Original subtitles

And that was good enough for you?

Well, that and a check, for $24,000.

Half of which is yours.

God, do I need this!

Annie Laird?

I thought it might be you.

Inez said you might drop by so I took a chance.

I bought some of your pieces. I'm Mark Cordell.

Hi. Hi.

I've got a check in my bag. Thank you.

Well, I didn't pay you nearly what they're worth.

No. Please, please.

How do you know me? Have we met before?

Inez showed me your picture in the catalog. Oh, God.

Well, you know, she said that my pieces were gonna go to Japan. Is that true?

Yeah, that's likely. So does that mean that's it?

I'm not gonna see them again.

No, not necessarily. No.

Do you have some time to talk this over? Maybe have some lunch?

Now? You know, I'm supposed to be upstate by 2:00 for jury duty.

Well, I wouldn't wanna make you late for that.

Well, maybe just a quick bite.

So what was the first one?

Um... Okay, the first one. Let me see...

The very first one.

When my parents split-up,

I went to stay with my grandmother for the summer

in Allentown, Pennsylvania. I hated it.

So I made this model of a wild meadow.

And I would keep it under the bed.

It had these bushes. It had thorns that I made out of staples,

and there was a stream made out of tin foil.

And I would reach under the bed,

you know, 'cause I was afraid of the dark,

and I would reach under and just touch it

and dream I was there.

And that's how you got started? Yeah.

So what about you? Were you afraid of the dark?

Well, it wasn't really very much dark in my house.

We had a lot of kids. I was the youngest.

A real madhouse, a zoo.

Anyway, you wanna know where your pieces are going, yes?

Mmm-hmm.

Do you know Japan? Mmm-mmm.

Well, contemporary art is a sort of currency there now

because its value is so inconstant.

It's so attractively pliant.

Wait a second. I'm lost.

I'm not connecting the dots here. None of that really matters.

All that really matter is that we need to start getting new pieces,

try to record some six figure sales,

get you the right review in Artforum,

a proper niche at the Basel Art Fair.

That sort of thing. But that's my job, don't you worry about that.

Listen, Mr. Cordell, I... Please.

Call me Mark.

Okay, Mark.

May I call you Annie? Listen...

Yeah, you can call me whatever the hell you want,

but I'm not interested in having my art used as some kind of currency.

Annie, what do you think I get out of this?

You think I make money off of this? I don't. I don't need to.

What I do for a living pays me very, very well.

Could I get you guys... No.

Not now.

I do this so that artists like you can go into your studio

and work on your boxes

and not worry whether or not your children are being fed.

So that these idiots that control the art world, these insects,

you don't have to bother with them.

So you can just do your work.

Hey, you guys. Okay, what do you think?

Pay up.

Forget about it. You're wearing the black one.

You look sexy in it.

Juliet, will you stop it. I do not wanna look sexy.

I'm not wearing the black one. Well, too bad.

And promise me you won't be shy with this guy.

I'm not shy.

No? No.

I'm private.

No, no, no. You clam up.

I just don't babble to men, that's all.

Babble? Annie, this is not babble, this is an art.

First you say something to pump up his little ego, and then,

with a sly little, subtle savvy you puncture his balloon.

Then you stroke his silly little ego again,

and then you push him back, and you pull him in, and you push him back,

you pull him, and you push him, and you pull him

until you've got him dizzy and staggering and falling at your feet.

Juliet? Yeah.

When's the last time you slept?

You mean "sleep" sleep?

Not just closing my eyes for a second while I'm doing a tracheotomy?

I don't know. I slept for a couple of hours on Monday night.

Jesus! Why aren't you at home, in bed? Would you cut it out?

I'm going to take the kids to a movie. This is a cinch.

Annie? What?

How could I not come?

This thing today was the triumph of your life, girlfriend.

What?

♪ You, you You did it ♪

What did I do?

You sold three goddamn pieces!

You know what? I did!

Laozi says that returning is the movement of the Dao.

