Little Bird (2023): Season 1, Episode 5 - Episode #1.5 - full transcript
[electronic melody playing]
[droning music playing]
[muffled voice on radio]
[crickets buzzing]
[birds chirping]
[low rumbling sound]
[policeman] Go!
Come on, go get 'em!
[muffled voice on radio]
[young Bezhig screaming]
Let me go!
[sinister music playing]
[young Bezhig screaming]
Let me go!
[young Bezhig]
Leave me alone!
[muffled voice on radio]
[lighter clicking]
[music playing on radio]
[wind whooshing]
[girl crying]
[music playing on radio]
[crickets chirping]
[cars humming]
[muffled chatter]
[housekeeper] You need
a refill on anything, honey?
- [Bezhig] I'm good.
- You doing okay?
Is there someone I can call?
- I'm fine.
- Oh, honey.
[housekeeper] Let me know
if you need anything.
[policeman] Ma'am!
No! Jesus Christ.
[Bezhig's mother]
Let go. Let go!
Let go of my hand!
Don't do that!
[young Bezhig] No, Mom! Mom!
[Bezhig's mother]
No, no!
[policeman yelling]
[door shuts]
[Bezhig's mother] Just one,
really quick. Smile!
[camera humming]
[muffled voice on radio]
[cars humming]
[Adele] Is there something
that you would like to say
to Mr. and Mrs. Rosenblum,
Bezhig?
[young Bezhig] Are you going
to be my mom and dad?
[Bezhig sniffling]
[Bezhig]
You're a criminal, mom!
You're a criminal!
[droning music playing]
[muffled chatter]
[office din]
[music fading]
[footsteps]
Miss Rosenblum.
The receptionist said you've
been waiting a while to see me?
Yup.
[phone ringing]
How have you been?
Not good.
Is there something I can
help you with, Miss Rosenblum?
- Yeah, maybe.
- Look.
I'm going to talk
to you, but don't...
[breathing shakily]
You're in my office.
[Bezhig] Well, you told me
not to come to your house.
You need to lower your voice.
Please, sit.
[Adele]
You don't seem well.
I'm not.
Look, Miss Rosenblum,
I appreciate you're upset.
Many adoptees
are when they find out
they can't access their files,
but you cannot come in here
and yell or be unpleasant.
[phone ringing in background]
I'm wondering.
Did you think it was funny?
To call my motel
and give me, like,
little pieces of
the information that I wanted?
Was that funny to you?
I'd like to know
where is my twin brother?
Who I didn't even
remember was my twin.
And where's my mother?
My whole family,
both families, are fucked up.
And all the things
I thought I knew
about my life are lies.
My family, back in Montreal...
I'm not talking to them.
And my family here in Regina,
I don't know them.
Not really.
And I'll probably
never really feel like
they're my real family.
[phone ringing in background]
[whispering]
You can't tell anyone,
I mean anyone,
that I'm talking to you.
You're not talking to me.
This is...
it's not legal.
I could lose my job.
Your job?
What?
What?
Look, the whole thing...
it was hard to know what to do.
How do you sleep at night?
[Adele sighing]
Niizh was adopted into
a family in North Dakota.
I drove him down myself.
Where?
[Adele]
It was near Williston.
It was a farming family.
Thompson Dairy.
And your mother, I don't know.
I can't help you with that.
[Bezhig sighing]
I've applied
for a job in public housing.
I'm hoping to move on
from this department.
I am sorry.
If...
I am sorry if I... Esther.
Yeah, what?
Good luck in public housing.
[droning music playing]
[camera humming]
[Indigenous music playing]
♪ Hey, Little Bird,
I remember you ♪
♪ You, with your dreams up
higher than you could fly ♪
♪ Hey, I remember you ♪
♪ Hey, Little Bird ♪
♪ Lost in the summer sun ♪
♪ Those were the days when
your feathers were new ♪
♪ And I remember you ♪
♪ Little Bird ♪
♪ Now it's all
comin' back ♪
♪ The whole world
is your habitat ♪
♪ But more than that,
if we meet again ♪
♪ Will you know me? ♪
♪ So, Little Bird ♪
♪ Flash your colours
and I will say ♪
♪ Glide into time with
the moon on your wing ♪
♪ Little Bird ♪
♪ Little Bird ♪
♪ Little Bird ♪
♪ Like a gull on the sea ♪
♪ Your resting place
could be Heaven ♪
♪ Or countless oceans
far from me ♪
♪♪
[birds chirping]
[Bezhig sighing]
[phone line ringing]
[operator] Operator,
how can I help you?
Yeah, hi, I'm looking for
a number in North Dakota.
[operator] Okay,
what's the name please?
For Thompson Dairy?
[operator]
Do you have a city?
Near Williston.
[operator]
I only have an address
for Thompson Farm and Dairy,
do you want that?
Yeah, sure.
[operator]
It's 27911, fifty-third,
Williston, North Dakota.
[radio scratching]
["Spirit Child"
by Willie Thrasher playing]
[Bezhig] Thank you.
