All language subtitles for Scenes.From.an.Empty.Church.1080p.WEB-DL.DD5.1.H.264-EVO

New York is dead.

It's not dead,
but it's on life support.

The streets are empty.

The shops are closed.

People are leaving.

Those who stayed
have to wear masks.

We look like outlaws.

Our church is also empty.

Weeks ago,

the seats were full
of parishioners.

There was prayer and song.

Then Father Brooks died.

We had to close
the doors immediately.

I was sad
when Father Brooks died

but it hit Father James
much harder.

He's been depressed
for weeks.

I brought you some tea,
Father James.

Oh. Uh...
No. No, thank you.

Please have a cup.
It's Chamomile.

- It's your favorite.
- No, I don't care for any tea, thank you.

Could you just take it away?

Every God Damn day
we go through this.

I try to engage.

He pushes me away.

I should dump this tea
all over his head.

Every day at 7pm, New Yorkers
engage in a short ritual.

They go to their windows
and they clap and they cheer.

They do this for the healthcare
workers risking their lives.

It goes on for about a minute.

I'm not sure where it started,
but I like it.

It's nice to feel appreciated.

Father James is scared
of the virus.

He cleans obsessively.

He's starting to remind me
of my own father.

Wait.
What are you doing?

- Did you just go outside?
- Yeah.

Where's your mask?
Where's your gloves?

I have my mask right here.

Okay. That's a chin guard.
That's not a mask.

Go, go.

Wash your hands,
at least.

I guess I can't blame
Father James

for being cautious.

This virus is cruel.

It attacks the lungs.

And now I'm smoking again.

When Father Brooks was alive,

we would have lively
discussions during dinner.

Now we eat in total silence.

I'm sleeping a lot.

I go to bed early
and I get up late.

I used to write
in my journal.

Now I take naps.

Long naps.

What's the point of anything?

It was an old friend of mine,
Paul Ruccio.

Jesus, I haven't heard
from him in years.

He wants to hang out.

Should I?

He was a little nuts.
Maybe it's not a good idea.

What does he want
after all this time?

Maybe he's in trouble.

Maybe he needs money.

Jesus, what if he's got
the disease?

Surely, he wouldn't be meeting
if he was sick?

I don't know.
Paul could be pretty selfish.

I shouldn't be doing this.

- Hey.
- Hey. There he is!

Look at you.
Look at you.

How you doing,
my friend?

No, sorry.
Please Please.

What? What?
You're not hugging?

No. No.
No one is.

No?
Come on.

- Give me a hug. I haven't seen you in...
- No. No. No. Wait.

People are doing this now.

The elbow thing?

The elbow thing.
Yeah.

- The elbow thing.
- The elbow thing.

- Wow.
- So, are you going to invite me in or...?

I'm sorry.
We can't go into the church.

- No?
- No.

- Oh, come on.
- It's closed.

- It's closed to visitors.
- It's me.

I just want to see
where you work.

- I know. I'm sorry.

Are you serious?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
It's...

What are we supposed to do?
Just talk on the stoop?

I thought we'd go for a walk.

I don't want to go
for a walk.

I want to sit and talk
in the church.

I know. I know.
But we can't.

This is ridiculous.
Just for a second.

- Wait. Wait.
- Just for a second. A second.

I'm not kidding about that,
Paul.

Wow. It's beautiful.

Andrew, this is your church?

Well, I am one
of the priests here.

Look how high
the ceilings are.

It's like Vatican City
in here.

Uh... Paul. Paul.
Please.

What?

You have to put
your mask back on.

But we're inside.

I know but it's still
dangerous.

You think I have the virus?

I don't know.

I'm fine.

I'd feel better if you
put the mask back on.

Andrew.
I mean, what...

I'm not going to talk to you
with my face covered,

it's ridiculous.

Come on.

Will you take yours off
too please,

so I can see your face?

- No. I'd rather keep it on.
- I haven't seen you.

- I'd rather keep it on.
- Really?

Yeah. I don't want to get
spittle in my mouth.

Spittle in your mouth?

- Yes.
- You think I'm going to spit in your mouth?

Not deliberately.

You're watching too much news,
man.

You're totally paranoid.
I mean, totally.

We're not supposed to be
in here in the first place,

so I'm a little nervous
about that, too.

Alright. Well, can I just
look around for a minute?

Yeah, sure.

So you're telling me

that you're not letting people
come in to pray?

Unfortunately, not.

That's insane.

I mean,
people really need that.

Especially now.

It's not my decision.

Well, let's sit down.
Let's get caught up.

Would you take that
stupid mask off?

Please.

My friend,
the CDC recommends

that we keep these masks on
at all times.

Who are you,
Howie Mandel?

I'm not going to spit
in your mouth.

Anyone could be a carrier.

Andrew. I'm healthy.
Look at me.

I don't have a fever.
I'm not sweating.

I'm fine.

I'm fine.

I want to see your face.

I haven't seen you
in ten years.

I'm not going to sit here
like an idiot

and have a conversation with...

...with a guy who look like he's
about to perform a circumcision.

Take that mask off.
Andrew, you know me.

I'm going to reach across

and grab it off your face
if you don't take it off.

You look like you're about
to perform a circumcision.

That's very funny.

Look at that handsome face.

You look good.
You look young.

I look like Father Time.

Father Andrew.

Is that what I'm supposed
to call you now?

Or can I just call you Andrew
since we're old friends?

I don't care.
Call me wherever you want.

I don't know.
I like Father Andrew.

It's got a nice ring to it.

You look good, too.
You look really good.

Thank you.
I feel pretty good.

You still have that
youthful spirit.

I've changed a lot though.

- Yeah?
- Yeah, since I saw you last.

- You feel that way?
- Oh yeah.

How have you changed?

Well, I quit drinking,
for one thing.

Really?
You quit cold turkey?

Yep.
I quit cold turkey.

And Wild Turkey.
And Jack Daniels.

That's great.

Yeah, I feel a lot better.

My head's clearer.

I think I'm a better person.

That's great.

Are you with someone?

Yeah.
I have a girlfriend.

That's good.

I was married though.
Before.

Married? Really?

- Yeah.
- I would have never guessed that.

I know.
I was though.

It didn't work out.

We got divorced
a couple of years ago.

That's too bad.

No, it's okay.
Just a bad match.

Well...
Are you okay?

Cuz, you seem okay.

Yeah, now I am.
Now I am.

But I was bad
for a long time.

I know.

The last time I talked to you,
you were miserable.

I was worried about you.

I tried to contact you
several times.

I couldn't get
in touch with you.

All those numbers
that I had for you.

None of them worked.

I had no email
address for you.

You weren't on social media
or anything like that.

Sorry. I was...

I needed to get
my shit together.

Sorry.
I shouldn't curse in here.

That's okay.

But uh... no.

I turned a corner

and here I am.

- You turned a corner?
- Yeah.

What do you think did it?

Sobriety?

Uh... Well, you know,

the sobriety was definitely
part of it, but, uh...

You're not going
to believe this Andrew,

but I saw something recently

that changed everything for me.

I mean, everything.

It just...

...opened my mind up
completely.

What's going on here?

Father James.

Who's this?

Paul. Hi.

Paul. This is an old friend
of mine. Paul Ruccio.

Why aren't you wearing
your mask?

Oh me.
Yeah, I'm sorry.

And where's your mask, Paul?

Hey, I'm clean.

I promise you.

I'm not used to saying that
to priests.

I usually say it to women.

You've been tested?

Me. No. No.

I'm trying to avoid hospitals
and doctor's offices

since that's where
all the sick people are.

Right. You're obviously
not avoiding anything.

As a matter of fact,
just by being here,

you're blatantly disregarding
the rules of the quarantine.

I'm only trying to see
my friend.

Andrew, he has to leave.

I'm going to get
the disinfectant.

- Father James.
- I said, "Get him out of here."

I'm sorry.
Stop. Please!

I'm sorry but he's...

This is an old friend of mine.

A dear old friend.

Thank you, Father Andrew.

It makes me nervous
when you do that.

How long have you known
each other?

- Thirty years.
- Thirty years.

Yeah, thirty years.

