Crooked Hearts (1991) - full transcript

(JAZZMUSIC PLA YING)

TOM: The summer I was 11,

I was desperately in love
with the waitress in Hale's Cafe.

Her name was Jennetta.

I thought she was beautiful
but there was something beyond that,

something magical about her,

the way there is about some movie stars.

How're you guys doing?
You need more coffee?

CUSTOMER: Sure.

TOM: It was a wasted summer
in every other way.

My little brother Ask and I spent
every morning down at Hale's



drinking Cokes
while I mooned over Jennetta.

There was a night that summer
when my brother, Charley,

got stuck babysitting Ask and me.

Charley had plans that night

and he wasn't about to break them
just to look after us.

So he did something
we could never ha ve imagined.

He offered to take us with him

and he made us swear
we wouldn't tell Mom and Dad.

So, boys,

got any chicks lined up for tonight?

- Yeah, sure, Limber.
- Yeah, right.

You'd just better not be hitting on mine.

(CHINA ROAD PLAYING)

TOM: Charley's moods were up and down
that whole summer.



We were moving across the country
to Tacoma, Washington.

My dad was fed up with teaching and
he was going into business with a friend.

Charley was angry at ha ving to miss his
senior year in high school with his friends.

Charley had always seemed mysterious
to Ask and me.

He was our brother but he was older.

His world was different from ours.

And even when
he wasn't angry about moving,

his moods had a way of surprising you,
sometimes good, sometimes bad.

And you never knew which was coming.

You guys want a beer?

Sure.

CHARLEY: Be cool about it.

Very smooth.

A couple of dudes in the back seat.

Where you buttheads been?

What's going on?

Jennetta's in there dancing
with anything that moves.

Oh, boy.

Okay, I'm going to go inside
and check out the girls.

If there's any left over,
I'll bring some out for you guys.

Okay.

Don't let anybody see you
drinking that beer, okay?

I'm gonna go take a look.

You'd better not.

(WAITING FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU
PLAYING ON JUKEBOX)

- JENNETTA: How've you been?
- Great.

JENNETTA: Want to dance?

Fuck you.

TOM: I was embarrassed
by what Charley had said

but Jennetta said she understood
and that Charley was just upset.

She asked when we were moving.
She made me promise to write to her.

And then she did a funny thing.

She kissed me.

On the lips, too.

And I wished Ask had seen it
because I knew he'd never believe me.

And then Charley came.

CHARLEY: Tom!

Well, bye.

- See you tomorrow.
- Yeah.

How come you said that to Jennetta?

She wants me
to deliver a message to Dad.

What message?

She said to tell him

that she'll wait for him to work things out.

Bull.

No bull.

What the hell happened to Jennetta,
Charley? I missed my dance.

What's wrong?

TOM: We moved to Washington
later that summer,

although it seemed like a waste of effort.

My father sold his business after a year
and went back to teaching.

No one ever spoke of that night
at Hale's again.

And after a while, the memory of it faded.

And there were times I couldn't swear
to you that it really happened.

Sometimes I think being a kid is like that.

The things that happen are like in a dream.

Then you get older and you wake up and
you see them in a different, clearer way.

And you hope it's not too late to matter.

Hey, I was gonna pick you up
at the bus station.

I had a little money for a cab.

Yeah, well, welcome home.

- How you doing?
- Okay.

Let me grab this.

(GRUNTS)

- What have you got in these things?
- Books.

- Yeah?
- Yeah, here.

Thanks.

God, you look great.
Berkeley hasn't changed you a bit.

So, what's up?

TOM: It's good to be home.

There's not going to be a party, is there?

- Hi, Tom.
- Hey, Ma.

Oh, let me see you.

Hey, put his luggage away.
It looks like he's leaving.

Hey. Don't you eat? You look skinny.

JILL: Oh, he does not.

- Hey, Dad.
- Hey.

Well, listen, I have some things
to finish in the kitchen, okay?

Would you get Cassie?
I think she's upstairs.

Sure.

Edward, would you and Ask move
the furniture, please? We're almost ready.

ASK: Yeah, let's just slide the couch back
against the wall.

EDWARD: Okay. Well, let's get
the table first.

- Leave that suitcase, Tom. I'll get that one.
- Okay.

EDWARD: Where's Charley?
ASK: I think he's getting the beer.

- Tom here yet?
- Yeah.

Yeah, he just got in.
He's waking up Cassie.

No, he isn't.

Charley, is all that gonna fit?

We'll just have to throw out the food.

Yeah, right, and walk back up
with a few brewskies, right?

- Let me have one.
- Keep your hands off.

- I'm gonna get it.
- Stop it.

(KNOCKING)

Come in.

- Hi.
- Thanks.

So?

What happened?

Couldn't dig in.

Was it because of Eileen?

Maybe.

Hey.

You know anything about this letter?

- No, did she send you a letter?
- Sort of.

Are you gonna see her?

- What for?
- To talk.

Ask, she's married to Sam Crawford.
She's pregnant.

