Home for the Weekend (2012) - full transcript

HOME FOR THE WEEKEND

Papa!

Hey, how are you?

Oh, man!

Give me a call next time.
- Am I late?

I packed him a sandwich.

I have something, too.
Or we'll eat on the train.

Call me when you get to Grandpa's.

He can stay with me Sunday night.
I'll take him to school.

Okay. I have to go.

And call me.



Come on.

Gitte?

Mama?

Yes?

I was calling you.

Yes, I heard you.

The gate's open.

Then close it.

Don't you want something decent
like spaghetti or soup?

No, cake.

What kind of cake?

With almonds.
- Which one?

That one.
- It's delicious.

Eat something proper. Like a pretzel.



No.

Zowie, don't act up or you're taking a nap.
- I'm not acting up.

I changed my mind. I want a pretzel.

Thanks, but this is a pedagogical disaster.

She already ate from it.

No, I didn't.
But keep hesitating and I might reconsider.

Go ahead and rinse.

Heidtmann's Dentistry.

No problem,
at least you called to cancel.

Just call. Short notice is fine, too.

Have a nice weekend. Good-bye.

Welcome to Siegburg, Bonn...

Where are you going?
- My boyfriend's picking me up.

He sometimes gets held up. He's a doctor.

A dentist? Then he's on time.

Did he come on to you? Typical.

It's Christmas already?

Zowie, just ring once.

Let's say hi for a sec.
- For a sec.

Not bad.

And you? Still fighting all the time?

I moved out.

Six months ago.

Then it's time you told our parents.

I don't want a fuss,
I just want food and sleep.

Hey Zowie, can you stop that?

Don't you have the keys?

Quiet, we're in treatment.

Here.

How's she doing?
- Fine.

That lady has brought Gitte into touch
with her "energy flow".

Homeopathy , TCM...
- TCM?

What's that?
- Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Can't hurt. As a supplement.

Right.

The Chinese are so incredibly relaxed.

Higher?

Much higher.
- Much higher...

What's with your nap?

Nothin'.

Nothin'?

Nothin' at all. Zilch.

Bet you can't catch me!

Have fun.

Is something brewing?
Gitte sounded strange on the phone.

Like:
"You definitely have to come this weekend."

No idea. We're barbecuing at my place later.

Are you an antelope?

Yes. And who are you?

A... tiger!

How was your trip?

Fine.

Wait.
- What for?

Now?
- No.

Don't freak out, okay?

Oh, Jakob.

Günter's to blame.

You can't even cook.

That doesn't bother Papa.

"You can't install your old junk,"

and before I could get a word in...

Something simple would've been fine for me,
but it's his house and his decision.

Is Günter to blame for this, too?
- He knows the manufacturer.

Wait till I unpack my own stuff.
It'll look totally different.

It's not ugly, is it?

No, it's not ugly.

Actually it looks pretty good.
With you on it.

There's Grandpa.

Hey, Zowie!

There's only one reason you're here so early.
- It'd do you good, too.

What? Go racing with smug guys like yourself?

Hi.

Are they bringing out a second edition?

You should've come to me instead.

They seem to be real slowpokes.

Give them a call:

"Hi, Marko Heidtmann's papa here.
You're doing it all wrong."

I'll have to check up on you
in Berlin more often. Grandpa has time now.

Lots of time!

You'll wither away
without the publishing house.

It'll wither away without me.

This e-book craze
is the beginning of the end.

Does Gitte know?

Of course. She owns shares.

I saw the notary yesterday.
It's all wrapped up.

We should be happy
she didn't invite half of the book fair.

It'll just be us.

Only Lulu and George are coming over.

She must be thrilled
you're not in Frankfurt every week.

Who said I'm going to retire? No.
I'm finally going to write that book

about the Assyrians' and Sumerians'
narrative strategies.

Nobody's ever written about that.

Zowie? Come on.

Good, Zowie!

Shoot!

Your father, really.

I thought we'd tell you together.

You know him:

strong-willed methods.

Too bad Tine couldn't come.
She's the only one missing.

I was on a book tour in Bonn.
- Right, you called me.

I had a bad day.

I was looking forward to it,
but was bed-ridden again.

I thought you don't like it.
- No...

I didn't want to ruin your evening.
You should enjoy being celebrated.

If you really want to know,

I read it twice in a row.

Come on, Jakob! Sit your ass down.

Anything missing?
- No, it's all here.

Zowie passed his first swim test.

Then you can really swim!

How far?
- 25 meters.

Underwater, too?
- Yeah.

