Father Soldier Son (2020) - full transcript

[BARACK OBAMA] As commander in chief,
I have determined

that it is in our vital national interest

to send an additional 30,000 US troops
to Afghanistan.

[WATER SPRINKLING]

[BARACK OBAMA]
We have been at war now for eight years

at enormous cost in lives and resources.

- [BIRDS CHIRPING]
- [CHILDREN TALKING]

[BARACK OBAMA]
This decision asks even more of you.

A military that, along with your families,

has already borne
the heaviest of all burdens.

[GENTLE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING]



- [BOY'S VOICE] Joey, come on!
- [WATER SPLASHING]

It's already filled.

[CHILD PLAYING]

- [COMPUTER HUMMING]
- [MOUSE CLICKING]

These are pictures
of my dad's places in Afghanistan.

This is the first base that he was at.

I think he said
that was his tent right there.

Um, there's him saluting
one of his high-ranking officers.

There's his truck right there.

[MOUSE CLICKING]

[BOY] There, that's my dad, me and Joey.

I know, but Uncle Shawn,
it moves side to side.

I can't really write like that.

My name is Joey...
and I'm seven-and-a-half years old.



My brother is...

twelve-and-a-half, I think.

- Cheetahs, I can learn about cheetahs.
- That's a good one. It's an animal.

[JOEY] My dad's in Afghanistan
trying to make this country how it is.

[GENTLE MUSIC CONTINUES PLAYING]

[JOEY] Uncle Shawn,
you know I'm not gonna eat it.

[JOEY] He said
if he's not doing this right now,

then we'll have bullets
flying over our heads at night.

[BOY] My uncle said
he'd take both of us for 14 months.

It was kind of hard to move
'cause I had to get all new friends.

These guys are gonna come with us
and then we'll meet you at the airport.

And then...

Uh, Isaac's right here,
he's working on some stuff.

Isaac, it's your dad.

He's in Atlanta.

Hey, Dad.

Good.

Yeah.

My dad's coming back for two weeks
for a vacation.

When he walks through the gate,
I'm gonna get up and sprint to him.

[ISAAC] Joey, there's Dad's plane.
There's Dad's plane right there. See it?

Yes!

[SIGHING]

[ISAAC] I'm gonna see

if I can see my dad through the window.
I know.

Look and see if you see him
through the window.

I'm gonna see if...
I'm just gonna wave in case he sees me.

Dad's coming off first.
All right, come on!

Hold it up! Look cheerful.

Come on, Mr. Soldier Man.

- Is that him?
- No, he's not that buff.

My dad's... Yeah, my dad's not that buff.

- He's here.
- Can you hang on to this?

Yep, go.

- [BRIAN GRUNTING]
- [BOYS LAUGHING]

[APPLAUSE]

[BRIAN] I love you, guys. Hey.

[ISAAC CRYING]

[SNIFFLING]

- [ISAAC CRYING]
- [BRIAN LAUGHING]

Hey.

- [LAUGHING]
- [KISSING]

[BRIAN] I love you, guys.
Are you happy to see me?

- Huh?
- [CRYING] Yeah.

- [ISAAC SOBBING]
- [BRIAN] What's that?

- I'm happy.
- [BRIAN] Good job.

- [ALL SIGHING]
- [ISAAC SNIFFLING]

You look the same, Dad.

Well, I hope so.

- Oh, wow. Dad?
- I've only been gone six months.

I feel blocks.

Yeah, I've been working out!

- I feel blocks.
- [JOEY] I feel blocks, too.

I feel blocks, too.

[ISAAC] Love you.

- [BACKGROUND LAUGHTER]
- [KISSING]

- [ISAAC] I love you, Dad.
- I missed you.

- I missed you, too.
- [BRIAN LAUGHS]

I'm glad to be home.
And I'm sorry if I smell, okay?

It's fine.
You smell like a regular military guy.

Just like I learned. Just like I like.

- Just how I like it.
- A regular military guy?

Hi, guys.

- [WOMAN] Hi. Welcome home.
- [MAN] Hey, Uncle Ray!

["RIDIN' SOLO" PLAYING]

You guys all right?

[ISAAC] Yep.
I'm singing my favorite song.

[YAWNS]

Joe Joe.

Joey.

[JOEY] Yeah?

Isaac, I think your braces look good.

[ISAAC] What?

I think your braces look good.

[ISAAC] Thank you.

[ISAAC] I officially have butcher teeth!

You ever do anything to wreck those,
you're in big trouble.

[ISAAC] I won't.

[ISAAC] When my dad was at Afghanistan,

I felt like I had, like,
a 25-pound weight on my shoulders.

And then when my dad came back,
it was like...

[WHOOSHING SOUND] gone.

[BRIAN] Hey, did you guys spray yet?

[BRIAN] It's a lot easier
being a platoon sergeant

than it is raising two boys by yourself.

When I got divorced,
their mother chose other paths

and the court said,

"You're not gonna have custody
of your kids."

So I've been doing it,
you know, by myself.

She hasn't seen them
in almost two and a half years.

[BRIAN] I had a bite, though,
he took half of it. Yeah. See?

Look at this.

He's not very big.

[BRIAN] I question myself every day
if I'm doing the right thing for my kids.

You know, I'm trying to do my duty
to my country and deploy,

you know,
and do what Uncle Sam asks me to do,

but you know,
what's everybody asking my boys to do?

[ISAAC] The Army is really great
and I really like that he's in it,

but it's just hard thinking like,

"Please, just, like,
bring him back safe and..."

Just worrying about him.

[ISSAC] And when I grow up, I don't know
if I want to follow in his footsteps.

[MELANCHOLY PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]

[ISAAC SNIFFS] Bye, Dad.

- [BRIAN] Six months, okay?
- [ISAAC] Okay.

[KISS]

[BRIAN] Once I'm back

we're gonna have all kinds of fun,
alright?

[ISAAC CRYING]

- [BRIAN] You gotta do it.
- [ISAAC] Okay.

[BRIAN] As soon as I get on that plane,

the sooner
you're gonna stop crying, right?

- [ISAAC] Really?
- [BRIAN] Come on. Be tough.

[PATTING]

[BRIAN] Hey, you know why
Dad's doing this, okay?

[ISAAC CRYING]

- [BRIAN] I gotta go. I'm gonna miss you.
- [ISAAC] Love you, Dad.

[BRIAN] You guys go
with Grandma and Grandpa, okay?

- [BRIAN] Love you guys.
- [BOYS CRYING]

[SOBBING]

[MAN] Keep your chin up.

[ISAAC] Love you, Dad.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[BRIAN] My dad wanted one of his kids
in the military

and I was the last one
so it was kind of me by default.

[GENTLE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING]

- [GRASS RUSTLING]
- [BIRDS CHIRPING]

[BRIAN] I'm very glad I deployed

'cause I'm part of something
bigger than myself.

You know what my biggest fear is?

Isaac says he's got a buddy at school,
that his dad went to Iraq and he changed.

I don't want to be that dad.

I wanna be the same fun dad,
you know, that...

We don't get
half our security deposit back

because we shot
all the Airsoft rounds in the house

'cause we had Airsoft fights
inside the house

or too many water fights
and it got on the walls.

That's the dad I want to be.
I want to come home and have fun

and not, you know,
scream and yell at my kids. So, yeah.