So are you a Daoist?

I don't know.

Laozi says that when the foolish man first hears of the Dao,

he laughs out loud,

which is certainly true in my case, I'm afraid,

but I also find it very compelling.

Become a valley, stop fighting against that structure

against that fate, what have you,

and everything will flow to you.

What do you think?

I think we need to take a left.

Should I just... Yeah, any one. It doesn't matter.

Just like the ones in the gallery.

You just stick your hand under and...

Cop a feel, yeah.

"The Dream of Giving Notice."

Hmm.

What do you feel?

A keyboard.

A computer keyboard and something rough on the keys.

Is it sandpaper?

This is...

What is this? This is wire.

This is a cage.

This is a birdcage.

I'm caught in a birdcage.

The door is open, but I can't quite squeeze through.

And now I feel a breeze on my fingertips just beyond my reach.

How did you do that?

And now a fluttering...

This is a bird.

This is amazing.

This is also a little bit strange.

I mean, reaching up underneath here and feeling your...

Private stuff?

Private stuff.

My God!

Annie, it doesn't have to only be a dream. You can give notice.

You can escape that hell.

You can do nothing but just make art for the rest of your life.

Would you like to feel another one?

There's a really good one right over there.

This one? Yeah, that one.

But I've already felt that one.

No, no. That one's the one... I just finished that one.

Well, I felt it yesterday.

Yesterday? I didn't even know you yesterday.

But I was here.

You're kidding, right?

Don't get up.

Annie, listen to me now.

You're in danger and your son is in danger.

Oliver. What do you mean? Where's my son?

He went with Jesse and Juliet to the movies, didn't he?

He's gonna be all right.

Such an extraordinary child.

Remember last night, when the two of you were playing that video game upstairs

and you started to panic and he said, "Chill out, Momba."

You remember that?

How do you know that?

Annie,

when I heard the two of you, together, laughing,

I swore to myself that I would do everything

to make sure that he gets through this.

Do you understand me, Annie?

This is a very dangerous time for him.

He could stray.

He could commit some childish error and we could lose him.

That quick.

But you know what I think?

I think he's gonna be safe.

I think he'll grow up and he'll be healthy.

And your friend, Juliet, she'll be safe too. She'll be fine.

Everyone you care about, they'll all be safe as churches.

Do you hear what I'm saying?

Annie, nod your head now. Do as I say.

And, as for you,

all you have to do is wait.

That's all.

And then someone is going to contact you and tell you to say two words.

Two precisely.

Do you know what they are? Have you guessed yet?

No.

Not guilty.

Okay, Annie's home.

Okay, brat, see you later. Okay, I'll see you later.

Get out of here.

What do you want me to do?

Protect him.

Tell him that your date turned out to be a creep.

Hey. Hi there.

Hey, you all right? Yeah.

Oh, it's nice to see you.

What's the matter? Nothing.

Did you have a good time? Yeah.

So what's the matter? Nothing, nothing.

Things just didn't go great with that guy.

Is he still gonna buy your boxes? Doesn't matter.

Here. You okay?

I am fine, sweetie. Go.

I'll be up in a minute, all right.

Just go on.

I still wanna buy your boxes.

No, I don't want you to buy my boxes.

I insist.

Annie, this will be over before you know it.

What? Annie. Hey, what's up?

Boone?

Yeah, it's me.

Oh, Jesus. How are you?

I'm good. How the hell are you?

Hey, listen, don't go anywhere,

I've to put money in the phone, okay?

It's the 1950s here. Don't do anything.

It's gonna sound like we're disconnected.

Are you there?

Yes, that's better.

So, I brought one of the kids down to the hospital today,

and I just thought I'd grab a chance to call you.

How long has it been? How long since we talked?

Well, I don't know, probably the fall, sometime in the fall.

No, has it been... It's been that long.

You know, I've meaning to call,

but I'm still three hours from the nearest phone.

It's just not that easy.

