All language subtitles for Slow.Machine.2020.1080p.WEBRip.x265-RARBG.eng

Life is
an immobile, locked,

three-handed struggle
between your wants,

the world's for you, and worse.

The unbeatable slow machine,

that brings what you'll get.

Blocked, they strain
round a hollow stasis

of havings-to, fear, faces.

Days sift down it constantly.

Years.

- No, it's in a
movie!

No, he's behind the
curtain!

It's a little boy
ghost.

- It's my bet, he's so
, I love her so much.

Yeah,
I'll be right out!

- I really, I really
love her.

You didn't know, you
didn't know you were like-

Hello.

My whole body's
swollen.

- Hey, this you?

- Yeah, yeah.

That's all you got?

- It's all I have in
the world, man in a van.

Let's go.

- I just think it's weird.

- Since when are you
so particular about
who crashes here

for a few days?
- We're supposed

to be working.

- She's not gonna be in the way.

She has nowhere to go.

These roommates of hers
are really terrible.

She said she was
afraid of retribution.

- What?

- That was the word she used,
that's heavy shit, Eleanor.

- Retribution? Hey, Danielle.

Hey.

- Hey, ah, what
kind of retribution?

- Oh, well, actual physical.

See, they know I was the one
who called

Brittany's mom
about the cocaine.

After my bag got stolen
right out of the apartment,

they have all sorts
coming in and out lately.

People who aren't exactly
part of my demo, you know?

Woke up in bed the other night

with a big Latin guy standing
over me, high as hell.

Said he was looking
for the bathroom,

but, felt like a warning.

Had to get out, had
to get out today,

and I'm awfully sorry.
- Your demo?

- I'm sorry, was that...

- You don't think they
followed us, do you?

- Um, I don't have any
advice to give you guys,

just play it better.

Okay?

Yeah, I
know, let's drink some water.

in deep distress

someone her age

no, you hate him

about cruelty

the bond, oh no

- I know it's not interesting,

but pencils are a
thing that we need.

So somebody's gotta go.

I can't, I've got company.

Alright.

Well, send Barry out for
them, what's he doing?

- Excuse me.

- Oh, hello.

My name's Gerard.

You were really full
of beans last night.

Oh, don't worry, you're
unviolated.

Where were you afraid you
were when you woke up?

- In a stranger's apartment?

Where's my phone?

- Ah, well, it
won't work in here,

but your bag's on the
floor beside the bed.

Yeah, you know, you
were,

you were trying to hail a cab,

but you were kind of
alienating all the drivers.

- I don't remember anything.
- I was worried, you know,

because you're teetering
all over the road

and terrible things happen
to drunk women in this city.

I told you it's not
gonna work in here.

- Yours did, hey,
who are you anyway?

- Gerard, I work
in law enforcement.

You wanna have some breakfast?

- I don't, this is your place?

Hm, it belongs
to the department.

- And where did you
sleep last night?

- Oh, I didn't.

Ooh!

Yeah, still muzzy, I bet.
- Oh, God.

- Come on, let me get you
a bite to eat downstairs.

You wouldn't know how
to find your way home

from here anyway.

- Show me your badge.

Which borough are we in?

- Queens technically.

- And you're in law enforcement?

- Yep, NYPD Intel, not to be
confused with those jokers

over at the Joint
Terrorism Taskforce,

those guys are all deputized

and I will not be so crass
as to tell you what I, think,

that is a cinnamon,
oh, that was quick.

- And you do what exactly?

- Well, let's see, you know
those uniformed, PD thugs,

who are always accidentally
killing people?

Ah-huh.

- Well, when I
eliminate someone,

the action is always
sanctioned and covert.

- You're sort of whimsical?

Yeah,
well, you gotta be,

if you're gonna do the big work.

- Oh and if I
raise the slightest
objection to that work,

you're gonna tell me the
world's a dangerous place

and that I don't
understand anything.

- Understand isn't
the word I'd use.

You're an actress?

- How do you know what I do?

Have I a file?

- Maybe, no, I've
seen you on stage.

Yeah, really, in a
Richard Foreman show

back when he was still
down on St. Mark's.

There was a lot of um, wire

and, and, sledgehammers,
chalkboards.

Yeah, my fiancee, Lysette
is a big aficionado

of you know, so called
downtown theater,

although lately she say
I watch too much video.

But you were really
great in the play,

even if I don't know
exactly what I mean by that.

But what you were
doing was so strenuous.

- How does Lysette feel about
you being out all night?

- I don't know, it
happens, Lysette, look,

Lysette gets me
for the most part.

So things aren't going
so well career wise, huh?

- A girl can have a
drink for any old reason.

You're intel work?

- Yeah, you know, I
shouldn't have said anything,

but I feel comfortable
with you, you know,

there's something about easing
a woman's shoes off for her.

- Counter terrorism?

- Yeah, and all that
that word entails.

My department has
international reach,

I know, I know, I'm
the devil, right?

This is where you reach
for your revolver.

- It just seems like a
grand misadventure to me.

- You read that
phrase somewhere.

No, grand isn't the right
word, too much blood.

But hey, think what
you want, you know,

you'll be back to your
demographic soon enough.

