Black Marigolds (2013) Movie Script
(ambient music)
(female laughing)
- [Voiceover] Hey, we're here.
- Wow.
- This is it.
- Wow, it's gorgeous.
I really hope the
heating's on in there.
- Let's see.
- [Woman] I'm gonna
grab the bags.
- [Man] Okay.
Let's see.
Hey.
Key, as promised.
So far so good, huh?
- Why is it again, that
you couldn't write your
second novel at a
five star resort?
- Because my love, we can't
help who's around and might be
swept away and rushing
towards my brilliance.
- So selfless, always
looking out for others.
- Indeed.
- Whereas here, we're
safe because we'll
freeze solid before
it hurts anyone.
(kisses)
- Couldn't do that in the
doorway of a five star resort.
- [Woman] Because you
think you're mysterious.
(laughing)
- [Man] I just don't like
to have other people around.
Creeps me out.
(woman giggling)
Okay, let's see what we got.
- Oh!
Honey.
Oh!
- [Man] Oh, a mouse.
- [Woman] That's a mouse.
- [Man] It's alright.
(Woman laughs)
- We've seen a mouse.
Keep us company, okay.
I'm gonna go get the bags, huh?
- Okay, I'll go
find us a fireplace.
- Hey.
(speaks foreign language)
(woman speaks foreign language)
- I don't know what that means.
- [Woman] Your French
sucks. (laughing)
(somber music)
(door opening)
- [Woman] Hey, this stupid
log won't catch on fire.
- Well it's a good
thing the future
of civilization
isn't resting on you.
- [Woman] Yeah, I'm more of
the hunter-gatherer type.
- Well, that's good
to know if we get
snowed in and food runs out.
No, you gotta use
the kindling, right?
That's what it's there for.
- [Woman] Oh, that's
what it's there for.
- What are you three?
(woman giggles)
- See.
(kisses)
(crickets)
- This place is adorable.
- So you admit it's a
good idea to be here?
(both laughing)
Wow!
- Tell me a poem.
- [Man] Which one?
(woman whispers)
- Is it straight?
- [Woman] Is it big enough?
- Yeah.
- [Woman] Yeah, it's perfect.
- Good God.
Woman, take a
shower, you look like
you got fucked last night, huh?
- I feel like it.
Hey, is the book as
good as the poster?
- That's what they tell me.
- I'm gonna go shower.
(kiss)
- Oof, brush your teeth.
(laughing) Oh, God.
(dark ambient music)
(sizzling)
- Shit!
Ryan!
Hey, you left a pan full of
something in the kitchen.
It's all full of smoke.
- Shit, I'm sorry.
I just got lost for a bit.
- Okay, why don't
you go take a shower?
I'll make us pancakes
or something.
- Yeah, sorry.
- Okay.
- Looks like I'm
growing a beard.
Forgot my shaving cream.
- You're forgetting a
lot of things these days.
- I know, need to take some
vitamin B or something.
- Something.
- Hey, what happened
to pancakes?
- That mouse chewed
through the box
and I do not think our
mix was supposed to have
chocolate chips
in it. (laughing)
- Well, this looks good.
So what do you wanna do today?
- Don't you need to write?
- Well, you gotta ease into
something like a novel.
I hung a poster in my
workroom, I think that's
enough for the day.
- Really?
- [Man] Hey!
- [Woman] A walk.
That's what I wanna do today.
A walk.
- A walk?
Really?
Really?
A walk?
This is what you wanna do today?
- [Woman] Come on, I
wanna show you something.
Do you see that?
That's the sky.
And there, over there,
those are trees.
You write about them.
- Nope, all I see is a forest.
- Come on, weirdo, I
promise you won't melt.
(light hearted folk music)
Between waterfalls of honey
You were wandering upside down
Leering at the
friends you left behind
Trapped in that little town
Near the ocean,
near the hillside
Near the factories
and the bars
Where the people
live so far apart
All stuck inside
Their cars
Where you were
loved by a prince
With a love so intense
That he took his own life
In your honor
And in a different world
With a different face
It was I who could have been
Your lover
Morning brings light
by the feet of the dawn
To light those tired eyes
Both crying out a warning
So please for tonight
let me sleep in your arms
And if I die, let
me die in the morning
Now I'm droning on forever
Singing songs
about your mother
Drinking tea out in the garden
Where the flowers
bloom forever
And she told you
never, ever go alone
And where the sun has been
unfaithful to the moon
- How's it going?
- Terrible.
Two paragraphs.
- Honey, that's not bad.
- Two this week.
Hey, careful.
- [Woman] Careful.
Careful with F.
Scott Fitzgerald's
typewriter, your muse.
- You are my muse.
- Did you ever the
story about when one of
James Joyce's
friends stopped by?
- Was it so rare that
there's an anecdote
about the one time
that it happened?
- Shut up.
- And I thought I was
distant to people.
- So James' friend
comes by and says,
"How's the writing going?"
"Terribly!" cries James,
"I've written seven words!"
His friend says, "But James,
that's very good for you."
"I know!" wails James,
"But I don't know what
order they go in."
- I don't know what the
point of that story is.
- That two paragraphs in a
week is perfectly acceptable
provided they are brilliant
and in the right order.
- Yeah.
You still going into town today?
- Yeah, I was planning on it.
We're gonna need
some mouse traps,
unless we're gonna start
hunting and gathering.
- Would you pick
that stuff up for me?
- Yeah.
Coenzyme q10, ginkgo
biloba extract,
B6, B12, are we gonna build
an airplane from World War II?
(man laughs)
- I looked it up, that stuff's
supposed to help with memory.
- You looked it up, is it
worrying you that much?
- No, I've just been
forgetting some things,
and I think the
writing would go easier
if I could remember
the character names.
- Oh, are you forgetting
your character names?
- Hey, I'm just starting.
I got time to learn the names.
- Okay, well I'm gonna knock out
a few more pages
and then head out.
- What are you translating?
- A toaster over manual.
- [Man] How's it going?
(woman speaks foreign language)
I don't know what that means.
(sighs)
- Ryan, I'm back!
Ryan?
Hey, there you are.
Why didn't you say anything?
- I'm a monster.
- Come again?
- I am a monster.
- How so?
- I used to walk through
the forest and the ideas
would just run up to me
and flutter and frolic,
begging to be taken.
I was like a goddamn
Disney princess,
but now I run and hide
and I can't find them
and the harder I look,
the further they run and
the deeper they burrow.
- I see.
How drunk are you?
So just crazy, huh?
- Get drunk with me.
- Are you sure
that's a good idea?
- Vice is a monster
of so frightful mien.
- (laughing) The world
is so full of such
a number of things.
I am sure we should
all be happy as kings.
- Thanks, Mac.
(kissing)
Hey, at it already?
- Hey!
Don't you look better?
I left your vitamins
over there for you.
- Oh, great.
I am feeling good about this.
These are gonna work.
- Out of the pool then?
- Out of the pool
and feeling good.
Whough!
I'm gonna do that
in two next time.
(woman laughs)
- I don't feel hungover at all.
- Well that's good
whisky for ya.
And getting distracted
from the drinking thing
halfway through
by the sex thing.
I am gonna do some
writing, that's all you.
- No, honey half these
bottles they say,
take with food, an ulcer
isn't going to help you.
Honey?
Hey.
Thinking about making
some soup, you want some?
- Sure.
- Okay.
- Hey, we should
have your family
come out here for Thanksgiving.
- You hate parties.
Gatherings, and crowds.
You don't seem all
that fond of my family.
- [Man] I am very
pleasant with your family.
- Yes, but I can tell
when you are unhappy,
and you are around my family.
- Well, they're very loud.
And it's not them,
it's people in general.
But, it'll be fine.
Look, I wrote 23 pages this
week, the novel is going well.
You love your family
and I love you.
And besides, I don't want
you to get sick of me,
stuck alone out here with
nobody else to entertain you.
- You really want them to come?
(dark ambient music)
- I really want you
to be happy with your mom and...
- [Woman] Alix.
- [Man] Alix.
- Honey, take some more
vitamins or something.
