Them That Follow (2019) - full transcript

There you are.

Hey.

You gonna tell me what
we're doing out here?

Come on.

All right.

- Oh.
- Wow.

There's even more
than last time.

Are you sure we're
supposed to be sneaking up

on a nest like this?

It's a maternity den,
the rocks keep them warm.

Helping their babies grow.



They're so beautiful.

You're beautiful.

Mara, I hate doing
this, you know.

Hush up and smile, Dilly.

Hey, we're looking
for a ride to town.

Come here, Bo, come here, Bo.

Hey, how are you?

I'm fine.

Hi, Sister Slaughter.

Pastor know you're here?

We'll be quick.

It oughta be around
here somewhere.

Oh, got it.

You all right?



Yeah.

Just getting ready for tomorrow.

Is that all you're looking for?

We should get some of these too.

These too.

You girls gonna
be late for worship.

You walk here?

Yeah, but it ain't so far.

I'll give you a
lift, I'm closing up.

We got a dog outside.

I'll meet you in the lot.

Can't believe the party's
tomorrow, are you excited?

Yeah.

'Course I am.

He's late.

We don't mind the wait.

Hey, y'all get in
trouble with my ma?

Hey Augie.

Come on, girl.

Here, let me hold your purse.

I missed you.

Hey.

So you been good?

Yeah, you?

All right, I guess.

All right, scooch in.

- Ready?
- Mmhmm.

Here, careful.

Do you some good
to join us today.

Thanks, Ma, but I'm
already pretty full up today.

That right?

Any more I'd just
be plain greedy.

Mara!
Come on, we're gonna be late.

- Amen.
- Jesus said,

go ye into the world and preach.

- Welcome sisters.
- The gospel.

- Amen, amen, amen.
- Amen?

Amen.

He said, those that believeth
in me and are baptized

- shall be saved, amen?
- Amen.

But those that believeth
not shall be damned,

- shall be damned!
- Amen, amen!

Hallelujah.

These signs shall follow
them that flee in my name,

in my name, shall
they cast out devils.

- Amen!
- They shall speak

- with new tongues, amen?
- Amen.

- They shall take up serpents.
- Amen!

- They shall take up serpents.
- Amen.

And if they drink
any deadly thing,

- it shall not hurt them, amen?
- Amen!

- And so what happened?
- That little one got bit

on the neck.

Family prayed all night, but
he couldn't fight off the venom

and once he passed, the law
was up there in no time.

Hmm, I see.

And since the deceased
was still a minor,

it ain't gonna stop
with him neither.

They out for blood.

Sorry, Daddy, there was a
bit more cleaning tonight.

It's all right, Garret
and I just having a moment.

You hungry?

Yes sir.

- Well, let's go eat, then.
- All right.

7:30.

All right.

Hey, Big weekend ahead of you?

All of us.

Yes sir.

Well, I'll go rest
these old bones.

He's a good man, you try not
to keep him on hold too long.

No, Daddy.

You kids get some rest now.

Yes sir, just got to clean up.

Mara?

I just wanted to say...

Well, I never thought
I'd have this, you know,

a girl like you, taking me on.

But here you are.

You're a beauty, Mara,
not just talking about

that pretty face of yours.

Sometimes I worry you
might think too much of me,

Garret.

It's just the
God's honest truth.

Thank you, Garret.

Well.

I better head out.

Night, then.

Oh loving and kind God
have mercy, have pity on me

and take away the awful
stain of my transgressions.

Oh wash me, cleanse
me from this guilt.

Let me be pure again.

For I admit my shameful deed,
it haunts me day and night,

create in me a new clean heart
filled with clean thoughts

and right desires,
don't toss me aside.

Banished forever
from your presence.

Or take your Holy
Spirit from me.

But restore to me the
joy of your salvation

and make me willing to obey you.

You all twisted up about Garret?

Nerves ain't a sin, you hear me?

Now you just follow the
spirit as close as you can,

he'll guide your path.

'Cause the devil's gonna
do his damnedest to ruin

the goods you got
coming your way.

Hey girl!

How you doing?

How you doing, sweet thing?

Hmm?

Come to help?

Bye.

Sorry, Mara, I
thought there was more.

It's all right.

Still no word from your mama?

I'm sorry, Dilly.

Let's not talk
about her, not today.

Okay.

All right.

Better hustle up, then,
see what these old hens

have in the store for us.

All righty.

- Two colic babies?
- She wouldn't feed them

her milk, you ask me.

And that Casey Jay.

Curse on her poor
mama, that girl.

