1
"I whispered, 'I'm too young, '
"And then 'I am old enough.'
"Wherefore I threw a brown penny
to find out if I might love."
Who is that?
That is Yeats.
Who the fuck is Yeats?
Oh, just a minor Irish poet.
Whoever the fuck that is.
Your ignorance is so infectious.
Oh, wait a minute.
Oh, my dear Lord.
Oh, Hannah, my love, well done.
Keep going.
I want to hear the rest of it.
"Love is the wicked thing."
"There is no one wise
enough to find it out.
"For he would be
thinking of love
"Till the stars had
run from the sky."
Disgusting.
Hot as balls.
Here, you want some of this?
Well, I'll try anything twice.
Here you go.
Keep the change.
Thank you, sir.
Welcome.
Fenton Dillane, my man!
Irving, how are you?
Good.
How's the family?
Baby Lou?
Oh!
Baby Lou ain't a baby no more.
She's a three-year-old
wrecking ball.
That Cali sun got you soft.
It's not that sunny in San Francisco.
No?
Don't tell me
you're a Nets fan now.
Come on, man, Knicks for life.
I gotta give Phil
some time to build.
Man, it's really great
seeing you.
Hey, man, good seeing you, too.
Don't be away so long, okay?
I got it from here.
You sure?
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's very pungent.
That means it's good.
That'll be the usual.
How much do you have?
How much you need?
Week's worth?
Mom?
All right.
Fenton.
This is a surprise.
Um... Wasn't expecting...
You're home!
Yeah, new me.
What's up, buddy?
John.
Thank you, John.
Didn't think I wanted to
be home for the latest?
I wasn't, uh, sure.
Oh, shoot.
The sea bass.
Um, if someone's near the
oven, would you shut it off?
What's good, man?
Things good in San Fran?
I haven't seen you
in what, a year?
Yeah, I guess.
Yeah.
Were you just selling
my mom weed?
Oh, strictly at cost.
She smokes weed?
Oh, yeah.
No. Not a lot.
Sometimes.
Uh, listen, The Georgian's having
people over tomorrow night.
Good ol' Georgian party.
Yeah.
Fenton, come
say hi to your sister.
And there's someone
I want you to meet.
Be right there.
Well, well, well.
Layla.
Welcome home, brother.
Fenton, this is my friend Ahmed.
Nice to meet you.
Uh, okay.Hello.
Layla, would you be a dear and,
um, open another bottle of wine?
Mmm-mmm. Oh, yeah.
I'm on it.
Layla, let me give you
a hand with that.
I can...
What is going on?
What?
I mean, who is he?
He's a friend of Mom's.
They met at a Studies of the
Far East Group at the Met.
And so, what?
They go to museums,
they look at ceramics
from the Khyber Pass?
If his presence is
so offensive to you,
just give notice the next
time you feel like visiting.
Wow. Are they, like...
Fucking?
Jesus, Layla.
I hope so.
But Mom's not Dad,
so I wouldn't count on it.
It's big of you
to come home for this.
Back for what?
You tell me.
What, back for Dad?
I wrote something I'm not
sure I wanna publish.
What's going on, Fenton?
It doesn't work like that.
You don't get to leave
the way you did,
and then come back and expect
everything to be okay.
Because you just left,
for a long time!
Yeah, you would too, if every New
York asshole with a blog or a column
was comparing you to bags of
douche or Alec fucking Baldwin.
They were just reacting
to the what, Fenton.
Not the who.
Mmm.
If you ever leave
like that again,
I'm gonna kill you.
Seriously, I'm gonna kill you.
Okay.
Never again.
Promise.
Layla, what are you,
uh, studying in college?
Um, uh...
Lots of stuff.
It's really just a
four-year delay to my unemployment.
Layla, are you still dating that
guy with the, uh, red hair?
What was his name? Dick?
He had braces, yeah?
And a mullet? Mullet.
Fuck both of you.
And who are you
dating right now?
I came back for Jessie.
Fenton.
Why don't we smoke some of
this lovely purple marijuana
that you brought, John?
Mom.
What?
You walked in on the deal.
Let me see this.
Mmm!
Regardless, you could
take pride in the fact
that this is some
excellent shit.
Thanks.
I'll get it.
Hello? Hello, I'm
from The Journal...
Really? Would you be
able to call me?
We're eating dinner,
you cocksucker!
Which cocksucker was that?
It's another one
of those reporters asking
if I had anything to say
about my father.
Happy you're back.
Ma, are you, uh...
You Okay?
Me? I'm fine.
Oh, you mean the marijuana.
It helps me relax.
Um...
Well, I wasn't
talking about that.
Oh.
No, I just...
You know, about Dad.
Him?
It'll be fine.
I was gonna go see him tomorrow.
Mmm. That's what
you're back for.
Yeah, sure.
You know, for Pop.
I'm working on something
and could use his advice.
It's good to have you home.
You look thin.
So far, Fenton, these chapters...
