Mistaken for Strangers (2013) Movie Script
Can you stop that?
I can't think of questions.
You're not gonna
get sunburned, Matt.
Just...
Just relax.
- Anything.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah...
Hold on, hold on!
Let me think of it.
Umm.
Do you...?
Do you ever get..?
I mean...
On tour,
it's day in and day out.
Umm.
Do you ever get...?
Does that ever make you
sleepy on stage?
Umm.
Or tired?
Tired on stage?
That's my question.
Question number one is that.
Have you ever woken up
in a nightmare, on a bus?
Because the movement.
What kind of nightmares,
have people talked about
of having?
Don't act like
it was a dumb question!
I'm following up
on my first question!
Do you have a notebook?
With questions
written down that you, like...
Do you have any
kind of organization and plan
for this film?
Our guests today in the studio
are The National.
We're about to talk
to a band called The National.
They've been critical darlings,
for the last ten years or so;
but now they are
finally achieving
some commercial success.
Yes, the secret is out.
This is one of the most
talked about bands
on the planet right now.
Please welcome to the program,
The National.
Your applause for...
The National.
You're the smartest dressed band
on the red carpet today.
Are we?
Maybe we...?
Did we over do it?
No, not at all.
This is our first red carpet,
so you are going to see
a lot of waistcoats.
So the new record is blowing up.
Number three on the charts.
And you've been profiled
in Rolling Stone, GQ.
You were recently the subject
of a ten-page spread
in the New York Times.
The Times piece mentions you
guys are a band of brothers.
Two sets of brothers.
Bryan and Scott are brothers.
And Aaron and Bryce
are twins actually.
But then, there's you, Matt.
You're the guy in the band
who doesn't have a brother.
I... I do have a brother.
Um. But he's nine years
younger and lives in Cincinnati.
What does your brother
think of the band?
Aaaa?
That's a good ques-- Aaa?
I don't think he does think
of it that much actually.
He's more of a metal head.
So... I think he thinks,
Indie rock
is pretentious bullshit.
And here we are.
That's me, my sister,
my dad, and my mom.
And there's Matt.
And this was
at our grandma's funeral.
And uh... I don't know?
I'm looking pretty good there.
Two weeks ago, Matt called.
He said the band is ready
to go out on tour again.
And they're going to need
extra help.
So he asked if
I wanted to go on tour
and be a roadie.
A year on tour with my brother,
I think, is going to be awesome.
I don't ever
get to see him so...
I think it's going to be fun.
I'm taking a camera along
to make a documentary
on the band.
Making movies is something
I've always really loved to do.
A Primarily
horror-action movies.
It's not The National but...
This is my first movie,
From The Dirt Under His Nails.
It's about an insane
animal trapper
who resurrects from the dead.
And goes on a rampage.
And this one is Wages Of Sin!
This one's about a barbarian
with an identity crisis,
who also goes through
a murderous rampage.
I'm filming down here!
Oh. I didn't know
that, sorry.
I don't leave until
eight o' clock tomorrow night.
Okay.
Hi.
Hey, we were just talking
to the fella upstairs.
We're just making
a small documentary
on The National.
He said it was okay
if we do a little shooting.
- Okay.
- Alright. Thank you.
Have you ever heard of
The National?
They're from here.
Right. Right.
I'm his brother
and I'm about to go on tour.
Have you ever been on a tour bus
or anything like that?
- No.
- I'm supposed to go on their tour bus,
and I don't know what to expect.
I think I'm going to
get together with him.
I'm going to be making
this rock doc.
I thank you for letting me
into your beautiful store.
Hey!
Hey!
How's it going?
Good. Good.
Like my new camera?
You're not supposed to
do that in here.
I know. I know.
Hey, guys! Good,
the whole band is here.
It's about to be confiscated
by the TSA.
No, it's not.
I don't think so?
Your cord's touching me.
I had no idea you've never
been to Europe.
Welcome to Paris!
Oooh! This doesn't even
look like my arm!
Looks like another--
oh, there we go.
Looks like another person
in the room when I do this.
Who is that?
I'm... This is cool.
I'm psyched you are here.
It's good to be here.
We have. We've been here--
Matt is on a phone interview
with a French newspaper.
Talking,
So let's just listen in.
In fact, it was
our first show in Europe.
It was a hundred people.
But it was our first taste
of what it would be like
to be a real band, I think.
We all are
in a really weird moods
just 'cause we're nervous.
That has never gone away.
We've learned to channel, I
think, whatever anxieties we have
into just the songs, I guess.
Stop. How fast can you play?
Well, who's faster?
Should I go to Bryce for this?
Who's faster, you or Bryce?
Well, if I play
with my fingers in scales,
I can play pretty fast.
But Bryce is
the faster guitarist?
Technically, yeah.
Do you want me to turn around?
Actually, bend down and come up.
Yeah.
Now act like you're
just picking up your glasses
and not even paying
attention to me.
No, this is good.
This is going to be
perfect for your intro shot.
Yeah.
Like, basically I have,
your job description right here.
You've seen the rider, right?
Uh-huh. No.
No I haven't actually.
I thought I emailed it to you?
But, regardless...
Oh. Okay.
Maybe I did see that.
Yeah.
It's basically
just a list of food.
Okay.
I just want you to
make sure that it's all there.
Okay.
I'd like to
say it is simple, but it's not.
Is there anything,
like, in particular
for, like, Bryce or Aaron?
Well, you know them well enough
- to figure that out.
- Yeah. Okay.
You know, just moving down
the list,
as far as the show time
is concerned,
you need to assemble the band
five minutes before the show.
So you got to make sure
everybody's gone
to the bathroom, you know.
Bryan's usually in
the bathroom for, like, forever.
And then during the show,
I just want you to stay
on radio communication.
Okay?
So, I just want you to make sure
you're available,
in the event that something
horribly wrong goes down.
Why I'm saying that,
is because you're here,
because we need someone
to do this stuff.
- Right.
- And, you know,
you just need to be
careful about...
not partying.
And, you know,
you're not a band member,
you're a crew member.
- Right.
- This shit has to get done.
Don't step backwards.
Hey, Tom. I can't do this
right now, dude.
You got
to leave me alone. Seriously.
Can you stop!
Terry!
You need to tell me
if this is getting brighter?
Go for Tom Berninger.
Do you copy?
I copy. Go ahead.
Ready for your brother
down here.
Copy that.
He's already angry at me.
It's day one.
Everyone's grumpy.
Tom. Do you copy?
Matt!
He... I just
saw him go downstairs actually.
Matt, this is awesome!
Have you ever played
for this many people before?
Nope. No, it's going to be...
It's going to be weird.
It's going to be fun.
Why don't you just scream,
like, ahhh!
Like...
Yeah, maybe.
Go in the bathroom
and shut the door.
I'll go in here.
I was thinking, you know,
Lynyrd Skynyrd, when he died?
Well, I don't know-- the guy,
not "Leonard" himself.
They had his brother
take over for the band.
So...
This could be a...
He is my...
Seriously, man, talk about
riding his coattails.
Literally, right now,
I'm riding about
eight coattails.
Two minutes, everyone!
So yeah.
Are you rolling?
Double decker bus.
Hello?
London.
So, how famous
do you think you are?
Aaa...
Not very famous.
Like, this famous.
What was that?
What were you holding
in your hands?
No, I meant, like,
a small amount of fame.
Are you asking
in terms of US Weekly fame?
Like celebrity?
Because we're not,
we're not, really famous...
You are way more famous
than any of my friends.
That's? Okay, I--
Just stand right there.
Okay.
You know,
this is good too because I need
more handsome shots
of you in the hood.
Whose chairs are those?
Umm? Not sure.
I just want to move them
over there for now.
Just like over here?
Aaaannnd good.
Don't sit on that.
Just 'cause...
Where do you see The National
in 50 years?
Fifty years?
I think, forty years.
I think, I don't know...
in 40 years,
I think we will be done.
Really?
In 40 years from right now?
That would be, like,
being a band
for 50 years, I think.
I don't know if any band
has been a band for 50 years.
The Rolling Stones.
