I've been wondering about this free-will shit.
Why we still keep doing the same dance
long after we've figured out it's not fun anymore.
Yesterday.
Come on. Back up, guys, back up.
Oh, April. Hey, give me that. Come on.
- Back it up, back it up. - Come on, April.
Picture this, assholes.
We pay a lot of money for you to sit on April
and make sure that this stuff does not happen.
Okay? We pay a lot of money.
Ma? Ma, what is it?
Yeah, Dad won't what?
No, I'll talk to him.
I can talk to him.
I kind of like to make an amendment to the manstitution
that I'm allowed to deck any chick...
Swenton, no excuses.
How many times are we gonna go through this with her?
Look, we signed a contract, we finish the job.
What she needs is honest-to-God rehab, not a sober companion.
Ma, I cannot do that.
- Look, tell it to her manager, okay? - Isn't that your job?
Ma, I cannot invite Frank Sinatra to the wedding
because Frank Sinatra is dead.
Ma, have a cup of coffee.
Clearly, you two have a lot on your hands, and I got a plane to catch.
No, you don't. Swenton, you're taking the Cabo run.
Akani, you're taking over with April.
- No. - Yes.
- Seriously, Cabo? - Okay, Ma.
You're joking?
Okay, you claim to provide a service.
Okay, you claim to provide some security and safety.
Look, I get that you're pissed, all right?
Pissed? Damn it.
You know, I have got 3 million hits so far this morning.
Four hundred phone calls, okay?
Every major news outlet is covering this.
Pissed does not even begin to...
Hey, I never guaranteed, this is unavoidable.
You know what, just get her on the damn tour bus
and make sure she stays standing, okay?
That is what the record company pays you for.
Ma, would you please just give me a minute to myself?
God.
Well, as they say in the kibbutz, adios and hasta luego.
Hey, Michael.
Michael?
We've been working together for a long time, man.
I've never seen you like this.
Yeah, you know what, man,
maybe I have never had this much pressure on me.
Well, what's going on, huh?
I mean, this kind of thing happens with April every other month.
Look, I'm getting married in two weeks.
It ain't that bad.
It can get bad, but at the start,
it should be something to be celebrated.
My fiancée is amazing.
She stands squarely on the ground with her two feet.
Then what is it?
I've never had a drink in my whole life.
Now, tell me, with your vast experience,
how do I end up surrounded by addicts?
Well, that's what we're here for, all right?
So you let us worry about April, so you can enjoy your wedding.
It's not just about April.
- Does everybody have a drink? - Yeah.
I don't think I've known him to be sober a day in my life.
Soda water, please.
I see a lot of familiar faces out there, don't you, Lola?
Sure do, Sugar Bear.
Lola and I have been married 37 years, cats and kittens.
Look, couples can be rough, man.
And out there is our son, Michael.
Aren't you just the sweetest?
I mean, if you want them clean,
you have to prepare them for some type of separation.
He's getting hitched later this month to a lovely Mexican girl.
Can't you see she's using you?
No, no, no, not them.
They'll make it.
You got a drink, son?
I promise y'all one thing, there is no rum in that boy's Coke.
So in honor of our boy and his senorita,
we're gonna sing a little song and have a little toast.
It's a fiesta.
Here's to a nice Jewish boy
marrying a girl from south of the border.
Exactly, how many people are actually coming from Guatemala?
Just get them clean for the wedding, and I'll worry about the rest, okay?
Once more in Spanish, everybody.
Hey.
I saw your video online.
So charming.
And this, kind of pathetic, don't you think?
Sitting here, listening to your own songs.
Alone.
It's kind of pathetic.
- Where is William? - Oh, he's with another client.
That song sold nine million copies.
What's pathetic is...
Well, your excuse for a career.
No drugs around me. Understood?
I want William.
Well, then come back with me to the shop.
We can get a handle on your scripts there.
I got a handle on them right here.
That's the problem.
I don't know who Michael thinks he's kidding.
Some manager.
The tour's gonna go, one way or another.
Really, it doesn't matter if I'm high or if I'm low,
because that bus is just gonna pull out.
Why don't you pack a bag?
I'll make you some tea. Everything's gonna be great.
Do you want chamomile or chai?
I'm not going back to the shop.
If William wants me, he can come and get me.
Well, William Banks, aren't you easy on the eyes?
