My First Summer (2020) Movie Script

I felt like I'd been

under there my entire life.

Wrapped in yellow

blankets, like a baby,

swaddled too tight.

I was sinking

further and further

and just when I was about

to run out of breath,

something pulled me out.

Something in the trees.

A light.

A glow.

Is

someone hungry?

Huh?

- Hello?

- Tilly...

- Hey

Hello, come here.

Hello.

What's your name?

Tilly, Tilly.

Where are you off to?

Hey...

It's okay.

Your dog's really cute.

- Don't take her.

- I just wanted to

make sure you're okay.

Are you okay?

- How did you know I was here?

- Well, I was there last

night at the reservoir.

I saw what happened.

I won't tell anyone.

I pinky promise.

What are you

doing with your finger?

- Haven't you heard

of a pinky promise?

Well, it means more

than a normal handshake.

So, what's your name?

- Claudia.

- I'm Grace.

- What colour are

the other fingers?

If this one is pink, what

colour are the others?

- It's not that it's pink. It's

just called your pinky finger.

And the other ones all

have different names.

You know them, right?

- First, second, third-

- Mm mm, mm mm.

Pinky, ring.

Rude.

- What makes it rude?

- No.

- What?

- Just, don't do that.

It's like saying

something really mean,

but with your finger.

Do you wanna come

and sit with me?

Can I come and

visit you sometime?

- No one can know I'm here. If

they find out, they'll take me

away.

- I won't tell anyone.

It can be our secret.

- Purple promise?

- Purple promise.

It was her, Grace.

The glow on the bank.

The pull from the trees.

She's not of this place.

- Do you want me to have a

nervous breakdown Grace, is that

it?

- No Mom.

- Why the fuck

are the cops here?

- I don't know.

- What the hell you

been up to, young lady?

- I've not done a fucking thing.

Hey, hey listen, hey.

Don't talk to her like that.

We just need

to ask her a few more questions.

Okay, so I'm Detective Croydon.

This is my partner,

Detective Jones.

We just wanted to clarify

what you saw at

the res last night.

- So you saw some

thrashing in the water

and then you said you saw a

girl running away from the res.

And we are not sure who that is.

- See, the deceased didn't

have any kids or family.

So we think that it might

have been a visitor,

or someone from out of town,

Now, is there anything

you can tell us about-

- Look.

- We really need

you to think, okay?

- It's a scorpion in a lollipop.

What'd she look like?

light hair, dark hair.

- Yeah look, I don't

really think I saw a girl.

- No girl?

- No, it was dark.

And I was on my own and

I think I got freaked.

And saw things that

weren't actually there.

I've got a really

overactive imagination.

Mom says it all the time.

- So wait, let me

get this straight.

There was no girl

- But you did say-

- Yeah, I know.

I know.

I'm saying that I

think I got carried away

when I was speaking to

the officer last night.

There was no girl.

But I definitely saw a woman,

an older lady walking into the

water and then the thrashing.

- Right...

So you saw an older woman

walking into the water

- Yeah, that author lady

who lives by the res.

I recognised her from the

back of one of her books.

- Veronica Fox.

- Yeah. That's her.

She just walked into the

water and didn't come out.

It was fucked.

- Well, sounds

about right.

- Cool.

So... I'm good?

I'm not in trouble?

- No.

You're not in trouble.

Like I said, we just wanted

to clarify a few things.

- Cool.

- You've been a big help.

Thank you, Grace.

- Hey, what you saw

must've be really scary.

You got someone to talk to

about it if you need to?

- Yeah.

Lessons my darling.

My darling girl, what's wrong?

- I don't know.

- Oh my sweet.

You having bad thoughts again?

Oh my darling.

It's okay.

It's okay my darling, it's okay.

Shh, shh, shh.

Sweetheart

Breathing in... and out.

Sweet love, you're

doing so well.

Just breathe in.

Stay with me my

darling, it's all okay.

Shh, shh, shh.

Sweet love, it's okay.

It's okay, stay with me.

Stay with me.

Shh, shh, shh.

