God's Creatures (2022) - full transcript

Long day ahead.

Aileen?

Thanks, love.

More like
donkeys broken in, Mary.

Fuck's sake, like,
we could have been anything.

Teachers, nurses, hairdressers.

Hairdressers?
Don't be so ambitious, Sarah.

Did you not just hear her calling
us donkeys? Actual asses, like.

But what an arse, Sheila, girl.

My son!

No!



No!

Mark!

If I do nothing else, I'm teaching
this little fecker how to swim.

Erin.

Jesus Christ, girl.

Yera...

for fuck's sake.
They literally live on the water

and none of them learn how.

You know
it's the tradition, Erin.

What, it's bad luck to know?

If they can't swim, they won't
jump in and help anyone else.

Pack of selfish wankers, too
worried about their own skins.

What's wrong, Oscar, love?

Wakes up crying three,
four times a night.



- Disaster, like.
- Jesus Christ, I remember nights with you.

Could never sleep.

Con telling me
I just had to let you cry.

How could I do that?

Hearing every noise.

You were the easier child,
to be fair.

How's it going?
I haven't see you in a while.

How's things?

Good to see you.

Hi, Dan.

Brian O'Hara? What the hell
are you doing here?

Jesus Christ, the size of you.

The stronger you get...
Come here.

We're all wider
and wiser by the look Dan boy.

- After a while.
- Well boy, how's things?

Brian.

Christ, Brian...

Mom, look at you, huh.

Your hair. You haven't changed a bit.

Who's this, huh?

It's my baby brother, is it?

What! No, no, no.
Jesus Christ.

Oh, come here to me.

Oh.

Well, Paddy, how's things?

You son of a bitch.

- Brian!
- Erin!

What the fuck!
What are you doing here?

It's 'bout time
I came back, isn't it?

- Sarah.
- Brian.

It takes Mark Fitz dying
for you to come back to us, does it?

What?

That's who this is for?

Ah, fuck me, it is.

I'm so sorry.

Just give me one second.

Mary, um...

I'm so sorry, Mary.

- I'm so sorry.
- Thank you.

How long has Paddy
been like this?

A good few years now
at this stage.

- Must be weird being back.
- Hmm.

Probably the exact fuckin' same,
though, is it?

Does she ever stop going?

Oh, not a second
all the time you were gone.

One minute, love.

That dad, is it?

You should go out and meet him.
He'd like that.

Go on.

- You good?
- Oh yeah, yeah.

Strange seeing them shake hands.

He's different,
isn't he? Grown into himself.

Do you reckon?

A mother knows.

The look on your face.

- Don't be so shocked, mate.
- What?

- Has she fed you?
- Uh, no. Not yet.

Hard to believe he's home, huh?

Good to be home now, all right.

So, you're in Australia.

Not been in touch
with us in how long?

And you get a notion,
all of a sudden, to come home.

Shit weather, fuck all work,
and not tell anyone?

Yeah. That's about
the size of it, yeah.

Come on, why are you back, like?

Uh...

Paddy's oysters.

Christ. Oh, you be starting from
nothing again. Have you money saved?

Oysters take work.
They aren't cheap.

But we still have
the license for it.

I kept up the payments.

Every year
since Con gave up on it.

Just in case.

- Tilt it forward.
- Okay.

- Is it that way?
- Yes.

- That all right?
- Yeah.

I see you looked after it.

My father
wasn't able for it anymore,

and you were gone
and stayed gone.

That was that. No other option.

Didn't want to work it
with anyone else.

Jesus Christ, it's unreal.

Ground's a bit soft in parts.

You'll have to replace
some of your trestles.

Find a supplier
for your oysters and bags.

Start with seeds
or half-growns, then.

Be a year at least
before they mature, turn profit.

You'll have to find
another income.

But you know that yourself.

That's nothing you can't
manage, though, Brian. Is it?

Not a bother.
For fuck's sake.

Oh, sorry, Aileen.
Forgot to clock out.

- Just give me a minute.
- No rush, love.

Fine looking oysters.
Thanks, Francie.

Be some craic if they caught us.

Oh, don't say that to me.

Hurry up will you. Come on.

I'm waiting on you, Mom.

- See you for dinner, yeah?
- Go on, aye, go away.

Be safe.

Hup!

Thank you, guys.

Hi, boy, how're things?

There you are.

Here, take some of this. Go on.

C'mon. Give us a song.

