Greta (2009) Movie Script
(folk song playing)
I wanna die
I wanna die
Down south Louisiana
And grey evening sky.
Woman:
June 21st.
Exile to Siberia.
I mean, New Jersey.
Is there a difference?
I can't tell.
Isn't Siberia the place
they send you to die?
And from my experience
Ocean Grove isn't that much different.
I think the median age is 85
with the life expectancy of 86.
Sounds about right to me.
Thanks, Mom.
Thank you for buying me
a one-way ticket to hell.
I mean,
Grams' and Gramps' mausoleum.
Where it always smells like
desiccated socks.
Oh, I'm sure they're thrilled too.
It'll just be one great summer
of Chinese torture for all of us.
Who cares anyway?
Nobody.
Actually, maybe Ocean Grove
is the perfect place for me.
In fact, when I get off this bus
I should just walk over to the pier
and jump,
end it all.
Goodbye, world.
Goodbye, New Jersey.
The truth is, if I weren't around,
it would solve everyone's problems.
Mom could really focus
on saving marriage number nine.
And my grandmother...
well, she could spend
her whole summer
making those seashell
thingies she makes.
And Gramps could finally finish
fixing up that boat of his.
Yeah, Grams definitely wouldn't care
if I weren't around.
I swear she has some serious
anxiety issues.
Maybe I should give her
some of my pills.
That's what I should do...
make it easy on everyone.
If I weren't here,
their lives would be better.
There's only one person
who might actually care,
but Dad isn't around anymore.
(man snoring)
(coughing)
Buses suck, huh?
Great. Hello, New Jersey!
Good times, good times.
Hi, sweetie.
Greta, how nice to see you.
Gramps, Grams, hi.
You folks don't look so bad,
all things considered.
Hello to you too, Greta.
Yeah, hello hello.
We all know why I'm here.
No need to act thrilled about it.
We're glad to have you here, honey.
We really are.
Yeah, well, I didn't really plan
on spending my summer in Jersey,
in what might as well be
a nursing home.
Gramps: Well, I guess you're glad
to be out of school for the summer, right?
If I cared one microbe
about school,
I guess yeah, it'd be some kind
of a relief.
Your mother said
you were on the honor roll all year.
That's terrific.
You should be proud of yourself.
You'll get into a good college.
I'm not going to college.
Of course you're going
to college.
The fact is that I'm gonna kill myself
before I turn 18,
so that doesn't really leave much time
for an undergraduate degree.
I assume that you understand
that a joke is supposed
to be funny.
It's not a joke.
See, I've been making this list
of all the different ways you can die...
self-immolation,
falling from a great height.
I don't know about electrocution.
I hear that your heart actually cooks
and you puke up your melted guts.
All right, Greta, just stop.
Just stop right now.
Well, at the same time,
I've been making this list
of things that I want to do
before I die.
For instance,
I want to eat a bug
just to say that I did.
I want to get in a fistfight
with a grown man.
Don't ask.
I want to learn
how to really paint,
and maybe get a tattoo.
Anyway, as soon as I choose
my method of death
then I'm gonna cross as much off
my to-do list as I can
and commit some kind of
grizzly suicide.
Voila.
You won't have Greta
to kick around anymore.
Come on, Greta.
Well, look who it is.
You certainly have grown up
to be quite the pretty young lady
under all that makeup.
Mrs. Wocheski,
same nosy old bag.
What? What's that?
I said, "Isn't this heat a drag?"
A drag?
Hey, did you hear about
that huge hunk of space junk
that landed in some
old lady's home
just about a month ago
right here in Jersey?
Jersey?
(whispering) The universe is just
loaded with things that we've left up there.
- What?
- And all of a sudden...
- Bam!
- Whaa!
Instantly vaporized.
(barking)
I don't know what to do
about you
I left your things upstairs,
honey.
I learned a lot of rules
from the Bible, baby
But I wonder wonder
what I should do
But I wonder wonder
what I should do
I don't know
why I'm staying with you
If everything they're saying
is true
I heard about you lying
to your mama, baby
And I wonder wonder
what I should do
But I wonder wonder
what I should do.
(cat mewing)
Parnelli.
Hey.
What's it like living with the mummies
of Guanajuato?
Do you ever get used
to that smell?
Hmm?
You don't care,
as long as someone feeds you
and scoops your litter.
It's a pretty good deal,
a life you want anyway.
(teapot whistling)
Katherine: I'm trying not to be
judgmental, Joseph,
but she's a handful.
Joseph: Oh, Katherine,
it's only three months.
September will be here
before you know it.
You don't think
she's serious, do you?
No, I think she's just
being dramatic,
trying to push our buttons.
Yeah, you know who she
reminds me of at that age?
Karen.
Ow. I'm nothing like my mother!
Nothing!
Hey, Gramps,
can I bump a $20?
Mm!
Greta, we have rules
in this house.
I assume your mother
told you about them.
Yeah.
I'm sure she did.
I'm also sure
I wasn't paying attention.
Oh, well,
then listen to me.
Now you can have
a very nice summer here,
but it won't be
without structure and supervision.
Now if you want to have
spending money,
you're going to have to
get a job.
And there will be
a 10:00 PM curfew.
And you're not permitted
beyond the town lines,
especially not to Asbury Park.
That's no place for you.
So does all of that
sound fair to you?
Let me tell you how this works:
I go where I want
when I want with whom I want.
And I don't come home
until I want to.
Now that's how it works
at Karen's.
So if you've got a problem with it,
take it up with her.
She's the one who dumped me
on you two anyway.
Okay? Let's just do each other
a favor,
stay out of each other's way.
Summer will be over
before we know it.
Deal?
Deal.
(whistles)
Where did you get that?
Oh, yeah.
What does that thing get,
Only on a steep downgrade.
Can I borrow it?
Huh-uh. I heard about what happened
when you went to get your driver's license.
That DMV guy
was emotionally unstable, okay?
It was not my driving
that made him cry.
(Joseph guffaws)
I'm serious.
Okay, we'll see
what your mother thinks.
Like she thinks.
I swear she holds the record
for the most blah moments.
She thinks that string theory
has something to do with macrame.
This is the same woman
that gives me advice on boys.
Her husbands are in and out so fast,
I can't even keep track.
What, is this
husband number nine?
Three.
And you can't drive alone
without a license.
It's against the law.
What's the worst
that's gonna happen, Grams?
I die?
No, the worst thing
that can happen
is that you take somebody
with you when you die.
Greta: Ocean Grove.
More like Ocean Grave.
No wonder Mom left this place
when she was 17.
It's so passe.
I'll make her pay for this torture
when I get home.
That is, if I make it home.
Wow. Okay, I'll give it to her...
Grams looked pretty.
(changing channels)
(turns off TV)
(tinkling)
Can I help you?
There's something majorly wrong
with the cable.
I think you ought to call
and light a fire under someone's ass.
We don't have cable.
Wait, say that again.
I said we don't...
What are you wear...?
Oh, look at you.
How do you survive
without cable?
It's really tough, Greta.
Sometimes we cry ourselves
to sleep at night.
You know, you can always
rent videotapes.
Videotapes?
Come on, who lives like this?
Oh, stop the histrionics, Greta,
for goodness' sakes.
There's so much to do
around here.
There's the whole ocean
right there.
Take my bicycle.
Ride along the boardwalk.
Then you won't have time
for TV.
So you want me to sacrifice
reality TV
for purely empirical
experiences?
Yeah, that's my
recommendation.
Fine.
Come with me
Come with me
On a voyage
To the bottom
Of the sea
In a sea
Of blue-green
We will find love
At the bottom
Of the sea
Unbelievable, inconceivable
Fantastic it will seem
But we'll be the first
The very first
To live such a strange
New dream
There we'll be
Lost and free
On our voyage
To the bottom
Of the sea
Come with me
On our voyage
To the bottom
Of the sea.
Greta: They say that drowning
and freezing to death
are the nicest ways to die,
euphoric even.
I wonder how they would
know that.
The way I see it, what does
experience have to do with anything?
I mean, I've been served
by 1000 waitresses
and the job just doesn't
seem that tough.
I'm sure it has its nuances
just like anything else,
but I'll figure it out.
You're soaking wet.
Oh, come on, Lou.
I'd say the wet T-shirt look
definitely trumps experience.
Does he have
all of his shots?
Let me get you an application.
What the hell for?
It's a yes or no decision.
Not really. It's...
Hey, Lou, give her the job.
You're gonna give it to her anyway.
Zip it, Julie.
See, this is how it works...
you ask him something:
He pretends to chew on it.
He can't say no to nobody,
so you got the job. Don't worry about it.
I don't need your help.
I ain't trying to help you.
Hell, I don't even know you.
I'm trying to help my boy.
One more night that he's shorthanded...
he's gonna develop an ulcer
and it's gonna be problematic for all of us.
Get back to the dungeon.
I'm just saying, man.
I'm just saying.
I can start tomorrow.
Would you like me here at 4:00?
Um...
Or how about lunch?
Then I can learn everything.
It'll be all good.
Uh...
Great. See you then.
Hey, that girl's trouble.
I think I just hired her.
(chattering, laughing)
Oh my God, you guys
are still awake?
You do realize
it's past 9:00, right?
You realize
that you missed dinner?
What happened to my dress?
Oh, I went swimming.
New York doesn't use that ocean
as a toilet, do they?
Is my hair starting
to turn green?
Greta, I really don't mind
you wearing my dress.
I do mind you going swimming in it.
Would you take it off, please?
Greta, your mother called.
You were supposed to let her know
you got down here all right.
Well, did you tell her
that I was still alive?
Why don't you tell her?
There's a phone on the piano.
- Are you taking that?
- Yes, I am.
- You're in deep trouble now.
- Come on.
- Gin.
- Oh, no.
It's me.
What do you want?
Karen: I see you survived
the bus trip after all.
I'd rather have ferried
across the River Styx.
Grams told me about your little
to-die list.
You shouldn't scare her
like that.
She doesn't know you well enough
to understand.
How's my old room look?
Does she still have
her seashells everywhere?
It's a shell hole, Mom.
Why are you doing this to me?
Karen: You know why.
We've discussed this.
I am trying
to save my marriage.
You would have better luck
trying to save
the polar ice caps, Mom.
Why is it that your marriage only works
when I'm not there?
Sweetie,
Greta, I know this is tough,
but try to make the best of it.
Take as much time
as you need, okay, Karen?
Sort things out,
shuffle them together,
do whatever the hell it is
you need to do
to try and save
this marriage, okay?
I'm here and I'm fine.
Don't even worry about me.
I'm fine!
Trouble
Oh, trouble, set me free
I have seen your face
And it's too much, too much
for me.
Greta: If Dad were alive,
he'd let me drive the car.
And we'd do stuff like paint.
Maybe I'd be friends
with the kid down the street.
Mom and he would argue
about petunias instead of money.
