The Nowhere Inn (2021) Movie Script
1
So you're a singer?
Yep.
'Cause I don't know who you are.
That's okay, you know,
I'm not for everybody.
No, I mean
I drive a lot of famous people,
and I just, I never
heard of you before.
Hey, I called my
boy, he's in a band,
he says he's never
heard of you either.
Can you talk to him?
He's on the phone right now?
Yeah.
Hi.
This is so embarrassing,
I'm sorry about my dad.
He says you're famous?
I've never heard of you.
What's your name?
Well, my name is Annie Clark,
but I perform as St. Vincent.
Maybe that's where
the confusion lies.
Maybe sing one of your songs,
I don't know.
0h, now there's a good idea.
How about if you do one
for us there, Ms. Vincent?
Or Mrs. Vincent?
I New York isn't New York
without you, love I
I so far and a few blocks
to be solo I
I and if I call you
from first Avenue I
I where you're
the only motherfucker I
Whoa, did she just say mf?
Yeah, goodbye, son.
Motherfucker.
Don't worry,
we'll find out who you are.
Hello?
Hello?
Hello?
Why was the movie
never completed?
All I can say is that
somewhere along the way
things went terribly wrong.
I when the earth split in two I
ilwaslj'
I you were you I
I I'll run for you I
I run for me too I
I when the war Rose and fell I
I and the oceans are swell I
I I run for you I
I run for me too I
I come on sir, just
give me the answer I
I come on sir, now
I need an answer I
I I won't be gone
with the goners I
I come on sir, just
give me the answer I
I because I fear I
I the future I
Should I look into the lens?
Uh, I don't think so.
You get it?
Yep.
All right, day one, so exciting.
Yay.
Let's roll on everything.
Oh my gosh, great to see you.
Hey.
I'm so glad you're
doing this, thank you.
No, thanks for having me.
I mean I think we're gonna
get really great stuff,
and the fans will be
very, very excited.
I hope so.
And of course you'll
make me look amazing.
Oh, you wanna look amazing?
Yeah.
So how should like,
what should I do?
Just be yourself.
Okay.
Even if that's just me
playing video games?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I just, audience should
feel like a fly on the wall.
So we're gonna film everything,
especially if it's
you being you.
Tour.
Tour is boring.
Yeah, I mean maybe
it's good to show that.
Oh, shit.
Ooh, oh that's a faster swim.
Okay, let's start
at the beginning.
It was supposed to be
a music documentary,
concert footage,
interviews, you know,
I guess I just wanted people
to know who I really am.
How do I do this?
You're doing it right.
But I didn't, I
didn't want the film
to just be random footage.
I wanted it to be
intimate and revealing.
Here we go.
You know, it's a lot.
It takes a lot of
energy to do the show,
and basically
everything I do in a day
is geared toward that hour
and a half I have on stage.
I was excited to have somebody
make a movie about me.
I mean I wanted to
know what we'd find
once we stripped
away those layers.
And when you have a friend at
the helm you feel protected.
So I asked my best
friend to direct it.
There's nobody who knows me
better than Carrie brownstein.
She's a musician,
a writer, a filmmaker,
she's helped me on countless
creative endeavors.
And I wanted somebody I
could trust to tell my story.
She understands what it's
like to be a performer,
but, I mean, more than
that she understands me.
I you're the only motherfucker
in the city who can stand me I
I feel like for a while,
maybe it was now,
I think I'm just
second guessing,
like maybe everything was
luck before and not skill,
'cause I just, I'm just
in an era of failure.
Like this is my era of failure.
You're not a failure in
any way, shape or form.
But I mean, by one litmus test,
I mean, I don't, you know.
No way. Bee sting.
That's crazy.
It's not crazy.
It's totally crazy.
I think it's me
using rational thought.
Your pilot was so good, though,
it made me cry.
I know, but we're friends.
I think other people would have
liked it if they'd seen it.
I bet it would have made other
people cry too, not just me.
You know what was the problem?
It was supposed to be a comedy.
I h-e-I-p I
I help me, help me I
I if you want we could
go somewhere else I
c cam, this is great.
Hold there.
Copy that, got it.
You're amazing.
I love you.
Good night, love you.
Good night.
Be safe.
You want some tea or anything?
I'm okay.
Where's the rest of the band?
Everyone's already
in their bunks,
or they're watching
a movie in the back.
I was hoping to get a
little after show footage.
Y'all just did.
I got a double,
double word score.
Nice.
Damn it.
Mm-hmm, read 'em and weep.
You what would could be fun,
we could, uh, throw a little
dance party on the bus.
Totally.
We've never done that,
but I love the idea.
Hey, Annie, how did you
feel about the show tonight?
Can we do this tomorrow?
I'm sorry, I'm just
a little bit fried,
and I kind of wanna
turn my brain off.
Okay.
Ketchup spelled c-a-t-c-h-e-t?
It's a British condiment.
Goddamn it.
What is something
interesting about Annie?
She's good at writing music.
I don't know.
Do you think she's
not interesting?
What do you and
Annie like to do on the bus?
Oh the bus?
Oh we snack on some radishes.
Something that tastes like
dirt, we really like it.
So, yeah, we go look for
farmer's market every town
and try different radishes.
So, Robert, what is
interesting about Annie?
Her music.
Neil already said that.
Her dad is in jail.
Wait, cut, I don't
think we should go there.
Not interesting?
Well, you know, I don't
wanna exploit her family drama
for the movie.
She's my friend,
I'm just gonna...
Let's get you telling us
something interesting about her.
Her music.
That's pretty, Annie.
Is it new?
Yeah.
It's all right, I'm
kind of working on it.
It's been hard to come
up with anything lately.
You can write a
song for the movie.
We can track its progress.
It'd make a nice story.
And we kind of need a story.
Only if you play
a guitar solo on it.
Sure.
It sounds like you
already wrote one.
I did, , it goes like that.
Hey, how's the film coming?
Documentary, that's a
big step up for you.
Yeah, I hope so.
You know when I tell friends
that you're working in film now,
they are very impressed.
Yeah I just, I
want it to be good.
Cb, I'm starting on abs.
Yeah, we filmed those yesterday,
and the day before.
When's your next
radiation treatment?
Um, Tuesday.
But don't worry about me,
let's talk about this movie.
I'm so proud of you, care,
must be exciting
directing your friend.
Yeah, it's really exciting.
I free I
okay, right there.
I love that.
So St. Vincent.
So intense.
I just want a little more
of that in the
non-concert footage.
Yeah, well do you really think
I can only be sexual
and alluring on stage?
No, but it's not the same.
Yeah, well, we're not
so different me and her.
Okay, that wasn't
what I was saying.
A small part of me was
starting to second guess myself.
Am I saying the right things?
Do I look okay?
Is this what people
want from me?
I was thinking the bridge...
One of the reasons why I
wanted to make a documentary
in the first place is because
I would finally be in
control of the narrative.
How you actually seem and
how you think you seem,
like those, sometimes the
Gulf is catastrophically wide.
And so the idea is
to have how you sound
and how you think you sound
be actually very married.
I wanted this film
to be different.
I didn't wanna feel pressure
to be somebody I'm not.
It's always collaboration.
I think the best skill
in being an artist
is knowing who to
collaborate with.
You don't own it,
it's not about you,
and at its best this feels like
this very ego-less experience.
And I don't know if what
constitutes important artist is
necessarily good art.
I mean that puts a huge
premium on the present tense.
But what litmus test
do we have other than now?
We have what lasts.
We have what really
moves people's hearts.
I mean half the time
people don't even realize
that it's wonderful until
like generations later,
and then it's super revered.
Is everything okay?
I'm sorry, I'm just
getting these weird texts
from my girlfriend.
I think she's
breaking up with me.
I was doing a magazine
feature in London,
and I stayed and went
to Paris fashion week,
and
I've been gone for like a month.
Am I a terrible person?
No, you're just doing
whatever you have to do.
Yeah, I guess.
You're not a terrible person.
You're not, I promise.
Would you record a
message for her for me?
Uh, sure.
My girlfriend does
not trust me right now,
but she's a huge,
huge fan of yours,
and she would trust you
if you told her that
I was a good person.
Uh, yeah.
Hey, this is Annie Clark,
and I just wanted to...
Oh, can you say St. Vincent,
then she'll know who you are.
Right.
Hey, this is St. Vincent,
and I just wanted to say
that your girlfriend...
Holly.
Holly, loves you very much,
and she's so sorry
that she has been gone
so often...
Would you also say that
she shouldn't give up on me,
and that there is nobody
who's gonna love her
the way I love her?
And don't give up hope on her,
because nobody's gonna love
you as much as she does.
Okay, well, I'm really sorry.
I hope everything works out.
No, me too.
Should we get back
to the interview?
I think we're good.
