[Man's Voice]
She and l... Oh, actually...
Hey, James.
Speak of the devil.
Hold on.
Hey.
Yeah, I gotta go.
I know.
All right, I'll deal
with that tomorrow.
Yeah.
Okay. Bye.
Hey, Syd.
I'm making cocktails.
Onions or olives?
Olives!
Sorry I'm late.
- We had a lot of submissions.
- You're still doing those?
I thought they were getting
a new intern.
They are.
They're being selective.
About an intern?
Mm-hmm.
They're being selective about an intern
and you're still working on that?
[Sighs]
I think their priorities
are really fucked up, you know?
No one made me stay.
I know they didn't make you.
That's not what I meant.
Yeah?
You sound like you meant that.
No, I just...
If they made you an editor,
they shouldn't keep treating you
like an intern, that's all.
I think it's degrading.
Tsk. Assistant editor.
Okay.
Assistant editor.
Come on, Syd.
I'm sticking up for you.
Why? I'm not being
bullied by anyone...
except you.
[Scoffs]
Good book?
Yeah,
it's really intense.
Hey, that's great
they promoted you.
Congratulations.
Thanks.
Are you assisting
Dominique too?
No, I'm not really assisting anyone.
I'm the assistant editor.
Oh, that's great.
I guess that's why
they gave you an office.
Yeah. Did my faxes come through?
Oh, yeah.
Thanks.
Sorry.
How'd you get that job?
I mean, what did you
have to do to get it?
What did I have to do
to get my job?
No, I mean like...
what was your background,
what was your major?
Uh, critical theory.
Really,
that's a major?
Yeah, it's like cultural studies
or semiotics.
Philosophy, you know?
Foucault, Derrida, Kristava,
whatever?
Oh, pretty cerebral, huh?
No, it's actually really interesting.
You'd probably really like it.
You think?
Yeah. What are you reading?
Dostoevsky. That is cerebral.
Yeah, well, I'm not sure
I'm really getting it.
Debbie, no calls,
we're in a meeting.
No problem.
Morning.
Morning.
Did you reconfirm Dieter?
I'm just on to that.
I have some errands
for you too.
Okay.
[Phone Rings]
Proofs come back?
Uh, they should
be here by 3:00.
Are these Dieter's?
Yeah, they just came in.
That's brilliant.
I know.
The tone's great.
I got you your scone
and Earl Grey.
Oh, did you?
Thank you.
I'd to like to have all
the prints before his meeting.
Okay, I'll get on to that now.
Mmm. Thanks.
[Sniffs]
[Knocking On Door]
[Woman]
Excuse me?
There's a line forming out here.
I'll be right with you, lady.
[Toilet Flushes]
Greta!
Oh God, I'm sorry.
No, sorry to hold you up.
No, really, I'm so sorry. L...
Did you finish?
Yeah. All done.
How've you been?
Good. Everything's great.
Good, good.
Great.
How are you?
Great. Great.
Got a MacArthur last week.
Oh, yeah.
That's a genius thing, right?
Ah, that's what they call it,
but you know,
I think it's really more
a good opportunity for a writer
to keep working.
[Mumbling]
It's free now.
I saw that native lady.
What's her name?
I always forget.
White Cloud?
White Hawk.
Yeah, her.
[Laughs]
She got some genius award.
What is that, half a million?
Gonna eat?
They should give you
one of those awards.
Mm-hmm.
You're a genius.
You're fucking brilliant.
Thought you weren't gonna
bring that tonight.
What?
Really.
I was talking to White Cloud.
Woo-woo.
[Laughs]
[Laughs]
She was chewing my ear off
about her award.
Was she?
Really. It was sickening,
the way she was going on about it.
Really. I can't stand that.
You know,
Fassbinder always told me,
the ugliest quality
in a woman is vanity.
Vanity.
It really is.
I don't care if she's disabled.
[Laughs]
[Laughs]
[Water Dripping]
- Hey, James?
- Yeah?
You know this crack in the ceiling?
Yeah?
It's leaking.
Do you want me to try Boris?
I think so.
[Sniffs]
Domino.
[Exhales]
That's me.
Arnie,
you're cheating.
I'm not cheating,
'cause you're not paying attention,
because if you count up the outsides,
you'd know if l...
I think you should go
to the boneyard.
[Giggles]
I put my five.
What?
Wait a minute...
For cryin'out...
Honey, you're not listening.
You're not, um, focusing,
because if you...
Are you guys gonna play?
I put my five.
[Giggles]
Luce, did you understand
the directions?
Cause I've explained it...
Can you... Is it like
a language barrier?
I don't have this problem
with Xander.
This is ridiculous.
Could you explain
to her...
Xander's a guy.
We're girls.
Yeah, that's why
I'm saying,
why don't you
explain it to her?
[Knocking On Door]
Is Delia
coming over?
I didn't talk to her.
