Nip/Tuck (2003–2010): Season 2, Episode 11 - Natasha Charles - full transcript
Natasha Charles is an unusual patient- her whole body is attractive, but since birth her eyes are blind, covered with a 'scary' white-blue membrane, as Christian puts it when she asks him to make her attractive to him, so the doctors operate to implant artificial eyes from an expert. Afterward Christian follows her when he hears she has an Internet date, finds out that's a blind man who still asks him whether she's attractive and even dumps her when he lies she's much older; so he's happy to fill in and enjoys sex with a woman who can't be after his gorgeous body. Meanwhile Sean remains merciless on Julia, who has her breasts enlarged by a female surgeon and gets unwanted visitors- lice on Annie's head from some classmate and her own mother Erica, who tries in vain to make Sean and Christian do an intervention with Julia and rushes off again to another lecture; when Sean is unmoved by her improved balcony she overdoes her painkillers and has a bad fall trough a glass wall...
Miss Charles, tell me
what you don't like about yourself.
You tell me.
It's not about what we think.
It's how the patient experiences
their own appearance.
What they'd like to change
to improve their negative self-image.
You know the only thing worse
than having a negative self-image?
- Having no self-image?
- I'm impressed.
I wouldn't expect a lothario like you
to get that.
What makes you so certain
that he's the lothario?
Well...
any successful man like yourself who
wears Old Spice got it for Father's Day.
Any man who'll spend a $185 on a bottle
of Creed isn't wearing it to please his wife.
They should put you to work
solving crimes.
Actually, I'm a designer. Rockets.
Perfume.
Two of my scents became
best sellers this year...
so I decided to do a little remodeling,
for the dating season.
What's the name of your scent?
I'll have to buy some.
Well, that wouldn't be fair.
To whom?
Women.
You're hard to resist as it is without
adding extra pheromones into the mix.
Miss Charles, are you flirting with me?
That depends.
Am I pretty enough to flirt with you?
- No.
- Good.
Then fix whatever needs fixing.
Make me into someone that you'd want.
- Make me a 10.
- We're not cosmeticians, Miss Charles.
We're talking about permanent changes.
Besides, everyone's idea of beauty varies.
It's in the eye of the beholder.
Wrong.
Pretty is in the eye of the beholder.
Beauty is in the soul.
You can't see it,
but you know it when you feel it.
Come on.
You guys are the top plastic surgeons
in Florida. Give me the superficial facts.
What would you change?
- Your eyes. The pigmentation...
- They're spooky.
Thank you. Go on.
Was this the result of a trauma or illness?
I was born this way.
In the dark, so to speak.
I have no way of knowing if my nose
is too big, if my lips are too thin...
Except for your eyes, you're a 10.
Although you already know that.
We can recommend an excellent ocularist.
We'll work with him together
on color, size, shape.
What color will they be?
Blue, maybe.
With a tiny hint of green.
Blue. Like the ocean and the sky.
Nice.
- You're smiling, aren't you?
- Actually, it's more of a smirk.
You're not as good as you think.
How about Thursday afternoon?
I can make an appointment for you.
I can make my own appointment.
I like to be independent.
I also like to be driven.
Learning to skate, or do you just want
to carry a big stick?
Tampa Bay Lightning,
signed by the entire team.
Only $350. It's worth a lot more
after winning the cup.
It's nice that you're here.
I wasn't expecting to see you.
You usually hate these things.
If it's for Annie's school,
it's the least I could do.
I'm used to going
to these things by myself.
Then tonight's no exception.
I was at your sign-up sheet,
and there's all these women there...
but they're too embarrassed
to put their names down.
But I think I got the ball rolling.
I told them you did a great job on these.
Oh, hi.
Maybe I should go
and keep pumping the bids.
You're too good to give it away for free.
I can't believe you brought that...
walking slab of silicone
to our daughter's school.
She's the one who suggested I donate
my surgical skill to the highest bidder.
I thought you didn't even like big tits.
I guess I was lying. My bad.
- Well, I'm just glad I didn't bring Annie.
- Yeah, you better watch out.
She'll end up
running away from you like Matt.
What's happened to you?
I'm having a good time, Julia.
A really good time.
Your holier-than-thou attitude won't make
me feel shitty for bringing Kimber here...
'cause you've got no right to be holier
than anybody ever again.
Every guy in this room is looking
at her tits, and wishing they were me...
and not going home with their bitter,
unhappy, and resentful wives.
Is this how it's going to be from now on?
Face it, Julia. You've lost your boy.
Methyl methacrylate.
It's lighter...
and more responsive to the muscles
that control the movement of the eye.
And it's virtually unbreakable.
Unbreakable?
You mean in case
they pop out of my head?
