A Place in the Field (2022) Movie Script
1
[melancholic music playing]
- [steam whooshes]
- [birds chirping]
["Both of My Hands"
by Riddy Arman playing]
[metal gate clanking]
[truck door opens]
[truck door closes]
[engine starts]
- [thuds]
- [tires screech]
[engine sputters, stops]
[sighs]
[breathes deeply]
[coyote howls in distance]
[grunts, pants]
[coyotes howling in distance]
[panting]
[melancholic music plays]
[mimicking howling]
[coyote howls in distance]
[vehicle approaching]
[machine whirring]
Hey, Gio. Gio.
- [wood thumps]
- [machine whirring stops]
Damn, man. Might as well be
talking to one of these planks.
- My bad.
- You good?
- Yeah, I'm good.
- Hey, man,
I need you
to focus out here.
We know what can happen.
- Yeah, it's my bad.
- Alright, you okay?
I'm good. I'm here.
Alright. Hey, what do you say
we go get some brews after work?
- Ah, I, uh...
- Not one?
Nah, I can't, man.
Maybe next week.
Every week it's "next week"
with you, Gio.
[sniffs] Yeah.
[machine whirrs]
[thunder rumbles]
- [phone ringing]
- [faucet running, turns off]
[thunder rumbling]
[inhales]
[exhales]
- [book thuds]
- [paper crumples]
[Davis] Gio, the day we became
friends, you changed my life.
When you took me in,
you didn't judge me.
You treated me like a brother.
When you shared with me
the horrors of your childhood,
I felt less condemned
to share with you
the horrors of mine.
I never liked war, Gio.
I remember the day
I put on that uniform,
I was so terrified.
I thought by joining,
I could become a man,
"army strong".
Don't grieve for me, brother.
Just please try
to be happy for me.
Don't freak out
when you see the ashes.
And maybe take me
on that road trip
like we always talked about.
Go see the firework show
on Exeter on the Fourth.
I want you to see it
for yourself.
Goodbye, Gio.
This 0.38 whispers in my ear.
[melancholic music playing]
[birds chirping]
[grunts]
- [grunts]
- [child yelling in Dari] Mom!
- [exhales]
- [animal whimpers]
["Cielito Lindo"
by Adeliz Calderon
playing over speakers]
[Gio humming]
[sighs]
[humming continues]
[door closes]
[dial tone beeping]
[beeping continues, stops]
[humming]
I've been calling you
for two days.
It didn't ring.
Because the phone's
off the hook.
Oh.
I didn't mean to worry you.
Don't.
- Mm-mm.
- You look good.
[Gio sniffles, exhales]
[sniffles, kissing]
What happened here?
I got caught up making
a bench for Rondi.
I'll clean it up...
after you dance with me.
- [Gio exhales]
- [wooden floor creaks]
You're drunk.
It doesn't change the fact
that I'm in a dancing mood.
Prettiest girl
I've ever seen
happens to be
standing right here
on my patio.
- [Gio chuckles]
- [dog barks in distance]
[Gio sighs]
Do I even wanna know
why you're acting like this?
[Gio] I wouldn't want to.
What are your thoughts
on a dog?
You wanna get
a dog together?
- [Gio chuckles] Yeah.
- [Jessica chuckles]
- [Gio] I was thinkin'
of a Lab, maybe.
- [Jessica breathes heavily]
- And I could take him
fishing with me.
- [sighs] Hmm.
- We could take him on walks.
- Mm. [chuckles]
[Jessica] And what
would we name the dog?
Scout.
Or Franklin.
Franklin,
like the turtle?
I knew I liked you.
- Hmm. Mmm.
- [both chuckle]
[Jessica inhales, sighs deeply]
Hey. [sniffles]
You don't need a dog.
You need a friend.
- Yeah.
- Mmm.
Why don't you call...
I don't know, Troy,
or one of your army buddies?
Yeah, maybe I'll do that.
Okay.
Why don't you start cleaning up
and I'll make us dinner?
- [dog barking in distance]
- Okay.
Hmm.
[footsteps receding]
[door squeaks]
- [light music playing]
- [birds chirping]
[phone ringing]
[phone ringing continues]
[breathes heavily]
[wind whooshing gently]
[soft grunt] Alright,
that's... [inhales]
- [birds chirping]
- [insects trilling]
Where is it?
Okay.
Right there.
Come on, come on.
Hey. Mmm.
- A lil' hungover?
- No.
[chuckles]
I'm just old.
[moans] Oh.
The hospital's asking
all doctors
to cover extra shifts
to cover the influx
of patients.
So, it's gonna be
a little hard for me
to keep coming back and forth.
Okay.
What does that mean?
I guess, uh,
I'm asking if you'd wanna stay
with me for a while?
You know how much
I hate the city.
And if things
are really that bad,
aren't we safer here anyway?
Yeah.
But I'll be there?
I don't know. I think
it could be good.
We get to spend
more time together.
You know, there's plenty
of carpentry work in the city.
There's so much.
[chuckles]
Mmm.
You wanna spend
more time with me
or you wanna watch over me?
[light chuckle]
No. I'm not
doing this with you.
You know, this was supposed
to be a good thing.
A way to see if we were gonna
actually make this work
because I'm not 22
and I don't have time to hook up
and clean up
after grown-ass men.
You have no idea
what I'm going through.
Yeah, and whose fault is that?
[country music playing]
[machine whirring]
[whirring]
[clucking]
[speaking Spanish]
[in English] I thought
you were coming by yesterday.
I got caught up.
Nearly threw out my back
pulling out that manure
from the car.
[breathes deeply]
- Well, you should have waited.
- [scoffs lightly]
I don't have time
to wait for anyone.
How are things?
They've been better.
I can see that.
Does this have anything to do
with that pretty doctor lady?
Not really.
I said some things
I shouldn't have.
[laughs]
Of course,
you did. [laughs]
You're a man.
[sighs]
Rondi, I don't know
why you wasting time on this.
This ground's dead.
You don't know that.
Soil gets packed in
from the rain
and the elements.
You just got
to turn it over.
Give it a little TLC.
[grunts]
You should apologize to her.
I don't know.
Maybe I should just
leave it alone.
I'm all kinds of fucked up.
It's not your responsibility
to carry around
the bullshit of the world.
Just mine.
[Rondi chuckles softly]
Okay, that's enough
for me today.
And you...
go home and get some sleep.
- I just got here.
- Yeah, I know.
But you look like shit.
[grunts]
[phone ringing]
[phone continues ringing]
[wind whooshing softly]
[birds chirping]
[jar thuds]
[man] Giovanni Scuderi,
the tank.
Didn't realize how massive
this place was.
Bury a body here,
no one would ever find it.
[panting]
[insects buzzing]
[Davis] It's nice out.
- [huffs air]
- It is, right?
[exhales]
She really cares about you.
She definitely has
an interesting taste
in men, but...
[both chuckle]
- No one's perfect.
- Oh, yeah.
- She's pretty close.
- Yeah.
I still have yet to hear
"it's good to see you."
[Gio chuckling]
"I'm glad you're here."
Oh, dude, I wouldn't
wanna lie to you.
Fair enough.
Just know I came a long way
to help you do this.
- [Gio sighs]
- [cigarette butt sizzles]
- Yeah.
- [exhales]
[insects trilling]
[lighter flicks]
Seriously?
[Gio] Would you rather
the glove compartment? [laughs]
Engine lights on.
[Gio] It's fine.
[light music playing]
[Gio] I figure we stop
in Albuquerque for the night.
Tomorrow, it'll be
a straight shot
over to California.
I wanna see the Grand Canyon.
[Gio] Yeah, I don't think
we're gonna have time for that.
[light chuckle]
All I've got is time.
Can we get one thing straight?
This isn't a vacation for me.
That letter says I gotta make it
to Exeter by the Fourth.
I'm gonna do that
and I'm gonna get back
to Texas as soon as possible.
I'm just here to help.
You ever heard of Pavla Blanca?
No.
She's a Spanish maiden.
Roams the white sands
in search of her lost love.
See, Blanca's lover
was a conquistador,
searching for the seven
cities of gold
with the explorer, Coronado.
And they got ambushed out here
by the Apaches.
[Blanca crying]
It was a massacre.
Word got back to her village,
she was overcome with grief.
She couldn't let him go.
So, she left her village.
Set out in search for him.
- Every night...
- [Blanca crying]
...she roams these white sands
in her wedding dress
hoping to find him.
What was his name?
Hernando de Luna.
Man died in the desert
for someone else's dream.
Hernando de Luna.
Why do you say it like that?
- What?
- You sound Spanish
when you say Spanish words.
Uh, you just roll your Rs
when you say--
Just say it American.
[chuckles] I took
four years of Spanish.
Yeah, I know,
but it bothers me.
It's weird when you say
shit like that.
Jess does the same thing.
'Cause we'll be talkin'
and she'll be completely
American and all of a sudden,
she'll be like...
[in Spanish accent]
"Pass me the cilantro."
- [in Spanish accent] Cilantro.
- No, don't say it,
- 'cause it bothers me.
- [Davis laughing]
- [chuckles] Come on--
- Alright, alright.
Hernando de Luna. Happy?
[Gio] There it is.