What am I going to talk to her about?

You could talk.
Look, communication never hurts.

(RC COLA AND A MOON PIE PLAYING)

Tom, get down here!

Hi, honey, come on. Party time.

Charley. How are you?

Welcome to hard times.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

Hey, come on, Charley!
Will you please put me down? Hey!

Cassie's cake.

Cassie.

JILL: Looks great, Cassie.

- You made a cake?
- I made it for you.

JILL: Come on, Ask.

(CLINKING)

EDWARD: Does everybody have a drink?

Happiness.

Well, I believe I last stood here to
commemorate the scientific achievements

of our own Askew Warren,
whose volcano project had just exploded,

spewing forth a rich brown lava,
redecorating the entire science laboratory.

(CHEERING)

Thank you. Thank you.

And before that, if I'm not mistaken,

we celebrated Cassie's performance
in the school play.

Yes, I meant to do that, Dad.

When she forgot her lines and decided
her character should die on stage.

It was a noble death.

ASK: And it shortened the play.
JILL: Oh, Cassie.

And in that spirit,
we welcome Tom Warren.

- Go, Tom!
- Home from school.

CASSIE: Yeah, come on, Tom.

Before a single year has elapsed,
just a few weeks shy of his final exams.

He puts us in mind of the great man
who once said,

"Half the failures in life arise from
pulling in one's horse as he's leaping."

ASK: That's Tom.

Let the banner fall.

(EDWARD IMITATING DRUM ROLL)

(ALL CHEERING)

"You must know home to be a traveler."

What does it mean, Ask? Please?

Come on, it means what it says.

EDWARD: Uh-huh.

It's philosophical.

The Warrens!

- The Warrens!
- ASK: Yeah!

- To the Warrens.
- The Warrens.

The Warrens.

(DANCEMUSIC PLA YING)

Ask, dance!

(LAUGHING)

BONITA: You're crazy.

I'm going to put this somewhere very safe.

In my arms, sashay...

Oh, Charley.

(LAUGHS)

What are you doing?

Bonita, this is my brother, Tom.

Tom, this is Bonita.

- Hi, Bonita.
- Hi.

Bonita manages
the Quickie Chicken at the mall.

(IMITATING AIRPLANE WHIRRING)

(CHUCKLES)

So, what are you doing here?

I couldn't sleep. I'm sorry.

I mean, what are you doing here?

How come you couldn't make it
down at Berkeley?

I don't know.

You're here.

Yeah, well, I'm here wherever I am.

But you were out.

Man, you made a clean break.

Jesus, if I could make a clean break,
boy, I would be gone.

What are you talking about?

I'm just saying,
it's not going to be so easy next time.

This family's like a drug
and we're all junkies.

Here's Tom,
all fired up and ready to face the day.

Why don't you take it easy, Tom?
You're so intense.

- Tom, are you busy Saturday?
- Nope.

Do you remember Marriet Hoffman,
Jeannie Hoffman's girl?

Yes.

Well, she's really had
a rough time of things.

She's back and most of her friends
are either married or gone.

She doesn't have anyone to go out with.

I thought maybe you could do me a favor.

Mom, look... No... I...
I hate being fixed up. Please.

Oh, have a heart.
She got used on in California.

- Do you tell that child everything?
- Yes, I do. Now, hush.

Don't think of it as a date.
Take her bowling or something.

Think of it as being neighborly.

Think of it as getting laid.

(CASSIE LAUGHS)

Now that's funny.

So, where are you going to take her?
Bowling is the pits. Take her to the beach.

No, don't take her to the beach.

Take her bowling.
At least you'll have something to do.

I'm not going to take her anywhere, okay?
I'm not gonna go.

- All right, let's go, school. Bye, hon.
- Bye, dear.

- I'll even lend you my car.
- You never let anybody touch your car.

I'll pay for the gas. You should do it.

It'll keep your mind off
of what's-her-name.

Mom, can we please, this one time,
not make this a family decision?

I already took the liberty.

Saturday?

I'm late for an appointment.

MARRIET: So, what about you?
Tell me something about yourself.

TOM: Like what?

Anything. You pick.

How about you go first?

Well, what do you want,
good stuff or awful stuff?

Let's start with the awful stuff.

Well, let's see...

My father left me and my little sister
in the backseat of a Corvair once

and he forgot about us.

What made you think of that?

I bought a fish today
and it came in a plastic bag

and it reminded me of being
in the backseat of that car.

You go.

All right.

I dropped out of school.

Yeah, what school?

Berkeley. I was at Pierce College
for two years

and then I went to Berkeley.

You didn't like it?

No, no, I liked it.

It's kind of complicated.

I dropped out, too.

Of what?

Of Los Angeles.

School?

The whole place.

So, what happened in LA?

Oh, I...

I fell in love with a piranha
who happened to be my boss,

who was married, of course,
and I slept with him.

All your basic mistakes,
except getting pregnant.

- What are you doing now?
- I'm coagulating.

I hate to say "getting it together," so I'm...
I'm regrouping, how's that?

