The Uninvited (2024) Movie Script

[birds chirping]
[jazz music playing]
[lawn mower whirring]
[sighs]
Oh, God.
Really starting to understand
the value of plastic surgery.
Thought I was gonna age well.
[groans]
I really did.
Actually, I didn't think
I was gonna age at all.
[car horn honking]
There's a Prius in the driveway!
[lively music playing]
[woman] Sammy?
Are you expecting a delivery?
[car horn honks]
[boy] Mom, you need
to finish your story!
[woman]
I can't right now, honey.
[alarm beeping]
I've gotta get the house ready
for the party.
Why are they flashing their
brights while it's still light out?
No one will see them.
Sammy!
Are you listening
to a word I've said?
Wilder, time for you
to get into the bath!
Tracy, will you make sure
the water is lukewarm?
Tracy?
[answering machine beeps]
[woman] Hi, this is Shauna
from Davinia Brown's office.
They said to let you know
that they passed.
They said you were too old
to believably play
the mother
of a 6-year-old child.
It felt tragic.
[music ends]
I matter.
I don't matter.
[man] Wow, that is
so fucking disturbing.
Okay, you know what?
Before you place
an emergency call to Daniel,
you should know
I was being ironic.
When I was in my 20s, my friends
used to all pull their skin back like that
and be like, "What's your
plastic surgery face, Rose?"
I never played that game.
- You get it?
- Yes, I totally get it.
Now, which shirt?
Or maybe this turtleneck?
Office, funeral.
Person most likely
to be murdered.
By his wife?
Thank you. I look like the
person that's likely to be murdered.
I appreciate it.
- Why are you so dressed up?
- Seriously?
You know the party's here
at our house, right?
It's not at The Beverly Hilton.
I'm sorry, have we met?
My name is Rose Wright.
So formal.
As I recall, when we first met,
you were totally fucked up and willing
to go home with just about anybody.
Wear the black shirt.
Actually, why don't you
just wear jeans?
I don't own a pair of jeans.
[cell phone ringing]
Ah. Hold on.
- Well, how do I look?
- You look beautiful.
You didn't look at my face.
How am I not looking
at your face?
Gerald. Ah, man,
I'm so happy I got you.
Are you...? Hello?
Hello? Gerald?
[thudding]
Sammy, can you please check
and see what Wilder is doing?
He... He... He's watching Star
Wars with his headphones on.
He's already watching it?
- Oh, my God.
- You were gonna make a big deal out of his first one.
You were gonna invite his friends and make
special snacks in the shape of lightsabers.
Teach him about
the hero's journey?
Ha. Who cares about
the hero's journey?
[groans]
[Rose] Blue light from the screen will
stop his natural production of melatonin,
and then he won't be able
to sleep.
- [Sammy] Eh.
- Tracy, can you please put him in the bath?
Hey, Dad! Will you
sit with me in the bath?
- Tell me a story!
- [Sammy groans softly]
I can't right now, buddy.
I'm on a call.
What?
I'm waiting for Gerald
to call me back.
[car horn honking] - Probably
stuck in a canyon or something.
Why? You're his agent.
Don't you talk all day long?
Because I need a private,
focused moment with him
before he's pulled in
a million different directions.
Hi. Hi, excuse me.
- Hm?
- Mr. Spirit Photographer.
- Sorry, I don't know your name, but, uh...
- Mark.
- What?
- Just Mark. Just...
You can just call me Mark.
Can you see anyone at the gate?
Well, actually, I'm not on the
clock for another few minutes.
- But it's okay. Don't worry.
- Do you mind?
No.
Well, I can see through the
hedges, it's that Prius again.
- No, they're gone again.
- Thank you.
[Sammy] You know,
if I had time to do a hobby,
right, you know
what it would be? Weaving.
I have this deep desire
to do something with my hands.
Maybe you should just wring my
neck and put me out of my misery.
Wait a minute.
Costa Rica, first week of July,
the Jolsons went someplace and
the whole family learned how to surf.
- What about the Fourth?
- Fuck the Fourth.
Since when have
we been patriotic?
God, I need a drink.
Well, the bartender's making
some sort of delicious
orange blossom
something or other.
What? You hired a bartender?
How much did that cost?
It's a fancy party, Sammy.
Are you gonna serve drinks
all fucking evening?
You're very sexy when you cuss.
Do you listen to a word I say?
Oh, if I'm being honest,
I drift.
- Are you fucking for real?
- What?
Didn't Daniel tell us
to be honest?
So I'm being honest.
Look, I know I'm screwed
no matter what I say,
so sometimes, when you talk,
I have this involuntary
outer-body experience.
[Sammy moaning]
You know, you get aroused
at the most annoying times.
Yes, I do. I absolutely do.
But I can be very fast.
- Wilder is wide awake, next door.
- [car horn honking]
- [Mark] Hey, that car's back!
- Come on, come on, come on.
Coming!
[car horn continues honking]
Hello. Hi.
Can I help you?
I have to get inside.
My clicker won't work.
Oh. Um...
No, no. This isn't your gate.
Of course, it is. I live here.
Maybe you got
turned around, or...
I am not turned around.
I am home.
[chuckles]
It's automatic.
The lefts and rights,
and the return.
You know, the horse to the barn.
- Straight around and left.
- [Sammy] Rose, Rose, Rose.
You ordered the roast ham.
- You ordered the roast ham.
- Yeah. Gerald's favorite?
No, no, no.
Gerald is a vegan now.
No, I literally just had
a burger with him last week.
Delia just turned Gerald
into a vegan, okay?
I have to get home.
My husband is waiting for me.
Oh, this is my husband, Sammy.
Sammy?
That's my husband's name.
Are you my husband?
I'm sorry. Um, who is
this lady? Who are you?
- She's...
- I am suddenly so thirsty.
Maybe Sammy can drive you home?
It's 7:00.
- So what?
- Literally, dozens of people
are about to walk up
to our front door.
Are you having a party?
Yes, and it's very important
to my husband.
Oh, we're doing this party
for Gerald, okay?
Okay.
Keep telling yourself that.
Oh, don't pretend like
it's not important to you too.
It's a party.
I love parties.
I'm good at parties.
[horn honks] - [man]
Get out of the road, moron!
What did you say,
motherfucker? What?
- [man] Entitled asshole.
- Hey, fuck you!
- She's an old lady!
- [man] Fuck all you rich assholes!
I should chase him down
and tell him that our two BMWs,
four-bedroom house,
and saltwater pool
- have never been paid for.
- Okay, you're fine.
Oh, do you have a phone?
It's stuck, down in the seat.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God, is that Delia Malik?
- She came?
- She's supposed to be filming.
[amusing music playing]
She's gonna be
a massive distraction.
- Oh, my God.
- Oh. You thought I was overdressed.
Goddamn it.
Oh, Mr. Warren, I'd love
to take your aura photograph.
No. I'm looking for someone.
Delia. Delia.
- Oh.
- Oh.
- Sammy.
- Buona notte.
- Buona notte.
- - Buenas noches. - Mwah.
Buenas noche. Oh, my God, you
speak so many different languages.
- Yeah, you remember.
- Yes, I do. Yes, I do.
- I'm so happy that you're here.
- Yeah, I'm happy too.
How did you...? I thought
you were working tonight.
Let's find that phone.
I'm sorry, who are you?
My name is Rose.
Rose.
Well, what a beautiful name.
I wanted to name
my daughter Rose.
Oh. Does your daughter
live here in Los Angeles?
No, no, she does not.
When did that fence go up?
Oh, I don't know.
It was here when we bought it.
We would never have put up a fence
like that and those ridiculous hedges.
We used to sit outside,
watching for my husband
to come home from work.
Best part of our day.
Oh, thank God, Gerald's here.
Okay, I'll be right back.
[lively music playing]
[car door closes]
[Gerald] Rose?
- Hello, my darling.
