Parallel Sons (1995) - full transcript

(sirens)

(train passing)

(gentle music)

(dog barking)

(gun loading)

(mimicking shooting noise)

(children playing on street)

(gun bang)

(alarm clock buzzing)

(rap music)

- Hat off.



Don't forget your sister tonight.

Going down to Albany.

Pick up some new firing pins.

Need this Colt taken down
to the shop to get cleaned.

Tell Bud I'll be in later this afternoon.

(rap music)

- So three guys get in the elevator.

One of them says "Hit the floor".

Frank goes diving on the
floor of the elevator.

He looks up and it's Eddie Murphy.

- He was in those Beverly Hill cop movies.

- Yeah, well the guy meant

hit the floor, button.

Frank's on the floor, scared to death.



Hi Seth.

- Hey.

(rap music)

- Hey, I had to run an errand for my pop.

- Jesus Seth, I'm trying
to run a business here.

- Yeah I know and I'm sorry Francine.

- Oh honey, now I'm on your side

but you can't keep being late.

Breakfast is where my money is.

- Yeah, I promise-

- And he said, Louis what are you doing?

He says, Sheriff I am taking out to bury.

I said Louis, you don't bury a dead cow.

You eat a dead cow.

You take it to the butcher, he cuts it up,

he puts it in the freezer.
In the winter you come...

Hey Seth, how you doin'?

- How you doing sweetie?

- Fine Mrs. Mott.

- You know I haven't seen
you around the house lately.

- Yeah, you know I've been busy.

Work and all.

- Good, good.

- Kristen tells me you're still painting.

- Yeah, a little.

- You know Seth won that art competition.

When was that?

- Just about a year and a half ago.

- Anything ever come of that?

- Yeah well you know,

I've been looking at
schools down in the village.

That's New York.

- Yeah, yeah I know. I've been there.

- You know Kristen won't
stop talking about New York.

- So Peter let you go down there, huh?

- Uh, you folks want your eggs scrambled?

- Never even been to New York, have you?

- Everyone in this town in
fucking interchangeable.

- What about-

- Kyle?

- Yeah.

He was sort of different.

Seth, you really want those
types of people living here?

On your road, dating your little sister.

All this nigger shit.

You don't even know one do you?

I'm taking that department of
corrections test next week.

$22,000 a year. You
oughta take that test man.

Hey Kristen.

- Oh hey Marty.

Gee, what's up homey?

- Ah yeah girl. That purple shit is fat.

- So um, guess what?

- You and Marty getting hitched?

- No jerk.

No um, I got into NYU.

- Did you accept?

Congratulations.

- Thanks.

- So we should like party or something.

- Oh, definitely.

- Yeah, I'll pick you up after seven.

See ya.

(honking horn)

- So did you get food for dinner tonight?

- Yes Sally.

- How about the bread.

Did you get the good bread?

With the seed-y things on the outside?

And the maple sauce.
- Yes.

- Stuff without added sugar?

- Yo will you cut it with
the Betty Cocker shit.

So how was school today?

- It was fine.

- How you living girl?

- Large.
- Large.

- Karen Walker said today,

that when she went to the
Empire State building,

see it's real tall.

And she and her family
had to take an elevator

to get to the top.

And when she walked in the elevator-

- Honey, don't speak with your mouth full.

- A black man walked in
and said, hit the button.

And so her whole family-

- Hit the floor.

The line is hit the floor.

You know that's a stupid joke.

You shouldn't be telling that-

- Seth.

- Pop, um,

I was thinking about, you
know we talked last month.

About me going to school
in New York for painting?

- Community college at
Saranac is almost free.

You could stay here.

- Right well, I've been looking
into this financial aid and-

- Seth, what are you going to do

with a college degree in painting?

- Kristen got into NYU.

(sigh)

Well this financial aid.

This financial aid see-

- Means I gotta sign something that says

I can't support my family.

- No pop, it ain't like that.

- It ain't huh?

Let me tell you something Mr.

That governor we got,

let's my tax dollars get
sucked down that through way,

like a drainpipe opening into a sewer.

And people down there
sit on their lazy butts

and get rich off of my sweat.

- Pop it's not welfare.

Look I'll pay the money back myself.

- I can't even get you to
do the dishes around here.

