Forever Mine (2022) Movie Script
1
[]
[dramatic music]
[music continues]
[footsteps echo]
[woman sighs]
Vincent.
Oh, my God.
[music continues]
[thunder rumbles]
[dramatic music]
[thunder rumbles]
Is it too good
To be true
[footsteps]
[door creaks]
[music continues faintly]
[dramatic music]
[sighs]
[playing piano]
[music continues]
[thunder rumbles]
[clocks ticking]
[ticks grows louder]
-Erica?
-Mm.
You know your clocks
are all...
nevermind.
I love this house.
You do?
I love this bedroom.
It's a fine bedroom.
I think the sheets
need christening.
Ah, but I still have
more to show you.
Mm, you do?
-Oh, yes.
-Hmm.
Well, by all means then.
Lead the way.
You gonna clean this
up before you come down?
[scoffs]
Honey, who do you
think you married?
[dramatic music]
Oh, my.
What?
Nothing.
Well, I asked for rare.
I must have misheard earlier.
This is great.
As a matter of fact,
it's perfect.
To our last night of the olds
and to our first night
of the new.
Mmm, I want more.
-More?
-I want something
more romantic.
I see.
It's the first meal we'll
ever share as a married couple.
Our lives intertwined forever.
-Are you sure
you wouldn't rather...
-No.
It's your toast. You do it.
Okay. [clears throat]
Our first toast.
Pretend it were our last.
What would you say?
[music continues]
Life... is random.
A world of madness.
Somewhere beneath
the surface of it all,
holding it together,
the only thing keeping it
from falling apart...
is beauty.
Every so often...
when man is truly blessed,
he catches that beauty
and holds it in his hand.
Tonight is my turn.
To my beautiful bride.
And to my handsome husband.
[glasses clink]
That was perfect.
[gas hissing]
You getting lost in there?
Just taking it all in.
I'm sorry your mom
wasn't with us today.
It's all right.
It's for the best.
So I have to know...
this house?
[sighs]
It's something, isn't it?
How on earth did you find it?
-I built it.
-You built this house?
I mean, I'd like to think
I know my way around
a hardware store,
but I didn't build it myself.
-I had it built.
-When?
Vincent, when did you have
time to build this house?
Bought the land
the day we met.
-[gasps]
-Don't get scared.
I was in the market anyway.
The timing
was just a coincidence.
But when I met you,
I started thinking about us.
If we might ever live together.
You built this house for us?
I built it for you.
[tea kettle whistling]
Oh.
Honey.
-[whistling stops]
-[water pouring]
Now, I want you
to drink this.
Definitely don't want
you getting sleepy on me.
Ow.
-[Erica] You all right there?
-Yeah.
[gentle music]
[Vincent]
What are you thinking?
I'm thinking about how
perfect this moment is.
And how I wish
it could last forever.
So do I, darling. So do I.
You happy?
Ask me again
at the end of the night.
-[Erica chuckles]
-[music continues]
Mmm.
[eerie warbling]
[tense music]
[door creaks]
Hello, dolly.
[sighs]
You looked beautiful today,
my darling.
Such a pretty bride.
I hope you enjoyed dinner.
Didn't I tell you
I was a good cook?
[sighs]
I'm so excited to start
our new life together.
[music resumes]
Now, Vincent,
I believe there was some talk
of christening those sheets.
It's almost time.
Not yet.
I have more to show you.
The house can wait
and I simply can't anymore.
You are a force
to be reckoned with.
What's love to you, Erica?
I think it's time I showed
you a little something.
Hmm?
[Erica moans softly]
[vase shatters]
[breathing heavily]
[door slams]
[muffled]
Punish her.
Punish her.
But it was an accident.
Vincent, I'm so sorry.
It was only an accident.
She's not supposed
to have accidents.
It wouldn't have happened
if you were in control.
Punish her.
She's almost ready.
Be patient.
-[playing piano]
-You're stalling Vincent.
Get on with it.
On second thought,
never mind this now.
Come here.
Vincent, you're shaking.
-Are you feeling alright?
-I feel fantastic.
I have something
I want to show you.
[boy] That's better.
I want my doll.
[eerie music]
[Vincent] Erica.
There's one more
part of this house
that you haven't seen yet.
I've been waiting to show it
to you at the perfect moment.
And, Erica,
I believe it's arrived.
[chuckles]
Well, by all means,
take me there.
Oh. I thought
that was a pantry.
It's not.
It's not, huh?
Well, what is it?
What is it, your gym?
Home office?
You wanna see?
Well, yeah,
I wanna see everything.
Oh, it's a basement.
[door creaks]
Oh, it's really
quiet down here.
There's a lot of work that
still needs to go on down here.
It'll be a while
until it's ready.
Watch your step, darling.
[Erica] Oh, is there
any light down here?
Oh, I think I found a light.
[Erica chuckles]
Mmm, that is bright.
What is this place?
This is where
you'll live from now on.
[chuckles]
The way your heart
stopped just now,
you should probably
listen to that.
-[crashing noise]
-[Erica struggling]
[Vincent]
It was an accident.
[boy]
She's not supposed to have
accidents. Punish her.
[Vincent]
It was an accident.
Start our new life together.
Last night of the olds,
to our first night of the new.
[Erica whimpering]
[Erica crying]
It's time we had a talk.
Take these off me.
Mmm, we both know
I'm not doing that.
[Erica breathing quickly]
This is where I'm gonna
have to be honest, Erica.
Things are gonna get
a bit worse for you
before they get better.
What is this?
This is the start
of the new life
I've been telling you about.
Now, hang with me here.
The way this will go is simple
so long as you
don't overcomplicate it.
As you can clearly see,
it's just you and chains.
Now, this is no way
to live, right?
So going forward,
I will make requests.
-[Erica whimpering]
-If you oblige,
I will reward you.
For example, an easy one.
If I say, tell me your name,
then you'd say...
You can't do this.
See, that's not the answer
I was looking for.
So now you don't get a reward.
Had you answered,
"My name is Erica,"
then I would've
given you a chair
so you wouldn't have
to sit on the cold floor.
Another answer gets you light,
another gets you heat,
water,
food, a bucket to pee in.
Are we understanding
the situation?
[Erica whimpering]
What do you want?
I want you...
to be really scared.
-Are you?
-Yes. Yes.
Not yet.
Not really.
But when you've had that cold
touch of steel on your wrists
for a month,
your head pounding,
your mouth dry,
your legs numb,
when you realize
that the days and weeks
and months are just
the beginning,
when you realize you'll
never see your mother again...
then you'll truly
start to be scared.
You don't know
what you're doing.
You have to let me go.
Oh, Erica.
You're gonna stubborn your way
into making this a lot harder
on yourself, aren't you?
Vincent. Let me out of here,
you son of a bitch.
People are gonna know
I've gone missing.
People are gonna come
looking for me.
Who? Hmm?
The coworkers at the job
you quit after six months
because I was gonna
take care of you?
The mother in the old folks
home with Alzheimer's so bad
she doesn't even know
who you are?
The neighbors in the building
you moved out of
to come live here?
No one will look
for you, Erica.
This is your new life now.
[Vincent chuckles]
Have fun.
-Wait.
-[door slams]
[]
[Erica crying]
[crowd applauding]
[animal growling]
And there I thought falling
in love was the hard part.
[crowd cheering]
[]
[]
[Erica]
Look at you, Vinnie.
Once upon a time...
my mama
fooled me something good.
It was Christmas, you see?
And she told me
Santa Claus
would be
coming down our chimney,
but I wasn't allowed
to see him
because his magic
was precious.
And if I peeked, then he
would be gone like smoke.
But I sure wasn't gonna
let Santa into my house
without getting even one peak.
So I stayed up and waited until
I heard noises downstairs.
Now I knew it wasn't
Daddy coming home.
He never could
get a better job
than graveyard shift
at the fancy hotel.
so I crawled
downstairs real quiet.
I was so excited.
And what did I see?
Santa having himself a merry
Christmas up my mama's chimney.
[moaning]
Fuck me, Santa.
-Ho, ho, ho.
-[audience laughing]
Later, it occurred to me
that Santa looked a lot like
our next door neighbor,
Mr. Rigsby.
-[rim shot]
-[audience laughs]
Wasn't too happy
with Mama after that
and I vowed never to be
made a fool of again.
And I kept
that promise, Vincent...
right up till today.
[animal growling]
So I guess we both have our
little secrets, huh, Vincent?
My dear, sweet,
charming husband.
How about now...
I show you mine?
[animal growling]
[box rattles]
Adorable.
[snaps]
[camera shutter clicks]
This was my first husband.
Phillip was a mechanic.
Good with his hands.
Not much money, that one,
but I didn't mind.
We had the cutest little
apartment and we were so happy.
He cleaned up real nice too.
And he did it just for me.
It was on our
first anniversary that
Philip accidentally had
soup with shellfish in it.
He was deathly allergic,
you see.
-Mm.
-And poor Philip.
He was down in about a minute.
-[coughing]
-Well, actually it was
one minute, 37 seconds.