My darling, it's okay.

Slow it down, shh, shh, shh.

It's okay.

We're nearly there, my darling.

We are nearly there.

Breathe in.

- And out.

Breathe in... and out.

Good. Breathe in... and out.

- Where...

- What?

- Where did my mom go?

What did I do to her?

Nothing, hey Claudia, it's me.

It's me, Grace.

Hey. Remember?

No, no, no, please.

Claudia please.

Come back. Wait.

Claudia.

Claudia!

Claudia! Claudia!

Claudia!

Hey.

Claudia.

- I should be with her.

I should be with her.

- You can't be seen here.

You don't want to

be found do you?

Hey, let's go home.

Yeah?

Let me take you home

where it's safe.

Oh, you have to

look in the mirror.

- Why?

- Just do it.

Can I do you?

- I've got too much

hair, it won't work.

- Get in.

- You like it here?

- In the tub?

- No, I mean, in this house.

- I guess.

Why don't

you ever leave?

- I've left before.

- I don't think the res counts.

- It's on the outside.

- Yeah, but I mean

like the real outside.

- Mom said there's

nothing but pain there.

- She said that?

- She came from there.

She said that it was

filled with selfish people

who didn't treat

each other very well.

- So you've really

never been past the res?

- Why would I?

- I don't know, to go to school,

see a doctor,

go to your grandparents'

houses and have cups of tea

and listen to the same

story 10 times over.

I mean, I can't

believe it.

- Why are you laughing?

So no one

knows you exist?

- You do.

You can look in the mirror now.

- Hmm, you're

quite good at this.

- Yeah.

- I've never read any

of your mom's books.

I hear they're

really depressing.

- Mom said I'm not allowed

to read them until I turn 18.

- How old are you now?

- 16.

- Same.

Lord, how unutterably

disgusting life is.

What dirty tricks

it plays on us.

Here we are among

the breadcrumbs

and the stained napkins again.

The knife is

already con...

- Congealing.

- Congealing with grease.

Disorder, sor...

- Sordidity.

Sordidity and

corruption surrounds us.

Call the waiter, pay the

bill, we must pull ourselves

up out of our chairs.

We must find our coats.

We must go.

- Must, must, must...

detestable word.

- I who had thought

myself immune

find that the wave has tumbled

me over head over heels,

leaving me to summon my forces,

rise and confront the enemy.

Why was that page marked?

- Mom was showing

it to me in class.

- Wow.

- What?

- I thought my mom was fucked.

Sorry.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

I shouldn't

have said that.

- Mom just felt

everybody's pain.

But she's free now.

What's your mom like?

- Mmm, she kinda sucks.

- Why?

- She just, she has

a lot of problems

and her

boyfriend's a dick.

It's quite nice being

away from it all actually.

I like spending

time with you here.

♪ As late as the hour may be ♪

♪ Gimme your love ♪

♪ I need your

love so bad ♪

♪ Gimme your love ♪

♪ I need your

love so bad ♪

- Purple, rude,

ring, pinkie.

- It's a bit late.

Have a seat.

Want a beer?

There you go, it's all right.

It's okay.

So where you been?

What

like a boyfriend?

Look at you, my little

girl's all grown up.

- I'm not your

little girl, Mike.

- Okay. So do you

have a boyfriend?

It's okay if you do.

I mean are you using

protection, are you-

- Oh stop.

Yeah, goodnight Mike.

- I'm just playing.

- Goodnight.

I got whatever I could

before Mom woke up.

There's a lot.

There's lollies and chewy.

These are really good.

Oh and lollies

with bugs in them.

- Wait, what's that?

Strawberry milk.

Do you want some?

- Strawberry milk?

- It's really good.

You'll like it.

Purple promise.

Okay no, don't

choke, don't choke.

All right, hang on.

Guess what else I brought?

My mother

said the fences

were the walls

of her womb.

Said she could only protect

me if I stayed inside,

away from everyone,

from everything.

- I made these.

These ones are my favourite.

Brave. Badass.

I'm gonna sell them at

the market or something.

They're my ticket outta here.

