You Are Not My Mother (2021) - full transcript

Mam?

Mam!

Ma!

Granny?

Why didn't you wake me up,
I'm late.

Oh, sorry, love.

- Can I get a lift, please?
- Did you get any breakfast?

Take this for your lunch. There.

- Can I get a lift, please?
- Ah, I can't drive today.

My foot has seized up
with the change in the weather.

Could you grab me a towel there?



I've missed the bus.
What do I do?

Why don't you ask your mother?

It'll get her out of bed.

Mam?

I'm late for school and Granny
can't give me a lift.

What?

Never mind.

- I can walk.
- No. No, no, no, no. I'll...

I'll bring you in, okay?
I'm just...

Just give me a minute, yeah?

I'm just going to go wait
in the car.

Are you going to work today?

No.

Is everything okay?



I'm just tired.

Could you go to the shops
after you drop me to school?

Why?

What do we need?

I don't know. Like, bread,

cereal, milk, everything.

I need... I need to get home.

Mam, we need food in the house.

Mam, are you listening to me?

Mam!

Mam! Mam!

What are you doing?

Mam, what is wrong with you?

I'm...

- Char, I'm sorry...
- It's fine.

I don't think I can do
this anymore.

What?

I can't do this anymore.

Go home, then.

Hey, Char.

Can you take a seat
for me there? Quick.

So, today I am returning
your essays to you, girls.

- Suzanne?
- What, Miss?

And I have
to say it.

The results were disappointing.

It was all in the notes
I gave you.

Really, all you had
to do was read them.

All you had
to do was read it.

- Thanks.
- It's easy as that.

There was one essay,

which seemed to cover all
the marks.

So, I've printed it off
as an example

of how to answer
the exam question.

Good job, Char.

Suzanne, move.

Now.

Miss, I swear,
you fancy me.

Next to Char there,
come on!

And will you lose
the chewing gum, please?

You need some chewing gum, Miss.

Rude.

Now, last week
we looked

at techniques
and interpretation.

Today, we're going
to do some work

on pre-Christian stone carving

ahead of our field trip
this week.

This will come up on the exam,

so please take down notes
for me, okay?

We will look at each section...

And don't forget
I need your permission slips

signed for our trip this week.
No slip, no trip. Okay?

You'll be sent to study
for the day.

- Ah, Miss.
- Ah, yeah.

Be good.

This is my 2D.

Thank you.

Where did you get
the idea for that?

It was in a dream I had.

How're you
getting on?

Good.

I mean,
academically you're doing great.

Skipping ahead a year
can be tough.

You still get to see your old
friends at lunch, right?

Yeah.

When did you last hear
from her?

She left to bring her
to school.

And then didn't come back
here after.

Uh, she dropped you
at your school?

Char.

At Brigid's.

When your mum
dropped you off,

did she say where
she was going after that?

No.

Uh, how was the drive to school?

Was she all right?

She said she was tired.

Hey, any word from her?

Who is this?

My son.

Well, I was just saying
to your mum there

that there is not much
we can do right now,

as it's only been a few hours.

Her car door
was wide open.

You don't think
that's a bit fuckin' weird?

What, she left her car
in the middle of a field

and went for a stroll?

What about CCTV?

We haven't checked yet,

but this area isn't
the most well-covered.

Yeah, big fucking surprise.

Do you have anyone
out there looking for her?

I've notified the cars
that are out there,

but in the lead in to Halloween,
we got a lot of calls coming in.

A few teenagers
setting up some bonfire

is more important
than a missing person?

Like, what if someone took her
from the car?

And... and brought her down.
There's loads of laneways...

Aaron!

She was in one
of her down moods.

She's done this before?

Not in a long time.

Has she ever gone
missing before?

Char, um, will you go up
and just try find

a couple of photos of her?

You know, we can go out and see
if anyone's seen her later.

We need recent ones.
Does your mum not have

an album or something upstairs
in her room?

I didn't look there.

All right, um...

You head down to the green,

I'll head up
towards the village.

Just ask around and see
if anyone saw her.

Are you all right?

She said something
in the car today.

What did she say?

She said,
"I can't do this anymore."

Uh, she'll probably be home
before we get back here anyway,

you know?

Yeah.

Hey!

- Hey, where you going?
- Just going home.

You weren't running off
to tell anyone

we were putting pallets there,
were you?

No.