This guy was wild
back in the day.

It's a good thing he found God

or he'd probably
be in prison right now.

That's not even
remotely true.

Well...

It's nice to have friends.

Well, it must be 7 p.m.

Yep.

They're they go.

You know why they do that?

Yeah, sure.
It's for the healthcare workers.

It's to show their support.

I don't like it.

- You don't like it?
- No.

How can you not like it?

It's a spontaneous gesture.
It's a wonderful gesture.

No it's not.

It's just a bunch of people

trying to feel good
about themselves.

What's wrong with that?

What's wrong with that?
I think it's disingenuous.

Disingenuous?

I think so, too.

What?

- You think that?
- Yeah.

I think you're both nuts.
It's a beautiful thing.

It's about making
the health care workers

feel appreciated.

It helps.

What? A bunch of people
clapping and cheering?

How is that helping anyone?

The doctors, the nurses,
the custodians,

the orderlies,
they're all risking their lives.

And some collective
acknowledgement

is supposed to improve
the situation.

It's about lifting
people's spirits.

I mean,
is that okay with you or not?

- What's not okay about that?
- You know what I think?

- What?
- I think when a nurse gets off work,

probably overworked
and underpaid

she or he is walking
back to their apartment

and they hear this clapping,
this clamor,

this banging of pots
and pans...

and they find it
really annoying.

- Yes.
- They probably think,

"Here I am,
I'm taking all this risk..."

"...I'm surrounded all day
by death and disease" and...

...these people think
they can just participate

from the sidelines.

It's bullshit,
pardon my French.

Cynicism is never the answer,
especially now...

The way things are.

The doctors, the nurses,

the orderlies,
the administrators.

These people are heroes.

And once, every night at 7 p.m.,
for a moment,

we're all,
we are all connected again

through mutual admiration
for these people.

Connected. Connected.

We need to be connected.

We need as much connection as
we can possibly get right now.

Well, if that's the case,
why not open up the church?

That's a good question.

Do people not want
to come to church?

I would have thought there would
be a real need from your...

members,
what are they called, the flock?

No, it's too dangerous.
Too dangerous.

We could set ground rules.

We could have masks
and gloves, mandatory.

We could see them
by appointment.

We could do lots of things.
We could have a wedding.

A wedding?

Are you out of your mind?
Come on.

We could do a small wedding
like they have in Vegas.

I got a friend Brian,

he was supposed
to get married next month.

He and his finance

want to get married
in the church.

It would give people hope.

Father Brooks
would have wanted it.

This is the tactic
that people use

when they want something.

They use the presumed desires
of the dead to get their way.

You don't have any idea
what Father Brooks

would have wanted.

Well, he wouldn't have wanted
you sitting around

feeling sorry for yourself.

And he wouldn't have wanted you
making fun of a 7 p.m. ritual

that comes from a place
of love.

He'd want us
to embrace our vows.

He'd want us helping people,
especially now.

You know what else
he might have wanted?

For us to live,
to survive,

to go on preaching the word
of God into the future.

So you're afraid?

Am I afraid?
Of course, I'm afraid.

Aren't you afraid?

"Though I walk through
the darkest valley,

I shall fear no evil,
for you are with me."

Psalm 23:4.

"Do not be over-wicked
and do not be a fool -

why die before your time?"
Ecclesiastes 7:17

"Stand firm in the faith;

be courageous; be strong."

Corinthians 16:13.

"The prudent sees danger
and hides himself,

but the simple go on
and suffer for it."

Proverbs 27:12.

That was like dueling banjos
with scripture.

It was nice to see you,
Paul.

You too. You too.

Listen, you think
it would be okay if I

came by again some time?

Yeah. Sure.

You know, I think
Father James likes you.

Yeah, he's a happy drunk.

Then he got a little mean.

He reminds me of my brother.

He's just scared.
So am I.

What are you guys
scared of?

Death?

Well, yeah, Paul.

But you're priests.

You believe in an after life.

And if there is a Heaven,
you're probably going there...

unless you're hiding
some dark secret.

I think you know
all my secrets.

I didn't know you were
afraid of death.

Anybody who says they're
not afraid of death

is lying.

I'm not.

Well you're in denial
about a lot of things.

One of these days,
when the church opens back up,

I'm going to introduce you
to a friend of mine.

She's going to
show you something

that will blow your mind.

- Like what?
- You'll see.

Good night, Father Andrew.

Good night, Paul.

He's a spirited guy.

He reminds me of Father Brooks.

How so?

He's a little obnoxious
but lovable.

Yeah. One minute
you wanna punch him,

the next minute
you wanna hug him.

Well, we shouldn't be
hugging anyone anyway,

- given the current...
- I know.

It's a figure of speech.

In any case...

I think you're right.

We should open the church.

That would be wonderful,
Father James.

- But it has to be conditional.
- Of course.

We have to practice
absolute safety.

People can come in to pray
by appointment only.

They have to wear gloves
and a mask.

Only people you know...

...or have vetted.

I've got dozens of requests
from members of the church

already who just want
to come in and pray.

Good.

Who knows.

Maybe we'll get some
donations out of it.

Well, it's not just about
the donations.

Did I say it was just
about the donations?

No. But it's somewhat
about the donations.

We have to keep
the lights on somehow.

You think God's going to say,
"Let there be light"

and ConEd
will forgive the power bill?

Of course. I'm sure
people will want to donate.

Now you're going to be
responsible for this.

If someone hasn't been adhering
to the quarantine,

they can't come in.

if someone looks sweaty
or glassy eyed,

don't let them in.

Look at their noses.

If there's even one
drop of snot, no access.

Look at their chests...

If they seem to be
breathing heavily,

then I'm sorry,
no entrance.

- It's a little hard to gauge
whether someone's sick

by looking at their chest.

- No, it's not. Look at me.
- Look at my chest.

You see how it's expanding
and contracting rapidly?

That's all you have to do.

Look. Observe.

Study with your eyes.

That's how Da Vinci gained
most of his knowledge.

That's how Sherlock Holmes
solved most of his mysteries.

He observed and he deduced.

If they don't look well.

If something's off,
send them off.

If they have a cough,
send them off.

You sound like Dr. Seuss.

And I don't care
if they're black or white

or Asian or Iranian
or Pomeranian.

If they don't look well...
no entrance.

Well, we could get called out
for racism.

The virus is affecting certain
races more than other.

This isn't a Bernie Sanders
rally, okay.

If they have a cough,
send them off.

Is that a catch phrase now?

And one at a time.

They have ten minutes.

They come in, they sit down,

they say their prayer
and they're out.

Ten?

- Yes.
- Where did you get that number?

From the Romans.

Well some people
might need more than that.

Who prays for more
than ten minutes?

Even the pope
doesn't pray that long.

You think God
wants to listen to that?

Okay, ten minutes.

And after they've left,
you disinfect where they sat.

Okay, you scrub...

...and you spray as if your
life depends on it because...

...in a lot of ways, it does.

Okay, Father James.

You understand?

I do.

Good.

Um... what about
my friend Brian?

Brian?
Who's that?

I thought you said
this guy's name was Paul.

Brain is the one who
wants to get married.

Okay, absolutely not.

Are you crazy?

You want to have weddings
in here now?

Did you not listen
to anything I just said?

It's just going to be Brian,
his finance,

one or two witnesses.
That's it.

Yeah, and then
maybe a mother.

Then maybe a father.

And then a cousin,
then the cousin's boyfriend

- and then we're having the Royal wedding in here.
- No, no no,

it's not going to be like that.
I assure you.

Well, let's see how it goes
this week, alright?

Then I'll decide.

I woke up early
the next morning

with a renewed sense
of purpose.

I couldn't wait
to open the church.

I was excited to reconnect
with our parishioners.

I'd received so many requests
by email.

As long as they
were quarantined,

they could come to church.

Jimmy was the first one
on the list.

He'd been emailing me
twice a week

since the virus started.

He desperately wanted to pray
inside the church.

I was happy
to open the doors for him.

But I was also
slightly terrified.

Good. Good.
Any difficulty breathing?

No. No, my anxiety
is under control.

Good. I mean,
since the virus hit New York.

