Original subtitles

(rousing and dramatic orchestral music)

(gong clanging)

(dramatic orchestral music)

(relaxed pop music on radio)

- [Radio Announcer] Good morning, Washington.

It's seven am, and I'm Peter Kennedy on Soft Rock KOP,

with your news, traffic and weather on the 20s.

(dramatic orchestral accent on radio)

A US Army pilot was killed,

and another soldier is reported as missing,

after insurgents downed a reconnaissance helicopter

on a routine mission in northern Iraq.

- 14th and K, please.

- [Taxi Driver] You got it.

- [Radio Announcer] Army Captain Howard Fisher

of Longview, Texas, was killed in the crash,

which occurred early this morning

about six miles outside the Iraqi city of Mosul.

Army rescue units discovered Captain Fisher's body

when they arrived at the scene,

but there was no sign of the soldier

who accompanied him on the--

(radio shuts off)

- Leave it on.

- [Taxi Driver] All right.

- [Radio Announcer] Chief Warrant Officer John Vrains

is a 12-year veteran from Decatur, Georgia,

where he lives with his wife and five-year-old daughter.

He is presumed to have been captured in the attack.

We'll bring you more details as soon as we have an update.

(door clanking)

(distant church bell dinging)

(muffled office chatter)

- Morning.

- Hi.

(muffled office chatter)

(phone ringing)

(muffled office chatter)

(dramatic and ominous orchestral music)

(phone dialing)

- I think we found one.

(dramatic and ominous orchestral music)

(rhythmic, vaguely ominous orchestral rock music)

(seabirds cawing)

(motor rumbling)

(rhythmic, vaguely ominous orchestral rock music)

(foreign-language chatter)

(traffic humming)

(foreign-language chatter over engines rumbling)

(rhythmic, vaguely ominous orchestral rock music)

(shears clacking)

(engine rumbles to a halt)

(car door slamming)

(engine rumbles away)

- [Ray] How you doing?

(slightly mysterious orchestral music)

(knocking on window)

(slightly mysterious orchestral music)

(door rattling)

- Ray.

- Mai Ling.

(whooshing electronic accent)

- [Man On Left] How you doing?

- All right. - Good.

- What's up, Black?

- What's up, baby. - You got it.

- Nice to see ya.

- Good to be seen, later.

Hi.

- Hi.

- Can I interest you in a little drink of beer?

- Sure.

- You know, beer is good for the everything, mm-hmm.

- Beer is good.

- Beer is very good, cheers. (glasses clink)

Well, um, would you like to dance?

- Sure.

- Sure enough.

(dramatic orchestral rock music)

What's your name?

- Mai Ling.

- Mai Ling?

My name is Ray, Mai Ling.

- Ray. - Yeah, Ray.

- You are so beautiful.

- No, I am not.

- Why do you mean, you're not?

- In my country, the lighter you are,

the more beautiful you are considered.

I am dark.

- Dark?

- Mm-Hmm. (Ray chuckles)

- Mm, well, in my country,

black is beautiful.

- And you are beautiful. (Ray chuckles)

- But not as beautiful as you.

You're as fine as wine and just my kind.

(lips smacking)

(dramatic, slightly mysterious orchestral music)

- After all these years, why have you come back?

- Can I please come inside?

Explain.

- No.

And reasons don't matter now.

Now, I am married, this is my husband, Nguyen Ta,

and my son, Phan.

You chose to be a stranger to me and my son,

then you shall remain a stranger.

You need to leave.

- I, I understand that.

I understand why you hate me,

and I'm sorry.

Uh, just,

here.

(door slamming)

- You must go now,

sir.

- If you are searching for absolution,

you come to the wrong place.

You talk to God, not to me (sobs).

(dramatic, slightly mysterious orchestral music)

(muffled chatter)

- Ladies.

(door rattling open)

(dramatic and melancholic orchestral music)

(Ray sighs)

(ceiling fan whirring over melancholic orchestral music)

(swell of dramatic orchestral music)

(soldiers chattering)

- [Ramsey] All right, men, these vehicles around,

on the double!

(soldiers chattering and shouting)

- Get everything over there, baby.

All right, get ready, get ready!

- Echo Six requesting fire support, do you copy, over.

(soldiers shouting)

- What idiot in Da Nang pointed to a map

and declared this a pickup point, sir.

- I know we're exposed, Gunny,

but we're gonna have to deal with it.

- [Ray] Get ready, get ready now.

- [Soldier On Right] I see 'em, they're over there!

- Listen up, we got friendlies comin' in.

Doc.

- [Ray] C'mon, Big Dog, let's do what we gotta do!

- We're on it, Sarge.

- Hey, Chico, cover me!

- [Chico] You're covered!

- Check the perimeter, Gunny.

(soldiers shouting)

- Heads up, eyes front, keep the right flank.

Danny, go up on the right.

(soldiers shouting)

- Get those wounded on the vehicles!

- Let's get your ass outta here.

(soldiers shouting)

- Get all your asses outta here, help 'em out!

Let's get the fuck outta here.

Get 'em up, pick 'em up, get 'em off the ground!

(soldiers shouting)

(explosion rumbling)

- Get your asses ready,

you're clear on the other side of the river.

Gotta get 'em outta here!

(mortars rattling)

(explosions rumbling)

(soldiers shouting)

(mortars whooshing)

(explosions rumbling)

(soldiers shouting)

(rattling machine gun fire)

(mortars rattling and whooshing)

(soldiers shouting over rattling machine gun fire)

(explosions rumbling)

(mortars whooshing)

(dramatic orchestral music drowns out battlefield clamor)

(distant traffic humming)

(ominous orchestral music)

(door creaking)

- Sergeant Raymond Watson was awarded a Bronze Star

for his role in rescuing Charlie Company.

Honorably discharged, February 7th, 1972.

Arrested three times in Los Angeles,

all alcohol-related misdemeanors.

Was ordained a minister in 1981,

married Regina Wilson, three kids.

Elected to Compton City Council,

became a state senator in '02,

is the leading candidate for a congressional seat

in California's 35th District,

until now. (tape recorder shuts off)

(cellphone ringing)

(sighs) Shit!