How come Delia
won't go out with me?
- Because you broke up.
- That was a long time ago.
Hi. Are you running a bath?
No. Are you?
[Laughs]
No, I'm sorry.
I live right under you...
and our ceiling's leaking.
Did you call, um, Boris?
Yeah. He's not answering.
Did you call a plumber?
Well, I didn't really want to.
It was so late, it's really expensive,
and...
It's probably just your drains
or pipe or something.
I mean, you live right on top of us.
Yeah, I wish I knew
what to tell you,
but no one here's
taken a bath recently.
Right.
Find anything interesting?
There's some
water under here,
but I can't tell exactly where
it's coming from.
Do you have a rag?
Or some tape... like some duct tape?
I might. I'll look.
Who's that?
She has a leak downstairs.
She's trying to fix it.
She's cute.
You want to try this?
Who's the photographer?
Oh, I took that.
It's a great picture.
Thanks.
The composition is so skillful,
but it seems really spontaneous,
almost like a snapshot.
I think it was a snapshot.
Yeah? [Laughs]
That's what's so great about it.
It has this amazing
symmetry to it.
It's really old.
It's really great.
It still seems
really contemporary.
Did you take
all these pictures?
Um, I think so.
Mostly.
Did you take the ones
in the other room?
Yeah. Over the years.
Do you ever publish them
or show?
Is that, like,
what you do?
No. I did a long time ago,
but not anymore.
Who is this woman?
She seems really intense.
Her name's Greta.
[Sniffs]
Luce, who's your friend?
Um, sorry.
What's your name?
[Laughs] Syd.
Right.
Syd.
Uh, Arnie, Joan, Greta.
Syd.
Hey.
- Did you get that leak fixed?
- I tried.
We'll have to see what happens.
- Let us know.
- Okay. I will.
[Joan]
Okay. See ya later.
Yeah.
See ya later.
See you.
That woman upstairs
is a photographer.
Yeah?
What kind
of photographer?
Portraits mostly.
Really. What's, uh...
What's her name?
Lucy.
Lucy?
Yeah. Lucy.
[Chattering]
Good morning.
Hey.
Do you have any aspirin?
Uh, I think so.
They were out of scones.
That would help.
Thanks for the tea.
Sure.
Harry, I was wondering
if I could ask you something.
Is it personal?
[Laughs] No. Um, look,
if this is a bad time...
I can talk to you
about it later.
You're here now. What is it?
Well, it's just that I met... I mean
I know this amazing photographer,
and I just thought
that...
What's his name?
Lucy Krauss or Berli,
or something.
Never heard of her.
Who's she with?
Uh, I'm not sure exactly.
- Does she show?
- Oh, yeah, she's definitely shown.
She does excellent work, Harry.
It's mostly portraiture,
but it's almost documentary.
It's... No, it's more
intimate than that.
And her lighting has this
ethereal quality to it.
It's kind of like
a subverted realism.
Okay, well, let me know
when she shows.
Okay. I think you'd really
like her work, Harry. I mean,
you may want to consider her...
I wouldn't consider her for anything
without knowing who she is.
I wasn't saying that you
would want to consider her
without knowing who she is.
Bring something in.
Has she done a book?
I think so.
Okay.
Bring her book.
Okay. I'll definitely
bring her book for you.
Brilliant. Can't wait.
I need you to call these people.
[Woman]
It's delicious.
Did you make it?
No, I bought it.
Delicious.
Ma, your American Express bill is huge.
What did you buy at Bendel's?
It's over there in the bag.
And I think
they're in your size.
Ma, you didn't spend
six thousand on this.
What, you don't like them?
Try them on.
Come on.
What else did you buy?
I don't know.
I don't remember.
How can you not remember, Ma?
You spent six thousand dollars.
What does it matter?
Nothing gives me pleasure
anymore anyway.
You just... You need to start
keeping track of these little things.
I'm almost gone.
Don't I deserve a little pleasure?
Of course you do.
[Sighs]
What does it matter anyway?
You have yours.
You get mine when I go.
I'm not worried about it.
So?
So, what did Dr. Argold say?
He said it's a miracle
I'm not dead yet.
Come on, Ma.
How's the medication working?
Are you still
with the German?
Greta.
- The German's name is Greta.
- God forbid in my time...
my mother would let me be with a girl,
let alone a German.
Well, it's not your time.
Jew haters, all of them.
Baruch ha shem
we got out before.
Yeah, with your money.
Don't be irreverent.
I'm gonna take some pictures, okay?
Of what? Of me?
Yeah, Ma, I want
to take pictures of you.
Why do you want
to take pictures of me again?
You don't want to talk?
I'm telling you something important.
You talk while I shoot.
I'm listening.
I told you, Lucy.
It's your obligation.
Who else is left
to keep the name?
They're gone. Everyone's gone.
I don't know
why you stopped pushing.
