Adopt a Highway (2019) Movie Script
1
[APPLAUSE]
PRESIDENT CLINTON: And those
who commit crimes
should be punished,
and those who commit repeated
violent crimes should be told,
"When you commit
a third violent crime,
you will be put away
and put away for good.
Three strikes,
and you are out."
[APPLAUSE]
MAN:
...going to be incarcerated,
but the people's families.
- It affects our community.
- [OVERLAPPING TALKING]
- If you look at California...
- It's the classic sacred cow.
WOMAN: We live in a country
with consequences.
You steal, you cheat, you rob
someone, you go to jail.
MAN: So you think you should
lock somebody up
potentially for a life sentence
or 25 years to life
because they smoked
a little weed?
MAN #1:
...nonviolent offenses,
but three strikes
is three strikes.
MAN #2:
...normally a misdemeanor...
- MAN #3: Even a pizza?
- MAN #2: Even a pizza.
WOMAN:
...intersect with things
like class
and race disparities.
WOMAN #2: You already had
two strikes before.
I don't understand
why this is an issue.
MAN:
That third strike has proven
to not reduce crime
in any way.
It's only thrown people's lives
away for years.
We overreached.
We launched a war on drugs.
MAN #2: ...reevaluate the whole
way we've dealt with prison.
MAN #3: ...that the black
community has suffered through.
MAN #4: We cannot simply
prosecute or incarcerate
our way
to becoming a safer nation.
MAN #3: I absolutely apologize
for voting for that bill.
MAN:
...to spend taxpayer money
to keep nonviolent people
in prison.
RUSSELL: These first two
offenses were not significant,
and I made a mistake,
and I'm sorry.
- OFFICER: Millings.
- I'm really sorry.
OFFICER:
Millings.
At 5:00, okay?
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]
Okay, Millings.
Let's go.
It's game time, buddy.
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]
On the move.
Hey, good luck out there,
Millings.
[MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING]
Step aside.
Step aside.
[INDISTINCT TALKING]
[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]
- Russell Millings?
- Mm-hmm.
Big day.
Wilson.
All right.
Got your personal belongings
from entry.
This is yours.
We also got you
a change of clothes.
- Okay.
- Let's go.
You better stop
texting at work.
You're walking like
you don't want to leave.
What's up?
You okay?
Okay, I want you to quickly
change into those.
Take a seat right there,
okay?
An administrator is gonna
come in and talk to you.
WOMAN: Mr. Millings?
I am Tracy Westmore.
I am going to need your
signature on these documents.
Okay?
Here's my pen.
Sign right there, please.
Okay.
Very good.
I'll need you
to sign right there.
Okay.
Do you have any more
questions for me?
Um...
Okay.
You know what?
Let's get you out of here.
All right?
So just grab your stuff.
Follow me.
Pleasure.
I left my blues
on that table there.
You don't need them.
[GATE BUZZES, UNLOCKS]
Best of luck out there,
Russell.
Okay.
One day at a time.
[WATER SPRAYING]
[METAL CLANGING]
Okay, Russell.
I got to get you
off the clock.
Morning shift
can put the rest away.
[SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE]
[MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
WOMAN'S VOICE:
Next stop...
[MUSIC CONTINUES]
[MUSIC STOPS]
WOMAN: Whatever.
Who the [BLEEP] cares?
That's stupid.
It's not a big deal.
WOMAN #2:
[SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY]
WOMAN:
Okay, whatever.
I wanted you
to meet me.
- I wanted to meet you.
- No, you didn't.
You missed the flight,
you missed the boat,
you missed the bus.
I'm so mad at you.
WOMAN #1: I don't care
if you're mad at me.
You know I always want you
to be happy.
Don't lie.
Tell me.
You're mad at me,
that I said you missed
the flight and the bus.
WOMAN #3: Terrifying car chase
ends in comedy.
[INDISTINCT TALKING]
Thanks again, Ben.
Okay. After the break...
MAN: The Senate hearings
are gonna start in the a.m.,
and they won't let up
till late,
or early Thursday morning.
MAN: I'm real proud of you,
you know?
It's a little bittersweet.
It's gonna be our last meeting
in person.
Your parole will be satisfied
in a few months,
and then you can start
to start over,
but I am gonna need those
PPRs every other Tuesday, okay?
- Mm-hmm.
- On my desk.
Okay.
And mail them here?
No. No, you can just...
you can just e-mail them to me.
Nobody mails anything anymore.
- Yeah, but that...
- Okay? So...
Look, have you not...
have you not gotten
an e-mail address yet?
No, I didn't.
Well, I did. No, I did.
I did, but the trouble is that
if you want to get an e-mail,
like, you have to have
an e-mail,
and if you don't have an e-mail,
it... it doesn't...
Okay, Russell, then just
figure it out, okay?
Just figure it out.
You do not want to fudge up
these last few steps.
All right? We don't need you
sliding backwards.
It is not pretty.
I have seen it. Okay?
So you just don't...
don't step in it again.
- Okay, Russell?
- Mm-hmm.
- Do not step in it.
- Okay.
All right? All right.
You're a good man.
- You keep going.
- Yeah.
- Okay? Yeah?
- Okay.
MAN: Welcome to Troy's Burgers.
How can I help you?
[MID-TEMPO HIP-HOP MUSIC
PLAYING]
Hi.
Um, I'd like
to use the Internet.
Okay.
- Just any... anywhere?
- Go wherever. Yeah.
[PACK UNZIPS]
So then you just...
you just scroll up.
RUSSELL:
Just scroll?
And then you just type in,
like,
whoever or whatever you're
looking for in the search field.
What's your dad's name?
David Millings.
David.
All right.
So you got a lot of hits,
so you're gonna have to
narrow down your search.
Like, uh, you could do his,
like, middle name or...
or put in your mom's name too,
I guess.
Hey, is it cool if I take
a picture with you real quick?
I mean, it's just that
how often is it that you meet
someone who's never been online?
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS]
[DOWN-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
WOMAN:
It's okay, Russ.
It's the first time
you've been late.
I'm just glad I didn't have
to call Derek to cover.
Just try to remember
that breaks are 15 minutes
unless you're pulling
a double, okay?
Okay.
I can't lose this job.
Russ, you're not gonna
lose this job, okay?
Hell, I wish I had 10 of you.
Just relax.
[WATER SPRAYING]
- [INDISTINCT TALKING]
- [CALLIOPE MUSIC PLAYING]
WOMAN: Whoo!
Yeah!
MAN: Hey, hurry up.
There's no line.
[DOWN-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING]
- [METAL CLANGS]
- Russ.
I need a dumpster run,
and then take your lunch.
Hey, Russ.
Can you do a double tonight?
Okay.
Yeah, I guess.
I mean, I hate to ask,
but Derek is sick,
and Todd's already
into his overtime.
Okay.
You're the best.
- Hey, Becca?
- Yeah?
Is it cool if...
if I run an errand over...
over there for a minute?
What?
Is it okay if I...
if I run an errand over there
if... if it's really quick?
Duh! You're on break.
You can do whatever you want.
Long as you come back on time.
Just don't be a weirdo.
Okay.
Thanks.
Okay.
Welcome.
MAN: Welcome to Troy's Burger's.
How can I help you?
You don't...
You don't have a cellphone?
No.
And you don't have
an e-mail address?
No.
[LAUGHING]
That's...
That's fucking cool, man.
Where the fuck you been, dude?
In prison? [LAUGHS]
Yeah.
Oh, shit.
Wait, y-you would have had to
been in there for what, like...
20 years.
- 20 years?
- 21, yeah.
Holy shit.
Damn, dude.
What...
Hey, is it okay if I ask?
Did you, like...
I-It was possession
of narcotics
with the intent
to distribute.
You did 20 years in prison
for dealing drugs?
Well, how many pounds
were you slinging?
An ounce.
Of pot.
Shut the fuck up.
You are literally fucking me
right now.
I'm not
literally fucking you.
I'm not.
Well, then how the...
Wh... What?
You're not black.
It was my third offense
in the state of California,
so it was my third strike.
Wait,
they still do that shit?
No, they don't do it anymore.