- I'm so happy to see you.
You're wearing a nightgown.
Quite too early.
Maybe you can help me.
You see this woman in the car?
- She thinks that she's come home.
- Maybe she's a ghost.
Time does work differently,
in theory.
You know what? She's not
a character in your movie.
No, she really thinks
that she's home.
Well, old people are notoriously
unreliable narrators.
Historically, they're
the number one narrators.
[Gerald] Oh, haven't you heard?
History's been over for fucking decades.
All right,
don't be long, gorgeous.
If you were ten years younger,
Sammy would be
really in trouble.
[chuckles] It's true!
- Hey.
- I need to use the ladies' room.
Oh. Oh, you know what?
Let's go check your phone.
Let's go look for the phone
one last time.
I'm sure you'd much prefer
your own bathroom.
I really have to use
the ladies' room.
- [Mark] The man of the hour.
- [Gerald] Oh, my God.
This is from the film.
- That's right.
- Oh, this is brilliant.
- May I photograph your aura?
- Of course. Be my pleasure.
- This is great.
- This is an honor for me.
Wait one second until I just
give you the right look. Okay?
- Okay.
- Three, two, one.
Just one more step.
There you go.
[clears throat]
Bathroom's right through there.
I'm sure
I don't have to tell you.
I've never been here before.
How would I know?
Yep.
[line ringing]
Hello? This is Rose Wright.
Um... You don't know me,
but I have Helen, your wife.
I think she got
a little bit turned around.
In my opinion, she probably
shouldn't be driving anymore.
Anyway, she's worried about you,
or she's worried that
you're worried about her.
So when you get this message,
will you give us a call?
Helen?
Helen?
You doing okay in there?
Yes.
I left a message on your
home machine for your husband.
Is there anyone else
I should call?
Okay. Well, just let me know
if you need anything.
[line ringing]
Are you sure you don't know her?
She drives a Prius.
But you're in her book.
No, no, no. She didn't pass
away. She's at my house right now.
Well, she thinks she lives here,
which she obviously doesn't
because, you know,
I'm pretty sure I live here.
[swing music playing]
Todd, you're back.
How was India?
Twenty-nine transcendent days.
Yeah, so it was
a good time, huh?
Ah. Takes me right
back to Paris.
- [guests laughing]
- [line ringing]
Helen.
Yes, yes.
Yes, Helen Clare.
Oh, for goodness' sake,
stop shouting my stage name.
You're an actress?
In another life, I was.
- Hello?
- [disconnect tone]
I lost you.
Is there anyone else
I should call?
Hey. Oh, my God.
Wow.
Wow, what a gorgeous night.
Everybody's outside,
and literally,
everyone still smokes,
which I find fucking amazing,
by the way.
Please don't smoke in the house.
Wilder's right upstairs.
What? The air in Los Angeles
is so bad.
You really think one cigarette's
gonna make a difference?
Where have you been, by the way?
I was wondering if you were
still outside with that old woman.
Oh, I'm taking...
Putting Wilder to bed.
Listen, hey. Can I borrow, like,
a nice sweater or something?
It's for Delia. She's cold.
I haven't even finished
getting ready myself.
Well, do you think maybe
you could get ready,
and then
while you're getting ready,
maybe you could just give me,
like, a poncho?
Yeah, that's perfect.
This is perfect right here.
No, no, no.
- That's my expensive cashmere.
- What? Oh, come on, Rose.
You won't even know she
borrowed it. She's like a hummingbird.
Clothes just hover
over her frame.
You were never good
at metaphors, sweetheart.
This? You want me to walk
outside with this in my hand
- and give this to her to wear?
- What?
- "Hello. Here. Wanna wear this?"
- She's young.
She's wearing a cocktail dress.
Are you kidding me?
- She's an A-list actress.
- Chic. Young kids, they do that.
- Please, just... Please.
- It's high...
Oh, my God.
- You're acting so crazy.
- [sighs]
[clears throat]
- Will you please stop moving for just one second?
- I'm a hunter.
- I can't stop moving.
- You're not a hunter.
- You've never killed anything.
- You're not some kind of
frontierswoman yourself,
all right?
Well, I lived in Nepal
for a whole summer.
- Oh, yeah.
- Without running water.
Right. Yeah, I know this story.
I've heard it
like a thousand times.
Oh, sorry to bore you.
Uh... [stammers]
You don't bore me.
It's just starting
to sound a bit surreal.
You think I'm lying?
I believe you went.
I've seen the photos.
I just feel like you somehow snuck off to a
Four Seasons for scrambled eggs and coffee.
Honey, there's no
Four Seasons in Nepal.
Well, if there was,
you would find it.
I don't know if that's supposed
to be an insult or... Whatever.
- Did you ever go back?
- To Nepal?
No, to a time you could tolerate being on
the side of a mountain without running water.
[moans] I have the capacity
in me. My body remembers.
When the apocalypse comes,
you'll see, honey.
I'm strong.
Yeah.
I'm just not so sure
you'd stick around with me
if this grand project of ours
was reduced to mere survival.
Yeah. [Stammers] You might be
right about that. I really...
There's something
about your whole vibe
that I just can't picture
in an era after Advil.
Or Adderall. Or Ambien. Or...
Yeah.
[Delia & Gerald laughing]
[Rose]
When did that romance start?
[Sammy] He's all in.
I'm just not so sure she is.
Oh, Tracy, hi.
I just watched a video that said my
generation is never gonna get old.
They have
the technology already.
I need your help with something.
I know you're aware there's no
reception in the back of the house.
Yeah, total dead zone.
There's an elderly woman
in the bathroom.
I need you to go check on her
so I can keep making calls.
I need to find someone to come
get her before Sammy figures out
that I brought her inside
on this night of all nights.
- She's a witch.
- Shh. Why would you even say that?
It's the witching hour.
You know, they come
after day and before night
to suck the lives
out of all the little kids.
I saw her coming up the stairs.
I just knew it.
Tracy, are you serious?
If Wilder hears you,
he will never sleep again.
[Wilder] Mom, is that true?
I wanna meet the witch.
If you stare
into her eyes long enough,
you can get some of her powers.
Hm.
Oh.
[breathing heavily]
[grunts]
[grunting]
Ah.
[line ringing]
[Rose] Hello? I'm calling
about Helen Clare.
It's urgent
that you call me back. Um...
- [Helen] Is anyone there?
- What is it?
She's stuck
and I can't get her out.
What do you mean?
Helen, are you okay in there?
- [Sammy] Hey. Uh...
- [Helen] Hello?
- [door closes]
- What? What's going on?
The doorknob fell off again
and the door won't open.
What? Are you...?
I thought you said
you were gonna get that fixed.
Did I say it was your fault?
Jesus, come on.
I'm just trying to help.
Oh, by making sure
it wasn't your fault first?
Do you even know
where the toolbox is?
I didn't even know
we had a toolbox.
[scoffs] My father's turning
in his grave.
Okay, all right, so why has
a 90-year-old doorknob
become a reason for you
to attack my masculinity?
Because there's a woman
stuck in the bathroom.
- In this bathroom? Is it Delia?
- Yes, right here.
No, it's not your precious,
little hummingbird Delia.
It's the old woman from outside.
What? Are you...?
You brought the old woman
from outside inside?
Her name is Helen Clare.
For some reason,
it sounds eerily familiar.
Oh, come on, Rose.
We don't have time for one
of your rescue missions.
She's not a stray dog, Sammy.
She's a person.
Which means you're even
less qualified to manage this
than what you do with
all your Labrador retrievers.
Oh.
I'm also a life coach.
In training.
Come on, what are you
gonna do with those?
You gonna grill?
It's not a hamburger.
- What, you got a better idea?
- No, come on.
- Do you have a better idea?
- Yeah, I do have a better idea.
- You... Here, can you please?
- Okay.
All right, great. Hello, hi.
- Hello? Can you hear me?