No, but, they might fall from the sink
when you're trying to wash them.
I recently replaced a patient's left eye
because it had been eaten by his dog.
May I?
What are you doing?
Eyes are a reflection
of the soul.
I need to know
who's behind the eyes I'm making.
That's why it takes me a little longer
than the rest.
To me,
it's more than a science. It's an art.
There are 12 steps
to the painting alone.
Each element within the eye
requires its own special blend of color.
The red veins are sometimes duplicated
by using thin strands of fabric...
and carefully placing them on the plastic.
The verisimilitude is astonishing.
When do you think I could have them?
As soon as your damaged eyeballs
are removed...
and the implants sewn into place.
- I can schedule her next week.
- Then next week it is.
Once the orbal implants
are in place...
they provide the necessary anchor
for the artificial eye.
That's when you and I are ready to begin.
You come in...
and I position this impression tray
in your socket.
Don't worry. It will feel odd,
but not painful.
I use it to make an algenate impression
of the cavity within your eye.
When it's dry and smooth
and a perfect fit...
it serves as a mold
for the actual plastic insert...
that will become your new eye.
Then the fitting.
That's when the miracle happens.
Miracle?
Animating what's lifeless.
A mere piece of plastic,
and we give the soul its voice.
It all sounds so gruesome.
- Do you really think it's worth it?
- I've never had a disappointed customer.
I don't like to toot my own horn...
Well, yes, I do, because I'm the best.
If you weren't, we wouldn't be here.
So, you wanted to know
what my recommendation would be.
This is it.
What color eyes were you thinking?
Blue. With a hint of green.
Good.
Life's about change right? Transformation.
And I'd just like to see this time
as an opportunity...
to explore other possibilities.
Well, outside of being a wife
and mother, I mean.
- Did you say you were divorced?
- Separated.
If it makes you feel any better,
70%/% of the breast augmentations I do...
are on women divorced or in the process.
It can be quite healing and a way
of affirming your desirability.
Some of my patients even have implants
as part of their settlement.
Well, there's a thought.
Maybe I should wait until we file.
Why don't you open your blouse so we
can see what we have to work with here?
Have you done a lot of these?
Let's say that since I began this practice,
micromastia has become an epidemic.
- Micromastia?
- Small-breastedness.
I always thought they were average.
Micromastia? It sounds like a disease.
In our culture, it often is.
Breasts are a symbol
of our femininity...
the closest thing we have
to a phallic symbol...
and like it or not,
we live in a world where size matters.
For both.
I think we can go up to a C or even a D
and still keep your natural drop.
I don't want them to be huge.
I mean, just different.
Better. A new me, you know?
I'm sure you'll be delighted because
you're doing it for the right reason.
Yourself.
What's sad are the ones that do it
thinking they can get their husbands back.
It's heartbreaking.
What are you doing?
I'm monitoring
your heart, sweetie.
Standard procedure. Try to relax.
You know,
maybe I shouldn't be doing this.
I have two kids.
The youngest one is only eight.
She's at my husband's.
If anything happened to me...
Don't you worry. Dr. Copley's the best.
She hasn't botched one yet.
Yeah. She did these. Pretty good, huh?
Did having them done
really change anything...
in your love life?
Fourteen carat, and he never gets bored.
Okay, Julia, we're going to begin.
As the anesthesia starts to work,
you're going to feel as if you're floating.
One more look, for old times' sake.
And now, counting back
from 10 to one.
Ten...
nine...
eight...
I love Oceania. I love it.
They make the best Chilean sea bass.
You know what? I'm not sure...
but my doctor just walked into the room,
so I'll ask him.
Is it too soon for me to make
dinner plans for Saturday night?
You're an independent woman.
- Hot date?
- Hope so.
He answered my personal ad
on the Internet.
Well, why don't you call him back after...
I've finished checking you out?
Ron, can I get back to you?
My very hunky doctor wants to stare
deeply into my beautiful new acrylic eyes.
Great. I'll talk to you later.
- What's wrong?
- Nothing.
I'm just checking your tear ducts.
Something.
It's written all over your forehead.
No man who answers an Internet ad
is after a deep personal connection...
that doesn't involve his penis.
You know, I think I read that
in a fortune cookie once.
I thought you were smarter than that.
Funny, my incredibly smart friend Janet
met her husband that way.
Was she blind?
I'm sorry. I just meant that...
men are assholes, and being blind
just makes you an easier mark.
Are we through here?
Look directly at me and try
to move your eyes from side to side.
There's not a lot of mobility yet...
but the muscle reattachment
seems to be holding.
Is that it?
Look, it's men. We're just wired that way.
Even if some small part of our brains
actually gives a damn about your soul...
it's always short-circuited by the part
that wants to get into your pants.