No. No. No. No. No.
I'm on my medication.

Everything's good.
It's good.

Yeah, yeah.
Open your mouth.

You want me
to open my mouth?

I do.
I need to take a look.

Ahh...

You know, I've never
watched a person pray before.

I wonder what
he's praying for.

Jesus, whatever it is,
he's really going for it.

I shouldn't
watch him like this.

I should go sit
somewhere else.

But why should I?
I was here first.

You know what? I should
probably put this back on.

He's shedding a lot of tears.

I should probably get
a pair of goggles.

Maybe I could get one of those
bee keeper helmets.

I wonder if bees
can pass the virus?

Oh shoot, I forgot to tell him
about the time limit.

I need him to wrap this up.

There's someone else
coming in.

I've got to disinfect the pew.

I gotta wash my hands.

Jesus, I have to do this
every time?

I could see that Jimmy's
spirits were lifted.

He was lighter somehow.

Maybe he'd shed a few pounds
from all that crying.

But I felt lighter, too.

It brought me joy to see
how it meant for him

to visit the church.

He needed this.

And so did I.

Cleanliness is next
to Godliness.

My father used to say that

when he made me
clean my room.

He called me "filthy."

He didn't believe in God.

But he kept
a very clean house.

Surely, he'd approve
of this obsessive cleaning.

That's probably all
he'd approve of.

Elisabeth was next
on the list.

She'd been a parishioner
at the church for a long time.

Have you had any chills
or symptoms of any kind?

No. No, I haven't.

- Cold?
- No.

- Flu-type symptoms?
- No.

- I've been fine, Father Andrew.
- Good, good.

Do you mind taking a few
deep breathes for me?

Just to...

A few deep breathes.
Deep. Deep.

Father Andrew,

why are you staring
at my breasts?

Oh, it's an abundance
of caution.

- Uh, forgive me.
- Mm-hmm.

Why is her mask down?

We're inside.

What if she sneezes?

It's a sneeze
not a dirty bomb.

They're supposed to have
their faces covered

at all times.

There's something
dehumanizing about it.

Well, if we were androids,
I wouldn't care.

Androids don't get sick.

I think you're being
a little paranoid.

Do I need to remind you what
happened to Father Brooks?

No, you don't.

He's dead.

I know he's dead.

How did he die?

- Don't patronize me.
- No. No. No.

Tell me how he died.

Is there a problem?

Oh.

No, no... Elisabeth.
We're just... We're just...

You know, I can hear
every word you're saying.

I'm not infected.

But if it makes you
feel better...

And Father James,

you're not even
going to say hello?

I'm sorry, Elisabeth.

How are you?

Scared like everybody else.

Yes.

I'm scared, too.

You don't have to feel bad.
I understand.

I had a friend die
of the virus, too.

I'm so sorry.

Please, take your mask off.

Sit down.

I wanted to go see her
but I was afraid.

They said she died all alone
in the hallway.

No friends. No family.

You know, a lot of people
are dying, Father James.

Yes.

I know you must be feeling bad
about Father Brooks.

I wish I felt worse.

Numb is more like it.

It feels like someone's
squeezing my heart

like a sponge.

It feels empty.

And I assume you couldn't
even have a funeral.

No, well that was
the worst part.

He's still at the morgue.

We didn't get a chance
to say good bye. So...

Yeah.

I know what you mean.

The church was open.

It was inspiring.

People came.

They prayed.

I felt alive again.

And I wrote.

I wrote morning,
noon and night.

I wasn't sure
where the words came from,

but I was grateful for them.

Paul was the one
who encouraged me

to write in the first place.

This was years before
I became a priest.

Paul was at the church
every day.

He never prayed though.

He just sat
in the pews silently.

Sometimes he wrote
in his journal.

He said it was important
to get things out.

Especially the bad stuff.

He said if you kept
that stuff inside,

it would fester
and become part of you.

I never agreed with that.

It's better to ignore
the bad stuff

and embrace
the positive instead.

You do that until it blossoms
and flourishes inside of you.

But I loved having Paul around.

So did Father James.

In fact, he was becoming
his old self again.

Oh, this wine is incredible.

Isn't it though?

Argentinian Malbec.
It's the best.

Oh, I love it.

So did I.
Too much so, in fact.

That's why I had to stop.

Yeah, but if the world
were to end,

don't tell me
you wouldn't do it again.

What? Drink?

Oh, absolutely.
Absolutely.

If a giant meteor
was heading this way

and we were all going to be
dead in a week,

I'd buy a pack of cigarettes,

I'd open a bottle of Malbec.

And when the world
came to an end,

I'd go out with a big
drunken smile on my face.

Blowing out smoke rings.

I'd be a happy man.

Is that really
how you would go out?

Well, preferably
I'd be with my girlfriend

and we'd both be naked
but yes.

I didn't know
you had a girlfriend.

I told you about her.

Yeah, she's very very...

Sweet.

She's a little nuts though.

She's pretty.

I don't know.
I love her though, I think.

She gets on my nerves
sometimes

but I get on hers, too.

So, I guess we balance
each other out.

Do you guys
ever think about it?

If this is the end.

The end, the end?

The end of days.

Revelation.

The big good-bye.

It never occurred to me
that this is the end.

Why not?

Maybe it's just not
big enough.

Compared to The Spanish Flu...

The Black Plague.
World War II.

Those were big.

Not that this isn't big,

but it doesn't feel
like the end.

Yeah, I know.
If I thought this was the end,

I'd be getting drunk
right now for sure.

You know,
Father Brooks used to ask me...

"If you knew that the world
was coming to an end,

would you want to be here
when it happened?"

I remember that.

He used to like to ask
people that question.

Yeah. Do you want the world
to end in your lifetime?

Why would anybody want to see
the end of the world?

Well, I don't know.
Think about that.

Think about that.

You would all be together.

It would be one big,
ultimate collective experience.

That's not a positive.

That's nihilistic.

The whole point of existence
is to keep going.

I know.

You know, you shouldn't even
want it to end.

I wouldn't want the world to end
selfishly just so I could say,

"I was there when it happened."

It'd be a really good
story though.

I mean, that's my whole
problem with religion.

Like Christianity and Islam.

This eschatology.
The end of everything.

You need the world to end
to validate your belief system.

There's more to it than that.

I don't know.
It seems pretty clear to me.

Tell me if I'm wrong.

For Christ to return,
the world has to end.

Am I right?
Does it not say that?

Well...

I don't know.

But look at it this way.

If the world ends,
you'll be able to drink again.

There's always a silver lining
to everything.

At some point,
even Sisyphus must have said...

"Well... at least
I'm getting a good workout."

Good night.

Good night.

Good night, Father James.

You know what.

I'm going to head to bed, too.

What it be alright if I slept
at the church tonight?

Why do want to do that?

I don't know.
I like it in there.

It's comforting.

I thought you were
an atheist.

Me?
No. I'm not an atheist.

- You're not?
- No.

When I went to seminary,
you totally made fun of me.

Because you're Jewish.

- So.
- So,

isn't that what
you're supposed to do

when a Jew
becomes Catholic?

You make fun of them.

It's just what you do.

You know,
most Jews don't get it.

Christianity is actually a road
to becoming a better Jew.

Yeah, you might be
the first person

I've ever heard say that.

Well, I could explain it
to you, but you don't care.

I care.

I care.
Explain it to me.

Just keep it under
two minutes.

I have an attention problem.

The old testament was written
by the Jews, you know.

Yeah, I know.

And they prophesied a savior.

I know.
I'm not a complete imbecile.

So when Jesus came,

he didn't say he was setting out
to destroy the old testament.

He was here to fulfill it.

Why is that important?

Because when you accept
that Jesus was here

to fulfill the old testament,
not refute it,

then you understand
that Christianity

complements Judaism.

Not only that, it completes it,
it validates it.

The rabbis will not
agree with that.

The rabbis don't agree
on anything.

When you read The Talmud,

It's just a bunch of opinions
about God.

It's not even connected
to the Old Testament.

I thought the Talmud
was the Old Testament.

The Torah's the Old Testament.

So what's the Talmud?

The Talmud's just
a bunch of opinions.

