The Heirloom (2024) Movie Script
1
(crinkling of paper)
Using the stem of one of your...
I got birthday flowers.
(crinkling of paper)
Ok, so we have some mucus.
Oh my God, it's foul.
It's foul.
(sad music)
(sad music)
Oh, oh, oh!
Oh, yeah!
How do I look...
through the tube?
Oh, so good, baby. So
good, give it to me.
How do I look through the tube?
You look good.
Oh, oh, oh!
Oh!
Oh!
Hello?!
There she is!
Tube boy, knock, knock.
-Little tube boy.
-There's my baby!
Oh, I'm in the tube.
I'm stuck in the
tube, I can't get out!
I'm stuck in the tube,
and I can't get out!
And then, ooh!
You want some popcorn, baby?
-And then out. -Okay.
I'm gonna make popcorn.
Do you want some?
I'm good, honey.
(sad music)
(laughing)
I'm coming in, honey!
Get ready for your close-up.
(bell ringing)
(moaning)
(laughing)
What are you laughing about?
This one time as a
kid, we went skiing.
Drove up to a cabin.
And, after skiing, we
went into the little town...
and had dinner at a restaurant.
And then, when we got home,
my mom got food poisoning.
And, it was a really
small, little cabin.
And I just remember...
hearing my mom puke,
like, all night long,
and it was like violent puking.
(sad music)
And then, there was a
joke, don't get the-
(laughing)
And then there was
a joke in my family,
like, don't...
Like, don't get the kung...
Don't get-Don't get the-
Don't get the chicken-
I can't!
Don't get the chicken kung pao.
(laughing)
There's something funny, too,
about, like, my
mom getting sick,
like, she just never,
ever showed any,
any like cracks
of vulnerability.
So, for her to...
to hear her puke, I
think it just like...
stuck with me.
That's nice.
Can you rub me a
little higher or lower?
You're just like
right on my liver.
Yeah.
(dramatic music)
(children yelling)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
-Hello! -Hello, my honey!
Hello, my baby.
Hello, my ragtime gal.
Hello, my honey.
How's it going, baby?
Okay.
So, I've been in touch
with these women.
It's actually kind of
like a whole thing.
I emailed this woman
who posted this
advertisement online for
Chinese Cresty puppies.
I emailed her, she
didn't have any available.
But, she put in touch with
this other woman she knows
that also breeds
Chinese Cresties.
They're kind of like
a community of women.
She also didn't have any.
But then, she put me
in touch with this
woman named Dee.
Dee just emailed me
back, and she's whelping.
Whelping is when
dogs give birth.
That's what they call
when they're having a litter.
Okay.
Dee is whelping...
a litter, in two weeks.
And she said that we
can get on the list and
reserve one of these dogs.
All we have to do is
send a $1000 deposit
in the next 24
hours, and it's ours.
Very cute.
-Very cute. -I mean...
Very cute, very sweet.
-Very cute. -So cute.
-I love it. -I did research.
There's no harmful
treatment of the animals.
None of this puppy mill shit.
It's all- and price capped.
So, these are $2000.
This is basically
just to pay for
the upkeep of the situation.
That's why it's
this price point,
so it's very much
not for profit.
Do you mind if I just kind of-
So, I think we should do it.
I think we should
just jump on it.
Okay, so there's a
couple things that are
kind of pinging for me.
So, I'm just-if I can
just go in and I'll just
kind of run through
them, if that's okay?
So, firstly, I guess
just this is obviously
not what we discussed, right?
This is a deviation
from the rescue plan.
I understand, but honestly,
I've sent like 200
emails for rescue dogs,
haven't gotten a
single response back.
And if we want a dog,
I think we really have
to act, like, now.
Because lockdown is
coming, winter is coming.
It's just, it's not gonna-
You're bringing kind
of an immediacy to, like,
"Lockdown is coming,
we have to get a dog now,"
I don't mean to do
an impression of you,
but just that's kind of
the emotionality of it.
And then I feel like, okay,
I've been vegan for ten years.
It's important to
me to get a rescue.
It feels like I'm in
a difficult position,
where it's like, okay,
I have to act now,
I have to act now,
I have to act now.
And it's gonna make
us compromise and
I feel like, if we're
going to do that,
we should make sure
we've turned over
every single stone.
And I kind of don't
feel like we have.
I've tried and it's
just not working,
and this is like close
to the same thing
with an ethical breeder.
They're, they're animal lovers.
Ethical breeder is another thing
I personally really don't buy.
It's kind of in the, like,
free range egg paradigm
type oxymoronical.
So, what's the deal,
it's a not-for-profit.
So then, what is it for,
would be my question.
'Cause, from my perspective-
If they didn't breed them...
There's an incentive.
the breed would go extinct.
There would be no
more Chinese Cresties
if it weren't
for-Look, she says,
"I am a preservationist.
What is called a hobby breeder.
I breed not-for-profit."
So, this is a freak who is-
If no one was breeding them...
An obsession with
a particular breed.
how would they continue?
Who cares? Who cares?
Who cares? I thought
you were a vegan?
Yeah, I'm a
consequentialist, honey.
I don't want to cause suffering.
I just feel-
Honey...
Can you not?
What do you want me
to say to this, like...?
I'm down to get a dog.
I don't even honestly want one.
It's like, I'm willing
to compromise on
getting one in the first place,
so then I want
you to compromise.
You want a dog, I
don't want a dog.
I'm willing to get a dog
because you want a dog.
I can compromise for
you, but then I need you
to help me, so if it's
us versus the problem,
when can we tackle the problem?
Because I'm tackling
the problem every day.
I send emails every day.
Any time, any time.
When, now?
No, not, see that's
not-Love, no, not now.
Tomorrow? I need a lot of time.
Can we-do you have
your calendar?
This is competitive,
and if we're gonna
get it your way,
I need your time.
Send me-you know
what, the best way to do it,
and I'm gonna sound like
a jerk, is send me an email,
and we'll go through
it together and
we'll find a time.
You want me to book you?
Okay, I know it seems
like I'm a prick,
"send me an email,"
but yes, send me
an email because then
it's not gonna get lost.
You're looking at me like
that, like, send me an email,
I'm some bureaucratic
freak, but if you
send me an email then
it's not gonna get lost.
I'm actually saying
send me an email
'cause then it's
not gonna get last.
Ah!
So, don't act like
I'm the fucking-Okay.
Possible times, tomorrow,
any time works for me.
Next day, any time works for me.
And the next day, any
time works for me.
Okay, just sent it.
I'm not trying to be a prick.
I know that this is
important to you.
And I would like to help.
I'm just trying to help you
in a way that balances
the other bullshit
I know you're sick
of hearing about
that I'm trying to do.
Which is this.
You might feel the
calm and relaxed aura
of simply being present,
which can relax and reassure you
easily and effortlessly.
(somber music)
(somber music)
(somber music)
12 rules for dogs.
Rule #1:
Dogs are pack animals.
And they need a pack
leader for direction.
Until a dog has been on-leash
they can never
truly be off-leash.
Put another way, they
can never be free
until they've been
under control.
That's where a pack leader
comes into the picture.
(dramatic music)
(heavy breathing)
"Still finalizing the flight
plan on the Dominican side.
Working to get over the border
before lockdown
order is set in."
"Milly is two years old
and needs some serious TLC."
(dramatic music)
We should be cautious
not to get too excited.
But a good chance.
And then, on our side,
I still think that
we have a conversation
or two to have
before we can fully
pull the trig.
I know you want a dog today.
And, I'm sure that you
will want a dog in a year.
But are you
100% certain
that you 100%
want a dog for 12 years, plus?
I'm a little concerned
that, you know,
you originally did
not want a dog and
you're doing this for
me and for my desires.