Did you get your badge?
- Yes, on my swimsuit.

Run for cover!

Come on, Günter.

Although you're right:

If I held a speech during some of my phases,
you'd better run for cover.

Now...

As you've all heard,
your father gave up his publishing house.

That's why I told them:
to spare us this speech.

You don't even know what I'm getting at.
Stop it.

To make a long story short:

We're obviously entering a new phase of life.

And so I also came to ask myself:

If Günter is strong enough
to make such an elementary change,

could I also gather my courage
and try something similar?

We're almost 60,

it feels like
we've been married for 100 years,

my sickness and I
are celebrating our 30th anniversary...

I'm aware of your concerns,

but for almost two months to the day,

I've gone without medication.

Don't make those faces.
Did any of you even notice anything?

I know what you're thinking:

"Every time she goes without it,
she ends up in the hospital."

Sure.

No, what I want to say is:

You're my family,
you've always been there for me,

and by looking at you this evening,

I can see that you two are doing well.

As different as your paths may be,

you're on solid ground.

In that regard,

I'm glad to finally join you.

On solid ground.

Solid ground...

It's just surprising.

True.

Bye.
- Sleep well.

Bye.

There's no need to even talk about it.

The idea of not taking pills

must've come from that quacky lady.

So what?

It might sound funny,

but Gitte seems pretty normal.

She's been medicated for years.

Who knows what will happen now.

What if you take her seriously?

Just imagine it works out.
- Just imagine...

Just imagine monitoring her.
Anything else would be negligent.

What's wrong with that?
- Right.

Gitte's last diagnosis was ten years ago.

Her pseudo-psychiatrist
hasn't even defined her condition.

Sometimes it's "depression",
other times "manic depression".

People have croaked doing what Gitte does.

But it's a chance for her. And us.

Who'll take care of Mama?

You, after you're back in Berlin?

Take responsibility for once.

I have enough shit on my plate.

Night.
- Night.

Calm down.

Are you crying?

He just sees it more from the outside.

Then that's where he should stay.

What are you doing up?

As if I could sleep.

My flight's in four weeks.

Jordan, Israel. A few days in Egypt.

I have a ticket and she does this.

Gitte...

Always good for a surprise.

All that research.

The appointments all organized.

I thought this would be
a fun weekend with the whole family.

Happens seldom enough.

We have to talk about the proceeds, too.

It didn't just sell for peanuts.

And before it all goes to taxes,
I'd rather give it away.

What's wrong?

Need anything?

Sorry, I didn't hear the phone.

We were at Jakob's.

He's scrambling around, everything's fine.

Yes, I know.

I forgot.

Yeah, I don't know either.

I'll call you on Sunday.

Talk to you then.

Perfect timing.
- Good morning.

Remember Susanne?
- From the bookstore?

Guess what book he's hyping?
And rightfully so.

His own?

And go!

Another carrot.

X-RAY
NO ENTRY

Is the x-ray thing broken already?

Did they wake you up?

It's nice out.

I have a doctor's email.

I knew him in med school. He works as
a private psychiatrist and knows his stuff.

Don't you want to go for a walk?
- No, I need to finish this.

Wait, Ella.

Sorry.

It's all a bit much right now.

There's always something.

Either we're painting or eating
with your parents, which is fine, but...

Is it my fault that my mother
made that stupid announcement?

The thing isn't broken.

At least then I'd get my money back.

The bank doesn't like it when you don't pay.

I have no patients.

If things continue like this,

I'll be finished after summer.

No, that's fine.

Tell him I said get well.

See you. Yes, I'll tell him. Bye.

They say hi.

George can't get into the car with his back.
- Maybe it's better that way.

We don't want to go overboard.

But we wanted to celebrate.

Juice?

We'd better talk to your doctor.

My words aren't enough?

Before my flight, I want us to bring
your thick skull back to reality.

Where are you flying?
- To Jordan!

You booked? Just like that?
- My office did it.

So then I should call the office

when I want to be informed.

Zowie, go get dressed.

We spoke about me being away for my book.

Whether I'm at a fair or in Jordan.

Oh right, I take the pills
so you're at ease in Jordan?

I wouldn't be at ease.

I'd just be less afraid.
- I'm not doing this just for myself!

Is there any coffee here?
- Abolished!

He poured gallons of that crap into his body.

Why don't you go together?

We can't even survive a weekend, Marko.
What would we do there?

You didn't snatch a coffee machine?
- I wish.

I need more shelves.

When should she try it, if not now?