Rabbis disagreeing about
Jewish laws and traditions.

It's gotta be more
complicated than that.

Well, you told me
to keep it short.

Let me ask you something.

What does your dad think
about all this?

I haven't spoken
to him in years.

No?

That's fucked up.
You need to call him.

I don't think so.

You know my mom
calls me every day.

Yeah?

Every day.

She thinks people are dying
in the streets here.

She talks to me on FaceTime

and she looks at me
and she's like,

"Are you feeling okay?
You look sick..."

"...Your eyes are blood shot.
Your nose is runny.

Do you have a fever?"

That's funny.
She's saying that, too?

Who else is saying it?

I'm saying that
to the parishioners

who come in here.

I'm not saying it anymore.

She's turning me into
a total hypochondriac.

You look fine.

By the time
this virus is over,

we're all going to be
agoraphobic with OCD.

What are you going to do?
Just sit here all night?

I don't know.

I might write in my journal
a little bit.

Well, I have to turn
the lights off.

Okay. That's fine.

Then you won't be able
to write in your journal.

Alright, then I won't write
in my journal.

What are you going to do,
sit in the dark?

Yeah, why not?

What do you write
in your journal?

Dirty jokes.

You're not homeless are you?

What?

No.
Why would you ask me that?

- Because you're here
every night.

- I like your company.

Where do you live?

Alphabet City.

Yeah? How long have you
been living there?

About eight years.

Eight years you've been living
here in New York city

and this is the first time
you're getting in touch?

Andrew, I told you
I was in a bad place.

I mean, I was a mess.

I didn't want you to see me
all messed up like that.

I'm glad you're better.

Can I tell you something,
Andrew?

What?

I had a good thing going.

With my wife.

With my ex-wife.

She was a good woman.

She was my best friend.

But I hurt her really bad.

I did things
and I said things.

I pissed it all away.

I'm not a good person.

And when...
...I was at my darkest,

really at the bottom
of a dark hole...

...drinking and just depressed.

I thought, "this is it, man."

"I'm never crawling
out of this."

"It's over."

Well...

you pulled through.

You know what else?

Sometimes,
when I walk around this city...

I think,
"Thank God for this virus."

I think it's the best thing
that ever happened to New York.

What are you talking about?

You see this place?
It's all shut down.

I know. I know.

People are dying.
It's awful.

The shops are closed.

Maybe this is what
needs to happen

for New York to be reborn.

Maybe the virus
will save the city.

From what?

From what?
From the pharmacies.

The lame corporate franchises
on every corner.

The freakin' rich people
buying up all the property.

What's the point of having
a city if it's got no soul?

The city is dead.

It's not dead.

I gotta go to bed.

You sure you don't want
to stay in the parlor there?

- No, no, no, no.
- There's a couch in there.

No, no.
I like it in here.

- It's comforting.
- All right. Here.

Thank you.

Got that.

Got a nice pillow.

Thank you. Thank you.

You're a good man,
Father Andrew.

You need to call your dad,
though.

All right.
Yeah.

[speaking Latin] In the name
of The Father,

The Son and the Holy Spirit.

Sara was a nurse.

She wanted to make
a confession.

To my surprise,

Father James wanted
to hear the confession.

Quitting your job
isn't a sin.

- It feels like one.
- Why?

Well, I'm a nurse.

I'm supposed to take care
of the sick.

You have a hard job.

There are so many people who
need help, Father James.

And it never stops, its just
an endless wave of patients.

And I'm terrified
I'm going to get the virus.

I mean, they don't have
enough masks.

There aren't enough nurses
or doctors.

And my husband is so scared

I'm going to bring
the virus home with me...

...he and my daughter are
staying at his brother's house

out in Long Island.

Well, given the circumstances

I think that's probably
a good idea.

It's not worth it.

I don't know these people.

I don't owe them anything.

Why should I die for them?

Then I think about Jesus.
What would he do?

Well...

Considering who Jesus was,
I think it's safe to say

he would probably have
sacrificed himself, right.

Well, obviously.
So you see why I feel guilty.

I feel I'm abandoning
my co-workers.

I feel like a coward.

That's okay, Sarah.

Even Jesus was conflicted
about his fate.

But he got a legacy.

Hundreds of health care
workers are dying for this

and nobody even knows
their name.

They just become a statistic.

Oh, I don't want that.

I don't think you should feel
bad about this.

Well, then why do I?

Because you have
a conscience.

Well, what if every nurse
did what I did?

Then where would we be?

Wouldn't that make
things worse?

That would make things
difficult.

It's true.
Every nurse counts.

And I miss my daughter.

Ugh. I'm sure you do.

I don't miss my husband
so much.

I actually like having him
out of the house.

Oof.

- It's nice to have peace and quiet for a change.
- Sara.

You know really,
Father James,

he's the one who should
be in here confessing.

The things he says,
the way he thinks.

My husband is evil.

Your hus...

Your husband is not evil.

You've heard his confessions.

Well, it's true.

You've both been members
of this parish for a long time.

What does he say?

Come on, Father James.
Does he cheat?

- I can't tell you that.
- Why?

If I told you that,

then I'd have to go to Rome
to be pardoned.

By the Pope himself.

I should leave his behind.

You don't want to leave him.

- Uh-hmm.
- Oh, come on.

- He's a generous man.
- Mm-mm.

You don't know him
like I know him.

No, I don't know him
like you know him,

but Sara you don't want
to leave your husband.

You're just tired.
You're overworked.

This is a tough moment
for everybody.

And you're doing great service.

Don't blame your husband
for everything.

That's a mistake.

Father James always said
his favorite part

of being a priest was talking
to the parishioners.

He and nurse Sara ended up
talking for three hours.

So much for
the ten minute rule.

Paul was right.

I needed to call my father.

I was conflicted.

I wasn't sure whether or not
I should wear my collar.

He could never accept
why I chose my faith.

Screw this.
I'm wearing it.

I'm a priest.

I don't have anything
to be ashamed of.

I believe in God.

I believe in Jesus
as our lord and savior.

If he's not okay with that,
he can go to Hell.

I don't mean that.
I don't want him to go to Hell.

I don't want anybody
to go to Hell.

I don't even know
if I believe in Hell.

How could I worship a God
if he sent my father to Hell?

He may be a jerk but he doesn't
deserve to burn for eternity.

Does anybody?

Maybe my dad's right,

maybe this God stuff
is ridiculous.

Jesus, what I saying?

Do not be troubled,
do not let your heart be afraid.

Do not be troubled,
do not let your heart be afraid.

Do not be troubled,
do not let your heart be afraid.

- Hey... Look at you.
- Look at you.

It's been a while.

Um-hmm.
Yeah, it has been.

You got a beard.

You too.

Yeah. Hey.

We could walk into
Starbucks together,

people'll think we're twins.

Hey... How are things up
in New York?

I hear a lot of crazy things.

Yeah.
The city's still here.

Yeah?

There's no anarchy
in the streets?

There's nothing
in the streets.

The streets are empty.
It's creepy.

Well, you can come out here.

I'm okay.

Okay.

Sara, do you mind
if I ask you a question?

Sure.

You know that thing
that happens every night

at 7 o'clock
where everybody claps

for the healthy care workers?

Yeah.

As a nurse,

what are your feelings
about that?

Don't you think that's
pretty obnoxious?

Oh no.

I think it's nice.

It makes me feel appreciated.

You know, in fact,
it lifts my spirits.

You know, Father James,
just yesterday,

- I was feeling so low.
- Mm.

And when the cheering started,

it was like the clouds parted.

Whoo!
Yeah, health care workers!

Way to go.
Thank you!

You guys are heroes!
Whoo!

Do you think its obnoxious?

Oh no.

Oh no.
No, no. I don't.

I don't. I don't.

I think you're right.
I think it's...

I think it's so beautiful.

It really is.

Thank you, Father James.

It's so good to see you.

It's been a while.

You too, my dear.

You have a good night, now.

Okay, be safe.

All right.
You too.

But why?!
I don't understand that.

Well, if you don't
understand it,

I can't explain it to you.

Well, what is it?

God is afraid
if you have children,

that will take you away
from worshipping him?

