Breakdown (2020) - full transcript

A mysterious virus has wiped out much of the worlds population, with the remaining sick being corralled in quarantine zones, as one man fights to find a cure to save humanity, and himself.

(waves crash)

(gulls squawk)
(fire crackles)

(somber music)

♪ I was distracted and in traffic ♪

♪ I didn't feel it when
the earthquake happened ♪

♪ But it really got me thinking
were you out drinking ♪

♪ Were you in the living room
chilling, watching television ♪

♪ It's been a year now,
think I've figured out how ♪

♪ How to let you go and
let communication die out ♪

♪ I know you know we know ♪

♪ You weren't down for
forever and it's fine ♪



♪ I know you know we know ♪

♪ We weren't meant for
each other and it's fine ♪

♪ But if the world was ending,
you'd come over, right ♪

♪ You'd come over and
you'd stay the night ♪

♪ Would you love me for the hell of it ♪

♪ All our fears would be irrelevant ♪

♪ If the world was ending,
you'd come over, right ♪

♪ The sky'd be falling
and I'd hold you tight ♪

♪ And there wouldn't be a reason why ♪

♪ We would even have to say goodbye ♪

♪ If the world was ending,
you'd come over, right ♪

♪ Right ♪

♪ If the world was ending,
you'd come over, right ♪

♪ Right ♪



♪ I tried to measure your reaction ♪

♪ It didn't scare me when
the outbreak happened ♪

♪ But it really got me thinking
that everywhere is shrinking ♪

♪ Someone's in a house and
didn't make it past the kitchen ♪

♪ Ah, it's been a year now,
think I've figured out how ♪

♪ How to think about you without
it ripping my heart out ♪

♪ I know you know we know ♪

♪ You weren't down for
forever and it's fine ♪

♪ I know you know we know ♪

♪ We weren't meant for
each other and it's fine ♪

♪ But if the world was ending,
you'd come over, right ♪

♪ You'd come over and
you'd stay the night ♪

♪ Would you love me for the hell of it ♪

♪ All our fears would be irrelevant ♪

♪ If the world was ending,
you'd come over, right ♪

♪ The sky'd be falling,
but I'll hold you tight ♪

♪ No, there wouldn't be a reason why ♪

♪ We would even have to say goodbye ♪

♪ If the world was ending,
you'd come over, right ♪

♪ You'd come over, right ♪

♪ You'd come over, you'd come
over, you'd come over, right ♪

(suspenseful music)
(waves crash)

- Are you okay?

Excuse me, sir.

Hey.

Oh, thank god.

You scared me.

(man coughs)

- Please, help.

Please. (groans)

(woman gasps)
(waves crash)

(woman screams)

(suspenseful music)

(background chatter)

(ominous swelling tones)

(ominous music)
(hurried footsteps approach)

(Tim pants)

(tense orchestral music)

(somber music)
(Tim pants)

(glow stick cracks)

- Nice. What is this place?

(door opens)

(clicking)

(sighs)

Come on, something good for dinner.

Please.

(scoffs)

Perfect.

That's a new record.

(sighs)

(cabinet doors thud)

(sighs)

(plastic rustles)

(coughs)

Don't worry.

I've got your dinner, too.

Gotta keep you big and strong, Rufus.

So we can beat this thing.

(can clinks)

Jordan for two.

(can clatters)

(sighs)

Never really was my game, was it, Rufus?

(objects rattle)

(tense orchestral music)

(tape tears)

(tape tears)

(plastic rustles)

(locker door closes)

(somber music)

(coughs)

(paper rustles)

(coughs)

(static hisses)

- [Man On Radio] Doctors
seem to be very perplexed

about the whole situation.

They don't know where it's spread to.

(static hisses)

- No!

No!

Come on, come on!

(sighs)

(sighs)

Come on, Rufus.

Looks like we're gonna
be staying the night.