♪ Spirit child,
where you going to? ♪
♪ Spirit child,
can I go with you? ♪
♪ In the end, stroll through
the end of life ♪
♪ In the end, stroll through
the end of life ♪
♪ Hey yanga, yanga ♪
♪ Yanga ♪
- Hi.
- [woman] Hi.
I'm looking for the Thompsons.
[woman]
Well, you found 'em.
Is there a Niizh Thompson here?
He was a boy.
Adopted by the Thompson family.
Oh, Henry.
Right, yeah, Niizh.
Are you his family member?
[woman] Well, officially
speakin', I'd be his sister.
Oh. So am I.
Of course y'are.
- Is he here?
- [woman] No, 'fraid not.
Well, he took off on us,
as soon as he turned 16.
Haven't seen him since.
If there's anything
you can give me,
uh, to help me find him,
it would be
really great to have it.
I know he's in a band.
He is?
[woman]
He sent us his cassette.
I can give it to ya.
Okay.
I can show you where he slept.
- Yeah.
- [woman] Ye... oh, no.
No, hun.
Not in the house.
[dog barking]
[birds chirping]
Come on.
I'll show ya.
And your mom
and dad adopted him?
Mm-hmm, well, they didn't really
think of it like adopting a son.
He was more of a hired hand.
He had to have been
about eight or nine
by the time he came to us.
You know, I didn't really think
about it much at the time.
Seemed normal, but...
I look back on it now
and I think...
it must've been
very lonely for that boy.
[dog barking]
[woman] You know,
I gotta admit to ya,
I didn't really pay
much attention to him at all.
I hardly talked to him.
[birds chirping]
This is it?
[engine rumbling]
[knocking rhythm]
[Indigenous-sounding
male vocals]
[upbeat indie music playing]
♪ When the wind
cries in the night ♪
♪ And darkness
fills the sky ♪
♪ I'm always here with you ♪
♪ A river flowin' strong ♪
♪ I'm always here with you ♪
♪ And waves will crash,
and trees will shake ♪
♪ And hold on
until morning breaks ♪
[Indigenous-sounding
male vocals]
[music gets quieter]
That part Mom
used to sing to us.
[Bezhig] There's a number here.
Maybe I could call his manager.
Phone's right there.
♪♪
[Becky] Hello?
[Bezhig] Hi, I'm looking
for one of your artists.
Uh, Niizh Thompson?
[Becky]
Is this for a gig?
Well, how do...
how do I reach him?
[Becky] I don't like it
when girls call here for him.
[Bezhig chuckling]
Uh, no,
I'm a family member of his.
[Becky] From North Dakota?
No. Canada.
- You're his real family?
- Yeah.
[Becky] Uh, I don't know
where he is,
but we're comin'
to Canada in a few weeks.
Selkirk?
[Bezhig]
You're coming to Selkirk?
- In a few weeks?
- [Becky] Yeah.
That's not too far.
[Becky] We're playing at a bar
called the Windsor Hotel.
You should come.
Well, I'm here with his brother,
- we can go together.
- No, I can't.
[Becky]
Well, I'll track him down
and let him know you called.
[Bezhig]
Uh, okay. Thanks.
[Dora]
This is important, Leo.
Go meet your brother.
[Becky] You still there?
[Bezhig] I'll call you
back in a few days.
- Thank you.
- [Becky] Sounds good.
[Dora]
Leo, we're gonna be fine here.
You gotta go.
Please, Leo.
[Dora] He hasn't left
since we had the kids.
[Leo]
I'll call you from the hotel.
When I arrive tomorrow.
- Oh, come on.
- Bye, Daddy! Bye, Auntie!
- [Leo] Bye.
- [child 1] Bye!
- [Leo] I'll see you.
- [child 1] Bring us presents!
[child 2]
I'm gonna miss you!
[Leo] I'm gonna miss you, too!
I love you!
Bye, Auntie! Bye, Daddy!
[Leo sighing]
[crickets chirping]
[Dora]
You're gonna be okay.
[acoustic music playing]
♪ Light my heart ♪
♪ And pull me in tight ♪
♪ And board this train ♪
♪ And sit by my side ♪
♪ With you ♪
♪ I'm home ♪
♪ It doesn't
matter the road ♪
♪ It doesn't matter
the route ♪
♪ The unknown ♪
♪ With you ♪
♪ I'm home ♪
[audience cheering]
♪ When the shade's drawn ♪
♪ On a magic hour sun ♪
♪ I'll still love you ♪
♪ Till my day is done ♪
♪ I'll still love you ♪
♪ Till my day is done ♪
[crowd cheering]
[crowd whistling]
[Becky] We're gonna take
a 15-minute break
and we'll be back with our
latest single, "All I Want."
[crowd cheering]
[club music playing
in the background]
- [Niizh] This is fuckin' crazy.
- [Bezhig] Hi.
[Niizh chuckling]
Hi.
This is our older brother, Leo.
- Hi, Niizh.
- [Niizh] Leo.
Hi. It's been a while.
Wow, this is...
This whole show I was tryin' to
figure out which ones were you.
[Bezhig chuckling]
Would you like a beer?
No, I'm okay, thank you.
And you, would you like to drink
with your long-lost brother?
