[music playing]
[digital tones]
RILEY: Yeah, my mother really wishes she could be here.
But her amateur novel writing keeps
her in California, instead of with
her cancer-riddled daughter.
Well, I'm happy to help any way that I can.
RILEY: I guess, if you could just give
me a summary of where we are. - To you?
Or to the camera?
RILEY: Oh, uh, the camera. Yeah, you can--
OK, well--
RILEY: --pretend she's a real bitch if that helps.
Um, it's stage three, which means it's invaded the nearby
structures-- in this case, the mandible-- and also
entered the lymphatic system.
RILEY: Mm-hm.
And can you tell my mother what the next step
would be in-- in treatment?
Well, that's not primarily my decision.
RILEY: I mean, you'd probably, like, remove my jaw though,
right?
Kind of-- kind of like these people.
Well--
RILEY: That will be me someday.
That's a question for the maxillofacial surgeon.
RILEY: Well then, can you just say to camera
that I'm not getting any better and that what
happens to everybody with this disease will happen to me?
Riley, if-- as we discussed before, no two cases are alike.
RILEY: And statistically, what?
I have a 60% chance of being dead in two years,
even with surgery.
90% without.
We don't like to view things that way.
RILEY: But if you did--
Well, we don't like to view things that way.
RILEY: OK.
MAN (ON RECORDING): [inaudible]
[speaking in samoan]
Tomorrow, the coconut leaves [inaudible].
[murmuring in samoan]
Hey, friend-- hey.
Hi.
Your-- I don't think your buds are on.
- Sorry? - Your buds.
I don't think they're plugged all the way in the jack.
- Oh! - Yeah.
Oh, crap. Sorry about that.
No, it's all good.
And hey, I'm a big fan of language tapes.
It's just, there's this noise-sensitive individual
a few rows back, so--
- Oh, well-- - Yeah.
Thanks.
RILEY: Oh, I wasn't being sarcastic, by the way.
I really do like language tapes.
Do what?
It was kind of a thing as a kid.
I'd go to the library, listen to dozens of them.
Hey, actually, do you mind if I come sit next to you?
Oh, no. You--
[stammering] - I'm just going to come.
Is that cool? - Um--
OK, thanks.
Uh, oh, OK. Yeah, OK.
- So I'm guessing Indonesian? - Hm?
Oh, the Herring Shoal.
Oh, Samoan.
Oh, gotcha, Samoan.
Probably not at your local library.
What?
Uh, you said, when you were a kid, you went to library.
Right, yes. Yes, I did.
I said that.
No, no, I didn't.
That was a total lie.
The truth is, when I was on Medicaid,
they didn't offer mental health benefit
unless you could prove you were, like, bat-shit fucking crazy.
So I told my shrink that I listened to language tapes
as a kid, because I didn't hear I love you as a child.
Did you-- so you defrauded the US Medicaid system?
Sadly, no.
He wrote down in his report that it seemed contrived.
Do you think it seems contrived?
Well, I can't say that I know of anyone who would think
of doing something like that.
Thanks.
Yeah.
RILEY: You seem nice.
I'm Riley, by the way.
OGDEN: Oh, Ogden Clark.
RILEY: Oh, a pleasure to meet you, Ogden Clark.
OGDEN: You too. RILEY: No, really.
I'm actually like-- I'm full of pleasure right now.
OGDEN: OK.
Thank you. RILEY: Oh, you play the banjo.
Ah, a bit.
RILEY: Let me guess, you probably sing too.
Sing is generous, I think.
Where are you from?
Uh-- well, I got on my first bus a few states ago.
What about you?
Portland.
And yet, this is my seventh bus.
Fuck!
Fuck.
Well, I guess we have some time to kill.
I tell you what, you buy me a drink
and I will reveal more ways I've abused
taxpayer-funded programs.
And I--
I would like that.
But-- um-- I have a rental car waiting for me.
Oh.
Oh, then, on your way.
Nice meeting you, Ogden Clark.
Yeah, you too.
Uh, you know, I could always just drive you in,
if you wanted.
Just if you wanted to save a few bucks or whatever.
I don't know.
You could always be a rapist of some sort.
[nervous laugh]
- I'm not. - Oh, good.
Pinky swear? - What?
You have-- you have to pinky swear you're not a rapist.
I am serious, Ogden Clark.
Oh, yeah, well, OK. Not--
There we go.
Not a rapist.
Let's go.
I'm actually though, like not a rapist.
Yeah, I believe you.
I don't think a rapist would keep telling me
they're not a rapist.
I mean, they'd just rape me.
[music playing]
OGDEN: What are you doing?
What-- what are you doing?
RILEY: Oh, uh, this is a video.
It's for my mom. - Oh, really?
That's pretty awesome.
My mom would flip for that kind of thing.
RILEY: Hey, Mom, this is Ogden, the stranger from whom
I've accepted this lovely ride.
Try to appear non-threatening so I don't
seem so-- you know-- reckless.
You're not zooming in in my face, are you?
Is that a problem?
But don't you want to get some of the forest stuff in?
RILEY: Oh, wow.
Look at that.
It's huge.
Well, we're not even in the main part yet.
So we'll see what's up ahead.
RILEY: All right.
You really don't have to film me though.
RILEY: No, I'm going to do it the whole time.
You-- that-- cool.
[music playing]
RILEY: How about, does anyone here speak English?
OGDEN: Don't know that one.
RILEY: Where is the bathroom?
OGDEN: Nope.
RILEY: You can't treat me this way!
I am an American citizen!
OGDEN: I haven't gotten that far yet.
RILEY: So what exactly can you say,
Herring Shoal stories aside?
OGDEN: Uh, that's-- that's pretty much it at the moment.
Oh, and, Woman!
Go fish for prawns!
RILEY: Nice.
So I assume you're planning on getting a job at a very
aggressive seafood restaurant?
Uh, no.
Not-- not exactly.
We're-- we're bui-- building homes for the poor.
RILEY: Are we?
Yeah.
It's a part of this group that I'm with, the Sunshine
Christian Ministries.
I see.
And is there something wrong with that?
Hm? No.
No, no. No problem at all.
