Alone Together (2023) Movie Script
1
[ Music ]
[ Speaking Vietnamese ]
[ Gunshot ]
[ Sirens wailing ]
[ Phone Buzzing ]
Mom, I can't do this
with you right now.
Mom: Nassdja,
honey, I'm worried.
Well, don't.
Mom: Are you still sure
you want to do this?
They could close the state
border at any minute
and I need to get the
hell out of here.
Mom: Fine.
Then come to us...
You can have all
the space you want.
Please, stop.
The only thing worse than
getting stuck here would be
in some red state
on my way to you.
We've got Luke's cabin.
It's not perfect, but it's
the best option I've got.
Mom: Are you sure you're
going to be OK there?
Just the two of you?
Dad: Hey there, Little Tiger.
Daddy?
How are you feeling?
Dad: You know,
it's going to take
more than that to check me out.
I know.
God, Dad, I miss you.
How does it feel to be home?
Dad: Good. The pups
are happy to see me,
but I'm not allowed to
take them out just yet.
Still treating me
like a P.O.W. here.
You know I wanted to be there.
To be with you.
[ Dad coughing ] Dad. Dad.
Jesus.
Dad: Listen. Honey, no matter
how far away I am, I want you.
to know that I am always
watching over you. I'm with
you no mater what okay? [cough]
You know I didn't want you
here. You know what I mean.
Dad.
Mom: Honey--
Dad.
Mom: --gimme the phone.
Mom, please call me back.
Just, please, call me
as much as you can.
[ Sirens Wailing ]
[ Music ]
[ Gunfire in video game ]
Jesus, Nas, what are you
fucking haunting me?
I thought we were leaving early.
We are.
I just need to finish up this
last client before office hours
Singapore time.
Their API is a fucking joke,
but once this SDK drops,
it'll hold until at
least their launch.
Are you packed?
Luke: Nas, they're getting ready
for a full lockdown at any minute.
London got five hours warning.
Do you really want to be trapped
here in fucking ground zero?
Honestly, hon, you're
overthinking this whole thing.
Luke: Just grab some cozy shit
and your running gear, OK?
[ Sirens Wailing ]
Honey, I know everything
is fucked right now,
but this is going to be
the best thing for us, OK?
You have to trust me.
Just like we talked about, OK?
All we need is some
time alone together.
[ Sirens wailing in distance]
[ Music ]
Are you fucking kidding me?
Ethan: Come downstairs.
Absolutely not.
I can't do this right now.
Ethan: Fine, I can wait.
Jesus, Ethan.
Goodbye.
I'm sorry I've been so tight.
I'm just freaked out.
I'm claustrophobic.
And I don't mean to snap at you.
You know, you're lucky to
have the dad that you have.
He's strong as hell and
he's on the other side
of the worst, so don't worry.
You've got me.
You are everything to me.
[ Music ]
[ Radio playing low]
Damn, I didn't think
I'd zonk out like that.
So, is this God's country yet?
It's just coffee.
Black. Wanna try?
I didn't say a word.
You sure you don't want to stop?
I did last night for gas.
They didn't let me
inside so I just pissed
on the side of their building.
Fuckers.
Sucks.
Yeah, the GPS, too.
I haven't seen a
cell tower in hours.
I knew it was going to be like
this once we hit the exit.
This place is going to
have Wi-Fi, correct?
Nassdja: Correct?
You know, I wish that you
were capable of unplugging
for just a single second.
It's not like you're going
to have your Zoom
meetings to be on.
What? I mean, you don't.
I need to be able
to call my dad.
He sounded like shit last night.
You spoke to him last night?
Yeah.
Well, maybe that's
who was texting you.
Your phone was buzzing.
Yeah, mom again.
Said to call when we get there.
I'm just freaked out about him
and feel helpless not being able
to be there, plus the
two of them together.
Not the most calming
atmosphere for healing.
Yeah, well, just be thankful
that he got it when he did.
Hospitals are fully fucked
right now, so he's lucky.
Exactly so, Wi-Fi.
He's still not out
of the woods yet.
The only reason they
let him go home is
'cause it's more dangerous
to keep him now that
they're swamped.
I don't trust the cell service
in wherever the fuck we're
going, so I need to be --
[ Siren Wails ]
Nassdja: What the hell is this?
[ Music ]
Kill the engine.
State Trooper: License
and registration.
Luke: Nas, glove box.
Nassdja: Sir, we already
did a temperature check
at the state border and filled
out the contact tracing stuff.
That's the printout there.
Pull down those masks for me.
[ Music ]
State Trooper: You have a
residence here in Owens County?
Um, in Shilo County.
My family's got a
cabin up there.
Vilderman.
Is that your last name?
Yeah.
Like Martin Vilderman?
He was my father.
[ Music ]
Here you go.
Have a nice day.
State Trooper: They're good!
[ Music ]
[ Dog barking ]
What the fuck was that?
I don't know.
I don't know.
He knew your dad?
Was that even a cop?
I don't know.
My family's been up here
forever, but it's not
like it's a common name.
He didn't have a name tag.
Did you not notice?
I didn't.
Yeah. Guess you wouldn't.
[ Music ]
Hell no.
Nothing. Not a single bar.
This is ridiculous.
I fucking knew it.
What's the deal with the Wi-Fi?
Luke: Relax.
You just walked in the
door a literal second ago.
Hello?
I don't know what you don't
understand about this,
but I need contact
with the world.
Luke: OK.
Yes, I hear you.
But maybe just breathe.
Do you hear that?
I don't hear a goddamn thing.
Isn't that awesome?
God.
What the hell is my
Black ass doing here?
I can think of at least
one thing we can do here.
You're gross.
