The Russian Doll (2018) - full transcript
A young Russian Bride comes to America and becomes stuck in a nightmarish marriage.
(eerie music)
(mysterious chirping)
- Did you have a nice nap?
- Yes.
- Are you excited to be here?
- I am.
(gentle Russian music)
- [Irina] My name is
Irina, and I'm from Russia.
I'm 25 years old and have come
to America for a better life.
Since I was a child, I've
dream of living here,
and being a part of this country,
but the only one way I could come here
was to marry an American man.
He seems nice to me, and wants to give me
the best life possible.
He's a little older than
me, but I think it's a price
I'm willing to pay to come to America.
I love my country, but it's
so hard to survive there.
In America, I feel that any
dream I have is possible.
I feel like I can be
anything I want to be.
I had a friend who also married
an American and came here,
but I never heard from her again.
She's probably busy
living her wonderful life.
Maybe I can see her again someday.
(gentle Russian music)
(knocking)
- Who are you talking to?
- [Irina] I'm just telling my
parents I've arrived safely.
- Oh, well, let's go and have a toast.
(cicadas singing)
(birds chirping)
- [Husband] Isn't the
view beautiful up here?
There's just something
about the country air
that just makes you forget
about everything else.
I guess that's why I moved out here,
to get away from everyone and anything.
Well, here's to us.
(glasses clink)
(meat tearing and utensils clanking)
(water running)
(foreboding music)
- I'm sorry but, I don't
think I'm ready for that
right now.
I need some time.
- Okay.
You know we're married, right?
- I know, I just still need some time to
adjust to everything.
- Fine, okay.
Good night.
(wind chimes clinking)
(birds chirping)
- Ahh.
My doctor tells me this is the best way
to stay sane.
He says each one of us has
a glass jar in our head,
and we get too stressed
or upset, it fills up,
and when it spills over
our brain overheats,
and our mind does weird things,
and our mind can go in a
million different directions,
if you let it.
Breakfast?
(fly buzzing)
(birds chirping)
I thought that we should
get some basic rules
of the house out of the way, first,
so there's no confusion?
First, the house needs
to be cleaned daily.
My sister comes every week.
You are to assist her.
Second, unless I am with you,
you are not to leave the house.
And, you only have 10 minutes
a week to call your family.
I know you miss your family,
but it's important for you
to adjust to life here.
Lastly, we are to read from the bible,
every night before we go to bed.
We should not have any problems
if you follow these rules.
We'll get along just fine.
Do you have any questions?
(fly buzzing)
(hand slams on table)
(sweeping)
I'm going to the store to
get a few items for dinner.
If anybody knocks, do not open the door.
(foreboding music)
(door creaking)
(items rustling)
(lid creaking)
(intense music)
(music box music)
(car parking)
(intense music)
- What were you doin' up there?
I thought I told you to get
the kitchen ready for dinner?
- Sorry I was just looking for the vacuum.
- Get the kitchen ready.
(foreboding music)
- Now I don't know what
religion you grew up in,
but in this house,
we believe in the Lord
Savior Jesus Christ.
Now open up that bible,
and read me some passages
from Ephesians 5:22 to 5:33.
- Wives, submit yourselves
unto your own husbands
as unto the Lord for the
husband is the head of the wife
even as Christ is the head of the church,
and he's the savior of the body.
Therefore as the church
is subject unto Christ,
so will the wives be to
their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your
wives even as Christ has
loved the church and gave himself for it
that he might sanctify
and cleanse it with the
washing of water by the word.
- You see it's in the
bible that a women should
always submit herself to the man.
It says they should submit everything.
A true man of the
household provides his wife
with all she needs and more.
It's only common sense that the wife
do everything that she can in her power
to return the favor to the man.
Do you understand what
I'm getting at here?
Ephesians 6:5, slaves
obey your earthly masters
with fear and trembling
and a sincere heart.
I think we should make love
and celebrate our marriage.
- I'm sorry but I don't.
- Listen god dammit,
I didn't spent $20,000
to fly you over here so
you could look all pretty
all fucking day.
You're my wife.
You better start acting like it,
or things are gonna get
really ugly, really fast.
(heavy breathing)
(eerie music)
(door creaking)
(snoring)
(stairs creaking)
(eerie music)
(screeching music)
- Well.
There's the little Russian princess, hm.
Finally awake.
I'm David's sister, Ruth.
It's good to meet you.
So you came all the way
here from Russia, huh?
I mean what could possibly
be so good here that you just
drop everything at home and run over here?
- Well I'm just looking for
a better life for myself
because things in Russia--
- Just, yeah but, coming
here, to be with a
crusty, 60 year old man?