I mean, as long as it isn't some, you know,
middle-class poverty cruise.
Rich boy mingles with peasants to discover
true humanity for his art.
You know, it shows you've romanticized suffering,
which-- look, I don't hold the copyright to it.
But it is kind of my thing.
OGDEN: Uh, we all romanticize suffering.
And I romanticize my own.
Yeah, I bet you do.
You don't know anything about me.
OGDEN: Well, I know that you're young.
I know you're smart.
I know you're pretty, kinda.
Kind of.
It's hard to find the part where you're
overwhelmed with adversity.
- Well, I am. - Yeah.
[chuckle] Yeah.
So what overwhelms you?
Like, deciding what hair dye to use?
Hey, pull over.
Pull the fuck to the side.
I want to get out.
Right here!
Let me get out.
Hey, um, listen.
I know I can be a bit much.
So thanks for not saying I'm insane.
Well, that was before I knew you.
Wh-- hey. Hey, wait!
Uh, do you think, maybe, I could buy you breakfast or something
tomorrow?
Uh, actually, I'm fucked.
The little sis arriving early.
You know how it is.
Oh, OK. Cool.
Well, maybe I could just get your number then.
RILEY: What for?
In case, you know, your plans change.
Hey, I'm really glad I met you, Ogden.
Thanks for the ride and for, you know, not being a rapist.
You're welcome.
So yeah, I better--
have a good life, Ogden Clark.
Yeah, you too!
[exasperated sigh] You too.
Stupid.
So stupid.
[rattling]
[music playing]
Tricyclic antidepressants-- purchasable
online from the best little drugstore in Bangalore.
In fact, if you Google suicide, the first five hits
are online pharmacies.
Make of that what you will.
Mm, fun fact-- you never know how long it'll
take the drugs to kick in.
It could take five hours.
Might be seven.
One last surprise, right at the very end.
By the way, if you're ever on Jeopardy and Alex says,
this is the number one cause for suicide
failure in the United States.
The correct answer is, what is changing your mind?
[snoring]
[beep]
[engine starting]
Mm. [horn honking]
[crashing] - Fuck!
[phone ringing]
RILEY (ON MESSAGE): Hey, you've reached Riley.
Yeah, no one listens to voicemails anymore.
But go for it. [beep]
OK, well, we're back in our comfort zone.
Because everything is totally fucked.
The car is wrecked.
And I won't be making your last day.
But you don't have to let this fuck up your plans.
Just tweak the details.
Meet a guy.
Borrow a car.
You'll figure it out.
I mean, you're Riley.
And I-- I don't know if I said this already,
but I love the shit out of you. Truth.
[crying]
I won't be pissed if you tell me the truth.
I said I was going to therapy.
Well, I never heard word one about any therapy
until just now.
Yeah, my therapist says I should ignore you.
You know, I do have a line.
It may not be what every dad's line is--
Yeah, if anyone knows about doing lines--
- Hey, hey-- - Get the fuck off.
No.
I need to know where in the hell you were off to with a $200
bottle of champagne or you're-- you're going
to find yourself grounded. You understand?
Fine!
Fine.
I'm-- uh-- I'm not supposed to tell you this.
But I was--
I was going down to LA.
This guy came up to me a few days ago, this man.
And he's in the fashion business.
And--
Van--
And he said he'd never seen a face as--
OSCAR: No, Sa-- Savannah-- - --as beautiful as mine.
And he loved my scar.
And before I knew it, I had a modeling career in Hollywood.
I know, I couldn't fucking believe it either!
Don't you dare slam that fuck--
[door slamming]
Vanny, do you remember that '57 Strat
I said I was going to give you as a graduation gift?
VAN: Yeah, you said it was an unbreakable promise.
Because I was thinking, maybe I
should donate that to the Route 66 Museum in Barstow.
VAN: Dad--
And they'd probably put my name on a plaque or something.
And then you and I, we could drive down there
and check out my name on the plaque.
You are so full of shit.
You would never give away a '57 Strat.
I don't know.
A thing like that--
I think it should be where everyone can enjoy it.
Tell me where you were going.
[phone ringing]
Ogh.
[ringing]
Steve Stephenson Industries.
I need you to wake up.
Something's happened.
Oscar, oh my god.
Do you know what time it is?
OSCAR (ON PHONE): It's bad.
OK, are you drunk?
If you're drunk, you should be calling your sponsor.
OSCAR (ON PHONE): It's Riley.
OK, I'm hanging up now.
You fucking--
[phone ringing]
OSCAR (ON PHONE): Riley's in trouble, Bev.
I think you can carve about five seconds for that.
Five seconds, fine.
And don't do that thing where you fucking count.
4--
OSCAR (ON PHONE): I can't talk to you when you're like this.
3--
Van just told me Riley's in Sequoia with a gram
and a half of tricyclics.
You know what that means, right?
A gram and a half is a lethal dose.
- 2-- - What's going on?
OSCAR (ON PHONE): Did you hear me?
(WHISPERING) Nothing. Go to sleep, honey.
OSCAR (ON PHONE): Did you hear me?
Yes, I heard you.
I heard the next half-dozen things about to come out
of your mouth.
We need to call her.
We need to beg her.
We need to be her supporting cast.
Because once again, Riley staged a drama.
No, we have to get down there.
BEV (ON PHONE): I'm curious, Oscar,
why do you think she adopts these behaviors
in the first place?
I mean, is it possible that, if you clap for her pity party
this morning, she's just going to stage an encore?
OSCAR (ON PHONE): Riley's very sick, Bev.
You know that. BEV (ON PHONE): You know what?
I'm sick. I am.
I am sick and tired of using her illness for every--
for every negative-- - Defeatist.
(WHISPERING) Oh, that's good. (SPEAKING)
Defeatist impulse that--
Listen, Bev, if you don't want to go, that's fine.
Just let me borrow your car.
My car?
OSCAR (ON PHONE): The cab's an hour to get here from Mariposa.
(WHISPERING) He wants to borrow the car.
What's the matter with his car?
What's the matter with your car?
That's not the issue.
(WHISPERING) He totaled it again.
Well, let him rent.