- Go on.
- Thanks, Mom.

- There you go, Dan.
- Okay, all right. I'll do one for you.

What about Australia?

- What was your favorite place down there?
- Hmm.

You'd be surprised
how little I saw of it, Aileen.

If I'd known where you were,
I'd have gone and visited you.

That would have
been nice all right, but...

you didn't miss much.

Besides, it's the best thing
in the world being back here...

with you.

- Where you off to?
- Could I get another, Dan?

- I'm going for a smoke.
- No, no, no. You're not going anywhere.

- We've gotta go home.
- No. I don't want to go home.

- I don't care.
- I don't want to go home yet.

Mary, huh?

- No.
- Come on.

I'm telling you
the count is low.

Count them again.

I counted them twice.
There aren't enough bags.

You telling me
how to do my job, Francie?

Someone's trying to cheat me.

Is it going to come out
of your fucking wages?

Listen, I'm only
giving you what you asked for.

Oh, hold on. You're
saying it has to do with me!

- It's my fault now, is it?
- Hey, hey, what's the story here, lads?

This little bitch
is trying to cheat me.

Fuck off, Francie.

There isn't
near enough bags there.

Where's the rest
of my fuckin' half-growns?

I'm sure they're all there. You
filled them right, didn't you?

Can't imagine
how I couldn't have.

I split them the exact same way
as I did last time, like.

Cause you're a moron,
that's why. Is Dennis here?

I haven't seen him yet, no.

It's an easy mistake to make,
girl. Go on away quick.

It's crazy inside there,
isn't it?

Shame you and Francie had to
go home early on us the other night.

I've been taking space, and
he's not been happy about it.

Wiped my hands of him
after the last night.

But here I am crying my eyes out
as if he's the one who broke my heart.

Can't help it, though.

Take your time with it.

I've been back in my parents'
house a couple of nights.

Time puts it all
into perspective very quickly.

He was brutal with his words.

Still, though, he's just
like anyone else really.

We're all God's creatures
in the dark.

That's four salmon.

Two hundred to you.

Good man.

- Thanks.
- Cheers.

How's work going, Con?

Ah, coining it, I suppose.

Where's this come from?

You think you're a hard man,
do you? Fighting the system.

Poaching alone,
as if you didn't know better.

It's nothing you didn't do
back in the day, Con.

I never went out
on spring tides.

Sure Mark died
doing the same thing.

And that's either what will happen
to you eventually, or you'll be caught.

All points to the same end,
like. Stupidity.

Jesus Christ, lighten up, mate.

The bags she stole for you
weren't enough, no?

You lasted all of about how long
making an honest go of the oysters?

Longer than I reckoned anyway.
Fair play to you.

You keep telling me
what I can and can't do,

but I'm keeping
Paddy's farm going.

Your father's only trying to say that
you don't have to take such a risk.

Thanks for that, Mom.

What's the story here, lad?

Checking if there isn't anything
I can make use of.

Christ, things are
that bad, are they?

You're like a rat.

Most of this is my old shite.

It's long past being any use.

Invest in a few new things
for yourself.

Give yourself
a chance anyway, boy.

Tell us, what...
what are you doing tomorrow?

Uh...

head out in the evening
after the tide, I'd say.

So, you're free
in the morning, I take it?

Could have a job for you.

I mean, use these away sure and
I could pay you a bit extra on top.

It's tough, isn't it...

doin' it by yourself?

It's too much, really,
for one man.

It's the lesson
your father learned.

These would fit Brian,
would they?

Are you all right, Mary?

I keep thinking I hear Mark
when I'm here alone.

A sound at night...

and it might be him
moving around the place.

Strange comfort.

Thanks, love.

Brian, come out
the fuck. Can you hurry up?

Oh.

Oh.

Got to keep an eye
on the tide, mate.

Some morning out there,
Paddy Boy.

Everything supposedly shifts,
but...

it's exactly like it was when
you, me, and Con were workin' it.

Drinking cold tea
out of a 7UP bottle

on a clear day,
there's nothing like it.

Are you there at all?

Shit...

Fuck...

Dick, bollocks, arse.

You didn't say anything?

I didn't tell him nothing, no.

Nine months later, this fella.

He's a needy little fecker.

The usual family traits.
Boys being boys.

Stuck to their mother's tit.

Lookin' very smart.

Do you want
to come down with us?

I should head home.

We've an early one
in the morning.

Heading up the country
for a few days.