[MOTOR RUMBLING]

[CHILD HOWLING]

[YELPING]

[SNIFFS]

[BRANCHES SNAPPING]

I think I saw one
just flying behind that tree over there.

[ISAAC] Sometimes I try
to think about different things.

'Cause if I think about my dad, like...

it's hard to...

I'm sorry.

[GASPS] It's like hard to

kind of, like, hard to stay strong.

[GUN FIRES]

Oh, I think I got it!

Put the safety back on.

Yes!

My dad is, like,
the only one that I, like...

practically love the most right now.

[INHALES]

He said that he'll be all right
and don't worry about him.

"Just worry about you."

I worry about my dad at night.

Because it's, like, dark
and they can sneak.

And then they can go...

[SHOOTING]

[BRIAN] I miss the boys,
and I know they're thinking about me.

Isaac says it on the phone
when I call him.

"Dad, I saw the moon,
same moon you saw nine hours before me"

and, you know, cheesy stuff like that.
But, yeah, I miss him.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

- [INDISTINCT CONVERSATION]
- [GUNFIRE]

[SOLDIER SHOUTING]

[MEN SHOUTING]

[SOLDIERS PANTING]

[DISTANT GUNFIRE]

[SOLDIER SHOUTING]

[GUNFIRE GROWS LOUDER]

[RAPID GUNFIRE]

[INDISTINCT DIALOGUE]

[BRIAN] All I remember is snap,
snap, burn, chainsaw.

[RAPID FIRE MUSIC]

[SOFT TONE]

[QUIET INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING]

[BRIAN GROANING]

[MACHINE BEEPING]

[SIGHS]

[EXHALES]

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATION]

[DOCTOR] It might be a little tender.

- [SNIPS]
- [BRIAN GROANS]

[GROANING]

Ow!

[BRIAN] We were raiding
a Taliban-held village

and an Afghan police officer
got hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.

He was dying.

I don't care if people say
he wasn't one of us or not.

He was on our side

and I'm going to get him.

I didn't go out there to get shot.

I went out there
to get that guy out of there.

It didn't work out that way.

My medic saved my life and his.
[SIGHS]

[DOCTOR] When you stand up...

Everything... that's the pins and needles.

[DOCTOR] And that's why
you get lightheaded

because the vessels
that keep the pressure,

your blood pressure normalized

and keep it pumping
the way it's supposed to,

are not working.

[BRIAN] In the long run,
they were trying to tell me that

if it comes to a point
where you cannot run with your leg,

they can amputate.

[LAUGHS] You're not taking my leg!

No, that's my leg. It's mine. I got it.

[BUZZING]

Turn around the other way?

Can one of you guys come over here
and steer me? I can't get in.

[QUIET INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING]

[ISAAC] Here you go.

[MUSIC SWELLING]

[ISAAC] It's weird. I haven't cried once.

It's kind of, like, not real.

Like, it was hard thinking

he actually got shot by a real bullet
from a real gun from a real person.

And I'm like,

kinda messed me up a little.

All right, Daddy. Let's get you going.

[ISAAC] It's a relief
that he's not over there,

but gonna probably have a limp
for the rest of his life.

Like, every time I see him limping,
it's gonna...

I'm probably gonna feel a little queasy.

[BRIAN] Ouch!

"My dad

is a

American soldier.

My dad is a hero.

"My superhero."

[JOEY] When my dad got shot,
I just wanted to go to Afghanistan

and shoot the guys.

"Hey, you shot my dad. I kill you."
[LAUGHS]

[MACHINE WHIRRING]

Hold your breath. Hold still, please.

[ELECTRONIC TONE]

[MACHINE WINDS DOWN]

[ELECTRONIC TONE]

- [FANFARE]
- [APPLAUSE]

[CHEERING AND WHOOPING]

[APPLAUSE GROWS LOUDER]

[MAN OVER MIC] Once again,
congratulations on a job very well done.

[VOICE FROM TV]

[ISAAC] Dad, how do you sync songs
to your iPad?

- Hit sync?
- [JOEY SNEEZES]

- [JOEY SNIFFS]
- [BRIAN LAUGHS]

- What?
- [ISAAC] Where? It doesn't show me.

[BRIAN] It should be bottom-right.

[BRIAN AND ISAAC TALKING]

[JOEY] Oh, crap!

[BEEPING]

[JOEY] Dad.

[BRIAN] What, buddy?

[JOEY] It was dripping.

[BRIAN] He won't slurp it.
He won't... He won't do it.

[BRIAN LAUGHING]
Just drink the rest of it.

All this?

[BRIAN] If you want to slurp it, go ahead.

You need to take a shower and get changed
and your bus comes in 25 minutes.

Seriously, I can walk it.

I love you.

It's hard to explain, but like,
I'm feeling really patriotic right now.

It's weird.

I feel a little more grown-up.

Like, I want to help a lot.

I can handle it.

Oh, you look great.

- What?
- You look like a red-headed stepchild.

[BRIAN] I'm trying
to get back to where I was.

You know, I got just over 17 years in

so I want to stay on active duty.

I don't want to say,
"Okay, I'm wounded, I'm getting out."

[CHILDREN TALKING]

- Go.
- [MAN IN KARATE CLASS] Be a good partner!

I'm trying to put on the happy face
and the strong guy,

but you know, at the end of the day,
you know, I'm almost in tears in pain.

[LAUGHS] It hurts.

[KARATE COACH GIVING INSTRUCTIONS]

[BRIAN] Me and the boys, we love camping.
We love fishing.

If I'm not able to do
the things we did before,

that's gonna hit me kind of hard.

So, I'm set on forward progress.

[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING]

[KEYS JINGLING]

[BRIAN] I gotta go.

[WOMAN] All right, guys.

All right, man.

[BRIAN] Love you.

[ISAAC] The last few years
have been a bit rough.

I don't really want to say
things fell apart,

but we didn't do as much together
because he was limited.

I'm used to my dad being
super-active with us

and he can't really do that anymore
and I feel really bad for him.

[JOEY] Right when he left this morning,

I was kinda excited
that he'd not have so much pain.

And I was a little scared
that something would go wrong.

[BRIAN] Just throbbing, back and forth.

[BREATHING DEEPLY]

[BRIAN] For the past three years,
I lived my life with a lot of pain,

lack of mobility, weight gain,

and not being able
to do stuff with my kids.

But now that's all gonna change.

[MACHINE BEEPING]

[SIGHING]

- [WOMAN] How's the pain right now?
- It's not good,

and I don't like to whine, you know.

[WOMAN] We called them.
They're gonna come see you.

- [MACHINE CONTINUES BEEPING]
- [BRIAN] You mean...

[WOMAN] Unfortunately, 'cause right now
you're maxed out on what you can have

as far as the fentanyl goes.

Pardon my French, but it fucking hurts.
[LAUGHS]

Feels like I just got my leg cut off.

[BOTH LAUGHING]

[ISAAC] I feel
my dad will get a lot better.

I feel he's gonna be a 60-year-old guy
that still runs marathons.

So, I'm really proud of him.
[LAUGHS]

[BRIAN] Thank you for everything.

[GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC]

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATION]

[MARIA] There, Stumpy. [LAUGHS]

[FUNNY VOICE] What are you looking at?

[BRIAN, IN FUNNY VOICE] Hey, lady,
what are you looking at?

