Mary and Martha (2013) - full transcript
Hilary Swank stars as Mary and Brenda Blethyn stars as Martha, an American interior designer and British housewife who have little in common apart from the one thing they wish they didn't. When malaria strikes, the lives of these very different women change forever. They forge a deep friendship and embark on an epic journey of self-discovery to Africa, dedicating themselves to the cause of malaria prevention. Beginning to rebuild their lives, they show how ordinary people can make a difference and inspire positive change in the process. Enlisting the help of Mary's estranged father, a former politico, the two women beseech both the powers that be and ordinary people to get involved, realizing a shared responsibility to all the world's children.
♪
My name is Mary Morgan,
and this is the story
of me and Martha.
I'm telling it to you
because it's still
all a surprise to me.
We start in April last year.
I haven't met Martha
at this point.
This is where I live.
BOY: Oh, God!
Oh! Oh! Ugh!
Got it!
It is officially
the smallest splinter
ever removed
from a human foot.
That doesn't mean
it didn't hurt.
Oh, you are
the biggest girl!
Although I don't know
why I say that
because I'm a girl,
and I never made
a sound like that.
Really did hurt.
MAN: Oh, I'm sure it did.
Somebody get me
a microscope.
Come on, guys.
We got to get moving.
And don't forget that
I have book club tonight,
which means you two heroes
are on your own for dinner.
Will you please make it
something other than
takeout pizza?
Never.
Extra pepperoni?
What's the book?
It's called "Birdsong."
The definitive novel
on World War I.
Pretty serious stuff.
♪
WOMAN: Ben?
Ben!
What?
You're nearly
15 minutes late.
You're gonna
miss the train.
No, I won't.
Yes, you will!
No, I won't, because
I'm a young person,
and therefore,
I travel faster
than you,
who's getting
quite old now.
You cheeky bugger.
Now some
tea and cake?
No! Your totally
too late for tea.
Now go on, get
out the door
before you're really
in trouble.
All right. Just--
just make me a slice
of toast, will you,
while I put
on my shoes?
Give me strength.
BEN: Mum?
What?!
Where are my shoes?
♪
Hey!
Come and talk
to your mom.
One second.
I'm almost finished
with my jungle city.
Gonna build
Death Star later.
OK.
It's your choice,
though I may
just turn
into a Death Star
if you never speak
to me again.
Take him! Take him!
Coming at you!
Go on, Benji!
Tackle the ginger bastard!
Come on!
Ohh!
Ha ha ha!
♪
[Sheep bleating]
George, bed.
George?
George.
WOMAN: And pel lift.
We have 5 of these.
Just move through mud.
Keep the lower back
drawn down,
navel into the spine.
In and...
And he writes
like a 5-year-old.
And that
goon Scanlon.
He spends 90%
of his time
preparing
the kids for tests,
and the other 10%
when they can
actually be
learning something,
they're
watching DVDs.
Huh.
I mean, they're
supposed to be
studying
Greek history,
and they're watching
"Clash of the Titans."
Alice, it's
not funny.
I'm telling you,
something's
gonna change.
Oh, I don't know,
you know?
I mean, I think maybe
you should take it
a bit easy on George
at the moment.
Take it easy? What?
This is precisely
the time I've got
to save him.
He's my only son.
I've got to
hone him.
Yes, but I'm sure he's
feeling pretty sensitive
with the whole
bullying thing.
What bullying thing?
What bullying?
Apparently he's
getting bullied
at school,
and he doesn't want
to talk about it,
and I hear about
it from goddamned
Alice in Pilates.
All right.
Well, I'll call
the principal
and make an appointment
immediately.
I'll fix it.
I don't know
if I can wait.
No, you'll wait, OK?
This is serious.
We'll do it properly.
♪
MAN: Mary?
Mary, I would strongly
advise we take
this slowly.
You know, these things
are always more complex
than they seem.
OK. OK.
The first battles
of the War of the Revolution
were fought
at Lexington and--
MAN: Uh, Ted.
Sorry to disturb.
Mrs. Morgan and I would
just like to have
a quick word with you.
Right, but first,
I'd like to have
a quick word
with Felix and Matthew
because your asses
are mine, you little thugs.
Oh, my God.
Don't swear.
Did you honestly think
that was gonna make
it better?
Yeah, I did.
Well, you were wrong.
It's hard enough making
friends without your mom
making enemies.
I'm sorry.
[Bell rings]
And I was stupid.
Are we gonna go?
Shh. I'm thinking.
I'm leaving you.
Excuse me?
I'm leaving you.
Is it because of my
strictly sexual affair
with Anita?
You're having an
affair with Anita?
Well, maybe I am,
maybe I'm not.
I'm trying to guess
why you would possibly
want to leave me.
OK. Well, I'm not
leaving you
permanently,
but I do want to
ask you if I can
take George out
of school,
take him away
and teach him
myself and have
an adventure.
You know,
I just think he'll
do better with me
than in the hands
of the people
who are teaching
him now.
Honey, can't we just take
him away for the summer
like normal people?
No. That's two
months away.
We'll lose him
inside his computer
by then.
You know,
in the school,
they didn't even know
that those kids
were bullying him.
I don't know.
Taking him out
of school is--is extreme.
Yeah, it's
extremely fun,
and I think it
should be abroad.
Is this the start
of a long and serious
conversation with me,
his father,
or have you made
up your mind?
Guess.
Yes!
What is it?
They said yes!
They--they thought
I was brilliant.
It doesn't actually
say that, does it?
Well no,
but it implies it.
The implication
of every word
is they think
that I'm totally
brilliant.
"Thank you for your
application,
which we have
accepted."
Yeah. What
do you think?
Well done, darling.
Do you know what?
I am so proud of you,
you great, stupid lump,
though I wish you were
going somewhere sensible
like France
or Belgium or somewhere.
Mum, France
is too small.
I'm a big boy.
I need
a big continent.
Get your feet off.
MAN: Just two hours
north of Johannesburg,
but, uh, a million miles
from the world
as you might know it.
For less than you could
live at home,
let my family and I treat you
to a true African adventure.
The 3-bedroom house
is surrounded
by 500 acres...
What do you think
about South Africa?
Best scenery
in the world,
best animals
in the world,
totally affordable.
You know, nice
but real.
You're really serious
about this, huh?
Yes!
I want to be
an extraordinary mom,
and to be
an extraordinary mom,
I have to, at some point,
do something extraordinary.
Come with us.
Be an
extraordinary dad.
Oh, that's fair.
I have 25 employees.
I know.
Bye.
Have a good day.
Love you.
Love you, too.
MAN ON TV: This is a soup
kitchen for the striking miners.
Right at the bottom?
I'm reliably informed
it's absolute
heaven there.
So what exactly
is your job?
What subject are
you teaching?
I don't know.
Everything.
I'll--I'll do sport,
reading, English.
MAN: You're
teaching English?
Sure as hell am.
Better learn how to speak
it properly yourself
first, then.
Oh, don't be
so stuffy.
So will there be
other English
people there?
I don't know.
Don't care.
I've met thousands
of English people.
I want to meet people
who aren't English.
Dad?
Yeah?
Will you buy me
a nice, big, really
expensive camera
so I can
take millions
of photos
while I'm out there?
No, I won't.
Thank you.
Brilliant.
MARY: OK.
I have something
huge to say.
Ready?
Are you having
another baby?
No.
It's not that.
It's not that.
Good because nobody
really likes to think
about their parents
having--
Yeah, I know.
It's disgusting.
Well, it is.
Take a deep breath
because I had a big idea.
I've decided we're going
away for 6 months.
I take a rest
from designing,
you quit school,
and we go live in Africa.
Dad joins us when he can,
and together, we have
the biggest adventure
of our lives ever.
Like Swiss family Morgan.
What do you think?
If you guys really
want a baby,
I'm cool with that.
Can I say no?
No.
WOMAN: So you will be
in the Johannesburg area?
MARY: Yes, although we
may roam a bit.
Well, malaria, but it's
winter over there,
so that shouldn't
be a problem.
OK, and, uh, tetanus
and diphtheria?
He's up to date on those.
And it says one more.
Measles, mumps, rubella.
Yep, all up to date.
Great!
Thank you, doctor. Bye.
OK, good-bye.
Good to go.
MAN ON TV: Such as
leaky faucets or rusty tiles.
♪
Here you go.
More socks.
Apparently it gets
quite cold at night.
I'm not gonna be
wearing socks
in Africa,
not with these
beautiful feet.
Mom, seriously.
What...
♪
You ready for this?
I am.
My experience,
Mom's usually right.
Yeah, I guess so.
Say, "Cheese!"
Cheese!
Cheese!
Heh heh.
Perfect.
Hurry up.
You'll be late.
I love you both.
Mind how you go,
darling.
Love you, son.
Ugh! Heh heh.
Bye!
Bye!
Take care.
Bye!
♪
[People ululating]
♪
Hi!
Hi!
Hello, Mrs. Morgan.
Hello.
Hi, Mr. George.
Hi.
I'm Pumalele.
Pumalele?
Yes.
Nice to meet you.
Wow! It's colder
than I thought.
Oh, yeah. It's
almost winter here,
and so it's sometimes cold,
but don't worry, ma'am.
I'm going to be
summer all afternoon.
Would you like some
music as we drive?
Yeah, please.
♪
OK.
School starts now.
What's this?
Your first assignment.
Whatever catches
your eye.
George, can you please
take your iPod off?
This is also part
of your education.
♪
You're kidding.
What? No, no.
Chastity Brown.
A very great lady.
You like country
and western?
Yeah. It's my favorite
kind of music.
Wow. Like Dolly Parton
and Tim McGraw?
That's a little bit
old-school.
Wait. So we're not
gonna get any
Ladysmith Black Mambazo?
Not in my car.
♪
♪
[Camera clicks]
♪
One bite?
I've had one bite.
OK. One step
at a time.
Here you go.
Patience, is that right?
Yes, ma'am.
Patience.
Um, do you happen to
have anything,
um, I don't know,
more American
in the kitchen?
She makes very
good pizza.
No, you do
pizza in Africa?
Of course.
Super crispy.
Do you, uh, mind
making it two?
Two pizzas. OK.
Thank you.
Come on, a smile,
I know, that's
too much to ask,
but a nod
would be great.
Pizza a good thing?
♪
Thank you.
Thank you.
MAN: Ah, Mr. O'Connell!
Uh, Kumi, right?
Yes, welcome.
Thank you.
I-I feel like
the prime minister.
This is amazing.
Yeah.
Do you mind if
I take some photos?
Go for it!
Is that OK?
They're beautiful
children.
Um...
Here you go, yeah.
[Thunder]
Can I?
What's wrong
with your room?
OK. Just this once.
[Rain falling]
Ugh. Did you
just let one fly?
Maybe.
Heh heh.
Maybe means yes,
and you didn't
say, "Excuse me."
So you must
be punished.
[Laughing]
Stop!
Pew!
It smells so bad!
♪
MARY: OK, day one.
Weird.
Um, now I have
a serious curriculum
and a serious
timetable...
KIDS: Hello!
And I thought
I brought a bunch
of books...
on Africa, but I
don't know where
the hell they are.
Now I did find
these inside,
although they're
from 1973.
We could just look it
up on the internet.
Yeah, that's
a great idea.
OK, so what do we got?
The British Empire,
a bunch of Zulus,
a bastard
named Rhodes,
Apartheid,
which is racism
at its very worst,
and the incredible
Nelson Mandela.