I timed it.
[audience gasps]
That was my husband.
But, oh, how he loved me.
And, oh, how I loved him.
Didn't you, darling?
Tell him.
I love you more
than life itself, Jane.
Phillip and Jane.
That was us.
[camera shutter clicks]
My second husband, Tommy.
Tommy was a writer.
[camera clicking]
And like all the greats,
he hit the bottle
every once in a while.
But he had such
a way with words.
Six months
after we were married,
poor Tommy...
got drunk one night
and fell down the stairs...
[thumping]
hitting his head
right on that glass table
he insisted we kept
at the bottom landing.
-[Erica crying]
-[heart monitor beeping]
Or maybe I insisted.
[crying]
That's my husband.
[whimpering]
Oh, God.
Oh, Tommy.
We were good together,
weren't we?
It was true love, wasn't it?
The evening star shines
brighter in the nighttime sky
when you are near
yet pales in comparison
to your beauty.
[sighs]
See what I mean
about that poetry?
Tommy and Barbara,
we're a couple to envy indeed.
[camera shutter clicks]
Fred.
Husband number three was Fred,
a noble,
dedicated police officer.
-[camera clicks]
-[police radio chatter]
A challenge.
but then I had the privilege
of finding out
what lay underneath.
When we were alone,
love flowed out of him
as deep as an ocean.
But a police officer
has a dangerous job.
-[gunshots]
-Especially when his weapon
unexpectedly jams
during an altercation
with a violent perp.
And to think,
such a tragic incident
could have happened
a mere two months
after he got married.
[bagpipes playing]
I've always wanted
to slide down a doorframe
while crying.
[crying]
Oh my strong, dependable Fred.
How much did you love me?
Courtney, I love you to
the moon and back, my angel.
Would you do anything for me?
Anything.
Would you be willing
to die for me?
Without hesitation.
I love a man
who keeps his promises.
[camera shutter clicks]
And that...
brings me...
to you, Vincent.
Funny, charming,
confident in a way
that the others weren't
and yet, masking
a lost little boy within.
Little did I realize that boy
was a raging psychopath
with anger and control issues.
I guess the devil's
in the details, huh?
[piano playing]
You did a bad thing, Vincent.
-But I love you, Erica.
-Lies!
Guess you sure
fooled me, Vincent.
Just like my mama
did all those years ago.
Well, this is new.
So Erica has been beaten,
slapped around and chained up
on her wedding night.
Boys, wanna help me figure out
who in the holy fuck
I married this time?
[]
[heart beating]
[piano continues softly]
[doll's joints creak]
I have been waiting
a long time for you, Erica.
Jesus Christ.
Vinnie.
What is it?
She stopped moving.
It's not working.
What do you mean
not working?
It's a doll. It moves
when I tell it to move.
Something's wrong.
[]
[thunder crashes]
[]
[thunder crashes]
[footsteps echo]
[microphone feedback]
Gentlemen,
let's dim the lights,
let's shorten the dress,
let's pour the gin
and light the cigarettes.
But don't you dare
actually dim the lights.
It takes effort
to look this good.
And let's take a walk down
memory lane with Vincent.
At first, he seemed charming.
Maybe a little arrogant,
but nothing out of the ordinary.
Or so I thought.
Then--
then there was our third date.
Oh, he was on fire that night.
We were laughing,
the wine was flowing,
I came back and told you
guys all about it, remember?
And I was sure we were
headed back to his place.
But then outta nowhere...
"I'm sorry," he said.
I've been in relationships...
-...before that moved...
-...too fast.
"And I don't want either of
us to get hurt," he said.
I thought it was... sweet.
My Vincent
has a soft, gooey center.
I can understand that.
It wasn't what I was expecting
and, sure, I had needs
and I was wearing
my best red lace.
Remember that?
[laughs]
But he didn't have to know that,
so I let it go.
I let it go right up until...
Forget about the pictures.
It doesn't matter.
It's not like
she's a real person.
Right. Just put it
out of my mind.
[]
[doll's joints crack]
[playing piano]
It's working.
Two months later,
I talked to him into
a little weekend getaway.
I packed a bag,
same red lace as before
and I was damn sure
ready to show it off this time.
[glasses clink]
Things were getting
hot and heavy
in the hotel room
when right out of nowhere--
I-I-I can't.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"Oh, but, baby," I said.
We've been together
a really long time now.
"I seriously doubt
you're gonna hurt me."
Ha!
Guess that's pretty
funny now, isn't it?
It's not that.
-I'm...
-"I'm..."
-I'm...
-"I'm..."
I'm Catholic.
"Catholic."
[laughing]
My Vincent
was a good...
Catholic boy.
Yeah, I understand.
[Erica sighs]
I can work with that.
Guess I really
should have paid attention.
[sighs]
[doll's joints creaking]
[heart beating]
And that brings me to
a strike number three.
-Hey.
-What?
Marry me, will you?
[gasps]
I was speechless.
I didn't know what to say.
What to do.
I'd never gotten
there so fast before.
Yet, all I could
think was...
"this is perfect."
After every single one of you,
I always feared I'd never
find another perfect moment.
And yet, there we were.
Are you waiting for it to
be more of a formal question?
[gasps]
Oh! Oh, my God.
Erica, will you do
me the honors of being--
Yes. I will.
I will. I will. Yes.
I may have
jumped the gun a bit.
I always do that.
I get so excited
at the proposals.
Well, I don't have
to tell you guys that.
You guys know that.
Tommy especially knows that.
[audience laughs]
I just wanna capture that
moment and hold it in my hands.
Yes. And you know
what the best part is?
I wanted him
so bad I was shaking.
And my body started
doing the things
my mind had been dreaming of.
Wait.
You're still worried
about how this looks
in the eyes of the Lord?
He knows we're committed
to each other now.
And then, I may have laid
it on a little bit thick.
I want you inside me.
[audience groans]
[doll's joints creaking]
[piano music]
Now, I've known
all kinds of boys:
shy boys,
confident boys,
playboys and cowboys.
And here's what I know.
If you jump on top of one and
tell him a thing like that,
if you don't notice him
standing to attention...
[audience laughs]
Not my Vincent, though.
He wanted nothing.
-Wait.
-Now he played it off
really cool.
"It's about something bigger
than the two of us," he said.
We can't do this yet.
We have to start our
new life together first.
Oh.
Boys...
[doll's joints creaking]
I think we've solved
our mystery.
This isn't working.
[Vinnie] Would it
help if I turned around?
Don't patronize me.
I thought this is what
you've been asking for.
Isn't she perfect?
Aren't you happy now?
I know what's wrong.
You're scared.
I am not scared of that.
She made a fool out of you.
-No she didn't.
-Of course she did.
I'm still in charge.
Vincent the fool.
You're scared.
She lied to you.
She made a mockery
of all of your plans.
Shut up.
Don't forget,
she's not even a real person.
She's just a thing.
-She belongs to us.
-I know that.
You're pathetic.
You're afraid to go confront
her, coward.
I'm not a coward.
-[glass shatters]
-[Vincent sighs]
Wanna know what I think?
What, Vinnie?
What do you think?
I think your blushing bride
killed those men
in the pictures.
If she fell for you,
do you really think there's
nothing wrong with her?
I'm waiting for you,
you pathetic little freak.
You're just a little boy playing
games, aren't you, Vincent?
-[door opens]
-Well then...
[footsteps]
let's... play.
[crying]
Please, Vincent.
Please, don't leave me
down here alone again.
I'm so scared.
-You're not selling it.
-[audience booing]
You might want
to bring it down a bit.
I just don't believe
you're as scared as you say.
[continues crying]
Who are these men?
Okay. New game.
Who are they?.
Well, I see someone's
been through my things
and you wrinkled my pictures.
You know that's all I have
left of 'em, don't you?
Who are they?
They were my husbands,
Vincent.
But you already knew that.
Where are they?
How would I know?
I don't keep tabs on my exes.
Yeah, don't keep tabs...
or forgot where
you buried them?
[coughs]
Okay.
Not as dumb as I thought.
What are you talking about?
You play dumb with me,
little girl,
and I will break
every bone in your body
and pour hot coffee down your
throat so you can't pass out.
Jesus.
Well, we're just going
for the top-shelf stuff
right away, aren't we?
Way to negotiate.
Where are they?
Seems like you already know
the answer to that one, too.
Don't you, Vinnie?
-You killed them?
-Yes.
-How?
-Convincingly accidental.
Poison?
Funny you jumped
straight to that.
Wanna hear
something really sad?
Vincent died of a heart
attack on his wedding night.
I guess after waiting so long
to give himself to his bride,
his little heart just gave out.
Poison's a bitch like that.
Vincent and Erica
were only meant to have
one night together.
Were you gonna poison me?
Going to? No.
I'm afraid I already did.
No, she couldn't have.
No, she couldn't have.
[screaming]
[scoffs]
There's no way.
You're right.
There's no way.
Except you're already starting
to feel the side effects,
aren't you?
Your heart's pounding
a mile a minute.
Your mouth's dry.