[MARIA LAUGHING]

[BRIAN] I gotta use rubbing compound
to get that off.

[ISAAC] Joey,
the side's a little bit sharp.

[BRIAN] The doctor said within five weeks,
I'll be in my first leg.

I'm moving forward. Let's go.

[WIND RUSHING]

[EMOTIONAL PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]

[BRIAN] I just saw a four-pounder
swim right by the boat.

[BRIAN] I think all my self-worth

comes from physical stuff,
like what I can and can't do physically.

I probably should've just got it
amputated from the start,

but I had to try.

Right now, I still have two amazing boys

and I got Maria.

- What is it?
- That's raspberry.

- It's two scoops of raspberry.
- Isn't that good?

[MARIA] I was not at all looking
for a relationship.

I didn't think I was ready
for a relationship.

I just wanted to, you know, to meet people

but I just think God had a different...

a different plan for me.

It was instant sparks. Instant sparks.

I mean, just, how could you not,
just talking to him?

[MARIA LAUGHING]

[MARIA] You do that?
When you get mad at me,

you tighten up your jaw?
[LAUGHS]

[SILVERWARE CLATTERING]

[BRIAN] Hey.

Get your asses up.

Joey, get up.

[BRIAN] It's a change.

We went from me and the two boys
to her and her three kids.

But only one of her kids stays with us

'cause the other one's 18,
living with his father

and 20, living on her own.

[BRIAN] You're wearing
that to school today?

- Yes.
- [BRIAN] No, 'cause you slept in that!

[JORDAN GROANING]

[BRIAN] Joey and Jordan are the same age
and they're completely two opposite kids,

but I think they're starting to learn
how to get along together.

[MARIA] Just don't hurt each other, guys.

That's what boys do.

[BOYS STRUGGLING]

- [JOEY] Wait! You can't...
- [MARIA] No, your hand was right here

and it's on an awkward angle.

- [JOEY LAUGHS]
- Oh, it's here. What's so funny?

[BOTH LAUGHING]

I had shoes on that day!

- Oh, yeah.
- [BOTH LAUGH]

[BRIAN] Joey took to Maria so damn quick.

He took to her a lot quicker than I did.

I was like, "Okay,
we'll see how this goes."

- [MARIA] If you fall, fall towards me.
- Watch out.

Got it.

Learning curves, learning curves.

[BANGING]

[ISAAC] It's weird seeing my dad lopsided.

[BRIAN] Start making a box.
Now angle it.

- [ISAAC] Angle it?
- [BRIAN] Angle it. Go across

from the corners. Yep.

[BRIAN] Isaac really wants to help Dad.

He doesn't want to do stuff with me,

he wants to do stuff for me.

Joey, on the other hand,
he loves doing stuff with Dad.

[BOYS PLAYING]

I think Joey is a lot more like me
because he's just hardheaded.

But Isaac is out to make Dad proud of him.

[ALL LAUGHING]

[MARIA] It was awesome.
You all right, buddy?

[CRICKETS]

[BRIAN] Okay.

Right.

Okay, so some of these pains I'm feeling
will desensitize over time?

Okay.

[VOICE FROM TV]

[BRIAN] Okay.

Well, I appreciate it.

You kind of set my mind
at ease a little bit.

Nice.

[BRIAN] Okay. Thank you so much.

All right. Bye-bye.

[BRIAN] I absolutely wish
I was still in the Army.

You know, I had some power.

I had some authority. I had an identity.

And now,

uh, you know, who am I?

Why couldn't they rent you
a go-kart or something?

Why? I don't need one.

[BAGPIPES PLAYING]

[BRIAN] Remember what I said,
you go around and check out all the shops

and then at the end
you decide what you want to see.

[BRIAN] There you go.

Joey.

[JOEY] That's cool.

[MARIA] One more. Do it again.

[ALL LAUGHING]

[LAUGHING]

[WOMEN TALKING INDISTINCTLY]

[BRIAN] Isaac, if you wanna run around
and have fun...

I know you're dedicated to Dad
and everything,

but if you want to go have fun,
you're more than welcome to.

- [MAN] Thank you for serving.
- Appreciate it.

Awesome. I retired out of Fort Drum.

- [MAN] Fort Drum?
- Yeah.

- [MAN] Can I ask a question?
- [BRIAN] Yeah.

- [MAN] Was it worth it? Losing your leg?
- Oh, yeah.

I mean, this happened during a contact.

We got ambushed.

- So will you do a prosthetic eventually?
- Yep, three weeks.

- Oh, cool.
- I got to cut off a week and a half ago,

and I'm already in less pain than I was

with the leg after I got shot.

Prosthetics have come so far, man.

And it's right out of Syracuse.

[MAN 2] Uh, excuse us. Thank you.

Thank you. Appreciate it.

Well, I feel like
they're feeling sorry for me.

[PEOPLE TALKING]

Are we going to sit down?

No. Nope. It's your turn.

- It's my turn?
- Yep, it's your turn. Go.

Go.

You can step up here if you want
to get some pictures next to her.

Yeah, I don't know.

[GRUNTS]

Oh, my God, are you do...
Are you all right? What are you doing?

[BRIAN, SHAKILY] I've been wanting
to do this for a very long time.

[BRIAN GASPING]

[MARIA] Oh, my God! Right now?

[BRIAN CRYING] Right now.

[MARIA CRYING] Oh, my God.

Will you be my wife?

[MARIA CRYING]

Yes!

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

Do I look okay?

- [WOMAN] Stop talking.
- [ALL LAUGHING]

Do another one.

- Do I look okay in all seriousness?
- [ALL] Yes.

My makeup's not running? Okay.

[GENTLE PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]

- [SHUTTER CLICKS]
- Come on, give me a kiss.

[WOMAN LAUGHING]

- [CHUCKLES]
- [SHUTTER CLICKS]

[MARIA] I hope I get a fish.
I'm gonna squeal like a little girl.

- What?
- [MARIA] I hope I get a fish.

[MARIA] Oh! What the hell?

- [BRIAN LAUGHING] I got a bigger one.
- [MARIA] No fair-sy.

Nice catch, babe.

[BRIAN] That's three.

- [MARIA] Nice.
- [WATER SPLASHING]

- I got one! I got one!
- [BRIAN] You got one! Good!

[LAUGHS] I did it! Can I kiss him?

Bye, buddy.

[WATER SPLASHES]

[MARIA] Look at that sexy man right there.
Good Lord.

[SHUTTER CLICKS]

[LAUGHING]

[FUNNY VOICE] I got your picture.

[STUDENTS TALKING]

[ISAAC] This is gonna sound weird,
but I still worry about losing my dad.

That it's possible anything can happen.

It definitely makes me
more emotional at times.

I'll be laying in bed.
Everybody gets these feelings,

you'll be in bed,
ready to sleep and think,

"Hey, let's think of the worst thing
in life you can think of."

It's like, "Really, you want to make me
think about that right now?"

So I just try not thinking about things
more than I should.

[WHISTLE]

[SLAPPING]

[WHISTLE]

[THUD]

[WHISTLE]

[APPLAUSE]

[PANTING]

[FABRIC RUSTLING]

[DOCTOR] Any changes you feel like
with the wound?

- I'm getting mad.
- You're getting mad?

Okay, why are you getting mad?