Well, okay, but, like seriously.
I always kinda wondered,
do you have wallets?
Do you carry wallets
on stage with you?
Your ID when you're playing?
Do you have your ID on you?
Actually I do, yes.
That's just weird to me.
Warm up.
I am.
Why don't you button up?
I'm trying to.
Here, I'll take
your jackets, everybody.
Tom said he'll take the jackets.
On my arm.
Thank you.
I stock the buses every night.
But there's always something
one band member doesn't have.
Like a stick of
"Toberone" chocolate.
You know?
It's like, what?
You didn't ask
for Toberone last week.
You know. And it's not even on the rider.
But I was supposed to pick--
Even though that venue had
Toberone on the counter,
I didn't know you really
wanted it in the bus.
And I'm not going to take
every single piece of food
that's in your dressing room
and also put Reynold's Wrap
over it,
and stick it on the bus.
I like how he always says--
He acts all impatient,
and acts like he doesn't like
going to these photo shoots,
but I know he actually does.
Look at him.
I swear.
I like a good tuck.
It's nice in here, isn't it?
Good show, Matt.
It's been amazing.
But it's just
that I'm feeling...
It's just weird.
It's not what I thought
it would be.
And sometimes,
Matt walks off stage,
and doesn't even recognize me.
He's got this glazed over
look in his eyes.
I think he has to go to
this weird zone sometimes,
to deliver the show.
You should never
take it personally.
It's the job.
Yeah, I know, it's a job.
Ohhh! Nice one!
That's how you do it.
I don't know.
I think we should all
be hanging out more.
We might want to make this
a hard alcohol night.
No, no, no!
That's verboten.
We got some Jager in there.
No, no.
You've got the allergy.
No, I don't.
You've got the fucking allergy.
Have I had the allergy--
Yes!
Have I been on this tour
and had the allergy?
Have you fallen down
in a bodega,
and knocked over the chips rack.
Guilty. Guilty.
That's why you have
to stay away from the whiskey.
Tip your head over
the top of the thing.
Yes.
It doesn't leave a lot
to the imagination,
but we can always blur it out.
Don't worry about that.
You and Scott seem to be
the two members of the band
who actually live
a Rock & Roll lifestyle,
from my observations.
What's the question?
How many like-- how--
What kind of...
if you've done drugs?
What kind of drugs
and how many drugs
have you done?
I don't mean to pry.
Okay. Umm...
They seem so coffee house
and yet you seem more metal.
I just want to have fun on tour.
I just want to...
you know.
I mean, I'm with a rock band,
I kinda want to feel...
It kind of disappoints me
that there isn't
more crazy stuff going on.
Yeah.
You know how, yesterday,
we asked for more beer
and a bottle of tequila?
I just want you to know
we pay for all that.
I know. I'm aware. I'm--
Just keep it in mind
that everything we use,
we pay for.
Okay.
Just keep that in mind.
That's all I wanted to say.
Party's over.
Gotcha. Good, good call.
Have you done the towels?
Yes. I got all those
ready for ya.
- Wine bucket?
- Yup.
- Water bottles?
- Yup.
- Everything's cool?
- Everything's cool.
Brandon for Tom.
I need towels and water bottles.
Tom, I thought you did this.
Brandon
just yelled at me earlier.
I know he's got to be stressed.
Why did he yell at you?
For doing this.
For just filming.
I feel like the only reason
why he thinks I'm on tour,
is because I'm your brother.
Here's the truth,
the only reason you are here
is because you're my brother.
That's not tr--
Well, that is true,
but there are other reasons
why I'm here, too!
Here's my point.
You wouldn't be here
if you weren't my brother.
But we need you here
and I'm glad you're here.
You just have to make sure
that all that other stuff
is taken care of.
You're like the new guy,
that doesn't really know
what he is doing,
to be perfectly honest.
I know what I'm... I'm just...
Why are you taking
his side over mine?
I'm not taking sides, Tom.
Just turn the camera off.
This whole thing is...
It's weird that I'm even here.
I don't even know
what I'm doing here.
I think that's Moby's house?
Where?
Up on that hill.
That castle-y looking thing,
with the white turrets
and stuff.
How do you know?
There was a New York
Times online real estate tour.
I swear that's it.
Looks super familiar.
Hey, Moby!
Don't
yell at the fucking neighbors!
You drink all the time!
But when you get started,
you don't stop.
I'm just saying be careful.
You get on the slope,
and you slide down the slope,
and you don't turn around.
That's why I was telling you
before we left on tour...
Whatever.
You seem fine, but slow down.
You've got the allergy.
Okay.
Not from me.
All of our guests are out there?
Okay. We are still
figuring out our bass guitar.
Don't worry.
We'll get it together.
What's wrong?
Nothing.
Did somebody say something
to you?
Nothing. It's fine.
Can I have,
literally, two minutes?
The show sucked...
It was fine.
I thought it was okay.
No, it sucked.
Do you want to go get
something to eat?
Matt!
I need to see the footage
of this film you're working on.
Okay. Yeah.
I'll get it to you.
I'll get it to you.
Okay.
Is it for any clearances
or anything? Or is it just...
I think we're all
a little concerned.
I mean, I'd like to make sure
we don't have
any clearance issues.
But we're also
a little concerned
how the band is going
to come off looking in this.
Who's been asking about me?
Nobody. Nobody yet.
Okay.
Okay.
You know, I'm just concerned.
No worries. No worries.
You'll see a cut ASAP.
- Okay.
- Alright.
I've been hearing
that there's been some doubt,
or concern about my abilities.
I want to show you
my chops here.
This is just something simple
I did a little while ago.
I don't want to tell you
too much about it now.
We'll talk about it afterwards.
And now, I have the pleasure
of introducing
one of our great
musical guests tonight.
Give it up for The National!
Guys, we have to move
everyone out.
Anyone who is not
getting a click
has to move down the hall.
See you later, guys.
Was that him?
I can't stand here?
Can I stand right here?
They don't want anybody
in front of these doors.
Damn it.
I'm sorry you didn't get
to meet the president.
They only vetted the five of us
for whatever reason.
It's not like
we could complain about that.
If-- whatever.
If there's an opportunity
again in the future,
I will try to get you
to meet the President.
Did they even do
a background check?
They probably did
a background check
and found I had a DUI
from ten years ago.
No, they didn't do that.
They didn't even
check you at all.
And I'm sure it had
nothing to do with your DUI.
I feel like
I'm on the outside of his world,
looking in, you know?
And even though there was
a huge age difference
growing up,
it was never like that.
I know he likes me
as his little brother.
And he would do
fun things with me.
He would take me to movies
and force me to go fishing.
Anyway's...It's...
Sometimes I think,
he never really understood me.
You were the weird, artsy kid.
Yeah. I was more-- I was like...
And he was like
the golden boy, the quarterback.
Yes. Exactly.
I felt like,
I think differently.
Matt has it easy.
He's got thousands of people
reminding him
of how brilliant
he is every night.
Of course, you might feel
a little jealous of that.
Maybe your relationship
is suffering.
But I think Matt's got
a lot in his life.
He's gone from working a job
to being a rock star.
There's a shift there.
It's hard to know,
I always say
that what he has to do,
is a lot harder
than what we have to do.
- Are you okay?
- Are you comfortable with these--
Yeah, it's cool.
I mean, I'm a little,
sort of, perplexed
because you guys said
you wanted to get me
into the movie
and talk about me.
But it seems like you're just...
Yes!
...want to talk about Matt.
It's normal.
Most people, a lot of people,
just ask questions about Matt.
No, that's okay.
No, you're-- I'm-- Alright.
You kinda got to get
your shit together a little bit.
I'm happy
you're on tour with us.
I have no problem...
I'm happy you are trying
to make this movie.
But, you got to remember
you're not--
I'm just getting exposure here.
I have no problem sharing
a hotel room with you,
but for example,
when I get up
in the middle of the night
and go to the bathroom,
and there's cereal and milk
on the floor
of the fucking bathroom,
of the hotel room.
Wait, are we going to do a--
It's irritating.
You couldn't wipe it up
with a towel?
