Rememory (2017)

1
[wind rustling trees]
-[laughing]
-On the house.
Welcome back, Dash! Hiya, Sam.
Hey, uh, we've got a real,
live rock star in the house!
Where?
-[cheers, applause]
-Hey...
-Thanks, Freddie! Cheers!
-Cheers.
You must be happy to
have this fool back.
Mm! You have no idea, Freddie.
You know, at a certain
point, I need new stories
to continue living
vicariously through him.
-Oh...
-Hello.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Every day a new city,
new ladies, but
that gets tiring.
-Tiring?
-So tiring. This poor guy!
Okay. Okay, you're right.
It's awesome.
I hate you.
But know what I want
more than anything?
What?
-To dig up worms...
-Oh, man!
...and go fishing with my
brother like when we were kids!
I'm going fishing
with my brother!
Okay.
Another round, Freddie!
-Whew.
-Whoo!
[cheers]
-Oh, man, those drums.
-This one's for you!
We're in-- Just look at all the people.
Sing, go. Go.
You have to do it running
But you do everything
that they ask you to
'Cause you don't mind seeing
yourself in a picture
As long as you look far away
As long as you look removed...
This is the part I know.
This is the part I know!
- Showered and blue-blazered...
-Now you got it!
- Fill yourself with quarters...
- What does that mean?
-I don't know.
- Showered and blue-blazered
You get mistaken for strangers
by your own friends
When you pass them at night
Under the silvery,
silvery Citibank lights
Arm in arm in arm and eyes
and eyes glazing over
- Under - Under
Under?
-Over, over!
-No, it doesn't mean that.
Another un-innocent,
elegant fall
Into the un-magnificent
lives of adults
- Showered and
blue-blazered -[clicks]
Fill yourself with quarters
[crashing]
[high-pitched ringing]
[metal creaking]
[Dash humming]
Dash...
Oh, no.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
You're pinned.
[grunts in exertion]
[continues humming]
What are you... What
are you saying, Dash?
I-I-I can't understand
what you're saying.
Somebody help me!
Please!
Help me!
Good morning.
Why don't I put you up here.
That's a good view.
There you go.
[sea birds calling]
[Gordon] Memory is
the ultimate definer
of our lives.
For what are our lives, but
a collection of memories...
memories of events,
experiences, emotions...
all stamped onto our
nervous systems,
all leading to here and now,
making us each the
person we are today.
Without them, the present
would be void of context.
And complete.
Now, I want you to
close your eyes
and think of a memory you
associate with your youth.
Happy birthday!
Just let it come, unfiltered.
Now think of a memory
that makes you happy.
Now consider the most painful
memory of your life.
Now open your eyes.
The moments of your lives...
that make a life...
that define you.
We tend to think of memories
as these filed-away facts
stored safely in the
brain, when in actuality,
everything that's
happened to you
since the event you remember
has altered the
memory of that event,
providing a new filter through
which you experience it,
a filter that
changes, and forgets,
and exaggerates, and
combines, and morphs.
But the pure experience does
still exist within you,
for your brain has the ability
to remember every event
that's ever happened to you,
down to the greatest of detail.
The problem is you have
no way of recalling it,
no way to clear the
filters of time
and get back to the truth.
Until now.
The Rememory machine
allows people
to experience the
truth of their lives.
What you're seeing before you
are actual extracted memories
from our test group.
[skateboard rolling]
[girl] Mom! Mom!
Good morning, birthday boy.
[woman] Please.
Quite simply, this device allows people
to experience the real event again
by extracting and transcribing
the actual memory
from their brain
and displaying it before them,
providing the opportunity
to understand
and, more importantly,
cope with their past.
Pure, uncluttered,
unfiltered truth.
Thank you very much for coming.
[applause]
Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!
You tapped into the
personal, Gordon,
and that is how you
change the world.
-We need more time.
-But why?
You've done what
you set out to do.
After what Neil just disclosed minutes
before I had to go out there!
He shouldn't have put such
a concern before you.
I have a right to know!
It in no way changes
the science.
Then why did you
keep it from me?
I wish you'd see that
I was protecting you.
I'll tie up all the loose ends.
All the research indicates
the machine is safe.
I want more time. Those
patients are my responsibility.
Look, Gordon, you are
a brilliant man.
You've developed
something extraordinary,
something that will rival the
world's greatest inventions.
It will perfect the legal
system, cure Alzheimer's,
but more importantly,
it'll help people heal.
Focus on the good it'll bring.
Be proud.
That prototype is our future.
Hi, thank you. Thank
you for coming.
Thank you for coming.
-Gordon?
-Not here, Wendy.
I want them back.
They're not here. They're
locked away at my house.
Well, get them. Gordon,
you have no right...
Ahem.
...to project my past in front
of people I don't even know.
You knew exactly
what this entailed,
and you know they're needed
to verify the research.
I didn't know what you'd find.
And that you'd use them
to manipulate me...
You know that's not
what happened.
What happened, Gordon?
