Michael.
Dear Michael. Of course it's you. Who else could they send?
Who else could be trusted?
And I know it's a long way and you're ready to go to work.
All I'm saying is wait, just wait, just... Just please hear me out.
Because this is not an episode, relapse, fuckup.
I'm begging you, Michael, I'm begging you.
Try and make believe this is not just madness...
...because this is not just madness.
Two weeks ago, I came out of the building, okay?
I'm running across 6th Avenue, there's a car waiting...
...I got exactly 38 minutes to get to the airport, and I'm dictating.
There's this panicked associate sprinting along beside me...
...scribbling in a notepad, and she starts screaming.
And I realize we're standing in the middle of the street...
...the light's changed and there's this wall of serious traffic speeding towards us.
And I freeze. I can't move.
I'm suddenly consumed with the overwhelming sensation...
...that I'm covered with some sort of film.
And it's in my hair, in my face. And it's like a glaze, like a coating.
And at first I thought, "Oh, my God, I know what this is.
This is some sort of amniotic, embryonic fluid.
I'm drenched in afterbirth.
I've breached the chrysalis. I've been reborn. "
But then, the traffic, the stampede, the cars, the trucks, the horns...
...this poor woman screaming, and I'm thinking, "No. This is not rebirth.
This is some kind of giddy illusion of renewal...
...that happens in the final moment before death. "
And then I realize, "No, no, no, this is completely wrong"...
...because I looked back at the building...
...and I had the most stunning moment of clarity.
I realized, Michael...
...that I had emerged, not through the doors of Kenner, Bach & Ledeen...
...not through the portals of our vast and powerful law firm...
...but from the asshole of an organism...
...whose sole function is to excrete the poison...
...the ammo, the defoliant necessary for other larger...
...more powerful organisms to destroy the miracle of humanity.
And that I had been coated in this patina of shit...
...for the best part of my life.
And the stench of it, the stain of it would take the rest of my life to undo.
And you know what I did?
I took a deep, cleansing breath and I set that notion aside. I tabled it.
I said to myself, "As clear as this may be, as potent a feeling as this is...
...as true a thing as I believe that I have witnessed today, it must wait.
It must stand the test of time. "
And, Michael, the time is now.
I'm not sure what else I can tell you that I haven't already.
Tell me about U/North, Barry. They're your clients.
So you tell me why you're settling a six-year-old case on the fly at midnight.
Because I'm writing this story whether you like it or not.
What does that exactly mean?
Give me something I can print.
We found 97.
I've got that cunt from The Wall Street Journal on my cell phone.
She will not go away.
Marty Bach. How can I help you?
Marty, hi. It's Bridget Klein. We're going with a story tomorrow...
...about a settlement in the U/North defoliant case. You wanna comment?
Case you're referring to is now, as it has been for the past six years...
...pending and unresolved.
Till such time as our client has their day in court...
...or the plaintiffs drop the suit, I'll have nothing of value to tell you.
Come on, Marty, you're closing the U/North case. You're settling.
I know that. I know you're up there with 600 people jamming this thing through.
Here's what I know. Your deadline was 20 minutes ago.
So you're fishing for a story or trying to get out of writing a retraction.
In either case, I wish you the best of luck.
Where the fuck is Karen Crowder?
I'll see the turn.
Check.
Half the pot. Two hundred.
Two hundred to go.
You don't remember me, huh?
We played together a couple times.
That lamp place on Bowery.
That guy's showroom? All the lamps and shit?
- The Galaxy. - That's it.
You had a restaurant you were opening, right?
My old partner bid that job, the plumbing.
- You don't remember me? - I remember you.
Because I lost a lot of weight since then.
You bought some hair too.
With your money.
So, what happened with the bar?
You just had to be a rock star, huh?
Shit, man. I want to listen to Larry King, I go home and put the fucking TV on.
That was a good location.
Yeah, that's what my partner kept telling me.
Action's on you.
I bet the pot.
Good to see you again.
Hello?
- Michael. - Walter.
Michael, thank God, there you are. Look, I got a situation.
A big problem, all right? A client of mine, he just called, he hit a guy with his car.
He thinks he did. He thinks he hit him.
Just now?
Yeah, just now. Ten, 15 minutes ago. He's driving home.
He's home now. He's there waiting.
Where?
Westchester. I'm down here in Bermuda. He just got me up. I'm half asleep here.
Is he drunk?
No. It's the first thing I asked him. He's good, he's sober.
Tell him to stay off the phone.
All right. But you're on it? You can get up there?
Because this guy, he's a huge client.
This is half my book, this guy, okay?
I'm walking to the car now.