Really?
That was great, yeah.
That was it?
Yeah, thank you.
Yeah, you know what,
actually, my cousin lives here,
and your people only gave you
one ticket to Saturday night.
Do you think you could maybe
look into getting
a plus one for me?
Sure.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Wow.
Uh, that woman, she didn't
listen to anything I said.
I know, but you
still did her a favor,
because you're too nice.
Stop being so nice.
I'm not getting her
stupid cousin into the show.
Good.
Yeah, don't.
But can you?
I don't want her
to be mad at me.
You can cut.
When she's not on
screen you can cut.
I like that, yeah.
Conjuring sort of a patsy cline.
Oh yeah, yeah.
I was thinking about like a,
some croonery.
That's nice.
Ah nice.
And then it would be something.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Like a big like 70's,
kind of like.
Yeah, I like it.
Yeah, that's cool.
A refrain.
Yeah, I love it.
Like Keith moon.
What about, what
should it be about?
That's up to you.
I mean the alienation
of touring.
Yeah, that's not that relatable.
I mean, heartbreak.
No, that is very cloying.
But your call, your call.
What about that,
just well of sorrow
that everybody has from
like childhood trauma?
That's very dark,
but I love these ideas,
they, they're great.
Just not for this.
I I'm a monster I
I and you are my sacred cow I
I but I can keep running I
I no, I can't keep on running I
A cam, go to a two shot.
Copy that.
I how can anybody have
you and lose you I
I don't even like to
dress a salad, you know?
I'm like I wanna
taste the vegetables,
otherwise why am I
eating vegetables?
I wanna taste the earth,
I want to taste the dirt.
So I just kind of
throw 'em all together,
and eat 'em about 3:00 pm.
What's up Internet?
It's your girl moviedork here
to talk about the top 10
documentaries of all time,
in my opinion.
Put your hate in
the comments below,
or you could not.
Before we get started...
Hey.
How is it?
Uh, great.
Yeah, no, the live
footage is really special.
Are you sure?
Okay, I was thinking,
is there a way to
heighten it a little?
You're nerdy and normal in
real life, which I love,
but the disparity between that
and who you are onstage
is kind ofjarring,
you know what I'm saying?
I just wanted to give
you guys a little bit
of a heads up that Carrie
and I have been talking,
and we think that I
should veer more towards
my onstage persona
for the documentary.
So should
we call you St. Vincent?
Oh god no.
Wait, cb, should they?
Uh, I think Annie's okay.
Yeah.
I can do an accent.
Want me to be Australian?
Look at this size...
No, no, no.
No, please, go for it.
Look at the size of that one.
That's good, but no.
It's just about me making
some subtle changes
so that I can be a little
bit more interesting.
Exactly.
How about in your new role
you do a formal
introduction of the band.
And everyone we're gonna
look to the camera.
This is toko, she's Japanese.
And this is Neil, he's Neil.
Good day.
And this is Robert, the
skins man of the group.
Hello.
Or in lay people's
terms, the drummer.
We got it.
Yeah, we got it.
Toko's cat got
eaten by a coyote,
and Robert's wife
had a breeched birth.
The umbilical cord was wrapped
around the baby's neck,
like it was trying to
hang itself in utero.
And that was after what,
multiple miscarriages.
Oh my god, I'm so
sorry you guys.
Toko, I didn't mean
to call you Japanese.
Toko is Japanese.
I was thinking maybe this
should just be a concert film.
Because I can't be
who you want me to be.
No, because what you do on stage
is really hard to duplicate
off stage, and that's okay.
I can be St.
Vincent all the time.
No, Annie,
I was saying I'm wrong.
Let's protect the fact
that you're normal,
that your life isn't crazy
or interesting enough
to make a documentary about.
Pass please.
Oh, I'm playing tonight.
I need
to see a pass to let you in.
So, it's my band,
I'm St. Vincent.
I'm on all the posters.
Don't know who you are.
Dude.
Sorry.
Thanks.
For what?
Sorry.
Check one, two, check, check.
Can I have my vocal,
like monitor, please?
It's my fucking show,
you're gonna save me
from fucking Isis,
fuck you fucking cock.
Oh, my lips and teeth
turning red from the wine?
No. You sure?
Yeah.
Smile.
Very good.
I bet Annie asked people
to give us the good wine.
She was trying really hard
to impress me the other day.
Is she nice?
No, she's a snob.
Totally impenetrable and aloof.
I don't care,
I fucking love her music.
Me too, she's so beautiful.
I just want her
to punch me in the face.
Stop it, you're making her
way more interesting
than she is.
Where is she anyway?
She's like a boss,
you show up late, right?
That's something.
You are right about that.
This is a little frustrating.
You don't always,
but maybe with a little
distance she'll...
Cb get your cameras.
No, no, we're
set up for the live show.
Don't worry.
No, no, no, I want them
here now, I changed my mind.
Yes.
Ask me a question.
What kind of question?
Any fucking question.
Annie, what's
going through your mind?
How it doesn't matter how
I feel on any given night.
That no matter what I
owe it all to my fans
to give them my blood,
sweat and tears.
Great.
No, I can do it better.
Let's go.
Okay.
I guess we're resetting.
Back to one.
Let's reset and hold here.
Give me the line.
Ask me "Annie, what's
going through your mind?"
Annie, what's
going through your mind?
Great question.
What's going through my mind?
I guess how it doesn't matter
how I feel on any given night,
but I owe it all to my fans
to give them my blood,
sweat and tears.
But sometimes I
worry I'm not enough.
Sometimes I worry
that I might fall.
Wait, do you mean fail?
I feel like fail may be better.
You know what, fail is better.
Okay.
Cue me.
Okay, what's going
through your mind.
Annie.
Annie, what's going
through your mind?
How I worry that
sometimes I won't,
that I have to give...
You were saying
giving all your fans
every single night...
You know what, can
you just transcribe it?
I'll hit it tomorrow.
Okay, but I think it
doesn't have to be perfect.
I like the honesty.
I am being honest about
needing you to do that,
and it does have to be perfect.
Here, get me like this.
Cigarette.
You don't smoke though.
I mean that's silly.
This is how actors play
rock stars in movies.
Yeah, but you are a rockstar.
I mean, I know rock stars...
Shh.
I love you baby,
but I'm married to the road.
Have a good show.
I sugar boy I
I how you mean I
I how I wish I
I for somethin' sweet I
I oh here I goj'
I a casualty I
I hanging from the balcony I
I oh here I goj'
I making a scene I
I oh here I am I
I your pain machine I
I I am a lot like you I
I boys I
I I am alone like you I
I girls I
I I am a lot like you I
I boys I
I I am alone like you I
Oh, so sorry, I'll
be right back.
Nice sun glasses.
Will you announce me?
Will you let people know
that I'm walking into the space?
Ladies and
gentlemen, St. Vincent.
Annie, that was terrific.
I would like to introduce
you to my cousin, Sarah.
Sarah, Annie.
Nice to meet you.
Thanks so much for
getting me into the show.
It was my pleasure.
It's such a gift
to have you here.
Do you think I could
take a picture with you?
I'll take it.
Actually, no.
I'm so sorry, I think
she's really tired.
Or maybe she's just brave.
That kind of honesty
is so refreshing.
Finally, a woman
speaking her truth.
Yeah.
Hey care, it's dad.
I'm sorry to miss you.
I'm off to Minnesota tomorrow
to meet with a specialist.
Still try and see if he could
get a day off and come visit.
I know you're crazy busy.
Your uncle is coming with,
so if you can't get
a hold of me, try him.
Okay, honey, I love you.
Bye, bye.
Hey.
Did you wanna talk?
Not exactly.
Come in.
Hi, Carrie.
Carrie, you remember
my girlfriend, Dakota.
We want you to film us.
I don't have a camera though.
Well, you're a
director, so direct.
You can use your phone.
You're the one who wanted
this to be more interesting.
Whenever you're ready.
I want this to be artistic,
Scandinavian, European,
anything but American.
It's still in
English though, right?
Oui.
Okay.
Cb, can you come closer?
We're set.
Okay, get on the bed,
you're too far away.
Come.
That's a good angle right there.
Okay.
Rolling.
I love you.
I love you.
Who's face is that?
My face.
Who's lips are those?
My lips.
Hey, sorry to interrupt,
there's this thing that
people are doing in the film
and television industry
where they hire an
intimacy coordinator.
It's for sex scenes,
and it's just to help people
be more comfortable with nudity
and touching and consent.
It's okay, I consent.
And she consents, obviously.
Mm-hmm.
The only thing I
stipulate is you just don't
show any of my pubic region.
I stipulate nothing.
Please get the camera as
close to me as you need.
I guess I should have clarified.
I guess for my comfort,
I would love to just
shoot her a text
and see if she could maybe
call in and consult.
