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The Furnace (2019)
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Well, there's no name on it, but the card says, "A new set of wings for my favorite angel." "Sorry about the color." Well, that can only be from Matt to you. - Here you go, sweetie. - Aww. Well, as long as it's not pink, then you're safe. Oh-oh. Oh! Yeah, oh my gosh, these are the exact ones I wanted. Sorry. You pay attention. - I do. - Honey, thank you so much. Merry Christmas. - Okay, next. - Whoa, whoa, whoa. There's more. - It's pink, too. - Open it. They match, good job. God! Yeah? Winning Powerball ticket? No, no! Two tickets to Africa, for both of us! - Africa? - The Furnace! It's, um, it's a race. 150 miles across the biggest animal reserve in the world. You run with buffaloes, lions, elephants, rhinos. - Leopards. - Leopards. The big five, you know? You race against animals? No. No, Mom, you race against people. I mean, there's animals there, but some racers do get a little too close for comfort, but that's the fun of it. I bet there's nothing like being chased by a lion to make you run faster, right? - Especially with you. - Oh. You couldn't find something more suitable for your honeymoon like Venice or Paris? Matt! Have a safe flight! Bye! Oh, my god, that's cold. Man, we should've warmed this thing up first. Oh, god. Your present went down like a lead balloon, huh? You can't blame your mom. In her mind, you're still in junior high. Hey, merry Christmas. We've all been there. Some worse than others, of course. I'm talking about the bottom of your soul, where there's nowhere left to go. A suffocating nothingness as death tightens its grasp around your throat. Squeezing. Hard. You said I would be fine with the one lung. Yeah, I didn't say you'd be able to run through the woods. I wasn't running, I was jogging. You were lucky the man you were chasing after was a doctor. I wasn't chasing anyone. That's not what he said. You should be thankful. Thankful? You could've ended up in a wheelchair. Mary. Why didn't I just die? Even before I met her, I buried her husband. That's if you can call being married to a man for two days your husband. She never noticed me, she was too bent over with that oxygen mask of hers to notice anything. I hate you! Did you, uh, say something? Who are you? I am the grave digger. Coffin. Coffin? Yeah, well, for obvious reasons. Are you okay? The lawyers tell me that you haven't given a deposition yet. We can't hold them responsible for the brake pads on the truck until you do. I don't care. This money can go a long way to help covering your med... I don't want it. Mary, I'm just trying to help. I didn't ask for your help. I didn't ask for anyone's help. I just wish you'd all leave me alone, but everyone, they just love a cripple! You are not a cripple! Oh, yeah, then what do you call this? And this! Mary. I just want it to stop. Mary. Neil Armstrong. The first man to set foot on the Moon. I know who Neil Armstrong is. Well, one small step for women, one huge leap for you. What do you want? I can help you. I don't want any help. Well, what we want and what we need are often completely different. And what is it that I need, huh? For someone to catch you. Who says I'm gonna fall? You just did. Coffin! You remembered. It's a hard name to forget. Mm, yeah. Can I buy you a cup of coffee? I've got a huge funeral, but I knock off at five. I was a doctor, once. Doctor, huh? Wow. Yes, there was a civil war in my country, and when the killing started, I managed to get out. But unfortunately, no other member of my family was able to. Sorry. Well, like I said, it was a long time ago. So... If you're a doctor, I mean, you're qualified, right? Well, is there any other kind? So, why aren't you practicing? Well, in America, the degree's different. You have study for a further two years. Why didn't you? I, um... I was busy trying to make ends meet. I mean, I worked as an orderly. But I was fired for giving a patient the wrong advice. Her doctor misdiagnosed her. I mean, he was inexperienced, so it was understandable. He just refused to take my advice. What happened? Well, she died. Not from anything I did, there were complications. He failed to see a clot in her brain. Of course, he knew about the business with the pills, and blamed me for his negligence. Yeah, so I, um, I spent five years in jail. So, why did you say that you could help me? I'm a doctor. Not anymore. I put my faith in a higher power. God? Mm, I've seen him do incredible things. Really? After everything that's happened to you, how can you still believe in God? When Joseph was thrown in prison, he didn't dwell on the injustice, he believed. I believe in God. And I believe in you. If you let me, I'd like to help you out of your prison. You think you can do that? I think we can. Have that. Have that, now blow. Bubbles. Blow. Faster! Lift the knees up! Okay, all right, okay. I'm here, I'll save you, just go down for a while. Come on, come on. Deeply, chest