So, I just want to make sure
I'm not pressuring you into
that and that you're not
gonna resent this choice.
100%.
Amidst all the chaos
of a human world,
the ideal pack leader
is steady and confident,
vigorously calm, in
effortless control.
This is a state
that I refer to as
'calm dominance'.
(dramatic music)
Rule #2:
Think like a leader,
stink like a leader.
Dogs have a sense of
smell 10,000 times
as sensitive as humans.
They can smell you like a book.
You can say "sit" as
many times as you want,
but if you're not really sure
about your status in the pack,
your counterfeit commands
won't pass the smell test.
Love?
-How you doing?
-I think I'm good.
Okay.
How you doing?
Doing good.
I'm nervous.
Me too.
(dramatic music)
Rule #12: Command
your dog from within.
Dogs are so perceptive
of their masters,
it can sometimes feel as though
they have psychic powers.
And as pack leader,
it's essential to act
as though they do.
Find your inner voice
as leader of the pack,
and command you dog
from that place.
I call this speaking with
your pack leader voice.
Forget about your vocal chords.
Command your dog from within.
It's a different voice...
Sit!
Sit...
Stay, down!
Down!
Down!
Down!
She's going to be able
to sense our presence
before we've even
gotten out of the car.
It's not that we
need to act calm.
We need to be calm.
Because that first impression is
from what I can
tell is everything!
We have to smoke the
first impression.
Right.
So when she arrives...
we just act like
nothing extraordinary
is happening whatsoever.
This is a totally normal night.
And that feels kind of callous,
but I think that that's
gonna be the best way that
we can love her,
is just to be...
Okay.
I know.
(somber music)
(somber music)
We've gotta smoke
the first impression.
(somber music)
(somber music)
Got her?
Mm-hm.
(engine revving)
And just proceed as normal
and let her come to us.
-No, that's too loud.
-You know what I mean?
No, that's aggressive.
And really try to be a little
bit more explicitly chill.
-Sh-sh-sh!
-We're in our own home.
No, that's too loud,
that's too loud.
Let's be steady. We
are in our own home.
You're bringing
aggressive energy.
I'm just talking.
Oh, she's getting
out of the crate.
Oh, my god, she's
getting out of the crate.
-Okay, let's be calm.
-Oh, my god.
Oh, my god.
I think I should
give her a treat.
I think she needs some kind of-
Give her space.
-Positive something.
-Give her space.
I'm gonna go do that.
I think she's going
into the closet.
Oh my god.
Oh my god.
Hi.
You're a good girl.
Want a treat?
Good girl.
You're a good girl.
Should I try Spanish?
That's interesting.
Bueno girl.
Bueno.
Bueno.
She's not responding
to the Spanish.
I'm feeling envy so,
I'm going to come
over there as well.
(footsteps)
(eerie music)
Calm...
(eerie music)
Calm.
Settle.
Settle.
Settle.
Settle.
Settle.
Hi.
(eerie music)
Do you like your new house?
(eerie music)
Come on, let's put this on.
Come on.
Okay... good.
Good girl, good girl.
It's okay, girl.
It's okay.
(eerie music)
It's okay.
And let's try again in 3, 2, 1.
(eerie music)
-Good girl. -Good girl.
You're a good girl.
You're good.
-Bicycle coming. -Okay.
We're good?
-Good girl. -Good girl. Go on.
You want some food?
Come on...
Come on.
(eerie music)
I think maybe she was like
kicked or something.
Why do you say kicked?
I don't know.
I just feel like if she was
like on this farm and there was
all these other dogs
Maybe they're just getting
pushed or kicked, I don't know.
I get the sense
she's coming from
more environmental stress,
like...
ambient chaos.
Too much going on.
Clinging and clanging.
She still hasn't pooped.
She hasn't pooped since the
Dominican Republic, that's...
probably not healthy.
You can get a blocked bowel.
She'll poop tomorrow.
A megacolon is...
Well, it's actually almost
exactly as it sounds.
We're talking about
a colon that has been
engorged to such a size
due to the fact that it can't
get anything out of there.
-And... -Dry or wet food?
So, it's wet raw food.
72 hours of wet raw...
you don't know this
dog well enough to even
understand what its
typical gait is, but...
you'd be seeing it
walk with almost
a bit of a hobble, slower...
Reticent to run.
Doesn't like to be
touched in and around
the stomach. You said
this was a female, so...
either her lower back
may be irritated, but these
are things that you
can check on your own.
Okay.
I mean, it could all just
be a phantom poo as well.
9 times out of 10 it's in the
cabinet underneath
the sink in the bathroom.
Okay, okay, well,
we will look for it.
-We will look for it.
-Okay, okay.
We're also trying
to transition her
into vegan food.
Any opinions about that?
If this dog was born
on a certain diet,
you should change
it at your peril.
Look, I have an
opinion on vegan food.
I'm sorry, I have a political
opinion on vegan food.
And I'm really sorry about that.
But I happen to have
an opinion on it.
And what's your opinion
on it, I'm curious?
I will not disclose
it to a client.
(beeping)
Heel.
Heel.
Heel.
Heel.
(soft music)
For you.
(soft music)
(panting)
Take it.
Go!
A little more paw, perfect.
Let's put you over here.
There.
Good girl, good girl.
You did good.
(whimsical music)
You wanna go girl?
Okay, we don't have
to do that today.
Let's not do that today.
Good girl.
Let's go.
That's my girl.
Look, there's a little friend.
Is it okay if they say hello?
That's so cute, look.
Aw, she's so cute.
She's shy.
Can we go? Thank you.
-Bye! -Bye.
Come on, come on.
(soft music)
(whimsical music)
(soft music)
Bad.
(soft music)
Bad.
(soft music)
Bad.
Bad.
(soft music)
(soft music)
(soft music)
(soft music)
(soft music)
Here, Milly, wanna
smell one of these?
Oh, my god, this
looks so beautiful.
Isn't it pretty?
Give me a look, hon.
Gimme a smooch.
-Oh, yeah. -Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas!
Ooooh.
Oh, where's my gift?
Ooh!
Merry Christmas, thank you.
Thank you, oh!
Oh, that's my gift to you.
Merry Christmas.
That's my gift to you.
(soft music)
(soft music)
(soft music)
(soft music)
Look here.
Good girl!
Look here, good girl!
Okay, wait.
Wait.
Look here.
Look. Look, up here.
Love?
Can I interrupt?
You've been watching these
videos of your family.
And, they've been getting me
reflecting on
how I am going to
reconcile two poles.
My daddy.
And my mummy.
Right?
My dad.
Complete fucking workaholic.
Loves work, obsessed with work.
Nothing but work, right?
Loves work.
Okay, that's in there.
Somewhere, as you know.
On the other pole, my mom.
Absolutely baby
crazy individual.
Loves family so much.
Is all family.
She would've had ten,
twelve children
if she could have.
Yeah.
So, I come from these
two different sides,
and these are both
living inside of here.
I have never known how
I am going to reconcile.
How am I going to find a way
to satisfy the part of myself
that knows I've gotta
be completely fucking
obsessed with work,
especially if I want
to be a filmmaker,
especially if I want
to be a filmmaker.
You've gotta be obsessed.
Obsessed with work
if you want to be a filmmaker.
Completely fucking obsessed
'cause it's the only way
you're gonna be any
good at it whatsoever.
Family, if I'm completely
obsessed with work,
what about family?
I want to be obsessed
with my family as well.
I don't want to be my dad.
I want to be there, there.
Totally there.
Obsessed with my kids.
Fully there.
People always say the
immediate solution...
work-life balance.
Okay, that's a good solution.
I think that's a good
solution in a lot of cases.