[Gio] On a bright
and sunny day
[Davis] On a bright
and sunny day
[Gio] Two little bears
went out to play
[Davis] Two little bears
went out to play
[Gio] Put together
all their money
[Davis] Put together
all their money
[Gio] For to buy
a jar of honey
[Davis] For to buy
a jar of honey
[Gio] And the big one
ate it all!
[Davis] And the big one
ate it all!
- [Gio] And it made
the little one cry
- [Davis laughs]
- Hey, pull over.
- [Gio chuckles]
Now the big one's on a run
[Davis] Now the big one's
on a run
[Gio] 'Cause the lil' one
has a gun
[woman crying distantly]
[child yelling in Dari] Mom!
[Davis] Melon for me.
Whatever he wants.
Davis, let's go.
At ease, soldier.
Have some melon.
I don't want any melon.
Do you have any mango?
- Mango for the angry man?
- No mango.
[Davis] I'll take whatever.
See, Jess is wearing off on you.
[indistinct yelling]
D, come on.
[indistinct yelling]
[cow mooing]
[engine starts, stops]
[engine sputters]
[Davis] Well, that's not good.
- [engine sputters]
- Mother--
[mooing]
Might throw a kink
in that hauling-ass idea.
It's either the battery
or the alternator.
'Cause I'm not getting
any power.
So, what's that mean for us?
It means I'm walkin'.
[Davis] We've hiked worse.
My pops always had a saying,
"Better to walk
than to be dragged."
Is that supposed to be helpful?
I don't know.
[light chuckle]
- Was it?
- No.
It's not a saying.
It fucking should be.
[crows cawing]
This is why you need
a cell phone, you know?
Time to get with the times.
Do a lil' Instagramming,
lil' Snapchat.
I saw a sign for Santa Fe
about 40 miles back.
I think if I hurry,
I could make it
to one of the towns
outside of there
before nightfall.
[Davis chuckles]
You're not gonna make it.
We don't have any other
option now, do we?
[Davis] I'm just saying,
we should wait with the truck.
It's a great idea.
You wait with the truck.
I'm headin' down the road.
You just wanna make everything
hard on yourself, don't you?
[flies buzzing]
Fuck!
Ay, you're leaving
our only shelter.
It's like the first rule
what not to do
when you get stuck
in the desert.
- Alright, wait up.
- [cows mooing]
Why do you walk so fast?
Tryin' to lose weight?
[Davis] This blows, man.
It's so hot.
[tense music plays]
Why we gotta go listen
to a guy bitch about his goat?
Relations.
You mean like
he was sleeping with it?
What kind of backward-ass brain?
That's where you mind went?
[chuckles] That's sick, bro.
Dios te ayude.
[RV stops]
[Ashlee] So, I take it
that was your silver car
a few miles back?
Yeah, man. Busted a hose.
Ah! I mean, you know
why they call it a "GMC."
"Got a mechanic coming."
- [laughs]
- [scoffs]
See, you should've
gotten yourself
a Winnebago.
My baby is a dream.
I don't even get to stop to pee.
[Gio] You know,
any mechanic shop
when we get to town
will be fine.
[Ashlee] Fair enough.
It just seems like someone's
nice enough to pick you up
in the middle of the desert.
Might be entitled to know a bit
about the man he's helping out.
The world's
a scary place
right now.
That's fair.
I'm headed to a little town
in Central California.
- [Velcro peeling]
- Oh! Bro, I'm headed to LA.
I'm gonna take the, uh,
Pacific Coast Highway,
ride along the water,
sleep on a beach.
Keep going all the way up
till I hit Seattle.
- [whooshing]
- If your car's not ready,
I'll be more than happy
to drop you off along my way.
[Velcro peeling]
I see you
checking out the Bego.
- [laughs]
- [Velcro peeling]
It's, um, it's nice.
Bro, so why you
say it like that?
Black man can't have
nice things?
- Sorry, my man,
I never said-- No.
- I saw the tone, bro.
- I never said--
- Nah, I'm just fucking
with you. [laughs]
- It is nice. [laughs]
- Jesus.
[Ashlee] No, it was
a graduation gift
from my father.
He told me he wanted
me to see the world
on my own terms.
That's funny.
- My pops said the same thing.
- [Ashlee] Mmm.
Except it was
on someone else's.
- [Ashlee chuckling]
- ["Rondo Alla Turca"
plays on keyboard]
Crazy.
["Cielito Lindo"
by Guigo Sanchez
playing on radio]
[singing "Cielito Lindo"]
[overlapping chatter
and singing]
I swear to God, Rivera,
I'm gonna learn this shit.
Who took the last
of my chocolate?
- Huh?
- Which one of those
- you planning on using?
- You?
Bro, you think I look like this
eating sugar?
Oh, so none of you know
what I'm talking about?
- How do you want your steak?
- I don't want fucking Spam.
I want one goddamn
piece of peace.
[feedback sound ringing]
- Can you pull over?
- Everything copacetic?
I just need to go
to the bathroom.
Oh, I got a toilet.
No number two's though.
That's a rule.
It's not like that.
Could you please
pull over for a second?
- Yeah, yeah, I got you, bro.
- I got you!
[Ashlee] Careful,
that's a cactus right there.
[Gio breathes heavily]
[thunder rumbling]
[breathing heavily]
[RV door slams]
Sorry about that, man.
It's all good, my G.
Don't even trip,
we almost to Santa Fe.
[engine starts]
- [RV reverse beeping]
- You ever been surfin'?
- You surf?
- [chuckles]
I'm gonna have to expand
your whole viewpoints
on Black people.
I'm about
to blow your mind.
When I was in the peace corps,
I traveled all through Asia.
Hong Kong, Beijing,
Philippines, Vietnam.
You ever been to Thailand?
- [Gio] No.
- [Ashlee] Bro,
they got this dish
called kua kling.
It burns the hair
off the back of your neck.
- You like spice?
- [Gio] I do.
[Ashlee] You really gonna
have to like spice.
This shit had my mouth
numb for days.
[both laughing]
This is quite
the location.
[engine stops]
Alright, man.
I appreciate the ride.
No worries at all.
I'm glad I could help.
Hey, I'm staying
just down the road
at a friend of mine's
for the night.
Just havin' some friends over.
You should come too.
- Ah, don't know
about that, man.
- [chuckles] No pressure.
Super cool group.
It's gonna be very chill.
The name is Rancho Gallina.
There's big sign out front.
You can't miss it.
I'll think about it.
- And, um...
thank you for earlier.
- Tonight.
- Roll through.
- Alright.
- It's gonna be worth it.
- Be good.
- [Ashlee] Take care.
- [engine starts]
- Later.
- [RV beeps]
- We gonna party?
- [RV revving]
[Gio] Yeah, but I'm just
trying to figure out
what time tomorrow.
Sometime before five.
So, you're basically
telling me all day.
Yeah. Alright.
Yeah, thanks.
This the road trip
you had in mind?
Not off
to a great start.
[inhales, sighs]
I'm not going.
- [guitar playing]
- [indistinct chatter]
Yeah, you're good, right?
- Yeah.
- Yeah?
- Have fun.
- Yeah.
Hey.
- What's your name?
- Oh. Gio, you made it.
- Yeah. I guess I did.
- What's up, my brother?
- How you doing?
- Doing well, doing very well.
Hey, help yourself
to whatever drinks you want.
We got food over here.
Caleb on the grill.
And I wanna introduce you
to my friend.
Xochitl. Welcome
to my family's ranch.
Yeah, it's, uh,
it's really nice.
Thanks. I heard
Ashlee picked you up
on his travels
just walking
through the desert?
- [chuckles]
- That's amazing.
Yeah, um, it wasn't
that amazing.
- [chuckles]
- Yeah.
No, I love it
when that happens.
The universe
leading you to places
you were meant to be.
Why do you think they call it
a vortex out here?
- Really, a vor--?
- A vortex.
- [chuckles]
- The energy.
Yeah, it just means, um,
a lot of people have been
drawn here for centuries
and there's something
magic about it.
Artists like Georgia O'Keeffe
and colonizers from Europe.
But right now, just some folks
that need to heal. Right?
- [Ashlee] True.
- Yeah, there's, um...
something about deserts.
You've got a bunch of reasons
to be here though. Don't you?
It's okay. Ashlee did too.
You mentioned that?
[inhales] Not yet.
Yeah, I had a big
health scare, bro.
Just pretty much
fed the fuck up.
Packed all my shit in my RV.
Drove across the country and...
- [Xochitl] Mm-hmm.
- ...met Xochitl.
[both chuckle]
Yeah, we trapped you
with our brujeria.
[laughs]
Well, I'm glad you're here.
I've gotta go host
this party or something.
But please help yourself
to anything you like.
- Yeah, thank you.
- [indistinct chatter]
I see the way
you looking.
- No, man. There's no look.
- Mm.
She just, um...
she reminds me of someone.
Mm. Enjoy yourself,
man. Say hi.
- And I'll catch you later.
- Okay.
So, it's, um... I almost, uh,
broke my legs heli-skiing.
You know, you should
try it sometime.
I think it would be fun.
You know?
- What?
- I can see not much
has changed.
Yeah, I don't see you
doing any better.
'Cause I'm not trying to.
- [laughs]
- I do want a taco though.
You think your girlfriend
would mind if we go back
over there? [laughs]
[Xochitl] Hi, beautiful people.
I'm so glad you all
are here tonight.
I wrote a little piece
that I would love
to share with you.
