The Artist's Wife (2019) - full transcript

I'm talking with the American
painter Richard Smythson

and his wife Claire.

So what's next for you two?

Well I create the art.

She creates the
rest of our life.

Do you know?

Where the hell are we going?

Talk about this.

How about that for a smile?

Everything that we
do is up to Claire.

He's been behaving so
strangely for months.



I thought it was about the show.

His work habits are erratic.

He's been drinking more.

He'll have these moments
where he's just so himself.

Playful, smart.

And then he vanishes

and he's angry, childish.

And I react, I can't help it.

The things I loved
the most about him

and still love are
things a person

isn't supposed to love.

His arrogance, his ego.

I have never been in his shots.

That's Richard.



Every moment of his life

has been lived on his own terms.

And now...

They didn't have
those wide brushes

you like, the Grumbacher.

But I will get them.

How was class today?

I'm painting, Claire.

Sorry.

I love you.

Don't forget Ada's show

at the new museum.

I know she'd love to see you.

Mhmm.

What's that you're eating?

Looks delicious.

That's 'cause you
don't have to eat it.

It's good.

But if we had deep
fried the brussel sprouts,

we could have kept
all the antioxidants.

Let me see what
Richard's been working on.

Just carry the laptop
into the studio.

Nobody ever sees my work
until it's finished except her.

You know that.

No one has seen any

of your work in years.

Everyone's curious.

Richard,

- no.
- No, no!

One a day!

These virtual dinners,

they're extremely bizarre.

Have a brussel sprout.

The date is set, it's
been written about.

I'll be ready, honey, I
always pull it together.

You know that.

I got some sketches here
and I can't find them.

They're in a little notebook.

What kind of notebook?

A notebook with all my
personal things in them.

And how can I trust you with
all of my personal things

if you lose them?

What are you talking about?

It's my very
important things, okay?

Why am I explaining to you?

I was talking about
the show, Richard.

I've had it with the show.

Don't mention it anymore.

It's not your job!

My job?

My job?

Shit.

I don't know what happens.

Everything starts going away

that disappears,
people disappear.

Are you drunk?

It all gets lost.

Good morning, ma'am.

It just happened in
the past few months.

Look over there and then run
your eye along the bottom edge.

It's sinking, I know it.

You think so?

I never noticed.

See how the foundation's
a little lower on that side

and there are these cracks here.

Let's get you inside.

You shouldn't be out
here in only a sweater.

You finish that
grocery list for me?

Joyce?

Why did you leave your husband?

I guess you could
say we left each other.

My mother used to tell me
people only got divorced

when both of them wanted
to leave at the same time.

Otherwise one pulls
the other back in.

I didn't know until
Bill moved out

how unhappy I've been.

And that first year
after it happened

people would tell
me I looked happier.

People I barely knew.

Let's get you inside.

Why do we paint?

We paint because
we have no choice.

Why do you paint, Melanie?

Because I have no choice?

What do you paint with?

My brush?

Oh no, it has nothing
to do with a brush.

This kid next to you
paints with his cock.

You, you paint with your cunt.

Oh, here we go, an exit.

Maybe I should have taken

a sensitivity training class

before I came in today.

The minute you go out the door,

you're telling me and
everyone else in the class

that you don't have it.

It's not a painting
unless you leave

a piece of yourself
on the canvas!

What is this?

Well, I can never
remember the time anymore

so I bought a clock.

You bought a
94,000 dollar clock?

What were you thinking?

And it's so ugly.

Well, I think it looked
better in the little picture.

I'd better
be able to return it.

Honey?

What are you doing?

Richard.

What are you doing?

You accused me
of having an affair

with one of my students.

That was six years ago!

Look.

I might have flirted with her.

But I never!

Is that?

Did you paint her?

You know what it was, Claire?

Your goddamn accusation,

I didn't want it at
my house anymore.

I don't think I'm
really quite sure

about what this is all about.

They're honoring you.

You're getting an award.

For what?

For your work, what
else would it be for?

I don't quite understand
what this is about.

Richard.

Go.

And you?

It's just for you.

Congratulations, Richard.

When I heard about
this from my wife

who's back there,
her name is Claire,

and she's from Sweden.

And I asked her, I said Claire,

what happened to Jim?