(WHISPERING) With his DUIs?
Bev, I need to know you understand
what I'm talking about.
You know, I've got to be in Los Banos this afternoon.
Is there anything else I can help you with?
What do you want?
You want me to agree to those fucking terms?
You want me to sign the divorce papers?
I'm sorry.
What does that mean?
Does that mean you'll accept my offer?
- Seriously? - I think so.
Nice!
That was good, huh?
That was good.
You were very assertive.
I-- and then, defeatist, that was good.
- Thanks. - That was better--
Thanks, yeah. I-- I thought it was helpful.
--than negative.
You were fine.
But I just wanted to give you a little gas, you know?
And that-- it's-- you know, we've been
talking about with words.
And it was like it was more accurate.
OGDEN: Hey!
I swear, I'm not stalking you.
So I realized that I actually never answered
your question from before.
What question?
Just about where I'm from.
The answer is Texas.
Because I figured you'd make fun of it or something.
Don't have to make fun of it.
It's Texas.
[laughs] Nice.
Hey, you mind if I bum one of these?
[clears throat]
Thanks.
You know, you wouldn't guess it.
But there's actually an intense debate
in the Sunshine Ministries over these little guys.
On the one hand, Corinthians say that your body's a temple
and that you shouldn't pollute it.
Can I grab that lighter?
On the other hand, I don't really care what people say.
It just looks so cool.
Hey, what-- [crying]
Don't worry about it.
Don't worry about what?
I don't need your fucking Christian charity right now.
- I didn't-- - No, no, no.
You did your part.
You came over, made an effort.
Just leave me alone, please.
OK.
Oh fuck!
Oh, I hate emotional crying.
I wish something would just fall on me right now.
Hey, ca-- can I--
can I maybe, like, buy you lunch or something?
There's a place just right over there.
You have to promise not to recoil if I show you.
And no making a big deal of it.
OK.
You can't make light.
But if I smile, you have to make light.
But no laughing. You can never laugh.
What?
Did you want to--
Look.
That boy's a stage 3 osteosarcoma.
To There's a stage 4 where they saw of your jaw
and give you a chemo perm.
Or you can go to a national park,
take a gram and a half of tricyclics.
And that's kind of the Warp Zone to, you know, stage 5.
You could say something, you know.
Anything really.
I've heard it before.
Yeah, I get that a lot too.
Well, thanks for the help.
Riley, wait-- wait, wait, wait, wait.
Still want to grab lunch?
BEV: Oh god.
Hey, Steve--
BEV: I just don't want to [inaudible].
I think we passed it.
STEVE: Oh.
What the hell is he doing?
VAN: Remind me again why I'm doing this?
Quality time.
Dad-- [scoffs]
Plus, I wouldn't drive 300 miles with those people
if they were driving the last car out of hell.
--in the process of gentrifying,
if that's the right word. I'm just going--
I don't know if I would say [inaudible].
Yeah.
Just want to be sure that-- - Good.
- Good? - Yep.
OK.
STEVE: Coming in.
All right, there he is.
Oscar, how are you?
OSCAR: Steve.
Van, you're looking great.
Thanks, I'm--
I'm the homecoming queen.
Wow! How about that.
That's great-- - She's kidding, Steve.
- Oh. - That's how she kids.
It's a weird joke to make.
I mean, she's a pretty girl. She--
- Shut up, Steve. - Stop it, Oscar.
We need to hit the road.
We need to hit the road, please. - Oscar, listen--
We don't have time for this.
Oh, you already know what I'm going to say?
Hey, how's school?
I have a fair idea about how long
it's going to take you to say it?
How are your classes?
Why don't you just get comfortable.
In the back seat of my own car.
I will. - Well then, it should be easy.
OK, because we're not moving--
Which I am still making payments on.
--in which you can conduct, yourself.
Which we appreciate, by the way.
OK? I am with Steve now.
And that's not going to change. - Good, he can keep you.
And I have nothing-- Oscar, I mean this.
I have nothing but respect for you.
You're a loser, Oscar.
And no one's judging anybody.
We all make our choices in life. - You make me sick.
And there's no reason we can't all just
have a pleasant ride here. You want a snack?
Oh, yeah.
And these little put downs, these little sarcasms
that you have for Steve--
I mean, this guy cleans every gear of your clock.
Looks-- - Well, it's subjective.
- --intelligent, personality-- - Well, that-- that's true.
--and my god, you want to talk about between the legs?
Oh my god, Mom! Stop!
I'm just saying, the sooner you stop imagining that there's
this, like, alpha battle to be won,
the sooner we can just all get along.
- OK. - Great.
- Got it. - Great.
So you guys, throw on your seatbelts,
and we can get going.
- Seriously? - Yeah, I'm sorry.
I can't go on a drive.
Ugh.
It's-- it's the law, Van.
Dad!
Let me hear those clicks.
STEVE: And here we go.
RILEY: This will be ground zero here,
right off the Generals Highway.
And this is about 10 miles of gravel roads,
spiraling all the way up to the summit.
Hanging rock?
I'm not a big fan of the unfortunately
ironic name and all, but yeah.
My sister was supposed to drive up early, quick bite to eat,
long good-bye, and then off to my hanging.
She was going to film my final harrowing moments
and get the tape to Beverly, my mom.
Look, Riley, I know that, like, no one can completely
know what you're going-- - No, you can't.
--through-- OK.
But this kind of thing that you're talking about, it's--
You promised, no Christian charity.
It wasn't going to be Christian charity.
It was going to be more like--
Like Christian scolding.
I guess.
Nearly 1/3 of suicide victims have
undertaken objective analysis, favoring
the option of self-termination.
You know who told me that?
My state-funded Medicaid shrink.
He said, 1/3 of the time, suicide
is actually understandable.
Even showed me a chart.
Can we go somewhere else?
Yeah, yeah.
Riley, I-- I want to help you.
But I just--
I guess, I don't know exactly what
it is that you want from me.
I want you take me up the mountain.
Oh, well, um--
I'm not sure I can do that.
Look, it'll take an hour to get up
to the peak, two at the most.
Come on, Ogden.
