Certain Women (2016) - full transcript

The sun is actually coming through
the heavy cloud cover, as well,

not as the sun,
but just as kind of like

a mozzy dot up in the sky.

It's not giving any heat,
that's for sure.

Make sure that your water for your dog
in the bowl is not frozen.

A terrible thing happened.
I was told this, that

three dogs last week, it was so cold,
it was five degrees in the morning,

and three dogs got brought to the vet's
'cause their tongues were swollen.

I thought you had
to be back at work.

I do.

Is this like a peach?



I call it taupe.

- Hey.
- Hi, Laura.

- Mr. Fuller's here to see you.
- 2:10.

What?

I was starting to think
it might be some kind of holiday.

Yeah, I had a lunch meeting.

Hey, Dennis.

Mr. Fuller.

What're you doin' here?

I came to see my lawyer.

Listen. You can't keep coming here.

My wife wants me out of the house.

Well, go to the library. Read a book.
Make some friends.

I can't read.
The lines are all squiggly.



Who set this door?

What?

It's out of plumb.

He may've been slow,
but he sure was sloppy.

Look, I know
a personal injury lawyer in Billings

who's willing to give you
a second opinion.

So, I set something up for Friday.

And we can meet there. It's at noon.

See, it's good I came by.

Otherwise, how would I know
we're having a meeting in...

- Billings.
- Yeah, Billings.

Well, I was gonna call you.

Well, now I know.

Well, now you know.

Friday at noon.

- Okay.
- Okay.

Good work. So, now we can prepare.

No, no, no, no, no.
We don't need to prepare.

We just get there and explain
your situation, and that's it.

Mr. Fuller, I don't want you
to get your hopes up.

He's gonna tell you the same stuff
I've been telling you.

I just... I want you
to hear it from somebody else.

You wanna get a coffee?
You know, so we can strategize.

I have court.

Friday at noon.

Friday. Noon.

I'll see you Friday.

The contractor's clearly negligent.

Yes!

You see?

But your previous settlement
precludes a tort claim.

Employees are required to have insurance,
so workers' injuries can be covered.

But as soon as you take that
first money, you've settled.

And you give up your right to sue...

That money didn't cover
the month's mortgage.

When you accepted what they offered,

you cleared them of
any further penalties.

So?

So, I'm afraid you have no tort claim.

You can't sue.

Okay.

Okay?

- Thank you.
- Laura.

Eight months of telling him,
but now it's okay.

Hey.

I was expecting your voicemail.

You got me.

I thought you had a meeting.

I do. I did. It's a thing done.

The lawyer said, "You have no case,"
and my client said, "Okay."

- Just like that?
- Just like that.

He repeated the same things
I've been saying for the last eight months.

It'd be so lovely to think
that if I were a man,

I could explain the law
and people would listen and say, "Okay."

That would be so restful.

So, what were you gonna
tell my voicemail?

Well...

Well, it's just my situation,
being what it is.

- I just think maybe...
- I may not have long here.

Thank you for your generous,
loving fucking attitude!

I just think maybe I got my hands full.

I'm riding with you.

Look, I've gotta go.

Do you want something to eat?

No one understands
what my life has become.

What a total fucking miserable thing
my life has become.

No one understands one fucking thing!

Wish my wife would
roll over on the highway.

Oh, my God, I swear,
I will leave you right here.

The only thing left to do
is get a machine gun and kill everyone.

No.

No, you're gonna have to get out.

All right. I...

Out. No. You can't say
those things to me.

I'll... Not another word. I'll...

- You can't talk like that.
- Never mind. I'll be quiet.

Okay.

I'm a lawyer.

This type of ware is generally
referred to as China painting.

Now in the late 19th century
and into the early part of the 20th century,

ladies of fashion would get together
at China painting parties

and paint these plates or blanks.

Yes.

So all of these blanks have a mark
on the back of them.

We won't turn them around.
But they all say "Limoges."

There were also German and
Austrian makers that made the blanks

that would be imported to the States.

316, Dispatch. Go ahead.

Hey, listen, Will,
I don't wanna press ya.