I'm selling TVs and stereos and...

What about you?

I'm getting it together.

- Well, thank you, I had a good time.
- Me, too.

- Good night.
- Good night.

- Good night.
- Good night.

Do you want to come in?

Sure. Yeah.

- Okay.
- Okay.

- You want something to drink?
- Sure.

Oh, I didn't like what I was wearing.

So, what do you think?

It's nice. Sparse.

Yeah, I left all my stuff in LA.

I thought it would be easier
to be someone new

if I didn't have all my old junk
lying around.

It's water.

- Cheers.
- Cheers.

Still drinking out of jars, though.

Why do I do that?

Do what?

Want to see something really ugly?

Sure.

I bite my nails when I'm nervous.

You nervous?

Yeah. I guess.

I...

I like you, and that makes me nervous.

Well, you know, I'm nervous, too.

Meaning you like me?

Yeah.

(BOTH GIGGLING)

I'm working on being forthright.

And in my previous life I would have
waited for the guy to say something first.

Hey, you mind if I ask you something?

I mean, would it be okay if we had
an agreement, you know, just about us?

I mean, not that there is an "us" yet,
of course, but well, what if...

What if we made a deal
before we go to bed?

- A deal?
- Well, yeah.

You know how you...
People just have different expectations.

So I have worked out
a contract for lovers.

Yeah. Come on, I'll show it to you.

Sit down, sit down.

It's just something
where we agree to call one another

and to spend the night if we have sex.

Oh, well, it protects you, too.

I mean, it's not legal or anything.

I mean, it's not a commitment,

if that's what you're worried about.

It's really starting to sound crazy,
but it's...

It's just something where
we agree to be nice to each other.

I'm being a complete asshole.

Maybe we're going too fast.

I'd like you to leave now.

Marriet, we could talk.

Please leave.

I could stay, we could talk.

Get out.

(LOCKING DOOR)

TOM: What was that?

Maybe she just wanted a little insurance.

I mean, anyway, you said you liked her.

So what, Ask?

Would you want a girl to sign a contract
agreeing to like you no matter what?

- Yeah.
- No matter what?

Yeah.

I'm not making that lay-up.

Well, a contract sounds like
a good idea to me.

I sort of have one for myself, anyways.

You know, my list of rules?

- List of rules? You still have that thing?
- Yeah.

You made that up when we were kids.

Yeah, well, I update it.
I keep it in my wallet. Get away.

In case I think of something new
while I'm out.

Like what?

Like never put out electrical flames
with water.

That's one of the rules
you live your life by?

Look, all I'm saying is that
a contract can be a good thing.

And you've got to keep your mind open
to new ideas. Let's go.

- Oh, you want to go again?
- I want to go again.

- Double or nothing?
- Double or nothing. Let's play.

Okay, boy.

Charley?

- Hi.
- Excuse me.

TOM: Those are some funny-looking
taco shells.

What are they, chicken or pork, Mom?

- ASK: Pork.
- Chicken.

- Here, honey.
- TOM: Pork tacos, yeah.

- Don't tease your brother. Here.
- Aren't there pork tacos?

- I don't think so. Here.
- Stop kicking me.

Pass this around for me, please.

- This looks good, Mom.
- Thank you.

- I'm very hungry.
- Thank you.

Hey.

Thank you.

Charley, why don't you pull up another
chair and invite your friend to join us?

- No, thanks.
- I'll get it.

Ask, it's all right, you don't
have to do that. Please sit down.

ASK: No, it's okay.
There's a chair right here.

You know, it wouldn't hurt to pretend that
you're part of the family once in a while.

Edward, please, don't.

Jill, the child has been in the house
two days, nobody knows her name.

- Bonita.
- Bonita.

I met her in the bathroom.

Thanks, boys.

Would you please ask your friend
to join us?

I'm tired, Mom.

Oh, Cassie, don't go to sleep
before you finish your homework.

I'm tired now, Mom.

Oh, great, she's out.

Cassie.

Mom, this is Bonita.

Hello, Bonita. Please sit down.

My father, my two brothers,
who you've met already.

Hi.

That's my sister Cassie when she's awake.

JILL: So, would you like some dinner?
Here, you can have Cassie's fork.

Oh, I don't eat meat.

We have cheese, lettuce.

Well, I don't really eat cheese either
'cause it really gums you up inside.

EDWARD: Well, help yourself
to whatever you see.

Thanks.

What do you do for a living, Bonita?

I manage the Quickie Chicken
over at the mall.

I don't eat chicken, either.

Why not?

Well, they shoot them full of these
growth hormones.

You just don't want them in your chicken.

So, Bonita,
how did you and Charley meet?

I used to work with Charley
over at the warehouse.

I just couldn't stand being around
all those dead fish.

I keep telling Charley he should leave.

Did Charley tell you that he passed up

a management internship
over at Weyerhaeuser?

No, Charley, you never told me that.

They loved him. They didn't know
why he wasn't in college.

Charley's real smart.