- Yes.
Great. Can you open the window?
- Ye... Yes.
- Perfect.
I'll be right there.
- [cell phone ringing]
- Oh, my God.
- Hello? Hello?
- [woman on phone] Hello?
Yes, yes. This is Barbara.
- Hi, Barbara.
- Yes?
Yes, thank you so much
for calling me back.
Did Helen...?
Did Helen pass away?
Oh, no. No, no, no.
She didn't pass away.
I just need someone
to come and get her.
She's at my house
in the Hollywood Hills.
- [banging]
- [Sammy speaking indistinctly]
Ow, my fucking arm.
- [thud]
- [Sammy groans]
[panting]
Hi. Can I...?
Great. Um...
Uh, just gonna get here.
All right.
Excuse me. Uh...
[doorknob clicking]
Okay. What do we do now?
[Barbara] I'm all the way down
in La Jolla, honey.
It's too late for me to drive.
I'm almost 90.
I don't understand
why she's at your house.
She's lost. She's... [groans]
I think
she might be sick. She...
Her skin was really hot when
I helped her out of the car.
Maybe she has a fever.
Well, did you ask her
how she was feeling?
Fuck. Fuck, fuck.
[groans]
- Okay.
- My grandmother said it was an omen.
If you can't turn the handle,
you will be stuck between
yesterday and tomorrow.
Okay, Helen.
[Rose] Mind the Trap?
- Helen?
- [Barbara] Yes.
Are we talking about
the same Helen?
- She's driving a Prius. She's...
- It's all those medicines.
So it's the medications
that are making her confused?
Ah! Voila. Hey! Ha.
[laughing] Look at that.
And Rose said I couldn't
survive the apocalypse.
After you. Please.
Watch your step.
- [Rose] She's dying?
- All right.
- "Dying" dying? Okay.
- [Barbara] Yeah.
- [groans]
- Yes.
Yes, I will take
the greatest of cares.
[call disconnects]
Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
- Oh. Ah.
- Ah.
- Hi, look at us.
- Hi.
- It'll all work out after all.
- Are you okay?
Good omens all around.
Since when do you believe
in omens? Are you okay?
Since tonight, since she just
mentioned it in the bathroom.
She is the grandmother's cat.
I am Helen, and I fixed
that blasted doorknob
time and time again,
and yet it still falls off.
That's the omen.
[Sammy] Rose?
Omens are never good.
- Can I get you some Tylenol?
- Rose? Rose?
I don't think it would help.
Rose, can I please talk to you
for just a second?
[Rose whispering] One second.
One second.
[chattering indistinctly]
- [Sammy] How are you, buddy?
- [Rose] We missed you guys.
[Sammy] Please... Drinks?
Everything's outside.
[somber music playing]
[Sammy] Everything's
right out here. Yeah.
Look, I don't mean
to sound unsympathetic. I don't.
We should really
call the police.
Elderly people with Alzheimer's
are very dangerous, Rose.
- Call the police?
- Yes.
- She doesn't have Alzheimer's.
- Well then she's fucking crazy.
Look, either way,
she's not our responsibility.
Okay?
She's not our responsibility.
She has the same handwriting
as my grandmother.
Are you kidding?
Listen, I need your help
with something very important.
- Hey.
- Are you kidding me?
Hey! What's going on?
- How was the screening?
- Oh, where are my manners?
Here, let me take your coat.
It's warm tonight.
You won't be needing this
in the garden before dinner.
Yeah, drinks are right outside.
We're not serving dinner.
We're just serving
some finger food.
Cheapskate.
[whispering] Cheap...
Okay, this right here,
this has to end right now.
She just relieved our guests of
their jackets, which they will need.
It's fucking cold outside.
She's just a little confused
about the weather because she's...
Because she's what?
She's... She's... hot.
Why is she hot?
She has a fever.
She has a fever?
You brought a demented old woman
into our home with the flu
- tonight of all nights?
- It's...
- Are you fucking serious?
- It's not contagious, Sammy.
She's dying.
Then we should call
an ambulance.
What?
You said she's dying, right?
That's what you just said to me.
You said it, so let's call an ambulance.
You can't treat her like
she's some grave inconvenience.
And you can't treat her
like your next great cause.
- I want you to feel something.
- I feel a lot of things.
You just don't wanna hear
about any of them.
Lucien De Leon is coming.
- Lucien? In our house?
- Yes, in our home.
What happened
to your utter contempt for him?
- I think that's a bit strong.
- I'm sorry, I was being kind.
What happened
to your all-consuming jealousy?
I'm over it.
Now, can you please just be
on my side for one night?
[woman squeals]
[Sammy] Hey! Hey!
What happened to the closet
in the guest room?
And why am I dressed in
these clothes for a garden party?
I'm such a sight.
Do you see me?
Yes, Helen, I see you.
- [Mark] Oh, beautiful.
- [Delia] Yeah.
[Mark]
Jeez, I'd kill for that aura.
- See this red?
- [Delia] Mm-hm.
That means passion,
which you have a lot of.
And the orange is sensuality.
Oh, great.
- Even that camera reduces me to a clich.
- Well...
[woman] This looks delicious.
I just couldn't do it.
I hate movies about magic.
[whimsical music playing]
Did you find my husband?
Uh, no, but I'm sure
he'll call back any minute.
The more...
The more I think about him,
the more he slips away from me.
He used to go on wanders,
and, oh, I can see him.
There he is at the bar,
at the Formosa,
in his white tuxedo jacket,
with that whiskey soda,
and I'm in my wedding dress.
We snuck out of our own wedding.
His family were
no-booze Mormons.
[chuckles]
What a boring lot.
Hi.
Oh, my God, you're gorgeous.
Sorry to interrupt.
Which way to the bathroom?
I'm sure it's pretty obvious.
So silly to ask.
No, no, no.
It's through the dining room.
Did you find my husband?
I didn't know
I was looking for him.
There he goes again,
a vanishing shadow.
Oh, there it is. Now, see that?
[chuckles] His smile.
I'm sure you hear this
all the time,
but you and your mother
look so much alike.
My mother is dead.
Does this mean
we are not related?
[Wilder] Mom! Mom!
I'm hungry.
You had enough dinner
to feed ten children.
You are not hungry.
[stammers]
How do you know that?
Because I know.
I monitor your body.
Study it, clean it,
cuddle it, dress it.
Wow, I sound
like a serial killer.
No, not at all.
You are a mother.
Just giving, giving, giving
all the time, right?
Bringing out
the potential of others.
And I also heard
you're a life coach.
I... How did you hear
about my life coaching?
Because Gerald talks
about you all the time.
Yeah, I was actually kind of
intimidated to meet you, you know,
because he thinks you're the
smartest person he ever met.
Like you could do his job better
than him if you only had the drive.
Or the time.
I had that mantle custom-made
by the same fella
who did the one
in David Niven's study.
He was a friend
of my second husband.
Scoundrels, both of them.
- Who is David Niven?
- [cell phone ringing]
Oh. Oh. Oh.
That might be him now.
David Niven is dead.
- Hello?
- [over phone] It's Barbara.
- Oh, hi, Barbara.
- We spoke earlier.
No, yes, I remember we spoke.
I was just hoping you were
her husband finally calling back.
You're waiting
for her husband to call?
That's not possible.
Her husband is dead.
What...?
He's been dead
for a number of years now.
- No. No.
- I went to the funeral.
He is dead.
[sighs] Just let her know
that I'm on my way.
Tell her that Barbara is coming.
But you're so far.
Won't that take a long time?
That is just something
a friend would do.
Yes, that is just something
a friend does.
I'll be there as soon
as I can manage it.
- Take good care of her.
- Okay. Bye for now.
Did you find my husband?
[melancholy music playing]
[Delia] No.
No, not yet.
He wanders. He does that. He...
He forgets things.
That's why he needs me.
