Original subtitles

We'll be

right

back.

Baby, baby.

You know the rules, Ruben. You have half a party, I go hotel.

Don't go hotel.

You can't.

This is Reuben Guthrie, and I am here.

This lovely hall, sitting in a circle, having a share.

Right, well, I just got back from the south of France where I picked up the

for Best Dad and Best Dad Campaign.

Fourth year in a row, just quietly.

So maybe I imbibed a little on the wing of my continuing success and decided to

surprise everyone at my house party by jumping off the roof.

Into my pool.

But I'm in.

The ironic thing, of course, is that I created the entire ad campaign, How Will

You Feel Tomorrow?

Is it compulsory to wear Kmart tracksuits, or is it just coincident

you are wearing... Ruben! Yes, Mum.

It's Mum.

Yeah.

My name is Ruben Guthrie, and I am in advertising.

Crack the magnum of your favorite fizz. I have to go now.

Now? Right now?

Yeah. How long is the shoot for?

The shoot is for three days.

Oh, okay, cool. See you back in three days. The shoot is in Brazil, Ruben. I

told you this, but you were drunk. Brazil, Brazil, Brazil. I'm going to the

shoot in Brazil, and then I'm going home.

I'm going now to go home.

Home?

I'm confused, babe. You are home.

Home, not to Prague.

Home to my mother's home.

My real home.

Hey, to visit on your way back.

Dave.

Dave. Hang on.

Whoa, whoa, back up the truck.

You fucking what?

Going home to live with my mother, yeah.

Going home to live with your mother, yes, and do what? I intend to make

documentary. Ha, okay.

You don't have any qualifications.

So to study. I mean, there ain't exactly a big swimsuit scene in downtown

Prague, is there? How would you know?

You know nothing of Prague.

You never come to crack with me. Maybe.

It's about the pool incident.

No, I like what the pool incident has done. Oh, fuck that!

I don't see why you're making fucking such a rash decision to leave.

All we do is box each other in a two -bedroom ring with no couch.

Every night, me in the quiet corner, you in a drunken one. I mean meetings now,

Zoya. One meeting. Meeting.

One meeting, Robin. You go to one meeting.

And in this meeting, you go to humiliating us in front of everyone in

room. And now you're drinking this champagne.

I'm celebrating my first meeting.

Baby, baby, we've been together for five years now. Six. Six years now. Me

supporting you through your whole eating disorder depression thing. Oh, my God.

I'm sorry. I should not have. Are you comparing?

No. I was there for you, remember?

What I go through is not a luxury.

I know.

Getting fucked up is a luxury. I know. A dumb, stupid, childish luxury. Yeah.

We are engaged, which means we stick by each other in sickness and in health.

No, you do that when you're married. Okay, all right, I'll buy a couch. I'll

stop drinking. You think this is funny?

One more inch this way, you crack your head in that pool and you die.

You dick.

Zoya, Zoya, Zoya, don't leave! Fucking Zoya!

Don't leave me alone.

Zoya, Zoya, Zoya!

Fucking model! You are gone, you are! You titless fucking... You are gonna die

in the snow, chewing on your own hips!

Can't survive without Roman Guthrie!

Fucking... Fucking... Fuck!

Okay.

I love you, Ruben Guthrie.

The real you I love.

But I must leave you.

In this alcoholic country.

To feel better.

And to grow.

As me.

So if you want to see me again.

Yes, yes, yes.

Take one year of alcohol and come and find me in the snow, yes?

Yes, yes, yes, this night, yes.

But not before this year is up.

One year.

So my wife says to me, Ken, if you drank on my nail polish remover, just be

honest about it.

And I'm all like, well... All right, Kenny, I'll take it from here, mate. I

mean... OK.

OK, I mean... Clearly, I'm not one of you.

You know, with the whole title and everything, OK? So don't look at me

But look, I'll admit to favouring a drink.

It's un -Australian not to. And the advertising industry, man. The thing is

blackouts, Reuben. Would you care to stay on topic?

Blackouts? All right, blackouts.

Blackouts, blackouts.

Oh, Friday night, right?

End of the week client drinks a cargo bar, you know. But I've got to meet Zoya

at the restaurant at seven for the degustation.

It was her 21st birthday.

What?

So I think, okay, cool.

I'll hit client drinks at five.

I'll nail two or three peronias with the Google guys, jump a cab to dinner, get

some flowers and a card on the way. Boom, go!

But it's summer in the city, and I smash ten beers in a flash, and

then someone scores some gack off a text message, and it hits straight from the

Good Rock, and it lands.

Right in the middle of my face with a thud and a zing and a let's go, baby.

then suddenly it's this post -folk band holding a warehouse party in Darlington.

Ivy pool bar, some slut in a blue bra.

We kicked on this film actor's penthouse suite and I'm fingering this peacock

-headed art dealer in a spa bar full of moe. Suddenly, bang!

I'm on a fucking motorbike, right? With my arms wrapped around this hilarious

lesbian gangster and she's taking me out to a fibro shack way out west.

where we fucking bump a mountain of ice and drink a crate of bourbon surrounded

by 35 cats.

Finally, I look at my phone and think, Ruby, get to dinner, get to dinner, get

to dinner, and it's next week.

