The Book of Love (2016) Movie Script

People always
be starting stories
with some dick-weed saying,
like, "once upon a time,"
or, "legend has it."
Ever noticed that?
Hey.
My pa used to say
that most stories ain't true
and usually don't start
where you expect.
They really start
on some regular day...
With some regular person.
This is one of them stories.
Exactly.
Well, good morning, New Orleans.
It's 20 minutes past the hour,
and it looks like...
Hey, penny?
Honey, have you seen
my brown loafers?
Yeah.
Great. Where are they?
Oh, I threw those away.
You... okay. Why?
Because they're brown loafers.
But what am I
gonna wear to work?
Darling, just look
under the bed.
Look under the bed?
That's a good idea.
Oh, boy.
What is this?
Hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Mm.
Well?
Hon, I can't wear
purple sneakers to work.
They're not purple.
Those are magenta.
And trust me, my love,
they're the shit.
They are?
Try something new, Henry.
Be bold.
Plus, you could use
a little bit of style.
You gonna work late tonight?
Yeah. Well,
I don't know. Depends.
You know, if the developers
like my plans,
I'm sure Wendell would
want me to jump right in.
It's a huge account for us.
I mean, they could hate it.
Whole thing goes south,
it'd be really
embarrassing for me.
I don't know. It's actually
a lot of pressure.
Don't worry. They're gonna
think you're brilliant.
I'm so proud of you.
Well, if you're right,
could be a huge promotion,
a pay raise at least,
so we won't have to worry about
paying for that new kitchen.
Or you could take me on
that trip you promised.
I know. I know. I know.
I promise still, okay?
Next month, all right?
Well, not next month, Henry.
Oh.
Oh, right, yeah.
Of course.
Baby, yeah.
Hey, babe,
have you seen that girl
who's been fishing around
in our trash before?
Girl? No. What girl?
14, 15 maybe.
Uh-huh.
She's kind of
cool-looking.
I mean, she's been rooting around
in there for the past few weeks.
Just kind of thought I...I
should talk to her or something.
If you see her,
can you help her?
Yeah, I promise.
Hey, have you seen my...
Henry.
What?
Promise me now.
I promise. I promise.
Yeah, I will.
Okay.
Have you seen my...
I'm looking for my...
It's on the mantel.
For my... oh, yeah. Oh.
Hey, do you want
to have lunch together?
Oh, I can't. I'm going
to see my mother for lunch,
and then I gotta
go see Dr. Parker.
Hey, hold on.
You're gonna see Julia?
When was the last time
you guys spoke?
Besides one very
passive-aggressive email exchange,
maybe two months.
You want me to come
along, you know?
I could swing by, pick you up.
You know, we could brave
the storm together.
Well, there's no sense
in torturing us both.
She'll probably
cancel on me anyway.
Okay. All right.
I love you.
I'll see you later.
Oh, no, you don't.
Come and give a gal a kiss.
Yeah, sorry.
Hey, honey.
Honey, it's locked.
Door's locked.
What's the password?
Penny, come on.
I'm running late.
I'm nervous as heck.
Henry, don't be such a lump.
See that?
That's where my lips
are gonna be.
We're gonna synchronize on three.
Eyes closed.
Okay. I...
Are they closed?
My eye... yeah.
All right.
One...
Two...
Mm.
Three.
I love you, but you're kind of crazy.
You know that?
I'm not the one wearing
purple sneakers.
Right.
I'll see you later.
Bye.
Yup, Henry was
your average working schlub,
9:00 to 5:00,
pay your bills,
the whole circus.
He lived each day
according to a plan...
Oh, no, no. No.
I'm fine. Thank you.
Knowing exactly how it would go
from the start to the end.
He had no reason
to think this day
wouldn't be like
all them others...
That this day
was gonna be different.
Son of a bitch.
They don't like it?
It's worse.
They love it.
You...
They love it.
They love it.
I'm kidding you.
Now, listen, I don't like
having my hand forced,
but if I don't make you a
partner, someone else will,
so as soon as we
close this deal,
we're gonna draw up the papers.
Boy.
Good job, Henry.
Thank you, sir.
Thank you.
Interesting shoes.
Oh, yeah, these...
Oh, my wife got me these.
See, um, they're magenta.
My pa was a man of the sea.
He used to say the wind
was like a wild horse,
no way to tame her,
that's just its nature...
And that you can be sure
in every voyage
she'll buck
and blow you off course...
Just a matter of time, really.
At some point,
we all lose our bearing.
Sorry. One second.
I...I should take this.
Hello.
This is he.
And when you do,
ain't no need to be afraid.
You just gotta believe
you'll find your way again.
Uh, it's very, uh, very nice...
Hey, penny, what are you...
She likes the rain, you know?
Yeah. Um...
Excuse me one second.
Honey, what are you doing?
Oh, you're defacing a tree.
I'm not even sure
it's on our property line.
We haven't bought
the house yet, hon.
Don't you see it?
The initials? Yeah.
Yeah, I see it.
No, silly.