No I am sorry, I will not take handouts.

- Jesus pop, why's everything got to be

such a pain in the ass with you?

- Excuse me, that language is not allowed

at my dinner table.

- Our dinner table pop.

There are two other people that live

in this fucking house with you.

- Sally, go to your room.

When you can learn to talk like an adult

then we'll have a conversation.

- Yeah I tried pop but you don't listen.

- Goodnight.

(rap music)

- Yeah I'm going down state this weekend.

- Oh what's going on down there?

- Oh my son Mike's
graduating from high school.

- Great, is he going to college?

- Nah, he's going to sit it out a year.

You know they gotta find themselves.

Can I help you with something Seth?

- Uh, no.

(police scanner)

- Aight, yo yo. What do you think?

- Wow that's me.

(laughing)

You know Sherry.?

This is weird.

When I was like like, um, I was like 14,

um I decided,

I wasn't going to shave my armpits.

(snorts)

- Mm-hm.

- Okay and so, she and
like all of her friends

they followed me around
for like two weeks.

With cans of rite guard.

(laughing)

They would like spray it
at me, like in my face.

And like I showered everyday you know?

But it didn't matter.

And you know like, the only
one in the entire grade

that stuck up for me was Kyle Turner.

He was great man.

He could like, make me
laugh so hard 'cause

like the way he used to
put up with Marty's shit.

He could be like so vicious.

- Yeah

- And I mean like, god, we
would like we would just talk

forever about, about just everything.

- Yeah.

Kyle was different.

Seems like, I don't know.

Like cared about people,
you know and things.

- Yeah, he was different.

Like that's why he hung himself
with his superman bedsheets.

You know like, I always thought that was,

so funny.

Like a kid his age with
superman bedsheets.

- No, shut up man.

They are my people.
- Oh.

- Yeah, when I was 13 the kids in school

used to call me nigger lips so.

(laughing)

- Oh come here.

I think that you have beautiful lips.

- Thanks.

(laughing)

- Come here.

Seth.

- Mm.

- Oh Seth.

- Oh Kristen.

- Do you remember the time when
we were in your mom's cabin?

We, you know.

You know?

- Yeah.

- Yeah, well.

Did you,

did you, you know?

Did you like it?

- Yeah it was all right.

Yeah.

- It was all right.

- All right.

- Get in, get in.

- Wow.

Yo man, I'm back in the crib.

- Sh, don't talk because
your dad's going to hear us.

- Fuck you pop.

- Come on. Come on.
- Fuck you pop.

- Sit, sit.

All right, all right. Ah.

Take your, uh, thing off.

- All right.

Get it off.

- Careful, you got it?

- Yeah I got it.

- All right.

Do you want me to,

here.

- Yeah.

Okay.

What are you doin'?

Don't try to take
advantage of me, all right.

- Don't try to take advantage of you?

- No.

- You having fun?

(kissing)

You are?

- Mm-hmm.

(kissing)

Yo man, what are you doing?

- What?

- What are you doing?

- I'm-

- Get off me.

Get off.

Fucking trying to touch me or shit?

Get the fuck out man.

Get out.

(yelling)
Get out man.

Get the fuck out, you fucking bitch.

(sobbing)

(creaking floorboard)

- Give me the money mother fucker.

Give me the mother fucking money

before I blow your
mother fucking head off.

Come on!

- Jesus.

- Got anything to eat in this shit hole?

- Cook went home.

- Oh yeah?

Back the fuck up. Back up.

- There's pie.

- Yeah, if you got. Yeah okay.

Give me some fucking pie.

Hey!

Don't fuck with me. Okay.

Slow.

(coughing)

(breathing heavily)

You see that?

The fuck you lookin' at?

Huh.

I will fuck you up.

(sirens)

You got a truck, right?

Huh?

- Oh man I think you need a doctor.

- Don't fucking come near me man.

Don't fucking come near me.

(indistinct)

(groaning)

Help me.

(gasping)

Don't touch me!

- Dear father we come to you broken

praying for your healing
powers to come down

and touch us and comfort us.

Lord we thank you for this food

which you've placed before us.

Amen.

- [Sally] Amen.

- Where were you last night?

- Stayed out at the cabin.

- Need some extra blankets out there?

- No.

