Acidman (2022) Movie Script
1
(waves crashing)
(somber music)
(country music)
Slow down
You heard this before
(phone buzzing)
Baby don't
Put a table
- Okay sweetie, you're all set.
You need anything else?
- No, I'm okay.
- Okay.
Well, enjoy hon.
Families don't stand
On changes no more
(phone ringing)
(fly buzzing)
- Hello?
(doorbell rings)
(doorbell ringing)
Hello!
(electricity buzzing)
(phone rings)
- Come on!
(car thuds)
(Maggie gasps)
(dog barking)
- Fuck.
(things clattering)
Dad.
- So this is the
original carpet.
I think it's hard to
come by these days.
And the kitchen's back here.
- What's with all
the yellow, Dad?
- Just a safe color.
This is my dog.
- What's her name?
- His name is Migo.
- Right.
- It's a German
Shorthaired Pointer.
A lot of people think
he's a fucking Spaniel,
'cause people are stupid.
Need some help with your bag?
- I can do it.
- Cool, it's a nice coat.
You'll be back here
in the guest quarters.
How long were you
planning on staying?
- A day or two, if
that's all right?
- Sure, sure.
I think Migo is pumped
that you're here.
After you.
Guess I could've
picked up a little,
had I known you were
making the trip.
- No worries.
Could tidy up a little bit,
if that's okay.
- How's your brother?
- Bucky's Bucky.
(birds chirping)
(gentle music)
(Migo panting)
- Migo, come here, buddy.
This is a cherry bark maple.
You and I planted the original
at the old house, sprigged it.
Brought this 2,000 miles.
It's really, really
pretty in the wintertime,
when the leaves all come down,
bark's just brilliant
red coral blaze.
Do you remember that, that tree?
- I think so.
- Yeah, yeah, you and I
planted it as a seedling.
So this is a step-tree.
Yeah, it was our tree.
It was probably the last
time we saw each other.
- It's got really pretty leaves.
The bark is very beautiful.
I like the way the
wind carries the...
(wind whistling)
The wind, how it moves
through the leaves.
It's really nice,
don't you think?
Dad.
- Yeah.
It can't really take
a harsh climate.
Yeah, winter's
pretty tough on 'em.
- Okay, come on.
Let's go, come on.
- Found this old ball.
(gentle music)
(Maggie whistles)
- Migo.
See?
She got the whistle down.
Here, here.
(crickets chirping)
(intense electronic music)
Hi.
- Hi.
- What are you doing up?
- Can't sleep.
You going somewhere?
- Yeah, Migo and I were just
gonna go make the rounds.
So, have a good night.
- Might wanna wake him up.
I'll come with you.
- No, you know, it's really
something he prefers to,
just he and I,
quality alone time.
- [Maggie] Just
grabbing my coat.
(Migo whines)
- Migo, what the fuck?
(intense electronic music)
If he starts blinking
his eyes a lot,
that means he's nauseous.
- [Maggie] Seems okay right now.
- Ah yeah, it's been a while
since he threw up in the truck.
- So tell me more
about this music, Dad.
- Yeah, it's a lot of
harmonic distortion,
but then I run it
through the board
with inanimate objects.
Bleach bottle, pie pan.
Pie pans are actually
pretty sweet.
That sort of thing.
You can take a right up here
in the next gravel road.
- Dad, where are we going?
- You know, good
night to go searching.
Right, Migs?
(wind whistling)
Well, fuck.
- [Maggie] What
are we looking for?
- They usually show
up, around now.
- [Maggie] What, exactly?
- You'll see.
It's a,
it's a brain smash.
Look, look, look.
Right above the horizon.
See those flashing lights?
See those lights?
- No.
- Here, look through these.
Straight ahead,
right on the horizon.
You see 'em?
- No.
Are these clean?
- Okay, forget these, here.
Come here, look
through the camera.
There's an infrared
filter there.
- Red blinking lights?
- Yeah, but what are they doing?
- Moving.
- Okay, so it is a?
- Airplane?
- No, no, an airplane can't
hover like that, Maggie.
- Is it hovering?
- Yes, they're hovering.
So you gotta think
bigger, think bigger.
Think interplanetary.
You can say it.
- A UFO?
- Yes, yes!
Well, technically it's an IFO
'cause you just identified it.
Yeah, they're
communicating with us.
Oh, I gotta signal back.
I use Morse code.
That way, they know
that I saw 'em.
It's a series of
dots and dashes.
Samuel Morse, 1830s.
The red orbs, those are the
ones that are most vivid.
Yeah.
It's amazing.
So much that we
don't know about.
So much mankind doesn't
wanna know about.
It's a shame.
(Maggie chuckles)
- Mm-hmm.
(crows cawing)
They're gone.
- Yeah, they don't stay long.
They just drop by to let
me know they're around.
A kinda interplanetary drive by.
(Maggie laughs)
The violent imagery, though.
Well?
It's been a...
It's a good first sighting.
There they are,
father, daughter.
Excellent conditions.
Everything was accomplished
that needed to be accomplished.
Okay, that's it.
You wanna grab this?
- Okay.
- Bunch of assholes
start showing up
right around daybreak.
Come on, Migo.
Come on, buddy.
(soothing music)
(birds chirping)
(electricity buzzing)
Just to be clear, they
reached out to me first.
It was like, three years ago.
- Okay.
- First it was just
a flash of light,
flash of color.
But they started flying
geometric patterns,
I thought it'd be rude not to
acknowledge their presence.
But they found me for a reason.
They knew.
- Knew what, Dad?
- That I was listening.
(birds chirping)
It's pulsing, it's
sending signals.
There's no question in
my mind, it's pulsing,
it's completely
shape-shifting, okay?
Now they're moving back
into a more fundamental,
almost triangulated formation.
But the red orb is
clearly, oh look at that.
I'm gonna assume
that's the leader.
It's so abrupt, and so quick.
(eerie music)
Could pose some
sort of a threat,
probably would've known
about it a long time ago.
Push came to shove, it
can do some shoving back.
I know how to defend
the northwest quadrant.
All I've ever seen is
peace and contentment
in their signaling.
Hey!
What the fuck are
you doing here?
I warned you people
not to show up again!
You don't have any
authority to be here!
(waves crashing)
(gentle piano music)
(water trickling)
Yeah, they were really
biting, about a month ago.
Probably not gonna
get anything today.
- Never used to catch
much fish anyway, Dad.
- Oh.
- So.
- You used to catch your share,
but I don't know about today.
We'll probably have to
manage our expectations.
How's Michael?
- Haven't seen him
for a very long time.
There's a Ben, though.
Ben is my husband.
I got married.
It wasn't a big event,
or anything like that.
Just him and I at town hall.
Our friend made us dinner later.
Mom wasn't there,
Bucky wasn't there.
It was really small.
- What's his name, Ben?
- Mm-hmm.
- What does he do?
- He's a graphic designer.
He's a good person.
I think you'd like him.
Maybe not some of
his jokes, but.
- Does he know how
to use a chainsaw?
- Dad.
- That's important.
Well, I've always
heard the best way
to make a marriage last-
- Dad, I don't want this.
Let's just fish.
- I think fathers are supposed
to give daughters advice.
- Yeah.
Sometimes.
Not now.
- Oh, shit.
Maggie.
Maggie, Maggie, Maggie,
Maggie, Maggie, Maggie, Maggie.
Mr. Bobby Sock, in the house!
Oh well, Bobby
Sock on the creek.
(Maggie laughs)
Come on, talk to old Bobby.
Bobby'd help you out
with all your problems.
- Hi, Bobby.
- What's up, Maggie?
- It's been a long time.
- Too long, Maggie, too long.
- What,
what are you doing here?
- I just had to drop by,
see if there's anything heart
to heart you wanna talk about.
- Well, yeah I
could use your help.
- Cool.
- I'm worried about my dad.
- Okay.
- He's out here, in
the middle of nowhere,
with no friends, just a dog,
some moving lights, a sock.
And I worry about him.
