Blush (2019) - full transcript
The sexual, psychological, and moral unraveling of an obsessive-compulsive suburban mom.
You lost weight.
You're just noticing?
Do you know that
there are more things
living on your skin
than humans on earth?
- No.
- Yep.
You excited
about today? Hmm?
Did you see our cake?
Hey, nice job.
There's no way
you're not going to win.
You mean, you?
We.
Thank you.
Theme?
- Come on.
- Oh!
You have got to be
fucking kidding me.
Oh, my God, it's nature!
Who has all this time to bake?
Oh, my God,
that is so beautiful.
Five, six, seven, eight!
Holy shit.
You won.
Our cake, yeah,
it did, I mean, we did, mm-hmm.
- Cool.
- Yeah.
- Uh, congratulations.
- Thank you.
Okay.
- See you at home.
- Yeah, see ya.
- Okay, I love you.
- Love you!
Only half a can in the morning. He's on a diet.
I know, you're hungry,
but you're getting very fat.
Chicken hearts are his absolute favorite.
Are you writing this down?
I'll remember it.
Okay, don't worry,
she's going to remember.
Aren't you hot in here?
It's very stuffy.
No, don't do that.
I don't want him getting out.
You need screens. You want me to
have some put in while you're away?
I need curtains.
The new neighbors are incredibly annoying.
I mean, what's next?
A water slide?
The last people
never left the house.
What about you?
Are you getting out much?
I'm spending the next six weeks
in a meditation retreat.
- That's not getting out enough for you?
- I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Ooh, look at the look
she's giving me.
How am I looking at you?
You're, like, "So unbearably
pathetic since John died" look.
I get that look from Mom and Wally all
the time. Oh, speaking of, I forgot.
Yeah, Mom asked me to ask you...
Stop asking me things
she asked you to ask me.
You're going to be okay.
Okay.
- Do you want me to just do a ponytail or something?
- No.
No, I can do my own hair.
Hey, you guys, when
can we do something together?
You know, like,
go out to eat or something?
- You don't eat.
- I eat.
Okay, well, how about a hike?
- No one can keep up with you.
- I have to smoke crack to keep up with you.
Why would you say that?
Nobody smokes crack anymore.
- You ready?
- Yep.
- You're taking Tara to school?
- Mm-hmm.
Oh.
- Bye.
- Bye.
- Hug.
- Bye.
- Mm!
- Mom, Mom, what, what are you... Stop it.
Come on, no interest in sex,
moody as shit, working nonstop?
He started waxing his back.
Frank's fucking around on Gina.
- With a woman who looks 12.
- Don't say anything.
Oh, we weren't
supposed to say anything.
- She told you how they met, right?
- Uh, no.
- Let me see that.
- Huh?
What... What are you doing?
- What are you thinking about?
- Nothing.
I fought through chemo,
surgery, radiation.
I lost a lung, my larynx.
I have no taste or smell.
I thought smoking made me
look cool, yeah, look how cool.
Thank you, Todd, thank you so much.
Oh, you know what?
Let's thank our entire panel
for sharing their stories
with us today.
Thank you, thank you so much.
Again, our cancer surviving...
Is that owner lady gone?
So, what's the deal,
are you subletting?
Uh, no, I'm cat-sitting.
I'm surprised she actually
left her house, I'm Gemma Jean.
Um, I hate to be that person,
but this...
is, um...
it's today, and...
I've been trying to quit.
I've cut back to,
like, three cigarettes a day.
Well, I haven't. I smoke at
least ten, but that's...
I really need to stop.
I'm pregnant.
- You're pregnant?
- Only just.
- You cannot smoke.
- I know. I know.
- You should not be smoking.
- Mm-hmm.
- Stop it right now.
- Trust me, I know, take them,
take them, get them
away from me. I don't want them.
I'm done completely,
I'm over it.
Thank you, this is
exactly what I needed.
Oh, fuck! I left my oven
on with the... Oh, fuck!
Shit, bye!
- Hi!
- Hey.
So, how was your dance?
Okay.
What, what were
you guys talking about?
- What?
- You and Helen, what were you guys talking about?
Her name is Ellen.
Ellen?
Well... anyway, I just, um...
I'm happy that you have another adult
that you feel comfortable talking with.
I mean, it's just so important,
I'm really happy about...
Hello?
I'm dying.
"Try eyeballing
or vodka eye dosing?"
What the hell's that?
"Buy an extra-large..."
Oh, my God, what?
"And dominate your husband?"
Ooh. I like,
"Start a local nudist colony."
- Ew.
- I don't want to see nobody naked...
Why don't you spend more time at a food
bank, homeless shelter, VA hospital?
No one's whining
about a midlife crisis there.
Narcissistic entitlement,
that's the real crisis.
I was, uh, waiting to
be introduced, but, um...
Hi, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, um,
I wanted to introduce you to our newest
Angel Committee member, this is Mary.
- Mary Kenley.
- Hi, Mary.
Yeah, I, um... So...
how's this work? I mean,
what are we doing here? Who's in charge?
Holla at your girl.
Fuck.
I don't know.
I'll figure it out.
Cat! Hi, are you okay?
- Yeah, are you?
- Oh, God, I'm having the worst...
I, I woke up this morning
with, um, uh... I was, like,
bleeding and cramping
and vomiting and diarrhea,
you name it.
And Len, my sweetheart,
was supposed to drive me to the hospital,
but that stupid, fucking car broke down,
and my ex-husband insists on taking
me, but he doesn't know about...
I can't see anything.
What do you mean?
I took a pregnancy test.
Your bleeding's
your period, you're not...
- Well, it was positive.
- False positive.
