Stop-Loss (2008) - full transcript

Eyeball, be sure
to get me in focus, man.

Make sure you take the lens cap off
this time.

- Hey, let's play some spades.
- Hey, Tommy's got to go.

All right.

Are you out, Tommy?

When we see Old Glory flying

There's a lot of men dead

So we can sleep in peace at night

When we lay down our head

My daddy served in the Army
Where he lost his right eye

But he flew a flag out in our yard



Till the day that he died

He wanted my mother, my brother
My sister and me

To grow up and live happy
In the land of the free

Now this nation that I love
Has fallen under attack

A mighty sucker punch came flying in
From somewhere in the back

Soon as we could see clearly
Through our big black eye

Man, we lit up the world
Like the Fourth of July

Don't take my leader book.

And Uncle Sam puts your name
At the top of his list

And the Statue of Liberty
Started shaking her fist

And the eagle will fly
And there's gonna be hell

When you hear Mother Freedom
Start ringing her bell

And it feels like the whole wide world

Is raining down on you



Okay, open the door. Open the door.

Brought to you courtesy
Of the red, white and blue

Okay, the squad unit is on the road...

What is that?

- Any Mexicans in there?
- Fucker!

- What's that?
- No...

Okay, okay. Okay, close.

Hey, get these guys the fuck out of here.

Just pop shots, guys. Stay alert.

- Get these guys out of here.
- Good to go.

Yeah, Sarge, just waiting around
to get blown up, huh?

Yo, check this out.
Mich, she just sent this to me yesterday.

Damn, Sarge. Your fianc?e is hot!

Appreciate it.

She and I will make
some cute Tex-Mex babies.

That's it. Now you're cleaning
the shitters. Keep it up.

Just keep it up. Go ahead.

Oh, that's personal. That's personal.
That's personal.

Sergeant King, I just saw Michelle's tits.

- Congratulations, Private.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, titties?

All right, Steve, deal with that car.
Eyeball, take your post. Come on.

All right, all right.

Whoa! Stop! Stop!

Hold your fire!

Two Apache gunships are on their way
for support.

Do you copy?

We have two men wounded, one killed.

We need emergency medevac
immediately. Over.

Checkpoint two,
we confirm your transmission.

Medevac is on its way.

Sending a Quick Reaction Force
to your pos at this time.

Roger.
Quick Reaction Force for position, over.

Make it quick. I have two men shot up!
I need help, now!

Units are on their way.

- All right. Send them through.
- Get out of here.

Get out of here.

Mount up! Mount up! Let's go!

We're requesting
a Quick Reaction Force. Over.

We are pursuing insurgents
in a white taxi

north through the city. Over.

- Frank, do you see anything up there?
- North! He's turning north!

All right, he's on our 11. He's on our 11.

- Rico! You see it?
- Fuck! Damn!

- Steve, you stay on them.
- Can we hit him on the.50?

Not yet, there are too many civilians.
We cannot fire.

I got them on my 11.

You okay, Tommy?
Hold on, here we go!

Look for a clear shot, Frank.
I will give you an order.

Fuck!

- Randy, Frank, cover high. Come on.
- Roger.

- Open door left.
- Psych it up.

- Go! Straight ahead! I got stairs!
- Stay there! Stay there!

Stay calm. Stay calm.

Adjacent room.

Rico, clear?

- Clear!
- Clear!

Stay calm! Coming out!
Rico, coming out!

- Shrive, that's a dry hole!
- Coming out!

All right, move!

Tommy, let's move.

Go, move.

It's an ambush!
Let's prepare to move back!

Ready! Move back!

I got two Hajis right across the street!

Smoke! Smoke!

Preacher, call in!

Tell them we need
immediate extraction!

Tell them we've taken enemy fire!

- Two went down!
- Shadow 6, this is Shadow 3,

Lollipop Quebec Romeo 1-3-3.
We're pinned down.

- We need immediate extraction.
- Move!

We have two KIA. Over.

RPG!

Preacher, are you hit?

- I got two guys up front.
- Rico's hit!

- I need help!
- Is he all right?

Come on!

Preacher, get Tommy!

- Tommy, come on. Get up!
- Get him out of the street!

Come on, get against the wall.
You okay?

Rico, no sleeping on the job, buddy.
Come on.

Contact in the front of the street!

Contact in the front of the street!

Somebody get some smoke
in that alley!

Get that door open!

Stay with me.

- Can you look at me?
- Is he breathing?

Yeah, he's breathing.

Eyeball, help me get him in here.

Preach? Preacher?

- Preacher's hit!
- Get him out of there!

Tommy! Get your ass inside, right now!
Come on.

Tommy!

Tommy, get your ass in there now!

Get down! Get down!

Steve, don't go in there!

God damn it.

Steve!

- Steve!
- Man, I'm hit! I'm hit!

- I'm on my last mag!
- How many?

Got a guy at the top of the stairs!

There's another guy
at the end of the fucking hall!

Coming straight up.

Steve?

Steve!

- You all right?
- I'm all right. I'm all right.

All right, Steve-o.
Let's get you out of here.

- I'm all right.
- Come on.

- I'm all right.
- You got it.

Look at you, man.

All right, we're coming down.
We're gonna need cover.

Sergeant Shriver,
I saw your last range scores.