Doesn't the Bible say you should have the serenity to accept
the things you cannot change, the courage
to change the things you can, the wisdom
to know the difference?
I'm pretty sure that's AA.
Hey, let's not split hairs here.
It's still churchy-sounding advice.
My point is, you just met a girl who said she wants to cash out.
And you've got to be thinking if that's one of those things
you can change or not, right?
Tell you what, you take me up to the peak,
and I will give my number and the sexual congress it implies.
Can you not-- just stop. Don't do that.
Hey, please.
Um, you know, Steve, I think the speed-limit
here is actually 65, not--
Oh, good. We're well under.
Well, I think what Van meant is--
He knows what she meant.
Steve can be wryly humorous too.
That's right.
Wait. Whoa.
This isn't even the right road.
Where are we going? - Yeah, sorry.
We're taking a little bit of a detour.
A detour? No, no.
No detours.
We just have to drop Steve at his interview in Los Banos.
That's got to be 50 miles out of the way!
Oh, it's well over 50, Oscar.
Bev, this is not the time for--
Calm down.
Steve says the chances of Riley actually going through
with this are, like, what? 5%?
10%
- They're 7%. - See.
Statistically, she's at 7%.
I don't think that sounds right.
Well, Steve's a psychologist, OK?
Do you even have a job?
I thought Steve was an efficiency
expert, like, last week.
It's a psychological efficiency expert, Van.
Yeah, OK.
My work is mostly in education consulting.
It's a pretty serious position.
Listen, Steve has this theory that--
It's not-- it's hardly a theory.
It's more of an observation.
It happens to be shaking a few foundations.
What most people call, quote, "mental illnesses," those
are really just learned sets of behavior designed
to manipulate other people.
So if you say, oh, I'm so depressed,
then everyone makes a big fuss about you.
And they give you all this attention,
bring you to see fancy doctors.
And then you think, oh, this is cool.
All right. And they keep it up.
Does that sound like anyone we know?
Exactly.
If we remove the response to that behavior,
then this so-called illness suddenly
ceases to be a problem.
Because it's falling on deaf ears.
There's no response. - It's that simple.
STEVE: It's like training a dog almost.
There's no-- no human is more like a dog than a teenager.
Babies are probably more like dogs.
But they're like puppies.
So I don't know if that counts.
Questions?
RILEY: You're driving like a grandma.
OGDEN: You know what, safety first.
RILEY: [mumbling]
OGDEN: What are you--
Just, eyes on the road.
But I mean, I have some stuff there that--
--is this we got here.
No, OK.
That's-- that's not for-- - What's in here?
Let me-- that's not for--
Mm, is this what you spend all night working on?
Funnel of my despair?
It sucks.
I know.
Thank you.
No, I didn't say that.
Although, I never did consider the funnel to be one
of the more desperate utensils.
Will you just give me that for a sec?
"My daydreams stretch as wide as the sea.
But when I [inaudible]--" - You-- no-- I--
give me that for a second.
And we'll keep it there from now on.
[gasp] Were you studying, like a good boy?
I don't understand why you can't just keep your hands
to yourself, just for a second.
I know, it's annoying.
Yeah.
Yep. - Wait.
Why did you highlight, "And he said unto my Father,
Father, my head hurts"?
I don't know.
I just-- I don't know.
I'm-- I'm-- I--
I want to memorize this psalm.
Because I figured, last night, when
I was driving into the park, you know,
I should have something for my trip.
You mean something like, "Young
lads came out from the city and mocked him
and said to him, go up!
Up ye bald head!"
No, no.
Something like, bless the Lord, O my soul, who layeth the beams
of his chambers upon the water.
So--
Have you, uh, resolved the theological contradictions yet?
What theological contradictions?
The wives of Cain and Abel, where did they come from?
The ban on premarital sex.
How is that a theological contradiction?
Well, what about Christian charity?
What if a dying woman's last wish was to begat with you.
Wouldn't that rather uncharitable for you not to?
Is that your last wish?
Pft, I was speaking hypothetically.
Were you speaking hypothetically
because that's your last wish?
Where you're asking me if it was my last wish because I
raised the hypothetical?
Or because you think you're irresistible.
- Irresistible. - Wow.
I really figured you for one of those
no-sex-before-marriage types.
Good, because you definitely wouldn't be my last wish
if you were a virgin.
So I am your last wish?
Fuck, no! Fuck!
OK, well, you don't need to say it like that.
- Shit. - I mean, it's pretty--
[exasperated sigh]
[horn honking]
STEVE: Just go around, tough guy.
Go on. Go ahead.
Thank you.
He's going to kill himself is what he's going to do.
I didn't mean that.
I don't want him to kill himself.
I just--
Hey, Steve, can I ask you something as a psychologist?
It's psychiatrist who can pass out the pills, Oscar.
Oh, very funny.
That's A material right there.
What I was wondering is what you can
tell me about commitment procedures
in the state of California.
Is it hard to do?
STEVE: Not really, not if the patient presents a danger.
If you're talking this kind of deal, open and shut.
What?
Oh, I'm sorry.
This is just my "you're a terrible fucking person" face.
Look, it's not like I want to, OK.
But sometimes, doing things you don't want to do
is part of being a parent.
VAN: Yeah, you're a real father-of-the-year.
OSCAR: Well, for my sins, I'm abjectly penitent.
VAN: So did you just decide today to reinvent
yourself as a man-of-action?
Yeah, with your sister's life on the line,
yes, it struck me as an OK time.
Is your level of cluelessness genetic?
Or is it just booze-induced?
Van--
What?
What's clueless about thinking that your sister's
life is on the line?
No, no, no. Not shrug.
Is there something you're keeping from me?
She'll be dead by the time you get there, OK.
So you don't have to freak out. - Wait, wait.
What? What?
Dead? What?
No, no one told me-- what?
What are you talking about? - Nothing!
Savannah!
VAN: It's just, show's over at sunset.
The plan was she would take her meds today.
And it would take five or six hours to kick in.
And by the time the clock wound down, she'd be at Hanging Rock.
People, we need to get back on the road right now.
We're on the road.