Do you know the last time
he went to the doctor?
Do you think it's
been a long time?
I've been noticing
these things about him.
We'll be talking,
and he's with me,
and then suddenly...
Do you know what that's about?
I um,
I'll go to the doctor with you.
You know, just for a check up.
I'd like to do that with you.
- Is today Tuesday?
- Mm-hmm.
- Wanna get a milkshake?
- Sure.
(gentle music)
(bell dings)
- This is where Charlie works.
Yeah, she's great.
She's the only cool person
in this godforsaken town.
Ah, Charlie.
- Hey.
- How are you?
- I am well, how are you?
- Charlie, this is
Maggie, my daughter.
This is Charles, my friend.
- Hey.
- Hello.
- How's Migo doing?
- He's good, he's good, yeah.
We're gonna eat.
- Okay, I'll get
your table ready.
(Lloyd sighs)
- Egg whites in
last, fold them in,
keep the bubbles,
no flat pancakes.
- That would be tragic.
- Milkshakes.
- Nice!
- You guys look like you've
had an adventure today.
What have you been doing?
- We went fishing,
with Bobby Sock.
- Who's Bobby Sock?
- He's a sock.
- You wanna?
- I think it was
in middle school,
and there was a kid that
was messing with her.
I think his name, was
it Sean Boogerson?
- Bookerson.
- So he was chasing her
around the playground,
hitting her in the back.
- No, Steve Bookerson was a guy
who used to follow me
from class to class,
singing "Walk Like a
Man, Talk Like a Man,"
because my voice had dropped
significantly that year,
and he thought it was very
funny, and very clever.
- For some reason,
I thought he was-
- And he got the whole bus
singing it on our class trip
on the way back from
the Exploratorium,
so that was the day
that I ran away.
- Where did you go to?
- Very far away place.
- The fort that we
built in the backyard.
I wanted to be supportive,
so I brought her a juice box.
- Took me a Snack Pack.
- Aww.
- Hoping that she would
come back into the house.
- Had nice words.
- And she wouldn't talk to me,
but she'd talk to Bobby Sock.
- What did he say?
- He said, "This
too shall pass."
- The voice gets me every time.
- Are you sure
that was his name?
- How could I forget it?
That stuff sticks.
So silly, but it does.
- [Lloyd] Bobby
Sock to the rescue.
- Here's to Bobby Sock.
- Yes.
Here's to Bobby Sock.
- Bobby Sock.
(gentle music)
(electricity buzzing)
(keys clacking)
- [Lloyd] Yeah, and
I've only seen it once.
I don't even remember when.
Was it 2008, 2007?
That's really, it's
the white whale.
White whale, white whale,
white whale, white whale.
If I'm Ahab, he's
the white whale.
Unidentified white
whale, he's huge.
Great oceanic beast,
but in the galaxy.
- What?
- And it's long,
like a bridal train.
- Dad.
- A galactic serpent.
- You okay?
Dad, what's up?
What are you doing?
- Just watching you.
This way I used to watch you
when I'd be at your basketball
games, sitting on the bench.
- Key words, on the bench.
- Slam dunk Tuesday.
Pretty good.
- You remember that?
- Oh yeah.
- I wrote that a
very long time ago.
What was I, six, seven, eight?
I'm surprised you remember that.
- That's just nice to see that
you're pursuing your passion.
- Funny that you say
that, because I'm-
- Wait, wait, this
is the best part.
Tuesday night, night,
night, night, night, night.
Yeah.
(crickets chirping)
(birds chirping)
(Maggie humming)
Here you go.
Just country coffee, chicory.
It's not anything fancy
like you get in the city.
- I don't drink fancy
coffee in the city.
- Right.
It's gonna look
better when it's dry.
- Yeah, I'm sure.
- Acidman's kind
of funny, though.
Acid man.
It's townie kids,
just fucking around.
- Yeah, I was gonna ask you.
What made you pick this place?
- You know, it's a good
place to be left alone.
- Sorry that's not
working out for you.
- It's working out for me.
What about you, Maggie?
What brings you out here?
- I told you, I wanted
to check in on you.
- What else?
Come on, Migo, come on.
Leave bullshit Betty out here
to come up with a better answer.
(Maggie groans)
- Hey!
(things clatter)
Fucking shit!
You know, how about a thank you
for traveling 2,000
miles to be here?
Do you know what that took?
A plane, a layover, another
plane, a long ass car journey
that was 18 hours, door to door.
That is what it took
to be here with you.
No thank you for that, okay.
How about to a lesser degree,
thank you for the
paint job, Maggie?
Or thank you for
spending three weeks
trying to find out where
the hell you fucking were?
- Thank you for the paint job.
- I had no exact confirmation
that this is where you lived.
I took a leap of
faith to be here.
You were the one
not writing me back.
You were the one I couldn't
figure out how to call.
That was on you.
- Okay, you can stay.
But I will not
tolerate the lying.
What have I said to
you your entire life?
The truth is more
important than the facts.
- Yes, how great that
some things never change.
- No lying here.
Not by Migo, not by me.
- Your dog doesn't lie?
- It's a fact, Maggie.
- Cool.
(birds chirping)
(somber music)
(Maggie sighs)
Hi, Ben.
I know that you'd probably
like to hear something
from me, and...
(phone buzzing)
(Maggie groans)
Come on.
You wanna play?
Come on.
(Migo barking)
Bring it back, bring
it back, bring it back.
Migo!
(Maggie whistles)
One more time, hm?
(Maggie yelps)
(Migo barks)
(guns firing)
(Maggie whistles)
(guns firing)
Migo?
Oh.
Hey, hi.
I'm looking for my dog.
Have you seen him?
Okay.
(Maggie whistling)
Migo!
Migo!
Get over here!
Do you know how long I've
been looking for you?
You still have your ball, huh?
You made me so worried.
Come on, come on, come on.
Come on, come on.
(frogs croaking)
(crickets chirping)
I always knew you smoked.
- Really?
I thought I hid it pretty
well from you guys.
- Are you kidding me?
- My father, the preacher,
he tried his damnedest to
keep me not smoking weed.
Like every day I'd go to
school and he'd be like,
"Don't smoke weed."
So one time I went to him
and I wanted to borrow $20,
and he said, "I'll
give you the 20
"as long as you don't
spend it on marijuana,"
and I said, "That's
a deal, thanks Dad."
Immediately went to my
friend Donkey's house,
and we went and
bought a $20 bag.
And we smoked so
much that we ended up
feeding the rest of
it to his cat, Roscoe.
- What happened to the cat?
- The cat got so stoned
he attacked Donkey.
Oh fuck, everybody ended
up at the hospital.
Moral of the story is you can
learn a lot from your father.
They're real, you know.
The travelers.
They don't have any aggression.
They're so advanced beyond that.
But they see the things
that we do down here.
Ice caps melting, environmental
disasters, nuclear testing.
There's war, starvation.
They're just, they're
so beyond that.
I can feel 'em, they
just want us to catch up.
They want us to get
past those obstacles.
Yeah.
- That's nice to think about.
- If they had
hostile intentions,
I think we wouldn't be here.
They'd have taken
over a long time ago.
- Dad.
You're an engineer.
- Yeah.
- Not um, a conspiracy theorist.
- What a buzzkill.
- I'm sorry.
- So what are you doing here?
- I told you.
- Yes?
- I guess,
I guess in a way,
I kind of ran away from home.
- Okay, that's a start.
- [Maggie] Kind of just
wanted to, you know,
get away from it
all, for a moment.
Yeah.
- So, is that getting
away from it all
for a moment involve Ben?
- I just needed some time.
Time to myself.
- That's pretty vague.
- Look, sometimes
you're in a place,
and you're being asked
all these questions
you don't know the
answer to, constantly.
- Ben?
- Mm-hmm.
- Jamin, Benjamin.
- Oh my god, I didn't
understand what you...
(Maggie laughs)
- I'm fuckin' stoned.
- That's nice.
- Well, he seems
like a good guy.