Are you getting
that metallic taste
in the back of your throat yet?
Yeah, it works fast.
You're bluffing.
Wanna bet?
So, we have a problem.
We don't have a problem.
You do.
You have a big problem,
'cause the way I see it,
in a little while,
I'll keel over dead
quick, easy, painless.
-Well...
-But if I don't unlock
those cuffs before then
you'll die down here
the slow agonizing death
that you deserve.
Or you do unlock these chains
and I'll show you
how to neutralize the toxins
in your body.
I mean, you might have
a splitting headache
and throw up a lot,
but you won't be dead.
Do I look like
I was born yesterday?
There's no cure for poison.
Of course there is.
What do you think
doctors give people
who come in with snake bites?
"Sorry, fella.
That's why they tell
you to check your boots
before putting them on."
Then I'll drive myself to
the emergency room right now.
Well, since you insisted
on this charming house
in the middle of nowhere,
suppose you even make
it to an emergency room.
What are you gonna tell them?
"My wife, whom I have
locked up in my basement,
poisoned me with something."
Fun fact about antidotes,
they target specific toxins.
So without actually knowing
what you're inflicted with,
they can actually
exacerbate things.
You know, make 'em worse.
Then what did you
poison me with?
Hmm, that's for me to know
and tell you
with two free hands.
I'll kill your mother.
Yeah, sorry Erica.
But that was always
the insurance plan
in case you didn't behave.
I'll drive over
to that nursing home,
wrap a rope around her neck
until her eyes
pop out of her skull.
I bet it wouldn't
take much effort either.
She doesn't seem like she
has much fight left in her.
So give me
the antidote right now,
or I leave you here...
and make mom
my last order of business.
[whimpering]
[laughing]
Why is that funny?
[clears throat]
Because you
can't kill my mother.
That Santa-loving whore
died of cancer 10 years ago.
Shame, really.
She never even
got to see me get married...
and married...
and married...
and married.
As for the old lady
I introduced you to,
I don't know
if you noticed this,
but she kind of
has no idea who I am.
She's not my mother.
She's just some old lady
who happened to have the right
amount of Alzheimer's.
The devil's
in the details, Vincent.
You should have
paid closer attention.
-Sorry, Vinnie.
-Vincent.
Looks like the insurance
just denied your claim.
How long?
[]
Well...
let's just say
you're definitely turning
into a pumpkin at midnight.
-Tick tock, Vincent.
-Tock.
If I die, you die.
[animal growls]
Or we find some other way to
settle our minor differences
and both walk out of this
to go ruin
someone else's life.
At least my death
will be quick.
But you, you get to feel
every agonizing second of it.
-[footsteps]
-[door slams]
[Vinnie echoing]
She's lying. Punish her.
-[Vinnie] She's a liar.
-[Vincent] It's here.
-[Vinnie] Get it from her.
-[Vincent] It has to be.
[Vinnie's voice echoing]
This is your mind.
This is your mind.
You have to find it.
Control yourself.
This is your mind.
[Vinnie's voice continues]
[Vincent screams]
[Vinnie] This is your mind,
get control.
If you don't, we'll die.
We'll die.
How could she do this to me?
How could I let her
do this to me?
-[Vinnie] This is your mind.
-[Vincent screams]
You're the one who wanted her.
I wanted a companion.
A relationship. A life.
You wanted that.
[doll's joints creaking]
[heart beating]
See, she's not even a real--
[screams]
[record static]
[Vincent] Get control.
-Get control.
-[glass shatters]
How did I get here?
[Vinnie] Crazy people
don't get away with murder
three times
and not get caught.
Is this what I deserve?
Sane people do.
And sane people
always want something.
No. No.
What is so wrong with me
that I could possibly
deserve something like this?
What is it that she wants?
Just because I love completely.
Is that such a crime?
She doesn't want money.
-[Vinnie] Think.
-[Vincent] The house?
She didn't know it existed
till you brought her here.
Some kind of help?
[Vinnie] Why poison
you before asking for it?
Think.
-She did it today.
-[Vinnie] Poisoned you.
Which means
whatever she wants from me--
[Vinnie] She got it today.
[Erica] As a matter
of fact, it's perfect.
It's perfect...
perfect... perfect.
Perfect.
Perfect what?
Love.
Know what the problem
with love is?
People don't realize
it's finite.
Fairy tales have it wrong.
"And they lived
happily ever after."
What a beautiful thought.
But here's what people
don't realize--
ever after is a long,
long time
during which
love is going to wane,
wither, and die.
[blows]
Just like everything
else in this world,
a whimpery, pathetic death.
And it would've been years...
before you even realized
that love is gone
before you can see what that
broken love has done to you.
She wants...
to be loved.
Perfect love.
[Erica]
Love is not a thing
that just floats passively
between two people.
Love is a creature
all on its own.
[]
It lives and it breathes.
And you have to nurture it.
[doll's joints creaking]
And protect it.
And know when to harvest it.
You let love go for too long...
it'll fade,
capsize,
turn ugly,
make a fool out of you.
It's only perfect
because it ends.
Did you ever love me, Vincent?
I loved you.
Can someone like you
even feel love?
[]
[door creaks]
Do your worst, Vincent.
Erica.
We have some things
we need to talk about.
[handcuffs click]
Sit down.
I'll get you some ice.
Suit yourself.
Honey, do you
really wanna fight me?
No.
That is not at all what I
wanted to do with you tonight.
And stop calling me honey.
It's cruel.
What would you prefer?
I'm guessing Erica
isn't your real name.
It is tonight.
Okay, then.
Erica, have you ever played
that game "Ask Me Anything?"
Sounds made up.
As you can surmise
from the name,
it's pretty straightforward.
The person doesn't answer a
question truthfully, they lose.
Well, how would you know
they were telling the truth?
They could just lie.
I'll go first
as a gesture of goodwill.
Ask me anything.
Is your name really Vincent?
Yes, it is.
But you know that.
You've seen
my birth certificate.
And unlike me,
you've met my actual mother.
So come on,
ask me a real question.
Fine. Does she know
what a charmer she raised?
My mother always thought I was
her perfect little angel.
Guess I had her fooled, too.
My turn.
Do I have your word?
Scout's honor?
What happens if I lie?
You gonna lock me up again?
I don't know how much
good that'll do me.
The way I figure it,
I'll be dead soon
and you'll do whatever
you were gonna do.
Call the cops,
tell 'em I died
of a heart attack,
show them my little
Erica room downstairs,
tell 'em all about
what a monster I am.
But then again, maybe not.
You don't want the cops
looking at you too hard.
Maybe when I die
you'll just run.
But I'll be the fourth
husband you've killed?
Women like you
can't run forever.
You'll end up in chains
one way or another.
So that's a no?
That's a no.
I won't lock you up anymore.
Okay then.
How long do I have?
Not long.
An hour, maybe.
Your countdown is ticking.
-Your turn.
-Have you ever done this
to anyone else?
No.
So tonight's your first time?
Yes.
The men.
Those photos in the box.
Did you love them?
[Erica] Passionately.
Why do you need me
to be afraid?
Because you can't get it up?
Because I can't get it up.
Huh. We are being honest.
Not the most romantic
thing you've ever heard?
I need control.
Why?
Inside of me there's a...
darkness.
A bad force.
And I do horrible things to
make up for the inadequacies
it causes.
My problem isn't physical.
I'm...
simply always
at war with myself.
[]
I searched so long
for the right woman.
I am so excited to start
our new life together.
Thought you were her.
[Erica] You thought I was
your perfect victim?
Yeah, maybe.
Maybe not.
You're the first woman I've
ever tried to be myself with
and I've looked,
I've dated,
but I never found anyone
who I thought
could be the right person.
And then you come along and,
on the surface,
it would seem
that you had a pretty big
secret of your own, too.
But then it got me thinking.
Years of searching
for the right person
led me right to you.
I mean,
it has to mean something.
-Do I look like an idiot?
-No. No, you don't.
The truth is, I don't know
anything about you at all.
Everything you've told me
about yourself,
your family, your world,
everything was a lie.
But here we are,
these two people
keeping these giant
secrets from each other,
concealing the things
that make us outcasts
from polite society.
And somehow through all that,
we found one another.
But how's a woman like you,
so careful,
so clever,
that she can get away
with disposing of husband after
husband over and over again
without ever getting caught?
How does a woman like that...
fall for someone like me?
What are you thinking?
I think you tricked me.
I didn't trick you.
I hid a part of myself from you.
I thought I had to
and so did you.
What if...
we're just
two broken souls...
who somehow in all this
madness and all this chaos...
found each other?
-No.
-No.
No what?
You don't love me.
You never did.
Erica.
A man's imminent death
makes him think,
makes him... feel.
I know what I'm about
to tell you is true.
And before I go,
I have to say it.
What is it?
I...
Say it.
I...
-Vincent.
-Say it.
I...
[]
I...
...love you.
[both chuckle]
I love you, Erica.
You mean that?
With every inch of
my up fucked up being.
Now get that antidote!