What happened?
Gordon, please, just tell me.
Wendy... I'm sorry.
-[sea birds calling]
-[laughter]
-[Gordon] Here she comes.
-[Carolyn] Here she comes.
[girl] Let's take a picture.
Is it picture time?
-Get... Get ready!
-Okay!
This is gotta be good,
don't mess it up.
-Make sure you frame us!
-Get together!
-Okay, we're together. -Don't
forget to smile. Say cheese!
[both] Cheese!
[Carolyn chuckles]
Daddy, come on! Let's
go build a sandcastle!
I can't think of a time in my
life when I've been happier.
Me neither.
Everything is in
its right place.
Gordon. Gordon.
[Todd] Gordon!
[sighs, sniffles]
Todd, what are you doing here?
-We should talk.
-Uhh...
This isn't entirely appropriate.
What can I do for you?
-You brought things back...
-To help you work through them.
Things that should've
stayed buried in the past.
It's a process, Todd. It can be difficult.
I've explained that.
-You fucked up my head!
-No. No, I didn't, Todd.
You came to me hurt and injured.
We're moving forward...
[tsking] No. No, you...
You came to me.
My life? My life
was better before.
You ruined my life,
and now you're gonna
make a bunch of money?
Todd. Todd, listen to me.
Jesus, Todd!
[beeps]
[car door closes]
[sniffles]
[machine bloops]
I can't think of a time in my
life when I've been happier.
Me neither.
Everything in its right place.
[Carolyn laughs]
[thunder rumbling]
No bullet wounds.
Yes, but those are bullet
holes, aren't they?
Mm-hmm.
Well, they weren't
there yesterday.
Any recent arguments,
disagreements between Mr. Dunn
and anyone here at the company?
No, no. None that I'm aware of.
Gonna need to see the
security footage,
names of all the people with
access to this building.
Yes, of course.
[horse neighs]
Come on, that's a good girl.
Carolyn.
[Lawton] Gordon
Dunn was not only
a profoundly brilliant man,
but a profoundly good man,
a rare combination
in my experience,
and one that made him
an extraordinary
person to be around.
I count myself lucky...
I count myself fortunate...
for every moment I was able
to spend in his company.
This is a terrible loss.
He was a true pioneer, and
his work will live on.
We will mourn him
deeply at Cortex
as we begin to recover
from the shock.
This is not just a Cortex loss,
this is the world's loss.
[press clamoring]
Why have the police
opened an investigation?
While we have no doubt that
he died of natural causes,
we simply want to
be beyond certain
that nothing
unscrupulous took place,
given the unfortunate timing.
But rest assured,
it will not delay
or alter the production
of the machine.
Thank you.
Neil, what do you have?
-Well, you're not gonna like it.
-Surprise me.
Well, as you know, the final
stages of the Rememory machine
were completed almost entirely
by Gordon himself,
the essential steps.
Yes, but he must've left behind
extensive notes, plans...
You know how secretive
and protective he was.
That's why he demanded using
actual glass for the memories
instead of storing them
on a closed cloud server.
We're in his network, but
all his data is encrypted,
and sophisticatedly so.
I mean, it's actually
quite brilliant--
Are you telling me that
we can't reverse engineer
the product that we engineered?
Not without Gordon's prototype,
at least not for some time.
Define "some time."
A year? Optimistically.
[sighs] Well. Well, it
can't just be lost.
Thank you. Bye.
[Carolyn] I'm testing you.
-I don't think you remember.
-[Gordon] The sea lion.
Yes, yes!
Weeks after we showed them,
we showed them numbers and
symbols on the cards,
and then weeks after,
they could correctly
identify the matching cards.
That's amazing. Their brains are
a quarter the size of ours.
Mm. So that alone is
advanced cognitive function,
but you know what was
really incredible?
Hmm, what?
They could remember the whole
thing ten years later.
People can't even do that.
Some people in particular!
[doorbell rings]
-Hi.
-Hello.
-Hi.
-Um. Sorry.
I'm James Klinch. I'm
here for the reception.
Yes, I'm sorry, I
sent everyone away.
I just, I couldn't take any more
mindless platitudes. I'm sorry.
Thanks for coming.
[doorbell rings]
Time heals all wounds.
Uh... that's a really bad joke.
The platitudes...
It's quite cheeky under
the circumstances, yeah.
I know you want to be alone,
but I just wanted to say
how truly sorry I am. Truly.
Thank you.
How did you know Gordon?
He saved my life.
Now, that's a story
I'd like to hear.
Thank you.
You can help me clean up.
We happened to be staying at
the same hotel one night.
He was there for a conference,
and I was there...
because my life
hadn't worked out,
not the way I imagined,
and I was in a bad place.
And the hotel was a
very tall building.
There was a terrible
storm that night,
but it was strangely warm.
It felt like a
hurricane was coming.
I couldn't sleep, so I went
down to the hotel bar.
It was a typical hotel bar,
which is to say
it's really the only thing
I can remember about it.