- You ever thought of sniper school?
- I used to.

I'm getting out. I'm getting married, sir.

- You're a hell of a shot.
- I know, sir. Thank you, sir.

Puffing on Boot's cigar pretty hard,
ain't you?

"I know, sir. Thank you, sir.
I know, sir. Thank you, sir."

All right, men, listen up!

We have a bit of a surprise for you.

The good folk of Sergeant King and
Sergeant Shriver's hometown, Brazos,

are throwing them a getting-out parade.

You represent the United States Army.

I expect every one of you
to be on your best behavior.

Here's a list of things you will not do
while on leave.

You will not drink and drive.

You pick up a young lady, let her drive.

Let her get the DUI.

You will not beat up civilians!

You will not fuck anyone underage.

I say again,
you will not fuck anyone underage.

You will not beat your wife,

you will not beat your kids.
You will not kick your dog.

Am I understood?

Okay. I'll see you
in Monday's formation, 0700. That's it.

Enjoy your stay in Brazos.

Did you get her on tape, man?

- No, I didn't get her on tape.
- It's incriminating.

She said she was 18, so fuck all y'all.

- Welcome home, Brandon!
- Welcome home, Steve!

Well done, Shriver!

Guys, welcome back.

- Welcome home.
- Thank you.

- Hey, baby!
- Hey, baby!

Welcome back, soldier!

Hey, Michelle. Come here.

Beauty.

God bless the U.S. A!

Two boys from Brazos,
best friends since they were kids,

distinguished themselves
by leading Brazos High football

to a memorable,
barn-burning division championship...

- All right, Steve!
- ... and have gone to war

and returned as heroes.

Staff Sergeant Brandon Leonard King.

We honor his exceptional courage,
loyalty and selfless service

with this Purple Heart
and Bronze Star with Valor.

Let's hear from one of Brazos' own.

- Yeah! Speech, Brandon, speech.
- Speech! Speech! Speech!

Come on, Brandon.

Sign them up, Sergeant.

Come on, Brandon.

I wasn't...
I wasn't planning on giving a speech.

I was just...

I was just over there trying to do my job,
like everybody else.

Trying to bring my men back safe.

You know, most of my men
ain't from Texas.

It's kind of hard for me
to describe to them what I love most.

Ribs at Smitty's, or

the way they keep the beer in tubs
at the Ajax Bar,

being out at the ranch with my folks.

On the bus ride over here,
I saw a truck hauling onions.

And I couldn't get the window down,
'cause I... I wanted to smell them.

See, onions smell like home to me.

- They smell like Texas...
- That's right, Sergeant King.

We're over there killing them in Iraq
so we ain't got to kill them in Texas!

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain

America, America

God shed His grace on thee

And crown thy good with brotherhood

Tony, how are you, son?

Brandon.

Ma!

Oh, God! Let me see you.

- Oh, you're home now, baby.
- I'm home.

- Let him breathe, Ida.
- Oh, he can breathe.

Dad.

Good to have you back, Son.

Thank you, sir. Thank you.
It's good to be back.

- Brandon King!
- Yes, ma'am.

- Mr. King! Good to see you, sir.
- Sergeant King!

Good to have you back.

Yeah, well, baby.

Hey, Thomas? You going with us?

Yeah, I'll be there in a second.

- I am real proud of you, son.
- Hello.

I'm pulling some strings,
trying to move your Private Rodriguez

from the hospital in Germany
to an Army hospital stateside.

Anything else you need, you call me.

Thank you, sir, I will.

I'm real grateful
about Private Rodriguez.

I plan on seeing him when I get out.

If you come to Washington, you call me.

I'll take you around Capitol Hill

and show them
what a real Texas hero looks like.

I'd love that. I'd love that.

Private Rodriguez's family could use
a word of encouragement.

We are going to take very good care
of your son.

Thank you.

- Your brother's gonna be fine, just fine.
- Thank you.

All right, Augustin.
You stay out of trouble.

- Shorty Shriver!
- Hey, Brandon.

I got some making out to do. Sorry.

Y'all so cute.

- Have a seat.
- Welcome back, baby.

- Thank you.
- We missed your fine ass.

- Oh, man.
- Here, soldier.

Get you some tequila.

- Oh, look, it's Brandon, King of Texas.
- Come on, Brandon.

Oh, my lord.

You back in Texas now.

- I love Texas! I love Texas!
- Welcome home, boy.

It's good to be home.

All right. Y'all listen up.

To Steve and Michelle.

Oh, my gosh.

Finally!

Give it a spin on the dance floor.
Come on.

Yeah.

- I want to dance.
- I formally release him

- into your custody.
- Thank you.

I'm all right.
Don't worry about old Steve.

Are you okay?

No, you go ahead.
I'm gonna sit this one out.

But we ain't danced yet, babe.

I know. Just... You go.
I'm gonna sit this one out, all right?

You and Brandon kill
a bunch of those Iraqis over there?

Yeah, Steve, we winning this thing?

Look. What we need to do

is just drop a 10,000-pound bomb
on one of their cities

every time they hit us.

No more of this urban combat bullshit.

I'm tired of going and killing a Haji
in his kitchen and his bedroom.

- Fucking-A.
- When you going back, Steve?

I'm done.

Me and B.K. are getting out.

