While We're Young (2014) Movie Script

1
There were three little pigs
and they made a house out of twigs
and the wolf came...
He blows it down?
Yeah, but what happens in the middle?
I keep wanting to do
this little piggy went to market,
but that's with the toes.
And the wolf keeps blowing the house in.
And the...
And the pigs keep making different houses.
And... No, no. No, no, no, no.
- What the fuck do we do?
- I don't know.
Okay, who's ready to eat?
Who's ready to eat?
I love how she stretches,
it's just like we do.
It's so funny.
It never occurred to me
that stretching is innate.
- You want to see it?
- Yeah.
Okay, it got infected with staph,
but it's not the bad staph.
- What is it?
- Guess.
You can come closer, it's not bad staph.
I still don't want the baby touching it.
I can't tell.
It's Willow's sonogram.
Yeah.
I did it for Marina.
I was just so fucking proud of her.
Why it's for me, I still don't understand.
You know,
she didn't even get the epidural.
It's a mother fucker.
It's a ring of fucking fire,
but it was the most beautiful
experience of my life.
I fell in love immediately.
A love I've never felt.
Don't take that the wrong way, Marina.
- No, I know exactly what you mean. It's pure.
- Aw.
- You guys should do it!
- Yeah.
You would make such good parents.
- I'm sorry. I know you...
- No, no, it's fine.
We, you know, we...
It's just such a game changer.
When I saw her, I thought, "I know you."
It's true, I recognized her immediately.
Because I'd read to her
in the womb,
she knew my voice immediately.
I read Stephen King's The Tommyknockers.
It's like in one moment,
everything is different.
- It's like all the stuff before...
- It's a gift.
Fine, you know,
we're figuring it out.
I mean, we're just animals.
But now, okay, real life.
You know?
I can't remember Goldilocks either anymore.
The porridge part, but not what happens.
- She gets eaten, right?
- Does she?
There's, like, an oven that's too hot.
You don't want kids, right?
Because I don't.
I'm sorry, I feel so
guilty for saying that.
I mean, I did.
If we'd had the magic sexy version
and one day suddenly had a baby.
But all those drugs
and shots and miscarriages.
I don't want to do it
again and it not to work.
I know. And I like our life as it is.
Yeah. I mean, if we wanted to take off
to Paris tomorrow, we could.
Yeah, I mean,
I think we might have a hard time
finding an affordable fare
on such short notice, but yeah.
No, I know, and I couldn't leave work.
If we're going to do it, we should plan it
at least a month in advance.
A month is still in the
realm of spontaneity.
No, I know.
I mean, the time we spent in Rome,
what was that?
- It wasn't 2006.
- Yeah, it was.
Because I was working
with my dad on his dance film.
Rome was eight years ago already?
- Shit.
- Yeah.
I looked at the pictures recently.
We were two younger people
standing at the Trevi Fountain.
- We look similar.
- We look younger.
I tried to get you to go
to Mexico last summer.
I needed to finish my documentary.
But you didn't finish it.
Well, maybe the point
is we have the freedom.
What we do with it isn't that important.
Marina said they haven't
had sex in nearly a year.
Fletcher was too weirded out
by the pregnancy.
God.
Delivery?
What is that, a 75-watt?
I can't see, it's too bright.
It's too high a wattage.
I'll change it tomorrow.
There was a poll
conducted in 1987
in which people were given
a series of phrases
and asked which ones
could be found in the U. S. Constitution.
One of the phrases that got
the highest percentage of votes was,
"From each according to his ability,
"to each according to his need."
Let me see the continuities.
...in the U. S. Constitution,
but is the famous communist credo
popularized by Karl Marx.
Why do they type this stuff so small?
I think that's 12 point. That's normal.
- It's not 12, it's at most eight.
- Excuse me.
- Hello?
- We have to cut away from Ira here
- because he gets a phone call.
- Sweetie, this happens every fucking day.
Okay, cut me to me
asking the question about hermeneutics.
We could, but...
You look like this.
Why is Paul Ricoeur's idea of the
hermeneutics of suspicion so important?
It's from eight years ago.
And the previous shot of you asking
any relevant questions is this.
So, then, what did Mills mean
by the concept of military...
God, that was eight years ago?
It's been 10.
Are my eyes getting hollows?
I don't know.
Well, we're getting there.
When I get the rest of the grant money,
we'll reshoot me asking the questions
along with the trip to Istanbul.
Look, Josh, I hate to bring this up,
but I'm gonna need a little money soon.
No, I know, you've been patient.
I'm just waiting
for the rest of the last grant money.
But soon?
Yeah, I'll get you.
"Documentary is about someone else.
"Fiction is about me."
This is a quote from Jean-Luc Godard.
Now, what do we think about this?
Can a documentary be personal?
Documentaries, I want to say to you today,
can and should be about me.
"Me" meaning all of us.
Lights.
Frank, could you just hit that switch?
Now, this is an image from...
Well, shit.
This should be an image
of seal hunting from Nanook of the North.
Sorry.
- About what?
- Hey. Beautiful class.
Thanks. I don't know
why the PowerPoint didn't work, but...
I loved what you said about hyper reality.
- Thanks.
- I'm Jamie. This is my wife, Darby.
Josh Srebnick.
Nice to meet you.
- It was interesting.
- Thanks.
I'm not sure why the
PowerPoint didn't work.
How did you get in here?
Well, we're auditing your class.
It's a continuing education class,
you can't audit a
continuing education class.
I'm a fan.
And, hey, I really loved
your film Power Elite.
You've seen it?
Hey, thanks.
It's everything I aspire to,
and you make it look so easy.
Do you make documentaries?
I shoot stuff, you know,
with friends, yeah.
But nothing like what you're doing.
He's always shooting.
Don't take this the wrong way,
but how did you see Power Elite?
I found a VHS on eBay.
I paid, like, 60 bucks for it.
You know what was great, was that scene
with the dogs around the garbage.
How did you stage that?
Those dogs were just there
and, I said, "Hey, shoot those dogs."
And we did.
Beautiful.
I've been working on this other one
for about eight years now,
but I think I'm zeroing in on it.
I'd love to see it.
You want to come get a bite with us?
I'm meeting my wife
around the corner at this Chinese place.
My wife and I are going
to the same goddamn place!
I've learned along the way
you can discover more
by not knowing all the answers,
by allowing yourself
to be surprised by what you encounter.
- Yeah, yeah.
- And sometimes that means waiting
years for something to happen.
How did you start out?
Like, who influenced you?
Well, I steal from everyone.
Wiseman, Maysles, Pennebaker.
My first job out of graduate school
was working for Leslie Breitbart.
Jeez Louise.
That's also, incidentally,
how I met Cornelia.
- He's her dad.
- What?
This is before they hated each other.
We don't hate each other.
- Cornelia also produces her dad's films.
- He's amazing.
He's a giant. He's a guy I'd love to meet.
Do you also produce Josh's films?
No, Josh likes to work alone.
Josh, what's your new film about?
Well, I'm trying to solve the problem
that Eisenstein never solved,
that is, how to make a film
that is both materialist
and intellectual at the same time.
t's about the distinctly
American relationship
between biography and history,
theory and method
and how that relates
to power and class in our country,
particularly the political,
military and economic elite.
- It's really about America.
- Eisenstein's astonishing.
I just watched Strike.
I'm obsessed with Europe in the '20s, see.
The interwar period,
ex-patriots, that sort of thing.
I keep trying to get Jamie
to do something with before-and-afters.
All humans love before-and-afters.
Any TV show
with before-and-afters will succeed.
Before you said that. After you said that.
Fuck you.
What do you do, Darby?
- Darby makes ice cream.
