The Scientist (2020) - full transcript

It's
December 9th, 2022.

I'm Dr. Steve Unger.

Here, we have
patient number one,

female, mid-20s to late 20s,

no vital signs.

Cause of death...

Strangulation.

I will administer
five milliliters

of test batch alpha,

the results of which
should yield...

Life.



Please.

Let this one.

She's alive!

It's such a beautiful place.

Wow, look at that!

That moth is so amazing.

The moth's a great mimic.

To hide from predators, the moth

can evolve to look like insects,

such as a wasp or,
even the tarantula.

Okay, are you telling me that

can turn into a tarantula?

Yes.

Hey, look it up in the Internet



if you don't believe me.

So gross,

yet oddly beautiful.

What if people
were like moths,

and this body of ours
was only the beginning?

What do you mean?

Okay.

Well, before it becomes a moth,

a caterpillar has this
transformative cells

hidden within its body.

And once it enters the cocoon,

those transformative
cells are released

and they can become whatever
it needs to survive.

Who knows?

Maybe we have those same

transformative cells within us.

And all we need to
do is wake them up,

then we can turn into
some strange creature.

But I think, I think I'm,

I think I'm turning
into one now.

I'm uh, uh, uh.

What?

I'm coming for
you now, Darlene.

Coming for you, Darlene.

Oh!

Darlene,

I have loved you

since the first moment
I've ever saw you.

I'm no poet but
this is as romantic

as I thought it was in my head.

You've been so patient
with me after med school.

You stood by my side when

I couldn't even stand
to be by myself.

I can't imagine spending
the rest of my life

with anyone else but you.

I promise to love you,

cherish you,

support you,

and care for you.

I will absolutely treasure you

forever and ever if you
promise to marry me.

Darlene, will you marry me?

Yes, of course.

Are there any side effects

that we should know about?

She'll be tired.

The pain medication will
help with the headaches.

The shot I'll administer
will help with the nausea.

You'll feel a
little pinch, okay?

As a hospice nurse,

I'm here not only for your wife,

but your entire family

till the last
stages of her life.

You mentioned you have
a daughter, correct?

Lily.

Lily.

That's a beautiful name.

Thank you.

I'll help you and Lily

get through this process.

I'll make sure your wife

is as comfortable as possible.

Now, I've laid
out some pamphlets

that detail everything from
symptoms to be aware of,

as well as coping
with family stress.

Are there any other
family members

that should be present
for these conversations?

Her parents passed
away a while ago.

She has a brother,

but he is not much into family.

No worries.

What about your occupation?

I do research for
a cosmetics lab,

so my hours are pretty
much nine to five.

Just know
I'm here to help,

for as little or
as much possible.

It will help you
and your daughter

in this situation.

There's no timetable
when we can pinpoint

when your wife will slip
into a coma or pass.

It can be weeks, months,

so the sooner you address
these things, the better.

Do you have any
questions so far?

No.

But thank you, for
everything, Betty.

I promised to always
take care of you.

You are, more than enough.

Could've done something more

to prevent all this.

None of this is because
you failed at something.

I'm lucky to have married you.

From this home, and life,
to our beautiful daughter,

I'm blessed.

Mom!

Dad?

Speaking of.

In here, sweetie.

What are you all doing?

It isn't bedtime.

Of course not, sweetie.

Mommy is just a
little tired today.

You're always tired, mommy.

That's nothing new.

Hey, why don't you tell us

what you did in school today?

Stars.

Stars?

What about the stars?

There are bi-gillion,
million of stars in the sky

and the sun is a big star.

That's right.

Good job.

Can we look at
the stars tonight?

We'll need to let
mommy take a nap.

And then, we can look
at the stars later.

Okay?

Sweet dreams, mommy.

Hey, kiddo.

How would you feel about

two of us taking a trip?

Just us two.

Where?

- Where do you want?
- New Mexico.

It's odd.

Why New Mexico?