You know, but if I had to do it again,
I'd be a fucking sniper.

One shot. One kill.
Let me be the faceless enemy.

I'd go back tomorrow to get
that Haji bastard that killed Preacher.

Preacher was Tommy's best friend
over there.

I fucking loved that guy.

He took a round in the face.
It blew his jaw all the way off.

- Then he took one in the neck.
- Hey, Steve.

He was dead before he hit the ground.

Yes, sir?

Just take out Haji
and his whole fucking family.

Send them right back to Bible times.

What about you, darling?

- No, thank you.
- Sure? I'm one hell of a dancer.

- No. I don't doubt it, but...
- Hey.

Hey, my wife said no. You fucking deaf?

I get it, man, no problem.
You're the hero.

Tommy!

Tommy! Tommy!

Ah, shit. It's on!

- Get him, Tommy.
- Oh, shit.

Tommy! No, Tommy!

At ease, soldier. You hear me?
You hear me?

Soldier, at ease.

Fucking ease! Listen to me!

All right, you good? You good? Huh?
You hear me?

All right. Calm down, let's get a drink.
Come on, man.

Hey, it ain't a party without a fight!

Oh, snap! Tommy.

Okay. It is midnight,

and all the shit the U.S. Army done
issued to your ass

still ain't accounted for.

And when you turn
all the rest of this shit in,

you gonna have to owe about $1000.

Oh, Eyeball, I am getting out.

Man.

- That's what's up, man.
- Except I'm keeping this.

Good choice. Good choice,

as your face has been known
to scare kids and make dogs bark.

You're funny.

Where's my phone?

- Hello.
- Bran?

Hi, Mich.

Yeah, I'll be right over. Dude, come on.

You all right?

He's got a gun.

What you doing, Steve?

What the fuck do you think?

You hitting the rack?

Yeah. Do you want to know what...

What pisses me off is just...

Soon as I get dug in,

those fuckers are gonna move us out.

I'm gonna have to do this shit
all over again.

Roger that.

What the hell?

Your mama made all these by hand.

She loves you like a daughter.

Steve was yelling at them
like they're alive.

Then he kicked over the table.

A lady at the base said not to rush
the fooling around.

But you know Steve.

He'd been drinking.

He couldn't...

He hit you?

He got rageful.

Did he hit you?

I caught a backhand.

I told him, "Get the hell out."

He's so goddamn drunk right now,

he thinks he's on a mission
outside the wire.

You know he loves you
more than anything.

What up, Tommy?

Hey.

I just woke up and I was here.

What are you guys doing?

Fucking RoboSoldier dug
a ranger grave in Michelle's front yard.

- You want a beer?
- Yeah.

Ain't it time you and Jeanie
open your wedding presents?

Jeanie threw me out
until I get my shit together.

I was wondering, maybe I could stay
out at the ranch, just a couple days.

I was thinking maybe we'd all go,
get out of town for the day.

What about RoboSoldier?

Fucked that one!

That's my boy.

Read the card.

"Uncle Vern and Aunt Tilly

"hope you and Jeanie get
a bun in the oven soon."

Out of the way!

You know, it used to be,
the protocol for a busted marriage

was to return
the wedding gifts, Thomas?

Read the card, Shorty.

"To Tommy and Jeanie,
for a long and happy life together.

"From Tom and Charlotte."

Out of the way!

There she is!
Morning, sweetheart!

Oh, yeah, baby.

What's the matter, Robo?

You wake up
on the wrong side of the spare tire?

Shorty, read the card!

Hey, princess,
don't throw up in there, man.

I'm gonna need a beer in a minute.

Shorty, read it!

"From Steve and Michelle."

Can we fucking cease fire
for a little while?

Yeah, sure.

God damn it!

- I'm sorry.
- Brandon, you motherfucker.

God damn!

An old granddaddy rattler!

Right where you would
have stepped, cousin.

I should've let it bit you.

God damn!

Good shooting, B.K.

She's beautiful.

I'm used to that shit, baby.

- Just 'cause y'all are so busy...
- Careful. Careful.

- Mr. T.
- "I pity the fool."

I pity the fool that let Preacher cut
their motherfucking hair.

All right. You've been busting
my fucking balls all day.

How are you gonna explain
that black eye

in safety brief on Monday, huh?

I walked into a door.

You and Michelle walk
in the same door?

Look, I fucked up.

I don't even know what happened.

Okay, I kind of blacked out.

All I know is I remember waking up
in the trunk of Tommy's fucking car.

Well, it ain't gonna happen again.

You copy me?

- Do you copy me?
- I said I know and I said I fucked up.

- Come on. Watch the venom.
- You watch it.

Don't fucking touch me with that shit.

Watch the venom, man!
I think I broke skin.

- I'm gonna fuck you up.
- Come on.

Look at y'all.

Crazy.

It's over now, baby.

What are y'all doing over here?

Tommy?

You all right?

I shouldn't have shot that shit up.

- Sarge Shriver.
- Sarge King.

Man, I'm gonna miss blowing shit up.

Next.

- Gas mask.
- Check.

- Poncho liner.
- Check.

Sergeant King.

- Waterproof bag.
- Check.

Did you cover for me in formation?

Come here.

Look. Me and Steve are getting out.

It's up to you and Eyeball
to lead the recruits.