out, chin up. Some more, more. There's plenty more where that came from. Faster than that! Hey, what're you... Courage does not always roar. Sometimes, courage is a quiet voice at the end of the day, saying "I will try again tomorrow", "and the tomorrow after that tomorrow, if necessary." It worked! Mom! - Sweetheart, you're early. - Hey, yeah. Where is it? Where's what? Oh, stop playing silly games, where... - It's in the car. - I'll go get it. Oh, no, no, Coffin will bring it. Coffin! - Coffin? - Coffin! Ah, thank you. Mom, this is Coffin. How do you do? He works in the cemetery, digging graves. - Digging graves, oh. - Yes, yes, that's right. I've been doing it so long, I can barely remember my first name. I'm just kidding. Shegai Shanan. Oh, Shlegai, um... That's why they call me Coffin. Yeah. He's gonna stay for dinner. Oh, but why didn't you phone me? I only prepared for the three of us! What's to eat, like a bird? Let's just give him some of mine. - What's going on? - Hi, Dad, this is Coffin. How do you do? Coffin? - Yes. - I'll explain later. Well, let's not loiter in the doorway, giving the neighbors something to gossip about. Come on, come in. - Welcome. - Thank you. I was petrified! I mean, I'm standing there, the lion's cornered and I've got my spear anchored in the ground and I waited and the lion just jumps at me and the teeth and jaws! I could see its tonsils and I was thinking to myself, wow, what great big... He's a fascinating man. Yeah. Yeah, he really is. You don't know the half of it. What a nice change not to talk about me for a while. Honey, I don't think it's such a good idea to stop wearing the oxygen mask. What did I just say, Mom? Yes, I know, I know, I know. But have you mentioned this to Dr. Phillips? No, why should I? She's gonna say what you say. She knows a lot more about this than you or I. Not Coffin. - What? - Coffin's a doctor, too. I thought you said he was a gravedigger? Yeah, he is. Mary, please don't tell me he's some kind of a witch doctor. A witch doctor? Yeah, the occult, voodoo. All that stuff they do in Africa. "Stuff they do in Africa." Really, Mom? That stuff is real. You know, you know what? Coffin's the reason I'm standing here, breathing like a normal human being. Can't you just be happy for me for once? Of course I'm glad. And you, of all people, should approve, 'cause he thinks it's God that's healing me. Oh, Mary. It's true, even though his entire village was slaughtered, he still believes in God. There's no reason to be so blasphemous. "Blasphemous." You know what, I'm getting stronger by the day. I can run almost a mile without needing that stupid mask. - Run? - Yes, run! I've entered a park run, it's, it's only 10 miles. - 10 miles? - Yeah, it's a start. No, no, no, no, no, no. You're gonna injure yourself, I'm, I'm, I'm calling Dr. Phillips in the morning. She is not my doctor anymore! - We're leaving, now? - What's that? Mary? - Mary. - Mary? Mary? Are you don't want me to ride alongside you with the oxygen cylinder? Yeah, yeah, I'm sure. I'll be so far behind, you won't even know I'm there. No, it's okay, just wait for me at the finish line. Look. If I don't see you at the finish line in an hour, I'm gonna come looking for you. I'll do better than that, 53 minutes tops. You've come a long way. God really has... No, no, I did this. We did this, hard work and perseverance did this. Not some magical spirit in the sky. If you feel like you don't wanna go on, don't. There's no shame in stopping. You've obviously never been a runner. Mary! They say sorrow looks back. Got the oxygen tank. If you need it, okay? Worry looks around. Mary, pace yourself! And faith looks up. But sometimes, it's good to just keep your eyes on the ground. Okay, we're gettin' out, thank you, over. Mary, Mary! Stand back, sir. Stand back, sir. - Stand back, please. - She needs this! She needs this to breathe! No, she needs this to breathe! Mary! Mary! What's he doing here? It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. I was there when it happened. You killed her! It's all your fault, you killed her! She's not dead. Sweetie, sweetie, she's not... Look at her! Look at her! Come here, come here. It's okay, come on. How many bodies have I buried? 1,000? 2,000? I'd lost count in the drudgery that had become my life. I prayed to God that Mary not be another forgotten number. Is she dead? My wife wants to see you pay the price for what happened to Mary. What is that? I know you were only trying to help. There's a ticket to go home in here. Use it. - Ah. - Ah. - Ah. - Ah. - Ah. - Ah. Amen. All right, okay, okay. It's all right, all right. Wonderful, all right. You're a hard man to find. Yeah, it's me. I'm real. Here, feel. I'll wait for you outside. I had worked in a cemetery for years, and yet, I saw my first ghost only when I was back home. Among the living. Come on, let me show you around. Okay. Thanks. So, uh, this is all pre-war. Was part of the civil war. It's so beautiful in here. Yes. It is somewhat special. It's the only place