Perhaps a chemical pregnancy.
You know, skipping your period
isn't uncommon at your age.
Prior to menopause,
peri-menopause, women-opause,
it seems fair to say, right?
You may experience very
erratic cycles, mood changes,
sleep disturbance,
dry skin, weight gain,
extreme breast tenderness,
or, uh, loss of breast fullness,
incontinence, vaginal dryness...
- Oh, my God.
- Hey, don't focus on the sun going down.
Ah, the night's still young.
Mm, I ordered them
extra bloody, appropriately.
It's the middle
of the day.
Bloody Mary's aren't daytime?
This, um, committee
that you're so obsessed with,
what does it
have to do with angels?
We're volunteers. You should
come to a meeting with me, we...
And you do this why?
For the school.
- You know, if I don't do it, then...
- Oh, someone else will.
Oh!
Cat, this is Len.
Len, Cat.
- Cathy.
- Notice me not smoking right now?
You can thank Cat.
Ah.
Hey!
Sounds like your mom's going
all out for Thanksgiving, huh?
Should be fun
seeing your cousins.
I mean, we could be
making so much money that way.
- Yes, yes.
- Yeah.
Let's create posters.
Buttons, mugs, calendars.
Anything you can
print out, we can do.
Anyone else have any ideas,
about how we could do...
I mean, what do you think about...
I mean, the sky's the limit with...
- Yeah.
- Oh.
Hi.
what's going on?
We, we voted last
week to start meetings
a half hour earlier, an email
was sent out confirming.
- I don't think she was here last week.
- Mm-mm, she wasn't.
Oh, well, remind me to give you a
copy of last week's minutes, uh, Jane.
It's Cathy.
Oh.
So, there's a rat in there,
and you're sure it's in there?
Mm-hmm. Just shove it over there
before the thing skitters out.
Oh, my gosh!
- Done.
- Push it!
With all of your energy,
you should be,
like, running the country
or at least your own business
or something like that.
- Well, you know, I did for years.
- Mm, and?
I had Tara.
How convenient,
what's the real reason?
That's the real reason.
No, it isn't, just be honest.
I am being honest.
I know you.
Ah, you really don't.
I am you.
You need perspective.
- No.
- Do it.
Okay.
- Ooh!
- Oh, what...
What is in this?
I shouldn't have done this.
- Here, scoot up.
- Oh.
What am I... Is this a body suit?
Is this the whole thing connected?
- Yeah.
- Why would you wear something like this?
Cat, this is my baby.
- Hello.
- Xander, say hello.
- You're drinking?
- It's juice.
Just...
Don't,
come on.
Mm, juice, right.
What's in the bucket?
Just ignore the bucket.
- No, no, no, no, no, no, Xander, don't!
- No, no.
So, this was them,
that's love.
So lucky.
- He died.
- Well, mine's alive and won't leave.
Are you together,
are you separated or divorced?
Maybe we would be
if it wasn't such a hassle.
Are you, divorced?
No.
Well, you know what they say.
Marriage is for men,
divorce is for women.
- They say that?
- Yeah, hold on. All of this for one cat?
Well, where does Len
fit in to all of that?
Oh, she doesn't, which, um, you
know, works out perfectly for us.
Oh, she's having a party tomorrow night.
You should come with me.
Oh, we leave for
Thanksgiving break tomorrow.
- Give thanks for that.
- Ha, yeah.
Okay.
Just leave out a bunch of
food and water, it'll be fine.
Gail would kill me.
Yeah.
You know what? I probably should
see a doctor. Damn.
You guys just go and I'll meet you there
as soon as I get this all figured out.
- Muah!
- Bye.
Love you. Bye, hun.
Call me when you land.
God, I would
kill for a girl.
A son's a son
until he takes a wife.
A daughter's
a daughter her entire life.
My son stopped talking to me when
his voice changed.
It's so sad.
Yeah.
His voice before,
everything before.
It was like I dreamt it.
- How's your hand?
- Throbbing.
Oof.
Oh, here.
These are for my back,
they're great.
Just take half,
see how you feel.
Where's your bedroom, hmm?
I want a tour
of the whole house.
It's, um, down
the hall from Tara's room.
These are handmade.
Yeah, that's what
I did for years.
Well, why did you stop?
I, um, I saved the most
important ones for my daughter.
This is exquisite.
Well, I can't take it off.
I can't.
I promise I'll be
really careful with it.
It's fine,
it's like a fun party.
Fuck!
Gemma Jean, wait!
You're going to just
leave me here? What the fuck?
Gemma Jean!
Gemma Jean's in the hospital,
there's been an accident.
- What?
- Injuries were minor, mostly from the airbag.
- You need to go right away, I...
- You're okay staying here with Xander?
Of course, yes,
go, go, you need to go.
I'll be back soon.
Thank you.
You're awake?
- I'm so sorry, your mom is...
- I heard.
Well, she's okay.
Your dad is
going to be right back.
- Are you okay?
- You can go.
You shouldn't be alone.
Yes, I should.
- Well, your dad asked me to stay...
- You seem like a normal person.
What are you doing with my mom?
She gave you those.
- No.
- How many have you had?
No, she left them at my house.
Yeah, just be careful with them.
Well, they're for my hand.
You're that lady, aren't you?
From the assembly, with that group.
I am, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Anyway, you can go.
You should stay away
from my mom, for sure.
And go home
before those pills kick in.
Oh, watch your step, all right.
Oh, you're a great big
boyfriend, yeah, you sure are.
Oh. Oh, oh!
Kitty? Fuck! Oh!
Why!
Hello?
Hello.
Oh, ah, hi, um, Paul Rhodes...
from, uh, last night.