Ma, you know why I stopped.
Don't start with this again.
Ah, you're too passive.
You were always passive.
Gifted and passive.
Okay, big deal,
I'm passive.
That's the way it is.
Yeah.
Can we just enjoy the morning?
He promised me that part
and then he gave it to Hannah.
If he hadn't died first.
[Laughs, Sniffs]
No, it was right after
Berlin Alexanderplatz.
[Sniffs]
[Sighs]
Yes.
I don't remember.
I don't want to talk about this anymore.
Why don't you just come over?
Yeah, just come over.
[Sniffs]
[Phone Beeps]
She talks too much.
[Sighs]
[Knock On Door]
[Knocking Continues]
Arnie, right?
Right?
Possibly.
They're not staying all night.
[Knock On Door]
Hey. Sorry to bug you again.
Is it still leaking?
Well, it's definitely better,
but it's still dripping,
kinda, so...
I thought we could try this.
You know,
I can pay for a plumber.
- It's really not a big deal.
- No, um,
I think this'll do it.
Yeah.
Is that Greta?
Hey, sweetie.
Ooh, Greta.
You look so sexy.
Look at this bra.
You waiting for us?
Eat me.
Yo, Greta...
You have to take it
in the bedroom.
That girl's here again.
Who?
What girl?
The chick with the leak.
Oh.
Really, it ties into
Barthes'whole conception
of photographic ecstasy.
The way he explores temporality
and memory and meaning...
I mean, I know it sounds
really dry in the text,
but when I'm looking at your pictures,
I really feel like I understand it.
I don't know.
Do you know what I mean?
I think so.
Am I going off?
[Laughs]
No. No, not at all.
I haven't been deconstructed
in a long time.
- Yeah, I bet you hate that.
- I don't hate it at all.
What about you, Syd?
Are you a photographer?
[Laughs]
No, I'm not a photographer.
Just a connoisseur.
Well, no, I'm an editor.
I mean,
I'm an assistant editor at Frame.
Go into the bedroom.
Why?
The neighbor girl's here.
That's exciting.
Hey.
You remember Syd.
Of course.
How could I forget Syd?
- Hey.
- Hey.
Excuse me.
Sit down.
Get you a beer.
I'm Greta.
I live for Lucy.
I mean,
I live here with Lucy.
Syd.
[Laughs]
You want one?
Sure.
That's a great picture.
Thanks.
All these pictures are great.
- Do you have a book?
- What kind of book?
Of your work... like a monograph
or a catalog or something.
- Nothing recent.
- You've never seen her book?
No.
That book's really old.
Really.
This is a great reproduction.
Yeah, you know,
actually we've been trying to
get her out of retirement.
Haven't we, liebchen?
[Door Opens, Closes]
Hey.
[Arnie]
Hey, man.
- Greta around?
- She's in the bedroom.
Do you think I could
borrow this book?
You can have it.
No, no.
I'll definitely return it.
No, you take it.
Seriously, I don't need it.
[Harry]
We really love these.
They're modern, sexy, classic...
Um...
I don't think they're classic, really.
Transcendent, not classic.
Same thing, really.
[Exhales]
Sorry to interrupt.
- Just brought you your sandwiches.
- Thanks. We're starved.
- I think we spoke. I'm Dieter.
- Hey. Um, Syd.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I thought you two had met.
- What did she get?
- Um, tuna, some kind of veggie...
- What's the book?
- Oh, this is Lucy Berliner.
I just brought it in
for Harry to look at.
- I love Lucy Berliner.
- Where did you get this book?
- She gave it to me.
- She gave it to you?
Well, I borrowed it from her.
What's the book?
It's Lucy Berliner,
the photographer
I was talking to you about.
You don't know
Lucy Berliner?
Oh, right.
Of course,
Lucy Berliner.
I thought
she was living in Berlin.
No, she's definitely here.
- Is she working again?
- She never stopped working.
I can't believe that.
She was so belligerent
when she left New York.
Right. I remember that.
I mean, the real "fuck you"
to everyone who helped her come up.
You know, that was it.
No explanations, nothing.
How do you know her?
We're neighbors.
When did she get back?
Uh, recently,
I think.
Why didn't
we know about this?
We should have
been on top of this.
Who else knows?
I knew about it.
I set up a meeting.
- Did she get back about Thursday?
- Thursday?
Lunch on Thursday.
Oh. No, not yet.
Well, you better
follow up on that.
So, the show is at 10:30.
And I told Ted that we would
meet him at the bar before.
Shit.
I forgot about that. Uh...
I really need to talk to her tonight.
It's okay.
Why don't you call her up?
Um, no, I need to talk to her in person.
Okay, so then
I'll wait for you.
No, it's fine. You go.
Um, don't worry about it.
[Cheering]
Happy Birthday!
Thank you.
I'm gonna make a run.
Luce, you got any?