No, thanks.

- Gotta get the laundry done today.

- Yeah, all right.

(coughing)

(horn honking)

(tapping)

- Where the fuck's my gun?

- Got rid of it.

It's gone.

- Where the fuck am I?

- So this is my mom's place.

She used to make maple syrup here.

- I need some penicillin or something.

- Nah, you've got a
fever. You need liquids.

- I need some fucking penicillin.

- Here you go.

- Get the fuck away from me man.

Fucking wolf.

That fucking nigger wannabe hair's shit.

- My name's Seth.

- I could kick the shit out
of your white ass. Seth.

You know that right?

If I had my fucking gun I'd shoot
your whole fucking family.

- [Seth's Dad] Thought you
were going to do a wash today?

- Nah, I didn't have a chance.

- [Seth's Dad] Picked up rhubarb pie.

(wheezing)

- Where the fuck you going?

Fever's trying to break.

- I know what my fucking
fever's trying to do.

(coughing)

- Look your body just
needs to go through this.

- My fucking body needs antibiotics.

- You're worse than my mom.

(coughing)

- Look I'm just going to
chill here tonight all right?

So you know, if you need
anything, just let me know.

(rap music)

Morning.

Think your fever broke.

How's your arm?

- Better.

I'm gonna need some clean bandages though.

How far away is Canada?

- Ugh, about an hour by car maybe.

I gotta go to work.

It's all right if you stay here.

- Thanks.

- So, this is all right?

- Yeah, I was going to town anyway.

- Yo, pops.

- Yup.

- About that night.

Um,

I'm sorry.

- S'ok.

- Jesus, I heard that
colored guy that escaped

he killed like three guys.

- Black Brooks a boot camp.
An early release program.

You can't go there if you killed someone.

- Right.

They make you go through all
that, who am I inside, shit.

So did you have any
problems the other night?

I found blood stains on the floor.

- Yeah, I cut myself.

- Kristen, I'm talking to you young lady.

- What dad, what?

- Look sweetheart, your
mother and I just want

what's best for you that's all.

- I'm not going okay?

- Why? Two weeks ago you
couldn't wait to get outta here.

Now you don't want to leave?

What the hell's going on?

This scholarship's an opportunity for you.

- No, it's not for me okay?

I'm not going.

- Does this have
something to do with Seth?

- No, it has nothing to do with Seth.

- Well then what is it?

Explain it to me, tell me.

Your mother and I are
losing sleep over this.

- Why don't you mind your
own fucking business?

- Kristen.

Kristen get back here.

- Yo Francine, I'm outty 5000.

- See you tomorrow Seth.

- All right.

- Seth.

Hello?

Hello.

- Yo, what are you doing in my house man?

- I was just looking around.

- Nah, this is my fucking room.

Wait.

Yo, where are you expecting to hide man?

- This ain't got nothing to do with you.

- Then why'd you hold me up?

- You think you know
everything about black folks,

don't you?

Don't fucking touch me man.

Look, why don't you just back the fuck up.

Why you sweatin' me, white boy?

I'll bust your ass.

Trick ass bitch.

- All right man.

I give in, be a nigger.

- Ah!

Just leave me alone, okay.

- What are you running away from?

Knowledge, that's your name isn't it?

- Hi, this is my truck.

You're that guy that escaped, aren't you?

It's okay. It's cool.

- Now, you're not going to
tell anyone about his, right?

- I told you, I promised.

- All right.

- Can I tell Judy Vanderstoff?

- No.

- Knowledge, do you have a family?

- Sally.

- Nah, I don't have a family.

- Careful, it's hot.

- Saw the pictures of your moms.

She's pretty.

- Yeah.

- That graffiti in your
room, you did that?

- Yeah.

- Shit is dope.

You an artist or something?

- No, not really.

I don't know, maybe someday.

- You look like one.

- You?

Nah, you know before
all that shit went down.

- I'm in college.

I want to be paramedic.

- Really?

- Yeah, in Brooklyn.

- That's New York.

- Sorta.

- You know when I think about New York,

I think about all these crazy ideas,

and people and things.

And no one gives you shit about it.

- People give you shit.

People are always giving you shit.

I look out here, all I see is all this

innocence and big skies and-

- Have you ever seen,

a cross burning?

