30 Days to Say Goodbye (2016) - full transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING]

I had to take Jack
to the doctor today.

Jack's my son.

He has a rash.

Turns out he's
allergic to our cat.

Well-- my husband's cat.

[SIGH]

The doctor gave
him a prescription

because we can't
get rid of that cat.

My husband loves that cat.

We got it when we
first got married.



I wanted to have
kids right away,

but he said, let's
get an animal,

and see how we deal
with that first.

Of course I was OK with
it, because I thought

he was going to get a dog.

But when he came home, he
just had this kitten perched

on his shoulder, like a bird.

I asked him, why
didn't you get a dog?

He just looked at
me and he said,

I didn't choose the
cat The cat chose me.

[MUFFLED SOB]

And he smiled.

He has the most beautiful
smile you can say no to.

Jack has a smile.



Our daughter,
Morgan, has his eyes.

Mr. Walsh, we're
doing everything

we can to make him comfortable.

You're just waiting
for him to die.

How can you still think
he's going to die,

after what happened?

Alex, there's no evidence
of cognitive functioning.

Don't you fucking
dare say that to me.

He's alive inside.

You took him from me!

Alex, you need to
listen to Doctor Roberts!

You weren't there.

You didn't see it.

He was with me!

Alex, he is my brother!

This is hard for me, too.

[CRYING]

I'm sorry.

[CRYING]

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Jim called again--

Dad.

I didn't answer.

I don't know if
he's truly sorry,

or if he's just lonely
because mom is not around.

It's that's time
again, Mr. Walsh.

I'm staying with him tonight.

Oh, you'll have to clear
that with Dr. Roberts.

I already did.

We want to see if we get
another spark out of him.

I hope you do.

Easy.

Dad, why are you so sad?

I'm-- I'm sad
because of your daddy.

Hey, you.

Time to wake up.

James!

Hi.

I hope I didn't
miss our anniversary.

No, it's still
a few weeks away.

Great, man.

Stay right here.

I have a surprise for you.

James, wait!

[TIRES SQUEAL]

[CRASH]

James!

What'd they tell
you at the hospital?

Which hospital are
you referring to?

The one the ambulance
took him, where

they stabilized him
and then kicked him

out because he was gay?

Would it be the
second hospital, where

they wouldn't
accept my insurance,

because they don't
recognize our marriage?

They didn't say much, other
than my husband's mostly dead.

So after they decided
that he'd never

speak to me again or acknowledge
our children again, we're here.

Sorry, Mr. Walsh.

Sometimes these things
can be mishandled.

Unfortunately, that
does not change the fact

that patients with as severe
brain damage as your husband's

simply do not recover.

People worse off
make a full recovery.

They didn't even
give him a chance.

They just decided he
wasn't worth saving.

James's catatonic state
is not psychosomatic.

It's um-- not reversible.

His brain is severely damaged.

And it is ceasing to function.

Whatever time he has left, rest
assured that our staff are here

for him, and hospice, and
to help you with, um--

this time of
difficult transition.

Difficult transition?

This would be the time
to get things in order, OK?

To spend time with your family.

In the meantime,
we'll take James

out every day for
fresh air and sunshine.

There's a park bench--

overlooks a beautiful park.

It's very peaceful.

What did he say?

Will they take James?

They will.

Oh, thank God.

I'm going to go check on him

I talked to my parents today.

What's wrong?

They're going to fight
you for Jack and Morgan.

The fuck they are!

No one's taking my
kids away from me.

Look, I am on your side, OK?

But they have a case.

Your marriage isn't
recognized by the state.

And the twins share his DNA.

For a reason.

It doesn't matter
what the reason was.

They think the twins will have
a better life living with them.

They don't want to remove
you from their lives--

as If that makes what
they're doing OK.

He's still alive, and
they're already trying

to pull this family apart.

You know, I was good enough
for their son, but not

a grieving faggot trying to
raise their grandchildren!

[MUSIC PLAYING]

[DOOR OPENS ]

Mr. Walsh?

Mr. Walsh?

Alex.

Alex, why aren't you
outside with James?

His sister and the kids
are out there with him.

I figured they wanted
some alone time.

May I?

Please.

I'll be out of here
in just a minute.

Take your time.

It'd be nice to talk
to someone who hasn't

been crying for nearly a month.

Oh, well, you
should have seen me

when I first started this job.

I cried every day.

Not anymore?

Only on special occasions, ha.

I guess you see this
kind of stuff all the time.

No, I don't.

Everybody's different.

You have a beautiful
connection with James.

Not everybody has that.

You two were lucky to
have found each other--

a true romance.

I met James at a
crossroad in my life,

just after I got
out of the military.

It was very romantic.

Well, hellooo.

You are cute.

I actually hadn't come
out, prior to meeting him.

I was always afraid to.

But he made it worth it.

He's made my life better than
I ever thought it could be.

Did you know you were
gay before you met him?

Oh, I've always known.

I just spent my entire life
hiding it from everybody.

You know, during the time
I was in the military,

it wasn't easy to be a gay man.

And the thought of disappointing
my parents was heartbreaking.

And how did your
parents take it?

