Pops (2021) Movie Script
1
We're still at the hospital.
Thanks.
No, probably tomorrow or the day after.
Yeah, ok.
It'll be Edgware Cemetery.
Parking?
Yeah, they've got a carpark.
I don't know if they charge!
Can we not talk about this right now?
Sorry.
Elli Jacobs?
No I'm Roz Jacobs. Elli's my brother.
I'm so sorry for your loss.
These are your father's
bedside possessions.
Thanks.
Yeah.
Ok. Bye.
A space funeral?
What exactly is that?
Bloody meshugaas is what it is.
He wanted his ashes sent into space.
By rocket?
A helium balloon seems to be
the most feasible way.
Why are we even discussing this?
He's paid into a joint burial plot
his whole life,
next to his wife of forty years!
He changed his mind!
This is what he wanted.
Here, read the poem.
We were all of stardust born,
returned to ashes soon to soar.
My body is energy nothing more,
let me glide above death's earthly door.
To float among the stars and be,
forever drifting endlessly.
This earth is not the place I seek,
it's in the universe
I wish to be.
Do you think your father was...
compos mentis?
- No !
- Yes !
In his later life,
after our mum died,
our father chose a somewhat...
alternative lifestyle.
He had a new lease of life.
One way of putting it.
As his children you have equal claim
to dictate his last wishes.
To go ahead with this
'space funeral',
you'd need some concrete proof,
like a will or a signed letter.
We've got the poem!
You know, if you really can't agree,
final recourse would be to go to a judge.
That won't be necessary.
I'm sure that we can...
work it out between us.
North West London.
Where everyone knows you.
That's why I like it!
You sure?
Thanks for letting me stay.
Elli!
I'm so sorry. I wish you long life.
I won't stay, I just wanted
to bring you some soup.
There's a few from the synagogue too.
We all wanted to do our bit.
Thanks very much.
Have you spoken to the rabbi yet?
Roz and I are still...
sorting a few things out.
Are you ok Roz?
I know you and Sol were very close.
Yeah...
I'll be ok.
He was meant to be coming out to me
for a couple of weeks.
Why do you live so far away?
Because...
That's where I chose to live.
Why?
Don't you like it here?
So how are things in exotic Goa?
It's Kerala now actually.
Yeah good.
A few of us have just opened a new centre.
Guess what Simmi?
I touch people's smelly feet for a living.
It's called reflexology.
I know, Dad says it's not a real thing.
Well no I didn't exactly say that.
Did he?
Maybe daddy would benefit from
trying it sometime!
What's that?
Oh this?
It's a mandala.
A symbol I like.
Daddy's got one too!
No darling this is a Star of David.
It means we're Jewish, remember?
So once this is inflated,
you'll be able to attach a GPS unit.
Do be sure that you contact
the aviation authorities
before you set flight.
This balloon when
full inflated will reach about 90000 feet.
This is an eggy white colour.
Was just eating some salmon.
That's what it's there for!
What you watching?
Feet.
Just some videos of feet. Feet work.
For work.
Just videos of feet.
Weird.
Yeah.
I just wanted to say.
I'm sorry if things got
a bit tense before.
It's really good to see you.
Thanks.
I'll leave you to it then.
Thanks. Night.
Night.
- It's quite a few people.
- How many is quite a few?
At least 50 to 60.
You need a good fifty minutes.
What's going on?
- Roz. I'm so sorry about...
- What are you discussing?
Hello!
- Is the rabbi here yet?
- Bagels?
For fuck's sake Elli.
You've already decided haven't you?
Dad doesn't want some
clingfilmed Jewish funeral.
I'm sorry about that Rabbi...
Can we discuss this upstairs?
We don't have time to fluff around.
Such a hypocrite.
How would you feel if I booked
a cremation without telling you?
Cremation. You want to burn our father?
No, I want to fulfil
my father's last wish.
This isn't even about dad is it?
It's about you trying to prove a point.
Just like with Uncle Steve's note.
He gave it to both of us. To share.
And you cut it in half!
- Solved the argument.
- You still owe me a fiver.
Nothing changes.
30 years later and you're still a selfish
infuriating little know-it-all.
And you're still
an uptight bitter little...
Cremation is explicitly forbidden
in the Torah.
Dad wasn't Orthodox.
He was.
This mess is all your fault anyway.
You turned dad into an old junkie.
A junkie?
He took ayahuasca.
People have been using it for centuries
Who lets their aging father take drugs?
He wanted to.
He wasn't in his right mind.
No. He had an open mind,
something you could learn from.
Here we go.
