too.
-Yes, yes.
Do you know how many times
people told me
I should be a critic?
-I mean,
walk around my house...
-Hey, wanna take a walk?
-Mh-hmm.
-[Lorna] I preach things
that are real.
And I just feel like
a lot of these art galleries
don't have it,
but my girl here, you have it.
I love you so much.
Thank you for having us.
[Lorna] Thank you
for this beautiful
piece of art.
-[Lorna] Oh, my god.
What an eye!
-Yeah, it's beautiful.
So many people tell me
I'm the one with the eye,
and I have to agree.
But you need to take a break,
go somewhere.
-Oh, I'd love to.
-You know
what's really great right now?
Bora Bora.
Honey, you should go there,
like, yesterday.
-You know what I did
when I went there?
-I had such a early morning...
-Thank you so much for coming.
-I love you.
Thank you for having me.
This piece is remarkable!
Thanks for having me,
I appreciate it.
It was great. It was delicious.
-Thanks. See you later.
-[Lorna] I love you.
-Bye.
-[Lorna] I'm sorry,
I'm just jetlagged.
[Lorna] I have such a headache.
No, it's like I don't know
how to talk to kids.
Like,
I try to, but they just...
I don't know.
I just end up
resorting to bad comedy.
What's bad comedy?
Bad comedy, like bad jokes.
Like, just making faces
-and waving my arms around.
-Hmm.
I think kids like it
when you make faces
and wave your arms around.
-You think so?
-You're probably doing
it exactly right.
You're sweet, but I don't know.
[puffs] I don't know
anything about kids.
For real. I mean,
I barely remember being a kid.
-Because you still are one.
-[Roger chuckles] Funny.
But, for real. I think about,
like, my past. Right?
How do you know,
you know what I mean,
how to be a good dad?
You just,
I guess, figure it out.
But with me,
it's like kids have this,
like, an errant instinct.
You know what I mean?
It's like they see
right through me
and know they can't trust me.
[Casey] I saw you with her.
She likes you, you did well.
-Yeah?
-I think
you are being hard on yourself.
A little girl, she's kinda been
through some things and...
You can't expect you
to just accept you
as a father figure.
[chuckles]
Father figure? Oh, boy.
-That's not exactly
what I mean.
-It's not?
-No, not exactly.
-In a relationship
with a single mother,
you're gonna have
to think about that.
Okay. Alright.
Well, thank you for the advice.
-I appreciate it. Uh-huh.
-Uh-huh. Not what I'm doing.
Well,
it sounded like advice to me.
In some ways,
you're probably
the perfect person to...
No, I'm the worst person
to be giving you any kind of...
direction on... You know.
-[Casey] Anyway.
-Anyway.
[mimicking Lorna] Anyway,
we took the train to Rome.
To Rome!
[mimicking Lorna]
Oh, my God. Like,
I basically smell Marmite.
-Yeah, you did.
-You know?
And there was, like...
There was, like,
razorblades on the sea.
-Razorblades?
We had to sit on them.
-What? Yeah.
-We had to sit on them.
-Totally cut cooch.
-Exactly! Cut...
-Cut cooch.
All the things.
-And why?
-Alright, alright.
-Because of a fucking grant.
-I have to pee.
Move your leg, I beg.
Move, move. Seriously.
Hey, man. Let me just...
-Hey, hey.
-Hey, hey.
-Do you want another?
-No, no.
Why? You wanna go outside?
You are the Devil.
Yes. Yes, I am.
[Casey] Thank you,
thank you, thank you.
I'm Garfield.
[Roger laughs]
-[Casey] Hey!
-[Roger] What's that?
-[Roger] I've got you.
-[Casey] Oh, my God.
[Roger] Oh! It's time.
-[Casey] Thank God for you.
-[Roger] Oh, oh, oh!
Bam!
Mine. Mine.
-What?
-What?
Okay.
Okay.
-What was that?
-Uh...
-Casey, I...
-Oh, no!
-No?
-Oh... No, don't say that.
What?
You didn't even know what it is
that I was gonna say.
No, it's just not true.
You know?
You don't even know what it is.
I don't want you
to say it. Fuck.
-Come here. Come here.
-No.
No! Don't say, it's not true.
-Hey!
-Don't say it.
You don't mean it.
No!
[stutters]
Why are you messing with me?
-[whispers] Oh, my God.
-Hey!
Hey!
Casey!
Are you...?
Are you messing with me?
You don't know what you want.
It makes you strange.
-I'm not
the only strange one here.
-Am I saying otherwise?
Well...
You don't think
I know how fucked-up I am?