I don't know if I trust her.

What did you see?

You were just getting stuff
for the bonfire.

Mm, wrong.

You didn't see anything.

And you'll be telling anyone
that asked that, yeah?

Is this your mam?

- What the fuck?
- That is fuckin' weird.

Can I get that back, please?

I know, I know, I know.

You have a drag of this
and you don't cough,

and you get the photo back.

Fair enough.

Oh!

- Oh, is she gonna do it?
- Oh!

- Oh!
- Oh!

That's actually too bad.

No, stop!

What?

Please come back.

Char!

That's it. It's over.

My life is over.

May as well just throw myself
off a bridge.

What is it now?

Promise me
you won't be mad?

Katrina.

How many
do you usually take?

Two, or I won't sleep.

Right, I better head off.

I have to be
on the site early tomorrow.

Will you be okay?

We'll be fine.

Right, well let me know
if you hear of anything.

Of course.

'Night, Aaron.

I made you something.

- What is it?
- It's for protection.

It will keep you safe.

Thanks, Granny.

- You should get some sleep.
- Yeah.

I'm just going to finish
this episode.

All right.

Don't stay up too late.

Your mother will
come back, Char.

She'll come back.

Well, I know so.

I love you no matter what.
And I think you are magical.

Thanks, Mum.

Do you want
to help me carve this pumpkin?

Ugh, I don't really
want to get my hands dirty.

I think
they taste delicious.

No.

Ew, it's gross.

Aw.

- You don't like brains?
- No.

Are you sure
you don't like brains?

Char, are you hungry?

- I think you'd like brains.
- No.

- I think you're hungry.
- No.

Ah, go on!
Oh, my God, look at this.

Oh, it's delicious!

Nam, nam, nam!

I got ya.
Wait a minute now.

Come here, they're delicious.

Mam?

Hey.

Get your ma a glass
of water, will you?

Is she okay?

Yeah, she's all right.

Got you that.

The doctor gave her something,

so she might be a little funny
for a while.

Does she have to take them
as well?

Yeah.

Is she sick?

Fuck!

I forgot one
of the prescriptions.

I need to get to work.
For fuck's sake.

I could just go get it,
if you want?

Are you sure?

It's that one there, um,
lithium.

They probably have it there,
they just forgot

to put it in the bag.

I have to head off now,

but Char has taken
today off school,

so she can go out and get
the rest of your meds.

And I'll be here
with you too.

I did a bit
of a shop there as well...

What was the name
again?

Um, it was for Angela Delaney.

Hey.

Hey.

You know, I...
I heard about your mam.

Is she all right?

Yesterday, when...

I didn't know you were out
looking for her, okay?

You know, you can call me
a dickhead,

- punch me in the face, or...
- Why do you care?

I don't.

Okay, then, can you just
leave me alone, please?

Suit yourself.

Who's that?

A girl from school.

Delaney?

Yeah. Why?

I don't want you talking
to her.

Why?

I said, I don't want you
talking to her.

Where's Mam?

She's having a lie-down,
upstairs.

Where are you going?

I have to meet a friend
about your mother.

I won't be long.

Mam?

Hey.

What are you wearing?

It's a dress.

- You don't like it?
- No, I do.

Are you making dinner?

Yeah.

You used the pumpkin.

Aaron got us that to carve
for Halloween.

Oh, um.

No, no.
It's fine. It's fine.

How're you feeling?

I'm good.

Do you know what?
I'm... I'm great.

What are you doing?

Dancing.

You know?
Why don't you have a dance?

- Mam, stop.
- Come on.

You want to shake it? No.

- Go on.
- What are you doing? Stop.

Do that, um, that twirl thing.
Yeah, push. Like, out.

Do it again, go on.

Do you want to go set the table?

Dinner will be ready soon.

Smells nice.

Sorry, love.

Hello?

Uh, something smells nice.
Didn't know you were cooking.

Lucky I brought chips.

Are you not eating?

The front door
isn't closing properly.

Needs a new latch, I think.

I can call tomorrow and fix it.

Those pills mess
with your appetite.

How long do you have
to take them for?

She'll take them as long
as she needs to take them, Mam.

Are you going
to school tomorrow, Char?

- Yeah, I guess so.
- Uh, she doesn't have to.

You don't have to,
if you don't want.

Actually, I've a permission slip
I need you to sign.

Has to be in by tomorrow, so...