Where's Tony, where's Gene?

Where'd they all go?

She said "They're
all dead, Richard."

I don't know, I didn't
know what to say.

I didn't write anything
down, so I just,

you guys are gonna get
to a point in your life

where people go, things go.

I don't know, why am I here?

I don't know how
to say anything.

All I can tell you is
what's going on with me.

Why did they put
the goddamn light

so when you walk out,

you can see me but
I can't see anybody?

Richard, I'd like
to speak with Claire.

Is that fine?

Yeah.

What did you say?

It never occurred to you?

The times I've seen the two
of you out this last year.

Remember that concert
at the college?

Richard can be unconventional

but even then I
observed little things.

He has...

He's a brilliant, creative,

crazy painter.

He's an artist, he's not a...

I'm so sorry, Claire.

I wish I had better news.

But can you really tell
if someone has Alzheimer's

You can't tell that.

You can't know for sure.

You can guess when
someone is strange

and someone is what,

does everyone have to be normal?

Does everyone have to
be like behaved perfect

all the time?

I don't know.

What do I do?

How can I help him?

Just try to be there for him.

It's hard to accept.

But a person with
dementia can still have

a good quality of life.

Look, I want you to get this
prescription filled for him.

Claire, don't do this alone.

With a support
structure in place,

with family around, with
people who love Richard.

What family?

It'll ask
you for your signature first

and then swipe your card.

What?

It'll ask you for
your signature first

and then you can
swipe your card.

Oh, oh okay.

Of course.

My grandmother started
losing her memory very young.

The doctors told us
it was a lost cause.

But then we started giving her-

- This machine isn't working.

Oh you
have to do the chip thing.

Oh right, right.

There's always hope.

That's what I think.

Can you do it?

I'm
sorry, Mrs. Smythson,

everyone has to use the machine.

It's very easy though.

You know what,
I'll just pay cash.

Ma'am, you have
to pay for that.

I am paying for it.

Before you eat it.

What do you want me to do now?

I'm paying for this,

and I'm paying for these,
I'm paying for these,

and I'm paying for these.

Are you happy now?

Hi, this is Angela.

Leave me a message and I'll
call you back.

Angela?

Who's asking?

Whoever this is,
you woke up my son.

You have a son?

Angela, that's wonderful.

Claire?

Is this Claire?

I'm sorry to bother you,

I just wanted to-

I didn't want
your money five years ago

and I don't want it now.

That's not why I'm calling.

Is...

Is he?

Is he dead?

No, no.

No, thank, no.

He's just-

Mommy, who's dead?

Oh, nobody, sweety.

Just go back to bed, I'll
be there in a minute.

- Okay.
- Is that your son?

What's his name?

Claire, it's late.

I really don't feel
like talking right now.

Richard is sick.

He's having trouble
remembering things.

I was thinking
maybe you wanted to-

I can't.

Can you just let me ask?

You can say no.

But at least let me ask.

I have to go.

I'm sorry about Richard.

Fried
brussel sprouts.

How about that?

Ugh.

How's work?

Anything?

It's not coming, babe.

I heard about a writer

who worked in a cottage
just like this one.

Each morning he handed
his assistant his clothes.

He figured that
without any clothes

he'd be trapped in the cottage
and would have to work.

Poor bastard.

I think it was Proust, maybe.

Sola, somebody French.

I'd like it better if
it was the Bronte sisters.

Would you like to
give me your clothes?

You're my wife.

Not my assistant.

I love you.

It will come.

It always does.

I've never been
able to capture

the true beauty of life.

Most people would say I have

but I haven't.

I think you have.

I was thinking of going
into the city tomorrow.

I wanna see Liza and
talk about the show.

Is that okay?

You're asking permission?

You don't have to
ask permission.

It's not Saudi Arabia.

Can I
help you, ma'am?

This is Angela Smythson's
building, isn't it?

Do you know her unit number?

I'm her stepmother and we
don't see much of each other.

Let me call her.

Thank you.

This is inappropriate, Claire.

Is there a more
appropriate way

to tell you that your
father has dementia?

What am I supposed
to do about that?

I'm sorry.

I've been swamped with work.

I'm just so busy, Claire.

Everybody's busy.