- Yeah, I make ice cream.
I brought some of it to
the Whole Foods near us. They're pumped.
It's Jamie's idea to sell it,
I just do it because I like it.
And you guys are married?
That's so nice and old-fashioned.
Yeah. We said our vows
in an empty water tower in Harlem.
There was a mariachi
band and a Slip'N Slide.
Wow!
It was beautiful.
Some rituals exist for a reason.
Jamie wanted a big wedding.
We did it at City Hall.
Isaac and Benny are walking the tracks.
Have you done this?
We walked through
the subway tunnels of the D line last week.
- No, no, we haven't.
- They're at a bar on Essex.
Do you want to come?
Do we?
It's already past our bedtime.
Yeah, we're usually in bed by 11:00.
- Let me get it.
- Thanks.
Yeah, thanks.
No, yeah, I'll get it.
If you've got any time,
and I know you're super busy,
I'd love to show you what I'm working on.
Come by our place this weekend.
I have my fall flavors.
They don't make this film anymore.
I bought 400 packs
before they discontinued it.
Let's go, worm!
Jamie is always moving.
I can't leap as fast as that kid.
I don't move as quickly.
You should see him on Rollerblades.
I like how engaged they are in everything.
They're all making things
and they're so excited for each other.
It's selfless.
And they're so respectful of us.
I mean, compared to
when we go out with Marina and Fletcher,
I feel like we're all just
talking about ourselves.
They asked questions.
They didn't ask me any questions.
When I was their age, I never would have
come up to me like that and invited me out.
I would have been too scared.
They're really not nervous.
I just wish
you hadn't told him I work with my dad.
Why?
I don't know, he seems ambitious.
No. I don't think he thinks that way.
It's about process.
How has he even seen anything of yours?
eBay.
I love his shoes.
I have some wing tips here somewhere.
I stopped wearing them
when I got shin splints.
It was almost like he was studying you.
Can we go to their place this weekend?
We never see our real friends.
Why do you suddenly want to hang out
with a couple of 25-year-olds?
We were just 25.
I mean, we weren't, but you know.
It'll be fun.
Um, it would probably be Richard Dreyfuss.
He's friends with my parents.
A member of Parliament.
Um...
Probably Shia LaBeouf.
This girl who wrote
on that show, Medium.
- Doug Liman.
- Bill Clinton.
But I think it's probably his office.
It's ringing.
Yeah, it's his office.
Robert Downey Sr.
It's really funny.
- I like Robert Downey Sr.
- That's the latest anyway.
I'm also doing people describing scenes
from movies that they like
but haven't seen in a while.
Darby's going to do Rosemary's Baby, see.
"What have you done to its eyes?"
"He has his father's eyes."
Joshy, come with me to the playroom.
- I want a kitten!
- That's Good Cop.
This is Bad Cop.
I love these kittens.
I hope they don't grow up to be assholes,
because that can happen.
Wow!
My God.
This is just like my record collection.
Except mine are CDs.
CDs?
It took me years to discover this stuff.
I need to buy a new desk.
You should come with me to the lumber yard.
We'll make one.
A whole desk?
It's much cheaper than buying one, see.
And more fun.
Darby, can I borrow your bike?
I'm going to the deli for some Goldfish.
Okay.
Tipper, did you feed Nico?
I forgot.
That's our roommate, Tipper.
Ding-a-ling-a-ling! Chow time!
Nico's a chicken?
I have to say I really admire
how you guys are so in the moment
and just enjoying doing and making things.
It's inspiring.
Thanks, Joshy.
People our age are so success
and results-oriented,
they've forgotten about process.
Josh, are you success-oriented?
- No.
- Totally.
I feel like there are people
who don't drop things as much as I do.
I don't keep things yar.
She's a mess. And an ugly eater.
I say that with love.
Fuck you.
It's an avocado and almond milk sorbet.
Benny designed the container.
It tastes like that candy that they
sometimes make into pigs or little fruits.
Yeah, it's, um... Shit. I know that.
I keep wanting to say baklava,
but that's a Greek dessert.
The almond-tasting pigs and fruits
are made of...
I'll look it up.
- No, that's too easy.
- Let's try to remember it.
- Can I now?
- No.
Let's just not know what it is.
Over here. Let's go!
End transmission.
We have news.
I decided, with Marina going back to work,
I'm going to take
a leave of absence from the firm
and take care of Willow.
Cool. How long?
Indefinite.
It's such a load off
and I'm making enough, so...
Hey, it's really just my ego at stake.
- Time to re-watch Mr. Mom.
- I already Netflixed it.
I got some laughs.
We're the boring couple with a baby.
What have you guys been doing?
Tell us something fun.
We met this interesting couple.
Jamie and Darby.
He's a young documentarian
and she makes ice cream.
I don't know what
to make of them, honestly.
- I like her.
- They make everything.
It's infectious.
For about 12 hours,
I thought I could build my own desk.
There is something
about being around them
that energizes you, you know?
How old are they?
- Twenty-six, 27.
- Twenty-five, 26.
They're children!
Yeah, nine years ago, they couldn't vote.
- But they're married.
- Why?
You should see this guy's
record collection.
It's Jay-Z, it's Thin Lizzy, it's Mozart.
His taste is democratic.
It's The Goonies and it's Citizen Kane.
They don't distinguish
between high and low, it's wonderful.
When did The Goonies
become a good movie?
Well, you should hear
this guy talk about it.
And it's like their apartment
is full of everything we once threw out,
but it looks so good the way they have it.
Who directed The Goonies? I'll look it up.
Why is it that
when one person picks up their phone,
everybody else has to?
- I have a quick thing.
- I'm not on my phone.
- The baby.
- Richard Donner.
Each of us is so certain that we've got
the most important thing to do right now.
I know, it's so rude.
Not anymore.
It used to be, but now it's accepted.
It's like showing your ankles in the 1800s.
The almond-tasting pigs
and fruits are made of...
- Marzipan!
- Marzipan!
I thought...
You guys want to hit
this street beach with us?
I don't know what you're saying.
It's something Jamie and Darby are doing.
Since when do you guys
do two things in one night?
- You never go anywhere.
- We go anywhere.
We have to get back for the sitter.
Scratch that, we want to get back.
I hate being away from her.
- The sitter?
- Yeah. It's true.
We've lost you to the baby.
You guys have to come see her again.
- You should, really. We're always home.
- She's already a different person.
- Anytime, come by. We're always home.
- Okay. Yeah.
- All right, okay.
- See ya.
We have lost them to the baby.
We go anywhere, right?
We never go anywhere.
High kick contest!
Whoa!
- What's the rumpus, Srebnicks?
- You came!
Have you tried this?
Someone at some college figured out
that if you put Jolly Ranchers in vodka
for 24 hours, it's awesome.
- Can I run an idea by you?
- Sure, what?
It's a project I want to shoot.
Okay.
I've never done Facebook,
it's not my thing, see.
Really?
Yeah, I was against it at first,
but it's actually quite a useful tool.
I mean, it makes me feel
like I'm really connected.
And there's pictures... What the shit?
- Watch it!
- I love you!
- All right.
- It's lame, yeah.
That's why I'm doing
this new thing with it.
I'm going to start a profile
and wait for people to contact me.
Well, that part's normal, that's Facebook.
And whoever the first person
is from my childhood,
someone I'm no longer in touch with,
who contacts me, instead of responding
to them on Facebook, see,
I'm going to go find them in person.
With my camera.
Okay.
Like, make Facebook real.
It's like, you want to talk to me?
Let's talk.
Kind of just like real life?
Exactly.
- Well, real was there before Facebook.
- Right.
Sounds interesting.