Hi, Mom.

I know, I'm sorry, I just got in.

You don't have to worry, it's entirely different here now.

There's a McDonald's next to the hotel.

That was 35 years ago, Daddy was a soldier, it was a war.

(scoffs) I'm working, it's not called Saigon anymore.

Investigating sightings of POWs and MIAs.

Stop worrying about me, I'm a big girl.

I can take care of myself. (swell of dramatic piano)

(door creaking)

- [Man In Hat] Man, I like this room.

Yeah, yeah, it's very Apocalypse Now.

- Who are you?

How'd you get in here?

- Oh, it's cool, relax man, it's cool.

Whoa, whoa, whoa,

we're not gettin' off to a very good start here, huh?

- Look, I don't have any money.

- Jesus, I don't want your goddamn money.

- Then what do you want?

- Peace on Earth, comfortable shoes.

C'mon, c'mon (chuckles), sit down.

C'mon.

(dramatic orchestral music)

- You're American, aren't you?

- Why don't you just pour us a couple of drinks?

- It's not even noon.

- It's cocktail hour stateside, pour the drinks.

(bottle rattling)

- So they've announced me.

What are you doin' here?

- That's a pretty broad question,

you know, one of those,

cosmic questions, like what are any of us doin' here.

- I'm just talkin' about my room.

(Man in Hat grunts)

- You get my letter?

- I got a letter.

It was anonymous, how do I know

you're the man I'm supposed to meet?

- That's good thinkin'.

That's good thinkin', I mean, like,

how do I know that you're who you are?

I mean, this is my enigma.

C'mon!

(dramatic, quietly tense orchestral music)

(wallet thwacks on table)

(Man in Hat chuckles)

(objects clacking on table)

(dramatic, quietly tense orchestral music)

- That's my youngest,

Ruby.

- [Man In Hat] How old?

- 19.

- 19, ah!

(breathes heavily) Ain't what it used to be, huh?

- Look, man, I,

I had a long trip and I'm tired.

You wanna state your business and get on with it?

(dramatic, quietly tense orchestral music)

- You're one curious cat, parson.

I mean,

you get this anonymous letter

from somebody in Vietnam

and you just hop on a plane and whoosh!

Here you are, you know, it's like, uh,

it's kind of an expensive trip down memory lane

for a man of the cloth, I mean,

you been dippin' in to the collection box?

You been skimmin' the bingo?

- The writer said he was a POW left behind.

I know this organization in Washington

that deals with things like that,

you know, MIAs, survivors and such.

They told me if I went back to Nam

and checked it out, they would cover my expenses,

so I figured I could see some people.

Tie up some loose ends.

- Loose ends.

Mai Ling, is she a loose end?

(music grows slightly darker)

- How do you know about that?

- Your daughter, she,

she knows she's got herself a 30-year-old broth--

- That's none of your business.

- (breathes heavily) Maybe.

Maybe not, I mean, maybe,

maybe them good parishioners

that voted your ass into City Council.

Maybe they'd take exception to you, uh,

abandoning your half-Gook son, ese.

- You don't know my constituency.

Look, man, you think you can shake me down

for some chick I knocked up 30 years ago?

What are you, crazy?

- Hmm.

Yeah, maybe, maybe.

But am I any crazier than you?

- She's here.

- [Man With Gun] I still can't believe

you just jumped on an airplane--

- Denis, I'm Sara Reid, Vietnam,

Vietnam Veteran Action.

(keyboard clacking)

Have you been able to identify him?

- [Cooper] Nah, we haven't made a visual yet.

- It's finally nice to meet you in person.

- Oh, (laughs).

- All right, MacDonald, Cooper,

they're in from Washington.

They're here to give a helping hand.

- [Cooper] It's just another crank.

Waste of time if you ask me.

- So what do we do?

- We wait, see what happens.

Try to identify him.

- We should just grab him now,

sort it out later.

- We go now, we have nothin'.

Let it play out.

- [Ray] So, are we just going to sit here?

- [Man With Gun] Why, you got somewhere better to be?

- [MacDonald] There he is.

- [Man With Gun] I mean, look at this place.

- [Sara] Mind if I take a look?

(dramatic orchestral music)

- Is your organization given many leads of other survivors?

- Um, no, not since normalization.

No, most are fakes, (scoffs),

scammers searchin' for benefits or, uh,

offering to find MIAs for a fee.

I spend most of my time checkin' up on the families,

verifying records, that kinda thing.

- It's been 30 years, there are no survivors.

I got better things to do

than waste my time lookin' for ghosts.

- Just keep your eye on the window, OK?

What makes you think this is any different?

- Well, it's the level of detail in the letter.

The threats of retaliation,

but no one at state wants to talk about that.

That's why I contacted JPAC in Honolulu after meeting Ray.

They put me onto you at Dak To.

- Look, and I'm happy to help,

but don't get your hopes up.

All we do is investigate claims like this

and nothin's ever panned out.

(ominous orchestral music)

- So, what now?

- Ray, it's your eyes.

Something's different.

They're just not intense like they used to be, y'know?

- You know me?

- Oh, yeah, well, I knew you.

Not in the biblical sense,

we were in some shit together.

- OK, we, we served together.

All right, so what's your name?

- Uh,

I know I ain't no spring chicken,

but some things shouldn't be forgotten.

Some people shouldn't be forgotten.

Like Ramsey, Captain Ramsey, huh?

He was always a good soldier.

(soldiers shouting)

(soldiers shouting and cheering)

- Come on, come on, let's go, come on!

(soldiers shouting and cheering)

Beat that!

- Hey Captain, you wanna come back out, we need another guy.

- Uh, no, no, I gotta finish this.

- Who you writin' to, your wife?

- Uh, no.

I'm writin' a condolence letter to

Lieutenant Fox's, uh,

is his parents still alive?

- I don't know, I don't know.

- Does he got a wife?

- I don't know.

- All right, do you know his first name or where he's from?

- No, you know, he just got here a couple days ago.