'Cause...
Yeah, in the bag.
Did he say
he's making a run?
I think, yeah.
He better be.
I'll bring change.
Whatever.
All right.
Happy birthday, bro.
Thank you.
And don't go getting lost, man.
We're havin'a party.
Who else is coming
to the party?
No one.
Hey, looky here.
How much do we
love you, baby?
Zoe!
Something from Siberia.
[Mumbles]
Here you go, baby.
Ooh, such a big box
for an old man.
You don't think
I'm old, do you?
[Sniffs]
I don't think you're old,
Arnie.
Oh.
An animal.
[Zoe]
It won't bite.
It has flaps.
Looks good.
It's so dead.
[Delia]
Arn, I didn't realize
you had such a skinny head.
[Zoe]
He's a lean man, baby.
Definitely big.
Hey, that's not
what she said.
Norton can tell you that.
That's not what I heard.
But it's your birthday.
Joan.
Yeah.
I might go to Berlin next week.
That director keeps calling me
and I said that I might come.
You want me to come with you?
[Laughs]
Gimme.
I don't think you should go.
[Arnie]
They're putting the wall back up.
I like the way the wall is.
[Conversation Continues, Indistinct]
No, butJoan, maybe
you could come with me.
[Delia]
You're gonna take 'em both?
[Greta]
Oh, Luce will come.
She loves Berlin.
I don't know know.
But maybeJoan would
come with me.
I wonder if you would come with me.
You know, or stay home. I don't know.
[Arnie]
What the hell are we
supposed to do?
Syd.
I'd need you to help me.
You just stay home.
I'll stay home with you.
I'll play with myself.
We'll be here.
I'll play with you... maybe.
Doing okay?
Yeah.
I don't know.
Maybe I'll just go to China.
I like China.
We had fabulous opium there.
Didn't we, Luce?
Baby?
Hmm?
Are you fucked up?
Hmm?
Yeah.
Yeah?
Mmm, kinda fucked up.
Yeah.
You seem kind of...
fucked up.
You want me to stop?
No!
Not necessarily.
Hey. Are you sick?
I don't know.
Is it the tequila?
[Moans]
I did a line of heroin.
I don't think I'm used to it.
[Sighs]
Oh.
It's, uh, sweet.
I mean...
[Sighs]
What's...
What's that about, Syd?
I just did a line, that's all.
No, I mean, is that what's
so fascinating upstairs?
I mean, is that what
that photography woman is into?
It was only a line, James.
Oh. What, am I being uptight?
Mm-hmm.
You are, kind of.
Yeah.
Dominique Peugeot wants you
to do a piece for the next issue.
Dominique Peugeot
was the receptionist
at Interview.
Yeah, but she's
the executive editor
at Frame now.
She really wants
you to do a piece...
probably the cover.
Wow.
She really climbed up.
This is what I was talking
to you about the other night.
They really want
to meet with you.
They want to take
you to lunch on Thursday.
I appreciate it,
but I don't do that anymore.
Don't do what?
Industry work.
Well, it's not industry work.
I mean,
it's not like an assignment...
you can do whatever you want.
Can I take pictures of you?
Right now?
[Laughing]
No.
I feel like shit right now.
I'm kinda wrecked.
You look really sexy, actually.
I stopped working commercially
It was kind of a mental-health decision.
Actually, no.
It wasn't a decision.
I just made it impossible
for myself to continue.
Impossible? How?
I mean, what did you do?
I stopped showing up.
For what?
I mean, why?
I don't know why, exactly.
I mean, why do people fuck up?
It just seemed sort of punk at the time.
I don't understand
that exactly.
I don't really know how
to explain it to you, Syd.
There just stopped being a line
between me and work.
People were glomming on
to something I was doing then,
and I just... got trapped.
I mean, I loved the attention
but I just couldn't handle the impact.
I felt sort of pigeonholed...
um, sort of like
I couldn't breathe anymore.
Does that make sense?
Yeah.
The people at Frame think
you're an amazing photographer.
Theyjust want
to see you work again.
I don't think
that they want to trap you.
I think they want
to support you.
[Dominique]
So, it's just this one woman
under water and your mother?
Right.
That's what I'm doing now.
And who's the woman?
Greta Krauss.
She's a German actress.
I've actually done
a lot of work with her.
You done with that one?
Just a second.
[Harry]
Could we have some
more water, please?
Right.
[Harry]
I'm sorry, are they portraits?
Right.
Underwater portraits.
I have to say, Lucy,
I love your older work.
I find the realism incredibly honest.
Lucy, I think your work
has a certain allure right now...
a cultural currency
that we'd like to explore with you.
- A cultural currency.
- A certain cachet.
If I can interrupt, Lucy,
I think Dominique is saying...
that the public can appreciate
the rigor of your work now...
the intimacy and desolation
of your subjects.
Lucy, we'd like to offer you
the fall cover.
