Watercolors (2008) - full transcript

A story about two classmates - one smart and openly gay and the other school swimming star. They grow as friends and discover their attraction to each other. This story has been told many times but the characters in this version are very endearing.

Hey.

Hey.

Holy shit.

What happened to you?

Who did this to you?

Who fucking did this to you?

Who do you think?

That's it.
He's fucking dead.

No.

Stay. Please stay.

What did he say to you?



Who gives a shit
what he said to me?

I think he broke my cheekbone.

Does this hurt?

Everything hurts.

Is it swollen bad?

Tell me exactly
what he said to you.

Tell me!

Can you just, please, hold me?

Sh, it's okay.

Hey.

Hey, hey, sh.

Hey, you got guts.

You got guts, kid.

I love you.



No, you don't.
You hardly know me.

I love you,
no matter what you say.

And I don't care
if you love me back.

I don't... I don't care.

I don't suppose
you have any beer, do you?

None in my house, either.

Can I have one of these?

We go through all the trouble
of not being seen together,

and for what?

Do you want to order a pizza
or something?

You want pepperoni or sausage?

Sausage.

What I wouldn't do
for a shot of whiskey.

That's why we're here, right?

I am in over my head, Miriam.

I can't take care of a kid
by myself.

I mean, Megan,
she wasn't that much help,

but at least I wasn't alone,
you know?

From what you told me,
it was worse than being alone.

Yeah, but Carter needs a mother,
you know?

He just can't keep surviving
off of frozen dinners

and macaroni and cheese.

I can't take care of him.

I can't even take care of myself.

And all he cares about
is that damn swimming.

To tell you the truth,
I could give a shit.

How's that, huh?

All I want to do is get drunk
and get laid.

Is that so bad?

At least now you're being honest.

It's nothing so terrible.

It's just that it's a slippery slope,
Stephen. You know?

Nobody said 60 days
was a magic number.

It just... it doesn't stop being hard.

You feeling any better?

Yeah.

Oh, hey. You're up late.

Oh, my God!

What happened?

I got into a fight at school.

Oh, sweetheart.

- We should get you cleaned up.
- No, no, I'm fine.

It just looks worse
than it is, that's all.

This guy that did this...

I hope you gave
as good as you got.

I got in a few hits.

You know I have to go
to the school, right?

Mom, you don't have
to make things worse.

Now, don't tell me my job.

You're not helping.

So, are you hungry?
Did you get something to eat?

Yeah, Carter came over.
We ordered pizza.

Okay.

Why don't you go on to bed.
It's late.

We'll talk about it in the morning.

Okay. Love you.

Kiss.

- Good night.
- Good night.

I ought to report this guy.
I'm telling you...

I told you. We did not need
to make such a big deal out of it.

- What?
- They jumped me.

Kids get jumped every day.

Well, then its wrong
every day, Danny.

Come on, let's go.

I'm not going to the emergency room
for four hours

just so they can tell me
I have a black eye.

No, we have to file
a police report, Danny.

No, Mom, we don't.

Not everything
is a human rights battle.

Relax. I'll deal with it.

Mom.

These are Carter's friends, right?

Did Carter have something
to do with this?

Is that why you don't want
to call the police?

Of course not.

I have to get back to class.
I'll see you when I get home.

- Hey, not today.
- What?

Come on.
We have to talk.

- You can miss class for a day.
- Are you kidding?

So there's something
you're not telling me.

What is it?

They beat me up...

They beat me up
because I'm gay, Mom.

Really?

Why now? Why Henry?

You've never had any trouble
with him before.

He thinks Carter and I
are going together.

Does Carter feel the same way?

He doesn't want to admit it,

but I know that he does.

We had sex.

Safe?

- Yeah, safe.
- Are you sure?

Yeah.

And I liked it.

Okay.

- A lot.
- Okay!

Listen. The next time,
I'm going to file charges.

- Do you understand me?
- No...

I don't want to hear
any arguments about it.

I'm not having you end up
on the evening news.

I love you, Danny.

You're my little angel boy.

You've never given me any reason
to feel ashamed.

Hey, Coach! Coach!

What is it, Carter?
I'm late.

Hey, uh, you gave me
the 100-meter freestyle.

And?

Well, you gave Henry
the 200-meter breast.

That's my decision, Carter.

But, Coach, come on,
that's my best stroke.

Henry's swimming the 200 breast.
He's got the endurance.

End of story.
Anything else?

How's your sleeping?
Any better?

- Yeah.
- Are you taking anything for it?