Just give me a second.
Sorry,
your door was wide open.
What?
Your door, it was open.
Oh, uh, I must have left, must have
left it open, in case the cat came back.
Um, well, I was... I, um, Gemma
Jean, she said this was yours.
Let's put it down here.
I, I can't thank you
enough for, for everything, so.
No, you kidding me?
After the insanity that
Gemma Jean put you through?
Well, you know, I got
myself in that situation, so.
I'm afraid to ask what happened with
Xander. I mean, he can just be totally...
No, he's fine, it's fine.
- Um, anyway.
- Yeah.
I'll, uh, see you later.
- Okay.
- Thank you.
All right.
I forgot you gave
this to me to hold.
- Oh.
- Oh, I never asked, what happened?
- Oh.
- Oh.
- Um.
- Does it hurt?
I probably have some ointment too.
I don't know if...
Yeah, ointment.
It's, uh, probably
going to get infected.
Yep, probably will.
Mm.
Is that okay?
- I don't know.
- Yeah, it is.
What else...
what else do you
fantasize about?
Singing like
Stevie Nicks.
Aw, that's cute.
So kid-like, I love that.
I wish mine were that innocent.
Why, what are yours?
You don't want to know.
They're very violent, actually.
Hmm.
And sexual.
Sexually violent.
Oh, shit.
I don't know why I just
told you that, I'm so sorry. I...
- You are really beautiful.
- Hmm.
I would never
actually mutilate anyone,
or anything, they're just...
they're not real.
- I've never done this.
- What, never?
What are you doing?
Where you going?
Oh, fuck.
Oh, fuck. Fuck.
Oh, thank you,
thank you, thank you!
Oh, where was he? Oh, here.
Here's a reward.
Is this for the cat
or for keeping my mouth shut?
What?
You guys
weren't exactly discreet.
- What are you talking about?
- You know what I'm talking about.
Did you know cats
can predict earthquakes?
Have you read
Making Rounds with Oscar:
The Extraordinary
Gift of an Ordinary Cat?
It's... this nursing
home adopted a cat to,
you know, comfort
all of the old people,
but it turned out
that he was really shy,
and he wouldn't
interact with people,
unless they were
right about to die,
and then he just
appears in their room.
And is all, like, affectionate
and starts purring and stuff.
It's so creepy.
So cool. Amazing read.
Anyway, an iPad would be good.
You know, in exchange.
In exchange for what?
I think you know.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.
No, no, no, no, no.
I told you, I don't know.
It was alive when I put it in the thing.
It just, it seemed weak.
Mm, you didn't
do anything to it?
No. Why would you
even ask me that?
No, it probably ate some of the rat
poison Mom had me put everywhere.
And what's this
crap about an iPad?
- Say you're sorry.
- For what?
- Say you're sorry!
- It's okay.
No, it's not. Say it.
- I'm sorry.
- Good, now dig.
- Dig!
- Ah!
She asked me to go with her.
- To rehab?
- Yeah.
It's couples' rehab.
It's the first time that
she's ever really wanted to try.
I never thought
she would ever want to.
And, look,
it's probably pointless.
I'm nuts, right?
And right now,
like, everything with us,
- it's just, the timing is terrible.
- Hey, hey, I'm married.
- Fully married? Or...
- Paul...
go work on
your relationship, all right?
Wouldn't that be great?
Especially for Xander.
Yeah.
All right.
Um...
my parents are going to be staying here
with him, and they're kind of out of it,
so if you could just keep an eye
out on him while you're here,
so he doesn't burn
the house down or anything.
Sure, I'll check on him.
Make sure he's okay.
Thank you.
- That means so much to me.
- Yeah.
- Thank you so much.
- Don't, don't. Don't, don't.
All right.
What happened?
Oh, well...
Is she okay?
Oh, let me talk to her, let me talk to her.
I just want to tell...
Well... Well, can you just put the
phone up to her ear and I'll...
Well, because I'm her mother.
How was the flight? You thirsty?
You're probably hungry.
Yeah, I got it,
I got it, I got it.
Um, you guys, you want a snack?
You want a snack?
Hey, you know what?
What?
I am so sorry I wasn't there.
Yeah, it's no big deal.
It is a very big deal. I'm
sorry, tell me what happened.
Nothing happened.
Please?
I didn't even
know I was bleeding.
I stood up and everybody's
freaking out
because I stained the white
couch, Grandma's white couch.
Dad couldn't deal,
so Aunt Laura had to drive me
to get pads and told
the entire world in Walmart.
Where's your suitcase?
You want it
to trickle, not gush.
'Cause the more it gushes,
the more you will gush.
- Of water?
- No, blood.
That's what my mom told me.
She called it
"The Scarlet Stranger."
No wonder you hate her.
- I don't hate her.
- Well, she lives, like, five minutes away,
and you never see her.
Well, yeah,
but I don't hate her.
What do you
like about her, then?
Well, she collects things.
Like feathers
and fans, tin boxes.
Um, oh, she loved
cooking shows, and, like...
Well, I didn't
ask what she liked.
Yeah, you did.
Forget it.
I'm sorry,
what was the question?
Is it okay if I go to Leeann's?
Yeah.
You eat these?
They're delicious.
How long has it been
since you've washed your hair?
I don't know.
Just a trim, right?
Yeah.
- What's that?
- It's nothing.
Hey.
How'd you know my size?
Lucky guess. Well, you look
great. How do you feel?
- Decent.
- Okay.
Oh, what do you think of the, uh,
ginger wheat grass shot I gave you?
You know,
you take one of these a day
with a little apple cider
vinegar, you'll be young forever.
Why would I want
to be young forever?
What's the alternative?