What?
It's the rest of our lives.
I'm very sorry for your loss, Mrs.
Mureaux,
but there's just no shrimp
listed on the purchase order.
And yet, I ordered them
specifically.
I understand, ma'am. There's just
not listed on the purchase...
Mm, no. No.
I don't think you understand.
How could you
possibly understand?
You didn't just lose
your daughter.
You didn't just lose everything.
You just lost the shrimp.
So I suggest that you
get on the phone
and you find me
some goddamn shrimp.
Does that sound like a plan?
Thank you.
Whoever heard of a
reception without shrimp?
Henry?
Hey, Henry.
I'm Dr. Melvin.
Your mother-in-law
Julia invited me.
I just want to express
my deepest condolences.
Some urn you got there.
Can't say I've ever
seen one like it.
I designed it.
Please forgive
the crudeness of the sketch.
I didn't have time
to digitally render it.
Well, thank you so much.
Excuse me.
I didn't see no Boudin,
no croissant.
Mm, that's true.
Yeah. Uh...
Mr. Herschel.
Hey. Um...
Thank you for coming.
Um, I...I know
Pascal and me
only been working for
you for, like, a month,
and it just felt
like anything we say
wouldn't sound good anyhow,
so we got you this.
This...
Is this cannabis?
No, man, it's pot.
I don't smoke myself,
but I get it
on account of my pop
got glaucoma.
Now that chockablock
would have foo' me
for the fais do-do.
Mm-hmm.
Excuse me?
He don't speak English.
No. I caught that.
Yeah. I...
Pascal.
Right.
Well, well, uh,
thank you, Pascal,
and thank you...
Dumbass.
Dumbass?
That's my name.
That's the true.
Oh.
Uh...
Whew.
Oh, shit.
Shit.
Shit.
Hey.
Is that your cabinet, mister?
My... oh, um...
Yeah.
We're renovating here.
This used to all be a bathroom.
You still want it?
No.
Don't Chuck it or nothing.
I'll come back for it, okay?
Yeah, yeah, sure.
You okay, mister?
Yeah.
I mean...
No.
No.
I-I'm sorry.
You just...
You reminded me
of someone. That's all.
It's cool.
You put your finger
over the hole,
inhale, then uncover.
Pretty easy.
Oh.
Thank you.
Oh, and, mister,
sneakers are the shit.
Let's go.
Uhh!
All right.
Pick a film, any old film.
Any one I want?
Any one you want.
Which one sparks your desire?
Well, I want the top one.
This one?
I want the top one.
You know which one you want.
Wait a minute.
What is this?
This is Kung fu Tuesday.
Heh. Is that a thing?
It is now.
I don't have a say
in this, do I?
No, you don't have a say.
All right.
Mm.
Okay. Ready?
Yeah.
Hi-yah.
Oh. So, it's
a whole theme?
Uh-huh, every Tuesday
from here on until forever.
Ffects include sleeplessness.
Today's contestants
are Amy Osborn straight
from L.A., California,
Dave Van Hoester,
who comes from the Midwest,
and Jamie Kristofferson,
coming to us from n...
My pa always said
the sea was a lonely place
when you're way out there
and there ain't another soul
for weeks around,
that you can feel the loneliness
like a weight around your heart.
I think he meant
that we ain't supposed
to be alone on our journeys,
that we need them other people
to know we're alive,
that we matter.
Good morning, Wendell.
Good morning.
Jesus.
Henry.
Hey, hey.
Good morning.
Henry, there's
an old Japanese proverb.
The wounded koi
cannot tend to its gills
if it seeks solace and diversion
of the pleasant seaweed god.
Do you have any idea
what... what that means?
Am I the koi?
Look, Henry,
I know you're grieving.
What happened was just...
But this is the biggest account
our firm has ever had,
will ever have.
We have a chance
to transform this city.
Why don't... why don't
you take some time off?
Get your mind right.
Take a week. Take two.
I mean, l can't have you
walking around the
office in your pajamas.
You understand, yeah?
Henry.
Henry, are you there?
I mentioned to you
at the reception
that we have a family plot
at evermore cemetery
that every Mureaux has been
buried in for over 200 years.
Now, it's your decision.
I know,
but I just don't think penny
should be sitting in some cube.
Also, I stopped by,
and I've left you some
suggestions for the obituary.
I thought you might
need some help with that.
So, call me back
when you get this, all right?
Hey.
Jesus. Don't you
know no better
than to be sneaking up
on people?
I could have tased you.
Sorry, but do you
remember me from...
Wait. You have a taser?
No.
Oh, here. L-let me
give you a hand.
No, no, no, I got it.
It's the rules.
You lug your own crap.
What rules?
What's with all the junk?
I'm building something.
Oh, yeah? I'm an architect.
You know,
maybe I could, uh, help you out.
No.
Ah, come on. We all need
a little help, right?
Not me.
Thanks for the junk, punk.
It's just that I promised...
You're not one of them pervs
likes to touch
little girls, are you?
What?