Oh, you think you got me?

You think I'm one of you?

Thing is, I love blackouts.

I actually think that blackouts are a fucking gift from God.

Because he takes the details that we care not to remember, he politely lifts

them out of the brain and then, so that when we wake up, all we can recall is

going out and coming home.

It's night of God.

What the fuck am I doing here?

You alright there, bro?

This fax app is not working.

You should come to Tamarama home group meeting with me. Why?

Tuesday morning, 7am.

Thursday, 6 .30pm.

Sweet attic pussy there, man.

Yeah. I'm not joining the fellowship, Ken, all right? So save me the sales

pitch. I just misjudged my jump and the dimensions of my pool.

Yeah, that's not the question, Reuben. Oh, really? What's the question then,

Ken? Well, the question's not how or if you misjudged the pool, but what you

were really doing up there in the first place.

Jumping off your roof.

Sorry, am I, do I pay you?

Well, then that'll be your job, wouldn't it?

My job is to kick your ass and you kick their ass.

Well, how about you do it today?

Yep.

No, don't cry, don't cry. I'm paying you not to cry.

I've got it. Hey!

Morning, Hendrick. Hey.

How is my golden boy?

Latte?

Latte.

Latte. You've got three coffees, right? One for each man in the foyer and one

for each creative.

Oh, sorry.

How is that arm firming up? Yeah, it's okay. The doctor says it'll be a few

weeks of video. This new Lexus campaign.

Lexus? Lexus luxury vehicles.

Yeah.

Hey, Ray, you had insomnia when you gave up booze?

I don't know. I can't remember.

But you were a bit of a clown, weren't you, Ray? I mean, you went to jail

No, Ray didn't go to jail. Running over... No, Ray didn't go to jail.

Ruben! Get your fucking head in the game!

Wake up!

Lexus fucking car!

Lexus! Lexus!

Lexus!

Lexus!

Did you read the sheet? Yeah. Lexus is luxury. Lexus is the BMW for those with

inner style. Lexus is everything you need to... Okay.

Now, listen.

Bradman. I love you like a son.

But of late, you have been of no use to me.

None whatsoever.

You're asleep at your laptop. You're gazing out the window like a fucking

teenager. Zoya left me.

She left me. I know this.

Okay? And that's... We talked about that, and that would be hard.

Admittedly, that would not be easy.

She's very skinny.

Why can't you talk about these things with me, Ray?

You've been through it. I'm going through it right now. Because I don't

You don't care about my drinking problem? I swear I keep a shotgun around

somewhere. Chet!

Chet! Who is Chet? Chet! Who the shit is Chet? Chetty!

Stop saying Chet!

All good.

What's up?

No, actually, there's another thing. It's all good.

All good is the lie.

Advertising is a lie, though. Isn't it, man? Isn't it, man? But we choose to

believe it because people love to have choices.

And we sell choices.

We show people how to live, yo!

Yeah. Who the fuck is this guy?

Chet Davidson, YouTube sensation cum advertising creative.

BT Dubs, you're my hero, Ruben Guthrie.

You steal my trophy?

Is it broken?

Give me my fucking trophy, Chet.

The stand broke, so I glued it back on, and I had to wipe a bit of blood to the

base there.

Thanks. Take it.

Ouch. Yeah. Yeah.

Fuck's sake.

That's Chet. Yeah.

Ruby, my boobie. Don't follow me into my office, Ray. I'll sort Lexus.

Do you want these buttons?

Sweet.

Okay.

I'm going to be honest with you, Kubrick. All right?

You're the most talented creative director Pats has ever had. Seriously,

Correct. And don't think for one minute we don't know it.

Every ad, every campaign that Guth delivers, it's a game changer.

And we love you for that.

You are a game changer, son, 100%. You change.

The game. Thanks, Ray. Yeah, okay, but if you keep wandering around out here in

your teetotaling days of self -flagellation, then George Pat's Y &R

And if Pat suffers, yeah, it's September 11 type shit. Ray's head.

9 -11 type shit.

So, I suggest you do exactly what we both know you need to do

to get that mojo back in range.

Because I'm not losing my big fat Harbour View office just because you had

tips with the supermodel, okay?

You think the only way I can do my job is drunk, Ray?

Since you've been in the program, your best ideas have been substandard at

The tamponade pitch with the girl on the desert island? I mean, sorry, is it

1983 outside?

That was about purity. That was about a girl searching for purity. You've lost

your fucking edge, boy!

That's cool.

It happens.

Happened to me when I switched to Earl Grey.

But I'm an executive.

I'm allowed to be earnest.

Okay.

I'll drink the vodka.

Good news.

If you drink it with me.

Why not, Ray?

Because you have a problem with alcohol?

I'm not drinking, right? Not for you. Not for Pat. Not for anyone. I want to

my fiancé back. That's all I care. Okay, I can roger that. Now, if you'll excuse

me, I'm going to work on the Lexus campaign because it's my Lexus campaign.

so long as you're in the right headspace because if you're not, I know someone

who is.

Ah!

Jet.

My booty.

Hey, uh, my PA has some of the best in Sydney at the moment.

Let's get together and talk about ourselves.

Leave me the message and I will definitely get back to you.

Have a great day, hombre.