Growing up.
Did my dad pay
you to do all this?
No, nobody's paying me.
You bought me a ton of stuff.
I wanted to.
Why?
- Thanks.
- Yeah.
Why aren't you eating?
Why aren't you
in any activities?
Do you like sports? Or...
I've seen you writing.
- What kind of stuff do you like to write?
- I don't know.
I'm being nosy.
I'm sorry.
What do you do?
Are you, are you a hairdresser?
No.
Okay, a what?
For real, I'm asking.
Are you a chef or a teacher?
Or something?
- No.
- No?
So, you're just,
you're good at everything, then?
And great at nothing.
- Hi!
- Hey!
- How are you?
- Hi! Ooh.
- Yay! They made that whole thing up.
- Yeah, really? Huh.
I got to get her involved
in something other than dance.
- It's fun, it's exercise.
- What is the point of doing it,
if she's never
going to be great?
She should at
least pursue something
that she has a chance at.
She's not interested
in anything I do.
- I wish you played a sport, because then maybe she would...
- Oh, so, if I played a sport,
that would just
change everything.
Did I say that?
Just say what you mean.
Stop being so aggressively
passive aggressive.
Well, why do you think that is?
I don't know. Why don't you
just speak your fucking mind?
- Hello?
- Oh, Cathy.
Xander's not picking up.
I had nobody else to call.
Where are you going?
I don't know whose idea it was to put a bunch
of fucked up couples together for four weeks,
but that person should be shot.
Whatever this is,
it's not working.
I can barely look at Paul.
The man has nothing to say, and they refuse
to give me any decent fucking painkillers.
I'm being tortured.
But I'm in so much
fucking pain right now.
Do they have visiting hours? 'Cause, you
know... I... Maybe I could drive Xander...
Oh, he doesn't want to come.
He doesn't want to come.
He won't even
answer my phone calls.
Why would he come visit me?
Now, don't say that.
No, he does not
care that I'm gone.
Can you leave, please?
I hate rehab.
How many have you been to?
I bet you've
never even been to one.
You might want to hide these.
They'll get confiscated.
Wait.
- What?
- I change my mind.
- Why?
- Look, I just don't want to go, okay?
Okay.
Hey, we won't go.
Hey, I got a better idea.
Where are we?
Get this part over
with first.
Come on!
I'm three times older than you.
Is that true?
Oh, come on, come on,
come on, come on, come on.
I'll go if you stop doing that.
I'm going!
You okay? Okay?
- Yeah.
- You okay?
- Up, up, up!
- Jesus.
Let's go.
So, you've never
been on that hike before?
- Nope.
- God, you live so close.
I used to take my daughter
all the time.
- hmm, you have a daughter?
- Yeah.
Yeah, she goes to Lincoln too.
- She does?
- Mm-hmm.
- What grade?
- Seventh.
Well, why aren't you with her?
She's out with her friends,
which is good.
It's where you should be too.
I am.
- This was fun.
- Mm.
I got to go.
You don't want to
come in for a little bit?
No, I, I've really got to go.
What about our jumbo buns?
- I didn't order that.
- Yeah, sure.
No, I didn't.
You totally did.
Okay, Xander, you, you got to go now.
You must be so sick of me.
- Now.
- The opposite.
- Oh, what are you doing?
- There's no napkins left.
- I have to use your shirt as a napkin.
- All right.
Stop it, stop it, okay.
You smell so good.
- That's the jumbo bun.
- Mm-hmm.
- All right.
- Mm-hmm.
Stop. Get out. Get out!
So, it's okay for
my dad, just not for me?
Both are wrong.
Get out of my car.
Fuck.
- Hello!
- Gail.
Wow. Wow.
How was the retreat?
Life changing, I see.
- Yeah.
- Oh, God.
The house looks so...
What is all this?
I know it was probably
really hard for you
to live with all this stuff,
and so I just took it all,
I put it in boxes.
- I took it all, and I put it...
- You got this,
you got this
all out of my closet.
Yeah.
But this is all John.
Yes, it is all here
in these boxes.
I didn't throw anything out.
It's all here.
That was completely
unacceptable that you did that.
Completely wrong.
You are completely weird.
You thought wrong.
You just thought really, really wrong.
I can't believe you did this.
Where's Floyd?
Where's my little mister?
Floyd?
John always told me
not to trust you!
I always told him he was wrong.
I always stuck up for you.
That was my mess,
my life, my cat!
And you, you just
had to box it all up?
- I...
- I...
No wonder, no wonder
you can't deal with Mom.
She's you or you're her.
Only you're worse!
Boo!
- Oh, you were really scared.
- Yes!
I got you. What?
What?
- Get the... What is wrong with you?
- Geez.
- Jesus.
- I'm just trying to teach you a lesson.
You never, ever, never, ever, never
leave your car unlocked. You never know.
Are you insane?
Oh, no. No, no, no.
I didn't mean to...
I'm sorry,
I came here to give you this.
Now, I'm scared that you're
not actually going to read it,
so maybe,
maybe if I read it to you.
It'd be more real that way too.
It's a poem that I wrote.
Um, can I?
- Yeah? Okay.
- Sure.
Ready? So, here we go.
"Here is the deepest
secret nobody knows.
Here is the root of the root
and the bud of the bud..."
- You wrote this?
- Yeah.
- "And the sky of the sky..."
- "Of the sky."
...of a tree called Life,
- which grows..."
- "I carry your heart.
I carry it in my heart"?
- You didn't write this.
- I did.
Oh, you're E.E. Cummings?
It felt like I wrote it.
That's what I meant.
- Yes.
- Can you meet me?
Can you bring me
the pills I gave you?