- Why don't we invite your mom
out for Thanksgiving as well?
- You know she won't come.
- She might if we ask.
- [Man] So is your
family coming?
- Who says I called
them already?
- I know you called them the
second you left the room.
- (woman laughs) I did.
Mom was at Bible study,
but I talked to Alix
and she is very excited to have
Thanksgiving dinner with
famous Novelist Ryan Cole.
- Oh, great.
Well, this will be fun.
- Just suffer through
it, they like you.
And I like you.
- How much do you like me?
- Nuh uh.
(laughing) Earn it,
write five more pages.
Oh Mom, it's so peaceful here.
Yeah, every time the wind blows,
the leaves they
just shower down.
You're gonna love it.
And Ryan has this great
office, it's looking over
a beautiful little pond.
I think he's feeling better.
I mean, he's in
there working away.
(glass breaking)
(Ryan shouting)
Mom, I have to go.
Ryan?
Ryan.
Hey.
(Ryan breathing heavily)
- Hey, what happened?
Shit.
Let's get you cleaned up.
Where are those bandages?
I'll go check the bathroom.
Hey, baby.
I'm sorry.
I'm so, so sorry I scared you.
I was in the pool.
And I couldn't get out.
- See what a piece of
eggshell I have found you.
(telephone busy tone)
(door knocking)
(tense music)
- [Sheriff] Good morning, Sir.
Is there a miss Katherine
Cole present here?
- Yeah.
- I need to speak with
her immediately, please.
- Um...
okay, come in.
Uh, just hang on.
- Hi, officer.
- Are you Katherine Cole?
- Yes, what's wrong?
- I'm officer Hallerin.
Is there someplace
where we can speak?
- Um...
yeah, out back.
(telephone busy tone)
What's wrong?
- [Sheriff] Are
you alright, ma'am?
- Yes, I'm fine.
- What happened to your finger?
- I cut it.
Cleaning up some broken glass.
- Is everything okay out here?
- Go back inside, sir.
I need to speak with
your wife privately.
- What is this about, please?
- We received a call from an...
Anthea Tate indicating that she
had been unable to reach you
after hearing a
disturbance over the phone?
- Oh, yes that's my mother.
Sir, I was on the
phone last night,
and then I heard my
husband knock over
a poster frame, so I
went inside to help him
and then that's then I cut
my finger on a piece of glass
and then the phone
must have been busy.
My poor mother.
- Are you sure you're
alright, ma'am?
- Yes, I'm fine.
My husband wouldn't,
he would never hurt me.
We don't have coffee out here,
but do you want some tea?
- I'm alright, ma'am,
just doing my job.
You have a good day,
and please call us if you
ever do have a problem.
- [Kate] Thank you, sir.
- Call your mother.
(calm ambient music)
- Hey.
We're fine.
- Really?
- Really.
- [Ryan] I...
- [Kate] I know.
- [Ryan] I'm sorry, babe.
Okay.
I'm gonna go and do some work.
- [Kate] Hey, babe.
- Hey.
- What ya doin'?
- [Ryan] I forgot to drink
my tea and it got cold.
What are you doing?
- (laughing) Making
hand turkeys.
- Weird.
How's the red badge of courage?
- It's feeling good.
(kiss)
- Hey, let's go for
a walk or something.
I'm getting fuck-all
done lately.
(Kate laughing)
- It must be bad if you
actually wanna go outside.
Grab a bottle of wine,
we'll go drink it somewhere.
(Ryan moans and kisses)
(Kate laughing)
(tranquil folk music)
Wind swept through August
Caught a malaise
Killed off the hours
With pills and champagne
Oh but I laze through the days
Just the same
To store my strength
For courage in
this new dark age
Stared down the freezer
And cleared out my phone
Wheeled through the aisles
And brought nothing home
Oh I could call you
(light ambient music)
- This is beautiful.
- We don't have to worry
about chilling the wine.
(giggles)
- Come here.
(kissing)
(sighs) It is sexy how good
you are at opening alcohol.
(Kate laughing)
Kate...
what are you doin'?
- I'm trying to warm up.
- Oh, wow.
Does that help?
- Mm-hm, that's too warm.
Can we just take our
clothes off right here?
- Oh, I think it's a
little cold for that.
Here, drink some wine.
That'll cool you off.
(Kate giggles)
- These are the good
times, aren't they?
- I'm afraid so.
- Why afraid?
- If these are the good times,
what have we got
to look forward to?
- Being together in 40 years
and looking back on this.
- Yeah.
There is that.
- What are you doin'?
Oh, Mr. Writer,
always with a pen.
(giggling)
- Hey, you're
getting all skittish.
- It tickles. (giggling)
What are you doing?
- I'm gonna put this
note in this bottle...
and I'm gonna throw
it out in the water
so that no matter what,
we'll be out there in the world.
- Until somebody
finds it and thinks
they have a secret admirer.
- Better?
Done?
- Honey.
- Ah, head rush.
- (laughing) Okay.
- You ready?
There you go.
It's out there.
Let's go.
Wait, hang on.
Think I can hit the pine cone?
- (laughing) Not
in a million years.
- (groans) Alright,
double or nothing.
Huh?
(Kate giggles)
(Kate gasps)
(dark ambient music)
Shit.
(laughing) Oh my God.
- Honey, it was an accident.
- You know what,
everything I do,
it turns to shit.
I can't even throw a rock
without killing a bird.
Just like I am killing
my fucking novel.
- I thought the
writing was going well?
- I know you did.
I loved it, and I stroked
it, and I petted it to death.
130 pages into what should
be a 300 page novel,
and it is over!
- So your follow-up is
a brilliant novella,
what's wrong with that?
- It's, people will
think that is a failure.
That's not what they expect.
- Fuck 'em!
If you've said what
you've gotta say
then publish it like it is.
- Oh, God.
(sighs) Yeah, you're right.
You're right.
Yeah, you're right.
You're right.
- Alright.
- I'll keep going.
- Alright, let's bury Horace
and get you back to your
epic novel.
- You named him?
- Of course.
Come on.
I hope they don't
get lost. (laughing)
That it?
- [Ryan] Yep.
- [Kate] Okay.
(door closing)
Oh, there they are!
Okay, and don't mention
that Mom called the cops.
She was really embarrassed.
(muffled screaming)
Oh, you look so beautiful!
- [Woman] Oh, you
look beautiful.
- [Kate] Thank you
so much for coming.
Here we are!
- Look at this, it's
beautiful in here!
It's a lovely cabin.
- Thanks, Mom.
- Oh, it's great.
- And there's Ryan.
- Hello Ryan!
Come over here and give
us a hug. (laughing)
Hi, sweetie.
How are ya?
- Hey, Ryan.
- [Ryan] Hey, Alix.
- [Alix] How are you?
- So, I need to get
this in the fridge.
- Oh, of course, let me
give you a whole tour!
- [Anthea] Okay, perfect.
- Gosh, I love this cabin.
(giggles) This place is so cool.
It's really neat you guys
get to stay here for so long.
- Yeah, yeah it's pretty nice.
- Anyway, I baked this pie.
Where should I put it?
- I'd probably ask
your sister about that.
- Kate!
Where do you want the pie to go?
- [Kate] Alix, come up here!
- Ah.
(Ryan sighs)
- So is that an apple pie?
Just plain apple pie?
- [Alix] Yeah, it's the
apple crisp from the,
what is that whole,
the southern --
- [Kate] Is it grandma's?
- Is that grandma's? (laughing)
- [Kate] I think it is!
(talking over each other)
(dark ambient music)
- It's one of my favorites, too.
It's so easy, it's so easy.
- I made it like three weeks
ago, but I didn't put enough --
- And look at all those,
do you have any ice cream?
- We do, we do have ice
cream down in the basement.
(conversation
drowned out by music)
(door knocking)
- Hey, Ryan.
Can I come in?
- Sure.
- Uh, so,
my teacher asked if I
could get you to sign that.
- Huh.
First edition.
- [Alix] How can you tell?
- The number line there
starts with a one.