Don't guys like you have to put
a sign on your lawn?
No!
I'm not a perv, okay?
I-I'm... let's just
start over, okay?
My name... my name
is Henry Herschel.
W-what's yours?
Why?
So I know what to call you.
Fine.
Call me Oprah.
Oprah?
Okay.
Fine. Oprah,
I-I'd really
like to help.
I don't need your help, mister.
Thanks for the offer.
I'm sorry...
Good luck, okay?
Let's go.
Bonjour.
Hey, boss.
Hi.
I hope you don't mind,
but Ms. Herschel
always told us
to just help ourself.
Pascal having them three kids,
and, well, I got this tapeworm.
Uh, no. I-It's fine.
Um, help yourselves.
What's the list for?
Oh, no, that...
That's... uh...
I-It's nothing.
Excuse me.
Um, actually have
either of you guys
seen, um, a teenage girl,
uh, going around
the neighborhood,
getting the trash and stuff?
Mm. That Chile
with the chien.
What?
Yeah. Yeah,
yeah, yeah. Yeah.
The girl with the, uh, bike and the dog.
Yeah, that's her.
What's her name?
Mm. Uh...
Uh, she told me her...
That her name was Oprah.
I don't think
that's her real name.
I think she just said that
because she thinks
I'm a... a pervert.
Pervs got mustaches.
Everybody know that.
Have a good day,
Mr. Herschel.
Henry?
Henry, are you there?
Well, as you know,
I'm on the board of the Nola
revitalization coalition,
and I'm hosting
a benefit tonight,
and it's important
that you be there.
I have chef Robaire
from Sariette catering.
Be here at 7:00.
It's black tie, of course.
It'll give us a chance
to discuss options for penny.
Anyway, give me a call.
Hey, Mr. Herschel,
we done for the day.
Um, okay.
Actually, did you guys,
uh, by any chance
see the... the girl that we
were talking about earlier?
No.
Oh.
No, man, I know where...
You... what did he...
What'd he say?
Um, he... he say he know
where Oprah live.
Why didn't you tell
me that earlier?
Well, can you take me there now?
That Chile in there with...
Okay.
Well, I'm gonna go over there.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
This is a bad idea.
Hey, guys, relax. Okay?
I'll be right back.
Boudin? touffe?
Oh, yeah.
Let go to the Maison.
"If found, I'm probably screwed.
"Please return
to 234 ransom Lane,
New Orleans, Louisiana.
Thanks."
"September first, 2008.
"Set sail today.
"First time I've said goodbye
to land in ten long years."
"This'll be the most worthwhile
thing I've ever done.
"I'm scared, but I think that's
how you're supposed to feel
when you're doing
something extraordinary."
"September 20th.
"Rain today for nearly an hour.
"I was able to save a few cups.
"Feeling incredibly weak.
Have not seen land
or birds in a few days."
"October eighth.
They came again this morning.
I'm not the only one
starving out here."
"October 15th."
"A storm, a bad one.
The devil has come."
Oh. Oh, shit.
No. No, no, no. No.
No, no, no,
no.
Oh, shit.
Oh, no.
No. Oh, no, no, no.
Hey. Oh, no, stop!
Don't go in there.
Get the hell off of me!
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
What did you do?!
It was an accident, okay? I...
Fire!
Fire!
It's ok... you have to get
the hell out of here.
Okay. I...
Now!
Henry!
Henry, I know you're in there.
Henry, did you forget
about the benefit?
I had a seat for you
in my table.
Open up, dear.
I just want to talk.
Brought you some crawfish.
Or I'll leave it
on the porch, I guess.
Okay, then.
Damn it.
My pa used to say
the most important thing to have
on any journey was a compass.
It tells you where you're going
and where you been.
If you ain't got one,
you'll end up lost and adrift.
Then all you can do is pray
for some help to show you
the way home again.
Hmm.
Morning, perv.
I told you I'm not a pervert.
Just 'cause you
shaved your 'stache,
don't mean you can fool me.
Now, where is it at?
Here. Here you go.
Hey, hold on.
Can we talk for a second?
No, asshole!
You torched my shed.
That... that was
an accident.
It was everything
I had, dick-weed.
You got any idea
how long it took me to...
What, build a raft?
That's what you're doing, right?
Wait.
Wait! Hold on!
Back off!
Oh!
Whoa.
Merde.
Um...
Every...
Everything's fine.
I'll be... I'll be
right back, okay?
But...
Ho ho.
That's Oprah.
Hey, wait a second!
Suck it!
Uh, why are you building a raft?
"F" off, Amber alert.
Wait. Hey, look, I got...
I have the plans.
I have your plans right here.
I did... i did this... i mean,
it's just from memory,
but I mean, you know,
with a few modifications,
but I-I've got
a ton of ideas, okay?
Well, you...
You can use my backyard,
okay? Please,
this is my fault.
Let me...
Let me help you.
Forget it.
Oh, okay, stop.
All right, now, look, I know
you don't know me at all,
and you're right to be dubious
of strangers, but I just...