- Ma. - What?
He looks like a young Rock Hudson.
- Ma, he looks nothing like Rock... - Hush.
You know that Rock and I dated for a few months?
Of course, that was before your father decided to stop tomcatting around.
- Oh, well. - What?
He was a very good kisser.
Well, not as good as your father, but very good.
You know why I'm here, Mrs. Zellman?
Lola, please.
I refuse to feel as old as I look.
Lola, do you know why I'm here?
I believe you're the one that's kept our sweet little April standing upright
for the last few years, right?
I do my best.
Do you know that the cheap and Michael met right...?
Mom, Mom, Mom, please, just listen to what William has to say, okay?
Lola, Bernie...
Michael has asked me to talk to you about your drinking.
I'm 67 years old.
I'm not interested in any major life changes.
Well, let me ask you this.
If you're not interested in life changes, are you interested in these?
Oh, Ma. Ma.
Mrs. Zellman, could you please?
Ollie, ollie, oxen free.
I'm in the bathroom. Do you mind?
April, I'm trying to take a piss.
I bet you're glad you took the locks off the door.
You finding the speed, okay?
Swenton deserved a medal.
Yes, here we go.
I hate to waste these placebos,
but, you know, they make me quite bloated.
Oh, and thank you very much for the tea,
but I don't feel like taking a long nap,
and don't tell me that you didn't spike it.
What are you talking about?
You don't think I haven't seen every trick in Willie's book?
Go back to your clubhouse
and tell them that I don't wanna play anymore.
Listen, I can't really force anyone to get clean.
Who said anything about forcing?
I guess I'm ready as I'll ever be.
So...
When do we start?
You're disrespectful. You've been like that since you were a kid.
April's wise to all the old tricks.
Okay.
I tell you what, I'll talk to her. See if I can get her to come with me.
How?
Well, I'll figure it out.
Sometimes asking nicely does the trick.
We need to stop treating her like a child.
If she was any other client...
- She's not any other client. - An addict's an addict.
And some have multi-million dollar insurance policies and tour dates
across every major city in North America.
And others let business get in the way of what they believe in.
Good night, Akani.
Josefina?
Dear, you really don't have to stay.
Is that really Frank Sinatra?
I was a dancer at the Copa.
You must be really busy with the wedding
with all those family members.
I want to spend time with you, Lola.
- Where's Bernie? - Bernie.
Yo, present and accounted for.
Lola and I are ready to go, batten down the hatches so to speak.
Sure. Yeah.
Smells a little curdled to me.
What's next?
Well, we're gonna try to keep you two as comfortable as possible.
Michael, are you staying here today?
Josefina is gonna help out around here.
I thought Josefina had a job at the record company.
- Ma. - We don't need anyone else.
I want Michael here.
Look, I know what a comfort to you your son is,
but I promise you, I'll get him back as soon as I can, all right?
Let's go.
She's got more hidden stashes than an offshore bank.
Okay, April, here we go.
Okay. So, what did you take last night, huh?
I wanted the green ones, but someone threw it down the sink
so I guess I took the yellow...
The yellow and the blue makes green.
The blue and the yellow? How many?
How many did you take?
- Hey. - Let me take your pulse.
Let me check you. Let me check your heart.
You know what? Everybody wants a piece.
You have the photographers, and then you have the stalkers,
and then you have the cops.
You know what? We've been through this.
- You cannot go out on the road high. - And I don't want to talk to you.
I don't have to talk to him.
- No, you don't. - I know I don't.
You don't... In fact, you know what?
Look at me. Look at me.
I think that you're dreamy.
Come here and I think you're really dreamy.
- Okay, that's good, I'm dreamy. - Kill me.
Okay. Listen, I'll tell you what?
What?
- I'm dreamy. - You're dreamy, yes, I do.
- I'm gonna take you with me, okay? - Yeah.
- You're gonna come with me. - I'm glad...
- Come here. - Hey.
You know...
- Let me just see something. - No, no.
What?
You used to look at me when you were sitting at the bar.
With these, like, giant doe eyes, so happy,
and you used to sit at the bar,
and you used to sip your soda like a little puppy dog
who was always just following and following and following.
- April, April, stop. - What?
But you're the reason why I wanted to do all of this.
You made me feel special.
Nobody looks at me the way you look at me.