- My demographic?
- Hm-mm, Brooklyn.

Christ, what is
Brooklyn anymore?

Brooklyn is a white toddler
in a Run DMC T-shirt.

I'm not gonna, I'm not
gonna defend myself to you,

I'm just gonna continue to
feel good about the fact

that I have helped
to prevent things,

that might have hurt you.
- Like what?

- I can't go into details,
but it would've been painful

and it would've been slow

and it would've
happened to a crowd.

You would've had to watch
everybody else suffering,

even while you, you know,
because it's, it's funny,

everybody's afraid
of kicking it alone,

but I for one can't
think of anything worse

than a deliberately paced,
collective perishing,

be it like you're all
dying in front of me or...

- I don't believe you.

- You gonna eat that?

We can, we can meet
again if you want to.

I don't think so.

- Ah, if it'd help you
professionally, you know.

See, I've already,

I've already developed a
sort of affection for you.

- How does meeting you again
professionally help me?

- But that's my curse, you know,

I'm emotionally promiscuous.

I like to think it
comes from a sort of,

well, what I hope is
a healthy curiosity.

You know, I couldn't do the
work I do, if I wasn't curious.

But there are, there are
risks, you know, to be sure.

Hey, hey, hey, wait.
- Bye.

- Hey, hey.

Here.

Take it.

- Hey, did you really
ever kill anyone?

- I've felt like it though.

- Did we wake you?

- I was already awake.

Couldn't sleep for all
the quiet last night.

Totally.

You wanna play?

- No, thanks.

Never been for me,
never liked the sounds,

all that crashing and grunting.

This is touch.

- 10 pounds of extra clothes
just to play a Goddamn game,

never made sense
to me, none of it.

Y'all get a newspaper up here?

Get a
paper, a paper, no.

What are you reading?

- I just found it on the shelf.

- "Children dissipate the
longing for immorality."

- No, immortality.

- "Which is the compensation
of the childless writer's work,

but it is not only a question
of children or children,

there is a moment when the
cult of home and happiness

becomes harmful on
domestic happiness."

- You know what?
- Damn.

- I think I will play.

- Alright.

Come on, guys, we can
do this, just go long,

we're gonna go head that way.
- I just throw it, right?

- Yeah, I'm gonna throw
it right, ready? Hut!

Hut!

Hike!

Go, go, go, go, go!
- Ah!

- Back, back!

- Fuck, fuck!

Fuck!

- I'm fine, I'm fine.
- Why didn't you catch it?

- Jim, you know what?
- I'm a mess

at this football nonsense.
- It's not nonsense.

Hmm!

- Of course Sweden is a
vastly different country

in terms of its
relationship to addiction.

The state provides treatment

just like it would any other
disease, but you know what,

I've found something and I
don't know how this sounds

or if this is the right
place to say this,

but I like the shame.

It has benefited me
to feel embarrassed.

No, but that's how
we grow, right?

Not just the self care, but
the intense self laceration.

I mean, based on standards
that are not even ours,

I mean, why are we here
right now by and large?

Because we embarrassed ourselves
at a wedding or a picnic.

- Yeah.
- Right?

- Picnic.

- Because we did
something horrible

in spectacularly public
fashion in broad daylight

and someone took
us aside and said,

"You should be
ashamed of yourself."

Because we hadn't been
and they were right.

You know, part of me wishes

that this wasn't
such a safe place,

I wouldn't mind relying on
a little bit more judgment

from you people.

You know, other people
then maybe you, Jeffrey,

what is your deal
anyway, Jeffrey?

Is it just me or is
the rage general?

Because I wasn't
the one who gave you

your first drink, buddy.

- Stephanie.
- No,

but it feels like
it's just with me.

- It's not just you,

he's already told us
he hates all of us.

- Alright, where was I?

- Shame.
- Right, yes, shame.

Vital, galvanizing

and I,

yeah, that's pretty much it.

The week was uneventful.

- Hello.
- Are you kidding me?

Does the word anonymous
mean nothing to you?

- Oh, come on, we both
know you're just doing this

for research or something.
- How do we both know that?

Look, I didn't call you.
- Hey, hey, hey, listen.

Don't ride the subway
today, do me a favor.

- Why not?

Oh, you have some
information, is that it?

- Oh, yeah, much too much,

it's a wonder I manage
to stay so even keel.

Look, it's probably nothing

and the stations are all
crawling with JTTF jerk offs,

but just as a precaution,
let me give you a lift.

- You know, I've been
wondering for a long time

when the subway's
gonna get blown up.

I mean, why hasn't it
already? It seems really easy.

- Well, you could do it if
you want to.

- It's not really
gonna happen, is it?

- Probably not, but you know,

butterfly flaps its
wings in Syria and boom!

Hey, doesn't it mean anything
to you that I'm here?

- I don't think I know anyone,

who's taking the
subway right now.

Hey, Jeffrey.

- What?

You're
riding your bike, right?

- What's it to you?

- Alright, but I
don't wanna go home,

they're all there right now.

- Well, I was just
thinking we'd, you know.

Oh, she's at home,
Lysette's always at home

working on her
thesis, anthropology.