Well, I...I really think I'm
supposed to do this, to help you.
Sorry.
What's this?
What do you think it is?
I lost my tools in that
fire, you little shit.
It was an accident.
I don't care...
Not anymore.
Ah, I promised your old man
I'd look after you, and...
It ain't worth
the money from the state.
Tomorrow morning,
you're on the bus to Biloxi.
You're your aunt's problem now.
Let's get one thing clear.
I ain't doing this
'cause I like you.
I'm doing it 'cause Ahab
and me has got no choice.
Got it.
And if you mess with my stuff,
I'll beat your ass.
Okay, I won't.
Promise me.
I promise.
There's a spare room upstairs.
Oh, we'll sleep in the backyard.
Thank you.
My pa used to say
that most stories
usually don't start
where they're supposed to.
Henry's story really started
on April 28th, 1947.
That's when this dude,
Thor Heyerdahl,
sailed from Peru
to the Tuamotu islands
on a raft made
of balsa wood and scrap.
Months later, he completed
the first trans-pacific crossing
on a raft in, like, 700 years.
You know his most famous quote?
Some years later,
he died of a brain tumor.
Think that's some shit.
You little shit.
Yeah. My entire yard
is filled with junk,
but, you know, I mean,
I haven't seen her in two days.
Uh, I'm just saying, I...
You know, I just don't think
it's safe for a young girl
to be out all night.
I wouldn't worry.
Man, she seemed tough.
She probably out
looking for more crap.
She ought to go to Pascal's.
He got
a crap-load of crap.
Heh.
Dumbass.
Dumbass!
Hey, I-I gotta go.
Okay. Have a good night.
Okay.
You just add the pot.
You let it cook down
for, like, 20 minutes,
and then, Voil,
tasty, tasty treat.
Now I like to pair this
usually with, like...
Gonna get the munchies, Ahab.
Ahab.
Hi.
You f-ed with my stuff.
I don't... i don't know
what you're talking about.
Why the hell's
Ahab asleep, then?
Oh, I...
Maybe he was tired.
My white ass.
Hey, hey, what...
What are you doing?
Bingo.
What bingo? What...
Your eyes darted.
No. No, my...
No, they didn't. I...
Y-you're sweating
something.
I'm not sweating anything.
Over...
Here?
What's this?
Pfft. That's... nothing.
A stew that I made earlier.
Oh, yeah?
I'll have some then.
No, no, no!
Don't! Don't! Don't!
You don't want this...
No, this...
You wouldn't like this.
It's... it's gluten-free
and very...
Mmm.
Oh, delicious, though.
And then...
Either you're eating the
rest of this shit, or I am.
No. No.
Okay.
Can I ask you a question?
What have you got against me?
Nothing I ain't got
against nobody else.
That's a non-answer.
What's a non-answer?
Wouldn't you like to know?
You want to know what I think?
No.
I'm gonna tell you.
I think a girl like you
has never really
had anybody help her,
and so she doesn't know
how to trust anybody.
Thanks, Dr. Phil.
What, you think I'm wrong?
I think you're pretty much nuts.
Says the girl who's building
a raft out of garbage.
Open.
Mm, seriously, though,
what are you
gonna do with that thing?
Where are you gonna go?
Seriously, though, shut up.
Okay. Then tell me about the guy
in the... who wrote the journal.
You know, does he make it?
Does he die at the end?
Keep eating.
You know, even if you finish it,
you gotta leave
before the trade winds
change the whole north
Equatorial current, right?
Yeah. So?
"Yeah, so?"
You're not impressed
that I know that?
Internet, brain, equals answers.
So I went ahead... here.
I went ahead, and I made a
list of all your stuff.
I knew it.
Mm-hmm.
And that's all the stuff
that we still need to get.
We?
Yes.
You, me, and...
What is the dog's name?
Ahab.
Ahab.
Me, you, and Ahab.
This is all we got...
Ahab. Ahab.
We gotta get this stuff.
All that stuff,
it'll help make
the raft more worthy,
like, um...
Worthy of the... the sea.
What is the word for that?
There's a word for that.
Well, what makes you think
I'll let you help me?
M-mmm-mmm.
Because.
That's an non-answer,
ain't it?
That is.
You're a quick learner.
That's good.
I gotta pee.
Whoo!
Don't eat any more
of that stew, young lady.
It's adult stew.
Ow.
Oh, my god.
Mister.
The floor attacked me.
I'm sorry I lied about
the stew, little girl.
I'm not a pervert.
I promise.
Mildred.
Hmm?
That's my name.
But it's for shit,
so you can call me Millie.
Mildred?
Heh heh.
Yeah, right.
Millie.
All right, Millie.
Hey.
Legend has it, in 1959,
an average plumber
from Montauk, New York,
William Willis,
believed he could talk
to his wife with his mind.
It's called telemetry
or some shit.
This one day,
while watching TV...
Progress is man's ability
to complicate simplicity.
Grooves in each log to house...
he got this crazy idea.
And to provide
the basis for a deck.