- He's a good guy.
- Good.
Then you can figure it out.
- And until I do,
I can just be here.
- I was here first.
- Yeah, well.
(engine roaring)
- Acidman, Acidman!
- What?
- Goddamnit.
- [Teen] Acidman!
- [Teen] You gotta say his
name three times to summon him!
- Acidman!
- Dad?
Dad, what are you doing?
- Kids.
- Dad, Dad, no!
Hey, hey!
- Get outta here!
- Dad.
- Sons of bitches.
- Yeah, you dumbass!
(gun fires)
- Dad, Jesus Christ!
(gun fires)
What are you doing?
- See ya, bitch!
- What the hell?
Dad, you can't shoot
at fucking kids.
- I didn't shoot at the kids,
I fired a warning shot.
- [Maggie] Same thing.
- But, if I'd wanted to
hit one of 'em, I could've.
I'm pretty good.
What'd you wanna do,
hang out in the back of
the truck like a pussy?
- [Maggie] You
can't say that, Dad.
- [Lloyd] What, to a woman?
- [Maggie] Jesus.
(crickets chirping)
(tea kettle whistling)
- You ready?
It's gonna be a great night.
Super clear skies, beautiful.
- Do you mind if I
sit this one out?
- Sure.
- I'm just, really tired.
- Okay.
- Happy hunting.
- I prefer to call it searching.
- Can't tell if
you're serious or not.
- You know, Maggie, I don't
know that I've ever been
more serious about anything.
There's a global community
of research scientists,
engineers, experts like myself,
that have studied
communication and physics
to be able to reach
out into the cosmos.
But what it's really about
is to connect with them.
They're out there
traveling the galaxy.
They're looking at
hundreds of worlds,
and they still come here,
to check on our planet,
to make sure we're okay.
And I think I do
have a personal goal,
and an obligation
to say thank you.
- Well... I can thank them
with you another night.
- Okay.
- [Maggie] Happy searching.
- [Ben] It'd be a lot easier
if we could just talk.
Anything, just call me when
you're ready, all right.
- Dad?
Dad, are you okay?
Dad.
What's going on?
- The truck won't start.
- [Maggie] Okay.
What is it, battery or?
- The truck won't start.
- Okay.
That's okay.
Dad, when was it that you-
- I'm sorry, the
truck won't start.
- [Maggie] I get
that, but that's okay.
It's okay.
I can drive you.
- I don't know what's wrong.
I don't know what's
wrong with it.
- It's fine.
- It just won't start.
- Let me drive you.
- No, I'd rather walk.
- Dad.
- Have a good night.
(crickets chirping)
(eerie music)
(birds chirping)
Moving in a formation.
Moving in a formation.
I made a bit of a contact.
Hi, hi.
- Hey.
- You gotta check this
out, you gotta see this.
This happened
early this morning.
- Did you just get home?
- Yeah.
- Aren't you tired?
- No, no, no, I'm
good, I'm good.
- Okay.
- Yeah.
Here, watch.
It's incontrovertible evidence.
This is the place,
here at the reservoir.
You see what's happening?
- Yeah, I've seen this one.
- No, no, no, this
was this morning.
So there's a pattern.
They're signaling in a pattern.
Do you see it?
Watch the lights.
Three, two, one,
and then it recycles.
We're signaling in threes.
Was that a flash, flash flash,
and then flash flash flash.
So we gotta come back here.
- Sequencing of three.
- Yes, yes, exactly.
It's amazing, huh?
- Uh huh.
What do you think?
- It's so much to
think about, you know?
- This is just fantastic.
They wanna make
contact in two days.
You know what, I'm
gonna need your help.
I've been working on something,
and now I've gotta ramp it up
to make this two
day window, okay?
Are you with me?
Come on, come on.
It's out in the woods.
So, you might spot a couple
of those other cherry
bark maples in here.
I've seen a few in this area.
- I thought you said
there was only one,
and it was the one
that we planted.
- Yeah, it's a special one,
because we planted that one.
These others are volunteers,
so it's like they're
the friends of our tree.
(Maggie laughs)
Yeah.
This is it.
I mean, I know it
doesn't look like much,
but it's a work in progress.
- Another one of your projects?
- Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, this is the
grand communicator.
Well, it's a stupid name,
but you'll come up with
something better, I think.
I thought I told you about this.
Did I tell you about this?
You okay?
- Just not fully following.
- Well, okay, you remember
Sedona, Fourth of July?
- Yes.
- That was just fun and games.
This is gonna be,
10 times as big?
- And you're doing all of this?
- To communicate, with them.
- Uh, do you remember Sedona?
- Yeah, yeah it was great.
- Four fire trucks.
- [Lloyd] Yeah, but
Maggie, nobody got hurt.
- Mom's eyebrows
were singed off.
- I told her to get back.
- Dad.
- Maggie.
- What?
- I don't think you
completely understand
the enormity of
what I have to do.
I have no choice but to respond.
This is what it takes.
- I'm gonna go on record and say
that I think this is really
fucking dangerous, and crazy.
I mean, look at how much...
- Crazy?
- I didn't call you crazy.
I'm just saying this is crazy.
- You called this crazy.
You know what, Maggie?
I tried to bring you
in on something bigger.
Something bigger
than you and me,
bigger than human civilization.
And you turn out to be just
like the fucking idiots
that I used to work with,
those engineering pricks!
And your mother,
and your brother,
and your grandparents.
Nobody could ever support me
in anything that I had
to do that was important.
You know what they are?
They're cynics, they're
skeptics, they're traitors.
Are you a traitor, Maggie?
- I can't do this with you.
- Yeah.
I gotta go into town
and get more supplies.
Don't be here when I get back.
(birds chirping)
(somber music)
(guns firing)
(Migo howls)
(Migo whining)
- Shit, shit, shit, no, no, no.
Hey, hey, hey,
hey, hey, hey, hey,
stop, stop, stop, stop, stop.
Oh, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
Oh, okay, oh no.
You're gonna be fine, boy.
You're gonna be fine.
(horn honking)
- [Lloyd] That's good,
that's good, Migo.
- Dad, how's he doing?
This isn't updating.
Oh, this shitty
fucking reception.
I'm so, so sorry, I'm so sorry.
I should've been watching you.
Dad, I'm so sorry,
I'm so sorry, okay?
Migo.
Migo, I'm so sorry.
- [Lloyd] Take a left up
here, it's a shortcut.
- Dad, it says to turn right.
- I know where we're going.
- You sure?
- Yes.
- Dad, where are we going?
- Just drive straight.
(Migo whining)
(Maggie sobbing)
There's a left up
here, just stop there.
Yeah, this is good.
It's not your fault, Maggie.
(wind whooshing)
(gentle music)
(birds chirping)
(shovel scraping)
You know, your grandfather,
Methodist minister.
Sat next to hundreds,
I don't know how
many, people dying.
And they always wanted to
hear the same words from him.
That they were going
on to a greater reward.
And he'd tell 'em exactly
what they wanted to hear.
Last time I saw him, he
wanted me to tell him
that there was a great reward,
but I knew he didn't believe it.
And I sure as shit wasn't gonna
stand there and lie to him.
- Why are you doing this?
- It's the only time I
ever saw my father cry.
He was just a scared old man.
And I just said, "It's
gonna be over soon,"
and then I said goodbye.
(Maggie sighs)
- We could've been so different,
as a family.
There was so much love there,
and support, and I felt safe.
And then, you sat us down,
and told Bucky
and I that we were
old enough, and didn't
need you anymore.
Is there anything that
could've made you stay?
That's good to know.
I spent a lot of time...
I wanted you so badly.
I had things I
wanted to ask you,
and not Mom, and not
Bucky, and not...
Oh, fuck.
And the thing is is
that I am, I'm you!
I am you.
I do the same things.
In fact,
I leave quicker, ugh.
I left without telling
him that I was leaving.
Why are we like that?
Dad?
Dad.
Have you heard any of this, Dad?