that survived the civil war intact. Wow. The church lets me use it for a clinic. Once a week. Nice. Your father told me you were dead. Yeah. Yeah, I know. He wanted you gone. To say that you were dead. It worked, didn't it? I mean, I thought you'd abandoned me, until my dad told me about the plane ticket. I thought you were dead. Good times, right? But I'm happy you're alive. Come on. I'm sorry. Very romantic. Well, it's not by choice. Load shedding, it happens every now and again. What's load shedding? Well, they cut the power to some districts, in order to continue the supply of power to other districts. They choose the worst times to do it. I mean, it's totally frustrating. Oh, I bet it helps you get to sleep earlier. Oh, I suppose that's one benefit. Why are you here? You don't travel 10,000 miles to come and have dinner with an old fart like me. The Furnace. It's a death trap. Maybe. You could die out there. - Maybe. - Well, is that what you want? Of course not. Well, help me understand. Is it some kind of a calling from God? Don't start that again. God has better things to do than interfere with me. In our culture, there's something called Ugutwasa. It's like a calling from your ancestors, - or a calling from God. - Coffin. Look. I've been there and I lost my husband, I lost my health, I'm not trying to find... Mary, what do you want from me? I need you to help me prepare. No. No? No? I did it once before and you nearly died. Don't ask me to do that again. We'll see about that. Open your mouth. Ah. Ah. Ah. Morning. Good morning. Good morning. You're not gonna go away, are you? So, you'll help me? You're gonna need more than just a trainer to succeed in all of this. - No, I'm... - Ah, ah. Your breathing has improved remarkably over the last year. Strength isn't an issue. Obviously you're as strong as an ox. - Ox? - Ah-ah. And as stubborn as one, as well. But the African Bush isn't to be trifled with. It'll get into your head. Pick you up, spin you around, chew you up and spit you out. It'll snuff your life out in a split second. You're gonna have to acquire a whole new set of survival skills. Gonna have to learn how to survive on 20 hours of sleep and a week of running, you're gonna have to learn how to balance your water intake with the amount of weight you can carry, you're gonna have to get through this on 25,000 calories, just to survive. And then, of course, there's the heat. Getting lost, eaten by a wild animal in the Bush. I mean, do you really, really want this? And are you ready for this? That sounds awesome. Could all runners please come to the starting line. Right, everyone. If anyone is still unclear, now's the time to pay attention. If you're stationary for more than seven hours, you're disqualified and we can pick you up. You press your panic buttons, we come pick you up. If you leave the route for more than 20 miles, we can pick you up. Water points are more than a four-marathon distance apart. Plan accordingly. Don't be stupid. Runners have died attempting this race. Please go check your starting times on the roster over there. Good luck. No. No. No. - No. - Hey, hey, hey. No, I want that. What're you gonna do with that? You gonna read in the dark? You've got your headlamp for that. Definitely no. No, that's non-negotiable. Suppose that's smart. A spare pair of shoes, where's the other one? There isn't one. How're you gonna run with one shoe? Just don't ask, just put it in the bag. And these? Girl's got to have a little luxury. - It's unnecessary weight. - It's very necessary. You only need one. Right, this is by far going to be your heaviest pack. Six liters. Six liters, why so much? Well, a normal person needs two liters, and that's sitting at a desk. Yeah, well, I'm not normal. Say that again. You're gonna need all of this to get through to the first pit stop, okay? You know, I think three liters should be fine. I mean, look at this, I got all this. You're not starting this race without four liters. - Okay? - Yes, sir. Right. Now. This little sucker is gonna be your best friend, okay? It'll let us know that you are still in the race, and more importantly, that you're still alive. Okay? - This is gonna annoy me. - Yes, it's gonna annoy you. It's gonna irritate you, but no matter how much it does, do not take it off, do you understand? Yes, sir. No, I mean it. Never take it off. All right, let's get this pack on. Got it. How does that feel? Feels better than an oxygen cylinder. Okay, well um... That's you, you're up. If I don't see you at the... At the last pit stop, I'll be very angry. Not as angry as I'll be. Okay. - Okay. - Thank you. Mary? Where'd you find that? - You left it behind. - Yeah, with good reason. Take it. Please. You're a good doctor. Your water, just measure your water. And Mary, Mary, pace yourself, okay? Ready? Pace yourself, Mary! They say, for all humans to come to Africa, is for them to come home. Mary must have felt that better than most. Alone, in the wilderness, surrounded by the ancient Bush and its wild