If Dad were alive,
he'd teach me
how to play the guitar.
If Dad were alive.
If Dad were alive.
I drank your wine
And you have made
your world mine
So won't you be fair?
So won't you be fair?
I don't want
No more of you
So won't you be kind
to me?
Just let me go there
I have to go there
Trouble
Oh, trouble, please be kind
I don't want no fight
And I haven't got
a lot of time.
(jazz music playing)
No, I ordered the High Tide.
The Red Squall is mine.
You expect me to remember
what you ordered?
Figure it out yourselves.
You guys have had plenty of time
to look over this lousy menu.
So what's it gonna be?
Is everybody ready?
- No.
- I think we need another minute.
If I walk away from this table
without an order,
I'm not coming back
for another 20 minutes.
I hope by then
you've got it figured out.
I know what I want.
Yeah? Well, I see
who the decision-maker is here.
What will it be?
I will have the chicken breast.
What the hell is wrong with you?
You come to a seafood restaurant
and order chicken?
Well, the other stuff
is expensive.
That's because it tastes good.
Come on, Stacy,
order the lobster.
You can even pick it out
if you're feeling particularly sadistic.
Do you like shrimp?
We have a spectacular
shrimp cocktail,
if you don't mind ripping apart
their freaky exoskeletons.
They have a lot of cholesterol,
don't they?
Not half as much
as the lobster.
Oh my God.
Listen, you could die
on a car ride home tonight,
and you're worried
about a little bypass surgery
Relax.
You're gonna get the shrimp cocktail
and the poached lobster.
Who's next?
Not bad for a kid
learning the ropes.
Welcome aboard, Greta.
Thanks.
Hey, that seafaring lingo
that you do...
you don't do that
all the time, right?
Yeah, I want to see a collar
from now on.
This is a respectable place.
Aye aye, Captain.
Oh my God.
Hey, you got a car?
Seeing as I don't have a license, no.
Yeah, well,
why don't you stick around
a little while?
And I will get you home safely.
Uh, thanks, Voltaire,
but I can take care of myself
all right?
Anyway, I'm only 17.
What, are you, like, 40?
Hey, Lou,
what's a Voltaire?
Does Lou know that you're
feeding his food to the strays?
It's just garbage.
Lou know that you think
his food is garbage?
No, I mean it's going
in the garbage.
It's just a joke.
Hold on.
My name's Julie.
I'm Greta,
which is just a thinly disguised
anagram for "great."
Okay.
You didn't thank me
for getting you hired.
That's 'cause I already
hate the job.
It's only been one day.
(distant siren wailing)
(distant siren wailing)
(car alarm whooping)
What's up, little girl?
(helicopter blades whirring)
- Man: Check this out.
- Man #2: Yeah, look at that.
Hey, slice, like at you.
Baby, can I walk with you?
No.
Oh, she cold.
Yeah, that's right.
(woman singing)
Woman: What are you
looking at?
(men and women arguing)
Man: What did I say?
What did I just say?
Woman: I'm not giving it to you
no matter what.
(siren whooping)
Parnelli.
Where are you?
Parnelli, time to come in.
(police radio chatter)
Parnelli.
Thanks for the ride.
- Stay out of trouble, sweetheart.
- Yeah.
Grams, don't worry.
They're trumped up charges.
Jury's got nothing on me.
What?
We found her over
in Asbury Park.
She got a little scared,
so we brought her home.
Oh.
Oh, thank you.
(knocks on door)
What happened?
Come right in, Grams.
Don't bother waiting for an invitation.
Now you see why I told you
to stay away
from Asbury Park.
Well, you piqued
my curiosity, okay?
Oh, I see.
It was all my fault.
If you don't want me
to do something,
don't plant the idea
in my head.
I'm just trying
to protect you.
It's a little late.
I'm really tired, Grams.
Good night.
Good night.
Well, I admit
she's a bit of a challenge, but...
Well, I admit
she's a bit of a challenge, but...
What?
A challenge.
I say she's a challenge.
A challenge?
She's a pain in the butt.
Good morning.
Oh, love,
it seems Greta is giving
Mrs. Wocheski some difficulty.
There's no "seems" about it.
She is.
She said Mr. Poodles
was just a mangy rodent
and not a real dog at all.
And then she said
he looks just like me.
Are you sure you heard her
correctly?
What?
I said I'm sure she meant it
in the sweetest possible way.
Oh, she's a menace,
that girl.
You'd better keep
a sharp eye out.
Well, we'll see to it
that she apologizes.
Won't we, dear?
Are you done?
I wish.
- Well, how much longer?
- Just a bit.
Excuse me, is that
your van outside?
Yes, ma'am.
I'm hooking it up right now.
Well, I didn't order any hooking up,
so you just go ahead
and unhook
whatever it is you hooked.
Grams, I'm paying for this.
That's not the point.
You're gonna love this, okay?
I don't want cable.
Look, I'm almost done here,
so if you don't want this...
Grams, it's guaranteed to keep me
out of trouble the whole summer.
And it's not costing you
a thing.
We've got to send her home.
I can't do it.
I just can't take it anymore.
Oh, honey, so she wants
the cable TV.
What's the harm in that?
Katherine: That's the point.
She does whatever she wants to do.
She has no boundaries.
Karen's always been
too permissive with her.
Okay, that'll do it.
Finally.
This here is your remote.
What you do is...
Yeah, I got it, okay?
Scram.
All right, just...
I just need a signature here.
- (flipping channels)
- Ma'am?
Sir?
- I just need a signature.
- Okay, I got it.
- Hey.
- I told Mrs. Wocheski
that you would apologize
for that smart-alecky remark
you made about her dog.
Now please go do it.
I can't believe you would
sell out your own granddaughter
to that old blue-hair.
It's not even blue
in a good way.
Go.
Now.
We thought we heard
someone at the door.
You ratted me out
to my grandparents.
I most certainly did.
And I believe you owe me
an apology.
You know,
I noticed you keep those windows
pretty much open all the time.
Of course I do.
The breeze is healthy.
Yeah?
What time do you go to bed
around usually,
What are you getting at?
(chuckles)
You don't scare me.
Mm-hmm.
You don't scare me.
(dog yapping)
(patrons chattering)
Give me just one second here.
Uh, okay.
How's the perch?
How should I know?
I'm sorry?
It's perch.
I'm sure it's fresh.
I'm sure it tastes
how perch usually does.
I can't afford to eat here,
so how should I know?
There's no need to be rude.
Woman: Table 12.
Man: Can I get a side
of horseradish?
What's the perch taste like?
What?
The perch... how is it?
It's all right,
but the catfish is the business.
Yeah? What's that
taste like?
Are you telling me you've never
tried fish before?
Yeah, I have.
Okay, I'm not talking
out of the box or the can.
What kind of wonk
has never tasted fish before?
Okay, maybe not.
Come around here.
I'm gonna show you what it tastes like.
Come on.
Okay, now this right here
is perch, all right?
Now hold on.
Stay here.
Now this is catfish,
Cajun blackened, okay?
Okay.
It's my favorite.
Mm.
You made that?
Yeah.
Well, that is
surprisingly edible.
Well, I'm glad you like it.
Man: Hey, Julie.
Man #2: I need another special.
You don't want the perch.
What's this?
Catfish.
But I wanted the perch.
No, trust me,
you want the catfish.
The perch is all right,
the catfish is the business.
(distant siren wailing)
You know, it's really gonna be
really hard for you to ride that bike
with my foot
shoved up your ass.
Wow.
Oh, it's you. I thought you were
these guys from the other night.
- You ever let it down?
- What?
Your force field.
You know, you walk around
all up in your own shit
like you ain't got no time
for nobody else's goodness.
How does somebody get close enough
to give you what you need?
I don't need anything.
Everybody needs something.
As of right now, seems like
you might need a ride.
On that?
Yeah.
I don't think two bodies
can fit on that.
What, is it, like,
your little brother's bike?
Okay, let me tell you something
about this right here.
This is a masterpiece
of engineering.
This is the product
of my love and sweat.
And it can and will prove you wrong.
But as of right now,
I don't think I even want
to let you on this thing.
I mean, unless... and I mean,
only if you promise to be sweet.
Promise.
Are you always
that sensitive?
I mean, didn't your mama
breastfeed you?
Okay, that would be classified
as sour in my kitchen.
But I'm gonna pretend
that didn't happen.
Okay? Come on.
Now you promise
to be sweet, right?
Yeah.
I promise.
She's mine
She's mine
She's mine
All mine
Yeah, she's mine
Mine
- Hey, baby.
- Hey, what's up?
Forget you.
Yes, she's mine
Mine
Yeah, mine
Yeah, she's mine.
She must have been pretty.
Who?
RS.
RS was a he.
No, not like that.
He was a good friend of mine.
Does he have your initials
tattooed on his wrist?
No.
Why not?
'Cause I'm not dead.
(distant train horn whistles)
Is this what you guys do
for fun around here?
I kind of try
not to have fun.
I try to stay working.
I got this great talent
for finding trouble
and getting all up in it,
so I stay busy.
You want to be a chef?
Yeah, I want my own restaurant.
Where did you learn
how to cook anyway,
home ec?
No, prison.
You lie.
No, for real.
I was at juvie.
I was younger then.
What were you in for?
Joyriding.
(harrumphs)
You're full of it.
I mean, it's not something
I'm trying to brag about.
I'm not proud of it.
Stealing cars, huh?
That's joyriding.
But I'm not into that anymore.
So the correctional system
totally corrected you.
Let me tell you something...
it's a miracle
that I'm even on the outside.
Where I'm at...
I did that, you know.
So if I go back...
I did that too.
That's cool.
Yeah.
But you'd still steal me
a BMW, right?
For you... anything.
I got you.
I just don't know
why you don't like my BMX.
It's the sickest right here.
Greta: Why do I say
the things I do?
They just come out
totally wrong.
Sometimes I just wish
I wouldn't say anything at all.
I like him.
Narrator:
...hundreds of others.
Interpreter: Handcuffed me, beat me,
denied me food and water.
Narrator:
Palden Gyatso endured
in Chinese prison camps.
Uh, come on.
We found a show
I'd like to watch.
Let's watch it.
- Morning, ladies.
- (cell phone ringing)
- Hi, love.
- Hey, Gramps.
You want to go down
to the marina with me today,
help me work on my boat?
I can't, sorry.
I'm gonna hook up
with my friend Julie.
Julie?
You're making new friends already.
Why don't you invite
Julie to lunch?
Okay.
That's a good idea.
Good morning, ma'am.
We're not interested.
Is Greta here?
Hey. Grams, this is Julie.
How do you do, ma'am?
Everything looks really great.
Thank you.
Julie knows food.
He's a chef.
Really?
No, I'm just a line cook,
but I'm working on
becoming one.
I hope to own
my own restaurant one day.
Why don't you tell them
where you learned how to cook?