Hey. Hey, babe. It's me, Griffin Guthrie.

Your fiancé.

Yeah, your Prague mobile and your UK mobile and your Osmobile and your US

are all switched off again. So, um, yeah.

Hey, I'm in my new AA home group meeting in Tamarama.

So, it's been over two months since I've had a drink.

So only ten to go till I come find you in the snow, babe. No smartphones in

group, please. Sorry. Yeah, see? I've got to go. I've got to go. I've got to

share. Love you, Zoe. Bye.

Okay,

Tamarama home group.

Let's begin.

My name's Janelle. I'm an alcoholic.

Today we are addressing the oh -so -popular topic of high school as an

alcoholic. Hey, got a new one. First guest of.

Hey, Reuben should go.

No, that's all right. Ken, thanks. I can listen.

Reuben? Reuben, is it? Reuben Guthrie, ad guy, jumped off the roof, pissed.

Hot girlfriend left.

Thanks, Ken.

Reuben.

Um, yeah. Hi, I'm Reuben Guthrie. Hi, Reuben. Hi, Reuben. Hi, Reuben.

Hi. Hi.

And, uh, I... Do I need to fill out an application form for Tamarama Home

or...? That was high school for you, Reuben.

It's OK.

You're safe here.

Isn't he group?

Yeah. Yeah?

School.

School. School.

School, yeah.

School, school, school.

My parents sent me to a boarding school.

I mean, how hard is it to have one kid asleep in your house at night? How hard

is that?

Boarding school.

I have to say, I actually wasn't like this at boarding school.

I had no interest in alcohol at all. I spent all my money on magazines and

electronics and fashion, mostly.

So, of course, all the rugby guys and the rowing guys and the wrestling guys,

they'd come in at night and they'd...

pin me down and get it out of the system, you know, the rage, you know.

Nice shoes, faggot.

He's got moose in his hair. Let's put moose in his anus.

And then this guy, Corey, joined the school. All that went away.

Corey was, he was bigger than me. He was older than me and he was so much cooler

than me.

Drove a black Suzuki Vitara.

And he had five earrings and he had the word FARC tattooed inside his lip. It

was amazing.

And to this day, I don't know why he chose me, but he did.

The first day he arrived, he saw what it was like for me in that place. And he

just made it go away.

He protected me. And I'd tell him my thoughts on things and story ideas.

Yeah, we were inseparable. We were really close.

And then he repeated year 12.

And then he got kicked out.

And so his dad got him a job in a factory bending corrugated iron.

But by that time he was pretty deep into drugs. And not good drugs.

We never lost contact. We just lost flow.

He called me one night at college and he said he needed a real mate

and that I was the only real mate that he'd ever had.

And he was crying on the phone and I'd never heard Corey cry before. I'd never

imagined Corey could cry.

There was a party on at our house at college that night, a big party.

Damien and my lip -sync band were playing.

So, you know, I told him I'd call him the next day and we'd have a big chat.

You know, I told him to not look into things so much, you know, to chill out.

I said, chill out.

And I laughed and hung up.

And they found him.

In his dad's boat, in the garage.

And he was...

From then on, I started to like drinks a lot.

Just like the taste of them in my mouth, you know, and the burn in my ribs and

the zing and the jolt of the alcohol in my blood and brain.

I thought, well, if he's gone, then I'll just drink and

drink and drink and drink and drink.

Ruben? Ruben!

Mum, how did you know I was here?

I called the office.

Ray told me to try all the AA meetings in the eastern suburbs. How many did you

try? All of them. Then he hung up on me. What is going on?

Why do you have a thermos? I have a rental car for you.

Mum, where are we going?

To the restaurant.

Come on.

Your dad's left.

Left?

He moved out with the Korean kitchen hands at the restaurant.

Who?

Soon -Yi.

Soon -Yi? The Korean... The one that sings?

Comes home this morning. I haven't seen him for two days. He says, you take the

house, I'll take the car.

The car!

The cat is back.

Bruce and Margaret are mining it for them until they get back from Aspen.

I hate cats.

I hate cats.

Everyone with a cat says, oh, my cat's so great, it's just like a dog. Well,

don't they buy a fucking dog?

People with dogs don't go, oh, my dog's so great, it's like a cat, do they?

Do they?

Meow! Meow!

Want wine?

Uh, no, no thanks.

Red wine?

No. Icing cold beer?

Just some mineral water, if you don't mind getting it.

It's a 30 -degree day. Sun Yee's marinating prawns for you and you want

Yeah, yeah.

Water.

Turns the palace.

Good thought.

Sun Yee!

Get Reuben a glass of water, will ya?

Is Sun Yee working the floor now?

Yeah.

Not bad for a new Australian.

Speaking of, where's Zoya?

She left me, Dad.

Who left you? Zoya left me because of my problem with alcohol.

She drinks?

I've seen her drink.

Always enjoyed a nice little drink when I offered her one.

Thanks, Signe.

Amazing rapport.

What? You and the lady?

Incredible banter. Wow.

We have our ways.

How's your mother?

She's dead.

What?

She's not. Why don't you give her a ring and find out, Dad?

Why are you being such a cocksmoker? How do you think she is, Dad? One minute

you're living in the house, the next minute you've moved out with the Korean

chick from the restaurant.