I did wipe it up with a towel!
Why did I go in there
at one in the morning,
and I'm stepping
and almost fall in milk?
Were you eating in the dark?
Your wet bathing suit
was hanging off the table
in the lounge of the bus.
Like, 12 people
live on this bus.
You can't hang
your wet bathing suit.
Where were you swimming?
Where are you going?
I'm just standing up.
I'm just..
I'm a little..
I feel like I'm free falling
a little bit here.
Well then, pull out of it!
You have to come up
with some kind of idea
for this movie.
Okay, here's what I'm thinking.
I just need a shot of you.
Can you look up?
Look away.
Look intense into the camera!
Look away.
Okay now act like you just
got a really good idea!
Have a thought like...
Wait a second!
Do that.
And say, wait a second.
Wait a second!
He's not perfect, you know.
Yeah, no, he's not perfect.
I don't know.
He frustrates me at times,
and then other times,
he surprises you.
And it's like anybody.
Nobody's perfect.
Has he ever blown up?
Has he ever lost
his temper with you?
Yes.
I'm going to grab myself
some wine.
Explain into the camera
how much--
I'll have some wine.
Explain in the camera
how much...
And I'm listening.
Well, when we were trying
to finish Boxer.
It was the song,
Apartment Story.
This is what caused it.
The original vocal was
the first scratch vocal
that had this real
effortless, almost sleepy...
Thanks.
...vibe to it.
And he re-did the vocal
one day,
and I really in my heart
it was like, "It's wrong."
And I couldn't shut up about it.
I didn't realize
how angry he was getting,
and at some point,
a switch flipped,
and I saw blood in his eyes.
And he just tore my head off
and it's actually frightening
when he gets angry.
It's terribly frightening.
Because he steam rolls you.
Go ahead.
I'm sorry, go ahead.
I don't want to pile it on Matt.
But anyway's, so I left.
No, pile it on.
It's too loaded,
you guys as brothers.
You're too set in your
ancient patterns of behavior
as brothers.
You're the underdog.
He's the dominating alpha male.
You're not going to win.
Do you want me to just
bring them drinks and then--
No, no, no.
They're not going to
want to walk into a room
with a camera on.
So I don't think
you should film.
Put the camera down.
That's bullshit!
Just for tonight.
I'm fucking filming them!
I've been on tour for,
like, eight months.
Nothing's fucking happened
until some television stars
on TV show that I watch...
It's going to be fucking awesome
to put them in the movie!
When people who are
getting spotted all the time,
celebrities, walk into a room,
And, without them knowing,
there is a live camera on them,
it's just--
I'm fucking filming them, Matt.
- I'm filming them.
- They just want to relax.
I just want to relax.
Please, does that make sense?
Tom! How's it going?
We met outside.
We're almost
two hours out of town
and Brandon, wakes me up
and says,
"Dude!
Your brother's not here!"
You were an hour
out of town actually.
Don't film this!
Put the camera down!
Somebody looks in your bunk
and Tom's not in there!
We looked.
Nobody has any idea.
Brandon was furious.
I was super worried!
Where were you?
Who were you with?
I was with Bryan and Scott!
They were on the bus!
They made it back for bus call
like you're supposed to.
Put the camera down!
Who leaves friends at a bar?
They should have been,
"Hey Tom, we're leaving."
No one did that.
You're not their responsibility!
You're a fucking adult!
I was just having a good time!
What did he say?
I'm sorry. We have to go.
Am I fired or what?
Technically yes.
Don't put it
through that filter.
Please. Just think of
this as an opportunity.
Now you can...
Why are you filming this?
Are you sure
you want to film this?
If you don't mind,
I would like
to have this on record.
We hoped that this would be
the right fit.
And it isn't working.
This is when it gets
a little more depressing.
What's this one called?
- This one?
- Yeah.
It's just going through
the garden or something.
Looks like a palm tree in there.
No.
- That's my favorite one.
- Which one?
This one.
This one?
Yeah. I like this one.
These are some of my pastels.
Well, I got some questions.
Let me sit down.
Off the top of your head,
how do you think
Matt and I are different?
Growing up. Growing up.
How were Matt and I
different from each other?
Matt was
a lot easier to raise than you.
What was that laugh all about?
Well, I mean,
you were a hard kid to...
you know that!
For instance,
you wouldn't do things.
You wouldn't get in
the pool down at swim lessons.
You cried all the time
in first grade.
If you were going to
football practice,
I had to wait in the car,
I couldn't leave.
I just didn't like
football practice.
I didn't like getting told
what to do.
When I didn't even
want to do that.
But you needed to do
something, complete something.
You always wanted
to quit things.
No, I didn't.
Like what?
What do you mean?
I think you didn't--
Well, did you start baseball?
Did you ever play baseball?
Yeah, but I quit that.
Yeah, that's what I said.
You quit that.
We use to let you quit things
every now and again
if you didn't like it.
But then it got to the point
you were quitting everything.
Well, I thought that's not
a good habit to get into.
Who was a better artist?
Well, we can look at that.
You were both very different.
Look, look!
These are my inspirations.
This was Matt's art which was
very abstract and minimal.
And this is all you work!
Take some shot of that.
I think that's really cool.
Yeah, this is pretty good.
Yeah, this is great.
This is the type of work
you did.
Really wonderful.
What's this guy doing?
Is he sawing a leg?
He's making a leg.
Near an empty creek.
And then he's dreaming
about new legs.
And then same guy
in a school bus,
and he's thinking
about eating a leg.
What's not to love about that?
What other differences
do you see between me and Matt?
I think, Matt really,
just has a great deal
of self confidence.
And I don't think that you have
that kind of confidence
that he has.
Because you obviously
haven't had
the same kind of success.
He's well known
in the Indie rock circles
and the band is doing very well.
In your personality--
Matt could get angry
a little bit easier,
and sometimes,
he seemed to be more moody
when we was younger.
Mom used to worry
about him being moody.
You never seemed to worry
a whole lot about things.
You just took it as it came.
Whatever you were doing,
if that's what you wanted to do,
that was fine.
- I was always happy.
- Oh God, I know.
You were happy.
Until now, I'm the depressed one
and Matt's all happy again.
Because he's successful.
Right?
You're successful.
No, I'm not.
You will be.
I'm telling you I know that.
I'm positive of it.
What have I always told you?
I'm your most creative.
Most talented.
You were my most talented.
And I've said that
from the time
you were a little kid.
And I believe it.
I still believe it.
I mean it!
You don't believe it.
Move that up.
All the way up,
right back to the wall.
You don't think she'll
mind me living in here, do you?
Well, this is her play room.
What kind of job
do you think I'll get?
You think I'll be a movie maker?
No!
Do you think I will be dating
a hot movie star someday?
No!
No way.
My phone.
My phone!
My phone!
Let it go!
Fine.
Can I use a pizza slicer
on your head?
Tom, you can stay with us
as long as you want.
I think it will be fun.
Okay. Thanks. Good.
You can close the door,
and you can do nothing
but focus on
finishing the movie.
After that,
then we can figure out
what you are going to do.
This is the movie
in no particular order.
But it's scene and ideas
that I'm dealing with,
I'm working on.
Let me tell you,
the color coding
has a lot to do
with how it's set up.
We have the pink stuff--
is tour.
On the road.
The road going by.
You know, the asphalt going by.
The blue ones
are sentimental, you know.
Something that will touch
their hearts in some way.
The purple ones are scenes
with just band guys in them.
This is basically
all new stuff I just found,
just recently.
I see yellow dots,
I see pink dots,
I see green dots.
They're all the same.
Well, except for the green dots.
Wait. Tom, these aren't
in any sort of order?
No. Well, somewhat.
They're not in.
No. Not yet.
But it's for me
when I'm at my computer,
and I figure out
what comes next.
What's something
that comes next.
Then I have a reference.
It's more like a reference.
No, that's cool.
All I'm saying is
that it's impossible for me
to give you any feedback
on the movie at all,
by just looking
at these post-it notes.
It looks interesting.
It looks like you have
an interesting movie.
You have skinny dipping Iggy.