When you ask someone how
they're doing, they say busy.

As if that's an answer
to the question.

Early Christmas gifts.

You didn't
need to do that.

I wanted to, and unlike
the rest of the world

I'm really not that busy, so

it gave me something to do.

I wasn't sure how old he is.

He'll love it.

Thank you.

It's a 2006 bottle of
Cobos Malbec from Argentina.

We bought a case of it when
they did a retrospective

of his work at the
MACBA in Buenos Aires.

Your father stood up the
President of Argentina

to visit that vineyard.

Not surprised, he's good
at disappointing people.

Can we go upstairs and talk?

Angela, I want him to know you

before he forgets.

He's
never really known me.

Okay.

I'm really sorry
that I bothered you.

Merry Christmas or whatever.

You won't
believe who we got to DJ

in the front room.

Oh, we're
so excited to see it.

- We'll see you inside.
- Claire, oh!

- Come!
- This is such a scene.

Get inside, it's
too cold out here

for someone with your bony ass.

Come on.

Is Richard coming later?

No, he's busy painting, Liza.

Oh, yeah, thank God for that.

Tell me you have some
pictures to show me

of what he's been working on.

I can't betray his trust.

Fine, fine, but just
tell me, is it good?

Of course it's good.

Because he says
it is the best work

that he's ever done.

But artists have no
perspective on their own work.

A lot of young artists
come to me now.

And some of them are wonderful

but it's just not the same.

Back then, I had to
chase my artists,

I had to discover them, I
had to earn their trust.

And those are the
ones who are still

the most important to me.

I even like some
of their wives too.

There's an organic
juice bar on the corner.

Oh, gentrification
everywhere you look.

I think this is
it, this is it.

What was the landlord's
name, something Turkish.

Mustafa.

Mustafa.

Mustafa.

Richard always wanted to live

in these awful, seedy places.

You can't worry about
the floor being clean

when you're trying to create!

He wasn't entirely wrong.

He would pay Mustafa
with paintings,

even though we had
the money for rent.

Once, we gave him
one of my paintings.

Your paintings were stunning.

No, they were
stuck in the past.

Nobody wants that.

They were classic.

This
is what people do

when they get old, isn't it?

Old people
are in bed.

I'm sure she'll be right down.

Do you like the term doorman?

I don't know.

I haven't given it much though.

It's just these
words, doorman, wife.

They reduce us, don't they?

You're beginning to feel
like a stalker, Claire.

I had a little too much
champagne, and whiskey,

and a cigarette.

I haven't had one
of those in years.

So sorry.

There are no more buses
back till the morning.

Could I possibly stay?

Are you kidding me?

Did you plan this?

Angela, I've given up on
a lot of things in my life.

But I've never given
up on your father.

I thought about
leaving him many times.

I don't need to hear this.

He's not an easy man.

But he's worth knowing.

I can get a car to
take you to East Hampton.

I'll pay for it.

I can't spend two hours drunk

in a hired car in the
middle of the night

with a stranger.

Mmm-mmm.

Fine.

This is nice.

Did he go back to sleep?

Yeah, he said he
wanted his magic spray

and then the conked right out.

Hi, hello, I'm Claire.

Hey, hey, right.

So nice to meet you.

I'm sure you've heard terrible
things about me and Richard.

And some of them are true.

Claire.

But I hope you can forgive us

'cause we're family.

Danny's the babysitter.

Oh.

Yeah, I'm just the babysitter.

I'm gay, Claire.

I had a child with my partner?

Right, right.

I'd love to meet her.

Well, you can't
because she left me.

She's living in Hell's
Kitchen with a spin teacher

she met eight days
after we separated.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

There's so much he
doesn't know about you.

So if you don't need
me, I'm gonna head.

Yeah, see you.

- Oh, hey.
- It was nice.

It was nice to meet you.

Yeah, nice.

I'm so sorry I assumed
you were heterosexual.

No, I am heterosexual.

Angela isn't, though.

Okay.

Yeah.

See you tomorrow.

Great.

- See you tomorrow.
- Nice meeting you.

Angela?

Hi.

I'm Claire.

I know who you
are, Mom told me.

What did she tell you?

That you were old.

An old friend.

I can live with that.

And she said you were rude

but I should be
nice to you anyway.