My teacher's from
there and she said

you can see tons of stars.

All right then, New Mexico.

How come mommy wanna come?

Well, mommy is
not gonna be able

to do everything with us.

Sometimes, it's just
gonna be you and me.

How do you feel about that?

About what?

If it was just you and me.

My friend at
school has two dads.

Okay, but I don't think
you'll gonna another dad,

but what about a dad and a mom?

No, that would be weird.

Yeah.

Come on.

Let's go wake up mom
for dinner, okay?

Okay, here.

Put this on, it's a
little cold outside.

Where's mom?

Mom is still asleep.

Still?

Lazy mom.

Your mom needs a lot of
sleep these days, okay?

- Okay.
- All right.

Go get your backpack.

And this must be Lily.

Lily, this is Betty.

She's gonna make
mommy feel better

when we're away from home.

Nice to meet you, Lily.

Are you gonna help my
mom with her headaches

and from getting
tired all the time?

Well, I'm gonna try.

We'll see, okay?

You're off to school?

Yeah, my
dad walks me everyday

before he goes to work.

Well, that's nice of him.

Such a good daddy he is.

Hm, I think, yes, he's okay.

Hey!

Darlene's inside asleep.

You have the code to get in?

I do.

Well, you have a good day,

and maybe, after
school, I'll meet you

with some freshly baked cookies.

- I like her.
- Mm-hm.

Come on, all right.

Bye, thanks, Betty.

Steve.

Amigo.

Are you all right?

Let me show you this.

Steve, this...

This looks promising.

Are these using the
stem cell samples

we got in yesterday?

I tried a different approach

from our previous attempts.

I definitely see a lot
of cell regeneration there.

But I think we should
show it to Dr. Berry.

You used the neural
stem cell samples

we received from St. Louis?

Yes, sir.

Just the neural?

Well, actually,

I added embryonic cells as well.

Robert,

let me talk to Steve,

alone.

Where the fuck did you
get the embryonic cells?

We received the package
from St. Louis that contained

both the neural and the
embryonic stem cells.

So, you just up and decided

to research with them
without my approval?

You like having a job?

Making money?

I don't know where you're
planning to go with this.

Stop wasting my fucking
time trying to play savior,

by creating cures for diseases

we have no business treating.

I make money to run this place,

pay you a salary by
developing cosmetic therapies

to sell to the rich
people in America,

who have the money to
pay for these treatments.

Yeah, and we can
continue to do that.

But we could also develop

groundbreaking treatments
for lots of diseases.

We have the capacity.

You develop a
cure for, let's say,

something small, chicken pox.

Great!

No kid in America ever
catches the disease again

and it becomes obsolete.

Guess who needs to buy
your medication now.

Nobody.

And how much do you make

when nobody needs
your medication?

Not a goddamn cent.

There is never going to
be a cure for cellulite

as long as people enjoy eating.

The goddamn Russian scientists
are testing on humans

and making a killing.

It's all I wanna do here,

and make you and I some money.

Focus on the task I give you

and you keep your job.

Yes, sir.

Think of your daughter.

So, what did he say?

Nothing.

Just wants me to keep making
plastic faces for rich people.

Look, Steve, I'm with you.

Yeah, I wish our jobs were
more rewarding than they are.

But it's a job, man.

I'm sorry about Darlene.

I pray for your
family every night.

But it truly is in
God's hands, my friend.

You know one thing
he said that was right?

As long as people keep
getting rich off medications,

then there's no
incentive to find a cure.

They'll say, "Keep
the sick medicated,

"keep the profits rolling then."

Something there's got
to change, all right?

Our health care system,
they're robbing us blind.

We're just getting
played by the system.

I mean, as scientist,
it's our responsibility

to find a fix.

If we don't, then
nothing will ever change.

I agree but there are rules,

morals that we have to abide by,

and if we don't, then
we're no different.

Are we?

Hey, I'll keep praying
for both of us.