Luke: Where are you going?
Nassdja: You said trails.
Luke: Well, you know,
it's going to get dark
out here real quick.
Nassdja: Luke,
where are my shoes?
Luke?
I felt bad that all your
races got canceled.
You've been training
so hard, so --
[ Music ]
Nassdja: Hey, Luke.
You didn't tell me about
the flower garden.
It's unreal.
[ Fills vase with water ]
Nassdja: Luke?
[ Music ]
Nassdja: Luke?
Luke?
[ Clicking noise ]
Nassdja: Luke?
[ Music builds ]
Luke: They call it a --
Nassdja: Oh, shit.
Don't do that.
They call it a cricket.
When you're out there
and you're in the shit
and you hear something
that you don't like,
you give this little
guy a [ click ] --
and if whoever's out there
doesn't chirp theirs back,
they ain't your buddy.
This was your dad's?
No.
The tags were my dad's.
This was my grandpa's.
He used it when he
was in Normandy.
Then he gave it
to my dad as sort
of like a good luck charm
when he went to Nam.
[ Music ]
This door wasn't locked?
Nassdja: No.
What is this place?
[ Music ]
Luke: You know, I didn't come
up here to be by myself.
Sorry.
Just watching the world
fully go to shit.
Luke: How were the shoes?
Great.
They're awesome.
Good.
Stop.
Please.
What?
I thought after last night,
everything was all right.
That's not how this works.
OK, what?
Do you want me on
the fucking couch?
Stop, please.
I'm just exhausted.
And I still don't know what
the fuck I'm doing here.
Luke: How are we
supposed to heal
if you won't let
us move forward?
[ Music ]
Not going to be able
to fall asleep here.
How about try closing your eyes?
[ Music ]
Nassdja: Luke?
[ Music ]
[ Knocking ]
Nassdja: Luke! Luke!
Luke: What the fuck?
What the hell were you doing?
I don't know.
I don't know.
What the fuck were
you doing outside?
Nassdja: I don't know.
What was the crash from inside?
Luke.
It was just a nightmare.
You're OK.
[ Music ]
Luke: This was always
my favorite spot.
I got my first deer right here.
My dad, he flushed him down
the hill and he had me set
up right at the bottom.
I didn't even have
to move my sights.
It was like he knew exactly
where it was going to be.
It's even prettier at dawn.
But, it's good that
you got some rest.
Luke: It's just stress, Nas.
I mean, come on.
We happen to be living through
the most fucked up time
in at least a generation.
When was the last time
you were up here?
A few years ago.
I came up to do some
updates when Nan
and Pop put it on the market.
I didn't stay long.
That was after
your dad, I guess.
[ Music ]
Come on.
It's really steep here.
Luke: I was 11 the
last time I saw him.
That was after you were living
with your grandparents?
So, you were close with him,
like, when you were little?
Close isn't the word.
He was distant.
Rigid. And I knew he
was sort of famous
in like a local
legend kind of way.
And it was cool when we would
go to like the bagel shop
and people would salute
him and people would ask
for his autograph
at the supermarket,
but then when we got home, my
mom would find him just sitting
in the car, staring off into
space for, like, hours.
What did he actually do?
Well, he got a Silver Star.
And my grandpa got a Silver Star
as well on D-Day, so it was kind
of a big deal, you know?
I think that's why he joined up
in the first place, you know?
It was crazy, because people
were literally running away
to Canada to avoid the
draft, but he's a senior
in high school, captain
of the varsity wrestling
team, and he signs up.
You know, same thing as
Born on the 4th of July.
Anyway, he joins up, he gets
the Silver Star really early,
he's wounded, and then
he decides to stay
in for three more tours.
Which is just absolutely fucking
crazy to want to do that.
Luke: I remember him telling
me, doing things like going
out into the jungle
for weeks at a time.
Stalking, he'd call it.
Doing shit like rigging up
neck-high tripwires so that
when jeeps would roll through,
people's heads would
just pop right off.
Yeah. And people would come up
to me and be like, oh yeah,
ask your dad why they call
him the Headless Dutchman.
I'm just a kid and people
are saying this to me.
I figured most of the shit was
just rumors, but you just knew
that that war was
a lot different
than whatever my
grandpa did in Europe.
[ Music ]
So one time, I'm digging through
some of my dad's old stuff.
He kept this footlocker with a
bunch of his stuff from the war.
And I found these photos
of him and in one
of them he was
holding these skulls.
But he didn't have any
emotion at all on his face.
Those people were
now just his things.
And I saw something I
was not supposed to see.
So while I was there, looking
at this, my dad comes home.
And he barges through the door
and he throws the stuff
all out of my hands.
And he grabs me by the
shoulders and he throws me
up against the wall and he
starts screaming in my face.
And I started
crying hysterically
and I pissed all over myself.
And he starts making me say
this phrase over and over again
so that I would remember it.
And he had me up
all night doing it
until eventually my mom came
home and that was that.
[ Music ]
"Lam ac gat ac."
It means "sow evil, reap evil."
And that was how I knew
the rumors were true.
Why did you want to come here?
Well, with him gone,
and Nan and Pop too.
I guess me and this place
are all that's left
of the Vilderman bloodline.
Son of a bitch.
Special occasion.
No, please.
I don't want any of that.
[ Whiskey pouring ]
Luke: To the dark dudes
who did dark shit
so that we may
live in the light.
[ Glasses clink ]
Nassdja: God damn it.
Shit is poison.
Luke: It's spicy --
-- and well-aged.
I didn't think Buddhists drank.
Well, a shrine. With the Buddha.
I don't know.
He brought a lot of weird
shit home with him.
Well, "sow evil, reap evil?"