(Maggie sniffles)
(Maggie crying)
(guns firing)
(chain rattling)
(guns firing)
- Fuckers.
Hey!
Do you sons of bitches even
know whose land you're on?
- No, no, this is public.
- Do you?
Oh yeah, fuck you!
I'm gonna report you to
the sheriff's department.
You are fucking poaching, god!
(Lloyd groaning)
Hey!
Hey!
You come back here!
Hey!
Hey!
You killed my dog!
You killed my dog.
(somber music)
(silverware clinking)
- [Charlie] Hey, you're
doing good with that.
- [Maggie] What's both difficult
and easy at the same time?
- Say when.
- Huh?
(whipped cream hissing)
- Please say when.
Say it, oh my.
- That is a beautiful whipped
cream mountain, I love it.
- Enjoy it.
- Mm.
Mm.
What's the secret in the sauce?
- No way.
It stays in the vault.
It's for my kids.
- I'll befriend them,
and they'll give me
all your secrets.
- No way, but they
would love you,
so you'll have to meet them.
- What are they like?
- They're cool, you know?
Darren, my youngest,
is a handful.
He thinks very
highly of himself.
(Maggie laughs)
And Phillip is just a raw nerve.
He is just all
emotion, all the time.
He's a teenager, it's beautiful.
I wouldn't change a thing.
Well, that's bullshit.
I would change,
I would change a lot.
But not them.
- Big act of faith, having kids.
To be confident that
you're gonna figure it out.
Try not to make mistakes,
try not to make the mistakes
that your parents made.
Lot of stuff.
I'd imagine, you know?
(crickets chirping)
(door creaks)
(Maggie sniffling)
Hello.
Dad, smile.
Dad.
Whoa!
Very good, look at the ripples.
- [Lloyd] Do you remember
when I taught you Morse code
when you were little?
Yep.
Wait there, yeah,
kind of tilt it down.
There you go,
there's a little bit.
That's good.
Try to do a series
of three dots,
two dashes, and three dots.
- How do you do a dash?
- [Lloyd] It's just a
longer flip of the mirror.
Good.
Now, unfortunately you
just called 'em assholes.
(Maggie laughs)
- [Maggie] What was I
like when I was a baby?
- You never cried.
- No?
- Usually 'cause you had
a pillow over your face.
(both laugh)
Oh, you were a sweet baby.
I used to call you Maggie Bear.
- [Maggie] Why?
- Your poops were the size of-
- [Maggie] Oh my
god, Dad, disgusting!
(Maggie laughs)
(birds chirping)
- [Lloyd] Here's your eggs.
- Thank you.
- Just the way I like 'em.
So basically, we're just
gonna be sending their signal
back to them.
It's repetition, it's mimicry,
it's the most fundamental
form of communication.
- Okay.
- Remember the first
night we were out there,
and you saw the hovering lights,
and thought it was an airplane?
Through the filter
in the camera,
I could see what their
color sequencing was.
So, we're just gonna
be sending that back.
Green, white, blue, red.
Pretty basic.
- Yeah?
- Yeah, you just, you
wanna acknowledge 'em,
and then you start talking back.
How's it going, do
you come in peace?
That sort of thing.
- In that order?
- Yeah, yeah in that order.
I don't, you know, speak alien.
Not yet.
Okay, did you see
the way I did that?
See the wires?
Green, green, white, white,
blue, blue, red, red.
That's it.
I need about 100 more.
(frogs croaking)
(gentle music)
Hey, grab that box.
- This is very heavy, you know.
Can't I just leave it?
Dad, oh, oh!
- [Lloyd] I don't want
to get too close.
- Ow.
- Give me.
(Maggie grunts)
This isn't that heavy.
(both grunt)
Check position 11.
- [Maggie] Which one's 11?
- Thought about what
you said the other day.
- Mm-hmm?
- Just in case something
goes wrong, you know?
- It's not gonna do shit.
- It's a joke.
- I get it.
- We better check
those sequences.
- Okay, one's a go.
- Make sure the firing
trigger is off right now.
- Four's a go, five's a go,
six, seven.
So what, they're just
gonna show up or something?
- [Lloyd] Listen, we
have to signal them
when the moment is right.
- I can't tell what
part of you is real.
- You're not like me.
That's real.
You're willing to stick it out.
And you're always were.
- What do you mean?
- That little girl, you
just had such dedication.
You're just a little
bit lost right now.
Whatever you decide to do,
don't do what I did.
Don't throw it all away.
(frogs croaking)
If it's a girl, you should
think about the name Jacqueline.
It's what I wanted to name you.
- What?
- Still like that name.
- Dad, how did you know?
- You're gonna be a
great mother, Maggie.
(emotional music)
Get ready.
- What?
- [Lloyd] Hit it.
- Now?
- Now!
- Okay!
(fireworks popping)
(fireworks whistling)
(fireworks popping)
(fireworks whistling)
(fireworks popping)
(fireworks whistling)
(fireworks popping)
(fireworks popping)
(fireworks whistling)
(fireworks popping)
Wow.
(fireworks whistling)
(fireworks popping)
(Maggie laughs)
Oh my god.
Dad.
Dad?
(crickets chirping)
(frogs croaking)
- Guess they
decided not to show.
Yeah, fuckers.
(birds chirping)
(gentle music)
Couldn't sleep,
been up all night.
It's just their
communication is so complex.
Just gotta try and figure
out where I went wrong.
I just gotta think bigger,
and do better math.
I just gotta keep going with it.
- I know it's early,
but any new theories?
- Yes, I do.
Have you ever heard
of extended binary
coded decimal interchange code?
- That's a mouthful.
- It's EBCDIC.
It's an eight bit code
capable of 256 characters,
and a variety of eight
bit combinations,
but I think, given the precision
of the code and the numerics,
might be able to break
through with them.
- Any idea on timing?
( sighs)
- July, I think, maybe?
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
Yeah, I think July.
- Okay.
No specific date
in July, just July?
- No.
What are you doing?
- Just making a note
to circle back with you
about specific dates.
- That's great.
But I gotta be honest,
I think that maybe the
color coding was wrong.
- That's okay.
I mean, maybe the color
coding, sequencing,
maybe it's not important.
- Exactly, that's exactly
what I was thinking.
I'm just gonna go back to the
fundamentals of communication.
Well, we talked
about that before.
Hey, wait, in July?
- Mm-hmm.
- I mean, you're gonna be.
- Huge?
- Yeah, yeah.
- Can't miss first contact.
- Well, it's on a dartboard.
So, you know, if
you can't make it,
I completely understand.
- You can keep me posted.
- Okay.
You know, I'm gonna miss you
when you're gone, Maggie.
- So that E, the,
what is it, the EBA?
The name of that sequencing.
- It's okay.
- Okay.
( sighs)
(gentle music)
(waves crashing)
Yesterday, I played
ball with Jessie.
It was really fun.
I had the ball, and she
tried to take it from me.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
But it was still really fun.
- That's crazy,
both you and Jessie?
- Yeah.
We were screaming.
It was loud, it was very loud.
(both screaming)
Well, it was a Tuesday,
and what I'm about to tell
you next, you won't believe.
Jessie did it first.
Then I did it.
(puddle splashing)
It felt as though we could fly.
- [Lloyd] Yeah?
- [Maggie] We were
there all afternoon,
dunk, after dunk, after dunk.
(emotional music)
We never told anyone else.
They wouldn't have believed us.
We didn't need them to.
(waves crashing)
(pleasant music)
Are you afraid
Of the colors fade
fading no come back
I know you are
Me too
Not sure
About being in this
body in the cold
Backyard
A year old
If you're broke
I'll be there
I won't care
At all
Maybe you think
you know me best
A lot of other
people think that too
I guess
Are you afraid
That you ruin half the
things you ever got
Well if you're not
Then I'm not
I won't tell you
what you want to hear
No one can keep
away your fears
But I'll be here
If you're broke
I couldn't care
Don't have hope
But I have time to share
Maybe you
Think you know me best
Lots of other people
think that too
I guess
(gentle music)
(waves crashing)
(somber music)
(country music)
Slow down
You heard this before
(phone buzzing)
Baby don't
Put a table
- Okay sweetie, you're all set.