Don't talk about son. He likes his... Likes his what?

How's your aunt?

It's great, thanks, Daddy.

Thanks for asking.

Let's get pissed and catch up, then.

Dad, water's all I need. I'm fine.

I'll get it in. No!

Blast!

Just enjoying each other's company, trying to bond with my bloody

son, who I'm proud of.

I might mute the bloody ads, but I'm proud of you.

Dad, what are you doing?

We're on the deck of the...

The restaurant. It's a beautiful sunny day in Sydney. No, you're not listening

to me, Dad.

Mum doesn't know what happened. Mum doesn't know why you left her.

She'll work it out.

Well, she's on the jetty right now, Dad, and she's hiding and she's scared.

Yeah. Yeah.

Well... Well.

We should go away together again, you and I.

Wine tasting in the Baratta Valley.

I'll fucking fly us over there. All expenses on me.

Woo -hoo!

Where are you going?

Sonia is doing up the prawns for you.

Where are you going?

Son, prawns.

G'day, Cliff.

Step three, made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of

God as we understood him.

Practising step three is like the opening of a door which to all

still closed and locked. All we need is a key and the decision to swing the door

open.

There is only one key and it is called willingness.

Once unlocked by willingness, the door opens almost by itself and looking

through it, we shall see a pathway. It reads, this is the way to a faith that

works.

In the first two steps, we were engaged in reflection. We saw that we were

powerless over alcohol.

but we also perceive that faith of some kind, if only in AA itself, is possible

to anyone.

These conclusions did not require action, they required only acceptance.

Like all the remaining steps, step three calls for affirmative action, for it is

only by action that we can cut away the self -will which has always blocked the

entry of God for, if you like, a higher power into our lives.

Yeah.

Is that Epsom?

Yeah. Isn't it amazing?

Yeah.

Are you going to be great?

Hey, Ruben Gubbery. How are you, mate? Good, good, man. Dimitri.

Yeah, Dimitri, yeah. Yeah, no, good, thanks, yeah. I tell you what, very

you're doing another ad campaign for us. Oh, well, you know, you're our luxury

brand. Water?

No, no. OJ?

All good. Beer? Thank you, no. Vodka? No, no, no. Thanks, too early.

So, F4, talk to me. Oui, monsieur.

F as in?

F and fast.

V8, 0 to 100 in, hang on, 1, 2, 3, 4, now.

Right, all right, well, could you point me in the direction? Thank you so much

for coming to our Christmas party. I am still recovering.

I don't know how you're still alive.

Laura, you remember Laura?

She remembers you.

Married now. Show him the... Yeah, actually, I'm looking for my mother,

Have you seen her, or...? Darling!

The car reads out the text messages for you. In American!

This is the guy that you should be driving, my bro. The Lexus RC Coupe two

sport.

Exhilaration isn't manufactured, it's engineered.

Uh, that would be a no.

Yeah, I lost my license.

Three cars...

All right.

I'll see you soon, Reuben.

Yeah, who can tell?

Yep.

Hey, you there at the sun You're not gonna see anyone

Lost my nerve, I didn't know what to say A week just now, you're gone

away

Zoya, me calling again.

Hey, your message says that you will definitely call back. You might want to

look at that.

Or just call back.

Leave the message how it is.

You hear that sound, babe?

That sound is possibly the world's greatest ever lemon -lime bitters ever

What do you think, babe?

Maybe they don't have mobile range in Czechoslovakia.

Czech Republic.

I'm working so hard on myself. The least you can do is pick up the phone.

Oh, you were an awful drunk.

Mum, don't. At your Nana's 80th, when you pissed in the restaurant plants.

do we have to go into this now? You shoved your pubic hair in Auntie Gail's

face. I was comparing her mohair scarf to my pubic... Last Christmas day, when

you dropped poor little Dorian on his head. I've been with Dad all day.

That fool.

It takes two generations to clear alcohol out of a family line, Reuben.

know that?

I didn't. You're doing a good thing for your kids.

I'm just taking it one day at a time, Mum. I know, but if you keep doing that

for a few years or forever... Mum, the thing is, one day at a time. I don't

think that's particularly ambitious, do you? One day at a time?

Why don't I move in with you?

We've both been abandoned.

And I could help you with the house.

I went to this touching yesterday's pain meeting last night,

right? And I started talking about how alcohol's genetic, like inherited.

And I'm sitting there thinking, yeah, yeah, obviously.

Obviously. You know, but I sat there wondering if what you inherit is this

disease, this chemical imbalance that creates a need for the substance. If

as simple as that, just inheriting a disease. Or is what you're inheriting

deeper than that?

Are you actually inheriting generations of pain or shame or insecurity or

shyness or guilt? Is that what it is? A genetic illness.

When you pass down this black emotional package, you have no choice but to

accept it's all your parents' guilt and everything your parents failed or were

unable.

Oh, yum.

Taiwanese. Yeah.

Where did you learn to make this from scratch?

India. Are you sure you're not going to eat any?

Oh, no.

I picked heaps when we were cooking it. I'm just having a try.

I mean, I've got this whole kitchen here. I never cook. This is amazing.

It is a waste.

Yeah.