- So Mom and Kate can
be a lot to handle
when they haven't seen
each other for a while.
- Oh, they're fine.
I just don't know what to do
with their invisible gifts.
- You and Kate are
perfect for each other.
- Name?
- It's Alix.
Mom said you were
forgetting things, but --
- The name of your teacher.
- Shit.
I wasn't supposed
to say anything.
Please don't tell
Mom and Kate that,
they'd be so mad.
- What does she say?
- [Alix] Mom?
- Kate.
- I just heard from Mom
that she was worried.
That's all.
- Name?
- Uh, Mr. Marino.
John Marino, I think?
- Hm.
And um, (clears throat)
he teaches literature?
- Yep.
- Well, this better
get you an A.
- Right there with ya.
(dark ambient music)
Hey John, keep molding
the young minds.
Perfect.
- Simple but specific.
- The stuff in this book,
are your parents really --
- Happy, sad, fuckin'
monsters under the bed?
- Yeah.
- It's sort of an acid trip
version of real events.
- [Alix] Huh.
- Didn't you promise Kate
you wouldn't read it?
- I did but my teacher
assigned it so I had to.
Sorry.
- Yeah, just um...
don't tell her about it, okay?
- I won't, I won't.
But I don't understand why
you don't want her to know.
- I worked very hard
trying to get that
stuff out of my head
and locking it in that book.
I wasn't very happy
before I knew your sister,
and I want her to know this me.
Not this one.
- Must be scary up there.
- Hey, come on you
two, no more hiding.
We're gonna play a game.
- Once more into the
breach, dear Brutus.
- You are so weird.
Thanks.
- [Kate] Goodnight! (chuckles)
That's still not full?
- Can only take so much
air in my lungs at a time.
- Really?
I thought you were
full of hot air?
- You know, you won't be
laughing when I pass out
and you've gotta
finish this yourself.
(Kate laughing)
You know, Alix
mentioned my, um...
forgetting things.
- Shit, I'm sorry honey.
When I'm worried about
something, I talk
it out with my mom.
I know you don't, but --
- It's fine.
I'm sure that's the...
normal thing.
Mm!
(Kate giggles)
- Hi.
- Hi.
- How are you?
- Oh I'm fine, and you?
(Kate giggles)
- Seriously though, how are you?
- Please.
Do not try to have a
serious conversation with me
on top of a giant marshmallow.
(Kate giggles)
Thank you very much.
Hey!
Are you serious?
- [Kate] Mm-hm.
- You wanna do it, now?
- Mm-hm.
- Fuck it.
(Kate giggles)
God, I feel like I'm
having a three way with
you and a blowup doll.
(Kate laughing)
(both moaning)
- Oh no, honey, what happened?
- [Ryan] I think
we sunk the raft.
- Oh, fucking raft!
- [Ryan] Oh, wow.
You got a dirty mouth, sailor.
- [Kate] Yeah, I
gotta get it out now,
I can't swear in front of Mom.
(Ryan groans)
I'm going to shower.
(dark ambient music)
- [Kate] Go shower.
- Sorry, I'm still asleep.
- [Kate] You won't be after
the coldest shower ever.
- Early bird gets the worm!
- [Kate] Oh, mom!
- That was a good one!
(talking over each other)
- Cold.
- [Kate] Hey there!
- Ryan, would you put these
potatoes on the table please?
- Sure.
- Thank you.
Perfect.
(talking over each other)
- [Kate] Oh, the
cranberries look delicious.
- I'm so hungry.
(Kate laughing)
- Piping.
- [Ryan] Wow.
Beautiful.
- Ryan, would you
like to do the honors?
- Uh, no.
No no no, please feel free.
- Okay, so let's hold hands.
Say blessing for
this Thanksgiving.
(tense ambient music)
Dear Lord, thank
you for the bounty
that you place before us.
With the blessings and successes
we've had over this past year.
Thank you for our family,
and our ability to
be here together.
I'll remember those
who have gone before us
and are with you now.
On this day of thanks,
in your son's name.
Amen.
- [Kate and Alix] Amen!
(women laughing)
- Honey, you want some yams?
- Uh, yes.
Please.
Oh God, not again.
- Please don't take the
Lord's name in vain!
And yes, again.
And every year in the
future until the two of you
are no longer undefeated.
You won last year, so
we get to go first.
Alix, you draw first.
- How about we
switch teams, yeah?
- [Anthea] No, you're on
my team and you will show
no mercy, young lady!
- (groans) Okay!
Fine, watch out.
Right, let's see.
- Song, sing sing sing.
- Heart, love.
- Love!
- Song, melody?
(Kate laughing)
Music?
- Hour glass!
Love in clock, love
in time, love in,
time?
Oh, you're gonna love this one.
(Anthea and Kate laughing)
- Sum.
Finger.
America.
Pennies for heaven!
- Oh! (laughing)
Music, sing. (laughing)
- Um, waves?
Ocean, water.
- Love in the Time of Cholera!
- [Alix and Anthea] No way!
- Boat.
Ship.
Watership Down.
- Woo.
- The author, the...
of...
author of Watership Down.
- Yes!
- Oh, God.
Author of Watership Down!
Wait, no no, stop
stop stop writing.
No no, I got it, I
got it, I got it.
It's fine!
God.
Damnit.
Jesus fuck!
(smashing)
(Anthea and Alix screaming)
- Kate wait.
I'll go.
- [Kate] Mom, you don't.
- I may have raised two girls,
but I know when a
boy needs a mother.
(dark ambient music)
- Mrs. Tate.
- I think it's time you start
calling me Anthea, Ryan.
- Yes, ma'am.
I'm sorry...
I'm sorry about that and,
I'm sorry that I swore.
- That's not why I'm here.
Are you alright?
- I don't know.
- [Anthea] What is it?
(Ryan sighs)
It's like I can feel my mind...
slipping away and...
I keep grabbing at them but,
it just keeps falling
through my fingers.
And I'm afraid that one day...
it will just trickle
off and be gone.
- Have you tried prayer?
- I'm glad that your faith
sustains you, Anthea,
but it does not me.
(speaks foreign language)
- I know you don't believe,
but I do.
May I pray for you?
- Do your worst.
- Dear God,
please be here with Ryan
during his time of trouble.
Please, heal his mind,
and keep him safe
from what's happening.
In your precious son's name.
- Hey.
- Bed time, everyone.
We're gonna leave
in the morning.
- [Kate] Mom, no.
- [Alix] What?
- [Anthea] Yeah we are, Kate.
Ryan likes it quiet,
you know he does.
And he just needs to spend
some time alone with you.
And I want you to enjoy
it as long as you can.
And Kate, you need
to get him some help.
And if he won't go see someone,
you bring someone here.
He said something
to me in German.
- It's Rilke, that's the
only German he knows.
"Would not these then throw
their last, ever-hoarded,
"ever-hidden, unknown to us,
"eternally valid
coins of happiness
"before that pair with the
finally genuine smile?"
Ryan.
Time for bed.
(kissing)
(Ryan sighing)
- You look better this morning.
- Thank you, Anthea.
- [Anthea] Don't
thank me, thank --
- No, thank you for trying.
- Well...
I'm gonna pray for you, Ryan.
- Don't pray for me.
Just pray for Kate.
- Take care of yourself, Ryan.
- Bye, Ryan.
- Bye, Alix.
- [Alix] Love you.
- [Kate] Love you too.
(distant chatter)
(door closing)
- (sighs) I'm sorry.
- Come on.
Let's have second breakfast.
(warm piano music)
What's wrong?
- [Ryan] How do I make tea?
- Bitter.
You steep it too long.
With a tea bowl.
- Tea bowl.
That's the ticket.
You want any?
- At this hour?
Isn't it gonna keep
you up all night?
- Mm, pretty sure I
destroyed my body's reaction
to caffeine during
the first book.
Oi...
we gotta set those traps.
- So why isn't the
writing going well?
- It just isn't.
Remember when I told you,
after you finish some
really great writing...
it's like you just come.
Sweaty, shaking like
you need a cigarette.
- Are you cheating on
me with your writing?
