Wild Indian (2021) Movie Script

[soft music]
[water running]
[soft tense music]
[man coughing]
[man speaks Ojibwe]
[music continues]
[man speaks Ojibwe]
[speaking Ojibwe]
[music continues]
[soft pleasant music]
[soft tense music]
[leaves crunching]
Wait.
Wait.
[man] I don't think you fell.
I also don't think
you were fighting.
Do your parents work?
[Makwa] My dad's a mechanic.
And your mother?
They drink alcohol often?
I don't know.
Nothing is gonna happen to you
if you tell me.
Believe me, I don't want
you to get in trouble.
We are all so proud of the work
you're doing here in
your classes,
you're doing so good.
I just need to know
what's going on with you.
[Makwa] Is that all?
Can I go to class now?
[priest] Makwa, sit down.
How did you get the bruises?
I was running and I fell.
Can I go now?
[soft tense music]
[door opens]
[indistinct chattering
in background]
[soft music]
[indistinct chattering,
laughing]
[school bell ringing]
[TV playing indistinctly]
[parents talking indistinctly]
- Can you shut up?
- It's your fucking fault.
[Darren] Makwa, I don't want you
in the house.
Go on.
Makwa, I don't want you
in the house.
Go on!
Why does he always do this?
Makwa, go.
[Makwa] Hold on a second.
He's scared.
Makwa!
[door shuts]
[gun cocks]
All right, breathe this time.
[gun firing]
Does that count?
No. Give it here.
[soft tense music]
You gotta relax more when
you're pulling the trigger.
You're a little too jumpy,
probably shifting when
you're squeezing it off.
[Makwa] The fuck I care, man?
You hear he's dating Alyse?
[Makwa] Alyse from town?
They were holding
hands yesterday.
She's like two years younger.
Nice guy, I guess.
[distant thudding]
- [Makwa] Is that your dad?
- I don't know. Hurry up.
- [objects clattering]
- [Darren] You bitch!
Why would you do that?
- [woman speaking indistinctly]
- [thudding]
[woman]
Don't you fucking hit me.
- [indistinct shouting]
- [distant thudding]
[woman] Hey.
[footsteps pounding]
[door opens]
[Darren breathing heavily]
[soft tense music]
- [hand thudding]
- [objects clattering]
[Teddo] Makwa?
It's me.
Makwa.
[priest] Cain did sacrifice
parts of himself,
but nothing worthy of God.
And so he was rejected.
And not only did
he suffer unnecessarily,
but he tortured those who
were innocent.
Why was God so pleased with
Abel's sacrifice and not Cain's?
Anybody know?
Because a tortured spirit
is an unworthy
sacrifice before God.
That is not to say that Abel
brought suffering
upon the Earth.
The nature of a human being
is to suffer even with
worthy sacrifice.
But resentment and unwillingness
to accept responsibility
will bring a scourge
of unnecessary suffering
into being.
And it will spread like a plague
and bring hell upon Earth.
This is the story of
how resentment
was brought upon the Earth.
It is hardly an accident that
the next story is "The Flood."
[soft tense music]
[music continues]
[door opening]
[dishes clattering]
[woman] Hey, babe.
[intense music]
[music continues on TV]
[door creaking]
[floor creaking]
[dark eerie music]
What the fuck are you doing?
Get out of here.
[somber music]
[birds chirping]
[Makwa] Do you ever wonder
what's out there?
You know, what's in town?
That's a poor town even.
We could have
anything we wanted.
A big house, fast fucking cars.
I don't think it works that way,
Makwa.
It does work that way.
Let's just hitch out of here.
Nobody'd ever find us.
We ain't seen
anything in a while.
Let's take a walk
over by the road.
I don't wanna go home.
Can't handle it no more.
Come on.
[soft tense music]
[leaves crunching]
- [gun firing]
- [body thudding]
[Teddo] Makwa?
That freaked me out, man.
[soft eerie music]
[gun clicking]
[tense music]
Is that James?
I don't know.
I think so.
Teddo?
Teddo, Teddo, wait!
Don't leave me here.
I don't know what to do.