Okay. Look, look, let me call him right back and I'll get the address.
Just let me know you're on the way, and I'll get back to you with the details.
All right. I'll be in the car.
What they did, see, they changed the grade there.
They widened the street.
I'm sure somebody told them that that was an improvement.
But now, you see, when it rains and when there is fog, and with this new angle...
...and they've got these new... These... These...
These sodium lamps, it's blinding.
- That corner there. It is blinding. - They'll have to work that out.
And it's not just tonight. I've been saying this for years.
I mean, how many times have we talked about that corner? Dell?
Mr. Greer, we don't have a lot of time here.
So the circumstances, the road conditions, none of this holds any interest for you?
What interests me is finding the strongest criminal attorney...
...that can be here in 15 minutes.
Well, that sounds ominous.
We have some good relationships up here in Westchester.
So, what are you? What are you? You're not a lawyer?
- Not the kind you need. - What kind is that?
A trial lawyer.
Somebody who can see this through. That's not what I do.
Okay. I think we're gonna have to pull Walter back in on this.
I wanna get Walter back on the phone, get him back into the mix.
Because, I'll be frank with you, I don't like the way this is going.
Sir, we don't have time for Walter. Your options are gonna get smaller quickly.
What options? I'm not hearing any options!
I suggest you go local...
...and I'm telling you there are people here I like for this.
Great. That's it? That's what you got for me?
Hey, you believe this?
I have been a client at Kenner, Bach for 12 years!
You think I paid that retainer every month for a place at the back of the line?
Mr. Greer, you left the scene of an accident on a slow weeknight...
...six miles from the state police barracks.
If there's a line, you're right up front.
I can get a lawyer any time I want. I don't need you for that.
We're not sitting here for 45 minutes waiting for a goddamn referral!
I don't know what Walter promised you...
A miracle worker! That's Walter on the phone, 20 minutes ago.
Direct quote, okay? "Hang tight. I'm sending you a miracle worker. "
- Well, he misspoke. - About what?
That you're the firm's fixer? Or that you're good at it?
Elliot.
The guy was running! In the street!
You take that, you add the fog, you add the lamps, you add the angle...
What the fuck is he doing running in the middle of the street at midnight?!
You answer me that!
What if someone had stolen the car?
Happens all the time.
Cops like hit-and-runs.
They work them hard, they clear them fast.
Right now there's a B.C.I. Unit pulling paint chips off a guard rail.
Tomorrow, they're gonna be looking for the owner of a custom-painted...
...hand-rubbed Jaguar XJ-12.
And the guy you hit?
If he got a look at the plates, it won't even take that long.
There's no play here.
There's no angle. There's no champagne room.
I'm not a miracle worker, I'm a janitor.
The math on this is simple.
The smaller the mess, the easier it is for me to clean up.
That's the police, isn't it?
No.
They don't call.
Hello.
Jerry, it's Michael Clayton.
Yeah, look, I'm sorry to wake you up.
No. I'm in the neighborhood.
You got a pen?
Mom, where's my cards?
Where's my cards?
Is my other deck in here?
Did you eat?
Dad's down there waiting already.
There were cards in our bathroom.
Yes, I had a waffle.
Since we're out of waffles, I don't see how that's possible.
It's a miracle.
Gloves?
Henry!
Come on.
Get in.
Got it?
So no one's even sure exactly where they are...
...because there's no borders or landmarks or anything.
And the town? It's not even a town really.
It just is this camp where all these people have gathered to hide.
Right.
All these deserters and guys that got cut off from their armies.
All these people that are hiding in the woods, trying to stay alive.
This is where they all came.
There's Thieves, Gray Mages, Unbidden Warriors...
...Dark Avians, Riverwynders and Sappers.
- There's, like, 15 different characters, okay? - Okay.
And nobody has any alliances.
You can't even say who you are because, you don't know...
...maybe the person you're talking to...
...maybe they're like your mortal enemy in the wars.
So it's just completely like everybody for themselves.
Sounds familiar.
It's really good. I'm serious, you should really read it.
Right. But by the time I finish it, you'll be on to something else.
- How much you wanna bet? - I don't know. How much you got?
- You got your bus pass? - It's in my locker.
You're not even gonna look at it, are you?
- The book? - Yes.
Bring it on Saturday, I'll...
I did already. I left it in your kitchen. It's got a red cover.
Okay.
Well, here we go.
Go. Teach these people something, would you?
- See you later, Dad. - Yeah, kiddo.
Thanks.
Lot 52, lot of assorted mixing bowls, assorted sizes.
Thirty dollars to start. Thirty dollars. Thirty dollars I have.