I'll just get you here every night.

Okay.

So good in the program for a newcomer. I don't really share very much. I think

in like 18 months or two years, you could run your own home group, I reckon,

with me. I only need to do a year.

What do you mean? Why just a year?

Oh, no. Sobriety is a journey. It's not a destination.

No, yeah, I know. I know.

Totally. Yes.

So Ken was telling me that you've been quite supportive

with quite a few of the new guys to the program.

A bit.

Are you crying?

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

No, I'm sorry.

Sorry, I've been evicted.

Huh? I've been evicted.

Lock down my building and turn it into a Dan Murphy liquor warehouse and I've

got nowhere to go.

Trust Uncle Ray, he'll never lead you astray. Up to the right, to the right,

the right, to the right. Whoa!

Hold your horses. Ray, really?

Really?

game for you? I told you I don't want to make booze ads anymore. It's not booze.

It's horses.

Royal Rambic Racecourse are relaunching Spring Carnival with a champagne tent

and sexy times for the A -list kids to kick along to in a mid -year Saturday

Arvo. And who better to sell the races as cool than... Me?

You mean the guy who's won you best ad four years in a row? There must be

someone here who's better for an A -list campaign like this. There's no one

better than you.

Black caviar.

Oh, and Alexis, love.

The iPhone mum, convertible driving, video selfie ad.

Love it. Thank you.

One catch.

What up?

Don't you fucking dare.

They want to know what the Chetstar has to offer on the pitch as well.

Boobie, my boobie.

I'm off to lunch at the Royal Randwick now.

Stables bar. You want to come with? Yeah.

No.

What kind of lunch? Research, baby.

Research. You may want to check the drinks menu, though. I'm not 100 % sure

serve lemon lime and bitters.

Oh, look.

Here's a tissue for your ear issue.

That was a good score.

Hit it.

It's a rumble in the jungle.

But my money's on the people, champion.

I, of course, want you to be a winner.

Celebrate life.

And find a wife.

Be a winner.

And a grinner.

Have it as you can do. You can lead a horse to Randwick, but you can't...

Bubble.

Royal Randwick brings you a bubble.

Spring carnival.

Yeah, now you're talking my language.

Don't you?

See, love?

I know, right? What the fuck?

What the fuck?

Hey, now, just before we unfurl, may I dot my gay ass down at yours for a

of words? Yeah, of course, man. Totally, totally. What are you doing in Sydney?

I will explain. First, I just need to fix me a tall glass of something

flammable.

Okay, dry white wine is one thing.

A draw war war. Dry white wine. I'm saying white wine.

It is only morning time.

I'm off the source, man.

No, no more booze, Damien, seriously. Oh, is this the anorexic Czechoslovakian

talking to you again?

No, it's off my own bat. Yeah, well, you get off tomorrow, because for now,

we're going to get cunted old style.

Damien, Damien, Damien.

I'm seriously sober.

Ruben, Ruben, I love you.

And I haven't seen you in the longest time.

And I love you.

Don't tell me that I can't express my love to you in the way that we know

Hmm?

Yeah, baby.

Come on, baby.

What booze did you get?

Judy Freeman, Sancerre, vodka.

Saps.

Single malt Glenfiddich.

A filthy French red.

I have a meeting. Meeting?

What?

Step. Stroke meeting.

Stroke meeting. Kayak.

I'm meeting kayak.

I'm going to talk to kayak.

Kayak. Don't tell me you're sitting in a circle.

No.

Are you?

Yes, I am. Okay? Do you love? And I really like it.

Christian, come on.

Don't call them that. They fucking save lives, man.

Have you read A Million Little Pieces? What are you doing back? Five minutes

ago, we had a going away party for you. What happened to the New York job of a

lifetime? You have a glass with me and I'll talk about it. I haven't eaten. One

drink and I will talk about it. Go on swimming.

Ruben, look who's back.

Well, didn't you hear me? I'm not drinking.

One drink.

Dear love, you know what's going to happen. We don't have to have ten. Just

one. When do we ever just have one? Okay, let's have ten. I'm off.

One. Have a fucking glass!

Have a glass!

Have that for a glass, you fucking faggot!

Don't needle me.

Okay?

Sorry.

My visa was revoked.

His wife found out.

Hey, it's so good to see you again.

Mr. Reuben Guthrie.

Can I stay here with you?

All these pretty shiny bottles.

All right.

Oh.

So you live on the water, but you never go in the water.

Yeah, I saw George when I was five, and I've never recovered.

That's beautiful.

Yeah.

So, listen, move in with me.

What? Really? No.

No. I'm clean. Okay, happy. I'm not asking you. I'm telling you.

Move into my house now It's jeopardizing the

program protocol

Fucking hippies.

Well, that's why you have balance.

I don't have any balance.

Hey,

man, you missed the most amazing day.

It's gorgeous out there.

Yeah, it was incredible.

Parlor boarding's hard, but it's actually not as hard as you think that

He's really good.

Not as good as her, but you would actually love it. Like, you would

love it.

Hey, how about a refreshing Roy Boss iced tea, Ruben?

Yum. Yeah.

Yeah, thanks. I'll just... I think I'll have a shower first.

I'm fine for three bottles of iced tea. Thanks, Virginia. Bebs?