I'm a big girl, Doctor.
I don't use a Seeing Eye dog.
I certainly don't need
a seeing-eye doctor to rescue me...
from all those bad, big,
scary men out there...
just waiting to prey on us blind
damsels in distress.
Be careful.
You know what the upside
to being blind is?
There's no fear of the unknown,
because it's all unknown.
Everything is chance.
Meeting this guy, crossing the street...
picking outfits that match,
buying groceries.
I'm not expecting to fall in love.
But you never know.
Just a minute.
Matt wasn't exaggerating, was he?
You really do look a bit
like a crack whore, sweetheart.
- I can't believe that Matt called you.
- I can't believe you didn't.
Did he say anything else?
About why I moved out?
Because Matty has two fathers.
You were young, you made a mistake.
You don't have to spend
the rest of your life atoning for it.
Why not?
- I ruined my husband's life.
- Bullshit.
You ruined your own by not living it.
If Sean doesn't want anything
more to do with you, yippee. You're free.
Get off your ass and stop depending on
other people for your sense of self-worth.
You really should have
your own talk show.
Now, I'm staying at the Raleigh.
You're coming with me...
until we can find someplace
more suitable for you and Annie.
God knows
what's living under these carpets.
Please leave my things alone, Mother.
I don't need you to swoop in here...
and start telling me
what I should and shouldn't do.
Take enough Xanax,
it won't matter what you do.
It's Vicodin. I need something
to help me with the pain.
I had my breasts augmented.
Oh, God. I'm sorry.
Good for you, sweetheart.
At least you did something.
When I said you should make
the most out of yourself...
I wasn't referring to your bra size.
You had a facelift, Mother.
What's the difference?
I did it for professional reasons.
The only professional reason for that
is to look better dancing on a pole.
You're a brilliant, gifted girl, Julia.
Why are brains the last
on your list of things to develop?
Because they're the last things
on the list that matter.
Just be smart enough to know
that when your kids come home...
they need a hug,
a kiss, some goddamn tenderness.
And they don't want to be told
how they screwed up...
because 10-to-1 they already know.
Tell me what you need.
For God's sake, Erica, look around.
I've been eating
microwave macaroni and cheese.
I haven't washed my hair in days
because I can't lift my arms.
And if I leave the garbage out any longer,
I'll start attracting wildlife.
Why didn't you arrange
for a practical nurse...
before you left the hospital?
Because I chose to have it done,
and I don't want Sean paying for it.
I'll write a check.
Forget it.
The interest is way too high.
But thanks for coming over.
And if you happen to bump into anyone
resembling a mother...
tell her I could use one.
Tits.
- What are you talking about?
- Bazooms. Power boobies.
Apparently, an IQ of 160 isn't enough
to get her through this transition...
without acquiring
equally impressive knockers.
Julia got breast implants?
- I don't believe it.
- What the hell was she thinking?
Sean, according to Matt,
you're dating Porn Star Barbie.
That would make any woman
feel inadequate.
What do you expect us to do?
Take them out and tell her
they were fine the way they were before?
Julia's in crisis.
Have you seen where she's living?
Where Annie's living
when she's not with you?
You're not suggesting
I take Annie away from her.
Let's just hear what she has to say.
I want us all to come together,
in a caring...
nonjudgmental manner...
and present Julia
with our observations and concerns.
- You want us to stage an intervention.
- Oh, God.
Yes.
I've gotten the name
of the top psychiatrist in the area.
I've pulled strings to make an appointment
but I can't make sure she shows up.
- Why not?
- Because I won't be here.
Of course.
This is beautiful.
But your daughter's in crisis, Erica.
What's more important than that?
I have to be in Los Angeles
at the end of the week.
I'm giving a lecture.
On mothering?
But you'll be back.
You can't just intervene and run.
I'm trying to put a support system
into place before I go.
You mean dump her on us.
So you're just going to cut her off.
Where'd you get the balls?
She's the only one being punished.
If she's got to wear a scarlet letter,
then so do you.
How about I stage
an intervention with you?
Take it easy.
You've done more harm to Julia
than we could ever do in a lifetime.
You're the real reason
she's so screwed-up!
You never saw her
except as a reflection of yourself.
Shit, you never saw her, period.
You were always busy working,
helping your patients with their problems.
Well, she's your problem now, Erica.
You broke her, you fix her.
The best thing about not being with Julia
is I don't have to be nice to her mother.
- You think I'm a dick?
- I didn't say anything.
You want to become part
of Erica's intervention?
I hurt Julia.
I do that a lot. Hurt and run.
- If there's a chance to help...
- She's had enough help.
I've spent my life rescuing, supporting,
protecting her, and so have you.
Now look what's happened.