(sighs)

(coughs)

(sniffles)

(melancholy orchestral music)

(wristwatch alarm bleeps)

(coughs)
(wristwatch alarm bleeps)

(eerie music)
(wristwatch alarm bleeps)

Hello?

(wristwatch alarm bleeps)

Hello?

(wristwatch alarm bleeps)

(ominous tones)
(wristwatch alarm bleeps)

(sighs)

(sighs)

Gabriel, huh?

(sighs)

Well, Gabriel, it's nice to meet you.

(sighs)

(chuckles)

I gotta get to work.

(coughs)

(coughs)

(somber music)

(wire clicks)

(wire creaks)

(switches click)

(glass clinks)

Let's see if I'm getting any better.

(sighs)

(coughs)

(sighs)

(bag unzips)

Day 13. No changes.

The virus looks as if it's still attached

to the host blood cells.

The high GMHG antibodies
seem to have no effect

after one week.

I will try the next vaccine
given to me by Dr. Rhodes.

At this point, I'm
conducting blind testing.

Rufus is still alive.

That's all.

(button clicks)

(dark music)

(needles clatter)

(sighs)

(melancholy orchestral music)

(coughs)

(phone drones)

(phone keypad bleeps)

(phone rings)

(phone rings)

- [Daughter] Hi! You've
reached the Reynolds!

Please leave a message after the beep

and don't forget to leave your number.

- [Tim] Okay, honey. Now
press this button right here.

(phone bleeps)

- [Machine] Mailbox full.

(phone clacks)

(suspenseful music)

(coughs)

Hello, Gabriel.

Come on with me.

(coughs)

You're gonna stand over
here, Gabriel. Watch over me.

(chuckles)

(coughs)

(chuckles)

That's better.

You look cool.

(chuckles)

You feel cool?

(chuckles) Well...

What do you wanna do?

Wanna see somethin' gross?

Pretty gross, huh?

I got 'em all over and
it's only getting worse.

(sighs)

In the meantime, I keep sticking
myself with these needles,

hoping something helps.

It's a long-shot. (chuckles)

Don't worry, I have a
feeling you can't catch it.

Never really noticed how
nice of a place we picked,

huh, Rufus?

It's not as nice as when we
were with Dr. Rhodes, but,

it's not bad.

Oh, Gabriel.

This is Rufus.

He's sick, too.

So what do you think, Gabriel?

Do you think someone's gonna find a cure?

I know.

It's embarrassing, huh, Rufus?

It's bad enough when
I'm talking to you, but,

now I'm even asking a mannequin questions.

(coughs)

(somber music)
(coughs harshly)

(sighs)

(coughs)

(coughs)

(sighs)

Let's give you a try.

(needle hisses)

(coughs)

(loud thud)
(suspenseful music)

(loud thuds)

(loud thud)

(music swells and intensifies)

(suspenseful music)
(heartbeat thuds)

(pants)
(heartbeat thuds)

(body clunks)

(machine bleeps rhythmically)
(ventilator hisses)

- [Man] Cortisol levels.

- [Woman] 200 micrograms per milliliter.

Count and blood pressure rising.

- [Man] Let's draw a new sample.

(Tim groans)

- [Tim] Wait.

Wait.

(needle hisses)

(device bleeps)

- [Woman] Positive for ADS.

- [Man] Take him to quarantine
six with the others.

- [Tim] I can't go there.

- [Man] Will someone please put
a gag and restraints on him?

- I can't leave my family.

(coughs)
(somber orchestral music)

(coughs)

(sighs)

(coughs)

(breathes deeply)

(coughs)

(coughs)

(coughs)

(sighs)

(water splashes)
(slurps)

(coughs)

(slurps)

(coughs)

(slurps)

(coughs)

(slurps)

(coughs)

(coughs)

(padlock rattles)

(ominous music)

(chuckles)

A real Barney Fife, I guess.

