The Silencing (2020) - full transcript

That's mine.

Well, I saw it first, shithead.

Well, actually,
the deer's mine.

And you two shitheads
are trespassing.

Come on, Rayburn.

You ain't going to miss
one buck.

It's a goddamn zoo
around here.

Well, that's the point.

This is a sanctuary,
you dumbshit.

Now, put down your rifles.

Okay.



Rayburn Swanson
is a goddamn tree hugger.

Who'd have thought?

Well, people change.

No, they don't.

You can pick up
your guns later.

Don't let me catch you
here again, all right?

Don't suppose you boys
could give me a jump?

Hey, Thor.

How you doing, huh?
Are you tired?

Any more activity?

Weren't you supposed
to do the dishes?

A defunct paper
mill on Sawbill Reservation

is now ground zero
for the war on drugs.

The locals call it
the Factory.



Sawbill Nation unanimously
voted last night

to condemn the old paper mill
next month.

Karl Blackhawk
is with the tribal police

and has been working
diligently...

Where'd you find him this time?

Over at the Factory.

Attracts trouble
from all sides, Alice.

Trying to clean that place up,
but... losing battle, I guess.

He's got blood on him.

What happened?

According to him, nothin'.

Just tripped.

Any trouble around town
last night?

Don't recall a time
there wasn't, Alice.

Anything involving him?

Not that I know of.

But I wouldn't, uh...

I wouldn't bet on it.

Thanks, Karl.
I'll take him home.

Mm-hm.

I can't keep doing you favors,
Alice.

Sooner or later your brother's
gonna get caught up in something

you won't be able
to get him out of.

Come on. Get out.

What were you doing in that
place last night, Brooks?

None of your business.

You still taking your meds?

Every day.

Can you...?

Can you stop that, please?

Whose blood is that
on your shirt?

Mostly mine.

Sam Moonblood
beat the shit out of me.

What? Why?

A woman.

Why don't you take
the back roads?

What woman, Brooks?

You have any idea
what Moonblood does?

Whatever it is, it's outside
of my jurisdiction.

Him and that creepy fuck Olsen,
they push it all.

Drugs. Gambling.

Whoring.

Were you paying for sex?

Nah.

She wasn't a hooker.

Can you just turn around
and take a different way home?

- No, I need to go this way.
- I don't want to go this way.

I gotta go this way,
I gotta do something.

I don't want to go this
fucking way! Just turn around!

Oh, shit, I...

Shit, I'm sorry, Brooks. I...

I wasn't thinking.

Still think you're cut out
for this?

Don't think I forgot
what day it is.

I'm gonna come by
the motel later.

I'm not sure I'll be around.

Well, I'm gonna
come by anyway.

Unit one-three-one.

Go for one-three-one.

We've got a possible homicide
out on Buck Lake.

Ten-four. I'm on my way.

Oh, shit.

Hey, kids.

Thank you for having us,
Mr. Swanson.

This is a real treat
for the students.

Well, my pleasure, ma'am.

Are you intoxicated?

Don't worry,
the kids won't notice.

Welcome to the Gwen Swanson
Wildlife Sanctuary.

Now, who knows
what a sanctuary is?

No one?

Well, it's a place where no
trapping or hunting's allowed.

A safe haven for animals.

You see this area here?

Look, almost 50 square miles.

That's my sanctuary.

My dad said you've killed
more animals than anyone.

Used some real nasty traps too.

Done my share.
like everyone else around here.

But I stopped all that.

Why?

My daughter didn't like it.

So now, instead of trapping
animals for their fur,

I use humane traps
to catch the problem ones,

and then I release them here,

where they can live
without human threat.

Now, every now and then I...

I do snare kids...

...when they talk out of turn.

Can you turn her over?

The body was dumped
postmortem in the water,

probably a good week ago.

What do you think this about?

Well, I'm not sure,
but I'll make a note.

Get forensics up here.

Sheriff!

You think whoever killed her
was hunting her for sport?

I wouldn't call that a sport,
but, yeah.

She was hunted.

Somebody get a saw
and cut this out.

Jesus. You pregnant?

Aren't you a bit old
for that?