We think the best way
to bridge the gap...
Well, to reintroduce...
Right, reintroduce you publicly,
is to revisit some of your older themes.
We are thinking of an essay,
Lucy, rather free-form...
sort of an examination
of your friends and your life.
You'd like me to examine my life.
[Harry]
We'd like you to go back
to the place where you left off.
I know deadlines are
a horrible sort of nuisance...
but we would need to
move on this immediately.
Right. Well, let me think about it.
We're usually not solicitous,
Lucy.
I mean, we receive thousands
of submissions a year.
But we'll put some very promising
photographers on hold for you.
You know, it's flattering.
And it sounds interesting.
Um, but, I really have to see
about my other obligations.
Well, we would need
a commitment from you today.
Otherwise, we'd have to give
the space to another photographer.
It's just that close,
unfortunately.
It's really yours to define, Lucy.
I mean, I hope we've
impressed that on you.
This is not an assignment.
Of course,
we'll help you shape it
and select images.
But we really need
to know now.
[Sighs]
Okay.
I want to work with Syd on it.
Brilliant.
Syd's in the office every day.
She's involved
in all of our projects.
I mean, she can certainly
give some feedback.
We always encourage that from her.
No, I want Syd to be my editor.
So, did you get a raise?
It's not about a raise.
What do you think
of this shirt?
Is it too tight?
No.
No?
I think it's sexy.
How 'bout this color?
You like the color?
I like it.
Yeah?
I don't want to
stay too long, okay?
Okay.
Really.
Yeah.
Syd mentioned to me
that you were retired?
Yeah, I stopped working
for a few years.
What, um...
What made you decide
to get started again?
I don't know. It just seemed
like the right thing to do.
Excuse me.
It was nice meeting you.
Yeah, you too.
[Greta Sniffs, Sighs]
I'm gonna feel so fuckin' good
in about one fuckin' second.
I thought that was for me,
Arnie.
[Sniffs]
No.
That was definitely for me.
That's for you.
You're such a gentleman,
Arnie.
You guys are so glamorous.
[Knock at Door]
Yeah.
Hey, it's Syd.
Come in.
Come in.
Shut the door.
Cocktail?
Thanks.
[Sniffs]
Did Lucy tell you
about our meeting?
What meeting?
Lucy's doing
a piece for Frame.
What is
"a piece for Frame"?
I'm shooting something
for Syd's magazine.
It's not just something...
it's the cover.
That's fabulous.
Did you orchestrate that, Syd?
Uh, I didn't really
orchestrate it.
Yeah, I brought Lucy
into Frame.
That's really great, Luce.
You got yourself a cover.
Good for fucking you.
I feel good about it.
You should feel great.
That's fuckin' great.
We should celebrate that.
Are you coming?
In a second.
See you out there.
Be right out.
You wanna stop by Victor's?
Sure, wait.
Z, this is James, Syd's boyfriend.
Hey, Zoe.
James.
Nice to meet you.
I didn't know
Syd had a boyfriend.
Yeah. I didn't know either.
Yeah, it was really good.
Like I completely loved it.
But the only thing was...
Hey, excuse me.
Have you seen Syd?
Syd, the woman you were
talking to in the corner?
Oh, yeah.
She's in the bedroom with Lucy.
No, that's...
a wonderful thing about you...
your ambition, your focus.
Your drive.
[Laughs]
I really love
having that around me again.
I didn't know how much I missed it.
I can't believe you asked them
about me being the editor.
Why?
I don't know.
I just didn't expect it.
I mean, they didn't expect it.
It's what you want, isn't it?
Yeah.
- Okay, Lucy?
- What?
- Greta's out.
- Arnie, what? Where's Greta?
Lucy, in the bathroom...
Greta's fuckin' out!
Fuck!
What the fuck
are you doing to her?
What does it look like?
Trying to wake her the fuck up!
Arnie?
Okay, can you...
can you move?
Gimme the, uh,
saline solution.
Goddamn it!
Agh!
Watch her tongue.
I know what I'm doing!
[Skipped item nr. 634]
[Skipped item nr. 635]
Get your fuckin'... Jesus!
C'mon, Greta, breathe.
C'mon, Greta, wake up!
- [Knock On Door]
- Yeah, we'll be right out!
She's breathing!
Oh, thank God.
[Greta]
Who put me in that fucking ice?
Should I get her a blanket or something?
What the fuck is she doing here?
Get her the fuck
out ofhere.
[Lucy] Okay.
Get her the fuck out.
It's all right.
It's all right.
- Fuck you, Lucy!
- Syd, would you... just leave!
[Greta]
Fuck you! Fuck you!
[Greta]
Oh, Arnie.
Sweetie? Greta?
- Your clothes are wet.
- I had to help someone out of the bath.
You took a bath with Lucy?
No.
Where were you?
Where was I?
I didn't see you leave.