- What's it about?

Well, you
know pornography?

- Yes.

Well, Lysette is
interested in what she calls

the narrative couching
of the sex act,

you know, like
the preliminaries,

the proverbial pizza boy who
gets lucky with the housewife,

the plumber, you know.

- Does porn even still
have those things?

- Oh yeah, still has everything.

But she's not just talking
about ostensible plots,

she's also interested in
the way internet clips

are captioned, the names
given things, you know,

a velvet afternoon
or a game of chess.

Chess.

- Yeah, no, indeed, they're
playing chess for some reason

and then all of a
sudden, you know.

But I mean, it could be
just as simple as, you know,

Johnny goes down,
but the point is that

it can never ever be just
anonymous people having sex,

it always has to be
contextualized in some way

and Lysette's argument
is that, you know,

pornography's not
reactionary just because,

because of, ah, misogyny or
because of industrial practices

or whatever, but
that it turns out

that even the most
aberrant sexual fantasy

requires some sort of narrative
buffer zone, you know.

It's kind of depressing
when you think about it.

Or at least
she says, I don't know,

I'm glossing over a lot,
you watch porn, right?

You might
have just ruined it for me.

- Oh, well.

Why
aren't you with her now?

- Ah, I'm a distraction.

You talk a lot.

- Well, how else are you
gonna get to know me?

- I didn't say I wanted to.

What are you doing?

- Ah, just making
sure the last guest

cleaned up after himself.

- You know, I am glad
to see you again,

I mean, look at you,
you're for fucking real.

- You know, sometimes I
worry about the effect

of all those images, you know,
but what am I, her father?

I mean, if she says it's fine.

Okay, all clear probably.

- Are you looking for bugs?

You pepper
me with questions.

- Is someone listening?

Probably not.

- I can't imagine you're
supposed to have me here.

I don't ask
you so many questions.

- That's because
you know everything.

- Ah, it'd be a mistake to
assume we know everything,

a woman is not her
search history.

Lysette would be the first
person to tell you that.

So, anything coming
up acting wise?

- Audition for a film.

It's a low budget thing,
I play a girl from Texas.

Oh yeah,
what's her deal?

- She's addled, on the run.

- And how does a Swedish woman
get inside a girl from Texas?

The voice first.

Hey, isn't rush hour
just about over?

- Almost, it ends at eight
now, so you can't be too safe.

Well, let's hear
the voice, wait.

See, I'm from Georgia
originally, different
lilt, cadence,

but you know, might be helpful.

- I don't think so.

- Well, we're kind of stuck
here for the time being.

- Are we?

- Might as well
make it productive.

It'd be an honor.
- Oh, my God.

- And like I said,
I've already developed

a kind of affection for you.

- Why don't you just shut up?

There you go.

- I can't sleep.

Can't.

Thinking about mankind
being made in God's image,

thinking about him
probably being the ugliest,

pockmarked motherfucker
that ever made a world.

Pass.

- Shit isn't even north
or it's south anymore.

No point to anything.

Maybe that's why
I did what I did.

- What did you do?

- None of your business, stopped
confessing a long time ago.

Doesn't mean I feel bad,

maybe just means
I've come to like it.

Nice kind of heat comes
off the wrong thing.

Kind of heat makes you
rethink the definitions.

- Ha, addled was right.

- You don't know
me, motherfucker.

We're just killing
time till it runs out.

You're pretty enough.

- Oh, yeah?

- Enough.

My men are all just
pretty enough now,

that's my pay grade, enough.

After what I've done.

- Tell me.

You'd
just get turned on.

Goddammit, the only person
I like talking to anymore

is my kid, she just wants
me to tell her what to do.

Too young to wonder
about most things,

just wants to follow the
rules better than most.

You shouldn't hit me.

- Named her Jenga,
after the game,

'cause she's always
gonna get back up.

Little baby Jenga, plays
horsey, likes pink shit,

had a fancy macaroon once,

now she begs for
them all the time,

the fancy ones are hard to find

and they don't come
cheap, but, you got kids?

- No.
- Well, that's a shame,

they're a pip.

I hated to leave my Jenga
behind, but what you gonna do?

If I'd had my druthers,

I would've blasted her off
to another planet, yeah,

'cause Lord knows,

nothing anyway, nothing.

He's telling us to
help us out down here,

He's probably busy
knocking up another virgin.

People seem awfully
convinced He's coming back

in some form or another,
but I don't guess

that's gonna happen
till they come for us.

Alright,
I get the idea.

- Sorry to get you
caught up in all this.

- I don't think it's really-

- But you should've
known better.

- My type of thing.

- The pretty girl's
hitching a ride alone,

there's always
somebody chasing her.

- Okay.

Alright.

- And sometimes that somebody's
even worse than her daddy.

- Alright.

Don't even
get me started on Daddy.

Liked to get drunk,

used to put his hands in
all the wrong places saying,

"Hey, I had a hand
in the manufacture,

so why can't I get a little
tickle in once in a while?"

At least he was kinda up front.

Hm, low rent
what's his name, Sam Sheppard.

- Had a beautiful
singing voice though.

Why is it that broken
ass, weak ass bastards

always sing like Goddamn
angels, when they've had a few?