(locker door closes)

(coughs)

(cabinet doors close)

(somber orchestral music)

(plastic rustles)

(food crunches)

(breathes deeply)

We need some tunes, don't we?

Last week I found a station
that was playing the Beach Boys.

Could really use some Kokomo right now.

(radio crackles)

You ever been there?

(chuckles)

Don't answer that.

It's a trick question.

It doesn't exist.

(sighs)

I still remember the first
time Katie heard that song.

She came home from school

and she asked if we could go there.

I told her it was just
a place they made up.

She didn't care.

So I took her to Jamaica
instead. Next best thing.

I still remember when
she got on that beach.

She said, "Daddy, can
we stay here forever?"

(chuckles)

(sighs) Looking back now,

it's probably...

Probably the smart thing.

Although, who knows?

It's probably all over the world by now.

(radio clacks)

(sighs)

(phone drones)

(phone keypad bleeps)

(phone rings)
(melancholy orchestral music)

(phone rings)

- [Katie] Hi! You've reached the Reynolds!

Please leave a message after the beep

and don't forget to leave your number.

- [Tim] Okay, honey. Now
press this button right here.

(phone bleeps)

- [Machine] Mailbox full.

(phone clacks)

(sighs)

(cabinet drawers clang)

(objects rattle)

(cabinet drawer thuds)

(sniffs)

(sighs)

(drawer closes)

(sniffs)

Hm.

I wonder.

(somber music)

(sighs)

(clicking)

(birds tweet)

(coughs)

(distant dog barks)

(truck engine revs)

(distant dog barks)

(tool snaps)

(grunts)

(battery thuds)
(sighs)

(dramatic orchestral music)

(knife clacks)

(grunts)

(plastic rustles)

(microwave keypad bleeps)

(microwave hums)

(popcorn crackles)

Good enough.

(sighs)

Nothing?

(suspenseful music)

(coughs)

(box clangs)

(sighs)

Well, that's useless.

(sighs)

(lid clacks)

(coughs and retches)
(somber music)

(foot taps)

(rattling)

(grunts)

(sighs)

(padlock rattles)

(sighs)

Where there's a will, there's a way.

(padlock rattles)

Come on.

(tool clacks)

(pants)

(ominous music)

(sighs)

Oh, thank god.

(muffled footsteps)
(suspenseful music)

(muffled rattling)
(muffled footsteps)

(distant clang)
(suspenseful music)

(muffled chatter)

(distant rattling)
(muffled chatter)

(clicking)

(dog pants)

(sighs)

(suspenseful music)

Hey, buddy.

Where'd you come from?

Huh?

You gave me a scare.

Yeah.

(coughs)

- Come here, Rusty!

I said, come!

Yeah!

Yeah, you best listen better
next time, you stupid dog!

(dog whines)

- Yeah, that is one stupid dog.

- Hey, Otis.

Why don't you, uh,

go in the kitchen and see
if there ain't no food?

You got that?

Anybody in here?
(Tim sighs)

You best come on out now.

Don't worry, we won't bite.

(Otis laughs)

- [Otis] I bite! (chuckles)

(Cutter chuckles)

(gun cocks)

- You find any food?

- Nope. Ain't no food in here.

Some milk, though, and it's good.

This must be some kind of
animal hospital or somethin'.

- Yeah.

I don't know what this place
is, but it ain't no hospital.

Hey, you checked that
room yet, right there?

- Woo! (laughs)

Lookey there.

Found some cash!

- And what the hell
you gonna do with that?

- Buy things.

- What're you expectin' to buy right now?

Huh?

Nevermind. Let's keep movin'.

(suspenseful music)

(Tim gulps)

- Hey, Cutter?

You'll wanna see this.

- What you got?

- A mother lode!

Whole bunch of food and supplies.

- Huh.

Good work, cousin.

I knew there was a reason I brought you.

(dog barks)

Let's get movin'. I think
Rusty's onto somethin'.