We've enabled her so much she's disabled.
You want to be a hero?
Go find someone who really needs one.
Ron. Hi.
What's so funny?
Me. I'm such an asshole.
One more?
Honey, hold still. It's hard to see
when you keep moving around.
But it really itches.
Honey, can you go get that?
It's your grandmother.
There she is.
How are you, sweetheart?
There's a charming
two-bedroom on Collins.
I've made an appointment for you
to see it tomorrow at 11:00.
I'm not looking
for another apartment, Mother.
Once I'm better,
I'll fix this place up. It'll be fine.
You can at least look at it.
If you don't like it, he's got others.
And here.
I called the department at Columbia.
I've got you an appointment with the top
psychopharmacologist in the state.
He also happens to specialize
in depression.
I'm not depressed, Mother, I'm separated.
Oh, God, there's one.
Are you going to have to shave my head?
- Shave your head? What for?
- Lice.
They're going around at Annie's school.
You're pulling.
Oh, my God, they're everywhere.
What's next, Julia? Scabies?
How much further down do you have
to go before this stops? Shitter's Alley?
You don't have to be a member
of a third world country to get lice.
They're not a sign of uncleanliness.
They're not what I would call
a status symbol. You never had them.
Honey, take your clothes off
and throw them on the bathroom floor.
I'll be in to run the water.
Do you think you could help me
to strip the bed?
Just put all the pillow cases
and the sheets in a pile.
They have to be washed separately.
What do you say
we just toss the whole mess out?
No, it'll be fine.
I'll just wash it in hot water.
You really want your daughter
to risk recontamination?
- Linens cost money.
- My treat.
Mommy.
Just put the laundry
in a goddamn pile, okay?
Fine. Do everything the hard way.
It's not enough to swim across the ocean.
You have to do with 20-pound boulder
strapped to your back.
Oh, God. I think I felt one.
- Mother, you don't have lice.
- Where Annie put her head.
Mommy.
Something is crawling through my hair.
Mother, why don't you
just go back to your hotel room...
and have a nice hot bath.
I'll see you tomorrow, okay?
Actually, the conference called.
My schedule's been changed.
I have to leave in the morning.
Mommy, are you coming?
You go and take care of yourself.
At least that's one thing
you've always been good at.
Excuse me.
Do you see a blind girl sitting over there,
by herself?
I see her. The one you were sitting with?
Right. Is she hot?
She's attractive, yes.
Well, can you give me a number?
Is she an eight, a nine?
Well, how's her body?
Does she have a good pair of tits?
You want the truth?
She's got to be
at least 10, 15 years older than you.
- What a liar. She told me she was 30.
- Old women lie about their age.
She thought she could get away with it
because you were blind.
Screw her. Do me a favor, will you?
Tell her my mother had a stroke
and I had to leave.
- That's the best you can do?
- She's the one who lied, not me.
Was I right about the salmon?
- What are you doing here?
- Same as you.
Really?
I'm not here spying on people.
I'm with someone.
Not anymore.
Thank God. What an asshole.
All he talked about was what
his last girlfriend said about his body.
Why didn't you tell me
that your blind date was blind?
Was he?
You didn't ask, and I don't consider
blindness to be a defining characteristic.
Why are you here?
Protect you from bastards. Like me.
Well, you can go now.
I don't want to.
It feels good,
your not being able to see me.
Like I'm a blank slate.
Tabula rasa.
No preconceptions.
Give me your hand.
Did you know that everybody
has their own special scent?
And that each scent
has three distinct parts.
Or, as we say in the biz, notes.
- No kidding.
- No kidding.
There's a top note, a middle note,
and a base note.
Most people are only aware
of their top notes.
How they want to be perceived,
their image.
The middle layer is a buffer...
to keep the external highs
away from the forbidden lows.
Why forbidden?
Because it's what people
are most afraid of. Their true selves.
So what am I afraid of?
I already know I'm a bastard.
Are you sure?
Maybe...
you're afraid of finding out
you're not the bastard you think you are.
I see...
someone kind...
and gentle...
and scared.
I think maybe you're the one
who needs to be rescued.
What are you doing?
Just looking.
Close your eyes.
I want you to really see me.
You're so beautiful.
Annie's pretty pooped.
She ran straight to her room
to lie down before dinner.
You're later than usual.
I had to stop and get a few things.
We had a rough night.
Here.
Anti-lice shampoo?
It has chemical insecticides in it,
so use it sparingly.
- Annie has lice?
- Had lice, hopefully.
You leave it on for about 10 minutes
and then rinse.
How did she get lice?
There are 32 students in her class, Sean.
It happens.
Aren't you going to say anything?
Our daughter has lice.
What else would you like me to say?
About my breasts. I had them done.