Helen, I don't think you should try to
make sense of anything in the moment.
It'll just upset you.
If he's lost,
it will be my fault.
[Wilder] Mom!
[Rose]
Wilder is not feeling well.
Um, Tracy, will you stay
in here with Helen?
It's not gonna be long now.
Barbara is on her way,
and soon you'll be cozy
and back at home, okay?
I'll be right back.
Oh.
[swing music playing]
[guests chattering]
[rattling]
I have a stomachache.
You're fine.
You've basically eaten the
same thing for the last six years.
But you weren't with me
at school.
I'm always at school.
I'm there for Friday coffee.
I'm in charge of weaving
the global blanket.
Someone at school said
God was the global blanket.
[Rose] That's refreshing.
Do you believe in God?
I wish I did, but, no, I don't.
Anastasia, at school,
she wears a cross because
the son of God died on it.
- It's just a story.
- Mm.
Will you tell me
one of your stories?
Down in the deep,
at the bottom of the ocean,
there lived
a sparkling glow fish.
Alone in the dark,
the only light it ever saw
was the light that came
from its insides.
[yawns]
Well, one day, it rose up
through the darkness into the light,
and lo and behold,
it saw another fish
with golden scales.
Oh, how the sparkle fish
wished it could be as bright
and shiny as the golden fish.
So you know what it did?
It tucked its little, starry,
little arms into a ball.
Sleep tight, little light
All you wish
Will come this night
And he went right to sleep.
And he woke up...
and he had become
the golden fish!
Oh, the joy.
Oh, he raced
into the beam of light.
And he swam and twirled
until he saw another creature,
who was even brighter
and shinier than he was
because he was in the sun,
on top of the ocean.
He saw a glossy seal.
[Wilder] It's a dolphin.
You know the story
better than I do.
Maybe you should tell it to me.
Maybe you should put me to bed.
You need to go
to the party, Mom.
- I do?
- Don't you like parties?
Uh...
I do.
I did. I don't know.
I do.
[guests chattering outside]
[Helen] Doesn't anyone
eat the oranges?
Look at them rotting away.
All that sunlight
will be wasted.
Oh, I thought I'd lost you.
I was talking
to this movie star.
He's waiting for you.
It's you.
I owe you an apology.
How about "hello" first?
It's been a long time.
Just wait. I really have
to do this right now
before I do anything else, okay?
[groans then mouth flapping]
I'm sorry.
[snorts then chuckles]
Oh, my God, those words
are about as riveting
as a store-bought Valentine's.
This is gonna be harder
than I thought.
I think you need some privacy.
- Oh, no. Helen, I don't care.
- No, I'll be over here.
Wait, is this some sort
of sobriety thing?
Yeah, I have a long list,
and you were at the very end.
You didn't have
a drinking problem before.
Apparently, I did.
That's the consensus,
according to the... powers that be.
So I... I went to rehab
for a small spell
on the super down-low,
and I realized that I have
all of these unresolved feelings
about
my edge-of-poverty childhood,
my shitty dad, my last wife.
And you know how they say
you're stuck at the age
when you started
to drink problematically?
For me, that was 29.
Hm. Lucky you, 29 forever.
Rose, you're my 29.
Just let me do this, please.
Just sit down for a second.
You believed in me
when I didn't believe in myself.
[laughing]
That doesn't even remotely sound like a
sentence your brain could manufacture.
Is this you, Lucien?
Goddamn it, I missed you.
I'm sorry about all the drama.
I'm fine, Lucien.
I have a big, big life,
wonderful home.
I'm married,
with a terrific kid.
I don't need
a big mea culpa from you.
No, I know you're great. I know.
I've seen you out
a couple of times,
but I wasn't ready
to talk to you yet.
I didn't know I required
so much preparation.
I'm sorry.
I think you can do better.
Let's go again.
How about
you make it a surprise?
Even to yourself,
how much you mean it.
I am sorry.
- [whispering indistinctly]
- [footsteps approaching]
What I wouldn't give
to be a fly on this wall.
[laughs]
Lucien De Leon
in my fucking house, man!
What a pleasure.
A real pleasure to meet you.
It's a pleasure to meet you too,
Sammy Warren.
Gerald says
you're a fucking assassin.
Ah. Well, I didn't know that I've
been killing people all these years.
But, hey, I'll take it.
I'll take it.
Listen,
I've read all the articles,
and I know
that you're a bourbon guy,
and I have a beautiful bottle
of bourbon on the bar
- that I wanna share with you.
- Okay.
Come on, Rose.
Let's go have a drink.
Welcome, buddy. Welcome to
my home, man. I appreciate it.
[Tracy] Oh, my God. Rose!
That lady, she's in the street!
Hm?
[gasps]
[dramatic music playing]
Helen!
Come on, come with me.
You can't be out here.
Well, I thought maybe...
I shouldn't be there.
[Rose] Well, we have
to wait for Barbara.
You know, she's coming
all this way from La Jolla.
[Helen]
Are we gonna be run over?
I went outside because...
I felt
I was just in everyone's way.
I should just go.
But where?
I'm already home.
How many children do you have?
- I have just one.
- Only one?
With all those rooms
and all that racket upstairs?
You really do look
a lot like me.
[Lucien] You know, I'm actually kind of
couch surfing at the moment right now.
- You're couch surfing?
- Yeah.
- I don't feel like anchoring.
- You don't own a home?
No, I've never
really lived here.
Really?
That's so surprising to me.
- Where do you...? Yeah.
- In my mind.
Yeah, I think a lot of people
could feel that way.
Yeah.
Well, I guess Rose got stuck
backstage or something.
You know, she'd rather be
anywhere but her own party.
- Yeah.
- Yeah. Cheers.
To our shared history
and to the future.
[Sammy] Mm.
I don't really drink anymore.
I'll see you.
[Sammy] You gotta be kidding me.
[Delia & Lucien
speaking Spanish]
Uh, Bobby, right? Bobby?
- Yeah.
- What do you do?
- Are you, like, an actor?
- Yeah.
[Delia in English] Really?
[Bobby] What are you?
Are you an agent?
How could you tell?
This is a $200-glass of whiskey.
Enjoy.
Cheers.
Oh.
Barbara will be here soon.
You keep mentioning
this Barbara.
She's your old friend.
She's gonna come and get you.
Well, why have I just been
left here all alone?
You're not alone. You're...
I'm here.
But you don't count.
What have you done
with all of my things?
The paintings,
photographs, books?
The tiny head of a king
on a stick?
My box?
Theater tickets,
thank-you cards.
Since you have managed
to take it all away,
have it be gone,
take this God-awful pain
in my stomach away too.
You're gonna be okay.
No, I am not going to be okay.
Oh, stop lying to me.
You're right.
There is no one left.
You arrived here
all on your own, by mistake.
You're lost.
You're dying.
It doesn't make sense
because there's no sense
to be made of any of it.
[melancholy music playing]
What happened with the
movie star after he apologized?
He said he was still
in love with me.
[groans]
I used to go to Formosa too.
I can still see myself
sitting there with Lucien,
drinking too many whiskeys
and smoking cigarettes.
Maybe your husband was right
there, having a whiskey soda?
Vodka soda.
He never drank whiskey.
I left to work on the
Godfrey film in Escondido
for three measly days,
the only time that I was away,
and look what happened to Janey.
You should have paid attention.
You should have put
a sweater on her.
What happened to Janey?
We don't talk about that
in this house.
[gasping]
Oh, my... What?
[Helen] There he is.
[Wilder laughs]
[Rose] Are you so naughty?
You got a suit on?
Looking very handsome.
Oh, you have freckles.
They're my favorite.
Does your sister have freckles?
I don't have a sister
or freckles. I'm a lonely child.
[Helen laughs]
Children are coming out
of the woodwork.
They're like stars in the sky.
They're my favorites.