Yeah.
It's kind of like that.

It's about discipline.
It's about devotion.

Devotion?

And you don't miss it?

- What? Sex?
- Yeah.

I don't think about it.

Bullshit.

Nice. Nice.

I'm sorry.

But I don't believe you.
I don't believe you.

Well, we believe
different things.

All I'm saying is:

You know, it would be nice
to have some grandchildren.

Your mother wanted
grandchildren too, you know.

Dad...

She did.
It was important to her.

She used to say...

"It's a shame priests don't have
like a loophole for that."

What? She said what?
She said "loopholes?"

Not in those words,
but that's what she meant.

It was important to her.

And to me!
I'm not gonna lie to you.

Well, the ship has sailed.

Well, hey, listen.

Nobody says you have to do
it the old fashion way.

You could try
immaculate conception.

You believe in that, right?
So...

Right.

You believe in that,
right?

I don't want to have
this conversation.

I'm going to hang up.
If you keep talking...

Don't have up.
Don't you hang up on me!

Well don't be an asshole!
Don't be an asshole.

Okay!

I chose my life.
I chose my life.

Can you just please accept?

I hear you.

I read a book recently.

Mazel tov.

No, I read a beautiful book
and it had this quote.

I wrote this down for you.

I've been reading
a lot of books.

Do you know how many
books I've read

since we've been
on lock down?

Like 42.

Forty-something books
since the middle of March.

Isn't that something?

- Good for you...
- All kinds of books.

I read fiction,
non-fiction...

- It's good for you.
- A read a great book on...

- A bio of Martin Luther King, Jr.,
- That's good for you, pop.

I read a book
of short stories.

I like that they're short.
In and out.

Mm-hmm.

I read a book on plumbing.

Plumbing?

Yeah. I had a leak
in the bathroom sink.

- Did you fix the leak?
- Huh?

- Did you fix the leak?
- No.

No.
But I got the book.

Here you go.

So I wrote this down for you.

Listen,
this is really beautiful.

"Do not be conformed
to this world..."

"But be transformed by
the renewal of your mind."

"that by testing
you may discern"

"what is the will of God"

"what is good and acceptable
and perfect."

From your Bible.

All right?

Yeah.
You're reading the Bible now?

No, not the Bible,
a book about the Bible.

About all different religions.

Interesting.
Here's something:

In Buddhism,
there's no God.

Yeah.

- You knew that?
- Yeah.

- They don't have a God. Since when?
- Well since...

For a long time.

It's interesting though.

You know, when you read
all these religions

and you get past
the surface stuff,

like the names, the stories,
the actual stories.

When you get past all that...

They're not that different.

It's like...
We all want the same thing.

Peace.

Peace in the world,
peace of mind,

clarity, contentment,

Everybody...
Whoever you are,

everyone wants their kids
to be safe, you know.

- That's everybody.
- It's funny...

It's kind of beautiful.

You know, it's so funny
that you say that, Dad.

Before the church closed,

I was writing this sermon
about that very thing.

The theme was
"The neighborhood."

And how you can live next
to someone your entire life.

Your neighbor.
That's what links you.

Proximity.
Your shared space.

And commonality.

A sense of belonging.
Exactly like you said.

And you know,
maybe you're a Jew.

Maybe he's a Muslim.

And even though
you're different

and you believe
different things,

you're still neighbors.

You live on the same block.

I love you.

I love you, too.

I know that.

You know, when...

For years,

I thought you did all this

just specifically
to piss me off.

No.

No.
That wasn't why.

I know that.

But in my head,
that's what I thought.

In my heart
that's what I felt.

And it...

It hurt me.

Why?

Why.

But...

I don't know,
I look at you now...

And I look at you
and I just...

I see how happy you are.

I am.

I know.

And I look at you and...

I see you're a good person.

You're a mensch.

My son,
the mensch priest.

Hey.

- Hi.
- What are you doing?

Uh, nothing. Nothing.
What are you doing?

I'm in the car.

Where are you going?

Nowhere.
I'm just driving around.

It helps me clear my head.

Can I come over?

I don't know.
I don't know, babe.

Hey. I'm sorry about that
stuff I said the other day.

It was just stupid.

I didn't mean any of it.
I miss you.

I wonder if this
is going to lead

to the next baby boom.

What?
The pandemic?

Yeah.

No.

Well, that's what happened
after World War II.

All the GIs came home.

Their wives were waiting
for them, all excited.

And they made babies.
A lot of babies.

Why would anyone want
to have a baby right now?

Well if more people are stuck
at home having more sex,

there's going to be more
pregnancies.

People are stuck at home
so they're not having more sex.

They're isolated.

Well, I'm talking about the
couples who live together.

The husbands and wives.

They'll get pregnant
and they'll have more babies.

They'll have more abortions.

No. No.
You're wrong about that.

Why would anyone want to have
a baby in this climate?

There are no jobs.
There are no businesses.

So if I got you pregnant,
you would have an abortion?

If anyone got me pregnant,
I'd have an abortion, right now.

Really? Anyone?

If Matthew McConaughey
got you pregnant,

- you'd have an abortion?
- Yes.

Ryan Gosling?

Yes.

Zak Efron? Idris Elba?
Brad Pitt?

- Nobody?
- Mm. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

I don't know why you're
naming hot actors

because they're not my type.

- What's your type?
- You are my type.

So if Paul Giamatti
got you pregnant,

you wouldn't have it.

If it was immaculate
conception,

I'd have an abortion.

You'd abort God's baby?

I would abort God's baby.

I don't believe you.

Well, I don't believe in God.

Maybe you should start
believing in God.

Maybe we all should start
believing in God.

Yeah.
The world is fucked, Paul.

Yeah.

A little belief would keep us
from being too cynical.

You know?

Help us be positive.
Light in the darkness.

I don't think belief
is going to change anything.

You don't know that.
It might.

How long have we been
quarantined now?

Three months?

Everyone thinks this thing
is just going to peter out

and we'll just go back
to normal soon?

I hate to break it to you.
It's not.

What do you mean?

This is the Gulf of Tonkin,
man.

What is that?

- The thing that started Vietnam?
- Yeah.

Well, Vietnam ended
eventually.

Ten years after
The Gulf of Tonkin.

That's my point.

You think this is going
to go on for ten years?

I think this is going to go on
for one hundred years.

Until the end of time.

If this virus isn't going to
take out half the planet,

then... I don't know,
the next strain will, right?

They've been warning us about
these pandemics for decades.

And even if they inoculate us
against this virus.

There will be another strain
in the wings,

waiting to take us out.

Can we not talk about this?

You're scaring
the fuck out of me.

I came over here to relax.

You brought it up.

I brought up babies.

You turned it into
the Left Behind series.

This is not about
biblical prophesies, okay.

It's Darwinism.
The strong survive.

For earth to survive,
it has to take out the threats.

What's the greatest threat
to the planet? Man.

You honestly believe that?

That the earth is planning
a coup to take out mankind?

- Absolutely.
- Come on.

You think scientists
know everything?

They don't know anything.

For as much as we know
the core of the earth

could be a massive brain
that sends signals

to the plants, the trees,
even the animals.

I don't think that's how
it works, babe.

How would you know?

Because I have a brain.

And I can't control the hairs
on my arm.

I can't tell them
to stand up or shed.

I can't tell my toenail fungus
to retract.

Gross.

- Where are you getting these ideas from?
- What are you talking about?

- A lot of people believe this stuff.
- It's ridiculous.

It is no more ridiculous
than anyone else's beliefs.

I think...

...the virus is the earth's
way of saying,

"I'm tired of this shit."

Give me a break.

Do you know...

...that there's a mass
of garbage and plastic

in the ocean the size of Texas.

But we just take garbage
and put it into the ocean.

Will you suck my cock,
please?

No.
And I'm leaving New York.

Planning on it.
For a while.

What? When?

Mm... In a few weeks.

I'm going to go to Utah
to live with my mom.

Why?

Have you not heard a word
I just said?

Like, it's over.
Especially urban life.

Cities?

What are you saying?
We need cities.

Cities have a lot to offer.

You said it yourself,

it wasn't even the virus
that did New York in.