No.

'Cause if you're taking anything
for it, I need to know.

No. No, Coach, I'm not.

We have three days, gentlemen.
That's it.

We're not there yet.

I don't want any of you thinking
that we're home free.

So in these next three days,
I want you to remember,

never let up.

These two are begging
to be large scale.

Don't you think?

I was hoping you'd say that.

I'm thinking about painting
a series in acrylic.

These are really wonderful, Danny.

Tremendous improvement.
Very well done indeed.

Beautiful sense of space.

There's an openness
suggested by the poses.

A certain vulnerability.

Maybe all the inspiration you really
needed was a different model.

I'm that obvious?

We're all inspired
by different things, Danny.

You know, every once in a while,

I have the great fortune
to meet a student like you.

You're young and full of promise.

There's nothing you can't do
if you set your mind to it.

I don't get it man,
we're supposed to be teammates.

Why are you always giving me
such a hard time?

Who's the queer
you're hanging out with, huh?

The one that draws?

He's my English tutor!

Not that that's any
of your business.

So leave him alone, okay?

Do you hear
what I'm telling you, Henry?

What do you care?

Just leave him
the fuck alone, all right?

I hope you're not going funny
on me, man.

Dude, are you really a homo?

Aw, what's the matter?
Did I hurt your feelings, huh?

Here's an idea.
Why don't you go tell your boyfriend?

Maybe he can buy you some flowers.
Make you feel better.

I'd like your essays now, please.

Well thank your for joking us,
Mr. Melman.

Please pass them forward.

Yes?

I don't have it.

If you don't have your essay today,
I don't want it.

You've been warned.
You've had plenty of time.

Margaret, would you please collect
them from the front of each row.

Hm.

One, two, three, four, five, six,

seven of your classmates
are out today with the essay flu.

Please give them
my best get well wishes.

Thank you, Margaret.

Oh!

Okay. Please take out
a fresh sheet of paper.

Hey.

What's that, Dad?
Fan Mail.

Yep. Although I wish
I wasn't so popular.

Big day tomorrow, huh?
Better get some rest.

I am going to have
the best race of my life tomorrow.

Yeah, well, maybe you should adjust
your expectations just a little.

Thanks for the vote of confidence
there, Dad.

Yeah, well, just trying
to keep it real, Romeo.

Can't you say anything encouraging
every once in a while?

Sure. Give me a reason
every once in a while.

I should be hearing back
from UT any day now.

Carter.

Carter,
I got to tell you something.

What's wrong?

What?
Are you trying to talk me out of it?

You can't go back now.

- You said that if I got...
- No, no. no.

No, I just need
to tell you something

and I'm not sure how
you're going to take it.

That's all.

What? Is it about me
going to school in Texas?

No, it's not about that. It's got
nothing to do with swimming.

Jesus, you're like
a fucking broken record.

Is it about those blackouts?
Because that was just...

No, it's about your mother.

She's in jail.

She called a while ago
asking for bail money.

Is she okay?

She's fine.
She's always fine.

Carter, listen. Carter!

- Hey, Carter's up next.
- Yeah.

It's the 100-meter
something or other.

Freestyle.

Now, where is he?

Lane 5.

It's his first event,
so he's fresh, too.

They all seem so tall.
Don't any short boys swim?

What does that mean?

False start.

He's okay as long as
he doesn't do it again.

He's nervous.

Come on, Carter.
I know you can do it.

Well, it's not his stroke.

Come on, come on, come on.

Second.

What do you want?

Is everything okay?

You weren't in English class today.

Nope, everything is totally
fucked up.

Everybody thinks you did fine.

I don't.

Well, did you see the school
newspaper? Your picture's in it.

Great. That's fucking great.

Are you coming over later?

I don't think so.

How come?

Because I don't feel like sitting
around naked for you today.

All right?

I got better fucking things to do.

I'm finished
with the drawings anyway.

I just thought
you might like to see them.

Look, we need
to cool things off, okay?

Can't you tell you're fucking up
my whole performance.

You sure those pills
don't have anything to do with it?

Shut the fuck up!

What do you know?
You think you know me?

You don't know me!

You don't know anything!

Yeah, sure.
I don't know anything.

But at least I know how I feel.

I wish I never fucking met you!

You fucked everything up for me!

- What the hell did I do?
- I didn't want any of this!

You're hurting me! Let go!

You're trying to change me!

Get off of me!

Get the fuck out of here then!

- Go!
- Why are you acting like this?