When I get on that stage, none of them do.
No, none of them do.
So...
Please.
Please, please, don't make me go out there.
Look, we agreed to this tour, April. Okay?
Why are you marrying her?
- What? - Why?
I...
Because I love her.
Okay. Okay.
If you go on the tour with me, please,
I promise that I'll be a very good girl.
Okay? I promise.
Michael, let's go.
- Okay. - Hey, you know what?
You gotta go with William.
- You gotta come with me. - Don't touch me!
- You gotta come. - No!
- Stop. - April, stop.
No.
April.
We gotta try something different.
What are you gonna do?
We made the deal, okay?
I cannot just cancel this tour.
I...
Damn, I gotta postpone the wedding.
William's in the back giving her a sedative.
He's gonna suggest we bring her back to the shop and start flushing her.
- Okay. - You should say no.
What? Why?
Because waking up in the shop with us treating her like a baby
is hardly the kick in the ass that April needs.
So, what do you propose?
Stop knocking her out and propping her up.
Make her make a choice for once.
How?
I've never seen her without makeup.
She doesn't look right.
That's early signs of jaundice.
How sick is she?
Well, it can be a long road with alcohol, but it will kill you in the end.
No.
I can't!
Please.
- What are you, 5? - Screw you, Michael.
- He's not here. - I know that he's not here.
Wait, you think that I don't know that?
You don't think that I can't see?
All right, you're clear in your options, right?
Yeah, I'm clear in my options.
He's told me five and 8 million thousand times,
I'm gonna be broke.
I want to be broke.
I don't care.
Akani, look at me.
I said look at me.
I want you to see me.
I am broken.
I am broken like a stopped clock.
Do you think the drugs pay for themselves, April?
Maybe.
Police.
- What? - Stay where you are.
- Let me see your hands, both of you. - What?
On your feet.
I'm gonna need to see a warrant.
Here's your search warrant.
- We're done. - Her lawyer's on his way.
- Please wait? He's... - Meet us at the station.
You think I give a shit about her being celebrity?
All right, you get up. Let's go.
You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.
I'm gonna throw all of it away myself.
Can you, please, Akani, please, can you just do something?
Please?
I work with William Banks.
I botched the case, all right?
I'm just trying to keep it under the radar.
Have some mercy, please. Let me help her.
I'll be back in a week.
If I find you here like this, no second chances.
Tell William this makes us even.
Let's go.
- What did you do? - I introduced her to some friends.
What friends?
What's important is she came here willingly
and she wants to get back on track.
What did you do?
I staged a bust. Scared the hell out of her, okay?
- Without my permission. - She's here.
You got her in. That is great.
Could have knocked her out and done the same.
Yeah, and we'd have the exact same result we have every other time.
- This is different, she chose here. - Look, guys, guys.
She's here by her own choice.
Okay? At the end of the day, Akani did the right thing.
I hope you're not pissed.
Well, you took a risk.
Let's hope it pays off.
I gotta go see Bernie and Lola.
Now that you're getting sober, Mort's been incredibly understanding.
He says the gig is yours to go back to when you're ready.
- I'm ready to go back. - Bernie, it's still early.
It's probably not a good idea to go back.
Hey, I don't care what kind of expert you are,
but I'm perfectly able to determine what I can do,
- and I'm ready to perform. - Sugar Bear...
- Shut up. - What did you say to me?
I said, shut up.
I wanna die. I mean, I...
You forced me into this, and this is hell.
I mean, the booze is the only way I can stomach it.
I mean, night after night, day after goddamn day,
your nagging, your nonsense, I can't take it.
- Hey, Pops. - Don't "Pops" me.
I don't care if you don't like the way I live my life.
You can go to hell. What did we ever do to you?
We gave you a roof, we gave you some food, some love.
- What do you want? - Roof and food for sure, but love?
And this woman of yours, can't you see she's using you?
You walked into her boss's office. She didn't have anything.
What are you, an idiot? She's using you.
I'm right here, you know.
Yeah, believe me, I'd make you disappear if I could.
- You're an asshole. - Hey, you're disrespectful.
You've been like that since you were kid.
Did you even remember my childhood?
What are you talking about? There's pictures all over the house.
- Oh, my God. Pictures? - Yeah.
Pictures of a kid who forgot that his old man gave up everything for him.