Everybody who meets Charley
wants him on their team.

Edward, I really don't think we need
to go through this for Bonita's sake.

We're not going through it
for Bonita's sake.

Then whose sake are we doing it for?

We're not going through it
for anyone's sake, Charley.

I'm just trying to point out to you
that people who meet you...

Oh, for Christ's sake.

It was a pleasure meeting you.

You have a nice family.

Thank you.

What happened?

Nothing. Charley wasn't hungry.

Oh.

Was he like this before I left?

He's gotten worse since you left.

For some reason, your brother thinks
your father is a son of a bitch.

(SIGHS)

I think we should throw Charley out.

Why?

Because he can't seem to bring himself
to leave any other way.

- Does he want to leave?
- Oh, I think so.

Well, he's a big boy, Mom.
Why doesn't he just leave?

It's hard for him.

He and your father are all tangled up
with each other.

I don't know how to pull them apart.

Tom, I almost forgot.
I stopped by the bakery on the way home.

Thanks.

She's anxious to see you, to say hello.

All right, Dad. Thanks.

- EILEEN: Hi.
- Hi.

You want a cannoli and some coffee?
It's on me.

Okay.

Have a seat.

Thanks.

I'm really glad you came.

- How far along are you?
- A few months.

You must be curious about
the circumstances.

Miss, may I have the cream, please?

I still love you.

(INAUDlBLE)

- How's Sam?
- He's fine.

The baby's not his.

- Excuse me?
- It's not Sam's baby.

Whose baby is it?

Eileen?

Eileen?

Is it my baby?

- No, it's not your baby, all right?
- Then whose baby is it? Huh? Whose?

Whose baby is it? Huh?

It's Charley's.

The baby's Charley's.

He wanted to marry me.

He said it would be a way out
for both of us.

Out of what?

I don't know. Your family?

He got to me through you, Tom.

He used to tell me all these stories
about his life.

And I held him and I made a mistake.
I can't explain it.

I wanted to get an abortion.

Well, why didn't you?

I was afraid of Charley.
He wanted the baby.

He wanted to marry me and run away.
I didn't know what he'd do.

I asked Sam to marry me and he said yes.
I did it for you.

That's great.

First you fuck Charley because of me,
then you married Sam Crawford for me.

Jeez, Eileen, I think if you loved me
any more, no man in Tacoma'd be safe.

TOM: You have a million girls
to choose from.

Christ, you scared the shit out of me.

Couldn't find anybody else to fuck?

It was an accident, Tom.
I didn't mean it to happen.

What does that mean?

Look at me, Charley.

I didn't know if you were going
to hit me, Tom.

I don't want to hurt you.
Don't fuck around.

And don't try and come in here.

CASSIE: He said he likes me?

- Yes.
- Oh, gross.

Hey.

- What are you, sick?
- No, I'm not sick.

God, I wish I had the time to just lay
around all day and read the newspaper.

Cassie, you don't read the newspaper.

Exactly, Tom.
I don't have the time, you know.

So, did you and Charley
have an argument last night?

I thought I heard doors slamming.

I guess we did.

What about?

Oh, Charley got Eileen pregnant.

(LAUGHS)

I thought Sam Crawford got her pregnant.

No, it was Charley.

- Who says?
- Eileen.

I'd never do that.

It's one of my rules.

What, don't sleep with
your brother's girlfriend?

No.

Never do anything with the sole intent
of hurting someone else.

Look, maybe he didn't.
I mean, maybe he loved her.

- Does she love him, Tom?
- No, Ask, Charley's a slut.

What are you talking about?

- Nothing.
- Nothing.

Why don't you do something
with your life, Tom?

What?

Well, you're turning weird, you know?

And idle hands are the devil's playground.

Figure that one out.

You won't see much traffic at night.
Mostly trucks.

Put the money in the safe
and lock it up at midnight.

Okay, Dave, thanks a lot.
I really appreciate it.

Thank you.

What are you doing?

Where is everybody?

Tom went to his new job
and everyone else is gone.

How come you're home?

Miss Prison Warden wanted me
to clean up my room and so I fell asleep.

What are you doing?

I'm leaving.

Grab that?

Where are you going?

I quit my job, told Arnsberger to bite it.
I'm going east.

Why?

Because I want a new life.

Well, what about your old life,
where I'm your sister?

You'll still be my sister.

You're deserting the ship, Charley.

Go back to sleep.

I'm leaving my car. It's a fair trade.

Where is this?

Jesus!

I fell asleep in the van. Charley!

I fell asleep in the van.
He didn't even know I was in there, Mom.

What the hell kind of a stunt is this?

Dad, he didn't even know I was there!

What did you say to Arnsberger?
He's a friend of mine.

- Fuck Arnsberger.
- I got you that job!

I stuck my neck out for you!
Doesn't that mean anything to you?

Edward, let him go!

You get back in the house.
This doesn't concern you.

Hey, where are you going?
This is your family! Charley! Stop.

God damn it,
I'm going to have this out with you.