Has anyone talked to
you about perspective,

how to draw the horizon line?

Let me.

You choose a point and
draw lines towards it.

And you have a path
that goes on forever.

You can choose
where the path is.

It's all up to you.

You wanna try?

I think about that now,

how you forget you
had that freedom

or maybe you never
knew you had it

and after a while you're
not on a path anymore.

Your life's just a
two dimensional plane

that's flat and exact.

I'm sorry.

I don't have much
experience with people

who are six.

You're six, right?

Mhmm.

Just turned six.

Oh, hi.

Hey.

Hi.

I thought Angela was here.

Oh yeah, she just
had a morning meeting.

And Gogo spilled
syrup on my jeans

and so,

Well, bigger than you
were yesterday, kid.

He's speaking?

Hindi.

Angela thinks that
India's gonna be

the world's next
superpower after China.

What do you think?

I don't know.

I just lived there
when I was young.

Can I get you anything?

Can I get you some
coffee or something?

I should get going.

There's a morning Jitney.

But thanks.

I like birds
because they can fly.

I like you.

Richard?

Darling?

I decided to stay
over at Liza's.

Every now and then
people get a chance

to live in a room with a view.

Well boy oh boy.

Are you magnificent.

You know, we do get older.

But goddamit, you
smell the same.

I'm exhausted, I'm
gonna take a nap.

A nap?

A nap might be out.

Did you take your?

I just need a time out.

I don't know if
I took it or not.

Okay, okay.

It's good.

Remember that apartment we had

with the cracked bathtub
in the middle of the room?

I would sketch in the tub.

I think one winter I had
to fix it with duct tape.

Do you remember?

I think so.

We couldn't stop painting.

We needed to.

We moved out here and life

became so comfortable.

I haven't seen this one yet.

I didn't wanna waste your time

but hey, you never know.

I'm so sorry Claire,
but I gotta close up.

One more minute.

Your husband usually doesn't
get those kind of brushes.

I can find you the right ones.

He's trying something new.

So Paul, what
are you painting?

Mikey.

You paint a guy named Mikey?

My name is Mikey, sir.

Oh, what do you
call me sir for,

you forget my name?

No, I-

- It was a joke.

Stand up.

Excuse me?

Stand up.

Where's your passion?

Where is your aggression?

Scream!

No, that's-

Louder!

That's it, hate me!

That was good.

Now, tell me why you paint.

I don't know.

You have to know
why you paint.

If you don't, then tell me your
painting is a piece of shit.

Repeat after me.

My painting is a piece of shit

and doesn't deserve to exist.

I don't understand
what's going on.

You see this painting?

This is a painting that should
never have been created,

and I'm going to abort it.

Watch this.

What the fuck?

You guys know anything
about what it's like to lose?

Of course
not, you're young.

You're busy doing other shit.

You're running around,
you're getting laid,

you're breaking every
goddamn thing you can.

It's very hard to
look inside and paint

what's all gone.

Paint what breaks your heart.

What you can't get back.

We've had several complaints,

and not only from students.

Missed appointments,
excessive use of profanity.

Parents don't feel comfortable

having their kids
in his classroom.

This is how you treat
him after 15 years?

It's not the first time.

He enjoys being
around young artists.

He needs the contact
with other people.

He needs somewhere to go.

We have to do what's
right for our students.

We have a responsibility.

Responsibility?

Responsibility?

You use his name to
attract students here.

You plaster his face
and his paintings

all over your
admissions catalog.

This is a painting

that should never
have been created

and I'm going to abort it.

Watch this.

Claire.

We have great
respect for Richard.

We're looking to
part ways amicably.

There are no
amicable separations.

Claire.

Claire!

Don't do this!

Claire.

Come on.

We can talk this through.

Claire?

What are you doing?

Claire!

Claire, that's a gift to
the college from Richard!

I know that.

Why didn't you tell
me you were fired?

Richard.

Yeah?

Would it have mattered?

It matters because

I feel like I'm losing control.

Well, you're not the one

who's losing the ability to

remember which car is yours
in the parking lot either.

This man can't even make
a goddamn cup of coffee.

I can't do this.

Claire?

Yeah?

I wanna be alone.

Now.

- Hi, Claire.
- Hey.