I want you to take your time,
but could you just give me a sign

that Big Man is doing all right?

Hey, Will, good news.
Your lawyer's here.

- Well, thanks for coming down.
- Yeah.

Got Fuller on the phone.
Well, we had him on the phone.

He seemed calm.
He's holding the night watchman.

Wait, that's the one
they call "Big Man."

Yeah. Football player.

How'd Fuller take him down?

No idea.

Wells, this is Mac,
our resident hostage specialist.

- Hi.
- Hi.

So, he's got Big Man
up here on the 3rd floor.

Back here's where
they keep the dead files.

Yeah, that's where
they keep the dead files.

And got this little sketch
to help you find your way in.

So...

- Turn around.
- Really?

Yeah. Little precaution.

Just need you to take off
your coat, please.

Okay.

All right, arms out.

There ya go.

I remember you.

You wrote a report
for a child custody case of mine.

"Defendant instructed me
to consume feces."

Hey, is this an insane thing
to be doing?

You're doing that. Here, Tommy.

- Okay.
- Yeah?

Okay, I want you to take this.

- Yeah?
- Take it in with you. I'll call it.

- Okay. - You pick it up,
so that we know you're okay.

You don't pick up, we're wondering.

You know, you don't have to go in there.
There's other ways to go about this.

No. We got this handled.
We don't need any big production.

Right, Wells?

Well, I'm here. So.

Okay, well, just keep him engaged
in the conversation,

just try to be compassionate,
let him feel like he's being heard.

It's important that he sees you
as being his advocate.

And there's nothing wrong
with throwing blame on someone else.

You know, blame the system.

Make him feel like you're on his side.

You got that, Wells? Keep him talking.

Here we go. This.

Okay.

Don't sweat it. You'll be great.

Just right in there. Center door.

Okay.

Fuller? It's me.

I'm here to find your file.

Should I come to you or go get the file?

Go get the file.

Is Big Man okay?

It's Amituana.

Did you know he's a member
of the Samoan royal family?

No, I didn't.

So does that make him a prince?

Sort of. If 14 people die, I'll be king.

How likely is that?

Not very.

Okay.

I've got the file.

Should I come?

We're in the third cubicle
from the door.

Sorry to get ya out of bed.

Sit down.

Hey. I'm Laura Wells.

- Amituana.
- Hey.

Read me the file.

Not the stuff I said,
just the stuff they said about me.

I wanna hear all the letters.

That would take all night. It's like...

So start.

"Dear Sir/Madam, enclosed herewith
please find a copy

"of the investigative report
pertaining to case file number

"117-616.

"As you will see, at Section 7,
I have made a finding that the employer,

"John Grant Incorporated,
was negligent in failing to properly secure

"the trusses and other supporting structures
at the job site,

"and that such negligence was
a contributing factor in causing the accident

"involving William Fuller,
which occurred at

"46 East Meadowlark Lane,
Livingston, Montana.

"In accordance with Montana
General Obligation Law 5505D

"and pertinent federal regulations,
an employer's ordinary negligence

"will not sustain an independent cause
of action in tort.

"Rather, any such claim must be brought
pursuant to the Worker's..."

Leave it.

Sorry, Chief, she's not picking up.

Let me call in some backup.

It'll be all right.

Tommy, give 'em another try.

You know, I really think
that's a mistake, sir.

"...failure to make a finding
with respect to the issue of

"Mr. Fuller's own contributory
negligence. As you are aware,

"at least one worker alleges
he smelled alcohol on Mr. Fuller's breath

"as he lay on the ground
after the fall."

"From: Adele Harris, Legal Assistant.
Regarding: William Fuller.

"Mr. Fuller called today and asked me
to give him JG Grant's home address.

"He said I should let JG,
and the whole crew of mini-JGs, know

"that he'll be coming down there
to break skulls like his was broken."

"September 20th, 2014.

"Mr. Fuller called again today.

"When I informed him that you were
not available to speak with him,

"Mr. Fuller started yelling and
cursing at me and called me a bitch."

I've watched him work.

Man, you should see the intricate things
he did in my study.

You can't tell where the old wood ends
and the new wood begins.