- All right.
- This new squad leader, he's a Baptist.

I'm a Baptist.

All right. He's a real Baptist.

Listen, man,
you got to get a fucking grip.

You smell like a fucking brewery.
Come on.

That's 'cause we were drinking
last night.

- Tommy.
- Wait! Come on.

Okay. You're all good to go.

Says here you have orders
to report to the First Brigade.

Not me. I'm getting out today.

- Brandon Leonard King?
- Yes.

Out to the First Brigade on the 22nd.

This is a mistake.

It's all there.

You leave on the 22nd,
shipping back to Iraq.

Sub-section 12305, Title 10.

By the authority of the President.

You've been stop-lossed.

Lieutenant Colonel?

Sergeant King.

I teed you up
for a recruitment pitch in Brazos,

and you gave me an onion patch.

- It's what came to mind, sir.
- What's your problem, Sergeant?

I'm supposed to be getting out today.
Now they're shipping me back to Iraq.

You understand why it's important
we win over there?

- Why we need good soldiers like you?
- Yes, sir.

You have extenuating circumstances?
You gay or pregnant?

Sir, you know me.
I'm a squared-away soldier.

Because I have
an extenuating circumstance, Sergeant.

It's called a war. It's in Iraq.

I know, sir. I volunteered to fight in it.

I ran over 150 combat missions for you,
no complaint.

Contract says stop-loss is only
in a time of war.

This President said the war's over,
so legally...

- You a lawyer, son?
- No, sir.

But after doing right by this Army,

I'm getting burned
by some fine print in a contract.

- Now the President himself said...
- The President is also

the Commander-in-Chief.

I think he trumps you either way.

With all due respect, sir,
fuck the President!

Fuck the President?

Yes, sir.
He's not over there fighting this war.

He's not there seeing his buddies
burned alive in Humvees.

I lost three men last month,
and I almost got the rest of us killed.

Those were my men, too,
and I lost more than that.

You're an excellent leader,
and you are going back.

For 11 more years?

- It won't come to that.
- How do you know?

I think the President trumps you
in this matter.

This, sir, is bullshit, and you know it!

Lieutenant, you just heard
Sergeant King disobey a direct order.

- Yes, sir.
- I also perceive him to be a flight risk.

Escort him to the stockade
so he can readjust his attitude.

- You're making a big mistake.
- I'm doing you a big favor.

End of discussion.

Make sure he ships to the First Brigade
when it goes out on the 22nd.

Roger, sir.

- Come on, hotshot.
- Don't you fucking touch me!

- Steve, I fucked up real bad.
- Hey, man. What? What'd you do?

I put down a couple guys
and now I'm AWOL.

- What the fuck...
- I got stop-lossed back to Iraq.

Shit!

Oh, okay. Look, take it to Boot.
You're gold with him, he'll fix it.

Yeah, Boot was trying to send me
to the stockade.

I shook loose
and I took off in your Jeep, man.

- You definitely have fucked up now.
- I know.

I know, I just got triggered.
I lost my shit.

All right. Wait, look.
All right, get a grip, calm down.

I'll try to figure out what's going on here,
and cover your six.

Thanks, man. I knew you would.

I'll hit you later.

Come on in, Sheriff.

Ida, listen to this.

These MPs came to me
and said Brandon's gone AWOL.

How in the hell can he be AWOL
if he's getting out today?

Boot's hopping mad.

He called me personally
to put out a statewide APB.

Get Brandon to turn himself in
and get this thing sorted out.

I don't understand.
They stop-lossed you?

- How can they do this?
- They're doing whatever they wanna do.

With a shortage of guys and no draft,

they're shipping back soldiers
who's supposed to be getting out.

It's a backdoor draft, is what it is.

What about Steve?

Mich, I don't know.
Some of us are getting it, some ain't.

This cannot be happening. No!
You almost died over there.

What do you want to do?

You want me to take you to Mexico
till this blows over?

No, no, no. Out of the question, Mom.

I ain't dragging my tail across to Mexico.

I'm getting my keys.

Brandon.

Listen to me.
If you're spooked, it's okay.

- There's no shame in that.
- I ain't scared. I'm pissed off!

This family is done fighting this war.

He ain't scared, Roy.
He's just being sensible.

I just don't want him
to get in any deeper, is all.

Maybe ruin his whole life.

I ain't gonna let it go that far.

Ruin his life?
How about getting himself killed?

- God damn it, Ida.
- Hold on! Hold on!

The Senator said to my face
if I ever needed anything, he'd help.

That is a big-ass mistake.

You go out of the chain of command,
over Boot's head,

you're doubling your trouble.
He's gonna make an example of you.

I ain't worried about Boot once I explain
the whole thing to the Senator.

I just need to run up to D.C. right now
and get this sorted out.

Okay. I'll take you.

You can't.
They're gonna be watching y'all.

You can't.
They're gonna be watching y'all.

They won't be watching me. I'll take you.

Michelle, Steve would have my ass
if I let you get mixed up in all this.

He could be next.

- Let's go.
- This is wrong, Brandon.

Steve don't talk much
about being over there.

Sand.

Fleas.

Flies.

Heat.

Boredom.

Or you can get shot at.

Or blown up.

That's pretty much it.

Sheep on the highway.

Where?

In Iraq.