We don't know shit about him, we just another FNG.

- FNG?

- Fuckin' new guy.

Look, we'll be, uh, we're gonna be out there communing,

but oh, you know what,

I remember he mentioned his dog, Rex.

- Rex.

(soldiers shouting and cheering)

To whom in may concern,

I was Lieutenant Fox's commanding officer.

I regret having to write this letter

more than anything I can possibly ever imagine.

- A Ramsey letter home.

Can you imagine what it was like to get one?

Hey, did any one of your family

ever get one of those letters, I mean, anybody?

- All right, we were in the same unit.

I don't remember you.

I'm sorry.

- My mother did.

My mother got to read one of them letters, (groans).

No.

I used to wonder how she took it, y'know,

like, when they told her I was dead or missing

or whatever goddamn lie they tell.

My father never had any use for me,

but (chuckles), my mother.

Your folks still alive?

- No.

They passed a while ago.

(dramatic orchestral music)

- You know,

what'd they put in that box that my mother buried me in?

- Is your mother still alive?

She know you're all right?

- I'm OK.

Exactly how am I supposed to tell her that, Ray?

Ray, how am I supposed to tell her, uh,

excuse me, Mother, I've been meaning to write (chuckles).

It's 30 years, it's 30 fucking years.

No, no, no.

I'm dead.

I'm thinkin' we're all better off for it,

you know, it's just--

- She'd wanna know.

She'd wanna know that you're alive.

- That was her song.

It was her lullaby to me when I was a baby.

♫ Ah, you are my sunshine

♫ My only sunshine

♫ You make me happy

♫ When skies are gray

(thudding electronic accent)

♫ You are my sunshine

♫ My only sunshine

(explosions rumbling)

(machine gun fire rattling)

(gunshot cracking)

(explosion and screams)

- Look up, look up!

♫ You make me happy

♫ When skies are gray

♫ You give me hope when

♫ The other night dear

♫ As I lay sleeping

♫ I dreamt I held you

♫ In my arms

♫ When (sobs)

- Doc?

(computer beeping)

(computer buzzing)

- OK, Mark Jordan, Navy corpsman,

1st Recon Battalion, killed in action January 10, 1971.

- Or not.

- His body was never recovered.

Ray was his squad leader, reported him dead.

Do you have a photo?

(computer beeping)

- Comin' at ya.

(computer buzzing)

- [Sara] What do you think?

- Might be.

Probably not.

- I don't know, something.

I have a feeling.

- Guess that settles it, huh?

- Do you have a problem with me, Agent MacDonald?

- Relax.

Just find out what you can about this guy, OK?

- [Sara] It's him.

It's him.

- Doc, they said you were dead.

For 30 years, oh, for 30 years, oh my God, Doc!

(Doc gasps)

- Don't you fuckin' touch me!

Don't you lay your fuckin' hands on me!

I know who you are, I know!

I know who you are!

(explosions rumbling)

- [Ramsey] Keep on the ground!

- [Ray] I think we should head back to the river!

- [Red] Get off the jack, Marine!

Chicago, help me!

You, come here.

- [Chicago] You'll be fine, hold on, son.

- [Red] Get up there, back to the river!

(machine gun fire rattling)

- Get back, back to the river! - I can't do it!

(machine gun fire rattling)

(bullets thwacking)

(machine gun fire rattling)

- Move your fat ass, go, go, go!

- Go, go, go, move it, move it!

- Move that big, fuckin' fat ass!

Jimmy, I got you outta here.

(machine gun fire drowns out dialogue)

(bullets thwacking)

Let's go!

(mortar whooshing)

(explosion rumbling)

(soldiers chattering)

(mortar whooshing)

(soldiers chattering)

(explosions rumbling)

- [Gunny] We are under heavy fire!

(mortars whooshing)

Two clicks from LZ.

(rumbling explosions drown out dialogue)

Do you copy?

(explosion rumbling)

(machine gun fire rattling)

- Move that big, fuckin' fat ass!

(gunfire and explosions drown out dialogue)

(mortars whooshing)

(chatter in foreign language)

(grenade launcher whooshing)

(explosion rumbling)

(machine gun fire rattling)

- [Chico] Ho ho ho ho ho!

- [Tex] Shit!

(ominous orchestral music)

- Jesus Christ, what've we done?

- [Chico] Holy shit!

- They're all women.

Oh my God, they're just girls.

They're all women.

- Fuck, they're all women, man!

- [Doc] Oh, man, aw.

- [Red] Fuck!

They're all women, man. (Doc retching)

- [Chico] Goddammit!

- (breathes deeply) They were little girls, Ray,

just little girls.

- They were killing us, Doc.

- Yeah, and we did what we were supposed to do, right?

We just did what we were supposed to do.

(tense orchestral music)

- Doc, is there a reason

why you're pointing that gun at my face?

- He has a weapon?

- [Denis] It's under control.

- [Sara] It, it is?

- Let me do my job. (phone beeping)

Come on, come on, c'mon!

(tense orchestral music)

(revolver cocking)

- Hey, Sarge,

trust me now?

Do you trust me now, Sarge, huh?

(tense orchestral music)

- I only trust in the Lord, Doc.

(tense orchestral music)

(knocking on door)

- I, I, I didn't know how long this was gonna take,

so I ordered us lunch.

(revolver clicking)

It's open, come on in.

(door rattling)

Aw, here, put it, put it.

Do I know you?

(tense orchestral music)

You ever work at the Hanoi Hilton?

- No, sir.

- (chuckles) I heard it was quite the place.

(Doc grunts)

- There is a package for you at the front desk, sir.

It requires your signature.

- Bring it up.

- No, sir, you must come down to sign for it.

- It's OK, I'll get it later.

- Are you certain, sir?

- Yeah, it'll be fine.

Tip's included, thank you.

(tense orchestral music)

- (groans) They try their best.

I know it's not up to the standards

you're probably used to back in the states,

but they've come a long way.

Oh.

(plates clang)

You OK with chopsticks?

- I'll manage.