Hi.

My
body transformed.

Every detail
in these nine rooms

is part of the story.

Ada?

Who is that?

Claire?

It's me.

Claire!

You are like a vision.

Did you come to see the preview?

Oh, look at you.

How have you been?

Where have you been?

Why have I not looked upon

that absolutely magnificent face

in over a decade?

I've been busy.

Busy, good.

There is nothing worse
than not being busy.

How is Richard?

Still sexy, I imagine.

You were very smart, Claire.

You married a man who's
sexiness came from his talent.

Are you painting again?

You were always such
a sensitive artist.

You had a absolutely
magnificent way

of taking the past and
making it feel present.

Of course I always

envied your decision
to step away.

Being a woman in the
art world is like

being a Christian in the
Roman Empire.

Ada, it's
time for the shoot.

Come on everybody.

Are we ready, Ada?

Mark, can you put a platform
over there, thank you.

I'm sorry to have
kept you waiting, my darlings.

All right.

Let's go.

Now remember, it is not
just about being pretty.

It is also about reality.

Take me as I am.

Double mastectomy and all!

Beautiful.

Turn a bit to the right.

Perfect, perfect.

Angela?

I just wanted to try and

ask you again.

Today is really
not a good day.

I was thinking

I could come to the city today

and restart my
career as a painter.

At my age, it's stupid.

I finalized my
divorce this morning.

Oh, I didn't know.

I'm sorry.

I was putting it off.

All that awful paperwork.

Now, I feel relieved.

I went to our favorite
coffee shop the other day

and amazingly, it didn't make
me feel sick to my stomach.

It takes time.

And therapy.

Oh, lots and lots of therapy.

I follow her on Facebook.

And she has a nice life.

Diana and her new
girlfriend and our kid.

You shouldn't torture
yourself like that.

I thought I had
the perfect life

and in a couple months
it just fell apart.

And my reward is I get to pay

for her brand new apartment
and her fancy new life

with her yoga
teacher girlfriend.

I thought she
was a spin teacher.

She teaches at one of those
studios that does everything.

Spin, Pilates, yoga.

I hate people who
do many things poorly

instead of one thing well.

Yeah.

Angela, this is
about your little boy.

Don't let your son experience
the same loss you had.

Who told you to do that?

Nobody.

Nobody needed to tell me.

How many times
have you seen her?

I honestly didn't
think she would come.

So if she hadn't come,

it would have been
okay not to tell me?

I will not apologize for this.

And for the record, it's
not the first time I tried.

I offered her money.

Five years ago, I heard she
was starting a non-profit

with all her dot-com money

and I wanted us to
be a part of it.

You offered her my
money to cover my guilt?!

It's our guilt!

And it's our money!

I never ever would
have come to your child

without talking to you first.

I don't have a child, Richard.

The only child I've
ever had is you!

That was your goddamn choice.

So don't blame it on me.

You okay?

I don't know.

What's wrong, Mommy?

I guess I'm...

I'm a little scared.

Did you bring the magic spray?

Okay, let's do this.

What do I call him?

I don't know.

Whoah!

Hey, Gogo.

Have you ever seen a silver
Christmas tree before?

I thought we could put some
ornaments on it together?

Yay!

Yeah?

What kind of
name is that, Gogo?

It's short for Diego.

You know what, bud,

you are named after one
of the greatest artists

that ever lived.

Is he yours?

Biologically?

Does it matter?

Well, not really, we'll
just give him a set of paint

and find out if he's
really my grandson.

Richard.

Please.

Oh my god.

Want a cookie?

Yes.

You believe in Santa Claus?

What are you doing?

I'm trying to make small talk.

I asked Santa for a big castle

but we have a small chimney, so.

Oh.

Santa's gonna get
you your castle.

You know the great
thing about Santa

is you can rely on him.

Santa Claus never
lets anybody down.

He always comes through,

and you know why that is?

Stop!

Stop, please.

Just stop, sorry.

25 years of stop, please.

Who wants to put the
first ornament on the tree?

Oh, let it be me.

I'll do it.

Oh, look who jumps up!

The Indian, more
Christmas spirit

than any of the
rest of us in here.

Thanks, Richard.

Angela, why don't
you tell Richard

about what you do?