I'm not sure it's enough.
- What do you mean?
- Well, think about what you want to say.
I mean, what are you hoping to find?
Well, I'll know when I get there.
You said
we should be open to surprises, right?
It's a nice beginning.
But it might not be
a full enough meal yet, you know?
Keep digging.
When I criticize
quantitative analysis,
it's not because statistics
don't tell us anything.
On the contrary,
I'd say they are often very revealing.
In fact,
they can often be most revealing when...
I've got to go to the gents'.
Wait, the mic.
Thank you.
- I guess he's just doing that.
- Yeah.
Hey, Josh, how's that grant money doing?
I'm expecting an email
any day now confirming...
No, thanks, but the rest
of the grant money is coming?
Yes.
Assuming they get funded
for the next calendar year.
- Did you feed the dog?
- I'm about to, sweetie.
What does that mean?
I don't know,
one of the donors left his wife and...
I don't know.
But they're confirming the funding.
Why'd he leave his wife?
I don't know.
Hey, Fox!
Hey, Foxy Fox!
I was just going to call you
to see if you wanted to get lunch.
How sweet.
This is Pepper and Elise.
This is Cornelia.
- Hi.
- Nice to meet you.
We're going to a music class.
It's really just for the mothers,
they don't do anything yet.
- Do you want to come?
- Maybe.
Come on, then!
How old are your kids?
Mine? I... I don't have any kids.
You're gonna...
You're just coming to hang out.
Cool.
It's adorable.
If you didn't know better,
you'd think they're having seizures.
Yeah.
Hello, hello.
Let's get our hello hands high in the sky.
And let's wave hello
to each and every one of our friends
- on this train with us today.
- Hi!
That's right. It's time to
get this party started.
All aboard Pick your destination
All aboard Come on, here we go
Now everybody say, choo-choo!
- Choo-choo.
- That's right.
- Choo-choo.
- Together. Choo-choo.
All aboard Here at the station
All aboard We want to say hello
All aboard Pick your destination
All aboard
Holy shit!
Come on, here we go
Now everybody say choo-choo!
- Choo-choo!
- Say choo-choo!
I mean, I love her,
she's a great mom,
but I always felt like if I had a baby,
the baby would just fold into my life.
I mean, if you spend all your time
at baby classes, you become a baby.
It's like the mothers are infantilized,
you know?
I know, just, like, have a baby.
You're cool, you know,
cool people who have a house
and, I don't know, just have a baby.
You're going to Mexican food
and there's a baby on the floor.
I know. That's how I grew up.
I want a baby.
Maybe I'll just have a baby right now.
You should. You can.
I like kids who don't speak English.
When are you going to have babies?
A couple of times I got pregnant,
but it didn't happen.
I'm sorry.
The longest only went eight weeks.
After 35, it's a shit show.
I'm sorry. You
don't have to tell me.
No, it's okay.
It's what happened.
I like telling you.
I like how you give Josh a hard time.
I don't think I give him a hard time.
It reminds me of my mom.
How she was with your dad?
No, with my brother.
God, she'd yell at him, but then
iron all his weird racing T-shirts.
I mother Jamie.
Sorry, I stink.
- It's okay.
- Here we go, here we go.
- What kind of class is this again?
- Hip-hop.
I like that one.
No, it's between these and these.
Whoo!
Hey, Jamie!
Jamie!
Well, it's just a strained muscle.
But the more concerning
thing here is your arthritis.
Arthritis?
Yes. You have arthritis in your knee.
Is, arthritis a catch-all
for some kind of injury to the...
No, arthritis is a
degradation of the joints.
Yeah, I know what traditional arthritis is.
But...
I'm not sure what you mean by
"traditional," but this is arthritis.
Arthritis arthritis?
Yes. I usually just say it once.
At my age?
You're what, 42?
Forty-four.
Well, it happens at 42
and it happens at 44.
I'm going to get you a prescription
for paracetamol.
We'll start there
and see how it progresses, okay?
Have you had your eyes checked recently?
I have genetically great eyes.
You're growing up.
It's weird, you know?
I'm at that age where things you think
are only going to happen
when you get older are actually happening.
If I'm going to be totally
honest with myself,
I don't think I'm ever going to die.
- I know that's crazy.
- It's crazy.
I think I'm pathologically happy.
I mean, Cornelia and I,
for a while, the fact
that we got married was so amazing.
I mean, we were married!
Now we're just married, you know?
Do you ever feel that?
Best decision I ever made.
- I really like this place.
- Hey!
I got my first response on Facebook.
- Yeah?
- This guy, Kent Arlington.
I haven't seen him
since high school in Santa Cruz.
Did you flesh it out more, the idea?
A little, yeah. He's
living in Poughkeepsie.
Tipper and I are gonna
ride the old zip there and find him.
- Shit.
- What?
My father-in-law.
What is he doing here?
- Where?
- How are you?
Good, Leslie, you?
Good. Gearing up for my memorial.
Leslie is having a tribute
at Lincoln Center
next month.
What are you doing here?
How do you even know about this place?
Are you kidding? I've been coming here
for pizza since it opened.
This is Jamie, my friend.
I'm sure you hear this all the time,
but both Wedding
and Arlo Takes a Bath changed my life.
It made me want
to tell stories in the non-fiction mode.
Thank you.
No, thank you for your films.
- How's my daughter?
- How does she seem to you?
- Seems well.
- So, why are you asking me?
Cornelia tells me
you're looking for finishing money.
Maybe. It depends on the grant.
If this guy leaves his wife or not.
I met a guy, hedge fund or something,
he's interested in putting money into docs.
I can arrange a meeting if you want.
- I think I'm okay.
- Don't be proud, Josh.
I'll call you with his number tomorrow.
- Okay.
- Nice to have met you.
Same.
Jeez Louise, working with him
must've been astonishing.
It's complicated.
I felt I was seen as his protg,
and I married his daughter.
I needed to establish my own voice.
I think he thought I rejected him,
or that I was arrogant.
I don't know. Maybe I was.
But you'll take that meeting?
- Probably not.
- You have to, Yosh.
I mean, money's money, right?
Yeah, but I never pitch.
I just don't think in sound bites.
I understand we're a culture
of sound bites, but...
I'll help you, you know,
make it sound beautiful.
It is beautiful, but
beautiful to some suit.
- Maybe.
- You can totally say no to this,
but would you have any interest
in co-directing with me?
No, it's your thing.
Isn't it? Yeah, it should be your thing.
- I totally get it, yeah.
- Yeah, it should be your thing.
- I got this.
- Cool.
Shall we go?
You go ahead, I got to take a leak.
This was fun. Thanks.
He just asked me to co-direct
like it was nothing.
I've been trained to hoard credit.
- These kids are so generous.
- Yeah, I know.
Yeah.
What do you mean, "you know"? Which part?
About credit.
My dad always said that about you.
You don't collaborate well.
He "always" said that? What's "always"?
I don't know, twice.
Remember that time I
wanted to do that thing
about the public school in the Bronx,
and you were really excited about it
until I suggested we do it together
and then you...
Then you just kind of dropped it.
Well, maybe we should have done it.
We still could.
The time's passed.
Sorry about that.
I want to be better about that stuff.
Thanks.
What is that, a hoedown?
Hip-hop.
Hey, Fox!
Fox, do you guys want to come
- to the Connecticut house this weekend?
- Hey, honey...
Connecticut this weekend?
No, we have the ayahuasca.
Where's the cardboard sleeve
for this Wilco CD?
What's on it?
The same image that's on the CD.
Why do you need it?
The CD is right there.
I don't know.
It makes it special.
It'll be us and Pepper
and her husband Reade and Elise and Dwight.