Wow!
I mean, they're hilarious.
I loved your story.
The birthday party.
Really?
You know it forced me
into exile.
I'm serious.
And this novel picks up
right where that left off.
I feel like we know these people.
That they exist.
And after the reception of the
story, it's totally marketable.
Because we do it like
one of those memoirs,
where we're not sure if what we're
reading really happened or not.
But, James, this is fiction.
Of course it is.
Now, when do you think
you'll be finished?
You're home!
Ah!
Look at this.
Front page.
Of course, the turds weren't interested
when I won my National Book Award, but...
Was that girl
that was just here...
She from the car crash?
Oh, yeah.
She's an excellent writer.
Well, this should be a lesson
for you and your sister.
Always wear seat belts.
If I hadn't been
wearing a seat belt,
you'd be standing over
a headstone right now.
Why didn't you just
leave Mom years ago?
I can't leave your mother.
She understands me.
This is humiliating.
Oh, I know.
For all of us.
Oh, you don't know
the half of it.
Well, then again, maybe you do.
This does contradict
your public image.
Yeah, not only that,
the other girl's parents are
suing me and the university.
All these young girls
throwing themselves at me,
you'd think your mother
would understand.
Keep it in your pants, Dad.
Don't blame Mom...
No, no, no.
I'm not blaming her.
I'm just saying
it's not all my fault.
What the...
Are you writing?
Yeah, I wanted to talk to you
about this publishing...
By the way, those bastards were just
waiting to tear apart your story.
They had it out for you.
They wanted to tear your story
apart right from the beginning.
It's just the way it is.
Sons of bitches.
Anyway, I'm glad you made
it down here for this.
You've been off the radar
for quite a long time.
I look good here.
That's a damn good
picture of me.
I saw Dad today.
You know, if we had any sense,
we'd just leave him there to rot.
Have you seen Dad cry?
No. That's so random.
Why?
I don't know.
Just thinking.
Well, you shouldn't.
You already know
he's a fucking prick.
Enough.
Whatever.
I'm going to
The Georgian's tonight.
You are?
Yeah. He's having a party.
Why don't you come?
I thought you hated him.
I do.
What?
Nothing.
That is how we
fucking do it in Tbilisi.
Where's that?
Georgia.
The Republic of Georgia.
Oh, my cousin went
to Georgia Tech.
No, listen, where
Joseph Stalin is from.
Where the original
Santa Claus is from.
Where the most beautiful food
in the world...
What the fuck, yo? Holy shit!
Fenton!
When did you get back in fucking town?
Yesterday.
Oh, my God, it's been
a long time, yo.
How you holding up?
Oh, man, I'm good.
Fucking dad, though, huh?
Man after my own heart,
though. Huh?
Fuck, Fenton. Let's get
a fucking drink!
Yes, please. Come on.
Holy shit! Fenton!
You got it, done.
Okay.
Hey. Trying to get a drink.
I see that
Maybe I'll just...
No?
Okay.
Hi. What are you doing?
Johnny, what's up, man?
What's up? What's up, dude?
Good to see you.
Can you hook me up
with some kind?
Sorry, boss. I'm off
duty tonight, all right?
Come on, man, please?
$150.
Dude!
I'm opening up
the chimney for you.
$150? Come on,
man, I can't.
Then I can't help you.
Have your parents put more money
in your checking account, yeah?
Want to help me out there or...
No, not at all. That was
too fun to watch. No?
Now, I know what happens
when a guy who can define
a credit default swap
starts slinging dope.
Mmm.
It's pretty impressive.
All in the game, yo.
- Hey!
- O-M-F-G!
Layla.
Hey, George.
Hi.
Mmm. My goodness, you've grown.
All right, all right.
You're still throwing
the best parties in New York.
Congratulations.
Thank you. Look at you.
You're all grown up.
Yeah, it happens.
What are you drinking? I'll
get you something special.
Please. Clear the fucking bar.
Don't roofie my sister.
Are you kidding me? She's like
my little baby sister, this one.
Gross.
Hey, John, you'll have a drink.
Thank you.
Have a drink.
But tell me, what is
your dad gonna do
now that everyone's
calling him a fraud?
Same thing that I did when this town
called me a fraud. He's gonna leave.
He's not that much
of an asshole.
You know Dad gets dizzy crossing
the George Washington Bridge.
He's not going anywhere. He's a
genius, your dad. He's a genius.
You would think that. Your pop's
like Charlie Sheen with a PhD.
Oh, shit!
Shit.
This is bad.
Excuse me. Sorry.
Jess, hey.
I've got nothing to say to you.
Oh... I'll do
the talking then.
Listen. Great, I'll
be doing the leaving.
Jessie.
Jessie, wait. Jessie!
Sorry. Excuse me.
Excuse me.
Coming through, sorry.
Hey. Hey.
God, would you stop
following me?
Just give me a break.
Give you a break?
For what? Leaving?
Or for writing
that fucking story?