No, Steve, I'm afraid we're not
going to have time for whatever it is you have going on today.
No, I'm afraid we're going to have to make time for it.
Oscar, what exactly is it you plan to do once you get there?
I'm curious.
She's right.
You're pretty new to this whole man-of-action deal.
So-- - Well, I-- I--
I figured I could--
I could talk to her and--
Talk-- can you talk on the phone?
I tried that. She won't pick up.
She'd picked up for Van, wouldn't she?
- Oh, hell no. - Give me your phone.
No, I won't be accessory to your--
- Give me your phone. - --fraud.
- Give-- - No!
- Give-- god-- - Dad!
[chain rattling]
If it's that important, we can always hoof it.
10 miles?
My flight's not till late.
I got the time.
503-703-5835.
Do what?
My cell?
503-703-5835?
[scoff] You weren't really supposed to remember that,
but OK.
I was the Galing High School Number Memory
Team captain, 2008, 2009.
That's preposterous.
You seem pretty upset.
I know that you wanted this to go a certain way.
And it didn't go that way.
But-- but you have to wonder if maybe
there's a reason for that. - Ogden--
Well, I'm just--
I mean, this just gives us a chance to slow stuff down,
to talk stuff over, you know.
And the rock's not going anywhere.
Where-- where is the harm in that, right?
Come on, what do you say we just go
get some overpriced hiking supplies
and take a trip up the mountain?
Make a day of it?
Just you and your last wish.
Ogden--
It'll be fun.
And I'll even sing the funnel song to you on the way up.
I can't, OK. I don't have the time.
You don't have the time?
Why-- why is it that every time you tell me something,
I feel like I know less than I did before.
And the thing of it is, I can't even
imagine you could tell me anything that would be worse
that what you've already said.
What, you think-- you think it makes any difference to me?
If I gave two craps about what you said,
I'd be back in the parking lot getting some sleep.
Look, fine.
Tell me or don't tell me.
I just think it's better to have stuff out-- out there,
you know.
Fine.
You want stuff out there?
I've already taken the pills.
[beep]
RILEY (ON MESSAGE): Hey, you've reached Riley.
Yeah, no one listens to voicemails any more.
But go for it.
Hey, Riley girl, it's your dad.
I'm calling you from Van's phone.
I thought maybe you'd pick up.
Anyway-- um-- look, I know you don't always have
the warmest feelings for me.
And I also know I deserve that.
But I just wanted to ask you, respectfully, to just-- uh--
think about your plans.
If it's-- if it's-- if it's just the disease,
listen, this is a fight the McGrady's will fucking win,
you hear me?
I'll find the best fucking doctor.
I'll rob a bank.
But if it's-- you know--
my-- that whole mess, I don't know.
That's hard.
All I can say is, what you have, the thing you have,
which I, for instance, do not, is a family behind you.
And that is not a thing to be underestimated.
Anyway, I'm-- I'm rambling.
Just-- just call me and tell me what you're--
yeah.
Just-- just-- just called me.
I'm sorry.
OGDEN: Do you ever stop to think,
for a second, what something like that might do to me?
Oh, oh yes.
And now we see that the real victim here is you.
I saw a-- Jesus Christ.
Look, I think I saw, somewhere near Visalia,
like, a hospital, one of those wellness center things.
That-- that means we can still-- - What?
Ogden--
Look, th-- the drugs don't take effect for a few hours.
You said that.
You don't fucking get it, OK.
If Ogden Clark gets cancer, it's a blessed fucking event, right?
It's fundraisers and prayer groups
and in front of the local paper.
It's not Medicaid and selling your shit on Craigslist!
I haven't spoken to my mom since this whole thing started.
My dad, well, he's generally drunk or passed out.
Nobody hugged me or came and held my hand.
Because nobody who didn't just meet me gives a shit.
Nobody asked me if I wanted to die.
And the only choice I got was where and when and how.
And now, I don't even have that.
So--
Riley-- [engine starting]
Riley, wait.
No, don't-- Riley. [engine revving]
Riley, Riley!
Hey!
Riley-- Riley!
[tires squealing]
[phone ringing]
Was there really a whole club at your school
devoted to remembering numbers?
OGDEN (ON PHONE): Look, Riley, I'm sorry.
Yeah? What are you sorry for?
I haven't walked in your shoes.
I-- I shouldn't have acted like I know best.
Really?
Maybe you're just saying that so you can get your car back.
OGDEN (ON PHONE): If you never want to see me again,
I guess I can live with that.
There's plenty of gas in the car, GPS
thing in the glove compartment.
But if you do come back, I will stay with you
wherever you want to go.
OK, so, like this?
Yeah, just be sure to keep me in focus.
Um, don't let me forget to show you the slow-mo button.
I want the climax to feel like a real build, you know?
OGDEN: Climax?
You know-- seizures, hallucinations.
There's a chance I'll foam at the mouth.
[bird screeching]
Hey, just a couple more hours, OK?
Then, you'll drop it off in the mail
and your work here is done.
Just-- uh-- just show me the slow-mo.
OK, so it's this button.
Just set it there. - OK.
[laughs]
I have no idea if that worked.
Oh my god. OGDEN: I'll get it.
I'll get it. I'll get it.
RILEY: So we want to go down this path.
OGDEN: One at a time? One at a time.
Really?
OGDEN: I'm not getting on there with you.
Slowmotion might not be my thing.
But this sunbeam--
Ogden's got this.
Man, this is, like, the shakiest footage you'll get.
[guitar music]
How you holding up, Miss Van?
Fine.
Yeah?
Things at home?
They're fine.
Would you say it's a structured kind of environment?
Or a cool, "kids can do whatever they want" kind of place?
You're a terrible psychologist, Steve.
STEVE: I'm not being a psychologist, kiddo.
I'm just being a friend.
You're a creepy friend, Steve.
STEVE: You know, you shouldn't smoke in a gas station.
Hm.
It's actually illegal.
You could blow yourself up.
OK, but if we blow up, I'm going to be pretty mad at you.
It's funny.
You know, you remind me a bit of myself when I was your age.
Scary, right?
Really, you shouldn't smoke.
You should put it out.
