Monster (2019) - full transcript

Ireland, 1845 on the eve of The Great Hunger. Colmán Sharkey, a fisherman, a father, a husband, takes in a stranger at the behest of a local priest. Patsy, a former soldier in the Napoleonic wars arrives just ahead of 'the blight,' a disease that eventually wipes out the country's potato crop, contributing to the death and displacement of millions. As the crops rot in the fields, Colmán, his brother and Patsy travel to the English Landlord's house to request a stay on rent increases that Colmán predicts will destroy his community. His request falls deaf ears and Patsy's subsequent actions set Colmán on a path that will take him to the edge of survival, and sanity. It is only upon encountering an abandoned young girl that Colmán's resolve is lifted. Just in time for the darkness of his past to pay another visit.

O God up there

do you pity me now as I am

a desolate waif in a cave

scarcely seeing the light of day

A drop up there on high

from the rocky roof

falls into my ear

and the sound of the waves
at my heels

Monster

Pass it to me.

It's good.



We'll be leaving tomorrow.

Are you alright?

Did you see the wolf?

No,

but I heard it.

How are the Sharkey brothers?

We won't delay.

I'll bring that pig up
to you.

A nice fat one, Pat.

Colmán, come here.

Didn't I put an order in too?

- Doesn't PJ owe us two hens?
- Yes, two hens.

Will you drop them up to
the house?

- I will of course.
- Go on, then.



Colmán Sharkey!
You missed the blessing.

Maybe God will forgive me.

This is my nephew,
Patsy Kelly.

Call into me on your way home.
Seán...

That's the man
I was telling you about.

That's it.

But you have to give it to him.
You have to break it.

I have to give it to him.

- Cough again. - You'll make me
cough my insides up.

And again...

Oh, the death rattle.

God forgive you, Maggie.

Sure we'll have to shoot you
to get you in a coffin.

Where did you come from?

Patsy was away soldiering
for a while.

But it didn't suit him.

Is that right?

Deserter?

Thanks be to God.

Goodnight, Father.

Goodnight.

Why did you leave the Navy?

Well, as they say,

there's only so much shit you
can take from an Englishman.

Will you bring him out in the boat,
Colmán?

He's well used to the sea.

I don't know.

I wonder how much shit
he'll take from an Irishman?

- Alright, so.
- Good lad.

Take this.

What's that made from?

Don't ask me.

Didn't I see his father bring
a cow back from the dead with it?

Let's drink to his memory.

Sláinte.

It's good stuff.

You don't touch your own drop.

I don't drink anybody's drop.

My family has always been good
at making poteen,

but bad at drinking it.

Did you see much of the potato
blight on your travels?

It's everywhere.

The smell would make you
vomit.

How long after the smell
does the rot set in?

I'm not sure,

but it doesn't take long.

Where did you last see it?

It was in the Midlands.

They think it's dampness in
the soil that causes it.

It mightn't come as far as us.

With the help of God.

The wind might be spreading it.

Get out of there!

Ah, the poor thing.

What did he do to you?

What's that?

Walking across the great sea.

Oh, thank you.

Who's the best little boy
in the world?

It fell out there.

When?

It fell out there.

Stop!

And you picked it up?

- I did.
- That's my boy.

The dinner's ready.

Patsy, are you staying?

You helped catch them.

You'll help us eat them.

I'll stay so. Thank you.

Keep going.

You've a fine house.

It's not bad.

The crime is we don't own the land
it stands on anymore.

They'll raise the rates again.

Is that it?

No, it's a little mouse.

A little mouse?

What kind of mouse is it?

Good boy.

Who is the best little boy
in the whole world?

Colmán!

They're here.

Have they guns?

Go into the house, Maggie.

Shut the door.

They've gone up a lot.

In line with normal rate rises.

And who's deciding those rates?

Every field is rotting,
Séamas.

Even your father's.

Never mind everyone else.

Do you have the rates or not?

We do.

But we won't be paying you.

Tell the landlord
we'll be up to see him, Dan.

He'll understand.

Alright.

Is it that you think

you've some kind of influence
over the landlord,

and you going around telling
the rest of them not to pay us?

Are you the master of this land now?

Séamas Tom Thaidhg,

I hope to God you didn't bring
a loaded gun to my house.

It'd be no use empty.

Be careful now.

That's enough, Patsy.

Stand back.

Séamas...

Stand back!

You've come close enough.

- That's enough, Patsy.
- I'm all right.

I only wanted to look at it.

She's empty now.

Give it back.

Now!

For God's sake, Dan.

You know what this means, Colmán.

Get away from here,
you pair of devils.

Let's go.

I'll wipe that smirk off your face,
boy.

Do you know what you're doing?