You all ever dream
of coyotes?
That shit feels crazy.
I'm trying to think of it
as a different kind
of omen though, you know?
One that wakes you up.
Alright, here it goes.
" Coyotl lay dead
like sagebrush saguaro,
some cactus slime slinking
out of its sorry pansa ,
all flattened in the road
when I walked up to it
on a hunch last night.
Tezcatli ticks, mirror blips
so I can't see what lies ahead,
what binds my future
to my breath,
watched as it bled out blanca
- to the slow boom of Bach...
- [thunder rumbling]
...and how its liquid mimicked
some madness
I kept housed in head,
leaking from just
beneath the temple
till my hand thunder-tremble,
searching for drink.
Grandma used to soften
her sweat with.
How her moods went
from fun to fury.
Danza to dismal with the smell
of two drops of whiskey
and a cigarette in hand
with the welt to cheek
when it hit me,
you're going heavy.
Too steady, down the wrong road.
Honey, coyotl gets me
back on track.
It's that or drown
in drunk denial
where the lies,
they come aplenty nothing,
tempting down that other road
but soul running,
rampant on empty.
But look at how it glows
down there.
At the end, all tempting-like,
takes a bend
towards the heaven,
sends waking light
at morning times, still shaking.
So go ahead
and take it, mi amor."
[all applauding]
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Alright, now, as we all know,
we have a little tradition
here on the rancho
that if you're new
to our community,
you have to come up
and say a few words.
So, let's get one
of our new friends, Gio.
Oh, shit.
Uh, no,
I'm-I'm okay, honestly.
You want me
to chant your name?
I'm not that kind of guy,
but I'll do it.
- You got it, brother.
- [all applauding]
[scattered applause]
[Xochitl] Yeah, alright.
- [woman] You got it.
- [Xochitl] Yes.
[whispers] Xochitl,
I don't-- I don't know
any poems or anything like that.
You'll... you'll be fine.
Just say whatever's
on your mind.
I don't really--
Wait, just whatever?
Whatever's on your mind.
You'll be fine. You'll be fine.
[Gio sniffs]
Hi.
My name's Giovanni.
Gio.
Are you-- are you gonna do that
the whole time that I...
Okay.
I'm not great with people.
So this is very different
for me.
I hit a coyote,
uh, with-with my car
which sent my life spiraling.
So, everything
that you were saying
about coyotes, I was...
It was crazy.
[thunder rumbling]
My best friend killed himself.
He sent me his ashes in a box
with a list of things
to do along the way.
I'm on a road trip with him.
I'm supposed to bury him
in his hometown.
Watch your lane.
We'll be out of here
in two minutes.
[Gio] Feels like everything
in my life lately
has been out of my control.
That's my fault.
I stopped taking the reigns,
if that makes any sense.
I stopped doing anything.
[whimpers]
But I made a promise.
I don't really know
where I'm going
with any of this.
But without him,
I wouldn't be here right now
with all of you...
living.
So...
Yeah.
[footsteps receding]
[vehicle approaching]
[engine stops]
[crow cawing]
- [gunshot]
- [birds fleeing]
[insect trilling]
Okay...
- [horse snorts]
- Okay. Okay. Right here.
Yeah, yeah.
Hey.
[Xochitl] You're hiding.
- [horse neighs]
- [both chuckle]
[Gio] I, uh...
Yeah, that was, uh,
that was a lot.
Not much for parties.
It's all good.
Takes one to know one.
But it was your party.
[chuckles] I know.
I'm a mess. I just do it
so I don't turn
into Sylvia Plath.
I'm-I'm a homebody.
- Oh. [chuckles]
- [chuckles]
Honestly, you were...
you were alright up there.
She likes you.
- Mm, yeah.
- Your-your speech was--
- I was horrible. It was--
- [both laugh]
It was, um, honest, raw...
That's a good thing.
Thanks. I, uh...
[inhales]
I don't quite have
a knack for it like you do.
Yours was amazing.
I thought I had you pegged
the second you walked up
and shook my hand.
My father served.
So seeing you,
it just... brought a lot back.
You carry yourself the same.
Is he still, um...
- Yeah, yeah. He is.
- Good.
I'm grateful for that.
Especially these days.
This is his horse, Rube.
- Rube. Hi...
- She's the best therapy.
Aren't you beautiful?
You know, um, the woman
we got her from
lives just up the road.
Ashlee and I are headed up there
for a visit tomorrow.
You're more than
welcome to join.
Who knows?
These horses,
they see every little
part of our minds.
Even the shit
we don't wanna see.
Just might be
the thing you need.
[Gio] I'll think about it.
[plastic wrinkling]
- What's this?
- For your journey.
When you're ready to go down
that road, this will help.
It's not the answer.
It's also not gonna trigger you
ten years from now.
It's just a baby step
towards a new beginning.
Thank you.
[Xochitl chuckles]
You know,
we gotta take care of ourselves
for the people we love.
Don't forget that.
Enjoy Rube.
[footsteps receding]
[plastic wrinkling]
- [exhaling]
- [thunder rumbling]
[thunder rumbles loudly]
[insects buzzing]
[Gio] You done having fun yet?
[exhales, sniffles]
Yeah, just a little tired.
[sniffles]
Me too.
I saw you out there.
- What happened?
- [chuckles]
Nothing.
You strike out too?
Sure.
You son of a bitch.
[sniffles]
- I know that look. [chuckles]
- [light chuckle]
Something happened.
Nothing happened, man.
You ready?
Yeah.
You did good up there, buddy.
[both laugh]
So those are
interpretive dancers.
[both laugh]
I wanna see you dance, man.
Oh, no, that's not happenin'.
- No?
- No.
[both laugh]
[insects buzzing]
[Jessica] I just
wanna be really clear,
you're replaceable.
[both laugh]
- [sniffs]
- Mmm.
Mm.
Mmm.
Is this your way of...
saying you're sorry?
Or is this your way
of breaking up with me?
Because if it's the latter,
the ribs definitely
cushion the blow.
- Do they? Mm-hmm.
- Mm-hmm.
- Good to know.
- Mm.
It only takes some ribs
to get over me?
- Well...
- [chuckles]
These are really good ribs.
- Thanks.
- [laughs]
[Gio] I don't know, I just...
I just wanted to do
something nice for you.
Jess, I don't know if I'm ready
to move to El Paso.
But I know my life's better
with you in it.
[indistinct TV chatter]
Hey.
You picked up.
Look, I'm sorry I ran out
the other night.
I shouldn't have done that.
I've been thinking a lot
about what I was gonna say
when I called you.
I'm fuckin' up.
[water dripping]
And I know I'm fuckin' up.
And these last months,
it doesn't matter
what I seem to do
or-or how I try
and say anything
or explain anything to you,
it just doesn't
come out right.
And I know it feels like
I'm pushing you away.
I'm not.
I wanna be right for you.
For me.
And...
I know nothing makes
sense right now,
but just know that I'm really
working on that.
I'm sorry.
[shushes]
It's okay.
No, no, no.
[in Dari]
Melons. I want a melon.
No, no. I got it.
Hey, it's okay.
[panting]
[tense music plays]
[in Dari]
It's okay.
[speaks Dari]
Don't move.
Gio!
[door creaks]
[Gio breathing heavily]
- [Davis speaking Dari]
- [child yelling in Dari] Mom!
[child indistinct, crying]
[Davis] Gio!
- [Davis speaks Dari]
- [in Dari]
- D, what's going on?
- Pressure plate.
- Fuck.
- [in Dari]
- [in Dari]
- [Davis speaks Dari]
[Gio] Davis, come to me.
- [in Dari]
- [Davis speaks Dari]
Stop! Don't move.
- [in Dari]
- [Gio] Davis! Don't move!
- [child sobbing, speaks Dari]
- [Davis shouts Dari]
- [mouthing]
- [Gio] Back the fuck up.
Let's go.
Davis, you're clear.
[grunts] I got you.
- [bomb explodes]
- [high-pitched feedback]
[birds chirping]
[Davis whispers] Fuck.
[Gio mumbling]
- Can't dream of something nice?
- [grunts]
Like the Maldives?
Two hot babes, banana boat.
[grunts] No, D.
Stop, man,
you don't have to do that.
It's fine. I got it.
[grunts, exhales]
We made this mess. You did,
but you know what I mean.
It's just an urn.
The fuck am I doing?
You're keeping your word.
That's not what I meant.
I meant with my life.
With Jess.
I know.
Why'd you do it?
[sniffles, light chuckle]
You should go out
and do something.
Can't sit in a hotel
and mope.
We're on a road trip
for Christ's sake.
You're not a bad guy, Gio.
Bad people don't struggle
with the past.
[distant explosion]
[exhales]
You gotta eat somethin'.
Why is it a bigger piece?
Ah, you know Bernard
can't use a knife worth of shit.
Come on.
Come on, I'll feel better
knowing you ate somethin'.
Good.
Got security at 18 with me.
Yes, sergeant.
[sighs]
[Afghan girl crying]
[bird squawking]
- [flies buzzing]
- [horse neighing]
[Gio] Hey.
- Yo.
- Hey.
- [Xochitl] You made it.
- There he is.
- [Gio] Yeah.
- There's the man.
- [Xochitl chuckles]
- I guess so.
- Welcome.
- Welcome.
- [Gio] Thank you.
- I'm so glad you came.