Is that Iggy Pop?
Yes.
You got him skinny dipping?
No. I didn't get him
skinny dipping.
He was playing in the background
and there were skinny dippers
at that festival in Germany.
But don't fall in love with it,
because I did not get
the skinny dippers releases.
Tom, this does look exciting.
No, no. Tom, I'm not
trying to be discouraging.
I'm totally encouraging.
So all you wanted is for me
to understand your system?
- Yes.
- Okay. Cool.
Tom, what's this?
That's actually a self portrait
that I messed up on.
And I just put horns on it.
Can we go through it real quick?
When you embark on a
new album like this right here,
how do you deal with that?
Just tell me
about your struggles
with the creative process
a little bit.
I mean, the most stressful
thing for me
is before you have an idea.
Like, I need to write
National songs,
and I can't think of anything.
And that's really stressful.
But the minute you have an idea,
the making of the thing
is really fun.
I would say that 90 percent
of everything you do
is either bad,
rejected, or overlooked,
and that's just to be expected.
Look at us.
We're making records
and it's like 40 to 45 minutes
of sound.
And that takes us,
like, two years!
With five people
and people helping us.
People working and producing,
everyone in the studio
and all that stuff.
And then finally,
at the end of all that,
there's 45 minutes
of sound coming out of speakers.
So how do you think
it's going to go?
Well, I think
it's going to go pretty well.
I think people are
going to be surprised
at what they see.
I mean, it doesn't have
a twist ending,
but it's going to be good.
It's fast paced.
It's colorful.
I put some of my music in there,
as well as some National music.
I don't want to know
too much about it.
I know.
Tom, did you ever
get in touch with that girl?
Actually-- No, no.
I don't want a girlfriend
just right now.
I don't have the clothes to wear
that they probably want me
to go out and wear.
I don't have the bed
that they probably want.
I don't have the shit.
Like, I don't have any dishes.
I don't have fucking anything.
You have dishes.
No, I don't have dishes.
I thought you did.
Yeah, it's expensive here.
Don't you eat the stuff
in the fridge?
No, I don't really
fix stuff for myself.
Well, where do you eat?
Other than our food?
Well, you can get slices
of pizza pretty cheap.
Here and there.
Pizza slice here.
Pizza slice there.
Chinese food every couple days.
I don't know.
It's going to be good.
It's going to be good.
I'm not feeling very good
at the moment.
I think I'm going to throw up.
No. It will be good.
It'll be over in an hour,
and everybody will go
get to see The National.
Which they came to see anyway.
It's just a rough cut.
I spent about six months
to about eight months,
traveling with these guys.
And this is my impression
of the band.
Thank you, everybody,
and, yeah, that's it.
Thank you!
Oops!
Why is this happening to me?
I don't know.
The digital projector
keeps stopping and--
It's not over.
You should have been in there,
hours and hours ahead.
Or, you should have gone
the day before
to make sure
everything was working.
I felt terrible for you.
But I was also
totally pissed off.
How did you let bad luck
stop you again?
Everyone has bad luck.
It's easier for you to say
when everything seems to be
going right in your life.
But it doesn't.
Stuff goes as wrong for me
as it does for you.
I have been lucky.
Maybe I have been luckier
than you have.
The worst thing that can happen
is that you let this
paralyze you again.
And suck all your air out.
I'm seeing this
as a fortuitous opportunity
to re-cut a few things.
And I'm not depressed.
Okay. Good.
Tom, are you depressed
right now?
Yeah. Well, of course!
I always am.
And it's really hard
to be creative.
I did shoot myself crying
last night.
For the movie?
I needed something--
I don't know, it was real...
Raw emotion that I felt like--
I'm feeling this now...
I might as well get my camera.
You were crying about the movie?
Yeah.
You don't have to cry
about the movie.
It's just a rock documentary.
I'm sorry.
See what I'm saying?
I know it's been
super stressful.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I've never seen him cry at all.
He's probably seen me cry,
like, four times.
I've seen you cry, like,
a hundred times.
I've never seen you cry.
I cry.
I just want to make
something good.
For him.
For the band, to believe in me.
As well as myself.
Welcome to Paris.
Oh. This doesn't even look
like my arm.
Looks like another person
in the room when I do this.
All right.
Sit down, Matt. Sit down.
What's it like--
I mean...
Tonight, you're
going to be playing
in front of 5,000?
I can't believe...
I can't imagine playing--
I don't think I ever met
more than 5,000 people.
That's amazing!
Yeah. I know it is amazing.
It's pretty nerve-racking
but it's awesome.
For so long, we would go on tour
and no one would be coming.
It was so humiliating for us.
And that happened a lot!
And I remember the first time
we played at Mercury Lounge.
And there was nobody there.
After that show,
I went straight home,
closed the door
and started crying.
I think when we started
putting tension and anxiety
and fear and humiliation
into the music,
just putting it out there,
it made us closer to each other.
And for the people
that did come to the shows,
that was the connection.
Where were you?
Who were you with?
I was with Bryan and Scott!
They were on the bus!
But you needed to do something
and complete something.
You always wanted
to quit things.
The worst thing that can happen
is if you let this
paralyze you again
and suck all your air out.
Having Matt as my older brother
kind of sucks.
Because he's a rock star
and I am not.
And it has always been that way.
But there was this one time
when I was in high school
and he was in New York.
And he called me up,
because he had
a horrible nightmare.
And his nightmare was awesome.
He was being attacked
by some crazy guy on the street.
And he said that I came
out of nowhere with an axe
and I just axed
this crazy guy to death.
I mean, I saved his life!
It's just
that that made me realize
that my brother sees
something in me
that I, you know,
sometimes don't see in myself.
I want you to wipe
right across your eyes
so I can get a good shot
of your eyes.
- Across the mirror.
- Yeah.
And you got to have that look
of you don't know who--
you don't know
who you are anymore.
Okay?
Okay.
And action.
Hold on.
Let me zoom in.
Say I am not The National.
The National is everybody's now.
Say that!
Actually, that's good!
Just say it.
You don't think I sound
like a total asshole?
I'll say it.
I will say it.
The National belongs
to everybody now.
Nope. No.
- Look at me.
- Okay.
The National...
The National belongs
to everybody now.
Keep doing that!
Keep doing that!
I zoomed in on your face!
This might be good
for the ending!
Do one more of those!
Tom, you focus on
the wrong stuff.
It's true.
You are terrible
at a lot of things.
But there are a couple of things
that nobody else does
as well as you do.
It drives me bananas
that you will throw yourself
away completely
because of one or two things
that you think
are wrong about you.
That's what breaks my heart.
You got to ignore those,
and lean towards the things
that make you like yourself.
Forget everything else.
Fake it.
Fake your way upwards.
Hey, Tom.
Tom!
Will you get out of here!
Is it off?
I turned it off.
I'm leaving!
Put the camera down.
It's off.
- Alright. It's off.
- Is it off?
I'm just checking the progress.
I'm getting close.
Alright.
Just let me figure it out, okay?
It's a terrible love
AndI'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love
And I'm walking in
It's a terrible love
And I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love
And I'm walking in
It's quiet company
It's quiet company
It's quiet company
And I can't fall asleep
Without a little help
It takes awhile
To settle down
My shiver bones
Until the panic's out
It takes an ocean
Not to break
It takes an ocean
Not to break
It takes an ocean
Not to break
It takes an ocean
Not to break
Company It's quite company
It's quiet company
It's quiet company
But I won't follow you
Into the rabbit hole
I saidI would But then I saw
Your shiver bones
They didn't want me, too
It's a terrible love
And I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love
And I'm walking in
It's a terrible love
And I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love
And I'm walking in
It takes an ocean
Not to break
It takes an ocean
Not to break
It takes an ocean
Not to break
O Holy Night!
The stars
Are brightly shining
It is the night of
The dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world
In sin and error pining
Till He appeared
And the Spirit felt its worth
A thrill of hope
The weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks
A new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees!
Oh hear the angel voices!
O night divine
The night when
Christ was born
O night O Holy Night
O night divine!
O night O Holy Night
O night divine!