You know any songs?

Be honest, it's my
thing, my yardstick,

see, if you know how to sing,

I'll be able to tell you're
a son of a bitch for sure.

- You already think
I'm a son of a bitch.

- Oh, but I need proof.

- Lysette is
wondering where I am.

- But you're
trapped, aren't you?

Hmm!

Hmm!

Hmm!

- Are you okay?

- Let's just sit here

quietly for a little while,

until I get the all clear.

Hmm!

Hmm!

- What are you doing?
- Shut up.

Hmm!

Hmm!

Hmm.

Come with me.

No!

- Are you ever
afraid that your nose

is gonna get pushed
up inside your brain?

- Hm, knew a guy it
happened to once.

Well, maybe that's what it was.

He got into a fight
in the oil fields.

No surprise, those
guys can get rough.

Mostly itinerant,
lots of Mexicans,

but this was a father
of a friend, a foreman.

A buddy of his came
to work plastered,

my friend's dad tells him
to go home, sleep it off,

he goes crazy, maybe it
wasn't just booze in him.

Got a lot of meth
down there too, speed,

all that cheap, small town shit.

Tells my friend's dad he's got
to work to support his kids,

he's got one from
the current wife

and one from the last,
both little girls.

My friend's dad tried
to stay real calm

and everybody's
holding this guy back

and the dude just
Hulk's the fuck out,

throws them off, rushes my
friend's dad, Tim was his name.

Comes at Tim like a crazy,
bloodshot-eyed freight train,

throws him one punch, just
one, lands it perfectly.

Damn, I feel bad
saying perfectly,

but at just the
right angle, you know

and I guess it was like he
knew what he'd done right off.

There was this cracking sound
and Tim's just standing there,

blood flowing down his shirt
and he doesn't fall right away.

His eyes just go crazy wide

and he's looking around
like somebody can help him

and then there's
this terrible silence

for a few long seconds

and then Tim drops like a stone,

dead, nose pushed right
up into his brain.

The other guy's doing
10 for involuntary.

Not much help to his
little girls now, is he?

Thanks.

- Hm.

- I don't believe you.

- What did you say?

- That story, all of it.

But it's, it's okay.

- Ow!

- Hi.
- Hi.

- I was just about to
turn the light out.

Yeah, no, I just
wanted to make sure that-

- I have everything.

- No, not that.

I wanna make sure that you
knew the people here are good.

- I wasn't afraid they
weren't.

- No, I mean, maybe
good's the wrong word,

it sounds like a
bunch of squares,

but like they're,
they're preoccupied.

No one's gonna pay
you much attention,

no one's gonna ask
you a lot of questions

and even if they do, nobody's
gonna listen to what you say,

so I'm trying to
say you're safe.

- Didn't think I wasn't.

- Good.

Good.

Sorry, I'm a little drunk.

- Sure you are.

Can I just
sit for a second?

- What am I waiting
for you to do?

- Are you waiting for
me to do something?

- No, I mean what
are you gonna do?

Are you coming at me?

- Can I?

- Am I allowed to stay
if I don't let you?

I'd really like to fuck you.

You know, I'm being honest.

- Like a good person.

- I'm sorry, I'm going about
this badly, but I'm just,

I would really love
to go down on you,

you know, I really
like to do that

and we could just do
that, if you wanted me to,

I mean, if that would
give you some relief.

- From the pressure
of sitting here

listening to you talk about it?

- No, I mean, I know
you're in trouble

and I know you're
scared and I just,

the only thing I can
give you is this place

and I just wanna help
you forget about all that

and if that would help
alleviate, you know,

in whatever way I can.

- Why didn't you just
come in here and pounce?

I could've fucked you
up, if I felt like it

and now we're just sitting
here chatting about it,

how does that, yeah, okay.

Okay.

- And the evidence of my aging
isn't just in the mirror,

it's in everywhere around
me, it's in the fact

that when I go to people's
houses for dinner nowadays,

they have to be reminded
to put on the music.

- Right.
- It's in the fact

that actually half
the couples I know

are getting a
divorce or should be.

- Time.

- Already I am starting
to relate to the people,

who fall asleep on the
train, to envy them.

- The big wheel.

- Excuse me, don't
mean to interrupt,

but could I get a photo?
- People say excuse me

in order to interrupt

and you must see I'm talking
to someone I already know.

Don't look at me like that,
don't give me that power,

I don't have it, I'm a very
small part of your life,

be fair to me.

- And you know, it's
not really aging

that I'm worried about at
all, it's dying of course,

I don't want you to think
this is just about my career.

Are you familiar with the
work of Philip Larkin?

- Vaguely.

- The great poet of
banal foreboding,

the unsudden
comprehension of death,

not the kind that makes
you sit up at night

gasping for breath, but the kind

that just sort of niggles
at you all day, every day,

oh right, there's that,
an end to all of this.

- If you don't
wanna feel that way,

why don't you just
stop reading him?

- Well, I didn't say I
didn't wanna feel this way.

- 'Cause I can never tell
if you're complaining.

Maybe that's a virtue,
maybe and I can never tell

if you're actually
recommending books to me

or if you're just
advertising the fact

that you've read them.