'Cause I... [LAUGHS]

Dried it out, you know, I've been doing
everything he says to do...

- Yeah.
- And it just keeps doing the same crap.

Well, sometimes there's delayed healing.

[BRIAN] Yeah, well,
there's not delayed mental anguish.

[DOCTOR] Well, that's normal,
so everybody goes through the same thing.

Yep. You still got an area there,
don't you?

[BRIAN] I don't know what else to do...

It's gotta heal. I mean, you're doing
what you're supposed to be doing.

It's just gotta heal,
that's the problem, so.

[WOMAN] It's not good to jump the gun

and go into your prosthesis
without a fully 100%-healed incision.

Awesome. I'll come back in March.

Oh, no. You're not that far away
from healing, sir. You're not.

I was told that a month ago.

I was told next week.
Then the next week I was told next week.

How long

do I stay motivated?

'Cause this is four "next weeks" in a row.

- [WOMAN] Why would you...
- We said...

You're not the one
banging into freakin' doorjambs every day

getting pissed off
at the girlfriend and the kids.

I mean, I'm yelling at you.
I'm yelling through you

'cause I don't even know you.

I'm getting pissed.

[WOMAN] I think that you have set up
some unrealistic expectations.

I don't set unrealistic goals.

[WOMAN] You think you can have
your leg amputated and be 100% healed.

It's obvious you don't know me.

[ELEVATOR DINGS]

[GUNFIRE AND BLASTING FROM COMPUTER GAME]

- [GUNFIRE]
- [EXPLOSION]

[EXPLOSIVE BLASTS]

[EXPLOSION]

[BRIAN] Joey, get them dishes done.

Just get it done so it's done
and then you can chill out.

[DISHES CLINKING]

[WATER RUNNING]

[MARIA] This sucks.

Looking good, Joey.

I just swept this area.

How do you make this room
so messy so fast?

[MARIA] I don't know
if it's because he's just bored

because he can't move around.

I don't know if it's PTSD,

but when we're home,

ninety percent of the time
and he'll probably disagree with me

but 90% of the time

he's playing a stupid video game.

And he's not engaging
with us as a family.

[GUNFIRE]

[MARIA] All mismatched socks.

- [JOEY] I don't care.
- Wait a minute. Hang on, here you go.

What do you mean you don't care? I care.

[JOEY] Put them together.
If they're the same brand,

- just put them together.
- Here, this one matches.

I do the laundry up in this house.
Get out of my basket.

Get out of my basket.

[JOEY] Wait, one minute. I just got my...

- [BRIAN] Joey.
- [JOEY LAUGHING]

[MARIA] Out of my basket.

[DOG BARKING]

[MELANCHOLY MUSIC PLAYING]

[BRIAN] Sometimes I feel guilty
because I'm not mission-capable anymore.

Like now I'm a burden

to the VA and to the military
because now they had to

treat me and take care of me

and now I'm, you know,
collecting benefits.

I'm just a "use-to-could."

I can't do any of that stuff anymore

so I call it "I-used-to-could"
do that stuff.

[REPORTER SPEAKING ON TV]

[DRAMATIC TV THEME MUSIC]

Isaac, get done what you need to get done
and get the hell out of here.

Every time it's down to the wire.
I'm not driving your ass to school.

[ISAAC] Since the surgery and recovering,
everything's stressful.

He's a lot more on edge lately.

Before he got shot,
he wasn't really depressed.

But now I'm scared that he's...

gonna be sitting in a chair
when he's 65, 70

just depressed.

[REPORTER CONTINUES TO SPEAK ON TV]

[MAN] Try and click. One click.

[CLICKS]

- [MARIA] And that's what you do?
- That's all I do.

[EXHALES]

- Alright.
- [DOCTOR] Good. Now let's have you do

a little bit of walking back and forth.

[WOMAN] You're independent walking,
you're independent with the stairs.

If, when you do that,

have both crutches.

[BRIAN] Okay.

[BRIAN] Not used to turning around yet.
[LAUGHING]

This vehicle makes wide right turns.
[LAUGHS]

[BOYS TALKING]

[CLATTERING]

[CREAKING]

[BRIAN STRAINING]

- [CREAKING CONTINUES]
- [BRIAN PANTING]

I can't get my foot out.

[CLATTERING]

[BRIAN INHALES DEEPLY]

Fuck you, snowblower.

[CHOIR SINGING "THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER"]

- [WHISTLES]
- [SHOUTING]

- [SHOUTING CONTINUES]
- [WHISTLE]

[BRIAN] Come on, Joey!

Stand up! Stand up! There you go.
You gotta get the takedown.

Up! Up!

Not your back, Joey.

Peel and look away! Peel and look away!

Go, Joey.

Turn into it.

Turn towards me.

Turn towards...

You don't take that.

You go out there and wrestle smart
and hard.

You gotta get
some aggression in your head.

- This is not the big leagues right now.
- [REPLIES INDISTINCTLY]

Listen to me.

These kids are starting
to take this seriously.

If you want to wrestle good,
you gotta wrestle hard.

- Okay, you can't be out there...
- I know.

- Pussyfooting and dancing around.
- I know that.

[JOEY] My dad was a wrestler.

And now I am.

My day was actually
really good at wrestling

and I think it was his senior year,
he went, like, 26 wins and 3 losses.

But now he can't help me,
like show me the moves.

Joey doesn't have enough ferocity.
It's like, "Get mad. It's okay."

- Yeah.
- Go out there, controlled chaos.

- Right.
- You know?

I just don't get it. They just don't get..
You know, they don't have that...

- [GROWLS]
- Right.

[BRIAN] It's all I did since I was six.

It's just I can't get on the mat.
I'm too scared of my leg.

[CROWD SHOUTING]

Yeah, you gotta go absolutely apeshit
on that kid in the blue.

Wrestle hard. Stay off your back.

- [WHISTLE BLOWS]
- [BRIAN] How bad do you want it, buddy?

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

[BRIAN] Get off your back!

What is he doing?

Are you kidding me?

Why is he crying?

You got this, buddy.

Get mad!

Joey, stop crying.

I don't know why he's crying.
I don't like that.

Go get changed. Are you okay?

Do you want to win? That's why
you gotta put in the effort, alright?

- Okay? I'm proud of you.
- [JOEY SNIFFLING]

[BRIAN] I wanna look at that knee
on the way home. Alright?

Let's go.

[MELANCHOLY MUSIC PLAYING]

Sometimes when I sit in bed,
I'll be thinking about

how good of a wrestler I could be
if he didn't get shot.

[GARAGE DOOR CLOSES NOISILY]

[TOOLS CLINKING]

[RATTLING]

[SNIFFS]

Oh, there we go again,
leaving all the shovels.

What is my...

pipe wrench doing out there?

I don't know.

You didn't use my pipe wrench?

I was breaking ice with it.

It goes back in the garage.

When are you guys gonna start
taking care of stuff?

We didn't drive 100 yards.
My pipe wrench is out,

the snow shovels are still in the yard,

I got a glove blowing across the road.

- [BRIAN] Start taking care of your crap.
- [ISAAC] I didn't know where it went.

[COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING]

[ISAAC] I don't mean to sound
like a crybaby,

but I've been through a lot.

I mean, sacrificing yourself
to go fight a war for your country

is definitely a noble cause.