But in this case,
I don't really see how
work-life balance
is going to function
'cause I can't really find
a way in my mind where
I'm gonna be able to
split it down the middle
and have the amount of
obsession that I feel that
I need to have in filmmaking
with the amount of presence
that I want to have
with my family in order to
feel good about who I am.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Got two poles.
Work.
Famiglia.
What...
if...
(bell ringing)
I am abandoning my script.
(dramatic music)
And I'm going to make a movie
about Milly.
What do you mean?
I'm going to make a movie...
A home movie.
(dramatic music)
But it's gonna be...
a movie...
about Milly.
What do you mean, honey?
You'll be you, and I'll be me.
Milly will be Milly.
I know we can't have a
crew 'cause that would
scare the fuck out of her,
so I'll shoot it on my phone.
It'll be super light,
it'll be super easy.
Baby.
It's going to be a movie.
But it's also...
an heirloom.
From this beautiful
period of time.
Where we became a family.
And it's going to be
so...
beautiful.
Okay, well.
I'm so happy you're
inspired, truly.
It's great to see.
But I'm a little shocked
because you've been
writing that script for
about five years and...
I have never been so sure about
anything in my entire life.
Okay.
Okay.
You up for it?
Thank you.
It's gonna be so good.
Hi, girl. Hi.
Come on.
Come on.
Good girl. Good girl.
Come on, come on.
Come on. Come on, girl.
Come on, come on,
come on, let's go.
Let's go, let's go.
Come on.
Come on, come on.
Let's go.
(ominous music)
Aloha from Hawaii.
Hello.
We just came back from dinner.
Oh, I'm sunburned.
Oh.
Honey?
What do we got?
(squeak)
(squeak)
I figured-
There's something that I-
(squeak)
(squeak)
(squeak)
(squeak)
(squeak)
(squeak)
(squeak)
(squeak)
I have a time sensitive situ?
(squeaking )
Honey...
(ominous music)
Isn't that funny?
She's one minute old...
Just had her now.
Baby girl...
Isn't that funny? Yoohoo!
-Hello! -Love?
Taxi!
Like, who is she?
Who is she, like...?
(ominous music)
Like if you puffed out the hair.
Something about, like, slices.
(ominous music)
You rang?
Brace yourself.
I'm braced.
I need you to be real for this.
I'm real.
"Dear Eric,
Thank you for your application.
Milly is still available,
and will be coming in from
"the Dominican on
Saturday night."
"In response to the lockdowns
coming in at midnight,
we'll be doing pickups
at the airport,
approximately 11pm.
"Milly is a sweet girl."
Aw!
"But needs some serious... TLC."
And this is the pic.
Oh, my gosh, she
is something else!
Oh, my goodness.
Cute, no?
Oh, I can't breathe.
She's not ours yet!
I have a dog named Milly!
Milly!
Her name is Milly!
Can I get a M-I-L-L-Y?
Milly!
I'm a dog owner!
I'm a dog mama!
And going back and forth,
swaying from one
side to the other.
I got a Milly.
I got a girl named Milly!
M-I-L-L-Y!
She's Milly.
This feels like it has
a lot of comic distance.
So, what can be a
genuine thing though,
because this is
comic, so that's what
I'm struggling with is, like,
is how to be genuine with it.
Action.
I can't wait to meet her.
She's the most beautiful
thing in the world.
And at that, it's a baby girl!
Oh!
I can't handle it,
I'm gonna explode!
I want to scream on
the mountain that
Milly is my dog!
Milly!
Ar-ar-ar!
Aroo!
She's not ours yet.
No, don't say that, she's ours.
Don't do this to me.
She's ours, the email says.
We just have to email back,
so we should just email back.
I'm not a yes,
I'm not a yes yet.
For me, there's still
much more to discuss.
You're a bad man.
(laughing)
You're bad.
(laughing)
My character is a
bad man right now.
We're gonna have to figure
that out on the coverage here.
You're a bad, bad man.
Say that again and we'll see if
the trucks have passed.
You're a bad man.
You're a very bad man.
Bad.
Okay, give up.
One more time.
And now, go through
all the way to the bottom.
Get to the bottom, and then
scroll all the way to the top.
Like a quick, like
get to the bottom,
scroll all the way to the top.
Same thing, scroll, stop,
scroll, stop, scroll stop.
Get to the bottom,
all the way up.
Bad.
You're at a ten, now
take it to a thirteen.
Oh, my god.
Ah, of which, applause?
Of, of even just like, ah!
Of non-verbal.
Do you see my feet?
Oh, I'm in the tube.
I'm stuck in the tube,
and I can't get out.
I'm stuck in the tube,
and I can't get out!
And then, ooh!
You want some popcorn, baby?
-And then out. -Okay.
Cut.
Ah, my girl! Hi!
Oh, we missed you!
Bad.
We missed ya!
Oh, my honey.
My honey!
I missed you.
Bad.
Honey, she's peeing.
-Bad. -She's peeing.
-Bad. -She's peeing!
-Bad. -She peed.
-Bad. -She peed!
-Bad. -She peed!
-Bad. -Oh, you're a good girl.
Oh, she peed!
Oh, you're gonna put
it all over the house.
Don't do that, okay,
give me yours paws.
Oh, I can't believe
you were this nervous
without Mama.
(licking)
(licking)
Bad.
Stupid.
Stupid.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid.
Failure fuck.
Dumbass... Dumbass.
Dumbass.
Bad.
Oh, hi, girl, did
you have a nice walk?
-How'd it go? -It was fine.
She freaked out at the school.
Nothing more than usual.
I think we gotta get a
little realer on the training
'cause she was, you know...
You know how it is.
Did something happen, hun?
Well, I mean, she got a
little nervous by the school.
Freaked out by the
CD tree that we said that
we would train her
around every day.
So, it wasn't great,
but wasn't awful,
but definitely wasn't great so,
I just, you know, yeah,
I think we just need to
get a little more
real about that.
Okay, so just slow
down. What happened?
So, you were walking
by the school, or...?
I was walking her
down Gladstone.
(soft music)
Milly.
There's that tree with the CDs,
and a car came by,
and I guess she saw the light.
And she started to freak
out, so I went down to her,
and I said, "Milly,
come here, come here."
Come.
You dropped the leash?
No, I didn't drop the leash, no.
She tried to get away from me.
She was yanking and yanking.
She almost got away from me.
If I hadn't been prepared
for it, she would've.
It was brutal, I
mean, it's just,
it's a lot of torque.
She's pulling and
pulling and pulling,
and I'm trying to
hold her there.
Milly!
Milly!
I'm sorry that I'm worked up.
I'm...
disappointed in her.
And that doesn't feel
good so, yeah, it's-
it was frightening.
And so, I'm getting,
I'm getting testy
because it was frightening.
It's okay, honey, it's okay.
But, you know, let's not,
let's not put the blame on her.
Like, let's not be
disappointed in her.
We should take responsibility.
You're right, you're
totally right.
I'm extremely
disappointed in us.
I'm extremely
disappointed in us.
'Cause it is our fault, yeah,
'cause we haven't been
serious about the shit
that we said that we were gonna
be serious about.
We haven't been
consistent about the stuff that
we said that we would
be consistent about.
I understand that, Love, but...
I've been also having my own
experiences with her on walks,
and I've started to
realize that, you know,
first thing's first,
I think we should just
get her comfortable
with being outside
so that's what I've
been working on and I...
I know we said we
would do the tree as well,
but I thought that it would
be better to just first just
work on getting her
comfortable outside.
Milly!
We said that we were
going expose her to
the things that scared her.
We knew that she was
scared of the CD tree,
what, three weeks ago,
and we didn't do
anything about it because
we're caught up in our bullshit.