Yeah, but can we just
get this version first?
Yeah, it's better.
Remember when we went to tulum
and had those really,
really good poached eggs?
Mm-hmm.
That bowl of mixed fruit.
Yeah, was it papaya or mango?
I always get them confused.
I don't know because mangoes...
Oh, she just texted,
and she can call in 10 minutes,
if you can just hold off.
Uh, we can't.
No, we can't.
Um, wait, guys, just
for legal purposes.
I'm gonna turn the camera on me.
Hey, how are you?
I'm great.
Last night was
magical.
Yeah, glad I was there for it.
Speaking of that,
if there's ever
anything you don't want in
the movie, just let me know.
I'm not interested
in hiding anything.
Okay.
I just thought, I thought
we could check in.
It feels like it's been a second
since we actually talked.
About what?
Like my dad called yesterday,
he wants me to visit
him on a day off.
Do we have a day off?
We don't.
How's your mom?
Oh, so now you care
about my boring life.
Annie, I feel like
we can differentiate
between who we are in
the movie and real life.
So, as your friend, I'm
asking you, how is your mom?
She is wonderful.
Okay.
Two, three, four.
I follow the power lines
back from the road I
I no one around so I
take off my clothes I
I am I the only one
in the only world? I
I ah-ah-ah-ah-ah whoa-oh I
I ah-ah-ah-ah... I
people understand
that when I'm on stage
I'm playing a bigger
version of myself.
But what some people
fail to understand
is that all of it's me,
and none of it's me.
Sometimes you have to reject
not only your former self,
but also the people
who came along with it.
Annie, so good tonight.
Seriously, like awesome.
Annie, just a
reminder that I wanted
to film a scene with you
and one of your fans.
You know, just to show how
intense the connection is.
I feel like people, you know,
they get really
emotional around you.
It just might be nice
to show that.
Sure, sounds good.
Okay, great.
And then maybe after the
show we could play cards
or get a drink or watch
a movie on the bus.
Annie?
I think Ms. Vincent is asleep.
She's weird, you don't see that?
I don't really see it at all?
What are you talking about?
I don't know, I
just need someone
to make her seem
more relatable again.
Oh, well right
there, take your pick.
Hey, excuse me, I'm Carrie.
I'm making a documentary
about St. Vincent.
What's your name?
Kim.
Hey, nice to meet you.
You wanna come with me?
I have a surprise for you.
Come in.
Annie?
Yeah.
Kim.
Meet St. Vincent.
Hi, Kim.
This is so amazing.
Aww, so nice to meet you.
Hi, how are you?
It's okay.
You literally saved my life.
I start, I've been listening
to you since I was 16.
I grew up in Fresno,
and my high school boyfriend
gave me "strange mercy"
for my birthday.
Two nights before we graduated,
he was killed in a car accident.
Your songs were the only
thing that got me through.
Iwouldn't be alive
without your music.
That means so much to me.
I never thought I'd
get to tell you that in person.
That's just
so tragic and so sad.
Don't be sad, it's okay.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
It's just a lot, you know?
It's a lot.
It must be so hard.
Actually people
that might not even
know your music,
which is most people.
- No.
- I don't know how to...
Which is fine.
No, but just that they actually
think this is a good film.
Yeah I want people to see
how I have to kind of train.
Yeah.
To do it.
Like how physical the show is.
It's okay,
we'll get your muscles.
You see that?
You see that?
Yeah, look at mine.
Oh my god.
Not bad, right?
That's quite
a bush you got there.
Shut up.
I would like to thank,
I would like to thank...
I'll thank you first.
Okay, I would
like to thank Carrie.
Annie Clark.
Annie Clark.
I driver do you mind I
I turn off patsy cline I
I I'm walking on
my own tonight I
I I hate being impolite I
I no small talk I'm tired I
I just wake me when we arrive I
sorry, what was that?
Fatigue.
That's what I was thinking.
I fatigued I
I don't think it sings
very well.
Okay.
Well I could do a solo
over what you're playing.
You know what?
Honestly, I think I should
just work on this song
by myself for a little bit.
Okay.
Maybe I'll just
write my own song.
For whose movie?
All right, here's
your cappuccino,
and I got you some
extra guitar picks.
Thank you.
Sorry, who are you?
Oh, Carrie, I got
you a new assistant.
This is...
Kayla. What's up?
Hey.
No, I just thought you could
use somebody to hang out with
so you could talk
about your dad.
I love dads.
Thanks, Kayla.
Oh, yeah.
I feelings, flashcards, I
I fake knife I
I real ketchup I
I cardboard, cutthroats, I
I cowboys of information I
I pleasure-dot-loathing I
I dot-huey, dot-Newton I
I it was a lonely,
lonely winter I
I fuck-less I
I porn shark I
I toothless I
I but got a big bark I
I live children,
blind psychics I
I turned online assassins I
I so hale-bopp I
I hail Mary I
I hail hagia Sophia I
I oh it was a lonely,
lonely winter I
I it's been a lonely,
lonely winter I
I'm gonna miss ya.
Thanks, same here, Brian.
Good times, huh?
Yeah, I really
appreciate everything.
Good luck with the uh,
the rest of the tour.
Hey, no problem,
good luck to you.
I called the car service,
it should be here soon.
Thanks.
All right, later, dude.
Uncle Pete?
Yep.
I mean he sounded decent
last time we talked.
Well, he's holding up.
Mainly I think he's
just depressed.
You know your dad,
he doesn't like having to
count on anybody else for help.
I mean I tried to visit him
when we went through
the northwest,
but this tour has been
kind of crazy.
Hey, I gotta tell you,
this documentary
you're working on,
it's really lifted his spirits.
Now this will be a little
embarrassing to hear maybe,
but every doctor and
nurse at that hospital
knows all about his
daughter, the director.
I have done other
things, you know?
I know, I know,
but this is different.
This is artistic.
Yes.
He's just bragging a
little because he loves ya.
Right.
Your dad, he keeps saying,
I gotta be healthy in
time for the premier.
When is the premier, by the way?
Well we'd have
to finish the movie
for there to be a premier.
Well, I guess I'm
just here to tell you
to finish your movie.
Annie?
Hi Carrie.
Are you ready to get to work?
Yes.
I want a sensory experience.
I wanna bridge the gap
between audience and performer.
I'm no longer
interested in gestures
that come solely from the stage.
The audience cheers,
that's all the gesture you need.
Cheering is born of expectation.
It's the audience performing
being an audience.
You're playing the
biggest shows of your life,
why do you wanna sabotage it?
I want to disrupt the senses.
How are you gonna do that?
By finally admitting the truth.
That the audience
doesn't need me,
I'm just a vessel
for their feelings.
Also, this is the only item
I'll be selling at my shows.
Say something.
Slipping into this
new mode was freeing.
Carrie, give a thought.
How am I gonna learn?
I feel like I'm in, I'm in
the failure era of my life,
where people don't like
the shit I'm doing.
I'm not joking.
People don't like
what I'm doing.
I'm grappling.
But what's weird is I claim,
and I can't even tell
if it's real anymore.
I do think that
the artist's role,
the writer's role
is to thrash around,
to make mistakes,
to be out of step.
But then when I am out of step,
- I feel terrible.
- Yeah.
You know, when I'm out of step
with what people like,
then I feel down on myself.
But I, but
philosophically I think
no, that's how it should be.
I don't know.
I kind of think I just wanna
make things with friends.
It's beautiful today.
Hey, Carrie, where's your wig?
Where's your wig?
We're in this together.
Are we?
Mm-hmm, me and me.
There she is.
Hey, care, it's dad.
It's been a rough week,
but your uncle told
me that you seem good.
And I can't wait
to see the movie.
Honey, I am just so
happy that you're finally
doing the kind of work that
you were always meant to do.
Um, so, Annie has asked
that I do a formal interview
with the two of you.
Mm-hmm.
Cool, great.
I think it's the
first time we've ever
gone on the record
about our relationship.
Mm, mm-hmm.
Yeah, well, the live sex act
you had me shoot the other night
felt pretty on the record.
Thanks.
How did you meet?
Oh, well, we connected
on a very personal level.
Through our agents.
I wasn't even gay at the time.
Nu-uh, I turned her gay.
That's very inspirational,
for someone.
How do relationships play
into the creative process?
So much of what I write
is fueled by romance.
The good, the bad.
For example, when I was
working on "mass seduction,"
I was, you know, I
was going through
a really hard time in my life,
but what I learned
was that sometimes
you have to go to
the depth of despair
in order to extract
something true.
I don't think I could
even write another record
without having my heart
totally ripped out.
Well maybe you just have
to write this next one
about being really
happy and content.
Yeah.
Baby?
Mm-hmm.
I wanted to propose something.
What?
Right now?
On camera?