Would you mind smoking outside?

Ruben and I always smoke inside.

Well, things are just a little bit different now.

Ruben's allowed me to transform his environment, and I think you should

his growth.

I'd love to respect his growth.

I smoke too, Damien, just not inside.

So can we lock that in for a house rule? Are you good for that?

You think you're here to stay, don't you?

But I'll tell you this from any distance.

Reuben loves a phase.

And you, crap tits, you're just another phase.

Okay?

With you.

Round one.

Fight!

You want to jump in the ring with me, baby?

I want to punch your fucking face in.

Right.

I can't tell you what angle Chet's going for on the down low.

It's hardly Muhammad Ali, but it does pack a punch.

You've been like a dad to me, Ray.

What? You taught me everything I know.

What? Oh, no, no, no. Don't you fuck with me, Tyson. But where I'm at now,

the meeting... No! Yes, Ray.

Yes.

Do you know, I never thought I'd see the day when a bloke as smart as you fell

for the poor me Christian trick.

The movement is not a trick, Ray. The movement?

Fucking wake up, Mozart!

They prey on guys like you.

They turn your love of the booze into a love of talking about yourself. I can't

make ads anymore, Ray.

Capitalism. Please, do you want some time off? A month?

Do you know what? Take two months off.

Paid. Paid? I quit, Ray. I quit.

Sobriety first.

Deal with your past, Ray.

For your own safety, get the fuck out of the building. It'll eat away at you.

Get away from me.

What happened to that kid you ran over?

Huh?

Fuck off!

Call your son, Ray.

Now!

You said you were just about to. It's okay, pumpkin. You're going to make me

come thousands of times.

Was that too full on?

Am I being too full on?

No, I... I only came because you said.

You said now, now, now.

I feel... Breathe.

This is... This is... It's just... I thought that I was ready for sex, and

I'm not, and it's triggering panic in me.

We've been fucking every day for like a month. This is very personal to me,

okay? This is not just fucking, okay?

Okay. Sorry.

Oh, that's Zoya's tissue.

May I?

Sure.

Do you think of Zoya when we're fucking?

Honestly.

Well, now that you're wearing her T -shirt, I'm thinking about her, but...

know, Zoya and I... It wasn't always about sex.

You know, by the end... So what you're saying is you didn't get connected with

her sexually like we do?

Yeah, I'll go.

No, no, no. I didn't mean go.

I just... Zoya, she put up with me for years while I was a monster.

And I'm always going to love and respect her for that.

But she never wanted to know me like you do.

I mean, you even like what's wrong with me.

I feel like we've found each other.

Yeah.

Ruben. It's okay. If you don't want to have sex, that's fine.

I don't want to trigger anything in you. I can't be here in this space anymore.

What do you mean? I thought... I can't. Not with Damien.

He drinks all day and he has a pipe.

I can't be around that.

He's my best friend.

Hey.

Virginia, what are you doing?

I'm going to go to a meeting because I feel unhinged and discombobulated.

Big couch.

Woo -hoo, hot doggy. Where's Virginia?

She's in the shower.

Loves the showers, that one.

Does she know there's restrictions?

So, um, how's their job hunting going, Peter?

I started looking online, but then I just ended up on Grindr again. There's

much incredible cock in Sydney.

Is that...

Is this Californian Zinfandel from my cellar? Ginny had told me to get rid of

all your bottles.

She said that it was potentially dangerous for you to be surrounded by

demons in your sanctuary.

Hey.

Hi, Damien. Oh, hi, Vagina. How are you? I'm so great. How are you?

Fantastic. Oh, that's fantastic.

Wow.

Okay. Woo -hoo.

Hi. Yeah.

Reuben, have you spoken to Damien about that thing?

Oh, yeah.

Text me, huh?

Spoken to me about what thing? How those sausages looking, man? Yeah, good.

Good. Pork and fennel. Fat one.

I don't eat sausages.

Not what I hear.

OK, I'll do it.

Um, Reuben and I were talking about jobs and living, and we thought... What do

you do, Virginia?

Apart from swipe the organic credit card. Oh, that's right. You just do the

meetings. Do you get commission on recruitments?

Have you ever taken the quiz on the Alcoholics Anonymous website, Damien?

There are ten questions, and if you answer yes to four of them, you're an

alcoholic. Four? Yeah, just four.

You guys low on attendance?

No. It's just an honesty test.

I got nine, then.

We think that you are really sick and we're worried about you.

Have you ever fucked on E, Virginia?

It's so... You just feel everything.

What's it like fucking on heroin?

Or too sleepy?

I'm going to go have another shower.

Yeah. Yeah, you go and get nice and clean.

She's not a smack addict, man. She is a shower addict. She should go to shower.

Showers Anonymous. Why are you treating her like that?

I didn't mean to offend her, okay? If it wasn't so much fun, I'd stop. Her

childhood is a litany of strange men at barbecues. She's had relatives put

remote controls inside her.

I'm trying to help her reach out.

Well, she's reaching out, all right, all the way down to your cock.

Well, there's someone else in the spare room. Where else is she going to sleep?

Ruben, just admit that she's fucking the shit out of you every night.