[doll's joints creaking]
[gasps]
[both panting]
Now, I want you
to drink this.
Definitely don't want
you getting sleepy on me.
Ow.
You never drank the tea.
No.
No!
[hits piano keys]
[glass shatters]
[Erica struggling]
Take her apart.
[Erica breathing heavily]
[Erica] Vincent! No!
You... don't love me!
-No.
-No?
No.
[thunder crashes]
[Erica whimpering]
-[whimpering]
-You bitch!
[Erica grunts]
You lied to me!
You can't love anything!
No one could ever
love a beast like you.
[Erica struggling]
-[Vincent screaming]
-[doll shattering]
[Erica screaming]
You made me
think you loved me.
[continues screaming]
You don't deserve this!
[both screaming]
Love me.
[sobs]
[thunder rumbling]
So how long
do we sit here for?
Till I decide
what I'm gonna do to you
and how I'm going to do it.
Well, if you'd be so kind,
would you mind hurrying it up?
I'm thirsty.
What I wouldn't...
Oh, fuck it, it's all
out in the open now.
Oh, what? Did you miss this
in what I assume
was your frantic search
through my things?
Don't worry.
[clattering]
[scoffs]
You smoke?
Erica would never smoke.
And neither would Jane
or Barbara or Courtney.
But, yeah, I smoke.
[clicks]
I smoke...
[inhales deeply]
and you lock up women
in your basement.
It's nice to meet you, Vincent.
I'm prepared to bargain.
-For what?
-Favors.
[sighs] Jesus.
Oh, I misunderstood,
I thought you were thirsty.
I'm not playing your
cruel games anymore.
That's not
a very cooperative attitude.
You lied to me.
I'd say that makes us even,
baby doll.
You wanna know something?
You screwed up.
I'm not poisoned.
This whole night
I couldn't figure out
how you could have
poisoned me.
Then I realized the only
thing you've given me tonight
that I didn't make
for myself is this.
So now we have
a different problem, honey.
I told you not to call me that.
I know what you planned
to do to me.
So I can't trust you around
so much as my toothbrush
without worrying
you'll try again.
You know what I wanted
to do to you,
but I can't trust
you'll ever make
the transformation I need.
However, this is my house.
This is my domain
and I've got the key.
So, guess I don't need
you at all now, do I?
What are you gonna do, Vincent?
Kill me and bury me
in the backyard?
Not in that order.
Go ahead.
Listen to you.
You still think you're
the victim in all this.
I've got news for you, Erica.
You're not a victim.
You tried to kill me.
All this business about love,
you loved me,
we were in love.
You are a psychopath.
Somebody who loves a person
doesn't just kill them
when they get bored.
That's not love.
That's brain damage.
And you've done it at
least three times before.
You think you were in love?
Let me ask you this,
would your late husbands
have killed you.
Eventually.
How do you figure?
Well, maybe not physically,
but their love for me
would've waned over time.
Grown dim, cold.
It's not the same thing
as killing you.
Isn't it though?
[thunder continues]
What is life after love?
Get that head
of yours screwed on right.
Love doesn't work that way.
If there's one thing I enjoy,
it's taking lessons of the heart
from someone
who can't see other people
as anything besides objects
which he can control,
nay, must control.
I was never gonna kill you.
Bully for you.
I have tendencies,
maybe even some unusual ones,
but I am not evil.
-And I am?
-The very definition.
So kill me.
Bury me in the backyard.
And spend your next few years
looking for your next
perfect victim,
your next baby doll.
-And then what?
-Nothing.
We start a new life together
and live happily ever after
literally over your dead body.
But I guess you're gonna
tell me how I'm wrong.
No, I have no interest
in psychoanalyzing you.
I'm perfectly comfortable
saying there's no point.
Why stop now?
You're doing such a good job.
Dragging your own feet,
trying to save your own life.
My life?
Do you really think
that's what's important
to me right now?
You broke my heart, Vincent!
And whatever horrible thing
you might think about me,
do consider this--
all I ever wanted was
to find that perfect love...
and to bottle it when it
was pure and wonderful.
I thought
I had that with you.
I would've never forgotten you.
I would've loved you,
missed you,
and mourned you forever.
And it could
have been so beautiful.
But you lied to me!
You were gonna poison me!
You were gonna kill me
just like the rest of them.
-I wasn't special.
-You were.
You have no idea
what you mean to me.
You have no idea what
I'm willing to do for love.
Then why didn't you die
with the rest of them?
Then who would remember
what we had together?
You really believe your
own bullshit, don't you?
Do you want proof?
I'd be delighted to have some.
Be careful what
you wish for, Vincent.
Oh, don't make that face.
You were gonna kill me anyway.
-Where's the antidote?
-There isn't one.
There never was.
For the record though...
dying for someone else,
that's love.
I guess it's my turn
to be remembered.
I love you, Vincent.
[]
Now do you believe me?
What's the matter?
You were gonna kill me anyway.
There, you're off hook.
Just did it for you.
Wait a couple hours,
it'll look like a heart attack.
Why?
Why did you do that?
Why did you do that?
Say my name.
Erica.
[]
I'm dying, Vincent.
Now, I believe there was some
promise of a shallow grave?
[slams shut]
[not playing]
[rattling]
[creaking]
-[joints creaking]
-[]
-[screams]
-[doll growls]
No. Vincent.
Vincent. No. No.
[doll snarls]
Vincent, no.
You're mine!
I'm in control.
No. Vincent.
[no audible dialog]
[screams]
Vincent!
[crunches]
[Vincent echoing]
I wanted a companion.
A relationship. A life.
I would have loved you.
I wanted a companion.
A relationship. A life.
Our first toast.
Pretend it were our last.
-I built it for you.
-What would you say?
[Vincent] What's love to you?
Erica.
A world of madness.
[Erica] You happy?
Ask me again
at the end of the night.
I love you, Vincent.
[]
[Erika moans]
[]
[wind blowing]
[breathing heavily]
[footsteps echo]
[moaning]
I lust for you, babe
I lust for you now
Tension is hiding
Getting harder in silence
[Erica moaning]
Give me a new name
You cannot hold me down
You can trust me,
But maybe
You can teach me somehow
I got power,
Just give me an hour
You know I'll devour the
Thoughts in your mind
Be my desire
I'll play with fire
I'll bring out the parts
That you're trying to hide
'Cause you
You think
That you want me
All you do is owe me
More than money could buy
Yeah, you
You think
That you know me
All you really do
Is show me
That you're wasting
My time
I lust for you, babe
I lust for you now
Tension is hiding
Getting harder in silence
Give me a new name
You cannot hold me down
You can trust me,
But maybe
You can teach me somehow
I got the power
Just give me an hour
You know I'll devour the
Thoughts in your mind
Be my desire
I'll play with fire
I'll bring out the parts
That you're trying to hide
'Cause you
You think
That you know me
All you really do
Is show me
That you're wasting
My time
[Erica moaning]
'Cause you
You think
That you own me
All you do is owe me
More than money could buy
Yeah, you
You think
That you know me
All you really do
Is show me
That you're wasting
My time
[music fades]
[Erica moans]
I don't want to lose you.
Do you love me?
Yes.
Then you won't lose me.
Maybe--
maybe it's not too late.
Maybe we can...
[Vincent coughs]
[]
[continues coughing]
[gasping]
It's okay. It's okay.
[Vincent grunting]
Oh, Vincent.
It's all right.
It's all right.
Oh, my dear Vincent.
Why ever did you think
it was in the tea?
Do you take this man to be
your lawful wedded husband,
to have and to hold in
sickness and in health
as long as you both shall live?
I so do.
I now pronounce you
husband and wife.
You may now kiss your bride.
[chuckles]
[Erica cries]
You...
You'll always be mine.
[]
[Erica cries]
[sobbing]
Tell 'em, Vincent.
I love you, Erica.
There you have it.
Vincent and Erica.
A perfect love story.
[laughing]
[footsteps echoing]
Thank you.
Thank you all
for being here tonight.
I am just ecstatic
to see so much potential
love in this world.
It is truly a beautiful,
breathtaking sight
And I-- I cannot wait to meet
each and every one of you.
[crowd applauds]
[]
[crowd applauds]
[doll's joints creaking]
[screams]
No more talking about it
The way it is,
The way it is
It's no mystery
There's no getting
Around it
When you're here,
When you're here
We got chemistry
We light up
We light up
When we ignite
We ignite
We are stars
we are stars
In a darkened sky
When you leave
Don't forget to remember
Don't forget
To remember me
When you leave
Don't forget to remember
Don't forget
To remember me
Remember me
I fight for you
Every second
To keep your touch
Keep your touch
In my memory
I'll try not to regret it
What could have been
Should have been
If you had stayed with me
When you leave
Don't forget to remember
Don't forget
To remember me
When you leave
Don't forget to remember
Don't forget
To remember me
Remember me
Remember me
We light up
When we ignite
We are stars
In a darkened sky
When you leave
Don't forget to remember
Don't forget
To remember me
When you leave
Don't forget to remember
Don't forget
To remember me
Remember me
Remember me
Remember me
[]
[dramatic music]
[music continues]
[footsteps echo]
[woman sighs]
Vincent.