But Gordon was sitting
there, having a nightcap.
He seemed lost in thought.
I was... drowning in mine.
After a few moments, he
turns to me and he says,
"This night can go
one of two ways.
Either we can sit here drinking
alone with our thoughts,
or we can make
something out of it."
He smiled and ordered
a bottle of whiskey.
This whiskey.
And we talked about
everything under the sun.
I mean everything.
Our whole life story.
I told him things I had
never told anyone before.
I don't know, maybe it was the
storm or the booze, or...
something, it just felt like
the last night of the world.
We had so much to drink
that we go up to the roof
with the idea that we'll make
it until the sun comes up,
and we go out there in the
middle of this storm.
I mean, the wind
is blowing hard.
I remember thinking just how
powerful wind could actually be.
Against the storm, my problems,
they seemed so trivial.
We tried to get back inside,
but the door was locked,
so we were stuck out
there all night.
I woke up the next morning and
somehow I knew I'd be okay,
that I'd live.
Surviving that
storm, it saved me.
If Gordon could still love life
after everything
he'd been through,
how could I not?
He never told me that story.
I've never told
anyone that story.
We stayed in touch a few times,
but really our friendship
was meant for one night.
I'm a little bit jealous.
It makes me feel like I
didn't know him anymore...
not since our daughter...
I guess maybe I didn't
for a long time.
You can convince
yourself that you do,
but then a complete stranger
shows up, tells you a story...
[chuckles]
...then you realize, God, I
didn't even scratch the surface.
Yeah, I see, I'm sorry.
I didn't--
No, I'm-- I'm really
glad that you did.
Do you remember the last
conversation you had?
Mm, I wish I didn't.
I lost my brother.
Long time ago.
I'm sorry.
I was there when he died.
He said something to me,
but I can't remember
what he said.
I can remember every
detail of that night,
except the last words
he said to me.
It's funny how important
the details become.
I haven't even been able to
go into Gordon's office yet.
Everyone wants to get their hands
on his papers and his journals,
and, frankly, it just seems easier
to just shut the world out.
And all everyone wants to
talk about is his work,
as if that's the most
important thing.
It's not about his family or his
life or memories that he created,
and it feels like they don't
really care about him.
I mean, he was found dead in his
office with gunshots in the walls,
and it's...
Gunshots?
Yeah, there's an investigation.
I-I thought it was an aneurysm.
The papers said--
His office was ransacked, and,
God knows, it's confusing.
Do they know who
could've done that?
He was working with a
lot of troubled people.
I know that he was
having difficulties
with some of the participants
of the research study.
Have they found anything yet?
I think we just had the funeral
for the only person at Cortex
that could find anything.
You think they're
hiding something?
There's a part of me that
just thinks I just--
I'm never gonna know the real truth,
and I didn't get to say goodbye.
I just-- sorry.
I wish that I could've
been with him.
Oh, God.
Sorry, guh...
It's okay.
So stupid, I...
I completely lost it this
morning because I was trying
to get the coffee machine
to work, and I couldn't...
and Gordon, he just, he
made the best coffee.
You know, have coffee in the
morning, I cry like a baby.
I cry at everything, I do.
Won't stop crying.
Oh...
James, would you mind awfully
telling me the story again?
Oh, uh, sure.
Cheers.
It was a dark and
stormy night...
Thank you, James.
That was unexpected.
I hope you'll visit again.
I'm happy to.
Bye.
Pure, unfiltered truth.
With the technology of
the Rememory machine,
a pure memory is recorded
onto a memory glass
objectively copied
from the brain
and able to be displayed
before the patient
and anyone else.
By re-experiencing the memory,
a catharsis is created
for the patient
that would be impossible to
achieve by simply recalling,
a sort of theater of memory,
in which the patient
becomes audience
to the truth of their lives.
[bloops, whirs]
In the recording of a memory,
the role of the psychologist
or therapist is crucial.
The patient must be guided
to the memory to be recorded
to activate that
part of the brain,
even if it cannot be
remembered consciously.
The machine has the potential
not only to access,
but also to alter the
brain's synaptic pathways,
so there is the
risk that memories
can be corrupted,
altered, and jumbled.
While it's
theoretically possible
to constructively reset or
delete selected memories,
at this time the
risks are unknown.
[bloops]
Happy birth--
Sam, honey, come on!
[exclaims]
-[laughter]
-[lighter clicks]
[Sam] Help me!
Aw, it's good to
be home, brother.
Aw, good to have
you back, brother.
Yeah!
-[Dash chuckles]
-[Sam] I'm driving.
No, no, no, no, this
is my sweet ride.
Yeah, and I'm driving
your sweet ride.
Okay. You're driving me...
[car doors slam]
[engine starts]
Other than the routine
security officers,
janitors, and maintenance crew,
only three people came
into Cortex after 11 p.m.
using limited-access
swipe cards.
However, none of them appear
with the device on
any of our cameras.
These two we've identified as
participants in Gordon's trial group,
and that... that's Neil.