Okay, you think I can't hear it thumping through the walls? A thunderous

symphony of two people who are so frustrated that they can't get messed up

they're taking it out on the mattress.

Oh, Rumi, I'm sober. Oh, fuck, I wish I could drink 14 vodkas and shoot up. Show

me. It's companionship. That's all it is.

Do you think your fiancé would see it that way?

All right, Virginia and I have decided that you can stay in the house and not

drink or leave the house and continue to drink.

Why is that funny?

Oh, she's 13th stepped you, man. No, she hasn't.

What does that mean?

She's made you need her like a step the way you need all the other steps. That's

not accurate.

You poor 13th step little faggot. I think you should go now.

Reuben, I'm your best friend. She is you. Please leave. Why are you doing

to me? Because you and I are not the same. All right?

Get the fuck out of my house.

So she said, wait until the other boobs drop.

Peter, Peter. What, Harry?

Ruben's here, your son.

Right.

I'll be back.

Mineral water good?

The best. You said there was something pressing you had to tell me.

We used to have a hell of a time.

Talking about white wine, compared red. Sad, sad.

My sponsor at the movement.

At the movement.

Who are you?

Che Guevara.

Virginia, they've told me.

If you're going to get religious, think about this.

Jesus Christ himself was a wine man.

He took water.

What you're drinking there, and he turns it into wine. What I'm drinking here...

Why won't you respect my position?

Because you're my son.

You're not some league player who gets pissed and rates a 14 -year -old in a

bloody car park.

He's just a normal guy who likes a normal couple of drinks. Dad, I can't

in this environment. Please.

Please.

Stay. Son.

It's just that I'm very stressed at the moment.

What would work and the pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis? What?

Yeah, pancreatitis.

An inflammation of the pancreas.

Yeah, not good.

And mine is apparently acute and friggin' chronic or

some other. When did you start feeling pain?

Oh, a couple of years ago.

Why didn't you go to a doctor?

I went last week, and so better you, Reuben, when you're 40, get your fucking

test done. Don't be an idiot and leave it till it's too late, all right? Okay,

okay.

But that isn't pancreatitis to do with excessive drinking.

Trauma.

Stress and trauma.

You've got no idea what it's like running restaurants.

Fucking hat restaurants.

Are you going to die?

try and get back to you.

Have a great day, hombre.

Uh, dad's sick.

Zoya?

Dad, um... Zoya, dad might...

You know what?

Fuck you. I'm not sharing this with you. I fucking financed you for six years.

I took you to the party.

Hey, meet this hot new photographer.

Meet this designer. Here, let me give you a work visa.

No problem. Oh, who wants rent -free waterfront accommodation?

And now look at you.

Fucking as soon as things get a bit messy, as soon as the situation isn't

perfect for Prague's favourite little leggy princess, fly off back home, back

mummy.

If you were here right now, I wouldn't take a photo of you on my phone.

Easy explanations, you know they don't exist.

Seems a wealth of complications that I first could not admit.

I don't have the answer, I just know how I feel.

If I could help myself, you know I would.

They say it seems unreal, I'm still in love.

And the winner is... Stephen Timney Festival, Nubengar 3!

There were drunken conversations and tears of the dark

And a string of exclamations that I'd overcome the

part I know that it's not right or wrong, it's just the way

it is I can't lie to you and fool myself I know I

should admit I'm still in love with you I'm still that same

old fool cried an ocean just for you sailed away out

on the blue please

I know it's true.

Are you really?

Exhausted?

I'm starving.

Again, are you starving or are you just a bit hungry?

Is everything okay, baby?

I don't know.

I've been to a meeting almost a week.

Well,

I'm your meeting.

Step 13.

What?

How much does all this fucking food cost? You know I'm not working anymore,

don't you? I mean, what... is that what's that what's in your hand what's

it's almond butter oh wow almond almond butter okay almonds have

become butter now i'm gonna go have a shower because i'm covered in

thoughts

Holy shit.

Is that you?

I got a voice message from you. Did you?

I must say, I'm amazed.

One could have assumed they'd flown off into some void.

Some Czech Republic abyss. Shut up, fuckhead. Okay.

So you heard me.

You came to see me.

And the agency has some shoots for me to do.

Did you come here for me or for the shoots?

I don't know you, amigo.

A couch? Wow.

I asked you to buy a couch for five years only.

Yeah, well, you know, I thought it's about time I heard you.

Is your dad okay?

He's not dead yet, is he? No, he's not dead. So he's not dying?

He's down disappointed.

No, I... Ruben, your wife's male.

Did you miss me?

While you were gone.

I did not miss you, no.

I was so young when you found me.

I was 16, stupid naive girl.

I felt so flattered that this ultra amazing successful guy had chosen me.

I never complained about the marks on your neck, coming home AM, the weird

things you said to me in bed at night. Oh yeah.

But then I'm in the snow at home and I think, you're so brave to

give up drinking in this alcoholic country with this father, these

friends.

No, I miss you so much.

If you hurt me again.

I couldn't if I tried.

What was that noise? There is a restaurant up the hill.

You need to see it.

Ruben, who's in the show?

Let's jog there. Let's jog. I'll race you. I'll race you. Come on. Come with

Have I got a pimple on my back?

Who are you?

Hello.

Virginia.