Wears pretty
strange shirts.
Yeah.
His moral sense
is impeccable,
but his
clothing sense...
Sucks.
Yeah. It sucks.
BEN: So now we come
to the final vote, OK?
Greatest African
of all time.
All those supporting
Nelson Mandela,
defeater of Apartheid,
raise your hand.
Just--just Paul?
Ah. Right. OK.
And all those
for Didier Drogba,
ill-tempered striker
for some team in China
and the Ivory Coast?
All of you.
Do--do you know what--
do you know what, though?
It's almost equal,
and as luck would have it,
I have the casting vote,
so I vote for Nelson Mandela.
So Nelson Mandela it is...
No!
The greatest
African of all time
in this classroom today.
Yes, he does.
Wait, wait.
[Chanting, "Didier Drogba!"]
Nelson Mandela. No?
5.
5.
6.
6.
7.
7.
8.
8.
9.
9.
[Deep voice]
10.
[Deep voice]
10.
[Deep voice]
10.
[Deep voice]
10.
One day when I was
about your age,
very early
in the morning,
my father wakes me up,
and he tells me,
"We're going for a ride,"
and after ten hours
stops at a village
and turns to me and says,
"Son, today you
become a man."
So we went into
a corral,
you know, where
they keep the cows.
I was snipped
down there, brah.
Covered head
to toe in clay,
wrapped in a blanket,
and put in a hut
with other initiates
for one month.
Yeah.
I left the boy
I was behind,
the day my father
picked me up,
and I realized since then
that actually becoming a man
is a lifelong journey.
♪
BEN: Keep going,
keep hustling.
That's it. Tackle. Ohh!
Oh! Great play!
Pass, pass!
Ehhh!
Pass the ball!
Paul's got the ball!
Paul's got the ball!
He's got it, he's got it!
Here you go.
Who's gonna--
No, Ben! No, no, no!
This is rugby,
this is not football!
Get it! Ohh!
No! I don't believe it!
Ohh! Ohh! Help,
Micaela, help!
No! You cheat
you get punished!
Go! Whoo!
[Cheering]
[Speaks foreign language]
We have a big day tomorrow.
Because it goes
all the way from dawn
right through to sunset.
[Speaks foreign language]
Hey, Mr. Ben.
Are you and Mrs. Micaela
going to do putla-putla?
Ha ha ha!
You're in big trouble.
[Kids laughing]
So what's the most
dangerous animal in Africa?
Got to it be a lion.
No, no.
Hippo, man, hippo!
Yeah. It's the hippo.
What about humans?
They got to be pretty
high on the list, right?
OK, number one, human.
Number two, hippo.
Number 3,
black mamba snake.
[Speaks foreign language]
Let's go find the snake!
Let's go!
Yay!
Let's run again.
Let's run!
Let's run again!
[Speaks foreign language]
OK, dinner.
Can we just finish?
I beg your pardon.
Did you just say,
"Can I just finish?"
You want to
extend the class?
Maybe.
Yes! Ha ha ha!
Yay!
GEORGE: So, Mom.
Yes?
Where are we going?
We are going out
there on a fieldtrip.
One schoolroom,
not enough.
A whole continent--
that's more like it!
Yes. Today we go out
into the great unknown,
accompanied by our
fearless guide...
Hey.
and of course
inevitably...
Country and western, bub.
♪
You're lying to me.
There's not
a thing out there.
Are you sure, my man?
Look properly,
look there.
Wow!
Wow!
Oh, my gosh!
they're tall.
Heh heh heh!
♪
[Speak foreign language]
Take care of your
mother, Mr. George!
No scuba diving
with the sharks.
OK! We'll miss you!
Oh, and Mrs. Morgan!
Yes, Pumi?
No one speaks English
there in Mozambique, OK?
Great.
The sun feels good, huh?
Yeah.
Glass in the window
is so last year.
In fact, there will be
an extra charge
because of the additional
ventilation afforded
by the no window
scenario.
Heaven.
♪
[Speaks foreign language]
Thank you.
We should bring
Dad here.
He would completely
freak out.
He's more of
a pizza-pasta guy.
True.
Ohh!
I think I just
saw a rat.
I think
I just ate one.
Did you and your
mom or dad ever
hang out like this?
Mom, lots,
Dad, never.
Whenever we were
on vacation,
he was
in Washington.
Government bigwigs
don't take time off.
I don't ever remember him
on a beach or in shorts
or even hanging out
for that matter.
I like it.
What can I say?
It saves me money
at Christmas.
You know, I'm
starting to rethink
these mosquito nets.
Hmm? They could
be the height
of fashion.
I could make
a fortune.
Heh.
[Mosquito buzzes]
♪
[Mosquitoes buzzing]
[Shouting
in foreign language]
Goooooooal!
Definitely
a goal.
[Cheering]
Yeah. Well played,
Mr. Beckham!
Whoo!
That was...
I got it!
awesome!
Nice work!
BEN: Come on!
Just a few more smiles.
No! No more photos.
Where are you going?
Oh, you have that
to look forward to.
Aah!
Gross.
Yeah, you say that now,
but love's pretty nice.
I think you'll enjoy it.
Why kid with me?
Sorry.
♪
[Speaks foreign language]
Thank you.
You know what?
I don't think
I'll have any.
I'm not feeling great.
Really? What kind
of not great?
Just not great.
You know, there's
a limit as to how much
fish and rice
a kid can eat.
Do you think they
poisoned the fish?
Mmm. I'm not sure
it was even fish.
We're lucky to
get out alive.
♪
I need to get you
to a doctor.
MARY: How do you
feel, baby?
Worse.
We're gonna get you
to the hospital,
and they're
gonna fix you all up,
and I'm gonna
take you home,
and everyone there
is gonna pamper you.
♪
Mom, stop,
stop the car.
I'm gonna be sick.
Please stop. Stop.
OK, OK.
George?
Honey?
George?
[Horn honking]
George?
How much longer,
Pumi ?
We'll be
there very soon.
How long?
We--we should
be 10 minutes.
OK? We'll be there soon,
I promise.
George?
Pumi, please hurry!
[Horn honking]
♪
That's good.
I got you.
[Sirens]
Here. Here you go.
MARY: I need a doctor!
Please! Please, sir!
Hey, hi, yes.
How--how long has
he been like this?
About 3 days, I think.
3 days?
I thought he had the flu.
No, this isn't the flu.
Come, come with me.
I'm almost sure
your boy has malaria.
Malaria?
Yes, I'm afraid
he's very sick.
But he's gonna
be OK, right?
WOMAN: We need some
help in here.
All right.
Get him some oxygen.
Please, ma'am.
Stay outside! Stay outside!
All right, give me
some diazepam there.
WOMAN: Set up a drip
10 milligrams of valium.
Let's go.
Let's not lose him.
I need pulse, respiration.
Quickly, quickly.
Clear the airway.
Suction it up. Come on.
Swipe it clean.
Hold him.
Let me get it in.
IV in.
Keep him still.
[Beeping]
[Beeping accelerates]
[Flatline]
WOMAN: What
has happened?
Check his pulse.
No pulse.
What?
He's not breathing.
Let's start compressions.
On my count.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15.
Two breaths.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15.
Two breaths.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15.
Two breaths.
Still no pulse.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10...
Come here.
[Air puffs]
[Air puffs]
[Air puffs]
[Dialing]
[Ringing]
Hey, babe.
Peter?
♪
[People crying]
[Whispering]
Peter, I can see
some people crying.
Can you ask them
to stop, please?
They hardly knew him.
If I can hold in
my tears,
I would expect them
to do me the respect
and do the same.
I can't do that,
sweetheart.
I won't--
I won't do that.
OK.
OK.
[Door creaks]
Your dad is here.
PASTOR: We are met
in this solemn moment
to commend George Anthony Morgan
into the hands of Almighty God.
♪
♪
[Indistinct chatter]
Honey, your dad
is still here.
I think he's
about to go.
I don't want
to see him.
You haven't
said a word
to him all day.
The least you could
do is say good-bye.
Dad.
I'd forgotten
how beautiful it is here.
Maybe it's because
you've only been
here twice.
If Dad hadn't
left me and Mom,
I would have never
taken him away.
Mary.
No. It's true,
and I won't say it again,
and I will never say
it to him.
I was trying to prove
to George that I would
always be on his side
and by his side
because my dad
always put his job
before his family.
Always.
If he had loved me more,
our Georgie would
still be alive.
♪
And I can't sit here.
I can't sit
at this table.
Where's George?
Where--where
is George?
I'm good.
Don't worry.
♪
[Crickets chirping]
♪
[Cheering]
♪
[Fireworks exploding]
Hey.
You ready?
I can't go out.
You know,
at some point,
you have to
leave the house.
Let's make it
tonight.
There's a lot of people.
There's no focus on us.
What would
I talk about?
Small--small talk.
You know, that's
what people do.
They--they talk
about small things.
It's what makes human
company bearable.
Bearable's our
highest goal right now.
You're right.
I should leave
the house
but not
to some party.
Well, OK.
Where do you
want to go?
Back.
♪
[Indistinct chatter]
[Insects buzzing]
♪
Hello?
Hi.
I'm Martha.
Do you mind
if I join you?
Oh, no.
No, not--not at all.
Thanks.
My first day here.
Don't know
what to order.
Well, you don't get
a choice.
Oh, well, that's
all right then.
Not necessarily.
You don't look
like the normal
clientele here.
No.
No, but if you don't
mind my saying so,
neither do you.
Yeah.
I guess that's true.
My son came here,
sent me lots
of photos,
but I wanted to see
it for myself.
What about you?
Yeah, well, I-I came
here with my son,
but we didn't
we didn't--
we didn't get
s-so lucky.
♪
Then I think we have
something in common.
MARY:
How old was he?
He was 24.
24? Oh. I thought--
somehow, I thought
they were always younger.
God, how stupid of me.
That's what Ben
thought, as well.
Gave all his pills
away to the children
he was teaching.
Well, he was
fit and strong,
thought he
wouldn't need them.
I'm so sorry.
Yeah.
And I am
so sorry, too.
♪
Wow! is he handsome!
Thank you.
Quite surprising,
really,
coming from an old
thing like me.
No. So what was
he doing,
volunteering,
a job?
Well, it was a bit
of both really.
He'd been
to university,
but daft thing spent
most of his time
either playing rugby
and chasing girls.
Got no marks
in his exams at all,
so, um, to make most
of a bad job,
he thought,
"I know.
"I'll go and teach
in Africa.
That'll be
interesting."
Hmm.
And he completely fell
in love with it,
but then he made
his big mistake. Hmm.
Is that easier
for you?
What?
That he made
the mistake,
that you didn't
make a mistake?
No.
Why? Do you
blame yourself?
I completely
blame myself.
I am completely
to blame.
♪
So what are your
plans, Mary?
I don't know.
You?
Well tomorrow,
I'm going to
where Ben worked.
I just want to
see it, you know?
Can I come?
Yes, of course
you can come!
I should think
they'll be thrilled
to see you.
You're much
prettier than I am.
Up early, though.
The bus leaves
from the jetty
at 7:00.
Screw the bus.
I got a car.
Great!
That'll be much
more comfy.
♪
♪
Micaela.
Yes.
♪
His camera.
Yes.
He gave it to me
when he was sick.
I think you
should have it.
No, no, no, no,
no, no, no.