Oh, my God.
[music continues]
[thunder rumbles]
[dramatic music]
[thunder rumbles]
Is it too good
To be true
[footsteps]
[door creaks]
[music continues faintly]
[dramatic music]
[sighs]
[playing piano]
[music continues]
[thunder rumbles]
[clocks ticking]
[ticks grows louder]
-Erica?
-Mm.
You know your clocks
are all...
nevermind.
I love this house.
You do?
I love this bedroom.
It's a fine bedroom.
I think the sheets
need christening.
Ah, but I still have
more to show you.
Mm, you do?
-Oh, yes.
-Hmm.
Well, by all means then.
Lead the way.
You gonna clean this
up before you come down?
[scoffs]
Honey, who do you
think you married?
[dramatic music]
Oh, my.
What?
Nothing.
Well, I asked for rare.
I must have misheard earlier.
This is great.
As a matter of fact,
it's perfect.
To our last night of the olds
and to our first night
of the new.
Mmm, I want more.
-More?
-I want something
more romantic.
I see.
It's the first meal we'll
ever share as a married couple.
Our lives intertwined forever.
-Are you sure
you wouldn't rather...
-No.
It's your toast. You do it.
Okay. [clears throat]
Our first toast.
Pretend it were our last.
What would you say?
[music continues]
Life... is random.
A world of madness.
Somewhere beneath
the surface of it all,
holding it together,
the only thing keeping it
from falling apart...
is beauty.
Every so often...
when man is truly blessed,
he catches that beauty
and holds it in his hand.
Tonight is my turn.
To my beautiful bride.
And to my handsome husband.
[glasses clink]
That was perfect.
[gas hissing]
You getting lost in there?
Just taking it all in.
I'm sorry your mom
wasn't with us today.
It's all right.
It's for the best.
So I have to know...
this house?
[sighs]
It's something, isn't it?
How on earth did you find it?
-I built it.
-You built this house?
I mean, I'd like to think
I know my way around
a hardware store,
but I didn't build it myself.
-I had it built.
-When?
Vincent, when did you have
time to build this house?
Bought the land
the day we met.
-[gasps]
-Don't get scared.
I was in the market anyway.
The timing
was just a coincidence.
But when I met you,
I started thinking about us.
If we might ever live together.
You built this house for us?
I built it for you.
[tea kettle whistling]
Oh.
Honey.
-[whistling stops]
-[water pouring]
Now, I want you
to drink this.
Definitely don't want
you getting sleepy on me.
Ow.
-[Erica] You all right there?
-Yeah.
[gentle music]
[Vincent]
What are you thinking?
I'm thinking about how
perfect this moment is.
And how I wish
it could last forever.
So do I, darling. So do I.
You happy?
Ask me again
at the end of the night.
-[Erica chuckles]
-[music continues]
Mmm.
[eerie warbling]
[tense music]
[door creaks]
Hello, dolly.
[sighs]
You looked beautiful today,
my darling.
Such a pretty bride.
I hope you enjoyed dinner.
Didn't I tell you
I was a good cook?
[sighs]
I'm so excited to start
our new life together.
[music resumes]
Now, Vincent,
I believe there was some talk
of christening those sheets.
It's almost time.
Not yet.
I have more to show you.
The house can wait
and I simply can't anymore.
You are a force
to be reckoned with.
What's love to you, Erica?
I think it's time I showed
you a little something.
Hmm?
[Erica moans softly]
[vase shatters]
[breathing heavily]
[door slams]
[muffled]
Punish her.
Punish her.
But it was an accident.
Vincent, I'm so sorry.
It was only an accident.
She's not supposed
to have accidents.
It wouldn't have happened
if you were in control.
Punish her.
She's almost ready.
Be patient.
-[playing piano]
-You're stalling Vincent.
Get on with it.
On second thought,
never mind this now.
Come here.
Vincent, you're shaking.
-Are you feeling alright?
-I feel fantastic.
I have something
I want to show you.
[boy] That's better.
I want my doll.
[eerie music]
[Vincent] Erica.
There's one more
part of this house
that you haven't seen yet.
I've been waiting to show it
to you at the perfect moment.
And, Erica,
I believe it's arrived.
[chuckles]
Well, by all means,
take me there.
Oh. I thought
that was a pantry.
It's not.
It's not, huh?
Well, what is it?
What is it, your gym?
Home office?
You wanna see?
Well, yeah,
I wanna see everything.
Oh, it's a basement.
[door creaks]
Oh, it's really
quiet down here.
There's a lot of work that
still needs to go on down here.
It'll be a while
until it's ready.
Watch your step, darling.
[Erica] Oh, is there
any light down here?
Oh, I think I found a light.
[Erica chuckles]
Mmm, that is bright.
What is this place?
This is where
you'll live from now on.
[chuckles]
The way your heart
stopped just now,
you should probably
listen to that.
-[crashing noise]
-[Erica struggling]
[Vincent]
It was an accident.
[boy]
She's not supposed to have
accidents. Punish her.
[Vincent]
It was an accident.
Start our new life together.
Last night of the olds,
to our first night of the new.
[Erica whimpering]
[Erica crying]
It's time we had a talk.
Take these off me.
Mmm, we both know
I'm not doing that.
[Erica breathing quickly]
This is where I'm gonna
have to be honest, Erica.
Things are gonna get
a bit worse for you
before they get better.
What is this?
This is the start
of the new life
I've been telling you about.
Now, hang with me here.
The way this will go is simple
so long as you
don't overcomplicate it.
As you can clearly see,
it's just you and chains.
Now, this is no way
to live, right?
So going forward,
I will make requests.
-[Erica whimpering]
-If you oblige,
I will reward you.
For example, an easy one.
If I say, tell me your name,
then you'd say...
You can't do this.
See, that's not the answer
I was looking for.
So now you don't get a reward.
Had you answered,
"My name is Erica,"
then I would've
given you a chair
so you wouldn't have
to sit on the cold floor.
Another answer gets you light,
another gets you heat,
water,
food, a bucket to pee in.
Are we understanding
the situation?
[Erica whimpering]
What do you want?
I want you...
to be really scared.
-Are you?
-Yes. Yes.
Not yet.
Not really.
But when you've had that cold
touch of steel on your wrists
for a month,
your head pounding,
your mouth dry,
your legs numb,
when you realize
that the days and weeks
and months are just
the beginning,
when you realize you'll
never see your mother again...
then you'll truly
start to be scared.
You don't know
what you're doing.
You have to let me go.
Oh, Erica.
You're gonna stubborn your way
into making this a lot harder
on yourself, aren't you?
Vincent. Let me out of here,
you son of a bitch.
People are gonna know
I've gone missing.
People are gonna come
looking for me.
Who? Hmm?
The coworkers at the job
you quit after six months
because I was gonna
take care of you?
The mother in the old folks
home with Alzheimer's so bad
she doesn't even know
who you are?
The neighbors in the building
you moved out of
to come live here?
No one will look
for you, Erica.
This is your new life now.
[Vincent chuckles]
Have fun.
-Wait.
-[door slams]
[]
[Erica crying]
[crowd applauding]
[animal growling]
And there I thought falling
in love was the hard part.
[crowd cheering]
[]
[]
[Erica]
Look at you, Vinnie.
Once upon a time...
my mama
fooled me something good.
It was Christmas, you see?
And she told me
Santa Claus
would be
coming down our chimney,
but I wasn't allowed
to see him
because his magic
was precious.
And if I peeked, then he
would be gone like smoke.
But I sure wasn't gonna
let Santa into my house
without getting even one peak.
So I stayed up and waited until
I heard noises downstairs.
Now I knew it wasn't
Daddy coming home.
He never could
get a better job
than graveyard shift
at the fancy hotel.
so I crawled
downstairs real quiet.
I was so excited.
And what did I see?
Santa having himself a merry
Christmas up my mama's chimney.
[moaning]
Fuck me, Santa.
-Ho, ho, ho.
-[audience laughing]
Later, it occurred to me
that Santa looked a lot like
our next door neighbor,
Mr. Rigsby.
-[rim shot]
-[audience laughs]
Wasn't too happy
with Mama after that
and I vowed never to be
made a fool of again.
And I kept
that promise, Vincent...
right up till today.
[animal growling]
So I guess we both have our
little secrets, huh, Vincent?
My dear, sweet,
charming husband.
How about now...
I show you mine?
[animal growling]
[box rattles]
Adorable.
[snaps]
[camera shutter clicks]
This was my first husband.
Phillip was a mechanic.
Good with his hands.
Not much money, that one,
but I didn't mind.
We had the cutest little
apartment and we were so happy.
He cleaned up real nice too.
And he did it just for me.
It was on our
first anniversary that
Philip accidentally had
soup with shellfish in it.
He was deathly allergic,
you see.
-Mm.
-And poor Philip.
He was down in about a minute.
-[coughing]
-Well, actually it was
one minute, 37 seconds.
I timed it.