O night O Holy Night
O night divine!
I can't think of questions.
You're not gonna
get sunburned, Matt.
Just...
Just relax.
- Anything.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah...
Hold on, hold on!
Let me think of it.
Umm.
Do you...?
Do you ever get..?
I mean...
On tour,
it's day in and day out.
Umm.
Do you ever get...?
Does that ever make you
sleepy on stage?
Umm.
Or tired?
Tired on stage?
That's my question.
Question number one is that.
Have you ever woken up
in a nightmare, on a bus?
Because the movement.
What kind of nightmares,
have people talked about
of having?
Don't act like
it was a dumb question!
I'm following up
on my first question!
Do you have a notebook?
With questions
written down that you, like...
Do you have any
kind of organization and plan
for this film?
Our guests today in the studio
are The National.
We're about to talk
to a band called The National.
They've been critical darlings,
for the last ten years or so;
but now they are
finally achieving
some commercial success.
Yes, the secret is out.
This is one of the most
talked about bands
on the planet right now.
Please welcome to the program,
The National.
Your applause for...
The National.
You're the smartest dressed band
on the red carpet today.
Are we?
Maybe we...?
Did we over do it?
No, not at all.
This is our first red carpet,
so you are going to see
a lot of waistcoats.
So the new record is blowing up.
Number three on the charts.
And you've been profiled
in Rolling Stone, GQ.
You were recently the subject
of a ten-page spread
in the New York Times.
The Times piece mentions you
guys are a band of brothers.
Two sets of brothers.
Bryan and Scott are brothers.
And Aaron and Bryce
are twins actually.
But then, there's you, Matt.
You're the guy in the band
who doesn't have a brother.
I... I do have a brother.
Um. But he's nine years
younger and lives in Cincinnati.
What does your brother
think of the band?
Aaaa?
That's a good ques-- Aaa?
I don't think he does think
of it that much actually.
He's more of a metal head.
So... I think he thinks,
Indie rock
is pretentious bullshit.
And here we are.
That's me, my sister,
my dad, and my mom.
And there's Matt.
And this was
at our grandma's funeral.
And uh... I don't know?
I'm looking pretty good there.
Two weeks ago, Matt called.
He said the band is ready
to go out on tour again.
And they're going to need
extra help.
So he asked if
I wanted to go on tour
and be a roadie.
A year on tour with my brother,
I think, is going to be awesome.
I don't ever
get to see him so...
I think it's going to be fun.
I'm taking a camera along
to make a documentary
on the band.
Making movies is something
I've always really loved to do.
A Primarily
horror-action movies.
It's not The National but...
This is my first movie,
From The Dirt Under His Nails.
It's about an insane
animal trapper
who resurrects from the dead.
And goes on a rampage.
And this one is Wages Of Sin!
This one's about a barbarian
with an identity crisis,
who also goes through
a murderous rampage.
I'm filming down here!
Oh. I didn't know
that, sorry.
I don't leave until
eight o' clock tomorrow night.
Okay.
Hi.
Hey, we were just talking
to the fella upstairs.
We're just making
a small documentary
on The National.
He said it was okay
if we do a little shooting.
- Okay.
- Alright. Thank you.
Have you ever heard of
The National?
They're from here.
Right. Right.
I'm his brother
and I'm about to go on tour.
Have you ever been on a tour bus
or anything like that?
- No.
- I'm supposed to go on their tour bus,
and I don't know what to expect.
I think I'm going to
get together with him.
I'm going to be making
this rock doc.
I thank you for letting me
into your beautiful store.
Hey!
Hey!
How's it going?
Good. Good.
Like my new camera?
You're not supposed to
do that in here.
I know. I know.
Hey, guys! Good,
the whole band is here.
It's about to be confiscated
by the TSA.
No, it's not.
I don't think so?
Your cord's touching me.
I had no idea you've never
been to Europe.
Welcome to Paris!
Oooh! This doesn't even
look like my arm!
Looks like another--
oh, there we go.
Looks like another person
in the room when I do this.
Who is that?
I'm... This is cool.
I'm psyched you are here.
It's good to be here.
We have. We've been here--
Matt is on a phone interview
with a French newspaper.
Talking,
So let's just listen in.
In fact, it was
our first show in Europe.
It was a hundred people.
But it was our first taste
of what it would be like
to be a real band, I think.
We all are
in a really weird moods
just 'cause we're nervous.
That has never gone away.
We've learned to channel, I
think, whatever anxieties we have
into just the songs, I guess.
Stop. How fast can you play?
Well, who's faster?
Should I go to Bryce for this?
Who's faster, you or Bryce?
Well, if I play
with my fingers in scales,
I can play pretty fast.
But Bryce is
the faster guitarist?
Technically, yeah.
Do you want me to turn around?
Actually, bend down and come up.
Yeah.
Now act like you're
just picking up your glasses
and not even paying
attention to me.
No, this is good.
This is going to be
perfect for your intro shot.
Yeah.
Like, basically I have,
your job description right here.
You've seen the rider, right?
Uh-huh. No.
No I haven't actually.
I thought I emailed it to you?
But, regardless...
Oh. Okay.
Maybe I did see that.
Yeah.
It's basically
just a list of food.
Okay.
I just want you to
make sure that it's all there.
Okay.
I'd like to
say it is simple, but it's not.
Is there anything,
like, in particular
for, like, Bryce or Aaron?
Well, you know them well enough
- to figure that out.
- Yeah. Okay.
You know, just moving down
the list,
as far as the show time
is concerned,
you need to assemble the band
five minutes before the show.
So you got to make sure
everybody's gone
to the bathroom, you know.
Bryan's usually in
the bathroom for, like, forever.
And then during the show,
I just want you to stay
on radio communication.
Okay?
So, I just want you to make sure
you're available,
in the event that something
horribly wrong goes down.
Why I'm saying that,
is because you're here,
because we need someone
to do this stuff.
- Right.
- And, you know,
you just need to be
careful about...
not partying.
And, you know,
you're not a band member,
you're a crew member.
- Right.
- This shit has to get done.
Don't step backwards.
Hey, Tom. I can't do this
right now, dude.
You got
to leave me alone. Seriously.
Can you stop!
Terry!
You need to tell me
if this is getting brighter?
Go for Tom Berninger.
Do you copy?
I copy. Go ahead.
Ready for your brother
down here.
Copy that.
He's already angry at me.
It's day one.
Everyone's grumpy.
Tom. Do you copy?
Matt!
He... I just
saw him go downstairs actually.
Matt, this is awesome!
Have you ever played
for this many people before?
Nope. No, it's going to be...
It's going to be weird.
It's going to be fun.
Why don't you just scream,
like, ahhh!
Like...
Yeah, maybe.
Go in the bathroom
and shut the door.
I'll go in here.
I was thinking, you know,
Lynyrd Skynyrd, when he died?
Well, I don't know-- the guy,
not "Leonard" himself.
They had his brother
take over for the band.
So...
This could be a...
He is my...
Seriously, man, talk about
riding his coattails.
Literally, right now,
I'm riding about
eight coattails.
Two minutes, everyone!
So yeah.
Are you rolling?
Double decker bus.
Hello?
London.
So, how famous
do you think you are?
Aaa...
Not very famous.
Like, this famous.
What was that?
What were you holding
in your hands?
No, I meant, like,
a small amount of fame.
Are you asking
in terms of US Weekly fame?
Like celebrity?
Because we're not,
we're not, really famous...
You are way more famous
than any of my friends.
That's? Okay, I--
Just stand right there.
Okay.
You know,
this is good too because I need
more handsome shots
of you in the hood.
Whose chairs are those?
Umm? Not sure.
I just want to move them
over there for now.
Just like over here?
Aaaannnd good.
Don't sit on that.
Just 'cause...
Where do you see The National
in 50 years?
Fifty years?
I think, forty years.
I think, I don't know...
in 40 years,
I think we will be done.
Really?
In 40 years from right now?
That would be, like,
being a band
for 50 years, I think.
I don't know if any band
has been a band for 50 years.
The Rolling Stones.
Well, okay, but, like seriously.