Big-ass flocks of them.

Yeah?

Jeanie, it's me.

I need you to cover my shift
at work tomorrow.

Sorry I woke you up.

No, I was up. I was up.

And covering your shift's no problem,

since neither one of us
has a fucking job.

- What?
- Tommy drove his car into our work,

drunk as fuck.
He got two DUIs in the last two days.

What the hell's happening
to these guys?

Are you all right out here?

I thought I saw somebody
down by the drain.

You okay?

Yeah, sure.

You should try and get some sleep.

I'll be all right, Mich.

I know what I'm doing.

Listen, Mich, you need
to be getting home.

You need some dry clothes.

Michelle Overton!

You taught me everything I know.
You made me everything I am.

Can't be anything else, sir.
I'm no good as anything else.

- Then stop your drinking!
- I will, sir.

All I wanna be is a soldier.

I just want to go back to Iraq.
I'm gonna be better.

Hey, baby.

- If I ever...
- Put Brandon on the phone.

- Put him on the phone!
- All right.

- Hey, man.
- Where the hell are you, man?

I have a situation you need to step into
right now.

I've been trying to reach you all night.
Where you been?

I've been
at the fucking jailhouse all night,

trying to bail Tommy out
of a DUI shitstorm.

- God damn it!
- Boot is about to kick Tommy out.

Squad leader is supposed to be here,
and that's you.

Steve, I can't.

I'm on my way to D.C.
to see the Senator.

You're what?

You're fucking AWOL,

and you're taking Michelle
to fucking D. C?

I'm gonna cut her loose at the state line.

You haven't proved it to me yet!

I need you to handle this until I get back.
Just a couple of days.

- This better be the last time...
- It can't wait that long.

...you drive drunk!
- And you, my friend,

you are in deep fucking shit with Boot.

I'm gonna make this up.

It's all I got.

This is everything to me.
Army's my family.

I know I'm a little sideways,
but give me one more chance, please.

What's up?

Gonna head north on the 55
into Memphis.

Long way around.

There's something I got to do. I'll drive.

In the name of the Father, the Son
and the Holy Spirit.

Congratulations, man.

It'll take a lot more than water
till I'm saved.

- Thanks, man.
- Attaboy, Preacher. You saved him.

I think you need
some more blessing, bro.

Preacher and the chaplain
baptized a lot of guys over there.

Come on, sit down.

Just wanted to pay my respects, sir.

Very grateful that you came.

You said you had a bad feeling
about Paul's last tour?

Why'd he go back so many times?

He was stop-lossed.

Couldn't find a way out?

There were people right here
in Memphis on the lay low.

Stop-lossed soldiers filing a lawsuit.

But he wouldn't listen.

Excuse me.

And how would someone find
these guys with the lawsuit?

Depends on who wants to know.

I'd like to know.

It started out just like any other day.

We were manning a checkpoint,
but we came under attack.

And standard operating procedure
is to pursue the attackers, and...

Go on, we want to know.

We followed them into an alley.

I led my men into an alley.

Preacher, Paul, was covering our flank.

We got hit from both rooftops.

RPGs, small arms,
bullets, explosions...

It was an ambush.

Leading your men into an ambush
is standard operating procedure?

Leading your men into an ambush
is standard operating procedure?

That's enough, Michael.

I remember...

I was yelling at him across the alley.

And he got on the phone
to call for reinforcements, and

he must have seen somebody
drawing down on Thomas,

'cause he fired a few shots
in that direction.

And his rifle jammed.

That's when...

That's when he got hit.

Did our son suffer?

No, ma'am.

No, he was...
It all happened real fast.

My brother's life was wasted over there.

Your brother died doing what he knew
in his heart was his duty.

And he died
in the arms of his best friend.

I can tell you that.

He's the one that sent the picture
right after we lost Paul.

Read the back.

He calls, sometimes, late at night.

I think he's been drinking.

You keep that.

Thank you, sir, I will.

We want to thank you, Sergeant King,
for coming.

Because I know that these meetings
must be very difficult for you.

- Yes, ma'am.
- Thank you, Sergeant.

Thank you for coming.

Thank you.

Good luck getting out.

That was real nice,
what you did back there.

So you wanna go find this place
Preacher's brother told me about?

I'm going straight to D.C.
End of discussion.

All right.

Damn.

- Wait here!
- Brandon.

Wait here!

It don't matter.

You got my shit, asshole.

Get the fuck out of here, man.

I want my fucking shit.

Break yourself, fool. Break yourself.

- All right! All right!
- Calm down.

Stay down!

Okay, Hajis.

On your knees,
hands behind your heads.

Now, I said!

Do it!

Hands behind your head.

You having fun, Haji? You having fun?

Who wants to play
"Let's start shooting people"?

You're up.

You're fucking up!

Right in the back of your head.

Oh, yeah, yeah. You ain't dead yet?

- Just give him his shit!
- Come on now.

We're just getting started, here.

Your shit's over there, man.
It's over there.

- Just go get it.
- Oh, yeah? What? I can't hear you.

I can't hear you. What'd you say?

Who's next?

You, you're next.

Y'all better start praying to Allah, son.

Man, please. Please don't shoot me.

- Brandon, don't shoot.
- Oh, shit!

Oh, my God.

I've got everything.