So he grabbed his journal
and started drawing,
not really knowing why.
A few weeks later,
he set sail on his own raft
made of only
the wooden junk he could find,
just like that Thor dude.
He done made it halfway to
south America all by his self,
surviving the sun and thirst
with nothing but peaches
and tomatoes to fill his belly.
And after almost two months,
his voyage came to an end.
He found
what he was looking for.
And at that moment, when he
realized he was gonna make it...
Only one person
in the whole world
ever knew what he was thinking.
67% of deaths happen
when nobody's looking.
I read that in a book once.
Oh, whoa.
And with the support of the
mayor and the city council,
the New Orleans waterfront and
commercial redevelopment project
is going to transform our city.
Hello.
Henry, I know you did not forget
about the groundbreaking today.
Wendell? Wendell, hi.
Where you been, Henry?
Do you remember when you said
I needed to heal my gills?
I... you know,
I'm doing that.
Now, listen, Henry, I...I
feel for what you're going...
I feel for what you've gone through, Henry.
I really do,
but you are the brains
of this project,
and you are beginning to
jeopardize the account.
Now, I need you to focus
and get to work.
Yeah.
Yeah, you're right.
Yes, I'm right.
I'm gonna need
a truck, right? A...
What?
A... a big truck.
W-why do we
need a truck?
The, um... yeah.
I mean,
I...I can also ask,
uh, Pascal and dumbass to help.
Henry, I don't know... i don't
know what you're talking about.
Uh, the raft. Uh,
I'm building a raft...
Well, I'm helping
to build a raft.
I don't... what raft?
And... and the best things
about rafts
is that they can break apart,
a-and they still float,
especially if we use garbage
like the girl wants us to.
All right, son, there's
an old Japanese saying.
"When the noble carp
has lost its hatchling..."
Wendell, thank you.
I'm gonna get started
on this right away.
Bye.
Henry, Henry,
you didn't hear
the end of carp. Ah...
God damn it.
Hey, guys.
Hey.
Fellas, we've got a new project.
Oh. This, uh...
What is the name?
It's garbage.
No. It's a raft.
Come on.
Let's go.
Hey, check it out.
What the frick is that?
I traded the Volvo in for it.
Pretty cool, huh?
Who are they?
I'm dumbass.
Yeah.
Hop in.
No way.
Ah, come on.
Don't be a chickenshit.
Where are we going?
Now what?
Ta-da!
What are we doing here?
We're shopping.
You gotta get
that raft in the water
before storm season, right?
Well, it gives us a few weeks.
And what kills
most of your time?
I'll tell you. Gathering
up all the junk.
So I figure why not do it
all in one fell swoop?
Let's go.
Let's split up. Pascal,
you come with me.
Sorry about
the flare gun the other day.
Ah, that's all right.
So Mr. Herschel say
you building a raft.
Yup.
Never built one of those before.
Can I ask you something?
What do you make of Henry?
No, give it!
He for real?
What you mean?
I don't know.
He's just weird,
like he ain't all there,
you know?
It's probably on account of he
lost his wife last month and all.
Car accident.
She's a artist or something,
made us beignets for breakfast
every morning. Heh.
Had a fire about her,
the kind you see on people...
She... she kind of
like you.
You know, like a hurricane.
A hurricane?
So why they call you dumbass?
Well, that's just
what my pop calls me.
He was in the Navy, got a medal.
Compared to him, I ain't done
a thimble full of pig shit.
That's bullshit.
Sounds like a dick to me.
Ah, it's just my pop.
Family.
Couldn't choose him.
He couldn't choose me.
Hey, guys, over here!
What are those?
Those are pontoons.
Every good raft starts
with good flotation, yeah?
I think we found it.
Do we just wait till
the tide washes them in?
No, I...I think they're pinned
underneath that barge there.
I think we should maybe
grab some of this rope,
maybe attach it
to the dingy over there,
and we'll just
try to drag 'em in.
Whoa!
Hey, Millie, what are you doing?
I'm getting the damn poles.
Now, where that chien going?
Oh, just give me a second.
I know I got stuff
in here you could use.
Uh...
Where is that box?
I just saw it.
Why don't I just wear
some of these?
Oh, no, no, no! Um...
It's, uh... no.
No, you don't...
You don't want that.
Trust me. I've got something
a lot Bett... oh, here...
For you. Yeah.
You doing all right in there?
I look like a douche.
What? No. Come on.
I'm sure it's not that bad.
Hey, look at you.
All right. That's great.
You know, that was my, uh...
That was
my Halloween costume in...
Uh, I think, like, fifth grade.
It's awful.
Well, anyway, I mean, it's dry.
Do you even play baseball?
Yeah. I mean, sort of.
I played tee-ball
when I was a little guy.
I was catcher.
You was the catcher?
At tee-ball?
Yeah.
I like your crib.
Oh, thanks.
Did you, like, design it?
Well, no, we...
We were, uh, remodeling.
Uh, so, you didn't
have any other,
like, clothes you could
bring from home, huh?
