The Strange Thing About the Johnsons (2011) Movie Script
- Hey, shoes on your feet, boy!
- Wait up! Not...
- I am cleaning!
- I knocked.
Kiddo...?
How's it going in there, buddy?
I'm sorry I just
barged in like that...
into your personal space.
Shouldn't have...
Can I come in for a second?
Isaiah, is it okay if I come in?
Yeah.
Yes, then? I come in...?
Yeah...
I didn't see anything.
Listen, kiddo...
What you were just doing.
Which I had no... right to interrupt without knocking...
And I'm sorry.
But, what you were doing,
was completely natural...
and normal, and... to be expected.
And I just wanted to come in,
not to make it weird, but...
just to make sure
you weren't feeling strange.
There's nothing to feel strange about.
It's something that everybody does.
- And everybody is entitled to...
- Do you do it?
Well, everybody does...
So you do do it, then...
I mean. It's common, yeah.
Something that's natural to do,
for all the people.
And all the people deserve to have their boundaries
respected and that's where I crossed the line.
So I'm...
sorry if this is weird.
But I just wanted to make sure you weren't
feeling ugly, and like... like this was ugly.
And hide it under the rug and let it
become something... taboo between us.
Do you know what "taboo" is?
Yes.
Well, now it won't be,
'cause we talked about it...
and it's out in the open.
Okay.
I am sorry if this is weird.
It's not.
Well, good. It shouldn't be.
Well...
I'll leave you to it, then.
Dad...?
I love you.
I love you back.
And if we could try mom's
hands on the big man's shoulder?
- All right
- That's just lovely.
And if we could all just
look straight ahead, please?
Wonderful!
And we're a happy little family
with a great, big smile!
Fantastic!
And how about a
smile from dad, this time?
Was I not smiling?
Sorry, I thought I was.
Let's just have
another big one, please.
There we go.
Lovely.
Okay, looking good!
And now if I could just get a
big smile from the two happy families.
Family.
Sorry?
Today we're ONE happy family.
Got a little crowded all of a sudden.
That's the way I like it.
You seeing my cufflinks?
Yeah, we can se those, no problem.
You think? Cause I could
turn more toward the camera.
Thanks for everything, pop.
Do we all say cheese?
You can say cheese, you can say taco,
you can say whatever you like.
But if you could just give me the
teeniest... weeniest... littleeeee...
Have you seen where
they went, by the way?
Your husband was over there,
we were just talking.
I think... and Isaiah?
Oh, I don't know, I haven't seen him.
- I think I may go find him.
- OK, see you later.
- Hi! Did you like the cake?
- I love it.
I'm glad, have another piece.
- So good to see you.
- I'll talk to you later.
Okay.
- Hi! Have you seen Isaiah?
- No, I haven't.
See you in a minute.
Hi, you!
You are such a little a clown.
- Hi, honey! Have you seen Isaiah?
- No.
Everyone having a good time?
- What a beautiful reception.
- I'll be right back, hold on.
Honey?
Could you go get your father?
Dinner's up.
Shall I help set the table?
Oh... that's okay,
everything's under control.
What might I have done?
Sent him to his room? Grounded him?
To condemn my son,
I must first condemn myself.
And of the crimes perpetrated
against my body, we are both guilty.
Dad...?
Oh come on, oh come on.
Hey, pop! Time for din-dins.
Here we go!
It's hot.
Oops...
- You want one of these?
- I'm okay.
They're Belgian.
I know, thank you. I'm okay.
You know these aren't for me, Dad.
I got them for you.
I'll have one.
Well, they're Dad's...
so you gonna have to ask him first.
Pass the potatoes, please?
Thank you...
Would you like one?
Oh, maybe later...
Thank you, honey.
Thank YOU.
Biscuits?
Sure.
- Hey!
- Hey.
I forgot that toilet was broken,
I'm just gonna use yours.
No! Wait a minute...
Your mother's in there.
I can wait.
Don't look so scared.
Let me tell you, Dad...