Star light, star bright
First star I see tonight
I wish I may, I wish I might
Have the wish I wish tonight
My mother made up
a story like that.
About a fish
that becomes a star.
Sleep tight, little light
All you wish
Will come this night
- Oh, will you tell me the story?
- Yes!
So down in the deep,
at the bottom of the ocean,
there lived
a sparkling glow fish.
The only light it ever saw
was the light that came
from its insides.
All alone, it swam and swam,
until one day...
- [Gerald] Get the fucking thing working.
- What? What do you want?
You want it well-done,
or you want it charred?
- Don't worry.
- Charred to the fucking bone, mate.
- Oh, my God.
- It was supposed to be warm tonight.
Ah. Well, I'll let whoever's in
charge know you're disappointed.
Yeah, Gerald insists on bringing
his own portable microclimate, right?
Yeah, she thinks
I live in a bubble.
Yeah, you do.
[Sammy] There's no reason to
ever be uncomfortable in Los Angeles.
I mean,
that's why we live here, right?
- Oi, come here, give me your hands.
- What? You want my hand?
- For what?
- I'm gonna put these...
- Okay.
- One between each finger.
- Each finger. Right here.
- Don't worry.
I don't know. Do we trust him?
- I don't know. I wouldn't.
- Do we trust him?
[Sammy] Lucien, what do you
think? Do we trust him, Lucien?
- You looking at this, man?
- Leave Lucien out of it.
- This is my fucking magic.
- [Sammy] All right.
- Oh, my God.
- This is...
Okay, that one's a little close.
That's a little close.
That's the whole point.
Your job is to be mute and grateful,
and enjoy some fucking magic.
[Sammy] Okay.
Okay, now, here's the cork.
Don't forget the cork.
The cork? What the fuck
do I do with the cork?
- I've forgotten it.
- What?
[all laugh]
You two could take
your act on the road.
I absolutely,
categorically agree.
Ah. Hey, Gerald.
Can I get a second with you?
No. The bits have a...
The bits have a...
- Okay.
- Where's my drink gone?
[pensive music playing]
[Wilder] And then the golden
fish saw something in the water
and he raced to it.
- And before he knew it...
- [inaudible dialogue]
he was tangled up
in a hook and a rope,
and he couldn't get free.
And he fought and he fought.
But it pulled him out of
the water and into the air.
He saw a beautiful white bird
flying right into the sun.
He wished
and he wished to be the bird.
But he was caught in all of the
ropes and couldn't go anywhere.
[grunts]
Please don't let me go.
[Sammy] Light of my life!
I bought you a bottle
of the Clos des Papes.
I hid it behind the bar,
but soon it will be discovered
and there will be none... left.
- Really? She's still here?
- Barbara didn't come yet.
Hey, bud.
Hey. Tracy, let's go. Come on.
You're gonna put Wilder to bed.
Come here, buddy. Come on.
[grunting]
I love you so much, but it's
time for you to go night-night.
I'm not paying you
to go to the party.
Lucien was about
to sign my shirt.
- Seriously?
- Yeah.
Come on. Let's go.
- Off you go.
- Good night, baby angel.
[Rose gasps]
- [Wilder grunts]
- [Sammy] Aw.
My angel. Mwah.
- Okay.
- Thank you for the huggies.
Good night, buddy.
[Tracey] Space fighter.
Can I get a moment
with you alone, please?
[Sammy] Okay.
- What?
- I love your hair like this.
What?
I love your hair like this.
It reminds me of that time, you
know, when we went to Panama.
Remember that? We had
that little hut over the beach.
Remember that?
Yeah, that was great.
- It was fun, wasn't it?
- I loved that place.
Yeah, it was beautiful,
wasn't it?
What are you...? What are we...?
I was just wondering
if you'd ever go back.
To... Like, for a vacation?
To live.
[snorts]
- What are you talking about?
- We could live there.
We could live there.
It's cheap there.
We could...
You wanna pull Wilder
out of school?
You wanna send him
to school in Panama?
What are you talking about?
[sighs]
- Are you okay?
- Yeah, I just...
I feel like somebody's poured
battery acid down my stomach.
Why are you acting so crazy?
I'm leaving the agency, Rose.
You said you would never make
that decision without me.
Well, I know that you
never would have agreed.
You can't do that, Sammy.
You're 45 years old.
What are you gonna do?
Start over in this climate
of extreme uncertainty?
Are you...?
I mean, it's a miracle you still have
a job, with these huge companies
swallowing up
smaller agencies like yours.
- Did you even tell Constantine or Gerald this?
- Look, I'm just...
I'm thinking about it,
all right? That's all.
Oh, okay, great.
You're thinking about it.
- Okay, good to know. Great, thanks.
- Relax.
- Just relax, all right?
- That's insane.
[man laughing outside]
[sighs] Look, will you, uh...?
Can we just go to the party?
Gerald's drunk, and you're the
only one that can wrangle him
before he goes grandiose.
Will you please,
please just go outside
and do what you do? Please?
I'll stay here
with your cross to bear.
- You will?
- Yes.
- You'll check on Wilder?
- Yeah.
Make sure he's asleep
and not just pretending?
- Of course.
- You'll check his breathing?
- I'm gonna check his breathing.
- Make sure it's rhythmic?
I'll bring
a fucking stethoscope, okay?
- I need it to be deep and slow.
- It'll be deep. It'll be slow.
- Please, will you go?
- Do you promise?
- I promise.
- I'm actually serious.
- Will you please just go to the party? Thank you.
- Okay.
[exhales]
[sighs]
Do you, um, remember me?
You...
You... You look like
another man from earlier.
But he lived here.
Yeah, that... That is me.
This is... This is my home.
Um, Rose is my wife.
- I'm her husband.
- Really?
You... You?
[Spanish guitar music playing]
[Sammy sighs]
[guests chattering]
[Rose] Hi. Can I get a drink?
[man] I'm staying sober tonight.
I'm staying sober.
[speaking German]
Save me from this completely
unacceptable proposition.
So the past and the present
are both delusions, right?
Here's my question.
What does that make me?
Without what you did
and what you're about to do.
Exactly.
[chuckles] Without a sense
of time, we'd just be...
Happy?
Mmm. Lost.
Alone in the dark.
My secret weapon.
See, I always carry her
in my pocket, don't I?
Maybe she doesn't want to be in
your pocket. It's awfully small in there.
[laughing]
And just like that,
there she is.
The switch she can flip
in an instant...
She's the love of my life.
First time I...
I saw her was on stage.
It was this play
she was doing with Lucien.
She was... unbelievable.
Afterwards, I went to this party
because I really wanted to meet her.
All I could do was stand there
and listen.
Like a real fucking wallflower.
And she made her way
through the crowd,
telling them stories
about her trip to Nepal.
She's like a real butterfly, bringing
nectar, taking nectar. I don't know.
She's right. I've never really
been good at metaphors.
It's all one-to-one with me,
you know? I give and I take.
It is what it is.
But with her,
everything multiplies.
The good and the bad.
Anyway, uh, a year later,
I found myself at another party.
Only this time, I wasn't some asshole trying
to make his way to the center of the room.
And she noticed me.
She is in love with him.
- Who's in love with who?
- No, wait.
He is still in love with her.
The movie star.
He said that to my wife, what, the
moment he came through my front door?
It was in the foyer.
[sighs]
[scoffs]
With a candlestick or a rope?
Speaking of faith, do you know
the play Gerald is adapting as a film?
Traveling Jones?
Yeah, no, I meant to tell you
as soon as I found out, but...
Yeah, well,
the fucking endless...
- Adulation.
- Yeah, I was gonna say press.
But, yeah, it's true.
It's like a lightning bolt
out of a fucking clear blue sky.
The estate have
just given us the rights.
So after all this time,
can you imagine?
A chance
to finally get it right.
I mean, you were amazing, always.
You held the whole thing together.
Me and Lucy were basically
just playing catch-up, you know?