Look. If you do this,
you can see
all of his photos.
Oh, really?
That's a good,
little camera, isn't it?
He was very lucky
you were here.
Thank you.
And thank you
for him.
Yes. A nice piece
of work.
I put a lot of work
into him over the years.
MARY: Nets in here
but nowhere else?
Yes. One day we'll have
them everywhere,
but for now,
this is the most
important place.
And what's wrong with
these little guys?
Jose, here had a fall,
and Manuel has diarrhea,
and like your sons,
Paul has malaria.
Is he going to
be all right?
We hope so.
I have given him what
we have to treat it.
[Snoring]
I just wanted...
Yeah.
I'll go back to bed
in a little while.
Yeah.
Oh!
Sorry, Micaela.
MARTHA: How does
he look to you?
He's a little worser.
I think I should take
him to hospital.
How far away is that?
Two hours by bus.
Two hours? Jesus.
♪
[Speaking foreign language]
[Horn honking]
[Pumalele speaking
foreign language]
[Speaking foreign language]
[Speaking foreign language]
[Woman wailing]
[Baby crying]
[Speaking foreign language]
[Heart monitor beeping]
[Beeping accelerates]
[Doctors and nurses speaking
foreign language]
[Beeping slows]
[Child crying]
I need to
step outside.
We'll stay here
and watch him.
♪
[Sobbing]
[Pumalele speaking
foreign language]
Pumalele, he's quite
handsome, isn't he?
Yeah, and he's quite
the basketball player, too.
Yeah?
Yeah. Him and George,
they used to play
all the time.
Is your husband
handsome?
Yeah. Yeah, I think
he's pretty cute.
What about yours?
Mine?
Mm-hmm.
Oh. Heh.
I don't know.
Ha ha ha!
I never really
thought about it.
Oh, come on.
He must be.
Why else would
you marry him?
Well, he was
very polite.
♪
[Woman sobbing]
[Speaking foreign
language]
[Indistinct chatter]
[Children crying]
[Speaking foreign
language]
[Speaking foreign
language]
[Speaking foreign language]
There's lots
of people.
Yes. Lots of malaria.
This is all malaria?
No, but most, yes.
Micaela, please don't be
embarrassed if this is
embarrassing,
but I need to be useful.
I don't have a job.
Do you think I could be
of any help in your
orphanage at all?
Really?
Yes, really.
Of course.
It's easy to be
useful there.
Yeah, well I can
cook quite well,
Victoria sponge cake
a speciality.
That's a start.
And football?
Football? Oh, yes.
I'm a brilliant player
if somewhat violent.
Ah, well.
Like mother, like son.
And you, Mary,
What are your plans?
I have to get home.
Yeah, of course
you do, darling.
But didn't we get lucky
bumping into one another?
Mmm. Didn't we?
♪
[Indistinct chatter]
[Beep]
[Cell phone vibrating]
♪
[Whispering]
Hello?
Hello, Mary, darling.
It's Martha.
Hi. How's it going?
Can't sleep?
What? Can't sleep
in the middle
of the morning?
Oh, no! I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I've completely forgotten
the time difference.
I'm sorry, darling.
I'll call back later.
Oh, no, no.
I was awake.
How's it
going there?
Not bad, actually.
And I'm thinking perhaps,
um, I can be a little bit
useful here.
My muffins are a triumph.
Ha ha ha!
Um, you know what?
I woke Peter up.
Maybe we can talk
at a slightly better
time tomorrow?
Yeah, OK, darling.
Sorry.
Bye.
Who the hell was that
at 4:00 A.M.?
It was Martha.
She's alone.
She wants to talk.
Martha.
Sorry.
♪
[Baby crying]
ALICE: And as with most men,
he just assumes that
I won't have an opinion
about the car.
Don't tell me.
Oh, we've already
been through this,
even with
the second car.
This is the second car!
I mean, I'm gonna be driving
the damn thing,
but no, no, no, no,
he'll buy it.
He'll decide what it is.
And so finally,
he agrees to a Mercedes,
And I say, "I don't
want that damn Mercedes.
I want a Lexus." Right?
I mean, come on.
I'm gonna go now.
Why?
The honest answer is
I'm not ready to feel
this normal again.
You know, I've just
seen some terrible things,
and I'm having a hard
time getting worked up
about--about one
great big car
versus another
great big car.
Honey? Mary?
Don't go crazy on us.
You know, Alice,
look.
The way I see it now,
you're the crazy ones.
We spend every
minute of our lives
obsessed or angry
about things that
don't matter at all
when I've just stood
in a room
where children
are allowed to die
of a mosquito bite,
and I would cry
all night about
how I wasted
my life, except I can't
allow myself to cry
at all because I've
just wasted my son's.
You see?
I just wasted
my son's life.
♪
Maybe we should
sell the house.
Sell the house?
Yeah.
It just seems so big now.
We just have so many
memories, you know?
Tough ones.
Sweetie, you've made
this house so beautiful.
It's us.
We could buy something
smaller that costs less.
We don't need
to sell the house.
And buy stuff
with the difference
which would make
a difference where
I've just been.
You know, nets, medicine,
salaries for nurses
and doctors.
You're kidding.
No. Maybe what
happened to George
was a one-in-a-million
chance for someone like him,
but it turns out
he's just one
of millions of kids
this disease kills.
Honey, please.
This is insane.
Give us a chance
to get our lives
back on track
before we try to
fix other people's.
Please.
I love you.
I love you, too.
♪
Can I help you?
Hi. Yes!
I called a couple
of hours ago,
and I couldn't get
an appointment
for a month,
so since I was
just passing by,
I thought I'd
just drop in
in case the senator
happened to have--
No, I'm afraid
that he doesn't.
OK. I don't want
a lot of his time.
I just want a little bit
of advice as a person
from his state who has
just driven 3 hours
in some really
nasty traffic.
Oh, really?
Yeah.
No. It won't work.
OK. I'll just wait
just in case.
OK.
OK.
♪
Senator, hi!
Hi.
Excuse me--
excuse me, sir.
I'm--I'm Mary Morgan,
and I was just--
I was wondering if you
had a minute.
Oh, I'm afraid I
don't have a minute
to spare right now.
Why don't you make
an appointment
with my secretary?
I just--I wanted to talk
to you about malaria.
Malaria?
Yeah.
Wow.
Uh, that's
a big subject, Mary.
Uh, I'm gonna
be more useful
on "My local school
isn't any good."
What exactly do you
think I can do
about malaria?
Um, I don't know really,
but, oh, uh, what I do know
is that it's
a preventable disease
that has killed over
half a million people
every year.
OK. Well, how much
does the U.S. spend
on malaria
at the moment?
I don't know exactly.
Is it more or less
than the last
administration?
Is it spent through
governments or NGOs?
I don't know,
but it killed my son.
Oh, well, I'm sorry
to hear that.
I-I'd be happy to
help you pursue
some kind
of recompense, uh--
I don't want
recompense.
You can't sue
a mosquito.
I'm just--I'm trying
to work out if there's
anything I can do
about anything else.
Of course.
I-I do have
to go, Mary,
but it was good
to meet you.
Yeah.
Good luck.
Thank you.
I hope we
meet again.
Oh, and senator?
Yes?
My local school's
no damn good either.
Heh.
OK, buddy.
Let's do it.
♪
[Children chattering]
Wha--ha ha ha!
Offside! Offside!
♪
Now you see this?
We're going to turn all
those pieces of fabric
into one
of these nice bags,
and then we're going to
take it down to market,
and we're gonna sell them
for lots of money.
Now then, fold it
in half like that.
MICAELA: Martha!
You have a visitor.
Oh, a visitor.
Who's gonna visit me?
Fold it in half...
Hello, darling.
What are you doing here?
I'm full
of surprises.
No, you're not.
Only two kids
have died since
I've been here.
What'd they die of?
Malaria.
Yeah.
Um, when are you
gonna come home?
Where is that, then?
Where is home?
It's where we live.
No, I don't think
I can live in that
house anymore.
But you've been living
here where Ben was,
and he'd be
leaving anyway,
and we'd be alone
together anyway.
Yeah, I know.
I've thought
about that, too,
And I'm sure we'd
have been fine,
but I'd have
lived on hope,
telephone calls,
Christmases,
photographs
of babies.
I am so sorry,
Charles.
I clearly
misjudged things,
put too many eggs
in one basket,
loved him too much.
And me not enough.
We both let
things slide.
Yes.
I've wasted you
and my lovely,
noisy boy.
What an epic
miscalculation.
[Keys jingle, door opens]
Hey.
I've been calling
you for hours.
Oh, I'm sorry.
My phone died.
I'm sorry.
Where were you?
I went to Washington.
Today?
Yeah, I went to, uh,
talk to our senator
about malaria.
And how did that go?
Very badly.
He didn't have a huge gap
in his schedule,
and he asked me a bunch
of questions about policy,
things I didn't have
any of the answers,
but I'll be
prepared next time.
So there's gonna
be a next time?
Maybe.
Maybe, I don't know.
The only person who
knows anything
about government
policy now that
works is your dad.
If I remember right,
you're not too thrilled
about what the time
he spent on that did
to your family.
That's not fair.
Now if you'll excuse me,
I'm gonna go find someone
who does know something
about this,
and I'm gonna write
to them.
Write them?
To say what?
I don't know.
My son died.
Their sons are dying.
Help us.
♪
[Cell phone dings]
I know.
I guess
among other things,
I'm just jealous.
You got those 5 weeks,
the last ones.
[Cell phone vibrating]
Hey, Martha.
How you doing?
Oh, it's not the middle
of the night
again, is it?
Yes, it is,
but don't worry.
I was awake.
I'm starting a campaign.
I am going to write
to everyone,
every address
I can find
on anyone
with anything to do
with U.S. aid
or malaria funding
or the State Department.
I'm even gonna write
to the president.
What, the president?
God, you are busy!
And you're never gonna
guess who popped
in to see me.
Who?
Charles!
No!
You could've knocked
me down with a feather.
I've never known him
to leave home except
on business.
Do you know what?
I think he's more
affected by it all
than I am.
♪
So, Martha,
how long were you
still thinking of staying
with us here?
Hmm?
You must be
missing home.
Oh. Heh heh heh.
You'd have thought,
wouldn't you?
But what would I
do there, hmm?
Who would I be?
It's just that, um,
I got a letter
from the aid agency,
and it looks like
they found
a replacement for Ben.
Oh.
Yes!
What?
I got a letter
from a McDonald,
from the State Department,
which is perfect,
and he wrote,
"Dear Mrs. Morgan,
"Thank you for your letter.
"We at the
State Department have
"an ongoing commitment
to the fight against malaria
"with our partners
in Africa
"and around the world.
"If you're interested
in learning more,
"the Senate appropriation
subcommittee that deals
with malaria is scheduled
for October 7."
What do you think?
Maybe I should go.
What?
What?
You can't go, Mary.
It would be
a waste of time.
If you get in at all,
you'll just sit there
and watch
these politicians
do their jobs,
and you--you can't
say anything,
and you can't
do anything,
and you're gonna be
heartbroken
when you realize
that you can't
help with this.
Well, maybe I can
learn something.
Maybe I can meet
someone.
I'm just starting
to get replies.
If I can just get
to the right people,
write to
the right people,
maybe I can do
enough to save
one life,
and that will
be enough for me.
Save a life,
lose a marriage.
That's what you've
been thinking?