Before he fell on his head.

"Please be reminded that I did,
in fact, meet with you

"on three separate occasions in order
to explain the terms of the settlement

"prior to your signing the stipulation
setting forth terms of the same."

Go on.

Some of this is dictated. I'm sorry.

I'm not good at dictating letters.

Just keep going.

"And accordingly,
no additional cause of action lies.

"This remains the case,
despite the neurologist's report

"citing your lingering double vision,
memory loss, and fainting spells.

"Please accept my wishes
for a speedy recovery.

"Truly yours, Laura Wells."

You got screwed.

Thank you.

What can I do now?

Tell me. Now, what can I do?

Give yourself up.

No!

God damn it, I'm serious here.
I'm talking about the case.

I don't think you can do anything.

Go to physical therapy.

Be nice to your wife.

I'm letting Amituana go.

Okay.

All right.

If you get to be King of Samoa
and I show up there,

you'll have a job for me, right?

You'll remember I got screwed
and I let you go.

Sure.

Okay. Why don't ya take the stairs
and you go on outside?

And tell them if they try anything,
I'll kill the woman.

She's my lawyer.

I got reason to kill her.

You tell 'em that.

You can still help me.

Yeah, if you turn yourself in,
we can gin up a mental defense

- and get you a good lawyer.
- No.

I'll slip out the back
where they don't expect me.

You go out the front to the parking lot
where you came in and keep 'em busy.

Stand in the door
and pretend I've got the gun on you,

and relay messages to the cops
like I'm hiding there.

Tell 'em I want a car,
and I want $3,000,

and I want an hour's head start.

Afterwards they'll never know
I wasn't there with a gun.

Just give me a chance
to get out the back and get away.

But don't you think
there's cops out back, too?

No, no, they all stayed out front
where I told 'em I'd come out.

Will you do it?

Okay.

It'd be so much better for you
if you turn yourself in...

We're coming out.

Let's go.

Okay.

Okay.

Now, you wait a minute
before you go out.

All right?

- Okay?
- Okay.

He's in back. He's unarmed.

You did good.

Hi. What's so funny?

Nothin'.

- How'd you sleep?
- Fine.

Did you hear those coyotes howling?

I was sleeping.

How was your run?

Fine.

What were you two laughing about?

Nothing.

I was showing her my poses.

This is the crab. We call it the crab.

Well, she thought it was funny.

You hear those coyotes last night?

- Crazy.
- Yeah. I wonder what they got.

I don't know.

I'm gonna put this stuff in the car.

Here.

That's it.

- You got it?
- Yeah.

Thanks for helping out.

No one asked me.

No one asked me to, either.
I just kind of figured it out all by myself.

Did you brush your teeth?

- Yeah.
- Really?

'Cause your toothbrush is in here,
and there's a bottle of water.

Mom. I said I brushed them.

Okay. Because now would be a good time.

Oh, God, why even bother asking me
if you're never gonna believe me anyway?

Now?

The sandstone?

Wait. What? You...

- One more stop.
- You said I wouldn't be out all day.

You said I could have Sunday at home.

I'm gonna grab the fence.

You know, Guthrie,
you might get a kick out of this.

It's cut sandstone from pioneer days.

Chiseled by pioneer hands.

It was a schoolhouse once.

Dad, like I care.

Listen.

Let's you and I make an effort
to be nice to your mom today.

Okay? Let's just cut her some slack.

Why? Is she sick or something?

No, she isn't sick.

Just be nice to her.

Because?

Because she works really hard.

She does a lot for us.

Because neither of us
would do very well without her.

God, Dad.

You're building her a house.

How much better can you be?

So you'll ask Albert?

You always know what to say to him.

What's to know?

I just mean, he trusts you.

Guthrie. Guthrie. Guthrie.

- Come say hi to Albert.
- No.

No way, Dad. Every time
we come out here,

you guys swear it won't take
all weekend, but it always...

I don't know why you indulge her.

I was just talking to her.

We did tell her that we weren't
gonna keep her out here all day.

God, you really can't help it.

What?

Making me the bad guy.

- Always.
- Whatever.