Still have no manners,
huh, Rayburn?

Still got no personality,
eh, Blackhawk?

Got something to talk to you
about.

Well, you better
come inside then.

Not you.

I missed you.
Oh, I missed you.

I don't suppose
you and Blackhawk came here

to pass out cigars.

Uh...

Karl and me want to hold
a funeral for Gwen.

You know, five years
is a long time, Ray.

I don't want to do this
without you.

She's my daughter too.

I know.

I got a say in this,
and I say no.

Ray, don't make this harder.

Well, you can't replace Gwen
with Blackhawk's fuckin' baby.

Hey!
That's not fair.

You think you're the only one
who misses her?

After everything that's
happened, you're still drinking?

Oh, shut up.

It's just a formality.

Just sign it and the court'll issue
an official death certificate.

Listen, we bought a plot,
and it's a really nice place.

Funeral's in two weeks.

Come in.

Wasn't easy,
but we got it out.

You know, there's plenty
of people happy you're sheriff.

You can't please everybody.

Thanks, Hansen.

This just in, breaking news.

We're here at a crime scene
by Buckridge and Echo Falls.

Looks like there is a body
of a young woman here,

and the identity
has not been revealed.

We're trying to get some
interviews with the police,

but it looks like they're
getting ready to move the body.

We'll update you more live

as information
becomes available.

For now, back to you.

You didn't have
to get me anything.

Mm. It's not much.

Where'd you find this?

It was in the storage box
in the attic.

Dad looks so young.

We should, um...

we should talk about what
happened to you in the barn.

No.

I should have adopted you
when Mom and Dad died.

I should have taken you
to Chicago with me.

You didn't know nothin'
about raising a kid.

Yeah, well, I knew more
than those fucking people.

Hey, Alice?

Yeah?

If I messed up and did something
bad, what would you do?

What are you talking about?

If I fucked up and did something
stupid, would you help me out?

Sheriff?

Hold on a sec, all right?

I'm Rayburn Swanson.

I know who you are.
What do you want?

I was told at the station
I could find you here.

I need to see that girl.
She could be my daughter.

I'm kind of in the middle
of something...

Please.

All right, well, we'll finish
this when I get back, okay?

Well?

No.

No.

Fuck.

I saw your brother earlier.

Someone sure did
a number on him.

Hope he didn't give you
any trouble.

I got to be honest,
he has some bad habits.

Some? Jesus Christ.

You know what gets me the most?
Those knuckles.

- Those knuckles fuckin' kill me.
- Yeah.

That and he went through
a six-pack while I examined him.

Just? It's usually a case.

Oh. Doctor,

do you know much about Rayburn?

Do you have kids?

No.

Then you can't begin to imagine
what he's gone through.

Can I join you?

Sure.

Hey, Pete.

Hey, Alice. Long time.

I remember hearing about the
disappearance of your daughter.

Things like that didn't happen
around here.

Yeah, the world's
a shitty place.

It can be.

Well, it was for that girl
you found today.

I've only been sheriff
a couple of months.

I'm still catching up
on active cases.

Yeah, my daughter's case
is far from active.

My training is very different
from the officers around here.

Yeah, I heard.
What do you want?

A chance to prove...

The chance of solving
a missing persons case

after 48 hours is almost zero.

What do you think the chances
are after five goddamn years?

Or didn't they teach you that
in your fancy college?

I'm going to take a leak.

You gonna be here
when I come back?

- You need me to be?
- Not really.

Don't hesitate to call, Rayburn.

- I'm here to help.
- I don't got a phone.

Quiet, Thor.

You ain't getting shit unless
I see something in those...

What the hell?

Thor.

Son of a bitch.

I know you're there, pal.

Just want to talk,
that's all.

This is a sanctuary.

You can't hunt here.

Don't be getting stupid.

Come on.

Oh...

Okay, asshole.

What were you tracking?

Whatever it is,
I'm innocent.

Oh, there's nothing innocent
about you, Jim.

Your parents
would be proud.

Thanks.

You have a minute?

Sure.

You hear about that girl

they found dead
in the boundary waters?

Yeah, you betcha.
Horrible thing.