You know what the best thing that ever happened to me was?
When I was 14, I got sent to live with my dad.
He didn't subscribe to "Parenting Magazine" exactly.
And he took those little quips right out of my mouth.
What the fuck!
It was funny.
He knew this spot on me, this little pressure
point right here.
If I mouthed off or didn't do my chores,
Dad would just grab that spot and just
put his hand right on there.
He'd squeeze it.
And just like you, I would just stare at him.
I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
And he was just waiting for me to say, I'm sorry, sir.
It was like a game of Chicken.
Sometimes, I thought my shoulder would snap in half.
But I didn't say anything.
And so, he would squeeze even harder.
Rape!
Is what you say when someone's bothering you.
That's right, sweetie.
That's self-defense.
And that's exactly what we're trying to get at.
Good job. Everything's fine.
It's just kind of a drill we do.
You know, things are about to change
for you a great deal, Miss Van.
I've seen a lot of divorces.
Oscar?
A guy with that record, he'll be lucky if he
gets to see you once a month.
And in our house, the kids are not the same as the adults.
My word is law.
So you might want to think about adjusting
that little attitude of yours.
Capiche?
Glad we had this chat.
[indistinct bickering]
All right, let's go.
Let's hit the road.
You guys ready?
Chop-chop.
BEV: [inaudible] OGDEN: So what?
This is it?
RILEY: It Looks like the cover art
from one of my mom's self-published books.
Is that good or bad?
Mm, well, they're Vanity Press novels
with women named Fern, who have so
many suitors, because they're so effervescent.
She sends them to me too.
I'm willing them back to her unopened.
[rumbling noise] - Whoa, do you feel that?
[increasing rumble]
Ogden, give me the fucking camera.
Give me the camera.
It must be like an earthquake or something!
I've never been here--
Oh shit!
Oh, oh my--
[indistinct chatter]
[thunder]
[rain and thunder]
Can I ask-- the smoking--
is that what it's from?
Or--
Huh, no.
I took it up after I got diagnosed last year.
It's like one of those things, you know.
What's the point, right?
Yeah, I guess.
Come on.
[loud thunder]
You getting scared?
No.
Too scared to keep going? Don't do that!
[laughs]
Let's go to your car.
You want to go back to the car?
- Yeah. - Let's go back to the car.
Do not make fun f OK?
[strumming banjo]
Can-- eh-- can you not just look directly at me?
Just for a second? - Yes.
OK. Is that-- is that--
- Thank you. - --good for you?
Yes, yes.
[banjo music]
(SINGING) My daydreams stretch wide as the sea.
And the only sea I'm left with is what I ring--
is what I ring from my hair.
The funnel of my despair--
the funnel of my despair.
[clapping] Yeah, OK.
You don't need to do that. - No.
OGDEN: No.
But be honest.
Lay it on me.
What do you think?
Are your aspirations profession or recreational?
I don't know.
Does that mean professional, but please don't laugh?
No, no, no. I won't laugh.
I promise.
OGDEN: It's just, you know what they say.
Blessed is the writer with the drunken
mother and the abusive father.
Truth is, that is one way that I'm not too blessed.
Oh, my heart goes out to you.
No-- sorry.
I-- I'm a little self-absorbed I guess.
But that makes it worse.
I-- I can only write songs about me.
And being me is-- - Is awesome.
- [laughs] Right. - Duh.
But it's, like, too awesome.
And songs about being too awesome
don't exactly quicken the human heart.
So imagine you're me. What?
I mean, that's part of why you're hanging around, right?
To get inside my head.
I don't think that's possible. You can't--
What? Empathize?
Sure, you can.
Climb right in.
Play that song again.
That is OK.
I'll take a pass on this. RILEY: No.
No, no, for real.
I mean it.
Just play it from the top.
[banjo playing]
A little faster.
Faster?
(SINGING) My daydreams stretch--
RILEY: OK, wait.
Just, no words.
It's Just-- um-- just humming.
I'll hum with you.
[banjo and humming]
(SINGING) I'm in the funnel of despair.
[music stops]
Hm.
OK, wait, no.
I'm-- I'm a cancer mouse, remember.
Are you creating my last wish, Ogden Clark?
[music playing]
[horn honks]
[laughter]
BEV: So the one thing Steve has taught me is that, if I haven't
published a novel yet, then maybe I'm subconsciously
afraid of success.
Yeah, that's not as uncommon-- [phone vibrating]
--as people think.
BEV: And I realized, I don't even keep an ideas journal,
right.
And I'm always saying these really witty things
and then I just forgot all about them.
So now, we have this little bad boy.
If we come up with a great line or we hear a real zinger--
BEV: Yeah
STEVE: --we just put it right in the journal.
BEV: It's a fun thing to do as a couple.
And you realize, like, all these things that you come up with.
And you want to find a place in your art for them.
- It's a treasure chest. - You know?
You guys want to hear one?
STEVE: Yes. - God, which one, huh?
[phone vibrating]
BEV: Let me find-- oh, this is a good one.
I could say, in a story, right--
maybe, you have a young woman.
And she's complaining to her grandmother about how shallow
she is.
Well then, you know, the grandmother says to her,
time is like rain.
It deepens even the shallowest of rivers.
- What do you guys think? - That it's good.
[speaking samoan]
I'm not going to fish for herring shoal,
if that's what you just said. - No.
I said, you're very pretty.
So-- uh-- you learned, you're very pretty.
Got big plans in Samoa, huh?
I don't know.
Well, what's your follow up?
What do you mean?
I mean, what do you do after?
I mean, just in case she doesn't want to fish for herring shoal.
You mean, can I spend the night?
Well, I think that is roughly the same thing in any language.
But, um, no.
I was thinking a bit further into the future.
You mean, like, I love you?
No.
Like, what's your favorite band?
What instrument do you play?
I mean, no one's that tied up on hearing, I love you,
not if they're honest. - No?
OK.
Want to know the one thing that'll
open up girls' hearts in Samoa?
You have to learn to say this.
I approve of you.
And this is unlikely to change, as I
set the bar comfortingly low.
I approve of you.