He learned in prison.
He got busted
for stealing cars.
Something the matter, Grams?
So that would make you
an ex-con?
Yeah, but I'm not
that guy anymore, so...
I'm sure. I understand
that a little prison time
totally transforms everyone.
Yeah, well, that's just it,
you know.
All the kids that were
in the juvenile detention center with me
had been in and out of there
a dozen times.
Seeing that helped me realize
you get out the same way you get in...
on your own.
And so I straightened myself out.
Well, good for you.
Of course, it would
have been better
if you hadn't gotten in
in the first place.
You're absolutely right, ma'am.
Is there celery
in this potato salad?
Mm-hmm.
With a little bit
of sweet relish?
Yes, there is.
I thought Mom made
the best potato salad.
I think this got that beat.
(laughs)
It's my mother's recipe.
You mind if I steal it?
Oh, I thought you had
given up stealing.
Julie! Julie, wait.
That was bullshit,
you know that?
How are you gonna put
my business out there
- just to you could scare her?
- It was a joke.
Okay, well, you know what? I don't
like being the punchline of your joke.
What's with you anyway?
Why are you like this?
You didn't think twice
about leaving me out to dry
just so you can school her.
And you know what bothers me even more
than you playing me right now?
You're staring me with those
big, sexy eyes and, you know...
You want to kiss me.
Hell yeah, I want to kiss you.
Yeah.
Do you understand
This might be
the perfect song
Something pure and new?
No more late-night
Television hours
Or sleepless mornings.
You know I'm still
mad at you, right?
- Really?
- Yeah.
What's this?
Oh, hey, give me that.
- Let me see.
- It's nothing.
- What is it?
- Julie, give it back.
- Wait, what is that?
- Julie, seriously.
"Learn how to ride
a unicycle."
God damn it.
Come on.
"Become fluent
in the African clicking language.
Create the first gummy museum."
- Seriously, can you give it back to me?
- What the hell is this?
It's just a to-do list, okay?
You want to do all this stuff?
"Lose all my virginity."
- Screw you. Stop.
- It's getting too good right now.
"To die."
Oh, man.
"Get pureed in a jet engine.
Get run over by a back-up.
Skydive nude
with no parachute."
You want to do all this stuff too?
You can't do all this stuff.
Jerk, stop laughing at me.
The one serious thing in my life,
and you're laughing.
Greta, you want to kill
somebody?
Just myself, okay?
Don't worry about it.
You need to stop
talking shit.
I'm not.
I'm not talking shit.
I'm not.
So why do you want
to kill yourself?
That's the stupidest thing
I've ever heard all day today,
and today has been
straight up retarded.
You know what I think's
retarded?
Wanting to own a restaurant.
Look, I've got one more year
of high school left,
and then what?
Be like my mother,
desperate for companionship?
Or my grandparents?
They're afraid of their own shadow.
They're prisoners
in their own little world.
So you get 16 years
of having a good time
and then 60
running away from death?
Not me.
I'm gonna quit
while I'm ahead.
You have an extremely
extremely cynical look on life.
But you're so lucky.
And you're such a privileged
person, you know?
You should appreciate
what you got good.
That's what I'm doing.
I'm trying to appreciate
what I have good right now.
Hello.
Oh my God.
Oh my God.
Katherine: Do you think
it's a literary reference or what?
- Have you ever heard of that?
- No.
You guys look bright-eyed
and bushy-tailed.
All right, just don't.
Don't even.
You want some tea?
- No, thanks.
- Katherine: Thank you.
- How is that?
- It's still hot.
I'll say.
Greta, didn't anybody
ever teach you
not to barge into people's rooms
without knocking?
Well, I'm sorry.
I didn't realize
that you guys still do that.
Well, that's a very conventional
point of view, isn't it?
Looks like another
hot one today,
another hot and sweaty one.
That's funny.
I feel perfectly cool.
I know that you guys were
a little preoccupied last night,
but I came home on time.
Congratulations.
Of course, you could have told us
it was your day off.
Well, you could have let me know
it was your day to get off.
Oh, Greta, you just
don't stop, do you?
You just have to push it
as far as you can.
Well, I may not
know much, kiddo,
but I know when it's time
to get out of Dodge.
So where's that old hunk of junk
you've been working on?
You're looking at her.
No way.
Yeah, uh-huh.
That's pretty pimp.
What happened?
You know,
a little elbow grease,
a lot of love,
a lot of patience.
I think it's gonna be
worth the effort, though,
when your grandma sees it.
It's so dope,
definitely the best-looking boat
on the marina.
Thanks.
Didn't you just
have breakfast?
Yeah.
Where are we going?
We're not going anywhere today.
I've got a lot of work to do on this engine.
Fine by me.
I get seasick
watching "Gilligan's Island."
Greta, can I talk to you
for a minute?
Thanks to the Bill of Rights.
This morning your grandmother
found a pill in the toilet bowl,
a little white pill
just stuck there.
And?
You want to tell me
what that's all about?
I haven't spoken to your mother
about it yet,
but I think
I'm gonna have to.
What do you think it is... Ex?
What?
It's Lexapro.
It's an SSRI,
which means that it's...
I forget what it means,
but it's supposed to make me
normal and boring.
Dr. Glickman put me on it
after I set Edgar's briefcase
on fire.
(chuckles)
What was it doing in the toilet?
I stopped taking it
months ago.
I don't feel right
when I'm on it, you know.
And plus, they say,
"Just say no,"
and then they turn around
and write you a prescription
for some mood-altering drug.
It's so stupid.
Yeah, but if he prescribed it,
maybe you should be taking it.
The only reason
he even wrote the scrip
is because Mom saw
an ad somewhere
and he does everything
that Mom tells him.
Your mother is just trying
to do what she thinks is best for you.
You know, she loves you.
- No, she doesn't.
- Yes, she does.
Then why am I here?
She doesn't know
what do with you, Greta.
You know what?
If the house was on fire
and she could choose
to save me or Edgar,
I think that she'd choose Edgar.
I really think that.
Woman: Hey, Greta,
table 9 wants you.
Hey, remember us?
Yeah.
What do you want?
Well, we don't know. We thought
maybe you could help us decide.
We had a really good time
last time.
Yeah? What am I,
a goddamn sideshow?
What the hell do you want?
Excuse me.
Greta, could I see you?
Thank you.
Look, the attitude was cute
for a while,
but you gotta shape up.
Now I'm gonna put Donna
on that table,
so just take it easy, okay?
- Hey.
- Hey.
Can we go to the beach later?
Yeah, we can.
But you have to let go of me
so I don't burn anything, okay?
Can I get a refill?
Do I look anything
like your waitress?
Sit down, Greta.
I'm not trying to pick on you,
but you have to treat customers
like what they are.
Thumbtacks in my ass?
No, they're your employers.
They're my employers.
They pay our salaries.
All right.
Do you want to fire me?
You're an unusual girl.
You have more confidence
and self-assurance
than any adult I know.
You can go very far in life.
Except you have this way
of poking people in the eye
with your words.
You know what, Lou? I really
don't need this hassle tonight, okay?
I'm being very kind here.
Well, save your charity
for someone who wants it, okay?
If you don't want me working here,
then fire me.
Why don't you take
tomorrow night off?
Maybe I will.
I'll take tomorrow night off,
and the next night after that,
and the night after that,
and after that,
and after that,
and then after that one...
(continues ranting)
- Greta, wait.
- I quit.
- Let me just talk to Lou.
- Don't you dare.
I'm sick of wasting my time
in this lousy dump.
It's not that bad, okay?
I'm gonna go in there
and I gotta mop.
It should take 10 minutes. Stay.
No way.
You can meet me
at my house later.
What about your grandmother?
What about
my lousy grandmother?
All I have
Is all that I'm feeling
All I feel
Is all that I know
And then I use it
every day
And then I use it
every day
And abuse it
in every way
And that's how
It feels
Yeah, that's how
It feels
I would understand
Your heart
If I could feel it
I would understand
Your heart
If I could feel it.
All right.
Julie.
You told me to come over.
- Come on up.
- How am I supposed to get up there
without waking up your grandparents?
Come down here.
I can't.
I'm not dressed.
Climb up.
Hell no.
I ain't climbing up that.
I want to see you.
I want you to come up here.
Please please please
please please.
Look what you got me doing.
(dog yapping)
Shh.
Be careful.
- Hi.
- You're gonna make me kill myself.
Time was sitting still
In a sleepy world
For a pretty girl like you
You can't wait
Ghosts would gather round
To steal a peek
At the secrets
you keep close
At your gate.
What's this?
Well, you know, they are
these balloon thingies
- and two people use them...
- Yeah, I know what they are.
I didn't know what size to get,
so I got Magnums.
We're not about to use this.
Yes, we are.
I mean, it's not gonna be
that way.
We're not about to have sex.
What's wrong?
There's nothing wrong.
That's the problem.
See, I really like you
and I don't want to be one of those things
you check off your to-do list.
You know,
you can't control
every damn thing
that happens in your life.
Some things just gotta have
their own rhythm, you know?
You gotta go with that.
You know what I mean?
So you don't think
I'm gross or anything?
(chuckles) No.
You're trouble for sure, yeah,
'cause you're hot
and you're sexy and you're smart.
(police radio chatter)
- Why are cops here?
- Shit.
Julie.
Julie, wait.
Where are you going?
- I gotta go.
- Julie.
I gotta get out of here.
What are you doing?
Julie, Julie.
Hey, get out of there.
Come on, get down.
On the ground. On the ground.
I didn't do anything.
Shit.
Come on, junior.
Get up, get up.
Just one second, man.
I didn't do nothing.
- Wait wait, hold on, hold on.
- Easy now.
Mrs. O'Donnell, you gotta tell them.
They made a mistake.
What's going on here?
A neighbor spotted this individual
climbing up your trellis, ma'am.
- Ma'am, do you know this person?
- Yes, of course.
I thought you were through
with stealing.
I wasn't stealing anything.
It's a mix-up. They made a mistake.
Leave him alone.
Just one second, man.
I didn't do nothing.
Grams, tell them to stop, please.
He's gonna be in so much trouble.
- What is he doing here?
- I invited him here.
- To do what exactly?
- What's going on here?
Gramps, please
make them stop.
Okay, that's it. I've had it.
I'm calling your mother right now.
You're insane.
- Look, he didn't do anything.
- No, back inside.
Joseph: Katherine, don't get Karen
all riled up.
Gramps, they're gonna
take him in.
- I've got to call her mother.
- You have to go tell them.
He didn't do anything wrong.
I promise.
- He crawled through my window.
- Shut up, Grams.
- Don't talk to her that way.
- Please, it's not fair.
You're not helping things.
Now listen to me.
Go upstairs
and let me deal with this.
I will take care of this.
Yes yes, right now.
I will take care of this.
I will deal with it. Go on, go on.
Go on.
Oh, that girl...
she is totally out of control.