I mean, when you came along, I was on my way.
I gave it all up to be a lounge singer just to keep you in diapers.
Ma, you come with me, right now.
Ma, you can stay with us at our house.
Without Bernie?
With us.
Me and Josefina.
- No. - Ma.
No.
You wanna go back to the bar?
You go back.
I'm sorry, William, but we're done with this.
Lola, you're through the worst of it now.
- We can just... - We are done.
I'm not giving up on you two.
I want Michael. Where's William?
- I'll get him. - Oh, God.
William.
Listen, I'm sorry I haven't called.
- It's been... - Yeah.
I mean, Swenton's out of town and Akani's...
Yeah.
Hey, can I come in?
Yeah.
- Want me to get that? - No, I got it.
Come on in.
So I got the papers.
- I know. - I got them and I just...
I know.
They're pretty hard to look at.
And, you know, the permanence, the legal shit.
Babe, I know it's hard.
I'm sorry.
Well, I'm the one who should be sorry.
I don't need any more apologies, honest.
Then...
What do you want?
I signed by my name, William.
When you're ready...
When you're ready, I...
- Want you to pick up a pen and... - Right.
Pick up a pen.
You look so tired.
Yeah.
I hope you know I'm not angry.
I know.
I hope you know that signing the papers...
...was really hard for me.
Hey.
It's me, your new best friend.
I know it looks gross, but it's gonna make you feel better.
Come on.
Oh, God.
You're good.
I see you.
What's your real name?
April May.
Just like it says on the album covers.
I had hippie parents.
Yeah, they were my mom's two favorite months.
I think that's why she married my dad.
Are they still together?
Nope.
My mom died when I was a teenager
and my dad lives somewhere in an ashram in India.
So, you know, I send him money every couple of months to keep him there.
You?
Something like that.
Wow, there's some simpatico...
...between you and I, huh?
Yeah, well, I haven't felt like slapping you today, so we're making progress.
And that song was made famous by the great Jim Croce.
All right.
- Yeah. - No, it's good.
Maybe I didn't love you
Quite as often as I could have
- Maybe I didn't treat you - Maybe I didn't treat you
- Quite as good as I should have - Quite as good as I should have
If I made you feel second best
- Oh, I'm so sorry I was blind - Girl, I'm so sorry I was blind
- You were always on mind - You were always on mind
- You were always on my mind - You were always on my mind
- Does everybody have a drink? - Yeah.
Anyway, yeah, have a drink, huh?
Does everybody have a drink?
- Does everybody have a drink? - He's got one.
- All right, all right. - Hey.
- Our son, everybody.
- I got it, I got it. - Hey, hey, Mort. Come on, man.
Come on, get off me, will you?
Hey, hey, hey. No, no, no, this is what he wants.
- Easy does it. Easy does it. - I wanna make a toast.
Hey, everybody, raise a glass
to the worst damn parents a kid could have.
The worst goddamn parents, Bernie and Lola.
- All right. - Son of a bitch.
- Let him go, Bernie. - All right.
- Take him back to the office. - I'll take him with me.
The kid loves to be on stage.
Hey.
Everybody have a drink?
Yeah.
- This is ridiculous. - Don't worry about it.
Yeah.
It's not like him.
You've gotta check out these maracas. They are the bueno shizito.
They used to be filled with some dried frijoles,
but now, I think, they have fermented peas in them or something,
I guess, because the timbre.
Swenton.
I want to see him. I need to see my baby.
Look, Lola, he's fine, all right? He's just a little hung-over.
- He needs his mother. - Are you crazy?
You two are the reason he's in this mess.
Josefina, please.
It ain't my fault the boy can't hold his liquor.
Bernie.
Oh, please. Please.
Please, please.
Please, ladies.
Hey, Bernie.
Not in here.
I'm so sorry, sweetheart.
He doesn't mean half the stuff he says.
- How does it feel? - Oh, honey.
I know because this is what I had to deal with every night with you and Dad.
Look, baby, I know you wanted to make a point,
but this is your father.
He's just...
He's never gonna change.
This is us, Bernie and Lola, your mom and dad.
Lola, you cannot come to our wedding drunk.
Honey, please.
- Then I just won't come. - That's your choice then.
You got it.
- Hey, Ma. - Please.
You know, you cannot just talk to my mother that way.