And that is unlikely to change, as--
RILEY: As I set the--
--I set the bar--
--bar--
--comfortingly low.
Yeah.
[phone beeping]
- Oh. - Oh.
I'll get it.
M and D are on their way.
Die anywhere else.
OK, give me that.
Thank you.
Fuck.
OGDEN: M and D are on their way?
Yep, it seems so.
- What are you going to do? - I don't know.
Offhand, I die somewhere else.
Huh.
What?
Don't look at me like that.
The storm's passed.
And you know what that means.
Onward and upward, Ogden Clark.
[engine starting]
[phone beeping]
This is a deeply troubled person.
I hope you appreciate that.
I'm used to it.
Well, you deserve better.
- Yeah, I know. - You do.
You deserve better.
VAN: You know, I heard this theory
once that there's no such thing as disturbed people.
Van--
No, I am--
I'm just trying to grasp, you know,
the sum of Steve's psychological contributions.
I just think that your--
your mom worked really hard raising your kids.
And you and Riley--
the negativity-- you know, she'd be a lot more developed
as a person if you weren't--
if you weren't bringing her down.
God, that is-- that's really, really interesting, Steve.
You know what would be a lot more interesting?
If you knew what the fuck you were talking about.
There you have it.
That's the negativity I'm talking about, young lady.
You just keep it up.
It comes right back to you.
I can tell you that, capiche?
Hey, Steve, you know why Riley's cancer's inoperable?
No?
Well, neither of my wonderful parents here could bother
to get, like, a real job so she couldn't cover the health
insurance, which meant she was going to Medicaid
dentists who-- oops--
forgot to give her cancer screenings
at five consecutive checkups.
So they just popped out a couple groupies in training.
And then, when we moved on, so did they.
And that-- that's fine.
But the upshot is, they don't get to cry
when we fucking hate them.
Tell them what I told you.
It'll make them happy. - Van--
- I'm going to kill myself. - No!
E-- enough.
So you have that to look forward to,
Steve, when I live with you.
All the trash officially taken out.
STEVE: Bev!
You need to be reasonable.
You're being emotional.
And emotion is not your friend.
You're playing into her hands.
You're doing exactly what she wants.
Don't you get it?
She's just trying to get a response from you.
And you're giving it to her.
Look, I'm just saying. Like, don't play the part.
OK, I heard you.
You're playing right into their--
- I heard you, Steve. - --hands, OK.
I heard you, OK?
And this is not about being an actor in her production.
OK, I got-- thank you for the pep-talk.
This is about being a mom, OK.
OK, I got it.
I got it.
OK, you're an individual.
Do you remember that?
- Don't make me live with them? - Mm--
STEVE: Because I'm sensing an emotional Bev here.
And I like the reasonable one--
You think I want that?
STEVE: --the logical one's a lot happier, and she knows it.
BEV: OK, then, you know, maybe I just want to be--
Steve, grabbed me.
BEV: Maybe I just wanted a hug, OK?
I mean--
What do you mean, he grabbed you?
He just, like, fucking grabbed my sh--
I don't know.
Just please, don't make me live with him, OK?
Just-- I will be--
I will be good.
Please, don't make me live with them.
What you need is the--
OK, I swear to god-- if you don't shut the fuck up--
you can rent a car.
Bev--
The last thing that these natives did before they
abandoned their ancestral homeland forever was they
wrote the story of their own destruction.
They were a peaceful tribe.
OGDEN: Riley, you OK?
GUIDE: Then the white settlers came.
They-- they didn't have practiced [inaudible].
How man-y of you have seen the Sherman tree?
The big tree just down the road?
See, the [inaudible] thought that the Sherman tree--
they called it the [non-english] or tall spirit.
They believe that the [non-english] could
heal their sick and wounded.
The settlers believe these stories, the General Sherman.
And it had them spooked.
So one day, the settlers came to the tree with saws and axes,
determined to kill the [non-english].
But the [inaudible] saw what was happening.
They made the white men a deal.
They said, we will leave our ancestral homeland forever,
if you will promise to spare the tree.
And the settlers said, why would you do this?
Why would you make that deal?
If you leave here, don't you know, you might die.
And the [inaudible] said, it is not
the number of lives that is important to us to save,
it is the amount of life.
BEV: All right, well, um, you know how to get there, right?
I think so.
Look, I really appreciate you understanding, Steve.
I mean, we all do.
OK, uh, bring on that big fat contract.
Hey, give me one second.
BEV: Oscar-- Oscar-- Oscar, no!
Hey, Steve, I need to talk to you.
I got nothing to say to you.
Do you know what this is about?
Uh-uh. OSCAR: Can you wait up a sec?
You trained her really good, didn't you, Oscar?
This idea that a man is someone you
treat like a child, not someone you can count on
to make the tough calls. No, sir.
No, she's going to tell him what's best.
Where do you suppose she got an idea like that?
Listen--
No, you don't tell me to listen.
You listen.
You don't write to her. You don't call her.
You don't contact her.
I don't care if Riley swallows a "Physician's Desk Reference."
Because every time you crawl out of your little hole,
Bev turns into somebody I don't know.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a job.
I just have to say one thing.
It's going to have to wait.
If you ever lay a hand on my daughter again,
I will kill you.
I just want to make that clear.
I will find you.
And I will kill you. Capiche?
I'm driving.
You know that it's 4:45, right?
It's almost sunset.
Are you sure this is where your business lies?
Oh god, it's him.
Is he talking to it?
Oh, I hope that's unexpected.
Well, nothing ventured, right.
H-- here, sit. Let me--
No, no.
Actually-- um-- I was kind of planning on flying solo.
Can I trust you to film this?
Thanks.
I think it's just something between me and the--
the Doka chief, you know.
OK.
Hey, film--
You're the one who was filming me earlier.
I wasn't filming you specifically.
You here to pray? Don't worry.
It doesn't feel as ridiculous as I imagined.
He's more human than my hematologist.
Harder to stump too.
Was that a--
a tree joke?
It's mostly what I've been doing over here.
My name's Colin, by the way. - Riley.
Let me guess, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Oral cancer.
Wow.
I'm not usually that far off.