I mean, just once
she's got to learn
that she can't have everything
her own way.
She's your family, Katherine.
She's your flesh and blood.
She's not some enemy
you have to defeat.
I apologize for all this,
Mr. O'Donnell.
And I hope I didn't get Greta
in too much trouble.
Thanks.
And I think you got it backwards.
I think she's the one
who got you in trouble.
I like her, you know.
I really like Greta
and she's worth it,
but I'm worried about her,
you know?
Does she ever talk to you about...?
She's got that little notebook
she carries around.
Do you...?
Greta ever say anything to you
about her father?
She doesn't talk too much
about personal stuff, you know.
Well, it's something we don't
talk about very much in this family either,
but I think you've earned the right
to know about it.
Greta's father killed himself.
She was just a little kid,
five, six years old.
He took his shotgun
and stuck it in his mouth.
She was there.
She walked in on him.
You know, I don't know
how much of it
she remembers,
how much
she carries around with her,
but here she is,
all grown up,
and writing that list.
You know, it may be a phase
she's going through.
It may be just some idea
that she has to reckon with,
but I think...
I think it's our job
to try and help her
through it.
Wow.
Yeah.
Well, go on home.
Get some sleep.
Thank you, sir.
- Hey, Julie.
- Yeah?
Do you get seasick?
If life is like a mountain,
did you, did you not fall?
I have missed you
since I was five
I don't recall your eyes,
but your hands I do recall
And I know how you smelled
when you were alive
You've died
Like we're all gonna go
someday
You've died
I was five
and I wish you'd stayed
You've died
I was five
and I wish you'd stayed.
Yeah, this is great.
I feel all preppy and shit.
Why are we here?
Your grandfather's
a good guy, you know.
This means a lot to him.
Come on, it's not that bad,
though, right?
Hey,
remember that stuff
that you said in my room
the other night?
Yeah, I remember.
Did you mean that?
Have I lied to you yet?
I don't know.
Hey, Julie,
want to take the helm?
Go ahead.
All right, I'm coming.
Just keep her
in a straight line.
Katherine: I love it.
It's wonderful.
Come with me
Come with me
On a voyage
To the bottom
Of the sea
In a sea
Of blue-green
We will find love
At the bottom
Of the sea
Unbelievable, inconceivable
Fantastic it will seem
But we'll be the first
The very first
To live such a strange
new dream
Come with me.
Greta.
Greta.
There they are.
Greta.
I've got you.
I've got you.
Okay, right there, right there.
Are you all right?
Yeah. Are you okay?
- Are you okay, honey?
- My head.
You hit your head?
Let me see it.
Turn it.
Joseph: It's not bleeding.
Grams.
Grams.
Katherine, Katherine.
Are you all right?
- Grams.
- I'm gonna get on the radio.
Grams, hey.
(P.A. Chatter)
It was a mild heart attack.
She's okay.
She's gonna have to be
on medication from now on, though.
But she's okay.
They want to keep her here tonight
and run some more tests.
I'm gonna stay with her
until she goes to sleep.
You two go on home,
get out of this
air conditioning.
(thunder rumbling)
Hey, here.
You're not gonna stay?
No, you can check me off
that list of yours.
I'm done.
What?
What are you talking about?
Are you serious?
You really don't get it?
Reggie Spiegel,
my roommate in juvie.
One morning, Mother's Day...
I found him hanging
by an electric cord.
I didn't see it coming
'cause he didn't mouth off about it.
He didn't want to be saved.
See, you knew I'd jump in
after you
'cause you didn't want to die.
You just wanted that drama.
- No, l...
- What you did was serious.
And it affects people.
It affects me.
I wish I could help you,
'cause you need it.
But I'm not going
overboard for you.
I got my own shit.
I'm doing my own thing.
You know?
"April 10th, 1962.
My sweet sweet Joseph,
you set sail
less than an hour ago
and I'm kicking myself already.
Please forgive me.
I only treated you that way
because I was mad
about you leaving.
I've been silly,
prone to capriciousness.
I'm mad at myself
for wasting our last
moments together,
for not telling you
how I really feel.
I love you
and I've missed my chance
to tell you in person.
If something happens to you,
I'll just die.
I miss you, Joseph.
Promise you'll come home safely.
Forever yours, Katherine."
Grams.
(tinkling)
Okay, close your eyes.
Katherine: Can I trust you?
Okay, this way.
Can I open my eyes yet?
Mm, okay.
Oh, you didn't have to
do that, Greta.
Those flowers
are expensive.
Can't you see that I'm trying
to say I'm sorry?
Well, then say it.
I just did.
No.
You don't even know
what you're sorry for.
I'm fighting to save my life
and you're trying
to throw yours away.
Now why is that?
'Cause...
I want to be
like the girl in this picture,
young and alive.
I haven't seen this picture since...
I wasn't any older
than you there.
You look like a totally
different person,
so happy.
Don't you miss that?
Well, no.
You're telling me
that you wouldn't jump at the chance
if you could turn
the clock back?
(chuckles) No.
I wouldn't.
You see...
I was a different person then.
I didn't know anything
about the world or myself.
I had no perspective.
This was a long time ago.
And every day since then,
every experience I've had,
every person I've met
has carved an impression on me.
You know, this girl, this child...
she's just a fraction
of what I've become...
a wife, a mother,
a grandmother...
me.
Oh, honey,
you have no idea
what's ahead of you.
It's all such an incredible
adventure.
Do you have a picture of my dad?
I just want to know
what he looks like.
You've never seen
a picture of your father?
No.
Sweetheart.
(horn honks)
What are they doing here?
Mom.
Hiya, all.
Are you okay?
Shouldn't you be
sitting down or something?
- I'm fine, dear. Hello.
- I'm so sorry.
What are you doing here?
Gramps, what are they
doing here?
Greta, go inside
and get your things.
I don't want to go home
with you.
We're not taking you
home, Greta.
Then why are you he...?
You're gonna send me
to that boot camp.
Go get your things, Greta.
Wait a minute.
What's this boot camp stuff?
No, it's a special
summer camp
for kids like her,
to straighten her out.
Gramps, why didn't you tell me
that they were coming?
I asked your grandfather
not to say anything.
We didn't want you
running off or something.
- Greta.
- Edgar: Come on now.
Karen: Greta.
My mom is here.
She's gonna send me away
to some boot camp place.
What am I gonna do?
What can you do?
There's got to be something.
I guess you could
check the camp out,
see what it's all about.
You think I'm screwed up
and that place is gonna save me?
Yeah, you're screwed up.
But that place can't fix you.
Only you can fix you.
If that's not what you want,
it ain't gonna happen.
I'm really sorry.
Well, that's a start.
- You smell like food.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
Call me when you get it all
figured out, okay?
All right.
Have a nice walk?
Did Mom leave?
She's here now,
so come on back.
You all finished
with your little tantrum?
What are you doing
with my stuff?
I packed your things.
You've wasted enough time already.
I don't want to go.
Please, please let me stay.
Your grandmother
does not want you here.
- That's not true.
- That's what you told me last week.
"There's no winning with her,"
you said.
Did I say that?
Well, that was then
and this is now.
And if Greta wants to stay,
I would quite like to have her.
- I'm staying.
- No, you're not.
- Mom.
- Shh.
- Greta, let go.
- Be careful there. Be careful.
Mom.
- Quiet down and give me the bag.
- What's wrong with you?
- Greta, stop it.
- Edgar: What's going on?
- Mom, please.
- Stop making a scene.
- Edgar: What are you doing?
- Edgar, I could use some help.
- Be careful. Don't hurt her.
- Come on now.
Mrs. Wocheski: What the hell
is going on over there?
All right, just stop.
Everybody just stop.
(blaring)
Greta, get up.
Please, Katherine, sit down.
I'm sick of all this.
I'm tired of all this screaming
and yelling and fighting
and the police on my porch
in the middle of the night
and my wife upset
every 15 minutes.
I don't want to hear
another word
about this boot camp nonsense.
Dad, look,
with all due respect,
you really don't have
any say here.
Oh, yes, I do.
I earned it when you
dumped her on us this summer.
This kid needs love
and understanding and patience.
Do you hear yourself?
Where was the love and understanding
when I needed it,
when you let her
run me out of the house
because she didn't like
my boyfriend?
What? I never threw you
out of this house.
I simply said you couldn't live here
and do drugs.
You two have a lot of nerve
bringing my parenting skills
into question.
Stop it.
Mom, stop talking to them like that.
Okay, I will go
to the stupid boot camp.
- No, Greta, Greta.
- Wait wait.
- Greta's staying here.
- Dad.
- And so are you.
- No, I'm not.
We're gonna make this right.
We're gonna fix it.
We're gonna get to know
one another, this family of ours.
Dad, I have a job.
Well, you've got vacation time
saved up, haven't you?
Well, yeah, but that's for Bermuda
in the fall.
Oh, you're taking your daughter
to Bermuda in the fall, are you?
No, just Edgar and I.
Uh-huh.
No, you cannot make Edgar
spend his vacation here.
Edgar isn't invited.
This is between us and you
and Greta.
And if Edgar really loves you,
he can just do without you for a little while
while you save
your daughter's life.
When you put it like that,
I have to say...
- You're not gonna leave me here?
- Yeah.
You're leaving me here?
Yeah, this is the best idea
any of us have had.
You know, I think your dad is right.
This could be good for everyone.
- Edgar.
- See you in a couple of weeks.
- Edgar.
- You'll be fine, sweetheart.
Oh, this is grand.
Oh, this is gonna really
be helpful.
Go on, you two, yuck it up.
I don't even have
any clothes to wear.
Grandma's got some dresses
you could wear.
- Edgar: Bye, all.
- You two are exactly alike.
And you...
Here.
Here he is.
Oh, yeah, there he is.
He was handsome.
I dream about him sometimes,
but he never looks the same.
You have his eyes.
Yeah?
And his brains.
Well, I'll try to keep mine
inside my skull.
I always loved
that picture of you.
God.
Oh my God.
What happened to your hair, Mom?
The 1980s.
It's huge.
Katherine:
Big hair. Big hair.
Grow up, girl
Grow up
You're not all that you were.
Greta: Dear Mom,
I'll probably be home
by the time you get this,
but I don't care.
I just wanted to thank you
for the time we had together
and for letting me
stay down here.
Oscar Wilde wrote,
"To lose one parent
may be regarded as a misfortune.
To lose both
looks like carelessness."
I think he had a point.
It's not so bad here.
Really, it's not as bad
as you'd think.
Nice day for a walk
in the park
Nice day for a drive
through the city
This world is a warm,
sunny park
Nice day for a talk
with your girl
Nice day for your shop
to get busy
This world is
of no empty part
Please don't ask me
all those questions
I don't know
Please don't ask me
all those questions
I don't know
And when you wake up early
and the sun is shining
Are you ready for
the day that's coming?