[gun thuds]
Will you help me?
You could head back.
[soft tense music]
You can tell your mom and dad,
but I'll go to jail forever.
We would both get in trouble.
It's your dad's gun.
He might get in trouble too.
You don't want that.
[shovel scraping]
Your mom and dad got
a baby coming,
they need to worry about that.
[shovel scraping]
This needs to go away.
We can't let anybody else know.
[music continues]
[shovel scraping]
What are you gonna do?
[soft tense music]
[shovel scraping]
[boy] Maybe he's living out
in the woods
like, I don't know,
a lumberjack or somethin'.
[boy 2]
Prolly dressed in deer skins,
and huntin' with bones 'n shit.
[boy]
Or maybe a bear got him.
Can you guys shut up?
[boy] Sorry.
[tense music]
[indistinct chattering]
[engine rumbling]
[indistinct chattering on TV]
You're gonna rot your brain
with that shit.
Getting the wrong
ideas and shit.
Turn it off.
Makwa.
Turn it off.
Makwa!
Listen, goddamn it.
What did I say to you?
What did I say to you?
[Darren groans]
What the fuck did you just do?
[Darren] Makwa!
[light tense music]
[leaves crunching]
[urine splashing]
[crow cawing]
[birds chirping]
[golf club thuds]
[golf club thuds]
[man]
That's good. Bend those knees.
[Makwa] A lady above me
could get fired at any time.
It's no secret she's in
way over her head.
Just waiting for that call.
You know what I mean?
[golf club thuds]
Yes.
[Makwa] Mm.
Ha!
It's perfect.
[soft tense music]
[waves crashing]
[Jerry]
Yo, how was your day off?
Got in a round of golf.
[Jerry] Yeah, that's good.
How'd you shoot?
So listen, we're gearing up to
finalize the Velo numbers,
and I realized that I hadn't
heard back from audit...
Hold on. I haven't been able
to think with this on my mind.
Can I get your opinion
on something?
Yes, of course.
Yeah. Anything.
[Makwa] As a friend.
No judgment.
Abso... yeah, absolutely.
Yeah, of course.
- [door shuts]
- Yeah. We're friends.
Is this getting too long?
Oh.
I... I, uh, I don't know.
How does it feel?
It feels long.
Oh, so cut it.
It's sort of my brand
around here.
[chuckles] Yes, you're right,
it does...
It checks all the right boxes.
- [Makwa] Exactly.
- Yeah.
But is it too long though?
You know, I, uh...
it seems like the appropriate
length for that style of hair.
I don't... I don't know.
[stammers]
So the Velo deadline is Monday.
I got Morgan and Vic
working on it,
but they're working from home.
They're a little behind.
I think I'll trim it.
Y... Okay.
Good talk.
For... Yeah, it was.
[woman speaking indistinctly]
Do you know what this is?
I think I do.
Daddy's home.
Oh, you're here.
Where... where's the sitter?
She left at five,
she's grabbing dinner.
Yeah. Oh.
Hm.
Daddy's really ignoring
you today, huh?
Say hi to your son, Michael.
Hi, Francis.
So I was thinking of
taking time off work,
so I could spend more
time with Francis.
For how long?
I don't know,
till he goes off to school.
[Makwa] A stay at home mom?
That's what you want to be?
Oh, first HR is so boring.
[scoffs]
You know that it's so boring.
And I want to be a good mom,
you know,
I wanna stay at home
with my son.
I would advise against this.
You think HR is boring?
Michael.
I'm pregnant. [chuckles]
Since when?
Um, a few weeks.
Oh.
Is that all you have to say,
"Oh"?
No.
No, this... this...
This is good news.
Yeah?
Absolutely.
This is great... for us.
[Greta chuckling]
We'll need a bigger place.
- [Greta laughs]
- [soft music]
[indistinct yelling in distance]
- [indistinct PA announcement]
- [indistinct chattering]
- [buzzer blaring]
- [tense music]
[intense music]
- [buzzer blaring]
- [cell doors clanking]
[man speaking indistinctly]
- [indistinct radio chatter]
- [buzzer blaring]
[man] Ready?