(lid slams)

(suspenseful music)

(Tim sighs)

(Tim sighs)

(suspenseful music)

(Tim screams)

(tape tears)
(somber orchestral music)

(tape tears)

(tape tears)

(somber music)

(Tim coughs)

(Tim coughs)

(guns clunks)

(gun clip clicks)

(Tim coughs)

(Tim coughs)

- Hey.

It's okay.

I'm not gonna hurt you.

Are you sick?

It's okay, it's okay.
(melancholy music)

Just hold on. I'm gonna help you.

Oh, man.

Okay, just hold on.

(needle clacks)

(plastic rustles)

Okay.

You should be okay now.

Just hold on if you can.

You're safe.

(chair scrapes)

(liquid drips)

(somber music)

It's okay.

This is gonna help you.
(Kimberly coughs)

I'm not here to harm
you, okay? Don't worry.

I wanna help.

Okay, let's keep this in
here a little bit longer.

Just relax.

You passed out in here and
I gave you some medicine.

Are you all by yourself?

Oh.

Hey, what's your name?

No, (chuckles) I assure
you I'm not a bad guy.

I know you've seen a lot of
crazy stuff out there, but,

you're safe in here.

- Is this zone six?

- No.

No, I promise you it's not.

(Kimberly coughs)

You wanna go to zone six?

- Yes.

I'm supposed to go there.

- Who told you that?

- My brother.

(sighs)

He said if we got split up
to head straight to zone six.

They're helping people like us.

(sighs)

(coughs)

He's probably already
there, waiting for me.

(coughs)

I think I should go.

(coughs)

- You need to stay here and rest a little.

Besides, you're burning up. You
won't get very far this way.

(coughs)

- You have it, too?

(Tim sighs)

- I do.

(sighs)

- I see.

It killed my parents.

- Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.

What's your name?

- Kimberly.

- Well, Kimberly, I'm Tim.

(Kimberly coughs)

- Do you have a family?

- No.

No, I don't.

- Well, I need to find my brother.

We're all each other has left.

- Well, Kimberly, before you go,

I think you should know
what's going on in zone six.

- Did they find a cure?

- Well, no.

I don't know.

I don't think so.

I'm sure they're working
really hard over there.

And I'm sure your brother's
fine in the meantime.

I just think that... I
think you should stay here.

Until they do.

See, the doctors...

The doctors are working
really, really hard,

but they just don't have protocols
for these kind of things.

- Do you believe in God?

- Yes.

Yes, I do.

- I do, too.

(somber music)

(Tim sighs)

- Put some stuff in there for you.

There's also some dried
food. They're ready to eat.

They're a little stale,
but they're still good.

- Thanks.

What did you give me?

Do you have any more just in case?

- That was a...

That was a little adrenaline.

To give your body a boost and...

No, that was the last of
it. I don't have any more.

(sighs)

Are you sure you don't wanna stay?

- Thank you, Tim.

- All right.

I'll walk you to the door.

(lock clacks)

(coughs)

Well, Kimberly, I hope you
find what you're looking for.

Stay safe.

(lock clacks)

(coughs)

(eerie music)
(birds tweet)

(ladders clack)

(distant engine roars)

(distant dog barks)

- [Agent] You got her?

(distant grunts and chatter)

- [Tim] (sighs) Damn it.

(trunk door slams)

(sighs)

(coughs)

(sighs)

Hey, Gabriel. Listen to this.

"And in the sixth month,

the angel Gabriel was sent from God."

(chuckles) That's you, man.

But you don't look any
angel I ever heard of.

"Remember those who are imprisoned,

as though in prison with them."

Hm.

They call the zones in
which they take the sick

"medical quarantines".

But we all know what they are.

They're a prison. A concentration camp.

They gather everyone up and
segregate them from society.

They're not trying to help the people.

They're just gathering them
up so they can slowly die.