That's not a virtue.

- I am trying to bring my
reading to bear on my life.

- It's just you have this
thing, that death thing

and I'm not sure
if it's something,

that actually weighs on you

or if it's something
you like aspire to,

instead of worrying about
what to wear to auditions.

It's all the same pitch lately.

- Well, excuse me for
still having to audition.

- I have to audition, I had
an audition the other day.

- Well then, excuse
me for having to worry

about what to wear,

people don't just send
me clothes for free.

- Hm, trained people aren't
the only ones you envy.

- Why do we keep meeting?
- Because we like each other.

You want?
- Hm-hm.

- Don't worry, I'm buying.

I need to tell you
about this audition,

I think you'll appreciate
it, I know you will.

Who was it for?

- I don't know, even my
agent doesn't know about it.

Last week a messenger dropped
a package off at my house.

A messenger?

- It was a thin envelope,
no return address,

just my name on the front.

Inside there were a few
pages from a script,

three or four, a monologue.

My character's
name was Katerina.

- Sounds Spanish.

- She wasn't, Stephanie, focus.

These were the three most
exquisite pages I've ever read,

script wise.

- Really, what was the story?

- It wasn't about the
story and I have no idea

what the story was, it
was about the words.

It was, it wasn't just
dialogue, it was incantation,

like this Katerina
was a high priestess

at some sort of black mass,

only better, less, I
don't know, problematic.

I mean, she was
simply saying things

that had never been said before,

she was bringing something
new into existence.

She was calling some shit down.

- You don't still
have the script?

- Hold on, so I'm reading
this totally superb text

and when I get to the end,
there's no writer's credit,

no personalized,
little director's note,

just an address
and a date and time

typed dead center on the page.
- Where was the address?

- Deep Brooklyn somewhere,
it doesn't matter,

what was clear was that
I was being summoned

and after what I've read,
believe me, I was flattered.

So for the next two days I
dug in, sunk into the words,

did whatever I did to
internalize this Katerina,

such as she was and
at the appointed time,

I took a car to the address.
- What was the street?

- I'm telling you,
I can't remember,

it was a warehouse
near the water,

the kind of place people
go to be killed really,

but I had no apprehensions,

because I knew I
was gonna nail it.

I mean, I had it down, I
was truly prepared to crush.

The car drops me off, pulls
away, I go and knock on the door

and this little, tweaky guy
answers, he's wearing a T-shirt,

he seems kind of fucked up,

like he's waiting
for his connection.

But he recognizes
me and motions me in

down this long hallway

and then I start to
worry a little bit,

there's all this ominous water
dripping from the rafters.

- How did the messenger know

how to find your house
in the first place?

- Finally we stop outside
of this big, steel door,

somewhere in the
depths of this place

and the kid turns to me and
there's something in his eyes

and suddenly he's not
so tweaky anymore,

he's almost commanding,
he holds out his hands

and he tells me in a
sort of clipped voice

to hand over the script,

which I do like I'm
in a fucking trance

and he pulls out some
matches, lights it on fire,

holds it up in front of me,

I can see the words
burning off the page

and it was only a
matter of seconds

before the whole thing
is just a pile of ash.

He slides open the
door and motions me in

and as it closes behind me,
I realize it's all gone.

- What?
- Everything, Katerina,

everything I've been working
on for the past two days,

poof, gone up in smoke.

- I don't believe you.

- Oh, I'm casting
about like crazy,

I mean, there's nothing.

I'm so panicked that for
a second, I can't even see

what's in front of me.
- Which is what?

- I'm telling you, at first I
thought they were mannequins.

When I finally got my
bearings and greeted them,

introduced myself like an idiot,

one of them nodded slowly
as if to say proceed

and I'm not even sure
what sex they were.

Are you
sure they could see you?

- I'm not sure of anything
other than in that moment,

I knew I was gonna
disappoint them,

I mean, they'd chosen me

and I was gonna show them
they'd chosen poorly.

Anonymous,
bescarved people.

- And then suddenly
it occurred to me

I was never gonna
leave that room,

not because I was afraid

they were gonna
hurt me or anything,

but because there wasn't
any place to go outside.

The world had dissolved
around us, not dissolved, no,

died the moment the tweaky
boy had shut the door

and this was it now
and this was the world,

this room, these people in it.

I felt this deeply and
I knew it was the case.

Instead of warning you all

or being bummed out
about everything,

an incredible feeling
of relief descended

and suddenly the stakes
just felt so low.

Then Katerina reemerged,

just a trickle at first,

then came the flood
and pretty soon,

she was just pouring out of me.

And the moment I finished, it
was all gone again forever.

- And did you get a call back?

- There isn't gonna
be any call backs.

- Excuse me, I don't
mean to alarm you guys,

but we have just had a
bomb threat called in.

- Was it a young woman,
the voice on the phone?

- Yeah.

- We're fine.

- I think the police are
gonna come and make you leave.

- Well, we'll wait for them,
I'd like to finish my drink.

- Well, hello, sir, nice suit.

- You didn't say it was a party.

- Would you have come if I had?

- You know, people used
to dance at parties.