You need anything else?
- No, I'm okay.
- Okay.
Well, enjoy hon.
Families don't stand
On changes no more
(phone ringing)
(fly buzzing)
- Hello?
(doorbell rings)
(doorbell ringing)
Hello!
(electricity buzzing)
(phone rings)
- Come on!
(car thuds)
(Maggie gasps)
(dog barking)
- Fuck.
(things clattering)
Dad.
- So this is the
original carpet.
I think it's hard to
come by these days.
And the kitchen's back here.
- What's with all
the yellow, Dad?
- Just a safe color.
This is my dog.
- What's her name?
- His name is Migo.
- Right.
- It's a German
Shorthaired Pointer.
A lot of people think
he's a fucking Spaniel,
'cause people are stupid.
Need some help with your bag?
- I can do it.
- Cool, it's a nice coat.
You'll be back here
in the guest quarters.
How long were you
planning on staying?
- A day or two, if
that's all right?
- Sure, sure.
I think Migo is pumped
that you're here.
After you.
Guess I could've
picked up a little,
had I known you were
making the trip.
- No worries.
Could tidy up a little bit,
if that's okay.
- How's your brother?
- Bucky's Bucky.
(birds chirping)
(gentle music)
(Migo panting)
- Migo, come here, buddy.
This is a cherry bark maple.
You and I planted the original
at the old house, sprigged it.
Brought this 2,000 miles.
It's really, really
pretty in the wintertime,
when the leaves all come down,
bark's just brilliant
red coral blaze.
Do you remember that, that tree?
- I think so.
- Yeah, yeah, you and I
planted it as a seedling.
So this is a step-tree.
Yeah, it was our tree.
It was probably the last
time we saw each other.
- It's got really pretty leaves.
The bark is very beautiful.
I like the way the
wind carries the...
(wind whistling)
The wind, how it moves
through the leaves.
It's really nice,
don't you think?
Dad.
- Yeah.
It can't really take
a harsh climate.
Yeah, winter's
pretty tough on 'em.
- Okay, come on.
Let's go, come on.
- Found this old ball.
(gentle music)
(Maggie whistles)
- Migo.
See?
She got the whistle down.
Here, here.
(crickets chirping)
(intense electronic music)
Hi.
- Hi.
- What are you doing up?
- Can't sleep.
You going somewhere?
- Yeah, Migo and I were just
gonna go make the rounds.
So, have a good night.
- Might wanna wake him up.
I'll come with you.
- No, you know, it's really
something he prefers to,
just he and I,
quality alone time.
- [Maggie] Just
grabbing my coat.
(Migo whines)
- Migo, what the fuck?
(intense electronic music)
If he starts blinking
his eyes a lot,
that means he's nauseous.
- [Maggie] Seems okay right now.
- Ah yeah, it's been a while
since he threw up in the truck.
- So tell me more
about this music, Dad.
- Yeah, it's a lot of
harmonic distortion,
but then I run it
through the board
with inanimate objects.
Bleach bottle, pie pan.
Pie pans are actually
pretty sweet.
That sort of thing.
You can take a right up here
in the next gravel road.
- Dad, where are we going?
- You know, good
night to go searching.
Right, Migs?
(wind whistling)
Well, fuck.
- [Maggie] What
are we looking for?
- They usually show
up, around now.
- [Maggie] What, exactly?
- You'll see.
It's a,
it's a brain smash.
Look, look, look.
Right above the horizon.
See those flashing lights?
See those lights?
- No.
- Here, look through these.
Straight ahead,
right on the horizon.
You see 'em?
- No.
Are these clean?
- Okay, forget these, here.
Come here, look
through the camera.
There's an infrared
filter there.
- Red blinking lights?
- Yeah, but what are they doing?
- Moving.
- Okay, so it is a?
- Airplane?
- No, no, an airplane can't
hover like that, Maggie.
- Is it hovering?
- Yes, they're hovering.
So you gotta think
bigger, think bigger.
Think interplanetary.
You can say it.
- A UFO?
- Yes, yes!
Well, technically it's an IFO
'cause you just identified it.
Yeah, they're
communicating with us.
Oh, I gotta signal back.
I use Morse code.
That way, they know
that I saw 'em.
It's a series of
dots and dashes.
Samuel Morse, 1830s.
The red orbs, those are the
ones that are most vivid.
Yeah.
It's amazing.
So much that we
don't know about.
So much mankind doesn't
wanna know about.
It's a shame.
(Maggie chuckles)
- Mm-hmm.
(crows cawing)
They're gone.
- Yeah, they don't stay long.
They just drop by to let
me know they're around.
A kinda interplanetary drive by.
(Maggie laughs)
The violent imagery, though.
Well?
It's been a...
It's a good first sighting.
There they are,
father, daughter.
Excellent conditions.
Everything was accomplished
that needed to be accomplished.
Okay, that's it.
You wanna grab this?
- Okay.
- Bunch of assholes
start showing up
right around daybreak.
Come on, Migo.
Come on, buddy.
(soothing music)
(birds chirping)
(electricity buzzing)
Just to be clear, they
reached out to me first.
It was like, three years ago.
- Okay.
- First it was just
a flash of light,
flash of color.
But they started flying
geometric patterns,
I thought it'd be rude not to
acknowledge their presence.
But they found me for a reason.
They knew.
- Knew what, Dad?
- That I was listening.
(birds chirping)
It's pulsing, it's
sending signals.
There's no question in
my mind, it's pulsing,
it's completely
shape-shifting, okay?
Now they're moving back
into a more fundamental,
almost triangulated formation.
But the red orb is
clearly, oh look at that.
I'm gonna assume
that's the leader.
It's so abrupt, and so quick.
(eerie music)
Could pose some
sort of a threat,
probably would've known
about it a long time ago.
Push came to shove, it
can do some shoving back.
I know how to defend
the northwest quadrant.
All I've ever seen is
peace and contentment
in their signaling.
Hey!
What the fuck are
you doing here?
I warned you people
not to show up again!
You don't have any
authority to be here!
(waves crashing)
(gentle piano music)
(water trickling)
Yeah, they were really
biting, about a month ago.
Probably not gonna
get anything today.
- Never used to catch
much fish anyway, Dad.
- Oh.
- So.
- You used to catch your share,
but I don't know about today.
We'll probably have to
manage our expectations.
How's Michael?
- Haven't seen him
for a very long time.
There's a Ben, though.
Ben is my husband.
I got married.
It wasn't a big event,
or anything like that.
Just him and I at town hall.
Our friend made us dinner later.
Mom wasn't there,
Bucky wasn't there.
It was really small.
- What's his name, Ben?
- Mm-hmm.
- What does he do?
- He's a graphic designer.
He's a good person.
I think you'd like him.
Maybe not some of
his jokes, but.
- Does he know how
to use a chainsaw?
- Dad.
- That's important.
Well, I've always
heard the best way
to make a marriage last-
- Dad, I don't want this.
Let's just fish.
- I think fathers are supposed
to give daughters advice.
- Yeah.
Sometimes.
Not now.
- Oh, shit.
Maggie.
Maggie, Maggie, Maggie,
Maggie, Maggie, Maggie, Maggie.
Mr. Bobby Sock, in the house!
Oh well, Bobby
Sock on the creek.
(Maggie laughs)
Come on, talk to old Bobby.
Bobby'd help you out
with all your problems.
- Hi, Bobby.
- What's up, Maggie?
- It's been a long time.
- Too long, Maggie, too long.
- What,
what are you doing here?
- I just had to drop by,
see if there's anything heart
to heart you wanna talk about.
- Well, yeah I
could use your help.
- Cool.
- I'm worried about my dad.
- Okay.
- He's out here, in
the middle of nowhere,
with no friends, just a dog,
some moving lights, a sock.
And I worry about him.