Yeah.
[Niizh] Great.
Guys! Guys!
This is my sister!
- [man] No way!
- [Becky] Hi, I'm Becky!
We talked on the phone!
Is that your brother over there?
- [man] What's his problem?
- [Bezhig] Oh, he's fine.
He just doesn't drink.
[Niizh]
Let's do a shot, sister.
- Yeah.
- You probably need it.
- [Bezhig] I guess I do.
- [man] Let's fuckin' party.
[whistling]
- [Niizh] Cheers.
- [man] Cheers.
♪♪
♪ The children's eyes
are filled with red and blue ♪
♪ In the field
of memory from that place ♪
♪ And all I want
is a home tonight ♪
♪ All I need
is a place of light ♪
♪ Home tonight ♪
♪ In arms so tight ♪
♪ And all I want
is a home tonight ♪
♪♪
- [crowd cheering]
- [crowd applauding]
[Niizh]
You want another beer?
Yeah. Sure.
[Niizh] Come on.
[woman] He's spending
all this time with her.
[woman] Hey.
You gonna smoke that?
Gimme one.
[woman]
Niizh, over here!
[chuckles]
[indistinct]
[indistinct]
♪♪
[indistinct chatter]
No, no. I don't wanna go.
[person whistling]
[Leo] I got you.
[engine revving]
Nope, this way, this way.
[engine roars]
[Bezhig] I wanna stay.
[Leo] Well, you'll see him
in the morning, okay?
[Bezhig]
I don't wanna wait till...
[puking]
[Leo] Fuck.
[knocking]
Hello?
We wanted to say goodbye.
We're driving back, so...
Sure, yeah.
Maybe we should come back later?
This doesn't seem
like a good time.
Why wouldn't this
be a good time?
It's my fuckin' life.
Uh, I just meant that we
shouldn't have come so early.
That's all.
[Niizh] Uh,
that's not what you meant.
You think I'm a fuck up.
Okay, cool it.
No. I'm sorry,
we'll just come back later.
You don't even fuckin' know me.
All right, let's go.
- [Bezhig] No, Leo, I'm fine.
- [Niizh] Oh, big fuckin'
- protector now, huh?
- Let's go.
Look at me
when I'm fuckin' talkin' to you!
[Bezhig] Leo! Leo!
[screams]
Leo!
What did you do that for?
[Leo] Fuck, okay,
Niizh, listen...
just wait, wait,
wait, wait... [grunting]
- [Leo] Niizh!
- [Niizh grunting]
- [yelling]
- [Bezhig screaming]
- [Leo] Stop!
- [Niizh] Fuck you!
[Leo]
Just stop, okay?
[Leo] Stop!
Wait! Wait, Niizh!
[Niizh] Fuck you,
fuck you, fuck...
- [Leo grunting]
- [Niizh yelling]
- [Leo grunts]
- [bottle smashing]
[men grunting]
[Bezhig]
Stop! Leo! Niizh!
- [Leo] Wait!
- [Niizh] Fuck you!
[both growling]
[Niizh] Fuck you!
Niizh, Stop!
[men grunting]
Leo!
[Niizh panting]
[Leo] Let's go, come on.
[Niizh grunts]
[car rumbling]
[Bezhig] You wanna
go to the hospital?
No.
I've spent my whole life...
protecting my family
from that shit.
Leo...
I wanna go back.
He doesn't want anyone.
He made that clear.
What the fuck
do you think is gonna happen?
I don't know.
[exhales]
[engine roars]
[muffled voices]
[Niizh] What?
Who is it?
[sighing]
[Bezhig] It's just me.
I'm so sorry.
Say sorry
and you'll get your way?
Sorry.
[Niizh] Is that what they
teach you in private school?
Fuck it, come in.
[Niizh groaning]
Actually...
I don't know what to say.
I didn't know what to do.
Niizh.
[Niizh sighs]
[Niizh sighing]
[bottle clinking]
[sighing]
[sighing]
Wanna go bowlin'?
[chuckling] What?
- Can I get two beers?
- [man] Yeah, for sure.
[Niizh] Want one?
No, I'm sure.
- Hmm, I'm okay.
- [Niizh] Come on.
[Niizh] Hold it
like a soft ball.
And you gotta, like, you know,
have the positioning there.
You know,
feet shoulder-length, like this.
Watch.
Ah, yes!
[Niizh] Your turn.
I'm gonna try it like this.
Ah!
[Niizh] Yeah!
[singing] Go, Niizh,
it's your birthday.
Ah!
Oh, oh, oh.
Game point right here.
[Bezhig] Whoo!
[Bezhig laughing]
[Niizh]
Have you bowled before?
Or you have bowled before
and you're just shit at it?
[Bezhig] I used to bowl
with my youth group,
but the balls were much bigger.
What the fuck is a youth group?
[laughing]
I have that smile.
What?
I... I just noticed that, yeah.
We do have the same smile.
Almost like we're twins.
[chuckling]
[Niizh] I'm gonna go grab
more beers. You want one?
I don't normally
drink that much.
Neither do I.
[chuckling]
♪♪
[chuckling]
So, how come you're not famous?