- Are you going on a trip?
- Mm-hmm.

We're going
to this heritage site.

And then we're off
on our midterm break

for Halloween.

I'd love to be going on
a mid-term right about now,

to be honest.

I think we should go away
on your break.

Just the two of us.

Like, where?

I don't know.

Wherever we want.

Do you not think
you should, uh,

stay home and take it easy
at the moment?

Uh, I think a break away would
be the perfect rest.

Yeah, but remember what
the doctor said,

just to try and keep
a healthy routine for a while.

I think it'd be fun
if we got in the car,

and we didn't know
where we were going...

You're not going away
for the weekend!

- Hey.
- Hey.

- You okay?
- Yeah.

Here, I need
to give you something.

What is this?

It's your mam's
bank card.

I just don't want her
going anywhere, or...

I just want you to keep
it safe, all right?

We... we all just need
to work together right now.

Just make sure
she'll get better, yeah?

Yeah.

Are you awake?

Are you awake?

Now, just set
them down over there for me.

I meant to give you this.

Thank you.

Who signed that for you?

My mam.

How is your mam?

She's fine.

Must've been scary for you...

when she went missing?

What do you mean?
She wasn't missing.

Look, I know it's not easy...

when our parents aren't well.

She's not sick.

Okay.

I have to go home.

My door
is always open for you.

If you ever just want to chat.

Okay?

Jesus! Watch where you're going.

Eh, Suzanne.

Come in.

- How are you today?
- Grand.

Made you a cup of tea.

Thanks.

How are you feeling today?

Good.

Uh, this shouldn't take long.

I actually had all
the parts already, so...

I'm going for a walk.

If that's all right?

I'm allowed out for a walk,
aren't I?

Sure, yeah. No, of course.

Uh, the fresh air would
be good for you.

Yeah.

Did you even
check properly?

Yeah, we checked properly.

Hello.

Did you tell someone
where we kept those pallets?

- No.
- You're lying.

I'm not, I saw the council
take them away yesterday.

What's that on your face?

I asked you a question, Char.
What's that on your face?

- It's a birthmark.
- A birthmark?

Looks like a burn to me.

Do you want another one?

Amanda, give me the lighter.

Do you want
to see something cool?

Fuckin' hell, Kelly!

I think you need
a reminder

that you're a little rat.

Right in the middle
of your face,

to make sure you'll see it

every fucking day.

What the fuck
is wrong with you?

Fuckin' bitch.

Why did you do that?

Because she deserved it.

You shouldn't let people
treat you like that.

You can't do that.

Mam?

Where did you go...

when you left your car
on the green?

I can't tell you.

Not yet.

What's wrong with you?

Hey.

Nothing's wrong.

Everyone's just trying
to tell us what to do.

You and me...

we can do what we want.

Used to come here with you.

When you were a baby.

Mam, Mam!

Mam!

Mam! Mam!

Mam!

What?

Are you not having fun?

Can someone help, please.
Aaron, come on. Char!

Char, it's Aaron!

I need to call an ambulance.
Hold his head.

Stay with him.

Do you think Aaron's gonna
be okay?

Mam, what are you doing?

Dance with me, Char.

No, Mam, stop.

Mam, stop.

Mam!

Mam, stop! Mam!

Mam! Mam, stop! Stop!

Stop!

Mam, please stop.

Please, stop. Mam!

So, as you all know,

Samhain is just
around the corner.

Or Halloween as we know it now.

Samhain is thought
to mean "Summer's end,"

and is traditionally believed
to be the marker

of the start of winter months.

It's a very special time.

A time when the veil
between our world

and the other world
was at its thinnest,

allowing spirits
to pass through.

Uh, we still share
some traditions

with our ancestors,
like bonfires,

which were traditionally thought

to have protective
or cleansing powers.

Anyone here have a bonfire
in their area?

A fellow threw a cat
into our bonfire last year.

Well...

...okay.

If you follow me through here,
we can go to an exhibit

on the practices
of early-Christian Ireland

and I can... I can show you
the... the structures

that they built using those...

You are now
in a liminal space.

An in-between place.

Why were these sites
considered sacred?

These "thin places"

were seen as a space
between our world

and the other world.

In folklore,

rivers, bogs,
lakes, and caves

are often seen as places

where fairy folk could enter
the human world.

Or lead humans to theirs.

These sites have been revered
and feared throughout time.