(Doc laughs)

(Doc chuckles)

- Boy, that's a nice touch, Ray.

(tense orchestral music)

- [Denis] What the hell's goin' on over there?

- It seems to be under control.

I gave the reverend a way out but he passed.

The target's got a pistol.

Front door is the only way in.

- Target?

How did you get in there?

- Sara, what'd he look like?

- White male, 50s.

- [Denis] That him?

- Could be, you all look alike to me.

- That's funny.

- Yeah, that's him, no doubt.

- Denis, who are these guys?

- Why do you wanna know, Sara?

- They're CIA, aren't they?

And you?

- I'm with JPAC, Dak To and Hanoi, you know that.

- Are you CIA or not?

(dramatic and ominous orchestral music)

(Doc chewing noisily)

(vaguely tense orchestral music)

- They've got a fried chicken place down,

down the block if you, we could send that porter over.

- The food's fine.

(Doc chewing noisily)

- You know, it took me almost a year to

get used to my food not tasting like somebody pissed in it.

(ominous, vaguely tense orchestral music)

- How long?

(distant traffic humming and chatter)

- Six years,

four months, 17 days.

(ominous orchestral music)

But now, I'm officially missing in action.

- [Ray] Well, how did you escape?

- I didn't.

Ah, woke up one morning and the guards

and the NVA, they just packed up and left.

(dramatic orchestral music)

Guess we'd lost our value.

(Doc chuckles)

- [Ray] Were there others with you?

- [Doc] Mm-hmm, a few.

- I knew it?

- [Ray] What happened to 'em?

- Tried to get back, I guess, I don't know.

- Didn't you even try?

- (inhales deeply) There's no goin' back for me, Sarge, I'm,

I got this living-in-the-now thing happening for me,

you know, it's done me pretty good, it's got me this far.

How do you like eatin' rat?

(Doc chuckles)

No, I'm just kiddin' ya, it's dog.

No, no, it's probably goat.

(chopsticks slamming noisily)

(dramatic, vaguely tense orchestral music)

- I'm glad you're OK, Doc.

(dramatic orchestral music)

(plate slamming on table)

(Doc spits)

(plate clanging)

- No, you're not.

You're just like all the rest,

you just care about covering your own ass.

(cellphone ringing)

You gonna answer that?

(cellphone ringing)

- Hello.

Hi, honey.

How are you and the girls.

- Ray, I'm with some people we can hear

everything that's going on, you understand?

- Oh, I know.

- [Sara] Do you need help.

We could be there in a heartbeat.

- Oh, it's, it's fine.

Um, place has changed a lot.

They even have a fried chicken joint.

- [Sara] Can you get him to talk more about the others?

- I'll try.

Listen, sweetheart, I, uh,

I'm right in the middle of something.

I'll call you back later, OK?

All right, all right, bye.

(dramatic, vaguely tense orchestral music)

That's my wife.

She worries.

- [Doc] About what?

Ain't you a man of the cloth, Sarge?

Don't she trust you?

(dramatic orchestral music)

- This is a State Department matter.

You're not to get directly involved.

- There may be more MIAs out there,

alive, waiting, still.

- You're not believing any of this, are you?

- I don't know yet.

That's what we're supposed to find out, isn't it?

- I mean, these claims are unsubstantiated, Sara.

Former POWs roaming around the countryside?

It's been rumored all the time,

not one has been true, ever.

- Ah, until now.

Where has Doc been for the past 30 years?

What has he been doing?

Did he try to contact us and neither government knew?

Or did they?

- We don't even know if this Doc is for real.

I mean, look, there's a lot of money to be made in Vietnam

and both governments want it to happen,

but neither side is gonna let some lone crackpot

turn the whole thing upside down without any proof.

- Right, so that's what this is all about, right?

Expensive running shoes and cheap cellphones.

- No, it's about the truth, Sara.

You're just blinded by hope.

This is just another POW scam.

- Maybe, but who's scamming who?

(dramatic, vaguely tense orchestral music)

(Doc sighs)

- What kinda holy man are you?

- I'm a minister.

I have a small congregation in Los Angeles.

Light of Love Mission.

- And you sit on the City Council

and if that newspaper clipping can be trusted,

there's a whole lot of people

that wanna put your ass in congress (chuckles).

Well, at least God doesn't discriminate.

- His arms are wide, Doc.

Where does he fit in your life?

(dramatic orchestral music)

- He doesn't.

- God is love, Doc,

and his love has sustained you.

- What was the name of that parson,

Kaczinsky, Waszinski?

- Uh, Brazinski. - Brazinski.

- Father Brazinski.

- Father Brazinski, ah, now there was a piece of work.

(whooshing electronic accent)

(engine rumbling)

(soldiers shouting)

(explosions rumbling)

(soldiers shouting and rumbling explosions continue)

(rattling machine gun fire)

- [Ramsey] Eric, get down!

(machine gun fire rattling)

(explosion rumbling)

Why'd you stop firing?

- Fuckin' thing's jammed!

- M16s are down.

- The sand, Skipper, the goddamn trailboarding thing!

- Sand, ain't no sand in the Nam.

Just some designer fucked up, eh, sir?

(explosion rumbling)

- Sergeant Sheppard?

- Yo, sir!

- Get the pigs over there!

- Motherfuckers, finish out!

Hey, Danny, I want you 30 clicks down there!

Interlock with me, Hanson,

get your ass over here and be my B gunner.

- Get on the horn to Battalion Top.

(explosion rumbling)

We got nothin' to fight with!

I'm scrubbin' this mission.

Call for an immediate evac.

(explosions rumbling over rattling machine gun fire)

Our LZ's over there, we'll defend the perimeter.

- Defend with what, sir?

When those M60s run out of ammunition, we are fucked.

- We'll use grenades.

(explosions rumbling over rattling machine gun fire)

- We got no cover fire, we just gotta cross

that gauntlet, mark the LZ.

- I'll volunteer, Captain.

- With all due respect, Father,

the answer is absolutely not.

- What, you got another All-American running back here?

Ohio Marietta, Division III, I grant you,

but still All-American.