That ain't my home.
Hmm.
It's my uncle's.
And there wasn't really
too much to bring.
Yeah. Um, but where
are your... your parents?
Uh, you know, it's... it's really,
uh, cold out there tonight,
so if you wanted to use
the spare room, you're...
No, that's cool.
Um...
Thanks for the threads.
Yeah.
Stupid.
What do you want?
Sorry I lied about
the marshmallows.
This is all I had.
I didn't know that at the time.
I promise.
It's all right.
The charms are cool.
Yeah. My wife, she, um...
Was one of her cravings.
Yeah.
Um...
The Azores.
What?
It's where I'm going.
Oh.
Oh.
Tell anybody, and I swear...
Uh, why the Azores?
Why not?
Now that's a non-answer.
That's a non-answer.
Yeah.
I'm... I'm only asking
because that's really far away,
and you're, like...
What, 13?
I'm 16.
Oh, sorry.
Amelia Earhart
was younger than me
when she started flying.
Yeah,
but, you know, she,
uh, was lost at sea.
Whatever.
Flying is a lot harder
than floating.
Okay. You're right.
Besides, haven't you ever wanted
to do something extraordinary?
But you'll be alone out there.
Doesn't that scare you?
I've been alone most of my life.
Does being alone scare you?
Yeah.
Yeah, it does.
But you're a pussy, so...
Was it a boy or a girl?
I don't know.
We were waiting.
But I could totally
see her asking...
And then finding out
and just not telling me.
Oh, that wouldn't
surprise me at all.
Oh.
I hope she did.
Thanks for the hot chocolate.
Of course.
The story goes
that David Pearlman,
an insurance something-or-other
from New Orleans,
was getting a Mars bar
for his daughter
the moment his wife died.
Or maybe it was a butterfinger.
His daughter was with him
the day he went to spread
her ashes and say goodbye...
But he wouldn't say it.
David was drawn to the sea.
This one day
while walking along the shore
with his little girl...
He found a bottle that had
washed up from the water
and, inside it,
a familiar journal
that would change the course
of both of their lives.
You promise me,
when you're older,
you come find me.
I'll be here.
She was there the day he left.
But she wasn't there
that night her daddy
met the devil
out over the deep blue sea.
No one was.
But that's okay.
Death ain't about the people
who died anyway.
It's about the ones
who have the shit luck
of having to go along
without 'em.
Some people try to hold on
to their memories.
Others try to forget.
Neither works.
And after enough time passes by,
you find you ain't
the same as you used to be.
Julia.
What are you doing here?
Oh, Henry.
Oh.
Well, you are a sight.
You've been hiding
for three weeks.
What have you been doing?
Well, Wendell is none too happy.
He was gonna fire you,
but I reminded him
of how the firm got the bid
in the first place.
He said something
about building a boat.
No, I never said
anything about a boat.
Oh, good. Good.
Because he was going
on and on about...
No, it's a raft, actually.
I'm, uh, building
a raft currently.
Probably what he meant.
Are you on the drugs?
What? No! No, the...
No, they would be
out of my system by now.
Henry, I'm concerned about you.
What was that?
What was...
I didn't hear anything.
No, I heard somebody.
Do you mind coming back
a little later?
I...I feel, like,
a little bit, um...
What the hell is that?
This is that raft
you were talking about?
Yeah.
No, that's it, yeah.
You are not right,
and I'm not leaving here
until you agree
to talk to someone.
Yes.
Yes?
I...I should talk
to someone.
Yes, absolutely. No,
I...I would actually...
Oh, Henry, I'm so glad
to hear you say that.
It's very important.
I agree. Yeah.
I just... i just want you
to feel better.
Yeah, I'm feeling better
already, actually.
Good. Good.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Who was that?
Nobody.
Come on.
We got a lot of work to do.
Come on.
I'm sure you think
I'm crazy, but I'm not.
I'm fine.
I'm quite well, actually.
And if I'm being honest,
I...I think
Julia's concerns,
I think, are misplaced.
I see.
Why do you believe that
I think you're crazy?
Um...
The whole raft thing
for starters.
I'm sure Julia
told you all about that
and know how that must sound.
How must that sound?
Fucking crazy.
You know, a... a guy
starts building a raft
with a 16-year-old girl to
sail across the Atlantic ocean
a month after his wife passed...
It must sound completely nuts.
Does it?
You tell me!
What would you like me to say?
Like, "you need
to resolve your feelings,"
you know, or...
Or something like,
"you need to come to terms
with the events of your life,"
or "why the hell are you building
a garbage raft, you nut ball?"
I'm not the one building
the raft, Henry. You are.
Okay, we're done here.
Henry?
There's nothing...
There's nothing wrong with me.
I'm fine.
Hey, Henry,
can I ask you something?
Yeah.
I heard about this thing
that happens out past the delta.
Apparently, the river water
from all them farms up north
comes down and heads to the ocean.
You know the place?
Damn it.
Well, that water
is grimy as shit
from all them pesticides
and stuff, you know.