I always kinda wondered,
do you have wallets?
Do you carry wallets
on stage with you?
Your ID when you're playing?
Do you have your ID on you?
Actually I do, yes.
That's just weird to me.
Warm up.
I am.
Why don't you button up?
I'm trying to.
Here, I'll take
your jackets, everybody.
Tom said he'll take the jackets.
On my arm.
Thank you.
I stock the buses every night.
But there's always something
one band member doesn't have.
Like a stick of
"Toberone" chocolate.
You know?
It's like, what?
You didn't ask
for Toberone last week.
You know. And it's not even on the rider.
But I was supposed to pick--
Even though that venue had
Toberone on the counter,
I didn't know you really
wanted it in the bus.
And I'm not going to take
every single piece of food
that's in your dressing room
and also put Reynold's Wrap
over it,
and stick it on the bus.
I like how he always says--
He acts all impatient,
and acts like he doesn't like
going to these photo shoots,
but I know he actually does.
Look at him.
I swear.
I like a good tuck.
It's nice in here, isn't it?
Good show, Matt.
It's been amazing.
But it's just
that I'm feeling...
It's just weird.
It's not what I thought
it would be.
And sometimes,
Matt walks off stage,
and doesn't even recognize me.
He's got this glazed over
look in his eyes.
I think he has to go to
this weird zone sometimes,
to deliver the show.
You should never
take it personally.
It's the job.
Yeah, I know, it's a job.
Ohhh! Nice one!
That's how you do it.
I don't know.
I think we should all
be hanging out more.
We might want to make this
a hard alcohol night.
No, no, no!
That's verboten.
We got some Jager in there.
No, no.
You've got the allergy.
No, I don't.
You've got the fucking allergy.
Have I had the allergy--
Yes!
Have I been on this tour
and had the allergy?
Have you fallen down
in a bodega,
and knocked over the chips rack.
Guilty. Guilty.
That's why you have
to stay away from the whiskey.
Tip your head over
the top of the thing.
Yes.
It doesn't leave a lot
to the imagination,
but we can always blur it out.
Don't worry about that.
You and Scott seem to be
the two members of the band
who actually live
a Rock & Roll lifestyle,
from my observations.
What's the question?
How many like-- how--
What kind of...
if you've done drugs?
What kind of drugs
and how many drugs
have you done?
I don't mean to pry.
Okay. Umm...
They seem so coffee house
and yet you seem more metal.
I just want to have fun on tour.
I just want to...
you know.
I mean, I'm with a rock band,
I kinda want to feel...
It kind of disappoints me
that there isn't
more crazy stuff going on.
Yeah.
You know how, yesterday,
we asked for more beer
and a bottle of tequila?
I just want you to know
we pay for all that.
I know. I'm aware. I'm--
Just keep it in mind
that everything we use,
we pay for.
Okay.
Just keep that in mind.
That's all I wanted to say.
Party's over.
Gotcha. Good, good call.
Have you done the towels?
Yes. I got all those
ready for ya.
- Wine bucket?
- Yup.
- Water bottles?
- Yup.
- Everything's cool?
- Everything's cool.
Brandon for Tom.
I need towels and water bottles.
Tom, I thought you did this.
Brandon
just yelled at me earlier.
I know he's got to be stressed.
Why did he yell at you?
For doing this.
For just filming.
I feel like the only reason
why he thinks I'm on tour,
is because I'm your brother.
Here's the truth,
the only reason you are here
is because you're my brother.
That's not tr--
Well, that is true,
but there are other reasons
why I'm here, too!
Here's my point.
You wouldn't be here
if you weren't my brother.
But we need you here
and I'm glad you're here.
You just have to make sure
that all that other stuff
is taken care of.
You're like the new guy,
that doesn't really know
what he is doing,
to be perfectly honest.
I know what I'm... I'm just...
Why are you taking
his side over mine?
I'm not taking sides, Tom.
Just turn the camera off.
This whole thing is...
It's weird that I'm even here.
I don't even know
what I'm doing here.
I think that's Moby's house?
Where?
Up on that hill.
That castle-y looking thing,
with the white turrets
and stuff.
How do you know?
There was a New York
Times online real estate tour.
I swear that's it.
Looks super familiar.
Hey, Moby!
Don't
yell at the fucking neighbors!
You drink all the time!
But when you get started,
you don't stop.
I'm just saying be careful.
You get on the slope,
and you slide down the slope,
and you don't turn around.
That's why I was telling you
before we left on tour...
Whatever.
You seem fine, but slow down.
You've got the allergy.
Okay.
Not from me.
All of our guests are out there?
Okay. We are still
figuring out our bass guitar.
Don't worry.
We'll get it together.
What's wrong?
Nothing.
Did somebody say something
to you?
Nothing. It's fine.
Can I have,
literally, two minutes?
The show sucked...
It was fine.
I thought it was okay.
No, it sucked.
Do you want to go get
something to eat?
Matt!
I need to see the footage
of this film you're working on.
Okay. Yeah.
I'll get it to you.
I'll get it to you.
Okay.
Is it for any clearances
or anything? Or is it just...
I think we're all
a little concerned.
I mean, I'd like to make sure
we don't have
any clearance issues.
But we're also
a little concerned
how the band is going
to come off looking in this.
Who's been asking about me?
Nobody. Nobody yet.
Okay.
Okay.
You know, I'm just concerned.
No worries. No worries.
You'll see a cut ASAP.
- Okay.
- Alright.
I've been hearing
that there's been some doubt,
or concern about my abilities.
I want to show you
my chops here.
This is just something simple
I did a little while ago.
I don't want to tell you
too much about it now.
We'll talk about it afterwards.
And now, I have the pleasure
of introducing
one of our great
musical guests tonight.
Give it up for The National!
Guys, we have to move
everyone out.
Anyone who is not
getting a click
has to move down the hall.
See you later, guys.
Was that him?
I can't stand here?
Can I stand right here?
They don't want anybody
in front of these doors.
Damn it.
I'm sorry you didn't get
to meet the president.
They only vetted the five of us
for whatever reason.
It's not like
we could complain about that.
If-- whatever.
If there's an opportunity
again in the future,
I will try to get you
to meet the President.
Did they even do
a background check?
They probably did
a background check
and found I had a DUI
from ten years ago.
No, they didn't do that.
They didn't even
check you at all.
And I'm sure it had
nothing to do with your DUI.
I feel like
I'm on the outside of his world,
looking in, you know?
And even though there was
a huge age difference
growing up,
it was never like that.
I know he likes me
as his little brother.
And he would do
fun things with me.
He would take me to movies
and force me to go fishing.
Anyway's...It's...
Sometimes I think,
he never really understood me.
You were the weird, artsy kid.
Yeah. I was more-- I was like...
And he was like
the golden boy, the quarterback.
Yes. Exactly.
I felt like,
I think differently.
Matt has it easy.
He's got thousands of people
reminding him
of how brilliant
he is every night.
Of course, you might feel
a little jealous of that.
Maybe your relationship
is suffering.
But I think Matt's got
a lot in his life.
He's gone from working a job
to being a rock star.
There's a shift there.
It's hard to know,
I always say
that what he has to do,
is a lot harder
than what we have to do.
- Are you okay?
- Are you comfortable with these--
Yeah, it's cool.
I mean, I'm a little,
sort of, perplexed
because you guys said
you wanted to get me
into the movie
and talk about me.
But it seems like you're just...
Yes!
...want to talk about Matt.
It's normal.
Most people, a lot of people,
just ask questions about Matt.
No, that's okay.
No, you're-- I'm-- Alright.
You kinda got to get
your shit together a little bit.
I'm happy
you're on tour with us.
I have no problem...
I'm happy you are trying
to make this movie.
But, you got to remember
you're not--
I'm just getting exposure here.
I have no problem sharing
a hotel room with you,
but for example,
when I get up
in the middle of the night
and go to the bathroom,
and there's cereal and milk
on the floor
of the fucking bathroom,
of the hotel room.
Wait, are we going to do a--
It's irritating.
You couldn't wipe it up
with a towel?
I did wipe it up with a towel!