[audience gasps]
That was my husband.
But, oh, how he loved me.
And, oh, how I loved him.
Didn't you, darling?
Tell him.
I love you more
than life itself, Jane.
Phillip and Jane.
That was us.
[camera shutter clicks]
My second husband, Tommy.
Tommy was a writer.
[camera clicking]
And like all the greats,
he hit the bottle
every once in a while.
But he had such
a way with words.
Six months
after we were married,
poor Tommy...
got drunk one night
and fell down the stairs...
[thumping]
hitting his head
right on that glass table
he insisted we kept
at the bottom landing.
-[Erica crying]
-[heart monitor beeping]
Or maybe I insisted.
[crying]
That's my husband.
[whimpering]
Oh, God.
Oh, Tommy.
We were good together,
weren't we?
It was true love, wasn't it?
The evening star shines
brighter in the nighttime sky
when you are near
yet pales in comparison
to your beauty.
[sighs]
See what I mean
about that poetry?
Tommy and Barbara,
we're a couple to envy indeed.
[camera shutter clicks]
Fred.
Husband number three was Fred,
a noble,
dedicated police officer.
-[camera clicks]
-[police radio chatter]
A challenge.
but then I had the privilege
of finding out
what lay underneath.
When we were alone,
love flowed out of him
as deep as an ocean.
But a police officer
has a dangerous job.
-[gunshots]
-Especially when his weapon
unexpectedly jams
during an altercation
with a violent perp.
And to think,
such a tragic incident
could have happened
a mere two months
after he got married.
[bagpipes playing]
I've always wanted
to slide down a doorframe
while crying.
[crying]
Oh my strong, dependable Fred.
How much did you love me?
Courtney, I love you to
the moon and back, my angel.
Would you do anything for me?
Anything.
Would you be willing
to die for me?
Without hesitation.
I love a man
who keeps his promises.
[camera shutter clicks]
And that...
brings me...
to you, Vincent.
Funny, charming,
confident in a way
that the others weren't
and yet, masking
a lost little boy within.
Little did I realize that boy
was a raging psychopath
with anger and control issues.
I guess the devil's
in the details, huh?
[piano playing]
You did a bad thing, Vincent.
-But I love you, Erica.
-Lies!
Guess you sure
fooled me, Vincent.
Just like my mama
did all those years ago.
Well, this is new.
So Erica has been beaten,
slapped around and chained up
on her wedding night.
Boys, wanna help me figure out
who in the holy fuck
I married this time?
[]
[heart beating]
[piano continues softly]
[doll's joints creak]
I have been waiting
a long time for you, Erica.
Jesus Christ.
Vinnie.
What is it?
She stopped moving.
It's not working.
What do you mean
not working?
It's a doll. It moves
when I tell it to move.
Something's wrong.
[]
[thunder crashes]
[]
[thunder crashes]
[footsteps echo]
[microphone feedback]
Gentlemen,
let's dim the lights,
let's shorten the dress,
let's pour the gin
and light the cigarettes.
But don't you dare
actually dim the lights.
It takes effort
to look this good.
And let's take a walk down
memory lane with Vincent.
At first, he seemed charming.
Maybe a little arrogant,
but nothing out of the ordinary.
Or so I thought.
Then--
then there was our third date.
Oh, he was on fire that night.
We were laughing,
the wine was flowing,
I came back and told you
guys all about it, remember?
And I was sure we were
headed back to his place.
But then outta nowhere...
"I'm sorry," he said.
I've been in relationships...
-...before that moved...
-...too fast.
"And I don't want either of
us to get hurt," he said.
I thought it was... sweet.
My Vincent
has a soft, gooey center.
I can understand that.
It wasn't what I was expecting
and, sure, I had needs
and I was wearing
my best red lace.
Remember that?
[laughs]
But he didn't have to know that,
so I let it go.
I let it go right up until...
Forget about the pictures.
It doesn't matter.
It's not like
she's a real person.
Right. Just put it
out of my mind.
[]
[doll's joints crack]
[playing piano]
It's working.
Two months later,
I talked to him into
a little weekend getaway.
I packed a bag,
same red lace as before
and I was damn sure
ready to show it off this time.
[glasses clink]
Things were getting
hot and heavy
in the hotel room
when right out of nowhere--
I-I-I can't.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"Oh, but, baby," I said.
We've been together
a really long time now.
"I seriously doubt
you're gonna hurt me."
Ha!
Guess that's pretty
funny now, isn't it?
It's not that.
-I'm...
-"I'm..."
-I'm...
-"I'm..."
I'm Catholic.
"Catholic."
[laughing]
My Vincent
was a good...
Catholic boy.
Yeah, I understand.
[Erica sighs]
I can work with that.
Guess I really
should have paid attention.
[sighs]
[doll's joints creaking]
[heart beating]
And that brings me to
a strike number three.
-Hey.
-What?
Marry me, will you?
[gasps]
I was speechless.
I didn't know what to say.
What to do.
I'd never gotten
there so fast before.
Yet, all I could
think was...
"this is perfect."
After every single one of you,
I always feared I'd never
find another perfect moment.
And yet, there we were.
Are you waiting for it to
be more of a formal question?
[gasps]
Oh! Oh, my God.
Erica, will you do
me the honors of being--
Yes. I will.
I will. I will. Yes.
I may have
jumped the gun a bit.
I always do that.
I get so excited
at the proposals.
Well, I don't have
to tell you guys that.
You guys know that.
Tommy especially knows that.
[audience laughs]
I just wanna capture that
moment and hold it in my hands.
Yes. And you know
what the best part is?
I wanted him
so bad I was shaking.
And my body started
doing the things
my mind had been dreaming of.
Wait.
You're still worried
about how this looks
in the eyes of the Lord?
He knows we're committed
to each other now.
And then, I may have laid
it on a little bit thick.
I want you inside me.
[audience groans]
[doll's joints creaking]
[piano music]
Now, I've known
all kinds of boys:
shy boys,
confident boys,
playboys and cowboys.
And here's what I know.
If you jump on top of one and
tell him a thing like that,
if you don't notice him
standing to attention...
[audience laughs]
Not my Vincent, though.
He wanted nothing.
-Wait.
-Now he played it off
really cool.
"It's about something bigger
than the two of us," he said.
We can't do this yet.
We have to start our
new life together first.
Oh.
Boys...
[doll's joints creaking]
I think we've solved
our mystery.
This isn't working.
[Vinnie] Would it
help if I turned around?
Don't patronize me.
I thought this is what
you've been asking for.
Isn't she perfect?
Aren't you happy now?
I know what's wrong.
You're scared.
I am not scared of that.
She made a fool out of you.
-No she didn't.
-Of course she did.
I'm still in charge.
Vincent the fool.
You're scared.
She lied to you.
She made a mockery
of all of your plans.
Shut up.
Don't forget,
she's not even a real person.
She's just a thing.
-She belongs to us.
-I know that.
You're pathetic.
You're afraid to go confront
her, coward.
I'm not a coward.
-[glass shatters]
-[Vincent sighs]
Wanna know what I think?
What, Vinnie?
What do you think?
I think your blushing bride
killed those men
in the pictures.
If she fell for you,
do you really think there's
nothing wrong with her?
I'm waiting for you,
you pathetic little freak.
You're just a little boy playing
games, aren't you, Vincent?
-[door opens]
-Well then...
[footsteps]
let's... play.
[crying]
Please, Vincent.
Please, don't leave me
down here alone again.
I'm so scared.
-You're not selling it.
-[audience booing]
You might want
to bring it down a bit.
I just don't believe
you're as scared as you say.
[continues crying]
Who are these men?
Okay. New game.
Who are they?.
Well, I see someone's
been through my things
and you wrinkled my pictures.
You know that's all I have
left of 'em, don't you?
Who are they?
They were my husbands,
Vincent.
But you already knew that.
Where are they?
How would I know?
I don't keep tabs on my exes.
Yeah, don't keep tabs...
or forgot where
you buried them?
[coughs]
Okay.
Not as dumb as I thought.
What are you talking about?
You play dumb with me,
little girl,
and I will break
every bone in your body
and pour hot coffee down your
throat so you can't pass out.
Jesus.
Well, we're just going
for the top-shelf stuff
right away, aren't we?
Way to negotiate.
Where are they?
Seems like you already know
the answer to that one, too.
Don't you, Vinnie?
-You killed them?
-Yes.
-How?
-Convincingly accidental.
Poison?
Funny you jumped
straight to that.
Wanna hear
something really sad?
Vincent died of a heart
attack on his wedding night.
I guess after waiting so long
to give himself to his bride,
his little heart just gave out.
Poison's a bitch like that.
Vincent and Erica
were only meant to have
one night together.
Were you gonna poison me?
Going to? No.
I'm afraid I already did.
No, she couldn't have.
No, she couldn't have.
[screaming]
[scoffs]
There's no way.
You're right.
There's no way.
Except you're already starting
to feel the side effects,
aren't you?
Your heart's pounding
a mile a minute.
Your mouth's dry.