It was the politicians and
the corporations. La, la, la.

Yeah, but maybe
this is what it will take

for New York to be reborn.

You know, maybe it'll be
like a resurrection...

...like Jesus Christ.

What is it with this
Jesus talk lately?

You're talking a lot about
Jesus these days.

So what?
What's wrong with Jesus?

Maybe you're spending
too much time at that church.

Yeah.
Those are my friends.

Oh my God.

Your friends?
Right. Okay.

- Why is that funny?
- Oh my God.

Because Catholicism
is fucking evil.

How can you say that?

What?
Oh my God...

Okay, so, Christianity
was anti-wealth

before Constantine
bastardized it.

And who's Constantine?

And if the Roman Empire
had continued to flourish,

we would all be Pagans
right now.

- And that would be better?
- Than Christianity?

Absolutely.

You don't think people getting
rich off of religion is evil?

Like, it's not a little
antithetical for preachers

to live in
$10 million mansions?

Yeah, but my friend Andrew
is not like that.

- At all... not even a little bit.
- Right.

Okay, for any rich Christian

to think they're being rewarded
for their beliefs by God?

Not all Christians
believe that.

How about when we
bombed Iraq?

Millions of Christians
championed that war.

They were 100% in support

of America bombing
a Muslim nation.

That's not antithetical
to your pal Jesus' beliefs?

What does antithetical mean?

That's nice.

What is that?

Just...

...something I made up.

I'm just messing around.

Well, don't stop.
Keep playing. I like it.

Hello.

Can I help you?

Yes,
I'd like to be baptized.

- Really?
- Yes.

Well, we'd have to set up
and appointment.

No, I'd like to be baptized
today. Right now.

Oh, well um...

Yeah, we can't do that.

Why not?

Have you gone through
the proper education?

Well, uh...

I went to high school.
Dropped out of college.

But I'm a very learned man.

No, what he means is...

Have you been educated in the
principles of Catholicism?

Do you know what
baptism means?

Well, I know what it means.
I've seen it done in movies.

The priest standing
in the lake,

dunking the head in the water.

Yeah well,
there's more to it than that.

You have to be familiar
with the rituals,

the proper way to pray.

Do you know who
the apostles were?

What the pope does?

I need to know that
to be baptized?

Well, no, but there is
some study required.

I didn't know I needed
a PhD in theology

in order to be baptized.

I was told that if I wanted
to be saved,

it was a pretty simple process.

Why do you want to be saved?

Well, I want to take
Jesus Christ

as my personal savior.

Why?

Look, um...

I've done a lot of things
in my past

that I'm not so proud of.

I'd like to put that
all behind me and...

Isn't that what Christianity
is all about?

You erase the past
and step into the light.

Why do you keep laughing?

- Am I laughing?
- Yes.

You laughed.

It was more of a chuckle.

Oh, chuckle.
Yeah, I chuckle. I'm a chuckler.

It's something I do.
Don't look into that.

Okay, well I think
what we should do

is set up a few
appointments and...

..you know, see if you're really
serious about this...

I am serious.

Um, none the less...

You know.
There's a process.

And you can't make
an exception?

Well, we do make exceptions

for people who are sick
and dying.

Are you dying?

Aren't we all?

I mean,
from the moment we're born,

we're on that road
toward mortality.

You know what we mean.

- Do you have a terminal illness?
- Not that I'm aware of.

But someone did cough in my
vicinity a couple of days ago,

so you never know.

Oh my God.
He's not wearing a mask.

Where's your mask?

Relax, Father. Father.
Relax. I'm not dying.

Look...

I've been around Christians
my entire life.

And they all say to me,
"Karl if you wanna be saved..."

"...you gotta get baptized."

"You have to accept Jesus Christ
as your savior..."

"...if you want
to get into Heaven."

"or you are going
to burn in Hell."

So, here I am.

I'm trying to do
the right thing.

I understand.

You have your protocol...

but I am serious about this.

So...

If you were willing to...

...make an exception.

I would be willing to make a...

...very generous donation
to the church.

Do you believe in God,
the Father,

creator of Heaven and Earth?

Absolutely.

Do you believe Jesus Christ
was born of the Virgin Mary

and crucified, was buried,
rose from the dead

and is now seated at the
right hand of the the Father?

I do.

Do you believe in
the Holy Spirit?

Yes.

Do you reject Satan?

Sure.

And all his works?

All of his works?

I'll have to cancel my
subscription to Penthouse?

- Oh, come on...
- I'm kidding, father. Yes, all of his works.

And all his empty promises.

Yes, all of them.

God, the all-powerful Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ

has given us
a new birth by water

and the Holy Spirit
and forgiven all of our sins.

May he also keep us faithful
to our Lord Jesus Christ

for ever and ever.

Amen.

Yes.

Okay, um...

...close your eyes please
and lean your head back.

I baptize you
in the name of the father...

...and the son.

And the Holy Spirit.

Okay.

Karl, that's it.

You are now a member
of the Catholic church.

That's it?

Really?
I'm in the club?

Yes. You are in the club.

That's all it takes?

Well, as I said,
we usually take...

I'm not going
to burn in Hell?

Well, you still have to live
a virtuous life.

Oh, no no no.

From this point on,
I'm going to be a good boy.

Hey...
Let me ask you something...

That thing you said
about "Jesus Christ

giving a new birth

and forgiving us
for all of our sins."

Yes.

Do you really believe that?

Well, yes.

So, every sin I've ever
committed is now...

forgiven?

Yes.

Really?

Well, yes.

But that doesn't mean
you can just...

So, the bicycle that I stole
in middle school.

That's pardoned?

Yes.

And the money I stole
from my roommate in college;

that's forgiven?

Well, yes.

And that guy I beat up
in when I was 26.

I put him in the hospital
for six days.

That's expunged.

- Expunged?
- You know what I mean.

It's no longer part
of my spiritual record.

My rap sheet of sins.

It's crossed off the list.

Yes, Karl.

It's amazing.

Well, if you don't mind,

we have to get back
to what we were doing before.

Oh, yes.

I don't want
to get in your way.

I'll let myself out.

Oh.

Can I say something
to both of you before I go?

Well, we really
don't have time to...

What is it?

I've done some terrible
things in my life.

Everyone sins.

Yeah.

And as you said,
you're starting over.

That's right, I am.

But if you knew
the things I've done...

...you wouldn't sleep at night.

I've done things with children.

I think you should go now.

I want to thank you both
for your service!

I noticed the collection box
when I came in.

I'm going to put the rest
of this in there.

You two deserve it.

So long, fellas. Fathers.
Father fellas.

Oh.

God bless.

I want to make a confession.

I haven't been sleeping
very well.

I think one
of the reasons is that...

...I can't fully express
everything that I'm feeling

about it all.

It's uh...

There's so much I want to say
but I just can't say it.

You can tell me anything,
Father James.

Yeah. But I can't.

Sure you can.

You know, I had a horrible
health crisis many years ago,

- did you know that?
- I didn't.

Well, it was in the late 90s,
just before you got here.

Uh...

I had a horrible chest infection
that I couldn't shake.

It went on for months.

They didn't know
what was wrong with me.

You know, bronchitis,
or pneumonia.

Lung cancer, even.

So I had a lot of tests done.

Cat scans and x-rays
and blood-work.

When I got the results,
Father Brooks was there.

Every time the doctors told me
that something was okay,

that I would be fine.

Father Brooks was
right by my side.

Sometimes...

...he would, uh...

He would hold my hand.

Do you understand,
Father Andrew?

Yes.

Every time I got sick,

Father Brooks was there
to help me.

And you know
I get sick all the time.

You know, flu, strep throat,
or whatever.

This is one of the reasons
I'm so paranoid

about this virus.

I remember when you
got that food poisoning

a couple of years ago.

- That was pretty bad.
- Oh, that was a nightmare.

Remember how much
weight you lost?

10 pounds in six days.

We never did find out
how you got that.

Oh, it was the Branzino fish.

- Really. You think so?
- Absolutely.

Well, I had the Branzino fish
too and I didn't get sick.

Well, maybe you had
a lovely piece.

I had a disgusting piece.

Father Brooks had
the Branzino fish also,

and he didn't get sick.