Well, you know it's practically
legal now, right?
Dude, let...
let's get you an e-mail.
Hey, so how much longer,
you think?
Oh, I have... have this,
I have the women's,
and then the trash.
Okay.
So I'm gonna skate early.
Are you cool closing up?
This is my spare key
to the back door,
and the office
is already locked.
But if I lock the door
behind me,
w-what do I do with the key?
You just give it back
to me tomorrow.
But I don't work till Saturday.
It's cool.
You can give it to me then.
[TENSE MUSIC PLAYS]
[MUFFLED BABY CRYING]
[BABY CRYING]
[CRYING CONTINUES]
[CRYING CONTINUES]
I'm gonna... I'm gonna make a...
a call, okay?
Uh.
It's locked.
Maybe I...
E-Ella?
Hi.
Oh.
[ELLA CRYING]
[CRYING CONTINUES]
Hi.
Hi.
- [STOPS CRYING]
- Hi, hi.
- Hi.
- [CRYING]
Hi.
Hi.
Hi.
Hey.
Hi.
[DIAL TONE]
[DIALING]
[LINE RINGS]
WOMAN: 911.
What's your emergency?
Um...
I, um...
Sir, I can't understand you.
You're gonna have to speak up.
There's no emergency.
Shit.
Stupid.
[MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
[WATER RUNNING]
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]
Are you Russell Millings?
RUSSELL: Yeah.
I'm me.
Can you open the door,
please?
We're, uh, following up
on a 911 call
you made earlier this evening.
Did you have an emergency?
I... I didn't,
and I told them.
Do you have your license
on you?
I have an I.D. card.
- That'll do.
- [ELLA FUSSING]
Is that your child
in there?
Yeah.
Boy or girl?
Girl.
OFFICER: Okay.
Do you mind grabbing that I.D.
for me, Mr. Millings?
[CRYING CONTINUES]
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]
[CRYING CONTINUES]
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]
Okay, Mr. Millings.
Sorry to have disturbed
you tonight.
I'll let you get back
to the little lady.
Tummy massage.
She's got colic.
You got to massage
her tummy.
Look, now,
you can get colic tabs,
but someone once told me
about a tummy massage,
and we always found that that
worked best on my little guy.
Hang in there.
It gets better.
All right.
You have a good night.
OFFICER:
Good night.
[CRYING CONTINUES]
Shh, shh.
Shh.
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream
[STOPS CRYING]
Merrily, merrily
merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream
[HUMMING TUNE]
[ELLA CRYING]
[MUMBLING]
These are...
These are pretty yummy.
This is pretty yummy.
You want...
Here you go.
Here,
you're gonna like this.
There you go.
- Okay, that...
- [COUGHS, CRYING]
I got a better idea.
I got a better idea.
And...
All right, we got...
Let's see.
Hey, hey, hey, hey.
All right, all right.
Shh, shh.
There you go.
There you go.
That's good.
That's good.
You're really good.
You're really very good.
Oh, you're done.
Oh.
Wow! You finished it.
You are hungry.
- [CRYING]
- Okay, okay, okay. Hold on.
[MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
Excuse me. Do you know
where colic medicine is?
Aisle four in the middle.
- Aisle four in the mi...
- Wait a minute.
How old is your baby?
Um, three or four months,
I guess.
You guess?
Give me this bottle.
You don't need to be using
these bottles
for a colicky baby, okay?
These bottles are for infants,
not newborns.
Ooh, goodness.
My feet hurt.
See, you need the bottles
with the vent system.
The vent system keeps that air
off of them bellies.
Bet you the mama
does all of the work.
RUSSELL:
No, she...
Well, do... do you have
the vent-system bottles here?
I don't have a lot of time.
Yeah.
I'm taking them to you
right now.
Aisle four in the middle,
right here.
- Well...
- Okay.
Now these are
all of our bottles.
Here the colic tabs.
I like the gripe water, though.
That always helped me
when my kids was little.
Now, how are you burping
the baby after you feed it?
I mean,
because a lot of people
make the mistake
of patting the baby.
You don't need to pat a baby.
You got to bounce that baby.
- Is it a boy or girl?
- It's a girl.
Oh!
What's her name?
- Ella.
- Ella?
Like Ella Fitzgerald!
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
That's...
I got five rock-head boys.
- I can't stand them.
- But...
Now, what you want to do is,
you want to bounce Ella.
Don't pat.
Bounce Ella.
Bounce that burp
right out of Ella.
I bet you that wife of yours
is patting.
That's why she got that colic.
Which one are
the vented bottles?
- That right over there.
- The pink one?
- Mm-hmm.
- Mm-hmm.
Is your wife breastfeeding?
- Is she what?
- Does she breastfeed?
- Oh, no.
- No?
And what kind of formula
are you using?
Hydrolyzed, soy, casein?
Is it concentrated powder?
Is it ready to go?
I wouldn't use that casein.
That casein,
something wrong with it.
They trying to trick us,
because those babies get sick,
and probably cause that colic.
I would use the hydrolyzed
because the hydrolyzed
is better
on the digestive system.
Thank you very much.
Well, good luck!
[UP-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
Ah!
[MUTTERING]
Malibu to San Diego
San Francisco, San Mateo
[GRUNTING]
[GROANS]
Oh, oh, up in California
We've been up in California
Oh, oh
- [ELLA COOING]
- Hi, Ella.
You're okay.
You're okay.
Hmm.
[FARTING]
[SNIFFS]
[VOCALIZING]
Hi, Ella.
Okay.
Whoa! Whoa. Whoa.
Are you... Are you okay?
Are you okay?
You are?
That scared me.
But you're okay?
I thought you were
going to hit your head.
Washing is fun
- [CRIES]
- Okay. Whoa. Whoa, whoa.
Hey.
Don't cry.
Do you want to know
something funny?
I've lived in California
almost 25 years,
and I've never been
to the beach.
I had kind of an idea.
Would you want to spend the day
at the ocean with me?
Is that a yes?
- [BABBLING]
- Yeah?
You want to?
Yeah? You do?
[LAUGHS]
I do, too!
There's a train!
We can take a train.
[CRYING]
That's the ocean.
Look, Ella.
Here.
Did I ever tell you that my dad
used to collect stamps?
He had an incredible collection.
Do you know that they have
a different stamp
for every animal?
Yeah.
I'll always remember
going into his study
where he kept his library
of stamp books.
The place was covered with ash
because he smoked all the time.
But we would sit in there,
and we would write down all the
catalog numbers of the stamps
that we wanted to
to mail away for.
And I used to love
watching him open the envelopes
when they arrived
because they always were
exactly the same,
in these brown wax envelopes
with the exact
same handwriting...
Philip Caruso
from Appleton, Wisconsin.
But you never knew what stamp
was gonna be inside, you know?
So it was...
it was really exciting.
Yeah.
And then he would separate all
his from the ocean-life stamps,
and then he would
give those to me,
and he would explain their Latin
names and where they came from.
His hands used to shake.
You could see it
when he was mounting the stamps
under the magnifying glass,
you know?
Or you could see it
in his handwriting.
Or you'd hear it
in the ice in his whiskey.
But you would like him, though.
And he would like you.
He would.
Do you think that you would like
to collect stamps? Hmm?
I wonder
what your favorite animal is.
"The world isn't split into
good people and Death Eaters.
We've all got both
light and dark inside of us.
What matters is the part
we choose to act on.
That's who we really are."
Yeah.
What?
Oh. Sorry.
You dropped your spoon.
[GRUNTS]
[THUD]
[CRYING]
[GASPS]
Oh, my God.
Are you okay?
I'm so sorry.
Shh.
I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
Merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but...
[SNIFFLES]
[CRYING] Ella,
I'm so sorry.
- [SMOOCHING]
- [ELLA CONTINUES CRYING]
WOMAN: Please take a seat
and fill out this form.
But I'm... I'm not here
for me.
I'm here for Ella.
You still need to fill out
the form
before I can process
either you or your daughter.
Okay.
[FUSSING]
[DOOR OPENS]
Sir?
Are you Mr. Millings?
Uh, yeah.
Mm-hmm.
I hear you may have found
this little angel.