I didn't give up my work to mow the lawn
and wait for her to go nuts again.

She knows how important this book is
to me. - You're important to her, too.

I kept this house going for 30 years,
you're all taken care of...

I finally want to do something for myself.

You do what you want, too.

This needs a special place.

I called the travel agency.

Seats are still available.

Jordan isn't Lake Garda.

I'll take the pills with me in case things
get complicated. You go to your libraries,

and when you get bored, then...

That's what I'd want, too.

Now you're making it look like
I didn't want you to come.

Yes, exactly.

It's working again.

Great, thanks.

Let's go for a ride or it was all in vain.

Know how long the days are
when Günter's in Frankfurt?

You can't garden, jog and shop enough.

And Jakob asking how I am every five minutes.
- Come to Berlin and get some distance.

Thanks, but we've had distance from Monday
to Friday since you were children.

Leave it on.

No, it's embarrassing.

I like it.

Stop it!

I understand him in a way.

Me, too.

Me, too...

I wouldn't always have wanted
to come home to me, either.

To someone drugged up on the couch.

Or when you ran around the house
like the Energizer bunny.

I remember you both leaving for an event,
a reading or an awards ceremony.

And the next morning
Günter said you were in the hospital.

My new pills clashed with the champagne.

But how could you?

Jakob woke up
in the middle of the night weeping.

What could I do? I was only 12.

The big brother can't start bawling.
- Stop it, I know that.

It's always the same.

Champagne's not for me, either.

I always ask for too much at once.

Just slow down a bit.

Maybe I shouldn't hassle you guys so much.

If you love something, set it free.
If it comes back, it'll stay.

And if it doesn't...

Are you in second gear?

Press the clutch.

The clutch!

Ah! Don't brake!

Push!

Other couples stay in bed
if they're only together on weekends.

I beg your pardon.

It doesn't matter anyway.

He's losing 5000 a month.

Sterilizing yourself, too?

I can't even afford
to pay someone to do this.

You've only been open for one year.
You'll be a big hit.

Our parents send me half of my customers.

Be happy.

Know how humiliating that is?
Maybe this dump doesn't need a dentist.

Günter's going to give us money.

He's given enough. He built the house,
I pay next to nothing for rent...

What does he care? He made a killing.

The deal was: He vouches for everything

and I pay the monthly bills.
I can't do this anymore.

Is the sun not shining out of your ass?
Who else has his own practice at your age?

If I need calendar mottos,
I'll read your great book.

I was supposed to tell you:

Dinner's at seven.

Maybe dinner's a good idea.

You're not a disgrace.

It just didn't work out.

Can I help?

Yes, the silverware's missing.

Here.

There are six of us.

Jakob might not come. He's sick.

You play.

It's funny when I look at you

And see that sour and sullen face

Cause you're a very special case

Who's driven me to drink a few

A couple more and I feel strong

Enough to have the guts to say

That I can't stand your spiteful tongue

Nor suffer all your nasty ways

Your body though somehow still young

Throws all my dreams and hopes away

It grabs me here, now hear me right

I'm tired of being the underdog

Yes, tired of being pushed and shoved

With all the love lost in my heart

I had it all, you know it now

At times I'd like to wring your neck

You've changed, you really look a wreck

Let's face it, you've let yourself go

You're such a let-down to your sex

Your stockings twisted round your legs

That same old faded dressing gown

Your hair in curls hanging down

What could I have been thinking of

Was it with you I fell in love

Are you the girl that could inspire

A heart with passion and desire

I gaze at you in sheer despair

And see your mother standing there

In front of strangers you're the same

You don't mind putting me to shame

You contradict each word I say

How you can turn night into day

I hit the jackpot, what a blow

The first time that I took you out

If you had learned

to shut your mouth

But God knows you've let yourself go

What are the cannelloni filled with?
- Put on a clean shirt and I'll tell you.

Again!
- Come on, go wash your hands.

Darn!

If your writing fails you in the future...

Only if you and Jakob
accompany me on the recorder.

Need help, Zowie?

I've got it.

Having trouble with the faucet?

No, a guy's there.

You're all partying it up.

Come on in.

You really missed something.
- Can we do it again?

No, first, help me with the cannelloni.

Ah, the Prodigal Son.

Would you care to explain?

Let it be, Günter.
- You don't normally drink.

Leave him alone.
- But he's drunk.

It's because of his practice.

Not now.

Why not?

It's not going as planned.
- Anyone hungry?

Mind your own business.

Pull yourself together.

We'll talk about this later.

An appetizer.

Feeling better?