Well exactly.

He never got sick.

The man was a pillar
of health.

Did you ever see Father Brooks
sick one day in his life?

- Never.
- Never. Not once.

That's one of the reasons
I don't understand how this...

...virus could be the one thing
that could kill him.

- It doesn't make sense to me.
- It doesn't.

The man was a priest
for fifty years

and this is how he's repaid
for his servitude?

Well, servitude is the reward.

I know that.

I'm just angry...

...Father Andrew.

Oh my God, there's so much
I want to say but I just can't.

I just can't.

I loved him, Father Andrew.

And he loved me.

Is there something
you want to confess?

Well, that was it.

That we loved each other.

Oh, I knew that.

As long as we're here,

there's something
I'd really like to confess.

Do you mind if I...

Um...

All right.

- So, I've...
- Should we switch sides?

No, I don't think so.
We don't need to do that.

Well, technically,

I do think I'm supposed to be
on the other side.

You know why
I become a priest?

Do you know why
I joined the church?

- Well, I assume because...
- I did it to piss off my father.

Oh...

I was just...

You know, when I was a teenager,
I was...

I just didn't know
what I wanted.

I didn't know
what I wanted to do.

I had no ambition.
My father was an overachiever.

He was always breathing
down my neck and um...

I just thought,

"What could I do
that would really get to him?"

so I thought,
"I'll become a Christian."

So, all of this
was to spite him?

No. Eventually, Catholicism
took on great meaning for me,

which it still does.
I just...

But it didn't begin with
the most noble intentions.

Well, I think that's okay.

Do you? I don't.
I don't know.

I have a problem with it now.

You know, if I could just turn
this around for a second.

When I was very young.
I took tap...

I've been wanting
to get that off my chest

for almost a decade.

It didn't change anything.

But I felt a weight lifted.

One night, Father James used
some of the donation money

to put on a puppet show.

He and Father Brooks
loved the theater.

Before the pandemic
they went at least once a week.

Father James invited
an old friend to join us,

Father Reese.

He loved the theater, too.

It was delightful watching
those dolls come to life.

As we watched,
I thought about our own bodies.

What was it
that gave us life?

Was it some invisible force
that couldn't be measured?

Were we just part of
a metaphysical machine

that moved with no purpose?

Was some grand Svengali
pulling the strings?

Was there someone above him
pulling the strings?

Had it all been prewritten
or did we have free will?

Maybe we were all
just simulations

in some multi-dimensional
computer game.

I've had these thoughts before,

but watching
the marionettes now

stirred something inside of me.

I saw myself.

I saw my friends.

I saw all of us.

Then something occurred to me
that I'd never thought of.

What if God
wasn't benevolent?

Maybe he didn't care
for us at all.

You know, it exists.

What?

The soul.

Yeah.
I know it exists.

Well, you don't know.

Well, sure I do.

No. You have faith that you
know but you don't know,

indefatigably,
that the soul exists.

I have 30 years of study
that tells me the soul exists.

Yes,
but you can't measure it.

So it's still predicated
on faith.

I don't need an EKG machine
to show me that a soul exists.

It's the foundation
of the Catholic church.

Christ died to save your soul.

When you were drinking,
your soul was in jeopardy,

you made a decision to stop.

That wasn't a fluke.
That was your soul talking

and maybe your liver.

Listen. I saw the soul,

the physical soul,
leave a body.

Okay. Well, you know,
I've heard that before.

Somebody has
a a loved one who dies,

they see the soul leave,
and then the body is at peace.

You're not special there, Paul.

I'm not talking about
the soul leaving a dead body.

I'm talking about
seeing it leave

someone who is still alive,

and then hover over them
for an extended period of time,

and then reenter their body.

Yeah, I think you were on
some pretty intense drugs

when you saw that.

Acid. Mushrooms.
I did my time in the 80s.

You were tripping.

I was not tripping.

My friend can do it.

She's been trying to teach me
but I haven't mastered it yet.

That's what I'm doing

when I'm sitting in the church
all night.

Wait.
You're staying here now?

So you're talking about
astral projection?

I think astral projectionists

wish they could do
what she does.

What does it look like?

Everyone,

this is my friend Anna.

Hello.

- Hello.
- Hello.

I apologize if I smell.

I don't like to waste water

and I haven't been
showering much.

No. You smell fine.

Yeah, from over there I do.

But if you came closer,
you would see.

It's okay.
Even if you did smell,

we wouldn't know it.

We're also standing
at a distance

because of the virus.

Yeah, that's good.

I've known a few people
who died already.

People are dropping
like dominos.

We appreciate you for coming.

It's my pleasure.

I was happy to get
your phone call.

It's probably good to get
out of the house, right?

I leave the house
every night.

Really?
Where do you go?

Everywhere I went before.

Last night, in fact,

I went to the Museum
of Modern Art.

I spent three hours
looking at the Dali painting

Persistence of Memory.

Do you know that one?

That's the one
with the melting clocks.

Yes.

it takes on a new meaning
with our current situation.

It's like there is no
time now.

Everything is moving
extremely slow.

Well, I didn't think that
the museums were open.

Do you have a friend
who works there?

No. I left my body,
traveled through the sky,

and flew into the building.

Yes, I was telling them
you can do that.

Yeah. I've been going
to all the museums.

The Museum of Natural History.

The Guggenheim.
The Whitney.

Even the Museum of Sex.

Paul here tells us

that you have something
you'd like to show us.

Yes. You'd like to see how
I do it with your own eyes.

I mean... Sure.

Yeah.
I can see you're skeptical.

Well, obviously,
you can understand why.

I've found that scientists
and men of the cloth

are threatened by new phenomena
that they can't explain.

Surely, after I show you
what I'm capable of,

you will find a way
to refute it.

Well, the notion of the soul
doesn't negate religion.

Right?
If anything it strengthens it.

I don't agree
with that at all.

We can discuss it afterwards,
if you like.

So why don't we
get the show started. Huh.

It's not a show.
I'm not a performer.

And this isn't a magic trick.

Right. Okay.

So, should we have a seat
or something?

Yeah, follow me.

You can find a seat
somewhere here in the middle.

I'm sorry. I don't want to
smell up the church.

I feel like I'm watching
a David Blain show.

I had a friend who made out
with David Blain.

- Really?
- Yeah,

they were drunk in a bar.

When was this?

Like, eight years ago.

- Could you please shut up?
- Quiet please.

Did you catch that?

Unbelievable.

You don't have to do that.

It's not a performance.

You have got to show me
how to do that.

It takes years to master.

It's like reaching
enlightenment.

See?

I told you.
We have souls.

You just saw it.

Hey.
Do that again.

I can't.

Why not?

Because I only have the energy
to do it twice a night

and I'm meeting someone
at the Queens cemetery later.

We have souls.
Isn't that reassuring?

To know that we keep going?
There's no death.

I can't say there's no death.

Maybe this thing inside
of us only exists

while the body is alive.

Maybe the body
is like a lightbulb.

Maybe the soul grows
weaker over time,

and when it can no longer
power the body,

The body dies and the soul
is extinguished.

Yeah, but...

I don't understand
the technical details.

I just know how to move it.

Yeah, but you said you're
going to the cemetery later.

Don't you see the souls
of dead people there?

No.
This isn't The Sixth Sense.

I interact with the souls

of people
who are still living.

I don't know what happens
after we die.

I assume it all ends.

Really?
I didn't know you believed that.

I assumed you believed
in an after life.

Well, you shouldn't
assume things, Paul.

I know.
I do it all the time.

And I assumed you were
smarter than that.

There has to be
an explanation.

Yeah, like I said,
you will try to discredit it.

Paul, it has to be
an illusion.

- Right.
- Andrew, she's not Mysterio.

Don't try to explain away

something that you
can't understand.

Well, Paul, there has to be
an explanation.

Let me ask you something.

You said you go to museums
and stuff.

What do you do?
You just fly through the sky?

Yeah.

Sorry.
This is ridiculous.

Perfume.

What perfume?

The perfume
that she was spraying

before in the front
of the church

and then again
up by the altar.

That's right.

You don't smell.