From a poet, I expect more eloquence.
I'm sorry.
What for?
For nothing?
For what I wrote.
What did you write?
Do you mean your autobiography?
All 300 pages of it?
I love you, Dad.
But this makes it hard.
And I'm burning this.
And if I see another copy lying around,
it's gonna be more than a slap on the wrist, I promise you.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...
Happy New Year!
- Happy New Year.
- Hey, happy new year.
Oh my God. You guys were gonna
leave without hugging me.
You would have made it, too.
Goodnight,
thank you so much for coming.
- Hey, next Tuesday.
- Next Tuesday.
Happy New Year.
You know?
I think I'm just
gonna help and stay here.
You're gonna what...?
Just to help clean...
This is such a mess we're leaving them with.
It's gonna be okay.
I'm just gonna come home
a little bit later, okay?
That's all.
A person who wakes up in the morning
and says "Today's gonna be awful".
I just know it.
Well, that person is just about
guaranteed to have an awful day.
In fact, he'll do the legwork to make it awful.
Through the power of his attitude he'll
prevent every potentially good thing on his path
from reaching its potential.
And if good things do happen,
he'll be looking in the other direction.
Because what he's done is he's
committed himself to the prison of negativity.
Now, on the other side of this coin, a person who
wakes up in Greece, today, with enthusiasm and positivity,
will see the good things on his path,
because, through the power of he-
Dad?
How do I feel about locked doors?
Don't write it in your book.
What's that?
Another book of yours?
Are you asking me to get upset?
I'm not asking you anything.
Or I'm asking you?
I'm just leaving.
This is pathetic, Dad.
If you want me to apologize,
I'll apologize.
I'm sorry about what happened last night.
And I did go too far, but what about you?
Am I totally alone here?
Am I just this abusive monster,
and you're some sad, helpless victim?
Or does it take two to tango?
Cause I think it does.
And if I've done anything,
you've done it with me.
Don't shake your fucking head at me!!
Everything I've ever done, It's been for you,
and for you, and for you and to what end?!
I didn't ask for this!
This is your thing! Something you started!
But I'm here now, and I'm in it, and I've given
myself and I have accepted you completely!
But you're not just my father,
you're my friend, you're my best friend.
And maybe we can just agree
that that's a beautiful thing,
and not something to be perverted, and corrupted
and mutilated, by your warped and confused conscience.
You've always sabotaged
everything good in your life.
You've been shitting all over this
from the minute we started.
You never gave it a chance to be good.
But you can sleep with that
cold bitch, in that loveless bed.
And you can write your
backwards book about your backward son,
but not a single word
about what you've done.
It's just love, Dad.
And that is big.
And that is scary.
But there's been scared
and there's been a coward.
And right now, you...
You're breaking my heart.
Daddy!!!
No! No! No!
Do not touch him!
Get a fucking ambulance!
- I want to ask you something, Isaiah.
- How long have you been standing there?
How are you holding up?
Why was your father crying when
he drove you home from Prom Night?
I'm sorry?
On your Prom Night...
Wh-when he brought you back home.
What about it?
He was crying.
Was he?
He was crying and...
he wouldn't look at me.
Are you being serious?
He locked himself in the bathroom...
and he just... cried, and he cried
all night, with the sink running.
I don't remember that at all.
Is that when it started?
That was 10 years ago.
How am I supposed to remember
what happened one night?
Prom Night!
Which was 10 years ago, that's a pretty
long time to remember what your father did
at a specific time, on a specific night.
It started earlier, right?
I know that.
When... when did it start?
Mom...
You're emotional... I'm emotional.
- We are not ourselves.
- Stop that.
You don't even know
what you're trying to say.
I know exactly
what I am trying to say!
Well, I don't!
But I think it's pretty ugly
what you seem to be saying.
And I think you would agree
if you could hear yourself!
You monster...
You killed your own father.
How could you?
What? Wait!
Get off of me!
- I'm warning you, Mom.
- You don't warn me!
I loved him better than you ever did!
