A Dim Valley (2020) Movie Script
(serene music)
(offbeat jazz music)
(groaning)
- Fuck.
(door opens)
Do we have a first aid kit?
- That's gross.
Do you want band-aids or an ace bandage?
- Ace bandage is cooler.
- How's that?
- Tighter.
Thanks.
- He's a bonafide dipshit.
- Do you see this?
- Yeah.
(clears throat)
- Okay, lan, you're on nets tomorrow.
Al, you're on soil--
- It's Albert, actually.
- Okay, Albert.
You're on soil detail.
- What are you doing?
- Mosses and lichens.
Okay, as with all samples,
anything you gather
needs to be thoroughly documented on site.
Okay, that's as well as GPS readings.
Everything needs to be
refrigerated promptly.
There's plenty of ethyl
acetate and isopropyl alcohol
for kill jars and wet preservation.
- What about lab transport?
- There's a cooler.
- No, who's responsible?
- It's up to you two.
Do it together, alternate,
it really doesn't matter.
- What is this?
- It's an ammonite fossil.
I found it near Lockegee
Rock 12 years ago, maybe.
- Really?
- Mm-hm.
- It looks fake.
- [Clarence] It's not fake.
(water splashing)
- Too hot for clothes?
- Always.
- [Albert] Sweet dreams.
- Goodnight.
(sighs)
- [Clarence] Beautiful.
(grunts)
(clanging)
- 31, 32, 33, 34,
35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40.
(whispering feverishly)
- Can we have a chat?
- What?
- We need to have a conference, all of us.
- Now?
- If you don't mind.
- 96, 97, 98, 99.
- 87, 31, one, two, three,
75, eight, eight, eight, eight, eight.
Thanks.
That butterfly's all you caught?
- Yeah.
- The wing damage isn't ideal.
The real issue is quantity.
Hm?
Make up for it tonight.
(insects chirping)
- Thank god.
- Think you caught enough?
(coughs)
- Yeah.
- You ever done this
guano collection thing?
- It sucks.
Hey, how much weed do you have?
(coughs)
(water dripping)
Let's do it.
- You ready?
Wanna race?
- I'm too stoned, man.
- I'm stoned too.
And I got a bum knee.
Come on.
If you win, I'll take this
shit to the lab tomorrow.
I will.
- Damn it.
(serene music)
(tinkling music)
(door closes)
(breathing heavily)
Are you asleep?
- Thirsty?
- That's gin and tonic.
- Wanna go fishing?
You ever had bluegill?
- To eat?
Nope.
- [Clarence] Oh, it's good.
(boat motor whirring)
(sirens chirping)
- [Officer] Sir, please stop urinating.
(thunder rumbling)
- I'd appreciate your
discretion about this.
- Hey, was that weed laced
with something last night?
- No, just my normal stuff.
- I think I hallucinated.
- Take it easy next time.
I'll get you back for
bail as soon as I can.
- Okay.
- I've never been arrested before.
- Yeah?
- Dr. Rumble called the cop a piss ant.
- You serious?
- And he cried in the drunk tank.
- Holy shit.
(spray bottle hissing)
(humming serenely)
- Can I help you?
- Maybe.
I'm Rose, this is Iris.
That's Reed.
- Hey.
- Do you go to Cumberland Tech?
- I'm a graduate student, yeah.
Just like doing field research.
- Well, cool.
We went to Boone.
- That's the kinda crunchy one.
- Mm-hm, no grades.
- So what are y'all doing out here?
- We're here to fulfill our purpose.
- Oh.
What's your purpose?
- We don't know yet.
Could be you.
- Me?
- Could be.
- We also camp and hike.
You know, hang out.
No, we were actually just
about to go for a swim
if you wanted to join.
(sighs)
- Okay.
So how old are you guys, exactly?
- We've each lived
longer than 10 phoenixes.
(gentle guitar music)
- One, two, three.
(gasps)
- Could you help me reapply?
- What is it?
- My sunscreen.
I'll burn.
It's cold.
Warm it up with your hands first.