Was she really hunted,
like the papers said?

What do you think he used?

World's oldest weapon
delivery system.

It's called an atlatl.

Developed over
30,000 years ago.

And people still use these
for hunting?

Maybe some real die-hards,
but it ain't legal.

Clearly you're not
a suspect.

Hold your horses.

A well-made atlatl
can deliver a spear

over 100 miles an hour.

- Jesus.
- Ain't no toy.

It was designed to kill.

Do any members
use an atlatl?

- Not that I know of.
- Where could you buy one?

Well, you're not going to find
it at Walmart, that's for sure.

There's a local fella
you could probably start with.

Sam Moonblood's his name.

Hangs at the Factory
over in Sawbill.

Makes 'em... and he sells 'em.

Thanks.

Careful, Alice,
when you pay him a visit.

He's not too friendly
to your kind.

Women? Or cops?

Both.

Hey.

Yo, bitch! What you want?

You lost...

or looking for your brother?

I have some questions.

That badge don't mean shit
out here, lady.

Is Sam Moonblood around?

He's probably huntin'.

Oh, yeah? Whereabouts?

Shut your cock-hole, Patty.

Does Sam Moonblood use atlatls
when he hunts?

What are you getting at?

We hear things out here too,
you know.

Sam's a lot of things...

but he ain't a killer.

You tell Sam Moonblood
I'm looking for him.

Fucking dick.

Oh, shit.

Moonblood has a place
over in Sawbill.

You'll find him there.

Thank you, Patty.

Look after yourself.

What the...

Hey. Hey.

Hey.

Hold on, hold on,
hold on, hold on, hold on.

Hey, hey, I'm not
gonna hurt you.

I'm not gonna
hurt you, okay?

Listen to me, okay?

Let me help you.

I want to help you.

Okay?

Let me show you.

Please.

It's gonna be a lot warmer
down there out of the wind.

We don't go down there,
we'll freeze.

Please.

Nothing bad's gonna happen.

Here.

Hold this.

Shit.

Goddamn it.

Oh, come on.

No, no, no, no, no.

Oh, no, you got
to be kid...

Oh, no. Shit!

My whiskey.

My ex-wife used to call me
abrasive.

I think I understand
what she meant now.

I'm sorry.

This is a pitfall.

For trapping animals.

This is a real
nasty way to go.

There's a few of these
old traps around,

but I don't use 'em anymore.

Okay...

I'm just going
to put these on you, okay?

Okay, there you go.

Can you talk?

No.

My name's Rayburn.

M...

O...

Molly. Molly.

It's nice to know you, Molly.

Do you know
who that man is?

No?

Try and get
some sleep, okay?

We got a long walk
tomorrow.

It's going to be okay.

Sam Moonblood?

- Freeze!
- Whoa, easy!

It's me, Alice.

Holy shit.

Followed you
and called you in.

Jesus Christ.
Breaking and entering?

It was an urgent matter.

Yeah, well, you need
a warrant, Sheriff.

Probable cause.

Moonblood's tracks
are all over this.

We know that the suspect
used an atlatl,

and he has atlatls
in his fucking basement,

and the spearhead
has an MB on it.

And no one knows
where the hell he is.

Does your brother
own an atlatl?

Young girl missing.

Now, the mother hangs out
at the Factory.

Said she got in an altercation
a few nights back with a man

she named Brooks.

- What are you trying to say?
- He was getting handsy with her.

He wouldn't leave,
so Sam Moonblood tossed him out.

My brother would never
kidnap a young girl.

We never know as much
as we think we do, Alice.

Now, I know your brother
went through some hard times

after your parents passed...

There's nothing wrong
with my brother.

- Then bring him in.
- Are you forgetting who the sheriff is?

There is no sheriff here.

This is Sawbill nation.

We make quite a pair, kid.

My place is southwest of here,

probably six miles.

Hey. Hey, it's me.

Brooks?

I need a break.

It's not much further.

I need a drink.

I bet your mom and dad
will be real happy to see you.

I lost my daughter too.

On my watch.

You know what?
You might...

maybe...

yeah.

Open it.