I've got all our stuff. Okay?

- On your faces. On your faces!
- That's enough.

Put the gun down.

- Get away!
- Don't you hit me!

Give me the gun.

Give me the gun.

Give me the gun,
or I'm gonna leave you here right now.

- On your face!
- I swear!

- On your face!
- I swear I ain't kidding!

You're gonna need some stitches.

Here.

- Let me help you.
- I got it.

Let me help you.

Before Steve came home,

they told us how a soldier could be
a danger to himself

or other people.

You think I'm a danger?

I've been knowing you since third grade.

I think we've got
both kinds of danger here.

I'm sorry.

What's going on?

Same shit every night.
Drinking, fighting, hookers.

And I got babies in here.

Cops will be here soon.

Hey.

You laying low here?

How'd you find this place?

- Brother of a guy in my squad.
- Guy pushing a lawsuit in the lay low?

Didn't tell you
about our first case, did he?

Army came down hard.

Locked the guy up, took everything.

Even his wife left him.

- I ain't got no time for no lawsuit.
- Good.

There ain't a judge in this country
going up against the military

while this war is on.

And let me tell you something
about laying low.

Can't get a job. Can't cash a check.

And they're probably tracing your calls.

Now go on in there and brush your teeth

so we can leave, okay?

My youngest boy,
we can't even take him to the doctor.

You're on the run 24/7.

And God forbid you get pulled over
for having a busted taillight.

You going to jail.

- So where you headed now?
- North. Canada.

I can't put my family through this
no more. Thanks.

- What about you?
- D.C. Going to see a senator.

Why don't you write a letter to the editor
while you at it?

Listen, man, you should try
to reach my guy, Ron Carlson,

old peacenik lawyer,
works out of New York,

takes people north.

He'll help you get across the border.

Listen, man, I ain't interested
in dealing with no shitbag coyote.

Suit yourself.

But we've been on the run 14 months,
and I can't take it no more.

Here's the number.

Take it.

Keep it. I got it memorized.

Another way out of this,
I would have done it.

Good luck.

Y'all hurry up, now.

You feeling all right? Yeah?

Here, let me see about you.

Oh, fuck!

You told him where we were.

He's come to take me home.
I'll leave you my car, okay?

Thanks a lot.

Hey, baby.

Good morning.

Morning.

God damn, soldier.

What happened to you?

What you gonna tell Boot?
You walked into a fucking door?

I ain't telling Boot shit.

Yeah, you are.
I'm here to take you back.

You ain't taking me anywhere.

Okay, tough guy.

Let me lay it out for you.

Boot said if I get you back on base
in the next 14 hours,

all charges are dropped, no stockade.

I don't need you
making deals with Boot for me.

Hey!

You don't know what I've been through
to scrape the shit off of your shoes.

You ought to be thanking me.

You steal my Jeep
and you run off with my girl.

That ain't how it happened.

You know that. I was trying to help him.

And that's what I'm trying to do.
This is a straight deal from Boot.

- It's what's best for him.
- What's best for me?

What's best for you, Steve?

Showing up here in your Class A's.

What kind of deal did you make
with Boot? Huh?

You took him up
on sniper school, didn't you?

God damn!

You re-enlisted?

- How could you do this?
- How could you run off with Brandon

- for three fucking days and not call me?
- We don't call you

and you re-enlist?
That's bullshit! And you know it.

How could I not?

Michelle, it got real clear to me
that this, this is safe.

It's safe?

And when are we
getting married, Steve?

When I get back from my next tour.

When you get back?

You've been saying that to me
for five fucking years.

It's clear you've made your decision.

This is good for me.

I got a future in this.

This is something
that I can be proud of.

Did you really see me
selling cars for Rainey?

Get out of here.

Look, I'm sorry. Hold on. Please?

- Don't.
- Please come here.

Don't.

- Please, just...
- Don't. Get out of here!

Fucker, get out.

I said get out!

Fuck!

Did that really just fucking happen?

Fucking motherfucker!

That was fucked up.

What did you expect?

God damn it.
How did everything get so fucked up?

- You, Tommy, now Michelle?
- What's wrong with Tommy?

He's too messed up, man.

I can't get through to him like you can.
He just won't listen to me.

Look, come on.

Come on. We'll go and we'll knock out
another tour, and we'll come home.

Another tour?

You're always talking
about how snakebit this war is,

how they won't let us fight it
the way we need to win it.

Now you want to go back?

That makes no fucking sense.

Like this makes any fucking sense?

This isn't who we are, man.

Man, look, we didn't get
through all this shit together

just for you to end up
like one of these AWOL shitbags.

We ain't like these guys.
We're soldiers.

We stand for something, man.
We're from Texas.

All right. Stow the Boot talk, man.

You let him talk you into going back?
That's fine. You got a right to be stupid.

Well, fuck you, man!

I did what I had to do
for the time I had to do it,

and I ain't gonna do it anymore.

You can take that back to Boot.

You're the only person
who thinks you're getting out of this!

Boot called the Senator.
He knows what you're up to.

You're AWOL, Brandon.

No senator is gonna help you.
You're done!

Steve, you know
what they're doing is wrong.

I'm not going back.

I'm fighting this thing.

Hey!

Watch your six.

Sergeant King,
I've told you several times already,

the Senator cannot see you.