Meet me on Sixth and Marina.
So,
how high was the fence?
It was fucking high.
I don't know.
- And how'd you get over it?
- Desperation.
My back is killing me.
But how far did you walk?
I just, I really need
something for my back right now.
And to help me sleep.
I haven't slept at all.
Well, what are you allowed? I mean, probably
not any of this over the counter stuff.
Where are my painkillers?
I gave them to you.
You said you would bring them.
- I did?
- You did. You absolutely did.
- I don't have them.
- Yes, you do.
No, I don't.
Fuck.
Just drive me back.
Just drive me back!
Now, I have to sneak back in and
convince everybody that I never left.
- You're not getting over that.
- Yeah, I am, you're going to help me.
Are you kidding me?
What are you doing?
You know you're not supposed to do that!
Yeah, well, I just fucking did.
Do I never shut up
because they won't speak?
Or is it they don't speak because
I never shut up?
You know, I'm sure
my daughter talks.
All the time. She must.
Wait, your daughter?
Yeah.
Here. Here, do a... you know.
Fuck.
I was 15, Xander's age,
when I had her.
My mom signed the surrender papers.
She never told me she did that.
They promised they were going to
bring her right back after, but...
I got to hold her in my arms
for a few minutes, though.
I thought they were
going to bring her right back.
- Paul doesn't know.
- Maybe now's a good time to tell him.
He doesn't talk.
We've been over this.
I'm sorry, I just...
- Ow!
- Oh!
- Are you okay?
- Just throw me the NyQuil.
That drug coupled with the
staph infection caused that reaction.
What drug?
- Thank you.
- You don't have to thank me.
You missed
a lot of work.
I used vacation days.
Yeah,
but this wasn't a vacation.
But it
should have been.
I mean, when was the last time
that we went out, just us,
alone together?
We need a real date.
I'd love that.
Ooh, no, stay in bed.
Have a great day.
Hi.
Uh, I'm just here to get Tara.
Uh, I know she's probably
going to want to stay,
- but I need her to come home.
- Tara's not here.
- Oh, Matthew said she was here.
- Don't you know?
- Know what?
- Tara and Leeann stopped speaking.
Leeann!
Sweetheart.
Come here. Tell her.
- Mom.
- What, what did she say?
- Okay, well, do you know where she is?
- Isn't that your job, Cathy?
So, like,
we worked on our dance.
And?
We played Monopoly.
You played a board game?
Mm-hmm.
With Leeann?
What do I always say?
If you're honest with me,
you won't get in trouble.
Are you being honest with me?
Where were you?
I was at the bluffs.
How did you get there?
We walked.
- Who's we?
- Just some kids from school.
What kids from school?
A bunch of people.
You just all of a sudden
met a bunch of kids from school?
- Can you explain that?
- I don't know.
I mean, like, first
I met this one guy at lunch,
and he introduced me
to everybody else.
Do you like him?
I mean, is he cute?
Tell me about him.
I mean, he's really
smart and funny.
And he just moved here
last summer.
Can I meet him? What's he like?
- Fuck.
- Jesus.
Where you been, lady?
I mean, you just left me
with those crazy people.
Take one.
Speak. Say something.
Oh, uh, gosh, there's,
there's just so many things.
You're not telling me.
You're not calling,
you're not texting me back.
Oh, my God,
are you getting a divorce?
- I'm Catherine.
- Hi.
- Matthew Tyne's wife.
- Oh, he's not back from lunch yet.
He usually gets
back around two-ish.
It's 12:30 now?
He takes that long of a lunch?
I could call his cell phone.
I could call his cell phone.
Well, do you want me
to leave him a message?
Uh, no. I'm perfectly
capable, thank you.
Hello?
Tara. What's blocking the door?
One second.
Come on, open the door!
- Open the door!
- Hi.
You having a party?
Who's in there?
Uh, this is Xander.
Xander, this is my mom.
Nice to meet you.
Xander walked me home since you said
I wasn't allowed to go to the bluffs.
Can I talk to you
for a second, just...
Well, why can't
we just do it here?
Just real quick, okay.
Why was your door locked?
It wasn't.
My knapsack was blocking it.
- What were you doing in there?
- We were just talking.
Hmm.
You got to get him out of here.
Why?
He is, he is much
older than you, Tara.
Okay. Dad is
six years older than you.
What happened with Leeann?
Why are you two not talking anymore?
We're just different.
Like, she's still into dolls
and arts and crafts and stuff.
- And I'm just not.
- You're not?
All of a sudden, you're not?
- What are you doing?
- Nothing.
You said you wanted to meet him,
and he was totally in to it.
So, I'm going to pee.
- Hi. Hey.
- Hey.
- Oh.
- Hi.
Hello.
Dad, uh, this is Xander.
Xander, this is my dad.
Oh, well,
uh, is he tutoring you?
No, we're friends.
Friends.
Yeah, from school.
Uh,
isn't it getting late?
Yeah, it is. Absolutely.
Sorry, I didn't even
realize how... What time is it?
Yeah, I didn't even
realize how late it was.
I, uh, I actually,
I do have to go.
- Um, so I'll see you later.
- Yeah, okay.
It was nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you too, Cathy.
- Yeah.
Bye.
Why the hell is
he still in middle school?
He was held back in kindergarten
because of his speech impediment.
And then again, I think, in first grade
for, like, some motor skill issues.
How do you know all this?
How well does she know this guy?
- And, and you're allowing this?
- No.
Then why is he in our house?
He is not allowed in this house!
- Why?
- Because you're not old enough for boys.
Especially boys who shave and are
easy to imagine with a semi-automatic.
- Are you insane?