I wonder how much more
there might be buried here.

I don't know.

Let's let him know we're here.

You ask.

You'll help.

We should've brought him something.

Hello, Albert.

Hi, Albert.

You're back in town.

Yes.

- Come in.
- Thank you.

Nice and warm.

Yeah.

- Please.
- Thank you.

How are you?

I fell last week.

I was on the phone.

But some people were here.

And I banged my head.

Is there anything
that we can do to help?

Do you need anything?

No. Don't need anything.

I cook up big soups.

So I got stuff in the freezer.

- You still play guitar?
- I can play.

We supposed to play somewhere?

I don't think so. But it would
sure be fun to hear you play.

Well, yes.

I've got milk and everything.

When my friends came by,
they brought milk.

Your friends who were here
when you fell?

I was on the phone when I fell.
I was alone.

I'm sorry. I thought that...

I thought you said
that you had friends who were visiting.

Some people were here.

I wasn't stuck on my back
like a turtle all night.

Poor Albert.

Can't find the date The Catfish
are supposed to play.

Just ask in town.

Albert, so we were wondering
about the sandstone

in the front yard,

and if you'd be willing
to sell it to us.

I mean, if you wanted to get rid of it,
we'd take it off your hands.

Have you talked to Kyle Yazzie lately?

Is he gonna help you build your house?

I think so.

He's gonna let me use
his backhoe, anyway.

Well, you should dig up a garden
while you got the backhoe.

We're not really planting a garden.

Just desert plants
that we won't have to water too much.

Russian olives, very nice.

They make good shade trees.

It'll be tough to care for our garden,

since we can't really move
out here full-time,

at least not until our daughter
gets through high school.

Kyle's a nice young man.

Plays a good banjo.

His kids have been out
to play on our land.

I guess I trust him, all right.

Can't always see the numbers.

Well, I guess I'll give you
that sandstone.

We'd wanna pay you for it.

It was the old schoolhouse, you know?

From when the town was settled.

They cut it from the massive
sandstone 'round here.

They built that schoolhouse
before they built the church.

Always thought the schoolhouse
must've been prettier than the church.

I never thought it was a pretty church.

We want native stone to build with.

Railroad ties, things that fit in.

We thought before we cut new stone,
we would look and see if we could

find some that was already in blocks...

My brother and I, he's dead now,

when we bought this property in '66,
that stone was there.

We built this house that year.

Had it built.

Still have things to finish.

Like that back porch.

76. Probably not gonna finish it.

Okay. Yes, I'll give you that sandstone.

You don't have to sell it
if you don't want to.

It's just that Gina wants this new house
to be authentic.

When do you need it?

Well, as it happens,

Ryan's brother has a flatbed truck
that we could use the week after next.

So we just have to hire some help,
or find some help.

Okay.

Tentatively, you can have it.

I wanna think a little more.

Okay, well, if you change your mind,
no problem.

Okay.

Here. Let me get that door.

Thank you.

We can call you in a couple days?

We'll leave you our numbers, too.

Whatever's best for you.

You know, it's a lot of rock.

Look, quail.

Yeah.

I hear them all the time.

Their call is... Is like... It goes...

Sounds like, "How are you? How are you?"

Then the answer, it goes...

"I'm just fine. I'm just fine."

Yeah.

There's not gonna be enough
for a whole house, but a wall, maybe.

We could plant some trees
where the rock pile is.

Ryan'd help you.

Honey, give him our card,
so that he has our numbers.

All of those numbers will work.

Your wife works for you.

That's funny.

No, she's the boss, actually.

You'll come out to our place
when the weather gets warmer.

And no more falling down.

I don't plan to.

And if you wanna sell,
think of a good price.

I don't know how much rock costs.

I'm starving.

God, you really weren't
helping me at all.

I was helping. I was in there.

What, by repeatedly telling him
that he didn't have to sell to us?

I just wanted to give him
some wiggle room.

It almost didn't feel worth it.

I thought he knew
he wasn't gonna use it.

You wanna give it back?

No.

Someone else'd just take it.

You sure he understood?

We just have to think of something
really good to do with it.