- So I'll get a
cotillion going for you.

What would you like to drink?

- Oh, it's been a hard day.

- What, did we kill some kids

in a drone strike or something?

- No, it's personal.

Oh, Jesus, what the
hell's he doing here?

- If the schools didn't
have so much money,

we'd have the resources we need

to really fucking
deal with this.

- You know someone?
- But as it is now, you know.

Gerard!
- He's one of those JTTF,

horrible guys, the worst one.

Who invited him?
- I don't know.

- Give me her name.

- He said his name was Max.

- Well, it isn't.

- Hey, buddy, what a surprise.
- Your name isn't Max.

- Yeah, it is.

What
are you doing here?

- Gerard, there are
people in the world,

who go out in the evening
and live their lives

like people in a world.

Why the fuck are
you wearing a suit?

- You little, deputized-

- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
- Piece of-

- Whatever, whatever,
it's good to see you.

How did you two meet?
- On the street.

- I dig the street, nice,
who approached first?

- He did.

- Not true entirely.

- Nice, Gerard, nice.

That's the New York
City I grew up in,

people approaching each
other, speaking to each other,

having a drink and then,
boom!

Sorry if that makes me
sound like an old man.

- No.
- Hey, don't like him.

- Don't worry, she's not
gonna like me, I can tell.

I'm not one of those
guys who goes around

saying I'm not here
to make friends,

which is pretty much
Gerard's refrain at work.

- Oh yeah, work,

like you're some kind
of insurance salesman.

- Yeah, it's correlative
of what I do.

Hey, have you met the
lovely Lysette yet?

- Okay, excuse us.

Did you
invite that guy, Max?

- Hey, are you pregnant?
- Look, I told you-

- Yes.
- Is this,

this is proof, isn't it?
- It is proof.

- Can I call you a
hillbilly, is that the same?

- You can call me a hillbilly.
- Is that the same shit?

- Please do call me a hillbilly.

- What are you then?
- I'm a real person.

So what would I be
according to you?

- A prophesy.

- I don't know, man, I don't
bring this shit around,

I just wanna know what it is.

- Motherfucker!

- Dude.
- Hack motherfucker!

- Relax, man, you know we're
both here just to break off

a piece of boho strains.
- No, no, no.

- Come on, relax, man.
- No, you listen to me.

- We don't have a problem.
- Listen,

let's talk about May 2013.
- Oh, words, words, words.

- And your immense fuck up.

You guys are so fucking
stupid, you don't,

I don't even know
how you can live.

- Gerard's pussy-
- Oh, you know exactly

what I'm talking about.
- Didn't file his forms

correctly this morning.
- What is your problem?

- You fucking-
- Hey.

- I think we should end it.

End what?

- This charade.

No reason to end it.

See, I've developed a
kind of affection for you.

- Stop it.
- No, but really.

What was it
that happened today,

that was so personal?

Not your business.

- Roger, Max, they
both suit him.

Well, like I
said, Roger's the real one.

- It suits him.

Is it Lysette?

- I'm not comfortable
with you saying her name.

- Look, you've made me
this weird, little nexus

for your interpersonal
professional problems

and I know where this place is
now and I can find it again,

so you might as well tell me.

I want you to
stop being interested in me.

That's
not your choice.

It's Lysette, right?

Where did you two meet anyway?

Has she been here?

Do you take other women here?

I'm not sure if I should
feel honored or what,

no, I know I shouldn't
feel honored.

I'll admit I'm flattered,
but Jesus, Gerard,

what did you think?

Your work is despicable,
you're despicable.

I mean, yeah, from what I can
glean, you're not a catch,

long hours, behavior, what
did you expect, loyalty?

Where did you two meet anyway?

Okay.

Well, my advice is that
you take her out for dinner

tomorrow, that's
how easy it can be.

There's nothing better
than someone taking you out

for dinner, when it's a nice
surprise, somewhere elegant,

not too much, like a nice,
high end barbecue joint

or good tacos or something.

A good dinner can really
seal the deal, seriously,

a lot can be forgiven, if
you have the right ambience,

good wine and if you're present,

you just have to be present.

Oh, and ah, mindful, don't
forget that, mindful and present

and low camp lights and some
shit hanging from the rafters,

then you're golden.

Get out.

- Oh, you wanna
go? Come on, man.

- Get out.

Please.

- Oh, please, where
am I gonna go?

- Why won't you ever shut
up?

You fucker!

Ah!

- Ow!

- Jesus, shit, Jesus Christ.

Gerard.

Hey, hey, shit.

Um, think.

Hello.

Hello.

- Who is this?

Who is this?

- There's been an accident.

- Who am I speaking to?
- There's a man bleeding here

and I think he's
in serious trouble.

- Which man?
- Gerard is his name.

I see, what
kind of trouble?

- Oh, he fell, he hit his head,

he's bleeding and
he can't speak.

- Oh, that sounds pretty bad.

- I think you
should send someone.

Right, and
you are who again?

Strange-
- Don't worry about me,

just send someone.

You stay there,
you stay right where you-

Okay, are you ready?