Oh my god.
I wanted to propose
that we break up
in a few months.
I know it seems really sudden.
What?
And believe me, I
am so happy with you,
it's just that I'm too happy,
and I've got another
record to write.
And if I don't, you know,
really shake things up,
I'm gonna be...
What?
Why are you doing this?
We can do it any way you want.
What are you doing?
I mean it doesn't
have to be some
outside a night club
or on a red carpet.
It can be just the two of us
in the hotel room just
screaming at each other,
or, I don't know, or maybe
your parents would come.
No, I don't wanna do that.
You're the only person I have
ever wanted to do this with.
This is crazy,
why don't we just break up now?
Let's do that.
No. Yeah.
No. Yeah.
Because I love you.
You do?
Yes, really?
Yes.
And I'm still on tour,
and I like having you around.
God, Annie that is so fucked up.
I'm sorry if this doesn't align
with your artistic process.
Goodbye, Annie.
St. Vincent.
Dakota, wait.
Hey.
Dakota, don't go.
I love you.
That was crazy,
what are you doing?
None of that stays in the film.
Annie, what
did you expect to happen?
From now on, I need more say
in how other people
are going to act.
It's a documentary.
Okay, well, then
let's only document
things I can control.
Hey y'all, and welcome to Texas.
Come on in, y'all
want some ice tea?
I grew up surrounded by music.
Annie always stood out,
even among her siblings.
We all had to share a bed,
and she used to sing
us to sleep at night.
Voice of an angel.
Annie was the kindest
sister I could ever hope for.
Biggest heart out
of anybody I know.
And if she hadn't
become a musician,
I could've imagined her
starting an orphanage.
Or running for president.
Or curing cancer.
If I wasn't with Molly,
I would marry Annie
in a heartbeat.
All right, who's ready
to shoot some guns?
This is mama.
And this is my stepdad, ray.
These are my
brothers and sisters.
These are my nieces and
nephews, aunt and uncle.
Say hi everybody.
Hi.
Lovely to meet you guys.
Please don't roll on this.
No, no, no, get this,
it's gonna be good.
Okay, I'm serious, this
isn't your real family
so it's not really
a documentary.
Oh hush up.
I'll be so mad at you
if you ruin the song.
I when I was young I
I coach called me I
I the tiger I
I I always had a knack
with the danger I
I living in fear
in the year of the tiger I
I living in fear
in the year of the tiger I
I living in fear
in the year of the tiger I
I oh america,
can I owe you one I
I living in fear
in the year of the tiger I
I living in fear
in the year of the tiger I
I living in fear
in the year of the tiger I
I living in fear
in the year of the tiger I
My famous pecan pie.
Famous for being the first one
you ever baked.
Famous in that it won
the blue ribbon
at the 1998 Texas state fair.
I bet.
To Annie's pie.
To Annie's pie.
What y'all waiting for?
Chow down.
So good.
So good.
I'm sorry, I'm
sorry, I can't, I can't.
Really, great to meet y'all.
Honestly.
Hey, hey, hey.
Wait, wait, wait.
What?
Hey, this is your documentary.
Is it?
Yes.
All of this was your idea.
None of this was my idea.
My idea was to make you
and the film just a
little more interesting,
but you would still be yourself,
not playing some stupid role.
I'm not playing a role.
Are you?
Annie, I shouldn't even be here,
my dad's sick.
I'm sorry.
We're in this together.
I don't want this
to be hard on you.
But this is who I am.
Why don't you come on inside,
partake in a little
Clark family ritual.
It can be hard when you are
trying to create something new
and other people
doubt your intentions.
Here I was zeroing
in on big themes,
big ideas.
One more song.
One more song.
I had pushed
Annie to the breaking point.
I guess I didn't realize
that I had pushed other
people there as well.
Cb, where are we going?
Cb?
All right.
Okay.
Come on.
Careful.
Careful.
I'm not over dressed am I?
Just a little further.
Just a little further.
Careful, careful, careful.
Okay.
Okay.
You can take your blindfold off.
I thought we could
visit your dad.
Annie, do you know
how rare it is
for them to allow
filming inside?
But they made an
exception for us,
'cause someone in
there is a huge fan.
Okay, go ahead and tell
us what you're feeling.
You wanna go ahead and tell
us what you're thinking?
I'm thinking I don't know
why the fuck we're here.
We're here because I feel like
I can't elicit anything authentic
from you anymore, okay?
And I wanted to
get something raw.
So whatever you're
feeling right now is okay.
What I'm feeling, that's okay?
Thank you.
Seriously, this
is great, just go with it.
This is fucking bullshit.
Annie, this is what we've
been trying to get at,
dirt, grit.
I mean nothing basic or boring,
but also nothing contrived.
Oh yeah, this feels
very spontaneous.
Okay, fine.
I guess, whatever.
Okay, we don't have to go in.
We got something real.
You know what, I'm very aware
that the world is
full of cruelty,
and pain and garbage, okay,
I know that.
And that's why I make music,
to get away from this.
You can't
make the whole thing up
and expect people
to buy into it.
Well then I wanna make
another kind of film.
I driver, do you mind I
I turn off patsy cline I
I walking on my own tonight I
I hate being impolite I
I but no small talk I'm tired I
I just wake me when we arrive I
I oh pick up speed
and sandwiches I
I a ziploc bag, a fifth of gin I
I don't ask me why I
I oh, drop me by
the burning sand I
I when hell is near I
I and heaven I
I paradise I
I here at the nowhere inn I
I where nothing
and no one wins I
I where our last
days are spent I
I wasted on song and sin I
I here at the nowhere inn I
I the hallway's a labyrinth I
I where I
I always knew
you'd end up here I
I been waiting now
for years to see you I
I in my everlasting mirror I
I everybody knows your name I
I and knows you are to blame I
I for every trickle
of your mama's tears I
I we're all nowhere I
I and where are you now I
I we're all nowhere I
I and where are you now I
I you're at the nowhere inn I
I where nothing
and no one wins I
Cut.
Cut.
Hey, cb, I thought that
one was actually really good.
Yeah, it looked great, nicejob.
What's wrong?
Well, it just feels weird
to watch you perform a song
we wrote together solo.
Hey, do you guys have a minute?
I just wanted to
show you the options
for the role of
director for tomorrow.
Oh, perfect.
Cb, I hope you don't mind,
but I asked Kayla to help us out
with casting the director.
Honestly, I would
have asked you,
but you were so busy
with your shot list.
I thought you wanted me
to be in the narrative film.
Oh, no, I do,
just, you know, played
by some exquisite.
You're fired as my assistant.
Oh, no, I don't
think you can fire me,
'cause I've just been
playing your assistant.
You know, like I'm an actor.
Wait, I'm confused.
I thought that Annie hired you.
I don't think I know
what we're doing anymore.
Dad?
You're part of this too?
Guilty.
Wait, does that
mean you're not sick?
No, no, no, no, I'm very sick,
it's just I'm not your dad.
Cb, what don't you understand?
I'm sorry, I felt
really out of it.
Maybe you're just tired.
No I feel out of control.
I feel completely subsumed.
It always takes sacrifice
to create something.
Can we have a
normal conversation?
Of course.
What is this?
Who else would we be?
I'm not sure.
I don't know who
you are anymore.
I know who I am.
What does it matter
if anybody else does?
What story did you think
we were trying to tell?
Your story.
This is my story.
I thought the point was for
people to get to know you.
And now they will.
Cb, are you sure it's me
you can no longer find?
Stop the car.
Stop the car.
Don't get me wrong,
I do feel bad about
what happened.
And it's a shame
we'll never finish
the movie that we started,
but I think she lost sight
of what we were doing,
whereas I never did.
I I'm here at the nowhere inn I
I where nothing
and no one wins I
I where our last
days are spent I
I wasted on song and sin I
I I'm here at the nowhere inn I
I the hallway's a labyrinth I
I here I
I I
I we are nowhere,
where are you now I
I we are nowhere,
where are you now I
I we are nowhere,
where are you now I
I we are nowhere,
where are you I
I where are you, where are you I
I where are you, where are you I
I where are you, where are you I
I where are you, where are you I
I where are you, where are you I
I where are you, where are you I
I in a white limousine I
I in the palm desert hills I
I we're too far from the sea I
I so your waves crash on me I
I dark shades on your eyes I
I singing what
doesn't change dies I
I driver do you mind I
I to hit the brakes
on this ride I
I On the road I
I tore off my old clothes I
I I got what I want I
I but I don't want it all I
I no, I don't want it all I
I footprints in the sand I
I I like where they end I
I black hawks circling I
I over I
I so ride the white limousine I
I into a hungry ravine I
iaii hail its queen I
I you'll never see me again I
I On the road I
I tore off my old clothes I
I I got what I want I
I but I don't want it all I
I no, I don't want it all I
So you're a singer?