Yeah.
I found her.
Where did you find her?
Um...
In a dumpster.
- Hi.
- Her name is Ella.
I see.
Hi, Ella.
Ohh!
Is that how you hit your head,
sweetie pie?
Okay.
Uh, now, with all
abandoned-child cases,
it's mandatory for both the LAPD
and the DCFS to be involved.
Both have been notified
and should be here shortly.
But I'm also going to have to
take little Ella
to be looked at, okay?
What, you mean...
you mean now?
Yes.
I mean now.
But the authorities
and the Department of
Child and Family Services
will need you to stay here.
They just need to ask you
a few questions
about how you found
the poor thing.
Um...
Will I...
Will I be able
to see her again?
I can't answer that question
at this time.
Oh, but here are the people
who can.
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]
Come on, sweetie.
Yes, yes, yes.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
Um, oh, well, this is hers.
Her stuffy.
No, I need to see the bag
and anything else
that might have been
in the crime scene, sir.
Oh, no.
There's no crime scene.
It's not...
This is just her walrus.
All missing and abandoned
children cases are a crime.
Yeah, I know, but this it's
not... not a crime scene.
It's... It's just...
It's your walrus.
Do you want your walrus?
- [ELLA CRYING]
- I know.
I'll take this.
Oh!
Shh, shh, shh.
- Yeah.
- Bye, Ella.
I'm Officer Cato.
This is Mrs. Deeks from DCFS.
We need to ask you
some questions.
- Okay.
- All right.
Um, where did you say
you found the child?
Dumpster.
A lot of dumpsters out there.
Any one in particular?
[ELLA CRYING]
Um, the one by where I work.
In the back.
And what time did you say
you found her this morning?
Um...
It was...
I don't remember.
Early.
CATO: Okay.
Can you, um,
walk us through the event?
I know this must be hard for
you, Mister, uh, Millings,
but we need you to be very
specific about what happened.
How did you know
she was in the dumpster?
'Cause I heard her.
You heard her crying?
And then?
And then...
I heard her crying,
and I opened the dumpster,
and I...
[VOICE BREAKING]
I looked in, um...
Mr. Millings...
It's perfectly normal
for an experience like this
to be traumatic.
And not just for her
but for you as well.
You're both victims.
It's okay.
Just tell us what you remember.
You, um...
You called her Ella.
How did you know her name?
Or is that a name you gave her?
She was in... in...
in the bag, in... in this bag,
and there was a note.
Okay, good.
What did the note say?
It said,
"Her name was Ella."
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
And where's the note?
I don't know.
I...
- DEEKS: It's okay.
- I think I lost it.
CATO: Is there a number I can
reach you at, Mr. Millings?
[SNIFFLES] You can come
to my place if you want.
Can you, um, write down
that information
along with your name
and address?
Do you think that, uh...
Do you think Ella
is gonna be okay?
- DEEKS: Yes.
- Yeah?
Yes, Ella will be
very well taken care of.
I promise.
She's a ward of the state now
within the Department of
Children and Family Services,
and we'll do our best to track
down someone in her family.
But if not, she'll be placed
in proper foster care
and then adoption.
It's a bit of a process
unfortunately, but...
Well, I could take care of her,
you know?
I mean, I could...
I could adopt her.
I mean...
That is
incredibly sweet of you.
Unfortunately, that's out of
my power or jurisdiction
to decide whether or not you
qualify to foster this child.
But I understand the urge
to want to help. I do.
And you can help us
by giving us
all the information
you have now.
If anything comes to you,
please feel free
to call me, okay?
[SNIFFLES]
Okay.
[DOWN-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING]
BECCA: Russ.
Russ!
Huh?
Um, they want to talk to you.
Hey, you mind stepping out and
chatting with us for a second?
It's okay.
We don't bite.
So, uh, the report says that you
found the baby in a dumpster.
- The dumpster here at work?
- Yeah, that one.
Okay, and in your statement,
it says that this incident
occurred yesterday morning.
Okay, Mr. Millings, do you mind
taking us over to that dumpster?
You just found her in a gym bag
with a note, nothing else?
What about that walrus,
though?
We checked
with your management,
and they say you didn't work
yesterday morning.
In fact, they say you haven't
worked since Wednesday night.
What you been doing since then,
Mr. Millings?
We know about your record.
You're still a parolee
in the good state of California,
aren't you?
OFFICER: Bet you're
counting the days
till you can leave the state.
Hey, um, can I get
that key back?
You weren't here on Friday.
It's last week's paycheck.
And I'm gonna have to call
the higher-ups
about this whole baby thing.
So you being
an ex-con and all,
they're gonna want to know.
[MUSIC INTENSIFYING]
OFFICER:
See, my partner and I,
we don't think
you found her here.
We think you found her
somewhere else.
OFFICER #2: We also don't think
you found her yesterday.
You do know you can't take home
abandoned children, right?
OFFICER #1:
We know about your record.
- 20 years in Folsom.
- [WHISTLES]
Hell, you're still a parolee
in the good state
of California, aren't you?
OFFICER #2: But you're not
going anywhere, right?
[MUSIC STOPS]
MAN: Have a good one.
Next.
Do you have a bus to Wyoming?
Okay, sir.
Where in Wyoming
would you like to go?
112 Trigood Avenue, Casper,
Wyoming 82602.
[CHUCKLES]
Well, all right.
Is that, uh,
round trip or one way?
Uh, one way.
And when
do you plan on leaving?
Now.
[MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
[INDISTINCT SPEAKING
OVER P.A.]
[MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]
WOMAN: Denver.
Just give me a second.
I just had it.
I literally just had it.
Just put my suitcase
on the bus while I find it.
I know I just had it.
MAN: I can't let you on
without a ticket.
No, I know that!
I just...
I mean, I just had it!
Where...
What the fuck?!
Ugh!
Ticket or no,
you can't come on the bus
if you're gonna be
a disturbance.
I'm not...
WOMAN:
She's stressed out.
I'm not gonna disturb anyone.
If you could just...
MAN:
Could it be in your pocket?
No, it is not in my pocket!
Thank you.
I'll push your bag for you.
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
[SOBBING]
Can I fucking help you?
[SOBS]
$9.75.
Oh. Um...
W-What about no chips?
[SIGHS]
$6.95.
Yeah. Yeah.
Thank you.
I'll put them back.
You're welcome.
Don't choke.
Thank you.
[COUGHING]
Champ, you didn't listen.
Oh, my God.
Have some of your...
your drink.
Um, I am.
Is that better?
Mm-hmm.
Don't die on me.
[COUGHING]
I'm okay.
Would you like a sandwich?
What?
Would you like a sandwich?
What kind of sandwich?
Mm, mustard and mayo.
You're gonna make me a mustard
and mayonnaise sandwich?
Mm-hmm, i-if you want.
If you don't want...
No, yeah, sure.
Let's go, bro.
Make me that mustard
and mayonnaise sandwich.
Okay.
Wait, can you
cut the crusts off?
- Mm-hmm.
- No, I'm fucking with you.
I'm kidding.
No, it looks...
it looks amazing.
That's...
Okay.
[JASON ISBELL'S
"NOBODY'S WATCHING" PLAYS]
Mm.
On the brand-new moon
Where you stumbled around
in a tree
Just sit in your room
Smoking menthols
and hugging your knees
Smile
Until you remember
how evening fell
Smile
Until you don't need
to control yourself
WOMAN:
Okay, I'll go first.
I'm Di.
I am from Fort Collins,
Colorado.
I'm 25 years old.
Wink, wink.
Um, I'm an Aries.
Favorite color is purple.
My favorite move is "The Year
of Living Dangerously."
And...
...my last name is Fountain.
Mm.
That's nice.
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
Okay, you go.
Go.
Go, go, go.
Go.
Come on. You.
Well, I said
my name is Russell.
Yeah, I go... Hi, Russ.
I got that. Okay.
What else?
You're making me forget.
What? Russ!
Come on.
Before these mountains,
like, devour us
and we never
see each other again.
Hmm.
Yeah.
Um...
- Where are you from?
- Well, Casper, Wyoming.
No.
[SIGHS] No.