Why would Gordon be meeting trial
group members here so late?
-Rather out of the ordinary.
-That I don't know.
But they arrived within
minutes of one another,
so it could be a
scheduled meeting.
Question all staff and crew
members working that night,
and then visit all
trial group members.
But be smart about it.
We can't let it get out that
we don't have the machine.
Uh, there's one other thing.
This guy. He never came in,
but he sat in the parking
lot for nearly 25 minutes.
-Who is he?
-We don't know yet.
Find out.
I need to find out what
happened to you, Gordon.
It's the least I can do.
Maybe I can't see your memories,
but I can see the memories of
those near you when you died.
You like staying at
Grandma and Grandpa's?
[child] It's okay.
They love having you.
You're lucky that you
have grandparents
and you're able to see them.
There's lots of kids wish
they still had grandparents.
But I want to stay with you.
Mom.
No.
Mama!
Okay, Gordon, let's
meet your group.
Stay with me, come on!
I want to help you get back
to the truth of that event.
Go! [sobs]
Can you tell me a memory that
fills you with self-hate?
When you keep this secret,
do you feel shame?
Mom? Mommy!
Good morning, birthday boy.
Please!
Does thinking of this
always make you so angry?
Do you miss your father?
[sobbing]
[gunfire]
[Gordon] I can show
you your past.
I understand.
It's gonna make his day to
see his Cousin Rafferty.
I hope so.
It's been forever
since I've seen him.
Charles, look who's
here to see you!
[Charles humming]
These plants, they
kept his brain alive.
I swear he remembers all the days
of the week they need watering,
but none of the
other nurses here.
Isn't that right, Charles?
Charles? Cousin Rafferty's
here to see you.
I'll leave you to it.
-Thank you.
-You're welcome.
Hugh, is that you?
No... my name is Rafferty.
Charles, do you
remember Gordon Dunn?
The doctor?
Do I know you?
You brought it.
Do you want to watch?
Yes, please.
Come on.
[gunfire, air raid sirens]
[playful shouting]
[dog whimpers]
Okay, Buster. All right.
My life. That's my life.
Cindy was... was my wife.
I was always true to her.
Charles, who are
the other people
in the group working
with Gordon?
I need to find them.
I remember one, a
woman, Allison.
She came here to see
me a few times.
Do you remember her last name?
She never told me.
Just one more question,
if you can remember.
When you were recording
your memories,
what did Gordon tell you about
going back to a specific moment?
It was all about focus...
Focus?
[mutters]
I thought I told you, you
have to let the water drain.
-Um, okay.
-I'll look at it myself.
Thank you, Charles.
Let it drain.
-[horse snuffles]
-Yeah, sweets.
Good afternoon, Mrs. Dunn.
Good afternoon.
So, we got the results of
the toxicology report.
-And?
-Well, there were a few spikes,
but nothing that indicate
anything unusual.
Well, what about the gunshots?
It's still an ongoing
investigation.
Now, we're still
running ballistics,
and Cortex is cooperating
with background checks
as well as security footage.
Eh, Lawton came 'round
this morning to reassure me.
I think he just wanted to
get into Gordon's office.
Was everything all right
between you and Gordon?
Mm. Goodbye, Detective.
I'll be in touch.
[knocking]
-Allison?
-She's not here.
Can I help you?
Yes, my name is Basil.
I work for Cortex.
She's part of an
experiment group for us,
and it's my job to check
in on the participants
from time to time and make
sure they're doing well.
-You work for Cortex?
-Yes, ma'am.
And what is your name?
Basil. Basil Pine.
Well, Basil, if that's the case,
you are truly shit at your job.
I'm sorry?
Allison is dead.
She killed herself
three weeks ago.
You didn't know.
-I'm sorry. -Sorry doesn't
bring back my sister.
She was too fragile to be part
of your idiotic experiment.
Anyone with half an eye
could've seen that.
I have her memories.
I know about the difficulties
in your past, Allison.
I know the medications
aren't working.
I can help.
Happy birthday, Alli-boo!
This may take a while.
It's a process.
It may get worse
before it gets better.
That birthday, we surprised her.
That was the last time
I saw her truly happy.
Do you think she
blamed the machine?
I think it suffocated
her in her own past.
What's the point
of this, anyway?
Why does the machine exist?
I'm not sure, exactly.
But Gordon Dunn believed
that we don't know
the true value of a moment
until it becomes a memory.
Maybe he was trying to get people
to see the value of a moment
before it changes or
gets lost forever.
Well, that's very nice
and flowery, but...
Did anyone from
Cortex contact you?
Gordon, or someone
from his group?
One phone call from
some guy named Robert.
-Lawton?
-That's right.
He offered me a check as long
as I didn't talk to anyone.
-Did you take it?
-Of course I took it.
Who couldn't use $50,000?
Anyway, you can't fight these corporations.
You never win.
No.
I'm very sorry
about your sister.
You know, there was
another guy came by,
a young guy, kind of strange.