I mean, I met my husband
when I was in my 30's
and I still needed a bottle
of wine to get through it all.
- Yeah, he's a little older
but he's kind and sweet to me.
- My brother?
No, he's a loser.
And he knows it.
That's why his last Russian
princess ran away from him.
- She run away from him?
- Well yeah.
Split town, never to be
heard from or seen again.
My poor brother.
He was heartbroken for months.
- Are you certain she ran away from him?
- Well, yeah.
Unless maybe she's buried
out back somewhere.
(laughs nervously)
Oh come on, let's go upstairs
and do some cleaning.
It'll be, actually, really
nice, to have a extra
set of hands around here.
You're gonna wanna take that off.
Come on.
Upstairs.
Well, I guess I must feel kinda weird,
being the replacement, huh?
- What do you mean?
- A few months ago she was here,
and he was crazy in love with her and,
and now you're here, like a spare tire.
Oh look.
I believe this was her brush.
You can still see the
little hairs in it.
Hm.
You know, I know she's gone,
but sometimes I feel her.
This room, in particular.
She spent many nights in
here when she first moved in.
(foreboding music)
I don't think she was adjusting
as well as she imagined she would.
Just drove my brother insane.
Yeah, the first two weeks were the worst.
I mean they fought constantly.
And add that to the
communications barrier.
It wasn't good.
- What happened after two weeks?
- Well, that's when things
really got interesting,
'cause the girl just shut down.
She wouldn't speak, she
wouldn't eat, nothing.
It drove my brother insane.
As you may have guessed, he
kind of has a short temper.
So, next thing I know I was coming over
and my brother said he needed some help
clearing out her stuff.
Because that was the really strange thing.
She didn't take a single one
of her belongings with her.
I have an idea.
Come on, sit down.
You know, if you want my advice
about this marriage of yours,
you wanna keep things together,
I would suggest you give
the man what he wants.
I mean, it could be ten miserable minutes.
Five, if you're lucky,
but just close your eyes and
think of something beautiful,
like a lake, or a beach, hm?
It's a small price to
pay for a better life.
Well, I better get going.
I'll see you later, hopefully.
As long as you don't disappear, too.
- So I see you met my
sister while I was away.
- Yes, she seems like a kind woman.
- She's nice.
She just likes to get in my personal life.
Sometimes the people
with the most problems
try to offer the most advice.
- She told me about your ex wife.
- What exactly did she say?
- She said you had a
previous Russian wife,
and you two didn't get along together.
(sighs)
- That's in the past.
I'd like it to stay there.
We didn't get along,
we had our differences,
and that doesn't matter now,
because now it's just you and I.
- She told me she ran away,
and she didn't even get her things.
Is that true?
- Yeah, that's about right.
Anyway, let's us, ah,
that's enough about her.
Let's toast to our
wonderful, beautiful, future.
Cheers.
(glasses clink)
I'll be right back.
(intense music)
(screaming)
(eerie music)
(screaming)
(eerie music)
(chopping)
(water running)
(eerie music)
You know you had a lot
to drink last night?
You damn well drank half the bottle.
I had to drag you to bed.
Mm.
You know what?
(eerie music drowning out talking)
What?
I mean, what is it?
(birds chirping and wind chimes clinking)
(toy squeaking)
(balloon squeaking)
- You're a disgusting human being.
You make me sick.
(eerie music)
(foreboding music)
(simmering)
(wine pouring)
(fizzing)
(footsteps)
I want to say I'm sorry
for how I've been acting
these past days.
Things were really difficult for me,
but I start to feel
comfortable around you,
and I think things can work out well.
So tonight I would like to cook a
special Russian dinner for you,
and we can celebrate our
new beginning together.
- That'd be very nice.
My god, this looks amazing.
You surprise me.
They're very special ways.
- Let's have toast.
To a better life and new beginnings.
(foreboding music)
- I have got a special bottle of wine,
just for this occasion.
Hold on a minute.
(eerie music)
(wine splashing)
- Does the name Natalia
sound familiar to you?
She was my friend.
(evil music)
(music box music)
- I try and take you in,
give you a better life,
and this is how you repay me?
You try and kill me?
I don't understand why,
I try to give a woman
everything that she
wants and a better life,
and they always back stab me, every time!
Oh, okay, so you tried to stab me, okay.
I'm gonna do you one better.
I'm gonna chop you up so fine,
that they'll never know you disappeared.
Just like your friend,
and the woman before her.
You know where they are right now?
They're at the bottom of the lake
being eaten by the fishes,
and you're about to join them!
(intense music)
(slicing)
- Ah.