Nobody is from Casper.
- Oh, no, I...
- Pick another place. No.
But, I mean, I am.
That... I'm...
That's where I was born
if that's what you mean.
Russ, I'm fucking with you.
Oh.
Okay, keep going,
Russ from Casper...
the most boring-sounding place
there is... Wyoming.
Well, it...
I'm... I'm 44 years old.
- 44?
- Mm-hmm.
Like, "44."
Yeah, I got you.
Okay.
- I mean, that's old.
- Wait.
Dude, like,
that's "dust in the wind" old.
[LAUGHS]
Okay, what else?
I don't... I don't know.
What's your favorite color?
Red.
Wow.
Okay.
Didn't see that coming.
Um...
What's your favorite movie?
Um, I... I liked "Predator"
a lot
when I was young, you know?
"Predator," like...
[IMITATING SCHWARZENEGGER]
Arnold, "Hasta la vista, baby"?
- Oh, that's...
- Like that?
No, that's "The Terminator,"
but yeah.
Whatever! Oh, my God.
You suck at this.
Okay.
Keep going.
- With what?
- Come on.
I don't... I don't...
What else? What do you mean?
Like...
What... What's your sign?
- Oh, well, I'm Scorpio, I...
- No fucking...
Ungh!
No!
[SIGHS]
- No.
- What?
DI: Jesus.
That takes care of that.
Can't fucking talk to you.
[SNIFFS]
[EXHALES SLOWLY]
So stupid.
All right, listen.
I'm kidding, okay?
I'm just kidding.
I mean,
I'm not kidding about,
like, all the guys and my dad
all being Scorpios, but...
...I will give you
another chance.
Okay.
Um...
All right.
Okay.
What's...
What's your last name?
Millings.
- Millings?
- Yeah.
- Russell Millings?
- Yeah. That's me.
Aw, Russell Millings.
- Mm-hmm.
- You got a middle name?
Yeah.
- Earl.
- Earl?
- Yeah.
- Earl?
- Yeah.
- For real? Earl?
Yeah.
Is that...
Russell Earl Millings.
Well, I guess.
- Wait, what?
- What?
'Cause now you
don't sound so sure about it.
Oh, no, I'm sure.
I'm sure. That's me, yeah.
[GIGGLES]
Do you have some more napkins?
I got to go to the bathroom.
Yeah.
[PACK UNZIPS]
Sure.
Thanks.
Okay, I'll be back.
[EXHALES SLOWLY]
MAN: [OVER P.A.] Union Station,
downtown Denver is next.
[INDISTINCT TALKING]
[SIGHS]
Well,
if you're ever in Denver,
go to Greenlock's.
It's my brother's caf,
and if I'm still there,
we can hang.
Yeah.
Greenlock's?
- Okay, um...
- Um...
Good luck with life...
...Russell Earl Millings.
Yeah, you too.
- WOMAN: Excuse me.
- RUSSELL: Oh. Uh...
So sorry.
Yeah.
Thank you for the mustard
and mayo sandwich, dude.
[DOWN-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
[SIGHS]
[SIGHS]
[METAL CLATTERING]
MAN:
Yo, you've got to go.
Ceremonies don't start
till 9:00.
Hi, Dad.
Hey, Mom.
This is a nice spot.
Sorry it took me
so long to get here.
It hasn't gone
the way I thought... life.
Don't even know what I'm
doing with myself anymore.
I...
I struggle with...
...myself so much, Mama.
I'm sorry, Dad.
Thank you for being
my parents.
[CHUCKLES]
MAN:
How can I help you, sir?
RUSSELL: I'm here to open
my safety deposit box.
MAN: Okay.
What's the number on the box?
Um, my dad, he gave me his keys
and told me to come here.
And who's your father?
David Earl Millings.
What's your name?
Russell.
And you say
that you're his son.
No, I didn't say I'm his son.
I'm his son.
Do you have an I.D.,
Mr. Millings?
- Just give me one sec.
- Okay.
Hey, Jim, can I see you
for a second?
I think
there's a transient here.
Has the key to one of our boxes.
Last name Millings.
I'll get Joey
to get him out here.
I'll take care of it.
Thank you.
Here you go, Mr. Millings.
I'm Jim Pitt, manager here.
I am so sorry
for any misunderstandings.
We were wondering
when you were gonna stop by.
Your father, he was a...
Well, he was a client here
for many years.
Good man.
Do you know
what's in our box?
Right this way.
It's just back here.
Jeannie.
I'll give you
a few moments alone.
When you need me, I'll be
right outside, Mr. Millings.
[DOWN-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
RUSSELL: Son, I can only imagine
the road that you've traveled.
I'm writing you
on New Year's Eve.
Tomorrow is a new millennium,
a new decade,
a new year, a new day.
Folks are saying it's all
coming to an end
with this Y2K shit,
but I don't believe it.
RUSSELL AND DAVID: I think about
you a lot, Rusky.
I imagine you in that prison.
I try to take away
the world between us.
DAVID: And then I try to take
away the walls that hold you.
And I see you...
...asleep in your cell,
hovering in the dark air,
alone.
I call out your name
in the night.
You will only ever be
my boy...
...the guy I found
in your mother's arms
that November afternoon.
You were the happiest guy.
The guy who shared everything
with everyone.
The guy
who taught me how to love.
I love you, Russ.
So I'm giving them all
to you, Rusky.
The Tyrian plum alone should
get you back on your feet.
And your other key
is to a storage unit
just down the street.
Keep them, sell them.
Just find your way, Russell.
It's a second chance
after such a bad hand.
Go see the world, son.
Don't look back, buddy.
Your mother used to say,
"Once in a while,
it hits people
that they don't
have to experience the world
in the way
they have been told to."
Ha ha!
Smartest girl I ever met.
I love you, son.
That can't change the past,
but the past can't change that.
I love you like a wolf
loves the moon.
[SNIFFING]
Love, Mom, Dad.
[MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING]
DEEKS:
Hi, Mr. Millings.
Good to see you again.
How can I help you?
I was here
to check on Ella.
Yes, I did get
all of your e-mails.
Ella is doing great,
and we have yet to be contacted
by any of her relatives,
but she is thriving in
a temporary home right now.
[EXHALES SHARPLY]
Thanks.
That's... yeah.
I looked into
the adoption process.
- Yes.
- Remember...
Okay, listen.
I'm gonna be completely frank
with you, Mr. Millings.
You are going to have
a tough go at it.
I'm not saying
it's impossible.
Do you know, I realize that's
unlikely, you know, that...
I mean, that's not
why I'm here.
I'm here
to give this to you.
It's for Ella.
Okay?
And if you could
give it to her
on her 18th birthday, okay?
Wait, why her 18th birthday?
'Cause that's the way
the trust was set up.
That's what they said.
That way
it would be just for her,
and she would be ready.
Can you make sure
that she gets it?
- Yeah, o-of course.
- Okay.
I sent all this to you
in a e-mail
with information about the trust
and instructions.
And it's best if you leave
the envelope i-in the plastic.
It protects the stamps.
Oh... Thank you.
- Have a nice trip.
- Thank you.
Mm-hmm.
Next.
Where would
you like to go, sir?
Mm...
On the brand-new moon
When you stumbled around
in a tree
Just sit in your room
Smoking menthols
and hugging your knees
Smile
Until you remember
how evening fell
Smile
Until you don't need
to control yourself
When the light goes on
Will you stand in the mirror
for me?
Put your best shirt on
There's someone important
to see
Smile
Smile like your heart
can be broken still
Smile
Somebody needs you
and always will
They always will
Remind yourself
there's nobody watching
Remind yourself
there's nobody watching
Smile
Smile like you've
been here a thousand times
Smile
Like words in your heart
and your memory rhyme
Remind yourself
there's nobody watching
Remind yourself
there's nobody watching
Remind yourself
there's nobody watching
[MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
I knew you
from another man
If you figured I'd forget
A sunny age,
it slipped away
Swinging to the west
But all the pavement
runs the same
From a dusty window ledge
And the twisted face
In the Plexiglas
It hasn't ended yet
Counting out the miles
Of a million empty turns
Something tells me maybe
I'll never find the way
[APPLAUSE]
PRESIDENT CLINTON: And those
who commit crimes
should be punished,
and those who commit repeated
violent crimes should be told,
"When you commit
a third violent crime,
you will be put away
and put away for good.