A lecture from Daddy's perfect little girl
who swans off,
leaving the rest of us
to deal with the real life shit
of actually looking after him!
Piss off. I'm getting out of here.
And what about mum's last wishes?
Does she have to lie there
forever on her own?
People are more than a spouse.
Very easy for someone like you to say.
Fuck you Elli.
Roz.
People from the shul are paying
their respects. Do you want to join us?
My dearest familly,
I want you to know, how deeply I love you
Shirley was my wife,
my love,
but I also now feel a cosmic love,
one that transcends this world.
Our earthly bodies do not need
to be laid to rest together,
for we are already together.
We are all one.
Every human,
every particle,
every shining star,
vibrating endlessly in the universe.
And that is where... I wish to return.
Signed: Sol Jacobs.
I believe you should
truly honour a person's life.
Even if it hurts
those they've left behind.
That's why tomorrow,
I will be cremating my father
You're all welcome to attend.
After the cremation,
I will be driving to a field,
where I will launch a balloon
containing my fathers ashes,
into the universe.
As per his last request.
I'll email Elli with the details.
Roz!
Are you going to come or not?
I'd rather burn in hell.
So once everything is secured
you can think about attaching
what would be your payload
to the balloon...
You'll need a container, like this.
Your payload can actually be anything
that would fit in a box of this size.
I have seen all sorts of items
go up out of our atmosphere.
Did you see Roz's email?
Didn't even read it.
I'm not going.
- Daddy?
- Daddy's sad about grandpa darling.
Please don't be sad daddy.
Grandpa's not sad.
He's with Grandma now.
Excuse me.
Do you have any bookings
by Roz Jacobs for the cremation
of Solomon Jacobs?
Yes. Mr Jacobs was cremated earlier today.
I'm taking dad home.
This isn't his home anymore.
It is his home!
I'm still here, mum's still here.
- You can run away to Goa...
- Kerala.
Kerala, Goa, I don't fucking care!
The past matters.
Elli, it's what dad wanted.
No! It's what your dad wanted.
What about what my dad wanted?
You never think about that.
I don't know what to do.
I'm sorry Elli.
I really am.
This.
Us doing this,
is the last thing he would have wanted.
Just bring it down.
What's that?
It's dad.
The other half,
for the funeral.
And I still owe you that fiver.
We're still at the hospital.
Thanks.
No, probably tomorrow or the day after.
Yeah, ok.
It'll be Edgware Cemetery.
Parking?
Yeah, they've got a carpark.
I don't know if they charge!
Can we not talk about this right now?
Sorry.
Elli Jacobs?
No I'm Roz Jacobs. Elli's my brother.
I'm so sorry for your loss.
These are your father's
bedside possessions.
Thanks.
Yeah.
Ok. Bye.
A space funeral?
What exactly is that?
Bloody meshugaas is what it is.
He wanted his ashes sent into space.
By rocket?
A helium balloon seems to be
the most feasible way.
Why are we even discussing this?
He's paid into a joint burial plot
his whole life,
next to his wife of forty years!
He changed his mind!
This is what he wanted.
Here, read the poem.
We were all of stardust born,
returned to ashes soon to soar.
My body is energy nothing more,
let me glide above death's earthly door.
To float among the stars and be,
forever drifting endlessly.
This earth is not the place I seek,
it's in the universe
I wish to be.
Do you think your father was...
compos mentis?
- No !
- Yes !
In his later life,
after our mum died,
our father chose a somewhat...
alternative lifestyle.
He had a new lease of life.
One way of putting it.
As his children you have equal claim
to dictate his last wishes.
To go ahead with this
'space funeral',
you'd need some concrete proof,
like a will or a signed letter.
We've got the poem!
You know, if you really can't agree,
final recourse would be to go to a judge.
That won't be necessary.
I'm sure that we can...
work it out between us.
North West London.
Where everyone knows you.
That's why I like it!
You sure?
Thanks for letting me stay.
Elli!
I'm so sorry. I wish you long life.
I won't stay, I just wanted
to bring you some soup.
There's a few from the synagogue too.
We all wanted to do our bit.
Thanks very much.
Have you spoken to the rabbi yet?
Roz and I are still...
sorting a few things out.
Are you ok Roz?
I know you and Sol were very close.
Yeah...
I'll be ok.
He was meant to be coming out to me
for a couple of weeks.
Why do you live so far away?
Because...
That's where I chose to live.
Why?
Don't you like it here?
So how are things in exotic Goa?
It's Kerala now actually.
Yeah good.
A few of us have just opened a new centre.