And then Willow, Oscar and Peter,
who they're calling Nemo.
That's a lot of people.
Well, the last three are infants.
Yeah, I know. It's just we've got this
ayahuasca ceremony
this weekend with Jamie and Darby.
What's an ayahuasca ceremony?
I guess there's a shaman
and you have to wear white clothes
and you drink this sludgy liquid
that is made from a Peruvian root
and you hallucinate
and vomit up your demons.
Okay.
Well, we're just having a cookout
and maybe playing charades.
Yeah, no, it sounds great.
It's just bad timing.
- Yeah, okay.
- Okay, bye, Fox.
Bye, Fox.
Supposedly, everyone sees Egyptian imagery.
Yeah?
I want to clear some father issues.
You?
I don't know.
It's good to have a focus.
Broken hearts and broken wings
Sing the song...
Fear of death?
You know,
linear time not being such a big deal.
- What's the bucket for?
- Puking.
Sing the song you are here to sing.
Welcome to the light.
Breathe in light, breathe out darkness.
Breathe in love.
This is our 20s.
I'm 43.
Breathe out fear.
Breathe in truth, breathe out ignorance.
Welcome to the work.
This shaman is kind of a d-bag.
We're purging dark energies
past pain.
- That's my bucket.
- I'm puking out your shit!
Honey, I feel it.
My God, I see a fucking pyramid.
And a sphinx.
It's true, you see Egyptian shit.
Honey, what are you seeing?
I'm in a deli in Bensonhurst.
I don't believe in any state-supported art.
I think you need to just do it yourself.
The serpent, Apep, is speaking to me.
He's... He's saying,
"Go to the cattle of Ra."
The Celestial Cow is waiting.
I voted for Romney.
Watch the carpet.
I was falling asleep today on the L train
and you know how your brain
gets in these loops?
I couldn't remember the
shape of a pineapple.
Are they like pears?
No, they're like footballs
with the ends cut off.
It's hard to call to mind
the shapes of things.
Do you find that?
- It's not dangerous?
- No, I mean, I can...
I can take the medicine
and I can still have my boat.
I ran a half marathon
on the medicine one time.
How big is your boat?
It's 42 feet.
I want to do that.
I feel like you were born 1,000 years ago.
Maybe don't flirt with the shaman.
He was telling me about his boat.
What?
I wish you'd look at me
the way you look at Jamie and Darby.
I look at you that way.
No, you don't. You used to.
When we first met,
you were like you are with them,
you wooed me with romantic emails.
It wouldn't make sense for me
to send you emails now.
We're in the same room all the time.
I just wish I could feel that energy
from you once in a while.
Josh, I'm sorry.
You taste different.
- Josh?
- It's me.
Jamie?
Shit. I thought you were Josh.
I'm so fucked up.
I... I'm really sorry.
It's okay, worm.
Let's never do that again.
It stopped working.
Cornelia?
Mine stopped working anymore.
Nothing is happening.
How you doing, Yosh?
Is yours working? Mine isn't working.
Mine's working.
What if I don't find anything out?
Just roll with it. You're
going to be fine, see.
Thanks, Jamie.
You're so kind. And so generous.
I'm so proud and selfish.
I want to be generous like you.
I want to help you with your film.
I'll come to Poughkeepsie
and help you film the guy.
And I don't want credit or anything,
just to help out.
Thanks, Joshy, that's beautiful.
Before we met,
the only two feelings I had left were
wistful and disdainful.
And being around you,
I see what's possible again.
Is that corny?
It's goddamn corny, Joshy.
Yeah, I guess it is.
I'm a cornball.
- Thanks.
- No problem, Jussle.
It's still tonight for us,
but it's tomorrow for everyone else.
Let's have kids.
Or a kid. Something.
Did the Celestial Cow tell you this?
Yes.
But that doesn't make it any less true.
All these people have babies,
what's the big deal?
I thought we'd decided.
I don't want this to be
every time you take a hallucinogen,
you want to have a baby.
Not every time.
We missed our chance. I missed my chance.
I'm fine with that.
Is that the shaman's Vespa?
You're playing Nintendo
That's not what I'm doing
That's not what I'm doing
You're surfing the web
That's not what I'm doing
That's not what I'm doing
You're crying your eyes out
That's not what I'm doing
That's not what I'm doing
- I'm making a sandwich
- I'm making a sandwich
- Fun.
- Nice.
Connecticut has the best thrifting.
He'll drop us off before
they do their filming.
Tipper and I started a band
called Cookie O'Puss.
Have you seen that on YouTube?
Yeah, that was a commercial
when I was a kid.
It's fucking hilarious.
I know, we used to always do the voice.
- My name is Cookie O'Puss!
- My name is Cookie O'Puss!
It's the name of our band.
My name is Cookie O'Puss!
Fudgie the Whale?
- All right, you ready?
- Yep.
He was this, kind of, beautiful combination
of jock and brain, and he could sing.
He was in the a cappella group
called the Night Owls.
I mean, kind of the perfect guy.
Hey, I called. My name's Jamie,
I'm a friend of Kent's.
Kent isn't here.
Will he be back soon?
- What's...
- We went to school together.
It's been a while,
but he contacted me recently on Facebook.
It would mean a lot to
me if I could see him.
I don't bite.
Um...
I told my sister I had an accident,
but that's not true.
I've been unhappy.
I did it to myself.
I cut my wrists.
You were the guy.
You know, you were beautiful.
I mean, you dated Jenny Pepperdine.
You know, I bought a necklace
like the one you used to wear.
- Of puka shells?
- Yeah.
You know, I was going through
a tough time in high school.
My mom was really sick with ovarian cancer,
I was pretty promiscuous,
but I couldn't love anyone.
I had body issues.
You had written a poem for English,
I mean, you were this athlete,
and you wrote this beautiful poem.
Do you know what poem I'm talking about?
- I wrote a lot of poems.
- It was a line,
very simple, but effective,
"I want to be unbridgeable."
You know, that one line
got me through my mother's illness.
Yeah?
I don't know why I stopped writing poetry.
I stopped doing a lot of things.
Why do we stop doing things?
Life happens I guess?
Life has other plans.
Yeah.
Life is what happens
when you're making other plans.
Who is he?
He was soulful-ish, you know.
Sister, that's an understatement.
You can tell he's been to some dark places.
We went to some dark places, too.
I bought a dress. Cornelia
didn't buy a corset.
This burger is incredible.
Holy shit.
- What's wrong?
- No, nothing.
I just googled Kent. Did you google him?
No, I wanted it to be fresh.
This is... There's a
picture, it's the same guy.
He was in Afghanistan.
- Really?
- Yeah.
He... This article says
he was part of a massacre in Wanat.
They opened fire on a
bus full of civilians.
He then spoke out about it publicly.
And then refused to fight.
He was jailed briefly,
then returned to battle,
was injured and given the Purple Heart.
You're kidding?
It says two men in his unit
have killed themselves.
Tipper.
Could you do it again, what you did?
Which part?
The phone, the discovery, everything.
Um...
It's the same guy.
Is that how I said it? What did I say?
It's the same guy!
Holy shit!
Jamie, look at this.
It says two men in his unit
have killed themselves.
- We have to go back.
- Yeah?
We have to get him talking about this.
This is the movie!
Now it's not just some
stupid Facebook thing.
Not that that wasn't a good idea, too.
But, and I hate this expression,
but you stepped in shit!
- Cornelia!
- What?
Thank God I've got you, Joshy!
We did what you said.
We didn't know the answers,
we discovered them.
I should get a good
book on Afghanistan.
And war in general.
I really know so little about it.
You know who you should talk to?