Remember it's not
the final version.

in deep distress

someone her age

no, you hate him

about cruelty

the bond, oh, no

off both her ears

sand and walked away

said to weigh

of pure beauty

by those who see

the bond, oh no

- This is your guitar, right?

- Yeah, you like that one?

- Yeah, what is
the aluminum piece?

- Ah, it's a buzzing bridge,

it's what gives it that overtone

and undertone.

- Cool.

- Yeah, there's a
Indian word for it,

but I can't remember.

- I understand, I'd
probably quit too.

- Well, I didn't quit yet.

- Yeah, I don't know how I'll
do in nursing school, but.

- Did you play it?

- No, I didn't.

- So you went to
their house and cried

like in front of them or?

- I'm not gonna attack you
tonight.

It took me a long time to work
up the courage to say that.

So I saw your Larkin
book, I love him.

So bleak.

A little crab for my taste,
I prefer the ecstatic poets

like Whitman,
mostly Blake though,

Blake was my man in college,

always had Blake at
the ready, you know.

Those fucking illustrations,
you know he did those?

- Hm-mm.

- Yeah.

Anyway, look,
you're gonna be fine

and I know when we leave here,

we're not ever gonna
see each other again,

I'm not naive about that shit.

I just want you to know that

I'm already wishing that
we were a bigger part

of each other's lives, not
that we are now, but...

So in the fucking future, when
we'll never see each other,

I'll be thinking of you

and just wishing you well.

'Cause I've been watching you

and I'm just gonna miss that.

But my guess is

you're not gonna be
thinking about me at all.

- I should go back
to the city tomorrow.

- Who's ready?
- Right.

- Dylan's ready.

- Oh, my God, oh, God.
- Oh, that's too-

- Yep, ah-huh.

- You all take it.
- Soft and rookie.

- I'll take one.

- It's not easy to pour.

- That is so funny.
- Come on.

- Taste that.
- Drink.

- That's kind of a generosity.
- That tastes good.

You both
pour with his generosity.

It's not
that you could ruin mixing

and make some kind of
sophisticated thing with it.

- Go ahead, have the last bit.
- Alright.

- Can I have a cigarette?
- Go for it.

I'm
willing to share my chaser.

- You gotta put the bottom up.
- Ah!

- It's up.
- Yeah.

- Whoo!

That's disgusting.

- But now you're one of us.
- Aw!

Does anyone
have a cigarette I can bum?

- Sure.
- Bong, bong, bong, bong.

- Sorry.
- Now don't be sorry please.

- More?
- Help yourself, right.

- We like that stuff.
- Really?

- Yeah, we do.

We found a sucker.

Ah, here you are.

Wish we
had the bongos in here.

- How about you, a
shot, another shot?

- I'm good.

- Come on.
- No.

- Leave her alone, Jim.

Careful now.

Stop, stop, stop,
stop, stop, stop, stop.

You didn't tell me she could
sing, I mean.

Wow.

Hey!

- Hey!

I didn't wanna wake you.

- You didn't.

- Thanks.

- I didn't do anything.

Good luck.

Sorry,

I don't even know if I'm
in the right apartment.

- For what?
- For a, I, um.

Did you, do you work for Gerard?

Well, I understand we
have to be discreet,

but I wanted to make sure-
- Gerard?

Yes, the
last time we were here,

he, we had an altercation,

he was hurt badly and
I wanted to see if-

- He's dead.

I mean, probably,

hurt badly is almost always
a euphemism, isn't it?

It's what you tell a kid
about a car accident,

Daddy was hurt badly and
now he's with the angels.

What do I know though,
I'm just a realtor.

You shouldn't be here.
- Wait, he's not-

- We're not officially
showing until tomorrow,

but since you came all
this way, white wine?

No.

- Are you sure? It's a good
one, it's dry minerally.

I'll drink it with beef,
I don't give a shit.

You say you've been in this
apartment before with er?

- He used to work here.
- Gerard was his name.

- Look, I get wanting
to mess with me.

- Whoa, the last thing I'd do

would be alienating
a potential buyer,

but I'm not sure
that's what you are,

you look like you rent.

Do you have a car?

There's nothing within
walking distance.

This isn't even
technically a neighborhood,

between you and me, I
wouldn't actually live here,

for the time being, but
let some other poor sucker

be the one to sit in the desert

and wait for the
yoga shop to open.

Maybe throw down a
mattress somewhere

for the occasional,
sad, little assignation,

but that's only if you're too
cheap to get a hotel room.

- Look, I didn't
even like the guy.

- He shouldn't have
been working here,

this place is not zoned
for commercial use.

- What's your name?

Is it Lysette?

Do you have a card?
- Didn't bring them.

We're not showing until
tomorrow like I said.

You shouldn't be here.

At any rate, all trace
of former occupants

has been completely eradicated,

the management company was
very clear, clean slate.

Altercation,

Christ, why can't you people
just say what you mean.

Must have really fucked him up.

- Look, I just need
to know if he's alive,

or sentient, he hit his head.

You do understand why
I need to know this?

- Seems to me all you need
to know is whether he's gone

and from where I'm standing,

I can basically assure
you that's the case.

Anything else?

- I'll find out
from somewhere else,

there's records somewhere,
there's, there's Lysette.