None of this stuff's gonna work.
And after all that crud
mixes into the sea,
it sucks the air
out of the water,
and all them ocean
fish, they drown.
They call it phenomena.
They say you could see the
fish jumping in the air
and skipping on the surface,
trying to get the hell
out of the water, you know,
trying to get out,
trying to stay alive.
It's a little out of my way,
but I was thinking
I should go see that.
What do you think?
What do I think about what?
Oh, never mind.
Hey, guys, none of
this wood's gonna work.
Every single piece is rotten.
Swear that dog...
He sail off the edge
of the earth for her.
Henry, don't get me wrong.
I like building this raft.
Yeah, yeah.
Beats the heck out of drywall.
Yeah, yeah.
I was just wondering,
why you doing this?
She goes out on this,
she ain't gonna make it.
Whaah!
See? That's exactly
what I'm talking about.
Hey.
Millie!
Yeah! I'm in here.
Oh.
Listen. This isn't
working, okay?
You're gonna have to let
me buy some wood and...
What are you doing?
What are you doing?
Jesus!
You just don't touch things
that don't belong to you!
I'm sorry.
It's okay.
I'll clean up.
No, it's not okay,
all right?
All you did was give me shit
about touching your stuff,
and then you waltz in here...
Why the hell are you even
building this thing, huh?!
You're gonna get yourself
killed! You know that?
You're just a goddamn kid!
Millie?
They didn't have
mint chocolate chip.
Can you believe it?
Anyway, so,
I got chocolate chip,
green food coloring,
and junior mints,
and I figured
we'd do it ourselves.
What do you think of...
Whoo. Who cares
what you think?
The baby's
really happy with that.
I think it's gonna be great.
Heh.
Am I going crazy?
The whole world's crazy.
It's all for shit.
Henry, you don't
have to do this.
No, no, it's okay. I'm okay.
This is a good thing.
See?
We got all the wood we need.
Now we just need more help.
Hey, what about your three boys?
Ahh.
Here we go. Here we go.
One more. Coming hot.
What's next?
Um, take all those photos
and put 'em in that
room for me, okay?
Sure.
Hmm?
Yeah.
Looks great.
Now all we need is a mast.
You sure about this?
I have no idea.
Keep going.
Pull.
It's almost there.
It's in.
Good?
Good.
Hey.
You awake?
Nope.
Won't be long now
till you sail off
into the horizon.
That's the plan.
Um...
You know, I...
I just wanted to say
that I'm...
I'm sorry that...
Well, for being a real
a-hole the other day.
It's all right.
We all lose our shit sometimes.
Yeah.
Oh, oh, and, uh,
I was thinking, um,
you should go see those leaping
fish you were talking about.
I think that would just
be really something.
All right. Hit it.
C'est bonne.
Not bad.
Yeah.
Henry?
Henry?
Good lord.
Cool if I join you?
Sure. Pull up a plank.
Feels like we should be
celebrating or something.
Hmm. Yeah, it's a shame
Ahab and I ate all the pot.
This is all gonna be
condominiums soon.
My firm, we were hired
to reinvent the city.
I don't know.
I like it the way it is,
all the old boats, the wood.
My pa used to bring me down
here to fish when I was little.
Sometimes, things are better
when they're
not perfect, you know?
I was wrong about you.
How so?
You're not a perv.
I'm glad that's
finally cleared up.
It's just that ain't nobody
really cared about me before...
Since my daddy, anyways.
Is that what...
Is that why you're doing this?
'Cause if it ain't, that's cool.
I...I was just...
I just thought that...
No, I do.
I care about you.
I saw the cube on the shelf.
She in there?
What was she like?
Hmm.
Um...
She was a bunch of things.
She was a photographer,
really bad sculptor,
terrible cook.
Was a clown.
A clown?
Yeah, for children's parties.
Oh.
She used to make up these
stories about how we met.
For years, she had a bunch of
the people in our neighborhood
convinced that we
used to be spies.
She was just always doing...
Little oddball things like that.
Even the day we met,
she fell off her bike,
hit her head
right in front of me.
Then I helped her up,
and I got her to a hospital,
and then she asked the intern
to take a picture of us
in case she got amnesia.
She was, uh...
She was kind of wild, you know.
Like a hurricane.
Yeah, I guess so.
She sounds like
she was the shit.
Yeah, she was the shit.
You mind if we stay here
just a little longer?
Sure.
You know how
they say just before you die,
your whole life flashes
in front of you?
Well, that's a load of crap.
Most people only have time
to think of, like, a few things.
Penny could only think of one.
Shit.
Who is she?
Her name's Millie.
Well...
She's missing.
You know that.
She's not missing.
No, she's in the truck.
What is she doing here?
Where are her parents?
I don't know.
Gone, I think.
How old is she?
She's 16.
Oh, my, god, Henry.
Are you and she...
What? No!
No, of course not!
No, I-I'm helping her.
Helping her with what?
I told you.
We're building a raft.
Oh, my god.
You've lost your mind.