I won't go there.

I'll keep running if I have to.

I won't give up.

I promised my little girl
that I would do something

to help them with this sickness.

And no matter what,

I won't break that promise.

(sighs) I always hated this game.

Sarah...

My wife.

Always said it requires a lot of patience.

What it requires right
now is another person.

(sighs)

I hate being alone.

Ironic, huh?

Considering the situation.

(sighs)

You know what part I miss
most about being home?

It's the actual coming-home part.

Katie would run up to
me and jump in my arms

and tell me about her day.

Was so excited.

Could be the simplest thing.

When she made a...

(chuckles) Turkey out of her hand.

It was so revolutionary and

exciting.

(coughs)

It made me feel the same.

You really start to take that for granted.

I would be at school
all day, sometimes till,

sometimes till 10 PM.

Lecturing in front of a
class, reading out of a book.

Or just

talking about on-campus
improvements with the staff.

(sighs)

(coughs)

Well, the problem with that

is we spend our whole life

doing what we had to

and when it's time to do what we want,

we may not get that chance.

(coughs)

(sighs) And if I could go
back, I would tell Katie

to live life the way she wanted.

Do things that made her
happy. To pursue her dreams.

(sighs)

Make every day count.

Because you don't know...

Because you don't know when
that's gonna be the last.

(chess piece clinks)

- Check.

- Check? Where?
("Moonlight Sonata")

- Right there.

(Tim chuckles)

- Nice.

Well done.

- Hm.

What kind of a car do you have?

- What do you know about cars?

- Well, before everyone left,

all the talk was about
what kind of car you drove

and what it said about you.

- Hm.

A white

BMW M3

convertible.

- Ever drive with the top down?

- Sometimes.

What does that say about me?

- Golf clubs in the back?

- (chuckles) No.

No time for golf.

- But the weekends?

- Oh.

(sighs) Saturdays we
worked all day in the lab.

Sundays.

That was always family day.

What does that say about me?

- Well...

White suggests you have
taste and elegance.

(Tim chuckles)

White is also associated
with honesty, purity,

or it could be that you live
in a desert climate and white

doesn't absorb heat the way
black would and you don't want

a car that's gonna bake
you like a human pop tart.

(Tim chuckles)

However...

White can be hard to keep clean.

It's a high-maintenance color, perfect

for high-maintenance people.

Hope you didn't park it
under a tree. All that sap.

Really be hard on the car, you know?

- It's parked at the
university with 20 other BMWs.

(coughs)

- Hm.

So...

You gonna find a cure, or,

sit here and die?

- You know what?

(chess piece clinks)

I am gonna find a cure.

I'm gonna do it for all
those people out there.

People like Kimberly.

This can't be their last day.

I won't let this be their last day.

I won't give up.

I promised Katie.

(wristwatch alarm bleeps)

Who gave you that watch?

- Monica did.

She thought it'd be funny to
dress me in Mr. Morg's clothes

for the next morning when he
came in as a practical joke.

But then

no one ever came back.

Checkmate.

Who gave you that watch?

(melancholy music)

- Sarah did.

- Wake up, sleepy head.

(Tim groans)

I've got a surprise for you.

- A surprise?

(sighs)

I like surprises.

- Hi!

(Tim moans)

- Hey, beautiful.

What you got there?

- Breakfast in bed.

- What about your no food in bed rule?

- Well, I'm breaking it.

(Tim moans)

- You want something.

- No!

No!

(scoffs) It is a very special day!

And...

- There's an and.

(Tim moans)

- And I love you, Professor
Timothy Andrew Reynolds.

- And I love you,

but our anniversary isn't until tomorrow.

- Oh, I know, but I
couldn't wait. Open it.

(Tim sighs)

- I think you should
wait. It's only right.

- Oh.

Please?

Please.

Please.

Pretty please. Please,
will you open it for me?

Please?