He said he was a researcher
from the doctor... Gordon.
What did he want?
To know if Allison
really killed herself.
That was all.
He seemed shocked
when I said yes.
You remember his name?
Neil Frankel.
-The valentine.
-What's that?
Nothing, just trying
to remember the name.
Mm.
Well, that's what he said.
But then again, you said
your name was Basil Pine.
Fill yourself with quarters
Showered and blue-blazered
Fill yourself with quarters
[Sam] Somebody help me!
Please!
[sobbing, panting]
[strumming guitar]
Who are you working for?
An interested party.
Who are you?
I worked with Gordon. I
was a research assistant.
Neil Frankel?
How did you find me?
I remembered your face
from the product launch.
I tracked you down.
-Pretty good memory.
-It's photographic.
That's the reason why Gordon wanted
me a part of the test group.
-He found it curious.
-What do you want from me?
The machine.
Is it missing?
-We need the machine!
-Who's we?
-Cortex!
-I don't-- I don't have it.
But I can help you find
it if you help me.
-How? -Tell me what led
to Allison's suicide.
You're not supposed
to know about that.
There are people
looking for you--
A man has been murdered.
We got bigger things
to worry about.
-It was an aneurysm.
-That's what they say,
but if you trusted Lawton we
wouldn't be meeting like this.
Unless this is a set up.
Why did you go see Allison?
I wanted to see if it was true.
About her suicide?
But she'd been dead
for weeks when you got there.
I didn't know that. Not
even Gordon knew--
How could you not know?
Her test phases were over, it--
Lawton didn't want us to know.
He was hiding it.
Yes, could you imagine the
headlines if it got out
that a patient had killed
herself during trials?
That would've been the story. It
would've ended the whole thing.
By the time Gordon found out,
he had no choice but to
continue with the launch.
But he didn't know everything.
The research, it's flawed.
-Lawton manipulated it.
-Why would they do that?
Because a not so small
percentage of people
were prone to adverse
effects of the machine.
Adverse how?
Explicit and emotional
memories getting confused
and playing out in reality,
over-firing of synapses,
hallucinations, time collapse.
Just like Allison.
If Gordon had known,
he would've fixed it,
I don't have a doubt, but he
would've needed time, months,
and that's something
that Lawton didn't have.
He made certain promises.
There are issues
to be figured out,
but the machine is incredible.
What it can do for people, it...
Gordon deserves to be
remembered as a genius.
I think we're done here.
If you find the machine,
you know where I work.
I'm looking for a young woman
who was part of the test group.
Well, there were two, and
now one of them's dead.
Mom? Mommy?
Please.
I love you.
Gordon.
[thunder rumbling]
We've tracked down the group,
but none have the machine.
I was saving this...
for Gordon's return.
I'm sure he would've wanted you
to enjoy it nonetheless.
Do you have any idea
the amount of pressure
crushing down on me?
We'll find it.
Yes, you will.
Good morning, birthday boy.
Please.
Does thinking of this
always make you so angry?
Wendy, this will help.
So, when you think of it,
do you still feel fear?
-Mom?
-Does your heart rate increase?
Mommy!
I understand.
I'll be here if you
have any questions.
It's beautiful, isn't it?
Exquisite.
Reminds me of a memory.
Yeah? Of what?
My father.
He was a real outdoorsman.
Hunting, fishing,
hiking, all of it.
One day, he took my brother
and I out for a hunt.
It was rare that he
took both of us.
We dug a hole in the
mud and waited.
I just wanted to make him proud.
After about an hour,
a rabbit popped up.
I grabbed my gun,
and he went from a quick
hop to a straight drop.
Blood everywhere.
Yeah, kind of wish I
could forget that one.
You have something you
wish you could forget?
Or someone? Gordon Dunn, maybe?
Who are you?
I'm working for his widow.
I know about you and him.
-You think he was killed?
-I do.
And I know you saw
him that night.
I know you stole the machine.
I loved him, and he loved me.
Was it over?
It's not my choice.
Is that why you
took the machine?
To get back at him?
While I was working with
Gordon one session,
he-- he saw something.
It was nothing incriminating,
it was just this memory
from a few years ago
with the man I loved.
A private moment.
He had no right to even see it.
So I wanted it back.
Imagine, to have your memories
watched by other people,
in front of an audience?
It was like my life
wasn't my own anymore.
Every memory became
clouded with Gordon.
But you didn't get them back.
I tried.
I took the machine from Cortex
and I went back to
Gordon's house.
[soft noise]
I just wanted to get
my memories back.
I didn't care about the rest.
-But then...
-[Carolyn] Gordon?
Gordon?
Gordon?
I even tried to go back,
but everything was gone.
I can't move on from this
until I have my memories back.
If you help me find
who killed Gordon...
I'll get them back for you.
If you haven't talked to
Todd yet, you should.
He was furious.
He was there that night?
Gordon was...
he was a brilliant man,
and a truly good man.
I still haven't decided
if his creation was.
Yeah, neither have I.