Ira Mandelstam,
the guy who's in my film.
He could tell you
a lot about war and the politics of war.
That's your guy, though, Joshy.
I can't take your guy.
I don't care. I want to share him with you.
Jeez Louise, that would
be fucking beautiful.
You know, if you want help,
I could help or produce this for you.
My dad's between things right now.
My God. Are you kidding me?
I would be so pumped.
Thank you, thank you.
Thank you!
He's been cooped up with a baby at home,
and Marina loves these soup dumplings.
This will be a great surprise.
I haven't spoken to Fletcher in a while.
I think he's exhausted.
We'll probably be
waking them up.
Cornelia, Josh.
Gaby! Mike.
- You look amazing!
- Thank you. So do you.
You look good.
Hi.
Fucking shit.
Are you guys, um, having a thing?
Yeah, we...
God, this is embarrassing.
Is it a baby thing?
No, actually, Willow's at my mother's.
We weren't invited.
- Well, we didn't think...
- God, I don't know what to say.
Hey, girly girl.
- Hey!
- Hey.
- You look fine!
- Thank you.
Hey, Cornelia, how are you?
- Hey, Grace.
- Hi.
- Come inside, there's a full bar.
- Hey.
What's going on?
I'm sorry. We didn't think
you'd want to come.
- Why?
- Well, for one thing,
these are people our own age.
Come on!
And maybe you have
a titseeka ceremony or something.
Ayahuasca!
It was therapeutic. I learned some shit.
I think Cornelia did, too.
Yeah, I did, too. Learn some shit.
Hey, you guys were wacked out
on Peruvian mescaline,
of course you'll learn some shit.
I went under during a colonoscopy
last week, I learned some shit.
Don't patronize us, man.
Listen, we don't know how else to say this,
but we're worried about you guys.
Yeah, you know...
I mean, I respect the fact
that you don't want to have kids.
Don't make this
about the baby cult, okay, Marina?
I don't appreciate
that kind of superior attitude.
- It's really ugly.
- That's not what I'm saying.
I can't help it if I want you to have kids.
We think you guys would
really benefit from it. That's all.
You don't realize how inappropriate it is
to say it the way you say it.
Not everybody wants a baby!
Not everyone can have one all the time.
- Hi, sexy lady!
- Elise! Come in.
Bruce! Come in.
- Thank you.
- Hey, you've lost weight.
Yeah. It's my suit.
Since we've had the baby, I feel you
pulling away, Cornelia. I just do.
- What's with the hat?
- What?
I went to a fucking baby
music class with you!
You look like assholes
we went to high school with,
who'd cruise by prom but not go in.
Do you know how humiliating that is?
- We're old men, Josh.
- Speak for yourself.
Why is that humiliating?
This is my life now.
You're an old man with a hat.
It can be very isolating and lonely
when you have a kid.
Yeah, I can tell.
- Let's go, Josh.
- Stay.
You're here. Come in.
There's no way we're coming in.
The idea of the war
on terrorism can be understood
in terms of a new idea of war.
"Infinite justice," they
called it at first.
In which the rules
of domestic and international law
could forever be suspended.
I say permanent and forever
because there is no way
to ever fully eradicate terrorism.
So, the first step in the war on terrorism
is to declare war on...
- Can I talk to you for a second?
- What?
- Can I say something I'm ashamed of?
- Yeah.
It's not generous.
- And I probably don't really mean it.
- Okay. Go.
- I think Jamie's great.
- Just say it!
I can't fucking believe
his idiotic Facebook idea paid off!
It's so fucking stupid!
And my thing is a mess.
It's a total fucking mess.
I'm sorry. I feel bad saying that.
But I also hate the fact
that he's calling his band Cookie O'Puss.
What's wrong with that?
It's just some funny old kitschy thing
to him he saw on YouTube.
But that was my commercial.
I actually experienced it. You know?
I don't know it from Cookie Puss.
Really? It was for Carvel.
Cookie Puss was the original, then they did
an ice cream cake for Saint Patrick's Day
and it was this floating green Irish cake
that said, "My name is Cookie O'Puss."
I'm being ridiculous.
I probably don't mean any of it.
My dad likes to say, "The more, the more."
That's because your dad has everything.
And then he gets more.
He's right.
There's enough to go around for everyone.
Joshy! You gotta pitch.
Let's go get you some hedge fund cash.
Good luck.
Remember, ask him questions.
You're interviewing him.
He'd be goddamn lucky
to invest in your film.
- Okay.
- And talk about shit he understands, see.
Short and to the point.
Ride on the street, man!
Psych him up.
Talk about war, talk about power, race.
Make it relevant to him.
- Right.
- Be yourself, everyone else is taken.
Ira was beautiful today.
We're gonna have a screening of the cut
footage at the apartment on Friday.
You cut it already?
You just shot it two days ago.
I know. I was up all night.
We'll be okay, Joshy. Don't you fret.
Hey, well, maybe
take a day or two, make sure you like it.
Or I can take 10 years.
I'm fucking with you, Joshy.
Your thing is gonna be totally brilliant.
I remember when this song
was just considered bad.
But it's working.
Remember, he's lucky
to have this opportunity.
You're friggin' Josh Srebnick.
My name sounds so much better
when you say it.
Whoo!
- You see Mad Men?
- No.
It's really apple juice.
Nah, it's whiskey.
No, it's not.
It is.
So, tell me about your project.
Well, maybe a good way to start
is by asking you a question.
Hey, they were all raped when I got there.
This is my second in 20 minutes. Shoot.
Do you know the percentage
of African-American adult males
currently in jail?
- I don't.
- Take a guess.
Like 60%?
Jesus, no.
It's over 9%.
That's nearly 1-in-10 African-American
adult males, nearly a million and a half.
A million and a half is a lot.
It's insane, but people don't realize this.
They think because we have
a black president...
So this is about prison.
Like a black Shawshank.
- But real.
- No, not... No.
There's a section, an entr'acte really,
about the function
of race in the prison industrial complex,
but the film is really
about how power works in America.
Do you know the historian Ira Mandelstam?
- Yeah.
- Really?
No.
Well, we have over 100 hours
of interviews with him.
The movie's 100 hours?
No, we'll cut it.
Now, this guy, he's...
He isn't particularly charismatic,
he's kind of anti-social, maybe Asperger's,
but not interesting Asperger's.
He's kind of boring, even.
But he's a charismatic thinker.
How do you show what he thinks? Cartoons?
No, not cartoons. He says it.
- But he's boring.
- Well, yes.
But as with many boring things,
the longer you watch it,
it takes on a different dimension.
It's really a very simple idea.
The three sections correspond
with the three nodes
of what Mills called the power elite.
The political, military and economic. But,
and this is key, each
part has to interconnect
to show how none of the three nodes
functions without the other.
It's a linear film, of course,
but I imagine it as kind of a hypertext.
So, what's it about?
To be clear,
the film is really about the working class,
and I can't speak on behalf
of the working class.
I can't make their film, of course.
But they have to be felt
as the impossible subject of the text.
If that makes sense.
But it isn't even really
about the power structure
but about what it means
to make a film about it.
It's about the very possibility
of making this film.
It's really about America.
Hi.
Just been working
on my speech for my memorial.
- What's on your mind, son?
- Could you watch what I have?
I think I'm at the point
where I need a new set of eyes.
Well, working on the same project
for 10 years will do that to you.
Yeah.
And the military created the Internet
as part of an overall strategy.
I'm not just talking
about Google collaborating with the NSA.
I'm talking about far deeper...
I'm gonna put a kettle on.
You want some tea?
Okay.
Well, you've got a lot of good material there.
Need some time to process it.
Do you need the stuff
about Turkish politics?