[chuckling]
What?
Your music's so good.
Pfft.
How many famous
Indians do you know?
I'm fine with where I'm at.
Road life.
Touring.
Girls.
Could I come with you?
On tour?
[Bezhig] I'm serious.
I can be your assistant.
[Niizh] You're not
really road material.
Really?
Could I come with you?
Just for a few days.
- No.
- [Bezhig] But you and I,
we could
spend more time together.
- We could...
- What the fuck is it with you?
How come you're all over me?
You were always like this.
Like, when we were kids.
Weren't you?
All bossy and shit.
[chuckling]
[truck rumbling]
[birds chirping]
[chuckles]
I'm a shithead. I know.
That's the one thing
I kind of remember about you.
[laughing]
[chuckling]
[crickets chirping]
[Niizh]
What time is your bus?
[Bezhig] Five.
I guess I should get a room.
Why?
To sleep in it?
Just stay up.
[Bezhig chuckling]
[Niizh]
I'll stay up with you.
[crickets chirping]
[train whistle blowing]
I went to North Dakota.
Saw the farm.
Met your sister.
Shit.
[Bezhig] She showed me
where you slept.
[chuckling]
[Bezhig]
You didn't deserve that.
- [sighs]
- [crickets chirping]
[sighing]
It was fine.
It's better than
all the other places.
I don't know.
I try not
to think about all that.
All what?
[sighing]
A bunch of foster homes.
There was this one lady who
used to like to hit me, and...
I was six.
She just... [exhaling]
fuckin'...
what the fuck, man.
[exhaling]
What the... what the fuck.
[sniffling]
[stuttered breathing]
[sobbing]
[sighing]
[dog barking]
I'm fucked up.
I'm fucked up, too.
[chuckling]
No, you're not. [laughing]
[bottle clinking]
[sighing]
[sighing]
[dog barking]
[tap running]
[object clunking]
Bye.
I could catch a different bus.
Go catch your bus.
I got a show
in North Dakota tonight.
And you can't come.
But I love you.
[Niizh] Just go.
[birds chirping]
[door clicks open]
- [door creaks]
- [door clicks closed]
[sighing]
[exhales]
[sobbing]
[low rumbling sound]
- [glass shattering]
- [tires screeching]
[policeman] Hey, stop!
You did that to our car?
You think that's funny?
[young Bezhig]
Leave my brother alone!
[young Bezhig]
Let me go!
[low rumbling sound]
["Mommy's Little Guy"
by Fawn Wood plays]
♪♪
♪ Do you know ♪
♪ I love you so ♪
♪ And mommy will ♪
♪ Never let you go ♪
♪ To the stars ♪
♪ And the sky ♪
♪ You'll always be ♪
♪ Mommy's little guy ♪
♪♪
♪ Do you know ♪
♪ I love you so ♪
♪ And mommy will ♪
♪ Never let you go ♪
[rain pattering]
[bus rumbling]
- [child 1] Auntie!
- [child 2] Auntie!
[Bezhig]
Hey. Hi.
I'm so happy to be back.
I got you something.
This is for you,
and this is for you.
- [children] Thank you.
- [Bezhig] You're welcome.
[birds chirping]
[Bezhig]
Hello? I'm back.
I should've called
to let you know I was staying.
I'm sorry.
Me and Niizh stayed up
all night, we spent the day,
we went bowling, and...
[Bezhig] What?
[Bezhig] What's wrong?
[birds chirping]
[Leo] Becky called.
Okay.
[birds chirping]
He's dead.
[birds chirping]
She got him
to the hospital, but...
She found him in his motel.
No, wait, how?
Drugs.
[birds chirping]
[sobbing] But I was just
with him this morning.
[sobbing]
Was it an accident?
[Leo]
Hey, hey, hey, hey.
[weeping]
[crying]
♪ There we are in a ♪
♪ A sacred place ♪
♪ It's all around ♪
♪ Written on your face ♪
♪ And no one knows
what you ♪
Can you come? Please?
♪ You mean to me ♪
I need you to come.
♪ Like fallen worlds
on a dead-end street ♪
♪ Of all the world
that we'll ♪
♪ We'll never see ♪
♪ They say there's
better things ♪
♪ And I would
have to disagree ♪
♪ Just stay (Stay) ♪
♪ Please stay ♪
♪ Lay with me ♪
♪ Stay with me now ♪
♪ Whoa ♪
♪ And all the world
around me changed ♪
♪ Fill the space inside ♪
♪ That's killing me ♪
♪ It's casting
shadows on my ♪
♪ My sanity ♪
♪ And set aside
your worry ♪
♪ I need to be
in certainty ♪
♪ Won't you stay ♪
♪ (Stay) ♪
♪ Please stay ♪
♪ (Please stay) ♪
♪ Won't you lay with me ♪
♪ And stay with me now ♪
♪ Whoa ♪
♪ And all the world
around me changed ♪
♪ And I still
miss you all the time ♪
♪ You're grown,
but you're still mine ♪
♪ I'll be ready
when they come ♪
♪ Ready ♪
♪ When they come ♪
♪ Won't you stay ♪
♪ (Stay) ♪
♪ Please stay ♪
[droning music playing]
[muffled voice on radio]
[crickets buzzing]
[birds chirping]
[low rumbling sound]
[policeman] Go!