But at the same time
I'm not sure his injuries

for the rest of his life
were worth it all.

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATION]

[STUDENTS TALKING]

[ISAAC] When I get out of high school

I wanna go to college
and then be a police officer.

When I was younger,
I was always 100% military.

Let's go, let's go. Military.
Put on a uniform and go overseas,

but when I actually thought about it,
I'd like to be close to family.

I do want to have kids eventually

and I don't want my kids
to go through what I went through.

I'm pretty sure
that they'd want a dad around more than...

anything else.

[SOFT PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]

[BRIAN] If there is a negative
that's come out of this with the boys,

I don't see it.

Either I don't see it
or I refuse to see it.

I got some mentally-strong boys.

That kid keeps staring at me. I might go
punch him in his left eye.

Why are you looking at me?

[CLAMORING]

[JOEY] Wow.

[GUNFIRE]

Oops.

- Oops.
- [GUNFIRE]

[JOEY] I really like the military life

and that's kinda got me
into wanting to join the Army

'cause I love the Army life.

I probably won't even graduate,
I'll probably join when I'm 17.

I want to run around,

shooting guns.

Doing fun stuff.

Seeing all the cool stuff. Like, I bet you

we'll be in a really cool war
somewhere else.

[RAPID GUNFIRE]

[JOEY] I'd feel okay with getting shot
in the middle of a battle.

I bet you it wouldn't feel good

but I'd know I did something right.

I mean, it would scare me
for him to get hurt or even killed

in the line of duty overseas,

but if that's what he wants to go do

and fight, then so be it.

That's what he goes to do.

It's just losing family
doesn't seem very appealing to me.

[SHOOTING CONTINUES]

[JOEY] Like that?

[JORDAN] I see you.

[SNOWBALL THUDS]

[JORDAN] Dang it.

- [GUN COCKS]
- [SHOOTS]

[LAUGHTER]

[ISAAC] I got him!

[BOYS LAUGHTER]

[BRIAN] Every parent
wants more for their kid.

The area we live in
is not a rich community.

There's not a lot of good income jobs.

Even the nuclear plant's closing.

So, you know, there's even less jobs now.

[JOEY SIGHS]

[BRIAN] Isaac wants to
go to college for criminal justice

and he's gonna become a cop.
I already know that's not gonna happen.

I don't mean to burst his bubble,

but he does not have the grades
to get into a college.

And when they send me a note home

that says,
"Help your son with his homework,"

I have no idea

how to do the shit
they're doing in school these days.

No clue.

Where I really see Isaac
and I hope he does it now,

I see him joining the Army.

I don't think any parent wants
their kid to join the military

out of love.

But in the military, if you do your job,
you're gonna get promoted.

So what did you guys do in school today,
Joey and Jordan?

Me and Marshall were playing pickleball...

Marshall and I.

[BOYS LAUGHING]

[ISAAC] Dad, what day are you leaving?

For what?

- [ISAAC] For wherever you have to go?
- That morning.

[ISAAC] Okay. Just checking to make sure
you weren't leaving before my birthday.

Do you know what the good thing is
about March 6th?

[MARIA] What?

Twelve months after that,
if he's not enlisted in the Army

or enrolled in school, that's 400 a month.

- [MARIA] Does he know this?
- He knows. What's the rule, Isaac?

When you turn 18, what's the rule?

[ISAAC] Army or college.
I'm going to college.

You better be enrolled.

[ISAAC] I'm going.
Everybody's doubting me.

I know I'm going to college.

That's a fact.

And he doesn't believe me.

[BRIAN] I think I'll be signing
some recruitment papers

- in a year and a half.
- [ISAAC] I'm going to college.

- [BRIAN] Wanna make a bet on that?
- Yeah.

- [BRIAN] You're gonna graduate college?
- Handshake.

- [MARIA] I don't know.
- [BRIAN] Four hundred bucks.

Yep.

[MARIA] I agree,
I don't know if you'll do it.

That pisses me off that you think that.

- [MARIA] Well, not...
- It really does.

[MARIA] Not because I don't think
you're smart. I just don't think

that you'll go through with it.

No, I'm going through with it.

[BRIAN] Part of me
wanted to go to college too,

but I didn't have the grade point.

When I graduated,
I was in the National Guard,

I was working at Walmart

and my dad said, "You're not working
at Walmart for the rest of your life."

So I went active duty.

Literally that fast.

[MARIA] We'd like to do the 6:30
for American Sniper, please.

[CASHIER] How old's the kids?

[BRIAN] Sixteen, twelve, eleven
and military.

[CASHIER] So, five tickets altogether
is $42.50.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

See that little truck there?
I used to drive that. It was fun.

[GUNFIRE]

- [SHOOTING]
- [SHOUTING]

[GUNFIRE]

[EXPLOSIVE BOOMING]

[MELANCHOLY MUSIC PLAYING]

[BOOMING]

[BRIAN] I'm always
gonna think about that day.

[MUSIC INTENSIFIES]

[BRIAN] I think about, you know,

the guys in the platoon,
how they're doing now, how they were then.

I don't know,
it's like your mind races at night.

I'll figure it out.

My way.

[CREAKING]

[DOCTOR] You're gonna have to figure out
how to do this the best way, Brian. Um...

You gotta basically
pull down on here while

you work your way in there.

[RUBBING]

[DOCTOR] It's a little tricky, huh?
You got it.

- [BRIAN] I gotta learn somehow.
- [DOCTOR] Yeah.

- [CREAKING]
- [MARIA] Is this something I can with?

- [DOCTOR] Yeah, you can do it.
- [MARIA] Do you want me to pull on that?

- [DOCTOR] He wants to do it himself.
- [BRIAN SIGHS, CHUCKLES]

[MARIA] Did you give me a dirty look?

- I gave you the stink eye.
- [MARIA] Why?

'Cause I want to try this myself.

[MARIA] Well then,
that's all you need to say.

Oh, my gosh, Brian. Look at you.

[BRIAN] I don't even know how to run.
I haven't done it in four years.

- [MARIA] That's okay. I'm so excited!
- [DOCTOR] Yeah.

- Turn it to the side a bit.
- [BRIAN] Like that?

[BRIAN] No, I like this.
This is really comfortable, you did good.

- [DOCTOR] Good.
- [BRIAN] Yeah.

I'm gonna look funny running, I think,
but I don't care as long as I can run.

Alright. Happy.

- [KISSING]
- [MARIA] Love you.

- Brian!
- It's slippery right there.

Brian. Oh, my gosh!

We just got to get to the concrete.

[SNOW CRUNCHING]

[BRIAN] Gotta start somewhere.

[JOEY] Damn!
There's snow on my new shoes.

Just make sure you stay off the road
when cars are coming, all right?

- [MARIA] Alright.
- [BRIAN] Let's do this.

[MARIA] You ready?

[BRIAN] I don't know,
I'll tell you in a minute.

[BRIAN] I can actually stride.

You look good from back here.

[BRIAN BREATHING HEAVILY]

Brian?

I start hitting and...

[EXHALES SHARPLY]

I start hitting,

it hits here

and I totally lose rhythm.

[BRIAN BREATHING HEAVILY]

[PROSTHETIC CLICKS ON GROUND]

[BRIAN] I'm hitting
all over the fucking place, damn it.

[SIGHS] Alright.