animals. Mary. - Hi! - Mary. - Are you okay? - Yeah! Thank you. Here, I can take that for you. Oh, guess what? I saw a cheetah. - A cheetah? - Yeah! I was a little freaked out and then an elephant came and scared him away. I see, well, you need some water, sit down. - You don't believe me. - No, I believe you. Elephants, cheetahs, the whole nine yards, yes. Have some water. Oh, oh, thank you. Go ahead. Slowly, slowly. Right. You still have 12 more legs to go. I did miscalculate the water. Just a little dehydrated, that's all. - It's so hot out there. - I know, I know, I know. It's hotter than I thought it would be. Let me help you with that. You know, I keep hearing footsteps behind me. Every time I turned around, it was gone. Who? Matt. Hey. Hey. Are you okay? You're okay. You're okay. Strength isn't measured by how much you can take before you break. It's how much you can take after you're broken. Hey. - Hey. - Is everything okay? Yeah. Yeah, it's an old injury. Haven't felt it in years. That's the problem with injuries. If they don't heal properly they show up at the worst times. I thought it had healed. This race shows all our cracks. Come, run with me. No, no, I'll just slow you down. I'm not here for a place on a podium, come on. Come on. Matching scars. Yeah, how'd you get yours? I'll tell you someday. Is that what brought you here? What? Your scars. In a way. My husband and I, we uh, dreamed of running this race together. Why didn't you? He died. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry. No, no, no, it's okay. He's with God now. Yeah. Yeah, I wish believed that. How's she doing? She is stationary. Between water points two and three. Wait a minute. She just started moving again. Okay, thank you. Yeah. Hey. You need to get going before the heat comes. I don't know why we do this to ourselves. Sometimes wonder if being a bit mad isn't the most important part of being human. Yeah, well, you got to be mad to get fun outta this. God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast, and when I run, I feel his pleasure. It's hard to imagine a joyful God. Mary, if we turn to God only when we suffer, we forget that he's there in our joy, too. Well, you're just a regular fortune cookie now, aren't ya? I'm going to stop for a bit. You can go ahead. Why? I'm going to pray. Could you wanna do that while we're walking? I could, but I choose not to. Don't worry, I'll catch up again. We'll see about that. Running is the loneliest sport. It's just you, the road, and God. You fight against the road, the elements, but mostly against yourself. It is here that the true strength is shown. When, and against all odds, you push yourself farther than even you thought you could go. Mary. What, what's wrong? ICBs. Oh, damn it. The iliotibial band. It's no joke, Mary. Come on, hold onto me. I had this problem in the past. It just started all of a sudden. Well, let's get you into the tent and lie down. I'll strap you up, get some leg support there, okay? Take it easy. Okay. All right. You don't have to break yourself, you know. There's no shame in stopping. Right now. You've obviously never been a runner. Well, obviously not. Think I'll live longer for it. Right. How are you for water? Oh, yeah. I did better with rationing my water this time. Well, a work in progress, I'll go get you some more, okay? Thank you. Mary. Here, let me take your bag. Oh, my god. You don't expect me to allow you to go on like this, huh? I mean, you can't want to carry on like this. Of course I do, it's just a blister. You don't have to prove anything to anybody. You've gone above and beyond... Why do you keep doin' that, huh? Try to dissuade me from finishing. What happened to the guy who pushed me? I'm worried. Yeah, well you have to let me make my own decisions. Otherwise, I'm no better than an invalid again. You can't fault me for caring. I appreciate that, but I also need you to believe in me. Okay? This is the last stretch left. Yeah, but the last stretch is often the worst. I can do this. Okay. You wait here, okay? Can we get some water here, please? Thanks. What is that? This is tincture of benzoin, all right? Used by the Special Forces. Hold still. Don't move. Hold still. Really? Suck it all out. Now, this is gonna hurt. A lot. Hold still, okay? Hold still! How's your foot? It's feeling a lot better. Yeah. I wonder where Raphaela is. She should've been right behind me. Who's Raphaela? Oh, this girl from Brazil I was running with. Okay. You got your water, GPS, everything? - Yeah. - Good. - I should get goin'. - All right. I've lost a lot of time. All right, thank you. Okay. Go away! Go away! Get outta here, get outta here! Get outta here! I'm not sure why I always expected the worst. Maybe because it prepares you for when it's actually happening. I'll be with you. It's no use hanging around anymore. The signal's been stationary for three hours now. She's probably gone to sleep. You should try get some shut-eye yourself. I'll wake you if she starts moving again. Thanks. Morning. You'll