You know, my parents didn't
talk for months after that.
Hey, you guys-
You have to be really careful
what you say around this guy,
because you never know what's
gonna end up in print.
Asshole.
Jessie.
Jess!
Hey!
What do you want?
Don't you think we should talk?
Now?
We could go somewhere else.
Wow, you are unbelievable.
That's a big ring.
You didn't get the invite?
The invite?
I invited you to hurt you.
There you go again, love. Chatting
with good-looking strangers.
Uh, Victor, this is Fenton.
The infamous.
Don't you live in California?
Yeah, I'm back.
For us'?
No.
Yeah.
No shit.
How thoughtful.
Promise to write
nice things about it.
Uh...
I've never written a bad word
about a church in my life.
How about a gallery?
The wedding is at our gallery.
Yeah...
Yeah. Right.
That was on the invite.
Sweetie, we need to go. I promised
Matthew and Bjork we'd stop by.
Maybe I'll stop by, too.
To the gallery, I mean.
Check out some art.
Well, if you're serious about contemporary
art, please, come by anytime.
Yeah, no, I'm serious about it.
About contemporary art.
I love it.
Definitely stop by.
Right.
Uh, well, it has to be
before Saturday.
Okay.
The wedding is
this Saturday, Fenton.
Wedding's this Saturday?
It was on the invite.
Good to meet you.
Rough night?
Yeah.
We have to leave soon.
Your father wants us all there when
he's released from the hospital.
I'm sure because he wants
to look good for the press.
The forgiving,
supportive family and all.
Wouldn't wanna spoil
the illusion.
Jessie sent me an invite
to her wedding, didn't she?
What, you just weren't
gonna tell me?
No, I wasn't.
Why not?
Because after the way you left,
I didn't think you'd care.
You didn't think I'd care?
Let's do this another time.
No, let's do this now.
No, we're going to be late.
She's getting
married on Saturday.
And she deserves to be happy.
And what about me?
What about you?
I don't deserve
to be happy, too?
Of course,
but not at her expense.
What are you talking about?
The way you wrote about her family,
your relationship with her,
in that story was exploitive.
It felt all too familiar.
Mom, it was fiction.
You of all people should know
there's no such thing as fiction.
Just ask your father.
Layla!
We have to leave.
Ah! The welcoming
committee.
Layla!
Hey, Dad.
You look wonderful.
Thanks.
I did it just for you.
Fenton, you look like shit.
Good to see you, too, Dad.
Thank you for doing this.
Happy family.
And thank you both, too.
We didn't really have a choice.
Let's keep up appearances, darling,
at least until we get home.
Okay.
Oh! My phone. No!
I forgot my phone.
I'll get it.
Pamela, I can manage
on my crutches.
Hospital protocol,
Mr. Dillane.
"Protocol."
How I've missed
those hands. Hmm.
"I can't wait to have
you in my mouth."
Oh, wow.
Ew!
Anna?
Is it so hard for you?
I don't understand.
I have male friends.
Yes, I know.
Christopher, I'm not screwing them.
Well...
And please, please, please don't try
to tell me that you're ending up
in the middle of Rebecca,
or whoever the fuck it is, because
of a bad batch of Prozac.
I think you misinterpreted what
exactly that text said because...
Babe, babe...
Anna, do you want
to talk about this?
You don't understand
relationships.
Fenton, will you tell this
guy to slow down, please?
I don't want to interrupt him.
He's on the phone.
What? Why don't
you pay attention and listen?
Hey, excuse me, sir. Do you
mind slowing down a little?
- Annabella, listen...
- Listen.
Hey! Why don't you hang up
the phone and fucking drive?
Don't piss him off.
Shut up!
I have no control
over this girl.
She's very young
and impressionable.
Clearly.
Okay, okay, I get it. Please.
It must be your prowess
in between the sheets.
Though it's been so long,
I don't really remember.
Ugh!
You know it's illegal to talk on the
phone and drive at the same time, right?
No, not illegal. Bluetooth.
Hands-free, you see?
- Look out!
- Watch it!
Watch the road, yutz!
Be civil. You wanted a united front.
Jesus.
I never said that.
You always said that!
All right, let's not go there.
Ever since you dragged us to that
Hamptons party two summers ago.
Kids, you know why?
Don't bring that up.
You wanna know why? CHRISTOPHER:
Would you please stop?
The host of the party suspected your
father was sleeping with his wife.
Stop, already!
Hold up. I went to
the Hamptons for that?
I thought we had to go because we
were going to impress Dad's agent.
Exactly.
Dad's agent was the host, Layla.
Where do you think I am?
Gross.
What is it with all these
young women and blowjobs?
Oh, come on.
She's not talking to me!
Please, Anna.
Please do not yell. Please.
Anna, are
you going to talk to me?
Thank you, lady. My wife thinks
I'm with a prostitute now!
What did you just say?
You know, Jane Underhill said
she caught her 14-year-old
hosting a blowjob party.