You were spraying
psychedelics into the air.

We inhaled it and hallucinated
this whole thing.

- That's very good, Father Andrew.
- Observe and deduce.

Well, you are the
Sherlock Holmes

of astral projection.

It's Lady Gaga.
I got it on Ebay.

And if you ever want to do
psychedelics, let me know.

My friend is a dealer.
I have to go.

Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait.

I want to do it.

Well, what do you want?
Mushrooms? DMT?

No, no.

I want my soul
to leave my body.

We've discussed this, Paul.

If you want to become
an expert,

you have to put in the hours.

- Haven't you read Malcolm Gladwell?
- I put in the hours.

I just can't pull it off.

You have to let go
of all your anxieties,

your fears, your anger,

all your resentments
and your jealousies.

When you let go of all the
things that weigh you down,

you will connect
with the infinite now.

But you must detach
from the past.

And the future.

But that's so abstract.

Can't you give me
something specific to do?

What do I do?

That's it, Paul.
I can't help you.

Sometimes you just have
to accept your limitations.

Not everyone can run
a marathon.

Good night.

She's right about that.

That was interesting.

Thank you Paul.

I can see why
you were fooled by her.

You know, that's why Jesus
was crucified.

What do you mean?

Stubbornness.

Closed-mindedness.

Open-mindedness
would not have saved Jesus.

He had a destiny.

He knew he had no choice
but to die.

And if he returned today,
you wouldn't accept him.

And you wouldn't either.

Even if he performed
100 miracles

like the one
you just witnessed.

If he wrote it in the sky,
"I am the messiah.

I have returned,"

everybody on social media
would be laughing at him,

making memes out of him.

And you two would call him
a "false prophet."

You don't even
believe in Jesus.

I never said, unequivocally
Jesus didn't exist,

or that he's not
the son of God.

I just choose
not to worship him

because I don't like
taking sides.

He chose you, Paul.

He chose to save
every one of us.

From what?
The torment of our own souls?

There is no saving us.

Not when we're all
trapped in here.

With our dread and our fear
and our guilt.

I understand now.

You understand what?

I understand how to do it.

What he's doing?

I don't know
and I don't care.

I'm going to watch Westworld.

If we are on drugs,
it should be pretty trippy.

I think I'll join you.

Hey, Paul.

Paul.

Paul!

- Hey. Hey.
- Hey.

Hey, buddy.
We have a wedding.

- You gotta get up.
- A wedding?

- Yeah. Sorry.
- Now?

Yeah.
You gotta get up.

Okay.
They're here?

People are coming.
Yeah. They're here.

Oh.

You gotta get up.

Hi, Brian.

Father Andrew, thank you
so much for doing this.

This really means a lot.

Sure. Sure.

This is Rose, remember?

Yes. Rose.
Hello. Hello, Rose.

And this is our best man,
Richard.

Richard.

What's up, man.

Well, let's get started.

We have a few more people
if that's okay.

- A few more people?
- Yeah, just a few.

Oh well.

It was only supposed to be
the three of you.

Well...

It's okay.
They all have masks.

- Mm...
- We'll be safe.

Oh. Oh...

Father, thank you
for having us.

We appreciate you father.
Looking fly, dog!

Thank you for all this,
father.

Bless you.

Bless you, father.
Thanks.

Yes. Thanks.

Thank you so much.

Thanks, father.
We really appreciate this.

Bless you, father,
for letting us do this.

Hey, Father Andrew.

Thanks for inviting
me to take photos.

I'm this beautiful
bride's father.

I don't know what strings
you had to pull...

...but thanks.

I've always loved weddings.

But this one was
especially poignant.

Seeing two bodies
come together

at a time like this
was inspiring.

Love is a beautiful thing.

And I know that fear
plays its part, too.

No one wants to die alone.

But today,
no one was afraid.

It was like everyone forgot
about the virus.

Unfortunately, Paul fell off
the wagon that day.

I'm sure he had his reasons.

Who am I to judge?

He watched
as everyone celebrated.

They danced like it was
the end of the world.

And in a way,
I guess it was.

But life is about connection.

We need to occupy
the same space.

Whatever God's plan is,

regardless of what you believe,
one thing is for certain.

We're all in this together.

The world didn't end.

New York didn't die.

And over time,
people ventured out again.

And though it wasn't
the same as before,

we had the feeling that things
were going to be okay.

It was like the city was
waking up from a long nap.

It was a little slower.

Perhaps a little broken.

But it was still here.

And we were thankful for that.

We had Father Brooks cremated.

And one day, we decided
to give him a proper farewell.

We took his ashes to one
of his favorite places.

It was a nice drive.

And it was a beautiful day
for a funeral.

I don't know what to say.

You don't have to say
anything.

Well, I feel silly.

Anything I would say,
he already knows.

That I love him.
That I miss him.

Me too.

You know...

...Father Brooks
was very devout.

He believed with every
fiber of his being.

But he used to always
say to me

that he didn't care
if God existed or not.

That if science proved that all
it was all just some hoax,

some, you know,
great cosmic accident...

he'd shrug and go back
to reading his Bible.

"It's just a damned good story,"

is what he'd always say.

Did he really say that?
I've never heard him say that.

I'm paraphrasing.

He seemed more resolute
than that.

He was.

But he had moments
of uncertainty.

Was he drunk?

He'd had a few drinks, yes.
when he said it.

Are you remembering it
correctly?

I seem to recall,
I remember he used to say,

"God lives, God damn it!"

"God lives
and don't you forget it!"

Well, he did.

He said that too but he was also
plastered when he said that.

He sounds like a great guy.

Well, he actually really was.

But he could be
a real jerk sometimes.

But he would always apologize.

He did.

And then he would say,

"You have to accept my apology
because where would

Catholicism be without
forgiveness?"

That's right.

Paul, would you like
to say something

in Father Brook's honor?

Me? No.
I didn't know him.

It would be wrong for me
to say anything.

He would have liked you.

Yeah.

He would have wanted you
to say something.

Okay, uh...

I just want to say
that I'm really...

...honored...

...to be here.

And I'm very honored
to be alive.

I don't want to die.

Hey.

I thought you weren't
afraid of death.

I wasn't until last night.
Now, I'm terrified.

Paul.

Paul.

Do you want to be saved?

No.

No.

Goodbye, Father Brooks.

Goodbye, Father Brooks.

Goodbye.

Okay.

- Let's get going.
- Okay.

Wait.

We're not going to scatter
the ashes?

Of course not.

Why?

The church frowns on
the scattering of ashes.

Cremation wasn't even allowed
until the 60s.

Really?

Yeah.
For centuries,

cremation was an act of defiance
against the church.

It was seen as an insult.

Why was it an insult?

Because it evokes paganism.

Well, it goes against the idea

of the soul transitioning
into the afterlife.

When you scatter the ashes,

you're returning the body
to the earth.

That's a kind of desecration.

I don't know.

I think you're all
overthinking things here.

Yeah, it's true.

There's a lot of history
behind this.

The church doesn't like it.

So, why did we bring the ashes
to the beach?

- Father Brooks liked the beach.
- He did.

It's too bad we can't scatter
his ashes here.

It's too bad
we can't bury him.

That's what he really wanted.

I wonder what he would
have wanted in his casket.

He told me.

Oh yeah.

A bible

- and a fifth of bourbon.
- A fifth of bourbon.

? Honey, love me like
it's the end of the world

? Hold me close,
don't let me go

? Love me like
the world's on fire

? Hold me tight
and don't let go

? Bite me hard
and draw my blood

? Bite me deep,
I'll bite you back

? Take my body,
take my soul

? It's all these things
that fade to black

? Don't feel bad,
we knew it was coming

? Midst the up in you and me

? I want to feel you
one last time

? Before we sink into eternity

? The word is spinning,
my body's shaking

? The universe is closing in

? I wanna leave the sideline,
all gooey and sweaty and happy

? Just like I felt
when I came in

? Baby, love me like
it's the end of the world

? Hold me close,
don't let me go

? Love me like no one's by you

? Hold me tight until I go

? There's no need
to say goodbye

? To all are family
and friends

? Lets just stay then
where we are

? Cause everything
around is sense