- All right.
- Yeah! (laughs)

(paper rustles and tears)

- Oh, wow.

Sarah, this...

Wow, this...

It's perfect.

- So you like it?

- I...

I love it.
- Oh, good.

- Almost as much as I love you.

- Aww, let me see it.

- Hey, how'd you pay for it?

- Oh, I always find a way
for the man I love. (giggles)

- Hm.

If we could only find a way
to pay for Katie's braces.

Those things are gonna
send us to the poor house.

- You are the smartest and
most resourceful man I know.

It's why I love you. You'll find a way.

(both chuckle)

(Tim coughs)

- You're coming with me.

(paper rustles)

(paper rustles)

(coughs)

(marker squeaks)

(coughs)

(marker squeaks)

(marker squeaks)

(coughs)

(marker squeaks)

(marker squeaks)

(glass clinks)

(sighs)

(sighs)

(glass clinks)

Come on. Come on.
(suspenseful music)

(sighs)

Why won't it hold?

(sighs)

I don't understand.

Maybe Dr. Rhodes was right.

Maybe the cells are just
too weak to fight back.

(sighs)

They need some kind of boost.

(sighs)

Wait a second.

(pants)

(objects clatter)

(coughs)

(objects clatter)
(pants)

(coughs)

(pants)

(coughs)

(coughs)

(grunts)

(coughs)

Please let this give what
it needs to fight and hold.

Please.

(hissing)

You are an angel.

Come on, Rufus.

I may have found the cure, but I need you.

Let's go.

(suspenseful music)

(sighs)

Come on, Rufus.

Just hang on just a little bit
longer. We need to try this.

(melancholy orchestral music)

(needle hisses)

(somber music)

(coughs)

You know what I want for Christmas, Santa?

To be able to get to the lab
tomorrow, without being seen.

That would be nice.

I may have found a cure, Mister St. Nick.

(coughs)

But I gotta get more.

So I can try it on myself.

(coughs)

I'm just so tired.

Merry Christmas, Tim.

(warm ethereal music)

(coughs harshly)

(somber music)
(coughs harshly)

(coughs harshly)

(coughs)

(melancholy music)

It worked.

(brooding orchestral music)

(breathes heavily)

(sobs)

Daddy did it.

(somber orchestral music)

♪ I was distracted and in traffic ♪

♪ I didn't feel it when
the earthquake happened ♪

♪ But it really got me thinking
were you out drinking ♪

♪ Were you in the living room
chilling, watching television ♪

♪ It's been a year now,
think I've figured out how ♪

♪ How to let you go and
let communication die out ♪

♪ I know you know we know ♪

♪ You weren't down for
forever and it's fine ♪

♪ I know you know we know ♪

♪ We weren't meant for
each other and it's fine ♪

♪ But if the world was ending,
you'd come over, right ♪

♪ You'd come over and
you'd stay the night ♪

♪ Would you love me for the hell of it ♪

♪ All our fears would be irrelevant ♪

♪ If the world was ending,
you'd come over, right ♪

♪ The sky'd be falling
and I'd hold you tight ♪

♪ And there wouldn't be a reason why ♪

♪ We would even have to say goodbye ♪

♪ If the world was ending,
you'd come over, right ♪

♪ Right ♪

♪ If the world was ending,
you'd come over, right ♪

♪ Right ♪

♪ I tried to measure your reaction ♪

♪ It didn't scare me when
the outbreak happened ♪

♪ But it really got me thinking
that everywhere is shrinking ♪

♪ Someone's in a house and
didn't make it past the kitchen ♪

♪ Ah, it's been a year now,
think I've figured out how ♪

♪ How to think about you without
it ripping my heart out ♪

♪ I know you know we know ♪

♪ You weren't down for
forever and it's fine ♪

♪ I know you know we know ♪

♪ We weren't meant for
each other and it's fine ♪

♪ But if the world was ending,
you'd come over, right ♪