How are you guys anyway? How's Oliver?

Annie? Are you there? Yeah? Um...

Yeah, we're okay.

Good. I thought I lost you.

Listen, Annie, book your airline early this time, okay?

Because last time you know what happened.

You know, I don't think we'll be able to make it this summer. I'm sorry.

You're not gonna make it?

Annie, you'll miss the fiesta. Why? Boone,

you know, just because we had a connection once,

about a million years ago,

doesn't mean that you can just keep popping up into my life

whenever you want.

Annie, what's the matter?

I have someone here and he doesn't like these phone calls,

and, frankly, neither do I.

Okay. Uh...

Sorry. I didn't know.

You okay?

Yeah. And I'll be great when I can just get back to sleep.

Good night, Annie.

I'm talking to the Teacher and he says to me,

"Man don't want to come out of his house. Man don't want to be killed."

So what?

So we could dig a tunnel.

You remember what he said to me, Paulie?

I remember, Louie. I remember.

And I say to the Teacher, I say, "You wanna dig a tunnel?"

"Okay, dig a tunnel. Just kill that cocksucker."

Mr. DeCicco, that is you on the prosecutions tape,

isn't it? Yeah.

It's you and Louie Boffano talking about the Teacher.

Yeah.

So, who is this Teacher?

I don't know.

Do you know why he's called the Teacher, Mr. DeCicco?

'Cause when you see him, school's out.

School's out. Meaning?

What the fuck you think it means? Means you're dead.

Mr. DeCicco, not here.

Sorry. Did you have any direct dealings

with this Teacher?

No, nobody knows who he is. He just does special jobs for Louie.

But didn't you testify yesterday under direct

that the Teacher had suggested a strategy for negotiating with the Cali Drug Cartel.

Maybe, but he didn't... It was the Teacher

who arranged the link between Louie and the Calabrian Mafia, wasn't it?

Yeah.

Two alliances Salvador Riggio bitterly opposed.

Yeah.

And then one day the Teacher said

he could dig a tunnel to the house of Salvador Riggio

for the purpose of killing him, right?

Right. And Louie Boffano said,

"You wanna dig a tunnel. Okay, dig a tunnel."

Yeah.

After all, the Teacher is the boss.

He can do what he wants, right? Come on, give me a break.

Teacher's not the boss.

You know of a single case in which his counsel

wasn't followed, Mr. DeCicco?

I told you, Louie's the boss. Louie gives the orders.

You mean Louie seems to give the orders, right?

Mr. DeCicco, do you know what a puppet is?

Objection, Your Honor. Sustained.

I'm sorry. Let me put it another way.

This is a puppet.

Maybe it seems to make its own decisions.

Objection.

Sustained. Mr. Bozeman, this is not a circus.

I withdraw the puppet.

No further questions.

The reporter will strike that remark from the record.

The jury will disregard it.

Counsel, take that puppet and put it away.

I just sustained an objection to it.

Oliver?

Oliver? - Yeah.

Please get down here.

Anybody here?

- I was just playing around. Yeah, well,

just take your costume off the kitchen table and put it where it belongs.

Mom...

- Oliver... It was a joke.

Well, I'm not the mood, okay?

What is it, Oliver? Mom...

What is this?

This is my math...

You should just say something. Even if it's just, "Okay."

I got a 37 out of 100.

I can see that. What do you want me to say?

What's this?

I thought I told you never to come here.

Well, I... You know, I need some help.

Could I get a few bucks on next month's rent? Huh?

What the fuck is this? Don't touch that!

It's a piece of art.

Rodney, it's a very delicate piece of art.

There you go. Here's somebody you have got to meet.

You have got to meet Lorraine.

This stuff isn't hard for you.

Lorraine? Who's Lorraine?

My girlfriend.

What's this? More art?

That's my girlfriend.

And, yeah, it's a piece of art. These are all pieces of art.

That's why I didn't want you dropping by unexpectedly because

I'm working on some very important pieces.