Chris, is that where
you met your girlfriend?
Layla, what are your thoughts
on all this cocksucking?
Uh, excuse me?
Sir, do you have a daughter?
Does it bother you...
You know what? You know what? Okay,
that's enough. That's enough!
You can get the fuck out of my cab!
Wait a minute!
Be reasonable here. No, no, no.
I got it. Enough!
Enough! Get out of my cab.
You guys can take the bus.
Cab driver, what the fuck?
You can't kick us out.
I'm on crutches here!
Get out of my cab!
We've got 10 blocks to go!
I do not care. Your cripple
ass can get out of here,
'cause your wife is not
bringing my daughter into this.
There'll be no cocksucking!
Take the fucking train!
Get the fuck out of my cab!
Come on. Let's go.
Get out of the cab, now!
Get the fuck out!
Smells like a urinal
in here anyway.
- Go take the train.
- Unbelievable.
Go!
Hey, hey. One of you
motherfuckers better pay me.
You fucking assholes!
I'm gonna report you!
Well, I hope you're happy!
Oh, I'm thrilled.
It's great we can be
together like this.
We should do it more often.
Taxi!
I'm not getting in another cab.
I'm gonna walk.
You can't walk!
I can walk!
Well, no one's carrying you!
I can't do this anymore.
Couldn't you have waited till we
got back to the apartment, huh?
Instead of in front
of the children.
Or the entire population
of the Upper East Side!
Why? So you can save it
for your next book?
That was unfair!
Mom!
I couldn't control
that girl from texting me.
No.
You control whether or
not to fuck the girl.
Here. Come here.
What's the matter? Dad,
you've gotta do something.
You gotta do something. You
gotta apologize. She's leaving.
Oh, Anna, can we talk
about this?
You do something.
She's not going anywhere.
What do want me to do?
You guys suck!
Look... Look, everything's
gonna be all right.
No... Hold... Anna, please.
One minute. One minute.
Would you reconsider if I
told you that I had cancer?
- Dad?
- What?
Daddy, what're you saying?
I don't have cancer.
I'm just saying,
would it be so easy for you to walk
out on me if I told you that I did?
Huh?
- Unbelievable.
- Mom...
I mean, it was just a question.
Don't cry.
Would you like me to get
you a taxi, Mrs. Dillane?
Yes, Irving, please.
Mom.
Sorry to run out.
You're hardly ever home.
Cut the shit, Mom.
I am, Fenton, 'cause this...
Well, it's... Mom, it's
totally fucked up.
Couldn't say it better myself.
I... I wanna go. I'm...
I know.
Mom...
I'm sorry.
For what?
If I wasn't so, uh...
I should have been more
available for you, Mom.
I knew you were sad.
It's not your fault.
No, but it is.
Look, Layla was always better
going after Dad for his shit,
but I never did anything.
Neither did I.
Help me with my bags?
Hey, Irv, can you throw
these in the trunk for us?
Yeah, sure.
Thanks.
Wait, Mom, uh...
I'm going to be fine, Fenton.
I just...
I need a few days to
gather.
You got enough pot?
Uh, enough to go into
this with a clear head.
Be careful.
Stay out of trouble.
What's up, buddy?
Thirsty?
Dehydrated.
Hmm...
What are we, uh, drinking here?
We got everything.
Here, that's for you.
Wait, wait. How'd you
know I was here?
I called you.
You told me.
You all right?
Hey, to my parents'
impending divorce
and to, uh, Jessie's impending marriage.
Yeah.
Are you gonna go?
Of course not.
Because it's never gonna happen.
I gotta piss.
It's that way.
Live a little better.
What the fuck?
I'm gonna need
a little of that shit.
Hey, Fenton. It's James.
I hope we're still good for Friday.
Hey, Fenton.
Oh, shit.
Thought that was you.
Yeah, hey. Well,
I was just gonna go in.
Check it out.
All right.
This is the door.
You've almost made it.
There you are. Yeah.
All right.
Hey, love. I brought
the spy in from the cold.
Um, I really need you for a second.
It's the caterers.
All right.
Can you give us a minute?
Um, I've got a Joe Bradley, some
Nate Lowmans. They aren't cheap.
I'm not worried about that.
Hello.
Yes.
Mmm-hmm.
What time, exactly?
All right. Let me
see if that works.
What's wrong?
Oh. Nothing.
You look pale, and you're
rubbing your head.
I am?
Yeah, I am.
I, uh...
I got into a bar fight
the other night.
What?
Yeah, it was a huge, huge
battle, tons of guys involved.
It was ruckus.
Nothing like a good
old-fashioned donnybrook.
Hope you got in a few.
Yeah, yeah. No, I took
care of business.
I'm sorry.
You were in a fight?
I mean, come on, you wouldn't
even get on a roller coaster.
Jess, that's a motion-sickness
problem, all right?
That has nothing to do with fear.
I've...
I've been in my share
of, uh, donnybrooks.