Why are you doing this?
Resolution.
[Carolyn's doorbell rings]
It has one button. Off and on.
[chuckling]
Med school. Oxford.
Specifically, the
woods behind the lab.
Gordon was testing on animals
and I was freeing them,
and he got worried that someone
was busting out the primates,
so he came after me.
He found me in the woods
feeding sandwiches to Pickles.
Pickles?
Pickles the chimp.
Okay.
It was a whole other time.
Funny how life goes, huh?
Years pass, and slowly you
find yourself defined
not so much by the
things that you do,
but the things
that you don't do.
I was gonna learn
French, write a book,
I was gonna have a happy,
huge, sprawling family,
and one by one, I
didn't do those things,
or those things didn't happen.
And I am what is left.
I guess, in part, we're all
remains of unfulfilled dreams.
After Jane died, Gordon wanted
to have another, and I couldn't.
So he threw himself
into his work.
I think he really believed
that the machine could
change the past,
and when he realized
that he-- it didn't--
he found himself another woman
who didn't remind him of that.
And I still loved him.
I will always love him.
He was brilliant.
And the last thing
that I said to him...
was "You're an asshole."
And I have to live with that
memory and that reality and...
God, it just feels like
there's no ending.
I think there will
be an end to it.
I believe that.
And if we are, as Gordon said,
just the sum of our memories,
I'm really glad to have
made this one with you.
[crashing]
[panting]
I can't think of a time in my
life when I've been happier.
One left.
TODD
No. No!
Excuse me. Hello.
-Pickup?
-What?
Do you have a pickup?
-Uh, no.
-So, how can I help you?
I wanted to ask you a few
questions about Gordon Dunn.
Get out of here.
-Okay. Just a few questions--
-Get out of here.
-Just a few quest--
-Get out!
Hey. Ahem.
[clears throat loudly]
Sir. Ahem.
How did you know the
combination to the safe?
I-I've seen your memories, Todd.
What do you want from me?
Did you kill Gordon Dunn?
Put it down. Put it down!
I know he was killed, I
know you were fighting,
and I know you were
at Cortex that night.
I didn't kill him. Put it down!
Just-- why were you fighting?
Okay. I'll tell you.
I'll tell you.
I'll tell you. Just put it down.
I wanted to kill him.
I really did.
[scoffs]
He didn't tell us what
the machine would do.
Not at all.
He didn't tell us it would...
bring back things
that we had buried.
You know, the mind forgets
things for a reason.
You didn't listen!
You never listened!
And now it's too late.
Take it easy.
Calm down, please. Please.
Take it easy. Calm down.
No, you don't want to--
Please, don't let this escalate.
No, no. No!
[gunshots]
When I woke up...
in the hospital, I had...
I'd forgotten everything.
And then the machine
brought it all back,
and it wouldn't stop
playing in my mind.
Her getting shot over...
and over.
I saw it everywhere.
I couldn't turn it off.
It was my fault.
And then I found out...
that Gordon knew about the
shooting the whole time.
He chose you because he knew
what you'd been through.
He ruined my life,
you understand?
I asked him to
delete that memory,
and he wouldn't do it!
He brought back a memory
that my brain had
erased for a reason.
So, yeah, I was there in that
office that night to kill him.
And this time...
I had my finger on the trigger.
And I couldn't do it.
I knew I couldn't live with it.
Prove it.
...tell my life...
Gordon...
Gordon...
Gordon!
[sighs, chuckles]
Uh, Todd, what are
you doing here?
You fucked up my head!
You came to me injured and hurt.
[tsking]
No. No, you, you came to me.
My life? My life
was better before.
Jesus, Todd.
You ruined my life,
and now you're gonna
make a bunch of money?
-That's not why. -You don't
give a shit about anyone!
-[gunshot]
-[screams]
Listen to me.
You know, when I fall,
my eyes roll back,
blood splattered... blood
splattered everywhere...
[gunshot]
that's not a memory you want.
[gunshot]
It's better than what
you've done to me.
Don't do it, Todd.
She lied to me.
Why would Wendy
want to set you up?
She blamed me for Gordon
breaking it off with her.
Why?
Because when I found
out about them,
I threatened Gordon with it.
Told them I'd tell his
wife if he didn't fix me.
He talked me back,
but right after he
broke up with her.
I need to see what she saw.
That's not gonna happen.
She's not going back in there.
I'll get her on the machine.
I wouldn't be so sure.
I have what she wants.
Ah, a brand-new tent, going
camping up at Frost Lake!
Whoo! It's another
five miles to hike,
but it gets us past
all the tourists.
We'll have it to ourselves.
What do you say, brother?
You're not here, Dash.
What are you talking about?
Of course I'm here.
-We're going camping, man.
-You're not here.
-You're dead.
-[scoffs]
Dead, what a stupid
thing to say.
Of course I'm here.
I'm not dead.
What-- Where you going, man?
What is this? What the--
What the hell is going on?
I'm right here!