Show the small man
there's more to the world.

Come on.
Let's go show you off.

Oh.

I... I don't know.

- Christmas jumper.
- Christmas jumper, that's the one.

Okay, um...

you could go
anywhere in the world.

No conditions.
Where would you go?

Do you know what...

I'd rather just...
reel the years back in...

and sit you and your father
down and make ye act like adults.

It's nice imagining you getting
along, living under the one roof.

But I'm proud the way
you are now, though.

It's as if the work itself was
the beginning and the end of it.

Hey, Dan.

- Hey, Sarah.
- Can I get a whiskey, please?

You can, of course. Yeah.

Did you want another drink?

No. No, stay there.
I'll get it, all right.

Let me get you this.

Oh, you're grand.
Thanks, though.

You out for the night?

We'll see now after this one.

Mmm-hmm.

I can't believe
you're still here, to be honest.

I thought you would have
long abandoned this place.

I don't know
why you'd think that.

Everything I ever needed
was here.

Didn't have to go
looking for it.

Hmm.

Like what?

Nah. We used to have a good craic
together when we were younger, didn't we?

- Us?
- Mmm-hmm.

It was so long ago.

I wouldn't get hung up on it
if I were you.

What are you drinking?

Go on sure, surprise me.

I, um... two of the same again.

- Uh, she's having whiskey, is she?
- Mmm-hmm.

There you go.

There's...

What time is low tide due?

Go on, will you?

All right. Night, pet.

Good night.

I might borrow that top
off you one of the nights, Aileen.

I'll see you tomorrow, girl.

Sorry, lads.

- Good morning.
- Good morning.

Were you out last night?

No, no.
I was not. Were you out?

Good night so, was it?

Mary, look.

- Look at that.
- Stop the belt. Aileen.

- Fungus.
- Shit.

We've got fungus, too.

Let me see that!

Check the rest of the stock.

Throw these ones out.

Fuck's sake!
What a disaster.

Jesus!

- Sarah?
- Don't touch me.

You are hereby warned

to cease cultivation
of all oyster holdings

until further notice,

punishable by loss of license if
caught in breach of the moratorium.

Any oysters you harvested today
must be destroyed.

Do you have any work for me?

No, I'm not gonna
need you again for a while, no.

Keep your head down like
the rest of 'em, you'll be grand.

I'll take what you owe me, so.

All right, lads,
let's throw them all out. Yeah.

- What are we supposed to do now, like?
- Oh.

Same thing happened,
about seven or eight years ago, didn't it?

Nearly destroyed
the oyster farmers.

The idea of them at home
doing nothing. No good for anyone.

It seems to be gotten
worse and worse for her, doesn't it?

Poor cratur.

She didn't mean to bite at you.

If Francie's done something,
she needs to speak up about it.

- Hey, love.
- Hiya.

Are you busy?

Not a great time, no. I'm just
doing a few jobs on the house.

Mom says they haven't seen you
in the factory in a few days.

The smell's finally
getting to you, is it?

No.

What's after happening, girl?

I'm here, you know.

If you need anything. Yeah?

Yeah.

I'll let you get back to it.

Thanks.

Hello?

Aileen.

Aileen. How are things? Hey, you
might follow me through here now.

We're just in here now, look.

How's Con gettin' on?

Where's Brian, Mike?

Sorry to drag you
all the way into town.

You must be delighted to have
Brian back in the house with you.

Sure, you know yourself.

Do you reckon?

God knows if my girls
moved back into the house,

we'd be tearing strips
off each other.

Australia he was, was it?

Australia, yeah.

Isn't that always the way?
Breaking his mother's heart.

Exactly.

Look, there's been a claim made

about an assault in the village
a couple of weeks back

by a young woman
who was in Dan Nell's pub

on the night
of the 18th of April.

Brian says he was at home
with you that night.

Is that right?

He was, yeah.

- He didn't go out or anything at any stage...
- No. No.

And you'd say that again
in court?

I would. Yeah.

All right. Look, I know, well,
Brian's a hard-workin' fella.

Is that it?

I'll give him a shout
for you there now. One minute.

It's a bit much, Mike, isn't it,

to drag me out in the middle of the
night just to ask a simple question?

We've to be seen to be
doing our job, Aileen.

Are you all right?

Huh. Need to go for a few pints.

My van is on the way back.
We might pick it up.

Was there anyone else out,
do you remember?

I couldn't tell you.