Sure.
Um, it's my dad.
Fenton, do you want
a beer or something?
No, thank you. I'm trying not
to drink so much anymore.
I really need to take this.
I'm sorry.
Um, Sweetie, I'm starving.
Yeah, I'll get us some takeout.
Hey, Dad. How are you?
Very good.
I'll walk with you.
So, I'm assuming you're
not gonna buy art today.
That was really strange.
What?
You and Victor in the gallery.
I mean, come on.
Yeah, maybe I should've
called you first,
you know, let you know
I was stopping by.
Yeah, well, I would've said no.
Hey, Jess.
I'm really sorry.
Wow.
Being in San Francisco
did reinvent you.
Damn. I can be
pretentious, huh?
You are.
Smoke?
Pretentious and predictable.
You know, I didn't know
how it'd be, seeing you.
If I'd burst into tears,
if I'd hit you.
If you, what?
Thankfully, neither, huh?
Yeah, because both times
have been a surprise.
I don't know. I haven't had time
to think or process, really,
what it'd be like to see you.
Is this it?
Let me buy you a beer.
Come on. Just while you
wait for your takeout
Thank you.
Uh, the gallery is...
You know, it's charming.
It's small.
Yeah, but it's charming.
And, uh...
And congratulations, Jessie.
Pretty quick, no?
What? I don't know.
Getting married and all.
I don't think so.
Where'd you guys meet?
It doesn't matter.
That's ours.
God, being around you,
it's weird.
Oh, what?
That surprises you?
I mean, all I can
think about is the end.
And defending
that story, stupidly.
And then you, up and
leaving for California.
Look, this is hard for me.
Well, you don't get any
chance of sympathy right now.
Look, everywhere I go out
there, everything I see,
Jessie, I see you.
All right? And I miss you.
And yet you never called.
- Come back again.
- Thank you.
I want you back, Jess.
That's really great, Fenton.
It's too late for that.
Yeah, I know that now.
And, also, even
without Victor, what?
You thought one apology would
eradicate you treating me like shit?
No.
I've spent time with you.
We've talked now, twice.
You know, I've had time to
process this whole thing.
You know, I've thought
a lot about this.
To hell with you, Fenton.
I'm still mad at you.
Wow.
Look at that.
What?
That...
That freckle right there.
That's extraordinary.
What... That tickles.
You have a freckle on your
breast, and it's ticklish.
Yes.
Maybe it's from your beard.
Maybe.
May I have it?
Have what?
May I have, um...
Have this freckle right here?
Can it be mine?
Someone keeps calling me.
Do you recognize this number?
That's Layla.
Well, aren't you
gonna answer it?
On September 12, 2001,
I bought her a phone.
Programmed it, told her
to keep it on her always.
In all the years since,
she hasn't called me once.
That is my husband.
Oh...
Try this.
I thought you were getting wine.
May I ask you a question?
If you must.
Who is this character,
Ahmed Hussein?
Hussaini.
Hussaini, huh?
And how the hell did you stumble
across that name getting wine?
Well, I was walking by your room
and the door was open, so...
Oh, my God. Did you
call him from my phone?
Yeah.
You really need to
set some boundaries, man.
I am concerned
about your safety.
Yeah, my safety from what?
People, Layla, people.
I saw that rather exotic
name, and I was worried.
You're fucking nuts.
Who is he?
He's a friend of Mom's.
Ah...
Just what I thought.
Where did she meet him?
I don't know.
They met somewhere.
Does it matter?
He's nice to her.
Are they fucking?
I didn't say that.
And how should I know?
All right, never mind.
Doesn't matter.
She'll be back.
She'll be back.
Give me one of those, would ya?
No, stop it.
Give me a cigarette!
You don't even smoke.
I do now.
Hello?
Oh, my God.
What happened?
What happened to you?
No one knows.
John found him on the
bathroom floor at a bar.
Jessie's getting
married Saturday.
God damn it!
That is enough!
No one's going to feel sorry
for themselves in this house!
What are we,
a bunch of sad sacks?
I'm taking us out to dinner.
Do something with your hair. Looks
like you combed it with a towel.
Stop smoking so much.
Well, so, San Francisco's
a terrible town.
You should've gone to Hollywood.
Thought you said a serious writer
should never go to Hollywood.
Who said you're a serious writer?
Dad!
Do you always have to be
such a douchebag?
Oh, come on, I'm joking.
I'm trying to cheer him up.
Mmm, it's not working.
Well, is the booze helping?
Yes.
No.
Another round?
Well, so who is this
girlfriend of yours marrying?
Her name is Jessie.
Well?
I don't wanna talk about it.
I heard he's rich.
Who is he?
Victor Dell.
The curator? Shit!
Fenton, you're in trouble.
Hmm.
He's loaded.
His father, Max, makes those
unwatchable giant extravaganzas.
Total bullshit.
But very successful.
His son's gotta be an asshole.
It's never gonna last.