All right now, a
proposal's been made.

And as sisters of this
community, we are charged

with a serious business,
an important decision.

Figuring what kind of
woman you hope to be

and finding the man who's
gonna help you do it.

Think Connie Ray missed
that point last time around.

All right, hush up.

Harold ain't so bad.

So we'll spend the rest of
the morning making the quilt

and by sundown, Mara's mind
must be made on Garret Booner.

Oh, it's the young 'uns
you got to keep a watch for.

They barely bit me,
still took my thumb.

Holy Ghost shine through
me more than once.

No doubt about that.

What about that boy you raised?

All right.

Let's get after it, then.

Last spring
there was some down here.

You hear that?

Hiding in those rocks,
who knows how many?

Well, I ain't gonna let you
leave here emptyhanded. Go on.

Now remember, we
respect the serpent

but we do not cower to it.

Go on, son.

So this is where you ran off to.

Needed a minute, I guess.

Can't seem to rid
myself of the damn things.

My only vice.

But we all got our
sins, don't we?

You know, I lived a whole
lifetime before I found this place

For years I was lost, wasn't
anybody looking for me.

But that's what it's
like off this mountain.

Buncha dumb sheep, just
wandering in the dark.

And that's when Zeke found
me and brought me here.

- He found you a shepherd.
- Mhmm.

'Cause who you choose, girl,
chooses your whole life.

Guess that's why I'm circling.

'Cause when the devil creeps
in, shrinking you down,

taking your love, you need
someone to see the truth

even when you don't.

Well, I'll leave you to it.

Augie?

You shouldn't be here.

Don't, Mara.

Don't what?

Don't talk to me
like I'm someone else.

I'm sorry, I just don't
know why you're doing this.

Making it harder.

Making what harder?

Mara.

You used to say we was
like the wind, 'member?

No beginning, and no end.

I know.

But things were never
supposed to get this far.

And they can't go any further.

I mean, we're never
gonna make any sense.

We are the only thing
that makes any sense

in this goddamn place.

What's keeping us apart
ain't even real, your daddy,

his religion, it's got
nothing to do with us.

It's not just
his, it's mine too.

I've got the same spirit in
me, why don't you see that?

I'm the only one
who does see it, okay?

I know who you are, Mara.

You don't know anything.

Shoot, Mara, you got to hurry.

I'll hurry, don't worry.

Still want me to
braid your hair?

Yeah.

All right, come sit.

So you made up
your mind, did you?

You gonna braid my hair
or stick your nose in?

Fine.

Well, I mean, he'll
probably treat you nice.

Garret's a good man.

He hears the spirit in a way
that I can't even, you know?

Mmhmm.

I just thought...

What?

Maybe you didn't like him much.

I like Garret.

Maybe it's just time that
I grew up and choose a life

for myself, and it ain't
just a matter of choosing

for this life, is it?

And you should think
about that too.

Braid's done.

I'll be downstairs.

Your mama's dress.

My, you look just like her.

Could hardly believe it fit.

But you ain't her.

The Holy Ghost never
saw you as a stranger.

Now go and take that off.

- Praise God today, amen?
- Amen.

Well, I'm not gonna
preach much today.

I just wanted to say a few
words about my daughter.

The Lord...

He tested her at a very
early age, taking her mama.

But Mara has turned
into a fine girl.

And a good man, a Holy Ghost
man, has asked for her hand.

So then, you settled on it?

My answer is yes.

Hey Augie.

You ain't at the
party with everyone?

Just tired, that's all.

Yeah, ain't much of
a dancing mood either.

Come on, I can drop you.

All right, thanks.

We're hooked up off the
edge of the pastor's lot.

Oh, well ain't that
something to hear.

There's a lot more
to him, you know.

If you just let
yourself find out.

Why don't you just shoot
where you're aiming, Dilly?

Just be nice to
see you at worship.

Yeah.

Mara?

Your dad and I are heading out.

They must have
been waiting for us.

Just let 'em pass.

God's on our side,
boy, remember that.

Mara?

Mara?

What?

There's trouble at the church.

What is it?

Wait, what are you doing?

You coming?

They walked into our
house, into God's house,

and they took the very
thing that allows us

to show our devotion to
him, our love for him.

And why?

Because they don't
understand it.

Because they look down on it.

Because they look down on
it, they look down on you!

On you and you and you!

But our struggle is not
against flesh and blood.

It's not against the man
who stands in our path.

Our struggle is against the
devil that put him there, amen?

Amen.