Yeah, I have.

- Look man,

don't know what the fuck
you're talking about.

- Please, The Cosby's
were great role models?

- For who?

- Yo even my father
watched The Cosby show.

- Nobody lives like that in the city.

Not even the white folks.

Now Good Times.

- Haha, yeah, all right.

What, aint' we lucky we got it.

- I mean Good Times, right.

Now Good Times I always thought it had.

It said more for the
African American experience.

- Yo Kid Dynomite, African American?

- Yeah, yeah you know,
kinda like how you must

relate to Jethro, The Beverly Hillbillies.

- Aight. No, no don't even go there.

Don't even try it.

- I suppose you're going to ask me

if I know Al Sharpton now.

- Who?

- Get the fuck out.
- Ow.

(laughing)

- And James was real smart for 13.

Daddy wouldn't give in,

and I see steps up to him

and hits 'em right in the face.

Hard.

Boom.

Dropped that kid.

Ran like hell.

- And what'd you do?

- Nothing.

- Come on man, there's
something I want to show you.

You know it's funny but

I can't even remember what
her voice sounded like.

- I never knew my pops.

- Did he die?

- Disappeared.

Ran off or some shit.

Fuck 'em.

When I was little,

I used to pretend he was famous and shit.

He was gonna come rescue me.

But he never did.

How'd she die man?

- Cancer. It happened real quick.

(dog barking)

- Kristen?

Hey!

What are you doing here?

- Nothing.

- Where's Kristen?

- I don't know.

- Bull shit.

She didn't come home last
night and neither did you.

Your father told me.

Where is she?

- I don't know.

- Come here.

Up here.

I don't know what's
going on between you two.

But I don't you're the
reason she's passed up

that scholarship.

And I know you know where she is.

Now where is she?

- Sir, I swear I don't know.

Just came by to tell her I
was sorry about something.

- Here.

- Francine?

- Yeah, hun.

- You never went to college, did you?

- No, I didn't.

But I did spent two years
wandering around Europe

when I was about your age.

Your mom always told me I
learned more in two years

than she did in four.

- Why'd you come back here?

- 'Cause I wanted to.

- Why would anybody want to?

- Seth,

me and your mom came back
here 'cause we'd been away.

Your dad never has.

That's why there were
troubles between them.

Your mom, she was something else.

- I don't want to be here anymore.

- Then don't be.

- Kristen!

I thought I might find you here.

I ugh,

I remember how you used to like it here.

You know your parents are
going crazy looking for you.

You really shouldn't be out here alone.

- Have you seen Seth?

- I have something I want to show you.

It's okay.

That's that guy that they're looking for.

Who murdered all those
people in New York City.

I think Seth knows where he is.

I think,

something's wrong with Seth.

- Seth and I are getting married.

- Seth?

Who the hell are you?

- Where's Seth?

- He's at work.

Wait.

Hey, hey.

Hey.

- Don't hurt me.

- I won't.

- Please just let go.

- H-hey, who are you?

- No one.

- She'll come around Sid.

Kids that age just need space.

- Eh.

- When she was a little
girl she used to tell us

when the sky was blue.

And how you wouldn't
know we were her parents.

- I remember when you and
Pete were in high school,

you wanted to join the Navy.

Well your parents raised an awful stink.

- Told the recruiter we
were 19, weren't even 17.

(laughing)

- Yeah, my pa was so mad,

wouldn't speak to me for
the rest of my senior year.

- Hell mine packed my bags.

(laughing)

- I don't know,

seems to me you can't let
your kids run too wild.

I should talk.

But Seth,

Seth's a good kid.

Takes good care of his sister.

It's just a whole lot different
nowadays raising kids.

So many rules.

(country music)

- What about your pops man?

- Thursdays he hangs it
with his crew in town.

He won't be back 'til late.

Yo Sally, it's time to wash up.

- [Sally] Okay.

You better not be in my room.

- [Sally] I'm not.

- So mom and dad
(coughing)

get this poor frozen animal.

And they end up putting
it back in the boat

they go back to the car.

They end up driving like two
hours to get back down here.

And they end up putting it
in Francine's meat locker

for like five months,

next to the frozen hamburger
patties, I swear to god.

No, I know.

- You making this up man.