You're dead, Dash,
and it's my fault.
That doesn't sound like a
brotherly thing to do.
I couldn't let Dad blame
me for your death.
It would only prove him right.
I had to ruin your name
not to ruin my life!
You did more than ruin my name.
We found him. He came
to see the old man.
He matches the description,
and the nurses said he was
carrying a briefcase.
Same one Gordon used to bring.
[Lawton] Let me take care of it.
Understood.
[knocking on door]
-James?
-Hi, can I come in?
I need to talk to you.
Are you okay?
James, what's the matter?
I need to tell you something.
I haven't been completely
honest with you.
-Why do you have that?
-I took it.
You stole it? That's
Gordon's life's work.
I'm trying to figure out what
happened to him. I'm so close!
-This machine, it's--
-[vehicle approaching]
Who is that?
-Oh, it's Lawton.
-Oh, shit.
You can't let him
know that I'm here.
You stole the machine.
Why wouldn't I?
Because I think I know
who killed Gordon,
and Lawton has been lying.
He lied to you, Carolyn...
-[doorbell rings]
-...and he lied to Gordon.
Please, Carolyn, you
have to believe me.
-Robert.
-I need to talk to you, Carolyn.
Come in.
Can I get you anything?
No. No, I'm fine, thank you.
How can I help?
There seems to be more
to Gordon's death.
Hmm, in what way?
When I saw him that night
in-- in the office,
he had the Rememory
machine with him,
but in the morning, and I was
one of the first ones there,
it was gone, his
office ransacked.
Someone took it.
Are you saying someone
killed him for the machine?
It rather would appear so.
-Tent's all set up.
-[clicks lighter]
Let's start a fire.
Why haven't you told anyone?
We need to keep this quiet.
Word cannot get out that
the machine is missing.
-Robert, you can't just
not tell-- -Carolyn.
I know who did this.
Do you know who this is?
-No.
-His name is Samuel Bloom.
No, he doesn't use it much.
He has the machine,
and we believe he's the one
responsible for Gordon's death.
If you see him, or
he tries to get
in contact with you in any way,
it's crucial that you let
me know immediately.
As you know, the...
the police have been
useless in this matter...
but Cortex won't be.
-Sure.
-Good.
Carolyn, it's important...
that word of this
doesn't get out
-for Gordon's work.
-Of course.
I know that he and I have had our
differences in our approach,
but you must know that
I believed in him,
and I only want his
creation to be his legacy.
You want that, don't you?
I would imagine that a man
so obsessed with memory
would want people
to remember him,
more than his invention.
Yes, of course.
You know, I would...
I would hate it if I found
out that you were lying.
I think you should leave.
Good evening.
-Who are you?
-Carolyn, please.
Tell me, or I'm
calling the police.
I'm sorry I lied to you.
I had to.
-Why?
-To help.
By stealing the machine?
What's your name?
What's your real name?
-Samuel Bloom.
-Did you kill Gordon?
-No.
-Did you even know him?
Did you meet at the hotel?
Was any of that true, the
story that you told me?
He told me about Jane.
How he blamed himself, and...
how much he missed her...
that she wanted
to go to Scotland
to see the real castles,
and you were planning
on taking her.
You were going to surprise
her for her tenth birthday.
That he loved you more than
anything, and he just...
He couldn't go on without you,
but there were times when you
reminded him so much of Jane
that he just couldn't bear it,
that he was working on
something revolutionary
that would allow him
to be with her again.
I need your help, Carolyn.
There was a woman, part of
the test group, Wendy Polk.
That's her.
She lied to me.
I know now that she was the last
person to see Gordon alive.
We need to get her
on this machine.
We need to see what she saw.
I'm gonna need your
help to do that.
I want to try it.
-You ready?
-Mm. No.
[both laughing]
My beauty.
[laughing]
-You have made a commitment to me.
-It will free us up.
You have made a
commitment to me.
[laughing]
Can I put the star
on top of the tree?
Look, Mommy!
[Carolyn chuckles]
Beautiful.
[gasping]
I know you were the
last one who saw him.
-And I know you killed him.
-No.
I loved him.
Oh, is that right?
I hated him the day he died,
but I was in love with him.
All you were to him
was a distraction.
I know more than you think.
I know a part of his
life that you don't.
I still believed in him.
I also know memories he had
that you don't know about,
that he only shared with me.
I know a whole man you didn't.
[chuckles] Wow.
You're quite a confident
little shit, aren't you?
But he chose you, so...
We can't even share our stories,
and now I am left with nothing.
Well, we're both
left with nothing.
I just... I want all
this to be over.
I want my memories back.
Well, if you want
your memories back...
I'd like you to do
something for me.
Gordon? Oh, Jesus Christ!
[running footsteps]
[panting]
Gordon? Gordon, wake up!
Please wake up!
Please wake up. Please,
please, please wake up.
Wake up.
What have you done?
What did you do?
[sobbing] Okay.
Okay. Okay.
[sobbing]
Oh...