She started an organization

that teaches young women
how to build computers.

Well, we teach them code.

Yeah.

Well, gender inequality
in the tech world

is an epidemic,

so we go into public schools

and offer after-school programs.

We also do a summer
camp in San Francisco.

Wow.

Wait a second.

You're trying to
tell me that your kid

could not go to your camp

because he has a penis?

I just...

Mommy, can we go home?

I have to go to the bathroom.

Well they have a toilet here.

But the flush
is loud and scary.

I know, sweety.

I'll flush it after you leave.

Oh, for Christ's sake.

I can take it, I can take it.

Diego.

Give me your hand, come here.

We're going outside.

Where is he going?

Richard?

Honey, what are you?

And just
go to the bathroom.

Honey,
what are you doing?

Richard!

What are you?

Jesus!

Are you insane?

I'm not the one
teaching my kid

to be afraid of the toilet.

Richard.

At least I'm there for him.

What did you ever teach me?

Fuck you.

Fuck you!

- Richard.
- Fuck you!

Richard!

Richard!

Jesus, Richard.

Danny the manny to the rescue!

What's wrong with you?

I have problems.

She's your daughter.

He's your grandson.

Please.

Make an effort.

I don't know what to do.

Oooh!

Wow.

What have
you got in there?

Keep on digging.

Keep on digging.

Whoah,
it's a paint set!

Whoah!

What do you say, Gogo?

Thank you.

You're welcome.

What else can you say?

That's pretty good.

Isn't he incredible?

Is that for me?

Yeah.

No, you're kidding.

All right.

You can exchange
them if they don't fit.

Jeans?

Oh, because of,

It's because he spilled
syrup on your pants.

Oh right, right,

right, right, right.

The syrup, yeah, thank you.

I got something
for you too, Angela.

I'll just go and get it.

Claire, no.

You said you didn't
want it in the house.

If you sell it, we'll know.

Yeah?

Well, it's hers now, Richard.

If she chooses to sell it

to help fund the summer camp

for budding female computer
whizzes, that's her choice.

Richard.

I'm done.

Richard?

Dad.

What?!

I don't wanna fight like
this in front of my son.

Who?

My son.

He's sitting in
your living room.

Your mother,

she messed with me.

You would come to visit,

and she made me
think you hated me.

I was young.

I was angry.

You were never around.

I didn't know you.

You had pigtails
when you were little

and they were always
kinda screwed up.

One was longer than the
other one, or you know.

Am I right?

Yeah.

Symmetry.

I love symmetry.

There's no symmetry anymore.

Mmm, hello.

Hi.

Sorry, am I in your way?

No.

Did you want this?

There's a gift receipt.

Yeah, I'll take it.

It was a silly
idea for a gift.

I don't know what
I was thinking.

No, no, honestly.

I don't buy a lot of
new clothes for myself

so it's great, thanks.

I didn't get you and
Richard anything.

What?

I know.

No, I feel bad,

so I have a demo of my music.

I'm a musician.

Ultimately, my goal in life

is not to raise other
people's children, so.

I thought so.

A CD sounds great.

Great.

Did she ever
talk about Richard?

I mean, before.

No, not really.

He was like more of a concept.

Him not being around was like

some sort of all purpose
excuse for being unhappy.

We all have those, don't we?

I can relate.

I don't really talk
to my parents much.

My father's thrilled
with my career choices.

He said something to
me that stuck with me.

He said that you
cannot blame your roots

for all your broken branches.

Hmm.

Which sounds poetic,
but then he cut me off.

My parents would
brush away my problems

without really looking at them.

I feel that I've
inherited that ability

to ignore reality,
to remain composed.

I hate that.

Yeah, well look, if
it's any consolation,

when I first met
you I didn't think

that you were
entirely composed, so.

I started painting again.

I used to be an
artist, actually.

Really?

Mhmm.

See, artist, musician.

Yeah.

Manny.

Yep.

Don't even, no.

- No, let me just do one.
- No, I'll do it

- in the morning.
- Just the one cup.

I will do it in the morning.

- Really?
- Yeah.

Okay, but you
have to let me do

some of this in the morning.

Yeah.

Okay, I'm going to bed.

You should.

Even
mannies have bedtimes.