Actually, Julia,
for the first time
in a long time,
I...I feel good.
You feel good?
Yeah.
'Cause you smell like a vagrant,
and the house
looks like a storm hit it,
and you're
about to lose your job,
and I guess that's good.
You know what? I don't
really give a shit.
This is madness.
No, it's not!
And you're wrong, Julia!
This isn't madness!
And penny would have loved this.
She would have loved
building this raft with us.
All she ever wanted for me
was to do something nuts,
do something crazy.
Well, congratulations.
You've succeeded.
And all she ever wanted from you
was to love her for who she was,
not for who you
wanted her to be.
You're Millie?
Yes, ma'am.
I'm really sorry
about your daughter.
Did you know her?
No.
But I know what it's like
to lose people you love.
I lost my ma when
I was little, and my pa,
he did the best
he could, considering.
And that's really
all Henry was doing.
He's helping me,
and I'm gonna help him.
See, I'm leaving
tomorrow on my journey,
and I was thinking I
would take penny with me.
I think that she
might like that.
Yeah.
Yeah, she would.
Look, we ain't
lost our minds, ma'am.
We just lost our way
a little bit.
Ain't you ever felt that way?
She was...
She was...
You call me if you
finish that obituary.
Ah.
Thank you.
I got it.
Hey, what's wrong?
Nothing.
Scared?
Are you sure you
still want to do this?
Yeah.
Hey, Henry, is that all?
Um, I'll go check.
We wanna put this bait...
Hi.
All right.
What the hell is this?
How did you get this?!
Penny always kept this
in her car.
Why the hell do you have it?
Henry, I can explain.
I...I should've told...
Told me? Told me what?!
Come on.
Come on now.
No, no, no!
I want to hear this.
Explain this to me.
Why do you have this?
Hey! I knew
I'd find you here.
Oh, shit.
You're gonna pay for my car,
you stupid little bitch.
Who are you?
Mind your goddamn business.
You're coming with me.
Get off of me, you asshole.
Ah, hell.
Ah, come on.
Hey! Hey!
Get his legs.
Get off now!
Quit moving!
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
What are you doing?
Millie!
Millie!
33% of deaths happen
while someone is watching.
But Henry wasn't there
on that Tuesday penny died.
I wonder why it is,
when life turns on you,
you go back to those places
in your mind,
those places you knew,
that made you happy,
made you feel safe.
Sometimes it's the spark
of a memory,
like the places we've been,
things we done before,
or people we knew or loved.
In the end, I think
that's what it's all about,
the people that left
a mark on you.
You want to hold on to 'em.
You want to take 'em with you,
but you can't.
When you're in trouble,
you hold on to anything
that makes you feel right again,
but it's like holding on
to water in your hands.
No matter how hard you squeeze,
it all drips away.
You're Mildred's father?
I'm, uh, her...
Her guardian.
She's a very lucky girl.
She took quite a hit,
but she'll be fine.
She has a severe concussion,
a couple of stitches
in her forehead.
We'll need to keep her
for a few days.
She's awake,
but heavily sedated.
Hey.
Hey, kiddo.
I talked to the doctor,
and she said everything's
gonna be just fine.
Just got a little bump
on your head there.
But you look...
Like shit?
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, kind of.
I should have told you.
It's okay.
You know how?
You were there.
I'm sorry.
It's okay.
I'm so sorry.
Hey, it's not your fault.
I'm actually glad.
I'm glad she wasn't alone.
My daddy died seven years ago,
disappeared off the
coast of Tahiti.
That's what they think.
I always knowed that.
I just miss him, you know.
I miss him to the bone.
He left me.
He left me behind.
She was thinking of you
when... when she...
Wait.
How do you know that?
I just know.
Henry, it's Wendell.
It's been a mon...
Henry, if you
don't call me back wh...
Listen, Henry, just call me back.
The inve...
No new messages.
I can't believe this
is ours, our home.
You know, our kids
are gonna live here.
You happy?
I'm stupid happy.
Dr. glass, line two.
Dr. glass, line two.
I figured we could use
an extra set of paws
for our trip.
You look different.
Oh. I shaved.
Uh-uh, no.
Something else.
You know, I just realized...
I don't know where we're going.
Doesn't matter.
We'll make it.
Bon voyage!
And don't forget to write!
My pa used to say
every great journey
is filled with surprises.
Henry and I's was no different.
Hey.
Hey, you should see this.
Ain't never gonna be
in no history books
what me and Henry done,
but that's all right.
That ain't why we done it.
It's just our story.
Most stories are the same.
There are good guys
and bad ones.
Some have happy endings.
Others have shitty ones.
Our story ain't
what we expected,
but it's the one we got.
People always be ending stories
with something like "the end"
or "happily ever after."
I think that's dumb.
I don't think much
is ever that simple.
Like most stories don't
really start where you think,
they don't end
where you think neither.
I've read in a book once
that 67% of people die
when nobody's looking.
What I never could find out
is how many people lived
while nobody's watching.
But I guess they
just don't print shit like that.