And you?

I just said you would be.

Virginia's landlord kicked her out and since then I've just been putting her

Putting me up?

Zoya and I are just going for a jog.

Zoya, Zoya?

Yes, my name is Zoya.

Ruben's fiance.

Excuse me?

She... We... She... We... Ruben, I think that it's important that

Zoya learns of all the changes to the key relationships.

Yes, Ruben.

I want to learn of the key changes.

I'm just going to go put some clothes on, okay?

Make yourself at home.

This is my home. Exactly.

As my sponsor, she has been really supportive.

To your penis muscles?

If maybe you'd called me once in a fucking lifetime, none of this would

happened. But it did happen, didn't it?

Because you can't stand a minute without being adored. She knew that. Why the

fuck did you leave me on my own? Because I wanted you to see what it is like to

be in this house with you and all your bottles and feel completely alone.

Ha.

Men.

You just wave suicide around like it's one of your ads.

You think it gives you edge, don't you?

You're a fraud, Ruben.

It's so clear to me now.

Ruben and I are deeply connected, both inside and outside of the program.

What? Reuben was open enough to tell me that he's never actually connected

sexually with anyone like this prior to me. Oh, wow.

And I think that this previous lack of intimacy is a large contributor to his

substance abuse triggers.

You know what?

I will have my T -shirt back, actually. No, you're not fucking... Don't touch

me!

You don't fucking touch me.

You can take the shirt, but you can't take my husband.

This is not a moment in my life where I feel proud.

Just putting that out there.

You know?

You too.

I don't think I'm one of you, Virginia.

I never have.

I'm really glad I don't drink now, and I've loved talking, but I don't have to

design my whole life around not shooting a horse into my eyeball.

At a bad time, I got carried away.

It's not pathological for me.

All alcoholics use traumatic experiences to deem themselves powerless to

alcohol.

What?

You are using Zoya and I to validate your desire to start drinking again.

I'm not going to let you enable from this.

Not you.

Not Reuben Guthrie.

Ruben, don't drink, mate.

You don't need alcohol.

Why, Ken? Why don't I?

Because you've already got the personality of 25 men.

You don't need it.

And you have the heart of 45 men, Ken.

And I look like I've eaten 55 men, Ruben.

Ruben. Zoya called me from the airport.

You know, she brought a flight home for you with her, too.

Far.

Full class.

But, like all men, you thought you could live two lives at once.

What? Yes or no?

Mum, what the hell are you... Blair Valley Riesling. Just a little glass of

with you, Mum.

Then a glass of water. Mum, hang on, hang on, hang on, hang on.

You were the one who took me to my first meeting.

You. And now you're enabling me.

Why are you enabling me? You sit down. Now.

Now.

Don't make a scene in front of the clientele.

You drank a little too much.

certain point in your life, so you put yourself through a process, and that was

so brave, and you've recovered.

Now it's time to re -enter society and drink rationally.

But Mum, I can't drink rationally. These meetings, they fill your head with so

much hogwash. You come home blaming your parents for all sorts of things. Mum,

if I have one glass of wine, it all starts again.

No, it doesn't.

How doesn't it?

Don't do it.

Just don't let it.

Mum, you need to face the fact.

I am... No.

I am... No. I am an outcast.

No son of mine is one of them. Not in my lifetime.

No.

Don't.

Don't do this to me.

I'm in such good shape. I like myself.

One more week, and I'm sober for a whole year.

Your father and I decided, enough of these meetings. We want our son back

Yeah, and by the way, when did you and Dad start talking?

Since Peter moved back in and I started working here.

Do you have any self -respect?

Well, she wasn't going to look after him, was she? Oh, Mom. He's a sick man.

Yeah, you got that right. Reuben, he left you.

Well, why wouldn't he? I'm old. I look old. I sound old.

And I don't feel so sexual anymore, and your father likes that. Mom.

Age has spikes, Reuben.

Now, a little glass of wine and then a glass of water.

Your father drank himself into oblivion. And then Dad.

Don't you remember the night?

You're not them, son.

You're different.

You're Reuben Guthrie.

Reuben Guthrie.

Feel.

Big.

Skin.

Can't sit.

Women don't like poetry.

Reuben, we like story.

Character -driven story.

Come on, baby boy.

I'm shaking so get ready to start.

Wonderful day.

Dark horses, small women.

Thank you, son. Oh,

there she is. Nice ride, Mrs. G.

Hey. Thanks, son.

Bye, son.

Friday. You two boys were wonderful today.

Strong.

But you had plenty to drink. Now it's time to go home, have a glass of water,

and then bed.

A glass of water, and then bed.

Enough is enough.

Is enough, is enough, is enough.

Everything in moderation.

Frequently.

You want

to drink some whiskey?

I have a simple observation to make to all of them. They can get stuffed. It

won't, will not happen. If they think this is about.

Their tenure doesn't give them automatic entitlement to say what they like in

defiance of all the facts and all the substance.

Are you ready?

Make me feel so nice.

You're my one true.

Dirty.

Welcome back, Mr. Guthrie.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen, my name is Captain Mike Galvin and on

of Qantas I'd like to welcome you aboard our Qantas flight today.

We've got fantastic flying conditions today, once the recovery is level...