Never heard of her.

Look, I'm a practical person,

I'm just here to show the space.

It's up to the buyer
to make it a home.

- Stop it, come on, please.

What?

- I said this conversation
could be giving you

so much solace, if
only you'd let it.

They must've decided
to do a walkthrough.

You have to go.

I'll be back.

- What if I won't?

- I could lose my job.

- There's nothing
more you'll tell me?

- You're going to be just fine.

- Hm-mm, yes, I'm here.

Hm-mm.

Good.

Hi.

- Hello.

Olena, you
said it was, right?

- Olena.

- Hey there, look what's on.

- Oh, God.

This must be the uninteresting
failures channel.

- I think it's good.

- That was a long time
ago, I can do better.

- You're always good, what
time's your call tomorrow?

- 6:30, but I still have
some lines to go over.

I got some charcuterie,
you want some sopas set?

- Oh, shit,

that's Elsa and her dad, I
slept longer than I wanted to.

Charcuterie in 20, no bread.

Hi.

- Hello.

- Hi.

- Hi, baby, hi, Michael.

- We tried you earlier,
not much time though,

she's gotta get to bed.

- I know, I'm sorry,
I fell asleep.

I'm so exhausted, this
film is frankly killing me.

- Sorry to hear it.

- I saw you on TV last night.

- Oh, you did?
- Hm-mm.

- What was I doing?

- Ah, shooting somebody.

- Oh, dear, well, your dad
shouldn't have let you see that.

It was the sitter.
- May I have a story?

- She can't hear you.
- May I have a story?

- Of course, what
would you like to hear?

- Spooky.

- Oh, okay, spooky.

Okay, what about
spooky and sweet,

like spooky with a good ending?

Yeah?
- Hm-mm.

- Great, okay, now make
sure you close your eyes,

so you can see what I'm saying,

really feel the pictures, okay?

Okay, good.

Okay, so there was once a
young girl, no, a young boy.

- Does it have to
be about a kid?

- I'm making a
fairytale, Michael,

let me do my thing,
let me riff, Christ.

Okay, so this young boy,

he had a pig,

he lived on a farm, you see
and he had lots of animals,

cows and chickens,
all the farm animals,

but the pig was his best
friend, since he was a piglet.

He and the boy had
a special bond,

the pig followed
the boy everywhere

and the boy's parents, the
farmer and the farm, farm wife,

they promised never to
make food out of the pig,

they would let him keep the
pig always and you know what,

they even let him sleep
with the pig in bed.

Yes, and he didn't
even care when the pig,

whose name was Bertram,

he didn't care when
Bertram got big and fat,

they still slept together

and held each other tight
through the whole night.

But then one day,

then one day, the boy woke up

and Bertram was giving him this
look that was very serious.

It was a look that Bertram
had never given him before

and the boy was worried

and then the pig opened
his mouth and said,

"There's something
bad in the forest."

But before the boy could
ask him what it was,

the pig hopped out
of bed and motioned

with his little pig foot
for the boy to follow.

The boy creeped down the stairs

and followed Bertram
through the front door

passed the cows and the
chickens and over to the fence

and the tall trees beyond.

The boy kept asking,
"What's in the woods, man?"

And Bertram just kept
repeating the same phrase

over and over,
"There's something bad,

something bad in the forest."

And as the boy followed Bertram
in, the boy kept asking,

"Where is it, what
is it, Bertram?"

And Bertram's voice only got
deeper and he just kept saying,

"Further in, further in."

And then they were
quiet for some time

and Bertram was moving very fast

and the boy couldn't
keep up with him

and then finally he
said, "We're close,"

and began to slow down and
as they came to a clearing,

a very dark clearing with
worms and weird creepy crawlies

and the bats still flying
overhead, Bertram stopped

and he looked up at the boy,
who had stopped behind him

and now he just seemed
like a regular old pig,

something in his
eyes had changed

and gotten less
intense and person-ish

and the boy said,

"Are we here, Bertram, is
this where the bad thing is?"

But Bertram looked up
at the boy confused

like he didn't know why
either of them were there,

like it was the boy who had
brought him to the woods

and they paused there looking
at one another for a while

and it was so, so quiet,

the boy thought he
could hear the worms

crawling up and
out of the ground.

And then Bertram turned suddenly
and began to dig very fast

and the boy was surprised,

because he had never
seen Bertram dig before

and here he was
digging like a dog

and the boy said his name,

but Bertram ignored
him and kept digging,

throwing dirt up
into the boy's face,

frantic and intent and
before the boy knew it,

Bertram was halfway underground

and he said his name
again, "Bertram, Bertram."

Just then, Bertram
hit something,

something wet

and as he did, he
spoke again finally,

but the boy couldn't
hear what he said,

because Bertram's
voice was muffled now

and so strange and scared and-
- Stephanie.

She's asleep.

- Oh, yes, okay.

- Probably a relief,

wasn't sure where you
were going with that.

- Right.

So same time tomorrow?

- Ah, yeah, sure, or,

or Tuesday.

- Great.

Good.

Good
luck with the movie.

- Thank you.

- Right, okay, till soon.

- Yeah.