Three strikes,
and you are out."
[APPLAUSE]
MAN:
...going to be incarcerated,
but the people's families.
- It affects our community.
- [OVERLAPPING TALKING]
- If you look at California...
- It's the classic sacred cow.
WOMAN: We live in a country
with consequences.
You steal, you cheat, you rob
someone, you go to jail.
MAN: So you think you should
lock somebody up
potentially for a life sentence
or 25 years to life
because they smoked
a little weed?
MAN #1:
...nonviolent offenses,
but three strikes
is three strikes.
MAN #2:
...normally a misdemeanor...
- MAN #3: Even a pizza?
- MAN #2: Even a pizza.
WOMAN:
...intersect with things
like class
and race disparities.
WOMAN #2: You already had
two strikes before.
I don't understand
why this is an issue.
MAN:
That third strike has proven
to not reduce crime
in any way.
It's only thrown people's lives
away for years.
We overreached.
We launched a war on drugs.
MAN #2: ...reevaluate the whole
way we've dealt with prison.
MAN #3: ...that the black
community has suffered through.
MAN #4: We cannot simply
prosecute or incarcerate
our way
to becoming a safer nation.
MAN #3: I absolutely apologize
for voting for that bill.
MAN:
...to spend taxpayer money
to keep nonviolent people
in prison.
RUSSELL: These first two
offenses were not significant,
and I made a mistake,
and I'm sorry.
- OFFICER: Millings.
- I'm really sorry.
OFFICER:
Millings.
At 5:00, okay?
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]
Okay, Millings.
Let's go.
It's game time, buddy.
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]
On the move.
Hey, good luck out there,
Millings.
[MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING]
Step aside.
Step aside.
[INDISTINCT TALKING]
[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]
- Russell Millings?
- Mm-hmm.
Big day.
Wilson.
All right.
Got your personal belongings
from entry.
This is yours.
We also got you
a change of clothes.
- Okay.
- Let's go.
You better stop
texting at work.
You're walking like
you don't want to leave.
What's up?
You okay?
Okay, I want you to quickly
change into those.
Take a seat right there,
okay?
An administrator is gonna
come in and talk to you.
WOMAN: Mr. Millings?
I am Tracy Westmore.
I am going to need your
signature on these documents.
Okay?
Here's my pen.
Sign right there, please.
Okay.
Very good.
I'll need you
to sign right there.
Okay.
Do you have any more
questions for me?
Um...
Okay.
You know what?
Let's get you out of here.
All right?
So just grab your stuff.
Follow me.
Pleasure.
I left my blues
on that table there.
You don't need them.
[GATE BUZZES, UNLOCKS]
Best of luck out there,
Russell.
Okay.
One day at a time.
[WATER SPRAYING]
[METAL CLANGING]
Okay, Russell.
I got to get you
off the clock.
Morning shift
can put the rest away.
[SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE]
[MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
WOMAN'S VOICE:
Next stop...
[MUSIC CONTINUES]
[MUSIC STOPS]
WOMAN: Whatever.
Who the [BLEEP] cares?
That's stupid.
It's not a big deal.
WOMAN #2:
[SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY]
WOMAN:
Okay, whatever.
I wanted you
to meet me.
- I wanted to meet you.
- No, you didn't.
You missed the flight,
you missed the boat,
you missed the bus.
I'm so mad at you.
WOMAN #1: I don't care
if you're mad at me.
You know I always want you
to be happy.
Don't lie.
Tell me.
You're mad at me,
that I said you missed
the flight and the bus.
WOMAN #3: Terrifying car chase
ends in comedy.
[INDISTINCT TALKING]
Thanks again, Ben.
Okay. After the break...
MAN: The Senate hearings
are gonna start in the a.m.,
and they won't let up
till late,
or early Thursday morning.
MAN: I'm real proud of you,
you know?
It's a little bittersweet.
It's gonna be our last meeting
in person.
Your parole will be satisfied
in a few months,
and then you can start
to start over,
but I am gonna need those
PPRs every other Tuesday, okay?
- Mm-hmm.
- On my desk.
Okay.
And mail them here?
No. No, you can just...
you can just e-mail them to me.
Nobody mails anything anymore.
- Yeah, but that...
- Okay? So...
Look, have you not...
have you not gotten
an e-mail address yet?
No, I didn't.
Well, I did. No, I did.
I did, but the trouble is that
if you want to get an e-mail,
like, you have to have
an e-mail,
and if you don't have an e-mail,
it... it doesn't...
Okay, Russell, then just
figure it out, okay?
Just figure it out.
You do not want to fudge up
these last few steps.
All right? We don't need you
sliding backwards.
It is not pretty.
I have seen it. Okay?
So you just don't...
don't step in it again.
- Okay, Russell?
- Mm-hmm.
- Do not step in it.
- Okay.
All right? All right.
You're a good man.
- You keep going.
- Yeah.
- Okay? Yeah?
- Okay.
MAN: Welcome to Troy's Burgers.
How can I help you?
[MID-TEMPO HIP-HOP MUSIC
PLAYING]
Hi.
Um, I'd like
to use the Internet.
Okay.
- Just any... anywhere?
- Go wherever. Yeah.
[PACK UNZIPS]
So then you just...
you just scroll up.
RUSSELL:
Just scroll?
And then you just type in,
like,
whoever or whatever you're
looking for in the search field.
What's your dad's name?
David Millings.
David.
All right.
So you got a lot of hits,
so you're gonna have to
narrow down your search.
Like, uh, you could do his,
like, middle name or...
or put in your mom's name too,
I guess.
Hey, is it cool if I take
a picture with you real quick?
I mean, it's just that
how often is it that you meet
someone who's never been online?
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS]
[DOWN-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
WOMAN:
It's okay, Russ.
It's the first time
you've been late.
I'm just glad I didn't have
to call Derek to cover.
Just try to remember
that breaks are 15 minutes
unless you're pulling
a double, okay?
Okay.
I can't lose this job.
Russ, you're not gonna
lose this job, okay?
Hell, I wish I had 10 of you.
Just relax.
[WATER SPRAYING]
- [INDISTINCT TALKING]
- [CALLIOPE MUSIC PLAYING]
WOMAN: Whoo!
Yeah!
MAN: Hey, hurry up.
There's no line.
[DOWN-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING]
- [METAL CLANGS]
- Russ.
I need a dumpster run,
and then take your lunch.
Hey, Russ.
Can you do a double tonight?
Okay.
Yeah, I guess.
I mean, I hate to ask,
but Derek is sick,
and Todd's already
into his overtime.
Okay.
You're the best.
- Hey, Becca?
- Yeah?
Is it cool if...
if I run an errand over...
over there for a minute?
What?
Is it okay if I...
if I run an errand over there
if... if it's really quick?
Duh! You're on break.
You can do whatever you want.
Long as you come back on time.
Just don't be a weirdo.
Okay.
Thanks.
Okay.
Welcome.
MAN: Welcome to Troy's Burger's.
How can I help you?
You don't...
You don't have a cellphone?
No.
And you don't have
an e-mail address?
No.
[LAUGHING]
That's...
That's fucking cool, man.
Where the fuck you been, dude?
In prison? [LAUGHS]
Yeah.
Oh, shit.
Wait, y-you would have had to
been in there for what, like...
20 years.
- 20 years?
- 21, yeah.
Holy shit.
Damn, dude.
What...
Hey, is it okay if I ask?
Did you, like...
I-It was possession
of narcotics
with the intent
to distribute.
You did 20 years in prison
for dealing drugs?
Well, how many pounds
were you slinging?
An ounce.
Of pot.
Shut the fuck up.
You are literally fucking me
right now.
I'm not
literally fucking you.
I'm not.
Well, then how the...
Wh... What?
You're not black.
It was my third offense
in the state of California,
so it was my third strike.
Wait,
they still do that shit?
No, they don't do it anymore.
Well, you know it's practically
legal now, right?