That's what I keep telling her.
And what about you? When are you
gonna get yourself a boyfriend?
Oh, gee, Dad, I don't know.
Wait, you're not
a lesbian, are you?
I mean, I'd be okay
with that if you are.
I'm not gonna dignify
that with a response.
Do I seem like a lesbian?
Yeah, sometimes.
I'm very sorry. I have to meet someone.
Completely forgot about it.
Need some cash? Cocktails, taxis.
This shit's expensive.
That Probably would
need one more.
One more? All right. Yeah. Hmm.
Fenton,
I don't want your sister
riding in the subway at night.
Oh, but, Dad, that's where
I meet all my girlfriends.
Well, no wonder Mom left him.
You know, someone should
really kick his ass.
I'll do it.
What's up, sexy?
Hannah. What?
This is going to hurt.
What is?
Chris, what's wrong?
We can't see each other anymore.
I wasn't exactly single
when I met you.
I know. I know,
but I love you.
I...
No, you don't.
I mean, you think you do.
Don't tell me what I
feel and what I don't.
Well, Hannah...
You teach me how to write,
but that's not how your
cock ended up in my mouth!
Little too much to drink.
Fuck you! Don't treat
me like I'm your daughter.
Excuse me?
What is it?
I hate you so fucking much. Shh.
You're Christopher Dillane?
Unfortunately,
at this moment, I am.
I just wanted to come
by and thank you.
Oh. I'm doing a dissertation
on your novel Wife-
Oh.
Anyway. Like I said, I
just wanted to thank you.
The novel inspired me to tell
my parents that I was gay.
Well, that's wonderful.
Thank you. Can I buy
you a drink? Anything?
No, no, no. That's great.
Thank you. Have a great night.
Hannah, sweetheart,
don't be upset.
I mean...
You're going to
meet someone else.
How about that guy,
Matt, from class?
I see the way he looks at you.
I can't believe you're
suggesting other men right now.
Are you fucking crazy?
I'm just trying to
smooth the road for you.
"Smooth the road"? Fuck you! Oh!
Hey.
Hey, I have fights all the time
like that with my daughter.
Yeah...
Yo, buddy.
Hey, what's going on?
Nothing. Just chilling.
It's kinda late for a pop-in.
No pop-in.
Hey, do you, um...
You know my buddy
Chad from Greenpoint?
No.
Really?
Coulda sworn you had.
You'd met him, I mean.
He's a good dude.
Uh-huh.
Well, um, Chad has
this younger sister.
Like, awesome girl.
Best, best chick.
And his boy Ralph sort
of had a thing for her.
And so, Ralph...
Wait, Johnny,
you're here to see Layla?
No.
Yes.
Yeah.
Is there a Ralph?
Uh...
No.
I'm Ralph.
For the story I changed my name.
I really like her, Fenton.
Uh, okay.
Is that okay?
Does she know about it?
Yeah. Of course.
John, I'll be out
in just a minute.
Oh.
Yeah.
You have my blessing.
It's all I ever wanted.
Yo, Fenton.
Let me ask you something.
Um...
Did you really mean what you
wrote about me in your story?
I didn't know you read it.
I'm not a clown.
John, it wasn't about you.
It sure felt like
it was about me.
I don't know what to say.
Look, people talk shit.
I know that.
You know, people couldn't believe that
Johnny Roth got a job at Goldman.
"Oh, Funny man becomes
a finance guy? What?"
I know they all had told-you-so
smirks when I got fired, though.
I know that.
I want to know that you're not going to be
disappointed with Layla for being with me.
Come on, man, I never
said anything like that.
But it's what you wrote.
Fenton, it hurt me.
You know, I've only ever
tried to be a friend to you.
Yeah, man, we are friends, John.
Good, then treat me
like it, all right?
Things got shitty
for you, I get that.
You know, I don't know anyone who
hasn't had to deal with shitty.
But you're the only one that peaced out
to California. Fucking disappeared.
What are you, six?
I'm not a clown.
And I never have been.
Fucking Knicks, yo.
Yo, Madison Square Garden is, like,
the Mecca of basketball, is it not?
'73 was a long time ago.
Yeah, it was. Neither
one of us was alive.
I thought you were looking
for a job in there.
Oh, shit.
My bad. My bad.
It's just...
Between you and the sports
section, it's hard to concentrate.
On, shit.
Do I know you?
Yeah, I'm John.
John Roth.
Remember me?
Should I?
Fenton's friend.
Oh.
Are you always this generous
with Fenton's friends?
Not as generous as you are
with your students, Daddy.
Touch.
Jesus, these Knicks are
worse than a dumpster fire.
It's a shame, too, because when they
won in '73, this was a great town.
Not a mall with
a bunch of tourists.
I was just saying that.
You have experience from '73,
do you, kiddo?
Well, I mean, I was just
looking for a job, but...
Only thing close to what
I was getting at Goldman
is a job in the
sanitation department.