So he was already dead
when you arrived.
I'm so sorry.
These are yours.
Thank you.
You should have this.
It's time.
Ah, it's good to
be home, brother.
It's good to have
you home, Dash.
-No, no, no, no, no.
-What, I'm driving!
No, no! This is my sweet ride.
Man, I'm driving
your sweet ride.
Okay. Okay.
[laughing]
You're driving, ah!
[doors close]
[engine starts]
- Showered and blue-blazered...
-That's great, though.
You get mistaken for strangers
by your own friends
When you pass in the night
Under the silvery,
silvery Citibank lights
Arm in arm and arm and
eyes and eyes glazing over
-Under. Under!
-Over!
-Under! Surprise.
-I don't--
Whatever it was.
Another un-innocent,
elegant fall
Into the un-magnificent
lives of adults
[imitates drumming]
Yeah, come on! Come on, rock star!
You take it!
Something to believe in
your heart of hearts
When you've something to wear
on your sleeve of sleeves
So you swear you just
saw a feathery woman
Carry a blindfolded
man through the trees
Showered and blue-blazered
Fill yourself with quarters
Showered and blue...
[crashing]
[Dash muttering]
Come here, Dash. You're pinned!
I'm just gonna turn you--
[grunts in exertion]
Come on, Dash!
Shit!
Wait. Hey, hey. Easy.
[muttering]
I-I can't understand
what you're saying.
Another... another
un-innocent, elegant fall
Into the un-magnificent
lives of adults
[sobbing]
You were just singing the song.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
Help me!
Somebody help me!
Please!
Oh, my God.
Dash, I got you. Come here.
I'm gonna have to
leave you here, man.
Okay? You stay here.
[sobbing, panting]
[Todd] You ruined my life,
and now you're gonna
make a bunch of money?
-Jesus, Todd. -You don't
give a shit about anyone!
Todd, listen to me.
The moment I fall, and
my eyes roll back,
blood splattered everywhere,
you'll have to live with that,
and it'll be worse
than any memory
that was brought back for you.
[gunshot]
Oh...
It's better... than
what you've done to me.
Todd...
Oh, God.
Oh, God.
What have I done?
What have I done?
Oh, God.
-Here she comes.
-Here she comes.
Let's take a picture.
-Is it picture time?
-Get together.
Okay, we're together,
we're together.
-Say cheese.
-Cheese!
Perfect.
Let's go build a sandcastle.
Build a sandcastle.
I can't think of a
time in my life
when I've been happier.
Carolyn.
Me neither.
Everything in its right place.
Right place.
...star on top of the tree?
Cheese!
Oh, my God!
Dad, I love you.
That was a beautiful
day, sweetie.
It was a beautiful day, but
there were so many days.
There were so many memories.
Mm...
The machine killed him.
When I met Gordon
at the hotel...
I knew who he was.
I wanted to apologize, but...
there were no words...
just like there are
no words right now.
I wanted to tell you
everything, but I-I-I...
I just, I couldn't.
If you watch this, you'll
understand who I am...
who I really am.
I'm truly sorry, Carolyn.
I'm so sorry.
Goodbye.
Sam...
Sam, James, Rafferty...
[scoffs]
Whoever you really
are, thank you.
[Gordon] We define our
lives by our memories.
Who we are on a particular day
is the result of memories
from every day before.
But memories are
elastic, malleable,
often mercurial things.
I think of my own life,
the sum of my memories.
Like any man, I've done many
things that I feel guilt for.
I feel pain from
so many things...
for the damndest of things.
Memories of true happiness are
what make life worth living,
but they're so often lost
in the sea of bad ones.
We are nothing more than
the memories we keep...
memories of overwhelming joy...
profound sadness...
gratitude...
pride...
grief...
despair...
remorse...
passion...
regret...
Regret.
Regret.
But the strongest
memories we carry with us
are ones of love.
Afternoon, Oliver.
Afternoon.
It's Sam.
My name is Sam.
Well, then, afternoon, Sam.
And finally, hope.
Now, I want you to
think of a memory,
first thing that comes to mind.
Go ahead, close your eyes.
I could walk out
But I won't
In my mind I am
In your arms
I wish someone
Would take my place
Can't face heaven
or the hell I face
No one's cared
for all the time
If you lose me I'm gonna die
How completely
High was I
I was off by a
thousand miles
Hit the ceiling
Then you fall
Things are tougher
than we are
I could walk out
But I won't
In my mind I'm in your arms
I wish someone
Would take my place
Can't face heaven
or heaven face
Let's go wait out
in the fields
With the ones we love
Let's go wait out in fields
With the ones we love
Let's go wait out in fields
With the ones we love
Let's go wait out in fields
With the ones we love
She's a griever
Not a believer
It's not a fever
It's a freezer
I believe her
And I'm a griever now
She's a griever
Not a believer
It's not a fever
It's a freezer
I believe her
And I'm a griever now
Become the man on the right
And heaven-like
We'll all arrive
[bloops]
[powering down]