Sounds pretty karmic to me.
I guess.
I'm sorry you went through that.
[ Music ]
Ow! Damn it!
Luke: The fuck. You
know, I-I'm trying.
I'm just trying to have one
fucking intimate moment.
Just fucking one.
Can't you just not be a
fucking cunt about that?
I told you I didn't mean
for that to fucking happen.
[ Music ]
[ Bone crunching ]
[ Cricket clicking twice ]
Luke!
Nassdja: Luke!
Luke: What?
What the fuck?
Luke: What the fuck?
I fucked up.
Nassdja: I fucked up my ankle.
What?
Nassdja: I heard a fucking snap.
Luke: Here, let me see.
Nassdja: Ow!
Luke: Just calm down.
I got to get the shoe off.
Ow.
Ow. Ow, ow, ow, ow,
ow, ow, ow, ow!
Jesus Christ, Nas.
How did you do this?
Nassdja: It wasn't me.
I saw someone on
the fucking trail.
Some fucking militia guy.
I did. He was dressed
in some military shit.
He came out of nowhere.
He scared the shit out of me.
Luke: OK.
Come on. Help me.
Ow.
Nassdja: Careful! Fuck.
Are you not listening to
what I'm saying to you?
Luke: Yes, I'm hearing what
you're saying to me, OK?
You saw something.
What do you want me
to say about it?
I don't know.
Something.
All right.
Well, you fucked
up your ankle, OK?
Nassdja: Ow.
Ow.
All right.
Luke: Well, you can bend
it so it's not broken.
But it's not great.
Nassdja: Fuck.
Fuck. Fuck.
Goddamn it.
Here.
Sit up. Take these.
Nassdja: Which are these?
Luke: The ones you like.
Two?
Luke: Yes.
Trust me, all right?
This thing's already blowing up.
Nassdja: I'm telling you, I
saw someone on the trail.
I swear to God.
[ Music ]
What the hell is this?
What the fuck?
I told you I was going
to take care of you.
[ Music ]
[ Gun clicks ]
[ Gun clicks ]
Motherfucker.
[ Clicks ] God fucking damn it.
You sure that thing even works?
[ Music ]
[ Phone buzzing, wood chopping ]
[ wood chopping ]
Mom: Nas?
Mom?
Mom: I called you 50
times. Are you OK?
Yeah.
I'm fine. What's going on?
How's Dad?
Mom: He's OK. But his cough is
really bad- think it's seriou-
Mom.
Mom: I've been trying to get
Dr. Reitz and his primary
from the hospital but it's
insane over there right now.
You didn't see it last --
I know I didn't see it, Mom.
Can you just put him
on the phone, please?
Mom: No- Not a good idea-
-is beyond capacity
and St. Johns-
Mom, are you there?
Mom: Can you hear me,
Nassdja? Call your dad.
Hello? [ Call drops ]
Fuck.
Luke: What's wrong?
Fucking cell service sucks.
Nassdja: Goddamn it.
Luke: OK.
OK. Just relax.
I'm not going to fucking relax.
My dad might be going
back into the hospital.
I think he's getting bad again.
I don't know what the
fuck is going on.
OK.
OK. Just breathe, all right?
There's nothing you can do.
This is bullshit.
Please. Please, can we just
go to a diner or something,
somewhere I can make
a fucking phone call?
Nas, no.
The nearest place here
is maybe two-hour drive.
And I don't know if you
remember, but every Podunk town
that we passed on the
way up here was boarded
up like it's fucking
Children of Men.
Nas, there's nothing you can do.
Even if you could teleport
to him right now,
it's out of your hands.
You just have to
have a little faith.
Luke: He's going
to be all right.
At least you got some rest.
Did you get it to work?
It's fine.
It's fucking ancient, you know?
I'll figure it out.
What are you doing
out there anyway?
I got a surprise for you.
Nassdja: 'Cause that's
your strong suit lately?
Ta-da.
How about a little red?
With the pills?
Just a little.
Just a little.
Eh?
It's lovely.
So what's playing?
Well, I couldn't get
anything to stream
because the Wi-Fi's too shitty.
And I don't even have, like,
a cord for this projector.
So it's going to be a VHS.
Either Gung Ho!, the weirdest
version of Jungle Book
that I've ever seen,
or Milo and Otis.
But I can't find the
tape for Milo and Otis.
[ Movie starts playing ]
Nassdja: This is a version
of The Jungle Book.
This movie is legit terrifying.
Yeah.
Sorry about that.
And you used to watch this?
Like, as a kid?
Yeah.
Luke: You know, it's really a miracle
that we even had a TV up here,
so I guess all the good
stuff made it back home
with Nanny and Pop.
Nassdja: I would kill
to be watching Milo
and Otis right now.
Never thought I'd say that.
Well, I bet you they
killed way less kittens
in the making of this one.
Nassdja: That's so fucked up.
Luke: Seriously though,
it's like no wonder our
generation is super warped.
Look at all these movies
that we were raised on,
especially the animated ones,
like Secret of NIMH
and Watership Down.
Oh, and The Last Unicorn, just
straight-up nightmare fuel
for me.
Willow?
Those rat-wolf things?
I'm 100% psychically
scarred from that movie.
But Val Kilmer,
super-hot in that.
So it's a little
bit of a trade-off.
True.
True. Oh, oh, OK, OK.
Just a little.
Nassdja: Those pills
knocked me out.
I'm still feeling loopy.
Oh yeah?
How's the hoof?
It's not cold anymore.
I don't even want to look at it.
[ Jungle Book music ]
You know, it's
been almost a year
since the Brooklyn half.
What made you think of that?
I don't-I don't know.
It's just been almost
a year, right?