Do you know the last time
he went to the doctor?
Do you think it's
been a long time?
I've been noticing
these things about him.
We'll be talking,
and he's with me,
and then suddenly...
Do you know what that's about?
I um,
I'll go to the doctor with you.
You know, just for a check up.
I'd like to do that with you.
- Is today Tuesday?
- Mm-hmm.
- Wanna get a milkshake?
- Sure.
(gentle music)
(bell dings)
- This is where Charlie works.
Yeah, she's great.
She's the only cool person
in this godforsaken town.
Ah, Charlie.
- Hey.
- How are you?
- I am well, how are you?
- Charlie, this is
Maggie, my daughter.
This is Charles, my friend.
- Hey.
- Hello.
- How's Migo doing?
- He's good, he's good, yeah.
We're gonna eat.
- Okay, I'll get
your table ready.
(Lloyd sighs)
- Egg whites in
last, fold them in,
keep the bubbles,
no flat pancakes.
- That would be tragic.
- Milkshakes.
- Nice!
- You guys look like you've
had an adventure today.
What have you been doing?
- We went fishing,
with Bobby Sock.
- Who's Bobby Sock?
- He's a sock.
- You wanna?
- I think it was
in middle school,
and there was a kid that
was messing with her.
I think his name, was
it Sean Boogerson?
- Bookerson.
- So he was chasing her
around the playground,
hitting her in the back.
- No, Steve Bookerson was a guy
who used to follow me
from class to class,
singing "Walk Like a
Man, Talk Like a Man,"
because my voice had dropped
significantly that year,
and he thought it was very
funny, and very clever.
- For some reason,
I thought he was-
- And he got the whole bus
singing it on our class trip
on the way back from
the Exploratorium,
so that was the day
that I ran away.
- Where did you go to?
- Very far away place.
- The fort that we
built in the backyard.
I wanted to be supportive,
so I brought her a juice box.
- Took me a Snack Pack.
- Aww.
- Hoping that she would
come back into the house.
- Had nice words.
- And she wouldn't talk to me,
but she'd talk to Bobby Sock.
- What did he say?
- He said, "This
too shall pass."
- The voice gets me every time.
- Are you sure
that was his name?
- How could I forget it?
That stuff sticks.
So silly, but it does.
- [Lloyd] Bobby
Sock to the rescue.
- Here's to Bobby Sock.
- Yes.
Here's to Bobby Sock.
- Bobby Sock.
(gentle music)
(electricity buzzing)
(keys clacking)
- [Lloyd] Yeah, and
I've only seen it once.
I don't even remember when.
Was it 2008, 2007?
That's really, it's
the white whale.
White whale, white whale,
white whale, white whale.
If I'm Ahab, he's
the white whale.
Unidentified white
whale, he's huge.
Great oceanic beast,
but in the galaxy.
- What?
- And it's long,
like a bridal train.
- Dad.
- A galactic serpent.
- You okay?
Dad, what's up?
What are you doing?
- Just watching you.
This way I used to watch you
when I'd be at your basketball
games, sitting on the bench.
- Key words, on the bench.
- Slam dunk Tuesday.
Pretty good.
- You remember that?
- Oh yeah.
- I wrote that a
very long time ago.
What was I, six, seven, eight?
I'm surprised you remember that.
- That's just nice to see that
you're pursuing your passion.
- Funny that you say
that, because I'm-
- Wait, wait, this
is the best part.
Tuesday night, night,
night, night, night, night.
Yeah.
(crickets chirping)
(birds chirping)
(Maggie humming)
Here you go.
Just country coffee, chicory.
It's not anything fancy
like you get in the city.
- I don't drink fancy
coffee in the city.
- Right.
It's gonna look
better when it's dry.
- Yeah, I'm sure.
- Acidman's kind
of funny, though.
Acid man.
It's townie kids,
just fucking around.
- Yeah, I was gonna ask you.
What made you pick this place?
- You know, it's a good
place to be left alone.
- Sorry that's not
working out for you.
- It's working out for me.
What about you, Maggie?
What brings you out here?
- I told you, I wanted
to check in on you.
- What else?
Come on, Migo, come on.
Leave bullshit Betty out here
to come up with a better answer.
(Maggie groans)
- Hey!
(things clatter)
Fucking shit!
You know, how about a thank you
for traveling 2,000
miles to be here?
Do you know what that took?
A plane, a layover, another
plane, a long ass car journey
that was 18 hours, door to door.
That is what it took
to be here with you.
No thank you for that, okay.
How about to a lesser degree,
thank you for the
paint job, Maggie?
Or thank you for
spending three weeks
trying to find out where
the hell you fucking were?
- Thank you for the paint job.
- I had no exact confirmation
that this is where you lived.
I took a leap of
faith to be here.
You were the one
not writing me back.
You were the one I couldn't
figure out how to call.
That was on you.
- Okay, you can stay.
But I will not
tolerate the lying.
What have I said to
you your entire life?
The truth is more
important than the facts.
- Yes, how great that
some things never change.
- No lying here.
Not by Migo, not by me.
- Your dog doesn't lie?
- It's a fact, Maggie.
- Cool.
(birds chirping)
(somber music)
(Maggie sighs)
Hi, Ben.
I know that you'd probably
like to hear something
from me, and...
(phone buzzing)
(Maggie groans)
Come on.
You wanna play?
Come on.
(Migo barking)
Bring it back, bring
it back, bring it back.
Migo!
(Maggie whistles)
One more time, hm?
(Maggie yelps)
(Migo barks)
(guns firing)
(Maggie whistles)
(guns firing)
Migo?
Oh.
Hey, hi.
I'm looking for my dog.
Have you seen him?
Okay.
(Maggie whistling)
Migo!
Migo!
Get over here!
Do you know how long I've
been looking for you?
You still have your ball, huh?
You made me so worried.
Come on, come on, come on.
Come on, come on.
(frogs croaking)
(crickets chirping)
I always knew you smoked.
- Really?
I thought I hid it pretty
well from you guys.
- Are you kidding me?
- My father, the preacher,
he tried his damnedest to
keep me not smoking weed.
Like every day I'd go to
school and he'd be like,
"Don't smoke weed."
So one time I went to him
and I wanted to borrow $20,
and he said, "I'll
give you the 20
"as long as you don't
spend it on marijuana,"
and I said, "That's
a deal, thanks Dad."
Immediately went to my
friend Donkey's house,
and we went and
bought a $20 bag.
And we smoked so
much that we ended up
feeding the rest of
it to his cat, Roscoe.
- What happened to the cat?
- The cat got so stoned
he attacked Donkey.
Oh fuck, everybody ended
up at the hospital.
Moral of the story is you can
learn a lot from your father.
They're real, you know.
The travelers.
They don't have any aggression.
They're so advanced beyond that.
But they see the things
that we do down here.
Ice caps melting, environmental
disasters, nuclear testing.
There's war, starvation.
They're just, they're
so beyond that.
I can feel 'em, they
just want us to catch up.
They want us to get
past those obstacles.
Yeah.
- That's nice to think about.
- If they had
hostile intentions,
I think we wouldn't be here.
They'd have taken
over a long time ago.
- Dad.
You're an engineer.
- Yeah.
- Not um, a conspiracy theorist.
- What a buzzkill.
- I'm sorry.
- So what are you doing here?
- I told you.
- Yes?
- I guess,
I guess in a way,
I kind of ran away from home.
- Okay, that's a start.
- [Maggie] Kind of just
wanted to, you know,
get away from it
all, for a moment.
Yeah.
- So, is that getting
away from it all
for a moment involve Ben?
- I just needed some time.
Time to myself.
- That's pretty vague.
- Look, sometimes
you're in a place,
and you're being asked
all these questions
you don't know the
answer to, constantly.
- Ben?
- Mm-hmm.
- Jamin, Benjamin.
- Oh my god, I didn't
understand what you...
(Maggie laughs)
- I'm fuckin' stoned.
- That's nice.
- Well, he seems
like a good guy.
- He's a good guy.