People can't pay that much.

Not now.

The landlord will hear us out.

Are you worried?

Won't Patsy take good care of us?

Patsy's going with ye?

He attacked one
of the landlord's men.

He'll have to apologise to him
for that.

Be careful, Colmán.

- Bring these bags to the cart.
- Alright.

Colmán.

- Seán...
- Kate, how are you?

Kate, is it?
God be with you.

This is Patsy, Kate.

I know well who he is.

Kate is Séamas' sister, Patsy.

You've met him.

It looks like he's leaving early
this year.

He is.

And he won't be coming back.

Will you tell him we're here?

He knows already.

Wait here.

Oh boys, what a fine place
they have.

English scum.

I'm frozen here.

Is the landlord
always this nice to ye?

He'll talk to you now.

A long wait for nothing, Colmán.

We'll see.

Hello, Séamas.

You be quiet.

Give me the bottles.

You too.

I'll sing for him, the bastard.

Get hold of yourself, you idiot.

He was happy enough with the rates
we were paying until now.

What's wrong with you?

I'm trying to come to an agreement
with him.

Well, let's all sing for him
when he comes back then.

You'll sing if he asks you to.

Colmán...he can't get out of
this place fast enough.

And when he's gone, those other two
will triple the rates

and they'll burn everything
between here and the shore.

He doesn't care.

They'll wipe us out.

- And evict us.
- Keep quiet, you.

You shouldn't even be here.

I'm not your enemy tonight,
Colmán.

Make your apology
and get out of here.

Sorry! It's only me.

I don't want to interrupt you.

Carry on, Kate.
That was lovely.

Keep going, I'lll sing along
with you if you like.

I don't think so.

Please. I'd love it.

She said she wouldn't sing.

Off you go, now.

I want to make peace with you.

Have you smoked one of these?

They're not bad.

What about you,
would you like one?

Go on.

Or a deserter...

This landlord's a good man
to work for.

There's worse.

And he's off tomorrow,
taking everything with him.

Did he give you the guns?

I heard a little story about you,

when you were in the Navy.

You liked to kill.

You even killed your own.

And now, Colmán.

He'll send you packing

when he hears
what I have to tell him.

But don't worry.

I'll take care of you.

I don't think your brother
likes me, Kate.

What about you?

Do you like me?

Go ahead.

What have you done?

It's all right, Colmán.

He had it coming.

Didn't he?

Seán...

Are you all right...Seán!

Colmán...

I'm not your enemy.

Two years later

Colmán,

take us home.

Colmán, take us home.

Colmán...

Who's the best boy in the world?

Come here, my love.

Let him go, give him to me.

Ssh, take this, good boy.

Maggie, he's dead.

Give me my son, Maggie.

I'm sorry, Maggie.

Forgive me, Maggie.

Forgive me.

- Maggie, get up.
- Why?

Please, my love.

Maggie, wake up...

Maggie, wake up.

Don't leave me, Maggie.

Wake up,
please, wake up, Maggie!

Come here, my love.

My little boy.

Come here, my love.

Come here, my love.

Daddy...

Come here, Daddy.

You were this big last year.

And now this year,

you're this big.

- I'm going.
- Where are you off to?

Colmán, come here.

Colmán Sharkey,

it's me, P.J.

Have you any bite at all for me
to eat?

Or to wet my lips?

Colmán, come here.

I knew well it was you.

We thought you were dead.

Don't worry,
I won't tell a soul I saw you.

Colmán...

Colmán, come here!

How long have you had the cough?

Come here.

Come here until I listen to you.

I won't hurt you.

Turn around.

Breathe in.

Again.

Where did you come from?

Do you remember?

I have to go.

Stay there.

I'll be back tomorrow.

Where is she?

She's sick.

I think she's dying.

Has she eaten anything?

Where's the food I left for her?

We took good care of her.

But what's in it for us?

Soldiers came around here
a couple of weeks ago.

We've never said a word.
Amen't I right?

We could have. But we didn't open
our mouths, Colmán.

Take this.

We have to look after each other
now, don't we?

Colmán...

I'm not letting her out that door
Colmán, til you help us.

Put down that knife, Bríd.

Give me the bag.

Give me that bag!

Take your hands off her.

What have you done?

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry...

Help me.

Take me with you.

That's it...

You're all right.

Take a drop.

Wake up...

Wake up...wake up.

Water...

The fire...

It's gone out.

There's a box...

..up there.

It's up on the wall.

Open it.

Use that...take it.

I found these.

There's some smoked fish.

Help me up.

Kitty.

That's my name.

Go on...

Can you swim?

No.

Your parents didn't teach you?

Can you row?

A boat.

No.