Dude, let...
let's get you an e-mail.
Hey, so how much longer,
you think?
Oh, I have... have this,
I have the women's,
and then the trash.
Okay.
So I'm gonna skate early.
Are you cool closing up?
This is my spare key
to the back door,
and the office
is already locked.
But if I lock the door
behind me,
w-what do I do with the key?
You just give it back
to me tomorrow.
But I don't work till Saturday.
It's cool.
You can give it to me then.
[TENSE MUSIC PLAYS]
[MUFFLED BABY CRYING]
[BABY CRYING]
[CRYING CONTINUES]
[CRYING CONTINUES]
I'm gonna... I'm gonna make a...
a call, okay?
Uh.
It's locked.
Maybe I...
E-Ella?
Hi.
Oh.
[ELLA CRYING]
[CRYING CONTINUES]
Hi.
Hi.
- [STOPS CRYING]
- Hi, hi.
- Hi.
- [CRYING]
Hi.
Hi.
Hi.
Hey.
Hi.
[DIAL TONE]
[DIALING]
[LINE RINGS]
WOMAN: 911.
What's your emergency?
Um...
I, um...
Sir, I can't understand you.
You're gonna have to speak up.
There's no emergency.
Shit.
Stupid.
[MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
[WATER RUNNING]
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]
Are you Russell Millings?
RUSSELL: Yeah.
I'm me.
Can you open the door,
please?
We're, uh, following up
on a 911 call
you made earlier this evening.
Did you have an emergency?
I... I didn't,
and I told them.
Do you have your license
on you?
I have an I.D. card.
- That'll do.
- [ELLA FUSSING]
Is that your child
in there?
Yeah.
Boy or girl?
Girl.
OFFICER: Okay.
Do you mind grabbing that I.D.
for me, Mr. Millings?
[CRYING CONTINUES]
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]
[CRYING CONTINUES]
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]
Okay, Mr. Millings.
Sorry to have disturbed
you tonight.
I'll let you get back
to the little lady.
Tummy massage.
She's got colic.
You got to massage
her tummy.
Look, now,
you can get colic tabs,
but someone once told me
about a tummy massage,
and we always found that that
worked best on my little guy.
Hang in there.
It gets better.
All right.
You have a good night.
OFFICER:
Good night.
[CRYING CONTINUES]
Shh, shh.
Shh.
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream
[STOPS CRYING]
Merrily, merrily
merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream
[HUMMING TUNE]
[ELLA CRYING]
[MUMBLING]
These are...
These are pretty yummy.
This is pretty yummy.
You want...
Here you go.
Here,
you're gonna like this.
There you go.
- Okay, that...
- [COUGHS, CRYING]
I got a better idea.
I got a better idea.
And...
All right, we got...
Let's see.
Hey, hey, hey, hey.
All right, all right.
Shh, shh.
There you go.
There you go.
That's good.
That's good.
You're really good.
You're really very good.
Oh, you're done.
Oh.
Wow! You finished it.
You are hungry.
- [CRYING]
- Okay, okay, okay. Hold on.
[MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
Excuse me. Do you know
where colic medicine is?
Aisle four in the middle.
- Aisle four in the mi...
- Wait a minute.
How old is your baby?
Um, three or four months,
I guess.
You guess?
Give me this bottle.
You don't need to be using
these bottles
for a colicky baby, okay?
These bottles are for infants,
not newborns.
Ooh, goodness.
My feet hurt.
See, you need the bottles
with the vent system.
The vent system keeps that air
off of them bellies.
Bet you the mama
does all of the work.
RUSSELL:
No, she...
Well, do... do you have
the vent-system bottles here?
I don't have a lot of time.
Yeah.
I'm taking them to you
right now.
Aisle four in the middle,
right here.
- Well...
- Okay.
Now these are
all of our bottles.
Here the colic tabs.
I like the gripe water, though.
That always helped me
when my kids was little.
Now, how are you burping
the baby after you feed it?
I mean,
because a lot of people
make the mistake
of patting the baby.
You don't need to pat a baby.
You got to bounce that baby.
- Is it a boy or girl?
- It's a girl.
Oh!
What's her name?
- Ella.
- Ella?
Like Ella Fitzgerald!
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
That's...
I got five rock-head boys.
- I can't stand them.
- But...
Now, what you want to do is,
you want to bounce Ella.
Don't pat.
Bounce Ella.
Bounce that burp
right out of Ella.
I bet you that wife of yours
is patting.
That's why she got that colic.
Which one are
the vented bottles?
- That right over there.
- The pink one?
- Mm-hmm.
- Mm-hmm.
Is your wife breastfeeding?
- Is she what?
- Does she breastfeed?
- Oh, no.
- No?
And what kind of formula
are you using?
Hydrolyzed, soy, casein?
Is it concentrated powder?
Is it ready to go?
I wouldn't use that casein.
That casein,
something wrong with it.
They trying to trick us,
because those babies get sick,
and probably cause that colic.
I would use the hydrolyzed
because the hydrolyzed
is better
on the digestive system.
Thank you very much.
Well, good luck!
[UP-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
Ah!
[MUTTERING]
Malibu to San Diego
San Francisco, San Mateo
[GRUNTING]
[GROANS]
Oh, oh, up in California
We've been up in California
Oh, oh
- [ELLA COOING]
- Hi, Ella.
You're okay.
You're okay.
Hmm.
[FARTING]
[SNIFFS]
[VOCALIZING]
Hi, Ella.
Okay.
Whoa! Whoa. Whoa.
Are you... Are you okay?
Are you okay?
You are?
That scared me.
But you're okay?
I thought you were
going to hit your head.
Washing is fun
- [CRIES]
- Okay. Whoa. Whoa, whoa.
Hey.
Don't cry.
Do you want to know
something funny?
I've lived in California
almost 25 years,
and I've never been
to the beach.
I had kind of an idea.
Would you want to spend the day
at the ocean with me?
Is that a yes?
- [BABBLING]
- Yeah?
You want to?
Yeah? You do?
[LAUGHS]
I do, too!
There's a train!
We can take a train.
[CRYING]
That's the ocean.
Look, Ella.
Here.
Did I ever tell you that my dad
used to collect stamps?
He had an incredible collection.
Do you know that they have
a different stamp
for every animal?
Yeah.
I'll always remember
going into his study
where he kept his library
of stamp books.
The place was covered with ash
because he smoked all the time.
But we would sit in there,
and we would write down all the
catalog numbers of the stamps
that we wanted to
to mail away for.
And I used to love
watching him open the envelopes
when they arrived
because they always were
exactly the same,
in these brown wax envelopes
with the exact
same handwriting...
Philip Caruso
from Appleton, Wisconsin.
But you never knew what stamp
was gonna be inside, you know?
So it was...
it was really exciting.
Yeah.
And then he would separate all
his from the ocean-life stamps,
and then he would
give those to me,
and he would explain their Latin
names and where they came from.
His hands used to shake.
You could see it
when he was mounting the stamps
under the magnifying glass,
you know?
Or you could see it
in his handwriting.
Or you'd hear it
in the ice in his whiskey.
But you would like him, though.
And he would like you.
He would.
Do you think that you would like
to collect stamps? Hmm?
I wonder
what your favorite animal is.
"The world isn't split into
good people and Death Eaters.
We've all got both
light and dark inside of us.
What matters is the part
we choose to act on.
That's who we really are."
Yeah.
What?
Oh. Sorry.
You dropped your spoon.
[GRUNTS]
[THUD]
[CRYING]
[GASPS]
Oh, my God.
Are you okay?
I'm so sorry.
Shh.
I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
Merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but...
[SNIFFLES]
[CRYING] Ella,
I'm so sorry.
- [SMOOCHING]
- [ELLA CONTINUES CRYING]
WOMAN: Please take a seat
and fill out this form.
But I'm... I'm not here
for me.
I'm here for Ella.
You still need to fill out
the form
before I can process
either you or your daughter.
Okay.
[FUSSING]
[DOOR OPENS]
Sir?
Are you Mr. Millings?
Uh, yeah.
Mm-hmm.
I hear you may have found
this little angel.
Yeah.
I found her.
Where did you find her?