- If I catch you with this guy again,
trust me, there will
be major consequences.
- Are you with me?
- Yeah, yeah.
Are you kidding me?
Look, since when
do you even care. No!
It's none of your
business what I do.
It is entirely my business.
- Hypocrites.
- Why don't you go look that word up, Tara?
You don't even
know what that means.
Okay. "A person who pretends to have
virtues, moral, or religious beliefs.
Principals that he or she
does not actually possess.
- Especi..."
- Give me that. Give me that. Give, drop it.
Drop it.
You're still up?
You have time, Tara.
Really?
Because there's
actually enough nuclear weapons
to wipe out every
major city in the world.
And only idiots
in charge of them.
Oh, yeah, Cathy, tons of time.
Hi.
So, your parents are back.
Yep, they sure are.
How's your mom, she okay?
Better than ever.
They're all in love again.
Aw, that's great.
I give it a week.
So, you know why
I wanted to talk to you, right?
You know why.
What are you
doing with my daughter?
I hadn't seen you in a while,
so I was curious.
She's different. She's not
at all what I imagined.
You're prettier than she is.
I think that's hard on her.
Um, she says you're depressed,
which is interesting.
That's not my experience
of you at all.
Anyway, she's really cool.
We've had some
intense conversations.
Xander...
Tara is too young.
And I'm asking you to
please stay away from her.
Or what?
Uh...
what if I buy you that iPad?
The one you wanted?
Then what? What, what can I do?
I don't want an iPad.
However, I would do
whatever you wanted if...
- If what?
- No one knows this.
Don't laugh.
I'm still a virgin.
Well, there's nothing wrong
with that. That's a good thing.
Now, I understand why
you might say no to this idea,
but I, I swear no one
would ever find out,
and I promise you I will
never even look at Tara again.
I'm going to pretend
I didn't hear that.
But just think about it.
I'm sure you don't want Tara
finding out about you and me,
about you and my dad.
And I'm sure the last thing
you probably want is,
is your husband finding out,
or just, like, people finding out.
You need to get
out of my car right now.
- Please don't be mad.
- Xander...
I... No, no, no.
I hate, I hate you feeling bad.
I hate you feeling bad.
I really love you.
I do. If, if you want, I promise,
I'll, I'll never talk to Tara again.
I'll stay away
from her completely.
- What about these intense conversations?
- I'll tell you...
- What is she telling you?
- I'll tell you. I'm sorry.
I should've told you
from the beginning. I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry,
I'm so sorry. I'm sorry.
Shit.
- What just happened?
- Nothing, nothing.
Just, just give me a minute.
So, what's been...
so, what's Tara
been telling you?
There was a boyfriend
last summer at sleepaway camp.
A boyfriend? She never mentioned
a boyfriend. Who, who?
Leo? Liam? Leo, Liam?
One of them.
Something like that. Anyway,
they went to second base.
What does that
even mean anymore?
Well, I assumed it was just...
Uh, second base
was all she said.
And I think she was
just trying to impress me.
Oh, you think she was just saying that?
Like, maybe it really didn't happen?
No, I think it's true and it happened,
and she wanted it to impress me.
And it did. Impress me, I mean.
You know, I've never even...
Did she say anything
about any other boys?
Was she molested
or something, or?
She didn't mention
getting molested.
But, um...
Can we...
Are you... thinking about it?
Okay, Xander, Xander.
There are professionals.
Maybe talk to your dad.
He can take you to a...
Are you suggesting that I lose
my virginity to a prostitute?
And that my dad
should pay for it?
Are you out of
your fucking mind?
I don't want a whore,
I want you!
What's on your lips?
- Nothing.
- Is that lipstick?
It's chap stick.
Take it off.
She was marked absent.
Can you check again?
Jesus.
How the fuck is this happening?
- Huh?
- I don't know!
Hey, guys! Hey, I'm,
uh, looking for my daughter.
All right, all right.
Okay, continue, thank you.
They didn't know.
I'm sorry.
You're sorry? For what?
I feel like we've
both kind of been...
What?
I know.
You know?
What do... what do you know?
Just say it! Just say it.
- Say what?
- The truth!
What, quit with
this cryptic shit!
Don't lay it on me right now.
Oh, you know what?
You are the one who...
My daughter is missing!
And why do you think that is?
This is my fault? Fuck this!
- Fuck you! I'm out of here!
- Fuck you!
Get out
of the way, get out!
I'm not
getting out of the way!
Get out of the way!
- Get out of the way!
- Wow.
- Fuck you!
- Fuck you!
Thank God. Thank God.
You know the whole world
is out looking for you?
Why weren't you
answering your phone?
Because your husband
took my phone away.
How long have you been here?
Where were you?
Why weren't you at school?
- I was.
- You're lying.
I was there all morning.
I only missed P.E. and library.
- Where did you go?
- The movies.
- With who?
- Friends.
- Xander?
- I was with a group of people.
Was Xander one of them?
- What are you going to do to me if he was?
- So, he was.
I don't know.
Stop lying!
- Why are you doing this?
- I'm not doing anything!
Please just leave me alone.
Get out of my room!
- Get out of my room!
- She's home.
Why are you calling Dad?
Are you serious,
you're calling dad? Why?
Why can't you
ever just leave me alone
for one second in my life?
Please just go!
I hate you so much
and I hope you know that.
I scared you.
I'm sorry.
I saw you come in
and I wanted to say hi.
Paul and Xander are
getting seats.
- So, you've been good? You look great.
- Thank you.
I'm good.
But, you know,
sometimes, there's, uh...
there's like this, uh,
fast forward feeling I get.
Does that ever happen to you?
Do you get that?
It's been nonstop therapy.