What happened after I left you?

We had a few drinks.

Nothing we didn't do
back in the day.

What does that mean?

Jesus Christ...

Am I better off going back
to fucking Australia?

Is that it? Getting dragged
into this shit.

You're not going
anywhere, all right?

Do you hear me?

Thanks, Mom.

The moratorium
won't last, is the point.

In a couple of weeks,
the water will cool,

all will magically reset.

Oyster farmers coining it again,
like nothing ever happened.

That's what time does.

Lesson wasted on the young.

Aileen? Aileen.

Are there any extra hours
I can pick up next week?

You might cover Sarah's shifts.

You haven't heard from her?

I have. Yeah.

We've had Guards into us.

Yera, no...

they were just looking
to talk to customers

who were in a few weeks back.

It was a quiet night...

That's what I told them.

It'd be more in their line now

to be looking into foreign
trawlers raping our oceans, huh?

Their hands are tied, that's
what they'll tell you anyway.

Why wasn't Jesus
born in Australia?

Oye.

Ah, 'cause he was...

Night, lads.

- All right.
- Yeah.

Are you in with us
tomorrow again, girl?

I am, yeah. Thanks.

- Night to you.
- Night.

Night.

Because there was no wise men...

No virgins either.

- All right.
- Hmm.

Good man.

Come on...

- Night.
- Night to you. Night.

Is Brian in?

A charge is gonna be
brought against him.

He needs to present himself in
front of the district court today week,

and an initial remand will
be made in front of a judge.

For fuck sake, Mike.

Look, just make sure
he's there, will you?

You told them
you weren't out that night.

But we both know
that's a lie, though.

What do you know about it, Erin?

There's Francie mistreating her
for how many years,

and nobody
thinks anything of it.

And suddenly everyone reckons
that Brian's the problem.

Who never put a hand
on a woman in his life.

You said yourself something
was after happening to Sarah.

Maybe it was Francie, yeah.

But you don't want
to hear her side?

Are you all right?

Sarah's not in again today?

What time will you be back?

I don't know.

What happens
if he's returned for trial?

Come on.

How does it finish?

Hmm?

There's nothing
wrong with you, Paddy, mate.

Hmm.

You're only playing a trick
on the rest of us.

What other songs do you have?

A verse of McAlpines? Hmm?

A blast of The Wild Rover maybe?

Good man.

Hm.

The complainant waited
a week before making her report

and claims she was followed down to
the local pier on the night of the assault

and that the defendant
subsequently raped her down there.

The defendant's mother has
provided him with an alibi, Judge.

And she reaffirms the statement that
she and the defendant were in the house

during the hours
of the night in question,

that the defendant remained
in the house with her

during the hours
of the claimed assault?

I do, Your Honor. Yes.

Hmm.

This is a serious accusation.

It's also the first time the
defendant has been before the court.

Now it's my opinion
that there's not enough...

in the Book of Evidence
for the State to prosecute.

Charges will be remanded back
to the DPP for further instructions.

I also believe that this charge should
not have been brought before the court.

Uh, the defendant
is free to leave.

What's next?

File 15, Judge.

Drunk and disorderly.

Aileen.
Come here a minute, will you?

What's her attendance lately?

Fourteen of 16 shifts missed.

I can make
the days up. Please.

Has anyone else
missed a shift in the same time?

You could have let us know at
least, you know, called in sick.

But I have to let you go, girl.

You're right, Dennis.

I should've let you know
what's been happening with me.

That was the mistake, yeah?

It's all very convenient
for you, though, isn't it?

Between Francie's oyster bags
and everything else,

everyone's got their
fucking eyes closed.

Wait, hang on a second.

Sarah?

What about
the oyster bags, Sarah?

Come on lads, focus,
back on the work.

What does she mean
about Francie's oysters, Aileen?

Go home.

- What?
- Go home for the day.

Oscar, love.

You can't just take him out
of daycare without telling me.

He's not your son.

I don't want you
looking after him anymore.

Fuck's sake, Erin.
She's still his grandmother.

If you'd actually sit with her,

you wouldn't be able to deny
what happened so easily, Aileen.

- Go easy on her.
- No.

For fuck's sake,
she needs to hear it.

I'll talk to her.

You have to be careful with him.

And all the time that Sarah was
in here, when it was Erin's room.

I used to joke with her mother
about the two of you,

that we'd be in-laws.

Was she lying
about the oyster bags, Aileen?