Guess what Simmi?
I touch people's smelly feet for a living.
It's called reflexology.
I know, Dad says it's not a real thing.
Well no I didn't exactly say that.
Did he?
Maybe daddy would benefit from
trying it sometime!
What's that?
Oh this?
It's a mandala.
A symbol I like.
Daddy's got one too!
No darling this is a Star of David.
It means we're Jewish, remember?
So once this is inflated,
you'll be able to attach a GPS unit.
Do be sure that you contact
the aviation authorities
before you set flight.
This balloon when
full inflated will reach about 90000 feet.
This is an eggy white colour.
Was just eating some salmon.
That's what it's there for!
What you watching?
Feet.
Just some videos of feet. Feet work.
For work.
Just videos of feet.
Weird.
Yeah.
I just wanted to say.
I'm sorry if things got
a bit tense before.
It's really good to see you.
Thanks.
I'll leave you to it then.
Thanks. Night.
Night.
- It's quite a few people.
- How many is quite a few?
At least 50 to 60.
You need a good fifty minutes.
What's going on?
- Roz. I'm so sorry about...
- What are you discussing?
Hello!
- Is the rabbi here yet?
- Bagels?
For fuck's sake Elli.
You've already decided haven't you?
Dad doesn't want some
clingfilmed Jewish funeral.
I'm sorry about that Rabbi...
Can we discuss this upstairs?
We don't have time to fluff around.
Such a hypocrite.
How would you feel if I booked
a cremation without telling you?
Cremation. You want to burn our father?
No, I want to fulfil
my father's last wish.
This isn't even about dad is it?
It's about you trying to prove a point.
Just like with Uncle Steve's note.
He gave it to both of us. To share.
And you cut it in half!
- Solved the argument.
- You still owe me a fiver.
Nothing changes.
30 years later and you're still a selfish
infuriating little know-it-all.
And you're still
an uptight bitter little...
Cremation is explicitly forbidden
in the Torah.
Dad wasn't Orthodox.
He was.
This mess is all your fault anyway.
You turned dad into an old junkie.
A junkie?
He took ayahuasca.
People have been using it for centuries
Who lets their aging father take drugs?
He wanted to.
He wasn't in his right mind.
No. He had an open mind,
something you could learn from.
Here we go.
A lecture from Daddy's perfect little girl
who swans off,
leaving the rest of us
to deal with the real life shit
of actually looking after him!
Piss off. I'm getting out of here.
And what about mum's last wishes?
Does she have to lie there
forever on her own?
People are more than a spouse.
Very easy for someone like you to say.
Fuck you Elli.
Roz.
People from the shul are paying
their respects. Do you want to join us?
My dearest familly,
I want you to know, how deeply I love you
Shirley was my wife,
my love,
but I also now feel a cosmic love,
one that transcends this world.
Our earthly bodies do not need
to be laid to rest together,
for we are already together.
We are all one.
Every human,
every particle,
every shining star,
vibrating endlessly in the universe.
And that is where... I wish to return.
Signed: Sol Jacobs.
I believe you should
truly honour a person's life.
Even if it hurts
those they've left behind.
That's why tomorrow,
I will be cremating my father
You're all welcome to attend.
After the cremation,
I will be driving to a field,
where I will launch a balloon
containing my fathers ashes,
into the universe.
As per his last request.
I'll email Elli with the details.
Roz!
Are you going to come or not?
I'd rather burn in hell.
So once everything is secured
you can think about attaching
what would be your payload
to the balloon...
You'll need a container, like this.
Your payload can actually be anything
that would fit in a box of this size.
I have seen all sorts of items
go up out of our atmosphere.
Did you see Roz's email?
Didn't even read it.
I'm not going.
- Daddy?
- Daddy's sad about grandpa darling.
Please don't be sad daddy.
Grandpa's not sad.
He's with Grandma now.
Excuse me.
Do you have any bookings
by Roz Jacobs for the cremation
of Solomon Jacobs?
Yes. Mr Jacobs was cremated earlier today.
I'm taking dad home.
This isn't his home anymore.
It is his home!
I'm still here, mum's still here.
- You can run away to Goa...
- Kerala.
Kerala, Goa, I don't fucking care!
The past matters.
Elli, it's what dad wanted.
No! It's what your dad wanted.
What about what my dad wanted?
You never think about that.
I don't know what to do.
I'm sorry Elli.
I really am.
This.
Us doing this,
is the last thing he would have wanted.
Just bring it down.
What's that?
It's dad.
The other half,
for the funeral.
And I still owe you that fiver.