It's coming
Yeah.
I wanna die
I wanna die
Down south Louisiana
And grey evening sky.
Woman:
June 21st.
Exile to Siberia.
I mean, New Jersey.
Is there a difference?
I can't tell.
Isn't Siberia the place
they send you to die?
And from my experience
Ocean Grove isn't that much different.
I think the median age is 85
with the life expectancy of 86.
Sounds about right to me.
Thanks, Mom.
Thank you for buying me
a one-way ticket to hell.
I mean,
Grams' and Gramps' mausoleum.
Where it always smells like
desiccated socks.
Oh, I'm sure they're thrilled too.
It'll just be one great summer
of Chinese torture for all of us.
Who cares anyway?
Nobody.
Actually, maybe Ocean Grove
is the perfect place for me.
In fact, when I get off this bus
I should just walk over to the pier
and jump,
end it all.
Goodbye, world.
Goodbye, New Jersey.
The truth is, if I weren't around,
it would solve everyone's problems.
Mom could really focus
on saving marriage number nine.
And my grandmother...
well, she could spend
her whole summer
making those seashell
thingies she makes.
And Gramps could finally finish
fixing up that boat of his.
Yeah, Grams definitely wouldn't care
if I weren't around.
I swear she has some serious
anxiety issues.
Maybe I should give her
some of my pills.
That's what I should do...
make it easy on everyone.
If I weren't here,
their lives would be better.
There's only one person
who might actually care,
but Dad isn't around anymore.
(man snoring)
(coughing)
Buses suck, huh?
Great. Hello, New Jersey!
Good times, good times.
Hi, sweetie.
Greta, how nice to see you.
Gramps, Grams, hi.
You folks don't look so bad,
all things considered.
Hello to you too, Greta.
Yeah, hello hello.
We all know why I'm here.
No need to act thrilled about it.
We're glad to have you here, honey.
We really are.
Yeah, well, I didn't really plan
on spending my summer in Jersey,
in what might as well be
a nursing home.
Gramps: Well, I guess you're glad
to be out of school for the summer, right?
If I cared one microbe
about school,
I guess yeah, it'd be some kind
of a relief.
Your mother said
you were on the honor roll all year.
That's terrific.
You should be proud of yourself.
You'll get into a good college.
I'm not going to college.
Of course you're going
to college.
The fact is that I'm gonna kill myself
before I turn 18,
so that doesn't really leave much time
for an undergraduate degree.
I assume that you understand
that a joke is supposed
to be funny.
It's not a joke.
See, I've been making this list
of all the different ways you can die...
self-immolation,
falling from a great height.
I don't know about electrocution.
I hear that your heart actually cooks
and you puke up your melted guts.
All right, Greta, just stop.
Just stop right now.
Well, at the same time,
I've been making this list
of things that I want to do
before I die.
For instance,
I want to eat a bug
just to say that I did.
I want to get in a fistfight
with a grown man.
Don't ask.
I want to learn
how to really paint,
and maybe get a tattoo.
Anyway, as soon as I choose
my method of death
then I'm gonna cross as much off
my to-do list as I can
and commit some kind of
grizzly suicide.
Voila.
You won't have Greta
to kick around anymore.
Come on, Greta.
Well, look who it is.
You certainly have grown up
to be quite the pretty young lady
under all that makeup.
Mrs. Wocheski,
same nosy old bag.
What? What's that?
I said, "Isn't this heat a drag?"
A drag?
Hey, did you hear about
that huge hunk of space junk
that landed in some
old lady's home
just about a month ago
right here in Jersey?
Jersey?
(whispering) The universe is just
loaded with things that we've left up there.
- What?
- And all of a sudden...
- Bam!
- Whaa!
Instantly vaporized.
(barking)
I don't know what to do
about you
I left your things upstairs,
honey.
I learned a lot of rules
from the Bible, baby
But I wonder wonder
what I should do
But I wonder wonder
what I should do
I don't know
why I'm staying with you
If everything they're saying
is true
I heard about you lying
to your mama, baby
And I wonder wonder
what I should do
But I wonder wonder
what I should do.
(cat mewing)
Parnelli.
Hey.
What's it like living with the mummies
of Guanajuato?
Do you ever get used
to that smell?
Hmm?
You don't care,
as long as someone feeds you
and scoops your litter.
It's a pretty good deal,
a life you want anyway.
(teapot whistling)
Katherine: I'm trying not to be
judgmental, Joseph,
but she's a handful.
Joseph: Oh, Katherine,
it's only three months.
September will be here
before you know it.
You don't think
she's serious, do you?
No, I think she's just
being dramatic,
trying to push our buttons.
Yeah, you know who she
reminds me of at that age?
Karen.
Ow. I'm nothing like my mother!
Nothing!
Hey, Gramps,
can I bump a $20?
Mm!
Greta, we have rules
in this house.
I assume your mother
told you about them.
Yeah.
I'm sure she did.
I'm also sure
I wasn't paying attention.
Oh, well,
then listen to me.
Now you can have
a very nice summer here,
but it won't be
without structure and supervision.
Now if you want to have
spending money,
you're going to have to
get a job.
And there will be
a 10:00 PM curfew.
And you're not permitted
beyond the town lines,
especially not to Asbury Park.
That's no place for you.
So does all of that
sound fair to you?
Let me tell you how this works:
I go where I want
when I want with whom I want.
And I don't come home
until I want to.
Now that's how it works
at Karen's.
So if you've got a problem with it,
take it up with her.
She's the one who dumped me
on you two anyway.
Okay? Let's just do each other
a favor,
stay out of each other's way.
Summer will be over
before we know it.
Deal?
Deal.
(whistles)
Where did you get that?
Oh, yeah.
What does that thing get,
Only on a steep downgrade.
Can I borrow it?
Huh-uh. I heard about what happened
when you went to get your driver's license.
That DMV guy
was emotionally unstable, okay?
It was not my driving
that made him cry.
(Joseph guffaws)
I'm serious.
Okay, we'll see
what your mother thinks.
Like she thinks.
I swear she holds the record
for the most blah moments.
She thinks that string theory
has something to do with macrame.
This is the same woman
that gives me advice on boys.
Her husbands are in and out so fast,
I can't even keep track.
What, is this
husband number nine?
Three.
And you can't drive alone
without a license.
It's against the law.
What's the worst
that's gonna happen, Grams?
I die?
No, the worst thing
that can happen
is that you take somebody
with you when you die.
Greta: Ocean Grove.
More like Ocean Grave.
No wonder Mom left this place
when she was 17.
It's so passe.
I'll make her pay for this torture
when I get home.
That is, if I make it home.
Wow. Okay, I'll give it to her...
Grams looked pretty.
(changing channels)
(turns off TV)
(tinkling)
Can I help you?
There's something majorly wrong
with the cable.
I think you ought to call
and light a fire under someone's ass.
We don't have cable.
Wait, say that again.
I said we don't...
What are you wear...?
Oh, look at you.
How do you survive
without cable?
It's really tough, Greta.
Sometimes we cry ourselves
to sleep at night.
You know, you can always
rent videotapes.
Videotapes?
Come on, who lives like this?
Oh, stop the histrionics, Greta,
for goodness' sakes.
There's so much to do
around here.
There's the whole ocean
right there.
Take my bicycle.
Ride along the boardwalk.
Then you won't have time
for TV.
So you want me to sacrifice
reality TV
for purely empirical
experiences?
Yeah, that's my
recommendation.
Fine.
Come with me
Come with me
On a voyage
To the bottom
Of the sea
In a sea
Of blue-green
We will find love
At the bottom
Of the sea
Unbelievable, inconceivable
Fantastic it will seem
But we'll be the first
The very first
To live such a strange
New dream
There we'll be
Lost and free
On our voyage
To the bottom
Of the sea
Come with me
On our voyage
To the bottom
Of the sea.
Greta: They say that drowning
and freezing to death
are the nicest ways to die,
euphoric even.
I wonder how they would
know that.
The way I see it, what does
experience have to do with anything?
I mean, I've been served
by 1000 waitresses
and the job just doesn't
seem that tough.
I'm sure it has its nuances
just like anything else,
but I'll figure it out.
You're soaking wet.
Oh, come on, Lou.
I'd say the wet T-shirt look
definitely trumps experience.
Does he have
all of his shots?
Let me get you an application.
What the hell for?
It's a yes or no decision.
Not really. It's...
Hey, Lou, give her the job.
You're gonna give it to her anyway.
Zip it, Julie.
See, this is how it works...
you ask him something:
He pretends to chew on it.
He can't say no to nobody,
so you got the job. Don't worry about it.
I don't need your help.
I ain't trying to help you.
Hell, I don't even know you.
I'm trying to help my boy.
One more night that he's shorthanded...
he's gonna develop an ulcer
and it's gonna be problematic for all of us.
Get back to the dungeon.
I'm just saying, man.
I'm just saying.
I can start tomorrow.
Would you like me here at 4:00?
Um...
Or how about lunch?
Then I can learn everything.
It'll be all good.
Uh...
Great. See you then.
Hey, that girl's trouble.
I think I just hired her.
(chattering, laughing)
Oh my God, you guys
are still awake?
You do realize
it's past 9:00, right?
You realize
that you missed dinner?
What happened to my dress?
Oh, I went swimming.
New York doesn't use that ocean
as a toilet, do they?
Is my hair starting
to turn green?
Greta, I really don't mind
you wearing my dress.
I do mind you going swimming in it.
Would you take it off, please?
Greta, your mother called.
You were supposed to let her know
you got down here all right.
Well, did you tell her
that I was still alive?
Why don't you tell her?
There's a phone on the piano.
- Are you taking that?
- Yes, I am.
- You're in deep trouble now.
- Come on.
- Gin.
- Oh, no.
It's me.
What do you want?
Karen: I see you survived
the bus trip after all.
I'd rather have ferried
across the River Styx.
Grams told me about your little
to-die list.
You shouldn't scare her
like that.
She doesn't know you well enough
to understand.
How's my old room look?
Does she still have
her seashells everywhere?
It's a shell hole, Mom.
Why are you doing this to me?
Karen: You know why.
We've discussed this.
I am trying
to save my marriage.
You would have better luck
trying to save
the polar ice caps, Mom.
Why is it that your marriage only works
when I'm not there?
Sweetie,
Greta, I know this is tough,
but try to make the best of it.
Take as much time
as you need, okay, Karen?
Sort things out,
shuffle them together,
do whatever the hell it is
you need to do
to try and save
this marriage, okay?
I'm here and I'm fine.
Don't even worry about me.
I'm fine!
Trouble
Oh, trouble, set me free
I have seen your face
And it's too much, too much
for me.
Greta: If Dad were alive,
he'd let me drive the car.
And we'd do stuff like paint.
Maybe I'd be friends
with the kid down the street.
Mom and he would argue
about petunias instead of money.