And that was your PR?
Yeah?
Yeah.
[ Jungle Book Music ]
I don't know.
Luke: I was just --
Movie: "You
must bear witness.
Movie: "I had to kill him."
Luke: It was just
an awesome day.
[ Jungle Book Music ]
Luke: Yeah. I'm sorry, I forgot
how weird this movie was.
Definitely going to have
nightmares tonight.
So, thank you for that.
Oh, come on.
Don't worry.
I'll protect you.
Nassdja: Not if you're
passed out on the floor.
Luke: Well, can I sleep
in bed with you tonight?
Movie: "Hold on!"
"Hold on! Hold on!"
[ Music ]
Luke: What the fuck?!
Nassdja: Luke, what the
fuck? Don't leave me!
Luke: YOU LISTEN HERE, MOTHERFUCKER!
I'LL PUT HOLES IN YOU!
YOU PICKED THE WRONG FUCKING
HOUSE! YOU FUCKING HEAR ME!?
Nassdja.
I fucking told you.
I told you.
What?
What? What did you even see?
Are you fucking kidding me?
You saw that!
That was him from the trail!
We need to get the
fuck out of here!
Stop speaking, OK?
Just stop.
I don't know what
you think you saw.
Are you kidding me?
Shut the fuck up!
What are you going to
do with that anyway?
It doesn't even shoot.
Oh, you see this blade?
I'll shove this blade through a
motherfucker's orbital socket.
Do you hear that?!
My father used to slash gooks
with this blade for fun!
Luke: I'll fucking -- Agghhh!!
[ Music ]
Do you ever feel like
we ran from one version
of hell just to find a new one?
Luke: Here.
Look.
Nassdja: What?
What is this?
8:21, last night.
Luke: There. You see that?
You don't see shit,
because shit ain't there.
This shit is probably
60 years old.
It just fucking snapped.
All right.
That's it.
The end.
You had cameras the whole time.
Luke: I told you I was
going to keep you safe.
The Wi-Fi's dead.
Is that really what
you're worried about?
Luke: You know, it doesn't
have to be like this.
[ Music ]
Can you fix it?
I'll look into it.
[ Music ]
Luke: Got to keep
the swelling down.
[ Music ]
Pretty fucking Irish.
Well, top of the
fucking morning to ya.
[ Mug shatters ]
[ Music]
[ Gung Ho! plays ]
[ Gunshot ]
[ Music ]
The Figure: I'd call
this an ambush.
But I didn't know you
were coming either.
All the same, I'm glad you came.
That boy was right
about one thing.
I sure did take a lot of heads.
But you never think of
the debt until it's due.
That's why I gave myself
this little peach.
A little hole for
my soul to escape.
But it ain't never that easy.
That cancer didn't die with me.
The Figure: It metastasized.
But you already know that.
"Lam ac, gat ac".
[ Phone buzzing ]
[ Music ]
Mom?
[ Wailing ]
Nassdja, please.
Just -- just --
Luke: Nassdja, please.
Just slow down.
Please talk to me.
Where are they?
Luke: What?
Fuck you,
the keys!
[ Music ]
Luke: You should
really eat something.
Nassdja: I'm just glad
I didn't have to go
to my father's funeral
with a split lip.
[ Music ]
You know, my father killed
himself in this room.
Blew his brains out
all over the ceiling.
And I watched from inside
that fucking closet.
I was drinking that.
[ Music, Nas sips drink ]
Nassdja: You know, it doesn't
have to be like this.
It wasn't your fault.
You weren't supposed
to see what you saw.
[ Music ]
You were a child.
I want a fire.
[ Music, Nas & Luke howling ]
[ Car doesn't start ]
Please!!
Luke: Good morning. Pop-Tart?
Here, let me get that for you.
I never told anybody
what I told you before,
the thing that
burned a hole inside
of me my entire life
and you betray me.
Luke: You said I was a child.
You were a child.
I opened up my
fucking heart to you!
You cut the fucking Wi-Fi!
I could have said
goodbye to my father.
I could have seen him one last
time but you stole that from me!
Luke: Does that really make
any difference anymore?
It's not like he's going
to come and save you now.
Luke: Neither is that
fuck-buddy of yours.
Ethan? Whatever.
Luke: Your running friend.
So how long have you
been spying on me?
Long enough to know how many
times I let him inside me?
[ Music ]
How I let him fuck me in your
car while you were passed
out drunk on the couch?
Lying, conniving cunt!
That's right.
I did lie.
I lied about what an repulsive
fucking coward you are.
I never told them about
what a spineless,
pig-fucking abuser you are!
[ Music ]
That's it... that turn you on?
Do it you fucking coward.
Do it you gutless bitch.
[ Screaming ]
Fuck you!!
[ Cricket clicks ]
NASSDJA!!
[ Music ]
Luke: Nassdja! It's going to get
real fucking dark real quick!
[ Music ]
[ Muttering ] -motherfucker...
Luke:... Fucking get you...
-fucking show you. I'll fuckin
show you, you fuckin bitch!
I'll fucking show you. I'll fucking
show you, you fucking bitch!
[ Laughs ]
[ Screaming and growling ]
[ Cricket clicks ]
[ Music, Gung Ho! plays ]
Luke: Like you never
fucking existed.
There you are.
Nassdja!! [Howls] Come on out!
I just want to fucking talk!
Nassdja?
[ Cricket clicks ]
[ Music ]
[ Luke Howls ]
[ Music ]
Luke: Nassdja!
[ Startled shout ]
[ Luke gasping,
gurgling, writhing ]
[ Music ]
He had enough wire to string
up this whole forest.
Nassdja: But one was enough.
Sow evil, reap evil.
Motherfucker.