Um...
In a dumpster.
- Hi.
- Her name is Ella.
I see.
Hi, Ella.
Ohh!
Is that how you hit your head,
sweetie pie?
Okay.
Uh, now, with all
abandoned-child cases,
it's mandatory for both the LAPD
and the DCFS to be involved.
Both have been notified
and should be here shortly.
But I'm also going to have to
take little Ella
to be looked at, okay?
What, you mean...
you mean now?
Yes.
I mean now.
But the authorities
and the Department of
Child and Family Services
will need you to stay here.
They just need to ask you
a few questions
about how you found
the poor thing.
Um...
Will I...
Will I be able
to see her again?
I can't answer that question
at this time.
Oh, but here are the people
who can.
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]
Come on, sweetie.
Yes, yes, yes.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
Um, oh, well, this is hers.
Her stuffy.
No, I need to see the bag
and anything else
that might have been
in the crime scene, sir.
Oh, no.
There's no crime scene.
It's not...
This is just her walrus.
All missing and abandoned
children cases are a crime.
Yeah, I know, but this it's
not... not a crime scene.
It's... It's just...
It's your walrus.
Do you want your walrus?
- [ELLA CRYING]
- I know.
I'll take this.
Oh!
Shh, shh, shh.
- Yeah.
- Bye, Ella.
I'm Officer Cato.
This is Mrs. Deeks from DCFS.
We need to ask you
some questions.
- Okay.
- All right.
Um, where did you say
you found the child?
Dumpster.
A lot of dumpsters out there.
Any one in particular?
[ELLA CRYING]
Um, the one by where I work.
In the back.
And what time did you say
you found her this morning?
Um...
It was...
I don't remember.
Early.
CATO: Okay.
Can you, um,
walk us through the event?
I know this must be hard for
you, Mister, uh, Millings,
but we need you to be very
specific about what happened.
How did you know
she was in the dumpster?
'Cause I heard her.
You heard her crying?
And then?
And then...
I heard her crying,
and I opened the dumpster,
and I...
[VOICE BREAKING]
I looked in, um...
Mr. Millings...
It's perfectly normal
for an experience like this
to be traumatic.
And not just for her
but for you as well.
You're both victims.
It's okay.
Just tell us what you remember.
You, um...
You called her Ella.
How did you know her name?
Or is that a name you gave her?
She was in... in...
in the bag, in... in this bag,
and there was a note.
Okay, good.
What did the note say?
It said,
"Her name was Ella."
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
And where's the note?
I don't know.
I...
- DEEKS: It's okay.
- I think I lost it.
CATO: Is there a number I can
reach you at, Mr. Millings?
[SNIFFLES] You can come
to my place if you want.
Can you, um, write down
that information
along with your name
and address?
Do you think that, uh...
Do you think Ella
is gonna be okay?
- DEEKS: Yes.
- Yeah?
Yes, Ella will be
very well taken care of.
I promise.
She's a ward of the state now
within the Department of
Children and Family Services,
and we'll do our best to track
down someone in her family.
But if not, she'll be placed
in proper foster care
and then adoption.
It's a bit of a process
unfortunately, but...
Well, I could take care of her,
you know?
I mean, I could...
I could adopt her.
I mean...
That is
incredibly sweet of you.
Unfortunately, that's out of
my power or jurisdiction
to decide whether or not you
qualify to foster this child.
But I understand the urge
to want to help. I do.
And you can help us
by giving us
all the information
you have now.
If anything comes to you,
please feel free
to call me, okay?
[SNIFFLES]
Okay.
[DOWN-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING]
BECCA: Russ.
Russ!
Huh?
Um, they want to talk to you.
Hey, you mind stepping out and
chatting with us for a second?
It's okay.
We don't bite.
So, uh, the report says that you
found the baby in a dumpster.
- The dumpster here at work?
- Yeah, that one.
Okay, and in your statement,
it says that this incident
occurred yesterday morning.
Okay, Mr. Millings, do you mind
taking us over to that dumpster?
You just found her in a gym bag
with a note, nothing else?
What about that walrus,
though?
We checked
with your management,
and they say you didn't work
yesterday morning.
In fact, they say you haven't
worked since Wednesday night.
What you been doing since then,
Mr. Millings?
We know about your record.
You're still a parolee
in the good state of California,
aren't you?
OFFICER: Bet you're
counting the days
till you can leave the state.
Hey, um, can I get
that key back?
You weren't here on Friday.
It's last week's paycheck.
And I'm gonna have to call
the higher-ups
about this whole baby thing.
So you being
an ex-con and all,
they're gonna want to know.
[MUSIC INTENSIFYING]
OFFICER:
See, my partner and I,
we don't think
you found her here.
We think you found her
somewhere else.
OFFICER #2: We also don't think
you found her yesterday.
You do know you can't take home
abandoned children, right?
OFFICER #1:
We know about your record.
- 20 years in Folsom.
- [WHISTLES]
Hell, you're still a parolee
in the good state
of California, aren't you?
OFFICER #2: But you're not
going anywhere, right?
[MUSIC STOPS]
MAN: Have a good one.
Next.
Do you have a bus to Wyoming?
Okay, sir.
Where in Wyoming
would you like to go?
112 Trigood Avenue, Casper,
Wyoming 82602.
[CHUCKLES]
Well, all right.
Is that, uh,
round trip or one way?
Uh, one way.
And when
do you plan on leaving?
Now.
[MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
[INDISTINCT SPEAKING
OVER P.A.]
[MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]
WOMAN: Denver.
Just give me a second.
I just had it.
I literally just had it.
Just put my suitcase
on the bus while I find it.
I know I just had it.
MAN: I can't let you on
without a ticket.
No, I know that!
I just...
I mean, I just had it!
Where...
What the fuck?!
Ugh!
Ticket or no,
you can't come on the bus
if you're gonna be
a disturbance.
I'm not...
WOMAN:
She's stressed out.
I'm not gonna disturb anyone.
If you could just...
MAN:
Could it be in your pocket?
No, it is not in my pocket!
Thank you.
I'll push your bag for you.
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
[SOBBING]
Can I fucking help you?
[SOBS]
$9.75.
Oh. Um...
W-What about no chips?
[SIGHS]
$6.95.
Yeah. Yeah.
Thank you.
I'll put them back.
You're welcome.
Don't choke.
Thank you.
[COUGHING]
Champ, you didn't listen.
Oh, my God.
Have some of your...
your drink.
Um, I am.
Is that better?
Mm-hmm.
Don't die on me.
[COUGHING]
I'm okay.
Would you like a sandwich?
What?
Would you like a sandwich?
What kind of sandwich?
Mm, mustard and mayo.
You're gonna make me a mustard
and mayonnaise sandwich?
Mm-hmm, i-if you want.
If you don't want...
No, yeah, sure.
Let's go, bro.
Make me that mustard
and mayonnaise sandwich.
Okay.
Wait, can you
cut the crusts off?
- Mm-hmm.
- No, I'm fucking with you.
I'm kidding.
No, it looks...
it looks amazing.
That's...
Okay.
[JASON ISBELL'S
"NOBODY'S WATCHING" PLAYS]
Mm.
On the brand-new moon
Where you stumbled around
in a tree
Just sit in your room
Smoking menthols
and hugging your knees
Smile
Until you remember
how evening fell
Smile
Until you don't need
to control yourself
WOMAN:
Okay, I'll go first.
I'm Di.
I am from Fort Collins,
Colorado.
I'm 25 years old.
Wink, wink.
Um, I'm an Aries.
Favorite color is purple.
My favorite move is "The Year
of Living Dangerously."
And...
...my last name is Fountain.
Mm.
That's nice.
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
Okay, you go.
Go.
Go, go, go.
Go.
Come on. You.
Well, I said
my name is Russell.
Yeah, I go... Hi, Russ.
I got that. Okay.
What else?
You're making me forget.
What? Russ!
Come on.
Before these mountains,
like, devour us
and we never
see each other again.
Hmm.
Yeah.
Um...
- Where are you from?
- Well, Casper, Wyoming.
No.
[SIGHS] No.
Nobody is from Casper.
- Oh, no, I...