- Where do you want to go?

Somewhere. Anywhere.

Do you like them?

They're

very... colourful.

- Okay.

Tell me one thing that

you like about yourself.

Okay...

I'll tell you.

- You hardly know me.

- I know enough.

Smart?

Aren't you?

What else?

Am I pretty?

Now choose your

favourite colour from here.

- I think I like this one.

- Turquoise.

Yeah. I like turquoise.

- Okay, what you do,

thread, hold it.

You're a natural.

You'll have to help me.

Come on!

It's 200,000 degrees.

Come on.

What's wrong?

The best way to overcome

a fear is to confront it.

I'm serious.

- Right.

- I heard it on the

TV and everything.

Come on.

Hey, hey.

- You can't tell me

that didn't feel good?

- How deep is it?

- It's not deep.

See?

You're okay.

Come on, I'll help

you through it.

- Okay.

- You ready?

- Don't. Okay.

Three, two.

- Claudia, Claudia, hey, hey.

Hey, hey, hey, hey.

Hey.

Okay breathe in, breathe in.

And out.

Breathe with me.

Hey, breathe with me.

In, out.

Breathe in, out.

Hey.

Keep looking at me.

Okay?

- Okay.

Okay.

- It's okay.

Three, two, one.

Go ah.

I'm so bad at this.

Did you see that?!

Oh, lucky charm.

You can have it.

- Can I still eat it?

- Feel lucky?

- Yeah.

I don't really know how

I'm supposed to be feeling.

You make me think

that all the stuff my

mom taught me in class,

about the world being cruel,

about people being monsters,

is all a lie.

- How do you know

I'm not a monster?

- Do you think you are?

- Not many people

like me, though.

- Because monsters only

like other monsters.

Welcome.

I've got that poem

here somewhere.

Okay.

'When Day is Over'

by Lesbia Harford.

When day is over I

climb up the stair,

take off my dark dress,

pull down my hair,

open my window and

look at the stars.

Then my heart breaks

through these prison bars

of space and darkness

and finds what is true

Up past the stars

where I'm one with you.

- I like that image

of a heart breaking

through prison bars.

Can I feel it?

- Feel what?

- Your heart.

- Can you hear it?

- Yeah.

- Is it okay?

- Yeah.

- It should be

broken, shouldn't it?

- Shock can make you numb and...

- I don't feel numb.

I feel more alive

than I've ever felt.

I'm sorry, I shouldn't

have said that.

- Your mom would

have wanted you to be happy.

- Maybe you should go.

What?

- I need you to go.

I need you to go.

- Claudia-

- I said go.

Go!

Get out!

My mother said there

would come a time

when we would have to leave.

We talked about it for months.

About how we would be

light again, without pain.

But when the time

came, I couldn't do it.

I left her sinking

further and further

and further.

Tilly?

♪ And so what if

you were right ♪

♪ And it's too late

to make a change ♪

♪ Or you didn't even try ♪

♪ If you despair the morning ♪

♪ I will try to lift

our spirits higher ♪

- Shut up.

♪ Dim the lights so we

can unwind in disguise ♪

♪ Play the record, make me

move backwards in time ♪

We are

getting out of here.

♪ It's late at night

and I am blinded ♪

♪ With the city

lights in my eyes ♪

- Grace.

Hey,

there's a dog here.

Oh, hey,

what's your name buddy?

- Tilly, no.

- Tilly.

Aren't you a

beautiful girl, huh?

See?

I told you it was worth a look.

- Just take her out to the car.

I'll give the place

a bit of a once over.

- Okay.

Come on, come on.

- "Diving into concrete".

- Good girl.

What's that?

Signed copy

of one of her books.

Who's it addressed to?

- Why?

- 'Cause why would she keep

a signed copy of her own book?

- My darling, Claudia.

I love you more

than anything.

You are my world.

- Who's Claudia?

That could be a lead.

- So it's a murder

investigation now?

- We don't know!

- Where are you headed?

- I'm just going for a ride.

Tilly?

You know this dog?

- Yeah, yeah I've been

looking for her all morning.