[ Music ]
[ Music ]
[ Speaking Vietnamese ]
[ Gunshot ]
[ Sirens wailing ]
[ Phone Buzzing ]
Mom, I can't do this
with you right now.
Mom: Nassdja,
honey, I'm worried.
Well, don't.
Mom: Are you still sure
you want to do this?
They could close the state
border at any minute
and I need to get the
hell out of here.
Mom: Fine.
Then come to us...
You can have all
the space you want.
Please, stop.
The only thing worse than
getting stuck here would be
in some red state
on my way to you.
We've got Luke's cabin.
It's not perfect, but it's
the best option I've got.
Mom: Are you sure you're
going to be OK there?
Just the two of you?
Dad: Hey there, Little Tiger.
Daddy?
How are you feeling?
Dad: You know,
it's going to take
more than that to check me out.
I know.
God, Dad, I miss you.
How does it feel to be home?
Dad: Good. The pups
are happy to see me,
but I'm not allowed to
take them out just yet.
Still treating me
like a P.O.W. here.
You know I wanted to be there.
To be with you.
[ Dad coughing ] Dad. Dad.
Jesus.
Dad: Listen. Honey, no matter
how far away I am, I want you.
to know that I am always
watching over you. I'm with
you no mater what okay? [cough]
You know I didn't want you
here. You know what I mean.
Dad.
Mom: Honey--
Dad.
Mom: --gimme the phone.
Mom, please call me back.
Just, please, call me
as much as you can.
[ Sirens Wailing ]
[ Music ]
[ Gunfire in video game ]
Jesus, Nas, what are you
fucking haunting me?
I thought we were leaving early.
We are.
I just need to finish up this
last client before office hours
Singapore time.
Their API is a fucking joke,
but once this SDK drops,
it'll hold until at
least their launch.
Are you packed?
Luke: Nas, they're getting ready
for a full lockdown at any minute.
London got five hours warning.
Do you really want to be trapped
here in fucking ground zero?
Honestly, hon, you're
overthinking this whole thing.
Luke: Just grab some cozy shit
and your running gear, OK?
[ Sirens Wailing ]
Honey, I know everything
is fucked right now,
but this is going to be
the best thing for us, OK?
You have to trust me.
Just like we talked about, OK?
All we need is some
time alone together.
[ Sirens wailing in distance]
[ Music ]
Are you fucking kidding me?
Ethan: Come downstairs.
Absolutely not.
I can't do this right now.
Ethan: Fine, I can wait.
Jesus, Ethan.
Goodbye.
I'm sorry I've been so tight.
I'm just freaked out.
I'm claustrophobic.
And I don't mean to snap at you.
You know, you're lucky to
have the dad that you have.
He's strong as hell and
he's on the other side
of the worst, so don't worry.
You've got me.
You are everything to me.
[ Music ]
[ Radio playing low]
Damn, I didn't think
I'd zonk out like that.
So, is this God's country yet?
It's just coffee.
Black. Wanna try?
I didn't say a word.
You sure you don't want to stop?
I did last night for gas.
They didn't let me
inside so I just pissed
on the side of their building.
Fuckers.
Sucks.
Yeah, the GPS, too.
I haven't seen a
cell tower in hours.
I knew it was going to be like
this once we hit the exit.
This place is going to
have Wi-Fi, correct?
Nassdja: Correct?
You know, I wish that you
were capable of unplugging
for just a single second.
It's not like you're going
to have your Zoom
meetings to be on.
What? I mean, you don't.
I need to be able
to call my dad.
He sounded like shit last night.
You spoke to him last night?
Yeah.
Well, maybe that's
who was texting you.
Your phone was buzzing.
Yeah, mom again.
Said to call when we get there.
I'm just freaked out about him
and feel helpless not being able
to be there, plus the
two of them together.
Not the most calming
atmosphere for healing.
Yeah, well, just be thankful
that he got it when he did.
Hospitals are fully fucked
right now, so he's lucky.
Exactly so, Wi-Fi.
He's still not out
of the woods yet.
The only reason they
let him go home is
'cause it's more dangerous
to keep him now that
they're swamped.
I don't trust the cell service
in wherever the fuck we're
going, so I need to be --
[ Siren Wails ]
Nassdja: What the hell is this?
[ Music ]
Kill the engine.
State Trooper: License
and registration.
Luke: Nas, glove box.
Nassdja: Sir, we already
did a temperature check
at the state border and filled
out the contact tracing stuff.
That's the printout there.
Pull down those masks for me.
[ Music ]
State Trooper: You have a
residence here in Owens County?
Um, in Shilo County.
My family's got a
cabin up there.
Vilderman.
Is that your last name?
Yeah.
Like Martin Vilderman?
He was my father.
[ Music ]
Here you go.
Have a nice day.
State Trooper: They're good!
[ Music ]
[ Dog barking ]
What the fuck was that?
I don't know.
I don't know.
He knew your dad?
Was that even a cop?
I don't know.
My family's been up here
forever, but it's not
like it's a common name.
He didn't have a name tag.
Did you not notice?
I didn't.
Yeah. Guess you wouldn't.
[ Music ]
Hell no.
Nothing. Not a single bar.
This is ridiculous.
I fucking knew it.
What's the deal with the Wi-Fi?
Luke: Relax.
You just walked in the
door a literal second ago.
Hello?
I don't know what you don't
understand about this,
but I need contact
with the world.
Luke: OK.
Yes, I hear you.
But maybe just breathe.
Do you hear that?
I don't hear a goddamn thing.
Isn't that awesome?
God.
What the hell is my
Black ass doing here?
I can think of at least
one thing we can do here.
You're gross.
Luke: Where are you going?