- It's gonna be
something else, man.
- Thanks.
Hey, Gio. This is
my friend, Joost.
- Nice to meet you, man.
- [Gio] Nice to meet you.
And this is Yogi.
Your champion.
[laughs]
Okay.
So, what are you feelin'?
You wanna do some...
some horse therapy?
Is that what we're doing today?
[Ashlee] Yeah, that'll be--
- [Xochitl] With our friend,
Yogi.
- Sure.
- [Gio] Yeah.
- [horse snorts]
- Argh!
- [all laugh]
That is what we call
a blessing.
- [Xochitl laughs]
- [laughs] Really?
- [Joost] Yeah.
- [laughs]
[Joost] So, why don't you...
just take this rope
and walk him around
a little bit in here?
- [Gio] Mm-hmm.
- [Joost] No direction.
- Just stay with that feeling.
- [thunder rumbling]
And talk to him
as if he's there.
It's really good, you know,
to feel where you're at
with the horse
in this space.
In this land.
Hear that engine
over there.
[engine whirring in distance]
And then the silence again.
[crow cawing]
- [rooster crowing]
- And the crow crowing
and the rooster...
[quietly] ...over there.
Just be with.
[fly buzzes]
This is your moment,
to not have to do anything.
You see how he's developing
a tear there?
And the fly wants
to get to the tear.
Mm-hmm.
So in a way, you know,
he's feeling your pain.
So, remember what
I talked to you about.
To connect with something
so much bigger than yourself.
He is just a vehicle...
for you to connect
with the past,
with the present,
with the future.
With the land,
with the earth.
- [quietly] Yeah, that's right.
- [breathes heavily]
[rooster crowing]
- [solemn music playing]
- [rain pattering]
[breathing heavily]
Good.
It's so good.
I see you.
[exhales]
[exhales]
[Gio exhaling]
I needed this.
- [Joost] He did.
- [Xochitl] Yeah.
- Needed a hug from a horse.
- [Xochitl chuckles]
[Joost] And then, you know,
you know, and sometimes
I just feel angry.
[Gio] Huh.
And-and to admit that,
I just feel,
"You know, I am angry,
dammit."
- [light chuckle]
- [thunder rumbling]
And there's nothing
wrong with that.
It doesn't have
to have consequences.
It's just a feeling.
And by not expressing it,
by not owning it,
that's when it's gonna
have consequences.
One day, you know
you're just gonna explode.
Yeah. I almost feel like
I'm there. Everyday.
And so it's easier
to just kind of like...
you know, just like bottle it,
or like numb it out.
Oh, that's what I did
for many years.
[both chuckle]
It brought me
this close to death.
[coyote howling]
["The Drop" by Rosa Pullman
playing on speakers]
- The mechanic's a mean fuck.
- Yeah?
Yeah, I asked him when
he'd be done with the truck.
Guy just walked across
the street and got coffee.
Man ain't on a schedule.
Yeah, I've been thinking
about that.
Yeah?
Maybe we shouldn't be
on so much of one either.
I'm sorry for wanting to rush
through this.
It's all good.
You've always been
quick to finish.
[both laugh]
- [beeping]
- [song continues playing
on speakers]
["Best Friend"
by Jack Jones playing]
Hold my hand,
we'll lie together
And I like spending
all my time with you...
[song continues indistinctly]
Let's go.
- What?
- Let's go.
...on cloudy days
The more time
we spend together
The more will be fine
And we'll lie together
And I like spending
all my time with you
Yes, I like spending
all my time with you
[music ends]
[truck revs]
["Rollin'"
by Scotty Bratcher playing]
[both laughing]
- [music fades]
- [metal clanking]
[Gio and Davis
mimicking howling]
[mimicking howling]
[Gio and Davis laughing]
[thunder rumbles]
[Davis] Oh, shit. [laughs]
[Gio] Come on. [chuckles]
[solemn music playing]
- [panting]
- [thunder rumbling]
[panting]
[Davis] You know,
when I get back,
I'm taking a road trip.
Need to see every inch
of what everyone is dying over.
Today wasn't your fault,
you know that, right?
[thunder rumbling]
I was the one to let you
in that field.
Doesn't matter. Kid's dead
over a fuckin' melon.
No.
No, man. The kid's dead 'cause
they had the unfortunate luck
to grow up
in a fucking war zone.
That kid was there
because--
Hey, man, you didn't lay
that fucking mine.
Now, I need your head
in this shit.
'Cause us getting home
is all I give a fuck about.
You understand me?
Here.
I don't know how good it is.
I've had it for a while now.
- You took it?
- No.
Promise me.
We get home,
hop in a car and just drive.
Yeah, I promise.
[Davis sniffles]
Start out East, we can hit
Hershey, Pennsylvania.
- That's a place?
- [chuckles]
Yeah, dude, that's
a fuckin' place.
What have you seen?
- Nothin'.
- Jesus.
Drive down to Tennessee,
see the Smoky Mountains.
- Yeah.
- You've been to Florida?
- No.
- Some trashy women in Florida.
- We gotta stop there.
- [both laugh]
Drive back up,
we hit Biloxi.
Go to the casinos.
Drive through Texas, man.
I've never seen
as much flat ground
as Texas.
Stop and eat a steak
as big as your head.
Figure, we finish
in the Grand Canyon.
[Davis inhales]
That's what I want.
Alright.
[insects chirping]
What happened to you?
Baby steps.
- [owl hooting]
- [insects chirping]
[fire crackling]
[thunder rumbling]
[Davis laughing]
[Davis and Gio laughing]
[Xochitl] "So I can't see
what lies ahead,
what binds my future
to my breath.
Watched as it bled out blanca
to the slow boom of Bach."
[indistinct voices]
'Cause the little one
got a gun
[both laughing]
Yogi bear's dead to blame
[both laughing]
[man singing in Spanish]
- [fireworks explode]
- [laughing continues]
[Davis] You're not
a bad guy, Gio.
Bad people don't struggle
with the past.
[Jessica] What am I doing here?
Listen to your soul.
- [Davis] It's okay.
- [Jessica] What am I
doing here?
[Davis] It's okay.
It's okay, Gio.
- [laughing]
- You gotta let me go.
[child speaking Dari, crying]
[Davis] This 0.38
whispers in my ear.
- Goodbye, Gio.
- [Jessica] It's not your fault.
[Gio sobs] It's not my fault.
[explosion]
You hear that?
Davis!
[Ashlee] Help yourself
to anything you like.
[indistinct whispers]
[Davis] It's not your fault.
[Rondi] It's not
your responsibility
to carry around
the bullshit of the world.
[indistinct conversation]
[overlapping voices]
- [woman gasps, cries]
- [overlapping voices]
- [horse snorts]
- It's not your fault.
- [phone ringing]
- [overlapping voices]
" Coyotl ... blood on the road."
- [overlapping voices]
- [phone ringing]
[man over radio]
...Warhorse actual,
this is Warhorse 2
with a nine-line
medevac request.
Line one: grid.
One, one, sierra, break,
tree, zero, seven, six...
Gunshot wound to the head.
- [indistinct voices whispering]
- [phone thuds]
[indistinct voices continue]
[breathes deeply]
[thuds]
One last game.
[Davis] You wanna go
across the valley today?
[Gio] Oh, yeah.
Alright, our first target,
see those three trees?
- Yeah. Alright.
- Center tree.
[Gio] You do the honors.
[Davis] Alright.
[light music playing]
- [Gio] Today, grandma.
- [Davis] Oh!
[Gio laughs]
Fuck you.
[Gio] Oh, it's gonna be
a long day for you.
- [Gio] That sounds great.
- That was beautiful.
Oh, shit. Center tree.
- Yeah, that one.
- That little...
Not that one. That--
- Oh, baby!
- Oh, shit. Damn it.
[laughs]
[Gio] It's somewhere
right around this...
You know, if you lose that ball,
that means I won.
So...
- Yeah.
- [chuckles]
Well, congrats.
["Cielito Lindo"
by Adeliz Calderon playing]
[Davis exhales]
You don't know how long
I wanted to see this.
- What do you think?
- It's big.
[chuckles]
You know what I like
about this?
- What?
- It's quiet.
Yes.
I can stare out there
and there's no problems
in front of me.
You think there's
an echo here?
I don't know. Go for it.
[chuckles] Wanna do
a little coyote howl together?
- No.
- Oh, come on.
- You can do one.
- We got this, huh?
- You do one.
- Alright.
One, two...
[inhales deeply]
- [mimics howling]
- [echoing]
What was that?
[coyotes howling in distance]
[both laugh]
[both mimic howling]
- [echoing]
- [coyotes howling in distance]
- Dude!
- [both laugh]
Yes!
- [both mimic howling]
- [coyotes howling in distance]
["Cielito Lindo"
by Adeliz Calderon resumes]
[honking]
[Gio] Did you make
the right choice?
[Davis] I made a choice.
I'm at the beginning.
Just like you.
[light music playing]
[birds chirping]
[crow cawing]
- [truck approaches]
- [engine stops]
[Davis] Don't lose it. [sighs]
If, uh, you wanna go
on one more trip...
[both chuckle]
- No.
- Attaboy.
I'll see you soon.