And give Darlene my best, huh?

It's 90 degrees
outside and it's December,

and they tell us global
warming isn't real.

I know this is
Texas but come on.

Well, moving on to
something that is real,

did you hear about
this strange story?

An eight-year-old
boy bitten by a wasp

while vacationing with
his parents in Costa Rica

returned home deathly sick,

but within a few days,
recovered from his illness,

and miraculously cured
from a lifelong battle

of his multiple
sclerosis disease.

Isn't that amazing?

However, weeks after
his stunning recovery,

the boy slipped into a
coma and eventually died.

Doctors are still puzzled
about his miraculous recovery

and are trying to understand

more about the boy's illness.

They've sent cell
sample to various labs

- across the state...
- Sorry.

For
further research

in the hopes to learn
more and possibly find...

- Sorry.
- A cure for MS.

Have a nice day.

Daddy!

He-hey!

How's my little one?

- Good.
- Good.

Uh, oh, what's going on in here?

Well, good
evening, Mr. Unger.

Just Steve is fine.

Good evening, Steve.

Hey.

Hey, how are you feeling?

Good.

Betty just waited a
bit until you got home.

She cooked dinner for us.

Oh, that was nice.

Thank you, Betty.

It's no problem at all.

I even made Miss Lily some
homemade mac and cheese.

Yummy, right?

A lot better than that
bug stuff you make, dad.

No offense.

- Oh.
- Oh, no offense, huh?

The things they teach
kids in school these days.

Well, I better get going.

You guys enjoy the dinner.

Bye, Lily.

Hey, Betty, why
don't you stay?

That is, unless you
have other dinner plans.

I can't say this single
woman has any plans.

So, Lily, do you mind if I stay?

Do you have kids, Betty?

No, I don't.

Why?

God didn't bless
me with the ability to.

Why would God do that?

Lily, it's not nice to ask
personal questions like that.

No, it's okay.

God has a
plan for all of us.

And we all play a role
in each other's lives.

And besides, I'm here to help
with you and your family.

Help us make yummy mac
and cheese and cookies?

Exactly.

So, what have you discovered?

A fix.

No, no, this isn't right.

Wait, wait,
what isn't right about it?

You're tampering
with human DNA here.

I mean, you're
regenerating cells faster

than anything I've
ever seen possible.

How did you even do this?

You remember those cell
samples we got from St. Louis?

Yeah, the ones you
showed me the other day.

Yeah, well, those
samples contained the cells

of an eight-year-old boy
who died from a disease

contracted from a wasp
bite in Costa Rica.

But before he died,
that same disease

cured his multiple sclerosis.

Right, so there's
something there

that we could tap into.

I am close to getting it.

This is dangerous stuff, man.

Yo don't know what
this can do long-term.

We don't even do that
kind of research here.

But we have them now, okay?

We could something
of this, okay?

We run a test.

We inject the virus and
follow it up with this serum.

And we could come very
close to finding a cure.

A cure for what?

For anything.

Everything.

Can you even imagine
what that would be like?

I know why you're doing this.

Okay, I get it.

But even if you did go
through with any of this,

this would never pass
through any FDA regulations.

Who or how would you even test?

We don't even have
that authority here.

I mean, look at these mutations

that are occurring
in this sample.

You can't fathom
the consequences

that could result from testing.

Walk away from this.

I'm really sorry I missed
your dance recital, Lily.

I've been working really
hard to make mommy better.

And you do want mommy to
get better, don't you?

You know, Betty, I really
can't thank you enough

for everything that you've been

doing around here,
all your help.

I can't even imagine what life

would be like here without you.

You're welcome.

Did you all eat dinner?

Yeah, we did.

Are you hungry?

Mm, no.

No, just tired.

This medication
makes me so sleepy.

Sorry for
being mad at you.

Are you mad at me?

- Before.
- When?

Forgetting me at
dance rehearsal.

Hey.