And all of a sudden,
now she almost has
an escape scenario, so it's...
just laying bare some
of the shortcomings
in what we've done so far, so...
We said we would
switch her food.
We're not switching food.
There's fucking meat
cubes in the duvet.
Well, I tried to switch
the food, but she
didn't want it, so what
do you want me to do?
How many times have
you tried, maybe once?
Maybe two times?
I tried a few times,
and she didn't like it,
and I was thinking-
I was starting to feel
that maybe she would-
Everything that we've
read has said that
consistency is the
number one factor,
but you decide every
other day that,
you know what, my gut's saying
something else
might work better.
That's fine, but we
need to discuss it
if we're gonna make
a strategy change,
or else all of a sudden
she is just living in a swirl!
She doesn't know what's what.
Eric, I tried, but if you
want us to switch the food...
we can just do a quick switch.
We can switch it
in one go, I read-
I'm sorry that
I'm being a prick.
And what I was going to
say is I can switch the food.
I read that you can
just switch the food.
There's like different
opinions about,
you don't have to phase it and
you can just switch
it in one go.
It works fine for a lot of dogs,
so I feel comfortable
just doing a switch
and then that's off
the table, and...
Look here.
Good girl. Good girl.
(crunching of food)
(slow music)
(slow music)
(screams and laughing)
You okay, girl?
Good girl, good girl.
Where's the car?
One sec, one sec!
It's okay.
Do you see it?
Okay, okay.
(alarm blaring)
(alarm blaring)
(footsteps)
Oh, my God.
That's good.
You're good. You're good.
(door slam)
(footsteps)
Fuck.
Fuck me, fuck me.
It's okay.
(scraping)
Hi, our dog just puked up blood,
and we're headed to you now,
but I just wanted to
confirm that you can see her.
Her name Milly. M-I-L-L-Y.
Breed is whippet, and
she's probably thirty pounds.
Well, we switched
her food last night
from raw chicken
to a cooked vegan.
(footsteps)
-Hi, oh, sorry. -Sorry.
Hi, is this a walk-in
or did you call it in?
Yeah, we called, it's Milly.
Milly, yes, okay, great.
Do you have your phone on you?
-Yes, I do. -Okay, great.
And she's a scared
rescue, just so you know.
No problem, so we should have
all your information
on file then,
and then we'll just give
you a call as soon as
we've seen her, okay?
-Okay. -Okay.
She's a very scared rescue dog.
-Okay, great. -Thank you.
Thank you.
We had this dog, growing up,
that was such a freak.
It would, every time
it went to exit a room,
walk to the
threshold of the room
and just before exiting,
it would do a 180,
and then walk out
the room backwards.
Can you just not talk?
Yes.
(phone vibrating)
Hello?
Hello, this is Laura from the
Greenwood Animal Hospital.
Is this Allie speaking?
Yes, it is.
Hi, so, I have Milly
here with me now.
I have done an
initial examination.
Okay.
She's running quite a
high fever at the moment.
She's hitting 104.1.
So, the first step that I
would like to take is just
doing a gastrointestinal
endoscope to see
what's going on in her tummy.
Okay.
If you live close by I just
recommend heading home and
we'll give you a call when
they've seen her, okay?
Okay, I guess I'll
just have my phone on.
Okay, that's perfect, thank you.
How much are you
blaming me for this?
I freaked out at you,
and I apologized for that
'cause that was stupid.
I'm sorry for my part in it.
I'm sorry for my 50% blame.
You know, I don't remember
putting the food in the bowl.
Isn't that strange?
It's like wiped.
Oh, my god.
Beep!
A memory gone, it is odd.
End of conversation
for the time being.
I...
had a dream...
that we were married.
And we had babies.
And we were having some
kind of a barbeque.
There's all these people around.
And you were trying
to make 'em all laugh.
You're throwing up
the baby, and going,
"Whoop-dee-woo!" Catching her.
"Whoop-dee-woo!" Catching her.
And then, I could tell that you
wanted a bigger laugh,
so you threw the
baby up really high.
But what you didn't
realize was that
the ceiling fan was on,
and you threw the baby
right into the fan.
And then I had this
overriding feeling of terror
that the baby was dead.
And then, I woke up.
And I think what
my unconscious was
telling me was that
I don't trust you.
And not only do I think
that you'd be a bad dad...
You would be a liability.
I wouldn't trust you with my
children crossing the street.
Let alone driving in a car.
I don't trust you
holding a baby.
Do you have anything to say?
Anything about what I just said?
Or you just put up a shield,
and not hear anything?
You're a good girl.
When she was there,
she was inappetent
and has not consumed food
since her arrival at the clinic.
"At approximately 2pm,
Milly had a loose stool
containing traces
of blood and mucous.
Recommend monitoring
her stool until she stabilizes.
Should the blood in
her stool or vomit persist
for more than 48
hours, she may require
some treatments like we
discussed on the phone.
"Close at-home monitoring
on your part is important."
I don't think she's gonna
let us give this to her.
I can't really see.
Let me get some scissors here.
Can you maybe get
some kind of a tool?
Like a stick or something?
-Some scissors. -Thank you.
Here.
Okay.
It doesn't look good.
It's like...
Yeah, there's a little bit of...
Blood, it looks like.
But, I think this
is the better kind,
like, there's two,
basically there's a...
more concerning is
a darker one that
means that there's like
bleeding in the stomach
that gets digested, I think.
But then the bright red
one is just small intestine
and colon, which
isn't as concerning.
This isn't terrible,
but there's a lot
of like mucous too.
It's pretty watery,
and this jelly,
like that's so weird.
What do you think that is?
Bile or something.
So bad.
Should we talk about it?
Probably.
Well, I'm sorry
for saying all those
mean things to you.
That was cruel,
and I shouldn't talk
to you like that.
But I think there was
some truth underneath
what I was saying too.
Yeah?
Damn.
You've been a really
nice guy to me
for most of our relationship.
And I'm really
grateful for that.
Truly.
But, I think that I let you
steer this relationship
for a long time.
But you kind of ended up just
taking us in circles.
Settle...
When we got Milly, I
got the first taste of
the kind of life that
I want to live, and...
I don't want to spit it out.
Settle.
Because I, I'm just done
with whatever this.
Settle down.
I'll just say it.
Okay.
So, I think...
Settle down, boy.
You know, if you don't want to
have the same priorities as me,
which is basically
family and then work,
then we can, we can bust up and
you can go do your own thing,
and I can go live with
my family and take Milly.
And it's okay, there needs
to be no hard feelings.
But...
If you want, you
could, you could try to
live with me and we could see if
we could make it work, but...
I...
I need you to know that
I'm not a movie.
I'm not gonna be here forever.
It's a finite period of time.
And I can't keep
living like it isn't, so...
I kinda need you to
shit or get off the pot.
'Cause I'm thirty-two,
and my eggs are
rotting, day by day,
and I want to have
babies and a house.
And I want to go camping.
Okay.
Are you gonna turn
everything into a movie?
Or just this?
I don't know.
Oh, my god, but I
don't know if I want that.
Like, I don't want that.
You can make movies, but don't,
I don't want to be one.
It'll all make its way in,
but I'll try and fictionalize it
a little bit more.
Okay.
Good girl. Good girl.
Good girl.
Good girl.
Good girl.
Good girl.
Good girl.
Good girl.
-Good girl. -Oh, good girl.
Good girl, good girl.
Oh, good girl.
-Nice, good girl. -Good girl.
-Good girl. -Good girl.
-Good girl. -Good girl.
-Good girl. -Good girl.
Good job.
-Nice. -Good job.
-Nice. -Oh, good job.
Nice.
[music]
-Hi. -Hi, girl.