- That was like two minutes.
- No way!
- Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
(giggling)
- Thanks.
(gentle country music)
1 grew up in a one horse town
Nothing to do but pass it around
Wondering
Will I ever get out
Saw me outside church one day
Don't forget what you had to say
You told me, we'd best be leaving here
- Hey, your beer's getting warm.
(woman singing off key)
- Sorry.
Felt like I was gonna cry
Then you kissed me
And I knew
I belong with you
Another town, years down the line
Home by seven the other night
Toughest times in our life
But we tried
You looked at your feet
- Do you like country music?
- No.
No, I hate it.
(chuckling)
- I do too.
Told me, we'd best be leaving here
Then you whispered, come on
Baby, it's damn near already gone
One last look, then goodbye
- Can't smoke in here.
- [Clarence] Are you serious?
- Yep.
- Since when?
- Sorry, buddy.
And I knew
I belonged with you
- Thought this was your haunt.
- [Clarence] It used to be.
(patrons cheering)
(knocking)
- Howdy, I'm Jim.
I'm singing "One and Only".
Singing this song for the
love of my life, Diane.
("One and Only")
Told you once
I told you twice
Ain't nothing quite as nice
As coming home
And being close with you
Them other guys
Got loving eyes
That much is true
But they don't know
Just how to hold you tight
When nights are cold
- Join us?
- Come on!
We wanna tell you something,
but you have to answer a question first.
- Okay.
- Albert, are you ticklish?
Are you ticklish?
Let's see.
- Whoa, whoa!
- [Rose] Ow, my fucking leg!
- [Albert] I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
- [Rose] It's okay, it's okay.
- [Reed] It's getting hot in here.
- [Albert] Should we open the tent?
- [Reed] No.
I said it's getting hot in here!
We need to tell you something, remember?
- You guys smell that?
Holy shit.
- [Iris] Are you sure you know the way?
- Better than you.
(tinkling music)
- Better than us?
- The forest is part of us.
- Jesus fuck!
- [Reed] We know the way.
- Come on, Albert.
- Hello?
We're cold, man.
- We having a party?
- This is where you'll be sleeping.
- [Reed] Where are you sleeping?
- On the couch.
- Why?
- We could put the beds together.
- All five of us?
- [Rose] Are these yours?
Can I take them?
- Is this like...
Who are these people?
- Just cool folks.
People.
- What were you doing with them?
- I know this is weird.
I'm very confused.
But I think...
I feel like something's happening.
Can you feel it?
- Can you shut...
(urinating)
(upbeat guitar music)
I don't hardly talk no more
Cause you can't trust these clowns
I'm turning off and tuning out
Everything around
My thoughts too loud
I can't find common ground
I'd like to run with wolves tonight
Bring a bison down
Raindrops on silver ponds
The only thing that's round
The whisper of an owl wing
The only honest sound
1 dozed in glacier dreams
Rose without a gown
I ran the square in naked rage
Hissed at those renowned
And my blood runs cold as snow
Wind and shame surround
I'm mad at the March hare
He led them to his town
But they'll find no luck
From feet so easily bound
I'd like to run with wolves tonight
Bring a bison down
But I don't hardly talk no more
Cause you can't trust these clowns
I'm turning off and tuning out
Everything around
My thoughts too loud
I can't find common ground
I'd like to run with wolves tonight
Bring a bison down
(clapping)
- That was so, so great.
- Thanks.
- Did you write that?
- Yep.
- [Rose] Can I have a cigarette?
- Yeah.
- Thanks.
- You look like a fucking dragon.
(chuckling)
(gentle guitar music)
- Have we met before?
- I don't know.
- Okay, you can go.
- All right, which one?
- Well that's up to you.
The cypress tree symbolizes sacrifice,
and devotion.
- I forget what comes next.
(laughing)
- So now you just talk
about what it means to you.
Free flowing, stream of consciousness.
Anything.
Okay, try the next one.
- Is that an angel?
- It's a dryad.
Like a nymph or a fairy.
- I do have one for this one.