Yep.
'Cause I don't know who you are.
That's okay, you know,
I'm not for everybody.
No, I mean
I drive a lot of famous people,
and I just, I never
heard of you before.
Hey, I called my
boy, he's in a band,
he says he's never
heard of you either.
Can you talk to him?
He's on the phone right now?
Yeah.
Hi.
This is so embarrassing,
I'm sorry about my dad.
He says you're famous?
I've never heard of you.
What's your name?
Well, my name is Annie Clark,
but I perform as St. Vincent.
Maybe that's where
the confusion lies.
Maybe sing one of your songs,
I don't know.
0h, now there's a good idea.
How about if you do one
for us there, Ms. Vincent?
Or Mrs. Vincent?
I New York isn't New York
without you, love I
I so far and a few blocks
to be solo I
I and if I call you
from first Avenue I
I where you're
the only motherfucker I
Whoa, did she just say mf?
Yeah, goodbye, son.
Motherfucker.
Don't worry,
we'll find out who you are.
Hello?
Hello?
Hello?
Why was the movie
never completed?
All I can say is that
somewhere along the way
things went terribly wrong.
I when the earth split in two I
ilwaslj'
I you were you I
I I'll run for you I
I run for me too I
I when the war Rose and fell I
I and the oceans are swell I
I I run for you I
I run for me too I
I come on sir, just
give me the answer I
I come on sir, now
I need an answer I
I I won't be gone
with the goners I
I come on sir, just
give me the answer I
I because I fear I
I the future I
Should I look into the lens?
Uh, I don't think so.
You get it?
Yep.
All right, day one, so exciting.
Yay.
Let's roll on everything.
Oh my gosh, great to see you.
Hey.
I'm so glad you're
doing this, thank you.
No, thanks for having me.
I mean I think we're gonna
get really great stuff,
and the fans will be
very, very excited.
I hope so.
And of course you'll
make me look amazing.
Oh, you wanna look amazing?
Yeah.
So how should like,
what should I do?
Just be yourself.
Okay.
Even if that's just me
playing video games?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I just, audience should
feel like a fly on the wall.
So we're gonna film everything,
especially if it's
you being you.
Tour.
Tour is boring.
Yeah, I mean maybe
it's good to show that.
Oh, shit.
Ooh, oh that's a faster swim.
Okay, let's start
at the beginning.
It was supposed to be
a music documentary,
concert footage,
interviews, you know,
I guess I just wanted people
to know who I really am.
How do I do this?
You're doing it right.
But I didn't, I
didn't want the film
to just be random footage.
I wanted it to be
intimate and revealing.
Here we go.
You know, it's a lot.
It takes a lot of
energy to do the show,
and basically
everything I do in a day
is geared toward that hour
and a half I have on stage.
I was excited to have somebody
make a movie about me.
I mean I wanted to
know what we'd find
once we stripped
away those layers.
And when you have a friend at
the helm you feel protected.
So I asked my best
friend to direct it.
There's nobody who knows me
better than Carrie brownstein.
She's a musician,
a writer, a filmmaker,
she's helped me on countless
creative endeavors.
And I wanted somebody I
could trust to tell my story.
She understands what it's
like to be a performer,
but, I mean, more than
that she understands me.
I you're the only motherfucker
in the city who can stand me I
I feel like for a while,
maybe it was now,
I think I'm just
second guessing,
like maybe everything was
luck before and not skill,
'cause I just, I'm just
in an era of failure.
Like this is my era of failure.
You're not a failure in
any way, shape or form.
But I mean, by one litmus test,
I mean, I don't, you know.
No way. Bee sting.
That's crazy.
It's not crazy.
It's totally crazy.
I think it's me
using rational thought.
Your pilot was so good, though,
it made me cry.
I know, but we're friends.
I think other people would have
liked it if they'd seen it.
I bet it would have made other
people cry too, not just me.
You know what was the problem?
It was supposed to be a comedy.
I h-e-I-p I
I help me, help me I
I if you want we could
go somewhere else I
c cam, this is great.
Hold there.
Copy that, got it.
You're amazing.
I love you.
Good night, love you.
Good night.
Be safe.
You want some tea or anything?
I'm okay.
Where's the rest of the band?
Everyone's already
in their bunks,
or they're watching
a movie in the back.
I was hoping to get a
little after show footage.
Y'all just did.
I got a double,
double word score.
Nice.
Damn it.
Mm-hmm, read 'em and weep.
You what would could be fun,
we could, uh, throw a little
dance party on the bus.
Totally.
We've never done that,
but I love the idea.
Hey, Annie, how did you
feel about the show tonight?
Can we do this tomorrow?
I'm sorry, I'm just
a little bit fried,
and I kind of wanna
turn my brain off.
Okay.
Ketchup spelled c-a-t-c-h-e-t?
It's a British condiment.
Goddamn it.
What is something
interesting about Annie?
She's good at writing music.
I don't know.
Do you think she's
not interesting?
What do you and
Annie like to do on the bus?
Oh the bus?
Oh we snack on some radishes.
Something that tastes like
dirt, we really like it.
So, yeah, we go look for
farmer's market every town
and try different radishes.
So, Robert, what is
interesting about Annie?
Her music.
Neil already said that.
Her dad is in jail.
Wait, cut, I don't
think we should go there.
Not interesting?
Well, you know, I don't
wanna exploit her family drama
for the movie.
She's my friend,
I'm just gonna...
Let's get you telling us
something interesting about her.
Her music.
That's pretty, Annie.
Is it new?
Yeah.
It's all right, I'm
kind of working on it.
It's been hard to come
up with anything lately.
You can write a
song for the movie.
We can track its progress.
It'd make a nice story.
And we kind of need a story.
Only if you play
a guitar solo on it.
Sure.
It sounds like you
already wrote one.
I did, , it goes like that.
Hey, how's the film coming?
Documentary, that's a
big step up for you.
Yeah, I hope so.
You know when I tell friends
that you're working in film now,
they are very impressed.
Yeah I just, I
want it to be good.
Cb, I'm starting on abs.
Yeah, we filmed those yesterday,
and the day before.
When's your next
radiation treatment?
Um, Tuesday.
But don't worry about me,
let's talk about this movie.
I'm so proud of you, care,
must be exciting
directing your friend.
Yeah, it's really exciting.
I free I
okay, right there.
I love that.
So St. Vincent.
So intense.
I just want a little more
of that in the
non-concert footage.
Yeah, well do you really think
I can only be sexual
and alluring on stage?
No, but it's not the same.
Yeah, well, we're not
so different me and her.
Okay, that wasn't
what I was saying.
A small part of me was
starting to second guess myself.
Am I saying the right things?
Do I look okay?
Is this what people
want from me?
I was thinking the bridge...
One of the reasons why I
wanted to make a documentary
in the first place is because
I would finally be in
control of the narrative.
How you actually seem and
how you think you seem,
like those, sometimes the
Gulf is catastrophically wide.
And so the idea is
to have how you sound
and how you think you sound
be actually very married.
I wanted this film
to be different.
I didn't wanna feel pressure
to be somebody I'm not.
It's always collaboration.
I think the best skill
in being an artist
is knowing who to
collaborate with.
You don't own it,
it's not about you,
and at its best this feels like
this very ego-less experience.
And I don't know if what
constitutes important artist is
necessarily good art.
I mean that puts a huge
premium on the present tense.
But what litmus test
do we have other than now?
We have what lasts.
We have what really
moves people's hearts.
I mean half the time
people don't even realize
that it's wonderful until
like generations later,
and then it's super revered.
Is everything okay?
I'm sorry, I'm just
getting these weird texts
from my girlfriend.
I think she's
breaking up with me.
I was doing a magazine
feature in London,
and I stayed and went
to Paris fashion week,
and
I've been gone for like a month.
Am I a terrible person?
No, you're just doing
whatever you have to do.
Yeah, I guess.
You're not a terrible person.
You're not, I promise.
Would you record a
message for her for me?
Uh, sure.
My girlfriend does
not trust me right now,
but she's a huge,
huge fan of yours,
and she would trust you
if you told her that
I was a good person.
Uh, yeah.
Hey, this is Annie Clark,
and I just wanted to...
Oh, can you say St. Vincent,
then she'll know who you are.
Right.
Hey, this is St. Vincent,
and I just wanted to say
that your girlfriend...
Holly.
Holly, loves you very much,
and she's so sorry
that she has been gone
so often...
Would you also say that
she shouldn't give up on me,
and that there is nobody
who's gonna love her
the way I love her?
And don't give up hope on her,
because nobody's gonna love
you as much as she does.
Okay, well, I'm really sorry.
I hope everything works out.
No, me too.
Should we get back
to the interview?
I think we're good.
Really?
That was great, yeah.