Are you getting
that metallic taste
in the back of your throat yet?
Yeah, it works fast.
You're bluffing.
Wanna bet?
So, we have a problem.
We don't have a problem.
You do.
You have a big problem,
'cause the way I see it,
in a little while,
I'll keel over dead
quick, easy, painless.
-Well...
-But if I don't unlock
those cuffs before then
you'll die down here
the slow agonizing death
that you deserve.
Or you do unlock these chains
and I'll show you
how to neutralize the toxins
in your body.
I mean, you might have
a splitting headache
and throw up a lot,
but you won't be dead.
Do I look like
I was born yesterday?
There's no cure for poison.
Of course there is.
What do you think
doctors give people
who come in with snake bites?
"Sorry, fella.
That's why they tell
you to check your boots
before putting them on."
Then I'll drive myself to
the emergency room right now.
Well, since you insisted
on this charming house
in the middle of nowhere,
suppose you even make
it to an emergency room.
What are you gonna tell them?
"My wife, whom I have
locked up in my basement,
poisoned me with something."
Fun fact about antidotes,
they target specific toxins.
So without actually knowing
what you're inflicted with,
they can actually
exacerbate things.
You know, make 'em worse.
Then what did you
poison me with?
Hmm, that's for me to know
and tell you
with two free hands.
I'll kill your mother.
Yeah, sorry Erica.
But that was always
the insurance plan
in case you didn't behave.
I'll drive over
to that nursing home,
wrap a rope around her neck
until her eyes
pop out of her skull.
I bet it wouldn't
take much effort either.
She doesn't seem like she
has much fight left in her.
So give me
the antidote right now,
or I leave you here...
and make mom
my last order of business.
[whimpering]
[laughing]
Why is that funny?
[clears throat]
Because you
can't kill my mother.
That Santa-loving whore
died of cancer 10 years ago.
Shame, really.
She never even
got to see me get married...
and married...
and married...
and married.
As for the old lady
I introduced you to,
I don't know
if you noticed this,
but she kind of
has no idea who I am.
She's not my mother.
She's just some old lady
who happened to have the right
amount of Alzheimer's.
The devil's
in the details, Vincent.
You should have
paid closer attention.
-Sorry, Vinnie.
-Vincent.
Looks like the insurance
just denied your claim.
How long?
[]
Well...
let's just say
you're definitely turning
into a pumpkin at midnight.
-Tick tock, Vincent.
-Tock.
If I die, you die.
[animal growls]
Or we find some other way to
settle our minor differences
and both walk out of this
to go ruin
someone else's life.
At least my death
will be quick.
But you, you get to feel
every agonizing second of it.
-[footsteps]
-[door slams]
[Vinnie echoing]
She's lying. Punish her.
-[Vinnie] She's a liar.
-[Vincent] It's here.
-[Vinnie] Get it from her.
-[Vincent] It has to be.
[Vinnie's voice echoing]
This is your mind.
This is your mind.
You have to find it.
Control yourself.
This is your mind.
[Vinnie's voice continues]
[Vincent screams]
[Vinnie] This is your mind,
get control.
If you don't, we'll die.
We'll die.
How could she do this to me?
How could I let her
do this to me?
-[Vinnie] This is your mind.
-[Vincent screams]
You're the one who wanted her.
I wanted a companion.
A relationship. A life.
You wanted that.
[doll's joints creaking]
[heart beating]
See, she's not even a real--
[screams]
[record static]
[Vincent] Get control.
-Get control.
-[glass shatters]
How did I get here?
[Vinnie] Crazy people
don't get away with murder
three times
and not get caught.
Is this what I deserve?
Sane people do.
And sane people
always want something.
No. No.
What is so wrong with me
that I could possibly
deserve something like this?
What is it that she wants?
Just because I love completely.
Is that such a crime?
She doesn't want money.
-[Vinnie] Think.
-[Vincent] The house?
She didn't know it existed
till you brought her here.
Some kind of help?
[Vinnie] Why poison
you before asking for it?
Think.
-She did it today.
-[Vinnie] Poisoned you.
Which means
whatever she wants from me--
[Vinnie] She got it today.
[Erica] As a matter
of fact, it's perfect.
It's perfect...
perfect... perfect.
Perfect.
Perfect what?
Love.
Know what the problem
with love is?
People don't realize
it's finite.
Fairy tales have it wrong.
"And they lived
happily ever after."
What a beautiful thought.
But here's what people
don't realize--
ever after is a long,
long time
during which
love is going to wane,
wither, and die.
[blows]
Just like everything
else in this world,
a whimpery, pathetic death.
And it would've been years...
before you even realized
that love is gone
before you can see what that
broken love has done to you.
She wants...
to be loved.
Perfect love.
[Erica]
Love is not a thing
that just floats passively
between two people.
Love is a creature
all on its own.
[]
It lives and it breathes.
And you have to nurture it.
[doll's joints creaking]
And protect it.
And know when to harvest it.
You let love go for too long...
it'll fade,
capsize,
turn ugly,
make a fool out of you.
It's only perfect
because it ends.
Did you ever love me, Vincent?
I loved you.
Can someone like you
even feel love?
[]
[door creaks]
Do your worst, Vincent.
Erica.
We have some things
we need to talk about.
[handcuffs click]
Sit down.
I'll get you some ice.
Suit yourself.
Honey, do you
really wanna fight me?
No.
That is not at all what I
wanted to do with you tonight.
And stop calling me honey.
It's cruel.
What would you prefer?
I'm guessing Erica
isn't your real name.
It is tonight.
Okay, then.
Erica, have you ever played
that game "Ask Me Anything?"
Sounds made up.
As you can surmise
from the name,
it's pretty straightforward.
The person doesn't answer a
question truthfully, they lose.
Well, how would you know
they were telling the truth?
They could just lie.
I'll go first
as a gesture of goodwill.
Ask me anything.
Is your name really Vincent?
Yes, it is.
But you know that.
You've seen
my birth certificate.
And unlike me,
you've met my actual mother.
So come on,
ask me a real question.
Fine. Does she know
what a charmer she raised?
My mother always thought I was
her perfect little angel.
Guess I had her fooled, too.
My turn.
Do I have your word?
Scout's honor?
What happens if I lie?
You gonna lock me up again?
I don't know how much
good that'll do me.
The way I figure it,
I'll be dead soon
and you'll do whatever
you were gonna do.
Call the cops,
tell 'em I died
of a heart attack,
show them my little
Erica room downstairs,
tell 'em all about
what a monster I am.
But then again, maybe not.
You don't want the cops
looking at you too hard.
Maybe when I die
you'll just run.
But I'll be the fourth
husband you've killed?
Women like you
can't run forever.
You'll end up in chains
one way or another.
So that's a no?
That's a no.
I won't lock you up anymore.
Okay then.
How long do I have?
Not long.
An hour, maybe.
Your countdown is ticking.
-Your turn.
-Have you ever done this
to anyone else?
No.
So tonight's your first time?
Yes.
The men.
Those photos in the box.
Did you love them?
[Erica] Passionately.
Why do you need me
to be afraid?
Because you can't get it up?
Because I can't get it up.
Huh. We are being honest.
Not the most romantic
thing you've ever heard?
I need control.
Why?
Inside of me there's a...
darkness.
A bad force.
And I do horrible things to
make up for the inadequacies
it causes.
My problem isn't physical.
I'm...
simply always
at war with myself.
[]
I searched so long
for the right woman.
I am so excited to start
our new life together.
Thought you were her.
[Erica] You thought I was
your perfect victim?
Yeah, maybe.
Maybe not.
You're the first woman I've
ever tried to be myself with
and I've looked,
I've dated,
but I never found anyone
who I thought
could be the right person.
And then you come along and,
on the surface,
it would seem
that you had a pretty big
secret of your own, too.
But then it got me thinking.
Years of searching
for the right person
led me right to you.
I mean,
it has to mean something.
-Do I look like an idiot?
-No. No, you don't.
The truth is, I don't know
anything about you at all.
Everything you've told me
about yourself,
your family, your world,
everything was a lie.
But here we are,
these two people
keeping these giant
secrets from each other,
concealing the things
that make us outcasts
from polite society.
And somehow through all that,
we found one another.
But how's a woman like you,
so careful,
so clever,
that she can get away
with disposing of husband after
husband over and over again
without ever getting caught?
How does a woman like that...
fall for someone like me?
What are you thinking?
I think you tricked me.
I didn't trick you.
I hid a part of myself from you.
I thought I had to
and so did you.
What if...
we're just
two broken souls...
who somehow in all this
madness and all this chaos...
found each other?
-No.
-No.
No what?
You don't love me.
You never did.
Erica.
A man's imminent death
makes him think,
makes him... feel.
I know what I'm about
to tell you is true.
And before I go,
I have to say it.
What is it?
I...
Say it.
I...
-Vincent.
-Say it.
I...
[]
I...
...love you.
[both chuckle]
I love you, Erica.
You mean that?
With every inch of
my up fucked up being.
Now get that antidote!
[doll's joints creaking]
[gasps]
[both panting]
Now, I want you
to drink this.