While I've been writing
my letters and trying to
do all I can do,
that's where you've
been heading?
I have to fight
here, sweetheart.
You're fighting
all the time,
and I have to
fight, too.
Do you remember
before you went away,
we were up
in the bedroom,
and you said to me,
"I'm leaving you"?
Yeah, I was joking.
It was a joke.
The joke came true.
If that's a threat,
it's really unforgivable.
Maybe we both
have too much
forgiving to do.
♪
OK.
OK. You're right.
I'm not a politician,
and I'm not gonna
change the world.
I'm just a mom,
but of course I'm not
even that anymore.
I want to show
you something.
PETER ON COMPUTER:
Hey. How you doing?
I hear you're going
on a trip.
GEORGE ON COMPUTER:
It's gonna be wild.
What do you mean,
girls and drugs,
that kind of stuff?
I mean,
really wild, wild,
"Swiss Family Robinson,"
"Castaway."
Mom won't even let me
bring my iTouch...
What?
because there's not
gonna be electricity.
Are you gonna survive?
I'm gonna kill
crocodiles
and eat them.
Did you say crocodiles?
Yeah.
I think that's a little
bit of an exaggeration.
Maybe bugs.
Well, we'll eat
the bugs.
Hi, honey!
Hi, love.
[Kissing sounds]
I got to go,
but how are
things with you?
I'm getting a lot
of work done.
I'm watching
a lot of bad TV.
We really miss you.
You'd be useful on
the crocodile hunt.
But you're happy?
And hungry.
Mom, the food machine
is on its way.
Dad, I got to tell
you a secret
I don't want Mom
to hear.
Yeah?
Just come loser.
Closer.
Closer, come on.
Come on, Dad,
closer.
OK. Really, Dad?
Come on, closer.
Closer.
Ha ha ha!
I love you.
You got me.
[Cell phone vibrating]
Hello?
MARTHA: Hello, Mary?
Oh, I can't believe it.
This is incredible.
Sorry.
What?
This is the right time
of day.
I know!
It's 11:30.
At night?
In the morning.
Well, that can't
be right.
No, it is.
Well where are you?
Outside.
My house?
♪
Heh.
Ha!
[Both chuckling]
What are you
doing here?
Hi!
Oh!
I had to leave,
and I suppose
I'm heading home,
but I thought I'd
come the long way,
see you first,
support you
in your big fight.
Is that OK?
Yes. Thank you.
Come in! Come on.
MARY: So this is
my place.
MARTHA: Wow.
Stylish, right?
And this is Peter.
Peter, this is Martha.
Oh, hello, Peter.
Very pleased to meet you.
Not as handsome
as I said,
but he's not bad,
right?
Hello, Martha.
Let me get you some tea.
No, I'll get it.
Oh, thanks, thanks.
But not iced tea.
The English
hate that stuff.
Actually, I'm rather
a bush tea person
now myself.
Well, aren't
you fancy?
Listen, babe, I hope
you haven't come here
under false pretenses.
This whole
campaigning thing,
I don't think it was
gonna get anywhere.
It's just part
of the craziness
of grief, you know?
I'm sure that's
not true.
And Peter, he just sees
me as breaking our hearts
all over again,
day after day.
Oh. Well...
I'm sure he must be
right then.
♪
So tell me, why did
you leave in the end?
Oh, it got
complicated.
♪
Ben's replacement
arrived.
Nice German boy,
and I thought,
you know, probably
my work was done.
How did it feel
leaving?
Oh, it was good.
On the last night,
I had a lovely dinner,
and the kids gave me
a sort of, um...
We love you, Martha!
I don't know what
you'd call it.
Collage?
♪
Had a lovely picture
of Ben on it,
and each of them had
done a little drawing
of themselves with
their names underneath,
and at the bottom,
it said,
"We are all
your children."
It's lovely.
Mmm.
All my children.
The problem is,
darling,
I'm not
really ready
to stop being
a mother,
But what can
a mother
without a child
actually do, huh?
It's a long shot,
but we have to try.
What's he like?
Conservative,
uncommunicative,
and emotionally stunted,
and he put his work
before his family
and never really
succeeded at either.
Oh, good.
Just my type.
Mary.
This is Martha.
Martha.
And what does Peter
think of all this
political stuff?
Well, he thinks
I'm stupid and crazy
and destroying
our lives.
What about you, Martha?
Oh, goodness.
Well,--well, I think Mary
is absolutely wonderful
and can achieve anything
she sets out to do,
and naturally,
I support her 100%.
Right. Well, you may
not be surprised to hear
that I'm rather more
on Peter's side
of the fence.
To try to shift the needle
of government policy
is very difficult.
You're gonna be
frustrated,
and you're gonna
be demoralized,
and quite frankly,
you'd be better
off at home.
Look, I know
all this, Dad.
I just hoped that
maybe you could
help me find
a way to make
a difference.
I'm not asking you
to agree with me.
I'm just asking
you for a favor.
My concern is it may not
be a favor at all.
You're clearly
in such pain.
Hmm. And now you
take notice of that.
Look, I don't
think I should
have come here.
I think this was
always gonna be
a big mistake.
I'm sorry, Martha,
but let's go.
Uh, thanks for
the cookies, Dad.
I can't deny it's
an interesting area.
Interesting?
Yeah, I've been
looking into it.
Did you know that...
if you take every
single person killed
in a terrorist act
around the world
in the last 20 years
and you add to that
all the lives lost
in the Middle East
since 1967,
the Six Day War,
and you add to that
every single
American life
lost in Vietnam,
in Korea,
and in every single
American engagement
since then--
Iraq, Afghanistan--
if you take all those lives
and you multiply it by two,
that's the number
of children that die
of malaria
every single year.
So are you saying
you'll help me?
Yes, I will.
OK. Um, well,
there's
an appropriations
committee--
October 7.
I know.
It's where they fix
the money to be spent.
They beef it up,
or they trim it down.
Did you want to--
did you want to
speak at it?
Well, I was
hoping to just go.
Of course, if it's
possible for me
to speak--
I think you
possibly could.
I'd have to call
in all my favors.
You'd have to
work very hard,
and you would have
to work out exactly what
it is you want to say,
but of course I suppose
it's time I started
working for you
and not for them.
♪
91% of malaria deaths
are in Africa.
There are 247 million...
So I'd have
a few notes,
and we can just
put it in one piece
and then make it
more, um...
Right.
Concise.
Am I going too fast?
No, you're all right.
OK.
OK.
My word, Mary.
You're gonna be
absolutely marvelous!
If I fall down
dead of fear,
will you take over?
You must be joking.
You're not gonna hear
so much as a peep out of me,
but I'm so proud of you,
I could explode.
Oh, no, no.
Don't. Don't.
Don't explode.
This room cost
a fortune to decorate.
OK. Test me.
♪
Speak up,
look them in the eye,
stick to the script.
Yes, Dad.
WOMAN: Now we have had
submissions from experts
from Malaria No More,
from UNICEF,
from USAID.
We now have a submission
from Mrs. Mary Morgan
from South Hall,
Eastern Virginia.
Mrs. Morgan. Please.
Thank--thank you.
Um, I don't want to take
up too much of your time.
Um, so before I start,
I'll just say that
there's only a couple
of things I want to say,
and the first is
congratulations.
Thank you.
We do believe when
it comes to malaria
America leads
the world.
But as a country,
we still spend more
on the cure for baldness
than the cure for malaria.
[Laughter]
So my second point
and the purpose
of my submission is to
ask for more, please.
Right now.
Of course, Mrs. Morgan,
and if we lived
in an ideal world,
there'd be all the money
in the world
for malaria,
but a friend of mine
used to say,
"Politics is a pie.
It's just a question
of how you slice it."
What we do here in this
committee is look soberly
and seriously
with experts in the field
at how and if we can
increase that slice
or if, in the very hard
times for everyone,
it has to be a slightly
smaller portion.
Pardon me, but are you
saying that I'm not
an expert in the field?
Mrs. Morgan, we're all
aware of your personal
involvement in this area
and all admire your courage
in coming here today.
Well, since I'm not
an expert in the field,
perhaps you would
prefer that I focus
on my personal involvement.
Let me tell you
how it feels
to have a personal involvement
with malaria.
I miss my son every second
of every day.
I miss him
with every bite of food
and every
familiar object I hold.
and I think of that
movie, you know,
"Back to the Future,"
where that bastard McFly
can just go back in time
because that's my greatest wish,
that I could
just go back just once
and change that one thing.
I would give anything to
change that one thing,
and my point,
Madam Chair,
my point is that how
I feel is how the parent
of every single child lost
to malaria feels.
Every mother,
every father.
That is no ordinary
slice of pie.
I had the responsibility
of one child,
and I failed.
You have the opportunity
to take responsibility
for millions of children.
Don't fail them, too.
Now, uh, I have
something prepared.
Just--just
a minute, please.
♪
I'm Martha O'Connell.
Yes?
I'm sort of
Mary's second.
I wonder if I might show
you a couple of snaps?
If that's what
Mrs. Morgan wants.
Yes. Of course.
Thank you.
Where shall I put--
This is my son Ben.
Malaria.
And this is
Mary's son George,
Mary's boy.
♪
And these are just some
of the children I met
in Mozambique where
both of our sons died.
This one is Sebastian.
A little bit of a joker.
This is Anecia.
She wanted to
be a teacher.
And Daniel here
played the clarinet.
Pass them along.
All of them,
all these sons
and all these daughters
are all now dead.
Would you like us to
make another appointment
with the committee
in a year's time and come back
then with half a million
more photographs?
♪
I'm sorry.
Sorry? You were
magnificent!
Your father and I
both thought you
were magnificent.
No, no, no, no.
I mean I'm--
I'm sorry I
took George away.
I never said
I'm sorry.
And I'm sorry
you weren't in
the little school,
and I'm sorry
you weren't
on the beach,
and I'm glad
you weren't
in the hospital
holding his hand,
but I am so sorry
I never said sorry.
It's OK.
It's OK now.
Yeah?
Yeah.
♪
WOMAN ON TV: Some
of the most powerful men
and women of the Senate
were visibly moved.
Tidewater local
Mary Morgan's testimony
in front of the Senate
appropriations committee
was a passionate,
personal plea.
With fellow mother
Martha O'Connell,
who herself lost
a son to malaria....
Martha.
The women asked families
across the country
to join them in raising money
for malaria
prevention and treatment.
MARY ON TV: For $10
dollars you can buy a net,
which actually saves lives
for the price
of 3 coffees at Starbucks,
lives that are as valuable
as our sons' life.
Well, we don't actually
believe that,
but we know we should,
and we know it's true.
♪
Here they come
One for everyone.
OK. Form a line.
[Speaking foreign language]
Yeah, pass!
[Speaking foreign language]
You know,
when I was young,
I used to be obsessed
with the pop charts.
Really?
Yeah.
And ever since,
I've always loved to put
my life into charts.
You know, like when
I was at school,
I had a chart
of my best friends,
and when David Willoughby
kissed me,
he was at number one
for 11 weeks
till he kissed
my best friend.
He shot straight
down to number 37.
And I'm still doing it.
Should we do
our best 3, hmm?
Let's do it. Yeah.
OK.
Number 3, the day
my Ben was born.
Oh, it hurt a lot,
but that was
a wonderful day.
Hmm.
Georgie, he
took 27 hours
to come out.
Yeah. So it was
more than a day,
but that's
a good 3.