Going home. [PANTING]

I feel clumsy right now.

Wasn't what I wanted on my first run,
that's for sure.

[MARIA] It's a big step for you.

[BRIAN] I ran!

[TREADMILL WHIRRING]

[GENTLE PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]

[INDISTINCT TALKING]

[BRIAN] Winters got pretty boring I guess,

and you know,
living way out in the country,

when it snowed, there's not a lot to do.

Opportunity came knocking at my door
and Maria actually talked me into it.

I think she knows me better
than I know me, but she's like,

"You need a hobby,
you need something to do in the winter

and I think it's right up your alley."

And I now own Tricky Phish Bait Company,
so I make bass-fishing soft plastics.

[DRIZZLING RAIN]

[BREEZE BLOWING]

[DOOR CREAKS OPEN]

[BRIAN] Get 'em up.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[SIZZLING]

[BRIAN] The important things in life,
I think now, family.

There's no holes. There's no rips.
There's no tears. It's just strong.

I want my family to be happy
and have everything they need.

[PIANO MUSIC CONTINUES PLAYING]

Wow.

Ooh. I feel good.

Do I have to put on an undershirt?

I was gonna put a sock on this guy,
but I don't think it matters.

Yes, you will wear an undershirt,

'cause you're gonna be sweating
and it'll see-through on that shirt.

[BRIAN] I've been married before

and I guess you don't know till you know.

'Cause when I got married the first time,
I thought it was for the right reasons.

And then you get to this point
and you're like,

"No, this is the right reason.

This is how it's supposed to be."

[ISAAC] I used to call Maria "Maria,"

but now,
I think I might be calling her "Mom,"

after I realized she's here to stay.

Sorry. [CHUCKLES NERVOUSLY]

I promise to be faithful to you
and to love only you.

[BRIAN CRYING]

As long as you promise
to love bass fishing

and the Green Bay Packers.

[LAUGHTER]

[MARIA] I promise
that I will accept you as you are

even with all your flaws, and your faults.

[LAUGHTER]

There's many, but I love you.

Not only is this commitment to you,
but it's to Isaac and Joey.

I plan on being
a permanent motherly figure to your boys

and to love them as much
as I do Alanna, Brandon, and Jordan.

I, in accordance with the authority vested
in me by the laws of State of New York,

pronounce that you're husband and wife.

You ready for this?

- Heck yes.
- You can kiss.

[APPLAUSE]

[MAN] And now, ladies and gentlemen,
would everyone please welcome

the new Mr. and Mrs. Eisch!

Yeah!

[CHEERING]

Welcome to the family
and hope you like your new last name.

- [LAUGHTER]
- [APPLAUSE]

You're not smashing this cake in my face...

- No! I'm not.
- Promise?

[CROWD WHOOPING]

[SHOCKED LAUGHTER]

As you can see up here,

we decided to make it all
about our family.

My best man is also my first-born son.

Isaac... I'm sorry if I get sentimental.

Just forget you heard it.

[LAUGHTER]

[BRIAN] You continue to impress me
every day.

You've managed to fight through

some hard struggles
that we've been through.

You've put up with my asshole-ness,

my stern ways,

and you're still growing
into quite the fine, young man.

Some days, I wonder
what else you're gonna break,

because you've already broken
my four-wheeler,

my lawnmower, my snowblower,

and you managed
to back into Jason's brand-new Dodge Dart.

[LAUGHTER]

[BRIAN] But I love you just the same.

We move on to Joey,

otherwise known as the stinky kid.

[LAUGHTER]

Joey is my hardheaded prodigy.

He's my youngest son.

He's the reason that my hair on my chin
is starting to turn gray

and why I have high blood pressure.

I see qualities in you

that make me wanna strangle
the crap out of you sometimes

but I know later in life,

these qualities will make you
a leader in the world someday.

["CUPID SHUFFLE" PLAYING]

♪ To the right, to the left
To the left, to the left ♪

♪ To the left, now kick
Now kick, now kick, now kick ♪

♪ Now walk it by yourself
Now walk it by yourself ♪

[MARIA WAILING] Oh, Joey, honey!

[MARIA SOBBING]

[MARIA CRYING]

[SOBS]

[MARIA] Oh, my God, no! [CRYING]

[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]

[REPORTER] Early this afternoon,
12-year-old Joey Eisch,

was struck by a truck
while he was riding his bicycle.

He was rushed to Upstate Hospital,
but that's where he died.

Deputies are still investigating
exactly how this happened.

[MAN] Caskets for the younger people,
for five-foot, five-foot-six, four-foot.

They go in six-inch increments.

This would work good for you.

[BRIAN] Yeah.

- [MARIA] He was so patriotic...
- [BRIAN] He's my splitting image.

[MARA] And he was so "American."

[BRIAN LAUGHS]

- He wanted to be in the military like Dad.
- [MARIA] He dreamed of joining the Army.

That was his goal, his dream.

He said,
"I don't have to do good in school, Dad,

I'm joining the Army." [LAUGHS]

I'm like, "That's not true."

[LAUGHS]

[MAN] So,
we'll figure out what we're gonna do,

where the services
are gonna take place, okay?

But we'll talk about that
in just a minute, okay?

We're gonna finish this part of it
and then we'll get into the service part.

Okay.

So, Joey's gonna be survived by

- his father, Brian...
- [BRIAN SOBBING]

I know.

[BRIAN SOBS]

[BRIAN] Oh, Joey, my baby.

[BRIAN SNIFFLING]

[GRUNTING AND SHOUTING] Fuck!

[MELANCHOLIC MUSIC CONTINUES PLAYING]

[WOMAN] We are gathered here today

to celebrate the life
of a beautiful child,

made in God's love and image,
who was named Joseph Eisch,

born into this loving family
for just a brief moment in time.

[MUSIC SWELLING]

[BRIAN] Joey, we love you.

Three, two, one...

- [MARIA] Love you, Joey!
- [CHEERING]

- [BRIAN] Love you, buddy.
- [BOY] Peace out!

[MUSIC FADES OUT]

- [BREEZE BLOWING]
- [CRICKETS]

[BRIAN] So from the point
where the flowers are,

three quarters way up the hill
is where his body was found.

[ISAAC] But the flowers are already
where the bike first hit.

The bike hit here.

And his body was... right here.

[ISAAC] I'm kinda numb right now.

With what happened with Joey,

I mean, I'm all cried out
from the first night in the hospital.

I sat with him until his heart stopped.

I mean, now I don't even
really try to hide it.

I just kinda zone out.

[MARIA] Isaac, you know, it's almost noon?

[ISAAC] Yeah?

Alright, start thinking about waking up.
You can help me.

I gotta finish that room today.

[PAINTBRUSH ROLLING]

[MARIA] Joey's accident was
almost three weeks ago tomorrow.

And I have this need,
I don't know why, I don't understand it,

but I wanna paint every room
in this house,

like, I wanna make it different.

[BRIAN] I don't think the family
will ever be back where it was.

I think we'll reach a...

a sense of normalcy, I guess,

but, you know,
he's always gonna be in our heads.

[CRYING]

[CAR ENGINE RUNNING, SHUTS OFF]

- [IGNITION TURNING]
- [SEAT BELTS UNBUCKLING]

This is probably gonna upset you.

Nothing really bothers me anymore
'cause if something bad happens,

I'm gonna be with him sooner.