When I was little, I'd
have this dream that
in my front lawn by our trailer,
there lived a colony of fairies.
They were like little Tinker Bells,
but they were all different colors.
And I'd lay down in the grass,
and they'd float up,
and they'd surround me.
Is this right?
- [Rose] Keep going.
- So they'd twinkle
and they'd speak to me,
and I think telepathically.
They told me that they loved
me and that I was beautiful.
And they'd touch me all over,
just so lightly on my skin.
God, I could feel the cool grass,
and their bodies were so warm.
It just felt good, like
that tingle when you cum,
you know, in your knees
and your ribs, fingertips.
Then my dad would come
out to mow the lawn.
And I could hear him push
the screen door open,
just grunting and
mumbling, already sweating.
And I mean, I knew the
mower would kill them.
I knew it, I just knew it telepathically.
Little Tinker Bells, they'd vanish,
they'd go off, they'd hide in the grass.
Oh god, I begged him.
I mean, crying over and over, no, please,
those are my friends.
And he just threw me aside,
he'd start the mower up, and...
When he pushed it through the grass,
I could hear them screaming.
Oh god, they went on forever.
And I just cried and cried,
just kneeling there in the grass,
with the clippings sticking to me.
I'd just wake up crying and trembling.
I mean, I had that dream over and over.
Never could save them.
(chuckles) What does that mean?
- The dryad indicates a sensitive spirit.
- Did you have a shitty dad?
(laughing)
- I had a shitty dad.
(laughing)
- Can I flip the next one?
- Yeah, sure.
What does that mean?
(birds chirping)
Are you sure?
- I think so.
- It's just parlor tricks, you know?
(gentle guitar music)
- You have really cute toes.
- Thank you.
- They're like gummy bears.
- Or like little pink popcorns.
- My brother's got this weird
little toe on one of his feet,
bends the wrong way.
It's really squishy.
Like a little popcorn shrimp.
(door opens)
- [Iris] Is he all right?
(toilet flushing)
- [Reed] You're out of toilet paper.
- I can't sleep either.
- Okay.
Let's go.
Are your friends always so intense?
- They like to have fun.
- [lan] You don't?
- This is fun.
That's not real.
- Oh, it's a classic.
It means...
It's when the earth, the moon
and the sun are in alignment.
Also a really sick
episode of "The X-Files".
- Say it.
- Say the word?
I don't know how to say the word.
- Shouldn't that be a rule?
- It's not a rule.
Have you ever played this game before?
- Breakfast time, butt holes.
(laughing)
- So I look up, and it is a bear.
A huge one, all right?
And I got back in the car so fast,
I didn't realized I'd pissed myself.
(laughing)
- Found it.
- Our shit's toast.
- We need clothes and weed.
(upbeat music)
Fuck yes.
- Looks good.
- What do you think?
- I've seen worse.
(engine humming)
(door slamming)
(knocking)
- You wanna come in?
- I know I said I wouldn't
come around anymore,
and this is really the last time.
- Jim.
- You humiliated me.
- I know, I'm sorry.
- No, I'm married now.
What do you want me to do?
You blowing that guy you were with?
- That was our song.
- This is...
Never again, all right?
Never, you understand?
- Don't do this.
- I'm not like you, Clarence.
I'll never be like you.
- Oh, so that's it?
- [Jim] That's it.
(engine sputtering)
- Are you guys all good here?
- Are you leaving?
- Yeah.
We gotta go.
- I'm staying.
- Where you going?
- Don't go.
- Yeah, don't go.
This thing is fucking itchy.
Your clothes itchy?
How about yours?
- Yeah, a little.
(giggling)
I told you once
I told you twice
Ain't nothing quite as nice
As coming home
And being close 10 you
Goddamn idiot.
(owl hooting)
(dial tone blaring)
(upbeat music)
(uplifting music)
(thunder cracking)
- It's time to go now.
- [lan] Why won't you
tell us where we're going?
(vomiting)
(coughing)
- Come here.
Open your hand.
(waves lapping)
- I know what we have to do.
Does anybody wanna say anything?