You can get me to 40. I got 40. And 50. Sixty dollars back there.
Sixty dollars, get me to 70. I got 70 dollars.
Seventy dollars, I have now, 70. Eighty dollars there.
Eighty dollars, this gentleman here. Eighty dollars.
Ninety dollars there. Give me 100. One hundred I have now.
He says you're still gonna be short.
How short?
Sixty. Plus the points, 75 thousand.
- That's liquor and everything? - What'd you think it was gonna be?
I don't know. Less. Thirty. Twenty.
He took 1500 on a refrigerator I paid four grand for.
Make a bid.
Are you telling me you don't have the 75 thousand?
Just lying around, no.
We both know it's your brother I should be talking to.
Forget that.
Michael, look, you wanna front this, that's up to you.
But Timmy's name stays in the book till we're clear.
If I know where he is, I don't have to keep asking.
He's upstate. His wife took him back. I don't know where he is.
He's gotta have something.
He's got the two kids with her.
He's got Jennifer, the coke-dealing waitress that he knocked up.
He's got four Michelin radials that he stole from my sister's garage.
Make an offer.
I had a wife who was a drunk. She was a beautiful girl, young girl.
But live like that? Even they do a program... She did, I think, once, two years.
And then they slip? Forget it.
It's like you're strapped to a bomb.
What's my timeframe here?
I don't know.
I didn't think it'd be a problem.
I'll ask.
- Hey, Michael. - Morning, Carl.
I don't know. Del, I don't know how hard you want me to press here.
Let me know how brave he wants to be.
Well, I'm not sure how brave he can be right now.
We just got a confirmation hearing scheduled.
Any chance she knows that?
Well, it was in the paper. Who knows? Maybe she got someone to read it to her.
She called his wife yesterday. She's calling his house.
This is a total nightmare.
Well, my guess is she's gonna want the condo.
Come on, that's insane.
Well, what can I tell you? Don't piss off a motivated stripper.
It's just unbelievable.
All right. Well, find out his pain threshold and get back to me.
Or you can tell him to call me directly.
All right, I hear you. Let me get into it.
Thanks.
Hey, where are we with Marty?
We left word.
Hold on. Go back. How old is the kid?
He's not a kid. He's 22.
- This is Miami? - Nope. Key Biscayne.
And they charged him.
Reckless endangerment. My client...
I think really what they want, they want a reality check on the attorney down there.
- Yeah. - Wayne said you have some connections?
- Yeah, let me get a pen. - Thank you.
Now, if she calls the INS directly, she's gonna get nowhere.
Even with the appointment?
It's retail, Evan. It's like the DMV over there.
Unless they get a call from a district supervisor, then nobody moves.
But your guy can do that?
He's a former commissioner.
None of this comes back to me? Because that doesn't do any good.
No, look, I'm gonna be the one that's asking.
- Can you hang on a minute? - Yeah, sure.
Are we merging?
Marty Bach's in London.
They said he was in Atlanta, then Lara said he was in the building.
So I called back. I know you want this meeting.
Now she tells me the truth. He's really in London.
So are we merging? I mean, that's what everyone's saying.
All these Brits? That this time it's for real.
Like I would know.
I don't know.
But even if we are, I mean, even if they merged, it wouldn't affect us, right?
Your phone's ringing.
Evan?
Hey. Okay, here's what I'll do.
Let me give him a call and set up a meeting for next week.
I'll walk her in, I'll make the introduction...
At the moment, U/North currently has 70,000 employees...
...in 62 countries around the world.
Around the planet.
Operating in 62 countries around the planet.
At work in more than 60 countries around the globe.
We have... We have, right now... We have...
At U/North right now, we've got 75,000 employees...
...in over 60 countries around the planet.
We are a very successful and highly diversified company...
...so you can imagine...
...the volume and the variety of legal issues we have to deal with is...
Overwhelming.
It's just enormous.
So you can imagine, the volume of legal issues...
It's quite substantial.
And as general counsel, what I do...
...what our in-house department does...
...is to analyze the dimension of the problem or the opportunity...
...to determine the jurisdiction...
...and to outsource our business...
...to those firms and talents that we think can help us the most.
So with all that pressure and workload...
...how do you keep a balance between work and life?
Balance?
I think that's... That's something that...
...you search for your whole life, isn't it?
It's a shifting balance, really.
It's, you know, you... You try to...
When you really are enjoying what it is you do...
...who needs balance?
There's your balance. There's your balance.
When you're really enjoying what it is you do, there is your balance.
When Don asked me to take...
When Don Jeffries brought... Don Jeffries brought me...
Don Jeffries brought me in here 12 years ago...