(machine gun fire rattling)

(soldiers shouting over dramatic orchestral music)

(explosions rumbling)

- Come on, move your ass!

- That old motherfucker can still run, huh?

(explosions rumbling)

(gun cracking)

(explosions rumbling)

- [Brazinski] Hallelujah!

- [Ray] All right! (grenades hissing)

- Move in, move in!

Let's go, Marines! (explosions rumbling)

(soldiers shouting as explosions continue rumbling)

(soldiers screaming)

(explosions rumbling)

(helicopter whirring)

(soldiers shouting)

(machine gun fire rattling)

(helicopter whirring)

- [Ramsey] Head for the helo, move it!

- [Ray] Chopper's inbound, move out!

(soldiers shouting)

- All right, hold that chopper!

- Come on, haul your ass, come on!

- The treeline, go, go!

Cover that chopper, get him in the air!

Eric! (helicopter whirring)

Get on the chopper, I'm taking your place!

- No fuckin' way!

- That's an order, Sergeant!

(helicopter whirring)

- Go, go!

Go, go, go, go, go!

- Go!

(soldiers chattering)

(bullet thwacks into flesh)

- [Ray] Get him up, get 'im up!

(soldiers chattering over Braziski's screams)

(machine gun fire rattling)

- Skipper, how much ammo we got?

(soldiers chattering anxiously)

- I don't wanna die!

I don't wanna die!

- It's all right, buddy, hang on!

Everything's fine, everything's fine, you're stabilized.

He's gonna make it, he's gonna make it.

(soldiers chattering)

- [Ray Voiceover] He's gonna make it,

that's what you kept saying, and he did.

- You got any plans for when we get back in the real world?

- Yeah, I ain't goin' to a fuckin' beach.

- [Ray Voiceover] We all did.

Brazinski must've called in some favors that day.

- Let's go!

- [Ray Voiceover] That chopper arrived

like an angel straight from heaven.

(machine gun fire rattling)

(helicopter whirring)

But I knew

even a man of the cloth has so many favors.

(dramatic orchestral music)

(soldiers chattering)

- Do you know why I'm here?

To prove to myself that,

despite man's inhumanity to man on the battlefield,

that God still lives.

Can you feel his presence?

- Can't say that I do.

(soldiers chattering)

- We commend our brother to the Lord.

Let us pray for our brother.

Let us pray for our brother to the Lord, Jesus Christ,

who said, "I am the Resurrection and the Life.

"The man who believes in Me

will live even if he dies."

- [All] Lord, hear our prayer.

- Let our faith be our consolation

and eternal life our hope.

Amen.

- [All] Amen.

♫ Amazing grace

♫ How sweet

- [Ray Voiceover] I don't remember the name

of that Marine we buried that day,

or maybe I don't wanna remember.

♫ Like me

♫ I once was lost

♫ But now I'm found

♫ Was blind

♫ But now I see

(men humming "Amazing Grace")

(water babbling)

- [Doc] Water.

(jungle birds cawing)

- [Brazinski] Cakes for the poor.

(soldiers chattering)

- Thanks, Father.

- [Brazinski] Jerry. (Jerry laughs)

- Fuckin' alzone tablets make this water

taste like tiger piss, it's great.

- Father, can I ask you a question?

- Of course.

- Why are you here?

- Well, the Lord is everywhere and

I'm just one of his humble servants.

- Ah.

- [Brazinski] Actually, I feel more safe here than I do

on the streets in the Bronx.

(all chuckling)

- I don't know.

- Hey, I, uh, put you up for a Bronze Star

for saving Doc's life.

You came through yesterday, congratulations.

- Hardcore, Father, hardcore! (applause and cheering)

- Padre, you deserve it, Father.

- Congratulations, Father.

- Thanks again, Kool Aid Man.

- Yes.

I'm not sure I know how to react to that,

Captain.

(jungle birds cawing)

- Hey, it would've been a Silver Star.

I couldn't write up that grenade toss, Padre.

It wouldn't look too cool, man of the cloth and all.

- I took lives to save lives, Captain.

I'm not sure I know how to rejoice to that.

I must be of good courage and

the Lord'll strengthen my heart.

(dramatic orchestral music)

- He was a piece of work.

He saved your life.

- Prolonged my life.

- No, no, don't say that.

Where there's life, Doc,

there's hope.

(Doc sobbing over dramatic orchestration)

- Oh, God, I don't know.

- Doc, I, I understand what you've been through.

- You haven't a fucking clue what I've been through.

You have no idea what I've fucking been through.

- You still think Doc's a fraud, Denis?

- No one was left behind.

If they were alive in '72, they came home.

End of story.

- 591 of them,

but there were over 1000 prisoners just before homecoming,

so what happened to the rest of 'em?

- So what conspiracy theory do you buy, Sara?

The one where the MIAs were whisked away

to some secret island or the one

where we gave them new identities

just like they do in the witness protection program.

- Fine, (sighs), those stories

are ludicrous, but this one looks true,

and that means there might be others.

- Like your father?

- My father.

- Poor little rich girl loses her daddy in the war

and spends her entire adult life

trying to prove that he's alive.

It's a fairy tale, Sara,

but without the happy ending.

This Doc is a fraud.

There's no Tooth Fairy, there's no Santa Claus,

and your daddy died in combat

when you were 18 months old.

(dramatic orchestral music)

- Mai Ling, she get old like us?

- Doc, what are you doing in my room?

Why did you want me to come back to Nam?

- Now, that's avoidance.

See, I know somethin' about avoidance (chuckles).

I asked a question, you answered me with a question,

so I'm, I'm taking it that the reunion wasn't very happy.

- She has her reasons.

- How long have you and Mrs. Ray been married?

- 35 years, right before I shipped out.

- So that means that, Mai Ling was what,

a little trim on the side, huh?

- [Ray] That was a long time ago, Doc.

- I've seen your son, Sarge.

He looks just like you.

Of course, except for that Vietnamese thing

he's got goin' on (chuckles).

You and him, did you make plans

to go to a ball game or Disneyland together?