Then it won't feel so sad to take it.

...is a mysterious realm,

full of danger and full of promise.

A new frontier just waiting
to be explored.

Hello.

I've never done this before.

Don't quite know where to start.

Y'all wanna introduce yourselves?

We all know each other.

Wanna tell me what you already know
about school law?

I don't think we know anything.

Okay.

Okay. Well, guess we'll just start
at the beginning.

"The idea that the state must provide
a free public education

"and that children can be required
to go to school goes back to 1642,

"when the first such laws
were passed in Massachusetts.

"By 1918, all states
had passed such legislation.

"It's been said that 'students do not leave
their rights at the schoolhouse door.'

"The United States Supreme Court has ruled
in a case called Goss v. Lopez,

"which was decided in 1975,
that 'a school district

"'cannot just expel a student

"'without following
some type of procedure.'"

That procedure is referred to
as "due process."

The same with a criminal defendant
being entitled to due process

before being locked up,

the student is entitled to the same
before you can expel them.

Can a student be expelled,
and then not let back in?

Can a student say anything
he wants to me and just get...

Hey. You stayin'?

No.

Are you registered for this class?

No, I just saw people coming in.

I have to drive all the way
back to Livingston tonight.

Never done anything so stupid
in my life.

Livingston?

Hey, do you know
where I can get some food?

Yeah, I could show you
where the diner is.

That'd be great.

- Yeah.
- Thank you.

Follow me.

Took this job before
I finished law school.

I wanted any job.
I was afraid of my loans coming due.

I didn't know where Belfry was.

I guess I was thinking about Belgrade,
which is a lot closer.

So stupid.

Then I got a real job.

And they're letting me do this
because they think it's funny.

The pass is icy.
It takes me four hours to get here.

It's gonna take me four hours
to get back.

I have to work in the morning.

Did you tell me
how you ended up in this class?

I just saw people going in.

Did I make a fool of myself?

No. It was interesting.

I never knew a student had any rights.

You gonna come back?

When's it next?

Thursday.

Every Tuesday and
Thursday for nine weeks.

Well, I'm not signed up or anything.

They're not gonna check.

I don't even know school law.

I'm gonna have to learn enough
to teach it every time.

- Here ya go.
- Thank you.

Sure you don't want anything?

Where do you work?

Out on the Hadden Ranch.

Caring for the horses.
It's just a winter job.

You want the other half?

No.

I'd show you, if you could stay longer.

Show me what?

The ranch. The horses.

I have to get back.
I have to work in the morning.

Sure.

It's already a quarter to 10:00.
I have to go.

Come on, Flynn.

Hey, Flynn.

Come.

Okay.

Key Supreme Court decisions
affecting school law.

In the Supreme Court case from 1969,
10 students in Ohio were expelled

for wearing arm bands as a form
of protest against the Vietnam War.

The court said
that was unconstitutional,

for it violated their due process
and their freedom of speech.

That was the Tinker v. Des Moines case.

Is there a law that says teacher's pay has
to keep up with cost of living increases?

I'm not a labor organizer,
but you should take that to your union.

Can teachers get reserved parking spaces
for faculty only included in their...

You going to the diner?

Do you happen to know anyone in town
that could teach this class?

I don't know anyone at all.

How'd you break your arm?

It's just my wrist.
Riding an unbroken horse.

Breaking horses?
Is that part of your job?

No. Just back home with my brothers.

Yeah, when we were kids,
my brothers and I,

we'd sneak out and jump on
any ol' horse we could find.

No saddle, no halter. Just bring
a piece of twine, that was it.

Once broke my tailbone.

Was too afraid to tell my mother
for two weeks.

Had to sit on the edge of my chair
in class. It was awful.

And I was so afraid I'd get
outta law school and be selling shoes.

Hello.

Sorry.

Okay.

Can I give you a ride to the diner?

Not in the truck.

Just... Just wait here.

Really?

I mean, it's been a while.

Don't think about it.

Cook wants to know
if that's your horse out back.

It is.

- Can he give it some water?
- Sure.

- Thank you.
- Truck break down?