But our God, our
God is a conqueror

and our belief in him
is a sword against those

that would undo us, amen?

Amen.

And this mountain?

This mountain is our shield.

Excuse me.

Your hands aren't meant for
driving, you know that.

I got scared you was in
trouble like last time.

Garret wouldn't allow it.

He said the serpents were his.

How long will they keep him?

I can't say.

He's gonna lose his job at
the weld, that's for sure.

Come on, let's go home.

Morning, Dilly.

Pastor.

Is everything all right?

Everything's fine, Dilly,
just came to check in on you,

that's all.

Oh.

Jolene still gone?

Yeah, gone for
about a month now.

Dishes been spoiling
for a while.

Yeah, for too long.

Yes, sir.

But that ain't on you,
girl, do you understand me?

And you ain't got to
drown in it no more

and you gonna stay
with us from now on.

A child ain't meant to be
separated from her blood,

but your mama...

She made her choice
a long time ago.

Now you got a choice
you got to make.

She can't be a part
of you no more.

Well, what if she comes back?

Well, then she'll come
back to an empty house

'cause there ain't gonna
be nothing here for her.

You understand me?

Yeah.

All right, then,
I'll leave you girls to it.

Hey, can I ask you something?

Mmhmm?

It's just...

My ma never told me much.

About what?

Well...

You know what happens before
a wedding can take place?

I'm supposed to see Sister
Slaughter, that's all I know.

Oh.

Did you hurt yourself?

Garret, you're back.

I didn't expect you so soon.

Even a week in
jail's hard on a man.

I'm afraid the troubles
ain't over yet.

Tell me if I hurt you?

They came for us before.

They tore up the church,
took Daddy in the middle

of the sermon.

I don't know how
long he was gone.

I was little, so
a while I guess.

Must've been scary.

Garret.

What you did for the
church, for Daddy...

Thank you.

I did it for you, Mara.

You must know that.

Now I love your daddy
and the church, well,

the church gave me a new
life, you know, it drove

the demons from my heart.

But it is you that
keeps 'em gone.

Ain't never laid eyes
on something so pure.

I would do anything to
keep you, Mara, anything.

Jesus shed blood for us.

For our healing.

He died on that cross to
break the devil's power.

Now the devil, the devil,
the devil, the devil.

The devil has made home
in this little boy,

in this little child of God

- but the Lord can save him.
- That's right.

- Oh yes he can.
- That's right, that's right.

Now we must not be deceived

by the lies of the
material world.

The Lord is the only medicine
that this boy needs, amen?

Amen.

Look at me, son.

I say out, sickness, I say get
out, get out, get out, devil,

get out, you have no place
here, let the Holy Ghost

shine through, heavenly
father, shine through him,

Clean his heart, Clean his
lungs, get out...

Get out, get out, get out!

Mara, you'll see Sister
Slaughter first thing

in the morning, you hear me?

Yes sir.

All right, stand up then.

Go on, lay back.

Why?

There's a process has
to happen before a wedding

can take place.

We all had to go
through it, come on.

Okay, hold yourself there now.

You can sit up.

Leave us?

Does Garret know?

I suppose your daddy
didn't neither.

No.

Best keep it that way for now.

Thank you, oh Lord,
for this bounty.

May it nourish our bodies as
you have nourished our souls.

In Jesus name, amen.

- Amen.
- Amen.

Mmm, mmm.

That's good.

What's rustling you, girl?

You all right?

Think I'll turn in.

You know how females are,
always getting riled up

about something.

Damn, this is good, Dilly.

Just wait til
you try the sweet potatoes.

That's where I'm headed.

Mmm.

Hey.

Hey.

Hey!

Hey.

Didn't mean to interrupt.

No.

Everything okay?

Everything's just
so mixed up right now

and I'm trying to see it and
I'm trying to see his plan,

what I'm meant for,
but I can't see it.

- Hey, hey, hey.
- I can't see anything.

It's all right, come here,
it's all right, it's okay.

I'm sorry.

Mara, Mara, don't.

I think you should
just go, okay?

I don't understand.

Look, I'm trying real
hard to do what you asked.

Just walk away?

I got a place down in Leedsburg.

Lined up a job.

You're leaving?

Yeah.

I mean, there's nothing
left for me here.

I better let you
get back to it, then.

Maybe I'll see
you before you go.

Yeah.

Okay.

You been messing around
with the pastor's daughter?

What?

No, Mama, I got to go.

She's pregnant.

What?

You tell me, is that
your baby, August?

My God.

You could burn for this.