Paul and I.
He's talking.
Finally.
He told me.
So, I know.
About, you know,
things between the two of you.
- It wasn't...
- Oh, no. I get it, I get it.
We were separated
at the time, so it's not...
well, it might be for you.
Does your husband know?
Oh.
Of course.
It's probably best
that he doesn't.
It would only hurt him to know.
I really have to
remember not to mention that.
It could be really damaging.
Xander's also opened up a lot.
Yeah, he started
reading us his poems
and his short stories,
stuff from his journal.
Mostly his hateful feelings toward me
and his father, but we encourage it.
He's written quite
a lot about you too.
I just want you
to know... how grateful
I am that you were
there for him when we weren't.
Nobody else noticed
he needed new sneakers.
He said he'd never felt more
taken care of in his whole life.
And with Tara. He's
like a different kid with her.
They're great together,
don't you think?
Does Tara talk
about Xander to you too?
I know they talk and text
but those texts disappear.
So...
we can't really
know what's going on.
If she were mine...
I hope you know
how lucky you are.
What?
Wait, wait, wait.
What do you have to do today?
School.
You want to do
something fun instead?
Oh, what are you,
what are you talking about?
- I got to...
- Wait, you and me... No.
Shut the door, shut the door.
What, what are
you doing right now?
We never do anything
spontaneous, mother-daughter.
You know, we used to do
stuff before middle school.
- Remember?
- Oh, my God.
So, what about this?
What about, um,
you tell me a, a Tara thing, every day.
Just any random thing.
Like, right now,
what are you thinking about?
I don't know.
Just, what are you
thinking about right now?
- Right this second?
- Yes.
Um, that you're
kind of freaking me out.
Well, you know
what I'm thinking about?
You and me going to Disneyland.
- Oh, oh, we're going to Disneyland?
- We could, we could.
Or not. We don't have to.
Uh, uh, we could go on
a bike ride or a hike? Yeah?
Anything you want to do!
Just name it. Um, mani-pedi's?
- Uh, a massage?
- A massage?
Yeah! A foot massage?
You'd love it.
- But...
- Yes!
- Yes?
- If you say so.
Okay, good!
- Ow. Um, doesn't open for, like, another hour.
- Oh.
hmm.
I have a test
third period anyway, so.
Okay, well,
you know who lives nearby?
You know... I don't...
Mom, you don't just stop
by somebody's house unannounced.
And you hate it
when people do that.
Well, I thought it would be fun.
You thought this would be fun?
I thought anything
we did together would be fun.
Okay, well, that's the problem. You don't
think about having fun, it just happens.
You know, you're right.
It is rude to just show up unannounced.
I hate it when
people do it to me,
and I'm not going to do it now.
Hello?
- I'm going to leave a note.
- Really?
- Did, did you just hang up on your mother?
- No, no.
Here, turn around.
Okay.
Thank you for
doing this with me.
I'm not going to lie,
it was kind of weird.
It was weird.
Now, go, go, go, go, go, go.
Next time, huh?
Have a good day.
No, don't come over here.
Oh, God, I don't want to talk
to you. Please don't.
- Oh, hi.
- Hey.
So, um... I rescued a cat.
- Oh, what else is new?
- Yeah.
Um, yeah, and I had
no clue she was pregnant,
and there are
five more in the back.
There were six,
but Tyler, um, never mind.
Um, they're cute, right?
Surprise.
Hmm?
- I brought someone to...
- Not outside.
Jesus Christ,
you want to kill that one too?
See?
You think this is
going to make it all better?
- I thought that she might...
- Make up for Floyd?
It makes up for nothing.
You don't replace
pets with other pets,
people with other people.
- At least I don't.
- I don't.
I can't replace you... or Mom.
Have you talked to her?
- Who?
- Mom.
- Did she, um, I thought she might have mentioned...
- Your note?
Yeah, I just wondered if
she'd said anything about...
So, you just came here to ask me
to ask her...
something for you?
Mm. Well, it's been
over a decade.
And now suddenly it's convenient for you.
You know, what took you so long?
Unbelievable.
Wait, wait, wait!
Put that kitten
away safely, in there.
Is it a girl? That's why you got
a pink one, or do you even know?
- I didn't look!
- Okay, fine.
You got a blue collar,
you got a pink case.
- It's a girl.
- Fine.
Get her a pink collar.
I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry.
She did call me about you.
She called me in tears.
The second she got your note.
I heard two sentences from you and
I thought her heart would explode.
You're all she talked about.
You're all she ever talked about.
Well, you know, I'm just
not ready to love anything.
Just take... it back to
your fucking fairy tale.
Cathy.
You know Xander and,
uh, apparently,
you've already met
Gemma Jean and Paul?
I guess they're
Gail's neighbors?
- Why didn't you mention that?
- I did.
Oh, when we met,
it was so brief. Very quickly.
Yeah, we barely, uh... we did,
uh, we did help bury the cat.
- But...
- Yes.
Thank you for that. Oh.
I was just at Gail's, actually,
and I, uh, tried to give her this.
Oh, my God!
Oh, is it a he or a she?
Oh.
Oh, he's so little.
You know that cat people are 25% more likely
to choose George as their favorite Beatle?
Oh.
- Can I speak with you?
- Yeah.
- You're not serious.
- Why are those people in my house?
I didn't know what else to do.
I can't have my daughter hating me.
If we forbid it,
we're playing into it,
so I thought, do the opposite, right?
Invite them over.
As far as I'm concerned,
this kid is my new best friend. All right?
We're going to
kill it with kindness. hmm?
And you know what? Uh, he seems
really harmless, he's kind of geeky.
And I like the dad.