You're sick!
Sick!
Sick!
- Wait up! Not...
- I am cleaning!
- I knocked.
Kiddo...?
How's it going in there, buddy?
I'm sorry I just
barged in like that...
into your personal space.
Shouldn't have...
Can I come in for a second?
Isaiah, is it okay if I come in?
Yeah.
Yes, then? I come in...?
Yeah...
I didn't see anything.
Listen, kiddo...
What you were just doing.
Which I had no... right to interrupt without knocking...
And I'm sorry.
But, what you were doing,
was completely natural...
and normal, and... to be expected.
And I just wanted to come in,
not to make it weird, but...
just to make sure
you weren't feeling strange.
There's nothing to feel strange about.
It's something that everybody does.
- And everybody is entitled to...
- Do you do it?
Well, everybody does...
So you do do it, then...
I mean. It's common, yeah.
Something that's natural to do,
for all the people.
And all the people deserve to have their boundaries
respected and that's where I crossed the line.
So I'm...
sorry if this is weird.
But I just wanted to make sure you weren't
feeling ugly, and like... like this was ugly.
And hide it under the rug and let it
become something... taboo between us.
Do you know what "taboo" is?
Yes.
Well, now it won't be,
'cause we talked about it...
and it's out in the open.
Okay.
I am sorry if this is weird.
It's not.
Well, good. It shouldn't be.
Well...
I'll leave you to it, then.
Dad...?
I love you.
I love you back.
And if we could try mom's
hands on the big man's shoulder?
- All right
- That's just lovely.
And if we could all just
look straight ahead, please?
Wonderful!
And we're a happy little family
with a great, big smile!
Fantastic!
And how about a
smile from dad, this time?
Was I not smiling?
Sorry, I thought I was.
Let's just have
another big one, please.
There we go.
Lovely.
Okay, looking good!
And now if I could just get a
big smile from the two happy families.
Family.
Sorry?
Today we're ONE happy family.
Got a little crowded all of a sudden.
That's the way I like it.
You seeing my cufflinks?
Yeah, we can se those, no problem.
You think? Cause I could
turn more toward the camera.
Thanks for everything, pop.
Do we all say cheese?
You can say cheese, you can say taco,
you can say whatever you like.
But if you could just give me the
teeniest... weeniest... littleeeee...
Have you seen where
they went, by the way?
Your husband was over there,
we were just talking.
I think... and Isaiah?
Oh, I don't know, I haven't seen him.
- I think I may go find him.
- OK, see you later.
- Hi! Did you like the cake?
- I love it.
I'm glad, have another piece.
- So good to see you.
- I'll talk to you later.
Okay.
- Hi! Have you seen Isaiah?
- No, I haven't.
See you in a minute.
Hi, you!
You are such a little a clown.
- Hi, honey! Have you seen Isaiah?
- No.
Everyone having a good time?
- What a beautiful reception.
- I'll be right back, hold on.
Honey?
Could you go get your father?
Dinner's up.
Shall I help set the table?
Oh... that's okay,
everything's under control.
What might I have done?
Sent him to his room? Grounded him?
To condemn my son,
I must first condemn myself.
And of the crimes perpetrated
against my body, we are both guilty.
Dad...?
Oh come on, oh come on.
Hey, pop! Time for din-dins.
Here we go!
It's hot.
Oops...
- You want one of these?
- I'm okay.
They're Belgian.
I know, thank you. I'm okay.
You know these aren't for me, Dad.
I got them for you.
I'll have one.
Well, they're Dad's...
so you gonna have to ask him first.
Pass the potatoes, please?
Thank you...
Would you like one?
Oh, maybe later...
Thank you, honey.
Thank YOU.
Biscuits?
Sure.
- Hey!
- Hey.
I forgot that toilet was broken,
I'm just gonna use yours.
No! Wait a minute...
Your mother's in there.
I can wait.
Don't look so scared.
Let me tell you, Dad...
From a poet, I expect more eloquence.
I'm sorry.