Ma'am, I'm a decorated soldier.

Now, a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star
got to mean something.

I understand.

But you're a fugitive.

No U.S. official, no government official
is gonna help a soldier on the run.

Go back to your base
before you get arrested.

Tequila.

You know, it's happy hour.
You can get two for one.

Well, lucky me. Double, double.

Can I join you?

The way I see it,

Steve's married to the Army.

It's everything to him.

I can't go another year
without having him touch my face.

I can't be a military wife.

I just ain't that strong.

Well, Michelle,

you know, life is very long, and...

- Brandon.
...you're very young.

Shut up and drink.

- Yes, ma'am.
- We're both fucked.

Same again.

All right, men. You all straighten up
and walk sober, all right?

Yes, sir.
Sergeant Shriver, the man in charge.

What are you doing
with a fucking bottle, man?

You ain't even supposed to be drinking.

Come on, man. What are you...

Where are you going?

Over to Jeanie's.

Jeanie don't want you, dummy.
That's what a restraining order means.

Come on, Tommy.
You can stay at my house, man.

I'm gonna make it better.

Swear to God.

Just propose again.
We'll get married again.

Only thing you proposing is
to get locked up, man.

Let's get out of here.

Let's get out of here.

All right. Come on, man.

You know I ain't gonna
let you go over there. Let's go.

You talking about Jeanie?

You can't even manage
your own woman.

No, I didn't mean it like that, Steve.
Steve.

- No, seriously. No, come on.
- Tommy. Tommy!

I'm sorry.

Steve, come on. I'm sorry.

I smell a woman, and it ain't a nurse.

Then who?

Hola, Private Rodriguez.

Sergeant King!

My first visitor.

You found me.

I did.

And who?

Michelle.

Hey, Rico.

Sergeant Shriver's Michelle.

Sunny blonde hair, green eyes.

Steve showed us your picture
a million times.

Sergeant King came to see me
with his best friend's girl!

- It's a long story.
- Yes, sir, I bet it is.

Sit, man. I got time.

- Good to see you.
- It's good to see you.

- How's my mother?
- She's good. She's missing you.

Yeah. And my brothers?

They're getting big. Growing up.

- They strong?
- Seem to be.

Taking after their brother.

- Not as handsome.
- Close.

I'll let you guys talk.

- All right.
- Thanks for coming to see me.

She sounds cute.

- How're you feeling?
- Feeling good, sir.

- Just as comfy as a Humvee.
- You think?

I wouldn't have thought, but...
They taking good care of you?

First-class treatment, Sarge.

Good. So I don't have
to talk to anybody?

- No, sir.
- All right.

Nice break.

Thank you.

- That's impressive.
- Sloppy.

- What can I say?
- You're in, though.

- Come on.
- I think she's a butter face.

- Yeah?
- She's hot, but her face.

- But does she give a good bath?
- She's got some soft hands.

Well, there you go. That's what matters.

I haven't felt anything else,
but that'll change.

- Soon as I get the rest of this.
- All right.

Man, I had this thing,
like a dream, all right?

You were at the bottom
of a swimming pool,

and I dove in to try to save you.

But I couldn't.

It's okay, man.

You did save me.

I'm right here.

And seeing stuff, man?

Here, at night?

Sounds like a fucking horror movie.

Guys screaming, nightmares...

Sarge, we got out just in time.

I mean, Haji's new bombs...

You don't want to survive, man.

Sounds crazy,
but I feel lucky, you know?

They want to send me back.

I hope you told them no fucking way.

I mean, I might go back.

'Cause if I got killed,
my family would get green cards.

- Sir.
- Yeah?

Could you move me out of the sun?

Okay.

So, I'm sorry, but I got to ask.

What you doing
with Sergeant Shriver's fianc?e?

They broke up.
She's just giving me a ride.

She was giving you a ride before
or after they broke up?

Not like that.

Michelle's close to my family.

She's just helping me out.
She's somebody...

What?

You should hear
the way you sound, Sarge.

You a Jody.

It's time for you to go back
to your room, Private Rodriguez.

Jody got your girl and gone

Sing it.

I don't know the words. You sing it.

Ain't no use in going home
Jody got your girl and gone

You watching this one?

- Nice shot.
- Now we're even.

What you laughing at? You lost.

That's pretty funny.

- "Give you a hand."
- Dumbass.

- Help me push it.
- Yeah.

Thank you.

- It's fucking strong.
- Is it?

I'll be in touch, Rico.

- Tell the boys I said, "What's up?"
- I will.

I signed up,

thinking I was gonna go over there
and protect my country.

My family.

We wanted payback for 9/11,

and you get there,

and you realize
the war wasn't even about any of that.

The enemy ain't out in the desert.

They're in the hallways and rooftops,
living rooms, kitchens.

Everybody's got a weapon.

Everybody.

Nobody knows who's who.

The only thing you can believe in
is surviving.

Protecting the guy to your left
and the guy to your right.

Side by side,
willing to die for each other.

By the time you start seeing

good friends' bodies held together
by a belt after a car bomb,

you get a kill-or-be-killed mentality.

It's okay.

No, it ain't.

Michelle, I'm worried
if I tell you these things,

you're gonna think differently of me,
and I...

I couldn't stand that.

I ain't gonna think that.