- No, I swear to god it
was, it was nasty man.

- Liar. I swear your lying.

- Can you pass the corn?

(indistinct)

- Um, Knowledge.

- Mm-hm.

- When you get out of jail,

can you come live here?

- I don't know.

- Hey, what are those?

- Nothing.
- Were you in my room?

- No.

- Hand them over.

- They're not yours anyway.

- Wh-what are those of?

- Nothing.

It's just a friend. That's all.

- Who's the little boy?

- Um, excuse me, all right.

- Sally?

- Yeah?

- I may be having to go
away for a little while,

on a trip.

And I don't want you
to tell daddy about it.

But um, I promise I'm going to be back,

soon.

- Are you going with Knowledge?

- Maybe?

Is that okay about dad?

- Yeah.

(rap music)

- Yo man, you're bugging dude.

- Yo man, come on.

Don't be such a Herb shit, you know?

Come on yo, you gotta loosen yourself up.

- Who you calling a Herb?

Huh, oh.

Oh, oh I'm black so I'm
supposed to be able to know how

to dance right?

- Hell yeah.

- Look, I know how to dance, aight.

I just, you know.

I ain't doin' it in front
of people, that's all.

- Come on, move your damn feet.

This shit is supposed to
be part of your culture.

You know that-
- Fuck off.

What the fuck you know about my culture?

- Wow, all right.

(laughing)

- All right, aight, aight.

Oh shit.

- You pushed me man.

I feel stupid.

- Well you look stupid.

Now move man.

Come on, aight.

Yeah, aight, aight.

Now the arms.

Now the arms, all right.

Yeah. Hahaha.

All right, here you go.

Boom.
- Boom.

(laughing)

- Got a girlfriend or something?

- No.

- Find that hard to believe.

- Yeah who, who is this guys again?

- Why you sweatin' me man?

His name is Tyrone.

Just a friend.

- Friend.

- I found this,

this tape in your living room.

- Yo this must have been my ma's.

(slow jazz music)

- I think that's Ron Carter on the bass.

- Wow.

- What?

- Nothing.

- It's beautiful.

When I was ugh,

13 there was this kid

who disappeared in the woods up here.

Wandered away from his family's camp.

No one could find him.

They tried for weeks.

Helicopters.

Infrared detectors.

Dogs.

You name it, they used it.

But they still couldn't find this kid.

And it was like,

all of a sudden this
place that people thought

was so beautiful,

turned into this monster
that could swallow you up.

And then, couple weeks later

my dad caught me foolin'
around with some friends.

This guy Marty

and this other guy Kyle.

He said it was real bad.

He said that if I was
ever bad like that again

something like what happened to that kid

c-could happen to me.

- Yeah.

Yeah.

In my hood right,

if you're black and you're a fag

you're just a fag.

I met Tyrone in high school.

A few years ago.

He used to intimidate everybody man.

Except me.

We swore, you know, that
we'd never tell nobody.

Because we were just scared, you know?

They got these um,

they got these counselors

over at Black Brook.

They just,

they just want to know
everything about you, you know?

They want to know who you are

and who you were and...

They just want to break
a nigger, you know?

And I didn't give them nothin'.

I'm not giving my shit to nobody.

I'm going to go back to the cabin.

- No, no.

No.

You can sleep here.

You know it's just,

I'm not really used to it.

- What about your pops man?

- Nah, he won't

he won't come in here.

He hates it in here.

- Night Seth.

(knocking)

- Doris.

Kristen are you okay?

Sweetheart, what is it?

(phone ringing)

- Pop.

Sally?

Hello?

Hello.

- How many more cases do we need?

- Two oughta do it.

Carlson's Gun Shop.

Oh hey Sid.

She did?

Good.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Jesus.

Uh no I-

No, Sally didn't say anything.

Yeah, he should be there.

Yeah, I know he overslept.

I'll be right there, thanks.

(register dinging)

- What are you doing?

- What?

- I mean with the money idiot.

What are you doing with
all the fucking money?

- He's paying the bakery guy out back.

That fucking okay with you Marty?

- Yeah.

Sure.

Sheriff was by looking for you.

- I'll keep Sid here as long as I can.

It needs gas.

- All right, we gotta go.

Now.

- What's wrong?

- They found out about you man.