[howls]
[engine starts]
[fireworks exploding]
[whistling]
[fireworks whistling]
[engine starts]
["Without Hope"
by Scotty Bratcher playing]
[music ends]
[melancholic music playing]
- [steam whooshes]
- [birds chirping]
["Both of My Hands"
by Riddy Arman playing]
[metal gate clanking]
[truck door opens]
[truck door closes]
[engine starts]
- [thuds]
- [tires screech]
[engine sputters, stops]
[sighs]
[breathes deeply]
[coyote howls in distance]
[grunts, pants]
[coyotes howling in distance]
[panting]
[melancholic music plays]
[mimicking howling]
[coyote howls in distance]
[vehicle approaching]
[machine whirring]
Hey, Gio. Gio.
- [wood thumps]
- [machine whirring stops]
Damn, man. Might as well be
talking to one of these planks.
- My bad.
- You good?
- Yeah, I'm good.
- Hey, man,
I need you
to focus out here.
We know what can happen.
- Yeah, it's my bad.
- Alright, you okay?
I'm good. I'm here.
Alright. Hey, what do you say
we go get some brews after work?
- Ah, I, uh...
- Not one?
Nah, I can't, man.
Maybe next week.
Every week it's "next week"
with you, Gio.
[sniffs] Yeah.
[machine whirrs]
[thunder rumbles]
- [phone ringing]
- [faucet running, turns off]
[thunder rumbling]
[inhales]
[exhales]
- [book thuds]
- [paper crumples]
[Davis] Gio, the day we became
friends, you changed my life.
When you took me in,
you didn't judge me.
You treated me like a brother.
When you shared with me
the horrors of your childhood,
I felt less condemned
to share with you
the horrors of mine.
I never liked war, Gio.
I remember the day
I put on that uniform,
I was so terrified.
I thought by joining,
I could become a man,
"army strong".
Don't grieve for me, brother.
Just please try
to be happy for me.
Don't freak out
when you see the ashes.
And maybe take me
on that road trip
like we always talked about.
Go see the firework show
on Exeter on the Fourth.
I want you to see it
for yourself.
Goodbye, Gio.
This 0.38 whispers in my ear.
[melancholic music playing]
[birds chirping]
[grunts]
- [grunts]
- [child yelling in Dari] Mom!
- [exhales]
- [animal whimpers]
["Cielito Lindo"
by Adeliz Calderon
playing over speakers]
[Gio humming]
[sighs]
[humming continues]
[door closes]
[dial tone beeping]
[beeping continues, stops]
[humming]
I've been calling you
for two days.
It didn't ring.
Because the phone's
off the hook.
Oh.
I didn't mean to worry you.
Don't.
- Mm-mm.
- You look good.
[Gio sniffles, exhales]
[sniffles, kissing]
What happened here?
I got caught up making
a bench for Rondi.
I'll clean it up...
after you dance with me.
- [Gio exhales]
- [wooden floor creaks]
You're drunk.
It doesn't change the fact
that I'm in a dancing mood.
Prettiest girl
I've ever seen
happens to be
standing right here
on my patio.
- [Gio chuckles]
- [dog barks in distance]
[Gio sighs]
Do I even wanna know
why you're acting like this?
[Gio] I wouldn't want to.
What are your thoughts
on a dog?
You wanna get
a dog together?
- [Gio chuckles] Yeah.
- [Jessica chuckles]
- [Gio] I was thinkin'
of a Lab, maybe.
- [Jessica breathes heavily]
- And I could take him
fishing with me.
- [sighs] Hmm.
- We could take him on walks.
- Mm. [chuckles]
[Jessica] And what
would we name the dog?
Scout.
Or Franklin.
Franklin,
like the turtle?
I knew I liked you.
- Hmm. Mmm.
- [both chuckle]
[Jessica inhales, sighs deeply]
Hey. [sniffles]
You don't need a dog.
You need a friend.
- Yeah.
- Mmm.
Why don't you call...
I don't know, Troy,
or one of your army buddies?
Yeah, maybe I'll do that.
Okay.
Why don't you start cleaning up
and I'll make us dinner?
- [dog barking in distance]
- Okay.
Hmm.
[footsteps receding]
[door squeaks]
- [light music playing]
- [birds chirping]
[phone ringing]
[phone ringing continues]
[breathes heavily]
[wind whooshing gently]
[soft grunt] Alright,
that's... [inhales]
- [birds chirping]
- [insects trilling]
Where is it?
Okay.
Right there.
Come on, come on.
Hey. Mmm.
- A lil' hungover?
- No.
[chuckles]
I'm just old.
[moans] Oh.
The hospital's asking
all doctors
to cover extra shifts
to cover the influx
of patients.
So, it's gonna be
a little hard for me
to keep coming back and forth.
Okay.
What does that mean?
I guess, uh,
I'm asking if you'd wanna stay
with me for a while?
You know how much
I hate the city.
And if things
are really that bad,
aren't we safer here anyway?
Yeah.
But I'll be there?
I don't know. I think
it could be good.
We get to spend
more time together.
You know, there's plenty
of carpentry work in the city.
There's so much.
[chuckles]
Mmm.
You wanna spend
more time with me
or you wanna watch over me?
[light chuckle]
No. I'm not
doing this with you.
You know, this was supposed
to be a good thing.
A way to see if we were gonna
actually make this work
because I'm not 22
and I don't have time to hook up
and clean up
after grown-ass men.
You have no idea
what I'm going through.
Yeah, and whose fault is that?
[country music playing]
[machine whirring]
[whirring]
[clucking]
[speaking Spanish]
[in English] I thought
you were coming by yesterday.
I got caught up.
Nearly threw out my back
pulling out that manure
from the car.
[breathes deeply]
- Well, you should have waited.
- [scoffs lightly]
I don't have time
to wait for anyone.
How are things?
They've been better.
I can see that.
Does this have anything to do
with that pretty doctor lady?
Not really.
I said some things
I shouldn't have.
[laughs]
Of course,
you did. [laughs]
You're a man.
[sighs]
Rondi, I don't know
why you wasting time on this.
This ground's dead.
You don't know that.
Soil gets packed in
from the rain
and the elements.
You just got
to turn it over.
Give it a little TLC.
[grunts]
You should apologize to her.
I don't know.
Maybe I should just
leave it alone.
I'm all kinds of fucked up.
It's not your responsibility
to carry around
the bullshit of the world.
Just mine.
[Rondi chuckles softly]
Okay, that's enough
for me today.
And you...
go home and get some sleep.
- I just got here.
- Yeah, I know.
But you look like shit.
[grunts]
[phone ringing]
[phone continues ringing]
[wind whooshing softly]
[birds chirping]
[jar thuds]
[man] Giovanni Scuderi,
the tank.
Didn't realize how massive
this place was.
Bury a body here,
no one would ever find it.
[panting]
[insects buzzing]
[Davis] It's nice out.
- [huffs air]
- It is, right?
[exhales]
She really cares about you.
She definitely has
an interesting taste
in men, but...
[both chuckle]
- No one's perfect.
- Oh, yeah.
- She's pretty close.
- Yeah.
I still have yet to hear
"it's good to see you."
[Gio chuckling]
"I'm glad you're here."
Oh, dude, I wouldn't
wanna lie to you.
Fair enough.
Just know I came a long way
to help you do this.
- [Gio sighs]
- [cigarette butt sizzles]
- Yeah.
- [exhales]
[insects trilling]
[lighter flicks]
Seriously?
[Gio] Would you rather
the glove compartment? [laughs]
Engine lights on.
[Gio] It's fine.
[light music playing]
[Gio] I figure we stop
in Albuquerque for the night.
Tomorrow, it'll be
a straight shot
over to California.
I wanna see the Grand Canyon.
[Gio] Yeah, I don't think
we're gonna have time for that.
[light chuckle]
All I've got is time.
Can we get one thing straight?
This isn't a vacation for me.
That letter says I gotta make it
to Exeter by the Fourth.
I'm gonna do that
and I'm gonna get back
to Texas as soon as possible.
I'm just here to help.
You ever heard of Pavla Blanca?
No.
She's a Spanish maiden.
Roams the white sands
in search of her lost love.
See, Blanca's lover
was a conquistador,
searching for the seven
cities of gold
with the explorer, Coronado.
And they got ambushed out here
by the Apaches.
[Blanca crying]
It was a massacre.
Word got back to her village,
she was overcome with grief.
She couldn't let him go.
So, she left her village.
Set out in search for him.
- Every night...
- [Blanca crying]
...she roams these white sands
in her wedding dress
hoping to find him.
What was his name?
Hernando de Luna.
Man died in the desert
for someone else's dream.
Hernando de Luna.
Why do you say it like that?
- What?
- You sound Spanish
when you say Spanish words.
Uh, you just roll your Rs
when you say--
Just say it American.
[chuckles] I took
four years of Spanish.
Yeah, I know,
but it bothers me.
It's weird when you say
shit like that.
Jess does the same thing.
'Cause we'll be talkin'
and she'll be completely
American and all of a sudden,
she'll be like...
[in Spanish accent]
"Pass me the cilantro."
- [in Spanish accent] Cilantro.
- No, don't say it,
- 'cause it bothers me.
- [Davis laughing]
- [chuckles] Come on--
- Alright, alright.
Hernando de Luna. Happy?
[Gio] There it is.