Yeah, that's 'cause you were
in the bedroom with Lucy.
How's the Berliner piece
coming?
Good.
She's been working
really hard on it.
Good.
We need her elements
immediately.
Yeah, she's almost there.
You know
we pushed Dieter Shulte
off the cover for her.
No, I didn't realize that.
Well, we did,
and it was incredibly
difficult for him.
I'm sure.
I'm really expecting something
outstanding from this.
Definitely, Dominique.
You won't regret this.
Wonderful. Thank you.
I'm telling Arnie
to stay away.
The smell of these eggs
is disgusting.
You know, you have a good time,
and then it just turns
into the same old shit.
And I can't do it again.
We had a bad bag or something.
I don't know what happened.
You know,
fuck the bad bag story, Greta.
Okay? Just fuck it!
I had the same shit
and it wasn't bad.
Then why are you
going off on me?
Because you don't know
when to stop, G.
You have no limits!
You get a really clean bag,
and you keep kicking it back
till you go unconscious!
Tell that Syd
to stop coming around.
She's a little sycophant.
A sycophant?
What is that?
I don't know what that is.
You know what that is.
She's a bootlicker, a parasite.
She saved your fuckin' life.
Joan threw me in that tub,
and I wasn't dying anyway.
When I came into that room,
you weren't breathing.
She's sucking you off.
You're so wrapped up in her,
you can't even see it.
She comes in here,
all cocky and eager...
She doesn't know shit about us.
She's a fucking teenager.
Greta, would you just...
would you eat that, please?
I don't like you.
[Knock At Door]
If that's Arnie and Joan,
I'm sending them away.
I don't like you.
I don't like you.
Hey. Um, I brought some food.
Is she... okay?
I'm really sorry
I yelled at you last night.
I shouldn't have done that.
Hey, it's okay.
I just lost it
for a minute.
Really. It's okay.
I'm sorry that happened.
Yeah, so am I.
L...
I know this is a bad time, but...
we really need to
get something in to them.
Yeah, I know.
Have you been
planning it out?
Uh, no. I haven't
been planning it out.
I haven't been
thinking too clearly.
Okay. Well, maybe
I could help you.
I mean, maybe we could
get a room at the Chelsea,
and you could shoot portraits...
or Coney Island.
I mean, that's even easier.
Or here. I mean,
we could set it up here.
Yeah. I don't work that way, Syd.
I don't set things up.
Well, maybe you'll have
to set things up for this.
I mean, we really have
to get something in to them.
I think I need to get
out of town right now.
Now.
I mean, when?
[Laughs]
I mean, Lucy,
we have a deadline.
Okay? It's not flexible.
I mean, we can't fuck this up.
I mean, I can't fuck this up.
Hey, we'll get something in
to them.
Trust me, okay?
I'll get it done.
Okay. I'm sorry.
I'm just...
Don't be sorry.
Just come with me.
I'm going away...
I want to figure... this out.
You go.
No, you.
Lucy asked me to go upstate
with her this weekend.
She's been kinda distraught...
and we need to do this piece.
I can't be here
if you're fucking the photographer.
- I haven't slept with Lucy.
- Are you working up to it?
I don't know.
Well, I think you have to start knowing.
I guess you're...
you're really at the center
of it all now, aren't you?
You got your powerjob,
you got your hipster friends.
And all that access...
I mean, it's the real shit.
This is just what you wanted.
That's what you think,
isn't it?
Yeah, it's what it seems like.
Yeah. Well, if you weren't so fixated
on that, then you might...
Fixated on what?
On putting me
in a box.
On pigeonholing me.
Because I can't fuckin' breathe.
What the fuck does that mean?
It means that no matter
what I do,
you can't stop telling me
it's wrong.
I mean, I'm trying
to get somewhere.
All I get from you
are these slurs about my job
and the people that I've met,
and how pretentious
and meaningless and idiotic it is,
and... [Sighs]
You know what?
It's not meaningless to me.
This is what I care about.
I mean, what do you
care about, James?
I mean really... what?
[Sighs]
You know, this restaurant
has a policy about sleeping in here.
Oh, yeah, I'm sorry.
She's just exhausted.
I understand. But I'm going
to have to ask you to leave...
if she falls asleep again.
Sure. I'm really sorry.
I can't do this anymore.
What?
You want to break up with me again?
Tsk-tsk-tsk-tsk.
G...
I want to help you get over this.
Sleep with Syd if you want.
I can't tell you what to do.
G, listen to me.
She's such a poseur,
with her stupid-ass magazine.
I don't know
what you see in her.
You're not listening to me.
I can't wait around and keep talking
about when you're gonna change.
You need some help, G.
Look at yourself, Lucy.
Is this yours?
It's my mother's.
The light's so nice around here.
It is.
It's sexy.
Kinda lures you,
and then it goes.
Yeah.