All right, drive.

But when you stop,
we're going to get to the bottom of this.

Charley!

Running away.

Twenty-four years old,
pulling a junior high stunt.

Twenty-six,
and he shouldn't even live here.

He's a brat. He's a little boy.

Kick him out, Edward.

I won't kick him out.
That's what he wants.

Just so he can say
the whole thing is our fault.

- Let him.
- I won't let him!

He could be anything he wanted to be.

He works in a warehouse,

and he wouldn't have had that
if I hadn't gone to Arnsberger.

Maybe you shouldn't have gone
to Arnsberger.

He won't do a thing by himself.
He walks around in his own little world.

Let him be connected to one thing
in the universe beyond himself.

That's all I'm asking.

He's not going to find it here. Not with us.

He is a part of us.
He is a part of our blood and our bone.

He is part of everything we are.
We are his family and he belongs here.

He belongs where he can live his life.

Jill, if he wants his privacy,
let him get an apartment.

He's trying something else.

He's trying to abandon the family.
I won't permit it.

- Charley, are you mad at me?
- No, I'm not mad at you.

Look, you don't have to believe this
but it's true.

I'm sorry about
what happened with Eileen.

I didn't mean to hurt you.

I didn't.

I just wanted to do something so bad
that they'd have to throw me out.

- Why don't you just leave, Charley?
- Because it's not that easy!

It's going to take a lot more
than I thought.

What did he mean by that?

I don't know.

- I mean about Eileen.
- I said, I don't know!

Tom, why is everybody always
keeping secrets?

I'm sorry, Cassie.
No one is keeping secrets, okay?

God, this family is getting too weird.

We should get a dog.

Why?

Well, because we used to have a dog
and we were happier then.

We need a family project
to pull us all together.

Anyway, good night.

Good night.

CASSIE: And quit moping around
and being so tragic.

Hi.

You're alive.

Yeah, I wanted to see you.

What for?

I had a good time.

You probably think I'm crazy.

No, I don't.

Then you just want to go to bed with me.

No, Marriet.

Look, I really had a good time, okay?

I'd like to go out with you again.

You're funny.

Why?

Well, you just could have called,
you know?

I mean, it's been three weeks.

I just feel like an idiot.

You're absolutely right.
And I'm sorry. I really am.

There were just a few things
I had to work out in my mind.

You mean Eileen?

Pretty much, yeah.

You could have called and told me that.
You could have explained that to me.

I would understand that.

You're the one that threw me out
of your apartment, remember?

Well, maybe I can show you something
a little more upscale, then.

With stereophonic sound? Yes?

Oh, yeah, I probably should be
spending a lot more money.

(CLEARING THROAT)

I've been dreaming about you.

I bet.

I have.

Wild, erotic sex dreams, probably.

Just your basic dreams.

Your basic sex dreams.

They've been really nice.

Left.

- I can't do left.
- Left, hit left.

You have to be able to hit left and right.

Well, I'm just doing right, then.

Charley wants us to pick up something
for him at the train station.

- What?
- I don't know, a box or something.

I thought we were going to go get the dog.

Well, we're going to drop you off

and then we're going to pick you up
on the way back from the train station.

Oh, and let me pick it out by myself?

Yeah. Maybe you're ready
for a little adult responsibility, huh?

And you're Mr. Maturity himself,
right, Ask?

Wait, I get to sit up front, then.

ASK: I'm going to make love
with Julie pretty soon.

TOM: Who's Julie?

Oh, you don't know her.
Yeah, she's new since you left.

You really think so?

How do you know
you're going to make love to her?

'Cause I can feel it coming.

It's like one of those slow-motion films
you see of a car accident in Driver's Ed.

You know, where you see the cars sliding
for, like, a minute before they hit.

What is this thing?

It's Dad's. He keeps the bills in it
and stores it in his closet.

- What does it say?
- It says, "Open this."

Pocket knife?

(SNAPS FINGERS)

Maybe we shouldn't open it.
I mean, it's Dad's box.

- Look, Tom, no, no, no!
- What?

No, you're gonna break the blade off.

These aren't bills.

We can't open this.

See if there's one already open.

I can't read this.

Just see who it's from.

Jennetta.

Jennetta?

This is a love letter.

May I please see that?

We shouldn't have opened it.

Why would Charley do this?

Let's burn them.

No, we can't burn them. They're Dad's.

Charley is trying
to humiliate Dad with this.

That's what this is.

If we give them back,
that's all that's going to happen.

Well, we can't burn them.

They're not ours.

Jesus, Ask.

Okay, look, Ask,
here's what we're going to do.

We're going to compromise, okay?

We're going to put the letters
back in the locker,

and we're going to figure out
what to do later.

Okay?

Okay.

Oh, he's a little runt. I saved him.

- From what?
- The gas chamber.

The guy said that sometimes people
don't have the heart

to flush runts down the toilet themselves

so then they give them to the pound
and have them do the job.

So, what did Charley want
you guys to pick up?

Nothing.