(ripping)
(slicing)
(evil music)
(knocking)
(wind chimes clinking)
(birds chirping)
(gentle Russian music)
(mysterious chirping)
- Did you have a nice nap?
- Yes.
- Are you excited to be here?
- I am.
(gentle Russian music)
- [Irina] My name is
Irina, and I'm from Russia.
I'm 25 years old and have come
to America for a better life.
Since I was a child, I've
dream of living here,
and being a part of this country,
but the only one way I could come here
was to marry an American man.
He seems nice to me, and wants to give me
the best life possible.
He's a little older than
me, but I think it's a price
I'm willing to pay to come to America.
I love my country, but it's
so hard to survive there.
In America, I feel that any
dream I have is possible.
I feel like I can be
anything I want to be.
I had a friend who also married
an American and came here,
but I never heard from her again.
She's probably busy
living her wonderful life.
Maybe I can see her again someday.
(gentle Russian music)
(knocking)
- Who are you talking to?
- [Irina] I'm just telling my
parents I've arrived safely.
- Oh, well, let's go and have a toast.
(cicadas singing)
(birds chirping)
- [Husband] Isn't the
view beautiful up here?
There's just something
about the country air
that just makes you forget
about everything else.
I guess that's why I moved out here,
to get away from everyone and anything.
Well, here's to us.
(glasses clink)
(meat tearing and utensils clanking)
(water running)
(foreboding music)
- I'm sorry but, I don't
think I'm ready for that
right now.
I need some time.
- Okay.
You know we're married, right?
- I know, I just still need some time to
adjust to everything.
- Fine, okay.
Good night.
(wind chimes clinking)
(birds chirping)
- Ahh.
My doctor tells me this is the best way
to stay sane.
He says each one of us has
a glass jar in our head,
and we get too stressed
or upset, it fills up,
and when it spills over
our brain overheats,
and our mind does weird things,
and our mind can go in a
million different directions,
if you let it.
Breakfast?
(fly buzzing)
(birds chirping)
I thought that we should
get some basic rules
of the house out of the way, first,
so there's no confusion?
First, the house needs
to be cleaned daily.
My sister comes every week.
You are to assist her.
Second, unless I am with you,
you are not to leave the house.
And, you only have 10 minutes
a week to call your family.
I know you miss your family,
but it's important for you
to adjust to life here.
Lastly, we are to read from the bible,
every night before we go to bed.
We should not have any problems
if you follow these rules.
We'll get along just fine.
Do you have any questions?
(fly buzzing)
(hand slams on table)
(sweeping)
I'm going to the store to
get a few items for dinner.
If anybody knocks, do not open the door.
(foreboding music)
(door creaking)
(items rustling)
(lid creaking)
(intense music)
(music box music)
(car parking)
(intense music)
- What were you doin' up there?
I thought I told you to get
the kitchen ready for dinner?
- Sorry I was just looking for the vacuum.
- Get the kitchen ready.
(foreboding music)
- Now I don't know what
religion you grew up in,
but in this house,
we believe in the Lord
Savior Jesus Christ.
Now open up that bible,
and read me some passages
from Ephesians 5:22 to 5:33.
- Wives, submit yourselves
unto your own husbands
as unto the Lord for the
husband is the head of the wife
even as Christ is the head of the church,
and he's the savior of the body.
Therefore as the church
is subject unto Christ,
so will the wives be to
their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your
wives even as Christ has
loved the church and gave himself for it
that he might sanctify
and cleanse it with the
washing of water by the word.
- You see it's in the
bible that a women should
always submit herself to the man.
It says they should submit everything.
A true man of the
household provides his wife
with all she needs and more.
It's only common sense that the wife
do everything that she can in her power
to return the favor to the man.
Do you understand what
I'm getting at here?
Ephesians 6:5, slaves
obey your earthly masters
with fear and trembling
and a sincere heart.
I think we should make love
and celebrate our marriage.
- I'm sorry but I don't.
- Listen god dammit,
I didn't spent $20,000
to fly you over here so
you could look all pretty
all fucking day.
You're my wife.
You better start acting like it,
or things are gonna get
really ugly, really fast.
(heavy breathing)
(eerie music)
(door creaking)
(snoring)
(stairs creaking)
(eerie music)
(screeching music)
- Well.
There's the little Russian princess, hm.
Finally awake.
I'm David's sister, Ruth.
It's good to meet you.
So you came all the way
here from Russia, huh?
I mean what could possibly
be so good here that you just
drop everything at home and run over here?
- Well I'm just looking for
a better life for myself
because things in Russia--
- Just, yeah but, coming
here, to be with a
crusty, 60 year old man?
I mean, I met my husband
when I was in my 30's
and I still needed a bottle
of wine to get through it all.