Yeah.
Two, second best thing.
Nice!
Ha ha! Nice! Nice!
♪
Today.
For the first time
in a year,
I'm glad
to be alive.
So number one,
best thing ever.
Every single moment
George was alive.
And every single
moment
my Ben was alive.
♪
[Indistinct chatter]
♪
My name is Mary Morgan,
and this is the story
of me and Martha.
I'm telling it to you
because it's still
all a surprise to me.
We start in April last year.
I haven't met Martha
at this point.
This is where I live.
BOY: Oh, God!
Oh! Oh! Ugh!
Got it!
It is officially
the smallest splinter
ever removed
from a human foot.
That doesn't mean
it didn't hurt.
Oh, you are
the biggest girl!
Although I don't know
why I say that
because I'm a girl,
and I never made
a sound like that.
Really did hurt.
MAN: Oh, I'm sure it did.
Somebody get me
a microscope.
Come on, guys.
We got to get moving.
And don't forget that
I have book club tonight,
which means you two heroes
are on your own for dinner.
Will you please make it
something other than
takeout pizza?
Never.
Extra pepperoni?
What's the book?
It's called "Birdsong."
The definitive novel
on World War I.
Pretty serious stuff.
♪
WOMAN: Ben?
Ben!
What?
You're nearly
15 minutes late.
You're gonna
miss the train.
No, I won't.
Yes, you will!
No, I won't, because
I'm a young person,
and therefore,
I travel faster
than you,
who's getting
quite old now.
You cheeky bugger.
Now some
tea and cake?
No! Your totally
too late for tea.
Now go on, get
out the door
before you're really
in trouble.
All right. Just--
just make me a slice
of toast, will you,
while I put
on my shoes?
Give me strength.
BEN: Mum?
What?!
Where are my shoes?
♪
Hey!
Come and talk
to your mom.
One second.
I'm almost finished
with my jungle city.
Gonna build
Death Star later.
OK.
It's your choice,
though I may
just turn
into a Death Star
if you never speak
to me again.
Take him! Take him!
Coming at you!
Go on, Benji!
Tackle the ginger bastard!
Come on!
Ohh!
Ha ha ha!
♪
[Sheep bleating]
George, bed.
George?
George.
WOMAN: And pel lift.
We have 5 of these.
Just move through mud.
Keep the lower back
drawn down,
navel into the spine.
In and...
And he writes
like a 5-year-old.
And that
goon Scanlon.
He spends 90%
of his time
preparing
the kids for tests,
and the other 10%
when they can
actually be
learning something,
they're
watching DVDs.
Huh.
I mean, they're
supposed to be
studying
Greek history,
and they're watching
"Clash of the Titans."
Alice, it's
not funny.
I'm telling you,
something's
gonna change.
Oh, I don't know,
you know?
I mean, I think maybe
you should take it
a bit easy on George
at the moment.
Take it easy? What?
This is precisely
the time I've got
to save him.
He's my only son.
I've got to
hone him.
Yes, but I'm sure he's
feeling pretty sensitive
with the whole
bullying thing.
What bullying thing?
What bullying?
Apparently he's
getting bullied
at school,
and he doesn't want
to talk about it,
and I hear about
it from goddamned
Alice in Pilates.
All right.
Well, I'll call
the principal
and make an appointment
immediately.
I'll fix it.
I don't know
if I can wait.
No, you'll wait, OK?
This is serious.
We'll do it properly.
♪
MAN: Mary?
Mary, I would strongly
advise we take
this slowly.
You know, these things
are always more complex
than they seem.
OK. OK.
The first battles
of the War of the Revolution
were fought
at Lexington and--
MAN: Uh, Ted.
Sorry to disturb.
Mrs. Morgan and I would
just like to have
a quick word with you.
Right, but first,
I'd like to have
a quick word
with Felix and Matthew
because your asses
are mine, you little thugs.
Oh, my God.
Don't swear.
Did you honestly think
that was gonna make
it better?
Yeah, I did.
Well, you were wrong.
It's hard enough making
friends without your mom
making enemies.
I'm sorry.
[Bell rings]
And I was stupid.
Are we gonna go?
Shh. I'm thinking.
I'm leaving you.
Excuse me?
I'm leaving you.
Is it because of my
strictly sexual affair
with Anita?
You're having an
affair with Anita?
Well, maybe I am,
maybe I'm not.
I'm trying to guess
why you would possibly
want to leave me.
OK. Well, I'm not
leaving you
permanently,
but I do want to
ask you if I can
take George out
of school,
take him away
and teach him
myself and have
an adventure.
You know,
I just think he'll
do better with me
than in the hands
of the people
who are teaching
him now.
Honey, can't we just take
him away for the summer
like normal people?
No. That's two
months away.
We'll lose him
inside his computer
by then.
You know,
in the school,
they didn't even know
that those kids
were bullying him.
I don't know.
Taking him out
of school is--is extreme.
Yeah, it's
extremely fun,
and I think it
should be abroad.
Is this the start
of a long and serious
conversation with me,
his father,
or have you made
up your mind?
Guess.
Yes!
What is it?
They said yes!
They--they thought
I was brilliant.
It doesn't actually
say that, does it?
Well no,
but it implies it.
The implication
of every word
is they think
that I'm totally
brilliant.
"Thank you for your
application,
which we have
accepted."
Yeah. What
do you think?
Well done, darling.
Do you know what?
I am so proud of you,
you great, stupid lump,
though I wish you were
going somewhere sensible
like France
or Belgium or somewhere.
Mum, France
is too small.
I'm a big boy.
I need
a big continent.
Get your feet off.
MAN: Just two hours
north of Johannesburg,
but, uh, a million miles
from the world
as you might know it.
For less than you could
live at home,
let my family and I treat you
to a true African adventure.
The 3-bedroom house
is surrounded
by 500 acres...
What do you think
about South Africa?
Best scenery
in the world,
best animals
in the world,
totally affordable.
You know, nice
but real.
You're really serious
about this, huh?
Yes!
I want to be
an extraordinary mom,
and to be
an extraordinary mom,
I have to, at some point,
do something extraordinary.
Come with us.
Be an
extraordinary dad.
Oh, that's fair.
I have 25 employees.
I know.
Bye.
Have a good day.
Love you.
Love you, too.
MAN ON TV: This is a soup
kitchen for the striking miners.
Right at the bottom?
I'm reliably informed
it's absolute
heaven there.
So what exactly
is your job?
What subject are
you teaching?
I don't know.
Everything.
I'll--I'll do sport,
reading, English.
MAN: You're
teaching English?
Sure as hell am.
Better learn how to speak
it properly yourself
first, then.
Oh, don't be
so stuffy.
So will there be
other English
people there?
I don't know.
Don't care.
I've met thousands
of English people.
I want to meet people
who aren't English.
Dad?
Yeah?
Will you buy me
a nice, big, really
expensive camera
so I can
take millions
of photos
while I'm out there?
No, I won't.
Thank you.
Brilliant.
MARY: OK.
I have something
huge to say.
Ready?
Are you having
another baby?
No.
It's not that.
It's not that.
Good because nobody
really likes to think
about their parents
having--
Yeah, I know.
It's disgusting.
Well, it is.
Take a deep breath
because I had a big idea.
I've decided we're going
away for 6 months.
I take a rest
from designing,
you quit school,
and we go live in Africa.
Dad joins us when he can,
and together, we have
the biggest adventure
of our lives ever.
Like Swiss family Morgan.
What do you think?
If you guys really
want a baby,
I'm cool with that.
Can I say no?
No.
WOMAN: So you will be
in the Johannesburg area?
MARY: Yes, although we
may roam a bit.
Well, malaria, but it's
winter over there,
so that shouldn't
be a problem.
OK, and, uh, tetanus
and diphtheria?
He's up to date on those.
And it says one more.
Measles, mumps, rubella.
Yep, all up to date.
Great!
Thank you, doctor. Bye.
OK, good-bye.
Good to go.
MAN ON TV: Such as
leaky faucets or rusty tiles.
♪
Here you go.
More socks.
Apparently it gets
quite cold at night.
I'm not gonna be
wearing socks
in Africa,
not with these
beautiful feet.
Mom, seriously.
What...
♪
You ready for this?
I am.
My experience,
Mom's usually right.
Yeah, I guess so.
Say, "Cheese!"
Cheese!
Cheese!
Heh heh.
Perfect.
Hurry up.
You'll be late.
I love you both.
Mind how you go,
darling.
Love you, son.
Ugh! Heh heh.
Bye!
Bye!
Take care.
Bye!
♪
[People ululating]
♪
Hi!
Hi!
Hello, Mrs. Morgan.
Hello.
Hi, Mr. George.
Hi.
I'm Pumalele.
Pumalele?
Yes.
Nice to meet you.
Wow! It's colder
than I thought.
Oh, yeah. It's
almost winter here,
and so it's sometimes cold,
but don't worry, ma'am.
I'm going to be
summer all afternoon.
Would you like some
music as we drive?
Yeah, please.
♪
OK.
School starts now.
What's this?
Your first assignment.
Whatever catches
your eye.
George, can you please
take your iPod off?
This is also part
of your education.
♪
You're kidding.
What? No, no.
Chastity Brown.
A very great lady.
You like country
and western?
Yeah. It's my favorite
kind of music.
Wow. Like Dolly Parton
and Tim McGraw?
That's a little bit
old-school.
Wait. So we're not
gonna get any
Ladysmith Black Mambazo?
Not in my car.
♪
♪
[Camera clicks]
♪
One bite?
I've had one bite.
OK. One step
at a time.
Here you go.
Patience, is that right?
Yes, ma'am.
Patience.
Um, do you happen to
have anything,
um, I don't know,
more American
in the kitchen?
She makes very
good pizza.
No, you do
pizza in Africa?
Of course.
Super crispy.
Do you, uh, mind
making it two?
Two pizzas. OK.
Thank you.
Come on, a smile,
I know, that's
too much to ask,
but a nod
would be great.
Pizza a good thing?
♪
Thank you.
Thank you.
MAN: Ah, Mr. O'Connell!
Uh, Kumi, right?
Yes, welcome.
Thank you.
I-I feel like
the prime minister.
This is amazing.
Yeah.
Do you mind if
I take some photos?
Go for it!
Is that OK?
They're beautiful
children.
Um...
Here you go, yeah.
[Thunder]
Can I?
What's wrong
with your room?
OK. Just this once.
[Rain falling]
Ugh. Did you
just let one fly?
Maybe.
Heh heh.
Maybe means yes,
and you didn't
say, "Excuse me."
So you must
be punished.
[Laughing]
Stop!
Pew!
It smells so bad!
♪
MARY: OK, day one.
Weird.
Um, now I have
a serious curriculum
and a serious
timetable...
KIDS: Hello!
And I thought
I brought a bunch
of books...
on Africa, but I
don't know where
the hell they are.
Now I did find
these inside,
although they're
from 1973.
We could just look it
up on the internet.
Yeah, that's
a great idea.
OK, so what do we got?
The British Empire,
a bunch of Zulus,
a bastard
named Rhodes,
Apartheid,
which is racism
at its very worst,
and the incredible
Nelson Mandela.
Wears pretty
strange shirts.
Yeah.
His moral sense
is impeccable,
but his
clothing sense...
Sucks.
Yeah. It sucks.
BEN: So now we come
to the final vote, OK?
Greatest African
of all time.