- They're gone.
(uplifting music)
(offbeat jazz music)
(groaning)
- Fuck.
(door opens)
Do we have a first aid kit?
- That's gross.
Do you want band-aids or an ace bandage?
- Ace bandage is cooler.
- How's that?
- Tighter.
Thanks.
- He's a bonafide dipshit.
- Do you see this?
- Yeah.
(clears throat)
- Okay, lan, you're on nets tomorrow.
Al, you're on soil--
- It's Albert, actually.
- Okay, Albert.
You're on soil detail.
- What are you doing?
- Mosses and lichens.
Okay, as with all samples,
anything you gather
needs to be thoroughly documented on site.
Okay, that's as well as GPS readings.
Everything needs to be
refrigerated promptly.
There's plenty of ethyl
acetate and isopropyl alcohol
for kill jars and wet preservation.
- What about lab transport?
- There's a cooler.
- No, who's responsible?
- It's up to you two.
Do it together, alternate,
it really doesn't matter.
- What is this?
- It's an ammonite fossil.
I found it near Lockegee
Rock 12 years ago, maybe.
- Really?
- Mm-hm.
- It looks fake.
- [Clarence] It's not fake.
(water splashing)
- Too hot for clothes?
- Always.
- [Albert] Sweet dreams.
- Goodnight.
(sighs)
- [Clarence] Beautiful.
(grunts)
(clanging)
- 31, 32, 33, 34,
35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40.
(whispering feverishly)
- Can we have a chat?
- What?
- We need to have a conference, all of us.
- Now?
- If you don't mind.
- 96, 97, 98, 99.
- 87, 31, one, two, three,
75, eight, eight, eight, eight, eight.
Thanks.
That butterfly's all you caught?
- Yeah.
- The wing damage isn't ideal.
The real issue is quantity.
Hm?
Make up for it tonight.
(insects chirping)
- Thank god.
- Think you caught enough?
(coughs)
- Yeah.
- You ever done this
guano collection thing?
- It sucks.
Hey, how much weed do you have?
(coughs)
(water dripping)
Let's do it.
- You ready?
Wanna race?
- I'm too stoned, man.
- I'm stoned too.
And I got a bum knee.
Come on.
If you win, I'll take this
shit to the lab tomorrow.
I will.
- Damn it.
(serene music)
(tinkling music)
(door closes)
(breathing heavily)
Are you asleep?
- Thirsty?
- That's gin and tonic.
- Wanna go fishing?
You ever had bluegill?
- To eat?
Nope.
- [Clarence] Oh, it's good.
(boat motor whirring)
(sirens chirping)
- [Officer] Sir, please stop urinating.
(thunder rumbling)
- I'd appreciate your
discretion about this.
- Hey, was that weed laced
with something last night?
- No, just my normal stuff.
- I think I hallucinated.
- Take it easy next time.
I'll get you back for
bail as soon as I can.
- Okay.
- I've never been arrested before.
- Yeah?
- Dr. Rumble called the cop a piss ant.
- You serious?
- And he cried in the drunk tank.
- Holy shit.
(spray bottle hissing)
(humming serenely)
- Can I help you?
- Maybe.
I'm Rose, this is Iris.
That's Reed.
- Hey.
- Do you go to Cumberland Tech?
- I'm a graduate student, yeah.
Just like doing field research.
- Well, cool.
We went to Boone.
- That's the kinda crunchy one.
- Mm-hm, no grades.
- So what are y'all doing out here?
- We're here to fulfill our purpose.
- Oh.
What's your purpose?
- We don't know yet.
Could be you.
- Me?
- Could be.
- We also camp and hike.
You know, hang out.
No, we were actually just
about to go for a swim
if you wanted to join.
(sighs)
- Okay.
So how old are you guys, exactly?
- We've each lived
longer than 10 phoenixes.
(gentle guitar music)
- One, two, three.
(gasps)
- Could you help me reapply?
- What is it?
- My sunscreen.
I'll burn.
It's cold.
Warm it up with your hands first.
- That was like two minutes.
- No way!
- Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
(giggling)
- Thanks.
(gentle country music)
1 grew up in a one horse town
Nothing to do but pass it around
Wondering
Will I ever get out
Saw me outside church one day
Don't forget what you had to say
You told me, we'd best be leaving here
- Hey, your beer's getting warm.
(woman singing off key)
- Sorry.
Felt like I was gonna cry
Then you kissed me
And I knew
I belong with you
Another town, years down the line
Home by seven the other night
Toughest times in our life
But we tried
You looked at your feet
- Do you like country music?
- No.
No, I hate it.
(chuckling)
- I do too.
Told me, we'd best be leaving here
Then you whispered, come on
Baby, it's damn near already gone
One last look, then goodbye
- Can't smoke in here.
- [Clarence] Are you serious?
- Yep.
- Since when?
- Sorry, buddy.
And I knew
I belonged with you
- Thought this was your haunt.
- [Clarence] It used to be.
(patrons cheering)
(knocking)
- Howdy, I'm Jim.
I'm singing "One and Only".
Singing this song for the
love of my life, Diane.
("One and Only")
Told you once
I told you twice
Ain't nothing quite as nice
As coming home
And being close with you
Them other guys
Got loving eyes
That much is true
But they don't know
Just how to hold you tight
When nights are cold
- Join us?
- Come on!
We wanna tell you something,
but you have to answer a question first.
- Okay.
- Albert, are you ticklish?
Are you ticklish?
Let's see.
- Whoa, whoa!
- [Rose] Ow, my fucking leg!
- [Albert] I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
- [Rose] It's okay, it's okay.
- [Reed] It's getting hot in here.
- [Albert] Should we open the tent?
- [Reed] No.
I said it's getting hot in here!
We need to tell you something, remember?
- You guys smell that?
Holy shit.
- [Iris] Are you sure you know the way?
- Better than you.
(tinkling music)
- Better than us?
- The forest is part of us.
- Jesus fuck!
- [Reed] We know the way.
- Come on, Albert.
- Hello?
We're cold, man.
- We having a party?
- This is where you'll be sleeping.
- [Reed] Where are you sleeping?
- On the couch.
- Why?
- We could put the beds together.
- All five of us?
- [Rose] Are these yours?
Can I take them?
- Is this like...
Who are these people?
- Just cool folks.
People.
- What were you doing with them?
- I know this is weird.
I'm very confused.
But I think...
I feel like something's happening.
Can you feel it?
- Can you shut...
(urinating)
(upbeat guitar music)
I don't hardly talk no more
Cause you can't trust these clowns
I'm turning off and tuning out
Everything around
My thoughts too loud
I can't find common ground
I'd like to run with wolves tonight
Bring a bison down
Raindrops on silver ponds
The only thing that's round
The whisper of an owl wing
The only honest sound
1 dozed in glacier dreams
Rose without a gown
I ran the square in naked rage
Hissed at those renowned
And my blood runs cold as snow
Wind and shame surround
I'm mad at the March hare
He led them to his town
But they'll find no luck
From feet so easily bound
I'd like to run with wolves tonight
Bring a bison down
But I don't hardly talk no more
Cause you can't trust these clowns
I'm turning off and tuning out
Everything around
My thoughts too loud
I can't find common ground
I'd like to run with wolves tonight
Bring a bison down
(clapping)
- That was so, so great.
- Thanks.
- Did you write that?
- Yep.
- [Rose] Can I have a cigarette?
- Yeah.
- Thanks.
- You look like a fucking dragon.
(chuckling)
(gentle guitar music)
- Have we met before?
- I don't know.
- Okay, you can go.
- All right, which one?
- Well that's up to you.
The cypress tree symbolizes sacrifice,
and devotion.
- I forget what comes next.
(laughing)
- So now you just talk
about what it means to you.
Free flowing, stream of consciousness.
Anything.
Okay, try the next one.
- Is that an angel?
- It's a dryad.
Like a nymph or a fairy.
- I do have one for this one.
When I was little, I'd
have this dream that
in my front lawn by our trailer,
there lived a colony of fairies.