...who you are? What you do?

Let me tell you this. Get the...

Rodney?

Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

I'll see you later.

Going to do better.

You know, you've said that before.

- Well, I mean it this time. Yeah, right.

You know what? I don't want to discuss this, okay?

Just get your coat on and let's go.

We don't have anything to eat in this house.

Hey, I know you.

You're the artist, right? Box lady?

Buddy of mine, Mark Cordell, bought a couple of your pieces.

This your kid?

Hey, how you doing? Nice to meet you. Hi.

What were those frozen things that you like?

You mean RoboPops? Yeah, go get some.

Tomorrow morning, 7:00 a.m.

The park and ride in Banktree.

It's off I-684, you know it? Yes.

What did I say?

The park and ride, 684, in Banktree.

What time?

7:00 a.m.

Look, you'll be fine.

We're not animals.

I got a kid, too, just a little older than him. Teenager.

Anyway, I just want to tell you I know what you're going through,

and hang in there.

Hey!

What's your name?

I can't tell you my name.

What do I call you then?

Call me Cap'n Crunch.

Captain, thanks.

How are you holding up, Annie?

How have you been feeling lately?

Why don't you tell me? You listen to every word we say.

I don't enjoy invading your privacy.

You don't? No.

But we can't afford the slightest error.

Now, I'm gonna say something to you that might be unwelcome,

but I'm gonna say it nonetheless,

I think you're being a little harsh with your child.

He may start to ask questions. He may talk to his friends.

He won't. He won't.

I just want to finish this as quickly and as painlessly as possible,

but I'm gonna need your help.

We have to work together, Annie.

I'll do what I can, all right?

Do you understand what our strategy was in the courtroom yesterday?

What was our strategy yesterday?

Louie Boffano didn't order the killing.

He's in the mob, maybe a bad guy, but just a figurehead.

He doesn't give orders.

That's right.

And if Louie Boffano isn't guilty then who is?

Who did kill Salvador Riggio?

You did.

You think I'm the Teacher, Annie?

Aren't you?

I would have you believe that.

The Teacher scares you, doesn't he, Annie?

Well, I'm sorry for the fear.

If I had any choice...

Any choice...

But

if I can keep you scared,

I can save your life.

Then he got down on the bed between my husband and me.

And he put his gun on Sal, on his mouth.

And what did the man do then, Mrs. Riggio?

He said, "Open up, Sal, I don't wanna make a mess.

"I don't wanna scare your wife.

"We gotta work together, Sal."

And then? Then he killed my husband.

He killed my Sal. Shot him.

And what happened next?

Then the door opened and my...

Mrs. Riggio, did someone come in?

Tommy, my grandson.

He came in the room,

and he saw my Sal dead.

And then what happened?

Then the man, he saw my baby.

And Tommy ran away, he ran down the hall.

He ran after him.

Then I heard the shot.

He killed my baby!

No further questions.

Oliver? Yeah.

Mom, Juliet called again.

It's only, like, the tenth time.

What's he doing here? What do you mean? Jesse?

You're supposed to be doing your homework. Bye, Jesse.

See you later.

Who the hell has been cutting into the newspaper?

I did. You told me to.

You know what? You never do anything that I ask you to.

Why the hell did you have to do this?

'Cause you told me to!

What did it say?

You're not supposed to know what it says.

You said you weren't supposed to know what's in the paper or on TV.

That's not right.

You don't tell me what's right and wrong, you got it?

Now, what the hell did it say? I don't know.

Well, did it say Boffano was guilty?

I don't know! What did it say?

Was it compelling evidence, persuasive evidence,

do they want you to think he's guilty?

Mom, everybody knows he's guilty.

What's the matter?

What do you mean everybody?

Who the hell have you been talking to?

Nobody. You asked me not to.

I am not asking you, I am telling you.

You talk to anybody about this trial,

and I swear to God, I will beat the shit out of you.

Do you understand me? Do you?

Yeah.