Come on, go get 'em!
[muffled voice on radio]
[young Bezhig screaming]
Let me go!
[sinister music playing]
[young Bezhig screaming]
Let me go!
[young Bezhig]
Leave me alone!
[muffled voice on radio]
[lighter clicking]
[music playing on radio]
[wind whooshing]
[girl crying]
[music playing on radio]
[crickets chirping]
[cars humming]
[muffled chatter]
[housekeeper] You need
a refill on anything, honey?
- [Bezhig] I'm good.
- You doing okay?
Is there someone I can call?
- I'm fine.
- Oh, honey.
[housekeeper] Let me know
if you need anything.
[policeman] Ma'am!
No! Jesus Christ.
[Bezhig's mother]
Let go. Let go!
Let go of my hand!
Don't do that!
[young Bezhig] No, Mom! Mom!
[Bezhig's mother]
No, no!
[policeman yelling]
[door shuts]
[Bezhig's mother] Just one,
really quick. Smile!
[camera humming]
[muffled voice on radio]
[cars humming]
[Adele] Is there something
that you would like to say
to Mr. and Mrs. Rosenblum,
Bezhig?
[young Bezhig] Are you going
to be my mom and dad?
[Bezhig sniffling]
[Bezhig]
You're a criminal, mom!
You're a criminal!
[droning music playing]
[muffled chatter]
[office din]
[music fading]
[footsteps]
Miss Rosenblum.
The receptionist said you've
been waiting a while to see me?
Yup.
[phone ringing]
How have you been?
Not good.
Is there something I can
help you with, Miss Rosenblum?
- Yeah, maybe.
- Look.
I'm going to talk
to you, but don't...
[breathing shakily]
You're in my office.
[Bezhig] Well, you told me
not to come to your house.
You need to lower your voice.
Please, sit.
[Adele]
You don't seem well.
I'm not.
Look, Miss Rosenblum,
I appreciate you're upset.
Many adoptees
are when they find out
they can't access their files,
but you cannot come in here
and yell or be unpleasant.
[phone ringing in background]
I'm wondering.
Did you think it was funny?
To call my motel
and give me, like,
little pieces of
the information that I wanted?
Was that funny to you?
I'd like to know
where is my twin brother?
Who I didn't even
remember was my twin.
And where's my mother?
My whole family,
both families, are fucked up.
And all the things
I thought I knew
about my life are lies.
My family, back in Montreal...
I'm not talking to them.
And my family here in Regina,
I don't know them.
Not really.
And I'll probably
never really feel like
they're my real family.
[phone ringing in background]
[whispering]
You can't tell anyone,
I mean anyone,
that I'm talking to you.
You're not talking to me.
This is...
it's not legal.
I could lose my job.
Your job?
What?
What?
Look, the whole thing...
it was hard to know what to do.
How do you sleep at night?
[Adele sighing]
Niizh was adopted into
a family in North Dakota.
I drove him down myself.
Where?
[Adele]
It was near Williston.
It was a farming family.
Thompson Dairy.
And your mother, I don't know.
I can't help you with that.
[Bezhig sighing]
I've applied
for a job in public housing.
I'm hoping to move on
from this department.
I am sorry.
If...
I am sorry if I... Esther.
Yeah, what?
Good luck in public housing.
[droning music playing]
[camera humming]
[Indigenous music playing]
♪ Hey, Little Bird,
I remember you ♪
♪ You, with your dreams up
higher than you could fly ♪
♪ Hey, I remember you ♪
♪ Hey, Little Bird ♪
♪ Lost in the summer sun ♪
♪ Those were the days when
your feathers were new ♪
♪ And I remember you ♪
♪ Little Bird ♪
♪ Now it's all
comin' back ♪
♪ The whole world
is your habitat ♪
♪ But more than that,
if we meet again ♪
♪ Will you know me? ♪
♪ So, Little Bird ♪
♪ Flash your colours
and I will say ♪
♪ Glide into time with
the moon on your wing ♪
♪ Little Bird ♪
♪ Little Bird ♪
♪ Little Bird ♪
♪ Like a gull on the sea ♪
♪ Your resting place
could be Heaven ♪
♪ Or countless oceans
far from me ♪
♪♪
[birds chirping]
[Bezhig sighing]
[phone line ringing]
[operator] Operator,
how can I help you?
Yeah, hi, I'm looking for
a number in North Dakota.
[operator] Okay,
what's the name please?
For Thompson Dairy?
[operator]
Do you have a city?
Near Williston.
[operator]
I only have an address
for Thompson Farm and Dairy,
do you want that?
Yeah, sure.
[operator]
It's 27911, fifty-third,
Williston, North Dakota.
[radio scratching]
["Spirit Child"
by Willie Thrasher playing]
[Bezhig] Thank you.
♪ Spirit child,
where you going to? ♪
♪ Spirit child,
can I go with you? ♪
♪ In the end, stroll through
the end of life ♪
♪ In the end, stroll through
the end of life ♪
♪ Hey yanga, yanga ♪
♪ Yanga ♪
- Hi.