Good night.

Is this okay?

You don't ever ask
if anything's okay.

Why?

And you never ask why.

But it's good.

Go ahead.

Here, take your mom's
fork, that's it.

Now use the prongs of the fork.

Draw me three lines real
quick, straight lines.

Attaboy.

Railroad tracks.

Use a little of that.

That's good.

That's good.

The man drew railroad tracks.

Bye.

I won't sell the painting.

Unless it's worth
more than 500,000.

It is.

And I do know he's my grandson.

I love you.

Come on, you.

Thanks for having me.

Oh, oh, I have
something for you.

Oh, thanks.

It's my music.

Give it a listen, let
me know what you think.

Sure, thanks.

Thanks, Richard.

Hey.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Richard?

Richard.

Richard!

That's orange juice.

There is all kinds of ways
to put things together, Claire.

Try it.

No.

Richard, please.

How about that?

Clean up your mess.

You are never happy

unless you have
something to fix.

You're a narcissistic caretaker.

That's not even a thing.

It's embarrassing for Joyce
to see the kitchen like this.

I'm going into town.

I'll leave her grocery
money on the counter.

Please don't take it again.

It's about a
lack of inhibition.

It's not always clear to Richard

what's appropriate
behavior anymore.

He's frustrated and afraid.

Just getting through his day
is 10 times harder for him

than for a healthy person.

Claire.

Listen.

Have you given any thought
to our support groups?

I can't imagine sharing
this with strangers.

I can't betray his
trust like that.

This is not who he is.

Am I going to lose him?

I can't.

I can't.

God damn it!

Ugh!

I don't even know why
we moved out here.

Stick!

Stick!

Richard.

I always loved
you in that dress.

I guess I should have
bought you more dresses.

I didn't want you to feel like

I was trying to turn you
into some kind of a doll.

Shit!

The furniture.

You destroyed the living room.

I had a wife, Phyllis.

I'd buy her a dress

and she'd say "I'm
not a canvas."

- Look at me.
- "Do I look like a canvas

- "to you?"
- Look at me.

Look at me.

Our living room.

- Don't you see it?
- What were you thinking?

I am trying to
capture an empty space.

So I painted it white
again and again,

and then I look over
and I see a chair

where all our friends sat.

I thought you'd
understand what I'm doing.

Our friends never
sat in those chairs.

Those chairs we got years after!

Why don't you put
some clothes on?

What?

You see remnants of
the living room here?

It's all remnants.

And I'm trying to
put them on there

in little pieces,

- 'cause that's all that's left
- Please.

Of our life!

I do wanna help you.

I do wanna help you.

And I've always
tried to help you.

It's just that
you don't remember

a fucking thing anymore.

No, you don't remember.

Again and again and
again, you're gone.

I don't know where you go.

But you keep disappearing on me.

I have errands to do.

I run on the beach.

I go to the grocery store.

You don't see
anything different, huh?

I see something
different, Richard,

and it's you.

You are different.

I know you're
trying to help me.

And I wanna help you.

But I guess I really haven't.

Why didn't we ever
have children?

What?

It was never the right time.

We loved our lives, didn't we?

Yeah.

We did.

So if you wanna leave, leave.

You don't understand
what that means.

I want a divorce.

You want a divorce.

This is my work.

You wouldn't understand.

You never became a painter!

Because I was too busy
supporting your career.

- My painting-
- I don't give a god damn

about your paintings.

You can't paint.

You never really tried.

You okay?

I don't know.

If you're going to town,

we need more paper towels

and some of that
brown wood cleaner.

Not the spray, the oil.

Joyce.

Could you stay here
for a few nights?

You taking a sabbatical?

What?

That's what Richard would say

when you would have a quarrel,

that you should go
take a sabbatical.

But you never did.

Maybe you should have.

I don't know.

Hi.

You found it.

Yeah I found it.

It's really out here.

I wasn't sure.

Yeah, I got you this.

Well I shouldn't say
that I got it for you.

Angela gave it to me.

I gave this to her.

No way.

She doesn't like my
presents very much.

Well, she is sober.

You didn't know that.

I shouldn't have told you.

Do you drink?

Me yeah, oh yeah.

I had two drinks on the
train over here, actually.

Okay.