You recognize her?

Let's go.

Sheriff, copy a call.

My brothers are complaining

Rayburn Swanson confiscated
their rifles.

Can you go check it out?

Take a seat.

Let me get you some water.

Thor?

Who are you?

Who are you?

Rayburn?

Rayburn,
it's Sheriff Gustafson.

I'm here about
those guns you took.

Do you have a moment to talk?

Put your gun down!

I said put your gun down!

- No, no, no, no, no, no, no!
- Put your gun down, goddamn it!

- He's still here. He's here!
- What have you done?

- What have you done?
- What? No, no, no, no, no!

- What have you done?
- Sheriff! Behind you, behind you!

Drop your weapon!

Drop your weapon
and get on your knees!

Now!

Do it now!

- Oh, my God.
- Put your hands on your head, now!

Sheriff.

This man,
he hunted this girl.

You got to be careful.

Sheriff.

Sheriff.

Oh! Oh!

Go, Brooks.

Go home.

Rayburn?

Help!

Hello? Hello?

This is dispatch.
Identify, please.

I need an ambulance at
Rayburn Swanson's immediately.

A girl is hurt real bad.

Rayburn Swanson's.

Karl.

Ray?

What happened?

It's Gustafson.

She fucking shot me.

What? Why?

She's protecting Brooks.

He did it.

We need to get you
to a hospital.

No, no, no.
They'll be looking for me.

I need checkpoints on every road
in and out of this county.

- You hear me?
- Yes. She's coming with you.

What the fuck have I done?

All units, all units.

Be on the lookout
for Rayburn Swanson.

It's okay, just hold on.

No.

Hold on,
we're going to be there soon.

Hang in there, buddy.

I'm sorry.

What?

You're not too old...

to be a mother again.

You deserve it.

I'm sorry I wasn't
a better father.

Just stop. It's okay.

And, Karl,
you're a good man.

You're just saying that because
you think you're dying.

Don't worry, we can go back
to hating each other

after you're all stitched up.

Thanks for coming, Doctor.
I appreciate it.

- Where is he?
- He's over here.

Jesus.

It's the best I could do, doc.

Okay, this is it.

He's here.
This is Dr. Boone.

We met at the morgue.

I hope you don't plan
on taking me there, Doc.

What in the hell
did you get yourself into?

I came across
the wrong kind of man.

Or woman, I guess.

He needs a hospital,
not a fucking RV.

I have emergency supplies,
including blood bags.

Please?

We have no choice, Doc.

I'll see what I can do.

I need some space.

Okay. Yeah.

Okay.

He'll be okay,
all right?

Okay.

Do me a favor,

go back to the car
and lock the doors, okay?

Be careful.

Yeah, this is Blackhawk.

I need backup
at the Factory right now.

Hey.

Can I get some?

Brooks!

Hey, come here!

Brooks! Hey!

Brooks!

Brooks! Stop!

Get back
or I'll fucking kill him.

- Okay. Stay calm.
- Move the cars or I'll kill him.

Hey, take it easy, Brooks.
Let's just think this thing through here.

This isn't just my fault, okay?

I didn't start any of it!

Hey, I understand.

But you have the power
to put an end to this.

So why don't you just put that
down and we'll talk, okay?

Brooks, we're just trying to help
Rayburn here. He's seriously hurt.

You can help him
when we're on the road, okay?

Just move the cars...

Come here.

Put your hands
behind your back.

Hey, hey, hey. Easy. Easy.

Did they find Rayburn?

Your brother's
been arrested.

Hey.

- Where is he?
- Take it easy.

I want to talk to him.

Where is he?

Did you shoot
Rayburn Swanson?

That is an ongoing investigation
in my county.

It has nothing
to do with you.

I want to talk to my fucking
brother, goddamn it.

No. This is not
your county, Alice.

Now, your brother
wants to come clean.

Says he has something
to show us.

Over there.

Shit.

Call a paramedic.

- Who is he?
- Sam Moonblood.

After the altercation
at the Factory,

your brother jumped him
in the parking lot.

Been keeping him here
ever since.

Brooks says he doesn't know
anything about Molly Johnson.