Nassdja: You said trails.
Luke: Well, you know,
it's going to get dark
out here real quick.
Nassdja: Luke,
where are my shoes?
Luke?
I felt bad that all your
races got canceled.
You've been training
so hard, so --
[ Music ]
Nassdja: Hey, Luke.
You didn't tell me about
the flower garden.
It's unreal.
[ Fills vase with water ]
Nassdja: Luke?
[ Music ]
Nassdja: Luke?
Luke?
[ Clicking noise ]
Nassdja: Luke?
[ Music builds ]
Luke: They call it a --
Nassdja: Oh, shit.
Don't do that.
They call it a cricket.
When you're out there
and you're in the shit
and you hear something
that you don't like,
you give this little
guy a [ click ] --
and if whoever's out there
doesn't chirp theirs back,
they ain't your buddy.
This was your dad's?
No.
The tags were my dad's.
This was my grandpa's.
He used it when he
was in Normandy.
Then he gave it
to my dad as sort
of like a good luck charm
when he went to Nam.
[ Music ]
This door wasn't locked?
Nassdja: No.
What is this place?
[ Music ]
Luke: You know, I didn't come
up here to be by myself.
Sorry.
Just watching the world
fully go to shit.
Luke: How were the shoes?
Great.
They're awesome.
Good.
Stop.
Please.
What?
I thought after last night,
everything was all right.
That's not how this works.
OK, what?
Do you want me on
the fucking couch?
Stop, please.
I'm just exhausted.
And I still don't know what
the fuck I'm doing here.
Luke: How are we
supposed to heal
if you won't let
us move forward?
[ Music ]
Not going to be able
to fall asleep here.
How about try closing your eyes?
[ Music ]
Nassdja: Luke?
[ Music ]
[ Knocking ]
Nassdja: Luke! Luke!
Luke: What the fuck?
What the hell were you doing?
I don't know.
I don't know.
What the fuck were
you doing outside?
Nassdja: I don't know.
What was the crash from inside?
Luke.
It was just a nightmare.
You're OK.
[ Music ]
Luke: This was always
my favorite spot.
I got my first deer right here.
My dad, he flushed him down
the hill and he had me set
up right at the bottom.
I didn't even have
to move my sights.
It was like he knew exactly
where it was going to be.
It's even prettier at dawn.
But, it's good that
you got some rest.
Luke: It's just stress, Nas.
I mean, come on.
We happen to be living through
the most fucked up time
in at least a generation.
When was the last time
you were up here?
A few years ago.
I came up to do some
updates when Nan
and Pop put it on the market.
I didn't stay long.
That was after
your dad, I guess.
[ Music ]
Come on.
It's really steep here.
Luke: I was 11 the
last time I saw him.
That was after you were living
with your grandparents?
So, you were close with him,
like, when you were little?
Close isn't the word.
He was distant.
Rigid. And I knew he
was sort of famous
in like a local
legend kind of way.
And it was cool when we would
go to like the bagel shop
and people would salute
him and people would ask
for his autograph
at the supermarket,
but then when we got home, my
mom would find him just sitting
in the car, staring off into
space for, like, hours.
What did he actually do?
Well, he got a Silver Star.
And my grandpa got a Silver Star
as well on D-Day, so it was kind
of a big deal, you know?
I think that's why he joined up
in the first place, you know?
It was crazy, because people
were literally running away
to Canada to avoid the
draft, but he's a senior
in high school, captain
of the varsity wrestling
team, and he signs up.
You know, same thing as
Born on the 4th of July.
Anyway, he joins up, he gets
the Silver Star really early,
he's wounded, and then
he decides to stay
in for three more tours.
Which is just absolutely fucking
crazy to want to do that.
Luke: I remember him telling
me, doing things like going
out into the jungle
for weeks at a time.
Stalking, he'd call it.
Doing shit like rigging up
neck-high tripwires so that
when jeeps would roll through,
people's heads would
just pop right off.
Yeah. And people would come up
to me and be like, oh yeah,
ask your dad why they call
him the Headless Dutchman.
I'm just a kid and people
are saying this to me.
I figured most of the shit was
just rumors, but you just knew
that that war was
a lot different
than whatever my
grandpa did in Europe.
[ Music ]
So one time, I'm digging through
some of my dad's old stuff.
He kept this footlocker with a
bunch of his stuff from the war.
And I found these photos
of him and in one
of them he was
holding these skulls.
But he didn't have any
emotion at all on his face.
Those people were
now just his things.
And I saw something I
was not supposed to see.
So while I was there, looking
at this, my dad comes home.
And he barges through the door
and he throws the stuff
all out of my hands.
And he grabs me by the
shoulders and he throws me
up against the wall and he
starts screaming in my face.
And I started
crying hysterically
and I pissed all over myself.
And he starts making me say
this phrase over and over again
so that I would remember it.
And he had me up
all night doing it
until eventually my mom came
home and that was that.
[ Music ]
"Lam ac gat ac."
It means "sow evil, reap evil."
And that was how I knew
the rumors were true.
Why did you want to come here?
Well, with him gone,
and Nan and Pop too.
I guess me and this place
are all that's left
of the Vilderman bloodline.
Son of a bitch.
Special occasion.
No, please.
I don't want any of that.
[ Whiskey pouring ]
Luke: To the dark dudes
who did dark shit
so that we may
live in the light.
[ Glasses clink ]
Nassdja: God damn it.
Shit is poison.
Luke: It's spicy --
-- and well-aged.
I didn't think Buddhists drank.
Well, a shrine. With the Buddha.
I don't know.
He brought a lot of weird
shit home with him.
Well, "sow evil, reap evil?"
Sounds pretty karmic to me.