I didn't know
you were bringing that.
I wanted to get high with you.
I don't think
I want to this weekend.
No?
No.
Okay.
I mean, I don't want to do that
with you all the time.
Okay.
We don't have to.
I mean, I don't want that
to be our only connection.
It's not our only connection.
Well, I don't want it
to become like that.
This make you feel better?
Lucy...
C'mon, Syd.
What is it? Just say it.
It's not the point, okay?
No, no, no, Syd.
What is this? Is this some kind
of intervention thing, is that it?
What is the point, Syd?
Just be an adult.
Just say it!
That's not the point, okay?
I don't have a point.
I'm just saying it.
I just don't want to be with you
like that right now.
So basically she left him
when I was 12,
and we moved back here...
and he stayed there...
in his house, on top of a hill.
In Tasmania.
In Tasmania.
[Giggles]
That's right.
What does he do on his hill?
I don't know.
He's very mysterious.
He writes letters.
So who gave you the ring?
Your boyfriend?
No.
No, my grandmother
gave me this ring.
It's beautiful.
Thank you.
Come on.
This is intense.
Is it?
I'm not usually like this.
Like what?
Nervous.
You okay?
Yeah.
You sure?
Yeah. It's just
you look so serious.
I look serious?
Yeah.
I mean, I'm kinda hot.
That's kinda serious.
It's hot in here.
No. You're hot.
What should I do to you?
Whatever you
want to do to me.
I don't really know
what I'm doing.
You're doing fine.
Should I pinch you
or bite you or something?
If you want to.
Is that hard enough?
Is that soft enough?
You okay?
Yeah.
Who's serious now?
I know.
I'm sorry.
Is this
weird for you?
No.
What? Tell me.
I don't know.
I think I'm kind of in love with you.
Lucy, I'm sleeping.
No, you're not.
[Giggling]
Get back here.
I will. Wait.
Est-ce que tu voudrais
queje poser pour toi?
[Shutter Clicks]
No.
[Giggles]
Where are you going?
I'm coming in.
Just a minute.
[Camera Timer Buzzing]
[Buzzing Continues]
[Shutter Clicks]
- Did you go alone?
- No. I went with a friend.
Who? The German?
No, it was another friend.
Syd.
Syd.
That's a man's name.
Yeah.
Well, she's definitely
not a man.
Is sheJewish?
I don't know, Ma.
Oh, well.
[Clears Throat]
I'm not going to be able
to come by for a while.
What happened?
What did I do?
I didn't give you enough?
What?
No. No, no, no!
You've given me more
than enough... plenty.
So why can't you come?
I have a...
I have a small problem
I have to take care of.
What kind of problem?
What did you do?
Is it the German?
Would you stop
with that?
The German... it's Greta,
Mother. It's Greta!
What did she do to you?
Nothing.
I did it to myself.
What did you do to yourself?
Come on. Tell me.
What kind of problem?
I don't know if...
It's not really
a problem.
It's more of an issue.
You just said a problem.
Is it a problem?
Now it's an issue.
Is it a problem or an issue?
Both.
Oh.
I have a...
a love issue...
and a drug problem.
Or maybe I have a love problem
and a drug issue.
I don't know.
God forbid.
I can't help you with that.
I know that.
I just wanted to tell you.
Would you excuse me, please?
Don't walk away from me, Ma.
[Sighs]
[Knocking on Door]
You alone?
Yeah.
I missed you.
I missed you too.
Did you talk to her?
Yeah. I did.
Did you talk toJames?
Nope.
He won't return my calls.
I got a room at the Chelsea.
I thought, if you shoot tonight,
we can rush it through Dugall.
Yeah, I have to talk to you
about that.
Um, I need to
go back upstate right now.
What are you...
What are you talking about...
right now?
It's, like, all set up.
I'm leaving tonight.
That's insane, Lucy.
You can't do that.
Syd...
No, what is this?
What is this?
Are you mad at me?
Is this about
the weekend?
Did Greta
say something to you?
Yeah, it is about
the weekend.
And Greta.
And everything.
I can't... function like this.
You know?
I mean, I can't...
I can't deal with you being down here...
and the way things are upstairs.
Do you know what I'm saying?
I have to change
the situation.
I don't want
to wait anymore.
I mean, I can't.
These are for you.
They're of our weekend.
Thanks.
I want you to use them.
What do you mean
you want me to use them?
I'm in them.
I'm in all of them.
Is that too hard for you?
No, no. It's fine.
I'm just naked in them.
Well, they wanted me
to examine my life, right?
Yeah.
I mean, this is it.
It's about you right now.
I'm thinking
about you.
Anyway, you look gorgeous.
What about
the pictures of Greta?
I mean,
those are beautiful images.
That's what you
were doing before.
That's what you want?
These are really beautiful.
This one would make
a wonderful cover.
This would be better.
I really had an instinct
about this.