- [woman] Hi.
I'm looking for the Thompsons.
[woman]
Well, you found 'em.
Is there a Niizh Thompson here?
He was a boy.
Adopted by the Thompson family.
Oh, Henry.
Right, yeah, Niizh.
Are you his family member?
[woman] Well, officially
speakin', I'd be his sister.
Oh. So am I.
Of course y'are.
- Is he here?
- [woman] No, 'fraid not.
Well, he took off on us,
as soon as he turned 16.
Haven't seen him since.
If there's anything
you can give me,
uh, to help me find him,
it would be
really great to have it.
I know he's in a band.
He is?
[woman]
He sent us his cassette.
I can give it to ya.
Okay.
I can show you where he slept.
- Yeah.
- [woman] Ye... oh, no.
No, hun.
Not in the house.
[dog barking]
[birds chirping]
Come on.
I'll show ya.
And your mom
and dad adopted him?
Mm-hmm, well, they didn't really
think of it like adopting a son.
He was more of a hired hand.
He had to have been
about eight or nine
by the time he came to us.
You know, I didn't really think
about it much at the time.
Seemed normal, but...
I look back on it now
and I think...
it must've been
very lonely for that boy.
[dog barking]
[woman] You know,
I gotta admit to ya,
I didn't really pay
much attention to him at all.
I hardly talked to him.
[birds chirping]
This is it?
[engine rumbling]
[knocking rhythm]
[Indigenous-sounding
male vocals]
[upbeat indie music playing]
♪ When the wind
cries in the night ♪
♪ And darkness
fills the sky ♪
♪ I'm always here with you ♪
♪ A river flowin' strong ♪
♪ I'm always here with you ♪
♪ And waves will crash,
and trees will shake ♪
♪ And hold on
until morning breaks ♪
[Indigenous-sounding
male vocals]
[music gets quieter]
That part Mom
used to sing to us.
[Bezhig] There's a number here.
Maybe I could call his manager.
Phone's right there.
♪♪
[Becky] Hello?
[Bezhig] Hi, I'm looking
for one of your artists.
Uh, Niizh Thompson?
[Becky]
Is this for a gig?
Well, how do...
how do I reach him?
[Becky] I don't like it
when girls call here for him.
[Bezhig chuckling]
Uh, no,
I'm a family member of his.
[Becky] From North Dakota?
No. Canada.
- You're his real family?
- Yeah.
[Becky] Uh, I don't know
where he is,
but we're comin'
to Canada in a few weeks.
Selkirk?
[Bezhig]
You're coming to Selkirk?
- In a few weeks?
- [Becky] Yeah.
That's not too far.
[Becky] We're playing at a bar
called the Windsor Hotel.
You should come.
Well, I'm here with his brother,
- we can go together.
- No, I can't.
[Becky]
Well, I'll track him down
and let him know you called.
[Bezhig]
Uh, okay. Thanks.
[Dora]
This is important, Leo.
Go meet your brother.
[Becky] You still there?
[Bezhig] I'll call you
back in a few days.
- Thank you.
- [Becky] Sounds good.
[Dora]
Leo, we're gonna be fine here.
You gotta go.
Please, Leo.
[Dora] He hasn't left
since we had the kids.
[Leo]
I'll call you from the hotel.
When I arrive tomorrow.
- Oh, come on.
- Bye, Daddy! Bye, Auntie!
- [Leo] Bye.
- [child 1] Bye!
- [Leo] I'll see you.
- [child 1] Bring us presents!
[child 2]
I'm gonna miss you!
[Leo] I'm gonna miss you, too!
I love you!
Bye, Auntie! Bye, Daddy!
[Leo sighing]
[crickets chirping]
[Dora]
You're gonna be okay.
[acoustic music playing]
♪ Light my heart ♪
♪ And pull me in tight ♪
♪ And board this train ♪
♪ And sit by my side ♪
♪ With you ♪
♪ I'm home ♪
♪ It doesn't
matter the road ♪
♪ It doesn't matter
the route ♪
♪ The unknown ♪
♪ With you ♪
♪ I'm home ♪
[audience cheering]
♪ When the shade's drawn ♪
♪ On a magic hour sun ♪
♪ I'll still love you ♪
♪ Till my day is done ♪
♪ I'll still love you ♪
♪ Till my day is done ♪
[crowd cheering]
[crowd whistling]
[Becky] We're gonna take
a 15-minute break
and we'll be back with our
latest single, "All I Want."
[crowd cheering]
[club music playing
in the background]
- [Niizh] This is fuckin' crazy.
- [Bezhig] Hi.
[Niizh chuckling]
Hi.
This is our older brother, Leo.
- Hi, Niizh.
- [Niizh] Leo.
Hi. It's been a while.
Wow, this is...
This whole show I was tryin' to
figure out which ones were you.
[Bezhig chuckling]
Would you like a beer?
No, I'm okay, thank you.
And you, would you like to drink
with your long-lost brother?
Yeah.
[Niizh] Great.
Guys! Guys!