Where'd you find her?

- Up at Veronica Fox's place.

Any idea what she'd

be doing there?

- Nah.

Nah, we're always finding

her in weird places.

- I've never seen a

dog up at your place.

- Well she's an inside

dog... and she's shy.

Tilly, hey, hey.

- Well she looks

happy to see you.

You should put an

address on that collar.

- I will.

Thanks for finding her.

Alright, let's go.

- Okay.

Careful on the road.

Stay away from the res.

- Yes.

Let's get you back

to your mama, okay?

She's gonna be beside herself.

Come on Tilly,

let's go, let's go.

Good girl!

I'm gonna race ya.

♪ Do you really want

to turn me away? ♪

♪ Do you really want

to tell me no? ♪

Claudia?

It's me.

- Oh Tilly.

Tilly.

Thank you.

- I saw the cops.

They're not coming back.

Please

don't leave again.

- I won't.

I won't.

Coffee.

- I never tried it.

- Me neither,

but I've always wanted to have

black coffee in the morning.

You know, one day I'm gonna

be one of those ladies

that sits on

her back porch

and reads the newspaper

and has her coffee

and just like sighs at

everything with total

satisfaction.

- I can see that.

You'd be wearing a long

dress and lots of jewels.

- Mm. Okay.

Cheers, darling.

That's disgusting.

- That's so gross.

Wait, wait, wait.

I know how to fix this.

Wait one sec, one sec, one sec.

So.

- What are those?

- We don't have any sugar

cubes or anything, but,

I've got these.

- What do they taste...

Mm, mm, yum.

Yeah.

- So fluffy, like clouds.

- Clouds.

- Like clouds, I know.

So good.

♪ Honey, now every

day is sunny ♪

♪ You put your hand in

mine and I know I'll be fine ♪

- Thank you.

♪ I pray that this

is gonna stick ♪

- I've been thinking that

maybe we could

redecorate your room.

- Why?

- You know, for a bit of colour.

I don't know, it feels weird

changing our room so soon.

- Our room?

- Yeah, mine and Mom's.

- Oh.

I wouldn't know how to do it.

Do what?

- Decorate.

Well, lucky you got me.

Okay.

Let's start

with the walls.

- Are we going to paint them?

- Better.

- Do you know all these people?

- I wish.

Here.

- What do we do with them?

- We're gonna stick

them on your walls.

These are your new

guardian angels.

The trick with collaging

is not to overthink it.

Just put 'em up wherever it

feels right and it can be messy.

It's Tavi Gevinson.

- What's she like?

- Clever.

That's Joan Didion and Beyonce.

Okay.

- I love it.

- Now the bed.

What are you doing?

- You'll see.

Go on, take your covers off.

- How many do we need?

- I don't know,

I guess it depends how

dark we want the dye to be.

- Not too dark.

- Hope it turns out to be

purple rather than blue.

Same.

- Well, whatever the colour is,

it'll be way better than white.

It's like

a cubby house.

Come in here.

Ow.

- Hey, you okay?

- Yeah, just

got a prickle.

- Let me see.

Better?

Mm mm.

Better?

♪ Oh, signs are lit ♪

♪ Down on Front Street ♪

♪ I see the women,

they're thinking ♪

♪ On the clock how

they wanna pack it up ♪

♪ They wanna

get in touch ♪

♪ They wanna leave ♪

♪ Oh, stop fever

dreaming nights ♪

♪ Too hot to get sleep ♪

♪ But it wouldn't

make any difference ♪

♪ Oh, oh oh, heatwave ♪

♪ Oh oh, again ♪

♪ Oh oh, heatwave ♪

♪ Oh oh, again ♪

- Are you eating your necklace?

- Yeah, try it.

It's good.

I've got bracelets too.

- Mm, so yummy.

- Beautiful.

- Why did you do that?

- All will be revealed

in about five minutes.

Hey, guess the flavour.

- Apple.

- Beginner's luck.

All right...

This one.

- Mm, I love this one.

Watermelon.

- You'll never guess this one.