...trusted me, mentored me.
Welcomed me into the U/North family.
And when he moved up to the boardroom, I never really...
...dreamt that I would have the opportunity to move into his position.
But, is it challenging? Yes.
And I think that it's possible that those first few months were a little shaky.
But then you realize that you've been taught to be ready, and you take the helm.
Because if you're not comfortable with that level of responsibility...
...you're in the wrong place.
It's your department, your capacity to make tough decisions in real time, and...
We're in the middle of an interview.
They said it was urgent.
Jesus.
For chrissake.
You're saying he did this in...?
Oh, my God.
- Barry. - Hang on.
Arthur Edens just stripped down naked in a deposition room in Milwaukee.
Oh, Michael...
...I took a deep, cleansing breath and I set that notion aside. I tabled it.
I said to myself, "As clear as this may be, as potent a feeling as this is...
...as true a thing as I believe that I have witnessed today, it must wait.
It must stand the test of time. "
And, Michael, the time is now.
This moment, today, here, this room, this air...
...and this, especially this, Michael, that you're here.
There's a reason.
A reason it's you, Michael.
Surely, you have some sense of that, how it pulls together, how it gathers.
Nurse Michael, the secret hero, the keeper of the hidden sins.
Tell me you can see that, Michael, for God's sake.
But, I mean, yeah, yes, yes. The nudity, the parking lot, I admit it.
It was... It was... It was a mistake. It was wrong. It was lame.
It was obvious. And therapeutically, it was completely useless...
...because I swear, I could stand here and tear off my fucking skin...
...and I could not get down to where this thing is living.
Six years, Michael. Six years I've absorbed this poison.
Four hundred depositions, a hundred motions, five changes of venue...
...85,000 documents in discovery.
Six years of scheming and stalling and screaming, and what have I got?
I've spent 12 percent of my life defending the reputation of a deadly weed killer!
- We had an agreement, Arthur. - One night.
One night, right? I look up and there's Marty in my office.
He's got some champagne.
He tells me we just hit 30,000 billable hours on U/North and he wants to celebrate.
So an hour later, I find myself in a whorehouse in Chelsea...
...with two Lithuanian redheads taking turns sucking my dick.
I'm laying there and I'm trying not to come and I wanna...
I wanna make it last, so I start doing the math.
I think, "Thirty thousand hours, what is that? That's 24 times 30.
That's 720 hours in a month, 8760 hours in a year... "
- Arthur. - No, wait, wait, wait!
Because it's years! It's lives!
And the numbers are making me dizzy and, you know...
...now, instead of trying not to come, I'm trying not to think, and I can't stop.
I mean, is this me?
Am I this freak organism that has been sent here to sleep and eat...
...and defend this one horrific chain of carcinogenic molecules?
Is that my destiny? Is that my fate?
- Listen, you promised me. - Is that it, Michael?
Is that my grail? Two Lithuanian mouths on my cock?
Is that the correct answer to the multiple choice of me?
You wanna go off your medication, that's fine. But you call me first.
- That was our agreement. - Sue me.
We okay in there?
We're fine. We're fine.
They killed them, Michael.
Those small farms, the family farms.
Did you...? Did you...? Did you meet Anna?
No.
You gotta see her, you gotta talk to her. She's a miracle, Michael.
She's God's perfect little creature.
And for 50 million dollars in fees, I've spent 12 percent of my life...
...destroying perfect Anna and her dead parents and her dying brother.
When did you last take one of these?
No. I'm not losing this. Everything is finally significant.
The world is a beautiful place. I'm not trading that.
- Lf it's real, the pill won't kill it. - I have blood on my hands.
You are senior litigating partner of one of the largest...
...most respected law firms in the world. You are a legend.
- I'm an accomplice! - You're a manic-depressive.
I am Shiva, the god of death.
Let's get out of Milwaukee, we'll talk about it.
We came back from the hospital and everybody was crying...
...and we were in shock, but we still... We had to milk.
The cows won't wait, will they?
No.
And when you went to the barn?
We found the note. My sister found it.
- From your mother? - Yes.
Could you read it for us, please?
Just read the third paragraph, just the highlighted section there.
"I don't want you blaming Ned Hardy or any of the people... "
Anna.
- Anna. - "Down at...
It's all right, Anna, go on.
- I'm just... - Excuse me.
- Anna, they're... - What's he doing?
Excuse me. She's a... No, this is testimony. This is...
Excuse me, I have an objection.
You can be a witness here. You can be a witness.
I am not a witness to this, sir, I...
Anna, I love you.
And I'm sitting here and I'm listening to you and I swear...