This is my sister!
- [man] No way!
- [Becky] Hi, I'm Becky!
We talked on the phone!
Is that your brother over there?
- [man] What's his problem?
- [Bezhig] Oh, he's fine.
He just doesn't drink.
[Niizh]
Let's do a shot, sister.
- Yeah.
- You probably need it.
- [Bezhig] I guess I do.
- [man] Let's fuckin' party.
[whistling]
- [Niizh] Cheers.
- [man] Cheers.
♪♪
♪ The children's eyes
are filled with red and blue ♪
♪ In the field
of memory from that place ♪
♪ And all I want
is a home tonight ♪
♪ All I need
is a place of light ♪
♪ Home tonight ♪
♪ In arms so tight ♪
♪ And all I want
is a home tonight ♪
♪♪
- [crowd cheering]
- [crowd applauding]
[Niizh]
You want another beer?
Yeah. Sure.
[Niizh] Come on.
[woman] He's spending
all this time with her.
[woman] Hey.
You gonna smoke that?
Gimme one.
[woman]
Niizh, over here!
[chuckles]
[indistinct]
[indistinct]
♪♪
[indistinct chatter]
No, no. I don't wanna go.
[person whistling]
[Leo] I got you.
[engine revving]
Nope, this way, this way.
[engine roars]
[Bezhig] I wanna stay.
[Leo] Well, you'll see him
in the morning, okay?
[Bezhig]
I don't wanna wait till...
[puking]
[Leo] Fuck.
[knocking]
Hello?
We wanted to say goodbye.
We're driving back, so...
Sure, yeah.
Maybe we should come back later?
This doesn't seem
like a good time.
Why wouldn't this
be a good time?
It's my fuckin' life.
Uh, I just meant that we
shouldn't have come so early.
That's all.
[Niizh] Uh,
that's not what you meant.
You think I'm a fuck up.
Okay, cool it.
No. I'm sorry,
we'll just come back later.
You don't even fuckin' know me.
All right, let's go.
- [Bezhig] No, Leo, I'm fine.
- [Niizh] Oh, big fuckin'
- protector now, huh?
- Let's go.
Look at me
when I'm fuckin' talkin' to you!
[Bezhig] Leo! Leo!
[screams]
Leo!
What did you do that for?
[Leo] Fuck, okay,
Niizh, listen...
just wait, wait,
wait, wait... [grunting]
- [Leo] Niizh!
- [Niizh grunting]
- [yelling]
- [Bezhig screaming]
- [Leo] Stop!
- [Niizh] Fuck you!
[Leo]
Just stop, okay?
[Leo] Stop!
Wait! Wait, Niizh!
[Niizh] Fuck you,
fuck you, fuck...
- [Leo grunting]
- [Niizh yelling]
- [Leo grunts]
- [bottle smashing]
[men grunting]
[Bezhig]
Stop! Leo! Niizh!
- [Leo] Wait!
- [Niizh] Fuck you!
[both growling]
[Niizh] Fuck you!
Niizh, Stop!
[men grunting]
Leo!
[Niizh panting]
[Leo] Let's go, come on.
[Niizh grunts]
[car rumbling]
[Bezhig] You wanna
go to the hospital?
No.
I've spent my whole life...
protecting my family
from that shit.
Leo...
I wanna go back.
He doesn't want anyone.
He made that clear.
What the fuck
do you think is gonna happen?
I don't know.
[exhales]
[engine roars]
[muffled voices]
[Niizh] What?
Who is it?
[sighing]
[Bezhig] It's just me.
I'm so sorry.
Say sorry
and you'll get your way?
Sorry.
[Niizh] Is that what they
teach you in private school?
Fuck it, come in.
[Niizh groaning]
Actually...
I don't know what to say.
I didn't know what to do.
Niizh.
[Niizh sighs]
[Niizh sighing]
[bottle clinking]
[sighing]
[sighing]
Wanna go bowlin'?
[chuckling] What?
- Can I get two beers?
- [man] Yeah, for sure.
[Niizh] Want one?
No, I'm sure.
- Hmm, I'm okay.
- [Niizh] Come on.
[Niizh] Hold it
like a soft ball.
And you gotta, like, you know,
have the positioning there.
You know,
feet shoulder-length, like this.
Watch.
Ah, yes!
[Niizh] Your turn.
I'm gonna try it like this.
Ah!
[Niizh] Yeah!
[singing] Go, Niizh,
it's your birthday.
Ah!
Oh, oh, oh.
Game point right here.
[Bezhig] Whoo!
[Bezhig laughing]
[Niizh]
Have you bowled before?
Or you have bowled before
and you're just shit at it?
[Bezhig] I used to bowl
with my youth group,
but the balls were much bigger.
What the fuck is a youth group?
[laughing]
I have that smile.
What?
I... I just noticed that, yeah.
We do have the same smile.
Almost like we're twins.
[chuckling]
[Niizh] I'm gonna go grab
more beers. You want one?
I don't normally
drink that much.
Neither do I.
[chuckling]
♪♪
[chuckling]
So, how come you're not famous?
[chuckling]
What?
Your music's so good.