- So I'm ready.
- Okay.

Just the homekeeping.

Just, I don't know
anything about wine.

But it's very red.

I always thought Richard
should stop drinking.

Yeah?

And when we talk about it,

he tells me it's part
of his creative process.

That'll kill that conversation.

Please, stop me

from talking about Richard.

I've been talking about
Richard for more than 20 years.

Yeah.

Richard thinks, and Richard
says, and Richard likes.

I really like your songs.

Oh yeah?

Yeah.

Thank you.

I really do.

Thanks.

You know how it is
showing your art.

It's not...

Did you do these?

Why are you making that face?

What's that face about?

No one
has seen them yet.

Oh.

Yeah Claire, I
really like these.

I worry that I'm making
a big ass of myself.

I worry about so many things.

The problem with being
constantly surrounded

by bright lights is
that they make you feel

there's already enough
light in the world.

No, it's okay.

I'm sorry, Danny.

I think you should go.

You can still catch
the last train.

Yeah, yeah, no, of course.

You're probably right.

Where have you been?

I'm here now.

I'm here.

Let's get you to bed.

I'm sorry I didn't tell you.

Be honest.

I wanna know what you think.

Why would you
ever have stopped?

I don't
know what's going to happen.

Maybe one day you
won't remember me.

You'll know that you know me

but you won't know
how you know me.

I'll tell you that I'm your wife

and you'll think, oh my wife?

We must be in love.

And you won't remember how
much we hurt each other.

We'll forget the
fights and the spite.

And I suppose in a way none
of it is worth remembering.

Just that I'm your wife.

The Art in
America cover story

will be out on Tuesday

and the Times wants
to do one of those

interactive things online.

When can Richard
do an interview?

Let's not get
ahead of ourselves.

The show's not for
another three weeks.

Several
of Richard's pieces

are already spoken
for sight unseen.

The Pompadeau and
the Tate are asking

to do his next retrospective,

and all the top critics
are booked for the preview.

Claire?

Is everything okay?

Just been a lot of
late nights recently

with Richard finishing
the paintings.

Well, we've got
a big run ahead of us.

This has been a
long time coming.

Angela, what are
you doing here?

You came to us.

You invited us back
into your life.

Danny quit today.

What, why?

He said he wanted
to work on his music

before it's too late.

He said you inspired him
to make that decision.

Danny is the only constant
thing in Gogo's life

and you've taken
that away from him.

He came to visit me and we...

we talked about art.

Is this
how you treat people?

You're hurting so you
want everyone else

to hurt just the same?

That's hardly fair.

Angela.

Angela, I made an
enormous mistake

and I'm so, so sorry.

Should I speak to him?

How are you gonna fix this?

You're the problem.

We were doing fine.

I wanted to help, and then,

I was lonely.

Are we driving?

Liza sent a car.

Can I ask you a question?

Are they good?

They're very good.

They always are.

What can I say?

It's incredible.

Thank you.

Ricardo.

Ricardo,

Your new work is darling.

Let's be honest, I
always did.

Thank you.

I'm here to see Angela Smythson.

Just one moment.

Hey.

Your father's
opening is tonight.

Why aren't you there?

I needed some space.

All this anger you have,

I understand it.

Believe me, I've
had a lot of my own.

But at a certain point,
I think we're,

we're only hurting ourselves.

You've already lost
your father once.

And you're going
to lose him again.

We both are.

But now,

we have to hold him.

That is the only
thing we can do.

Did he paint it?

Danny said he saw a
preview of the show online

and he said they
were your paintings.

The ones he saw in your studio.

I was the one that
chose to stop painting.

And then I chose to give him

one last chance to be the
great Richard Smythson.

I wanted that for
him, he needed that.

Maybe I needed it to.

They're your paintings.

It was enough
for me this time.

To create again.

I can do this again.

I will do this again.

But tonight, it's enough.

Let's get you ready.

We're talking
with the American painter

Richard Smythson
and his wife Claire.

So what's next for you two?

Well
I create the art.

She creates the
rest of our life.

Do you know, where the hell
are we going?

Talk about this.

So how about that for a smile?

Everything that we
do is up to Claire.

The show is stunning.

Really?

Claire?

Oh my gosh.

Oh.