[Gio] On a bright
and sunny day
[Davis] On a bright
and sunny day
[Gio] Two little bears
went out to play
[Davis] Two little bears
went out to play
[Gio] Put together
all their money
[Davis] Put together
all their money
[Gio] For to buy
a jar of honey
[Davis] For to buy
a jar of honey
[Gio] And the big one
ate it all!
[Davis] And the big one
ate it all!
- [Gio] And it made
the little one cry
- [Davis laughs]
- Hey, pull over.
- [Gio chuckles]
Now the big one's on a run
[Davis] Now the big one's
on a run
[Gio] 'Cause the lil' one
has a gun
[woman crying distantly]
[child yelling in Dari] Mom!
[Davis] Melon for me.
Whatever he wants.
Davis, let's go.
At ease, soldier.
Have some melon.
I don't want any melon.
Do you have any mango?
- Mango for the angry man?
- No mango.
[Davis] I'll take whatever.
See, Jess is wearing off on you.
[indistinct yelling]
D, come on.
[indistinct yelling]
[cow mooing]
[engine starts, stops]
[engine sputters]
[Davis] Well, that's not good.
- [engine sputters]
- Mother--
[mooing]
Might throw a kink
in that hauling-ass idea.
It's either the battery
or the alternator.
'Cause I'm not getting
any power.
So, what's that mean for us?
It means I'm walkin'.
[Davis] We've hiked worse.
My pops always had a saying,
"Better to walk
than to be dragged."
Is that supposed to be helpful?
I don't know.
[light chuckle]
- Was it?
- No.
It's not a saying.
It fucking should be.
[crows cawing]
This is why you need
a cell phone, you know?
Time to get with the times.
Do a lil' Instagramming,
lil' Snapchat.
I saw a sign for Santa Fe
about 40 miles back.
I think if I hurry,
I could make it
to one of the towns
outside of there
before nightfall.
[Davis chuckles]
You're not gonna make it.
We don't have any other
option now, do we?
[Davis] I'm just saying,
we should wait with the truck.
It's a great idea.
You wait with the truck.
I'm headin' down the road.
You just wanna make everything
hard on yourself, don't you?
[flies buzzing]
Fuck!
Ay, you're leaving
our only shelter.
It's like the first rule
what not to do
when you get stuck
in the desert.
- Alright, wait up.
- [cows mooing]
Why do you walk so fast?
Tryin' to lose weight?
[Davis] This blows, man.
It's so hot.
[tense music plays]
Why we gotta go listen
to a guy bitch about his goat?
Relations.
You mean like
he was sleeping with it?
What kind of backward-ass brain?
That's where you mind went?
[chuckles] That's sick, bro.
Dios te ayude.
[RV stops]
[Ashlee] So, I take it
that was your silver car
a few miles back?
Yeah, man. Busted a hose.
Ah! I mean, you know
why they call it a "GMC."
"Got a mechanic coming."
- [laughs]
- [scoffs]
See, you should've
gotten yourself
a Winnebago.
My baby is a dream.
I don't even get to stop to pee.
[Gio] You know,
any mechanic shop
when we get to town
will be fine.
[Ashlee] Fair enough.
It just seems like someone's
nice enough to pick you up
in the middle of the desert.
Might be entitled to know a bit
about the man he's helping out.
The world's
a scary place
right now.
That's fair.
I'm headed to a little town
in Central California.
- [Velcro peeling]
- Oh! Bro, I'm headed to LA.
I'm gonna take the, uh,
Pacific Coast Highway,
ride along the water,
sleep on a beach.
Keep going all the way up
till I hit Seattle.
- [whooshing]
- If your car's not ready,
I'll be more than happy
to drop you off along my way.
[Velcro peeling]
I see you
checking out the Bego.
- [laughs]
- [Velcro peeling]
It's, um, it's nice.
Bro, so why you
say it like that?
Black man can't have
nice things?
- Sorry, my man,
I never said-- No.
- I saw the tone, bro.
- I never said--
- Nah, I'm just fucking
with you. [laughs]
- It is nice. [laughs]
- Jesus.
[Ashlee] No, it was
a graduation gift
from my father.
He told me he wanted
me to see the world
on my own terms.
That's funny.
- My pops said the same thing.
- [Ashlee] Mmm.
Except it was
on someone else's.
- [Ashlee chuckling]
- ["Rondo Alla Turca"
plays on keyboard]
Crazy.
["Cielito Lindo"
by Guigo Sanchez
playing on radio]
[singing "Cielito Lindo"]
[overlapping chatter
and singing]
I swear to God, Rivera,
I'm gonna learn this shit.
Who took the last
of my chocolate?
- Huh?
- Which one of those
- you planning on using?
- You?
Bro, you think I look like this
eating sugar?
Oh, so none of you know
what I'm talking about?
- How do you want your steak?
- I don't want fucking Spam.
I want one goddamn
piece of peace.
[feedback sound ringing]
- Can you pull over?
- Everything copacetic?
I just need to go
to the bathroom.
Oh, I got a toilet.
No number two's though.
That's a rule.
It's not like that.
Could you please
pull over for a second?
- Yeah, yeah, I got you, bro.
- I got you!
[Ashlee] Careful,
that's a cactus right there.
[Gio breathes heavily]
[thunder rumbling]
[breathing heavily]
[RV door slams]
Sorry about that, man.
It's all good, my G.
Don't even trip,
we almost to Santa Fe.
[engine starts]
- [RV reverse beeping]
- You ever been surfin'?
- You surf?
- [chuckles]
I'm gonna have to expand
your whole viewpoints
on Black people.
I'm about
to blow your mind.
When I was in the peace corps,
I traveled all through Asia.
Hong Kong, Beijing,
Philippines, Vietnam.
You ever been to Thailand?
- [Gio] No.
- [Ashlee] Bro,
they got this dish
called kua kling.
It burns the hair
off the back of your neck.
- You like spice?
- [Gio] I do.
[Ashlee] You really gonna
have to like spice.
This shit had my mouth
numb for days.
[both laughing]
This is quite
the location.
[engine stops]
Alright, man.
I appreciate the ride.
No worries at all.
I'm glad I could help.
Hey, I'm staying
just down the road
at a friend of mine's
for the night.
Just havin' some friends over.
You should come too.
- Ah, don't know
about that, man.
- [chuckles] No pressure.
Super cool group.
It's gonna be very chill.
The name is Rancho Gallina.
There's big sign out front.
You can't miss it.
I'll think about it.
- And, um...
thank you for earlier.
- Tonight.
- Roll through.
- Alright.
- It's gonna be worth it.
- Be good.
- [Ashlee] Take care.
- [engine starts]
- Later.
- [RV beeps]
- We gonna party?
- [RV revving]
[Gio] Yeah, but I'm just
trying to figure out
what time tomorrow.
Sometime before five.
So, you're basically
telling me all day.
Yeah. Alright.
Yeah, thanks.
This the road trip
you had in mind?
Not off
to a great start.
[inhales, sighs]
I'm not going.
- [guitar playing]
- [indistinct chatter]
Yeah, you're good, right?
- Yeah.
- Yeah?
- Have fun.
- Yeah.
Hey.
- What's your name?
- Oh. Gio, you made it.
- Yeah. I guess I did.
- What's up, my brother?
- How you doing?
- Doing well, doing very well.
Hey, help yourself
to whatever drinks you want.
We got food over here.
Caleb on the grill.
And I wanna introduce you
to my friend.
Xochitl. Welcome
to my family's ranch.
Yeah, it's, uh,
it's really nice.
Thanks. I heard
Ashlee picked you up
on his travels
just walking
through the desert?
- [chuckles]
- That's amazing.
Yeah, um, it wasn't
that amazing.
- [chuckles]
- Yeah.
No, I love it
when that happens.
The universe
leading you to places
you were meant to be.
Why do you think they call it
a vortex out here?
- Really, a vor--?
- A vortex.
- [chuckles]
- The energy.
Yeah, it just means, um,
a lot of people have been
drawn here for centuries
and there's something
magic about it.
Artists like Georgia O'Keeffe
and colonizers from Europe.
But right now, just some folks
that need to heal. Right?
- [Ashlee] True.
- Yeah, there's, um...
something about deserts.
You've got a bunch of reasons
to be here though. Don't you?
It's okay. Ashlee did too.
You mentioned that?
[inhales] Not yet.
Yeah, I had a big
health scare, bro.
Just pretty much
fed the fuck up.
Packed all my shit in my RV.
Drove across the country and...
- [Xochitl] Mm-hmm.
- ...met Xochitl.
[both chuckle]
Yeah, we trapped you
with our brujeria.
[laughs]
Well, I'm glad you're here.
I've gotta go host
this party or something.
But please help yourself
to anything you like.
- Yeah, thank you.
- [indistinct chatter]
I see the way
you looking.
- No, man. There's no look.
- Mm.
She just, um...
she reminds me of someone.
Mm. Enjoy yourself,
man. Say hi.
- And I'll catch you later.
- Okay.
So, it's, um... I almost, uh,
broke my legs heli-skiing.
You know, you should
try it sometime.
I think it would be fun.
You know?
- What?
- I can see not much
has changed.
Yeah, I don't see you
doing any better.
'Cause I'm not trying to.
- [laughs]
- I do want a taco though.
You think your girlfriend
would mind if we go back
over there? [laughs]
[Xochitl] Hi, beautiful people.
I'm so glad you all
are here tonight.
I wrote a little piece
that I would love
to share with you.
You all ever dream
of coyotes?