I want everything...
and I want nothing.
Every time
I try to get close to you,
I can't.
And if you were honest
with yourself,
you would admit...
you can't either.
Because if you wanted to,
you would.
-It's just too tangled.
Just let it go.
-I don't understand.
I'm supposed to be the only one
being honest?
Is that what it is?
-What do you mean?
-When we were together,
you never told me
you were unhappy.
You just broke it off.
I mean, shit!
You don't know what you want!
I do know what I want!
Well, say it.
Let it go.
I need to take this.
Okay, I'll talk to you later.
Goodnight. Bye.
[dramatic music]
[sighs]
Don't look back.
Don't look back.
[dramatic music continues]
[sighs]
[knocks on the door]
[rings the bell]
[knocks on the door]
[knocks on the door]
[knocks on the door]
[knocks on the door]
-[knocks on the door]
-Oh!
What the fuck, Roger?
You scared the shit out of me.
What are you doing here?
[sighs] It's, uh... I was...
in the neighborhood. [chuckles]
-You're drunk, actually.
-No, not exactly.
You've been with Casey.
And now you wanna come over.
-A quick one on your way home.
-[sighs] God, that's...
-That's not exactly
how I would put it.
-Mh-hmm.
And how exactly
would you put it?
Nice night.
-Romance is in the air.
-[chuckles]
God, I miss Steven.
I miss him so fucking much.
Like...
you can't even imagine.
You can't.
You can't even imagine.
I mean, I'm a human being.
You know? I have needs.
Does that make me a bad person?
I'm a decent person, right?
A drunken man, showing up
at my door in the middle
of the night now.
This is
what it's come to. After...
everything, it's come to this.
[snorts]
Alright, then.
Come on in.
Come on in, king.
That's what you want.
Come on in.
You know?
I'll mix up a bunch
of pina coladas, and we can...
rumba down the way.
No. Seriously, come on in.
No?
No.
[melancholic music]
[pants]
[melancholic classical music]
[doorbell rings]
Hey.
I'm sorry.
-Hey.
-Did I wake you up?
I'm glad you're here, actually.
I...
I said some things
last night that...
I don't know what got into me,
probably too much alcohol.
Are you alright?
Oh, no. Wait,
sit here. Sit here.
I don't think you're strange.
[groans]
Thank you.
-I'm strange enough, in my way.
-Mh-hmm.
Casey.
I think...
I think we should take a break.
-From?
-Us.
Do you know what I mean?
Mh-hmm.
It's just all this messing,
it's tangled up. It's...
Don't. Don't do that.
We're not doing each other
no favors. You know?
So...
Yeah,
I think it's best that we...
-take a break.
-Take a break.
-Yeah.
-Get it.
Okay.
Alright.
A break is good.
It's all good.
Take a break.
Yeah. Okay.
Okay.
Talk soon?
Uh...
[sighs] Not soon.
Okay, bye.
[melancholic music]
-Hi.
-Hi.
Hello.
You're, uh...You're
without your friend today.
-Friend?
-Mh-hmm.
-Your homeboy with the bike.
-Oh, yeah. Yeah.
-Yeah, you're
with him almost everyday.
-Yeah, yeah.
Oh, so you noticed.
I did.
And your cool tie collection.
-Thank you.
-Yeah, no problem.
-I'm Adele, by the way.
-Alan.
Nice to meet you, Alan.
I was wondering...
Hello?
You were wondering.
I was wondering
what I should get
my wife for her birthday.
Her birthday is tomorrow,
and I haven't gotten her
anything yet, because...
Because I'm an idiot.
Don't be so hard on yourself.
I'm sure
you will think of something.
You don't have to overthink it.
Guys always think too much.
Just keep it simple.
And whatever you do,
don't forget the flowers.
-Flowers?
-Yeah.
Flowers are nice.
Flowers are really nice.
Can't go wrong.
-Thanks.
-My pleasure.
Anyway, uh...
-I've gotta roll.
-You have yourself
a lovely day.
-Absolutely, I will.
-I hope she loves the flowers.
-Alright.
-Hey, your...
-You don't wanna forget that.
-Thank you.
[chuckles]
[soft music]
[Roger, voiceover]
The city was perfect,
when I first got here.
[Roger, voiceover] I mean,
nobody ever said
it was an easy place.
[Roger, voiceover]
In those early days? Sure.
[Roger, voiceover]
Sometimes life could be tough.
[Roger, voiceover]
It was dirty.
[Roger, voiceover]
It was crowded. It was loud.
[Roger, voiceover]
But none of that
really mattered.
Twist had also found
a very special friend.