If Dad were alive,
he'd teach me
how to play the guitar.
If Dad were alive.
If Dad were alive.
I drank your wine
And you have made
your world mine
So won't you be fair?
So won't you be fair?
I don't want
No more of you
So won't you be kind
to me?
Just let me go there
I have to go there
Trouble
Oh, trouble, please be kind
I don't want no fight
And I haven't got
a lot of time.
(jazz music playing)
No, I ordered the High Tide.
The Red Squall is mine.
You expect me to remember
what you ordered?
Figure it out yourselves.
You guys have had plenty of time
to look over this lousy menu.
So what's it gonna be?
Is everybody ready?
- No.
- I think we need another minute.
If I walk away from this table
without an order,
I'm not coming back
for another 20 minutes.
I hope by then
you've got it figured out.
I know what I want.
Yeah? Well, I see
who the decision-maker is here.
What will it be?
I will have the chicken breast.
What the hell is wrong with you?
You come to a seafood restaurant
and order chicken?
Well, the other stuff
is expensive.
That's because it tastes good.
Come on, Stacy,
order the lobster.
You can even pick it out
if you're feeling particularly sadistic.
Do you like shrimp?
We have a spectacular
shrimp cocktail,
if you don't mind ripping apart
their freaky exoskeletons.
They have a lot of cholesterol,
don't they?
Not half as much
as the lobster.
Oh my God.
Listen, you could die
on a car ride home tonight,
and you're worried
about a little bypass surgery
Relax.
You're gonna get the shrimp cocktail
and the poached lobster.
Who's next?
Not bad for a kid
learning the ropes.
Welcome aboard, Greta.
Thanks.
Hey, that seafaring lingo
that you do...
you don't do that
all the time, right?
Yeah, I want to see a collar
from now on.
This is a respectable place.
Aye aye, Captain.
Oh my God.
Hey, you got a car?
Seeing as I don't have a license, no.
Yeah, well,
why don't you stick around
a little while?
And I will get you home safely.
Uh, thanks, Voltaire,
but I can take care of myself
all right?
Anyway, I'm only 17.
What, are you, like, 40?
Hey, Lou,
what's a Voltaire?
Does Lou know that you're
feeding his food to the strays?
It's just garbage.
Lou know that you think
his food is garbage?
No, I mean it's going
in the garbage.
It's just a joke.
Hold on.
My name's Julie.
I'm Greta,
which is just a thinly disguised
anagram for "great."
Okay.
You didn't thank me
for getting you hired.
That's 'cause I already
hate the job.
It's only been one day.
(distant siren wailing)
(distant siren wailing)
(car alarm whooping)
What's up, little girl?
(helicopter blades whirring)
- Man: Check this out.
- Man #2: Yeah, look at that.
Hey, slice, like at you.
Baby, can I walk with you?
No.
Oh, she cold.
Yeah, that's right.
(woman singing)
Woman: What are you
looking at?
(men and women arguing)
Man: What did I say?
What did I just say?
Woman: I'm not giving it to you
no matter what.
(siren whooping)
Parnelli.
Where are you?
Parnelli, time to come in.
(police radio chatter)
Parnelli.
Thanks for the ride.
- Stay out of trouble, sweetheart.
- Yeah.
Grams, don't worry.
They're trumped up charges.
Jury's got nothing on me.
What?
We found her over
in Asbury Park.
She got a little scared,
so we brought her home.
Oh.
Oh, thank you.
(knocks on door)
What happened?
Come right in, Grams.
Don't bother waiting for an invitation.
Now you see why I told you
to stay away
from Asbury Park.
Well, you piqued
my curiosity, okay?
Oh, I see.
It was all my fault.
If you don't want me
to do something,
don't plant the idea
in my head.
I'm just trying
to protect you.
It's a little late.
I'm really tired, Grams.
Good night.
Good night.
Well, I admit
she's a bit of a challenge, but...
Well, I admit
she's a bit of a challenge, but...
What?
A challenge.
I say she's a challenge.
A challenge?
She's a pain in the butt.
Good morning.
Oh, love,
it seems Greta is giving
Mrs. Wocheski some difficulty.
There's no "seems" about it.
She is.
She said Mr. Poodles
was just a mangy rodent
and not a real dog at all.
And then she said
he looks just like me.
Are you sure you heard her
correctly?
What?
I said I'm sure she meant it
in the sweetest possible way.
Oh, she's a menace,
that girl.
You'd better keep
a sharp eye out.
Well, we'll see to it
that she apologizes.
Won't we, dear?
Are you done?
I wish.
- Well, how much longer?
- Just a bit.
Excuse me, is that
your van outside?
Yes, ma'am.
I'm hooking it up right now.
Well, I didn't order any hooking up,
so you just go ahead
and unhook
whatever it is you hooked.
Grams, I'm paying for this.
That's not the point.
You're gonna love this, okay?
I don't want cable.
Look, I'm almost done here,
so if you don't want this...
Grams, it's guaranteed to keep me
out of trouble the whole summer.
And it's not costing you
a thing.
We've got to send her home.
I can't do it.
I just can't take it anymore.
Oh, honey, so she wants
the cable TV.
What's the harm in that?
Katherine: That's the point.
She does whatever she wants to do.
She has no boundaries.
Karen's always been
too permissive with her.
Okay, that'll do it.
Finally.
This here is your remote.
What you do is...
Yeah, I got it, okay?
Scram.
All right, just...
I just need a signature here.
- (flipping channels)
- Ma'am?
Sir?
- I just need a signature.
- Okay, I got it.
- Hey.
- I told Mrs. Wocheski
that you would apologize
for that smart-alecky remark
you made about her dog.
Now please go do it.
I can't believe you would
sell out your own granddaughter
to that old blue-hair.
It's not even blue
in a good way.
Go.
Now.
We thought we heard
someone at the door.
You ratted me out
to my grandparents.
I most certainly did.
And I believe you owe me
an apology.
You know,
I noticed you keep those windows
pretty much open all the time.
Of course I do.
The breeze is healthy.
Yeah?
What time do you go to bed
around usually,
What are you getting at?
(chuckles)
You don't scare me.
Mm-hmm.
You don't scare me.
(dog yapping)
(patrons chattering)
Give me just one second here.
Uh, okay.
How's the perch?
How should I know?
I'm sorry?
It's perch.
I'm sure it's fresh.
I'm sure it tastes
how perch usually does.
I can't afford to eat here,
so how should I know?
There's no need to be rude.
Woman: Table 12.
Man: Can I get a side
of horseradish?
What's the perch taste like?
What?
The perch... how is it?
It's all right,
but the catfish is the business.
Yeah? What's that
taste like?
Are you telling me you've never
tried fish before?
Yeah, I have.
Okay, I'm not talking
out of the box or the can.
What kind of wonk
has never tasted fish before?
Okay, maybe not.
Come around here.
I'm gonna show you what it tastes like.
Come on.
Okay, now this right here
is perch, all right?
Now hold on.
Stay here.
Now this is catfish,
Cajun blackened, okay?
Okay.
It's my favorite.
Mm.
You made that?
Yeah.
Well, that is
surprisingly edible.
Well, I'm glad you like it.
Man: Hey, Julie.
Man #2: I need another special.
You don't want the perch.
What's this?
Catfish.
But I wanted the perch.
No, trust me,
you want the catfish.
The perch is all right,
the catfish is the business.
(distant siren wailing)
You know, it's really gonna be
really hard for you to ride that bike
with my foot
shoved up your ass.
Wow.
Oh, it's you. I thought you were
these guys from the other night.
- You ever let it down?
- What?
Your force field.
You know, you walk around
all up in your own shit
like you ain't got no time
for nobody else's goodness.
How does somebody get close enough
to give you what you need?
I don't need anything.
Everybody needs something.
As of right now, seems like
you might need a ride.
On that?
Yeah.
I don't think two bodies
can fit on that.
What, is it, like,
your little brother's bike?
Okay, let me tell you something
about this right here.
This is a masterpiece
of engineering.
This is the product
of my love and sweat.
And it can and will prove you wrong.
But as of right now,
I don't think I even want
to let you on this thing.
I mean, unless... and I mean,
only if you promise to be sweet.
Promise.
Are you always
that sensitive?
I mean, didn't your mama
breastfeed you?
Okay, that would be classified
as sour in my kitchen.
But I'm gonna pretend
that didn't happen.
Okay? Come on.
Now you promise
to be sweet, right?
Yeah.
I promise.
She's mine
She's mine
She's mine
All mine
Yeah, she's mine
Mine
- Hey, baby.
- Hey, what's up?
Forget you.
Yes, she's mine
Mine
Yeah, mine
Yeah, she's mine.
She must have been pretty.
Who?
RS.
RS was a he.
No, not like that.
He was a good friend of mine.
Does he have your initials
tattooed on his wrist?
No.
Why not?
'Cause I'm not dead.
(distant train horn whistles)
Is this what you guys do
for fun around here?
I kind of try
not to have fun.
I try to stay working.
I got this great talent
for finding trouble
and getting all up in it,
so I stay busy.
You want to be a chef?
Yeah, I want my own restaurant.
Where did you learn
how to cook anyway,
home ec?
No, prison.
You lie.
No, for real.
I was at juvie.
I was younger then.
What were you in for?
Joyriding.
(harrumphs)
You're full of it.
I mean, it's not something
I'm trying to brag about.
I'm not proud of it.
Stealing cars, huh?
That's joyriding.
But I'm not into that anymore.
So the correctional system
totally corrected you.
Let me tell you something...
it's a miracle
that I'm even on the outside.
Where I'm at...
I did that, you know.
So if I go back...
I did that too.
That's cool.
Yeah.
But you'd still steal me
a BMW, right?
For you... anything.
I got you.
I just don't know
why you don't like my BMX.
It's the sickest right here.
Greta: Why do I say
the things I do?
They just come out
totally wrong.
Sometimes I just wish
I wouldn't say anything at all.
I like him.
Narrator:
...hundreds of others.
Interpreter: Handcuffed me, beat me,
denied me food and water.
Narrator:
Palden Gyatso endured
in Chinese prison camps.
Uh, come on.
We found a show
I'd like to watch.
Let's watch it.
- Morning, ladies.
- (cell phone ringing)
- Hi, love.
- Hey, Gramps.
You want to go down
to the marina with me today,
help me work on my boat?
I can't, sorry.
I'm gonna hook up
with my friend Julie.
Julie?
You're making new friends already.
Why don't you invite
Julie to lunch?
Okay.
That's a good idea.
Good morning, ma'am.
We're not interested.
Is Greta here?
Hey. Grams, this is Julie.
How do you do, ma'am?
Everything looks really great.
Thank you.
Julie knows food.
He's a chef.
Really?
No, I'm just a line cook,
but I'm working on
becoming one.
I hope to own
my own restaurant one day.
Why don't you tell them
where you learned how to cook?
He learned in prison.