The only difference between
bankers and garbage haulers
is that we need garbage haulers,
'cause we're all
a bunch of pigs.
Lay, you think I'd be
a good garbage man?
You went to Dalton, John.
So did Chevy Chase.
What do you do?
For a living, that is.
He's self-employed.
Doing what?
Um...
I'm in, uh,
alternative health care.
I sell weed.
Oh.
Well, stick with that.
Good morning.
Dad, you running a bed
and breakfast now?
More like a brothel.
Sit down, I made breakfast.
No. I don't have time.
What's your hurry?
Yeah, seriously,
where you going?
I have things to do.
Breakfast is the most
important meal of the day.
I don't think he heard me.
I don't think we are going to be
listening to you anytime soon, Pops.
What are you doing here? Hi.
I, uh...
Look, I just...
Something just happened,
I got some news.
What?
You know what, it's...
It's not important.
I swear it isn't, okay?
I just had to see you.
All right? I didn't like
how the other night ended.
Me neither.
Yeah, so I thought it would be
a good idea to come over here,
you know, unannounced again, and
remind you what a selfish prick I am
before tomorrow happens.
Wait, is that a smile
on your face there?
Are you smiling? You are hallucinating.
I have to go.
Yeah, I get it.
Wedding stuff.
No, work stuff,
and now I'm late.
Why are you, uh... Because
you keep showing up
like the cute...
Thank you very much...
Irish psycho in
Sleeping With the Enemy.
I don't know why you're
working today, Jess.
Because I have to make a living.
You are getting
married tomorrow.
Yeah.
Everything is
pretty much set up.
Victor's with his parents.
The only tradition he seems to believe
in is not seeing me the night before.
And I really don't want
to see my parents, so...
Thought that I should work.
Let me come with you?
No, that's crazy.
Hey, Stash.
- Stash?
- You're late.
I'm sorry, it's his fault.
Nice going.
Now I'm running late.
Well, I can come back.
No, no, no, no.
Selections I laid out
for you, over here.
Ruined my day here.
Have to try and get 20 naked Czech
models to do what I want them to do.
Hmm.
Ciao, ciao.
"Ciao, ciao."
He's an artist.
Oh.
God, you are still the same.
So judgmental.
Okay.
Yeah, maybe I'm still
a little judgmental.
But...
You remember the day that
you gave me your freckle?
I'm just curious,
is it still mine
or did you give it
to somebody else?
Or...
Yeah, sure.
Well, that one's great.
Yeah, it is.
It's beautiful.
You remember our road trip?
How could I forget spring break?
Yeah, all our friends went to Mexico,
and you took me to Des Moines, Iowa.
Mmm-hmm.
On a photo safari.
I got some great images.
I got butter sculptures.
Well, I mean, I'm not sure that
that qualifies as a great image.
The melting David.
I don't know,
Michelangelo would
have been proud.
I've still got the, uh...
That picture you took
of the cornfield in my...
Um...
In my room.
You ever do anything
with the rest of those?
I thought you were going
to show them or something.
Someday.
Yeah, you should, you know.
You're serious about that now?
You know, I always thought that
you were going to be the one.
I was so sure of it.
We had something...
Really wonderful, for a while.
And then you had to fuck it up.
No, Fenton, don't.
Wait, stop.
This is wrong.
What? No.
Oh, my God.
I have to go.
I'm getting married tomorrow.
Jessie, hold up.
Hey!
Shit.
What?
I don't think you
should get married.
I love Victor.
I love you, Jess.
Jesus Christ, Jessie, we just
broke up, like, a year ago.
A year and a half.
We just made love.
No, we fucked.
Jess, you're making a mistake.
Yeah.
I did make a mistake,
a huge one, with you.
What, you thought my mistake
was marrying Victor?
That's something I'll find
out with him, Fenton.
Something you have
nothing to do with.
I mean, what'd you think was going to
happen, I would just wait for you?
No.
Yes.
No, I don't know what I thought.
You left me.
Yeah, I know I did.
And I was there for you,
even after what you wrote about
us in that stupid story.
"The tragically pretty,
"comfortably affluent girl,
so riddled with insecurity
"she'd rather sell other
people's art than make her own."
Do you remember writing that?
Look, I fucked up.
Wow. You're being
way too kind to yourself.
You ruined my family.
No, I exposed a failed marriage.
It wasn't yours to expose!
But I wasn't even writing
about your parents, Jess!
All right?
It was mine!
God damn it! It's like, all this
time, everybody is up my ass
because they think that every
character in the story is them.
That's because everyone knows
you use your gift of observation
just to hurt people.
Wow.
Look, I made a mistake, Jess.
No. You made a choice.
And I've made mine.
Fuck.
Fuck.
Fuck.
Fuck.
Fuck.
Layla!
Layla!
Oh, fuck.
What's going on in there?
Fuck. I had some pages right here, some
new pages, and now they're missing
and I need to tear them
to shreds.
Shit.
Fuck.