That was it?
Yeah, thank you.
Yeah, you know what,
actually, my cousin lives here,
and your people only gave you
one ticket to Saturday night.
Do you think you could maybe
look into getting
a plus one for me?
Sure.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Wow.
Uh, that woman, she didn't
listen to anything I said.
I know, but you
still did her a favor,
because you're too nice.
Stop being so nice.
I'm not getting her
stupid cousin into the show.
Good.
Yeah, don't.
But can you?
I don't want her
to be mad at me.
You can cut.
When she's not on
screen you can cut.
I like that, yeah.
Conjuring sort of a patsy cline.
Oh yeah, yeah.
I was thinking about like a,
some croonery.
That's nice.
Ah nice.
And then it would be something.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Like a big like 70's,
kind of like.
Yeah, I like it.
Yeah, that's cool.
A refrain.
Yeah, I love it.
Like Keith moon.
What about, what
should it be about?
That's up to you.
I mean the alienation
of touring.
Yeah, that's not that relatable.
I mean, heartbreak.
No, that is very cloying.
But your call, your call.
What about that,
just well of sorrow
that everybody has from
like childhood trauma?
That's very dark,
but I love these ideas,
they, they're great.
Just not for this.
I I'm a monster I
I and you are my sacred cow I
I but I can keep running I
I no, I can't keep on running I
A cam, go to a two shot.
Copy that.
I how can anybody have
you and lose you I
I don't even like to
dress a salad, you know?
I'm like I wanna
taste the vegetables,
otherwise why am I
eating vegetables?
I wanna taste the earth,
I want to taste the dirt.
So I just kind of
throw 'em all together,
and eat 'em about 3:00 pm.
What's up Internet?
It's your girl moviedork here
to talk about the top 10
documentaries of all time,
in my opinion.
Put your hate in
the comments below,
or you could not.
Before we get started...
Hey.
How is it?
Uh, great.
Yeah, no, the live
footage is really special.
Are you sure?
Okay, I was thinking,
is there a way to
heighten it a little?
You're nerdy and normal in
real life, which I love,
but the disparity between that
and who you are onstage
is kind ofjarring,
you know what I'm saying?
I just wanted to give
you guys a little bit
of a heads up that Carrie
and I have been talking,
and we think that I
should veer more towards
my onstage persona
for the documentary.
So should
we call you St. Vincent?
Oh god no.
Wait, cb, should they?
Uh, I think Annie's okay.
Yeah.
I can do an accent.
Want me to be Australian?
Look at this size...
No, no, no.
No, please, go for it.
Look at the size of that one.
That's good, but no.
It's just about me making
some subtle changes
so that I can be a little
bit more interesting.
Exactly.
How about in your new role
you do a formal
introduction of the band.
And everyone we're gonna
look to the camera.
This is toko, she's Japanese.
And this is Neil, he's Neil.
Good day.
And this is Robert, the
skins man of the group.
Hello.
Or in lay people's
terms, the drummer.
We got it.
Yeah, we got it.
Toko's cat got
eaten by a coyote,
and Robert's wife
had a breeched birth.
The umbilical cord was wrapped
around the baby's neck,
like it was trying to
hang itself in utero.
And that was after what,
multiple miscarriages.
Oh my god, I'm so
sorry you guys.
Toko, I didn't mean
to call you Japanese.
Toko is Japanese.
I was thinking maybe this
should just be a concert film.
Because I can't be
who you want me to be.
No, because what you do on stage
is really hard to duplicate
off stage, and that's okay.
I can be St.
Vincent all the time.
No, Annie,
I was saying I'm wrong.
Let's protect the fact
that you're normal,
that your life isn't crazy
or interesting enough
to make a documentary about.
Pass please.
Oh, I'm playing tonight.
I need
to see a pass to let you in.
So, it's my band,
I'm St. Vincent.
I'm on all the posters.
Don't know who you are.
Dude.
Sorry.
Thanks.
For what?
Sorry.
Check one, two, check, check.
Can I have my vocal,
like monitor, please?
It's my fucking show,
you're gonna save me
from fucking Isis,
fuck you fucking cock.
Oh, my lips and teeth
turning red from the wine?
No. You sure?
Yeah.
Smile.
Very good.
I bet Annie asked people
to give us the good wine.
She was trying really hard
to impress me the other day.
Is she nice?
No, she's a snob.
Totally impenetrable and aloof.
I don't care,
I fucking love her music.
Me too, she's so beautiful.
I just want her
to punch me in the face.
Stop it, you're making her
way more interesting
than she is.
Where is she anyway?
She's like a boss,
you show up late, right?
That's something.
You are right about that.
This is a little frustrating.
You don't always,
but maybe with a little
distance she'll...
Cb get your cameras.
No, no, we're
set up for the live show.
Don't worry.
No, no, no, I want them
here now, I changed my mind.
Yes.
Ask me a question.
What kind of question?
Any fucking question.
Annie, what's
going through your mind?
How it doesn't matter how
I feel on any given night.
That no matter what I
owe it all to my fans
to give them my blood,
sweat and tears.
Great.
No, I can do it better.
Let's go.
Okay.
I guess we're resetting.
Back to one.
Let's reset and hold here.
Give me the line.
Ask me "Annie, what's
going through your mind?"
Annie, what's
going through your mind?
Great question.
What's going through my mind?
I guess how it doesn't matter
how I feel on any given night,
but I owe it all to my fans
to give them my blood,
sweat and tears.
But sometimes I
worry I'm not enough.
Sometimes I worry
that I might fall.
Wait, do you mean fail?
I feel like fail may be better.
You know what, fail is better.
Okay.
Cue me.
Okay, what's going
through your mind.
Annie.
Annie, what's going
through your mind?
How I worry that
sometimes I won't,
that I have to give...
You were saying
giving all your fans
every single night...
You know what, can
you just transcribe it?
I'll hit it tomorrow.
Okay, but I think it
doesn't have to be perfect.
I like the honesty.
I am being honest about
needing you to do that,
and it does have to be perfect.
Here, get me like this.
Cigarette.
You don't smoke though.
I mean that's silly.
This is how actors play
rock stars in movies.
Yeah, but you are a rockstar.
I mean, I know rock stars...
Shh.
I love you baby,
but I'm married to the road.
Have a good show.
I sugar boy I
I how you mean I
I how I wish I
I for somethin' sweet I
I oh here I goj'
I a casualty I
I hanging from the balcony I
I oh here I goj'
I making a scene I
I oh here I am I
I your pain machine I
I I am a lot like you I
I boys I
I I am alone like you I
I girls I
I I am a lot like you I
I boys I
I I am alone like you I
Oh, so sorry, I'll
be right back.
Nice sun glasses.
Will you announce me?
Will you let people know
that I'm walking into the space?
Ladies and
gentlemen, St. Vincent.
Annie, that was terrific.
I would like to introduce
you to my cousin, Sarah.
Sarah, Annie.
Nice to meet you.
Thanks so much for
getting me into the show.
It was my pleasure.
It's such a gift
to have you here.
Do you think I could
take a picture with you?
I'll take it.
Actually, no.
I'm so sorry, I think
she's really tired.
Or maybe she's just brave.
That kind of honesty
is so refreshing.
Finally, a woman
speaking her truth.
Yeah.
Hey care, it's dad.
I'm sorry to miss you.
I'm off to Minnesota tomorrow
to meet with a specialist.
Still try and see if he could
get a day off and come visit.
I know you're crazy busy.
Your uncle is coming with,
so if you can't get
a hold of me, try him.
Okay, honey, I love you.
Bye, bye.
Hey.
Did you wanna talk?
Not exactly.
Come in.
Hi, Carrie.
Carrie, you remember
my girlfriend, Dakota.
We want you to film us.
I don't have a camera though.
Well, you're a
director, so direct.
You can use your phone.
You're the one who wanted
this to be more interesting.
Whenever you're ready.
I want this to be artistic,
Scandinavian, European,
anything but American.
It's still in
English though, right?
Oui.
Okay.
Cb, can you come closer?
We're set.
Okay, get on the bed,
you're too far away.
Come.
That's a good angle right there.
Okay.
Rolling.
I love you.
I love you.
Who's face is that?
My face.
Who's lips are those?
My lips.
Hey, sorry to interrupt,
there's this thing that
people are doing in the film
and television industry
where they hire an
intimacy coordinator.
It's for sex scenes,
and it's just to help people
be more comfortable with nudity
and touching and consent.
It's okay, I consent.
And she consents, obviously.
Mm-hmm.
The only thing I
stipulate is you just don't
show any of my pubic region.
I stipulate nothing.
Please get the camera as
close to me as you need.
I guess I should have clarified.
I guess for my comfort,
I would love to just
shoot her a text
and see if she could maybe
call in and consult.