I believe him.

Several eyewitnesses place him
at the Factory

around the same time you
and Rayburn had your encounter.

So whoever was out there
with you, it ain't Brooks.

I'm going to recommend
you be placed on leave

while you're investigated.

We got pics of this already.

I'm sorry, Alice.

I got angry.

But I had nothing
to do with those girls.

Hey.

You know I came back for you?

You know that, right?

Better go, Alice.

Rayburn didn't kill
those girls.

Well,
thanks for saving my life.

I think
you saved mine too.

They got him, right?

What?

Karl says it wasn't Brooks.

He says the timelines
don't match.

Sheriff,
we got a call from Sawbill Reservation.

Blackhawk wants to see you
at the Factory ASAP.

Over and out.

Funny, Rayburn changed
his story.

Said that it was the suspect
that must have shot him.

We all make mistakes.

Yeah.

Let me do the talking, okay?

We got one lead.

Whoever this guy is likely
bought an atlatl from you.

I'm not the only one in America
who makes atlatls.

Who you been selling to
in the past year or so?

Can't be too many.

Look...

I'm really sorry about what
my brother did to you, okay?

He's going to get
what's coming to him.

But right now, there's someone
out there killing teenage girls,

and we need you to talk to us.

I don't got names.

Only faces.

I don't keep receipts,

'cause nobody
returns my atlatls.

Now, if you got mug shots,
maybe I can help you,

but if not,
you're shit out of luck.

That's a good spear.

It's made from pine.

I only use birch.

I don't mark my spears.

I'm sorry, I can't help you.

Thanks for your time.

Can't go one day, Dad?

I'm just going
to get a beer.

Jesus, you're like
your mom.

Should I be like you?

I'll be right back, okay?

I'm going to start walking.

Don't be stupid.

Whiskey.

She's gonna be okay?

We're just
gonna keep an eye on her.

Thank you.

Hi, Molly.

We're going to get you
all better, I promise.

No, I'm just here
to settle my debt.

Hey!

Can I help you?

No.

Nice truck.

I need to see
the autopsy report.

Sorry to bother you.

Yeah?

Is your son home?

No one here but me.

Well, it's just...

last week this guy helped
jump-start my truck.

I could've sworn this was
the truck he was driving.

Just wanted to thank him.

- Sorry about that.
- Oh.

That would've been
my neighbor.

He uses it sometimes.

Lives up the hill there.

Well, thank you, sir.

You betcha.

Dr. Boone left for the day,
but if you'd like to follow me,

the autopsy report
should be in his office.

Great.

This can't be the file.

It has none
of the photo evidence in it.

Oh, I'll keep looking.

Yeah, there have to be more.

Who's this?

Dr. Boone's daughter,
Melissa.

Melissa.

I didn't know
he had a daughter.

Yeah, she was hit
by a drunk driver

and left alone
in the forest to die.

Poor girl.

Melissa.

Melissa Boone.

Open it.

Go upstairs.

Hansen, with me.

Call the paramedics.

Jesus Christ.

We got the APB out on Boone.

You okay?

I have to talk to Rayburn.

Go.

Rayburn?

Rayburn.

I know who took Gwen.

Rayburn.

Rayburn.

Why?

Why Gwen?

I was a good father.

You were a drunk.

She would've grown
into a fuckup,

just like you.

A drain on everyone.

I only took the ones
that no one would miss.

Rayburn, stop! Don't do it.

Please.

This man needs to die
for what he did to my daughter.

Rayburn, don't do this.

Don't do this.

Let me take him in.

Let him rot in jail.

You want to talk to me
about right and wrong, Sheriff?

Now you can either walk away,
or you can shoot me again,

but this ends now.

Get up, get up.

Goddamn it, Rayburn!

I covered this trap years ago.

Realized I didn't like
killing animals.

Rayburn, please.

I'll make an exception for you.

You're going to let me die
like some animal?

No.

I would never leave
an animal suffering.

Now we're even, Sheriff.

In local news,

authorities are still searching

for suspected serial killer
Dr. John Boone,

whose last known whereabouts...

Don't worry, we'll get
this piece of shit.