Why did I go in there
at one in the morning,
and I'm stepping
and almost fall in milk?
Were you eating in the dark?
Your wet bathing suit
was hanging off the table
in the lounge of the bus.
Like, 12 people
live on this bus.
You can't hang
your wet bathing suit.
Where were you swimming?
Where are you going?
I'm just standing up.
I'm just..
I'm a little..
I feel like I'm free falling
a little bit here.
Well then, pull out of it!
You have to come up
with some kind of idea
for this movie.
Okay, here's what I'm thinking.
I just need a shot of you.
Can you look up?
Look away.
Look intense into the camera!
Look away.
Okay now act like you just
got a really good idea!
Have a thought like...
Wait a second!
Do that.
And say, wait a second.
Wait a second!
He's not perfect, you know.
Yeah, no, he's not perfect.
I don't know.
He frustrates me at times,
and then other times,
he surprises you.
And it's like anybody.
Nobody's perfect.
Has he ever blown up?
Has he ever lost
his temper with you?
Yes.
I'm going to grab myself
some wine.
Explain into the camera
how much--
I'll have some wine.
Explain in the camera
how much...
And I'm listening.
Well, when we were trying
to finish Boxer.
It was the song,
Apartment Story.
This is what caused it.
The original vocal was
the first scratch vocal
that had this real
effortless, almost sleepy...
Thanks.
...vibe to it.
And he re-did the vocal
one day,
and I really in my heart
it was like, "It's wrong."
And I couldn't shut up about it.
I didn't realize
how angry he was getting,
and at some point,
a switch flipped,
and I saw blood in his eyes.
And he just tore my head off
and it's actually frightening
when he gets angry.
It's terribly frightening.
Because he steam rolls you.
Go ahead.
I'm sorry, go ahead.
I don't want to pile it on Matt.
But anyway's, so I left.
No, pile it on.
It's too loaded,
you guys as brothers.
You're too set in your
ancient patterns of behavior
as brothers.
You're the underdog.
He's the dominating alpha male.
You're not going to win.
Do you want me to just
bring them drinks and then--
No, no, no.
They're not going to
want to walk into a room
with a camera on.
So I don't think
you should film.
Put the camera down.
That's bullshit!
Just for tonight.
I'm fucking filming them!
I've been on tour for,
like, eight months.
Nothing's fucking happened
until some television stars
on TV show that I watch...
It's going to be fucking awesome
to put them in the movie!
When people who are
getting spotted all the time,
celebrities, walk into a room,
And, without them knowing,
there is a live camera on them,
it's just--
I'm fucking filming them, Matt.
- I'm filming them.
- They just want to relax.
I just want to relax.
Please, does that make sense?
Tom! How's it going?
We met outside.
We're almost
two hours out of town
and Brandon, wakes me up
and says,
"Dude!
Your brother's not here!"
You were an hour
out of town actually.
Don't film this!
Put the camera down!
Somebody looks in your bunk
and Tom's not in there!
We looked.
Nobody has any idea.
Brandon was furious.
I was super worried!
Where were you?
Who were you with?
I was with Bryan and Scott!
They were on the bus!
They made it back for bus call
like you're supposed to.
Put the camera down!
Who leaves friends at a bar?
They should have been,
"Hey Tom, we're leaving."
No one did that.
You're not their responsibility!
You're a fucking adult!
I was just having a good time!
What did he say?
I'm sorry. We have to go.
Am I fired or what?
Technically yes.
Don't put it
through that filter.
Please. Just think of
this as an opportunity.
Now you can...
Why are you filming this?
Are you sure
you want to film this?
If you don't mind,
I would like
to have this on record.
We hoped that this would be
the right fit.
And it isn't working.
This is when it gets
a little more depressing.
What's this one called?
- This one?
- Yeah.
It's just going through
the garden or something.
Looks like a palm tree in there.
No.
- That's my favorite one.
- Which one?
This one.
This one?
Yeah. I like this one.
These are some of my pastels.
Well, I got some questions.
Let me sit down.
Off the top of your head,
how do you think
Matt and I are different?
Growing up. Growing up.
How were Matt and I
different from each other?
Matt was
a lot easier to raise than you.
What was that laugh all about?
Well, I mean,
you were a hard kid to...
you know that!
For instance,
you wouldn't do things.
You wouldn't get in
the pool down at swim lessons.
You cried all the time
in first grade.
If you were going to
football practice,
I had to wait in the car,
I couldn't leave.
I just didn't like
football practice.
I didn't like getting told
what to do.
When I didn't even
want to do that.
But you needed to do
something, complete something.
You always wanted
to quit things.
No, I didn't.
Like what?
What do you mean?
I think you didn't--
Well, did you start baseball?
Did you ever play baseball?
Yeah, but I quit that.
Yeah, that's what I said.
You quit that.
We use to let you quit things
every now and again
if you didn't like it.
But then it got to the point
you were quitting everything.
Well, I thought that's not
a good habit to get into.
Who was a better artist?
Well, we can look at that.
You were both very different.
Look, look!
These are my inspirations.
This was Matt's art which was
very abstract and minimal.
And this is all you work!
Take some shot of that.
I think that's really cool.
Yeah, this is pretty good.
Yeah, this is great.
This is the type of work
you did.
Really wonderful.
What's this guy doing?
Is he sawing a leg?
He's making a leg.
Near an empty creek.
And then he's dreaming
about new legs.
And then same guy
in a school bus,
and he's thinking
about eating a leg.
What's not to love about that?
What other differences
do you see between me and Matt?
I think, Matt really,
just has a great deal
of self confidence.
And I don't think that you have
that kind of confidence
that he has.
Because you obviously
haven't had
the same kind of success.
He's well known
in the Indie rock circles
and the band is doing very well.
In your personality--
Matt could get angry
a little bit easier,
and sometimes,
he seemed to be more moody
when we was younger.
Mom used to worry
about him being moody.
You never seemed to worry
a whole lot about things.
You just took it as it came.
Whatever you were doing,
if that's what you wanted to do,
that was fine.
- I was always happy.
- Oh God, I know.
You were happy.
Until now, I'm the depressed one
and Matt's all happy again.
Because he's successful.
Right?
You're successful.
No, I'm not.
You will be.
I'm telling you I know that.
I'm positive of it.
What have I always told you?
I'm your most creative.
Most talented.
You were my most talented.
And I've said that
from the time
you were a little kid.
And I believe it.
I still believe it.
I mean it!
You don't believe it.
Move that up.
All the way up,
right back to the wall.
You don't think she'll
mind me living in here, do you?
Well, this is her play room.
What kind of job
do you think I'll get?
You think I'll be a movie maker?
No!
Do you think I will be dating
a hot movie star someday?
No!
No way.
My phone.
My phone!
My phone!
Let it go!
Fine.
Can I use a pizza slicer
on your head?
Tom, you can stay with us
as long as you want.
I think it will be fun.
Okay. Thanks. Good.
You can close the door,
and you can do nothing
but focus on
finishing the movie.
After that,
then we can figure out
what you are going to do.
This is the movie
in no particular order.
But it's scene and ideas
that I'm dealing with,
I'm working on.
Let me tell you,
the color coding
has a lot to do
with how it's set up.
We have the pink stuff--
is tour.
On the road.
The road going by.
You know, the asphalt going by.
The blue ones
are sentimental, you know.
Something that will touch
their hearts in some way.
The purple ones are scenes
with just band guys in them.
This is basically
all new stuff I just found,
just recently.
I see yellow dots,
I see pink dots,
I see green dots.
They're all the same.
Well, except for the green dots.
Wait. Tom, these aren't
in any sort of order?
No. Well, somewhat.
They're not in.
No. Not yet.
But it's for me
when I'm at my computer,
and I figure out
what comes next.
What's something
that comes next.
Then I have a reference.
It's more like a reference.
No, that's cool.
All I'm saying is
that it's impossible for me
to give you any feedback
on the movie at all,
by just looking
at these post-it notes.
It looks interesting.
It looks like you have
an interesting movie.
You have skinny dipping Iggy.
Is that Iggy Pop?