- How about you? - AIDS.
I'm sorry.
Oh, don't feel sorry for me, oral cancer Riley.
I have a five-year survival rate, over 25%.
Yours can't be higher than what?
20%?
- 10%. - 10%.
You know, you can always say his cousin was in the "New
England Journal of Medicine."
It's a paper joke.
Get it? He's in the journal?
Yes.
Wow, you're better than I thought you'd be.
Well, I get lucky once in a while.
I think what we tell him is what our disease is,
why we want to live, and how long
we want to live for-- since we don't want to seem greedy--
and maybe something we promise to do if we get our wish.
OK.
Great Doka Chief, hi. I'm Colin.
I've been HIV positive for 14 years.
My T-cell count is 185.
My viral load's 100,000.
My area code's 415.
And my prognosis is poor.
If you cured me, I would ask for three years,
so I can see the video my sister-in-law
will slip me of my nephew's graduation
from elementary school.
If you can do that for me, I will plant a tree.
Your turn.
Oh, I--
I-- I think I made a mistake. And--
Hey, if you want me to go, I'll go.
Nice to meet you, Riley.
You too, Colin. COLIN: Good luck.
Hello, Tree, my name is Riley McGrady.
And I have stage 3 oral cancer.
OK.
If you cured me, I would want to live.
You know?
Just whatever you think.
See, there's this-- there's this missionary.
I don't want you to get the wrong idea.
He's not like-- like the ones who killed your Indian friends.
He's way too kind for that.
But Tree, he is--
he's a terrible songwriter.
And I just want to help so badly.
So-- so could you do that?
Dad?
OSCAR: I told you I'd get us here, didn't I?
Oh, you guys came.
Mom-- Mom--
Riley! Riley!
Riley, Riley!
Come on! Come on!
Riley, you got-- you got to stay awake, OK?
Riley, just stay with me, OK?
We're-- we're almost there.
If you-- if you want me to take you to the hospital,
you just say the word, you understand?
And this car will sprout fucking wings!
[horn honking]
You know, you don't have to help me anymore.
You kept your word.
You're right, Mr. Large.
You should just drop me and bounce.
I mean it.
Then, you'll never know what happened.
Did you hear me?
I release you.
I release you, Ogden Clark.
I release you.
Riley!
[music playing]
Bless the Lord, my soul, who layeth
the beams of his chambers in the waters,
who maketh the clouds his chariot,
who walketh upon the wings of the wind--
He said to his father, Father, my head hurts.
OGDEN: --who maketh the angels of spirits, whose ministers of
flaming fire who laid the foundations of the earth,
that it should not be removed forever.
Go up, ye bald head.
OGDEN: The glory of the Lord shall endure forever.
He looketh on the earth, and it trembles.
He touches the hills, and they Smoke I will sing unto the Lord
as long as I live.
Bless thou, the Lord of my soul.
Praise ye, the Lord.
Amen.
Look at me, OK.
You're going to be all right.
Come on.
Ugh!
[heavy breathing]
OK, OK, OK.
RILEY (VOICEOVER): Memories looped in my head
as I left this morning.
It was you and me, Daddy and Van,
racing through the Sierra Nevada,
driving into the mountains on our way
to Sequoia National Park.
This memory was trees and skies and green, green valleys.
This memory is foxes and streams and life.
[faraway beeping]
What the hell are you doing?
I-- uh-- salvaged your pack from your bag.
Christ, Van.
It's a fucking.
Hospital.
VAN: I know.
So where are they, Mom and Dad?
Out there, watching your video.
Mm.
Figured I'd deliver it to them, like I said.
You have any idea what happened to that guy
I was with? - Who?
Ogden Clark?
Yeah, Dad fucked him up pretty good.
It was kind of bad ass, I have to say.
At the climax, he was, like, standing over him, screaming
that he's calling the cops and having him
locked up the rest of his life.
Shit.
VAN: Our father was re-born a man-of-action today.
It's been a big afternoon. - Mm.
What about Ogden?
What did you do? - Bailed.
I'm sorry I fucked up the plan.
But you know, I was thinking.
Maybe-- um-- maybe you could stick
around at least till I'm 18.
You can't fucking leave me with them.
Please.
I'm glad you're OK.
Hey.
It's OK. Yeah, yeah.
Dad--
So this is what it takes to get us all together.
What does that mean?
Well, it's just, we're--
we're together as a family.
It's-- it's nice.
Yeah, one big, happy, fucking, family reunion in the hospital.
- Yeah, you know-- - We should make this--
- Language. - --a tradition.
- I can't deal with this. - No, I'm serious.
- What? - See what you've started?
I mean, you walk in and you start this shit.
What I started?
She did not dedicate the video to me.
It was dedicated right to you. - I mean, you're no super-dad.
We've discussed this here.
- I understand all-- - It's fine.
Um, if you'd excuse me.
You're disturbing the other patients.
If you guys could just keep it down--
This is family visiting hours.
And this is what this family does.
So I don't-- OSCAR: Van, shut up.
BEV: Shut up? That's great parenting.
OSCAR: I didn't mean to say, shut up.
I said, what--
BEV: No wonder Van's so well-adjusted.
VAN: Oh, yeah, I'm-- OSCAR: You know what--
Hello?
OGDEN (ON PHONE): Hey, I had this idea for some lyrics.
But I just want to run them by you first.
See, your shit stopped being so awesome.
[bickering]
It helps, doesn't it?
OGDEN (ON PHONE): I guess we'll find out.
[banjo music on phone] BEV: I know.
By the way, do you know why she dedicated the video to me?
[ongoing bickering]
[banjo music on phone]
OGDEN (ON PHONE): (SINGING) How I feel about you.
And that will never change.
I have set that bar so low, I will never forget your name.
[music playing]
(SINGING) My daydreams stretch as wide as the sea.
The innocent-- to comfort them, seems to comfort me.
And the only sea left is what I ring out from my hair.
I'm in the funnel of despair.
And how I feel about you--
and that will never change.
I have set that bar so low, I will never forget your name.
MAN: 1, 2, 3, 4--
[MUSIC - ALEXANDER, "A MILLION YEARS"]