A friend different
than he ever imagined.
But, sometimes,
they are the best friends...
[yawning] ...of all.
-That's a good story.
-Yeah?
I like that the little pony
found a friend.
He wouldn't be lonely anymore.
-Do you sometimes feel lonely?
-No, because you're here.
[chuckles]
It's okay if you do, you know?
Good.
[Roger, voiceover]
The vast imperfections only
made the city more perfect,
this quaint,
wonderful universe to explore,
to find my way in,
to become a part of.
[Roger, voiceover]
Everything seemed inviting,
there was something intriguing
in every single block,
down every street.
If I tell you that the guys
next door called again,
please don't yell at me.
[Roger, voiceover]
It was complete,
and it was perfect.
[Roger, voiceover]
And then, my perfect,
complete city started to shift.
Do you know I've had this place
since I graduated from college?
My grandmother died,
left the building to me.
I had this Art History degree,
all these artist friends...
and I just loved it so much.
It was a lot of work
to get this place going.
But...
Different city,
back then.
Don't worry, Riley. I...
I know people.
There are other galleries.
You'll find something.
Where are you going?
Uh...
I'm gonna go next door,
and see what the neighbors
have to offer.
It's been nice.
[Roger, voiceover]
Little by little, bit by bit,
things turned,
revolved, broke up,
and got put back together.
[Roger, voiceover]
Spaces got filled up.
Other spaces emptied out.
[Roger, voiceover]
The streets seemed
to lead to the same places,
but the places
weren't the same.
Things that I assumed
were permanent
just disappeared,
replaced by bigger things,
newer things,
less familiar things.
[Roger, voiceover]
What was this place now?
[Roger, voiceover]
It wasn't mine anymore.
[Roger, voiceover]
I still lived here,
but all too often,
I felt like a stranger.
[Roger, voiceover]
The lost livable neighborhoods,
the lost sense that anyone
could come here
and anything could happen.
[Roger, voiceover] Sometimes,
I close my eyes
and I can still hear it.
[Roger, voiceover] It sounds
like the same as it ever was,
it smells the same.
[Roger, voiceover]
It feels the same.
It's right there.
[Roger, voiceover]
But then I open my eyes,
and it's not,
something has been lost.
[Roger, voiceover]
But, when I look
at the new city
with fresh eyes,
I have to admit that,
despite everything...
it is still a wonder.
[Roger, voiceover]
It still has magic,
just different magic.
[Roger, voiceover] I mourn
the loss of my old city,
but I don't live there anymore.
[Roger, voiceover]
I live in this one,
and this one
has wonders of its own.
[Roger, voiceover]
Something has been lost,
something has been gained.
[Roger, voiceover]
And it's possible to love
something and let go of it.
[Roger, voiceover]
It's also possible
to love something new
in a different way.
[Nicole] Two! OK, ready?
[Nicole] One, two. One, two.
One, one. Ha!
[laughs]
OK.
OK. One, two. One two.
One, two, two! [laughs]
OK.
Who are you waving at?
Hi, Roger!
-Hey, Ally.
-Hey, Roger.
Hey. I was just running by.
I saw you,
and thought I'd say hello.
Oh, you interrupted
your run for us. Wow.
[chuckles]
Please, please interrupt.
I was struggling.
-Hey.
-Where have you been?
I've been working.
Finishing some things.
-It's very boring.
-[giggles]
Anyway, I just wanted
to say hello, and...
have a good day.
[Ally whisper]
Can we tell Roger
to come eat ice cream with us?
-Yeah? Would you like that?
-[whispers] Yes.
So, we just finished lunch,
and thought it'd be nice to go
and get some ice cream
by the lake.
Would you like to join us?
Unless you're running.
You're running.
Hey...
I can walk.
-Strawberry with sprinkles?
-[Ally] Yeah.
[Roger] Alright.
-[Ally] And one scoop
of vanilla ice cream.
-[Roger] Oh, okay.
-Is there an ice cream spot
around here?
-[Nicole] I don't know.
We'll just have to walk
across the park and find out.
What's the worst
that could happen?
[Roger]
We could get attacked by bears.
[Ally giggles]
There's no bears in the park.
[Roger]
Say what? You don't think so?
[Nicole]
No, there are no bears, Roger.
[Roger]
Oh, bears come out and get you.
-[rawrs]
-[Ally laughs]
No, you're funny.
-I will always keep thinking
you're silly.
-[Nicole laughs]
[Roger] You think I'm silly?
-Alright.
-[Ally] You're always so silly.
[Roger]
Okay, you keep thinking that.
[soft music]