...that I love you more than anything in the world. And this is my moment.
This strange conference-table moment.
Turn off that camera!
- This is my offering! - No, I want this on the record!
How do I turn it off?
This is my offering. My clothes are my offering. This is my shame.
My credentials! I'm ashamed!
And I love you, and I swear to God...
I guess that's it.
When do we get Don?
She said to try back in half an hour.
And how about the flights? What's the story at O'Hare?
- Closed four minutes ago. - Shit.
There is a foot of snow in Detroit already.
Todd, could I get that coffee now?
Who is this guy they sent from New York? Clayton? I never heard of him.
Michael Raymond Clayton.
Born September 9, 1959, St. Joseph's Hospital, Bronx, New York.
Father is NYPD patrolman Raymond Xavier Clayton.
Mother, Alice Mary Clayton.
Graduates Washingtonville Central High School, Orange County, New York...
...in 1977.
Graduates St. John's University, 1980. Fordham Law, '82.
'82 through '86, he's ADA with the Queens district attorney's office.
1986, he's with the Joint Manhattan-Queens...
...Organized Crime Task Force.
And then in 1990, he starts at Kenner, Bach & Ledeen.
So he's a partner?
No. He's listed as special counsel.
Says he specializes in wills and trusts.
He goes from criminal prosecution to wills and trusts?
He's been there 17 years, he's not a partner?
This is the guy they send? Who is this guy?
- Hi. - Close the door.
All right. So nobody, none of you, had any idea he was coming?
To Milwaukee? For a deposition?
We thought there was a settlement. There's been some rumors.
Okay. Look, it's very simple. Arthur has a chemical imbalance.
He's supposed to be taking his medication. He's fallen behind on that.
He's on the mend. He'll be fine in three or four days.
Now, I wanna make this crystal clear. What happened here stays in this room.
This is not a piece of information you wanna be out in front of.
Anybody has a problem with that, I need to know right now.
All right.
We're stuck here overnight.
I'm gonna take him home tomorrow if I can.
Who's in charge of the deposition schedule?
- I am. - Where do we stand with that?
I guess it's on hold. We didn't know what to do.
Nothing is on hold. Keep doing what you were.
Other side wants to talk, they can call New York.
- I need his briefcase. - Arthur's? I don't... I didn't see it.
- He said it was in the room. - It might be the stuff Jody grabbed.
Find it.
So all these people, they all start having these dreams, okay?
You know what a vision quest is? You know, for, like, Navajos and stuff?
Yeah. I think so. Like a...
Like a special dream.
Except this is like a whole bunch of people having the same dream.
They're all having this dream that they should go to this one place.
They don't know why or anything.
They just have this feeling that they have to go there.
That they've been summoned.
That's the chapter.
Seriously, that's what it's called: "Summons to Conquest. "
That's the title.
Yeah, but do they know? Do they know they're all having the same dream?
No. That's what's so cool.
They all think it's just them.
That maybe they're, like, going crazy or something, so they don't wanna admit it.
Yeah, but they're not crazy, are they?
No. It's real. It's really happening.
Yeah, it is happening, isn't it?
Something larger than themselves and they're not ready, are they...
...to hear it?
Yeah. But later they will.
So if you're gonna read it, I don't wanna spoil it.
What are you doing? Who you talking to?
I called my dad. It's a friend of his.
- Who? - Mr. Edens. You don't know him.
- Hello? Hello? - Henry, it's after 11.
I gotta get off now.
No. Wait, wait. The book. I need the book. The title.
The book is Realm and Conquest.
Realm and Conquest.
- It's Book One, with the red cover. - Henry, give me the phone.
I gotta go. Tell my dad I called. Okay?
Yeah. Yeah. Thank... Thank... Thank... Thank you, Henry, thank you.
Realm and Conquest. Thank you.
Karen? Hi, I'm Michael Clayton.
- You're late. - I know.
I'm sorry, it was more complicated than we thought.
Where is he? We've been here since 5:30.
- He's asleep. - Well, wake him up.
That's not gonna happen. We just got him sedated.
Once he gets back on his regular medication...
...then it's just a matter of time.
- Have you seen the video? The tape? - I heard about it.
What happened after is worse.
This is in the parking lot, okay? People running for their cars.
He's there in his socks, nothing else.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I will not sit with this sickness any longer.
I cannot aid this sickness any longer. "
What does this mean?
I'm not sure.
You've been with him the whole evening. What's he saying?
He wasn't really making much sense.
This is totally unacceptable.
This is a 3-billion-dollar class-action lawsuit.
In the morning, I have to call my board.
I have to tell them that the architect of our entire defense has been arrested...