Nope. Truck's all right.

Here, have some fries.

Why were you afraid of selling shoes?

Have you ever sold shoes?

I mean, why were you afraid
you couldn't get anything else?

I don't know.

Because my mom works
in a school cafeteria,

my sister in a hospital laundry.

So, selling shoes is the nicest job

a girl from my family's supposed to get.

It all worked out.

See, I'm a lawyer with a wonderful job
driving all the way to Belfry

every 15 minutes until I lose my mind.

It's 10:00.

I'm not gonna be home until 2:00.

And there's roaming cows in the road,
black ice just outside of Edgar.

If I get through that, there's a roadblock
just outside of Livingston.

Then I get to sleep for five hours,
take a shower, go to work at 8:00,

do a bunch of crap
nobody else wants to do

and learn some more school law
tomorrow night.

Leave work early the next day,

and drive all the way back here,
with my eyes twitching.

It was nice of you to bring the horse.

Will you take me back to my car?

Thank you.

Thanks. Have a good night.

Flynn!

Apparently, Miss Travis found the drive
from Livingston too arduous,

so I'll take over the class
for the rest of the term.

I practice law here in town
and, as some of you know

and the rest of you
will find out soon enough,

I am recently divorced.

The type of place to be open at...

What you're hearing now

to some ears, may be hitting
those ears as irresponsible...

Excuse me.

I wonder if you happen to know a lawyer
named Elizabeth Travis?

No.

Hi, Denise, it's Patty Gardener.

Do you know a lawyer in town
named Elizabeth Travis?

Sure.

Denise knows everyone.

She took a teaching job in Belgrade.

Belfry. She's got another job here.

We believe she has
another job here in town.

Hey.

I drove over.

Thought I was in the wrong place.

You drove here?

Feel sorry you stopped teaching
the class. I looked forward to it.

I was gonna tell you on Tuesday
I asked for a replacement

'cause of the drive.

- That drive is pretty bad.
- Right.

I don't mean to keep you
from getting to work or anything.

I just knew if I didn't start driving,
I wasn't gonna see you again.

Didn't want that.

That's all.

Okay.

Well, I have to go feed now.

Animals'll be wondering where I'm at.

Hi.

You must have some real pull,
getting in here on a Sunday.

I guess you've had lunch, but...

You got a shake in there?

Chocolate one and a vanilla one.

Vanilla.

- There's a straw.
- Thank you. Thank you.

It's good.

So, how's it goin' in here?

About what you'd expect.

It's noisy. Lonely.

No privacy.

You know, my wife's gone.

No, I didn't.

After I stopped working
and started getting crazy,

she got a pen pal.

A guy in prison in Wyoming.

They wrote back and forth all year.

Then he got furloughed,
and she went to live with him.

She sent me a letter.

They're living on a farm,

and they got 40 cats,

and she's never been so happy.

Can you believe that?

She mailed me the letter from
another town, so I couldn't find her.

Would you wanna find her?

Yeah.

No. I don't know.

A guy in prison.

I can't believe she found
a guy in prison.

I'm a guy in prison.
What's wrong with me?

What'd the guy do?

She won't tell me.

Probably an axe murderer. It's Wyoming.

Did you get my letter?

Yeah.

You never wrote back to me.

I meant to. I...

I kept meaning to.

Man, you wouldn't believe
how good mail feels.

Think I told you that.

I just didn't know what to say.

That's the thing, is you don't have
to say anything special.

Told you it's okay about what happened.

You know, they would've got me anyway.

I fucked up.

And I mean this.

You could talk about anything.

Talk about the weather.

Talk about your day.

Just so you put it in an envelope,

and put it in the mail.

Doesn't have to be a tome.

Okay.

Awesome.

Stop working.

Dad.

Can you get me a beer?

Just kidding.

What? Aw, man.

...if you don't have to drive,
well, then don't drive.

I made a mistake.

I left the house and... Whatever.
I go to the bank

to cash this check, and I shouldn't have.
I should've stayed at home.

Instead of this one,
that would've been fine.

It's been...

It's colder if you're up a little north.

I don't know.

It doesn't matter how many...