Yeah, but can we just
get this version first?
Yeah, it's better.
Remember when we went to tulum
and had those really,
really good poached eggs?
Mm-hmm.
That bowl of mixed fruit.
Yeah, was it papaya or mango?
I always get them confused.
I don't know because mangoes...
Oh, she just texted,
and she can call in 10 minutes,
if you can just hold off.
Uh, we can't.
No, we can't.
Um, wait, guys, just
for legal purposes.
I'm gonna turn the camera on me.
Hey, how are you?
I'm great.
Last night was
magical.
Yeah, glad I was there for it.
Speaking of that,
if there's ever
anything you don't want in
the movie, just let me know.
I'm not interested
in hiding anything.
Okay.
I just thought, I thought
we could check in.
It feels like it's been a second
since we actually talked.
About what?
Like my dad called yesterday,
he wants me to visit
him on a day off.
Do we have a day off?
We don't.
How's your mom?
Oh, so now you care
about my boring life.
Annie, I feel like
we can differentiate
between who we are in
the movie and real life.
So, as your friend, I'm
asking you, how is your mom?
She is wonderful.
Okay.
Two, three, four.
I follow the power lines
back from the road I
I no one around so I
take off my clothes I
I am I the only one
in the only world? I
I ah-ah-ah-ah-ah whoa-oh I
I ah-ah-ah-ah... I
people understand
that when I'm on stage
I'm playing a bigger
version of myself.
But what some people
fail to understand
is that all of it's me,
and none of it's me.
Sometimes you have to reject
not only your former self,
but also the people
who came along with it.
Annie, so good tonight.
Seriously, like awesome.
Annie, just a
reminder that I wanted
to film a scene with you
and one of your fans.
You know, just to show how
intense the connection is.
I feel like people, you know,
they get really
emotional around you.
It just might be nice
to show that.
Sure, sounds good.
Okay, great.
And then maybe after the
show we could play cards
or get a drink or watch
a movie on the bus.
Annie?
I think Ms. Vincent is asleep.
She's weird, you don't see that?
I don't really see it at all?
What are you talking about?
I don't know, I
just need someone
to make her seem
more relatable again.
Oh, well right
there, take your pick.
Hey, excuse me, I'm Carrie.
I'm making a documentary
about St. Vincent.
What's your name?
Kim.
Hey, nice to meet you.
You wanna come with me?
I have a surprise for you.
Come in.
Annie?
Yeah.
Kim.
Meet St. Vincent.
Hi, Kim.
This is so amazing.
Aww, so nice to meet you.
Hi, how are you?
It's okay.
You literally saved my life.
I start, I've been listening
to you since I was 16.
I grew up in Fresno,
and my high school boyfriend
gave me "strange mercy"
for my birthday.
Two nights before we graduated,
he was killed in a car accident.
Your songs were the only
thing that got me through.
Iwouldn't be alive
without your music.
That means so much to me.
I never thought I'd
get to tell you that in person.
That's just
so tragic and so sad.
Don't be sad, it's okay.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
It's just a lot, you know?
It's a lot.
It must be so hard.
Actually people
that might not even
know your music,
which is most people.
- No.
- I don't know how to...
Which is fine.
No, but just that they actually
think this is a good film.
Yeah I want people to see
how I have to kind of train.
Yeah.
To do it.
Like how physical the show is.
It's okay,
we'll get your muscles.
You see that?
You see that?
Yeah, look at mine.
Oh my god.
Not bad, right?
That's quite
a bush you got there.
Shut up.
I would like to thank,
I would like to thank...
I'll thank you first.
Okay, I would
like to thank Carrie.
Annie Clark.
Annie Clark.
I driver do you mind I
I turn off patsy cline I
I I'm walking on
my own tonight I
I I hate being impolite I
I no small talk I'm tired I
I just wake me when we arrive I
sorry, what was that?
Fatigue.
That's what I was thinking.
I fatigued I
I don't think it sings
very well.
Okay.
Well I could do a solo
over what you're playing.
You know what?
Honestly, I think I should
just work on this song
by myself for a little bit.
Okay.
Maybe I'll just
write my own song.
For whose movie?
All right, here's
your cappuccino,
and I got you some
extra guitar picks.
Thank you.
Sorry, who are you?
Oh, Carrie, I got
you a new assistant.
This is...
Kayla. What's up?
Hey.
No, I just thought you could
use somebody to hang out with
so you could talk
about your dad.
I love dads.
Thanks, Kayla.
Oh, yeah.
I feelings, flashcards, I
I fake knife I
I real ketchup I
I cardboard, cutthroats, I
I cowboys of information I
I pleasure-dot-loathing I
I dot-huey, dot-Newton I
I it was a lonely,
lonely winter I
I fuck-less I
I porn shark I
I toothless I
I but got a big bark I
I live children,
blind psychics I
I turned online assassins I
I so hale-bopp I
I hail Mary I
I hail hagia Sophia I
I oh it was a lonely,
lonely winter I
I it's been a lonely,
lonely winter I
I'm gonna miss ya.
Thanks, same here, Brian.
Good times, huh?
Yeah, I really
appreciate everything.
Good luck with the uh,
the rest of the tour.
Hey, no problem,
good luck to you.
I called the car service,
it should be here soon.
Thanks.
All right, later, dude.
Uncle Pete?
Yep.
I mean he sounded decent
last time we talked.
Well, he's holding up.
Mainly I think he's
just depressed.
You know your dad,
he doesn't like having to
count on anybody else for help.
I mean I tried to visit him
when we went through
the northwest,
but this tour has been
kind of crazy.
Hey, I gotta tell you,
this documentary
you're working on,
it's really lifted his spirits.
Now this will be a little
embarrassing to hear maybe,
but every doctor and
nurse at that hospital
knows all about his
daughter, the director.
I have done other
things, you know?
I know, I know,
but this is different.
This is artistic.
Yes.
He's just bragging a
little because he loves ya.
Right.
Your dad, he keeps saying,
I gotta be healthy in
time for the premier.
When is the premier, by the way?
Well we'd have
to finish the movie
for there to be a premier.
Well, I guess I'm
just here to tell you
to finish your movie.
Annie?
Hi Carrie.
Are you ready to get to work?
Yes.
I want a sensory experience.
I wanna bridge the gap
between audience and performer.
I'm no longer
interested in gestures
that come solely from the stage.
The audience cheers,
that's all the gesture you need.
Cheering is born of expectation.
It's the audience performing
being an audience.
You're playing the
biggest shows of your life,
why do you wanna sabotage it?
I want to disrupt the senses.
How are you gonna do that?
By finally admitting the truth.
That the audience
doesn't need me,
I'm just a vessel
for their feelings.
Also, this is the only item
I'll be selling at my shows.
Say something.
Slipping into this
new mode was freeing.
Carrie, give a thought.
How am I gonna learn?
I feel like I'm in, I'm in
the failure era of my life,
where people don't like
the shit I'm doing.
I'm not joking.
People don't like
what I'm doing.
I'm grappling.
But what's weird is I claim,
and I can't even tell
if it's real anymore.
I do think that
the artist's role,
the writer's role
is to thrash around,
to make mistakes,
to be out of step.
But then when I am out of step,
- I feel terrible.
- Yeah.
You know, when I'm out of step
with what people like,
then I feel down on myself.
But I, but
philosophically I think
no, that's how it should be.
I don't know.
I kind of think I just wanna
make things with friends.
It's beautiful today.
Hey, Carrie, where's your wig?
Where's your wig?
We're in this together.
Are we?
Mm-hmm, me and me.
There she is.
Hey, care, it's dad.
It's been a rough week,
but your uncle told
me that you seem good.
And I can't wait
to see the movie.
Honey, I am just so
happy that you're finally
doing the kind of work that
you were always meant to do.
Um, so, Annie has asked
that I do a formal interview
with the two of you.
Mm-hmm.
Cool, great.
I think it's the
first time we've ever
gone on the record
about our relationship.
Mm, mm-hmm.
Yeah, well, the live sex act
you had me shoot the other night
felt pretty on the record.
Thanks.
How did you meet?
Oh, well, we connected
on a very personal level.
Through our agents.
I wasn't even gay at the time.
Nu-uh, I turned her gay.
That's very inspirational,
for someone.
How do relationships play
into the creative process?
So much of what I write
is fueled by romance.
The good, the bad.
For example, when I was
working on "mass seduction,"
I was, you know, I
was going through
a really hard time in my life,
but what I learned
was that sometimes
you have to go to
the depth of despair
in order to extract
something true.
I don't think I could
even write another record
without having my heart
totally ripped out.
Well maybe you just have
to write this next one
about being really
happy and content.
Yeah.
Baby?
Mm-hmm.
I wanted to propose something.
What?
Right now?
On camera?
Oh my god.