I thought you said he wanted you
to pick up something.

The key didn't fit.
We couldn't open the locker.

(SIRENS WAILING)

(HORN BLARING)

Did I leave the iron on?

Charley did it.

Why do you say that?

It's why he left the letters.

What letters?

Cassie, honey, come with me.
Ask, you come, too.

- Tom, what letters?
- Tom, come on.

Wait, what letters? What letters, Tom?
What letters, Tom?

ASK: Dad, hey, Dad!

Where's Cassie?

ASK: She's with Eleanor.

- Where's Charley?
- I don't know.

- You wait there.
- Edward!

Did you get everybody out?
My son might be in there!

- We just got here. Where would he be?
- In the back!

Charley.

Charley, you bastard!

(BARKS)

- JILL: Is she all right?
- Yeah, she's okay. She's inside.

She wanted to be alone. Just go on in.

(FIREMEN YELLING)

- Cassie? Are you all right?
- Leave me alone.

Hey!

Dad?

- Where the hell are you going?
- Charley? Charley!

Leave me alone, Mom. Don't!
Leave me alone, Mom! Don't, don't!

He's all right! Charley is all right!
He's okay!

How do you know, Tom?

Tom, how do you know?
How do you know?

Dad, Charley's car is not here.
He's gone somewhere, all right?

All right?

I guess you're right.

Oh, my God.

Dad, do you care about anybody
but Charley?

Of course I do.

He doesn't care about you, Dad.
He doesn't care.

He doesn't care about me or Ask.
That's our house, it's burning up!

Tom, he knows our house is burning up.
He's worried about Charley.

Charley doesn't care about...

He doesn't care about anything
but himself, Dad.

This house is everything we own.
Look at it! Look!

Tom, I don't give a damn about the house.

I don't give a damn about the house.

Dad, Dad, Dad!

MARRIET: What's that sign?

TOM: Oh, my dad left that for Charley.

He doesn't think Charley
burned the house down.

What? Charley burned the house down?

Well, what makes you say that?

Charley gave us some letters
before he left.

What letters?

Love letters.

My father's love letters.

Be careful.

From this woman we used to know
back in Virginia.

Wait, Charley was...

He burned the house down
because of that?

Well, not just that.

Charley was looking for
a way out of the family.

Come on, he never heard of
a crank phone call,

or, like, really rude behavior?

Charley's never heard of anything,
except what's good for Charley.

My family's crazy.

Everybody's family is crazy.

Not like my family.

Yeah, and everybody thinks
their family is crazier

than everybody else's family, too.

Except in your case, I...

(LAUGHS)

Yeah.

I know it doesn't...

It may not seem like it now,
but you get over this stuff.

Tom.

What? Oh, God.

Indian.

It's ready.

Want to go first?

You can go first.

Oh, no. You're the guest.

Yeah, but we could go together.

You go first.

Are you going to take your clothes off?

Um...

I don't know.

- Is it too hot for you?
- No, it's nice.

Look.

Hey, you got fingernails.

- Pretty good, huh?
- Let me see.

Fingers, too. That's great.

- Yeah, huh?
- Yeah.

Let me wash your face.

- Bad, huh?
- You're a mess.

You're a mess, too.

(I CAN'T GIVE YOU ANYTHING
BUTLOVE PLAYING)

- Hello.
- Hi.

Hey, Tom.

Dad, this is Marriet.

- Hello, Marriet.
- Hi.

Excuse me.

Hey, look what Marriet found at the house.

- It's broken but it's okay.
- Thanks, Marriet.

- Hi, Ask.
- Hey.

TOM: My little brother, do you know my...
MARRIET: I know Ask. Hi.

- Hi. This is Julie.
- Hi.

Hi, Julie.

And that's John and Frances Heffel
from next door in 219.

We're just passing through.
Your folks invited us to the party.

Hi, welcome.

Where's Mom and Cassie?

They're in the bedroom.
They'll be out in a minute.

Anybody want a drink?

Would you like a drink
or would you like to dance?

Let's dance.

Well, you must think
this is kind of strange,

having a party
when your house burns down.

Unlike you, I'm tolerant of weirdness.

I hate Charley.

Well, at least he's gone now.

If he'd left a long time ago,
maybe none of this would've happened.

So, what if he comes back?

We'll have him arrested.

Are you serious?

(CLINKING)

ASK: Come on, everybody.

Come on, dear. It's time for the toast.

ASK: Mom, Cassie?

Do you want to do that later on?

Cass, this is my friend, Marriet.
This is my little sister, Cassie.

- Hi.
- Hi.

And I think you know each other,
don't you?

MARRIET: Hello.
JILL: Hi. Nice to see you.

TOM: Dad's about ready to go here.

Well...

I believe the last time I stood here

was to celebrate Tom's return home
from college

on the early-retirement plan.

Before that, we honored Ask's
wholesale distribution of lava.

Before that, Cassie's contribution
to the literature of drama,

regardless of the intent of the author.

And in that same spirit,

we commemorate the passing of
the Warren house into smoke and ashes.