All those supporting
Nelson Mandela,
defeater of Apartheid,
raise your hand.
Just--just Paul?
Ah. Right. OK.
And all those
for Didier Drogba,
ill-tempered striker
for some team in China
and the Ivory Coast?
All of you.
Do--do you know what--
do you know what, though?
It's almost equal,
and as luck would have it,
I have the casting vote,
so I vote for Nelson Mandela.
So Nelson Mandela it is...
No!
The greatest
African of all time
in this classroom today.
Yes, he does.
Wait, wait.
[Chanting, "Didier Drogba!"]
Nelson Mandela. No?
5.
5.
6.
6.
7.
7.
8.
8.
9.
9.
[Deep voice]
10.
[Deep voice]
10.
[Deep voice]
10.
[Deep voice]
10.
One day when I was
about your age,
very early
in the morning,
my father wakes me up,
and he tells me,
"We're going for a ride,"
and after ten hours
stops at a village
and turns to me and says,
"Son, today you
become a man."
So we went into
a corral,
you know, where
they keep the cows.
I was snipped
down there, brah.
Covered head
to toe in clay,
wrapped in a blanket,
and put in a hut
with other initiates
for one month.
Yeah.
I left the boy
I was behind,
the day my father
picked me up,
and I realized since then
that actually becoming a man
is a lifelong journey.
♪
BEN: Keep going,
keep hustling.
That's it. Tackle. Ohh!
Oh! Great play!
Pass, pass!
Ehhh!
Pass the ball!
Paul's got the ball!
Paul's got the ball!
He's got it, he's got it!
Here you go.
Who's gonna--
No, Ben! No, no, no!
This is rugby,
this is not football!
Get it! Ohh!
No! I don't believe it!
Ohh! Ohh! Help,
Micaela, help!
No! You cheat
you get punished!
Go! Whoo!
[Cheering]
[Speaks foreign language]
We have a big day tomorrow.
Because it goes
all the way from dawn
right through to sunset.
[Speaks foreign language]
Hey, Mr. Ben.
Are you and Mrs. Micaela
going to do putla-putla?
Ha ha ha!
You're in big trouble.
[Kids laughing]
So what's the most
dangerous animal in Africa?
Got to it be a lion.
No, no.
Hippo, man, hippo!
Yeah. It's the hippo.
What about humans?
They got to be pretty
high on the list, right?
OK, number one, human.
Number two, hippo.
Number 3,
black mamba snake.
[Speaks foreign language]
Let's go find the snake!
Let's go!
Yay!
Let's run again.
Let's run!
Let's run again!
[Speaks foreign language]
OK, dinner.
Can we just finish?
I beg your pardon.
Did you just say,
"Can I just finish?"
You want to
extend the class?
Maybe.
Yes! Ha ha ha!
Yay!
GEORGE: So, Mom.
Yes?
Where are we going?
We are going out
there on a fieldtrip.
One schoolroom,
not enough.
A whole continent--
that's more like it!
Yes. Today we go out
into the great unknown,
accompanied by our
fearless guide...
Hey.
and of course
inevitably...
Country and western, bub.
♪
You're lying to me.
There's not
a thing out there.
Are you sure, my man?
Look properly,
look there.
Wow!
Wow!
Oh, my gosh!
they're tall.
Heh heh heh!
♪
[Speak foreign language]
Take care of your
mother, Mr. George!
No scuba diving
with the sharks.
OK! We'll miss you!
Oh, and Mrs. Morgan!
Yes, Pumi?
No one speaks English
there in Mozambique, OK?
Great.
The sun feels good, huh?
Yeah.
Glass in the window
is so last year.
In fact, there will be
an extra charge
because of the additional
ventilation afforded
by the no window
scenario.
Heaven.
♪
[Speaks foreign language]
Thank you.
We should bring
Dad here.
He would completely
freak out.
He's more of
a pizza-pasta guy.
True.
Ohh!
I think I just
saw a rat.
I think
I just ate one.
Did you and your
mom or dad ever
hang out like this?
Mom, lots,
Dad, never.
Whenever we were
on vacation,
he was
in Washington.
Government bigwigs
don't take time off.
I don't ever remember him
on a beach or in shorts
or even hanging out
for that matter.
I like it.
What can I say?
It saves me money
at Christmas.
You know, I'm
starting to rethink
these mosquito nets.
Hmm? They could
be the height
of fashion.
I could make
a fortune.
Heh.
[Mosquito buzzes]
♪
[Mosquitoes buzzing]
[Shouting
in foreign language]
Goooooooal!
Definitely
a goal.
[Cheering]
Yeah. Well played,
Mr. Beckham!
Whoo!
That was...
I got it!
awesome!
Nice work!
BEN: Come on!
Just a few more smiles.
No! No more photos.
Where are you going?
Oh, you have that
to look forward to.
Aah!
Gross.
Yeah, you say that now,
but love's pretty nice.
I think you'll enjoy it.
Why kid with me?
Sorry.
♪
[Speaks foreign language]
Thank you.
You know what?
I don't think
I'll have any.
I'm not feeling great.
Really? What kind
of not great?
Just not great.
You know, there's
a limit as to how much
fish and rice
a kid can eat.
Do you think they
poisoned the fish?
Mmm. I'm not sure
it was even fish.
We're lucky to
get out alive.
♪
I need to get you
to a doctor.
MARY: How do you
feel, baby?
Worse.
We're gonna get you
to the hospital,
and they're
gonna fix you all up,
and I'm gonna
take you home,
and everyone there
is gonna pamper you.
♪
Mom, stop,
stop the car.
I'm gonna be sick.
Please stop. Stop.
OK, OK.
George?
Honey?
George?
[Horn honking]
George?
How much longer,
Pumi ?
We'll be
there very soon.
How long?
We--we should
be 10 minutes.
OK? We'll be there soon,
I promise.
George?
Pumi, please hurry!
[Horn honking]
♪
That's good.
I got you.
[Sirens]
Here. Here you go.
MARY: I need a doctor!
Please! Please, sir!
Hey, hi, yes.
How--how long has
he been like this?
About 3 days, I think.
3 days?
I thought he had the flu.
No, this isn't the flu.
Come, come with me.
I'm almost sure
your boy has malaria.
Malaria?
Yes, I'm afraid
he's very sick.
But he's gonna
be OK, right?
WOMAN: We need some
help in here.
All right.
Get him some oxygen.
Please, ma'am.
Stay outside! Stay outside!
All right, give me
some diazepam there.
WOMAN: Set up a drip
10 milligrams of valium.
Let's go.
Let's not lose him.
I need pulse, respiration.
Quickly, quickly.
Clear the airway.
Suction it up. Come on.
Swipe it clean.
Hold him.
Let me get it in.
IV in.
Keep him still.
[Beeping]
[Beeping accelerates]
[Flatline]
WOMAN: What
has happened?
Check his pulse.
No pulse.
What?
He's not breathing.
Let's start compressions.
On my count.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15.
Two breaths.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15.
Two breaths.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15.
Two breaths.
Still no pulse.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10...
Come here.
[Air puffs]
[Air puffs]
[Air puffs]
[Dialing]
[Ringing]
Hey, babe.
Peter?
♪
[People crying]
[Whispering]
Peter, I can see
some people crying.
Can you ask them
to stop, please?
They hardly knew him.
If I can hold in
my tears,
I would expect them
to do me the respect
and do the same.
I can't do that,
sweetheart.
I won't--
I won't do that.
OK.
OK.
[Door creaks]
Your dad is here.
PASTOR: We are met
in this solemn moment
to commend George Anthony Morgan
into the hands of Almighty God.
♪
♪
[Indistinct chatter]
Honey, your dad
is still here.
I think he's
about to go.
I don't want
to see him.
You haven't
said a word
to him all day.
The least you could
do is say good-bye.
Dad.
I'd forgotten
how beautiful it is here.
Maybe it's because
you've only been
here twice.
If Dad hadn't
left me and Mom,
I would have never
taken him away.
Mary.
No. It's true,
and I won't say it again,
and I will never say
it to him.
I was trying to prove
to George that I would
always be on his side
and by his side
because my dad
always put his job
before his family.
Always.
If he had loved me more,
our Georgie would
still be alive.
♪
And I can't sit here.
I can't sit
at this table.
Where's George?
Where--where
is George?
I'm good.
Don't worry.
♪
[Crickets chirping]
♪
[Cheering]
♪
[Fireworks exploding]
Hey.
You ready?
I can't go out.
You know,
at some point,
you have to
leave the house.
Let's make it
tonight.
There's a lot of people.
There's no focus on us.
What would
I talk about?
Small--small talk.
You know, that's
what people do.
They--they talk
about small things.
It's what makes human
company bearable.
Bearable's our
highest goal right now.
You're right.
I should leave
the house
but not
to some party.
Well, OK.
Where do you
want to go?
Back.
♪
[Indistinct chatter]
[Insects buzzing]
♪
Hello?
Hi.
I'm Martha.
Do you mind
if I join you?
Oh, no.
No, not--not at all.
Thanks.
My first day here.
Don't know
what to order.
Well, you don't get
a choice.
Oh, well, that's
all right then.
Not necessarily.
You don't look
like the normal
clientele here.
No.
No, but if you don't
mind my saying so,
neither do you.
Yeah.
I guess that's true.
My son came here,
sent me lots
of photos,
but I wanted to see
it for myself.
What about you?
Yeah, well, I-I came
here with my son,
but we didn't
we didn't--
we didn't get
s-so lucky.
♪
Then I think we have
something in common.
MARY:
How old was he?
He was 24.
24? Oh. I thought--
somehow, I thought
they were always younger.
God, how stupid of me.
That's what Ben
thought, as well.
Gave all his pills
away to the children
he was teaching.
Well, he was
fit and strong,
thought he
wouldn't need them.
I'm so sorry.
Yeah.
And I am
so sorry, too.
♪
Wow! is he handsome!
Thank you.
Quite surprising,
really,
coming from an old
thing like me.
No. So what was
he doing,
volunteering,
a job?
Well, it was a bit
of both really.
He'd been
to university,
but daft thing spent
most of his time
either playing rugby
and chasing girls.
Got no marks
in his exams at all,
so, um, to make most
of a bad job,
he thought,
"I know.
"I'll go and teach
in Africa.
That'll be
interesting."
Hmm.
And he completely fell
in love with it,
but then he made
his big mistake. Hmm.
Is that easier
for you?
What?
That he made
the mistake,
that you didn't
make a mistake?
No.
Why? Do you
blame yourself?
I completely
blame myself.
I am completely
to blame.
♪
So what are your
plans, Mary?
I don't know.
You?
Well tomorrow,
I'm going to
where Ben worked.
I just want to
see it, you know?
Can I come?
Yes, of course
you can come!
I should think
they'll be thrilled
to see you.
You're much
prettier than I am.
Up early, though.
The bus leaves
from the jetty
at 7:00.
Screw the bus.
I got a car.
Great!
That'll be much
more comfy.
♪
♪
Micaela.
Yes.
♪
His camera.
Yes.
He gave it to me
when he was sick.
I think you
should have it.
No, no, no, no,
no, no, no.
Look. If you do this,
you can see
all of his photos.
Oh, really?
That's a good,
little camera, isn't it?
He was very lucky
you were here.
Thank you.
And thank you
for him.
Yes. A nice piece
of work.
I put a lot of work
into him over the years.
MARY: Nets in here
but nowhere else?