What for?
For nothing?
For what I wrote.
What did you write?
Do you mean your autobiography?
All 300 pages of it?
I love you, Dad.
But this makes it hard.
And I'm burning this.
And if I see another copy lying around,
it's gonna be more than a slap on the wrist, I promise you.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...
Happy New Year!
- Happy New Year.
- Hey, happy new year.
Oh my God. You guys were gonna
leave without hugging me.
You would have made it, too.
Goodnight,
thank you so much for coming.
- Hey, next Tuesday.
- Next Tuesday.
Happy New Year.
You know?
I think I'm just
gonna help and stay here.
You're gonna what...?
Just to help clean...
This is such a mess we're leaving them with.
It's gonna be okay.
I'm just gonna come home
a little bit later, okay?
That's all.
A person who wakes up in the morning
and says "Today's gonna be awful".
I just know it.
Well, that person is just about
guaranteed to have an awful day.
In fact, he'll do the legwork to make it awful.
Through the power of his attitude he'll
prevent every potentially good thing on his path
from reaching its potential.
And if good things do happen,
he'll be looking in the other direction.
Because what he's done is he's
committed himself to the prison of negativity.
Now, on the other side of this coin, a person who
wakes up in Greece, today, with enthusiasm and positivity,
will see the good things on his path,
because, through the power of he-
Dad?
How do I feel about locked doors?
Don't write it in your book.
What's that?
Another book of yours?
Are you asking me to get upset?
I'm not asking you anything.
Or I'm asking you?
I'm just leaving.
This is pathetic, Dad.
If you want me to apologize,
I'll apologize.
I'm sorry about what happened last night.
And I did go too far, but what about you?
Am I totally alone here?
Am I just this abusive monster,
and you're some sad, helpless victim?
Or does it take two to tango?
Cause I think it does.
And if I've done anything,
you've done it with me.
Don't shake your fucking head at me!!
Everything I've ever done, It's been for you,
and for you, and for you and to what end?!
I didn't ask for this!
This is your thing! Something you started!
But I'm here now, and I'm in it, and I've given
myself and I have accepted you completely!
But you're not just my father,
you're my friend, you're my best friend.
And maybe we can just agree
that that's a beautiful thing,
and not something to be perverted, and corrupted
and mutilated, by your warped and confused conscience.
You've always sabotaged
everything good in your life.
You've been shitting all over this
from the minute we started.
You never gave it a chance to be good.
But you can sleep with that
cold bitch, in that loveless bed.
And you can write your
backwards book about your backward son,
but not a single word
about what you've done.
It's just love, Dad.
And that is big.
And that is scary.
But there's been scared
and there's been a coward.
And right now, you...
You're breaking my heart.
Daddy!!!
No! No! No!
Do not touch him!
Get a fucking ambulance!
- I want to ask you something, Isaiah.
- How long have you been standing there?
How are you holding up?
Why was your father crying when
he drove you home from Prom Night?
I'm sorry?
On your Prom Night...
Wh-when he brought you back home.
What about it?
He was crying.
Was he?
He was crying and...
he wouldn't look at me.
Are you being serious?
He locked himself in the bathroom...
and he just... cried, and he cried
all night, with the sink running.
I don't remember that at all.
Is that when it started?
That was 10 years ago.
How am I supposed to remember
what happened one night?
Prom Night!
Which was 10 years ago, that's a pretty
long time to remember what your father did
at a specific time, on a specific night.
It started earlier, right?
I know that.
When... when did it start?
Mom...
You're emotional... I'm emotional.
- We are not ourselves.
- Stop that.
You don't even know
what you're trying to say.
I know exactly
what I am trying to say!
Well, I don't!
But I think it's pretty ugly
what you seem to be saying.
And I think you would agree
if you could hear yourself!
You monster...
You killed your own father.
How could you?
What? Wait!
Get off of me!
- I'm warning you, Mom.
- You don't warn me!
I loved him better than you ever did!
You're sick!
Sick!
Sick!