He's just a bit tired. Like all of us.

Now this is silly.

Will someone please fill me in?

Come on,
the more you open a can of worms...

We'll talk about it later.

It's about money.

Mama, everything's okay.

It's nothing.

I'm used to the kid-glove treatment,

but that's easier to bear when I'm on pills.
Then you don't get everything.

So what may I not know about today?

Jakob, come with me.
- No, he's staying here.

It's not that bad.

Man!

I thought we'd celebrate a change,
have guests over...

So here we stand.

Or rather:
I'm standing here and watching you.

Am I even allowed to be here?
Or is that not possible either?

What am I allowed to do?

Hear a bit of lip service?

"Maybe not Jordan,
but Lake Garda is nice, too.

Or perhaps Berlin."

Don't you realize how disrespectful it is
to treat someone like furniture?

The cannelloni will be ready in five minutes.
Then you can talk in private.

Gitte, just open the door.

If only you'd shut your trap.

Finished!

Papa and Mama fight all day at home,
then there's fighting here, too.

How can I explain that to you?

This sum is out of proportion

to the money I invested

and your time and effort.

Seems you've done nothing wrong.

I just thought it'd go faster.

Isn't it a bottomless pit? Shouldn't you
pull the ripcord and file for bankruptcy?

If you believe in it, then I do, too.

I won't leave you hanging.

Thanks.

We'll go to the bank on Monday.

This is...

It's my parents' money.

They've entrusted me with so much
that the least I can do is try to repay them.

That's a lifetime commitment.

I'm thinking of you.

No, you're thinking of yourself.

Which is okay.

He didn't even ask me.

He just assumes I'll go along with it.

This place is fine while I'm studying,
but what am I to do here afterwards?

He's not the kind to just take off.
He's someone you can count on.

He brought underwear for the other kids
when they pissed themselves in kindergarten.

Yeah, that's how he is.

Till his own dresser was empty.

Have kids with a guy like that,

and you've got it made.

Think your parents would mind
me sleeping on the couch?

You can sleep with Zowie.

I'll take the couch.

Thanks.

Sleep well.
- Night.

Don't look at me like that.

I can drink a glass when I'm not on pills.

Sorry about earlier.

Is it all just an act

that you perform for me every day?

I don't tell you the truth, either.

I play a glad-hander
and smile everything away.

Instead of admitting
how I screwed things up with Tine,

it's easier to shut my mouth

and say that Tine has to work.

Funny that she works on Christmas, too,
and that you can't reach me at home.

It's so easy.

You know, when I consider

my situation with Tine, I think:

It's better to establish clarity
and then deal with the consequences.

You can't do that to Zowie.

The 48-hour jokester dad.

Everything else is self-deception.

The only thing that really scares me

is for Tine to find another guy

who Zowie calls "Papa".

Did you even fight for each other?

What for?

Are you sure Günter still loves you?

After only taking care of you
all those years?

The best would be you start from scratch,
and we do, too.

At least there's that.

Want this?

Where's Papa?

Come with me.

Thanks.

Did you say "Uno"?
- Uno!

Play with us. She's winning.

Last round. We're going home after breakfast.
- Darn!

Jakob's making coffee.

Uno, uno.
- Darn!

Can I play, too?

Let's go to your place, okay?

Where's Gitte?

She's not back?
- Did she even say where she was going?

Didn't you notice when she woke up?

I was reading in the other room
and fell asleep.

Mailbox.

She doesn't use it anyway.

Try again.

I told you so.

Forget it, she didn't take anything.
- We have to proceed deductively.

Where do they keep their suitcases?

If it's what you're thinking,
she didn't pack.

If it's what I'm thinking, then you went
way too far with your pseudo-solidarity.

She overwhelms herself
and you just don't get it.

How many does she have?
- What's missing?

Are you going to look for her?
- Better than sitting around here.

I'm going with you.

You're staying here. I'll have my cell on.
If anything happens, call me.

I wanna go with you!

Go get dressed.
- But I wanna go!

You can't.

There would be too little room for Grandma.

Come on!

Let go of me.

I've got him.

She could be anywhere.
- At the lake?

Let's get ice cream first.

We have to proceed deductively.

Enough!

If you don't stop, you're getting out.

Should I drive?

She's probably around the corner
laughing her head off.

Keys are there.

We'll write a note telling her to come home.

Good night, Mr. Heidtmann
- Thank you.

Let's try and get some sleep.

They'll begin at sunrise.

Günter went to bed.

Is there any aspirin here?

It's not his fault.