It's really hard.

It's limited edition.

- Do you give up?

- No, no, I...

- Do you want a hint?

- Yeah.

I've never tasted if before.

- It's cola.

- Cola.

- Do you want another?

Okay.

- Strawberry?

It reminds me of

strawberry milk.

Do you think that someone's

going to come looking for you?

- No one really cares to do

that sort of thing with me.

Which is fine.

- Not even if you stay out late?

- Probably not.

- Not even if you

stay overnight?

Do you like it?

- I love it.

- I think I really like you.

- I think I really like you too.

I don't know what to do.

- Me neither.

- Maybe we can start

by breathing together.

Okay in...

And out.

In...

And out.

♪ My little darlin'

knows my nature ♪

♪ Oh my little darlin'

knows my mind ♪

♪ She has sheltered me

from it all the time ♪

♪ If left alone to

my own devices ♪

♪ I will tear at the carpet

I'll chew the blinds ♪

♪ A more feral specimen

you won't find ♪

♪ But every year I

am getting older ♪

♪ And I lose my good

looks, lose my charms ♪

♪ All I used to lure

you into my arms ♪

♪ Who could blame

you being cynical ♪

♪ You're right the

world it is a crypt ♪

♪ It's pitiless and cold ♪

- Wait, it's hard to

do it at the same time.

- I know.

Oh, Tilly!

Don't watch.

Come on, come on.

I'm so sorry, that's

so embarrassing.

- Don't look at me

from over there.

Come back.

- You are so beautiful.

♪ I never learned to

trust a love song ♪

♪ It was not because

the words were trite ♪

♪ But I felt the love

itself was trite ♪

♪ I will be your

witness if you be mine ♪

♪ I will be your

witness if you be mine ♪

♪ I will be your witness

if you be my wife ♪

Grace?

Gracie?

- Get in here.

What's this about a fucking dog?

Beautiful Claudia.

Now is the time to explore

who you really are.

Play, experiment,

be colourful and messy and free.

I'll be right here by your side.

♪ I would never leave

you broken hearted ♪

I purple promise.

♪ You'll never be alone,

no need to feel discarded ♪

Love G.

♪ As long as I'm alive,

I'll finish what I started ♪

♪ What I started ♪

- She's 16, Grace.

- What's your point?

What's your point?

- Hey!

- It's the law.

The law says that

if you're under 17,

then you're a kid.

- Yeah, but I'm

taking care of her.

- Grace, listen to me.

You cannot be

her guardian.

Please but I'm...

- It's only a year or so.

She'll be fine.

- This is bullshit.

- Get back in the house

Right now.

She's here.

I'll go get her.

- Claudia.

No, no.

Let me out, let me out!

My mother said to

hold on tight and not let go.

No matter what.

Never let go.

- Claudia!

Claudia, no!

- That's a good one, my darling.

Stay with me.

Everything that's been

hard and dark and heavy

is gonna go away

my darling girl.

Stay with me now.

Are you going to stay with me?

Stay with me, my darling.

- Claudia!

Claudia!

Claudia.

- What do we do?

- Hey, hey Claudia look at me.

Hey, look at me.

- Yeah?

- Look at me.

We're gonna be okay.

Okay?

I promise you.

We're gonna be okay.

You have to believe me.

Okay?

- Do you purple promise?

- I purple promise.

Breathe with me.

Breathe in,

and out.

Breathe in,

and out.

In... and out.

♪ Oh, signs are lit ♪

♪ Down on Front Street ♪

♪ I see the women

they're thinking ♪

♪ On the clock how

they wanna pack it up ♪

♪ They wanna

get in touch ♪

♪ They wanna leave ♪

♪ Oh, stop ♪

♪ I can't take no more,

this heat won't let me ♪

♪ Think straight

for even a minute ♪

♪ Oh, stop ♪

♪ Fever dreaming nights,

too hot to get sleep ♪

♪ But it wouldn't

make any difference ♪

♪ Oh, oh oh, heatwave ♪

♪ Oh oh, again ♪

My First Summer (2020) - full transcript