- Pick another place. No.
But, I mean, I am.
That... I'm...
That's where I was born
if that's what you mean.
Russ, I'm fucking with you.
Oh.
Okay, keep going,
Russ from Casper...
the most boring-sounding place
there is... Wyoming.
Well, it...
I'm... I'm 44 years old.
- 44?
- Mm-hmm.
Like, "44."
Yeah, I got you.
Okay.
- I mean, that's old.
- Wait.
Dude, like,
that's "dust in the wind" old.
[LAUGHS]
Okay, what else?
I don't... I don't know.
What's your favorite color?
Red.
Wow.
Okay.
Didn't see that coming.
Um...
What's your favorite movie?
Um, I... I liked "Predator"
a lot
when I was young, you know?
"Predator," like...
[IMITATING SCHWARZENEGGER]
Arnold, "Hasta la vista, baby"?
- Oh, that's...
- Like that?
No, that's "The Terminator,"
but yeah.
Whatever! Oh, my God.
You suck at this.
Okay.
Keep going.
- With what?
- Come on.
I don't... I don't...
What else? What do you mean?
Like...
What... What's your sign?
- Oh, well, I'm Scorpio, I...
- No fucking...
Ungh!
No!
[SIGHS]
- No.
- What?
DI: Jesus.
That takes care of that.
Can't fucking talk to you.
[SNIFFS]
[EXHALES SLOWLY]
So stupid.
All right, listen.
I'm kidding, okay?
I'm just kidding.
I mean,
I'm not kidding about,
like, all the guys and my dad
all being Scorpios, but...
...I will give you
another chance.
Okay.
Um...
All right.
Okay.
What's...
What's your last name?
Millings.
- Millings?
- Yeah.
- Russell Millings?
- Yeah. That's me.
Aw, Russell Millings.
- Mm-hmm.
- You got a middle name?
Yeah.
- Earl.
- Earl?
- Yeah.
- Earl?
- Yeah.
- For real? Earl?
Yeah.
Is that...
Russell Earl Millings.
Well, I guess.
- Wait, what?
- What?
'Cause now you
don't sound so sure about it.
Oh, no, I'm sure.
I'm sure. That's me, yeah.
[GIGGLES]
Do you have some more napkins?
I got to go to the bathroom.
Yeah.
[PACK UNZIPS]
Sure.
Thanks.
Okay, I'll be back.
[EXHALES SLOWLY]
MAN: [OVER P.A.] Union Station,
downtown Denver is next.
[INDISTINCT TALKING]
[SIGHS]
Well,
if you're ever in Denver,
go to Greenlock's.
It's my brother's caf,
and if I'm still there,
we can hang.
Yeah.
Greenlock's?
- Okay, um...
- Um...
Good luck with life...
...Russell Earl Millings.
Yeah, you too.
- WOMAN: Excuse me.
- RUSSELL: Oh. Uh...
So sorry.
Yeah.
Thank you for the mustard
and mayo sandwich, dude.
[DOWN-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
[SIGHS]
[SIGHS]
[METAL CLATTERING]
MAN:
Yo, you've got to go.
Ceremonies don't start
till 9:00.
Hi, Dad.
Hey, Mom.
This is a nice spot.
Sorry it took me
so long to get here.
It hasn't gone
the way I thought... life.
Don't even know what I'm
doing with myself anymore.
I...
I struggle with...
...myself so much, Mama.
I'm sorry, Dad.
Thank you for being
my parents.
[CHUCKLES]
MAN:
How can I help you, sir?
RUSSELL: I'm here to open
my safety deposit box.
MAN: Okay.
What's the number on the box?
Um, my dad, he gave me his keys
and told me to come here.
And who's your father?
David Earl Millings.
What's your name?
Russell.
And you say
that you're his son.
No, I didn't say I'm his son.
I'm his son.
Do you have an I.D.,
Mr. Millings?
- Just give me one sec.
- Okay.
Hey, Jim, can I see you
for a second?
I think
there's a transient here.
Has the key to one of our boxes.
Last name Millings.
I'll get Joey
to get him out here.
I'll take care of it.
Thank you.
Here you go, Mr. Millings.
I'm Jim Pitt, manager here.
I am so sorry
for any misunderstandings.
We were wondering
when you were gonna stop by.
Your father, he was a...
Well, he was a client here
for many years.
Good man.
Do you know
what's in our box?
Right this way.
It's just back here.
Jeannie.
I'll give you
a few moments alone.
When you need me, I'll be
right outside, Mr. Millings.
[DOWN-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
RUSSELL: Son, I can only imagine
the road that you've traveled.
I'm writing you
on New Year's Eve.
Tomorrow is a new millennium,
a new decade,
a new year, a new day.
Folks are saying it's all
coming to an end
with this Y2K shit,
but I don't believe it.
RUSSELL AND DAVID: I think about
you a lot, Rusky.
I imagine you in that prison.
I try to take away
the world between us.
DAVID: And then I try to take
away the walls that hold you.
And I see you...
...asleep in your cell,
hovering in the dark air,
alone.
I call out your name
in the night.
You will only ever be
my boy...
...the guy I found
in your mother's arms
that November afternoon.
You were the happiest guy.
The guy who shared everything
with everyone.
The guy
who taught me how to love.
I love you, Russ.
So I'm giving them all
to you, Rusky.
The Tyrian plum alone should
get you back on your feet.
And your other key
is to a storage unit
just down the street.
Keep them, sell them.
Just find your way, Russell.
It's a second chance
after such a bad hand.
Go see the world, son.
Don't look back, buddy.
Your mother used to say,
"Once in a while,
it hits people
that they don't
have to experience the world
in the way
they have been told to."
Ha ha!
Smartest girl I ever met.
I love you, son.
That can't change the past,
but the past can't change that.
I love you like a wolf
loves the moon.
[SNIFFING]
Love, Mom, Dad.
[MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYING]
DEEKS:
Hi, Mr. Millings.
Good to see you again.
How can I help you?
I was here
to check on Ella.
Yes, I did get
all of your e-mails.
Ella is doing great,
and we have yet to be contacted
by any of her relatives,
but she is thriving in
a temporary home right now.
[EXHALES SHARPLY]
Thanks.
That's... yeah.
I looked into
the adoption process.
- Yes.
- Remember...
Okay, listen.
I'm gonna be completely frank
with you, Mr. Millings.
You are going to have
a tough go at it.
I'm not saying
it's impossible.
Do you know, I realize that's
unlikely, you know, that...
I mean, that's not
why I'm here.
I'm here
to give this to you.
It's for Ella.
Okay?
And if you could
give it to her
on her 18th birthday, okay?
Wait, why her 18th birthday?
'Cause that's the way
the trust was set up.
That's what they said.
That way
it would be just for her,
and she would be ready.
Can you make sure
that she gets it?
- Yeah, o-of course.
- Okay.
I sent all this to you
in a e-mail
with information about the trust
and instructions.
And it's best if you leave
the envelope i-in the plastic.
It protects the stamps.
Oh... Thank you.
- Have a nice trip.
- Thank you.
Mm-hmm.
Next.
Where would
you like to go, sir?
Mm...
On the brand-new moon
When you stumbled around
in a tree
Just sit in your room
Smoking menthols
and hugging your knees
Smile
Until you remember
how evening fell
Smile
Until you don't need
to control yourself
When the light goes on
Will you stand in the mirror
for me?
Put your best shirt on
There's someone important
to see
Smile
Smile like your heart
can be broken still
Smile
Somebody needs you
and always will
They always will
Remind yourself
there's nobody watching
Remind yourself
there's nobody watching
Smile
Smile like you've
been here a thousand times
Smile
Like words in your heart
and your memory rhyme
Remind yourself
there's nobody watching
Remind yourself
there's nobody watching
Remind yourself
there's nobody watching
[MID-TEMPO MUSIC PLAYS]
I knew you
from another man
If you figured I'd forget
A sunny age,
it slipped away
Swinging to the west
But all the pavement
runs the same
From a dusty window ledge
And the twisted face
In the Plexiglas
It hasn't ended yet
Counting out the miles
Of a million empty turns
Something tells me maybe
I'll never find the way