Your mother told me.
- Would you like to see them?
- No.
I'd like you to.
I think Dr. Copley did a good job, but...
I'd feel better if you looked at them,
just to make sure.
The symmetry's excellent.
Sloping's natural.
Peri-areolar incision. That was smart.
Dr. Copley's a professional.
She knows what she's doing.
Do you like them?
It doesn't matter what I think.
It's how the patient feels
about themselves.
Screw you, Sean.
I don't care what you think.
I don't care what anybody thinks.
what you don't like about yourself.
You tell me.
It's not about what we think.
It's how the patient experiences
their own appearance.
What they'd like to change
to improve their negative self-image.
You know the only thing worse
than having a negative self-image?
- Having no self-image?
- I'm impressed.
I wouldn't expect a lothario like you
to get that.
What makes you so certain
that he's the lothario?
Well...
any successful man like yourself who
wears Old Spice got it for Father's Day.
Any man who'll spend a $185 on a bottle
of Creed isn't wearing it to please his wife.
They should put you to work
solving crimes.
Actually, I'm a designer. Rockets.
Perfume.
Two of my scents became
best sellers this year...
so I decided to do a little remodeling,
for the dating season.
What's the name of your scent?
I'll have to buy some.
Well, that wouldn't be fair.
To whom?
Women.
You're hard to resist as it is without
adding extra pheromones into the mix.
Miss Charles, are you flirting with me?
That depends.
Am I pretty enough to flirt with you?
- No.
- Good.
Then fix whatever needs fixing.
Make me into someone that you'd want.
- Make me a 10.
- We're not cosmeticians, Miss Charles.
We're talking about permanent changes.
Besides, everyone's idea of beauty varies.
It's in the eye of the beholder.
Wrong.
Pretty is in the eye of the beholder.
Beauty is in the soul.
You can't see it,
but you know it when you feel it.
Come on.
You guys are the top plastic surgeons
in Florida. Give me the superficial facts.
What would you change?
- Your eyes. The pigmentation...
- They're spooky.
Thank you. Go on.
Was this the result of a trauma or illness?
I was born this way.
In the dark, so to speak.
I have no way of knowing if my nose
is too big, if my lips are too thin...
Except for your eyes, you're a 10.
Although you already know that.
We can recommend an excellent ocularist.
We'll work with him together
on color, size, shape.
What color will they be?
Blue, maybe.
With a tiny hint of green.
Blue. Like the ocean and the sky.
Nice.
- You're smiling, aren't you?
- Actually, it's more of a smirk.
You're not as good as you think.
How about Thursday afternoon?
I can make an appointment for you.
I can make my own appointment.
I like to be independent.
I also like to be driven.
Learning to skate, or do you just want
to carry a big stick?
Tampa Bay Lightning,
signed by the entire team.
Only $350. It's worth a lot more
after winning the cup.
It's nice that you're here.
I wasn't expecting to see you.
You usually hate these things.
If it's for Annie's school,
it's the least I could do.
I'm used to going
to these things by myself.
Then tonight's no exception.
I was at your sign-up sheet,
and there's all these women there...
but they're too embarrassed
to put their names down.
But I think I got the ball rolling.
I told them you did a great job on these.
Oh, hi.
Maybe I should go
and keep pumping the bids.
You're too good to give it away for free.
I can't believe you brought that...
walking slab of silicone
to our daughter's school.
She's the one who suggested I donate
my surgical skill to the highest bidder.
I thought you didn't even like big tits.
I guess I was lying. My bad.
- Well, I'm just glad I didn't bring Annie.
- Yeah, you better watch out.
She'll end up
running away from you like Matt.
What's happened to you?
I'm having a good time, Julia.
A really good time.
Your holier-than-thou attitude won't make
me feel shitty for bringing Kimber here...
'cause you've got no right to be holier
than anybody ever again.
Every guy in this room is looking
at her tits, and wishing they were me...
and not going home with their bitter,
unhappy, and resentful wives.
Is this how it's going to be from now on?
Face it, Julia. You've lost your boy.
Methyl methacrylate.
It's lighter...
and more responsive to the muscles
that control the movement of the eye.
And it's virtually unbreakable.
Unbreakable?
You mean in case
they pop out of my head?
No, but, they might fall from the sink
when you're trying to wash them.
I recently replaced a patient's left eye
because it had been eaten by his dog.
May I?
What are you doing?
Eyes are a reflection
of the soul.
I need to know
who's behind the eyes I'm making.
That's why it takes me a little longer
than the rest.
To me,
it's more than a science. It's an art.
There are 12 steps
to the painting alone.
Each element within the eye
requires its own special blend of color.
The red veins are sometimes duplicated
by using thin strands of fabric...
and carefully placing them on the plastic.