...for running naked in a snowstorm, chasing the plaintiffs through a parking lot.
I understand.
What sickness is he talking about?
- I don't know. It could be anything. - Well, give me one.
Frostbite.
You think this is funny?
Look, his wife was sick and she died last year.
His daughter doesn't talk to him. He's all alone. All he does is your case.
He skipped his pills. He had a bad day. That's it.
And you're somehow the authority on this?
His last episode was eight years ago. I was there.
I helped bring him home. I watched him get better. That's it.
Come on, Karen, you didn't hire this guy because of his low-key regularity...
...you hired him because he's a killer, because he's brilliant...
...because he's crazy enough to grind away on this case...
...for six years without a break. - We pay for his time.
I thought you wanted an explanation.
In the morning, I'm calling Marty Bach.
But, then, you know that. Thank you, Michael.
He was mostly just quiet.
I heard him moving around, I gave him a pill 15 minutes ago.
- He took it? - A deal's a deal, right?
A super job, Elston.
You get to New York, you need tickets to the game or anything, you let me know.
I'll do that for sure.
Did you see her?
- Who? - Anna.
No.
No, I didn't see her. She probably went back to the farm.
Well, we need her.
Marty, even then, and the rest of them, they won't understand.
Well, if anybody can explain it to them, it's you, Arthur.
No, they're lost.
- They have what they want. - Let it go, man.
This what you wanted?
To be a janitor?
Live like this? All this?
Do what you do?
It can't be.
It's...
It's a burden, that's what I'm trying to tell you.
That's... That's how it feels.
Well, I know that we've been summoned.
Get some sleep.
Hello?
Yes. Hi, I'm looking for Verne?
You have a number?
Don Jeffries gave me the number. He said I could call at any time.
No. The account number.
The code? I do. I have it right here. One moment.
Excuse me one moment.
It's right here. 12-BKR-6.
12-BKR-6.
Am I speaking with Verne?
It's Mr. Verne.
Mr. Verne. I'm sorry, it's so late.
Don said that I could...
I'm not exactly sure how this works.
Do you have e-mail at your current location?
I do.
- Are you alone? - I am.
Okay, I'm gonna upload you a little encryption package we like to use.
It's pretty self-explanatory.
- Okay. - Okay.
But you have to give me a minute to get to my desk. Hold on.
Okay. Thank you.
What I was wondering is...
...I have an option on the lease for six more years.
I was wondering if there's any way I could lay that off.
Is the lease worth anything?
Eighty-nine hundred a month. It's...
The fixtures are gone, but there's...
But there's the bar, there's a kitchen, it's a great space.
But there's a...
Yeah, I understand. No, I understand.
Okay, yeah, I will.
All right. Thanks.
Come on, Arthur.
Arthur!
Arthur, open the door.
Arthur, open the door!
Arthur, open the goddamn door!
Arthur, op...!
Open the fucking door!
Arthur!
Goddamn it, Arthur! Open the fucking...!
Arthur?!
- Mr. Verne, hey. - Hey, Danny.
You guys are early. I was pulling the other bags.
You can put them back. There's been a change of plans, sorry.
- We ready? - Yep.
For chrissake.
Don Jeffries signed this?
That's really his signature?
Where's the original?
We had a warehouse fire five years ago. We lost a number of documents.
What the hell is this doing in Arthur's bag?
Well, I don't know, Marty.
That's something I was hoping you might be able to tell me.
What are we looking for?
If it says U/North, pull it aside. Anything that says U/North.
What a mess this is.
I want all this...
...everything here, I want it all packed up and sent up to the house.
Any luck, Michael?
He booked a limo from Newark Airport at 3, got out at West Fourth Street...
...tipped the driver 100 bucks and walked away.
Did you try his apartment?
- He moved. - I know.
It's a loft. No doorman. I rang, nobody answered.
- I called, I got the machine. - So he could be anywhere.
Arthur downtown is not a good idea. Some goddamn loft.
- Where's his daughter? - I don't know. Spain, India.
Mars. She's crazier than he'll ever be.
Barry's taking over on U/North.
We got a lot of groveling to do.
You didn't exactly charm Karen Crowder.
I was punting.
You gotta saddle up here and get things under control.
Saddle up?
He needs to be under a doctor's care. He needs to be admitted.
- Where? - Does that really matter?
Michael, U/North needs to know he's under control.
He's in a facility. They've been shook up. They need to be reassured.
- It's not gonna be that easy. - Why the hell not?
Because the laws in New York are pretty tough on involuntary commitment.
Did you see this fucking tape?
I'm not arguing with you, Barry. I'm telling you how it is.