- Yeah, he's a little older
but he's kind and sweet to me.
- My brother?
No, he's a loser.
And he knows it.
That's why his last Russian
princess ran away from him.
- She run away from him?
- Well yeah.
Split town, never to be
heard from or seen again.
My poor brother.
He was heartbroken for months.
- Are you certain she ran away from him?
- Well, yeah.
Unless maybe she's buried
out back somewhere.
(laughs nervously)
Oh come on, let's go upstairs
and do some cleaning.
It'll be, actually, really
nice, to have a extra
set of hands around here.
You're gonna wanna take that off.
Come on.
Upstairs.
Well, I guess I must feel kinda weird,
being the replacement, huh?
- What do you mean?
- A few months ago she was here,
and he was crazy in love with her and,
and now you're here, like a spare tire.
Oh look.
I believe this was her brush.
You can still see the
little hairs in it.
Hm.
You know, I know she's gone,
but sometimes I feel her.
This room, in particular.
She spent many nights in
here when she first moved in.
(foreboding music)
I don't think she was adjusting
as well as she imagined she would.
Just drove my brother insane.
Yeah, the first two weeks were the worst.
I mean they fought constantly.
And add that to the
communications barrier.
It wasn't good.
- What happened after two weeks?
- Well, that's when things
really got interesting,
'cause the girl just shut down.
She wouldn't speak, she
wouldn't eat, nothing.
It drove my brother insane.
As you may have guessed, he
kind of has a short temper.
So, next thing I know I was coming over
and my brother said he needed some help
clearing out her stuff.
Because that was the really strange thing.
She didn't take a single one
of her belongings with her.
I have an idea.
Come on, sit down.
You know, if you want my advice
about this marriage of yours,
you wanna keep things together,
I would suggest you give
the man what he wants.
I mean, it could be ten miserable minutes.
Five, if you're lucky,
but just close your eyes and
think of something beautiful,
like a lake, or a beach, hm?
It's a small price to
pay for a better life.
Well, I better get going.
I'll see you later, hopefully.
As long as you don't disappear, too.
- So I see you met my
sister while I was away.
- Yes, she seems like a kind woman.
- She's nice.
She just likes to get in my personal life.
Sometimes the people
with the most problems
try to offer the most advice.
- She told me about your ex wife.
- What exactly did she say?
- She said you had a
previous Russian wife,
and you two didn't get along together.
(sighs)
- That's in the past.
I'd like it to stay there.
We didn't get along,
we had our differences,
and that doesn't matter now,
because now it's just you and I.
- She told me she ran away,
and she didn't even get her things.
Is that true?
- Yeah, that's about right.
Anyway, let's us, ah,
that's enough about her.
Let's toast to our
wonderful, beautiful, future.
Cheers.
(glasses clink)
I'll be right back.
(intense music)
(screaming)
(eerie music)
(screaming)
(eerie music)
(chopping)
(water running)
(eerie music)
You know you had a lot
to drink last night?
You damn well drank half the bottle.
I had to drag you to bed.
Mm.
You know what?
(eerie music drowning out talking)
What?
I mean, what is it?
(birds chirping and wind chimes clinking)
(toy squeaking)
(balloon squeaking)
- You're a disgusting human being.
You make me sick.
(eerie music)
(foreboding music)
(simmering)
(wine pouring)
(fizzing)
(footsteps)
I want to say I'm sorry
for how I've been acting
these past days.
Things were really difficult for me,
but I start to feel
comfortable around you,
and I think things can work out well.
So tonight I would like to cook a
special Russian dinner for you,
and we can celebrate our
new beginning together.
- That'd be very nice.
My god, this looks amazing.
You surprise me.
They're very special ways.
- Let's have toast.
To a better life and new beginnings.
(foreboding music)
- I have got a special bottle of wine,
just for this occasion.
Hold on a minute.
(eerie music)
(wine splashing)
- Does the name Natalia
sound familiar to you?
She was my friend.
(evil music)
(music box music)
- I try and take you in,
give you a better life,
and this is how you repay me?
You try and kill me?
I don't understand why,
I try to give a woman
everything that she
wants and a better life,
and they always back stab me, every time!
Oh, okay, so you tried to stab me, okay.
I'm gonna do you one better.
I'm gonna chop you up so fine,
that they'll never know you disappeared.
Just like your friend,
and the woman before her.
You know where they are right now?
They're at the bottom of the lake
being eaten by the fishes,
and you're about to join them!
(intense music)
(slicing)
- Ah.
(ripping)
(slicing)
(evil music)
(knocking)
(wind chimes clinking)
(birds chirping)
(gentle Russian music)