So I hope that doesn't offend you, but...

I think that's pretty selfish of you.

Okay.

Sorry.

[TV NEWS, IN THE BACKGROUND]

[BRIAN] You up?

Your bus comes in, like, 20 minutes.

[ISAAC] I can see the bus route...

[BRIAN] But you need to be out there.
Just in case.

Yay! Senior year.

[SHUTTER CLICKS]

[BRIAN] Smile.

It's your last first day of school ever!

[ISAAC] Yeah. They just said that.

Love you.

Bye.

- [SIZZLING]
- [INDISTINCT CONVERSATION]

[SILVERWARE CLANKING]

- [MARIA] Isaac, did you wash your hands?
- Yeah.

- [MARIA] Did not.
- [ISAAC] I did. You wanna fight about it?

[MARIA] Not at school.
I meant within the last three minutes.

[SOFT ROCK PLAYING]

[SILVERWARE CLINKING]

[ISAAC] It was definitely hard to have
a father that did so much in his life,

for me to catch up to that.

I fully believe
that if Joey was still here today,

you know, he'd be
my dad's successful story.

[MELANCHOLIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[OFFICER] Okay.

Once you sign this,
this is the job that you deserve.

This is the job that he wants
and this is the job that you will get.

Here. Sign your name.

- [ISAAC] Just a signature?
- [OFFICER] Yep.

Just signed my life away.
[LAUGHS]

Pretty much.

I was dead set on going to college

and now I'm dead set
on enlisting in the military.

It felt like something
Joey really wanted to do.

And it felt like something I needed to do.

[MAN] Raise your right hand.

[OFFICER] Repeat after me.

- I, state your full name...
- I, Isaac James Eisch...

- [OFFICER] do solemnly swear or affirm...
- [ISAAC] do solemnly swear...

- to support and defend...
- to support and defend...

- the Constitution of the United States.
- The Constitution of the United States

- against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
- Against all enemies, foreign and domestic

- and that I'll obey the orders.
- And that I'll obey the orders

- of the President of the United States.
- Of the President of the United States

- and the officers appointed over me.
- And the officers appointed over me.

- So help me God.
- So help me God.

[OFFICER] Congratulations.

[BRIAN] I'm extremely proud of him.

From what I know,
it's fourth generation straight

that's joined the Army.

[BRIAN] Good job.

- Maria.
- [MARIA] I'll take one of those.

- You said you weren't gonna cry. Stop it.
- [MARIA] No. I'm not... I didn't cry.

[MELANCHOLIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[BRIAN] You getting dressed here?

No. I'm wearing jeans and boots
and a T-shirt down to her house.

Putting the tux in the back seat.

[BRIAN] What about dinner?

There's prime rib at the pr...
At the dance

or whatever you call it.

- [BRIAN] You eat there?
- Yeah, prime rib,

that's why ticket's are $50 a piece.

- [BRIAN] Well, that's freaking nice.
- Right?

[UPLIFTING INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]

[BRIAN] Do not lose these.

[MARIA] Oh, my God.
You guys are just frickin' cute!

- [INDISTINCT CHATTER]
- [SHUTTER CLICKS]

[LAUGHTER]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

- [MARIA] Have fun.
- [GIRL] Bye, guys.

[ADULTS TALKING]

[MUSIC SWELLING]

[APPLAUSE]

[WOMAN] Isaac James Eisch.

[APPLAUSE, CHEERING]

- Are you okay?
- No.

[MARIA LAUGHS]

[WOMAN] I present to you,
the class of 2016.

- [CHEERING]
- [APPLAUSE]

- [MARIA LAUGHS]
- [FIRECRACKERS BLAST]

[FIREWORKS SIZZLE]

[BRIAN] Why is everything done
at the last fuckin' second?

[ISAAC] What're you talking about?
I have 'em right here.

[BRIAN] This is a packing list! You pack
stuff up so you don't have to do it

ten minutes before somebody arrives.

[ISAAC] Ten minutes left,
and I'm gone for...

[BRIAN] It should've been done
fuckin' yesterday.

[ISAAC] He told us half this stuff,
we don't even need. That's why I'm...

Then they need to change
the fuckin' sheet.

'Cause the sheet says
"minimum requirements."

Where's the "Future Soldier Bag"?

"All items must fit
into the Army Future Soldier Bag."

[ISAAC] So fuckin' difficult. Shit.

[GRUNTING]

All the shit I bitched at you about...

fuckin' I hope some of it sinks in.

I'm not going to war.
I'm going to learn how to do war.

[LAUGHING]

[BRIAN] I figured I'd say goodbye here...
Remember what I told you,

you can cry all you want,
the minute you pull out of that driveway,

[CLICKS TONGUE] shut it off.

Time to grow up. Okay?

You're doing it for you and Joey
and nobody else.

- [ISAAC] Okay.
- Got it?

[ISAAC] Yep.

I'll give you one last...

[LAUGHING]

[BRIAN] Good luck.

- [BRIAN] Good luck.
- Love you guys.

Do the right thing.

[VIOLIN MUSIC PLAYING]

- [MARIA] You all right?
- Yeah. I'm proud of him.

[BOTH CRYING]

He'll be all right.

He's still my son.

- [MARIA] Of course. He's your son...
- [BRIAN] Yeah, I know.

He's my first born, I'm, you know...

But it's not that I'm upset easily.

You know, I'm just...
I don't know. Kinda...

'Cause he's out of the house.

I'm happy for him. Yeah.

[MARIA] He's in a whole new...

I mean, that's the goal.
Your kids...

What, you want your kids to grow up
to live with you for your whole life?

[CHUCKLES] No. You raise 'em
to successfully leave the nest.

And I think he has
successfully left the nest.

Successfully. Successfully.

Right?

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

- [LAUGHTER]
- [RECRUITS TALKING]

Come on. Keep going.

You got this! You got this!

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[BRIAN] I don't know what I'm looking at.

[DOCTOR] Gestational sac
is the small sac...

And the yolk sac is that other spot I see?

[DOCTOR] Yolk sac is a very translucent...
This is the yolk sac right over here.

Oh, okay.

Is it still, like, too early to see,
like, a heartbeat flickering right now?

I know you can't tell me, but...

- [BRIAN] No, you can see it.
- You can see it. Oh, my God!

Oh, my God. [CRYING]

Yay!

- [BRIAN] You happy?
- Yeah.

I was worried
there wasn't anything in there.

Baby Eisch.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[SUPPORTIVE CHEERING]

[SUPPORTIVE CHEERING CONTINUES]

[BRIAN OVER PHONE] Hey, Issac.
How you doing? Oh, sorry, Private Eisch.

Mom and I have something to tell you.

Go ahead, Mom.

We got our results today.

Baby's perfectly healthy.

No Down's syndrome or Chromio...

- How do you say that...
- Issues.

Issues. So, baby's perfectly healthy.

And we found out today
that we are having...

- Jaxon.
- A boy.

No girl.

You got another little brother coming.

Now do some damn push-ups.

- [MARIA] We love and miss you.
- [BRIAN] Hope you're doing good.

- [MARIA] Bye, honey.
- [BRIAN] Love you. Bye.