You know what, guys? We got 600 lawyers in this place.
Why don't we find out which one knows about psychiatric-commitment statutes?
I can tell you that right now. It's Arthur.
I'm at the door. We're good to go.
Yeah, roger that. Let's keep a radio check every five, okay?
Every five minutes, copy that.
Hello, you've reached Arthur's machine.
If you wish to leave a message, please do so after the tone.
Arthur, pick up the phone.
Arthur, pick up the phone and talk to me.
No? Not gonna do it?
What happened yesterday morning, forget it. It doesn't matter.
Someday you and I are gonna laugh about it.
But you gotta call me back.
You gotta call me back soon, Arthur.
I'll tell you what.
Because you said it yourself. Part of this is definitely madness.
And there's a chemical part. We both know it.
But if you're willing to start with that...
...then I'm more than willing to meet you halfway and say, yes...
...this situation sucks. This case sucks. U/North sucks.
We can start with that. All right, Arthur? You hear me?
You're right about what we are.
I'm saying you're crazy. I'm saying that your behavior is out of control.
But I'm telling you you're right.
You called it. We're janitors, I get it.
But we came to this, Arthur.
We made decisions. It didn't happen overnight.
You can't just suddenly stop and say, "That's it, game over. I'm into miracles. "
Arthur. Come on.
Goddamn it, pick up the phone and talk to me.
Because whatever else you think is so important...
...you better let me help you, because I'm telling you...
...janitor to janitor, I don't see anybody else with a broom on the horizon.
It's me, buddy. I'm the...
Mailbox is full. Your message cannot be recorded.
- Hello? - Hello. Is Anna there?
Hang on.
Anna!
Where is she? Anna!
- Anna! - Anna!
Anna, you've got a phone call!
Where is she? Anna!
Hello?
Anna, hi. It's Arthur.
- Hey. - Did you get some sleep?
I guess.
Did you think about what we said?
- Yeah. - You didn't tell anybody, did you?
No. My sister's spying on me, but that's normal.
Yeah. Because I meant what I said.
I know. I know. It's just...
...there's, like, 450 people in this lawsuit.
Why are you choosing me?
I don't know. I'm crazy, right?
That's for sure.
I mean, does it...? Does it really matter?
I mean, isn't it what we wait for? To meet someone? And they're...
They're like a lens...
...and suddenly you're looking through them and everything changes...
...and nothing can ever be the same again.
Who you talking to?
It's for me, okay? I get calls too.
That guy?
Same guy. Same guy.
Sorry.
No. That's... That's okay. My mother used to listen to my calls.
She can't believe I can do anything on my own.
Well, that'll change.
I guess.
Yeah, but, see, that's something we can show her.
That you can do something.
That we could... We could do that together if you want. I mean...
I mean that I can help you do that.
I can get you 12 by Monday.
Twelve's weak. Twelve looks bad.
How do you figure that?
They look at 75 and they look at you and they wonder what the problem is.
You say 12. That's gonna make people nervous.
This was the day before yesterday. Let me get my ducks in order.
What's the car worth?
It's a lease. It's the firm's.
So? You go to the bank. You've got the apartment. You refinance.
I can't. I did that three months ago.
Are you back at the tables?
Like I need that kind of action. I don't have enough going on.
I hope you're kidding.
If he finds out you're playing cards with his money, there's no dialogue after that.
Do everyone a favor.
Get out the treasure map and start digging.
You got a week.
- Hey, Michael. How are you? - Hi, Cindy. I'm good.
Come in. He's been on the phone all morning. What else is new?
I am trying to get him out in 15 minutes.
- Is he upstairs? - He's taken over the living room.
What are you guys doing? Get down here.
Soroyo, I told you to keep an eye on these kids, make sure they're downstairs.
Marty?
You know what he's doing? He's making their case.
I'm going through his files here, I'm reading this...
...he's building a case against U/North.
- Nobody's gonna let him do that. - Let him?
Who the hell's gonna stop him?
You know what I just heard? He's calling these plaintiffs.
This woman from the deposition, he's calling these people now.
He's got these discovery documents. This is a fucking nightmare.
I tried him. Can't even leave a message. He's got the machine jammed up.
- Is that his briefcase? - Yeah.
- Why? - We've been looking for it.
I don't know. It came up here with all the other stuff from his office.
You can't believe the crap he's got in here.
Listen, Marty...
...I'm in a bind here.
I need a loan. I need 80 grand.
- I thought you were done with that. - It's not that.
It's not the cards. It's none of that. It's the restaurant.
Eighty thousand.
I'm sorry to jump you like this.
I've been trying to get a meeting with you for two weeks.