[buzzer blaring]
[soft tense music]
[handcuffs clinking]
[man speaking Spanish on radio]
[keys jingling]
Hello?
- [boy speaking indistinctly]
- [Cammy] Okay.
- All right.
- [boy speaking indistinctly]
[Cammy] Come on.
[door opens]
- [door closes]
- [Cammy sighs]
Teddo.
Hi, Cammy.
[Cammy] You're out.
Yeah.
Your face.
Is that Daniel?
Yeah.
Daniel,
this is your Uncle Teddo.
He's my brother.
He's shy.
How old is he now?
He just turned five.
[sighs]
[sighs]
[soft tense music]
[Makwa] Are you a student?
[Rebecca] No.
[Makwa] I met my wife here.
[Rebecca] Your wife's a dancer?
[Makwa] Not anymore.
Can I touch your tattoo?
[Rebecca] Lightly.
[Makwa]
How is your skin so soft?
What are you doing later?
[Rebecca] I'm gonna go home
and get some rest.
I've been here for 12 hours.
Are there cameras in here?
Yes, there are.
But there's always another room,
right?
Can I choke you?
Can you choke me?
There.
Fine.
Okay.
All the way down, please.
Are you ready?
Yeah.
[woman sighing]
- [hand slapping]
- [Makwa breathing heavily]
[Rebecca choking]
[Rebecca gasping, panting]
Oh my God!
I thought you were gonna
fucking kill me.
[panting]
[church bell ringing
in distance]
[Makwa whispering]
pray for us sinners, now
and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour
of our death. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour
of our death. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour
of our death. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour
of our death...
[Greta sighs]
He's so soft.
Are all babies like that?
Yeah.
They are.
You think he'll be a tough kid?
Will he be strong?
What's wrong, Michael?
I want him to be normal.
And good.
[Greta] Me too. He will.
Come on. Let's go back to bed.
[door opening]
What you doing?
You want, uh, you wanna play
with your toys?
What then?
[Daniel] Cartoons.
Oh.
Yeah.
Um...
Come on in.
It's okay.
I'm not scary.
I'm your uncle.
[cartoons playing indistinctly
on TV]
[light tense music]
[leaves rustling]
[woman] Says here
before that you were selling.
Yeah, I did 10 years.
When I was a kid I did a couple
of years for possession,
and battery and assault.
Parole violation too.
[woman] Is that it?
[Teddo]
I ain't proud of what I did,
but them things are behind me.
I never stole nothing if
that means something.
I'm a hard worker
when I get the chance.
What about your tattoos?
We can't have
the customers seeing them.
Yeah.
I don't like them either.
[sighs]
I'll look through what we have.
But you probably
ain't gonna be working
in the front of the house.
- [indistinct chattering]
- [dishes clattering]
[dishwasher whirring]
[birds chirping]
[engine rumbling]
New truck.
No big deal.
[Cammy]
You bought Rick's truck?
Yeah.
Teddo.
What, it's fine.
I got paid.
Hey, wanna go ride with Uncle?
Got you something too.
Look what I got.
You wanna go with Uncle?
[Teddo grutns]
- [car door shuts]
- Seatbelts.
[car door opens, shuts]
You all ready?
[engine rumbling]
[both laughing]
I... I got... I still got your nose.
Still got my nose?
Imma get your ear.
- Put it on my ear.
- I ac... I actually swallowed it.
You swallowed my...
You swallowed my nose?
- [Daniel speaks indistinctly]
- [engine rumbling]
[soft tense music]
[Daniel laughing]
Show me what you got.
- And... [grunts]
- [Teddo grunts]
[Daniel] Ooh! Oh! That was...
- [Daniel grunts]
- [Teddo grunts, laughs]
- [Daniel giggles, grunts]
- [Teddo grunts]
[Daniel laughing]
Oh, you... [laughs]
Who's that?
[Teddo] Who, the army guy?
[grunts]
That's your...
Here, lemme show you.
Right there, that's your
great-grandpa, Henry.
Yeah, he was in World War II.
Never got to meet him,
but I hear he was a good guy.
[grunts]
I knew him.