I think she has to go out.
Okay.
(crinkling of paper)
Using the stem of one of your...
I got birthday flowers.
(crinkling of paper)
Ok, so we have some mucus.
Oh my God, it's foul.
It's foul.
(sad music)
(sad music)
Oh, oh, oh!
Oh, yeah!
How do I look...
through the tube?
Oh, so good, baby. So
good, give it to me.
How do I look through the tube?
You look good.
Oh, oh, oh!
Oh!
Oh!
Hello?!
There she is!
Tube boy, knock, knock.
-Little tube boy.
-There's my baby!
Oh, I'm in the tube.
I'm stuck in the
tube, I can't get out!
I'm stuck in the tube,
and I can't get out!
And then, ooh!
You want some popcorn, baby?
-And then out. -Okay.
I'm gonna make popcorn.
Do you want some?
I'm good, honey.
(sad music)
(laughing)
I'm coming in, honey!
Get ready for your close-up.
(bell ringing)
(moaning)
(laughing)
What are you laughing about?
This one time as a
kid, we went skiing.
Drove up to a cabin.
And, after skiing, we
went into the little town...
and had dinner at a restaurant.
And then, when we got home,
my mom got food poisoning.
And, it was a really
small, little cabin.
And I just remember...
hearing my mom puke,
like, all night long,
and it was like violent puking.
(sad music)
And then, there was a
joke, don't get the-
(laughing)
And then there was
a joke in my family,
like, don't...
Like, don't get the kung...
Don't get-Don't get the-
Don't get the chicken-
I can't!
Don't get the chicken kung pao.
(laughing)
There's something funny, too,
about, like, my
mom getting sick,
like, she just never,
ever showed any,
any like cracks
of vulnerability.
So, for her to...
to hear her puke, I
think it just like...
stuck with me.
That's nice.
Can you rub me a
little higher or lower?
You're just like
right on my liver.
Yeah.
(dramatic music)
(children yelling)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
-Hello! -Hello, my honey!
Hello, my baby.
Hello, my ragtime gal.
Hello, my honey.
How's it going, baby?
Okay.
So, I've been in touch
with these women.
It's actually kind of
like a whole thing.
I emailed this woman
who posted this
advertisement online for
Chinese Cresty puppies.
I emailed her, she
didn't have any available.
But, she put in touch with
this other woman she knows
that also breeds
Chinese Cresties.
They're kind of like
a community of women.
She also didn't have any.
But then, she put me
in touch with this
woman named Dee.
Dee just emailed me
back, and she's whelping.
Whelping is when
dogs give birth.
That's what they call
when they're having a litter.
Okay.
Dee is whelping...
a litter, in two weeks.
And she said that we
can get on the list and
reserve one of these dogs.
All we have to do is
send a $1000 deposit
in the next 24
hours, and it's ours.
Very cute.
-Very cute. -I mean...
Very cute, very sweet.
-Very cute. -So cute.
-I love it. -I did research.
There's no harmful
treatment of the animals.
None of this puppy mill shit.
It's all- and price capped.
So, these are $2000.
This is basically
just to pay for
the upkeep of the situation.
That's why it's
this price point,
so it's very much
not for profit.
Do you mind if I just kind of-
So, I think we should do it.
I think we should
just jump on it.
Okay, so there's a
couple things that are
kind of pinging for me.
So, I'm just-if I can
just go in and I'll just
kind of run through
them, if that's okay?
So, firstly, I guess
just this is obviously
not what we discussed, right?
This is a deviation
from the rescue plan.
I understand, but honestly,
I've sent like 200
emails for rescue dogs,
haven't gotten a
single response back.
And if we want a dog,
I think we really have
to act, like, now.
Because lockdown is
coming, winter is coming.
It's just, it's not gonna-
You're bringing kind
of an immediacy to, like,
"Lockdown is coming,
we have to get a dog now,"
I don't mean to do
an impression of you,
but just that's kind of
the emotionality of it.
And then I feel like, okay,
I've been vegan for ten years.
It's important to
me to get a rescue.
It feels like I'm in
a difficult position,
where it's like, okay,
I have to act now,
I have to act now,
I have to act now.
And it's gonna make
us compromise and
I feel like, if we're
going to do that,
we should make sure
we've turned over
every single stone.
And I kind of don't
feel like we have.
I've tried and it's
just not working,
and this is like close
to the same thing
with an ethical breeder.
They're, they're animal lovers.
Ethical breeder is another thing
I personally really don't buy.
It's kind of in the, like,
free range egg paradigm
type oxymoronical.
So, what's the deal,
it's a not-for-profit.
So then, what is it for,
would be my question.
'Cause, from my perspective-
If they didn't breed them...
There's an incentive.
the breed would go extinct.
There would be no
more Chinese Cresties
if it weren't
for-Look, she says,
"I am a preservationist.
What is called a hobby breeder.
I breed not-for-profit."
So, this is a freak who is-
If no one was breeding them...
An obsession with
a particular breed.
how would they continue?
Who cares? Who cares?
Who cares? I thought
you were a vegan?
Yeah, I'm a
consequentialist, honey.
I don't want to cause suffering.
I just feel-
Honey...
Can you not?
What do you want me
to say to this, like...?
I'm down to get a dog.
I don't even honestly want one.
It's like, I'm willing
to compromise on
getting one in the first place,
so then I want
you to compromise.
You want a dog, I
don't want a dog.
I'm willing to get a dog
because you want a dog.
I can compromise for
you, but then I need you
to help me, so if it's
us versus the problem,
when can we tackle the problem?
Because I'm tackling
the problem every day.
I send emails every day.
Any time, any time.
When, now?
No, not, see that's
not-Love, no, not now.
Tomorrow? I need a lot of time.
Can we-do you have
your calendar?
This is competitive,
and if we're gonna
get it your way,
I need your time.
Send me-you know
what, the best way to do it,
and I'm gonna sound like
a jerk, is send me an email,
and we'll go through
it together and
we'll find a time.
You want me to book you?
Okay, I know it seems
like I'm a prick,
"send me an email,"
but yes, send me
an email because then
it's not gonna get lost.
You're looking at me like
that, like, send me an email,
I'm some bureaucratic
freak, but if you
send me an email then
it's not gonna get lost.
I'm actually saying
send me an email
'cause then it's
not gonna get last.
Ah!
So, don't act like
I'm the fucking-Okay.
Possible times, tomorrow,
any time works for me.
Next day, any time works for me.
And the next day, any
time works for me.
Okay, just sent it.
I'm not trying to be a prick.
I know that this is
important to you.
And I would like to help.
I'm just trying to help you
in a way that balances
the other bullshit
I know you're sick
of hearing about
that I'm trying to do.
Which is this.
You might feel the
calm and relaxed aura
of simply being present,
which can relax and reassure you
easily and effortlessly.
(somber music)
(somber music)
(somber music)
12 rules for dogs.
Rule #1:
Dogs are pack animals.
And they need a pack
leader for direction.
Until a dog has been on-leash
they can never
truly be off-leash.
Put another way, they
can never be free
until they've been
under control.
That's where a pack leader
comes into the picture.
(dramatic music)
(heavy breathing)
"Still finalizing the flight
plan on the Dominican side.
Working to get over the border
before lockdown
order is set in."
"Milly is two years old
and needs some serious TLC."
(dramatic music)
We should be cautious
not to get too excited.
But a good chance.
And then, on our side,
I still think that
we have a conversation
or two to have
before we can fully
pull the trig.
I know you want a dog today.
And, I'm sure that you
will want a dog in a year.
But are you
100% certain
that you 100%
want a dog for 12 years, plus?
I'm a little concerned
that, you know,
you originally did
not want a dog and
you're doing this for
me and for my desires.