They were like little Tinker Bells,
but they were all different colors.
And I'd lay down in the grass,
and they'd float up,
and they'd surround me.
Is this right?
- [Rose] Keep going.
- So they'd twinkle
and they'd speak to me,
and I think telepathically.
They told me that they loved
me and that I was beautiful.
And they'd touch me all over,
just so lightly on my skin.
God, I could feel the cool grass,
and their bodies were so warm.
It just felt good, like
that tingle when you cum,
you know, in your knees
and your ribs, fingertips.
Then my dad would come
out to mow the lawn.
And I could hear him push
the screen door open,
just grunting and
mumbling, already sweating.
And I mean, I knew the
mower would kill them.
I knew it, I just knew it telepathically.
Little Tinker Bells, they'd vanish,
they'd go off, they'd hide in the grass.
Oh god, I begged him.
I mean, crying over and over, no, please,
those are my friends.
And he just threw me aside,
he'd start the mower up, and...
When he pushed it through the grass,
I could hear them screaming.
Oh god, they went on forever.
And I just cried and cried,
just kneeling there in the grass,
with the clippings sticking to me.
I'd just wake up crying and trembling.
I mean, I had that dream over and over.
Never could save them.
(chuckles) What does that mean?
- The dryad indicates a sensitive spirit.
- Did you have a shitty dad?
(laughing)
- I had a shitty dad.
(laughing)
- Can I flip the next one?
- Yeah, sure.
What does that mean?
(birds chirping)
Are you sure?
- I think so.
- It's just parlor tricks, you know?
(gentle guitar music)
- You have really cute toes.
- Thank you.
- They're like gummy bears.
- Or like little pink popcorns.
- My brother's got this weird
little toe on one of his feet,
bends the wrong way.
It's really squishy.
Like a little popcorn shrimp.
(door opens)
- [Iris] Is he all right?
(toilet flushing)
- [Reed] You're out of toilet paper.
- I can't sleep either.
- Okay.
Let's go.
Are your friends always so intense?
- They like to have fun.
- [lan] You don't?
- This is fun.
That's not real.
- Oh, it's a classic.
It means...
It's when the earth, the moon
and the sun are in alignment.
Also a really sick
episode of "The X-Files".
- Say it.
- Say the word?
I don't know how to say the word.
- Shouldn't that be a rule?
- It's not a rule.
Have you ever played this game before?
- Breakfast time, butt holes.
(laughing)
- So I look up, and it is a bear.
A huge one, all right?
And I got back in the car so fast,
I didn't realized I'd pissed myself.
(laughing)
- Found it.
- Our shit's toast.
- We need clothes and weed.
(upbeat music)
Fuck yes.
- Looks good.
- What do you think?
- I've seen worse.
(engine humming)
(door slamming)
(knocking)
- You wanna come in?
- I know I said I wouldn't
come around anymore,
and this is really the last time.
- Jim.
- You humiliated me.
- I know, I'm sorry.
- No, I'm married now.
What do you want me to do?
You blowing that guy you were with?
- That was our song.
- This is...
Never again, all right?
Never, you understand?
- Don't do this.
- I'm not like you, Clarence.
I'll never be like you.
- Oh, so that's it?
- [Jim] That's it.
(engine sputtering)
- Are you guys all good here?
- Are you leaving?
- Yeah.
We gotta go.
- I'm staying.
- Where you going?
- Don't go.
- Yeah, don't go.
This thing is fucking itchy.
Your clothes itchy?
How about yours?
- Yeah, a little.
(giggling)
I told you once
I told you twice
Ain't nothing quite as nice
As coming home
And being close 10 you
Goddamn idiot.
(owl hooting)
(dial tone blaring)
(upbeat music)
(uplifting music)
(thunder cracking)
- It's time to go now.
- [lan] Why won't you
tell us where we're going?
(vomiting)
(coughing)
- Come here.
Open your hand.
(waves lapping)
- I know what we have to do.
Does anybody wanna say anything?
- They're gone.
(uplifting music)