He invited me to the Kings game.
Hey! I'm back!
I am willing
to negotiate with you.
- But you got to give me a guarantee.
- What?
You have to promise me.
Wait, what are
you talking about?
That you will
never see Tara again.
I don't want you
looking in her direction.
I want this to be over.
I can't.
- Why can't you?
- It's too late.
I don't need
anything from you anymore.
What are you talking about?
I'm good.
I'm happy. Tara's happy.
We're happy.
Let's just leave it at that.
Listen...
I know this might
be hard for you to hear,
and... I'm sorry.
I don't think
I love you anymore.
I am falling pretty
hard for your daughter, though.
- Which is better for both of us, really.
- Why, why is that better?
What Tara and I have,
it's just...
- Okay. What do you have?
- Is totally different from us.
What do you have?
That's private.
Are you jealous?
Look, it's not like I don't
still have feelings for you too.
Wait!
Oh, my God. I fucking got you.
Oh, you see over there with the, uh...
at the tree, it looks like it's a cliff,
and that you're totally going off the
cliff, but it's not. It's completely flat.
It freaks
the shit out of people.
What?
Stay away from me
and my daughter.
- Oh, my God.
- What happened?
- You hit a mom, dick hole.
- Shit!
- Don't touch me.
- Maybe, maybe we should take you to the hospital.
Maybe I should call the cops.
- Jesus.
- Stop it.
- Let's get out of here.
- Yeah, let's go.
- Are you okay to drive?
- I'm fine.
You sure?
I do fucked up things sometimes,
I do. I do them.
It's, it's really, it's like an attention
thing, combined with what I'm sure is,
like, a testosterone
thing and just...
You were so nice to me.
And then you just,
you, you vanished.
What, what do you want? Do you want
me to never talk to Tara ever again?
Because I won't.
I will swear it on my life.
Especially if it
means that much to you,
and I think you really
need to go to the hospital.
- That car, it really...
- Yeah, you know what? You know, no, no.
Just...
So, what are
you going to say?
How are you going to end it?
What's your plan?
- I'll do whatever you want me to do.
- Okay.
I want you to say that the age
difference was... too great
and, uh, things got
intense too fast and,
and, you know,
you want to take a break.
I think that's all true.
It's not true.
But I'll say it
if you want me to.
Say that.
Say exactly that.
Breathe. Slow.
Get that back straight. There it is.
- Suck that stomach in.
- It's hard to suck your stomach in.
That's my wife.
- Hey, there. I'm Maya.
- Cathy.
- You know, he's kicking some serious ass over here.
- Give us two minutes.
- Two minutes.
- Okay.
What
are you doing here?
That's my question.
What I'm doing?
Isn't it obvious?
I mean...
why wouldn't you tell me?
Because I thought
you'd laugh at me.
Yeah.
Yeah, look, and you're laughing.
You, you have not one nice
thing to say to me ever.
That is not true.
It is, it's true.
And anything that you say
that's remotely nice,
it comes out of your mouth
like you don't even mean it.
What are you talking about?
A few months ago, I get a
complimentary training session.
I come in here
and I meet Maya, all right?
And we're training, and she
said something... about my face.
That she thinks
it's great and that my eyes
are amazing
or some shit like that.
And you know what happened?
I blushed.
I felt blood move inside me,
which is a feeling that I haven't
had in a fucking long time.
Because I don't get compliments.
From anyone,
anywhere, about anything.
And this... person,
this stranger is kind to me.
And, yeah,
I pay her, and maybe it's...
this is just bullshit,
but it feels real.
Okay?
Wait, no, where,
where are you going?
I'm sorry.
You didn't eat dinner,
so is there something I can bring you?
You're not hot.
- Mm, that's the problem.
- Stop it.
You don't have a fever.
Please don't make me
go to school tomorrow.
I don't want to see him.
Why, what happened?
I don't even remember.
Like, it was honestly
just so incredibly humiliating.
- Why?
- Because, apparently,
I'm too young to
have feelings or something.
Did he say that?
You've all said it.
Maybe because you need to focus on
other things besides having a boyfriend.
Like what?
Like who you are,
what your interests are,
what do you want to be
when you grow up?
Well, what did you want to be?
A lot of things.
Then who are you?
I am a lot of things.
Like, what exactly?
Well, I'm your mom, mostly.
Yeah, well,
what about the other stuff?
Well, you know,
there's no guarantee that you're
ever going to get
to do any of the other stuff.
You know? There's no guarantee you're
going to get to do anything you want to do.
So, instead of figuring out
who I am by having fun
and being young
and having a boyfriend,
I should spend my time figuring out who
I am by figuring out who I want to be?
Like, even though it's doubtful,
I'll get to be that?
Well, I didn't say doubtful...
- Yes, you did.
- ...I just said there's no guarantee.
Most people just turn out
like their parents, right?
Yeah, yeah, I guess.
Just statistically that's true.
So, then, most likely,
I'll turn out like you.
A mom, mostly,
who doesn't talk to her mom.
In my case, the mom I'm not
talking to would be you,
and the mom my kids
not talking to would be me,
making the future me wish
I didn't waste my young life
not having fun,
not having a boyfriend,
so that I could
spend my time figuring out
the thing I wanted
to be that I never was?
- What?
- Is there something you want to tell me?
No.
You sure?
What are these?
It's not,
what is that?
So sneaky.
I'm sorry.
Only one left.
Come on.
Smoke it.
Please?
I want to watch.
How good is it?
How long has this been going on?
This has to be my last one.
What else are
you hiding from me?
No.
I want to imagine.
Something,
uh, postmodern?
Maybe miscellaneous.
Okay, looks interesting.