Yes. One day we'll have
them everywhere,
but for now,
this is the most
important place.
And what's wrong with
these little guys?
Jose, here had a fall,
and Manuel has diarrhea,
and like your sons,
Paul has malaria.
Is he going to
be all right?
We hope so.
I have given him what
we have to treat it.
[Snoring]
I just wanted...
Yeah.
I'll go back to bed
in a little while.
Yeah.
Oh!
Sorry, Micaela.
MARTHA: How does
he look to you?
He's a little worser.
I think I should take
him to hospital.
How far away is that?
Two hours by bus.
Two hours? Jesus.
♪
[Speaking foreign language]
[Horn honking]
[Pumalele speaking
foreign language]
[Speaking foreign language]
[Speaking foreign language]
[Woman wailing]
[Baby crying]
[Speaking foreign language]
[Heart monitor beeping]
[Beeping accelerates]
[Doctors and nurses speaking
foreign language]
[Beeping slows]
[Child crying]
I need to
step outside.
We'll stay here
and watch him.
♪
[Sobbing]
[Pumalele speaking
foreign language]
Pumalele, he's quite
handsome, isn't he?
Yeah, and he's quite
the basketball player, too.
Yeah?
Yeah. Him and George,
they used to play
all the time.
Is your husband
handsome?
Yeah. Yeah, I think
he's pretty cute.
What about yours?
Mine?
Mm-hmm.
Oh. Heh.
I don't know.
Ha ha ha!
I never really
thought about it.
Oh, come on.
He must be.
Why else would
you marry him?
Well, he was
very polite.
♪
[Woman sobbing]
[Speaking foreign
language]
[Indistinct chatter]
[Children crying]
[Speaking foreign
language]
[Speaking foreign
language]
[Speaking foreign language]
There's lots
of people.
Yes. Lots of malaria.
This is all malaria?
No, but most, yes.
Micaela, please don't be
embarrassed if this is
embarrassing,
but I need to be useful.
I don't have a job.
Do you think I could be
of any help in your
orphanage at all?
Really?
Yes, really.
Of course.
It's easy to be
useful there.
Yeah, well I can
cook quite well,
Victoria sponge cake
a speciality.
That's a start.
And football?
Football? Oh, yes.
I'm a brilliant player
if somewhat violent.
Ah, well.
Like mother, like son.
And you, Mary,
What are your plans?
I have to get home.
Yeah, of course
you do, darling.
But didn't we get lucky
bumping into one another?
Mmm. Didn't we?
♪
[Indistinct chatter]
[Beep]
[Cell phone vibrating]
♪
[Whispering]
Hello?
Hello, Mary, darling.
It's Martha.
Hi. How's it going?
Can't sleep?
What? Can't sleep
in the middle
of the morning?
Oh, no! I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I've completely forgotten
the time difference.
I'm sorry, darling.
I'll call back later.
Oh, no, no.
I was awake.
How's it
going there?
Not bad, actually.
And I'm thinking perhaps,
um, I can be a little bit
useful here.
My muffins are a triumph.
Ha ha ha!
Um, you know what?
I woke Peter up.
Maybe we can talk
at a slightly better
time tomorrow?
Yeah, OK, darling.
Sorry.
Bye.
Who the hell was that
at 4:00 A.M.?
It was Martha.
She's alone.
She wants to talk.
Martha.
Sorry.
♪
[Baby crying]
ALICE: And as with most men,
he just assumes that
I won't have an opinion
about the car.
Don't tell me.
Oh, we've already
been through this,
even with
the second car.
This is the second car!
I mean, I'm gonna be driving
the damn thing,
but no, no, no, no,
he'll buy it.
He'll decide what it is.
And so finally,
he agrees to a Mercedes,
And I say, "I don't
want that damn Mercedes.
I want a Lexus." Right?
I mean, come on.
I'm gonna go now.
Why?
The honest answer is
I'm not ready to feel
this normal again.
You know, I've just
seen some terrible things,
and I'm having a hard
time getting worked up
about--about one
great big car
versus another
great big car.
Honey? Mary?
Don't go crazy on us.
You know, Alice,
look.
The way I see it now,
you're the crazy ones.
We spend every
minute of our lives
obsessed or angry
about things that
don't matter at all
when I've just stood
in a room
where children
are allowed to die
of a mosquito bite,
and I would cry
all night about
how I wasted
my life, except I can't
allow myself to cry
at all because I've
just wasted my son's.
You see?
I just wasted
my son's life.
♪
Maybe we should
sell the house.
Sell the house?
Yeah.
It just seems so big now.
We just have so many
memories, you know?
Tough ones.
Sweetie, you've made
this house so beautiful.
It's us.
We could buy something
smaller that costs less.
We don't need
to sell the house.
And buy stuff
with the difference
which would make
a difference where
I've just been.
You know, nets, medicine,
salaries for nurses
and doctors.
You're kidding.
No. Maybe what
happened to George
was a one-in-a-million
chance for someone like him,
but it turns out
he's just one
of millions of kids
this disease kills.
Honey, please.
This is insane.
Give us a chance
to get our lives
back on track
before we try to
fix other people's.
Please.
I love you.
I love you, too.
♪
Can I help you?
Hi. Yes!
I called a couple
of hours ago,
and I couldn't get
an appointment
for a month,
so since I was
just passing by,
I thought I'd
just drop in
in case the senator
happened to have--
No, I'm afraid
that he doesn't.
OK. I don't want
a lot of his time.
I just want a little bit
of advice as a person
from his state who has
just driven 3 hours
in some really
nasty traffic.
Oh, really?
Yeah.
No. It won't work.
OK. I'll just wait
just in case.
OK.
OK.
♪
Senator, hi!
Hi.
Excuse me--
excuse me, sir.
I'm--I'm Mary Morgan,
and I was just--
I was wondering if you
had a minute.
Oh, I'm afraid I
don't have a minute
to spare right now.
Why don't you make
an appointment
with my secretary?
I just--I wanted to talk
to you about malaria.
Malaria?
Yeah.
Wow.
Uh, that's
a big subject, Mary.
Uh, I'm gonna
be more useful
on "My local school
isn't any good."
What exactly do you
think I can do
about malaria?
Um, I don't know really,
but, oh, uh, what I do know
is that it's
a preventable disease
that has killed over
half a million people
every year.
OK. Well, how much
does the U.S. spend
on malaria
at the moment?
I don't know exactly.
Is it more or less
than the last
administration?
Is it spent through
governments or NGOs?
I don't know,
but it killed my son.
Oh, well, I'm sorry
to hear that.
I-I'd be happy to
help you pursue
some kind
of recompense, uh--
I don't want
recompense.
You can't sue
a mosquito.
I'm just--I'm trying
to work out if there's
anything I can do
about anything else.
Of course.
I-I do have
to go, Mary,
but it was good
to meet you.
Yeah.
Good luck.
Thank you.
I hope we
meet again.
Oh, and senator?
Yes?
My local school's
no damn good either.
Heh.
OK, buddy.
Let's do it.
♪
[Children chattering]
Wha--ha ha ha!
Offside! Offside!
♪
Now you see this?
We're going to turn all
those pieces of fabric
into one
of these nice bags,
and then we're going to
take it down to market,
and we're gonna sell them
for lots of money.
Now then, fold it
in half like that.
MICAELA: Martha!
You have a visitor.
Oh, a visitor.
Who's gonna visit me?
Fold it in half...
Hello, darling.
What are you doing here?
I'm full
of surprises.
No, you're not.
Only two kids
have died since
I've been here.
What'd they die of?
Malaria.
Yeah.
Um, when are you
gonna come home?
Where is that, then?
Where is home?
It's where we live.
No, I don't think
I can live in that
house anymore.
But you've been living
here where Ben was,
and he'd be
leaving anyway,
and we'd be alone
together anyway.
Yeah, I know.
I've thought
about that, too,
And I'm sure we'd
have been fine,
but I'd have
lived on hope,
telephone calls,
Christmases,
photographs
of babies.
I am so sorry,
Charles.
I clearly
misjudged things,
put too many eggs
in one basket,
loved him too much.
And me not enough.
We both let
things slide.
Yes.
I've wasted you
and my lovely,
noisy boy.
What an epic
miscalculation.
[Keys jingle, door opens]
Hey.
I've been calling
you for hours.
Oh, I'm sorry.
My phone died.
I'm sorry.
Where were you?
I went to Washington.
Today?
Yeah, I went to, uh,
talk to our senator
about malaria.
And how did that go?
Very badly.
He didn't have a huge gap
in his schedule,
and he asked me a bunch
of questions about policy,
things I didn't have
any of the answers,
but I'll be
prepared next time.
So there's gonna
be a next time?
Maybe.
Maybe, I don't know.
The only person who
knows anything
about government
policy now that
works is your dad.
If I remember right,
you're not too thrilled
about what the time
he spent on that did
to your family.
That's not fair.
Now if you'll excuse me,
I'm gonna go find someone
who does know something
about this,
and I'm gonna write
to them.
Write them?
To say what?
I don't know.
My son died.
Their sons are dying.
Help us.
♪
[Cell phone dings]
I know.
I guess
among other things,
I'm just jealous.
You got those 5 weeks,
the last ones.
[Cell phone vibrating]
Hey, Martha.
How you doing?
Oh, it's not the middle
of the night
again, is it?
Yes, it is,
but don't worry.
I was awake.
I'm starting a campaign.
I am going to write
to everyone,
every address
I can find
on anyone
with anything to do
with U.S. aid
or malaria funding
or the State Department.
I'm even gonna write
to the president.
What, the president?
God, you are busy!
And you're never gonna
guess who popped
in to see me.
Who?
Charles!
No!
You could've knocked
me down with a feather.
I've never known him
to leave home except
on business.
Do you know what?
I think he's more
affected by it all
than I am.
♪
So, Martha,
how long were you
still thinking of staying
with us here?
Hmm?
You must be
missing home.
Oh. Heh heh heh.
You'd have thought,
wouldn't you?
But what would I
do there, hmm?
Who would I be?
It's just that, um,
I got a letter
from the aid agency,
and it looks like
they found
a replacement for Ben.
Oh.
Yes!
What?
I got a letter
from a McDonald,
from the State Department,
which is perfect,
and he wrote,
"Dear Mrs. Morgan,
"Thank you for your letter.
"We at the
State Department have
"an ongoing commitment
to the fight against malaria
"with our partners
in Africa
"and around the world.
"If you're interested
in learning more,
"the Senate appropriation
subcommittee that deals
with malaria is scheduled
for October 7."
What do you think?
Maybe I should go.
What?
What?
You can't go, Mary.
It would be
a waste of time.
If you get in at all,
you'll just sit there
and watch
these politicians
do their jobs,
and you--you can't
say anything,
and you can't
do anything,
and you're gonna be
heartbroken
when you realize
that you can't
help with this.
Well, maybe I can
learn something.
Maybe I can meet
someone.
I'm just starting
to get replies.
If I can just get
to the right people,
write to
the right people,
maybe I can do
enough to save
one life,
and that will
be enough for me.
Save a life,
lose a marriage.
That's what you've
been thinking?
While I've been writing
my letters and trying to
do all I can do,
that's where you've
been heading?
I have to fight
here, sweetheart.
You're fighting
all the time,
and I have to
fight, too.
Do you remember
before you went away,
we were up
in the bedroom,
and you said to me,
"I'm leaving you"?
Yeah, I was joking.