Yes, because it connects to what
he's saying about the shift in power
in the contemporary global economy.
All right. But it feels like a detour.
What about the lengthy history
of the Triangle shirtwaist factory fire?
You need that?
The interview with
Tillie Kupferschmidst's great-great niece?
That's the emotional center of the movie.
I mean, that's where things come together.
Without that, I don't, I...
I mean, why make the film?
- Yeah. But it's too long.
- t has to be long.
The point is, it makes you uncomfortable.
I wasn't uncomfortable, I was bored.
Well, maybe the boredom
is your defense from the discomfort.
You just showed me a
six-and-a-half hour film
that feels like it's seven hours too long.
I'm just trying to be helpful.
I think I need to shoot more interviews.
Don't shoot anymore! You have enough.
Yeah, I just don't think you're getting it,
or maybe there's something about me
or what you saw
that's clouding your judgment.
I'm telling you how I really feel.
I don't think so.
I think you're being deliberately critical.
- Josh, I'm trying to help you.
- Bullshit!
Is this because Cornelia
and I didn't have children?
Come on, Josh.
We tried. There were miscarriages.
I had to give her a shot
in her ass every day for three months.
It was a huge fucking needle.
She didn't tell me that.
I didn't know you guys wanted kids.
We didn't wanna hope
for what we probably couldn't have.
This was a mistake.
Sorry you feel that way.
I know you think I didn't
reach my potential.
No, son. I don't think you did.
Your first film
was wonderful and entertaining.
We could see ourselves in it.
This one feels ungenerous,
it's like you took your ball and went home.
You know what?
I'm sorry I didn't become you.
- I don't want you to become me.
- Yeah, right.
I'll see you at Thanksgiving.
Yeah, I'm not going
to eat another fucking fried turkey, FYI.
Then bring your own!
Yoshy!
- There's my other half.
- You invited Breitbart?
Yeah, he called me after you introduced us.
- He called you?
- Yeah.
And at our dinner, I
invited him to tonight.
When did you have dinner?
After he called me,
he suggested we get dinner.
Where'd you go?
This really incredible joint,
um, on the Upper West Side.
- Jackson Hole.
- Yeah! How'd you know?
- That's where he goes.
- Great burgers. Have you been there?
Yes, I've been there with
him a million times.
- Have you tried the Bison Burger?
- Of course.
He dug the footage.
Is something wrong?
I guess I wish you'd asked me
before you just went to him.
Hey, I'm sorry. I called him actually
just to ask him a question
about how he shot something,
and we got to talking, see,
and he asked me what I was working on.
- So, you called him?
- What?
- You said he called you.
- Well, he called me back, yeah.
Does Cornelia know?
Very cool! Very cool.
I'm proud to be a part of it.
- Dave, you know Josh.
- Nice to meet you.
Seriously, dude, this movie is kill!
We're going to Afghanistan,
we're going to Afghanistan.
Afghanistan, Afghanistan.
You're going to Afghanistan?
To interview soldiers in Kent's unit.
We've got a butt-load of work to do
before we go. I'm gonna need help.
We're going to Afghanistan!
Come on.
Um...
If you have any other editing work,
my guy, Tim, is great
and could use some cash.
- That would be beautiful.
- Yo, come with me.
I want you to meet Diane,
she's a reporter from The Times.
I'll text you his info.
Do you forget that I exist?
No, I don't forget you exist.
I asked you for a beer
like a half hour ago.
Why don't you just give me a minute, okay?
You're such an asshole.
I've been looking for you.
You're smoking?
What's going on? What is...
This is like a fucking bad dream.
Everyone here is doing weird shit.
Where's my high school algebra teacher,
Mr. Morelli, riding a fucking turtle?
I had no idea Dad was coming.
I saw him when I got here.
Are you sure?
Are you sure you're not just saying that?
Yes, Josh. Why would I lie to you?
Do you think that Jamie came to my class
because he knew that I was married to you?
That this was all so he
could meet your dad?
Josh, you know,
the world isn't a conspiracy against you.
You know, fuck you.
Fuck you. Don't talk to me like that.
I'm saying "fuck you"
the way Jamie and Darby say it
where it's not a real
"fuck you," it's a semi-playful "fuck you."
We're not Jamie and Darby.
We don't talk to each other that way.
If you say "fuck you" to me,
it feels like a real "fuck you."
- It is real.
- Fuck you. And not semi-playfully either.
Fuck you.
Total, real, cutting-to-the-core, fuck you.
Darby? Are you okay?
Shit's bad.
You wanna get some goat?
Crushes fade.
Things lose their luster, you know?
Maybe I'm just down
on relationships right now.
What about Jamie?
Jamie's in love with Jamie.
But you guys seemed great.
You know how no one
will ever pick up just a male hitchhiker,
but if it's a couple, you might pull over?
Well, I'm the girl
so you'll pull over and pick up Jamie.
Doing ayahuasca, I realized
I never forgave my mom for dying,
and until I do,
I'll never have a decent relationship
with a guy.
- When did she die?
- When I was in high school.
She had ovarian cancer.
I'm sorry.
Isn't that also how Jamie's mom died?
He talked about it in the film.
Why'd you let Jamie use your scholar?
I was trying out being generous.
He'd do the same for me.
That's how you guys are.
Josh.
You're such a man-fox.
Man-fox?
I wish it didn't need the "man" qualifier.
Because you're like a hot dad.
Without children.
We shouldn't.
This is the part where
I say, "I was a bet."
What?
You know those romantic comedies
when the girl is a bet?
Yeah. Just because they did,
doesn't mean we have to.
What? What do you mean?
She never told you?
Jamie and Cornelia made out
at the ayahuasca.
It was in the papyrus reeds
behind the pyramids.
I'm sorry, I stole one
of Tipper's Adderalls.
Do you wanna go dancing?
Yeah.
I'm not going home tonight.
Thanks for meeting me so early.
We've got a butt-load to do.
Dave needs a budget for Afghanistan.
I'm almost finished with it.
I've been reading a lot about Afghanistan.
It's crazy.
You know no one has ever been able
to successfully occupy Afghanistan?
I've heard that.
But I think we've got something now.
With your help, it can really be something.
Leslie's notes were beautiful.
He's smart that way.
And really chill to kick it with.
I'm sorry, I...
Josh and I had a fight last night,
and he didn't come home.
Hey.
Hey, hey.
It's going to be okay.
Joshy will come back.
Thank you.
I'm sorry I'm like this.
Hey, no worries.
I was thinking, maybe you and your dad
would wanna work on my thing together.
He seems to wanna get involved.
It might be kind of great, right?
I mean, you're producing,
but he could bless it, essentially.
Bless it? Like a sneeze?
No. I was thinking more like the Pope.
He doesn't really do that kind of thing.
Well, I think if you asked him, he might.
Did you ever see Power Elite?
What's that?
Josh's movie! God damn, yes.
I told him that.
I loved that scene with the dogs.
When you went to Josh's class,
you knew Josh and I were married,
didn't you?
And that Leslie was my dad.
Hey, I admire lots of people.
I want lots of things.
You know what I mean. We all want stuff.
It doesn't mean we're douche bags.
You're a hip chick. You kissed me,
you're married to my friend, but I get it.
I thought you were Josh.
The first time.
You know, but out of context,
if other people heard about it,
it might be misconstrued.
Where were you last night?
I was dancing with Darby
in an after-hours gay club.
Is this some kind of a private meeting?
- Did you follow me here?
- I follow him on Twitter!
We can't lie like we used to lie anymore.
Everything's reported. Nothing is private.
- There's nothing going on.
- Don't lie to me. You kissed him.
- I know all about it.