Just leave God out of
this for once, Ma, please.

You'll be punished in
this life and the next.

Stop!

God'll have another
man raising up your own,

claiming yours for his.

Don't say that!

You have to repent, you
have to beg for forgiveness

or he will deny you as
you have denied him.

Okay, you have to make
this right, August, please.

You have to.

Hey.

Hey.

I'll take one of those too.

Of course.

Thank you.

You know, I took a walk
in nature this morning,

my property, and I just
looked and I listened.

He calls to us, the
Holy Ghost does,

whispering in voices in
the wind, in the rain,

in the serpent's rattle.

But if you get quiet,
you can hear him.

Can you hear him?

I do.

I do.

Why, the Lord calls a
child of our church home.

Come on up here, Augie, come
on up here, he is calling.

Are you ready to submit
yourself before the Holy Ghost?

Yes, I am.

Hallelujah.

Praise Jesus,
hallelujah, praise God.

Thank you, Jesus.

Holy Ghost.

Praise be to God.

Thank you Jesus.

Praise be, thank you, Jesus.

- Hallelujah.
- Thank you, Jesus.

Okay.

It burns, oh, God,
it burns, it burns so bad.

Okay, let's see
how bad it got you.

Please, I need a
doctor, please, please.

A doctor ain't gonna
do nothing for you, son.

Only an honest faith is gonna
get you through this, Augie,

an honest faith and
your belief in him.

He's asking you to
believe in him, son.

Believe in him.

Ma, Ma, please, please.

Please.

You listen to your Pastor, boy.

You have to save your
breath for your prayers.

You're being tested.

We're all being tested.

Come.

Jesus, we pray
that you'll hold him

and you'll surround him and
he's loved, in this moment.

Came to see if
you needed anything.

No, darling, just prayers.

And rest, best we go
downstairs and give it to him.

The Lord said when there
are two or more gathered

in my name, there
will I be also.

Let us lift up our dear
Augie with a song of our Lord

Jesus Christ, help him beat
the devil that is cutting

like acid through his veins.

You remember, the devil made
a home in this young child,

young Jed's lungs, and the
prayers had cast him out?

Those were your prayers that
saved this innocent child

and the Lord will
hear our call again.

He will join in our song.

Let the prayer of the faithful
raise the one who is sick

and the Lord will heal
him, in Jesus name, amen.

Amen.

He's gonna be fine.

Just cut a little
too deep, is all.

Better stitch him up quick.

We got clean rags.

Can't keep still.

All right.

I can do it.

Um, is he gonna be okay?

Hush now, girl,
let's let them do this

with a little privacy.

You as good as lied to me.

Let me thinking Garret was
the daddy of that baby.

I couldn't find my
way to the truth of it.

Well, God's
punishing you both now.

Mara's still tending to him?

Well, we all got to do our part.

Think she's done
more than enough now Lemuel.

We're a community, son,
and he needs her help.

Poor boy was asking
to go to the hospital.

He goes to town, the
law'll be here in no time.

It'll be for you.

Well, then pray,
and quiet your heart

because mine ain't even
whispering.

Mara.

Mara.

I've got to tell the
others you're awake.

You have to help me.

I have to tell
the others you're awake.

No, no, don't,
stay, listen, listen,

I need a hospital, please, I
ain't gonna make it otherwise.

Don't say that.

The Holy Ghost called to you
in the night and you heard him.

He called to you, you heard him.

- No.
- He ain't gonna abandon you.

Listen to me.

I didn't hear the
Holy Ghost, okay?

I never have.

Mara, I did it for you.

Mara, I will die here, you
have to help me, please.

Please.

I think you better rest, okay?

And if you won't
pray, then I will.

Okay, okay, okay, then
can you at least just

do it here with me?

What in Christ...

What are you up to, girl?

- Get off me.
- You tell me.

Take your goddamn hands off her.

- Get off me.
- You tell me,

what are you up to, you tell me.

That's enough, boy!

Devil's at work here,
poisoning her, poisoning you.

Now you take yourself
home, girl too.

Come on.

Go.

You will stay away
from him and that house.

Mara?

What are you doing?

Just listening to the wind.

I made you a plate
if you're hungry.

Thanks, Dilly.

Mara?

Where are you going?

Looking in on Augie.

You coming?

Oh, you're gonna
be the death of me.

- Yeah, I'm coming.
- Hurry.

Do you hear that?

Morning, Pastor.

I ain't got business
with you, Dilly.

Get in the car, Mara.

Thought he'd find his
way out of it by now.

I'm so sorry.