(dramatic orchestral music)

- I feel bad about Ryan.

I feel bad about Mai Ling, I,

but they seem to be OK, though.

- You know what they did to the half-breeds after the war?

Treated them like slaves.

Especially the half-black ones.

They'd spit on them, beat 'em,

lock their mothers up in prison

for being collaborators and whores.

Did you love Mai Ling?

- I don't remember.

- You don't remember.

- I don't remember.

- Sarge, do you remember who you were?

(dramatic orchestral music)

- Piss-Warm beer, humidity,

buffalo shit, and some good old Mary Jane,

huh, marine, can life get better than that?

- Sarge, you roll it too tight.

- Gimme that damn thing then.

If you don't know what you're doing, give it to a man.

- Can you gimme some of what you got there?

- Yeah, I light it and I'm gonna get it.

Yeah, I got it.

- One day, these kids in the neighborhood,

hey, easy Sarge.

- Warm piss.

Pass the shit over here now.

(Ray grunting)

(Ray exhaling)

Good?

Wanna know the best thing about reefer

and about joints in particular?

They got twin sisters.

(lighter flicking)

(slightly ominous orchestral music)

Smoke the motherfuckin thing.

Put the motherfucker.

(exhales) Buffalo piss in the morning.

So I got high.

So I got drunk.

I screwed around, I was wrong, Doc.

But things change, people change.

- Tell that to Ryan's mother.

- I did.

At least, I tried.

(lethargic clapping)

- So we all get to go home and live happily ever after.

- Well, that's all any one of us ever really wanted.

(soldiers chanting)

- Sergeant, you march like shit.

(engines rumbling drowns out dialogue)

(soldiers chattering and shouting)

Get some, get some!

- Oh man, woo! (shouting and cheering)

First time.

(soldiers chattering and shouting)

- It is time to bust your cherry.

- Got your cherry popped, Jerry.

Got your cherry popped, Jerry.

(soldiers hooting and shouting)

(soldiers applauding and hooting)

How much, how much?

(soldiers shouting)

How much money you got?

- Who's got a watch? (soldiers shouting)

Who's got a watch on?

Who's got a goddamn watch?

- [Tex] I got the watch.

- OK, time him, time him.

(soldiers chattering)

Put your money down. - 30 seconds.

- I got, I got 45 seconds. (chatter and shouting)

- Hey, (blows a raspberry)

(soldiers cheering and shouting)

- I'm so proud of ya.

(soldiers cheering and hooting)

(whooshing electronic accent)

- [Denis] Sara, how much research did you do on Ray

before settin' up this trip?

- Um, the usual profile.

Ordained minister, wife, three daughters,

granddaughter, downtown church.

Works with the homeless, the food kitchen,

you know, the works.

Elected to City Council,

but now, there's talk of him running for Congress.

- The man's gonna be president.

- Uh, that's crossed a few minds.

- What about his military record?

(keyboard clacking)

- Bronze Star, honorable discharge,

no record of disciplinary action, why?

- Because I'm thinkin' there's more

to old Ray than meets the eye.

Get Theater Road on the phone.

I wanna see Ray's service record.

(slightly ominous orchestral music)

- What made you change?

- Well, I got back home,

found my faith again, my family.

- No, not that, I mean,

when we first got here,

you were a good man, you were an honest man.

(whooshing electronic accent)

(foreign-language chatter)

(soldiers chattering)

- [Doc] I gave my last one to--

- Whoa, whoa, whoa, don't eat that shit.

(soldiers chattering)

- Don't worry about it, come on,

they're not gonna poison their own cakes.

- So, you're saying we shouldn't check for tripwires?

- Shut up, Chicago.

(soldiers chattering)

- [Doc] I gave my last one to Ray.

(soldiers chattering)

- Say it now, happy new year.

Happy new year.

(soldiers chattering)

(chatter continues over rumbling engine)

(laughing and playful chatter)

(soldiers hooting)

(gunfire cracking)

(soldiers shouting over engine revving)

(motorcycle engine sputtering away)

- How is he?

Gimme a medic up here!

Find a corpsman, get a corpsman up here!

- He's not breathing, Sarge.

- Shit!

- Fuck!

Fuckin' bitch!

Shit!

- Why didn't you just shoot her, huh?

Why didn't you just pull the trigger

and shoot her, she was the enemy, right?

She was tryin' to kill us, right?

- The street was crowded, Doc.

There was just too many innocent bystanders.

- Oh, man, you don't get it, do ya?

Sarge, we're all innocent bystanders,

every last one of us.

(ominous orchestral music)

(phone beeping)

(ringing on line)

- [Sara] Ray, does he still have a gun on you?

- (chuckles) Mrs. Ray, I presume.

- Hello, Doc.

- [Doc] You have me at a disadvantage, young lady.

- I'm Sara.

- [Doc] Ain't from around these parts, are ya, Sara?

- We just wanna talk to you,

take you home where you belong.

- [Doc] We, you have people with you?

- They're here to help you, too.

- [Doc] Where is here?

- We're nearby, Doc, is it OK to call you that?

- Well, you can call me anything you want.

Do your helpers have names?

- My name's Denis McBride.

I'm with Joint Personnel Accounting Command in Hanoi.

- [Doc] Mr. McBride, so how many joint personnel

have you accounted for since you came

to our lovely country of Vietnam?

- None.

The rumors have all been false.

- Well, this must be your lucky day then, huh?

Sara?

- [Sara] Yes, Doc?

- [Doc] What exactly are you doing here?

- My father went MIA, I'd like to find out

what happened to him.

- Well, why don't you ask your helper, Mr. McBride.

I'm sure he'll tell you what he tells everybody,

that your father doesn't exist.

That I don't exist.

- [Denis] No one has to get hurt here, Doc.

- (chuckles) Well, that's a hell of a new approach.

- Why don't you come downstairs,

I'll meet you in the lobby.

We can talk, just you and me.

- No, no, no, nobody wants to listen.

- [Denis] It's because there's nothing left to tell.

- Oh, no, no, I was there.

Ray was there, we did things here.