Listen, I'll fill you in on all the
details later, but it's basically...
Yeah, it's great news
for everyone.
- It's amazing.
- I know. Completely out of the blue.
What happened with the fish
that became a star?
My wife's fucked-up
bedtime story?
[Helen scoffs]
I'm not a fan.
I mean, it's a lie.
You'll eventually realize that you were
always enough? No, I don't think so.
Once you become a star,
there's no way you want to go back
to being a teeny, tiny little glow fish.
You're so angry,
it will be the death of you.
- What have I done?
- What have you done?
[chuckles]
Nothing to do with you.
What you did with the rabbits.
Remember, you got Janey the rabbits, and
you said they would make her feel better.
Well, that didn't work.
She was too sick to even hold
them, and they ran away from her!
Okay, all right, hold on. Don't
go haywire on me right now.
Rose would be very proud
at how well we're managing.
Don't disappear on me again.
Sammy, you can't leave me
alone here
in all this pain.
I'm not that Sammy.
It was a different time
and a different place.
Okay, let's just, you and me.
I've got nothing else to do.
You were an actress, right?
Rose said you were Helen Hale.
That was your stage name.
I don't have time
to tell you stories.
[scoffs]
- Come on, where are you going?
- None of your business.
Look, it is my business. Rose
said I'm supposed to stay here.
Rose said, Rose said.
What do you say?
To the ladies'.
Is that all right with you?
- Uh...
- Did you even think
of checking
on your lonely child?
[door opens]
[pensive music playing]
[man] I heard a story
that I wanted to...
- [woman 1] I'll be back.
- [woman 2] Yes, I know.
[man] There it is. There it is.
But seriously...
Hi. Excuse me.
[door closes then lock clicks]
Fucking hell.
- Little cunt.
- [knocking on door]
- It's okay. Hey, hey.
- Motherfucker.
What are you doing? What are
you doing here? What's going on?
Did you put something
sneaky in pocket?
- You did, didn't you? You little fucker.
- No, no, no. No, that wasn't me.
I didn't put anything sneaky
in your pocket.
Well, this didn't
just magically appear.
I haven't worn this jacket
since I flew back from Canada.
You took a transatlantic flight
with cocaine in your pocket?
- Maybe.
- That could have ended very badly.
Like you not being able
to go to the Oscars.
Oh, for God's sake.
- [knocking on door]
- Close the fucking door.
- I'm sorry. I'm sorry. One second.
- [woman] Oh. Sorry.
We'll be out in a second.
We need to receive
these gifts as a benediction.
Okay? So come the fuck on.
Okay, well, maybe not
on my son's bird book.
[snorting loudly]
Oh, it's fucking perfect.
I'll do one, and then we gotta get out
of here, okay? It's my son's bathroom.
- There he is.
- Just like that. All right.
There he fucking is.
[chuckles]
There we are.
I forgot you're a key-man.
Okay, come on, let's go. Let's get
out of here. I need you to be very quiet.
- Quiet.
- Be quiet.
- [whispering] Hey, hey.
- What?
- This is fucking amazing.
- Yeah, yeah, it's great.
Wow, this view is
the fucking bullocks!
No, I think you'd handle
this whole reunion thing.
You're the only fucking one, actually.
What are you gonna do?
Lucien's Lucien, you know?
Even I don't fully trust
the cunt. [Chuckles]
Yeah.
I mean, he's famous
for ripping apart relationships
just with
one little fucking glance,
and then he ponces off
and leaves everyone in tatters.
It must be so exhilarating
having that kind of charm.
I really thought you were
gonna cancel tonight.
You know, considering your,
you know, situation.
But you're my fucking main man. You're always
with a big finish. I fucking appreciate that.
I really want to talk to you
about something very important.
This is... This is very exciting.
This is not a bad thing.
This is so...
It's so, so, so exciting.
Sammy, I have a bit of a
sneaking feeling. I don't know.
I think I've emerged
as a kind of...
high priest
of a yet-to-be-named religion.
Really?
- All across the fucking world, right?
- Uh-huh.
Little kids, they go to bed
- and they take one of these with them.
- Mm-hm.
A figurine that I brought
forward, I brought to life.
- Yeah. Yes.
- I made this...
- happen, right?
- Yes.
And they speak to it, right?
They tell it their little... Their
little secret wishes and dreams
and hopes for the future
and their fears.
- I am the summoner of tale and truths.
- Mm-hm.
- Yeah.
- And now?
- After 1 billion fucking...
- One billion dollars.
[both chuckle]
All I have to do is just lift my
fucking finger, right? And bang.
Yes.
Forces will just come out
from nowhere and marshal
and just realize my most crazy
fucking visions, no matter how absurd.
I mean, okay, here's one.
You see this?
I see a man who can control
the weather with his mind, right?
- Unbelievable.
- And, like,
clouds form, sunlight shines, rain on
parks, you know, anything you want.
And it's like a really tragic,
very personal story, right?
- But with epic special effects.
- Epic.
So it leaves everyone entertained and
walking out just a little bit more ready
for the catastrophe that awaits.
Now, do you think
that is ridiculous?
- I don't think that's ridiculous.
- No, it's all ridiculous
by its very nature because
it's fucking fake, right?
But since actors are humans,
we perceive the story as real,
or better than real, as truth,
brought forth by me from nothing.
Like the fucking hand of God in the Michelangelo
picture, touching the hand of David.
Bang! Right?
- Nothing, then something.
- It's fucking fantastic.
So, um...
I am...
I... I want to go back
to my situation,
you know, which you brought up, and I'm glad that you did.
- Uh-huh.
Man, this is such a big deal.
This is it.
I see it clearly in my mind. This is
what I'm doing. You ready for this?
I'm building
the fucking Death Star, man.
- Right.
- For real.
And do you know
who my Darth Vader is?
- You, man. You're my fucking... You're my Darth Vader.
- Alright, yeah, yeah.
So the only thing that we need
is a Princess Leia, right?
So I'm thinking, that's Delia. She's
a princess. It's perfect. There it is.
So the last piece of this
puzzle, the very last piece,
is Luke Skywalker.
We need a hero
for the hero's journey.
And here's the pitch, mate.
This is it.
If you put in a word
with Lucien,
we're blowing up
fucking planets, mate.
Blowing them the fuck up.
Or we're saving them, you know?
From climate change. We could
save planets. It doesn't really matter.
You know what?
I don't think
I'm merely a high priest, man.
I think I might be God himself.
I really do.
You know?
Uh...
Sorry, you were in the middle of saying
something about a Star Warsremake. Go on.
A remake? I'm not gonna
remake fucking Star Wars, man.
- Sorry.
- That's okay. I'm talking about my new management firm.
With you as my main focus.
I mean, you're my guy. Right?
I mean, obviously,
I'm gonna cut my fee in half.
And, uh...
[sighs]
Look, we've been at this
a long time.
You've been my client for 15
years. I'm not gonna make this weird.
Come on this journey with me.
Let's just do this.
A handshake deal right now,
you and me.
Uh...
[chuckles]
No, mate.
What?
No.
[chuckles nervously]
Mate, this is not fair. You've
really fucking surprised me.
- No, no, no.
- What...?
Look, look.
[groans] Okay, how can I put it?
Just 'cause you've got yourself
fucking fired in the new world order
does not mean I have to fucking
follow you to some stupid little office
with big fucking ideas
and no backing, right?
We're all fortressing up
for the coming storms, mate.
All of us. No one wants to be left
out there alone. Least of all me, okay?
So just don't ask me that.
'Cause then I have
to be a cunt and say no.
Yeah.
You'll be fine.
I need to get back to the party.
[guests chattering]
[dramatic music playing]
[speaking indistinctly]
I'll talk to you later.
- [Mark] Just take a deep breath.
- [Lucien] Do I need to stay still?
[Mark] You just
breathe normally.