Whoo-- about how I expected.

This is some kind
of sick joke, right?

Dad, this isn't a joke.

Where did I go wrong?

You didn't do anything wrong.

I told you.

I told you you
hugged him too much!

Now he's condemned to hell--

condemned to hell!

What will people say?

[CRYING]

You need to get
out of my house.

You need to get out of my house.

Dad, I'm still your son!

Bullshit.

Stop it!

You made your choice.

ALEX: It's not a choice!

Get out!

Mom, please.

FATHER: Get out!

Dad--

Get out of my goddamn house.

You've chosen to be a stain
on this family's name.

I will not have a
cocksucker for a son.

Oh!

Ah, ha-- what, is that that
faggot you're going to hell

for?

Is that the faggot
you're going to hell for?

Well, fuck you, and that
AIDS-infested faggot.

I hope you both burn in hell.

Say faggot one more time.

Faggot.

Oh!

It's not worth it.

FATHER: Ah-- you are
my greatest regret!

I no longer have a son.

Don't ever come back here!

You're dead to me.

Dead to me!

Mom!

I take it you don't know
too many gay people.

So-- they've never
met their grandkids?

They didn't even know they
had grandchildren until just

before my mother died.

She died having never met them.

And I don't speak to my dad.

Ever?

Well, he's been trying to
reach out ever since James--

I can-- I can understand
not wanting to add to what

you're going through already.

But I've noticed,
when people come

to love and accept family--

regardless of whether
they deserve it--

well, it tends to
be easier on them.

James actually forgave him.

He took the kids to
meet him last year.

He'd say, it's easier to
forgive and move forward

than to hurt and
hold onto the past.

It's what makes James
the most beautiful person

I've ever known.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

[SOBBING]

I'm sorry.

Hey, listen-- did I upset you?

No, no, you--

[CRYING] James.

You look just like my husband.

He's the most wonderful
man I've met in my life.

We have--

[CRYING]

Two of the most
beautiful children

you could ever imagine.

James, this is me.

It's Alex.

[CRYING]

Alex?

Yes.

If you see Alex--

[INAUDIBLE] [CRYING] James.

Tell-- tell him I'll
always be with him.

OK.

[CRYING]

Tell him-- tell him to let our
kids know that no matter what

they do in life, they'll
always be our greatest

accomplishments.

You-- you can tell them.

You can tell them that
yourself when you come home.

[CRYING] James.

Alex?

Yes!

[INAUDIBLE]

Oh, James, James.

[SOBBING]

It's test time, James--

just some simple tests.

He's OK.

He was speaking to me.

Mr. Walsh, hopefully the
tests will confirm that.

The sooner we get
started, the better.

Where are you taking him?

[INAUDIBLE]

James, James!

[MUSIC PLAYING]

You would have liked James.

Some for you, some for me.

Cheers.

Cheers.

Mmm.

Oh, that's tasty.

Let's have some for the dogs.

Yeah.

Some for you, some
for you, some for you,

and a tiny bit for
you, [INAUDIBLE]..

I'll be right back, baby.

OK, Daddy.

OK.

Hey, buddy, go play with
your sister for a little bit.

How did you get daddy,
and I got stuck with dad?

Because I thought of it.

[CHUCKLING]

Big day next month.

Yeah, what's that?

I bet you thought I'd forget.

Wait-- did you forget?

I didn't forget.

[CHUCKLING]

I hope you didn't
make any plans,

because I got us
reservations at--

Daddy, the tea
is getting cold!

[LAUGHTER] OK, baby.

i guess it's tea party time.

Oh, you're lucky.

I never get tea party invites.

That's because dad
is more into sports.

Yeah, that's true.

Hey, buddy.

Tell your dad you love him.

I love you, Dad.

I love you too, baby.

I love you, big guy.

Tea time, huh?

You want some?

I'd love some.

How about Daddy?

Can Dad have some?

Hmm?

Oh, thank you.

Cheers to us.

Cheers.

[MUFFLED SOB]

[MUSIC PLAYING]

BARACK OBAMA: Our
nation was founded

on a bedrock principle--

that we are all created equal.

The project of
each generation is

to bridge the meaning
of those founding words

with the realities
of changing times,

a never-ending quest
to ensure those words

ring true for every
single American.

Progress on this journey often
comes in small increments--

sometimes two steps
forward, one step back,

propelled by the persistent
effort of dedicated citizens.

And then sometimes,
there are days

like this, when that
slow, steady effort is

rewarded with justice.

That arrives like a thunderbolt.
This morning the Supreme Court

recognized that the Constitution
guarantees marriage equality.

In doing so, they've reaffirmed
that all Americans are entitled

to the equal
protection of the law,

that all people should
be treated equally,

regardless of who they
are or who they love.

This decision will end
the patchwork system

we currently have.

It will end the
uncertainty hundreds

of thousands of
same-sex couples face

from not knowing
whether their marriage,

legitimate in the
eyes of one state,

will remain if they decide to
move or even visit another.

This ruling will strengthen
all of our communities,

by offering to all
loving same-sex couples

the dignity of marriage
across this great land.

I'm sorry.

[MUSIC PLAYING]