I guess.
I'm sorry you went through that.
[ Music ]
Ow! Damn it!
Luke: The fuck. You
know, I-I'm trying.
I'm just trying to have one
fucking intimate moment.
Just fucking one.
Can't you just not be a
fucking cunt about that?
I told you I didn't mean
for that to fucking happen.
[ Music ]
[ Bone crunching ]
[ Cricket clicking twice ]
Luke!
Nassdja: Luke!
Luke: What?
What the fuck?
Luke: What the fuck?
I fucked up.
Nassdja: I fucked up my ankle.
What?
Nassdja: I heard a fucking snap.
Luke: Here, let me see.
Nassdja: Ow!
Luke: Just calm down.
I got to get the shoe off.
Ow.
Ow. Ow, ow, ow, ow,
ow, ow, ow, ow!
Jesus Christ, Nas.
How did you do this?
Nassdja: It wasn't me.
I saw someone on
the fucking trail.
Some fucking militia guy.
I did. He was dressed
in some military shit.
He came out of nowhere.
He scared the shit out of me.
Luke: OK.
Come on. Help me.
Ow.
Nassdja: Careful! Fuck.
Are you not listening to
what I'm saying to you?
Luke: Yes, I'm hearing what
you're saying to me, OK?
You saw something.
What do you want me
to say about it?
I don't know.
Something.
All right.
Well, you fucked
up your ankle, OK?
Nassdja: Ow.
Ow.
All right.
Luke: Well, you can bend
it so it's not broken.
But it's not great.
Nassdja: Fuck.
Fuck. Fuck.
Goddamn it.
Here.
Sit up. Take these.
Nassdja: Which are these?
Luke: The ones you like.
Two?
Luke: Yes.
Trust me, all right?
This thing's already blowing up.
Nassdja: I'm telling you, I
saw someone on the trail.
I swear to God.
[ Music ]
What the hell is this?
What the fuck?
I told you I was going
to take care of you.
[ Music ]
[ Gun clicks ]
[ Gun clicks ]
Motherfucker.
[ Clicks ] God fucking damn it.
You sure that thing even works?
[ Music ]
[ Phone buzzing, wood chopping ]
[ wood chopping ]
Mom: Nas?
Mom?
Mom: I called you 50
times. Are you OK?
Yeah.
I'm fine. What's going on?
How's Dad?
Mom: He's OK. But his cough is
really bad- think it's seriou-
Mom.
Mom: I've been trying to get
Dr. Reitz and his primary
from the hospital but it's
insane over there right now.
You didn't see it last --
I know I didn't see it, Mom.
Can you just put him
on the phone, please?
Mom: No- Not a good idea-
-is beyond capacity
and St. Johns-
Mom, are you there?
Mom: Can you hear me,
Nassdja? Call your dad.
Hello? [ Call drops ]
Fuck.
Luke: What's wrong?
Fucking cell service sucks.
Nassdja: Goddamn it.
Luke: OK.
OK. Just relax.
I'm not going to fucking relax.
My dad might be going
back into the hospital.
I think he's getting bad again.
I don't know what the
fuck is going on.
OK.
OK. Just breathe, all right?
There's nothing you can do.
This is bullshit.
Please. Please, can we just
go to a diner or something,
somewhere I can make
a fucking phone call?
Nas, no.
The nearest place here
is maybe two-hour drive.
And I don't know if you
remember, but every Podunk town
that we passed on the
way up here was boarded
up like it's fucking
Children of Men.
Nas, there's nothing you can do.
Even if you could teleport
to him right now,
it's out of your hands.
You just have to
have a little faith.
Luke: He's going
to be all right.
At least you got some rest.
Did you get it to work?
It's fine.
It's fucking ancient, you know?
I'll figure it out.
What are you doing
out there anyway?
I got a surprise for you.
Nassdja: 'Cause that's
your strong suit lately?
Ta-da.
How about a little red?
With the pills?
Just a little.
Just a little.
Eh?
It's lovely.
So what's playing?
Well, I couldn't get
anything to stream
because the Wi-Fi's too shitty.
And I don't even have, like,
a cord for this projector.
So it's going to be a VHS.
Either Gung Ho!, the weirdest
version of Jungle Book
that I've ever seen,
or Milo and Otis.
But I can't find the
tape for Milo and Otis.
[ Movie starts playing ]
Nassdja: This is a version
of The Jungle Book.
This movie is legit terrifying.
Yeah.
Sorry about that.
And you used to watch this?
Like, as a kid?
Yeah.
Luke: You know, it's really a miracle
that we even had a TV up here,
so I guess all the good
stuff made it back home
with Nanny and Pop.
Nassdja: I would kill
to be watching Milo
and Otis right now.
Never thought I'd say that.
Well, I bet you they
killed way less kittens
in the making of this one.
Nassdja: That's so fucked up.
Luke: Seriously though,
it's like no wonder our
generation is super warped.
Look at all these movies
that we were raised on,
especially the animated ones,
like Secret of NIMH
and Watership Down.
Oh, and The Last Unicorn, just
straight-up nightmare fuel
for me.
Willow?
Those rat-wolf things?
I'm 100% psychically
scarred from that movie.
But Val Kilmer,
super-hot in that.
So it's a little
bit of a trade-off.
True.
True. Oh, oh, OK, OK.
Just a little.
Nassdja: Those pills
knocked me out.
I'm still feeling loopy.
Oh yeah?
How's the hoof?
It's not cold anymore.
I don't even want to look at it.
[ Jungle Book music ]
You know, it's
been almost a year
since the Brooklyn half.
What made you think of that?
I don't-I don't know.
It's just been almost
a year, right?
And that was your PR?
Yeah?