How did I know
she was gonna do this?
I thought we were very direct with her.
I literally spelled it out.
There's absolutely
no context here.
Nothing.
It's completely flat.
This is a nightmare.
She waited till the last fucking minute,
and this is what we get.
These are
beautiful images.
I mean, the subject is different,
but the quality of the work is...
Syd, Lucy Berliner has been
invisible for ten years.
The public has a five-year memory,
and that's it.
Syd, if a best-selling crime writer
disappeared for ten years...
and came back peddling love poems,
how do you think he would do?
Really well,
probably.
It's a business, Syd.
I don't want to do it.
I'm calling Dieter Shulte.
You can't do that, Dominique.
You had an arrangement with Lucy.
I have every right to do that.
I'll see you at my office.
Call Dieter Shulte.
[Sighs Deeply]
Fuck.
I need to talk to you
about Lucy Berliner.
Let's just move forward, Syd.
I want you to look
at these pictures.
I think that they're more
of what you wanted.
Syd, we're practically at press.
Look, I realize
that this is late,
but this is her piece...
this is what she wanted to use.
I would like you to
at least consider it.
Why didn't you bring these before?
I didn't think
it was appropriate.
Did you stage these?
No.
I mean, is this some kind of critique?
You're her editor.
No, it's not a critique,
it's just what happened.
It's just what happened?
Well, I didn't realize that
she wanted to use these
when she shot them.
I'm confused, Syd.
- Are you her sitter?
- No, I'm not her sitter...
not formally.
I mean,
no, I'm not in general.
Are you her lover?
Yeah.
Joan's gonna keep score
and we're gonna start over.
Joan's gonna keep score?
I want to keep score.
[Door Opens]
Hey!
What are you doing here?
Am I interrupting
something?
Not at all...
you live here.
Where's Greta?
She went to get cereal.
She'll be right back.
We thought you were
staying longer.
[Door Opens, Closes]
When did you get here?
Right now.
What are you doing here?
I live here.
Why didn't you call?
One of us has to go,
Greta.
Maybe I could just stay atJoan's
for a few nights.
That's not what
I'm talking about.
I want you to keep
your account.
I don't want your money.
Well, I'm not just
gonna abandon you, G.
I wouldn't do that.
What are you doing then?
I mean, you just kicked me out,
didn't you?
What am I supposed to do now?
Just get on a plane? Just go back?
No, you don't have to go back.
I understand... your life is here.
No, it's not.
I don't have a life here.
I came here to be with you,
so that you could have a life here.
I had everything in Berlin.
I had a great career.
Gret...
Greta, Fassbinder's dead,
okay?
You didn't have
a career after that.
You are so spoiled.
You are spoiled and selfish,
and you think the whole fucking world
revolves around you!
You're a dilettante, Lucy.
That's what you are.
You never worked for anything!
Girls, you wanna come
get something to eat?
No, go on, Joan.
[Arnie]
I'll wait for you ladies.
Enjoy your fight.
I'll be right here
when you're done.
I didn't mean to say that.
I really didn't.
I wanted to be
with you.
I love you.
I didn't mean to say those things.
What am I supposed
to do now, G?
I don't know anymore.
Just... be with me tonight.
I'm here, G. I'm with you.
I need you...
at my level.
[Sighs]
It's not going to change anything.
I know it won't.
I just need to be
close to you right now.
Do you have anything?
I don't know.
I don't remember.
Where?
In there.
Is this Arnie's?
Yeah.
I can't believe
you still have this.
I told you
I wasn't doing it anymore.
I thought you were lying.
[Snorting]
Where'd you think
I'd been all week?
With the teenager.
Arnie?
Open the door.
Open the fuckin' door.
Hey!
Why are you in here?
Hey.
Arnie.
Are you okay?
Where's Lucy?
Um,
she died this morning.
That is a...
a really fucked-up thing
to say to me.
You don't know shit
about me and Lucy,
and I don't know what Greta has been
telling you, but she is fucking gone.
Just stop it, okay?
No! You don't understand.
It doesn't fuckin' matter!
Oh, hey.
The issue came back.
Great work, Syd.
Thanks.
Great work, Syd.
It looks wonderful.
#Every setting sun #
#And every mother's daughter #
#Is wanted #
# Though I know we be #
#But dust #
#No, I never lost her #
# To one #
# Though I never cared #
# Ooh, what good
is the night to me #
# 'Cause no one
wants to play with me #
# You'll find a letter
waking up #
#Right here #
#Any medicine #
#For curin'hungry lovers #
# Though she'd never weep #
#My wife #
#No one ever taught her #
# Though I never cared #
# Ooh, what good
does the night to me #
# Who never wants
to play with me #
#And don't find the letters
wakin'up #
#Right here #
# Oh, you leave me here #
# What good
is the light to me #
# When lights tend to fall #
#She might be waking up #
#Right ##