Pfft.
How many famous
Indians do you know?
I'm fine with where I'm at.
Road life.
Touring.
Girls.
Could I come with you?
On tour?
[Bezhig] I'm serious.
I can be your assistant.
[Niizh] You're not
really road material.
Really?
Could I come with you?
Just for a few days.
- No.
- [Bezhig] But you and I,
we could
spend more time together.
- We could...
- What the fuck is it with you?
How come you're all over me?
You were always like this.
Like, when we were kids.
Weren't you?
All bossy and shit.
[chuckling]
[truck rumbling]
[birds chirping]
[chuckles]
I'm a shithead. I know.
That's the one thing
I kind of remember about you.
[laughing]
[chuckling]
[crickets chirping]
[Niizh]
What time is your bus?
[Bezhig] Five.
I guess I should get a room.
Why?
To sleep in it?
Just stay up.
[Bezhig chuckling]
[Niizh]
I'll stay up with you.
[crickets chirping]
[train whistle blowing]
I went to North Dakota.
Saw the farm.
Met your sister.
Shit.
[Bezhig] She showed me
where you slept.
[chuckling]
[Bezhig]
You didn't deserve that.
- [sighs]
- [crickets chirping]
[sighing]
It was fine.
It's better than
all the other places.
I don't know.
I try not
to think about all that.
All what?
[sighing]
A bunch of foster homes.
There was this one lady who
used to like to hit me, and...
I was six.
She just... [exhaling]
fuckin'...
what the fuck, man.
[exhaling]
What the... what the fuck.
[sniffling]
[stuttered breathing]
[sobbing]
[sighing]
[dog barking]
I'm fucked up.
I'm fucked up, too.
[chuckling]
No, you're not. [laughing]
[bottle clinking]
[sighing]
[sighing]
[dog barking]
[tap running]
[object clunking]
Bye.
I could catch a different bus.
Go catch your bus.
I got a show
in North Dakota tonight.
And you can't come.
But I love you.
[Niizh] Just go.
[birds chirping]
[door clicks open]
- [door creaks]
- [door clicks closed]
[sighing]
[exhales]
[sobbing]
[low rumbling sound]
- [glass shattering]
- [tires screeching]
[policeman] Hey, stop!
You did that to our car?
You think that's funny?
[young Bezhig]
Leave my brother alone!
[young Bezhig]
Let me go!
[low rumbling sound]
["Mommy's Little Guy"
by Fawn Wood plays]
♪♪
♪ Do you know ♪
♪ I love you so ♪
♪ And mommy will ♪
♪ Never let you go ♪
♪ To the stars ♪
♪ And the sky ♪
♪ You'll always be ♪
♪ Mommy's little guy ♪
♪♪
♪ Do you know ♪
♪ I love you so ♪
♪ And mommy will ♪
♪ Never let you go ♪
[rain pattering]
[bus rumbling]
- [child 1] Auntie!
- [child 2] Auntie!
[Bezhig]
Hey. Hi.
I'm so happy to be back.
I got you something.
This is for you,
and this is for you.
- [children] Thank you.
- [Bezhig] You're welcome.
[birds chirping]
[Bezhig]
Hello? I'm back.
I should've called
to let you know I was staying.
I'm sorry.
Me and Niizh stayed up
all night, we spent the day,
we went bowling, and...
[Bezhig] What?
[Bezhig] What's wrong?
[birds chirping]
[Leo] Becky called.
Okay.
[birds chirping]
He's dead.
[birds chirping]
She got him
to the hospital, but...
She found him in his motel.
No, wait, how?
Drugs.
[birds chirping]
[sobbing] But I was just
with him this morning.
[sobbing]
Was it an accident?
[Leo]
Hey, hey, hey, hey.
[weeping]
[crying]
♪ There we are in a ♪
♪ A sacred place ♪
♪ It's all around ♪
♪ Written on your face ♪
♪ And no one knows
what you ♪
Can you come? Please?
♪ You mean to me ♪
I need you to come.
♪ Like fallen worlds
on a dead-end street ♪
♪ Of all the world
that we'll ♪
♪ We'll never see ♪
♪ They say there's
better things ♪
♪ And I would
have to disagree ♪
♪ Just stay (Stay) ♪
♪ Please stay ♪
♪ Lay with me ♪
♪ Stay with me now ♪
♪ Whoa ♪
♪ And all the world
around me changed ♪
♪ Fill the space inside ♪
♪ That's killing me ♪
♪ It's casting
shadows on my ♪
♪ My sanity ♪
♪ And set aside
your worry ♪
♪ I need to be
in certainty ♪
♪ Won't you stay ♪
♪ (Stay) ♪
♪ Please stay ♪
♪ (Please stay) ♪
♪ Won't you lay with me ♪
♪ And stay with me now ♪
♪ Whoa ♪
♪ And all the world
around me changed ♪
♪ And I still
miss you all the time ♪
♪ You're grown,
but you're still mine ♪
♪ I'll be ready
when they come ♪
♪ Ready ♪
♪ When they come ♪
♪ Won't you stay ♪
♪ (Stay) ♪
♪ Please stay ♪