- (laughing) Easy, Zelda.
- Are you complaining about
writing or trying to get sex?
- Just complaining.
Hm.
Well.
Back to it.
(dissonant piano music)
(gasps)
(mutters)
(gasps)
(groaning)
- Hey, hey.
Ryan, it's okay.
It's okay.
Hey.
Ryan.
- Jesus.
Why is it so cold in here?
- Because you left
the window open.
Come on, take a break.
I'll make some tea.
(Ryan breathes heavily)
Here.
You must be freezing!
- [Ryan] Yeah.
- Honey, do you wanna
see somebody about
this memory thing?
- I'm fine.
I promise.
It's just a little stuffy in
there, so I grabbed the window
and then I got lost
in the writing.
- Okay.
- I'm gonna try to
just, keep it going.
- (breathing heavily) Thanks.
Thanks for the tea.
- Is it going well?
- Just reworking what I'm,
what I've got.
- Keep the window closed.
(Ryan groaning and
breathing heavily)
- Shh.
Shh.
(car engine)
- Who's that?
- [Kate] Probably Doctor Taylor.
- What's he doing out here?
- He's gonna make
sure you're okay.
- God damnit.
- Well, that was mature.
(dark ambient music)
(door creaking)
Ryan.
Please do this for me.
- I don't know if I can.
- If you can't get out
of the pool yourself,
please take the rope
I'm throwing you.
- We are beyond the pool, Kate.
And before me lie nothing
but eternal things.
(sighs)
(door creaking)
- Hi.
- [Ryan] He's ready for you.
- For me?
- [Ryan] He wants
to talk to you.
- Okay.
(dark ambient music)
Hi there.
- Hey.
- [Kate] Do you want
some tea, or a cookie?
I made cookies. (giggles)
- I'm fine.
- [Kate] Are you sure?
- [Dr. Taylor] Yeah.
- [Kate] Thank you
so much, again,
for coming all the way out here.
- Oh, it's my pleasure.
It's a beautiful drive.
So, Kate.
So,
Kate.
It's never when people
are as young as Ryan.
Based on his family history
and what he's told me,
it sounds like he
has something called
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
- What is that?
- It's a extremely rare disease.
And it's caused by a build up
of abnormal prions in the brain.
Prions are little protein cells,
and they infect the
normal, non-diseased prions
and they eventually
kill the nerves in the brain.
Now...
unfortunately...
there is no cure for this.
- So what comes next,
what's the treatment?
- Kate.
There is none.
- But it could, I mean, it's
probably something else, right?
'Cause he's, I mean
he's fine, he's --
- Kate, the
combination of symptoms
that he described to me...
is only present in this
spectrum of prion diseases.
The loss of memory,
loss of balance,
the behavioral shifts, coupled
with his family history.
- What do you mean,
"his family history"?
- This is hereditary, his
father had this disease.
- His father died
in a car accident.
- His father died of this.
- Did Ryan know he might
get this and lie to me?
Kate, Kate, Kate.
Would you have lived your
life any differently?
Would you have done
anything different?
From where you are
right here looking back,
the alternative would
have been knowing sooner
that this could happen.
It was just a chance back
then, would it have been better
to know that this
could be coming?
I tried.
I tried for years
to get Ryan to get
tested and he wouldn't do it.
He didn't wanna do it, he
wanted to live life just
not knowing.
- What can I do, I mean,
what can we, where do we go?
What do we do next?
- All I can tell you is
how it progresses from here
and what to expect.
- [Kate] Okay.
- It's very aggressive,
very fast acting.
Generally takes about
three months from
the onset of the
initial symptoms.
Okay?
You'll see his memory
continue to go.
His motor skills will...
deteriorate.
Kate, I'm not gonna lie to
you, it's not gonna be easy.
You got a tough road.
At some point you'll
need professional care.
But I will be here, for you.
- Do you think we should
take him to a hospital?
- Right now,
even the most advanced
treatment that we have
would add, maybe a week.
Two at best.
Okay?
And, he'd have to be at the
hospital most of the time
which would take away from
your time together, so,
I don't recommend that.
- Do you think we
should stay here?
- You should talk to Ryan.
(door creaking)
(dark ambient music)
(crickets)
(Kate sobbing)
- Mom?
Hi.
(sobbing)
Ryan's sick.
(sobbing)
We're gonna stay here
as long as we can.
I'm okay.
I love you too.
I will.
(sobbing)
(smashing)
Have you eaten since lunch?
- I don't know.
- You haven't, eat this.
- Hey,
when I can't work
on this anymore,
I want you to send
it to Jackson.
He's expecting it.
- Is he excited?
- No.
He's pissed it's not longer.
But...
I didn't tell him about
anything else, so...
hopefully this will be enough
to keep you filthy rich
your whole long life.
- I can take care of myself.
Eat your sandwich.
- Oh. (snickers)
(melancholic music)
- Look at you in
your PJs! (giggles)
- It was cold last night.
You seemed comfy.
- You are supposed to
snuggle with me if it's cold.
- That seems like
a wonderful idea.
(Kate giggles)
- [Kate] You're all
fuzzy. (giggles)
(gasps) Whoa.
We caught a mouse!
- You set the traps?
- I can't do it!
(melancholic music)
- No, keep reading.
(kiss)
I remember this.
- I remember, what?
- Sitting like this on the park
bench in front of your dorm.
- Right after I hooked
with you because
I liked your story
in the let journal.
- Is that why it was so
easy to get you into bed?
- (laughing) What
do you mean, "easy"?
- What?
It was the first night we met.
I didn't even have
to buy you a drink.
- The drinks were
free, it was a party.
But I didn't make it
that hard for you.
- And the next day,
we were sitting like this,
on that park bench.
Both reading with
your head on my lap.
- Just because I was
slutty, apparently.
- I thought it was
because I was brilliant.
Hm?
(Kate chuckling)
(Kate panting and gasping)
(dark ambient music)
(heavy breathing)
- Hey!
- Hey, you gotta
send it to Jackson.
For me.
Please, just send it to
him, right now, the story.
'Cause I cannot trust
myself not to change it
and it is the best
that I can make it.
- Okay, like "right now", now?
- Please, just
send him an e-mail.
A PDF.
Never trust an agent.
(dissonant piano music)
- Having fun?
Ryan?
(breathing heavily)
(thud)
Oh my, what happened?
(Ryan groaning)
Are you okay?
- [Ryan] I just got dizzy.
Fell over.
- [Kate] Okay.
Let's get you back to bed.
There you go.
Hold on to me, okay?
Got me?
Hey.
Good morning.
I made breakfast.
Do you need to go
to the bathroom?
Do you need help?
- No.
- Okay.
- [Ryan] Kate!
Kate!
- Hey honey, what's wrong?
- There's a PDF on my desktop.
Did you send my
story to somebody?
- I sent it to Jackson
like you asked.
- Why did you do that?
I didn't ask you to do that.
It isn't finished!
I mean, how can it be finished
at 103 pages?
- Sweetheart, you
asked me to send it.
- No, I did not ask you!
You ruined it!
You ruined everything!
(telephone busy tone)
(Kate breathing deeply)
- Hi.
Come here.
There you go.
Yeah.
There.
Put this on.
Once there was a knight,
named Tristan.
He was the strongest
and bravest of knights,
and was sworn to a king.
One day, it came to pass
that he was sent
to a far off land,
and he won the heart
of a beautiful princess
named Isolde for his king.
On the journey home however,
they drank a potion that
bound their hearts and souls
together forever.
They were desperately in love
but could never
truly be together.
Until they died.
And two trees grew out of
their graves so entwined,
they could never be separated.
(footsteps)
- Hello, Kate.
Ryan, are you ready?
I break
Where you bend
I take what you send
And we both
Pretend
That I start
Where you end
When I say
You know
When I fall
You go
And I row this boat
Too fast
Too slow
I've got one way
And you've got
One way
And I break
Where you bend
I take what you send
We both pretend
But I know that I start
Where you end
Where you end
Where you end
Where you end
Where you end
Where you end
(birds chirping)
(dark electronic music)
(female laughing)
- [Voiceover] Hey, we're here.