I have them, and I read them.
What?
They're good.
Yeah, they're not yours to read, Dad.
I know.
But they're good.
Cheer up, cheer up.
Come on, what's the matter
with you, you're all so antsy.
Yeah, I just...
Look, I just slept with Jessie.
Shit.
That's a big fucking deal.
Her wedding is tomorrow.
That's not good.
Do you remember the
last time we did this?
What?
Took a walk together?
Yeah, Ewing was still
playing for the Knicks.
Oh, well...
See, that's not good.
Have a seat next to me.
No, I don't really feel
like a pep talk today.
I wasn't planning
on giving you one.
Come on, sit down
next to your old man.
You're a good writer, Fenton.
I'm loving your new stuff.
Really?
Yeah.
Especially love that character
of the dissolute novelist
who's cheating on his wife.
It's the same kind of shit that got me
in so much trouble in the first place.
And it's precisely what gives
you so much potential.
But be more than that.
Don't do what I did.
What are you talking about?
I didn't care about anything
but being a novelist.
I was a shit husband,
lousy father, let's face it.
Things I needed to work on,
I forgot all about that.
I was just a success.
And I let everybody down,
I know that.
I let myself down.
But it's not too late for you.
But you are still young enough
not to make my mistakes.
I think your mother
is leaving me for good.
Yeah, so do I.
I feel awful.
Ah...
I guess...
Ah...
Sometimes the best thing you can
do for someone is to just...
Let 'em go.
Christopher?
Ah.
No, no, don't get up.
Is this your next masterpiece?
Oh... Yes, the next
great American novel.
Of course, you and I both know, I've only
written one good book in my entire life.
And I remember...
I remember you,
walking around
with the manuscripts
in a shopping bag
all over the city.
Huh.
I delivered them to
every agent and publisher
in New York City.
Those were mad, grand days.
They loved you.
Oh...
We were never the same.
No.
Can you...
Are you gonna, uh,
come back to me?
Full disclosure, Fenton.
I never would have asked you
to come back to New York
if we weren't serious about
wanting to publish this novel.
Yes, soon, James. Um...
To be honest, I feel like I've
just hit on something and...
You know, I'd like some more
time, if it's possible.
Please keep writing.
Layla.
Layla!
- I did not...
- You didn't knock.
Layla, could you please
put some clothes on?
Oh, come on,
don't be such a prude.
How many times have
you seen me naked?
We used to take baths together.
Yeah, when we were little kids.
Tell her to put
some clothes on, John.
Layla...
What the fuck, John?
Oh, shit, sorry.
What do you want?
Therapy.
All right, and to tell you Jessie's
wedding is in an hour, so...
Hurry up or
you're gonna be late.
Why are you walking so fast?
Because it's important to me.
So, you know I have to go back to
Bard in a couple of days, right?
Yeah.
And a funny thing
about that, actually.
Yeah? What's that?
I know this guy up there
that's opening up a new bar.
Might need some help running it.
Really?
Mmm.
If it doesn't jam you up,
I wouldn't mind getting out
of the city for a minute.
Come on.
Let's not be late.
One moment, please.
I think I'd feel totally
unjammed by that situation.
Yeah?
I'd really love that.
Hmm?
So, sorry, Anna.
Go.
It's a little awkward.
Are you okay?
No, I can't believe
I fucked this up, too.
Are you leaving?
No. I was looking
for you.
Dad, um...
You remember Fenton, right?
Uh, can you give us a minute?
I'll, uh, tell them you're
having an issue with your dress.
Good to see you, sir.
Yeah.
What are you doing?
Getting married, I guess.
Yeah, everyone's in there.
Waiting.
I don't know if I can do this.
Why not?
Well, I didn't sleep last night.
That makes sense.
The night before the wedding.
You're kidding, right?
Yeah. There's that, too.
I wanted to tell Victor
what happened.
That's probably not a good idea.
Yeah.
He wouldn't understand.
Do you?
Not really.
God, I'm fucking
terrified, Fenton.
I mean, did I rush into this?
So soon after...
He is a really good man.
And I love him.
God, this is so pathetic.
I was so sure a week ago.
Look, if you want, I'll just...
I'll just tell him,
you know, that you're
having second thoughts.
That you're scared to death you
might be making a mistake,
that we had sex the other day...
And now you think you might
be marrying the wrong man.
Really? You would do that?
In a heartbeat.
We'll just catch a cab,
ride off into the sunset.
Live happily ever after.
In Des Moines
with 2.3 kids,
a white picket fence, a yard...
A big fucking butter sculpture.
Jess, it's been, uh...
It's been really hard
to see you.
But it's been good, you know?
You know, I've realized that your
life didn't stop and mine did.
And you went on.
Met new friends.
Got a new lover.
I mean, God, look at you.
You look beautiful, Jess.
And you deserve the best.
So, what do I do?
Keep going.
Okay-
You really were leaving,
weren't you?
Yeah, I thought so.