The verisimilitude is astonishing.
When do you think I could have them?
As soon as your damaged eyeballs
are removed...
and the implants sewn into place.
- I can schedule her next week.
- Then next week it is.
Once the orbal implants
are in place...
they provide the necessary anchor
for the artificial eye.
That's when you and I are ready to begin.
You come in...
and I position this impression tray
in your socket.
Don't worry. It will feel odd,
but not painful.
I use it to make an algenate impression
of the cavity within your eye.
When it's dry and smooth
and a perfect fit...
it serves as a mold
for the actual plastic insert...
that will become your new eye.
Then the fitting.
That's when the miracle happens.
Miracle?
Animating what's lifeless.
A mere piece of plastic,
and we give the soul its voice.
It all sounds so gruesome.
- Do you really think it's worth it?
- I've never had a disappointed customer.
I don't like to toot my own horn...
Well, yes, I do, because I'm the best.
If you weren't, we wouldn't be here.
So, you wanted to know
what my recommendation would be.
This is it.
What color eyes were you thinking?
Blue. With a hint of green.
Good.
Life's about change right? Transformation.
And I'd just like to see this time
as an opportunity...
to explore other possibilities.
Well, outside of being a wife
and mother, I mean.
- Did you say you were divorced?
- Separated.
If it makes you feel any better,
70%/% of the breast augmentations I do...
are on women divorced or in the process.
It can be quite healing and a way
of affirming your desirability.
Some of my patients even have implants
as part of their settlement.
Well, there's a thought.
Maybe I should wait until we file.
Why don't you open your blouse so we
can see what we have to work with here?
Have you done a lot of these?
Let's say that since I began this practice,
micromastia has become an epidemic.
- Micromastia?
- Small-breastedness.
I always thought they were average.
Micromastia? It sounds like a disease.
In our culture, it often is.
Breasts are a symbol
of our femininity...
the closest thing we have
to a phallic symbol...
and like it or not,
we live in a world where size matters.
For both.
I think we can go up to a C or even a D
and still keep your natural drop.
I don't want them to be huge.
I mean, just different.
Better. A new me, you know?
I'm sure you'll be delighted because
you're doing it for the right reason.
Yourself.
What's sad are the ones that do it
thinking they can get their husbands back.
It's heartbreaking.
What are you doing?
I'm monitoring
your heart, sweetie.
Standard procedure. Try to relax.
You know,
maybe I shouldn't be doing this.
I have two kids.
The youngest one is only eight.
She's at my husband's.
If anything happened to me...
Don't you worry. Dr. Copley's the best.
She hasn't botched one yet.
Yeah. She did these. Pretty good, huh?
Did having them done
really change anything...
in your love life?
Fourteen carat, and he never gets bored.
Okay, Julia, we're going to begin.
As the anesthesia starts to work,
you're going to feel as if you're floating.
One more look, for old times' sake.
And now, counting back
from 10 to one.
Ten...
nine...
eight...
I love Oceania. I love it.
They make the best Chilean sea bass.
You know what? I'm not sure...
but my doctor just walked into the room,
so I'll ask him.
Is it too soon for me to make
dinner plans for Saturday night?
You're an independent woman.
- Hot date?
- Hope so.
He answered my personal ad
on the Internet.
Well, why don't you call him back after...
I've finished checking you out?
Ron, can I get back to you?
My very hunky doctor wants to stare
deeply into my beautiful new acrylic eyes.
Great. I'll talk to you later.
- What's wrong?
- Nothing.
I'm just checking your tear ducts.
Something.
It's written all over your forehead.
No man who answers an Internet ad
is after a deep personal connection...
that doesn't involve his penis.
You know, I think I read that
in a fortune cookie once.
I thought you were smarter than that.
Funny, my incredibly smart friend Janet
met her husband that way.
Was she blind?
I'm sorry. I just meant that...
men are assholes, and being blind
just makes you an easier mark.
Are we through here?
Look directly at me and try
to move your eyes from side to side.
There's not a lot of mobility yet...
but the muscle reattachment
seems to be holding.
Is that it?
Look, it's men. We're just wired that way.
Even if some small part of our brains
actually gives a damn about your soul...
it's always short-circuited by the part
that wants to get into your pants.
I'm a big girl, Doctor.
I don't use a Seeing Eye dog.
I certainly don't need
a seeing-eye doctor to rescue me...
from all those bad, big,
scary men out there...
just waiting to prey on us blind
damsels in distress.
Be careful.
You know what the upside
to being blind is?
There's no fear of the unknown,
because it's all unknown.
Everything is chance.
Meeting this guy, crossing the street...
picking outfits that match,
buying groceries.
I'm not expecting to fall in love.