Yeah.
[ Jungle Book Music ]
I don't know.
Luke: I was just --
Movie: "You
must bear witness.
Movie: "I had to kill him."
Luke: It was just
an awesome day.
[ Jungle Book Music ]
Luke: Yeah. I'm sorry, I forgot
how weird this movie was.
Definitely going to have
nightmares tonight.
So, thank you for that.
Oh, come on.
Don't worry.
I'll protect you.
Nassdja: Not if you're
passed out on the floor.
Luke: Well, can I sleep
in bed with you tonight?
Movie: "Hold on!"
"Hold on! Hold on!"
[ Music ]
Luke: What the fuck?!
Nassdja: Luke, what the
fuck? Don't leave me!
Luke: YOU LISTEN HERE, MOTHERFUCKER!
I'LL PUT HOLES IN YOU!
YOU PICKED THE WRONG FUCKING
HOUSE! YOU FUCKING HEAR ME!?
Nassdja.
I fucking told you.
I told you.
What?
What? What did you even see?
Are you fucking kidding me?
You saw that!
That was him from the trail!
We need to get the
fuck out of here!
Stop speaking, OK?
Just stop.
I don't know what
you think you saw.
Are you kidding me?
Shut the fuck up!
What are you going to
do with that anyway?
It doesn't even shoot.
Oh, you see this blade?
I'll shove this blade through a
motherfucker's orbital socket.
Do you hear that?!
My father used to slash gooks
with this blade for fun!
Luke: I'll fucking -- Agghhh!!
[ Music ]
Do you ever feel like
we ran from one version
of hell just to find a new one?
Luke: Here.
Look.
Nassdja: What?
What is this?
8:21, last night.
Luke: There. You see that?
You don't see shit,
because shit ain't there.
This shit is probably
60 years old.
It just fucking snapped.
All right.
That's it.
The end.
You had cameras the whole time.
Luke: I told you I was
going to keep you safe.
The Wi-Fi's dead.
Is that really what
you're worried about?
Luke: You know, it doesn't
have to be like this.
[ Music ]
Can you fix it?
I'll look into it.
[ Music ]
Luke: Got to keep
the swelling down.
[ Music ]
Pretty fucking Irish.
Well, top of the
fucking morning to ya.
[ Mug shatters ]
[ Music]
[ Gung Ho! plays ]
[ Gunshot ]
[ Music ]
The Figure: I'd call
this an ambush.
But I didn't know you
were coming either.
All the same, I'm glad you came.
That boy was right
about one thing.
I sure did take a lot of heads.
But you never think of
the debt until it's due.
That's why I gave myself
this little peach.
A little hole for
my soul to escape.
But it ain't never that easy.
That cancer didn't die with me.
The Figure: It metastasized.
But you already know that.
"Lam ac, gat ac".
[ Phone buzzing ]
[ Music ]
Mom?
[ Wailing ]
Nassdja, please.
Just -- just --
Luke: Nassdja, please.
Just slow down.
Please talk to me.
Where are they?
Luke: What?
Fuck you,
the keys!
[ Music ]
Luke: You should
really eat something.
Nassdja: I'm just glad
I didn't have to go
to my father's funeral
with a split lip.
[ Music ]
You know, my father killed
himself in this room.
Blew his brains out
all over the ceiling.
And I watched from inside
that fucking closet.
I was drinking that.
[ Music, Nas sips drink ]
Nassdja: You know, it doesn't
have to be like this.
It wasn't your fault.
You weren't supposed
to see what you saw.
[ Music ]
You were a child.
I want a fire.
[ Music, Nas & Luke howling ]
[ Car doesn't start ]
Please!!
Luke: Good morning. Pop-Tart?
Here, let me get that for you.
I never told anybody
what I told you before,
the thing that
burned a hole inside
of me my entire life
and you betray me.
Luke: You said I was a child.
You were a child.
I opened up my
fucking heart to you!
You cut the fucking Wi-Fi!
I could have said
goodbye to my father.
I could have seen him one last
time but you stole that from me!
Luke: Does that really make
any difference anymore?
It's not like he's going
to come and save you now.
Luke: Neither is that
fuck-buddy of yours.
Ethan? Whatever.
Luke: Your running friend.
So how long have you
been spying on me?
Long enough to know how many
times I let him inside me?
[ Music ]
How I let him fuck me in your
car while you were passed
out drunk on the couch?
Lying, conniving cunt!
That's right.
I did lie.
I lied about what an repulsive
fucking coward you are.
I never told them about
what a spineless,
pig-fucking abuser you are!
[ Music ]
That's it... that turn you on?
Do it you fucking coward.
Do it you gutless bitch.
[ Screaming ]
Fuck you!!
[ Cricket clicks ]
NASSDJA!!
[ Music ]
Luke: Nassdja! It's going to get
real fucking dark real quick!
[ Music ]
[ Muttering ] -motherfucker...
Luke:... Fucking get you...
-fucking show you. I'll fuckin
show you, you fuckin bitch!
I'll fucking show you. I'll fucking
show you, you fucking bitch!
[ Laughs ]
[ Screaming and growling ]
[ Cricket clicks ]
[ Music, Gung Ho! plays ]
Luke: Like you never
fucking existed.
There you are.
Nassdja!! [Howls] Come on out!
I just want to fucking talk!
Nassdja?
[ Cricket clicks ]
[ Music ]
[ Luke Howls ]
[ Music ]
Luke: Nassdja!
[ Startled shout ]
[ Luke gasping,
gurgling, writhing ]
[ Music ]
He had enough wire to string
up this whole forest.
Nassdja: But one was enough.
Sow evil, reap evil.
Motherfucker.
[ Music ]