I didn't forget about you.

I was just late.

I know.

I need to be more tough and
not such a baby anymore.

I know mom is sick and we
need to be tough for her.

I made this for you to
protect us from being sick.

You promise to wear it?

I'll never take it off.

Good night, sweetheart.

Sweet dreams, daddy.

Earth to Steve.

Hey, beautiful.

Did your work allow you to

take all this equipment
home with you?

I think borrow would be
a better word than take.

So what are you so
obsessed with out here

that I don't see you as much?

I've had a breakthrough
in my research.

I just need to dedicate
more time to it.

Look, I promise, I'm
going to fix you.

I'm so close...

- Steve.
- To finally finding...

Steve!

Steve, all I want
is you and Lily

to spend whatever
time is left, with me.

It's too away for
any of this, Steve.

No.

I'll make more time.

Look, all I have to
do is perfect it.

And it might...

No, it will cure you.

I just have to hurry

because I won't lose you.

Okay,
I understand that,

that this is your way of
dealing with the situation,

to fix it.

But I don't you to fix me.

I need you to just
lay down with me

and accept this, together,

'cause I'm trying to keep
it together.

I'm scared.

I'm scared of not
leaving a perfect home.

I'm scared of,

I'm scared of Lily
growing up with anger.

I'm scared of you being lonely

for the rest of your life.

But also of not remembering me

if you do move on.

No.

No.

No, that's not gonna happen.

No, it's not gonna happen.

You wanna know why?

Because you are
not going anywhere.

You're gonna stay right
here with me, forever.

All right?

- I love you.
- I love you.

Today is December 6, 2022.

I'm Dr. Steven Unger,

and today I will proceed
with the first test

of batch alpha on
subject A, mouse.

Subject A is free of
ailment and disease,

so I will administer
a lethal virus,

and upon death,
will then administer

two milliliters of
test batch alpha,

the results of
which should return

subject A back to life.

Subject A is now deceased.

So, I'll administer two
milliliters test batch alpha.

My god.

After two-milliliter
dosage of test batch alpha,

subject A has returned to life.

All bodily functions
appear normal.

Dad, it's mom!

Dad!

Dad, help, please!

Dad, mom needs help, quick!

Dad!

What's going on?

Daddy, what's going on?

Daddy, please answer me.

Daddy!

- Go wait in the living room.
- Daddy.

What
are you, crazy fucker?

Why are you fucking
with me like that?

You try that shit again,
I'll kick some ass.

I'll be okay, if
you could fix her.

For a long as you can fix her.

I've always hated the
name my mom gave me.

Minerva.

I mean, what is that?

But my mom, the
hippie ,

so, it was just like
her to name someone

something so a lot.

That's why people
call me Minnie,

because I'm so tiny.

But, I mean, I think I'm
starting to like it a little bit.

I looked it up and it
means goddess of wisdom.

That's not too bad, right?

It's kinda cool.

So...

Are you gonna kiss me, or what?

I'm sorry.

Shh, shh, shh.

Shh, shh, shh.

Quiet!

Shh, shh.

Quiet!

Let's get to the car.

Hurry!

Shut up!

No, no, no no.

No, no, no, no, no, wake up.

Come on, wake up.

Wake up, wake up, don't.

No, no, no.

No, don't go.

Damn!

What are you doing, daddy?

Get out of here, Lily.

This isn't a place
to be playing around.

You need some help with that?

No, thanks.

I'm just taking
out some old trash.

Well, Lily came in crying.

I just want to see if
everything was okay.

Everything is okay.

I'm good.

That looks really heavy.

Yes.

I'm good.

You should probably
go inside and,

see if Lily needs any help.

- Steve.
- What?

Oh, sorry.

Did I wake you?

Kiss me.

Kiss.

Kiss me.

Kiss me right now.

Kiss me.

Kiss me.

Kiss me.

You look tired.

I'm not defeated.