Still to this day,

they are not something
we fully understand.

Turn that shite off.

Do you see what your mam did
to my eye?

Have you got nothing to say?

Yeah.

You look like shit.

Your crazy bitch of a ma

should be locked up
in the mental.

You know, my dad...

he told me
that your whole family

has always been fucking tapped.

Ever since you were born.

He said that when you
were a baby...

your family tried to burn you
in a fire.

'Cause they didn't fucking
want you.

Honestly, who could blame them?

The fuck
are you doing, Kelly?

I'm joking, Suzanne.

She hasn't done anything.

Leave her alone.

- Her ma decked Kelly yesterday.
- I said leave her alone.

Oh, my God.
Suzanne, relax. Okay?

Fucking hell, we're only joking.

Weren't we, Char?

Whatever. I'm going for a smoke.

- Are you all right?
- Yeah.

How long has your son
been on lithium?

What... what
are you talking about?

Well, we'll have to wait
for his results to come back,

but it appears your son
had a lithium overdose.

What?

Is your son
on any medication?

No. Nothing.

Well, I'd like
to keep him in.

For 24 hours at least,
just for observation.

His vitals are stable,
though his blood pressure has...

Do you drink?

No, I don't think so.

What are you doing,
are you coming?

Uh, yeah.

You can't smoke in here.

Fuck off.

Okay. Inhale.

Inhale deeper, you want it
to go down here.

You have to inhale
the second time to...

Let me show you.

You got it?

Yes! Amazing. Amazing.

- Congratulations.
- Thanks.

I like your necklace.

Thank you.

My dad got it made for me
a few years ago.

It's a replica of the one my mam
was buried in.

I'm sorry.

I was very young.

I don't really remember much,
so...

How did she die?

She drowned.

Oh, my God.

The river, it used to be a lot
bigger in this estate.

They tried to build over it,
but they couldn't.

You can still see it underneath.

See?

She wandered away one night.

And that's where they found her.

Do you miss her?

I didn't really get
to know her.

I dream about her sometimes.

Like, she's watching over me
in a way.

Making sure
I'm not doing something

too fucking stupid.

What about you?

How's your mam?

When I was younger,
she was always

up and down, you know?

She has these "down days,"
Granny calls them.

But I've never seen her
like this.

Just...

It doesn't really feel right.

She's on meds, yeah?

Yeah.

Well, my dad, he's been
on meds a long time now.

And there's days where he's...

he's walking around
like a zombie.

And then, every now and then,
he's completely himself.

Cracking jokes and...

...I don't know.

Sometimes, she really...

scares me.

Family is the scariest
fucking thing on the planet.

You wouldn't want to come over
for dinner tonight?

Would you?

- Never mind.
- No, I would.

Of course, yeah, I would.

I mean,
I make an excellent buffer

and, parents, they just hate me.

- Char.
- Hi.

Hey.

Do I know you?

Yeah, Granny this is Suzanne.
She's in my school.

Suzanne O'Connell.

Yeah.

Your mother was Adrianne?

Yeah.

S... Suzanne, my dear.

We are having
a family dinner tonight,

and I think it'd be best
if you went home.

Well, Char actually asked me
to stay for dinner.

Yeah.

I want her to stay for dinner.

Can I talk to you
in here for a minute?

Do you want to go
and wait in the kitchen?

- Yeah.
- It's just there.

Delish.

- Will you do this for me, Char?
- No.

Granny, why?

I've asked her
to come over for dinner.

She can come another time.

No, why would she
come back another time,

what's wrong with today?

You need to leave.

I'm asking you
and I've never asked

can anyone come over before.

Suzanne! Suzanne!

Suzanne!

You happy now?

She's gone.

- Char...
- What?

There's things I need
to tell you, Char.

Is this about my scar, Granny?

It's not a birthmark.

No.

Your mother was so young,

when she had you.

It was hard.

But you were such a happy baby.

You never cried.

One night...

your mother took you out
for a walk in the buggy,

when you couldn't sleep.

When she came back...

you weren't with her.

She couldn't remember...

where she'd been.

We found you down by the river.

You looked perfect.

Still smiling.

We didn't want to believe...

it wasn't you.

What do you mean?

It was something else.

You were swapped.

What do you mean, Granny?

To send a changeling back...

you must bring it to a fire.

You did this to me?

You know what they all say
in school?