Are you fucking deaf?

Not now.

Carter, listen.

Life's going to be handing you
a lot more disappointments than this.

And don't think
I'm going to let you sit in there

and feel sorry for yourself
after what happened today, all right?

Thanks, Dad!
I really appreciate that!

Hey! Toughen up!

Oh, great! Sure!
Right Away!

You can't prove it.

Are you kidding?
It's obvious.

Oh, all right.

Then for argument's sake,
let's say Danny wrote it.

What are you going to do, Robert?
Fail them both?

I can't believe I'm hearing you
say this to me.

Danny is a brilliant artist.

You said yourself he's one
of your brightest students.

You want to spoil all that for him?

And Carter...
Carter is hanging on by a thread.

Do you want to devastate him?

- Are you suggesting I do nothing?
- I'm not saying that.

Give the kid a makeup exam
or something.

And I should compromise
my integrity,

the integrity of my class,
for what exactly?

What's your definition of integrity?

Doesn't it include
doing what you know is right

for your fellow man?

Oh, please.

Oh, please?

Robert, these kids are crazy
about each other.

They cheated.

If I ignore this,
what does it say about fairness?

Fairness? No such thing.

You found that...
we all found that out in the '60s.

So I should play Dolly Levy now?

How did you and Nancy meet?

That's irrelevant.

Come on.
How did you meet her?

My freshman year at Columbia.

Right. She was
your French professor.

12 years older than you
and a white woman.

I know where you're going with this
and I'm telling you it's just not...

You didn't fail French,
did you, Robert?

Oh, and by the way,
how is your French these days?

One thing has nothing to do
with the other.

Nobody wanted to be called
a racist.

So whatever problems you had
with the schoolwork,

they let it pass.

That wasn't fair, was it?

Let me ask you something.

Did you do all of your own
French homework, Robert?

Carter, would you have
a seat, please?

I asked you to stay
because I was grading your essay

and I couldn't help but notice
it's a marked improvement

over anything
you've submitted so far.

Well, I've been studying
with an English tutor.

It's helped out a lot.

In fact, it's such
a significant improvement,

I'm forced to question
its authorship.

What?

I'm certain you didn't write it.

Danny wrote it and signed
your name to it, didn't he?

Did he say that to you?

Come on, Carter!
I'm not a complete fool.

I know Danny's work and his style,

and what's more,
I know your work and your style.

Why don't you just admit to it?

No, I'm not going
to admit to anything.

You're a bright
and gifted young man.

I can't understand
why you would risk this.

What, did he threaten you
or something?

No. No, of course not.

He was just falling too far behind.

I wanted to help him pass.

What's going to happen to him?

Danny, do yourself a favor

and stop worrying about
what's going to happen to Carter

and start worrying about
what's going to happen to you.

I had a long talk
with Mr. Frank this morning.

As you might have guessed,
I don't much like Mr. Frank.

And I certainly didn't appreciate
what he had to tell me.

So I'll ask you one simple question.

Is it true?

I got an English tutor like you said,
but it was just still too hard.

I wanted to swim in the finals...

I warned you.
No funny business on my squad.

And when it came down to it,

you didn't show me much
out there, did you?

Clean out your locker.

Are you planning
on avoiding me forever?

Never talking to me again?
Is that it?

Or are we not far away
from school yet?

You asshole.
They threw me off the team.

How could you do that to me?

Why didn't you just say
you didn't write the thing?

He already knew!

Yeah, well, you know what?
Just stay the hell away from me.

I don't ever want to see you again.

You're blaming this on me?
The whole thing was your idea.

Why didn't you just say
you didn't write it?

- That's all you had to do.
- He already knew!

Get lost.

I told you to leave me
the hell alone.

You're up early, I see.

I'm feeling motivated
all of a sudden.

What do you think?

Yeah, it's just not the same
when you change the scale, is it?

What am I doing wrong?

Wrong? Nothing, Danny.

You just... You just don't know
your subject yet.

I don't know my subject?
What does that mean?

Well, it's obvious, really.

I mean, you think you know it.
And to some extent, you do.

But only superficially.

You know, you can
get away with that

with the smaller drawings.

But this work is asking
something more of you.

The scale demands it.

Demands what?

Well, only you can answer that.

I want to be able to come back
to this piece again and again,

and every time, I want to see
something new in it.

That'll come when you paint
the essence of your subject.

That thing that sets it apart
from the rest of the world.

Watch your head.
Lift it up a little bit.

Down.

1, 2...

Carter?