Tomorrow,

we'll go rowing.

That's it, that's it.

Good girl.

There we go.

Go down.

That's it.

Now...you bring it up,
back

..down and pull.

Off you go now.
Back, down...

..pull.

Back, down, pull.

You can be my left hand.

That's it.

That's it.

Pull.

That's it...pull.

Pull.

Sit down and dry yourself.

I don't want you to get
sick again.

Spare it.

There's birds eggs on the cliffs.

Go slowly.

I got one!

You're down far enough now.

What are you doing?

Give me your foot.

That's it.

Stop.

Keep going.

I wonder who they are?

We should help them.

We can't.

Why not?

Get into the boat.

Get into the boat.

I can leave you here.

Is that what you want?

We can't help them, Kitty.

We're barely alive ourselves
as it is.

They could eat my share.

What was that?

They could eat my share.

Don't be silly.

It'll soon be winter.

And we won't be able
to go to sea.

If we help them,
we'll die of hunger.

It's as simple as that.

Daddy...

Come here, Daddy.

Kitty, you're drawing it in
too slowly.

Give it to me.

This is a bad spot.

I'm doing better than you.

Give it to me.

We'll go as far as the mainland
tomorrow,

we need turf.

It's no use here.

We'll head out for deeper waters.

Colmán Sharkey and his brother

Went to plead
for his people's sake

They walked through the fields
of the dead that night

Through a rotting stench all around

That night,
the Sea Wolf Sharkey

Put the Englishman in the ground

Here...

Go ahead.

Go on.

Thank you.

- Colmán.
- What is it?

They're sick.

Please.

Open your mouth.

Open your mouth, Máire.

I hope you don't mind us being
in your house, Colmán.

You're alright.

Pull down your lip.

You can close it now.

Kitty, run along there
and play with Máire.

Come on.

Thank you for the food.

Have you the same thing?

How long have your gums
been bleeding?

A week or two.

You'll both be fine.

But you have to eat plenty
of nettles.

Boil them, put water on them,

and drink the water as often
as you can.

Are you eating shellfish?

Periwinkles and barnacles.

But there's nothing left
on the rocks.

Seaweed.

Only carrageen,
but that's all been picked clean.

It'll be all right.

You'll get yours,
you filthy English.

I'll have to bring you back
to the mainland.

Why?

You can't stay here.

Why?

Because I can't keep the both of us
alive here.

There are people on the mainland.

Good families.

Why did you bring me
all the way out here?

Because you were sick,

but you're not safe with me.

Have you found anything?

No.

Come over to me.

Come over yourself.

I can't.

You have to learn how to swim.

What's wrong?

You only teach me things so
you can get rid of me.

So you don't feel bad
when you leave me with a stranger.

Are you going to stab me now?

You're better at that than I am.

That wouldn't be too hard.

How is it?

I think you might have broken it.

What will happen if the soldiers
catch you?

Maybe they'd feed me.

Stop teasing me.

Here.

This is yours.

Careful, girls.

Who does she belong to?

She doesn't remember.

Wouldn't that be nice?

What about Pat and the boys?

Pat sold the boat that first year,

so we'd hold on to the house.

Then the potatoes rotted again.

The workhouse almost killed us all.

Maggie and Dónal?

Dónal got sick...

..that first year.

He died.

And Maggie...

I buried her on the island
six months ago.

Why did this happen to us?

This didn't just happen to us.

It was done to us.

What happened that night?

God knows.

Áine, winter is coming...

We'll have to move onto
the mainland.

I have to leave here.

- I've some food stored.
- I'll take her.

Thank you.

Don't say a word to her yet.

Kitty...

What?

We'll keep going.

Get back...get back!

How are you, Colmán?

It'll be alright, Kitty.
You'll be alright.

It'll all be fine.

- Come on Kitty.
- Go with Áine!

Ah, here now...

Who does she belong to?

She's my daughter.

Colmán!

Isn't she a lovely little girl,
Colmán.

- Whoever she is.
- Let her go!

Leave me alone!

Who is she?

Put down the gun,
or I'll open her throat.

Who is she?

What is it you want?

That night up
in the landlord's house.

I did those killings for you.

For the people.

You'd think you'd understand.

I know.

I was wrong.

I'm sorry, Patsy.

I'm sorry about Seán.

Now who is she?

Let her go.

You're trying to control me again,
Colmán Sharkey.

The big hero, huh?

Well, you won't control me anymore.

Kitty, turn around!

Mama...

Run, Kitty!

Kitty...

O God up there,

do you pity me now as I am

a desolate waif in a cave

scarcely seeing the light of day

A drop up there on high

from the rocky roof

falls into my ear

and the sound of the waves
at my heels