Here, Ray, tell 'em what we did.

- Tell 'em what?

- Come on, tell 'em what we did.

Go ahead.

- [Ray] What we did?

- My God, god damn you.

God damn you, you son of a bitch.

(liquid splashing)

(foreign-language chatter)

(engines rumbling)

(helicopter engine rumbling)

- If you need to take a piss,

just go down to the river and take a piss.

(engine rumbling)

(helicopter whirring)

(truck engine rumbling)

(ominous orchestral music)

(fire crackling)

- [Ray] Move it.

(soldiers chattering)

Keep your head on a swivel, Danny Boy.

- [Danny] Aw, yes, Sarge.

- [Doc] Helo comin' in, six o'clock.

- [Ray] Keep your damn eyes forward.

- Hey, I'm goin' home.

- [Ray] Watch your intervals up there.

- Oh yeah, the sound of freedom!

- You coming, helo?

(helicopter whirring)

The fuck they got in there?

It's a buncha dead fuckin' Gooks.

What's up, boys?

- Aw yeah, that's our handiwork, baby!

(helicopter whirring)

- Jesus Christ.

(helicopter whirring)

(foreign-language chatter over ominous orchestration)

(helicopter whirring)

- Hey, Captain, what the fuck are they doin'?

- Fuck are you doin?

(villagers screaming)

(helicopter whirring)

(wind whipping through village)

(winch rattling)

(net thuds to the ground)

- Sergeant, that's a village.

(villagers screaming)

(wood cracking)

That's a village, corpsmen up, up!

- Shit!

- Goddamn.

(soldiers chattering)

- [Ray] All right, come on now.

- [Tex] Somebody get a bandage.

- Fuck!

(soldiers chattering anxiously)

Do what you can, we gotta get out of here.

- He says we are not VC,

but when the VC comes through our village,

we have to give them rice

or they'll kill us. - Yes sir!

- Now, we do this to them.

He doesn't understand why.

He doesn't know why.

- This act was ungodly, Captain.

How do you file charges?

- I already have.

(soldiers chattering)

(villagers screaming and crying)

- Help them out with the cargo, goddammit.

(soldiers chattering)

Get the dead bodies over there,

right over there.

(foreign-language chatter)

(all chattering and shouting)

- OK, OK, OK!

- [Jerry] They said there's VC hiding in the village.

(all chattering)

- Sergeant,

fuckin' Battalion wants up in support

of Hotel Company in sixty mikes.

We have reports of enemy activity.

Do a quick coordinate search of the village.

I'll deal with the ARVNs.

- Officer Chico!

(all chattering)

- [Chico] Yeah, Sarge.

- Give me First Platoon and gimme a perimeter

around this fuckin' village.

Gimme First Squad, I'm gonna do a sweep and search

of this motherfucka, let's go.

- [Chico] Watch yourselves (speaks Vietnamese)!

- Red, stick with me.

- [Chico] Chicago!

- [Chicago] Yes, sir.

- Take the flank, take the south side of this village.

Right flank, Second Squad go with Sergeant Sheppard.

Everybody, move out!

- Watch yourself. (soldiers shouting)

(villagers chattering)

- All right, gimme a line.

Gimme a line, we got zero five mikes to get this shit done.

We're gonna search, we're gonna clear

this son of a bitch, all right?

Don't tear nothin' up, listen up!

Be alert for tripwire, watch yourself, be alert!

Right over there, check that.

In here, look at that.

Under there, look under that!

(soldiers and villagers chattering)

Look under those coconuts right there.

C'mon!

Search everything.

All in there, all in there, look in there.

You ain't got nothin'?

(foreign-language chatter over ominous orchestral music)

(soldiers shouting)

- Turn that camera off. (shouting continues)

Shut it off, now!

- Hey, wh, what the fuck you doing?

You got somethin' to hide?

Get the fuck out!

(soldiers shouting)

We should fuckin' shoot ya.

(fire crackling over angry ruckus)

- Sergeant!

Get these men under control!

Get that fire out right now!

I've fuckin' given you a new duty!

- Chicago! (ruckus continues)

Put the fuckin' fire out, now!

Put the damn fire out.

- Fuck him! (soldiers shouting)

(reeds rustling over continued angry shouting)

- Watch the perimeter out there!

- These guys are fucked, goddammit!

Fuck!

(baby wailing over crackling fire)

- What happened to the footage?

- [Ray] Lost.

- What happened to the cameraman.

- [Ray] Lost too.

- (inhales deeply) Nobody said a thing.

- Nobody wanted to hear about it, Doc.

Nobody wants to hear it now.

The war's over.

- You're not here for Mai Ling or your bastard son.

- [Ray] I'm here for

Ramsey, Tex,

Jimmy Joe and Red.

Thought I owed it to 'em.

- Owed 'em what?

- They're all gone, Doc.

It's just you and me.

(quietly tense and menacing orchestral music)

what'd you think was gonna happen?

Huh, that I'd come here,

and we would go hand-in-hand to the press

and tell 'em about the village?

That I'd make it better for you?

Hmm?

Mm, that I'd apologize for what happened to you?

Hmm?

(dramatic, quietly menacing orchestral music)

- That's ironic.

You and I would end up in this hotel together.

I mean, after what happened.

(dramatic, quietly menacing orchestral music)

I trusted you, Sarge.

I trusted you like a brother.

(dramatic orchestral music)

(engines rumbling over rain pattering)

- Sergeant, you wanna light?

- Doc, you know I don't smoke.

What you doin' out here, Doc?

- Well, well, I just wanted to,

I just wanna talk to you,

if that's all right.

- I'm all ears. (thunder rumbling)

- Have you ever been in love, Sergeant?

- (snickers) Have I ever been in love?

- Yeah. (Ray chuckles)

- Shit, I'm in love right now.

Uh, once or twice.

- Yeah,

I was in love once.

This girl back home, Ashley Hanson.

- Ashley Hanson? - Yeah.

- Good-Lookin'.

- You know a good-lookin' woman now?

- But, but she left, you know,

and, and I don't know.

- Deal with it, you get over it.