Yeah, he died when I was
a couple years older than you.
His dad, he told me,
was born in a Wigwam.
[Daniel] Grandma?
[Teddo] That's Grandma Rye,
my ma.
Do you remember her?
Well, she loved you.
You're the best thing ever
happened to her, I think.
She used to write to me
and tell me you were
the cutest baby she ever seen.
[soft music]
[Cammy] You look just like Dad.
Got some of his clothes
from your closet.
I hope that's okay.
[Cammy] They're yours to take.
I'm gonna sleep out here.
We can fix up Daniel's room.
He can stay in my room.
You guys should have
the house to yourselves.
At least for the winter.
Don't be like that.
Just come inside with us.
No.
[Cammy] Teddo.
I need to sleep out here.
Fine.
I'm sorry I never
went to see you.
Nah, you don't have to be
sorry about nothing.
You know
you're always welcome inside.
[music continues]
[soft tense music]
- [crickets chirping]
- [frogs croaking]
[sniffs]
[indistnict chattering]
[music continues]
[Teddo] So who was all
at the hospital?
Just me and Daniel.
What about the funeral?
A lot of people.
A lot of people from town.
Probably like... a hundred or so.
What about Makwa?
God, no.
He didn't even come
back for Auntie's.
Where's he at now?
I think New York, California.
I don't know.
[soft tense music]
[objects clacking]
[music continues]
He won't even
remember I was here.
[Teddo sniffles]
[engine rumbling]
[knocking on door]
What do you want?
[Teddo] Are you Lisa Wolf?
Yes.
[Teddo] James Wolf's mother?
Yes. Who are you?
My name is Teddo.
I... [gasps] I have to tell you
about your son.
[Teddo sobbing]
I owe you so much.
[gasps]
I owe you everything I got.
[sobbing]
[engine rumbling]
[low tense music]
[Makwa] Did you get my email?
I have an idea...
[Jerry] I di... I did but wait,
wait, wait, wait.
You wait.
You wait, come here.
Uh, hey, hey, we need the room.
We need the room.
Can you... can you leave?
Yeah. Sorry.
Thank you so much.
Thanks for everything.
You're doing great.
Yes, so...
What? What?
- No.
- Yes.
- When?
- You are a shoo-in,
you're gonna be like
their fuckin' poster boy.
Look at you.
I fuckin' earned this.
[Jerry] Yes, you did.
Yes, you did.
- [phone buzzes]
- Yeah. Oh, that's them
Is that them?
That is them, that is them.
- Is that them?
- All right, get out of here.
Okay. Yeah, of course. Yeah.
Mr. Ferrin.
Good to hear from you.
- [indistinct chattering]
- [soft tense music]
Makwa.
[Makwa] You shouldn't be here.
[music continues]
[door opens]
Stay.
Greta, are you home?
Helga?
Luckily, they're not here.
Get in here
before more people see you.
[lock clicks]
No shoes in the house.
Sit down.
[keys clanking]
[water pouring]
Here.
How did you find me?
Wasn't that hard.
Just asked around
for the fakest fuckin' Indian
they ever seen.
What are you doing here?
What are you doing here?
All the places, I'd never been
to a place like this.
Don't touch that.
You have a child.
What's his name?
[Makwa] Francis.
There he is.
Let's sit and talk.
No.
Why not?
You came all the way here.
[gun rattles]
What the fuck, Teddo?
I don't know if there's
anything to talk about.
What do you want, man?
You want money?
No.
Then what?
Come on, man.
I'm sure there's a lot
I can do for you.
If you need a place to stay,
I can get you one.
A car.
If you need a job, no problem.
[Teddo scoffs]
Doing what?
You can do anything.
It's different here.
What were you doing back home?
Makwa, shut up!
[Teddo sniffles]
Look what I've made of myself,
man.
Do I look like
the same fuckin' person?
I confessed.
[gun firing]
[thudding]
[Makwa gasping]
[whimpers]
Fuck!
[breathing shakily]
[groans]
[Teddo sniffles]
[gun scraping]
[sniffs]
Did you tell them about me?
I did.