So, I just want to make sure
I'm not pressuring you into
that and that you're not
gonna resent this choice.
100%.
Amidst all the chaos
of a human world,
the ideal pack leader
is steady and confident,
vigorously calm, in
effortless control.
This is a state
that I refer to as
'calm dominance'.
(dramatic music)
Rule #2:
Think like a leader,
stink like a leader.
Dogs have a sense of
smell 10,000 times
as sensitive as humans.
They can smell you like a book.
You can say "sit" as
many times as you want,
but if you're not really sure
about your status in the pack,
your counterfeit commands
won't pass the smell test.
Love?
-How you doing?
-I think I'm good.
Okay.
How you doing?
Doing good.
I'm nervous.
Me too.
(dramatic music)
Rule #12: Command
your dog from within.
Dogs are so perceptive
of their masters,
it can sometimes feel as though
they have psychic powers.
And as pack leader,
it's essential to act
as though they do.
Find your inner voice
as leader of the pack,
and command you dog
from that place.
I call this speaking with
your pack leader voice.
Forget about your vocal chords.
Command your dog from within.
It's a different voice...
Sit!
Sit...
Stay, down!
Down!
Down!
Down!
She's going to be able
to sense our presence
before we've even
gotten out of the car.
It's not that we
need to act calm.
We need to be calm.
Because that first impression is
from what I can
tell is everything!
We have to smoke the
first impression.
Right.
So when she arrives...
we just act like
nothing extraordinary
is happening whatsoever.
This is a totally normal night.
And that feels kind of callous,
but I think that that's
gonna be the best way that
we can love her,
is just to be...
Okay.
I know.
(somber music)
(somber music)
We've gotta smoke
the first impression.
(somber music)
(somber music)
Got her?
Mm-hm.
(engine revving)
And just proceed as normal
and let her come to us.
-No, that's too loud.
-You know what I mean?
No, that's aggressive.
And really try to be a little
bit more explicitly chill.
-Sh-sh-sh!
-We're in our own home.
No, that's too loud,
that's too loud.
Let's be steady. We
are in our own home.
You're bringing
aggressive energy.
I'm just talking.
Oh, she's getting
out of the crate.
Oh, my god, she's
getting out of the crate.
-Okay, let's be calm.
-Oh, my god.
Oh, my god.
I think I should
give her a treat.
I think she needs some kind of-
Give her space.
-Positive something.
-Give her space.
I'm gonna go do that.
I think she's going
into the closet.
Oh my god.
Oh my god.
Hi.
You're a good girl.
Want a treat?
Good girl.
You're a good girl.
Should I try Spanish?
That's interesting.
Bueno girl.
Bueno.
Bueno.
She's not responding
to the Spanish.
I'm feeling envy so,
I'm going to come
over there as well.
(footsteps)
(eerie music)
Calm...
(eerie music)
Calm.
Settle.
Settle.
Settle.
Settle.
Settle.
Hi.
(eerie music)
Do you like your new house?
(eerie music)
Come on, let's put this on.
Come on.
Okay... good.
Good girl, good girl.
It's okay, girl.
It's okay.
(eerie music)
It's okay.
And let's try again in 3, 2, 1.
(eerie music)
-Good girl. -Good girl.
You're a good girl.
You're good.
-Bicycle coming. -Okay.
We're good?
-Good girl. -Good girl. Go on.
You want some food?
Come on...
Come on.
(eerie music)
I think maybe she was like
kicked or something.
Why do you say kicked?
I don't know.
I just feel like if she was
like on this farm and there was
all these other dogs
Maybe they're just getting
pushed or kicked, I don't know.
I get the sense
she's coming from
more environmental stress,
like...
ambient chaos.
Too much going on.
Clinging and clanging.
She still hasn't pooped.
She hasn't pooped since the
Dominican Republic, that's...
probably not healthy.
You can get a blocked bowel.
She'll poop tomorrow.
A megacolon is...
Well, it's actually almost
exactly as it sounds.
We're talking about
a colon that has been
engorged to such a size
due to the fact that it can't
get anything out of there.
-And... -Dry or wet food?
So, it's wet raw food.
72 hours of wet raw...
you don't know this
dog well enough to even
understand what its
typical gait is, but...
you'd be seeing it
walk with almost
a bit of a hobble, slower...
Reticent to run.
Doesn't like to be
touched in and around
the stomach. You said
this was a female, so...
either her lower back
may be irritated, but these
are things that you
can check on your own.
Okay.
I mean, it could all just
be a phantom poo as well.
9 times out of 10 it's in the
cabinet underneath
the sink in the bathroom.
Okay, okay, well,
we will look for it.
-We will look for it.
-Okay, okay.
We're also trying
to transition her
into vegan food.
Any opinions about that?
If this dog was born
on a certain diet,
you should change
it at your peril.
Look, I have an
opinion on vegan food.
I'm sorry, I have a political
opinion on vegan food.
And I'm really sorry about that.
But I happen to have
an opinion on it.
And what's your opinion
on it, I'm curious?
I will not disclose
it to a client.
(beeping)
Heel.
Heel.
Heel.
Heel.
(soft music)
For you.
(soft music)
(panting)
Take it.
Go!
A little more paw, perfect.
Let's put you over here.
There.
Good girl, good girl.
You did good.
(whimsical music)
You wanna go girl?
Okay, we don't have
to do that today.
Let's not do that today.
Good girl.
Let's go.
That's my girl.
Look, there's a little friend.
Is it okay if they say hello?
That's so cute, look.
Aw, she's so cute.
She's shy.
Can we go? Thank you.
-Bye! -Bye.
Come on, come on.
(soft music)
(whimsical music)
(soft music)
Bad.
(soft music)
Bad.
(soft music)
Bad.
Bad.
(soft music)
(soft music)
(soft music)
(soft music)
(soft music)
Here, Milly, wanna
smell one of these?
Oh, my god, this
looks so beautiful.
Isn't it pretty?
Give me a look, hon.
Gimme a smooch.
-Oh, yeah. -Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas!
Ooooh.
Oh, where's my gift?
Ooh!
Merry Christmas, thank you.
Thank you, oh!
Oh, that's my gift to you.
Merry Christmas.
That's my gift to you.
(soft music)
(soft music)
(soft music)
(soft music)
Look here.
Good girl!
Look here, good girl!
Okay, wait.
Wait.
Look here.
Look. Look, up here.
Love?
Can I interrupt?
You've been watching these
videos of your family.
And, they've been getting me
reflecting on
how I am going to
reconcile two poles.
My daddy.
And my mummy.
Right?
My dad.
Complete fucking workaholic.
Loves work, obsessed with work.
Nothing but work, right?
Loves work.
Okay, that's in there.
Somewhere, as you know.
On the other pole, my mom.
Absolutely baby
crazy individual.
Loves family so much.
Is all family.
She would've had ten,
twelve children
if she could have.
Yeah.
So, I come from these
two different sides,
and these are both
living inside of here.
I have never known how
I am going to reconcile.
How am I going to find a way
to satisfy the part of myself
that knows I've gotta
be completely fucking
obsessed with work,
especially if I want
to be a filmmaker,
especially if I want
to be a filmmaker.
You've gotta be obsessed.
Obsessed with work
if you want to be a filmmaker.
Completely fucking obsessed
'cause it's the only way
you're gonna be any
good at it whatsoever.
Family, if I'm completely
obsessed with work,
what about family?
I want to be obsessed
with my family as well.
I don't want to be my dad.
I want to be there, there.
Totally there.
Obsessed with my kids.
Fully there.
People always say the
immediate solution...
work-life balance.
Okay, that's a good solution.
I think that's a good
solution in a lot of cases.