Definitely don't want
you getting sleepy on me.
Ow.
You never drank the tea.
No.
No!
[hits piano keys]
[glass shatters]
[Erica struggling]
Take her apart.
[Erica breathing heavily]
[Erica] Vincent! No!
You... don't love me!
-No.
-No?
No.
[thunder crashes]
[Erica whimpering]
-[whimpering]
-You bitch!
[Erica grunts]
You lied to me!
You can't love anything!
No one could ever
love a beast like you.
[Erica struggling]
-[Vincent screaming]
-[doll shattering]
[Erica screaming]
You made me
think you loved me.
[continues screaming]
You don't deserve this!
[both screaming]
Love me.
[sobs]
[thunder rumbling]
So how long
do we sit here for?
Till I decide
what I'm gonna do to you
and how I'm going to do it.
Well, if you'd be so kind,
would you mind hurrying it up?
I'm thirsty.
What I wouldn't...
Oh, fuck it, it's all
out in the open now.
Oh, what? Did you miss this
in what I assume
was your frantic search
through my things?
Don't worry.
[clattering]
[scoffs]
You smoke?
Erica would never smoke.
And neither would Jane
or Barbara or Courtney.
But, yeah, I smoke.
[clicks]
I smoke...
[inhales deeply]
and you lock up women
in your basement.
It's nice to meet you, Vincent.
I'm prepared to bargain.
-For what?
-Favors.
[sighs] Jesus.
Oh, I misunderstood,
I thought you were thirsty.
I'm not playing your
cruel games anymore.
That's not
a very cooperative attitude.
You lied to me.
I'd say that makes us even,
baby doll.
You wanna know something?
You screwed up.
I'm not poisoned.
This whole night
I couldn't figure out
how you could have
poisoned me.
Then I realized the only
thing you've given me tonight
that I didn't make
for myself is this.
So now we have
a different problem, honey.
I told you not to call me that.
I know what you planned
to do to me.
So I can't trust you around
so much as my toothbrush
without worrying
you'll try again.
You know what I wanted
to do to you,
but I can't trust
you'll ever make
the transformation I need.
However, this is my house.
This is my domain
and I've got the key.
So, guess I don't need
you at all now, do I?
What are you gonna do, Vincent?
Kill me and bury me
in the backyard?
Not in that order.
Go ahead.
Listen to you.
You still think you're
the victim in all this.
I've got news for you, Erica.
You're not a victim.
You tried to kill me.
All this business about love,
you loved me,
we were in love.
You are a psychopath.
Somebody who loves a person
doesn't just kill them
when they get bored.
That's not love.
That's brain damage.
And you've done it at
least three times before.
You think you were in love?
Let me ask you this,
would your late husbands
have killed you.
Eventually.
How do you figure?
Well, maybe not physically,
but their love for me
would've waned over time.
Grown dim, cold.
It's not the same thing
as killing you.
Isn't it though?
[thunder continues]
What is life after love?
Get that head
of yours screwed on right.
Love doesn't work that way.
If there's one thing I enjoy,
it's taking lessons of the heart
from someone
who can't see other people
as anything besides objects
which he can control,
nay, must control.
I was never gonna kill you.
Bully for you.
I have tendencies,
maybe even some unusual ones,
but I am not evil.
-And I am?
-The very definition.
So kill me.
Bury me in the backyard.
And spend your next few years
looking for your next
perfect victim,
your next baby doll.
-And then what?
-Nothing.
We start a new life together
and live happily ever after
literally over your dead body.
But I guess you're gonna
tell me how I'm wrong.
No, I have no interest
in psychoanalyzing you.
I'm perfectly comfortable
saying there's no point.
Why stop now?
You're doing such a good job.
Dragging your own feet,
trying to save your own life.
My life?
Do you really think
that's what's important
to me right now?
You broke my heart, Vincent!
And whatever horrible thing
you might think about me,
do consider this--
all I ever wanted was
to find that perfect love...
and to bottle it when it
was pure and wonderful.
I thought
I had that with you.
I would've never forgotten you.
I would've loved you,
missed you,
and mourned you forever.
And it could
have been so beautiful.
But you lied to me!
You were gonna poison me!
You were gonna kill me
just like the rest of them.
-I wasn't special.
-You were.
You have no idea
what you mean to me.
You have no idea what
I'm willing to do for love.
Then why didn't you die
with the rest of them?
Then who would remember
what we had together?
You really believe your
own bullshit, don't you?
Do you want proof?
I'd be delighted to have some.
Be careful what
you wish for, Vincent.
Oh, don't make that face.
You were gonna kill me anyway.
-Where's the antidote?
-There isn't one.
There never was.
For the record though...
dying for someone else,
that's love.
I guess it's my turn
to be remembered.
I love you, Vincent.
[]
Now do you believe me?
What's the matter?
You were gonna kill me anyway.
There, you're off hook.
Just did it for you.
Wait a couple hours,
it'll look like a heart attack.
Why?
Why did you do that?
Why did you do that?
Say my name.
Erica.
[]
I'm dying, Vincent.
Now, I believe there was some
promise of a shallow grave?
[slams shut]
[not playing]
[rattling]
[creaking]
-[joints creaking]
-[]
-[screams]
-[doll growls]
No. Vincent.
Vincent. No. No.
[doll snarls]
Vincent, no.
You're mine!
I'm in control.
No. Vincent.
[no audible dialog]
[screams]
Vincent!
[crunches]
[Vincent echoing]
I wanted a companion.
A relationship. A life.
I would have loved you.
I wanted a companion.
A relationship. A life.
Our first toast.
Pretend it were our last.
-I built it for you.
-What would you say?
[Vincent] What's love to you?
Erica.
A world of madness.
[Erica] You happy?
Ask me again
at the end of the night.
I love you, Vincent.
[]
[Erika moans]
[]
[wind blowing]
[breathing heavily]
[footsteps echo]
[moaning]
I lust for you, babe
I lust for you now
Tension is hiding
Getting harder in silence
[Erica moaning]
Give me a new name
You cannot hold me down
You can trust me,
But maybe
You can teach me somehow
I got power,
Just give me an hour
You know I'll devour the
Thoughts in your mind
Be my desire
I'll play with fire
I'll bring out the parts
That you're trying to hide
'Cause you
You think
That you want me
All you do is owe me
More than money could buy
Yeah, you
You think
That you know me
All you really do
Is show me
That you're wasting
My time
I lust for you, babe
I lust for you now
Tension is hiding
Getting harder in silence
Give me a new name
You cannot hold me down
You can trust me,
But maybe
You can teach me somehow
I got the power
Just give me an hour
You know I'll devour the
Thoughts in your mind
Be my desire
I'll play with fire
I'll bring out the parts
That you're trying to hide
'Cause you
You think
That you know me
All you really do
Is show me
That you're wasting
My time
[Erica moaning]
'Cause you
You think
That you own me
All you do is owe me
More than money could buy
Yeah, you
You think
That you know me
All you really do
Is show me
That you're wasting
My time
[music fades]
[Erica moans]
I don't want to lose you.
Do you love me?
Yes.
Then you won't lose me.
Maybe--
maybe it's not too late.
Maybe we can...
[Vincent coughs]
[]
[continues coughing]
[gasping]
It's okay. It's okay.
[Vincent grunting]
Oh, Vincent.
It's all right.
It's all right.
Oh, my dear Vincent.
Why ever did you think
it was in the tea?
Do you take this man to be
your lawful wedded husband,
to have and to hold in
sickness and in health
as long as you both shall live?
I so do.
I now pronounce you
husband and wife.
You may now kiss your bride.
[chuckles]
[Erica cries]
You...
You'll always be mine.
[]
[Erica cries]
[sobbing]
Tell 'em, Vincent.
I love you, Erica.
There you have it.
Vincent and Erica.
A perfect love story.
[laughing]
[footsteps echoing]
Thank you.
Thank you all
for being here tonight.
I am just ecstatic
to see so much potential
love in this world.
It is truly a beautiful,
breathtaking sight
And I-- I cannot wait to meet
each and every one of you.
[crowd applauds]
[]
[crowd applauds]
[doll's joints creaking]
[screams]
No more talking about it
The way it is,
The way it is
It's no mystery
There's no getting
Around it
When you're here,
When you're here
We got chemistry
We light up
We light up
When we ignite
We ignite
We are stars
we are stars
In a darkened sky
When you leave
Don't forget to remember
Don't forget
To remember me
When you leave
Don't forget to remember
Don't forget
To remember me
Remember me
I fight for you
Every second
To keep your touch
Keep your touch
In my memory
I'll try not to regret it
What could have been
Should have been
If you had stayed with me
When you leave
Don't forget to remember
Don't forget
To remember me
When you leave
Don't forget to remember
Don't forget
To remember me
Remember me
Remember me
We light up
When we ignite
We are stars
In a darkened sky
When you leave
Don't forget to remember
Don't forget
To remember me
When you leave
Don't forget to remember
Don't forget
To remember me
Remember me
Remember me
Remember me