Sorry?

My boy's still fighting,
what are you sorry for?

I...

It's...

It's just sad seeing
Augie this way.

Go on, finish your prayers.

This ain't gonna
end well for you, son.

She'll settle down
after the wedding.

Not if you don't
start acting like a man.

Teach her to be a wife,
it ain't my place to.

That's God's law,
that ain't mine.

Mara?

Better get the soaking tub.

Mara?

Go on.

There are limits to what
I'll let you do to me, Garret.

This is our fault, Zeke.

We let him slip away.

Just sat here.

Waiting by as the devil
hisself crept into his heart.

And now we're gonna lose him,
we're gonna lose our boy.

He ain't gonna make it
through another night.

Not with that arm, he ain't.

Zeke, what are you saying?

I'm saying we ain't
gonna stand by no more.

But it ain't supposed
to be up to us no more.

The spirit must run his course.

God took your thumb,
wasn't your daddy.

He would've if he had to.

Dilly, how is he?

He's got that look on
him, same as the rest.

No, he made it
through the first night.

You best say your goodbyes.

I know you two was close.

I'm sorry.

This is my fault.

Not his, I'm the
one that should be punished.

Hey.

Loving somebody
ain't a sin, Mara.

It's all right.

You don't understand.

What?

I got his baby in me.

Oh no.

Oh.

Mara.

Would y'all go get him?

Tonight ain't the night
for that kind of behavior.

I'll go get him.

Garret.

Hey, there you are.

The Pastor send
you to get me or...

Do you just love me?

Please, Garret, stop,
what are you doing?

Stop acting like that.

Oh.

Okay, Dilly Pickett telling
me how to act.

Okay.

This ain't about me.

Mmhmm.

I came to talk to you.

Go on.

What important thing
do you have to tell me?

Um...

Go on, little bird.

It's about Mara.

What about Mara?

I'm worried that
she's losing herself.

She ain't listening
to the spirit no more.

What makes you think that?

Because of Augie.

Better go on, tell me.

Matthew seven tells us to
ask and it shall be given.

Heavenly father, I am asking
you to reach your strong hands

inside this young man's
heart to be his strength

in his time of need.

You trying to make
a fool of me, huh?

No.

Everything that I got, mmhmm,

everything that I am, I
fucking gave to you, Mara.

All of it.

I loved you, Mara.

I loved you more than anything.

Christ, I still do.

But it is killing me.

You're killing me.

You understand that?

- I'm sorry...
- Beauty, oh?

Why'd you lie, huh, why'd
you say that you loved me?

I didn't.

Whoa, whoa, hey.

What'd you say?

You're hurting me.

What did you say?

Garret, you're hurting me.

Garret, Garret!

What in God's name?

You don't understand,
just let me, let me...

Lemuel, she's a whore, Lemuel.

Hey, wait a minute, no, no,
hey, hey, just wait a minute,

no, hey, hey.

You get outta here right now.

No, you can't put this on me.

Go or I swear to
God I'll bury you.

Don't put this on me, Lemuel.

That's not my baby in her.

Daddy.

It's time to get clean, girl.

Harold got more from the vet.

Tell the boys we're ready.

Satan seduced Eve.

So that he could
pollute all mankind.

Woman is the first sinner
and she must be cleansed.

Come on, girl, come
on and get clean.

All right, let her get
cleaned, let her get cleaned.

By the serpent we'll purify you.

By the serpent
we'll cleanse you.

The serpent will cleanse you.

Hold him down.

Augie, I'm here, I'm here, boy.

The Lord has forgiven you.

The Lord has heard your prayers.

He has forgiven you, Mara.

Augie needs help, and not
the kind that we can give him.

Hey.

You walk out that door,
you don't come back.

You understand me?

Bye, Daddy.

Mara, Mara?

What are you doing, girl?

I came for Augie.

He needs a doctor.

What he needs is to find
his faith and God'll answer.

He won't, not Augie, he's
not like us, he never was.

I won't hear this, what you're
saying'll put my boy under,

bury him so deep Jesus
himself won't find him.

Hope.

We ain't got no more time.

He'll be gone before sunup.

That's enough.

No, it ain't, honey.

We ain't got no more time.

You told me that I needed
to find someone who sees me

like you see each other,
through and through.

That's Augie for me.

And I aim to be that for him.

And I ain't gonna
let him down anymore.

He asked me to take
him off this mountain.

That's what I'm
gonna do, you hear?

I hear you.

Come on, keys in the truck.

Come on.

You're gonna be okay.