But in this case,
I don't really see how
work-life balance
is going to function
'cause I can't really find
a way in my mind where
I'm gonna be able to
split it down the middle
and have the amount of
obsession that I feel that
I need to have in filmmaking
with the amount of presence
that I want to have
with my family in order to
feel good about who I am.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Got two poles.
Work.
Famiglia.
What...
if...
(bell ringing)
I am abandoning my script.
(dramatic music)
And I'm going to make a movie
about Milly.
What do you mean?
I'm going to make a movie...
A home movie.
(dramatic music)
But it's gonna be...
a movie...
about Milly.
What do you mean, honey?
You'll be you, and I'll be me.
Milly will be Milly.
I know we can't have a
crew 'cause that would
scare the fuck out of her,
so I'll shoot it on my phone.
It'll be super light,
it'll be super easy.
Baby.
It's going to be a movie.
But it's also...
an heirloom.
From this beautiful
period of time.
Where we became a family.
And it's going to be
so...
beautiful.
Okay, well.
I'm so happy you're
inspired, truly.
It's great to see.
But I'm a little shocked
because you've been
writing that script for
about five years and...
I have never been so sure about
anything in my entire life.
Okay.
Okay.
You up for it?
Thank you.
It's gonna be so good.
Hi, girl. Hi.
Come on.
Come on.
Good girl. Good girl.
Come on, come on.
Come on. Come on, girl.
Come on, come on,
come on, let's go.
Let's go, let's go.
Come on.
Come on, come on.
Let's go.
(ominous music)
Aloha from Hawaii.
Hello.
We just came back from dinner.
Oh, I'm sunburned.
Oh.
Honey?
What do we got?
(squeak)
(squeak)
I figured-
There's something that I-
(squeak)
(squeak)
(squeak)
(squeak)
(squeak)
(squeak)
(squeak)
(squeak)
I have a time sensitive situ?
(squeaking )
Honey...
(ominous music)
Isn't that funny?
She's one minute old...
Just had her now.
Baby girl...
Isn't that funny? Yoohoo!
-Hello! -Love?
Taxi!
Like, who is she?
Who is she, like...?
(ominous music)
Like if you puffed out the hair.
Something about, like, slices.
(ominous music)
You rang?
Brace yourself.
I'm braced.
I need you to be real for this.
I'm real.
"Dear Eric,
Thank you for your application.
Milly is still available,
and will be coming in from
"the Dominican on
Saturday night."
"In response to the lockdowns
coming in at midnight,
we'll be doing pickups
at the airport,
approximately 11pm.
"Milly is a sweet girl."
Aw!
"But needs some serious... TLC."
And this is the pic.
Oh, my gosh, she
is something else!
Oh, my goodness.
Cute, no?
Oh, I can't breathe.
She's not ours yet!
I have a dog named Milly!
Milly!
Her name is Milly!
Can I get a M-I-L-L-Y?
Milly!
I'm a dog owner!
I'm a dog mama!
And going back and forth,
swaying from one
side to the other.
I got a Milly.
I got a girl named Milly!
M-I-L-L-Y!
She's Milly.
This feels like it has
a lot of comic distance.
So, what can be a
genuine thing though,
because this is
comic, so that's what
I'm struggling with is, like,
is how to be genuine with it.
Action.
I can't wait to meet her.
She's the most beautiful
thing in the world.
And at that, it's a baby girl!
Oh!
I can't handle it,
I'm gonna explode!
I want to scream on
the mountain that
Milly is my dog!
Milly!
Ar-ar-ar!
Aroo!
She's not ours yet.
No, don't say that, she's ours.
Don't do this to me.
She's ours, the email says.
We just have to email back,
so we should just email back.
I'm not a yes,
I'm not a yes yet.
For me, there's still
much more to discuss.
You're a bad man.
(laughing)
You're bad.
(laughing)
My character is a
bad man right now.
We're gonna have to figure
that out on the coverage here.
You're a bad, bad man.
Say that again and we'll see if
the trucks have passed.
You're a bad man.
You're a very bad man.
Bad.
Okay, give up.
One more time.
And now, go through
all the way to the bottom.
Get to the bottom, and then
scroll all the way to the top.
Like a quick, like
get to the bottom,
scroll all the way to the top.
Same thing, scroll, stop,
scroll, stop, scroll stop.
Get to the bottom,
all the way up.
Bad.
You're at a ten, now
take it to a thirteen.
Oh, my god.
Ah, of which, applause?
Of, of even just like, ah!
Of non-verbal.
Do you see my feet?
Oh, I'm in the tube.
I'm stuck in the tube,
and I can't get out.
I'm stuck in the tube,
and I can't get out!
And then, ooh!
You want some popcorn, baby?
-And then out. -Okay.
Cut.
Ah, my girl! Hi!
Oh, we missed you!
Bad.
We missed ya!
Oh, my honey.
My honey!
I missed you.
Bad.
Honey, she's peeing.
-Bad. -She's peeing.
-Bad. -She's peeing!
-Bad. -She peed.
-Bad. -She peed!
-Bad. -She peed!
-Bad. -Oh, you're a good girl.
Oh, she peed!
Oh, you're gonna put
it all over the house.
Don't do that, okay,
give me yours paws.
Oh, I can't believe
you were this nervous
without Mama.
(licking)
(licking)
Bad.
Stupid.
Stupid.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid.
Failure fuck.
Dumbass... Dumbass.
Dumbass.
Bad.
Oh, hi, girl, did
you have a nice walk?
-How'd it go? -It was fine.
She freaked out at the school.
Nothing more than usual.
I think we gotta get a
little realer on the training
'cause she was, you know...
You know how it is.
Did something happen, hun?
Well, I mean, she got a
little nervous by the school.
Freaked out by the
CD tree that we said that
we would train her
around every day.
So, it wasn't great,
but wasn't awful,
but definitely wasn't great so,
I just, you know, yeah,
I think we just need to
get a little more
real about that.
Okay, so just slow
down. What happened?
So, you were walking
by the school, or...?
I was walking her
down Gladstone.
(soft music)
Milly.
There's that tree with the CDs,
and a car came by,
and I guess she saw the light.
And she started to freak
out, so I went down to her,
and I said, "Milly,
come here, come here."
Come.
You dropped the leash?
No, I didn't drop the leash, no.
She tried to get away from me.
She was yanking and yanking.
She almost got away from me.
If I hadn't been prepared
for it, she would've.
It was brutal, I
mean, it's just,
it's a lot of torque.
She's pulling and
pulling and pulling,
and I'm trying to
hold her there.
Milly!
Milly!
I'm sorry that I'm worked up.
I'm...
disappointed in her.
And that doesn't feel
good so, yeah, it's-
it was frightening.
And so, I'm getting,
I'm getting testy
because it was frightening.
It's okay, honey, it's okay.
But, you know, let's not,
let's not put the blame on her.
Like, let's not be
disappointed in her.
We should take responsibility.
You're right, you're
totally right.
I'm extremely
disappointed in us.
I'm extremely
disappointed in us.
'Cause it is our fault, yeah,
'cause we haven't been
serious about the shit
that we said that we were gonna
be serious about.
We haven't been
consistent about the stuff that
we said that we would
be consistent about.
I understand that, Love, but...
I've been also having my own
experiences with her on walks,
and I've started to
realize that, you know,
first thing's first,
I think we should just
get her comfortable
with being outside
so that's what I've
been working on and I...
I know we said we
would do the tree as well,
but I thought that it would
be better to just first just
work on getting her
comfortable outside.
Milly!
We said that we were
going expose her to
the things that scared her.
We knew that she was
scared of the CD tree,
what, three weeks ago,
and we didn't do
anything about it because
we're caught up in our bullshit.