- Good.
Then you can figure it out.
- And until I do,
I can just be here.
- I was here first.
- Yeah, well.
(engine roaring)
- Acidman, Acidman!
- What?
- Goddamnit.
- [Teen] Acidman!
- [Teen] You gotta say his
name three times to summon him!
- Acidman!
- Dad?
Dad, what are you doing?
- Kids.
- Dad, Dad, no!
Hey, hey!
- Get outta here!
- Dad.
- Sons of bitches.
- Yeah, you dumbass!
(gun fires)
- Dad, Jesus Christ!
(gun fires)
What are you doing?
- See ya, bitch!
- What the hell?
Dad, you can't shoot
at fucking kids.
- I didn't shoot at the kids,
I fired a warning shot.
- [Maggie] Same thing.
- But, if I'd wanted to
hit one of 'em, I could've.
I'm pretty good.
What'd you wanna do,
hang out in the back of
the truck like a pussy?
- [Maggie] You
can't say that, Dad.
- [Lloyd] What, to a woman?
- [Maggie] Jesus.
(crickets chirping)
(tea kettle whistling)
- You ready?
It's gonna be a great night.
Super clear skies, beautiful.
- Do you mind if I
sit this one out?
- Sure.
- I'm just, really tired.
- Okay.
- Happy hunting.
- I prefer to call it searching.
- Can't tell if
you're serious or not.
- You know, Maggie, I don't
know that I've ever been
more serious about anything.
There's a global community
of research scientists,
engineers, experts like myself,
that have studied
communication and physics
to be able to reach
out into the cosmos.
But what it's really about
is to connect with them.
They're out there
traveling the galaxy.
They're looking at
hundreds of worlds,
and they still come here,
to check on our planet,
to make sure we're okay.
And I think I do
have a personal goal,
and an obligation
to say thank you.
- Well... I can thank them
with you another night.
- Okay.
- [Maggie] Happy searching.
- [Ben] It'd be a lot easier
if we could just talk.
Anything, just call me when
you're ready, all right.
- Dad?
Dad, are you okay?
Dad.
What's going on?
- The truck won't start.
- [Maggie] Okay.
What is it, battery or?
- The truck won't start.
- Okay.
That's okay.
Dad, when was it that you-
- I'm sorry, the
truck won't start.
- [Maggie] I get
that, but that's okay.
It's okay.
I can drive you.
- I don't know what's wrong.
I don't know what's
wrong with it.
- It's fine.
- It just won't start.
- Let me drive you.
- No, I'd rather walk.
- Dad.
- Have a good night.
(crickets chirping)
(eerie music)
(birds chirping)
Moving in a formation.
Moving in a formation.
I made a bit of a contact.
Hi, hi.
- Hey.
- You gotta check this
out, you gotta see this.
This happened
early this morning.
- Did you just get home?
- Yeah.
- Aren't you tired?
- No, no, no, I'm
good, I'm good.
- Okay.
- Yeah.
Here, watch.
It's incontrovertible evidence.
This is the place,
here at the reservoir.
You see what's happening?
- Yeah, I've seen this one.
- No, no, no, this
was this morning.
So there's a pattern.
They're signaling in a pattern.
Do you see it?
Watch the lights.
Three, two, one,
and then it recycles.
We're signaling in threes.
Was that a flash, flash flash,
and then flash flash flash.
So we gotta come back here.
- Sequencing of three.
- Yes, yes, exactly.
It's amazing, huh?
- Uh huh.
What do you think?
- It's so much to
think about, you know?
- This is just fantastic.
They wanna make
contact in two days.
You know what, I'm
gonna need your help.
I've been working on something,
and now I've gotta ramp it up
to make this two
day window, okay?
Are you with me?
Come on, come on.
It's out in the woods.
So, you might spot a couple
of those other cherry
bark maples in here.
I've seen a few in this area.
- I thought you said
there was only one,
and it was the one
that we planted.
- Yeah, it's a special one,
because we planted that one.
These others are volunteers,
so it's like they're
the friends of our tree.
(Maggie laughs)
Yeah.
This is it.
I mean, I know it
doesn't look like much,
but it's a work in progress.
- Another one of your projects?
- Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, this is the
grand communicator.
Well, it's a stupid name,
but you'll come up with
something better, I think.
I thought I told you about this.
Did I tell you about this?
You okay?
- Just not fully following.
- Well, okay, you remember
Sedona, Fourth of July?
- Yes.
- That was just fun and games.
This is gonna be,
10 times as big?
- And you're doing all of this?
- To communicate, with them.
- Uh, do you remember Sedona?
- Yeah, yeah it was great.
- Four fire trucks.
- [Lloyd] Yeah, but
Maggie, nobody got hurt.
- Mom's eyebrows
were singed off.
- I told her to get back.
- Dad.
- Maggie.
- What?
- I don't think you
completely understand
the enormity of
what I have to do.
I have no choice but to respond.
This is what it takes.
- I'm gonna go on record and say
that I think this is really
fucking dangerous, and crazy.
I mean, look at how much...
- Crazy?
- I didn't call you crazy.
I'm just saying this is crazy.
- You called this crazy.
You know what, Maggie?
I tried to bring you
in on something bigger.
Something bigger
than you and me,
bigger than human civilization.
And you turn out to be just
like the fucking idiots
that I used to work with,
those engineering pricks!
And your mother,
and your brother,
and your grandparents.
Nobody could ever support me
in anything that I had
to do that was important.
You know what they are?
They're cynics, they're
skeptics, they're traitors.
Are you a traitor, Maggie?
- I can't do this with you.
- Yeah.
I gotta go into town
and get more supplies.
Don't be here when I get back.
(birds chirping)
(somber music)
(guns firing)
(Migo howls)
(Migo whining)
- Shit, shit, shit, no, no, no.
Hey, hey, hey,
hey, hey, hey, hey,
stop, stop, stop, stop, stop.
Oh, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
Oh, okay, oh no.
You're gonna be fine, boy.
You're gonna be fine.
(horn honking)
- [Lloyd] That's good,
that's good, Migo.
- Dad, how's he doing?
This isn't updating.
Oh, this shitty
fucking reception.
I'm so, so sorry, I'm so sorry.
I should've been watching you.
Dad, I'm so sorry,
I'm so sorry, okay?
Migo.
Migo, I'm so sorry.
- [Lloyd] Take a left up
here, it's a shortcut.
- Dad, it says to turn right.
- I know where we're going.
- You sure?
- Yes.
- Dad, where are we going?
- Just drive straight.
(Migo whining)
(Maggie sobbing)
There's a left up
here, just stop there.
Yeah, this is good.
It's not your fault, Maggie.
(wind whooshing)
(gentle music)
(birds chirping)
(shovel scraping)
You know, your grandfather,
Methodist minister.
Sat next to hundreds,
I don't know how
many, people dying.
And they always wanted to
hear the same words from him.
That they were going
on to a greater reward.
And he'd tell 'em exactly
what they wanted to hear.
Last time I saw him, he
wanted me to tell him
that there was a great reward,
but I knew he didn't believe it.
And I sure as shit wasn't gonna
stand there and lie to him.
- Why are you doing this?
- It's the only time I
ever saw my father cry.
He was just a scared old man.
And I just said, "It's
gonna be over soon,"
and then I said goodbye.
(Maggie sighs)
- We could've been so different,
as a family.
There was so much love there,
and support, and I felt safe.
And then, you sat us down,
and told Bucky
and I that we were
old enough, and didn't
need you anymore.
Is there anything that
could've made you stay?
That's good to know.
I spent a lot of time...
I wanted you so badly.
I had things I
wanted to ask you,
and not Mom, and not
Bucky, and not...
Oh, fuck.
And the thing is is
that I am, I'm you!
I am you.
I do the same things.
In fact,
I leave quicker, ugh.
I left without telling
him that I was leaving.
Why are we like that?
Dad?
Dad.
Have you heard any of this, Dad?
(Maggie sniffles)
(Maggie crying)
(guns firing)
(chain rattling)
(guns firing)
- Fuckers.