Yes.
You got him skinny dipping?
No. I didn't get him
skinny dipping.
He was playing in the background
and there were skinny dippers
at that festival in Germany.
But don't fall in love with it,
because I did not get
the skinny dippers releases.
Tom, this does look exciting.
No, no. Tom, I'm not
trying to be discouraging.
I'm totally encouraging.
So all you wanted is for me
to understand your system?
- Yes.
- Okay. Cool.
Tom, what's this?
That's actually a self portrait
that I messed up on.
And I just put horns on it.
Can we go through it real quick?
When you embark on a
new album like this right here,
how do you deal with that?
Just tell me
about your struggles
with the creative process
a little bit.
I mean, the most stressful
thing for me
is before you have an idea.
Like, I need to write
National songs,
and I can't think of anything.
And that's really stressful.
But the minute you have an idea,
the making of the thing
is really fun.
I would say that 90 percent
of everything you do
is either bad,
rejected, or overlooked,
and that's just to be expected.
Look at us.
We're making records
and it's like 40 to 45 minutes
of sound.
And that takes us,
like, two years!
With five people
and people helping us.
People working and producing,
everyone in the studio
and all that stuff.
And then finally,
at the end of all that,
there's 45 minutes
of sound coming out of speakers.
So how do you think
it's going to go?
Well, I think
it's going to go pretty well.
I think people are
going to be surprised
at what they see.
I mean, it doesn't have
a twist ending,
but it's going to be good.
It's fast paced.
It's colorful.
I put some of my music in there,
as well as some National music.
I don't want to know
too much about it.
I know.
Tom, did you ever
get in touch with that girl?
Actually-- No, no.
I don't want a girlfriend
just right now.
I don't have the clothes to wear
that they probably want me
to go out and wear.
I don't have the bed
that they probably want.
I don't have the shit.
Like, I don't have any dishes.
I don't have fucking anything.
You have dishes.
No, I don't have dishes.
I thought you did.
Yeah, it's expensive here.
Don't you eat the stuff
in the fridge?
No, I don't really
fix stuff for myself.
Well, where do you eat?
Other than our food?
Well, you can get slices
of pizza pretty cheap.
Here and there.
Pizza slice here.
Pizza slice there.
Chinese food every couple days.
I don't know.
It's going to be good.
It's going to be good.
I'm not feeling very good
at the moment.
I think I'm going to throw up.
No. It will be good.
It'll be over in an hour,
and everybody will go
get to see The National.
Which they came to see anyway.
It's just a rough cut.
I spent about six months
to about eight months,
traveling with these guys.
And this is my impression
of the band.
Thank you, everybody,
and, yeah, that's it.
Thank you!
Oops!
Why is this happening to me?
I don't know.
The digital projector
keeps stopping and--
It's not over.
You should have been in there,
hours and hours ahead.
Or, you should have gone
the day before
to make sure
everything was working.
I felt terrible for you.
But I was also
totally pissed off.
How did you let bad luck
stop you again?
Everyone has bad luck.
It's easier for you to say
when everything seems to be
going right in your life.
But it doesn't.
Stuff goes as wrong for me
as it does for you.
I have been lucky.
Maybe I have been luckier
than you have.
The worst thing that can happen
is that you let this
paralyze you again.
And suck all your air out.
I'm seeing this
as a fortuitous opportunity
to re-cut a few things.
And I'm not depressed.
Okay. Good.
Tom, are you depressed
right now?
Yeah. Well, of course!
I always am.
And it's really hard
to be creative.
I did shoot myself crying
last night.
For the movie?
I needed something--
I don't know, it was real...
Raw emotion that I felt like--
I'm feeling this now...
I might as well get my camera.
You were crying about the movie?
Yeah.
You don't have to cry
about the movie.
It's just a rock documentary.
I'm sorry.
See what I'm saying?
I know it's been
super stressful.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I've never seen him cry at all.
He's probably seen me cry,
like, four times.
I've seen you cry, like,
a hundred times.
I've never seen you cry.
I cry.
I just want to make
something good.
For him.
For the band, to believe in me.
As well as myself.
Welcome to Paris.
Oh. This doesn't even look
like my arm.
Looks like another person
in the room when I do this.
All right.
Sit down, Matt. Sit down.
What's it like--
I mean...
Tonight, you're
going to be playing
in front of 5,000?
I can't believe...
I can't imagine playing--
I don't think I ever met
more than 5,000 people.
That's amazing!
Yeah. I know it is amazing.
It's pretty nerve-racking
but it's awesome.
For so long, we would go on tour
and no one would be coming.
It was so humiliating for us.
And that happened a lot!
And I remember the first time
we played at Mercury Lounge.
And there was nobody there.
After that show,
I went straight home,
closed the door
and started crying.
I think when we started
putting tension and anxiety
and fear and humiliation
into the music,
just putting it out there,
it made us closer to each other.
And for the people
that did come to the shows,
that was the connection.
Where were you?
Who were you with?
I was with Bryan and Scott!
They were on the bus!
But you needed to do something
and complete something.
You always wanted
to quit things.
The worst thing that can happen
is if you let this
paralyze you again
and suck all your air out.
Having Matt as my older brother
kind of sucks.
Because he's a rock star
and I am not.
And it has always been that way.
But there was this one time
when I was in high school
and he was in New York.
And he called me up,
because he had
a horrible nightmare.
And his nightmare was awesome.
He was being attacked
by some crazy guy on the street.
And he said that I came
out of nowhere with an axe
and I just axed
this crazy guy to death.
I mean, I saved his life!
It's just
that that made me realize
that my brother sees
something in me
that I, you know,
sometimes don't see in myself.
I want you to wipe
right across your eyes
so I can get a good shot
of your eyes.
- Across the mirror.
- Yeah.
And you got to have that look
of you don't know who--
you don't know
who you are anymore.
Okay?
Okay.
And action.
Hold on.
Let me zoom in.
Say I am not The National.
The National is everybody's now.
Say that!
Actually, that's good!
Just say it.
You don't think I sound
like a total asshole?
I'll say it.
I will say it.
The National belongs
to everybody now.
Nope. No.
- Look at me.
- Okay.
The National...
The National belongs
to everybody now.
Keep doing that!
Keep doing that!
I zoomed in on your face!
This might be good
for the ending!
Do one more of those!
Tom, you focus on
the wrong stuff.
It's true.
You are terrible
at a lot of things.
But there are a couple of things
that nobody else does
as well as you do.
It drives me bananas
that you will throw yourself
away completely
because of one or two things
that you think
are wrong about you.
That's what breaks my heart.
You got to ignore those,
and lean towards the things
that make you like yourself.
Forget everything else.
Fake it.
Fake your way upwards.
Hey, Tom.
Tom!
Will you get out of here!
Is it off?
I turned it off.
I'm leaving!
Put the camera down.
It's off.
- Alright. It's off.
- Is it off?
I'm just checking the progress.
I'm getting close.
Alright.
Just let me figure it out, okay?
It's a terrible love
AndI'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love
And I'm walking in
It's a terrible love
And I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love
And I'm walking in
It's quiet company
It's quiet company
It's quiet company
And I can't fall asleep
Without a little help
It takes awhile
To settle down
My shiver bones
Until the panic's out
It takes an ocean
Not to break
It takes an ocean
Not to break
It takes an ocean
Not to break
It takes an ocean
Not to break
Company It's quite company
It's quiet company
It's quiet company
But I won't follow you
Into the rabbit hole
I saidI would But then I saw
Your shiver bones
They didn't want me, too
It's a terrible love
And I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love
And I'm walking in
It's a terrible love
And I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love
And I'm walking in
It takes an ocean
Not to break
It takes an ocean
Not to break
It takes an ocean
Not to break
O Holy Night!
The stars
Are brightly shining
It is the night of
The dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world
In sin and error pining
Till He appeared
And the Spirit felt its worth
A thrill of hope
The weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks
A new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees!
Oh hear the angel voices!
O night divine
The night when
Christ was born
O night O Holy Night
O night divine!
O night O Holy Night
O night divine!
O night O Holy Night
O night divine!