I wanted to propose
that we break up
in a few months.
I know it seems really sudden.
What?
And believe me, I
am so happy with you,
it's just that I'm too happy,
and I've got another
record to write.
And if I don't, you know,
really shake things up,
I'm gonna be...
What?
Why are you doing this?
We can do it any way you want.
What are you doing?
I mean it doesn't
have to be some
outside a night club
or on a red carpet.
It can be just the two of us
in the hotel room just
screaming at each other,
or, I don't know, or maybe
your parents would come.
No, I don't wanna do that.
You're the only person I have
ever wanted to do this with.
This is crazy,
why don't we just break up now?
Let's do that.
No. Yeah.
No. Yeah.
Because I love you.
You do?
Yes, really?
Yes.
And I'm still on tour,
and I like having you around.
God, Annie that is so fucked up.
I'm sorry if this doesn't align
with your artistic process.
Goodbye, Annie.
St. Vincent.
Dakota, wait.
Hey.
Dakota, don't go.
I love you.
That was crazy,
what are you doing?
None of that stays in the film.
Annie, what
did you expect to happen?
From now on, I need more say
in how other people
are going to act.
It's a documentary.
Okay, well, then
let's only document
things I can control.
Hey y'all, and welcome to Texas.
Come on in, y'all
want some ice tea?
I grew up surrounded by music.
Annie always stood out,
even among her siblings.
We all had to share a bed,
and she used to sing
us to sleep at night.
Voice of an angel.
Annie was the kindest
sister I could ever hope for.
Biggest heart out
of anybody I know.
And if she hadn't
become a musician,
I could've imagined her
starting an orphanage.
Or running for president.
Or curing cancer.
If I wasn't with Molly,
I would marry Annie
in a heartbeat.
All right, who's ready
to shoot some guns?
This is mama.
And this is my stepdad, ray.
These are my
brothers and sisters.
These are my nieces and
nephews, aunt and uncle.
Say hi everybody.
Hi.
Lovely to meet you guys.
Please don't roll on this.
No, no, no, get this,
it's gonna be good.
Okay, I'm serious, this
isn't your real family
so it's not really
a documentary.
Oh hush up.
I'll be so mad at you
if you ruin the song.
I when I was young I
I coach called me I
I the tiger I
I I always had a knack
with the danger I
I living in fear
in the year of the tiger I
I living in fear
in the year of the tiger I
I living in fear
in the year of the tiger I
I oh america,
can I owe you one I
I living in fear
in the year of the tiger I
I living in fear
in the year of the tiger I
I living in fear
in the year of the tiger I
I living in fear
in the year of the tiger I
My famous pecan pie.
Famous for being the first one
you ever baked.
Famous in that it won
the blue ribbon
at the 1998 Texas state fair.
I bet.
To Annie's pie.
To Annie's pie.
What y'all waiting for?
Chow down.
So good.
So good.
I'm sorry, I'm
sorry, I can't, I can't.
Really, great to meet y'all.
Honestly.
Hey, hey, hey.
Wait, wait, wait.
What?
Hey, this is your documentary.
Is it?
Yes.
All of this was your idea.
None of this was my idea.
My idea was to make you
and the film just a
little more interesting,
but you would still be yourself,
not playing some stupid role.
I'm not playing a role.
Are you?
Annie, I shouldn't even be here,
my dad's sick.
I'm sorry.
We're in this together.
I don't want this
to be hard on you.
But this is who I am.
Why don't you come on inside,
partake in a little
Clark family ritual.
It can be hard when you are
trying to create something new
and other people
doubt your intentions.
Here I was zeroing
in on big themes,
big ideas.
One more song.
One more song.
I had pushed
Annie to the breaking point.
I guess I didn't realize
that I had pushed other
people there as well.
Cb, where are we going?
Cb?
All right.
Okay.
Come on.
Careful.
Careful.
I'm not over dressed am I?
Just a little further.
Just a little further.
Careful, careful, careful.
Okay.
Okay.
You can take your blindfold off.
I thought we could
visit your dad.
Annie, do you know
how rare it is
for them to allow
filming inside?
But they made an
exception for us,
'cause someone in
there is a huge fan.
Okay, go ahead and tell
us what you're feeling.
You wanna go ahead and tell
us what you're thinking?
I'm thinking I don't know
why the fuck we're here.
We're here because I feel like
I can't elicit anything authentic
from you anymore, okay?
And I wanted to
get something raw.
So whatever you're
feeling right now is okay.
What I'm feeling, that's okay?
Thank you.
Seriously, this
is great, just go with it.
This is fucking bullshit.
Annie, this is what we've
been trying to get at,
dirt, grit.
I mean nothing basic or boring,
but also nothing contrived.
Oh yeah, this feels
very spontaneous.
Okay, fine.
I guess, whatever.
Okay, we don't have to go in.
We got something real.
You know what, I'm very aware
that the world is
full of cruelty,
and pain and garbage, okay,
I know that.
And that's why I make music,
to get away from this.
You can't
make the whole thing up
and expect people
to buy into it.
Well then I wanna make
another kind of film.
I driver, do you mind I
I turn off patsy cline I
I walking on my own tonight I
I hate being impolite I
I but no small talk I'm tired I
I just wake me when we arrive I
I oh pick up speed
and sandwiches I
I a ziploc bag, a fifth of gin I
I don't ask me why I
I oh, drop me by
the burning sand I
I when hell is near I
I and heaven I
I paradise I
I here at the nowhere inn I
I where nothing
and no one wins I
I where our last
days are spent I
I wasted on song and sin I
I here at the nowhere inn I
I the hallway's a labyrinth I
I where I
I always knew
you'd end up here I
I been waiting now
for years to see you I
I in my everlasting mirror I
I everybody knows your name I
I and knows you are to blame I
I for every trickle
of your mama's tears I
I we're all nowhere I
I and where are you now I
I we're all nowhere I
I and where are you now I
I you're at the nowhere inn I
I where nothing
and no one wins I
Cut.
Cut.
Hey, cb, I thought that
one was actually really good.
Yeah, it looked great, nicejob.
What's wrong?
Well, it just feels weird
to watch you perform a song
we wrote together solo.
Hey, do you guys have a minute?
I just wanted to
show you the options
for the role of
director for tomorrow.
Oh, perfect.
Cb, I hope you don't mind,
but I asked Kayla to help us out
with casting the director.
Honestly, I would
have asked you,
but you were so busy
with your shot list.
I thought you wanted me
to be in the narrative film.
Oh, no, I do,
just, you know, played
by some exquisite.
You're fired as my assistant.
Oh, no, I don't
think you can fire me,
'cause I've just been
playing your assistant.
You know, like I'm an actor.
Wait, I'm confused.
I thought that Annie hired you.
I don't think I know
what we're doing anymore.
Dad?
You're part of this too?
Guilty.
Wait, does that
mean you're not sick?
No, no, no, no, I'm very sick,
it's just I'm not your dad.
Cb, what don't you understand?
I'm sorry, I felt
really out of it.
Maybe you're just tired.
No I feel out of control.
I feel completely subsumed.
It always takes sacrifice
to create something.
Can we have a
normal conversation?
Of course.
What is this?
Who else would we be?
I'm not sure.
I don't know who
you are anymore.
I know who I am.
What does it matter
if anybody else does?
What story did you think
we were trying to tell?
Your story.
This is my story.
I thought the point was for
people to get to know you.
And now they will.
Cb, are you sure it's me
you can no longer find?
Stop the car.
Stop the car.
Don't get me wrong,
I do feel bad about
what happened.
And it's a shame
we'll never finish
the movie that we started,
but I think she lost sight
of what we were doing,
whereas I never did.
I I'm here at the nowhere inn I
I where nothing
and no one wins I
I where our last
days are spent I
I wasted on song and sin I
I I'm here at the nowhere inn I
I the hallway's a labyrinth I
I here I
I I
I we are nowhere,
where are you now I
I we are nowhere,
where are you now I
I we are nowhere,
where are you now I
I we are nowhere,
where are you I
I where are you, where are you I
I where are you, where are you I
I where are you, where are you I
I where are you, where are you I
I where are you, where are you I
I where are you, where are you I
I in a white limousine I
I in the palm desert hills I
I we're too far from the sea I
I so your waves crash on me I
I dark shades on your eyes I
I singing what
doesn't change dies I
I driver do you mind I
I to hit the brakes
on this ride I
I On the road I
I tore off my old clothes I
I I got what I want I
I but I don't want it all I
I no, I don't want it all I
I footprints in the sand I
I I like where they end I
I black hawks circling I
I over I
I so ride the white limousine I
I into a hungry ravine I
iaii hail its queen I
I you'll never see me again I
I On the road I
I tore off my old clothes I
I I got what I want I
I but I don't want it all I
I no, I don't want it all I