I'm gonna have to put you on the
line until I figure out what the story is.

Moratorium's been lifted.

Be a mad few weeks.

Might have to hire
a few more hands.

So the story went round,

and for months,
people thought the wife died

'cause she'd fallen down the
well tryin' to save the turkey.

It was some clever prick,
the guard.

It'd be great to have
you all over next Sunday after mass.

Give you a rest for once.

Be a break for you.

As if he'd been waiting
for that question the entire time.

1: I'll do my apple crumble.

"Because she was
an annoying bitch, that's why."

Two gins and a tonic, please?

Not tonight, no.

What?

We retain the right
to refuse service here, love.

Do yourself a favor
and go quietly.

Hmm?

You can all go to fuckin' hell.

You stay where you are now, lad.

Hold on to him there, boys.

Don't you go
following her now, eh?

I hate these traditional things.

Showing face
just for the sake of it.

I might not bother going.

Do what you want.

It's a late tide today.

Aileen.

Aileen, would you come in here?

I'll, uh...

...Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,

and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God,

pray for us sinners now and
at the hour of our death. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst women, and
blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God,

pray for us sinners now and
at the hour of our death. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst women, and
blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God,

pray for us sinners now and
at the hour of our death. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst women, and
blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God,

pray for us sinners now and
at the hour of our death. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst women, and
blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God,

pray for us sinners now and
at the hour of our death. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee...

- Sorry for your loss.
- Thank you.

- Sorry for your loss.
- Thank you.

Thank you.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Thank you.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

- I'm sorry for your loss.
- Thanks.

- Sorry for your loss.
- Thank you.

I'm sorry for your loss, Con.

Thanks, Sarah.

- Sarah!
- Don't fuckin' touch her.

- Condolences for your loss, Brian.
- Thanks.

Seems like the whole world
has turned upside down.

It's just as fucked
as it's ever been, Mom.

It might look different if
you're the one turning. But...

nothing's changed.

Trust me.

You were right stepping in
like that, though.

We're going to head home.

Get some rest.

You should, too.

Huh?

What do you want?

Um, whiskey, I guess.

- You want whiskey?
- Yeah.

Here, two whiskeys, please.

Two whiskeys, huh?

- Yeah.
- You look great.

- Thanks.
- How're ye, lads?

- Do you like whiskey, you do?
- Hmm.

Oh, yeah?

- That one's for you.
- Thanks.

Brian?

- Aileen, you know Emma, you do?
- Hi.

You're better off going home,
girl. He's a bit old for you.

What are you doing?

In what world did you ever think
that this would be appropriate?

What're you talking about?

For fuck's sake, who do
you think I am at all, Mom?

Hey, hey. Don't put your hands
on your mother.

- Con, what the... Con!
- You're a fucking disgrace.

Get off me!

Get off!

If you're here to shout, don't
fuckin' bother. I'm going out.

Imagine what it'll
be like out here in a year?

This is the investment
round us, like.

Do you not feel anything
about what's happened, no?

About Sarah...

about what you did to her?

Don't look at me
like that, will you?

Does it mean
absolutely nothing to you?

Is there no heart
or feeling in you?

Jesus Christ!

You have this
impossible image of me, Aileen.

Let's just move forward,
all right?

I want you out of our lives.

Mom!

Mom!

Mom!

Sarah, love, can I step in?

I'm ashamed, girl.
Sitting in your house.

I'm sorry to be
bothering you, I...

I don't know why I had to. I...

I'm not explaining myself.

You shouldn't be leaving.

The wind the past few weeks...

These houses are
so fuckin' bad for it.

I suppose that's what
Mary was hearing.

Sound of Mark in all the rooms.

Just the wind getting through.

The way I used to listen
to my mother at nights,

carrying Dad down to bed
when he'd be pissed.

Hearing her moving around
the rest of the night then,

crying away to herself.

Me just lying there
in my own room.

Twenty years ago,
and I can still hear their echo.

I suppose every house
around here has the same ghosts.

Mom was so proud of the fact that
she was able to leave me this house.

I'd live here after she did,

and so on...
until the tide takes it.

All the times I used to wake up
in your house, Aileen...

Brian in the bed beside me.

That same wind
keeping me awake every night.

Is it the sound of him
that's haunting me...

with all these other ghosts?

The thunder of pasts getting in.

Because all of a sudden, I...

I don't know where I am.

As if this house
and all its history wasn't mine.