He got busted
for stealing cars.
Something the matter, Grams?
So that would make you
an ex-con?
Yeah, but I'm not
that guy anymore, so...
I'm sure. I understand
that a little prison time
totally transforms everyone.
Yeah, well, that's just it,
you know.
All the kids that were
in the juvenile detention center with me
had been in and out of there
a dozen times.
Seeing that helped me realize
you get out the same way you get in...
on your own.
And so I straightened myself out.
Well, good for you.
Of course, it would
have been better
if you hadn't gotten in
in the first place.
You're absolutely right, ma'am.
Is there celery
in this potato salad?
Mm-hmm.
With a little bit
of sweet relish?
Yes, there is.
I thought Mom made
the best potato salad.
I think this got that beat.
(laughs)
It's my mother's recipe.
You mind if I steal it?
Oh, I thought you had
given up stealing.
Julie! Julie, wait.
That was bullshit,
you know that?
How are you gonna put
my business out there
- just to you could scare her?
- It was a joke.
Okay, well, you know what? I don't
like being the punchline of your joke.
What's with you anyway?
Why are you like this?
You didn't think twice
about leaving me out to dry
just so you can school her.
And you know what bothers me even more
than you playing me right now?
You're staring me with those
big, sexy eyes and, you know...
You want to kiss me.
Hell yeah, I want to kiss you.
Yeah.
Do you understand
This might be
the perfect song
Something pure and new?
No more late-night
Television hours
Or sleepless mornings.
You know I'm still
mad at you, right?
- Really?
- Yeah.
What's this?
Oh, hey, give me that.
- Let me see.
- It's nothing.
- What is it?
- Julie, give it back.
- Wait, what is that?
- Julie, seriously.
"Learn how to ride
a unicycle."
God damn it.
Come on.
"Become fluent
in the African clicking language.
Create the first gummy museum."
- Seriously, can you give it back to me?
- What the hell is this?
It's just a to-do list, okay?
You want to do all this stuff?
"Lose all my virginity."
- Screw you. Stop.
- It's getting too good right now.
"To die."
Oh, man.
"Get pureed in a jet engine.
Get run over by a back-up.
Skydive nude
with no parachute."
You want to do all this stuff too?
You can't do all this stuff.
Jerk, stop laughing at me.
The one serious thing in my life,
and you're laughing.
Greta, you want to kill
somebody?
Just myself, okay?
Don't worry about it.
You need to stop
talking shit.
I'm not.
I'm not talking shit.
I'm not.
So why do you want
to kill yourself?
That's the stupidest thing
I've ever heard all day today,
and today has been
straight up retarded.
You know what I think's
retarded?
Wanting to own a restaurant.
Look, I've got one more year
of high school left,
and then what?
Be like my mother,
desperate for companionship?
Or my grandparents?
They're afraid of their own shadow.
They're prisoners
in their own little world.
So you get 16 years
of having a good time
and then 60
running away from death?
Not me.
I'm gonna quit
while I'm ahead.
You have an extremely
extremely cynical look on life.
But you're so lucky.
And you're such a privileged
person, you know?
You should appreciate
what you got good.
That's what I'm doing.
I'm trying to appreciate
what I have good right now.
Hello.
Oh my God.
Oh my God.
Katherine: Do you think
it's a literary reference or what?
- Have you ever heard of that?
- No.
You guys look bright-eyed
and bushy-tailed.
All right, just don't.
Don't even.
You want some tea?
- No, thanks.
- Katherine: Thank you.
- How is that?
- It's still hot.
I'll say.
Greta, didn't anybody
ever teach you
not to barge into people's rooms
without knocking?
Well, I'm sorry.
I didn't realize
that you guys still do that.
Well, that's a very conventional
point of view, isn't it?
Looks like another
hot one today,
another hot and sweaty one.
That's funny.
I feel perfectly cool.
I know that you guys were
a little preoccupied last night,
but I came home on time.
Congratulations.
Of course, you could have told us
it was your day off.
Well, you could have let me know
it was your day to get off.
Oh, Greta, you just
don't stop, do you?
You just have to push it
as far as you can.
Well, I may not
know much, kiddo,
but I know when it's time
to get out of Dodge.
So where's that old hunk of junk
you've been working on?
You're looking at her.
No way.
Yeah, uh-huh.
That's pretty pimp.
What happened?
You know,
a little elbow grease,
a lot of love,
a lot of patience.
I think it's gonna be
worth the effort, though,
when your grandma sees it.
It's so dope,
definitely the best-looking boat
on the marina.
Thanks.
Didn't you just
have breakfast?
Yeah.
Where are we going?
We're not going anywhere today.
I've got a lot of work to do on this engine.
Fine by me.
I get seasick
watching "Gilligan's Island."
Greta, can I talk to you
for a minute?
Thanks to the Bill of Rights.
This morning your grandmother
found a pill in the toilet bowl,
a little white pill
just stuck there.
And?
You want to tell me
what that's all about?
I haven't spoken to your mother
about it yet,
but I think
I'm gonna have to.
What do you think it is... Ex?
What?
It's Lexapro.
It's an SSRI,
which means that it's...
I forget what it means,
but it's supposed to make me
normal and boring.
Dr. Glickman put me on it
after I set Edgar's briefcase
on fire.
(chuckles)
What was it doing in the toilet?
I stopped taking it
months ago.
I don't feel right
when I'm on it, you know.
And plus, they say,
"Just say no,"
and then they turn around
and write you a prescription
for some mood-altering drug.
It's so stupid.
Yeah, but if he prescribed it,
maybe you should be taking it.
The only reason
he even wrote the scrip
is because Mom saw
an ad somewhere
and he does everything
that Mom tells him.
Your mother is just trying
to do what she thinks is best for you.
You know, she loves you.
- No, she doesn't.
- Yes, she does.
Then why am I here?
She doesn't know
what do with you, Greta.
You know what?
If the house was on fire
and she could choose
to save me or Edgar,
I think that she'd choose Edgar.
I really think that.
Woman: Hey, Greta,
table 9 wants you.
Hey, remember us?
Yeah.
What do you want?
Well, we don't know. We thought
maybe you could help us decide.
We had a really good time
last time.
Yeah? What am I,
a goddamn sideshow?
What the hell do you want?
Excuse me.
Greta, could I see you?
Thank you.
Look, the attitude was cute
for a while,
but you gotta shape up.
Now I'm gonna put Donna
on that table,
so just take it easy, okay?
- Hey.
- Hey.
Can we go to the beach later?
Yeah, we can.
But you have to let go of me
so I don't burn anything, okay?
Can I get a refill?
Do I look anything
like your waitress?
Sit down, Greta.
I'm not trying to pick on you,
but you have to treat customers
like what they are.
Thumbtacks in my ass?
No, they're your employers.
They're my employers.
They pay our salaries.
All right.
Do you want to fire me?
You're an unusual girl.
You have more confidence
and self-assurance
than any adult I know.
You can go very far in life.
Except you have this way
of poking people in the eye
with your words.
You know what, Lou? I really
don't need this hassle tonight, okay?
I'm being very kind here.
Well, save your charity
for someone who wants it, okay?
If you don't want me working here,
then fire me.
Why don't you take
tomorrow night off?
Maybe I will.
I'll take tomorrow night off,
and the next night after that,
and the night after that,
and after that,
and after that,
and then after that one...
(continues ranting)
- Greta, wait.
- I quit.
- Let me just talk to Lou.
- Don't you dare.
I'm sick of wasting my time
in this lousy dump.
It's not that bad, okay?
I'm gonna go in there
and I gotta mop.
It should take 10 minutes. Stay.
No way.
You can meet me
at my house later.
What about your grandmother?
What about
my lousy grandmother?
All I have
Is all that I'm feeling
All I feel
Is all that I know
And then I use it
every day
And then I use it
every day
And abuse it
in every way
And that's how
It feels
Yeah, that's how
It feels
I would understand
Your heart
If I could feel it
I would understand
Your heart
If I could feel it.
All right.
Julie.
You told me to come over.
- Come on up.
- How am I supposed to get up there
without waking up your grandparents?
Come down here.
I can't.
I'm not dressed.
Climb up.
Hell no.
I ain't climbing up that.
I want to see you.
I want you to come up here.
Please please please
please please.
Look what you got me doing.
(dog yapping)
Shh.
Be careful.
- Hi.
- You're gonna make me kill myself.
Time was sitting still
In a sleepy world
For a pretty girl like you
You can't wait
Ghosts would gather round
To steal a peek
At the secrets
you keep close
At your gate.
What's this?
Well, you know, they are
these balloon thingies
- and two people use them...
- Yeah, I know what they are.
I didn't know what size to get,
so I got Magnums.
We're not about to use this.
Yes, we are.
I mean, it's not gonna be
that way.
We're not about to have sex.
What's wrong?
There's nothing wrong.
That's the problem.
See, I really like you
and I don't want to be one of those things
you check off your to-do list.
You know,
you can't control
every damn thing
that happens in your life.
Some things just gotta have
their own rhythm, you know?
You gotta go with that.
You know what I mean?
So you don't think
I'm gross or anything?
(chuckles) No.
You're trouble for sure, yeah,
'cause you're hot
and you're sexy and you're smart.
(police radio chatter)
- Why are cops here?
- Shit.
Julie.
Julie, wait.
Where are you going?
- I gotta go.
- Julie.
I gotta get out of here.
What are you doing?
Julie, Julie.
Hey, get out of there.
Come on, get down.
On the ground. On the ground.
I didn't do anything.
Shit.
Come on, junior.
Get up, get up.
Just one second, man.
I didn't do nothing.
- Wait wait, hold on, hold on.
- Easy now.
Mrs. O'Donnell, you gotta tell them.
They made a mistake.
What's going on here?
A neighbor spotted this individual
climbing up your trellis, ma'am.
- Ma'am, do you know this person?
- Yes, of course.
I thought you were through
with stealing.
I wasn't stealing anything.
It's a mix-up. They made a mistake.
Leave him alone.
Just one second, man.
I didn't do nothing.
Grams, tell them to stop, please.
He's gonna be in so much trouble.
- What is he doing here?
- I invited him here.
- To do what exactly?
- What's going on here?
Gramps, please
make them stop.
Okay, that's it. I've had it.
I'm calling your mother right now.
You're insane.
- Look, he didn't do anything.
- No, back inside.
Joseph: Katherine, don't get Karen
all riled up.
Gramps, they're gonna
take him in.
- I've got to call her mother.
- You have to go tell them.
He didn't do anything wrong.
I promise.
- He crawled through my window.
- Shut up, Grams.
- Don't talk to her that way.
- Please, it's not fair.
You're not helping things.
Now listen to me.
Go upstairs
and let me deal with this.
I will take care of this.
Yes yes, right now.
I will take care of this.
I will deal with it. Go on, go on.
Go on.
Oh, that girl...
she is totally out of control.