That shit feels crazy.
I'm trying to think of it
as a different kind
of omen though, you know?
One that wakes you up.
Alright, here it goes.
" Coyotl lay dead
like sagebrush saguaro,
some cactus slime slinking
out of its sorry pansa ,
all flattened in the road
when I walked up to it
on a hunch last night.
Tezcatli ticks, mirror blips
so I can't see what lies ahead,
what binds my future
to my breath,
watched as it bled out blanca
- to the slow boom of Bach...
- [thunder rumbling]
...and how its liquid mimicked
some madness
I kept housed in head,
leaking from just
beneath the temple
till my hand thunder-tremble,
searching for drink.
Grandma used to soften
her sweat with.
How her moods went
from fun to fury.
Danza to dismal with the smell
of two drops of whiskey
and a cigarette in hand
with the welt to cheek
when it hit me,
you're going heavy.
Too steady, down the wrong road.
Honey, coyotl gets me
back on track.
It's that or drown
in drunk denial
where the lies,
they come aplenty nothing,
tempting down that other road
but soul running,
rampant on empty.
But look at how it glows
down there.
At the end, all tempting-like,
takes a bend
towards the heaven,
sends waking light
at morning times, still shaking.
So go ahead
and take it, mi amor."
[all applauding]
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Alright, now, as we all know,
we have a little tradition
here on the rancho
that if you're new
to our community,
you have to come up
and say a few words.
So, let's get one
of our new friends, Gio.
Oh, shit.
Uh, no,
I'm-I'm okay, honestly.
You want me
to chant your name?
I'm not that kind of guy,
but I'll do it.
- You got it, brother.
- [all applauding]
[scattered applause]
[Xochitl] Yeah, alright.
- [woman] You got it.
- [Xochitl] Yes.
[whispers] Xochitl,
I don't-- I don't know
any poems or anything like that.
You'll... you'll be fine.
Just say whatever's
on your mind.
I don't really--
Wait, just whatever?
Whatever's on your mind.
You'll be fine. You'll be fine.
[Gio sniffs]
Hi.
My name's Giovanni.
Gio.
Are you-- are you gonna do that
the whole time that I...
Okay.
I'm not great with people.
So this is very different
for me.
I hit a coyote,
uh, with-with my car
which sent my life spiraling.
So, everything
that you were saying
about coyotes, I was...
It was crazy.
[thunder rumbling]
My best friend killed himself.
He sent me his ashes in a box
with a list of things
to do along the way.
I'm on a road trip with him.
I'm supposed to bury him
in his hometown.
Watch your lane.
We'll be out of here
in two minutes.
[Gio] Feels like everything
in my life lately
has been out of my control.
That's my fault.
I stopped taking the reigns,
if that makes any sense.
I stopped doing anything.
[whimpers]
But I made a promise.
I don't really know
where I'm going
with any of this.
But without him,
I wouldn't be here right now
with all of you...
living.
So...
Yeah.
[footsteps receding]
[vehicle approaching]
[engine stops]
[crow cawing]
- [gunshot]
- [birds fleeing]
[insect trilling]
Okay...
- [horse snorts]
- Okay. Okay. Right here.
Yeah, yeah.
Hey.
[Xochitl] You're hiding.
- [horse neighs]
- [both chuckle]
[Gio] I, uh...
Yeah, that was, uh,
that was a lot.
Not much for parties.
It's all good.
Takes one to know one.
But it was your party.
[chuckles] I know.
I'm a mess. I just do it
so I don't turn
into Sylvia Plath.
I'm-I'm a homebody.
- Oh. [chuckles]
- [chuckles]
Honestly, you were...
you were alright up there.
She likes you.
- Mm, yeah.
- Your-your speech was--
- I was horrible. It was--
- [both laugh]
It was, um, honest, raw...
That's a good thing.
Thanks. I, uh...
[inhales]
I don't quite have
a knack for it like you do.
Yours was amazing.
I thought I had you pegged
the second you walked up
and shook my hand.
My father served.
So seeing you,
it just... brought a lot back.
You carry yourself the same.
Is he still, um...
- Yeah, yeah. He is.
- Good.
I'm grateful for that.
Especially these days.
This is his horse, Rube.
- Rube. Hi...
- She's the best therapy.
Aren't you beautiful?
You know, um, the woman
we got her from
lives just up the road.
Ashlee and I are headed up there
for a visit tomorrow.
You're more than
welcome to join.
Who knows?
These horses,
they see every little
part of our minds.
Even the shit
we don't wanna see.
Just might be
the thing you need.
[Gio] I'll think about it.
[plastic wrinkling]
- What's this?
- For your journey.
When you're ready to go down
that road, this will help.
It's not the answer.
It's also not gonna trigger you
ten years from now.
It's just a baby step
towards a new beginning.
Thank you.
[Xochitl chuckles]
You know,
we gotta take care of ourselves
for the people we love.
Don't forget that.
Enjoy Rube.
[footsteps receding]
[plastic wrinkling]
- [exhaling]
- [thunder rumbling]
[thunder rumbles loudly]
[insects buzzing]
[Gio] You done having fun yet?
[exhales, sniffles]
Yeah, just a little tired.
[sniffles]
Me too.
I saw you out there.
- What happened?
- [chuckles]
Nothing.
You strike out too?
Sure.
You son of a bitch.
[sniffles]
- I know that look. [chuckles]
- [light chuckle]
Something happened.
Nothing happened, man.
You ready?
Yeah.
You did good up there, buddy.
[both laugh]
So those are
interpretive dancers.
[both laugh]
I wanna see you dance, man.
Oh, no, that's not happenin'.
- No?
- No.
[both laugh]
[insects buzzing]
[Jessica] I just
wanna be really clear,
you're replaceable.
[both laugh]
- [sniffs]
- Mmm.
Mm.
Mmm.
Is this your way of...
saying you're sorry?
Or is this your way
of breaking up with me?
Because if it's the latter,
the ribs definitely
cushion the blow.
- Do they? Mm-hmm.
- Mm-hmm.
- Good to know.
- Mm.
It only takes some ribs
to get over me?
- Well...
- [chuckles]
These are really good ribs.
- Thanks.
- [laughs]
[Gio] I don't know, I just...
I just wanted to do
something nice for you.
Jess, I don't know if I'm ready
to move to El Paso.
But I know my life's better
with you in it.
[indistinct TV chatter]
Hey.
You picked up.
Look, I'm sorry I ran out
the other night.
I shouldn't have done that.
I've been thinking a lot
about what I was gonna say
when I called you.
I'm fuckin' up.
[water dripping]
And I know I'm fuckin' up.
And these last months,
it doesn't matter
what I seem to do
or-or how I try
and say anything
or explain anything to you,
it just doesn't
come out right.
And I know it feels like
I'm pushing you away.
I'm not.
I wanna be right for you.
For me.
And...
I know nothing makes
sense right now,
but just know that I'm really
working on that.
I'm sorry.
[shushes]
It's okay.
No, no, no.
[in Dari]
Melons. I want a melon.
No, no. I got it.
Hey, it's okay.
[panting]
[tense music plays]
[in Dari]
It's okay.
[speaks Dari]
Don't move.
Gio!
[door creaks]
[Gio breathing heavily]
- [Davis speaking Dari]
- [child yelling in Dari] Mom!
[child indistinct, crying]
[Davis] Gio!
- [Davis speaks Dari]
- [in Dari]
- D, what's going on?
- Pressure plate.
- Fuck.
- [in Dari]
- [in Dari]
- [Davis speaks Dari]
[Gio] Davis, come to me.
- [in Dari]
- [Davis speaks Dari]
Stop! Don't move.
- [in Dari]
- [Gio] Davis! Don't move!
- [child sobbing, speaks Dari]
- [Davis shouts Dari]
- [mouthing]
- [Gio] Back the fuck up.
Let's go.
Davis, you're clear.
[grunts] I got you.
- [bomb explodes]
- [high-pitched feedback]
[birds chirping]
[Davis whispers] Fuck.
[Gio mumbling]
- Can't dream of something nice?
- [grunts]
Like the Maldives?
Two hot babes, banana boat.
[grunts] No, D.
Stop, man,
you don't have to do that.
It's fine. I got it.
[grunts, exhales]
We made this mess. You did,
but you know what I mean.
It's just an urn.
The fuck am I doing?
You're keeping your word.
That's not what I meant.
I meant with my life.
With Jess.
I know.
Why'd you do it?
[sniffles, light chuckle]
You should go out
and do something.
Can't sit in a hotel
and mope.
We're on a road trip
for Christ's sake.
You're not a bad guy, Gio.
Bad people don't struggle
with the past.
[distant explosion]
[exhales]
You gotta eat somethin'.
Why is it a bigger piece?
Ah, you know Bernard
can't use a knife worth of shit.
Come on.
Come on, I'll feel better
knowing you ate somethin'.
Good.
Got security at 18 with me.
Yes, sergeant.
[sighs]
[Afghan girl crying]
[bird squawking]
- [flies buzzing]
- [horse neighing]
[Gio] Hey.
- Yo.
- Hey.
- [Xochitl] You made it.
- There he is.
- [Gio] Yeah.
- There's the man.
- [Xochitl chuckles]
- I guess so.
- Welcome.
- Welcome.
- [Gio] Thank you.
- I'm so glad you came.
- It's gonna be
something else, man.