[gun firing]
[body thudding]
[siren wailing in distance]
- [indistinct chattering]
- [tense music]
[inaudible]
[woman] This is a clear case
of self-defense.
There was quite the struggle,
his intentions were clear.
Just know that
they need to go through
the motions of investigation.
You also need to know that
technically you will be charge,
but you won't be booked,
and you won't see the inside of
a courtroom for this.
How quickly will it go away?
Well, this kind of thing
can take months in California.
But you're already off the hook.
It's just formalities now.
You really should have
spent the night at the hospital.
How many months?
No, I'm serious.
You look faint.
I'm fine.
Michael, I spoke with
an investigator
who was looking into
the disappearance
of a missing boy
from 35 years ago.
They found his remains
at Theodore's residence,
and he implicated
your involvement.
Do you know anything about this?
No.
[woman] Well,
they are requesting that
you go to Wisconsin and you
comply with their investigation.
And I am suggesting that you go
before they resort to
formal action.
- Why?
- Michael, it's murder.
I can't practice in Wisconsin,
but I will get in touch with
a colleague out of Milwaukee.
He can help you.
[Greta] Michael.
Oh my God.
Are you okay?
Oh my God.
[Makwa]
Theodore was my cousin.
We grew up together.
We were close.
What did he want from you?
Money, maybe.
I can't be sure.
I never told you.
My mom had me when
she was 13 years old.
Her parents were long
gone by then.
My dad was 18,
raised by his uncle.
Beat him up.
I couldn't tell you what
happened to either of them.
Left almost 30 years ago.
They named me Makwa.
Your name was Makwa?
[sighs]
I don't want you to go.
It'll be okay.
[soft tense music]
[door shuts]
[music continues]
[foot thudding]
[muffled yelling]
[lawyer] I don't know
the extent of what they have,
but the investigation
dug up some remains.
They have a statement from
the victim's mother,
but beyond that,
they have not shared
any information with us
which is a little unusual
but not unheard of in cases
involving children.
So, we need to be cautious.
We do not need to answer all
of their questions right now,
but we need to be prepared
for anything and everything.
Why are we talking like
I'm getting charged with murder?
Likelihood the DA
hangs their case
on what they have right now
is not necessarily low, Michael.
Testimony from
that old fucking drunk?
I have seen successful trials
built on a lot less.
Just really depends how much
they want you for this.
- [door opens]
- [bell rings]
[bell rings]
[door opens]
So you did a wrong 'un.
You need a little
reparation gift.
You don't know how
right you are.
So, how bad we talkin'?
They'll need to be pretty big.
[shopkeeper laughs]
Well, let's see what I can do.
Follow me.
[soft music]
[sniffles]
[groans]
[groans, inhales sharply]
[exhaling sharply]
[nurse] We're planning on
moving her out
from intensive care
later this afternoon.
We just wanna make sure
the stent was placed...
[continues indistinctly]
She should be up and about
by the end of the week or so.
Now, I checked on
her a few minutes ago.
She's awake,
but she's still a little spacey.
[knocking on door]
You have a visitor, Lisa.
Here, lemme help you.
Lemme know
if you need anything, okay?
How are you, Mrs. Wolf?
I was sorry to hear about
your condition here.
Seems like you know who I am.
[Lisa] I do.
I know that Teddo
was spreading lies about me.
I got cops... banging on my door.
It isn't fun.
That's on you.
Well...
I'm here to clear
my name with you.
I felt like you needed to see,
in person,
that I am not
who Teddo said I was.
In fact, I was
a friend of your son.
I was as shocked as anyone
that he disappeared.
[Lisa]
I only know what Teddo told me.
What did he say?
You shot my boy in the face.
And you didn't feel anything.
You buried him
like a fuckin' dog.
Teddo was mentally ill.
It would be a mistake to
believe anything
that he had to say.
The guy was in and out of
prison for 25 years.
That don't mean anything.
Yes, it does.
It means everything.
I'm somebody now.
The only thing Teddo ever did
was start fights,
and sell drugs,
and kill your fuckin' son.
[chair scraping]
Ah! Help!
[grunts]
Shut up.