Hey!
Do you sons of bitches even
know whose land you're on?
- No, no, this is public.
- Do you?
Oh yeah, fuck you!
I'm gonna report you to
the sheriff's department.
You are fucking poaching, god!
(Lloyd groaning)
Hey!
Hey!
You come back here!
Hey!
Hey!
You killed my dog!
You killed my dog.
(somber music)
(silverware clinking)
- [Charlie] Hey, you're
doing good with that.
- [Maggie] What's both difficult
and easy at the same time?
- Say when.
- Huh?
(whipped cream hissing)
- Please say when.
Say it, oh my.
- That is a beautiful whipped
cream mountain, I love it.
- Enjoy it.
- Mm.
Mm.
What's the secret in the sauce?
- No way.
It stays in the vault.
It's for my kids.
- I'll befriend them,
and they'll give me
all your secrets.
- No way, but they
would love you,
so you'll have to meet them.
- What are they like?
- They're cool, you know?
Darren, my youngest,
is a handful.
He thinks very
highly of himself.
(Maggie laughs)
And Phillip is just a raw nerve.
He is just all
emotion, all the time.
He's a teenager, it's beautiful.
I wouldn't change a thing.
Well, that's bullshit.
I would change,
I would change a lot.
But not them.
- Big act of faith, having kids.
To be confident that
you're gonna figure it out.
Try not to make mistakes,
try not to make the mistakes
that your parents made.
Lot of stuff.
I'd imagine, you know?
(crickets chirping)
(door creaks)
(Maggie sniffling)
Hello.
Dad, smile.
Dad.
Whoa!
Very good, look at the ripples.
- [Lloyd] Do you remember
when I taught you Morse code
when you were little?
Yep.
Wait there, yeah,
kind of tilt it down.
There you go,
there's a little bit.
That's good.
Try to do a series
of three dots,
two dashes, and three dots.
- How do you do a dash?
- [Lloyd] It's just a
longer flip of the mirror.
Good.
Now, unfortunately you
just called 'em assholes.
(Maggie laughs)
- [Maggie] What was I
like when I was a baby?
- You never cried.
- No?
- Usually 'cause you had
a pillow over your face.
(both laugh)
Oh, you were a sweet baby.
I used to call you Maggie Bear.
- [Maggie] Why?
- Your poops were the size of-
- [Maggie] Oh my
god, Dad, disgusting!
(Maggie laughs)
(birds chirping)
- [Lloyd] Here's your eggs.
- Thank you.
- Just the way I like 'em.
So basically, we're just
gonna be sending their signal
back to them.
It's repetition, it's mimicry,
it's the most fundamental
form of communication.
- Okay.
- Remember the first
night we were out there,
and you saw the hovering lights,
and thought it was an airplane?
Through the filter
in the camera,
I could see what their
color sequencing was.
So, we're just gonna
be sending that back.
Green, white, blue, red.
Pretty basic.
- Yeah?
- Yeah, you just, you
wanna acknowledge 'em,
and then you start talking back.
How's it going, do
you come in peace?
That sort of thing.
- In that order?
- Yeah, yeah in that order.
I don't, you know, speak alien.
Not yet.
Okay, did you see
the way I did that?
See the wires?
Green, green, white, white,
blue, blue, red, red.
That's it.
I need about 100 more.
(frogs croaking)
(gentle music)
Hey, grab that box.
- This is very heavy, you know.
Can't I just leave it?
Dad, oh, oh!
- [Lloyd] I don't want
to get too close.
- Ow.
- Give me.
(Maggie grunts)
This isn't that heavy.
(both grunt)
Check position 11.
- [Maggie] Which one's 11?
- Thought about what
you said the other day.
- Mm-hmm?
- Just in case something
goes wrong, you know?
- It's not gonna do shit.
- It's a joke.
- I get it.
- We better check
those sequences.
- Okay, one's a go.
- Make sure the firing
trigger is off right now.
- Four's a go, five's a go,
six, seven.
So what, they're just
gonna show up or something?
- [Lloyd] Listen, we
have to signal them
when the moment is right.
- I can't tell what
part of you is real.
- You're not like me.
That's real.
You're willing to stick it out.
And you're always were.
- What do you mean?
- That little girl, you
just had such dedication.
You're just a little
bit lost right now.
Whatever you decide to do,
don't do what I did.
Don't throw it all away.
(frogs croaking)
If it's a girl, you should
think about the name Jacqueline.
It's what I wanted to name you.
- What?
- Still like that name.
- Dad, how did you know?
- You're gonna be a
great mother, Maggie.
(emotional music)
Get ready.
- What?
- [Lloyd] Hit it.
- Now?
- Now!
- Okay!
(fireworks popping)
(fireworks whistling)
(fireworks popping)
(fireworks whistling)
(fireworks popping)
(fireworks whistling)
(fireworks popping)
(fireworks popping)
(fireworks whistling)
(fireworks popping)
Wow.
(fireworks whistling)
(fireworks popping)
(Maggie laughs)
Oh my god.
Dad.
Dad?
(crickets chirping)
(frogs croaking)
- Guess they
decided not to show.
Yeah, fuckers.
(birds chirping)
(gentle music)
Couldn't sleep,
been up all night.
It's just their
communication is so complex.
Just gotta try and figure
out where I went wrong.
I just gotta think bigger,
and do better math.
I just gotta keep going with it.
- I know it's early,
but any new theories?
- Yes, I do.
Have you ever heard
of extended binary
coded decimal interchange code?
- That's a mouthful.
- It's EBCDIC.
It's an eight bit code
capable of 256 characters,
and a variety of eight
bit combinations,
but I think, given the precision
of the code and the numerics,
might be able to break
through with them.
- Any idea on timing?
( sighs)
- July, I think, maybe?
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
Yeah, I think July.
- Okay.
No specific date
in July, just July?
- No.
What are you doing?
- Just making a note
to circle back with you
about specific dates.
- That's great.
But I gotta be honest,
I think that maybe the
color coding was wrong.
- That's okay.
I mean, maybe the color
coding, sequencing,
maybe it's not important.
- Exactly, that's exactly
what I was thinking.
I'm just gonna go back to the
fundamentals of communication.
Well, we talked
about that before.
Hey, wait, in July?
- Mm-hmm.
- I mean, you're gonna be.
- Huge?
- Yeah, yeah.
- Can't miss first contact.
- Well, it's on a dartboard.
So, you know, if
you can't make it,
I completely understand.
- You can keep me posted.
- Okay.
You know, I'm gonna miss you
when you're gone, Maggie.
- So that E, the,
what is it, the EBA?
The name of that sequencing.
- It's okay.
- Okay.
( sighs)
(gentle music)
(waves crashing)
Yesterday, I played
ball with Jessie.
It was really fun.
I had the ball, and she
tried to take it from me.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
But it was still really fun.
- That's crazy,
both you and Jessie?
- Yeah.
We were screaming.
It was loud, it was very loud.
(both screaming)
Well, it was a Tuesday,
and what I'm about to tell
you next, you won't believe.
Jessie did it first.
Then I did it.
(puddle splashing)
It felt as though we could fly.
- [Lloyd] Yeah?
- [Maggie] We were
there all afternoon,
dunk, after dunk, after dunk.
(emotional music)
We never told anyone else.
They wouldn't have believed us.
We didn't need them to.
(waves crashing)
(pleasant music)
Are you afraid
Of the colors fade
fading no come back
I know you are
Me too
Not sure
About being in this
body in the cold
Backyard
A year old
If you're broke
I'll be there
I won't care
At all
Maybe you think
you know me best
A lot of other
people think that too
I guess
Are you afraid
That you ruin half the
things you ever got
Well if you're not
Then I'm not
I won't tell you
what you want to hear
No one can keep
away your fears
But I'll be here
If you're broke
I couldn't care
Don't have hope
But I have time to share
Maybe you
Think you know me best
Lots of other people
think that too
I guess
(gentle music)