- Wow.
- This is it.
- Wow, it's gorgeous.
I really hope the
heating's on in there.
- Let's see.
- [Woman] I'm gonna
grab the bags.
- [Man] Okay.
Let's see.
Hey.
Key, as promised.
So far so good, huh?
- Why is it again, that
you couldn't write your
second novel at a
five star resort?
- Because my love, we can't
help who's around and might be
swept away and rushing
towards my brilliance.
- So selfless, always
looking out for others.
- Indeed.
- Whereas here, we're
safe because we'll
freeze solid before
it hurts anyone.
(kisses)
- Couldn't do that in the
doorway of a five star resort.
- [Woman] Because you
think you're mysterious.
(laughing)
- [Man] I just don't like
to have other people around.
Creeps me out.
(woman giggling)
Okay, let's see what we got.
- Oh!
Honey.
Oh!
- [Man] Oh, a mouse.
- [Woman] That's a mouse.
- [Man] It's alright.
(Woman laughs)
- We've seen a mouse.
Keep us company, okay.
I'm gonna go get the bags, huh?
- Okay, I'll go
find us a fireplace.
- Hey.
(speaks foreign language)
(woman speaks foreign language)
- I don't know what that means.
- [Woman] Your French
sucks. (laughing)
(somber music)
(door opening)
- [Woman] Hey, this stupid
log won't catch on fire.
- Well it's a good
thing the future
of civilization
isn't resting on you.
- [Woman] Yeah, I'm more of
the hunter-gatherer type.
- Well, that's good
to know if we get
snowed in and food runs out.
No, you gotta use
the kindling, right?
That's what it's there for.
- [Woman] Oh, that's
what it's there for.
- What are you three?
(woman giggles)
- See.
(kisses)
(crickets)
- This place is adorable.
- So you admit it's a
good idea to be here?
(both laughing)
Wow!
- Tell me a poem.
- [Man] Which one?
(woman whispers)
- Is it straight?
- [Woman] Is it big enough?
- Yeah.
- [Woman] Yeah, it's perfect.
- Good God.
Woman, take a
shower, you look like
you got fucked last night, huh?
- I feel like it.
Hey, is the book as
good as the poster?
- That's what they tell me.
- I'm gonna go shower.
(kiss)
- Oof, brush your teeth.
(laughing) Oh, God.
(dark ambient music)
(sizzling)
- Shit!
Ryan!
Hey, you left a pan full of
something in the kitchen.
It's all full of smoke.
- Shit, I'm sorry.
I just got lost for a bit.
- Okay, why don't
you go take a shower?
I'll make us pancakes
or something.
- Yeah, sorry.
- Okay.
- Looks like I'm
growing a beard.
Forgot my shaving cream.
- You're forgetting a
lot of things these days.
- I know, need to take some
vitamin B or something.
- Something.
- Hey, what happened
to pancakes?
- That mouse chewed
through the box
and I do not think our
mix was supposed to have
chocolate chips
in it. (laughing)
- Well, this looks good.
So what do you wanna do today?
- Don't you need to write?
- Well, you gotta ease into
something like a novel.
I hung a poster in my
workroom, I think that's
enough for the day.
- Really?
- [Man] Hey!
- [Woman] A walk.
That's what I wanna do today.
A walk.
- A walk?
Really?
Really?
A walk?
This is what you wanna do today?
- [Woman] Come on, I
wanna show you something.
Do you see that?
That's the sky.
And there, over there,
those are trees.
You write about them.
- Nope, all I see is a forest.
- Come on, weirdo, I
promise you won't melt.
(light hearted folk music)
Between waterfalls of honey
You were wandering upside down
Leering at the
friends you left behind
Trapped in that little town
Near the ocean,
near the hillside
Near the factories
and the bars
Where the people
live so far apart
All stuck inside
Their cars
Where you were
loved by a prince
With a love so intense
That he took his own life
In your honor
And in a different world
With a different face
It was I who could have been
Your lover
Morning brings light
by the feet of the dawn
To light those tired eyes
Both crying out a warning
So please for tonight
let me sleep in your arms
And if I die, let
me die in the morning
Now I'm droning on forever
Singing songs
about your mother
Drinking tea out in the garden
Where the flowers
bloom forever
And she told you
never, ever go alone
And where the sun has been
unfaithful to the moon
- How's it going?
- Terrible.
Two paragraphs.
- Honey, that's not bad.
- Two this week.
Hey, careful.
- [Woman] Careful.
Careful with F.
Scott Fitzgerald's
typewriter, your muse.
- You are my muse.
- Did you ever the
story about when one of
James Joyce's
friends stopped by?
- Was it so rare that
there's an anecdote
about the one time
that it happened?
- Shut up.
- And I thought I was
distant to people.
- So James' friend
comes by and says,
"How's the writing going?"
"Terribly!" cries James,
"I've written seven words!"
His friend says, "But James,
that's very good for you."
"I know!" wails James,
"But I don't know what
order they go in."
- I don't know what the
point of that story is.
- That two paragraphs in a
week is perfectly acceptable
provided they are brilliant
and in the right order.
- Yeah.
You still going into town today?
- Yeah, I was planning on it.
We're gonna need
some mouse traps,
unless we're gonna start
hunting and gathering.
- Would you pick
that stuff up for me?
- Yeah.
Coenzyme q10, ginkgo
biloba extract,
B6, B12, are we gonna build
an airplane from World War II?
(man laughs)
- I looked it up, that stuff's
supposed to help with memory.
- You looked it up, is it
worrying you that much?
- No, I've just been
forgetting some things,
and I think the
writing would go easier
if I could remember
the character names.
- Oh, are you forgetting
your character names?
- Hey, I'm just starting.
I got time to learn the names.
- Okay, well I'm gonna knock out
a few more pages
and then head out.
- What are you translating?
- A toaster over manual.
- [Man] How's it going?
(woman speaks foreign language)
I don't know what that means.
(sighs)
- Ryan, I'm back!
Ryan?
Hey, there you are.
Why didn't you say anything?
- I'm a monster.
- Come again?
- I am a monster.
- How so?
- I used to walk through
the forest and the ideas
would just run up to me
and flutter and frolic,
begging to be taken.
I was like a goddamn
Disney princess,
but now I run and hide
and I can't find them
and the harder I look,
the further they run and
the deeper they burrow.
- I see.
How drunk are you?
So just crazy, huh?
- Get drunk with me.
- Are you sure
that's a good idea?
- Vice is a monster
of so frightful mien.
- (laughing) The world
is so full of such
a number of things.
I am sure we should
all be happy as kings.
- Thanks, Mac.
(kissing)
Hey, at it already?
- Hey!
Don't you look better?
I left your vitamins
over there for you.
- Oh, great.
I am feeling good about this.
These are gonna work.
- Out of the pool then?
- Out of the pool
and feeling good.
Whough!
I'm gonna do that
in two next time.
(woman laughs)
- I don't feel hungover at all.
- Well that's good
whisky for ya.
And getting distracted
from the drinking thing
halfway through
by the sex thing.
I am gonna do some
writing, that's all you.
- No, honey half these
bottles they say,
take with food, an ulcer
isn't going to help you.
Honey?
Hey.
Thinking about making
some soup, you want some?
- Sure.
- Okay.
- Hey, we should
have your family
come out here for Thanksgiving.
- You hate parties.
Gatherings, and crowds.
You don't seem all
that fond of my family.
- [Man] I am very
pleasant with your family.
- Yes, but I can tell
when you are unhappy,
and you are around my family.
- Well, they're very loud.
And it's not them,
it's people in general.
But, it'll be fine.
Look, I wrote 23 pages this
week, the novel is going well.
You love your family
and I love you.
And besides, I don't want
you to get sick of me,
stuck alone out here with
nobody else to entertain you.
- You really want them to come?
(dark ambient music)
- I really want you
to be happy with your mom and...
- [Woman] Alix.
- [Man] Alix.
- Honey, take some more
vitamins or something.