- Fuck.

- All right, aight aight aight.

Ugh, it's going to take about
two days to get to Canada.

We're going to have to
go through the mountains.

Look I know the trails,
man we can do this.

Come on.
- You want to try for Canada?

- Look we don't have any time, aight.

I'm gonna throw this shit in the car.

- Hey Seth.

- Hey Sid, what's up?

- Wanna tell me what's going on?

- I borrowed Francine's car.

We're having trouble with the
water pump in the back again.

- Pump again.

- Yeah.

- Where is he Seth?

- Who, where's who?

- The kid who escaped Black Brook.

I know he's here, Kristen told me.

- You have a warrant?

- You've been watching
too much television.

Your father said I could come in.

- He took off this morning.

- Well then you won't mind
if I take a look around.

- I'm sorry.
- Seth.

- I can't do that, no.
- What do you mean you can't?

What's going on?

- Please, just leave.

- Knowledge Johnson,

wanna turn around and put
your hands behind your head.

(loads gun)

Jesus Christ.

- Damn Seth.

- Now, leave.

- Seth, put that thing down.

- Look I don't want to hurt you all right.

So just take your gun out
and throw it over there.

- Look I already called the state police-

- Do what I say.
- Your father's-

I'm not going to throw down my gun.

You know how long I've known this boy?

I watched you grow up.

I watched you nurse your sick mother.

What are you doing?

Come on, give me the gun.

Come on-
(gun shot)

- My god.

What are you fucking stupid?

- Yo make a left up at that barn.

Yo, turn here.

- Where?

- Here man.

- Where? Where?
- Here, turn here.

- This is not happening to me.

Ah!

What do you want to do now, huh man?

Hmm?

- All right, wait.

We can,

we can push the car off
the side of the road

and the trail head's not far so.

- All right fine, let's do it.

- Oh.

- What was that little boys name?

- Malik.

Mean's king.

He would have loved it up here man.

- He's dead isn't he?

It's faster down than up man.

- All right man, I'm down.

Throw the shit down.

- All right.

- Yo, be careful man.

- Yo man, I'm not from Brooklyn.

I know what a tree is.

Knowledge.

Ah.

- Seth!

- OW.

(indistinct)

- Is it this?

Okay.

Don't move, just stay there a second.

All right.

Hold on.

All right, come on.

- All right, wait.
- Use that leg.

- Wait, all right.

- I got you.

I got you kid.

- All right, all right.
- I got you.

Put your arm on me.

There you go.

- Okay.

- Shoot.

You all right?
- Yeah, yeah. I got it.

I got it.

- Shit.

- Who's the man.

Who's the fucking man, huh?

All right.

Just rest.

Just heal it up.

You're all right.

It's over.

- I had a dream you got killed.

Someone had a gun and you got in the way.

- How you feelin'?

- Cold.

- You don't know what it was
like in my neighborhood man.

I hated myself so much.

Tyrone told me I should get a gun,

to protect me and mine's you know?

When I came home that night,

cops were already there.

They were like waiting for me.

And they had this little
white sheet draped over him.

Blood just, just came through.

Malik,

he was my son.

Malik, he was my little boy.

- I killed someone.

- It was an accident.

- No it doesn't matter man.

- Sh.

- You see those two peaks?

- Yeah.

- That's the border man.

- Come on let's go.

(dogs barking)

- Hold it.

You release my boy now.

- Dad.

- You know who you shot
back there, dontcha?

- No, Knowledge didn't do anything dad.

I did it.

- Seth, we can work something out.

Tell them this fellow put you up to it.

- Sir the gun down.
- Seth.

- Put the gun down right now.

Put the gun down now.

Put the gun down, sir.

Put the gun down.

(gun shot)

(coughing)

- Shh, shh.

Everything's going to be
all right man. Just, sh.

(helicopter overhead)

Hey, he's fucking dying down here.

- Get him.
- Hands up.

(sirens)
- Get 'em on, get 'em on.

- I got 'em.

- Seth.

- Come on.

- Seth!
- Come one.

- Seth!

- Let's go.

- Seth!

Seth!

- Team here now.

We need EMT and we need it now.

Right away.

- Why can't I see him?

Seth.

Seth.

(siren)

(somber music)

(rap music)