- I thought he was you, Joshy.
Don't call me Joshy! You
don't call me Joshy.
- Sorry.
- It's all a pose.
It's like he once saw a sincere person
and has been imitating him ever since!
And you're falling for it.
I didn't even like them!
You convinced me how awesome they were.
They're entitled little brats.
And don't you see? It's all a plan.
He's trying to destroy me.
Go back inside!
You know what?
You and your father can have him.
You always wanted a more successful me,
so go for it.
What is wrong with you?
I didn't know when we got married
that you'd wanna play kissy face
with 25-year-olds.
I didn't know that either. And I didn't
know that you'd never finish your movie.
I'm gonna finish it! I
just need to get it right.
It's obsession. It's fear.
I don't know what it is. It's...
- Please? Will you go back inside?
- What the...
It's not really about making anything.
At least Jamie makes something.
Do not compare what I do with him.
Why not?
When you felt a part of it, you loved it.
And you use your movie
as an excuse not to do anything.
We don't go on vacations,
we don't make decisions,
we don't have kids.
- I want a kid.
- But you want it now that it's impossible.
- It's not impossible.
- No.
It's over. It's done.
I'm not putting myself through
that anymore. This is closed.
Marina's at a work dinner.
- They're both top sheets, but... You know.
- Thanks.
You might wake up when I come through
for Willow's 2:00 a.m. feeding.
And the 5:00 a.m. feeding.
And then all the other times she wakes up.
That's okay. How is she?
Cool baby.
But, to be honest,
it's a little hard for me
to relate to an infant.
It seems kind of cool though.
It's like the pregnancy is its own thing.
You get so used to it.
After a while, I just felt like, we did
this, we don't actually need the baby.
I'm sorry if I've appeared crazy or...
I don't know.
I'm sorry we didn't
invite you to the party.
I think I've been jealous
of you guys having a kid.
You know...
Before you have a kid, everyone tells you,
"It's the best thing you'll ever do."
And as soon as you get the baby
back from the hospital,
those same people are like,
"Don't worry, it gets better."
I'm like, "What the fuck
was all that before?"
But having Willow must've changed
your whole perspective on life.
Not as much as I'd hoped it would.
I... I love my baby,
but I'm still
the most important person in my life.
Hey, did I tell you I have a
herniated disk? L5 or some shit.
I'm getting an epidural on Monday.
I have arthritis in my knees.
What the fuck is happening to us?
Hey.
Hi.
Hey, man.
I'm sorry about not paying you.
Yeah.
I mean,
I hoped the money would come in, it didn't.
I kind of fudged that.
I just can't work for nothing, you know?
But thanks for hooking me up with Jamie.
I've been freelancing a bit for him.
If you're not too busy there,
I wanted to hire you back
for a couple of weeks.
- I can pay you.
- Did the grant money come in?
No.
I sold all my CDs.
And some other things.
Leslie suggested
we cut the bit about Turkish politics.
But I told him it was crucial...
I think it's a good idea.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
We got to cut something.
Okay, let's give it a try.
I've been unhappy...
This is Jamie's footage.
Some stuff I was working on.
- Wait.
- What?
Hold on that image of Kent.
Okay.
Blow it up.
I can't do that on this machine.
Really?
No.
That's Darby's ice cream.
It looks like mint of some kind.
It's avocado. Darby was
there before we were.
I got my first response on Facebook.
This guy, Kent Arlington.
I haven't seen him
since high school in Santa Cruz.
You said
we should be open to surprises, right?
I just googled Kent. Did you google him?
- He was in Afghanistan.
- Really?
My mom was really sick with ovarian cancer.
When I was in high school.
- She had ovarian cancer.
- Isn't that also how...
Thank God I've got you, Joshy!
We did what you said.
We didn't know the answers.
We discovered them.
Don't you see?
She brought Kent the ice cream.
I know Jamie's your friend,
but to be honest, he's kind of a prick.
I'm playing Nintendo
That's not what I'm doing
That's not what I'm doing
I'm crying my eyes out
That's not what I'm doing
That's not what I'm doing
That's not what I'm fucking doing
I'm fucking exposing your shit
Mother fucker
Hey. Is Kent here?
Is everything okay?
My son turns nine today.
Happy birthday.
- You're so intense.
- I'm focusing.
There.
Thank you.
You know, looking back on my career,
I wonder, how did I accomplish so much?
If I'm honest with myself,
it sometimes took being a selfish prick
at the expense of you and your mother.
Of course, I don't say that.
I say talent, work, luck.
Your husband doesn't realize
what it takes, he...
He still believes the speeches.
You know, when I first started dating him,
he reminded me so much of you.
He wants what I have,
but he's not merciless enough to get it.
I learned magic from a dude, Alvin,
over in Afghanistan.
- He was shredded by a land mine.
- That's terrible.
I'm more old-fashioned in my approach.
I don't lock myself up
in a box or anything,
it's mostly cards and balls.
I learned from watching videos on YouTube.
It keeps me from going out of my head.
Yeah, we need distractions.
For me, it's the Internet.
I'm trying to go on less, you know.
You know, it's like how many times
can I check The Huffington Post?
How did you fucking do that?
- Louis!
- Sorry.
So, what made you contact Jamie
on Facebook?
What do you mean?
What made you reach out to him?
I didn't. He contacted me.
Here, you got something.
Other side.
I had no idea who he was.
- Really?
- Yeah. He said that he lived with Darby.
You remember Darby?
Yeah, Darby's been a friend for years.
We'd Skype sometimes
when I was in Kandahar.
The reception was really shitty, though,
it'd freeze up all the time.
Did she, know about...
That you were in the hospital?
Who are you again?
I'm Jamie's cameraman.
And why are you asking me this stuff?
I'm, fact-checking the movie.
- Hey! Bring that back, you fuckers!
- Kent!
What did you think when
Jamie started talking
about Darby's childhood
as if it was his own?
He said that he was playing a part.
He said that when?
He called me a week or so
before you guys came up and filmed me.
Can you... Can you say that again?
Josh, it's me, again. I just...
I... I am so sorry.
I hope you come to my dad's thing.
He'd like it and I'd like it.
And I'm so sorry
for all the things we said and...
Can you come? Can you call me back, please?
Where are you, Josh?
- I've got to talk to Jamie.
- He's not here.
- You going somewhere?
- Tampa.
If I stay here any longer,
I'll Girl, Interrupt.
I was just with Kent.
Kent.
I love Kent.
I saw your ice cream in Jamie's video.
Well played, sir.
He let me think I was the one
who found out about Kent in Afghanistan.
Why?
Jamie doesn't wanna disappoint you.
None of us wanna disappoint you.
You're such a purist.
Jamie would never have made
the movie without Afghanistan.
When I told him about
Kent and the massacre,
he thought it would make a good movie.
He just had to figure out how to tell it.
But why not tell it honestly?
It's more entertaining this way.
And now, it has a before and after,
which, as you know, Americans love.
People have to know.
He can't get away with this.
Jamie does whatever he wants.
This goes against everything he said
he admired in me.
The whole principle of making a doc.
Darby, you don't understand.
This is fraud. It's a big deal.
People are jailed for this kind of thing.
I don't like to meddle with people.
If they're gonna change, they'll change.
Where is he?
He's at your father-in-law's tribute.
Shit! That was now!
And I returned the rental car. I'm a mess.
I can give you a jacket,
and you can take Jamie's Rollerblades.
Thanks.
You know, me and Jamie always wondered,
how are we gonna get old?
And the answer is...
Just like everyone else.
- What is your name?
- Jamie Massey.
Jamie Massey, okay.
Jamie Massey, everyone, Jamie Massey.