- Why don't we invite your mom
out for Thanksgiving as well?
- You know she won't come.
- She might if we ask.
- [Man] So is your
family coming?
- Who says I called
them already?
- I know you called them the
second you left the room.
- (woman laughs) I did.
Mom was at Bible study,
but I talked to Alix
and she is very excited to have
Thanksgiving dinner with
famous Novelist Ryan Cole.
- Oh, great.
Well, this will be fun.
- Just suffer through
it, they like you.
And I like you.
- How much do you like me?
- Nuh uh.
(laughing) Earn it,
write five more pages.
Oh Mom, it's so peaceful here.
Yeah, every time the wind blows,
the leaves they
just shower down.
You're gonna love it.
And Ryan has this great
office, it's looking over
a beautiful little pond.
I think he's feeling better.
I mean, he's in
there working away.
(glass breaking)
(Ryan shouting)
Mom, I have to go.
Ryan?
Ryan.
Hey.
(Ryan breathing heavily)
- Hey, what happened?
Shit.
Let's get you cleaned up.
Where are those bandages?
I'll go check the bathroom.
Hey, baby.
I'm sorry.
I'm so, so sorry I scared you.
I was in the pool.
And I couldn't get out.
- See what a piece of
eggshell I have found you.
(telephone busy tone)
(door knocking)
(tense music)
- [Sheriff] Good morning, Sir.
Is there a miss Katherine
Cole present here?
- Yeah.
- I need to speak with
her immediately, please.
- Um...
okay, come in.
Uh, just hang on.
- Hi, officer.
- Are you Katherine Cole?
- Yes, what's wrong?
- I'm officer Hallerin.
Is there someplace
where we can speak?
- Um...
yeah, out back.
(telephone busy tone)
What's wrong?
- [Sheriff] Are
you alright, ma'am?
- Yes, I'm fine.
- What happened to your finger?
- I cut it.
Cleaning up some broken glass.
- Is everything okay out here?
- Go back inside, sir.
I need to speak with
your wife privately.
- What is this about, please?
- We received a call from an...
Anthea Tate indicating that she
had been unable to reach you
after hearing a
disturbance over the phone?
- Oh, yes that's my mother.
Sir, I was on the
phone last night,
and then I heard my
husband knock over
a poster frame, so I
went inside to help him
and then that's then I cut
my finger on a piece of glass
and then the phone
must have been busy.
My poor mother.
- Are you sure you're
alright, ma'am?
- Yes, I'm fine.
My husband wouldn't,
he would never hurt me.
We don't have coffee out here,
but do you want some tea?
- I'm alright, ma'am,
just doing my job.
You have a good day,
and please call us if you
ever do have a problem.
- [Kate] Thank you, sir.
- Call your mother.
(calm ambient music)
- Hey.
We're fine.
- Really?
- Really.
- [Ryan] I...
- [Kate] I know.
- [Ryan] I'm sorry, babe.
Okay.
I'm gonna go and do some work.
- [Kate] Hey, babe.
- Hey.
- What ya doin'?
- [Ryan] I forgot to drink
my tea and it got cold.
What are you doing?
- (laughing) Making
hand turkeys.
- Weird.
How's the red badge of courage?
- It's feeling good.
(kiss)
- Hey, let's go for
a walk or something.
I'm getting fuck-all
done lately.
(Kate laughing)
- It must be bad if you
actually wanna go outside.
Grab a bottle of wine,
we'll go drink it somewhere.
(Ryan moans and kisses)
(Kate laughing)
(tranquil folk music)
Wind swept through August
Caught a malaise
Killed off the hours
With pills and champagne
Oh but I laze through the days
Just the same
To store my strength
For courage in
this new dark age
Stared down the freezer
And cleared out my phone
Wheeled through the aisles
And brought nothing home
Oh I could call you
(light ambient music)
- This is beautiful.
- We don't have to worry
about chilling the wine.
(giggles)
- Come here.
(kissing)
(sighs) It is sexy how good
you are at opening alcohol.
(Kate laughing)
Kate...
what are you doin'?
- I'm trying to warm up.
- Oh, wow.
Does that help?
- Mm-hm, that's too warm.
Can we just take our
clothes off right here?
- Oh, I think it's a
little cold for that.
Here, drink some wine.
That'll cool you off.
(Kate giggles)
- These are the good
times, aren't they?
- I'm afraid so.
- Why afraid?
- If these are the good times,
what have we got
to look forward to?
- Being together in 40 years
and looking back on this.
- Yeah.
There is that.
- What are you doin'?
Oh, Mr. Writer,
always with a pen.
(giggling)
- Hey, you're
getting all skittish.
- It tickles. (giggling)
What are you doing?
- I'm gonna put this
note in this bottle...
and I'm gonna throw
it out in the water
so that no matter what,
we'll be out there in the world.
- Until somebody
finds it and thinks
they have a secret admirer.
- Better?
Done?
- Honey.
- Ah, head rush.
- (laughing) Okay.
- You ready?
There you go.
It's out there.
Let's go.
Wait, hang on.
Think I can hit the pine cone?
- (laughing) Not
in a million years.
- (groans) Alright,
double or nothing.
Huh?
(Kate giggles)
(Kate gasps)
(dark ambient music)
Shit.
(laughing) Oh my God.
- Honey, it was an accident.
- You know what,
everything I do,
it turns to shit.
I can't even throw a rock
without killing a bird.
Just like I am killing
my fucking novel.
- I thought the
writing was going well?
- I know you did.
I loved it, and I stroked
it, and I petted it to death.
130 pages into what should
be a 300 page novel,
and it is over!
- So your follow-up is
a brilliant novella,
what's wrong with that?
- It's, people will
think that is a failure.
That's not what they expect.
- Fuck 'em!
If you've said what
you've gotta say
then publish it like it is.
- Oh, God.
(sighs) Yeah, you're right.
You're right.
Yeah, you're right.
You're right.
- Alright.
- I'll keep going.
- Alright, let's bury Horace
and get you back to your
epic novel.
- You named him?
- Of course.
Come on.
I hope they don't
get lost. (laughing)
That it?
- [Ryan] Yep.
- [Kate] Okay.
(door closing)
Oh, there they are!
Okay, and don't mention
that Mom called the cops.
She was really embarrassed.
(muffled screaming)
Oh, you look so beautiful!
- [Woman] Oh, you
look beautiful.
- [Kate] Thank you
so much for coming.
Here we are!
- Look at this, it's
beautiful in here!
It's a lovely cabin.
- Thanks, Mom.
- Oh, it's great.
- And there's Ryan.
- Hello Ryan!
Come over here and give
us a hug. (laughing)
Hi, sweetie.
How are ya?
- Hey, Ryan.
- [Ryan] Hey, Alix.
- [Alix] How are you?
- So, I need to get
this in the fridge.
- Oh, of course, let me
give you a whole tour!
- [Anthea] Okay, perfect.
- Gosh, I love this cabin.
(giggles) This place is so cool.
It's really neat you guys
get to stay here for so long.
- Yeah, yeah it's pretty nice.
- Anyway, I baked this pie.
Where should I put it?
- I'd probably ask
your sister about that.
- Kate!
Where do you want the pie to go?
- [Kate] Alix, come up here!
- Ah.
(Ryan sighs)
- So is that an apple pie?
Just plain apple pie?
- [Alix] Yeah, it's the
apple crisp from the,
what is that whole,
the southern --
- [Kate] Is it grandma's?
- Is that grandma's? (laughing)
- [Kate] I think it is!
(talking over each other)
(dark ambient music)
- It's one of my favorites, too.
It's so easy, it's so easy.
- I made it like three weeks
ago, but I didn't put enough --
- And look at all those,
do you have any ice cream?
- We do, we do have ice
cream down in the basement.
(conversation
drowned out by music)
(door knocking)
- Hey, Ryan.
Can I come in?
- Sure.
- Uh, so,
my teacher asked if I
could get you to sign that.
- Huh.
First edition.
- [Alix] How can you tell?
- The number line there
starts with a one.
- So Mom and Kate can
be a lot to handle
when they haven't seen
each other for a while.