Route 2,
we got a patient...

Excuse me, Sir, are you family?
Family only. I'm sorry.

- What hospital are you taking him to?
- Sagmore General.

Get back to class.

Come on, back to class.
There's nothing to see here.

It's okay.

Are you still mad at me?

They're done running tests.

I had to wait around for them
to poke and jab at me.

Did they say
when you can come home?

I don't know.

They didn't like
my toxicology report.

I won't be allowed to swim again.

Anywhere.

Come on.

It's not the end of the world.

How can you say that?

I just meant that they have all kinds
of medicine to control the seizures.

The whole school knows.

No one's going to care.

Bullshit.

They called social services,
Danny.

Don't you understand?

You think I'm packing
to go on fucking vacation?

They're sending me
to juvenile rehab.

I wish I was dead.

Don't say that!

Don't touch me.

I went from star athlete
to freak of the week.

You think Andy wants
to do a story on me now?

I know what it's like to feel
different from everybody else.

Believe me.

Always worried about
what people are saying.

I know what it's like.

You don't want to get messed up
with me, kid.

I'm trouble.

You're the one piece
I couldn't figure out.

What are you talking about?

You want me to have a piece
of a jigsaw puzzle?

What for?

You probably do them, you know.

I always had swimming.

Nothing ever bothered me
as long as I had swimming.

Not my mom.

Not my dad, not school.

We'll figure it out.

You'll see.

You can make up English class
in summer school.

You still have swimming.

I can't compete.

No college is going to want me.

I'm a fucking piece of shit!

You're not a piece of shit.
You're not.

Don't... Don't fucking touch me.

You should go.

- When am I going to see...?
- Go, Danny!

Please, just go.

Leave me alone.

Love somebody else.

You know, Henry never hurt me
half as much as you.

There's going to be an announcement
in a moment coming over the PA.

I want everyone
to just stay in their seats.

Good morning.

Unfortunately,
it's my responsibility...

...to share some tragic news
with you.

As some of you may be aware...

...Carter Melman was found dead
early this morning.

Hey, quiet! Quiet!

A memorial service will be held
at White Hill Chapel...

...tomorrow afternoon

for those of you
who wish to pay your respects.

There are counselors and therapists
available in the study hall.

If anyone needs to talk,
they are there now

and will be there
for the rest of the day.

School will be closing at 1:00 pm.

Once again...

...I encourage everyone
who knew Carter

to drop by the study hall
and speak to one of the counselors.

That's a joke, right?

Mr. Frank?

- That's bullshit!
- Calm down.

Talk to one of our counselors?

Who made that up?

Danny.

- Who made that up?
- Come on, Danny.

It's a joke, right?

Danny, sit down, please.

Please say it's a joke.
Please.

Please say it's a...

- Oh, my God!
- Stay in your seats, please!

Is he okay?

Everyone just stay in your seats!

I'm okay, Mom.

You don't have to hover over me.

You were up late again
last night.

I saw your light on.

Nights are bad.

You had nightmares
when daddy died, too.

Yeah, I remember.

Do you think you'll ever love anybody
the way that you loved daddy?

No, baby.

Never like daddy.

Mom, I hurt so much inside.

I'm all broken.

I know, baby.

Oh, Mom, I hurt so much.

I know.

I'll be right back.

Just give me a minute.
I'll be right back.

I can't compete with him, you know?

What are you talking about?

I don't know why I ever bothered.

He doesn't make mistakes.
He doesn't grow old.

He's never going
to let you down you.

I mean, how can anybody
ever compete with that?

Are you drunk?

No, but I'm getting there.

Hey, big night, huh?

Big fucking night
for Danny, everyone.

Don't make a scene. I told you,
I'm not going to paint him anymore.

It doesn't even matter.

You'll find some other way
to obsess over him.

I know you.

What do you want from me?

You want to lay me out on a slab?

You want to cut me open?
You want to look inside me?

No, I want to...

I want...

I just want you to notice me.

That's all.

Treat me like you give a shit.

Stop.

I hate when you start
feeling sorry for yourself.

Me? You're the one living
in your own little dream.

He's dead, Danny.

And I'm really sorry
that it broke your heart.

I am. But he's dead.

And you can't paint him
back to life.

A few of us are going
to go grab a bite to eat.

And then I'm going home.

But you should know
I've put my all into this.

Is this a peace offering?

Could be.

Or maybe a going away present.

Who's going away?

I don't know.

But it's been three of us
for too long.

I thought you might be tired
of painting ghosts.