And that bullshit crybaby stuff stops right now!

Oh, shit.

Oh, I can't... I can't do this.

Where is everybody? Huh?

Did I get this wrong again? Oh, jeez.

What do you mean? What time are you supposed to be here?

I was supposed to be here now.

You know what? I'm gonna go see if they're in the old practice fields. Hold on.

Oliver! Just hold on!

Get back here! Oliver, I don't want you going!

Just stay there!

Hey.

We need to talk.

I have to go. I'm gonna be late.

And I... Walk with me.

I can't. What if I were in trouble?

What kind of trouble? What if I were in really bad trouble?

What is it? Like a man, or work? What is it?

What if I couldn't tell you?

What do you mean, "If you couldn't tell me?"

I'm your best friend. You've got to tell me.

So you would tell me? Of course.

Then do that.

I can't tell you what to do, Annie, I don't have a kid.

Still you love him. You love him as much as I do. Don't you?

Tell me what to do, Juliet.

I think you've got to go to the judge.

You're gonna go to the judge,

you're gonna tell him that your son got sick.

Tell him that your son just got diagnosed with leukemia.

He's not gonna buy that. Yeah, he will.

If you have a note from your doctor. From me.

Okay?

I don't know.

I don't know. It just sounds sort of crazy.

You're right. What you're doing, the way you're handling it,

going along with these guys. It's much smarter.

Then why did you... Because I don't take orders very well.

From monsters, I don't take them at all. But that's just me.

He's your kid, Annie.

Once we're back in the car,

you never talk about this. Okay?

Not a word, not a question.

Say it. Say, "I'll never talk about this in the car."

I'll never talk about this in the car.

"Or in the house."

Or in the house.

I knew it.

Oh, God. You're just too smart.

I'm glad you figured it out.

And I'm glad you went to Juliet.

Are you scared? Yeah.

Just a little.

But we're gonna turn this thing around, okay?

Yeah.

Excuse me, may I help you?

I just need to see the judge.

What are you doing here?

I need to see you.

You know who I am.

Yes, you're a juror.

Open that door, please.

I wanna talk to you alone.

Let me just explain something to you.

When you come into my chambers, this is not a trivial thing.

When a juror visits a judge,

this can have serious consequences.

Now,

if you still have a problem and you wanna talk about it,

then I'll call the Defense Attorney and the DA and we'll sit down and talk...

No, I wanna talk to you alone.

I don't want them. I only wanna talk to you.

Alone? Alone.

Well, you can't talk to me alone and whatever that is,

I don't wanna see it. Not without the attorneys present.

Are you telling me that I'm making a mistake?

Madam, what I remember about you

is that I gave you every opportunity to get out of serving on this jury.

But you insisted you wanted jury duty. Do you recall?

Well, you want to serve, you don't want to serve.

You have a problem,

but you don't think the defendant has a right to hear it.

Well, I think you're wrong.

He happens to be on trial for murder.

He was every right to hear it.

Now,

shall I try to locate his counsel?

No, I've changed my mind.

You and your fucking '77 Knicks.

You think your fucking Earl "The Pearl," could play John Starks?

Hey, man, Earl "The Pearl" would've blown fucking John Starks

right out of the Garden, my friend.

John Starks would take Earl "The Pearl..."

Annie, I'd like you to meet Rodney.

Rodney, this is my friend, Annie.

Your girl is a fucking knockout.

Rodney, here, is about a half a gallon of sewage

that just backed up from New York City, Annie.

Hey, don't give me that shit!

I offered to drive Rodney home because

I think he's had a little bit too much to drink.

Well...

Annie, would you like to ride with us?

Shove it up your ass.

I'll drive my own car. Hey, man, get in the car.

Come on. I want you to get into the backseat,

'cause I want Annie to ride up front with me.

Rodney is not making a great success in his sojourn here on earth.

He's a drunk, he's an imbecile.

You button up that bum hole, buddy.

But his friends take good care of him.

Even after all those DUIs...