- Oh, they're fine.
I just don't know what to do
with their invisible gifts.
- You and Kate are
perfect for each other.
- Name?
- It's Alix.
Mom said you were
forgetting things, but --
- The name of your teacher.
- Shit.
I wasn't supposed
to say anything.
Please don't tell
Mom and Kate that,
they'd be so mad.
- What does she say?
- [Alix] Mom?
- Kate.
- I just heard from Mom
that she was worried.
That's all.
- Name?
- Uh, Mr. Marino.
John Marino, I think?
- Hm.
And um, (clears throat)
he teaches literature?
- Yep.
- Well, this better
get you an A.
- Right there with ya.
(dark ambient music)
Hey John, keep molding
the young minds.
Perfect.
- Simple but specific.
- The stuff in this book,
are your parents really --
- Happy, sad, fuckin'
monsters under the bed?
- Yeah.
- It's sort of an acid trip
version of real events.
- [Alix] Huh.
- Didn't you promise Kate
you wouldn't read it?
- I did but my teacher
assigned it so I had to.
Sorry.
- Yeah, just um...
don't tell her about it, okay?
- I won't, I won't.
But I don't understand why
you don't want her to know.
- I worked very hard
trying to get that
stuff out of my head
and locking it in that book.
I wasn't very happy
before I knew your sister,
and I want her to know this me.
Not this one.
- Must be scary up there.
- Hey, come on you
two, no more hiding.
We're gonna play a game.
- Once more into the
breach, dear Brutus.
- You are so weird.
Thanks.
- [Kate] Goodnight! (chuckles)
That's still not full?
- Can only take so much
air in my lungs at a time.
- Really?
I thought you were
full of hot air?
- You know, you won't be
laughing when I pass out
and you've gotta
finish this yourself.
(Kate laughing)
You know, Alix
mentioned my, um...
forgetting things.
- Shit, I'm sorry honey.
When I'm worried about
something, I talk
it out with my mom.
I know you don't, but --
- It's fine.
I'm sure that's the...
normal thing.
Mm!
(Kate giggles)
- Hi.
- Hi.
- How are you?
- Oh I'm fine, and you?
(Kate giggles)
- Seriously though, how are you?
- Please.
Do not try to have a
serious conversation with me
on top of a giant marshmallow.
(Kate giggles)
Thank you very much.
Hey!
Are you serious?
- [Kate] Mm-hm.
- You wanna do it, now?
- Mm-hm.
- Fuck it.
(Kate giggles)
God, I feel like I'm
having a three way with
you and a blowup doll.
(Kate laughing)
(both moaning)
- Oh no, honey, what happened?
- [Ryan] I think
we sunk the raft.
- Oh, fucking raft!
- [Ryan] Oh, wow.
You got a dirty mouth, sailor.
- [Kate] Yeah, I
gotta get it out now,
I can't swear in front of Mom.
(Ryan groans)
I'm going to shower.
(dark ambient music)
- [Kate] Go shower.
- Sorry, I'm still asleep.
- [Kate] You won't be after
the coldest shower ever.
- Early bird gets the worm!
- [Kate] Oh, mom!
- That was a good one!
(talking over each other)
- Cold.
- [Kate] Hey there!
- Ryan, would you put these
potatoes on the table please?
- Sure.
- Thank you.
Perfect.
(talking over each other)
- [Kate] Oh, the
cranberries look delicious.
- I'm so hungry.
(Kate laughing)
- Piping.
- [Ryan] Wow.
Beautiful.
- Ryan, would you
like to do the honors?
- Uh, no.
No no no, please feel free.
- Okay, so let's hold hands.
Say blessing for
this Thanksgiving.
(tense ambient music)
Dear Lord, thank
you for the bounty
that you place before us.
With the blessings and successes
we've had over this past year.
Thank you for our family,
and our ability to
be here together.
I'll remember those
who have gone before us
and are with you now.
On this day of thanks,
in your son's name.
Amen.
- [Kate and Alix] Amen!
(women laughing)
- Honey, you want some yams?
- Uh, yes.
Please.
Oh God, not again.
- Please don't take the
Lord's name in vain!
And yes, again.
And every year in the
future until the two of you
are no longer undefeated.
You won last year, so
we get to go first.
Alix, you draw first.
- How about we
switch teams, yeah?
- [Anthea] No, you're on
my team and you will show
no mercy, young lady!
- (groans) Okay!
Fine, watch out.
Right, let's see.
- Song, sing sing sing.
- Heart, love.
- Love!
- Song, melody?
(Kate laughing)
Music?
- Hour glass!
Love in clock, love
in time, love in,
time?
Oh, you're gonna love this one.
(Anthea and Kate laughing)
- Sum.
Finger.
America.
Pennies for heaven!
- Oh! (laughing)
Music, sing. (laughing)
- Um, waves?
Ocean, water.
- Love in the Time of Cholera!
- [Alix and Anthea] No way!
- Boat.
Ship.
Watership Down.
- Woo.
- The author, the...
of...
author of Watership Down.
- Yes!
- Oh, God.
Author of Watership Down!
Wait, no no, stop
stop stop writing.
No no, I got it, I
got it, I got it.
It's fine!
God.
Damnit.
Jesus fuck!
(smashing)
(Anthea and Alix screaming)
- Kate wait.
I'll go.
- [Kate] Mom, you don't.
- I may have raised two girls,
but I know when a
boy needs a mother.
(dark ambient music)
- Mrs. Tate.
- I think it's time you start
calling me Anthea, Ryan.
- Yes, ma'am.
I'm sorry...
I'm sorry about that and,
I'm sorry that I swore.
- That's not why I'm here.
Are you alright?
- I don't know.
- [Anthea] What is it?
(Ryan sighs)
It's like I can feel my mind...
slipping away and...
I keep grabbing at them but,
it just keeps falling
through my fingers.
And I'm afraid that one day...
it will just trickle
off and be gone.
- Have you tried prayer?
- I'm glad that your faith
sustains you, Anthea,
but it does not me.
(speaks foreign language)
- I know you don't believe,
but I do.
May I pray for you?
- Do your worst.
- Dear God,
please be here with Ryan
during his time of trouble.
Please, heal his mind,
and keep him safe
from what's happening.
In your precious son's name.
- Hey.
- Bed time, everyone.
We're gonna leave
in the morning.
- [Kate] Mom, no.
- [Alix] What?
- [Anthea] Yeah we are, Kate.
Ryan likes it quiet,
you know he does.
And he just needs to spend
some time alone with you.
And I want you to enjoy
it as long as you can.
And Kate, you need
to get him some help.
And if he won't go see someone,
you bring someone here.
He said something
to me in German.
- It's Rilke, that's the
only German he knows.
"Would not these then throw
their last, ever-hoarded,
"ever-hidden, unknown to us,
"eternally valid
coins of happiness
"before that pair with the
finally genuine smile?"
Ryan.
Time for bed.
(kissing)
(Ryan sighing)
- You look better this morning.
- Thank you, Anthea.
- [Anthea] Don't
thank me, thank --
- No, thank you for trying.
- Well...
I'm gonna pray for you, Ryan.
- Don't pray for me.
Just pray for Kate.
- Take care of yourself, Ryan.
- Bye, Ryan.
- Bye, Alix.
- [Alix] Love you.
- [Kate] Love you too.
(distant chatter)
(door closing)
- (sighs) I'm sorry.
- Come on.
Let's have second breakfast.
(warm piano music)
What's wrong?
- [Ryan] How do I make tea?
- Bitter.
You steep it too long.
With a tea bowl.
- Tea bowl.
That's the ticket.
You want any?
- At this hour?
Isn't it gonna keep
you up all night?
- Mm, pretty sure I
destroyed my body's reaction
to caffeine during
the first book.
Oi...
we gotta set those traps.
- So why isn't the
writing going well?
- It just isn't.
Remember when I told you,
after you finish some
really great writing...
it's like you just come.
Sweaty, shaking like
you need a cigarette.
- Are you cheating on
me with your writing?