[Lisa gasps]
Stay right fuckin' there.
Why should I be punished
for your transgressions?
You're the reason James is dead.
I seen him coming to school,
all bruised up,
crying around like
all the other Native kids.
People used to say
you just forgot him somewhere,
'cause you were drunk.
That ain't the truth.
It is true.
I was just like him.
Do you know who my parents were?
Yeah,
you do.
It's not my fault
Indians are a bunch of fuckin'
liars and narcissists.
We are the descendants
of cowards.
Everyone worthwhile
died fighting.
[indistinct PA announcement]
[crying]
- [elevator dinging]
- [phone ringing]
[indistinct chattering]
[door creaking shut]
[Lisa] What are you doing?
Nurse!
[Lisa gasping]
[Makwa] You're gonna keep
your mouth shut.
[gasping]
Please, don't.
You're gonna stay silent. Okay?
I'm never gonna hear anything
about this nonsense again.
Right?
[Lisa panting]
I won't say anything.
I don't wanna come back here.
[soft tense music]
Do you know what happens when
I come back here?
[Lisa] Yes.
[Makwa] Do you?
[Lisa whispering] Yes.
- [phone ringing]
- [lawyer] Okay. [sighs]
Should we do this?
They're ready for you. Let's go.
Okay.
Come on, inside.
[man] What was your
relationship to Mr. Gi-Zheg?
[lawyer] Uh, Michael was
Theodore's first cousin.
I need to hear him say it.
I was Theodore's first cousin.
Back then you were known as...
Makwa Gi-Zheg.
You're now Michael Peterson,
correct?
Yes. That is correct.
Okay, Michael.
Where were you on the 12th of
October in the year 1988?
That was over 30 years ago.
I mean,
the question's ludicrous.
I have no memory of that day.
But I suppose I was in school
if it was a Wednesday.
However, we cannot say
that for certain.
How about after school?
I do not recall.
Well...
Listen.
We all know that Teddo was
a little off the rails,
a little mentally ill,
criminally belligerent,
the whole thing.
Now, the victim's mother insists
that you helped Teddo with this,
but she's in a bit of a
state herself
and too much time has passed
for us to really do anything.
People constantly
go missing over there.
Most of the time they're
on another res
on some sort of a bender
or something.
I mean,
I can't say but...
most of the time it's suicide.
Oh, God bless.
That's a big killer out there.
[lawyer] Mm-hm.
Okay. I will not keep
you guys any longer.
You are a busy man, as am I.
Are we good here?
If I head out now I can make it
to Milwaukee at a
reasonable hour.
You, uh, have a safe trip
Mak... uh,
um, um, Michael.
- Thank you, Jonathan.
- Ah, yeah.
[soft tense music]
[inaudible]
[music continues]
[engine rumbling]
[phone buzzing]
Mr. Ferrin,
good to hear from you.
Yeah, I'm healing
just fine, sir.
Still just a bit stiff, I guess.
Luckily it hardly hit me.
Okay.
That is good.
Wonderful news,
thank you so much.
[Jerry] I just heard.
Congratulations, this is huge.
We should celebrate.
Let's go. Let's go get a drink.
- Okay.
- [Jerry] I think the team's
got it for a few hours so
we should head out for a bit.
[Makwa]
I thi... I think I spoke too soon.
- I need to go home.
- Oh.
Okay.
Hey, Michael?
You gonna be all right?
I don't know.
I'm sorry.
[soft tense music]
[blocks clattering]
[Greta] Michael?
Hi.
Hi.
How'd it go?
I'm all clear.
[Francis coos]
[sighs] Good.
Good. [sighs]
How's your arm?
Uh, I don't know, I...
haven't looked at it lately.
Do you wanna see it?
Yeah.
I wanna see it.
Michael...
[soft tense music]
It could've been worse.
It's awful.
Michael.
[Makwa cries]
[Makwa] It's okay.
[Makwa] It's...
[soft tense music]
[gull squawking]
[waves crashing]
[music continues]
[music continues]
[music continues]
[waves crashing]
[soft tense music]
[light music]
- [soft rhythmic music]
- [group singing]