And all of a sudden,
now she almost has
an escape scenario, so it's...
just laying bare some
of the shortcomings
in what we've done so far, so...
We said we would
switch her food.
We're not switching food.
There's fucking meat
cubes in the duvet.
Well, I tried to switch
the food, but she
didn't want it, so what
do you want me to do?
How many times have
you tried, maybe once?
Maybe two times?
I tried a few times,
and she didn't like it,
and I was thinking-
I was starting to feel
that maybe she would-
Everything that we've
read has said that
consistency is the
number one factor,
but you decide every
other day that,
you know what, my gut's saying
something else
might work better.
That's fine, but we
need to discuss it
if we're gonna make
a strategy change,
or else all of a sudden
she is just living in a swirl!
She doesn't know what's what.
Eric, I tried, but if you
want us to switch the food...
we can just do a quick switch.
We can switch it
in one go, I read-
I'm sorry that
I'm being a prick.
And what I was going to
say is I can switch the food.
I read that you can
just switch the food.
There's like different
opinions about,
you don't have to phase it and
you can just switch
it in one go.
It works fine for a lot of dogs,
so I feel comfortable
just doing a switch
and then that's off
the table, and...
Look here.
Good girl. Good girl.
(crunching of food)
(slow music)
(slow music)
(screams and laughing)
You okay, girl?
Good girl, good girl.
Where's the car?
One sec, one sec!
It's okay.
Do you see it?
Okay, okay.
(alarm blaring)
(alarm blaring)
(footsteps)
Oh, my God.
That's good.
You're good. You're good.
(door slam)
(footsteps)
Fuck.
Fuck me, fuck me.
It's okay.
(scraping)
Hi, our dog just puked up blood,
and we're headed to you now,
but I just wanted to
confirm that you can see her.
Her name Milly. M-I-L-L-Y.
Breed is whippet, and
she's probably thirty pounds.
Well, we switched
her food last night
from raw chicken
to a cooked vegan.
(footsteps)
-Hi, oh, sorry. -Sorry.
Hi, is this a walk-in
or did you call it in?
Yeah, we called, it's Milly.
Milly, yes, okay, great.
Do you have your phone on you?
-Yes, I do. -Okay, great.
And she's a scared
rescue, just so you know.
No problem, so we should have
all your information
on file then,
and then we'll just give
you a call as soon as
we've seen her, okay?
-Okay. -Okay.
She's a very scared rescue dog.
-Okay, great. -Thank you.
Thank you.
We had this dog, growing up,
that was such a freak.
It would, every time
it went to exit a room,
walk to the
threshold of the room
and just before exiting,
it would do a 180,
and then walk out
the room backwards.
Can you just not talk?
Yes.
(phone vibrating)
Hello?
Hello, this is Laura from the
Greenwood Animal Hospital.
Is this Allie speaking?
Yes, it is.
Hi, so, I have Milly
here with me now.
I have done an
initial examination.
Okay.
She's running quite a
high fever at the moment.
She's hitting 104.1.
So, the first step that I
would like to take is just
doing a gastrointestinal
endoscope to see
what's going on in her tummy.
Okay.
If you live close by I just
recommend heading home and
we'll give you a call when
they've seen her, okay?
Okay, I guess I'll
just have my phone on.
Okay, that's perfect, thank you.
How much are you
blaming me for this?
I freaked out at you,
and I apologized for that
'cause that was stupid.
I'm sorry for my part in it.
I'm sorry for my 50% blame.
You know, I don't remember
putting the food in the bowl.
Isn't that strange?
It's like wiped.
Oh, my god.
Beep!
A memory gone, it is odd.
End of conversation
for the time being.
I...
had a dream...
that we were married.
And we had babies.
And we were having some
kind of a barbeque.
There's all these people around.
And you were trying
to make 'em all laugh.
You're throwing up
the baby, and going,
"Whoop-dee-woo!" Catching her.
"Whoop-dee-woo!" Catching her.
And then, I could tell that you
wanted a bigger laugh,
so you threw the
baby up really high.
But what you didn't
realize was that
the ceiling fan was on,
and you threw the baby
right into the fan.
And then I had this
overriding feeling of terror
that the baby was dead.
And then, I woke up.
And I think what
my unconscious was
telling me was that
I don't trust you.
And not only do I think
that you'd be a bad dad...
You would be a liability.
I wouldn't trust you with my
children crossing the street.
Let alone driving in a car.
I don't trust you
holding a baby.
Do you have anything to say?
Anything about what I just said?
Or you just put up a shield,
and not hear anything?
You're a good girl.
When she was there,
she was inappetent
and has not consumed food
since her arrival at the clinic.
"At approximately 2pm,
Milly had a loose stool
containing traces
of blood and mucous.
Recommend monitoring
her stool until she stabilizes.
Should the blood in
her stool or vomit persist
for more than 48
hours, she may require
some treatments like we
discussed on the phone.
"Close at-home monitoring
on your part is important."
I don't think she's gonna
let us give this to her.
I can't really see.
Let me get some scissors here.
Can you maybe get
some kind of a tool?
Like a stick or something?
-Some scissors. -Thank you.
Here.
Okay.
It doesn't look good.
It's like...
Yeah, there's a little bit of...
Blood, it looks like.
But, I think this
is the better kind,
like, there's two,
basically there's a...
more concerning is
a darker one that
means that there's like
bleeding in the stomach
that gets digested, I think.
But then the bright red
one is just small intestine
and colon, which
isn't as concerning.
This isn't terrible,
but there's a lot
of like mucous too.
It's pretty watery,
and this jelly,
like that's so weird.
What do you think that is?
Bile or something.
So bad.
Should we talk about it?
Probably.
Well, I'm sorry
for saying all those
mean things to you.
That was cruel,
and I shouldn't talk
to you like that.
But I think there was
some truth underneath
what I was saying too.
Yeah?
Damn.
You've been a really
nice guy to me
for most of our relationship.
And I'm really
grateful for that.
Truly.
But, I think that I let you
steer this relationship
for a long time.
But you kind of ended up just
taking us in circles.
Settle...
When we got Milly, I
got the first taste of
the kind of life that
I want to live, and...
I don't want to spit it out.
Settle.
Because I, I'm just done
with whatever this.
Settle down.
I'll just say it.
Okay.
So, I think...
Settle down, boy.
You know, if you don't want to
have the same priorities as me,
which is basically
family and then work,
then we can, we can bust up and
you can go do your own thing,
and I can go live with
my family and take Milly.
And it's okay, there needs
to be no hard feelings.
But...
If you want, you
could, you could try to
live with me and we could see if
we could make it work, but...
I...
I need you to know that
I'm not a movie.
I'm not gonna be here forever.
It's a finite period of time.
And I can't keep
living like it isn't, so...
I kinda need you to
shit or get off the pot.
'Cause I'm thirty-two,
and my eggs are
rotting, day by day,
and I want to have
babies and a house.
And I want to go camping.
Okay.
Are you gonna turn
everything into a movie?
Or just this?
I don't know.
Oh, my god, but I
don't know if I want that.
Like, I don't want that.
You can make movies, but don't,
I don't want to be one.
It'll all make its way in,
but I'll try and fictionalize it
a little bit more.
Okay.
Good girl. Good girl.
Good girl.
Good girl.
Good girl.
Good girl.
Good girl.
Good girl.
-Good girl. -Oh, good girl.
Good girl, good girl.
Oh, good girl.
-Nice, good girl. -Good girl.
-Good girl. -Good girl.
-Good girl. -Good girl.
-Good girl. -Good girl.
Good job.
-Nice. -Good job.
-Nice. -Oh, good job.
Nice.
[music]
-Hi. -Hi, girl.
I think she has to go out.
Okay.