- (laughing) Easy, Zelda.
- Are you complaining about
writing or trying to get sex?
- Just complaining.
Hm.
Well.
Back to it.
(dissonant piano music)
(gasps)
(mutters)
(gasps)
(groaning)
- Hey, hey.
Ryan, it's okay.
It's okay.
Hey.
Ryan.
- Jesus.
Why is it so cold in here?
- Because you left
the window open.
Come on, take a break.
I'll make some tea.
(Ryan breathes heavily)
Here.
You must be freezing!
- [Ryan] Yeah.
- Honey, do you wanna
see somebody about
this memory thing?
- I'm fine.
I promise.
It's just a little stuffy in
there, so I grabbed the window
and then I got lost
in the writing.
- Okay.
- I'm gonna try to
just, keep it going.
- (breathing heavily) Thanks.
Thanks for the tea.
- Is it going well?
- Just reworking what I'm,
what I've got.
- Keep the window closed.
(Ryan groaning and
breathing heavily)
- Shh.
Shh.
(car engine)
- Who's that?
- [Kate] Probably Doctor Taylor.
- What's he doing out here?
- He's gonna make
sure you're okay.
- God damnit.
- Well, that was mature.
(dark ambient music)
(door creaking)
Ryan.
Please do this for me.
- I don't know if I can.
- If you can't get out
of the pool yourself,
please take the rope
I'm throwing you.
- We are beyond the pool, Kate.
And before me lie nothing
but eternal things.
(sighs)
(door creaking)
- Hi.
- [Ryan] He's ready for you.
- For me?
- [Ryan] He wants
to talk to you.
- Okay.
(dark ambient music)
Hi there.
- Hey.
- [Kate] Do you want
some tea, or a cookie?
I made cookies. (giggles)
- I'm fine.
- [Kate] Are you sure?
- [Dr. Taylor] Yeah.
- [Kate] Thank you
so much, again,
for coming all the way out here.
- Oh, it's my pleasure.
It's a beautiful drive.
So, Kate.
So,
Kate.
It's never when people
are as young as Ryan.
Based on his family history
and what he's told me,
it sounds like he
has something called
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
- What is that?
- It's a extremely rare disease.
And it's caused by a build up
of abnormal prions in the brain.
Prions are little protein cells,
and they infect the
normal, non-diseased prions
and they eventually
kill the nerves in the brain.
Now...
unfortunately...
there is no cure for this.
- So what comes next,
what's the treatment?
- Kate.
There is none.
- But it could, I mean, it's
probably something else, right?
'Cause he's, I mean
he's fine, he's --
- Kate, the
combination of symptoms
that he described to me...
is only present in this
spectrum of prion diseases.
The loss of memory,
loss of balance,
the behavioral shifts, coupled
with his family history.
- What do you mean,
"his family history"?
- This is hereditary, his
father had this disease.
- His father died
in a car accident.
- His father died of this.
- Did Ryan know he might
get this and lie to me?
Kate, Kate, Kate.
Would you have lived your
life any differently?
Would you have done
anything different?
From where you are
right here looking back,
the alternative would
have been knowing sooner
that this could happen.
It was just a chance back
then, would it have been better
to know that this
could be coming?
I tried.
I tried for years
to get Ryan to get
tested and he wouldn't do it.
He didn't wanna do it, he
wanted to live life just
not knowing.
- What can I do, I mean,
what can we, where do we go?
What do we do next?
- All I can tell you is
how it progresses from here
and what to expect.
- [Kate] Okay.
- It's very aggressive,
very fast acting.
Generally takes about
three months from
the onset of the
initial symptoms.
Okay?
You'll see his memory
continue to go.
His motor skills will...
deteriorate.
Kate, I'm not gonna lie to
you, it's not gonna be easy.
You got a tough road.
At some point you'll
need professional care.
But I will be here, for you.
- Do you think we should
take him to a hospital?
- Right now,
even the most advanced
treatment that we have
would add, maybe a week.
Two at best.
Okay?
And, he'd have to be at the
hospital most of the time
which would take away from
your time together, so,
I don't recommend that.
- Do you think we
should stay here?
- You should talk to Ryan.
(door creaking)
(dark ambient music)
(crickets)
(Kate sobbing)
- Mom?
Hi.
(sobbing)
Ryan's sick.
(sobbing)
We're gonna stay here
as long as we can.
I'm okay.
I love you too.
I will.
(sobbing)
(smashing)
Have you eaten since lunch?
- I don't know.
- You haven't, eat this.
- Hey,
when I can't work
on this anymore,
I want you to send
it to Jackson.
He's expecting it.
- Is he excited?
- No.
He's pissed it's not longer.
But...
I didn't tell him about
anything else, so...
hopefully this will be enough
to keep you filthy rich
your whole long life.
- I can take care of myself.
Eat your sandwich.
- Oh. (snickers)
(melancholic music)
- Look at you in
your PJs! (giggles)
- It was cold last night.
You seemed comfy.
- You are supposed to
snuggle with me if it's cold.
- That seems like
a wonderful idea.
(Kate giggles)
- [Kate] You're all
fuzzy. (giggles)
(gasps) Whoa.
We caught a mouse!
- You set the traps?
- I can't do it!
(melancholic music)
- No, keep reading.
(kiss)
I remember this.
- I remember, what?
- Sitting like this on the park
bench in front of your dorm.
- Right after I hooked
with you because
I liked your story
in the let journal.
- Is that why it was so
easy to get you into bed?
- (laughing) What
do you mean, "easy"?
- What?
It was the first night we met.
I didn't even have
to buy you a drink.
- The drinks were
free, it was a party.
But I didn't make it
that hard for you.
- And the next day,
we were sitting like this,
on that park bench.
Both reading with
your head on my lap.
- Just because I was
slutty, apparently.
- I thought it was
because I was brilliant.
Hm?
(Kate chuckling)
(Kate panting and gasping)
(dark ambient music)
(heavy breathing)
- Hey!
- Hey, you gotta
send it to Jackson.
For me.
Please, just send it to
him, right now, the story.
'Cause I cannot trust
myself not to change it
and it is the best
that I can make it.
- Okay, like "right now", now?
- Please, just
send him an e-mail.
A PDF.
Never trust an agent.
(dissonant piano music)
- Having fun?
Ryan?
(breathing heavily)
(thud)
Oh my, what happened?
(Ryan groaning)
Are you okay?
- [Ryan] I just got dizzy.
Fell over.
- [Kate] Okay.
Let's get you back to bed.
There you go.
Hold on to me, okay?
Got me?
Hey.
Good morning.
I made breakfast.
Do you need to go
to the bathroom?
Do you need help?
- No.
- Okay.
- [Ryan] Kate!
Kate!
- Hey honey, what's wrong?
- There's a PDF on my desktop.
Did you send my
story to somebody?
- I sent it to Jackson
like you asked.
- Why did you do that?
I didn't ask you to do that.
It isn't finished!
I mean, how can it be finished
at 103 pages?
- Sweetheart, you
asked me to send it.
- No, I did not ask you!
You ruined it!
You ruined everything!
(telephone busy tone)
(Kate breathing deeply)
- Hi.
Come here.
There you go.
Yeah.
There.
Put this on.
Once there was a knight,
named Tristan.
He was the strongest
and bravest of knights,
and was sworn to a king.
One day, it came to pass
that he was sent
to a far off land,
and he won the heart
of a beautiful princess
named Isolde for his king.
On the journey home however,
they drank a potion that
bound their hearts and souls
together forever.
They were desperately in love
but could never
truly be together.
Until they died.
And two trees grew out of
their graves so entwined,
they could never be separated.
(footsteps)
- Hello, Kate.
Ryan, are you ready?
I break
Where you bend
I take what you send
And we both
Pretend
That I start
Where you end
When I say
You know
When I fall
You go
And I row this boat
Too fast
Too slow
I've got one way
And you've got
One way
And I break
Where you bend
I take what you send
We both pretend
But I know that I start
Where you end
Where you end
Where you end
Where you end
Where you end
Where you end
(birds chirping)
(dark electronic music)