You ain't a man till you get your damn heart broke, shit.

- I, I'm, there's, I,

there's somethin', there's somethin' not quite right,

and I thought I could come to you

because, I don't know, maybe you'd understand.

- Understand what?

- I, I'm just not, I'm not the same as the other Marines.

I'm, there's, I don't know

if there's somethin' wrong with me, or,

maybe I'm just, I'm a young guy or somethin'.

But I'm not feelin' the same for,

as I did, you know, with Ashley or.

- Are you intimating to me

you got a hard on for my Marines?

Huh?

(spits) Huh?

- I'm just scared, Sergeant.

- Are you intimating to me you got a hard-on for my Marines?

I didn't fuckin' think so,

but just in case you were,

you better keep that shit to yourself.

I better not get wind of it.

You got that?

You got that!

(Doc whimpering)

Don't you put your fuckin' hands on me

or any, - Look, I'm just--

- Are you still fuckin' here?

Are you still fuckin' here?

Do I still fuckin' see you, motherfucker?

(Doc whimpering)

(distant thunder rumbling over rain patter)

(rattling machine gun fire drowns out chatter)

- Come on, gimme some cover fire!

Keep movin' up, movin' up, watch out for snipers!

(rattling machine gun fire drowns out chatter)

(bullets tinging)

- Echo Six, Echo Six, Echo Five, over.

(soldiers grumbling angrily)

- Gunny, this is Six, send it.

- Captain, I've located a recoilless rifle,

but I'm taking heavy fire.

I'm gonna need some help to get it up to you.

- Gunny, what's your location, over.

- I'm along the west wall of the citadel, over.

- Gunny, hang in there,

I'm sendin' support your way, Six out.

Reaction Squad, Sergeant Sheppard?

- [Sheppard] Yes, sir.

- Gunny's under heavy fire at the west wall.

Get him the hell outta there

and get me that recoilless.

- All right, big dogs, let's go!

Come on, let's go! (soldiers shouting)

(rattling machine gun fire drowns out chatter)

(explosion rumbling)

(machine gun fire rattling)

- Gunny's waiting, let's go!

Go, go, go, go!

(soldiers shouting)

(rattling machine gun fire drowns out chatter)

(screams) Come and get me!

(heavy gunfire thwacking)

(explosion rumbling)

(machine gun fire rattling drowns out chatter)

(explosion rumbling)

- Gunny's hit!

Check him out, Eric.

(machine gun fire rattling)

(scattered shouting and chatter)

- Aw, Lord.

- [Ray] Get 'im up, get 'im up, let's go

C'mon, let's get the fuck outta here.

- Gunny!

Is he all right?

- [Chico] Gunny, you all right?

(Gunny groaning)

- Take it easy, take it easy, Gunny.

(soldiers shouting anxiously)

Let's go!

(jeep engine rumbles to life)

Let's move, go!

(machine gun fire rattling)

(explosion rumbling)

(machine gun fire rattling drowns out chatter)

- [Red] Go, get this thing moving!

(machine gun fire rattling)

Got 10 minutes to go!

(machinery clanking)

- Fire at will!

- Get down, ready to fire!

Fire!

(gun rumbling)

- Go, go, go, go!

(soldiers shouting over rattling machine gun fire)

Go!

(rattling machine gun fire drowns out chatter)

Come on, move it!

(soldiers shouting)

(machine gun fire rattling)

(explosion rumbling)

(machine gun fire rattling drowns out chatter)

Go, go, come on, move!

(machine gun fire rattling)

Find cover.

(soldiers shouting over rattling machine gun fire)

(heavy gunfire crack)

(explosion rumbling)

- Ladders up!

(soldiers shouting)

(mortars whooshing)

(rumbling drowns out dialogue)

(explosions rumbling)

(machine gun fire rattling)

- [Doc] Help me, Ray.

- [Ray Voiceover] Doc?

- They got me, Ray!

Ray, Ray!

Let them take me, Ray.

Let them take me.

I owe you my life, you,

but you let them take me

because you thought I had a hard on for your Marines.

(sobs) You thought I had a hard on for you.

(dramatic orchestral music)

- Denis, what are you doing?

- Come on, stop the pretense.

You're NSA.

You know what's goin' on.

- Since when does JPAC have the clearance to know that?

- What the hell is the National Security Agency

doing in Ho Chi Minh City worrying about Vietnam vets?

- The government has an interest

in supporting Ray's candidacy.

(rousing and dramatic orchestral music)

- It wasn't because you were gay, Doc.

It's because you're weak.

I had a responsibility to my men.

To myself,

my country.

- What are you doing?

What do you want?

- I want peace, Doc.

- [Doc] What?

(dramatic and tense orchestral music)

- I want you, Doc.

(door crashing open)

- Hold it.

(Doc and Ray gasp)

Put the gun down, Doc.

- No.

- [Denis] Ray, lower the weapon.

- Don't do it, Sarge.

Be a man, do your own dirty work.

- Doc, we heard you.

Everything you've said's been recorded.

We know what happened, put the gun down.

We believe you, I believe you.

You don't really wanna die here, do you?

I promise you, everyone will learn the truth

about what really happened. (Doc sighs with relief)

- [Doc] All right then.

No! (gunshot cracking)

(body thumps to the ground)

(ominous orchestral music)

- [Denis] What are you doin'?

- Ray's a man with a future, our country needs him.

(distant traffic humming)

(revolver rattling)

- It's empty.

- You'll never get away with this.

Dental records will confirm his identity.

- It'll be confirmed he's Mark Jordan, Doc.

It'll be confirmed he went AWOL.

How he got here, who cares.

- What about the tape?

- [Sara] What tape?

- What about your father?

- My father is a psych professor at Amherst.

He'll understand.

- [Denis] And the others?

- What others, Ray?

(dramatic, slightly melancholic orchestral music)

(snare drum roll)

(droning and echoing electronic tone)

(rhythmic but dramatic orchestral rock music)

(yearning vocals over dramatic orchestral rock music)

(twangy, vaguely mysterious acoustic guitar)