[LAUGHS]

[RAPID GUNFIRE]

[BOOMING EXPLOSIONS]

[GUNFIRE]

[GUNSHOTS]

[INDISTINCT RADIO]

- [EXPLOSION]
- [GUNFIRE]

[ISAAC] I'm gonna be honest,
I don't know too much

about the war in Afghanistan directly.

I don't know what started
the war in Afghanistan.

I don't know if Al-Qaeda is based
in Afghanistan.

I don't really follow
that side of politics too much.

I don't really follow why wars happen.

All I know is, I love my country.

[MAN] All right, so,

a couple things I want you to know
before we reunite you.

Your soldiers have went through
a transformation process,

both physically and mentally.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[ISAAC] I just wish
my little brother was here, that's all.

[SOLDIER] He's seeing you, buddy.

[APPLAUSE]

[MAN] Now,
are you ready to see your soldiers?

[CHEERING]

♪ It's time to strap our boots on ♪

♪ This is a perfect day to die ♪

♪ Wipe the blood out of our eyes ♪

♪ We are the ones
Who will never be broken ♪

[CHEERING]

♪ With our final breath
We will fight to the death ♪

♪ We are soldiers, we are soldiers ♪

["SOLDIERS" CONTINUES PLAYING]

♪ We are soldiers ♪

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING AND CHEERING]

[MAN] And Easy Company.

[SOLDIERS EXCLAIM]

[MAN] Have a great family day

and please carefully make your way
to see your soldiers.

Current worthy,
strike strong and victory starts here.

Have a good day.

[EXCITED SCREAMING]

You can move your head, Davis.
You can move your head.

We're at ease. We're at ease, remember?

My head probably ain't even moving.
It's probably not gonna...

[BRIAN] Eisch! Front and center!

Yes, Dad, you gotta come to me.

- [MARIA] That was like, awesome!
- [ISAAC] Right?

Oh, my God, Isaac, look at you!

- [ISAAC] Is that how it's supposed to be?
- [BRIAN] It looks alright.

- [BRIAN] I'm gonna get him one.
- [MARIA] I like the one you picked out.

- That's the one I liked.
- [MARIA] I like that one.

Do you wanna get a couple?

[MARIA] I like that. I think it's pretty.

- [BRIAN] Do you want a bib?
- [MARIA] I like these two.

[BRIAN] Do you want...
It's not even American, you can't.

Do you want the "Drool Sergeant"?

- [MARIA] Yeah.
- [BRIAN] Bib? Yeah?

[DOCTOR] Correct spelling of your first,
last, date of birth looks good?

- [DOCTOR] Yeah?
- [BRIAN] I have the perfect song

- for when he's born.
- [MARIA] No.

- Just let me.
- No. No.

["THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER" PLAYING]

- Huh?
- [MARIA LAUGHING]

Hell, yeah. [LAUGHS]

- [BRIAN] It's happening. I'm doing it.
- [MARIA] No!

[BRIAN] As soon as he's born,
I'm playing it.

- [DOCTOR] There you go.
- [ALL LAUGHING]

[BRIAN] Is that not perfect?

- [BABY CRYING]
- [BRIAN] Hey.

Hey, Jaxon, it's Daddy.

Hey.

Hey, buddy. Can I FaceTime real quick?

- [BRIAN] Say hi to your little brother.
- He's adorable!

[BRIAN] He is so cute.

I got to watch everything. It was awesome.

So, Jaxon, don't cry, buddy.

Get back to class
and I'll send you some pictures.

I just wanted to show you, okay?

- Bye.
- [BRIAN] I love you, bud.

- I love you, too.
- [BRIAN] Okay.

[BRIAN] He is so cute...

isn't he?

- Happy there?
- [MARIA] Yeah.

Hi, Jaxon.

[BRIAN LAUGHING]
Look at his little squat little nose!

Welcome to the world.

I was a good boy.

You remember listening to me?

Cradle his head underneath your elbow.

And then you wanna
kinda roll him in there.

Right there.

Jaxon Joseph.

You know, he's got Joey
as his middle name.

[BRIAN]
He brought us out of a really dark place.

It's a gift, and I think it's Joey's way
of telling us it's okay to be happy.

[HORNS PLAYING FANFARE]

[ISAAC] I feel like in the military,
yes, it's a great career,

but it's not everything
that it looked like

when I was knee-high
to a grasshopper, you know.

[SHOUTING FROM VIDEO GAME]

- [SIREN]
- [EXPLOSION]

[ISAAC] I'll be honest, I've been dealing
with a little bit of, uh...

little bit of depression
for about a year now.

I don't know where it came from.

Maybe a result of my mother leaving.

Maybe a result of my dad getting shot,
getting deployed, I don't know.

Joey, I don't know. It just hit.

It's hard to open up to my dad
when he can't relate, you know.

He's just... He's better
at dealing with things I guess, than I am.

[QUIET PIANO MUSIC PLAYING]

[BRIAN] I think we still got a good bond,
but...

I tell him all the time,
"You don't have to call me every day."

Well, now he doesn't call me every day

and I'm like, "God,
I wish Isaac would call me more."

[DOOR CREAKING]

[BRIAN] Fuck!

- Hey, buddy! How was your day?
- [JAXON GIGGLING]

All right, let's get in the truck, okay?

Get in the truck?

Yeah.

Jax, do you think Mom's at home?

- [BABBLING]
- [BRIAN] Yeah.

You wanna run in and see her?

- [BABBLING]
- [BRIAN] Yeah? All right.

[CHUCKLES]

[BRIAN] I think one of the hard things
about being a boy is being tough enough.

I want my little banner-banner
to be a tough little shit.

And I do want him to serve.

[JAXON AND BRIAN SHOUTING]

Okay, come on.

- [JAXON VOCALIZING]
- [BRIAN GROANING]

[BRIAN] Come on, let's go get Mom.

It's been what, five years now
since I got amputated.

It's tough to see
other amputees running marathons

when not one lap around Walmart
and Brian's gotta sit down,

'cause I just can't go on.

[MARIA] Don't let Brian fool you.
He's not doing good.

He's angry.

He's angry about our son being dead.
He's angry about being a "used-to-could."

He's pissed off that he can't walk around.

He doesn't feel manly,
he doesn't feel masculine enough.

I don't know what to do for him.

[BRIAN] The war in Afghanistan
has been going on for 18 years now,

since 2001.

Well, about a year ago,

I saw some stuff on news
about the town square I used to patrol.

Some bad guys had
taken over that sector, whatever.

So that kinda hits you a little hard.

You know, what was the purpose of it?

[MUSIC SWELLING]

[BRIAN] You always think back,
"Would you change something?"

Or "Would you have done this different?"

It's over now. It's all stories.

[SNIFFLING]

Just keep going.

It's all you can do.

And fill your days
with more happiness than sadness.

[MAN] Good job.

- Eisch.
- [ISAAC] Morning, Sergeant.

[SERGEANT] Morning.

[WHISPERING] You forgot to shave.

That's off. That's off.

Boots look good.

[ISAAC] I know my dad is proud of me
for joining the military,

but I do feel like
I'm letting him down sometimes

because I'm not living up to what he did.

I mean, I'm already
two and a half years into career,

what do I have to show for it?

I'm just the bottom-of-the-line soldier.

[OFFICER SHOUTING]

[ISAAC] But I do wanna go to war...
someday.

This is what I was grown up to do.

[MUSIC FADES OUT]