Our last mission, in the alley,

well, when Rico got hit,

I looked in his face,
and most of it was burned off.

I had to go in to get Steve.

I knew he was in trouble.

I'm done with killing.

And I ain't leading any more men
into a slaughter.

You have to call Carlson.

I know.

Mr. Carlson.

- My name is...
- No names.

All right. What's the problem?

I'm a Staff Sergeant, a squad leader,

two tours, Afghanistan and Iraq,
and I just got stop-lossed.

They're shipping me back
at the end of the month.

There's so many of you guys out there.

I've heard it before. It's the same story,
and you eventually call me.

Do you understand what I do?

I strip away who you are.
I set you down in a foreign place

where you're gonna live
the rest of your life

pretending to be someone else.

Do you want that?

I can't go home. I can't go back.
I got no other options.

I need your services.

I won't be able to discuss this further
over the phone.

Do you have some money?
Like a grand?

I have a few bucks.

Well, when you get a grand,

start driving north
toward New York City.

700, 800, 900, 1000.

- Not a bad price.
- Thank you, sir.

Come on. This is a good opportunity.

Rainey said that people will just line up
to buy a Cadillac from a vet.

Yeah, not with a BCD.

It's not like you're gonna
hang it on the showroom wall, Tommy.

What's a BCD?

It's the big chicken dinner.

It's what we call it in the Army.

It's a Bad Conduct Discharge.

We gonna shoot this shit up, or what?

That shotgun loaded?

What's the first rule
of weapon safety, Tommy?

Always assume every weapon is loaded.

Yes, sir.

Sorry.

Where are you going?

I'm going back to the bunkhouse,
write a hit song.

Don't feel like shooting shit up today

'Cause we'll put a boot in your ass
It's the American way

Hey, Uncle Sam...

- Later, guys.
- All right, man.

Later, Tommy.

Brought to you courtesy
of the red, white and blue

Of my red, white and blue

I spotted you guys from a mile off.

Oh, well.

What happened?

I just had a run-in with a couple guys.

Yeah. That kind of shit happens
when you're on the run.

All you guys get popped eventually.

Is this a package deal?

Just one for now.

- You thought about this?
- Yes, sir.

'Cause one-way means one-way.

You go, you're going for good,

unless you get fucked with extradition.

Pardon my French.

I don't want you calling me up crying

how you can't go to grandma's funeral
back in Tennessee.

Texas.

We're from Texas.

Whatever.

I just want it all laid out straight.

Canada's not that bad.

I just had a guy up there,
got married to a real sweet local girl.

Loves Toronto.

Says it's a lot like New York.

I ain't so crazy about New York, so far.

You got any other options?
Like, what about Mexico?

Look, I don't know shit about Mexico.

Here's your new I.D.

They'll fix in the photos
before you leave.

Day after tomorrow,

somebody will meet you
at this address in Buffalo.

Take you over.

- You got the money?
- Here.

No refunds, right?

Got it. Half now and half across.

Go make your calls.

Say your goodbyes.

Hi, Mom?

He did what?

When?

I don't...

Let me call you back, Mom.

Tommy shot himself out at the ranch.

Left, face.

This flag

is presented on behalf
of a grateful nation

and the United States Army

as a token of appreciation
for your loved one's

honorable and faithful service.

Come on, Ida. Let's go.

Look who came home.

That's for fucking running out on us.

And that's for coming back
too fucking late.

And that's on general principle.

Fuck you.

You're throwing everything
in your life away.

You stupid...

Y'all gonna get yourselves killed,
you know that? Do you hear me?

Shut the fuck up.

So you just go over there
and you do your fucking duty.

You see this?

You see this?

This is you next.

Steve.

You don't fucking belong here!

I don't... I don't even know you anymore!

Maybe you don't.

Bullshit!
I've known every thought in your head

since we were fucking stealing
Playboys from the fucking bus station.

That was a long time ago.

Then, please. Tell me.

Tell me what you've been thinking,
because nothing in the last few days

has made any fucking sense
to me at all.

You know that box inside your head?

That box inside your head where you...

You put all the bad shit
you can't deal with?

Well, mine's full.

And it's spilling out.

Steve, it is full of all the people
I got killed.

Preacher.

Randy.

Harvey.

Thomas.

All the rest I've lost
in this fucked-up war.

Think how many people
would have fucking died

if you wouldn't have been there!
Including me!

Steve, I didn't do
what I was supposed to do!

I fucked up!

If you don't fall in beside us,

it all comes apart.

The ranch always felt so safe.

You'll find another place
and make it safe.

Sir.

Damn.

You okay?

Across that border,

that ain't gonna be me
coming up the other side, Mich.

It's gonna be the ghost of me.

Brandon, please.

And never the ranch.

Never you and Dad, never Brazos.

This war ain't never gonna
be behind me.

I'm sorry, Mom.

Bruckner,

Rodriguez,

Naughton,

Stevens,

- Williams...
- Bye-bye, sweetheart.

We love you, sweetie.

- We love you, honey!
- Adi?s, Augustin.

- Bye, sweetheart.
- Take care of her.

- Bye, sweetie.
- Write to me.

I'll keep those e-mails coming.

We're proud of you. We love you.

Better e-mail me, Shorty!

Take care of each other.

All of you come back safe.

God bless you.

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