But you never know.
Just a minute.
Matt wasn't exaggerating, was he?
You really do look a bit
like a crack whore, sweetheart.
- I can't believe that Matt called you.
- I can't believe you didn't.
Did he say anything else?
About why I moved out?
Because Matty has two fathers.
You were young, you made a mistake.
You don't have to spend
the rest of your life atoning for it.
Why not?
- I ruined my husband's life.
- Bullshit.
You ruined your own by not living it.
If Sean doesn't want anything
more to do with you, yippee. You're free.
Get off your ass and stop depending on
other people for your sense of self-worth.
You really should have
your own talk show.
Now, I'm staying at the Raleigh.
You're coming with me...
until we can find someplace
more suitable for you and Annie.
God knows
what's living under these carpets.
Please leave my things alone, Mother.
I don't need you to swoop in here...
and start telling me
what I should and shouldn't do.
Take enough Xanax,
it won't matter what you do.
It's Vicodin. I need something
to help me with the pain.
I had my breasts augmented.
Oh, God. I'm sorry.
Good for you, sweetheart.
At least you did something.
When I said you should make
the most out of yourself...
I wasn't referring to your bra size.
You had a facelift, Mother.
What's the difference?
I did it for professional reasons.
The only professional reason for that
is to look better dancing on a pole.
You're a brilliant, gifted girl, Julia.
Why are brains the last
on your list of things to develop?
Because they're the last things
on the list that matter.
Just be smart enough to know
that when your kids come home...
they need a hug,
a kiss, some goddamn tenderness.
And they don't want to be told
how they screwed up...
because 10-to-1 they already know.
Tell me what you need.
For God's sake, Erica, look around.
I've been eating
microwave macaroni and cheese.
I haven't washed my hair in days
because I can't lift my arms.
And if I leave the garbage out any longer,
I'll start attracting wildlife.
Why didn't you arrange
for a practical nurse...
before you left the hospital?
Because I chose to have it done,
and I don't want Sean paying for it.
I'll write a check.
Forget it.
The interest is way too high.
But thanks for coming over.
And if you happen to bump into anyone
resembling a mother...
tell her I could use one.
Tits.
- What are you talking about?
- Bazooms. Power boobies.
Apparently, an IQ of 160 isn't enough
to get her through this transition...
without acquiring
equally impressive knockers.
Julia got breast implants?
- I don't believe it.
- What the hell was she thinking?
Sean, according to Matt,
you're dating Porn Star Barbie.
That would make any woman
feel inadequate.
What do you expect us to do?
Take them out and tell her
they were fine the way they were before?
Julia's in crisis.
Have you seen where she's living?
Where Annie's living
when she's not with you?
You're not suggesting
I take Annie away from her.
Let's just hear what she has to say.
I want us all to come together,
in a caring...
nonjudgmental manner...
and present Julia
with our observations and concerns.
- You want us to stage an intervention.
- Oh, God.
Yes.
I've gotten the name
of the top psychiatrist in the area.
I've pulled strings to make an appointment
but I can't make sure she shows up.
- Why not?
- Because I won't be here.
Of course.
This is beautiful.
But your daughter's in crisis, Erica.
What's more important than that?
I have to be in Los Angeles
at the end of the week.
I'm giving a lecture.
On mothering?
But you'll be back.
You can't just intervene and run.
I'm trying to put a support system
into place before I go.
You mean dump her on us.
So you're just going to cut her off.
Where'd you get the balls?
She's the only one being punished.
If she's got to wear a scarlet letter,
then so do you.
How about I stage
an intervention with you?
Take it easy.
You've done more harm to Julia
than we could ever do in a lifetime.
You're the real reason
she's so screwed-up!
You never saw her
except as a reflection of yourself.
Shit, you never saw her, period.
You were always busy working,
helping your patients with their problems.
Well, she's your problem now, Erica.
You broke her, you fix her.
The best thing about not being with Julia
is I don't have to be nice to her mother.
- You think I'm a dick?
- I didn't say anything.
You want to become part
of Erica's intervention?
I hurt Julia.
I do that a lot. Hurt and run.
- If there's a chance to help...
- She's had enough help.
I've spent my life rescuing, supporting,
protecting her, and so have you.
Now look what's happened.
We've enabled her so much she's disabled.
You want to be a hero?
Go find someone who really needs one.
Ron. Hi.
What's so funny?
Me. I'm such an asshole.
One more?
Honey, hold still. It's hard to see
when you keep moving around.
But it really itches.
Honey, can you go get that?
It's your grandmother.
There she is.
How are you, sweetheart?
There's a charming
two-bedroom on Collins.
I've made an appointment for you
to see it tomorrow at 11:00.
I'm not looking
for another apartment, Mother.