It was a joke.
The joke came true.
If that's a threat,
it's really unforgivable.
Maybe we both
have too much
forgiving to do.
♪
OK.
OK. You're right.
I'm not a politician,
and I'm not gonna
change the world.
I'm just a mom,
but of course I'm not
even that anymore.
I want to show
you something.
PETER ON COMPUTER:
Hey. How you doing?
I hear you're going
on a trip.
GEORGE ON COMPUTER:
It's gonna be wild.
What do you mean,
girls and drugs,
that kind of stuff?
I mean,
really wild, wild,
"Swiss Family Robinson,"
"Castaway."
Mom won't even let me
bring my iTouch...
What?
because there's not
gonna be electricity.
Are you gonna survive?
I'm gonna kill
crocodiles
and eat them.
Did you say crocodiles?
Yeah.
I think that's a little
bit of an exaggeration.
Maybe bugs.
Well, we'll eat
the bugs.
Hi, honey!
Hi, love.
[Kissing sounds]
I got to go,
but how are
things with you?
I'm getting a lot
of work done.
I'm watching
a lot of bad TV.
We really miss you.
You'd be useful on
the crocodile hunt.
But you're happy?
And hungry.
Mom, the food machine
is on its way.
Dad, I got to tell
you a secret
I don't want Mom
to hear.
Yeah?
Just come loser.
Closer.
Closer, come on.
Come on, Dad,
closer.
OK. Really, Dad?
Come on, closer.
Closer.
Ha ha ha!
I love you.
You got me.
[Cell phone vibrating]
Hello?
MARTHA: Hello, Mary?
Oh, I can't believe it.
This is incredible.
Sorry.
What?
This is the right time
of day.
I know!
It's 11:30.
At night?
In the morning.
Well, that can't
be right.
No, it is.
Well where are you?
Outside.
My house?
♪
Heh.
Ha!
[Both chuckling]
What are you
doing here?
Hi!
Oh!
I had to leave,
and I suppose
I'm heading home,
but I thought I'd
come the long way,
see you first,
support you
in your big fight.
Is that OK?
Yes. Thank you.
Come in! Come on.
MARY: So this is
my place.
MARTHA: Wow.
Stylish, right?
And this is Peter.
Peter, this is Martha.
Oh, hello, Peter.
Very pleased to meet you.
Not as handsome
as I said,
but he's not bad,
right?
Hello, Martha.
Let me get you some tea.
No, I'll get it.
Oh, thanks, thanks.
But not iced tea.
The English
hate that stuff.
Actually, I'm rather
a bush tea person
now myself.
Well, aren't
you fancy?
Listen, babe, I hope
you haven't come here
under false pretenses.
This whole
campaigning thing,
I don't think it was
gonna get anywhere.
It's just part
of the craziness
of grief, you know?
I'm sure that's
not true.
And Peter, he just sees
me as breaking our hearts
all over again,
day after day.
Oh. Well...
I'm sure he must be
right then.
♪
So tell me, why did
you leave in the end?
Oh, it got
complicated.
♪
Ben's replacement
arrived.
Nice German boy,
and I thought,
you know, probably
my work was done.
How did it feel
leaving?
Oh, it was good.
On the last night,
I had a lovely dinner,
and the kids gave me
a sort of, um...
We love you, Martha!
I don't know what
you'd call it.
Collage?
♪
Had a lovely picture
of Ben on it,
and each of them had
done a little drawing
of themselves with
their names underneath,
and at the bottom,
it said,
"We are all
your children."
It's lovely.
Mmm.
All my children.
The problem is,
darling,
I'm not
really ready
to stop being
a mother,
But what can
a mother
without a child
actually do, huh?
It's a long shot,
but we have to try.
What's he like?
Conservative,
uncommunicative,
and emotionally stunted,
and he put his work
before his family
and never really
succeeded at either.
Oh, good.
Just my type.
Mary.
This is Martha.
Martha.
And what does Peter
think of all this
political stuff?
Well, he thinks
I'm stupid and crazy
and destroying
our lives.
What about you, Martha?
Oh, goodness.
Well,--well, I think Mary
is absolutely wonderful
and can achieve anything
she sets out to do,
and naturally,
I support her 100%.
Right. Well, you may
not be surprised to hear
that I'm rather more
on Peter's side
of the fence.
To try to shift the needle
of government policy
is very difficult.
You're gonna be
frustrated,
and you're gonna
be demoralized,
and quite frankly,
you'd be better
off at home.
Look, I know
all this, Dad.
I just hoped that
maybe you could
help me find
a way to make
a difference.
I'm not asking you
to agree with me.
I'm just asking
you for a favor.
My concern is it may not
be a favor at all.
You're clearly
in such pain.
Hmm. And now you
take notice of that.
Look, I don't
think I should
have come here.
I think this was
always gonna be
a big mistake.
I'm sorry, Martha,
but let's go.
Uh, thanks for
the cookies, Dad.
I can't deny it's
an interesting area.
Interesting?
Yeah, I've been
looking into it.
Did you know that...
if you take every
single person killed
in a terrorist act
around the world
in the last 20 years
and you add to that
all the lives lost
in the Middle East
since 1967,
the Six Day War,
and you add to that
every single
American life
lost in Vietnam,
in Korea,
and in every single
American engagement
since then--
Iraq, Afghanistan--
if you take all those lives
and you multiply it by two,
that's the number
of children that die
of malaria
every single year.
So are you saying
you'll help me?
Yes, I will.
OK. Um, well,
there's
an appropriations
committee--
October 7.
I know.
It's where they fix
the money to be spent.
They beef it up,
or they trim it down.
Did you want to--
did you want to
speak at it?
Well, I was
hoping to just go.
Of course, if it's
possible for me
to speak--
I think you
possibly could.
I'd have to call
in all my favors.
You'd have to
work very hard,
and you would have
to work out exactly what
it is you want to say,
but of course I suppose
it's time I started
working for you
and not for them.
♪
91% of malaria deaths
are in Africa.
There are 247 million...
So I'd have
a few notes,
and we can just
put it in one piece
and then make it
more, um...
Right.
Concise.
Am I going too fast?
No, you're all right.
OK.
OK.
My word, Mary.
You're gonna be
absolutely marvelous!
If I fall down
dead of fear,
will you take over?
You must be joking.
You're not gonna hear
so much as a peep out of me,
but I'm so proud of you,
I could explode.
Oh, no, no.
Don't. Don't.
Don't explode.
This room cost
a fortune to decorate.
OK. Test me.
♪
Speak up,
look them in the eye,
stick to the script.
Yes, Dad.
WOMAN: Now we have had
submissions from experts
from Malaria No More,
from UNICEF,
from USAID.
We now have a submission
from Mrs. Mary Morgan
from South Hall,
Eastern Virginia.
Mrs. Morgan. Please.
Thank--thank you.
Um, I don't want to take
up too much of your time.
Um, so before I start,
I'll just say that
there's only a couple
of things I want to say,
and the first is
congratulations.
Thank you.
We do believe when
it comes to malaria
America leads
the world.
But as a country,
we still spend more
on the cure for baldness
than the cure for malaria.
[Laughter]
So my second point
and the purpose
of my submission is to
ask for more, please.
Right now.
Of course, Mrs. Morgan,
and if we lived
in an ideal world,
there'd be all the money
in the world
for malaria,
but a friend of mine
used to say,
"Politics is a pie.
It's just a question
of how you slice it."
What we do here in this
committee is look soberly
and seriously
with experts in the field
at how and if we can
increase that slice
or if, in the very hard
times for everyone,
it has to be a slightly
smaller portion.
Pardon me, but are you
saying that I'm not
an expert in the field?
Mrs. Morgan, we're all
aware of your personal
involvement in this area
and all admire your courage
in coming here today.
Well, since I'm not
an expert in the field,
perhaps you would
prefer that I focus
on my personal involvement.
Let me tell you
how it feels
to have a personal involvement
with malaria.
I miss my son every second
of every day.
I miss him
with every bite of food
and every
familiar object I hold.
and I think of that
movie, you know,
"Back to the Future,"
where that bastard McFly
can just go back in time
because that's my greatest wish,
that I could
just go back just once
and change that one thing.
I would give anything to
change that one thing,
and my point,
Madam Chair,
my point is that how
I feel is how the parent
of every single child lost
to malaria feels.
Every mother,
every father.
That is no ordinary
slice of pie.
I had the responsibility
of one child,
and I failed.
You have the opportunity
to take responsibility
for millions of children.
Don't fail them, too.
Now, uh, I have
something prepared.
Just--just
a minute, please.
♪
I'm Martha O'Connell.
Yes?
I'm sort of
Mary's second.
I wonder if I might show
you a couple of snaps?
If that's what
Mrs. Morgan wants.
Yes. Of course.
Thank you.
Where shall I put--
This is my son Ben.
Malaria.
And this is
Mary's son George,
Mary's boy.
♪
And these are just some
of the children I met
in Mozambique where
both of our sons died.
This one is Sebastian.
A little bit of a joker.
This is Anecia.
She wanted to
be a teacher.
And Daniel here
played the clarinet.
Pass them along.
All of them,
all these sons
and all these daughters
are all now dead.
Would you like us to
make another appointment
with the committee
in a year's time and come back
then with half a million
more photographs?
♪
I'm sorry.
Sorry? You were
magnificent!
Your father and I
both thought you
were magnificent.
No, no, no, no.
I mean I'm--
I'm sorry I
took George away.
I never said
I'm sorry.
And I'm sorry
you weren't in
the little school,
and I'm sorry
you weren't
on the beach,
and I'm glad
you weren't
in the hospital
holding his hand,
but I am so sorry
I never said sorry.
It's OK.
It's OK now.
Yeah?
Yeah.
♪
WOMAN ON TV: Some
of the most powerful men
and women of the Senate
were visibly moved.
Tidewater local
Mary Morgan's testimony
in front of the Senate
appropriations committee
was a passionate,
personal plea.
With fellow mother
Martha O'Connell,
who herself lost
a son to malaria....
Martha.
The women asked families
across the country
to join them in raising money
for malaria
prevention and treatment.
MARY ON TV: For $10
dollars you can buy a net,
which actually saves lives
for the price
of 3 coffees at Starbucks,
lives that are as valuable
as our sons' life.
Well, we don't actually
believe that,
but we know we should,
and we know it's true.
♪
Here they come
One for everyone.
OK. Form a line.
[Speaking foreign language]
Yeah, pass!
[Speaking foreign language]
You know,
when I was young,
I used to be obsessed
with the pop charts.
Really?
Yeah.
And ever since,
I've always loved to put
my life into charts.
You know, like when
I was at school,
I had a chart
of my best friends,
and when David Willoughby
kissed me,
he was at number one
for 11 weeks
till he kissed
my best friend.
He shot straight
down to number 37.
And I'm still doing it.
Should we do
our best 3, hmm?
Let's do it. Yeah.
OK.
Number 3, the day
my Ben was born.
Oh, it hurt a lot,
but that was
a wonderful day.
Hmm.
Georgie, he
took 27 hours
to come out.
Yeah. So it was
more than a day,
but that's
a good 3.
Yeah.
Two, second best thing.
Nice!
Ha ha! Nice! Nice!
♪
Today.
For the first time
in a year,
I'm glad
to be alive.
So number one,
best thing ever.
Every single moment
George was alive.
And every single
moment
my Ben was alive.
♪
[Indistinct chatter]
♪