We celebrate without Charley
but we keep him with us in spirit,

if not in flesh.

Ask, let the banner fall.

JILL: Oh, yeah.
TOM: That was great.

All right, Ask.

- The Warrens.
- Warrens.

- The Warrens.
- The Warrens.

- The Warrens.
- The Warrens.

JILL: Cheers.

(AIN'T GOTNO HOME PLAYING)

Come on, Cass.

(SIGHS)

ASK: Hey.

Hi, dear.

We'll paint! That'll help.
Some plants over there by the window.

- I like it.
- You do?

ASK: Yeah.
JILL: Oh, that's good.

ASK: Yeah, it could be us.

Marriet lives right there.

ASK: See? It is a great house.

MARRIET: Yeah, come on in, Ask.

(BUZZING)

(SINGING)

Hey, hey!

What? You ate all mine.

Oh, that's not true.

MARRIET: Yes, it is. My whole bag.
Hey, Ask.

I changed my mind.
I think we should burn them.

Let's read one first.

No, I don't think we should read them.
I'm not even sure we should burn them.

You read one.

Oh, no, I don't think that's a good idea.

No.

- Just one.
- ASK: Tom.

Here.

But you didn't mark the spot.

How are you going to know
where to put it back?

I thought you were going to burn these.

Yeah, but you don't fiddle with the order.

Wow. Hasn't even been opened yet.

Wait. Do one that's already open.

Wait, at least tear it from...
Like the others, from the flap.

You have a leash for him?

Go ahead.

(CLEARING THROAT)

"Edward, darling,
you wouldn't believe the rain.

"Sheets and sheets.
The sky just opened up.

"All the bottom land is covered
with silt, flat and brown.

"A few creases, like an old mattress.

"I've been thinking about you all morning.

"When I was bathing,
I thought of your soft hair.

"The feel of it against my skin."

Come on!

Do you want me to stop?

No.

MARRIET: "I thought how your smile
centers your face so perfectly.

"I long for you.

"It centers my life.
Does that make sense to you?

"I'm glad Tom made the basketball team.
It means so much to him to be accepted.

"Ask isn't like that. He's my favorite.

"He doesn't need to belong
to anything but family.

"I don't really know that's true.
What if you told me lies?

"What if your letters are make-believe?

"Their pictures line my dresser,
along with yours.

"I'm lucky to have you
and your boys and Cassie.

"I long for you."

Shouldn't you call her?

It's only 12:30. Let's give her till 1:00.

Well, if she went to the movies,
she ought to be home.

The bus is at Marriet's.
Maybe she's with them. I'll go see.

Edward, don't.

She'll just think we're checking up on her.

She ought to be home.

I'll call the Hargroves
and see if Jenny's home yet.

Jenny got home two hours ago.

I'm gonna go see.

I'll call around.

Cassie wasn't home
and I was worried about her.

Oh. Well, she'll probably be home soon.

Those letters, did you read them?

No.

Only to see who they were from.

You had no right to read my letters.

You're right and I'm sorry.

Does Jill know?

I don't think so.

CASSIE: I had a good time.

JILL: Cassie, where have you been?
CASSIE: We went out to the movies.

Cassie, that was two hours ago.

Where did you get the letters?

Hi, Dad.

Where did you get the letters?

- What letters?
- The letters in the van.

- We found them.
- Found them?

Where? The letters burned.

Answer me.

Where'd you get them?

Charley saved them,
before he burned the house.

Charley didn't burn the house.

Yes, he did, Dad.

He saved the letters
so we could read them.

Don't worry, we're going to burn them.

He wants to erase everything.

That's how I felt when I left LA.

I just wanted to start over again.

That's why I invented the contract.

Oh, whoa!

Jesus!

Tom.

Maybe we should put this out.

Yeah, I know! We are!

TOM: Damn.

Damn. Tom!

(TIRES SCREECHING)

What the...

What happened? What happened?

Hey, what did you do? What happened?

Oh, my God.

Here. Roll over.

Oh, Ask! Oh, my God.

Am I hurt? Do you think I'm hurt?

No, no, Ask, you're okay, buddy, you're...

We're going to get an ambulance.

Ambulance, now!
Could you call an ambulance, please?

Do you know how much ambulances cost?

You don't talk, Ask, don't talk.
Just shut up, all right?

- You never want me to do anything.
- Yeah.

(COUGHING)

Oh, my God.

I made love with Julie.

Yeah? How was it?

I liked it. We both liked it.

Good. I'm glad it was mutual.

Can you hurry up, please?

TOM: Just stay, now just don't talk.

(SHUSHING)

Tom!

Right here, I know. Oh, my God.

(COUGHING)

I'm right here, Ask.
Hey, hey, look at me. I'm right here.

Hey, buddy, I'm right here.
Can you hear me?

Come on, Ask, look at me.
Come here. Look at me.

Don't go away.
I don't think he's breathing!

I'm right... I'm here.

Don't look away,
don't look away, don't go away.