Once I'm better,
I'll fix this place up. It'll be fine.
You can at least look at it.
If you don't like it, he's got others.
And here.
I called the department at Columbia.
I've got you an appointment with the top
psychopharmacologist in the state.
He also happens to specialize
in depression.
I'm not depressed, Mother, I'm separated.
Oh, God, there's one.
Are you going to have to shave my head?
- Shave your head? What for?
- Lice.
They're going around at Annie's school.
You're pulling.
Oh, my God, they're everywhere.
What's next, Julia? Scabies?
How much further down do you have
to go before this stops? Shitter's Alley?
You don't have to be a member
of a third world country to get lice.
They're not a sign of uncleanliness.
They're not what I would call
a status symbol. You never had them.
Honey, take your clothes off
and throw them on the bathroom floor.
I'll be in to run the water.
Do you think you could help me
to strip the bed?
Just put all the pillow cases
and the sheets in a pile.
They have to be washed separately.
What do you say
we just toss the whole mess out?
No, it'll be fine.
I'll just wash it in hot water.
You really want your daughter
to risk recontamination?
- Linens cost money.
- My treat.
Mommy.
Just put the laundry
in a goddamn pile, okay?
Fine. Do everything the hard way.
It's not enough to swim across the ocean.
You have to do with 20-pound boulder
strapped to your back.
Oh, God. I think I felt one.
- Mother, you don't have lice.
- Where Annie put her head.
Mommy.
Something is crawling through my hair.
Mother, why don't you
just go back to your hotel room...
and have a nice hot bath.
I'll see you tomorrow, okay?
Actually, the conference called.
My schedule's been changed.
I have to leave in the morning.
Mommy, are you coming?
You go and take care of yourself.
At least that's one thing
you've always been good at.
Excuse me.
Do you see a blind girl sitting over there,
by herself?
I see her. The one you were sitting with?
Right. Is she hot?
She's attractive, yes.
Well, can you give me a number?
Is she an eight, a nine?
Well, how's her body?
Does she have a good pair of tits?
You want the truth?
She's got to be
at least 10, 15 years older than you.
- What a liar. She told me she was 30.
- Old women lie about their age.
She thought she could get away with it
because you were blind.
Screw her. Do me a favor, will you?
Tell her my mother had a stroke
and I had to leave.
- That's the best you can do?
- She's the one who lied, not me.
Was I right about the salmon?
- What are you doing here?
- Same as you.
Really?
I'm not here spying on people.
I'm with someone.
Not anymore.
Thank God. What an asshole.
All he talked about was what
his last girlfriend said about his body.
Why didn't you tell me
that your blind date was blind?
Was he?
You didn't ask, and I don't consider
blindness to be a defining characteristic.
Why are you here?
Protect you from bastards. Like me.
Well, you can go now.
I don't want to.
It feels good,
your not being able to see me.
Like I'm a blank slate.
Tabula rasa.
No preconceptions.
Give me your hand.
Did you know that everybody
has their own special scent?
And that each scent
has three distinct parts.
Or, as we say in the biz, notes.
- No kidding.
- No kidding.
There's a top note, a middle note,
and a base note.
Most people are only aware
of their top notes.
How they want to be perceived,
their image.
The middle layer is a buffer...
to keep the external highs
away from the forbidden lows.
Why forbidden?
Because it's what people
are most afraid of. Their true selves.
So what am I afraid of?
I already know I'm a bastard.
Are you sure?
Maybe...
you're afraid of finding out
you're not the bastard you think you are.
I see...
someone kind...
and gentle...
and scared.
I think maybe you're the one
who needs to be rescued.
What are you doing?
Just looking.
Close your eyes.
I want you to really see me.
You're so beautiful.
Annie's pretty pooped.
She ran straight to her room
to lie down before dinner.
You're later than usual.
I had to stop and get a few things.
We had a rough night.
Here.
Anti-lice shampoo?
It has chemical insecticides in it,
so use it sparingly.
- Annie has lice?
- Had lice, hopefully.
You leave it on for about 10 minutes
and then rinse.
How did she get lice?
There are 32 students in her class, Sean.
It happens.
Aren't you going to say anything?
Our daughter has lice.
What else would you like me to say?
About my breasts. I had them done.
Your mother told me.
- Would you like to see them?
- No.
I'd like you to.
I think Dr. Copley did a good job, but...
I'd feel better if you looked at them,
just to make sure.
The symmetry's excellent.
Sloping's natural.
Peri-areolar incision. That was smart.
Dr. Copley's a professional.
She knows what she's doing.
Do you like them?
It doesn't matter what I think.
It's how the patient feels
about themselves.
Screw you, Sean.
I don't care what you think.
I don't care what anybody thinks.