I mean, just once
she's got to learn
that she can't have everything
her own way.
She's your family, Katherine.
She's your flesh and blood.
She's not some enemy
you have to defeat.
I apologize for all this,
Mr. O'Donnell.
And I hope I didn't get Greta
in too much trouble.
Thanks.
And I think you got it backwards.
I think she's the one
who got you in trouble.
I like her, you know.
I really like Greta
and she's worth it,
but I'm worried about her,
you know?
Does she ever talk to you about...?
She's got that little notebook
she carries around.
Do you...?
Greta ever say anything to you
about her father?
She doesn't talk too much
about personal stuff, you know.
Well, it's something we don't
talk about very much in this family either,
but I think you've earned the right
to know about it.
Greta's father killed himself.
She was just a little kid,
five, six years old.
He took his shotgun
and stuck it in his mouth.
She was there.
She walked in on him.
You know, I don't know
how much of it
she remembers,
how much
she carries around with her,
but here she is,
all grown up,
and writing that list.
You know, it may be a phase
she's going through.
It may be just some idea
that she has to reckon with,
but I think...
I think it's our job
to try and help her
through it.
Wow.
Yeah.
Well, go on home.
Get some sleep.
Thank you, sir.
- Hey, Julie.
- Yeah?
Do you get seasick?
If life is like a mountain,
did you, did you not fall?
I have missed you
since I was five
I don't recall your eyes,
but your hands I do recall
And I know how you smelled
when you were alive
You've died
Like we're all gonna go
someday
You've died
I was five
and I wish you'd stayed
You've died
I was five
and I wish you'd stayed.
Yeah, this is great.
I feel all preppy and shit.
Why are we here?
Your grandfather's
a good guy, you know.
This means a lot to him.
Come on, it's not that bad,
though, right?
Hey,
remember that stuff
that you said in my room
the other night?
Yeah, I remember.
Did you mean that?
Have I lied to you yet?
I don't know.
Hey, Julie,
want to take the helm?
Go ahead.
All right, I'm coming.
Just keep her
in a straight line.
Katherine: I love it.
It's wonderful.
Come with me
Come with me
On a voyage
To the bottom
Of the sea
In a sea
Of blue-green
We will find love
At the bottom
Of the sea
Unbelievable, inconceivable
Fantastic it will seem
But we'll be the first
The very first
To live such a strange
new dream
Come with me.
Greta.
Greta.
There they are.
Greta.
I've got you.
I've got you.
Okay, right there, right there.
Are you all right?
Yeah. Are you okay?
- Are you okay, honey?
- My head.
You hit your head?
Let me see it.
Turn it.
Joseph: It's not bleeding.
Grams.
Grams.
Katherine, Katherine.
Are you all right?
- Grams.
- I'm gonna get on the radio.
Grams, hey.
(P.A. Chatter)
It was a mild heart attack.
She's okay.
She's gonna have to be
on medication from now on, though.
But she's okay.
They want to keep her here tonight
and run some more tests.
I'm gonna stay with her
until she goes to sleep.
You two go on home,
get out of this
air conditioning.
(thunder rumbling)
Hey, here.
You're not gonna stay?
No, you can check me off
that list of yours.
I'm done.
What?
What are you talking about?
Are you serious?
You really don't get it?
Reggie Spiegel,
my roommate in juvie.
One morning, Mother's Day...
I found him hanging
by an electric cord.
I didn't see it coming
'cause he didn't mouth off about it.
He didn't want to be saved.
See, you knew I'd jump in
after you
'cause you didn't want to die.
You just wanted that drama.
- No, l...
- What you did was serious.
And it affects people.
It affects me.
I wish I could help you,
'cause you need it.
But I'm not going
overboard for you.
I got my own shit.
I'm doing my own thing.
You know?
"April 10th, 1962.
My sweet sweet Joseph,
you set sail
less than an hour ago
and I'm kicking myself already.
Please forgive me.
I only treated you that way
because I was mad
about you leaving.
I've been silly,
prone to capriciousness.
I'm mad at myself
for wasting our last
moments together,
for not telling you
how I really feel.
I love you
and I've missed my chance
to tell you in person.
If something happens to you,
I'll just die.
I miss you, Joseph.
Promise you'll come home safely.
Forever yours, Katherine."
Grams.
(tinkling)
Okay, close your eyes.
Katherine: Can I trust you?
Okay, this way.
Can I open my eyes yet?
Mm, okay.
Oh, you didn't have to
do that, Greta.
Those flowers
are expensive.
Can't you see that I'm trying
to say I'm sorry?
Well, then say it.
I just did.
No.
You don't even know
what you're sorry for.
I'm fighting to save my life
and you're trying
to throw yours away.
Now why is that?
'Cause...
I want to be
like the girl in this picture,
young and alive.
I haven't seen this picture since...
I wasn't any older
than you there.
You look like a totally
different person,
so happy.
Don't you miss that?
Well, no.
You're telling me
that you wouldn't jump at the chance
if you could turn
the clock back?
(chuckles) No.
I wouldn't.
You see...
I was a different person then.
I didn't know anything
about the world or myself.
I had no perspective.
This was a long time ago.
And every day since then,
every experience I've had,
every person I've met
has carved an impression on me.
You know, this girl, this child...
she's just a fraction
of what I've become...
a wife, a mother,
a grandmother...
me.
Oh, honey,
you have no idea
what's ahead of you.
It's all such an incredible
adventure.
Do you have a picture of my dad?
I just want to know
what he looks like.
You've never seen
a picture of your father?
No.
Sweetheart.
(horn honks)
What are they doing here?
Mom.
Hiya, all.
Are you okay?
Shouldn't you be
sitting down or something?
- I'm fine, dear. Hello.
- I'm so sorry.
What are you doing here?
Gramps, what are they
doing here?
Greta, go inside
and get your things.
I don't want to go home
with you.
We're not taking you
home, Greta.
Then why are you he...?
You're gonna send me
to that boot camp.
Go get your things, Greta.
Wait a minute.
What's this boot camp stuff?
No, it's a special
summer camp
for kids like her,
to straighten her out.
Gramps, why didn't you tell me
that they were coming?
I asked your grandfather
not to say anything.
We didn't want you
running off or something.
- Greta.
- Edgar: Come on now.
Karen: Greta.
My mom is here.
She's gonna send me away
to some boot camp place.
What am I gonna do?
What can you do?
There's got to be something.
I guess you could
check the camp out,
see what it's all about.
You think I'm screwed up
and that place is gonna save me?
Yeah, you're screwed up.
But that place can't fix you.
Only you can fix you.
If that's not what you want,
it ain't gonna happen.
I'm really sorry.
Well, that's a start.
- You smell like food.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
Call me when you get it all
figured out, okay?
All right.
Have a nice walk?
Did Mom leave?
She's here now,
so come on back.
You all finished
with your little tantrum?
What are you doing
with my stuff?
I packed your things.
You've wasted enough time already.
I don't want to go.
Please, please let me stay.
Your grandmother
does not want you here.
- That's not true.
- That's what you told me last week.
"There's no winning with her,"
you said.
Did I say that?
Well, that was then
and this is now.
And if Greta wants to stay,
I would quite like to have her.
- I'm staying.
- No, you're not.
- Mom.
- Shh.
- Greta, let go.
- Be careful there. Be careful.
Mom.
- Quiet down and give me the bag.
- What's wrong with you?
- Greta, stop it.
- Edgar: What's going on?
- Mom, please.
- Stop making a scene.
- Edgar: What are you doing?
- Edgar, I could use some help.
- Be careful. Don't hurt her.
- Come on now.
Mrs. Wocheski: What the hell
is going on over there?
All right, just stop.
Everybody just stop.
(blaring)
Greta, get up.
Please, Katherine, sit down.
I'm sick of all this.
I'm tired of all this screaming
and yelling and fighting
and the police on my porch
in the middle of the night
and my wife upset
every 15 minutes.
I don't want to hear
another word
about this boot camp nonsense.
Dad, look,
with all due respect,
you really don't have
any say here.
Oh, yes, I do.
I earned it when you
dumped her on us this summer.
This kid needs love
and understanding and patience.
Do you hear yourself?
Where was the love and understanding
when I needed it,
when you let her
run me out of the house
because she didn't like
my boyfriend?
What? I never threw you
out of this house.
I simply said you couldn't live here
and do drugs.
You two have a lot of nerve
bringing my parenting skills
into question.
Stop it.
Mom, stop talking to them like that.
Okay, I will go
to the stupid boot camp.
- No, Greta, Greta.
- Wait wait.
- Greta's staying here.
- Dad.
- And so are you.
- No, I'm not.
We're gonna make this right.
We're gonna fix it.
We're gonna get to know
one another, this family of ours.
Dad, I have a job.
Well, you've got vacation time
saved up, haven't you?
Well, yeah, but that's for Bermuda
in the fall.
Oh, you're taking your daughter
to Bermuda in the fall, are you?
No, just Edgar and I.
Uh-huh.
No, you cannot make Edgar
spend his vacation here.
Edgar isn't invited.
This is between us and you
and Greta.
And if Edgar really loves you,
he can just do without you for a little while
while you save
your daughter's life.
When you put it like that,
I have to say...
- You're not gonna leave me here?
- Yeah.
You're leaving me here?
Yeah, this is the best idea
any of us have had.
You know, I think your dad is right.
This could be good for everyone.
- Edgar.
- See you in a couple of weeks.
- Edgar.
- You'll be fine, sweetheart.
Oh, this is grand.
Oh, this is gonna really
be helpful.
Go on, you two, yuck it up.
I don't even have
any clothes to wear.
Grandma's got some dresses
you could wear.
- Edgar: Bye, all.
- You two are exactly alike.
And you...
Here.
Here he is.
Oh, yeah, there he is.
He was handsome.
I dream about him sometimes,
but he never looks the same.
You have his eyes.
Yeah?
And his brains.
Well, I'll try to keep mine
inside my skull.
I always loved
that picture of you.
God.
Oh my God.
What happened to your hair, Mom?
The 1980s.
It's huge.
Katherine:
Big hair. Big hair.
Grow up, girl
Grow up
You're not all that you were.
Greta: Dear Mom,
I'll probably be home
by the time you get this,
but I don't care.
I just wanted to thank you
for the time we had together
and for letting me
stay down here.
Oscar Wilde wrote,
"To lose one parent
may be regarded as a misfortune.
To lose both
looks like carelessness."
I think he had a point.
It's not so bad here.
Really, it's not as bad
as you'd think.
Nice day for a walk
in the park
Nice day for a drive
through the city
This world is a warm,
sunny park
Nice day for a talk
with your girl
Nice day for your shop
to get busy
This world is
of no empty part
Please don't ask me
all those questions
I don't know
Please don't ask me
all those questions
I don't know
And when you wake up early
and the sun is shining
Are you ready for
the day that's coming?
It's coming
Yeah.