Why didn't I force her
to take those damn pills.

If she...

Hi, Tine. It's me.

I can't take Zowie to school tomorrow.

We're still here.

Maybe you should come pick him up.

It'd be nice if you came,
one way or the other.

Please call me. My cell will be on.

Good morning.
- Morning.

We're the family.

Can we help?

They're still discussing.

It's nothing.

We're doing our best.

They're bringing a helicopter tomorrow.

Want to go home and come back
this afternoon? - It won't go that long.

The dogs aren't barking. If they don't
find anything within 24 hours...

Like he said, they don't suspect a felony.

Of course she's here.

The break is over.
Let's try that direction now.

A bit more spread out. Come on.

Want to have a race?

Finished.

Is Günter here?
He's not answering his phone.

He's out right now.
- I know. This is a small town.

You're a friend of Günter and Gitte?

Please tell him to call me.

Susanne. He'll know who I am.

Excuse me.

Want to come in?

Bye.

Bye. Thank you.

Go ahead, we'll get back somehow.

They can forget about the helicopter.

You've gone gliding here.

The forest is too dense.

I told Tine I'm staying.

We can go together tomorrow.

Jakob, wait.

Come on.

What do you want on this one?

Marmalade.
- Again?

What?

Tine called.

Maybe you should call her back.

Taste good?

How's Jakob doing?

What do you think?

I'm just here to help.

Word travels fast.

I have to go.

No, please stay.

Is he asleep?

He's an incredibly sweet child.

Remember Siegfried?

He always said about marriage:

"The pitcher is brought to the well
until it breaks."

Pretty weak for such a smart-ass.

For 30 years,

I fought for my relationship with Gitte.

Susanne and I
have been together for two years now.

You know what it was like for me

to come home on Friday

not knowing if the pills had worked

or if I'd be screamed at all weekend.

I came back anyway.

It's nice to discover a new side of someone:

Self-righteousness and fear of confrontation
going hand in hand.

But that doesn't matter when you're fucking.

I asked your father to stay with your mother.
Everything else would've been irresponsible.

If she comes back, it's fine.

Sorry for being conservative,

but coming on to a married man
is the irresponsible part of the story.

Put yourself in my position.

I invested my whole life in that marriage.

But I need more.

So I told her.

What?

That I doubt we still have a chance.

That after these 30 years,

I doubt we'll suddenly be happy again.

Why did you do that?

She asked if I was playing her for a fool,

so I said I'm not going to Jordan alone.

It felt good. The truth for the first time.
And she seemed relieved, too.

We have to stop pretending.

For what price?

So Gitte gets lost and might be dead?

And if she's alive, you take off to Jordan
and let Jakob take care of her?

Where's the flashlight?

In the glove compartment.

This might all suit you,
but I want Gitte back.

I hope that woman in there
understands what kind of guy you are.

What's all the racket?

Here, you wanted this, right?

Here.

I could've sworn
it'd be Jakob coming out for me.

Come on, you can walk, can't you?

Am I too fast?

Can we take a break?

It's not far. You'll make it.

Let's walk together.

I'm glad it's not raining.

What are you doing here?

Show me your leg.

Does it hurt?

You can't just leave, Mama.

It'll be fine soon.

Everything okay?

Don't move.

Try it.

For real.

I just bought coffee.

Should I make a pot?

Just as terrible as Gitte's was.

What kind of color is that?

Ella says it's green and I call it...

gray.

How do you like it?

Can't you stop
renovating and furnishing apartments.

Can you help me with the tree?
- Just a minute.

You should've come here.
The Swedes are funny.

Next year.

I hope you understand my not being there.

I just don't want to see him.

Have a nice Christmas.
- You, too.

Bye.

Bye.

Maybe we should just forget about it.

We always enjoyed the holidays.

Come on, give me a hand.

Bored?

It's weird without Grandma.

I think so, too.

I'm sure she's doing well.

I think so, too.

Do I have everything? Put on your hat.

In case you need it,

my phone numbers in Jordan.

It'll be a while
before they declare her dead,

so I need your permission
for a few formalities.

I sent it to Jakob already.

Bye, Grandpa.
- Bye, Sweetie.

Bye.
- Bye. - Take care.

You could've stayed for longer.

Susanne won't be back from her sister's
until tomorrow.

Have a safe trip.

We'll talk on the phone.

Sure I shouldn't take you to the station?
- The bus is coming any minute.

Bye, Grandpa.
- Bye.

Will we make it or should we call a taxi?

We'll make it.

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Matthew Way