- Thanks.
Hey, Gio. This is
my friend, Joost.
- Nice to meet you, man.
- [Gio] Nice to meet you.
And this is Yogi.
Your champion.
[laughs]
Okay.
So, what are you feelin'?
You wanna do some...
some horse therapy?
Is that what we're doing today?
[Ashlee] Yeah, that'll be--
- [Xochitl] With our friend,
Yogi.
- Sure.
- [Gio] Yeah.
- [horse snorts]
- Argh!
- [all laugh]
That is what we call
a blessing.
- [Xochitl laughs]
- [laughs] Really?
- [Joost] Yeah.
- [laughs]
[Joost] So, why don't you...
just take this rope
and walk him around
a little bit in here?
- [Gio] Mm-hmm.
- [Joost] No direction.
- Just stay with that feeling.
- [thunder rumbling]
And talk to him
as if he's there.
It's really good, you know,
to feel where you're at
with the horse
in this space.
In this land.
Hear that engine
over there.
[engine whirring in distance]
And then the silence again.
[crow cawing]
- [rooster crowing]
- And the crow crowing
and the rooster...
[quietly] ...over there.
Just be with.
[fly buzzes]
This is your moment,
to not have to do anything.
You see how he's developing
a tear there?
And the fly wants
to get to the tear.
Mm-hmm.
So in a way, you know,
he's feeling your pain.
So, remember what
I talked to you about.
To connect with something
so much bigger than yourself.
He is just a vehicle...
for you to connect
with the past,
with the present,
with the future.
With the land,
with the earth.
- [quietly] Yeah, that's right.
- [breathes heavily]
[rooster crowing]
- [solemn music playing]
- [rain pattering]
[breathing heavily]
Good.
It's so good.
I see you.
[exhales]
[exhales]
[Gio exhaling]
I needed this.
- [Joost] He did.
- [Xochitl] Yeah.
- Needed a hug from a horse.
- [Xochitl chuckles]
[Joost] And then, you know,
you know, and sometimes
I just feel angry.
[Gio] Huh.
And-and to admit that,
I just feel,
"You know, I am angry,
dammit."
- [light chuckle]
- [thunder rumbling]
And there's nothing
wrong with that.
It doesn't have
to have consequences.
It's just a feeling.
And by not expressing it,
by not owning it,
that's when it's gonna
have consequences.
One day, you know
you're just gonna explode.
Yeah. I almost feel like
I'm there. Everyday.
And so it's easier
to just kind of like...
you know, just like bottle it,
or like numb it out.
Oh, that's what I did
for many years.
[both chuckle]
It brought me
this close to death.
[coyote howling]
["The Drop" by Rosa Pullman
playing on speakers]
- The mechanic's a mean fuck.
- Yeah?
Yeah, I asked him when
he'd be done with the truck.
Guy just walked across
the street and got coffee.
Man ain't on a schedule.
Yeah, I've been thinking
about that.
Yeah?
Maybe we shouldn't be
on so much of one either.
I'm sorry for wanting to rush
through this.
It's all good.
You've always been
quick to finish.
[both laugh]
- [beeping]
- [song continues playing
on speakers]
["Best Friend"
by Jack Jones playing]
Hold my hand,
we'll lie together
And I like spending
all my time with you...
[song continues indistinctly]
Let's go.
- What?
- Let's go.
...on cloudy days
The more time
we spend together
The more will be fine
And we'll lie together
And I like spending
all my time with you
Yes, I like spending
all my time with you
[music ends]
[truck revs]
["Rollin'"
by Scotty Bratcher playing]
[both laughing]
- [music fades]
- [metal clanking]
[Gio and Davis
mimicking howling]
[mimicking howling]
[Gio and Davis laughing]
[thunder rumbles]
[Davis] Oh, shit. [laughs]
[Gio] Come on. [chuckles]
[solemn music playing]
- [panting]
- [thunder rumbling]
[panting]
[Davis] You know,
when I get back,
I'm taking a road trip.
Need to see every inch
of what everyone is dying over.
Today wasn't your fault,
you know that, right?
[thunder rumbling]
I was the one to let you
in that field.
Doesn't matter. Kid's dead
over a fuckin' melon.
No.
No, man. The kid's dead 'cause
they had the unfortunate luck
to grow up
in a fucking war zone.
That kid was there
because--
Hey, man, you didn't lay
that fucking mine.
Now, I need your head
in this shit.
'Cause us getting home
is all I give a fuck about.
You understand me?
Here.
I don't know how good it is.
I've had it for a while now.
- You took it?
- No.
Promise me.
We get home,
hop in a car and just drive.
Yeah, I promise.
[Davis sniffles]
Start out East, we can hit
Hershey, Pennsylvania.
- That's a place?
- [chuckles]
Yeah, dude, that's
a fuckin' place.
What have you seen?
- Nothin'.
- Jesus.
Drive down to Tennessee,
see the Smoky Mountains.
- Yeah.
- You've been to Florida?
- No.
- Some trashy women in Florida.
- We gotta stop there.
- [both laugh]
Drive back up,
we hit Biloxi.
Go to the casinos.
Drive through Texas, man.
I've never seen
as much flat ground
as Texas.
Stop and eat a steak
as big as your head.
Figure, we finish
in the Grand Canyon.
[Davis inhales]
That's what I want.
Alright.
[insects chirping]
What happened to you?
Baby steps.
- [owl hooting]
- [insects chirping]
[fire crackling]
[thunder rumbling]
[Davis laughing]
[Davis and Gio laughing]
[Xochitl] "So I can't see
what lies ahead,
what binds my future
to my breath.
Watched as it bled out blanca
to the slow boom of Bach."
[indistinct voices]
'Cause the little one
got a gun
[both laughing]
Yogi bear's dead to blame
[both laughing]
[man singing in Spanish]
- [fireworks explode]
- [laughing continues]
[Davis] You're not
a bad guy, Gio.
Bad people don't struggle
with the past.
[Jessica] What am I doing here?
Listen to your soul.
- [Davis] It's okay.
- [Jessica] What am I
doing here?
[Davis] It's okay.
It's okay, Gio.
- [laughing]
- You gotta let me go.
[child speaking Dari, crying]
[Davis] This 0.38
whispers in my ear.
- Goodbye, Gio.
- [Jessica] It's not your fault.
[Gio sobs] It's not my fault.
[explosion]
You hear that?
Davis!
[Ashlee] Help yourself
to anything you like.
[indistinct whispers]
[Davis] It's not your fault.
[Rondi] It's not
your responsibility
to carry around
the bullshit of the world.
[indistinct conversation]
[overlapping voices]
- [woman gasps, cries]
- [overlapping voices]
- [horse snorts]
- It's not your fault.
- [phone ringing]
- [overlapping voices]
" Coyotl ... blood on the road."
- [overlapping voices]
- [phone ringing]
[man over radio]
...Warhorse actual,
this is Warhorse 2
with a nine-line
medevac request.
Line one: grid.
One, one, sierra, break,
tree, zero, seven, six...
Gunshot wound to the head.
- [indistinct voices whispering]
- [phone thuds]
[indistinct voices continue]
[breathes deeply]
[thuds]
One last game.
[Davis] You wanna go
across the valley today?
[Gio] Oh, yeah.
Alright, our first target,
see those three trees?
- Yeah. Alright.
- Center tree.
[Gio] You do the honors.
[Davis] Alright.
[light music playing]
- [Gio] Today, grandma.
- [Davis] Oh!
[Gio laughs]
Fuck you.
[Gio] Oh, it's gonna be
a long day for you.
- [Gio] That sounds great.
- That was beautiful.
Oh, shit. Center tree.
- Yeah, that one.
- That little...
Not that one. That--
- Oh, baby!
- Oh, shit. Damn it.
[laughs]
[Gio] It's somewhere
right around this...
You know, if you lose that ball,
that means I won.
So...
- Yeah.
- [chuckles]
Well, congrats.
["Cielito Lindo"
by Adeliz Calderon playing]
[Davis exhales]
You don't know how long
I wanted to see this.
- What do you think?
- It's big.
[chuckles]
You know what I like
about this?
- What?
- It's quiet.
Yes.
I can stare out there
and there's no problems
in front of me.
You think there's
an echo here?
I don't know. Go for it.
[chuckles] Wanna do
a little coyote howl together?
- No.
- Oh, come on.
- You can do one.
- We got this, huh?
- You do one.
- Alright.
One, two...
[inhales deeply]
- [mimics howling]
- [echoing]
What was that?
[coyotes howling in distance]
[both laugh]
[both mimic howling]
- [echoing]
- [coyotes howling in distance]
- Dude!
- [both laugh]
Yes!
- [both mimic howling]
- [coyotes howling in distance]
["Cielito Lindo"
by Adeliz Calderon resumes]
[honking]
[Gio] Did you make
the right choice?
[Davis] I made a choice.
I'm at the beginning.
Just like you.
[light music playing]
[birds chirping]
[crow cawing]
- [truck approaches]
- [engine stops]
[Davis] Don't lose it. [sighs]
If, uh, you wanna go
on one more trip...
[both chuckle]
- No.
- Attaboy.
I'll see you soon.
[howls]
[engine starts]
[fireworks exploding]
[whistling]
[fireworks whistling]
[engine starts]
["Without Hope"
by Scotty Bratcher playing]
[music ends]