That this family are...
are fucking crazy!

And they're right.

The ones that took you
are vengeful things, Char.

They've come back for you.

It's not your mother
up there, Char.

- It's something else.
- Mam?

You know that's not your mother,
Char.

I know you've seen it.

- Mam? Mam!
- No, Char! Char!

Ch... Char!

Mam?

Mam?

Granny.

Open the door.

If we don't do something,
we'll never get your mother back

and then they'll try
to take you.

I need you to believe me, Char.

I can't open that door
until you believe me.

I believe you.

Don't be scared, now.

It might not look
like your mother anymore.

She's started to change.

We need to weaken her,
bring her to a fire.

See if she turns.

Mam?

No. No, no, Char.
Don't touch her. No!

- Granny, get off.
- Listen... listen to me, Char!

- Granny, that's enough!
- Char!

Ch... Charlotte. Charlotte!

No, Charlotte. Open the door!

Charlotte, please open the door.

Are you all right?

Char, are you all right?

Char?

Open the door.

Open the door, Char.

Oh, Char.

I think it's time
we all went to bed.

Granny's feeling
a little bit confused, Char.

I am not confused!

Mam. Mam!

Mam!

Granny!

Burn it.

Why is he going mad, like?

Oh, my God,
he's still fighting for it.

Hey.

What are you wearing?

A costume.

It's Halloween, like.

What, is your dad taking you
trick or treating?

Fuck off.

What are youse doing tonight?

Are you not hanging out
with your new little buddy?

What do you mean?

I don't know.
You tell me.

What's going on?

We're having
our own bonfire.

Somewhere where they can't get
it taken down.

We're going there later.

All right.

Text me, okay?

Amanda!

- See you.
- See you.

Granny?

Granny?

Granny?

Char.

What happened?

Oh, Mam.

Is she dead?

I'll call an ambulance.

What?

Char?

Hey, what's up?

Sorry,
I really wanted...

Mam, I'm just gonna go over
to Suzanne's for a little bit

if that's okay?

I think you should stay here
with me.

I want to go.

And what about your granny,
Char?

Char won't be long,
Ms. Delaney.

Char!

I think these will fit you.

Do you believe me?

I don't know
what I believe, Char.

But I know you need to leave.

Leave?

- You can't stay here.
- Where would I go?

I don't know.

But I've seen what's in
that house, Char.

You can't go back.

Granny said that
if I don't do something...

...I'm gonna lose
my mam forever.

She said there was a way
to test it.

What do you mean,
"Test it"?

She said...

that I could bring it to a fire.

Are you sure about this?

Can you get it lighting?

Hey!

Are you looking for me?

Suzanne?

Suzanne?

You are like
a fucking thorn in my side,

Char Delaney.

I just can't seem
to get fucking rid of you.

- Where's Suzanne?
- Suzanne?

She said that your whole family
were fucking tapped

and she had to get
the fuck away from you.

- Speaking of which.
- Stop! Stop!

I think it's time we finished
what your mam started.

- Get off!
- Get her in.

Get in.

Suzanne!

Suzanne isn't coming back, Char.

Looks like you're stuck here
with us.

Give me the aerosol.

- Kelly.
- I'll fucking do it myself.

Kelly,
you're not actually doing this,

are you?

Kelly, stop!

You're not actually
gonna do this?

Char?

What the fuck is that?

Look at you.

You're alone.

No friends.

No family.

You've nobody left
in this world.

Except me.

You can come with me.

There is a place,
where there is no pain.

No sadness.

Don't you want to see
your mother again?

Oh, she would love to see you.

Char!

Char.

What are you doing?

I'm your mother.

You...

are not my mother.

Char!

Run.

Look, we have no reason
to believe

that your sister
was in the structure

when the fire broke out.

We're still trying to figure out
what happened.

We searched through the rubble
and didn't find anything.

We haven't been able
to locate her just yet.

Now, uh, Char has been
through quite a lot.

Yeah.

So we'll need to contact
the Child and Family Agency.

But don't worry, you know,
we can help you with that.

A social worker will come
and make an assessment.

I actually have a...
a contact here.

Um, she's really good
and she'll be able to help you.

Hi.

Are you not meant
to be packing boxes?

Yeah, there's just a few things
I want to keep.

Hey.

Hmm.

What are you making?

It's for protection.

Thank you.

It'll keep you safe.