Jeez Louise.
I've never been to a rat fuck like this.
- Did you see Patti Smith?
- Where?
This is my bathtub.
Can I get a Shirley Temple?
What're you doing, dude?
- Can I stand here for a second?
- No.
- What can I get you, sir?
- Shirley Temple.
No problem. Right this way.
Looking, listening.
These are simple enough acts, are they not?
We don't need any instruction
on how to use our eyes and ears.
Or we don't think we do
until we see a Leslie Brietbart film.
Yosh?
You okay?
My friend, Leslie Brietbart.
I've been thinking of tonight
as my memorial for so long,
I had completely forgotten
that I actually had to be alive for it.
Is that my jacket?
Are those my blades?
Are they? Who knows?
Maybe they're Darby's.
Darby's, yours, mine.
Cookie O'Puss.
Where have you been?
Everyone's asking about you.
I was in Poughkeepsie.
Okay.
It seems like you made a
whole lot of stuff up.
Now, people have criticized me
and some of my colleagues,
saying that we were pretending to be
objective when there is no objectivity.
Okay, we were trying to capture truth,
but the truth of experience...
I don't wanna miss his speech.
You know,
it's your responsibility to be honest.
People are gonna believe it.
I didn't do anything nobody else does.
"I didn't do anything nobody else..."
You reveal everything and nothing.
You said you wanted
to be a real documentarian.
I do.
I thought you were about process.
Process and ice cream.
But you really will do
anything to be successful.
Success isn't my thing, Josh. It's yours.
Yeah, you're right, it is my thing.
I've got a fucked up relationship
with success.
I want it and I don't have it.
But what you have scares
the shit out of me.
What we were trying to say as filmmakers
is that what we were filming
was more interesting than we were.
We weren't trying to be objective.
You're not uncomfortable at all.
Why should I be uncomfortable?
See, that I just find weird.
You're the only one who
is weird about this.
I asked you to co-direct.
Yeah, because you knew I'd say, "No!"
We were trying to be open
and to learn from the
people we were filming.
Jeez, Joshy. Everyone
does this kind of thing.
I don't. I don't do something like this.
I'm trying to make movies
to figure out the truth.
- Really?
- Yes!
We saw truth not through
telling you what we thought,
but through a different ethical approach
to filmmaking
that allowed the world
to reveal itself to us.
I do know that documentaries are over.
Are you kidding? It's
what everyone is doing.
His documentaries are over.
What you're doing is something else.
If everyone is filming everything,
what's a documentary anymore?
It has no meaning,
it's just some shit you recorded!
Is that old man talk? Maybe it is.
You kids have been told
you can do anything.
You think everything
is out there for you to have. It's not.
Nobody owns anything. If I hear a
song I like, or a story, it's mine.
It's mine to use. It's everybody's.
No, it isn't!
That's not sharing, Jamie, that's stealing.
- That's old man talk.
- I am an old man!
I can't let Cornelia
and Leslie walk down this road with you.
I want you to go in there
and tell them what you've done.
If you won't do it, I'll do it for you.
Okay.
What else can I tell you?
After all these years,
I still don't have all the answers.
And for the sake of documentary cinema,
I intend to leave it that way.
Thank you so much for this tribute.
You know, it's just the way...
- Josh!
- Sorry I'm late, Leslie.
I caught your speech
from the lobby, though,
and it was really inspiring, spot on.
Are you okay, son? Do you wanna sit down?
Jamie has something
he wants to tell all of you.
Go ahead.
Not all of the stuff in my movie
happened exactly as I said it did.
I played around with some of the timeline.
Okay.
- Yeah.
- Yeah, and...
And what?
You did a lot more than that, come on.
He didn't even know Kent. Darby did.
Darby's mother died of ovarian cancer.
Jamie's mom
is probably alive and kicking in Idaho.
Josh, this is kind of my night.
- You just need to hear this.
- That's basically it.
That's not basically it! You knew
that Kent had tried to kill himself.
- Right.
- Say it!
Josh, let him speak.
The gist is the same.
I authored a bit of how I came to it.
I mean, I'm not that good a writer.
If I made it all up,
I'd be the best writer in Hollywood
and Kent would be Marlon Brando.
I never said it was amazing.
I just said it was faked.
And some of the timeline was adjusted...
Would you stop with the timeline crap?
Jamie knew that Kent had
tried to kill himself.
That he'd been in Afghanistan.
We didn't just stumble upon it.
It was rigged.
Jamie invented the whole Facebook thing
because he knew it would play better.
Kent wasn't in Afghanistan?
No, Kent was in Afghanistan.
- So, what's the problem?
- It's...
It's the way... The way
that he said that he found him is not true.
Kent served our country,
you're being offensive.
Is what Josh is saying true?
Well, I did know, but I don't
think it really matters, though,
the movie's not about that.
Of course it matters. Leslie, explain.
I don't know
that it totally matters in this case.
- What?
- I don't care.
I didn't expect you to care.
Leslie, are you kidding me? You don't care?
You just gave a speech about authenticity!
The movie works on so many levels,
the happenstance of it, to be honest
with you, is the least interesting part.
I can't believe it!
This movie isn't worth
the RAM it's stored on.
He's a con artist, Leslie.
Your generation of sit-ins and protesters
and pack rats
would be horrified by this demon!
Josh, you're hysterical.
I'm not hysterical! I'm...
Shit, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
Cornelia?
I don't know.
I think he's an asshole,
but the movie's pretty good.
And I'm sorry I think that.
This is so frustrating! This...
I'm going to get no
satisfaction here, am I?
This guy's just gonna win no matter what.
This is not how the world works.
Why does it have to be one thing
or another? Things change.
Different things matter now.
Okay, forget ethics then. What about me?
You played me.
But you acted in it.
Only because I thought it was real.
I loved you.
I really like you, too. We're friends.
I really believed it.
I was a bet.
Are you okay, son?
I'm not crying. I'm not.
Are you filming this?
Josh, your sleeve is on fire!
I took your note, by the way.
I cut the stuff about Turkish politics.
You were right, I don't need it.
Glad to hear that, son.
It doesn't
matter that it was faked
because the movie
isn't about Afghanistan or Kent,
or anyone, it's all about Jamie.
In my head, when I was blading over,
I swept in and exposed everything.
I was such a hero.
Thanks.
I wanted so badly...
I wanted to be admired.
- I wanted a protg.
- I know.
He looked at me
like I was a real grown-up person.
For the first time in my life,
I stopped thinking of myself
as a child imitating an adult.
You feel that way, too?
I'm 44, and there are
things I will never do.
Things I won't have.
What's the opposite
of "the world is your oyster?"
I wish we could just go back
and meet each other all over again.
I'd present myself differently,
so I didn't get your hopes up.
I think it's hard for me
to have something great every day
and to acknowledge it.
I have something great every day.
If we were different people,
I'd ask you to renew our vows.
I think it's nice to renew vows.
Maybe we are different people.
Call when you get there!
We will, Fox.
You're gonna be such great parents.
Hey, the guy is waving at us.
We gotta go, Marina!
They changed the rules.
Bye, Willow!
We'll be back in a week.
Fox, I'm gonna cry.
The cop's coming, Marina.
We gotta go.
Send pictures of the little man.
We love you guys.
- All right, bye.
- Love you, Fletcher!
I love you, too, but I'm not
getting arrested for you. Marina!
Thanks.
- You really need 10?
- It's four hours to Port-au-Prince.
I can't believe it.
Me neither.
Look who it is!
Are you a hipster?
Well, I'm of a certain age,
and I wear tight jeans.
It's out there. The evil is unleashed.
No, you were right, he's not evil.
He's just young.