...he's still on the road.

Hey, you said you had some scotch, right? Break it out, shit-for-brains.

Annie, could you reach into my bag and take out the bottle that's in there?

This? Yeah, that's it.

I don't want you to spill any, Rodney. What do you think?

I'm gonna stick this in my face?

Just suck on it.

If you think it's gonna affect my high regard for you, Rodney,

well, it won't.

You asshole.

Just lie down, Rodney. I've put something in there to make you sleepy.

So go to sleep.

Go to sleep.

What are you doing? I'm doing Rodney.

I wanna see what life is like through Rodney's eyes.

And just like I thought, it is one big blur.

Look at Rodney now, Annie, look at him.

He's just like the rest of us.

Spending all of his time trying to stay out of the way of fear.

Anything to not feel fear. Anything.

Don't you ever feel fear?

I feel it all the time, Annie.

I had a bout with it today.

But you know, Annie, I bow to fear.

It's terror that teaches me my shape, Annie.

Do you understand what I'm saying?

Lacrosse.

They say it's the most dangerous sport in the country,

but I guess if it weren't very dangerous,

then young boys wouldn't wanna play, would they?

Oliver plays lacrosse, doesn't he?

What are we doing here?

I wanna teach you what you love, Annie.

The gray suits want you to love the law, justice,

but what good are the gray suits?

Are they gonna shield you?

Are the gray suits gonna shield you, Annie?

Can the gray suits shield you from somebody like me?

I mean, look at me!

I'm Rodney. I'm old, and I'm tired,

but when I'm behind the wheel of this car, I'm a young buck again.

I might take this curve here a little too fast.

Please stop!

Look, I didn't tell the judge, I swear! I did not tell the judge.

I didn't tell him!

Aw! Who's gonna protect you, Annie? You will.

Who's gonna protect you? You will.

And I want you to say it! "The Teacher will protect me!"

The Teacher will protect me!

Say it! The Teacher will protect me!

Say it again! The Teacher will protect me!

Sure, you can put the Teacher in jail, you can sizzle Louie Boffano,

but what are you gonna do about this drunken Rodney

behind the wheel of this car?

I'm looking down this road and it's just one big blur to me!

But I think I see a boy on a bicycle

who looks an awful lot to me like... Hey.

Oh, God, no!

No! Oh, God! Please no!

Who will protect you? Please, no!

The Teacher! Who will protect you?

The Teacher! Who will shield you?

Say, "The Teacher!" The Teacher!

Say it, "The Teacher will protect me!" The Teacher!

Say it! Again! Again! Again! The Teacher will protect me!

No!

Here.

Oh.

You can't let him drive like that!

You're absolutely right, Annie.

He could hurt somebody.

No!

Make sure she gets home safe, Eddie.

Where you going?

Why did he do that?

'Cause you scared him.

You don't ever wanna do that shit again 'cause he will hurt you.

I don't wanna see you get hurt.

You said you had a kid, right, captain?

Eddie.

My name is Eddie.

Yeah, I got a daughter. 14.

Why do you let him do these things?

You got too many questions. Come on.

Let's get out of here.

Hey, Mom.

Do you think we could go to the mall later? - No.

- Get some ice cream? No.

I wanted to tell you about my day.

Did you talk to Juliet today?

Juliet? No. Why don't you finish your homework?

Did you talk to Juliet today?

Did you talk to Juliet today?

Juliet? No. Why don't you finish your homework?

He looks good.

You gonna examine me like that sometime? Oh, you wish.

You're on call on Saturday night.

You said he can be reasoned with.

But he can't.

What happened? We tried it your way, Juliet.

And it didn't work out.

Now, you've got to promise me

that you're gonna stay out of our lives.

And that's what Oliver wants, too?

Well, Oliver thinks that we should be heroes, but he's wrong.

But he's promised to keep his mouth shut so that's all that matters.

And now you've got to promise, too.

Promise you what? I'm going to abandon you?