And I know about the merger, whether I'm supposed to or not.
There's nothing final on the merger.
Well, that's why I'm asking you now. You're my meal ticket.
Once you're out, it's me and Barry with strangers...
...and I'm trying to explain what I do.
Everybody knows how valuable you are. Everybody who needs to know.
I'm 45 years old and I'm broke.
I've been riding shotgun for 12 years and I got no equity.
I'm sorry, I don't feel reassured.
Nobody told you to go into the bar business.
I only opened it so I'd have something else, a way out.
I had no idea you were so unhappy.
How many times did I ask you to put me back on a litigation team?
- How many? - Anybody can go to court.
You think that's special?
- I was good at it. - Wonderful. So are a lot of people.
At this, what you do, you're great.
For chrissakes, you got something everybody wants. You have a niche.
You made a place. You made a niche for yourself.
And if it's nostalgia... "You should've seen me when I was a DA back in Queens. "
- Let me give you a serious piece of advice: Leave it there.
God forbid you're not as good as you remember. I've seen that happen too.
But I didn't come here for advice, did I?
So this is what? I give you the loan or you don't help out with Arthur?
- I never said that. - No?
Maybe you should have.
I don't know how you're gonna take care of this, but this, this is cancer.
This is something, we don't get it reined in and cleaned up soon...
...everything's vulnerable. Everything.
- What are you telling me? - That I'm counting on you.
I'm telling you that by this time next week, Arthur will be under control...
...and everybody who needs to will have been reminded of your infinite value.
Jesus, Marty.
Hey.
When did you get so fucking delicate?
I'm late.
Why don't you just call Uncle Gene and get the cops to help you?
It's not that kind of a problem.
- How much longer are we doing this? - I don't know.
If he comes back to get his car, you call that number and let me know.
- Thank you very much. I appreciate it. - Okay. You're welcome.
If we're not gonna get to the movie, why don't you just say so?
- What? - I wanna go home.
Come on, Henry.
Hold up!
Stay in the car. Lock the door.
Arthur! Arthur!
Wait up.
Michael. Jeez. You scared me.
- Making a delivery? - No, no, no.
Very funny. No, nothing like that.
Here, take one, please. Really. It's... It's still warm.
It's the best bread I ever tasted.
So welcome home.
I know, the hotel. I'm sorry.
I was beginning to feel a little overwhelmed.
- But you're feeling better now? - Yeah.
- Much better, definitely. - Not enough to call me back.
Well, I was trying to gather my thoughts...
...before I called you, and that's what I was doing.
And how's that going?
Yes, it's good, very good. I just...
Well, I just need to make my thoughts a little bit more precise. That's...
That's my goal.
As good as this feels, you know where it goes.
No. No. You're wrong.
What makes this feel good is that I don't know where it goes.
How do I talk to you, Arthur? So you hear me?
Like a child? Like a nut? Like everything's fine?
What's the secret? Because I need you to hear me.
- Well, I hear everything. - Then hear this.
You need help. Before this goes too far, you need help.
You got great cards here.
If you keep your clothes on, you can do any goddamn thing you want.
You want out, you're out. You wanna bake bread, go with God.
There's only one wrong answer in this whole goddamn pile...
...and you've got your arms around it.
- Well, I said I was sorry. - You thought the hotel was overwhelming?
You piss on this case, they'll cut you off at the knees.
- I don't know what you're talking about. - I'm covering for you.
I'm telling them everything's fine. You're fine. Everybody's cool.
I'm out running this "price of genius" story to anybody who'll listen.
And then I wake up this morning and I hear you're calling this girl from Wisconsin...
...messing with documents and whatever else.
- How can you know that? - They're gonna take everything.
Your partnership, your equity. They're gonna pull your license.
- How do you know I called Anna? - Marty told me.
- Well, how does he know? - I don't know. I don't give a shit!
- You're tapping my phone. - Jesus, Arthur.
Then explain it. Tell me how Marty knows!
Because you're chasing a girl through a parking lot with your dick hanging out.
You think she didn't get off the phone and dial her attorney?
No. She wouldn't do that. I know that.
Really? You think your judgment is state-of-the-art right now?
They're putting everything on the table. You need to stop and think this through.
I'll help you think this through.
I'll find somebody to help you think it through.
Don't do this. You're making it easy for them.
Michael, I have great affection for you.
You lead a very rich and interesting life, but you're a bagman, not an attorney.
If you wanted to have me committed...
...you should have kept me in Wisconsin, where the arrest report, the videotape...
...and eyewitness accounts of my inappropriate behavior...
...would have had jurisdictional relevance.