EDWARD: I'll ride with your mother.

TOM: I'll give you a ride.

(SIGHS)

(SIGHS)

What were they burning?

I don't know.

Your letters?

Did you know about them?

Jill, they never meant anything to me.

I didn't know how to stop them.

I never cared about the letters.

I never believed they mattered.

Ask mattered.

Don't.

Why didn't you throw the letters away?

You hadn't even opened half of them.

I couldn't.

It was all make-believe to you, wasn't it?

What was make-believe?

Toasts, parties,

everything.

Oh, Tom.

You're a hypocrite, Dad.

You know, you always made it seem like
we were so perfect.

Wasn't Charley a bastard
for not wanting to be a part of us?

You couldn't even throw
those letters away.

Those letters were private.

Ask was embarrassed for you, Dad.

That's why he was burning the letters.

(CAR APPROACHING)

Can I come in?

(KNOCKING)

Come in.

Hi, Mom.

I'm not gonna stay.

Good.

Eileen told me about Ask

and I wanted to come home.

You destroyed your home, Charley.

You pulled it down around you.

I just wanted to see you.

JILL: Charley.

- Where will you go?
- I don't know.

I spent some time in Pittsburgh
and I was working in Florida for a while.

I'm sorry for you.

I'm not sorry for you.

I was beginning to think
that you were trying to avoid me.

What are you doing?

I'm cleaning out Ask's room.
I figured it was something I could do.

Leave his stuff alone, Charley.
I don't want you touching his things.

Well, somebody's got to do it.
It might as well be me.

Okay, okay, all right?

You want to beat me up, Charley?
Go ahead. I know you can do it.

- You're leaving?
- Yeah.

I don't think I'm much in the mood
for a family reunion.

You're not going to get away.
Not like this.

Really?

Since when are you the big authority
on getting away?

You know what's wrong
with this family, Charley?

We're all in love with screwing up.

You know, we just can't wait for one of us
to do it so we can take him back

and we can tell each other how special
we all are. You know, it's perfect.

No one ever has to learn anything,
no one ever has to grow up,

no one ever has to leave.

We could probably go on
doing this forever.

I came for Ask, Tom.

Ask would still be here, alive,
if it wasn't for you!

Will you just let me leave?

You're not going to get away by hating.

Take it from me.

You'll end up with the whole family
strangling you from inside your own head,

and you still won't get away.

Charley, wait. Don't go.

I think we should have a toast for all of us.

Why?

Will you pour?

I don't think we should have
a toast without Ask.

I don't think Ask would mind, Cassie.

Always get to the bottom of things.
It's one of his rules, right?

Only this time,
let's say what's really on our minds.

We never seem
to get around to doing that.

We last stood here
when Charley burned the house down.

I never understood
why Dad and Charley fought all the time.

Even if I knew whose fault it was,

I don't think I'll ever understand why
Charley burned down the house.

Because I hated him.

I thought the toasts
were supposed to be funny.

And because I was afraid I could never
be good enough to make him happy.

Before that, when I dropped out
of school and came home.

Because Charley's right.

This family is a drug and we're all junkies.

And I thought I was ready
to be on my own and I wasn't.

And I keep thinking
that if I had stayed in school,

none of this would have happened
and Ask would still be alive.

CASSIE: It's too late.

I mean,

all of you guys were keeping secrets,

just to protect yourselves,
not anybody else.

No, Cassie.

It was me.

Ask was covering up for me.

Setting fire to my lies.

I'm responsible.

I wonder what he'd say
if he were here now.

What do you think he'd say, Tom?

I think he would say
that we're all responsible

and we all have to take care of each other
in spite of who we are.

Or maybe because of who we are.

He'd probably put it on a banner.

Yeah.

And he'd raise his glass
and he'd say, "The Warrens."

The Warrens.

The Warrens.

The Warrens.

The Warrens.

The Warrens.

TOM: I went back to school that fall.
Marriet came with me.

She thought Berkeley might be
a good place for a new start

and I was hoping the same thing.

Ask had been looking forward
to starting college himself

and he was on my mind as we left.

- You want to drive?
- Sure.

TOM: Somewhere in my bags
I carried his list of rules.

He'd started the list
when he was about eight or nine.

He'd change it as he went along,

although sometimes
he'd keep something on it

just to remind himself of what he was like
when he wrote it down.

I'll read them to you.

Number one,
never make a complicated thing simple...

ASK: Or a simple thing complicated.

Number two, wear white at night.

Number three, take care of Tom.

Number four,
eat from the three food groups.

Five, be consistent.

Six, never do anything
with the sole intent of hurting someone.

Seven, floss.

Eight, always put the family first.

Nine, clean, even where it doesn't show.

Ten, pursue the truth.

Eleven, wear socks that match your shirt.

Twelve, take care of Cassie.

Thirteen, look up words you don't know.

Fourteen, never put out
electrical flames with water.

Fifteen, get to the bottom of things.

I thought a lot about Charley.

I even added a new rule to my list.

Number 16, forgive.