Now that's what I'm afraid of.

Come lay with me.

Promise me that whatever
it is you're doing,

it won't jeopardize
everything we've built so far.

I promise.

How you feeling, kiddo?

Don't lose this one.

Yes, sorry.

I must have misplaced
the other one.

I promise to take good
care of this one, okay?

I can't keep
letting you do this.

You can't play God.

What are you gonna do?

Report me?

Listen.

As a friend, I know
you're hurting, man.

You're trying everything

that you can do
to help, but you...

Hey, you have no idea
what I am going through,

okay, because you do not
have the urgency that I have

as a husband, as a father,
who'll do anything he can

to keep his family together.

Not this way.

Whatever you're doing
is not controlled.

It's not regulated.

I have to stop you.

Stay out of it or
you're gonna get hurt.

Stay out of it.

Police investigating
a missing person case

are asking for
the public's help.

The woman seen in this video,

28-year-old Minerva Wilson,

was last seen walking
out of the bar

with this unidentified man.

Police are asking
for the public's help

on identifying this man,

or the whereabouts
of Minerva Wilson.

Steve?

Are you in there?

I'm going home for the evening.

Call me if you need me, okay?

Steve?

Yeah, I'm here.

You should really get some rest.

I know, I'm just, really
haven't seen you very much.

I know.

Just promise me that
when things get closer,

you'll just lay down
with me more, please.

Hey.

There's gonna be plenty
of time for that later.

I promise.

All right?

Betty.

Come on, Betty.

Come on.

Okay.

Okay.

Dad?

Are you in there?

Hello?

Who's in there, daddy?

Nothing, sweetie.

I've just got some
work in there.

I've got some
dangerous equipment

that I don't want you to touch.

So don't ever go in there, okay?

Okay.

Promise me, Lily.

Never go in there.

I promise.

Good.

All right, let's
get you to school.

It's
fascinating, isn't it?

What have you done, Steve?

You know how they
got the flu shot?

Neurologists in Michigan
in the early 40s

deliberately infected patients

at the mental hospital
with the influenza virus.

You know, there was
some trouble in there

and dozens of death.

Viola!

Got a vaccine.

You know, I'm this close.

This close

to developing something
that will change the world.

And people will look
back at all of this

and say that it was necessary

to advance health, science,

and sacrifices the
few to save the many.

There'll be some
casualties along the way.

But they are just as much a part

of this discovery as I am.

You see that now?

The work I'd do will save lives,

keep families together.

It will end suffering.

And you don't think
she's suffering?

She...

She promised to help me

any way that she could.

She is helping me.

She's helping my family!

She's helping your family.

She is helping millions
of others out there.

I'll pray for you.

Well, save your prayer!

Welcome back to the
land of the living.

How are you feeling?

I'm truly dying to know.

You know, I always told
that I would succeed.

You could have been
here, right alongside me,

changing the world.

It's too bad that you
won't get to see it.

Sorry, you had to
see that, Betty.

Really, I am.

But don't worry.

You won't suffer the same fate.

I promise.

Thank you, honey.

Where's Betty?

I sent her home.

We don't need nurses anymore.

What's wrong?

I don't know what.

Betty's gone.

I don't know what you're doing.

I don't know where Lily is.

Hey.

Honey, it's okay.

Lily is in the other
room having dinner.

Everything hurts.

Hey, hey, hey.

This time next week,

we're gonna be dancing.

Test subjects shows no
further signs of development.

No pupils.

Body motions still irregular.

Agitated.

No vocal capabilities.

Still no signs of basic
human communication.

I'll continue study
for two more days.

If no further development,

I will terminate test subject.

What are they doing?

Are those security cameras?

Lily!

Lily.

No, no, no, no, no.

No.

Oh, baby.

Baby.

Oh, sweetie.

Okay, come on.

Come on, baby.

The police.

Open up!

Ma'am?

You're okay?

What in the world.

Mom?

Mom?