[Lucien] What do you mean,
breathe normally?
Excuse me, we haven't
taken the photograph.
[Rose] Oh, sorry. I didn't know
you were in here. So sorry.
["Sweet Dark-Haired Man"
playing]
Oh, sweet, sweet
Dark-haired man
Oh, please
Please take my hand
And lead me, lead me
Lead me, lead me on
The light, soft on your brow
It shows
How you're worried now
I could love you, love you
Love you, anyhow
[singer whistling]
[Sammy] Sri Lanka.
The magazines say it's amazing.
Just fruit hanging from the trees.
It's supposed to be like Eden.
[snorting loudly]
- [sighs]
- What are you talking about?
I need a vacation.
But I can't take a vacation
unless I have a fucking job.
You swear too much.
It cheapens life.
What's the good of even...
getting dressed in the
morning, if all is obscenity?
Who are you?
How did you get here?
Really, here.
How did you get here?
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God, I know what this is.
Ah, this is Bedford Falls.
I'm, uh...
I'm Jimmy Stewart in that movie,
at Christmastime.
- It's just like the angel has wings, right? This is Clarence.
- Oh, my dearest Sammy.
- This is Clarence.
- It's not Christmastime and you're not Jimmy Stewart.
- [chuckles]
- [sighs]
That was a nice laugh.
Look, for the last time,
I'm not your fucking Sammy, okay?
Oh, my God.
Oh, my heart is about to...
Going off like a fuck clock...
Slow down, Sammy.
You know your heart is weak.
No, it's not. I work out.
I can run 6.5 on a treadmill for
25 minutes. I'm in great shape.
You don't want to collapse in the prime of
your life right here and die on the floor.
Oh, my God, you're a witch.
I can't believe
I did that play half-naked.
You were...
so charismatic,
it was distracting.
You weren't all bad with your shiny
shoes and your slicked-back hair.
[sucks teeth]
My savior, Traveling Jones.
I overheard Gerald finally telling
me we're all set to make it into a film.
Jones...
if you think your God gives you
the right to tell me who I can love,
- well, then let me tell you.
- What would you tell me?
That me coming through
your shithole town on a layover
from a broke-down Greyhound...?
[chuckles] Fuck,
I didn't remember the line.
Do you think we would have fallen
in love if we hadn't played lovers?
When I go through all the
pretending and the make-believe,
- I wonder what was real.
- All of it.
Because there's a beginning, a middle
and an end written by somebody else
doesn't mean that we weren't
present in the scene.
I thought free will had
something to do with it.
It's overrated.
I thought you were sober.
I am, but I still drink.
Don't tell anybody.
Your secret's safe with me.
[Mark] An aura photograph can
reveal everything about yourself.
[playful music playing]
[Rose] What are we doing?
Do you remember when you threw my
keys over the fence into someone's yard?
Because you didn't want me to
drive drunk to your best friend's party.
Yeah, and you climbed over and
you got attacked by my neighbor's cat.
[Lucien laughs]
You laughed all the way
to the hospital.
You were fun.
You make shitty things fun.
It was easy to laugh at shit.
You were easy.
No, I don't think anyone that knows
me now would ever believe that.
Do you remember when we
lost power during the heat wave?
No air-conditioning
and Gerald got so faint,
I had to go out to the car
and blast the air.
And you made me an ice bed
because I was so hungover,
I almost threw up, and then
you went out on stage...
to finish the play for the last
three remaining audience members,
doing both of our parts
in alternating accents.
God, you really are so good.
[chuckles]
I wish I was doing
the movie with you.
What? What do you mean?
What?
Who is it?
Who's gonna play my part?
Delia.
[laughs]
[Lucien chuckles]
Okay, but you still get
to play Jones?
- You were like this bright, shining star.
- [groans]
I don't know why you quit.
I didn't quit.
They stopped hiring me.
Besides, Sammy's always
working late or...
out of town.
I didn't have it in me
to chase ghosts
while Wilder was
growing up home alone.
We don't even have a dog, Lucien.
What kind of childhood is that?
And my mom never was around when
I was growing up. My dad was a goner.
I grew up on Pop-Tarts and TV,
but I still end...
Oh, come on.
Please don't end the story with:
"Look how I turned out. I turned
out all right." No, you didn't.
You didn't turn out all right!
You could be a super mean drunk.
I was gonna say, "I had you."
You made me...
see past what I was given.
What am I doing?
Don't worry.
Don't think about it.
It's not really happening.
We're just finishing unfinished
business in a parallel universe.
- Okay. All right.
- Oh, my God.
Rose...
I couldn't handle the fact
that you were so talented.
And I'm sorry about how I
broke up with you on the phone
right after you got
your first big job.
You should have been celebrating,
and instead you were devastated.
- You're the love of my life.
- You intimidated me.
I'm being honest.
Just look at this.
- Doesn't this feel good?
- Oh, yeah. So good.
I never should have left.
I bailed before the good parts, the
house, the kids, the Christmas cards.
This is not an apology. This is...
It's a total rewrite of my own history.
You mean, we could have had all of this
if only you felt a teensy bit more secure?
We could have had a child
in our 20s? Together?
That... That child, our child?
It would have been... It would
have been 18 years old, Lucien.
- How do you even know that?
- It's pretty easy.
You just subtract now
minus then, and boom,
you've got the age
of our phantom child.
It's always the years.
It's always the math.
It's just adding up
and taking down years.
It's... You don't get it.
You don't have a kid.
I did have a kid.
I didn't know until last year.
He's 16.
Yeah, I missed the messy bits,
but now it's me and him.
We're actually gonna drive an RV
across country for the whole summer.
His name is Raynor.
"His name is Raynor."
Well, you know, a few days
after you broke up with me,
I threw up every morning on set.
Thought
it was heartbreak or flu...
Whatever.
Sorry
I never mentioned it to you.
[pensive music playing]
Hey.
It's so good to see you.
I just...
I want you to know...
how grateful I am for you,
for everything.
What's wrong?
Did something terrible happen?
What? No. Nothing happened.
What, do I have to have, like, a
near-death experience to be nice?
Maybe.
Look, I think what you don't
understand is that every day
is like a near-death
experience for me.
But you mean
everything to me, Rose.
Everything.
Did you do cocaine with Gerald?
Uh...
He did it.
And then I did a little bit.
- Yeah, you did a lot.
- I mean, I did a lot, yes. And now I feel terrible.
Did you do it in front of Helen?
- I did.
- You did?
And that was really weird.
You think it was weird
to do cocaine
in front of this elegant,
sophisticated woman who's dying?
I'm dying.
I'm the one that's dying.
You're having
a first-class panic attack?
I'm not having a panic attack.
You're having a panic attack because you
entertained leaving your cushy job with Constantine.
But I promise you, Sammy, you're gonna wake
up tomorrow exactly where you need to be.
Look, I'm not
your little starfish.
- Okay.
- Okay?
You need to take a time-out, and
I really need to go talk to Helen.
Helen is gone.
- What do you mean?
- She left.
- Did Barbara come?
- No, Barbara didn't come.
- What?
- What? She probably...
- Sammy!
- What?
- Gosh!
- What?
- Oh, my God.
- What? She left.
Sammy!
How could you do this?!
I promised Helen
I wouldn't let her go.
And Barbara's coming all this
way because she's her friend
and that's what friends do.
She's a total and complete stranger
with a family of her own out there
wondering what happened to her.
No, there's no one else but me.
She needs help, Rose, real help.
You're right. You're right.
How could I possibly
provide real help?
I mean, I am the person who abandoned
everything I ever worked towards
so I could make some carrot
muffins with ricotta topping
for back-to-school nights and, you
know, be around for Wilder's childhood.
But, no, no, no, I don't blame
you for overlooking the one person
who makes it possible
to go to your beloved job
without a care in the world.
I got news for you.
I hate my fucking job!
It's done.
It's over. I'm out.