If you go back there, I won't be around when you get home.
- What? - I can't keep doing this.
- I mean, what am I supposed to do? - Put yourself first.
Put us first from now on.
It's not fair.
You have a lot to think about, but I've made up my mind.
I love you, baby.
But you need to figure out how to love yourself.
I can't believe this. What are you doing?
You know what? My whole life has been this, man, you know.
- It's all I've ever known. - Okay, yeah, I get it.
- I love my parents. - Yeah.
And I've been taking care of them since I was a kid.
- I take care of them. - Look, don't go in there, all right?
Don't go in there, man.
You know what? They are gonna die if I don't.
Look, I don't know if you could stop that either way.
- I don't think that's in your control. - Well, it has been.
Well, you know what I think, man?
You're not afraid of them dying, you're afraid of change.
You see, you go back inside, nothing changes.
They drink, you let them.
They die because they don't wanna change.
You go back on tour, it's all the same thing.
April takes drugs, you let her.
Same thing, over and over again.
Josefina is a beautiful woman, man.
And she loves you.
Man, my whole life, I've never loved anyone more than her.
Then what are you doing here?
Get rid of everything that's in your way.
I don't just mean your parents.
Hi. Come here.
Hi.
You writing?
Yeah.
I feel like I have something to say again.
Are you packed?
Listen, I'm not going.
I know.
You have a lot of stuff going on.
I feel like I pushed you too hard.
God, no. No.
No, I...
I just think that you would have been happy
just diddling away at those dive bars and...
We had so much fun.
- I just... - What?
I couldn't stand the thought, you know,
of you ending up like my parents.
I mean, you are a very special girl, April.
You are out of your damn mind.
I mean, you're certifiable.
- What? - You have a gift from God.
Okay? And I cannot stand the thought of people not seeing that.
And now they do.
So I am sorry.
- Oh, you don't have to apologize. - But I quit.
What?
I'm no longer your manager.
Oh, God.
Is this some kind of a prank?
Hey.
Is this one of your scare tactics?
- No, no, no, listen to me. - What?
This is you and me on the level.
Hey. Hey.
You don't have anything without me.
You don't have a career.
She's all yours.
Her A & R rep is gonna be your new contact until she hires someone new.
We've got it covered.
Yeah.
My folks?
I'll do what I can.
Lola went to the store. She'll be back in a minute.
Actually, I wanted to talk to you alone.
Sure. What do you want?
William Banks needs to get laid
Even if he has to pay
You're out of your mind.
Come on, I know you've been burning the midnight oil
with that menagerie of dysfunction in here the other day.
So take a break, huh?
Whatever it is you're doing just...
Hey, you know what?
Tell this guy that he needs to take a powder, all right?
Everybody could use a little R and R around here, I mean, look at me.
I'm tan, I'm lean, and I'm mean.
You're sunburned and scrawny.
- I love you. - Love you too.
I just came by to say goodbye. We're taking off today.
All right, well, good luck out there.
And listen, if you start to feel overwhelmed,
you don't be afraid to ask for help.
I can always sub in this lunatic.
Actually, I think that would be a great idea,
because I think April's music could use a little Latin flavor.
You know what? I'll be fine.
Wow, I love maracas.
Are you sure you're gonna be all right, alone with this yahoo?
Yeah, I'll manage.
Get it out there, April.
- How you doing, April? - Still drinking?
- Right over here. - Looking good.
Hey.
I don't even know if I wanna do this anymore.
Well, you're gonna find out.
Get on the bus.
I've never done it without Michael.
I know.
Get on the bus.
But I don't know if I can...
Let me see that.
Now, on the bus.
Now.
Maybe I didn't love you
Quite as often as I could have
Maybe I didn't hold you
William?
Bernie sent me away.
I...
I don't know where to go now.
I'll stand here with you as long as you want.
I don't know if I can do this.
Yes, you can.
Yes, you can. All you have to do is walk through that door.
I don't remember the last time I did something on my own.
You're not alone, Lola.
You have a son, a daughter-in-law,
a place to go when you get out of here.
Little things I should have said and done.
You were always on my mind.
Come on, Lola.
So we keep shuffling our feet,
dancing that dance over and over again.
And we keep getting the same result.
It ain't the tune, we know that.
It's just real hard to admit that when the music stops,
it's all on us.