I don't have a job.
There's a complication at work.
They said if I wanted to keep my
job, I would have to do mediation,
to which I said,
"Go fuck yourself!"
And then they said that
I have an anger problem.
And if I wanted to keep my job, I would
also have to take anger management classes.
Manage my anger? It's the only
thing I actually like about myself.
A complication?
With you?
With Meredith.
It was a long time ago.
Meredith? Wait, hold on.
Oh, my God.
Gerald's old assistant?
Do you remember that time
you were allergic to me?
You mean, when I had postpartum?
You were allergic to me.
What happened?
I went to see Gerald
on location.
And we all went out
and we had dinner.
And then afterwards...
I walked Meredith
back to her room.
It was late.
And I was lonely.
It meant nothing.
I didn't want her, Rose.
I've only ever wanted you.
All I have done since the moment
that I saw you is try to win you over.
I'm sorry.
[poignant music playing]
[grunts]
I was wondering if you were ever
coming back to your own party.
Oh, this isn't my party.
I feel like such an asshole
for swanning around
about your mom glow
and your homemaker vibes.
So stupid. I'm sorry.
Oh, my God. No, you saw me. I'm
a mother. What else is there to see?
I had no idea you were
this celebrated theater actress.
Gerald just told me you
originated the part I'm about to play,
just standing ovations
every night.
Well, you know, that's the thing
about theater. Once it's done, it's over.
It's taken up by the hands of time and
packed away, never to be seen again.
Maybe... Maybe we could meet
at some point.
You could help me with the part.
There's no helping you.
That part is dated.
I mean, who wants to see
a woman like Rachel
saved by a man
who is so far beneath her
just because she wants to have a child
and thinks she's not worthy of anyone else?
And the ridiculous depiction
of motherhood,
the phony joy...
None of the primal struggle.
What a... What a pure falsehood.
I mean, who's gonna help her
when the curtain comes down?
No one, that's who.
I thought
you liked being a mother.
No. No.
I do not.
It's lonely.
And no one tells you that no matter
how much help you seek from experts,
there's no way
to fix that loneliness
because the person
you miss is yourself.
And the older you are
when you have your first child,
the bigger the gap between who
you were and who you've become.
It's so big, in fact, it will
swallow you whole one afternoon
when you're innocently trying to
baby-proof the electrical outlets.
- I'll sit, sorry.
- Are you okay?
Oh, my God,
the spinning, it's back.
Those flowers, they smell
horribly sweet. Are they rotten?
Oh.
I think I'm pregnant.
Do you?
Well, I took a test this morning
at work, and it was negative,
but then I just kept feeling so
weird, and I took a second one here.
And what did it say?
I haven't looked yet.
Why not?
'Cause I'm not ready.
I get it.
[melancholy music playing]
Wilder?
Wilder?
Wilder?
Wilder?
Delia!
- What happened?
- I can't find him.
[Rose] Wilder?
Wilder?
Rose, I found him!
Oh, my gosh.
He was in the tent.
- Thank you.
- Yeah, of course.
- Angel.
- Let's get you to bed.
Here you go.
You're okay.
If you took a picture of me and
Wilder right now in that guy's camera,
you'd find motherfucking rainbows
shooting out of my heart into his.
Are you okay?
Not great.
I just need to look
at this fucking test.
Give it to me.
Okay, this is totally weird.
It's not that weird.
So I know how to play
the answer when I see it.
- What do you want the test to say?
- Not no, not yes.
You know those are
your only two options?
[sighs]
Cross?
Cross.
Shit.
Do you want me to go get Gerald
and take you home?
Gerald and I
never slept together.
We were just experimenting, just
kind of like old-fashioned romance.
So...
Um...
Was it an immaculate conception?
No, Rose.
It is Lucien.
Please don't tell anyone yet.
[clears throat]
No, no. Of course not.
Oh.
Thank you.
Thank you.
All right.
["When It's Sleepy Time
Down South" playing]
Now the pale moon's shining
On the fields below
The folks are crooning
Soft and low
You needn't tell me, boy
'Cause I know, yeah
When it's sleepy time
Down south
Soft wind blowing
Through the pinewood trees
The folks down there
Live a life of ease
When old mammy
Falls on her knees
When it's sleepy time
Down south
Dear old south land
With his dreamy song
You take me back
Where I belong
Right in my mammy's arms
When it's sleepy time
Sleepy time, down south
[song ends]
[vehicle approaching]
[car horn honks]
[car horn honking]
- [crackling]
- [guests clamoring]
[man] I knew it! I knew it!
Oh, my God.
You're...? You're back?
Miss, would you step away
from the door?
My clicker isn't working
for some reason.
Is your husband waiting for you?
Oh, no.
He's been gone a long time.
It's just late, and I really
have to get to bed.
Okay, come on. Let's get
you inside, safe and sound.
[groaning]
How are you feeling?
Wouldn't you know? My stomach
just stopped hurting altogether.
That's wonderful news.
Let's go inside. Come on.
[Helen] Oh.
- Why is it so dark in here?
- [Gerald] The power just went out.
Sammy!
Come in, you can't fix this.
Well, why doesn't
someone light the fire?
You, God, make yourself useful.
Bring in the light that you are
always going on and on about.
Oh. The clock is stopped
this whole time.
Do you not notice these things?
Where are all of my things?
They're all gone.
[melancholy piano music playing]
[guests chattering]
[man 1]
How do you still have power?
- [Mark] What? Me?
- [man 1] Yeah.
[Mark] I'm powered by the sun.
[Mark] Mr. Warren?
Uh... [clears throat]
Mr. Warren, hi.
I'm really sorry to bother you, but
I'm about to pack up my equipment
and I'm gonna need
to take your photograph now.
You don't want to be left out
of the story of the evening.
[soft melody on piano]
- Lovely.
- [Delia] You play beautifully.
Why don't you play?
[Gerald] Yeah, okay.
[playing melancholy music]
Sammy, oh, what do I feel?
You've been gone my whole life.
Would you care to dance?
Oh, it's a requiem.
Does it matter?
I'm sorry I left you
with all of your pain.
It's all right, Sammy.
It's all right.
[Helen] Oh.
[groans]
- [Sammy] Careful.
- [Helen groaning]
Here. Over here.
Come here.
Yeah, get her shoes off.
- [Sammy] It's okay.
- [Rose] She's so cold.
- Let me get you a blanket.
- No, no. I'll get it.
Stay here.
[Gerald] Over here.
- Give her this.
- [Sammy] Thanks, man.
[Helen groans]
- [Delia] There you go.
- [Sammy] Okay.
- There, there we go.
- [Gerald] You're all right.
[moans]
Was this all a dream?
No, Helen. It wasn't.
Thank you.
For being lovely.
How does it end?
I...
- [Rose] What?
- I was thinking that I...
I could tell Janey your story
about the fish and star...
before her fourth birthday...
when she passed away.
Uh...
Where with the...?
Where did you...? Where did you
leave off with the sparkle fish story?
Where were you?
Uh, we had gotten to... From
sparkling blob to golden fish.
To luminous bird, right?
To the burning sun.
To the bright moon.
And then finally...
[Sammy] Finally, it was, uh...
It was the shiniest and
brightest of them all. It was a star.
[Rose] And it was finally happy.
But... But then it saw a bright,
blinking, tiny, little light
down in the deep, dark ocean.
And then it went to sleep.
Yes.
[moans]
Then what?
[somber music playing]
It was home.
[door closes]
[woman] Hello?
Hello. Hi.
- [woman] Uh...
- Can I help you?
I spoke to someone on the phone. I'm
Barbara Collins. I'm here to get Helen.
Oh, my goodness.
Look at this place.
[chuckles] It feels like
it was just yesterday.
We played music. We danced.
Oh, what a time we had.
[Barbara] Helen?
Helen?
Oh.
[melancholy music playing]
[swing music playing]