be happy to know she's moving again. All right. Here you go, have something. Thank you. What is it? Her GPS signal has stopped again for over four hours. Don't worry, so have all the others, okay? - Is it a glitch? - No. It's the heat. Heat? Likely it's pushing 110 degrees out there. They probably all stopped to find shelter and wait it out. Scorpion. Whatever happens, if you get stung by a scorpion, don't try and cut the wound or suck the poison out. You'll only make things worse. Most scorpion stings will not kill an adult. It'll be painful, but it won't kill you. Excruciating pain. Involuntary movements. Tremors. Difficulty walking. Hallucinations. You could even end up with a seizure. Okay, the moral of the story is, don't get bitten by a scorpion. Matt. Mary. Matt. Come on. Matt! What's the matter? She's moving. Moving? - What's the time? - It's past midnight. Maybe she's running in the cool of the night so she can get ahead. Yeah. Except, she's moving in the wrong direction. What do you mean? I'll show you. Come. Matt! Matt! Okay, so, this is where she was when she stopped, right? And when we started going again, she head out this way. Due east. It's the wrong way. Yeah, well maybe, um... Maybe she's taken a shortcut. There are no shortcuts. What do you want us to do? What do you mean? We could send out a team to intercept her. In the dark? Won't be easy. It's our only option. No, no, then you'd disqualify her. Better disqualified than dead. No, let's give her till the morning. Okay. Morning it is. If you happen to come across a lion in the Bush, which is unlikely, because they like to keep to themselves, don't run. He'll only chase you down and eat you. Make yourself large, make some noise, and hope that it goes away. How long is this gonna last? It'll pass quickly enough, always does in the Bush. Well, how long is "quickly enough?" It's been a waiting game. 10 minutes, half-hour, it's hard to say. - I'm gonna go search for her. - Don't be stupid. I can't leave her out there. You go out there, the can't help you. Is that what you want? She hasn't moved, has she? No. No, she hasn't moved. Don't worry, we'll find her. Straight, straight, stop! - There, there. - Stop there, stop. What? There's no one here, there's nothing. - Mary! - Coffin. This way. Over here, over here. - Mary! - Where? What? It's working perfectly. Mary! Mary? Mary! Coffin. We're wasting our time. What do you mean, we're wasting time? She could be anywhere. Look, we have to go back. What if she's out here? - What if she's stuck out here? - But we have to go back. So we can get fully mobilized, please, trust me. You're going to come this far to die from food poisoning? I'm so hungry. Where did you come from? You're lost. Coffin will be worried about you. Coffin. How do you know about Coffin? Come on, we need to get going. Come on. Come on, good girl. Good girl. Have you had caviar? No, no, I didn't think so. It's fishes' eggs, fish eggs. And people, they pay thousands of dollars for fishes' eggs. Matt wanted it at the wedding, had to have it. Was trying to be fancy. God, he was so uncomfortable in his tuxedo. He was like, so stiff. I told him we should just get married in our tennis shoes, but yeah, he was afraid of my mom. My mom wouldn't have liked that. All right, team, let's look sharp! First runners are approaching the finish line. Come on, come on, let's go. Let's go! Hey, sorry, boss, have you seen this girl? Have you seen this girl? Hey, have you seen this girl? Her name's Mary. Mary, have you seen this girl? Just look, look at the... Damn. Excuse me, excuse me. Just look at the picture! Just take her away. Please, have you seen this girl? Have a look at this picture, come on! - Coffin, Coffin! - Okay, okay! - Okay! - Come on! Okay! I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Raphaela. Raphaela was running right behind Mary. - Raphaela? - Has Raphaela come in? Maybe she knows... Raphaela Desullo? - I don't know, the Brazilian! - She was a Brazilian runner. What're you talking about, "she was a Brazilian?" She died in this race two years ago. What do you mean, she died? What're you talking about, "she died in this race two years ago?" She was running right behind, right behind Mary. She was attacked by a lion. Mary said she was running with her, running with her! It's not possible. Mary? Drink. Don't be afraid. Who are you? Mary. Hey. You just let him die. For nothing. Hey. Don't be afraid. Okay? Matt! Matt, doctor! Matt! Matt! Where were you? Where were you? I'm there every time someone cries or fails. Or gives up. And there for every tragedy. You're okay. And every piece of meaningless suffering that humans inflict on each other. I am there, suffering with you. Every moment. I was there when you cursed me. I hate you! When you turned your back. I'll be there every moment of your life. Begging you to love me again. I can't have love without freedom. And true freedom will always entail some suffering. I loved him so much. You'll see him again. Not yet. You need to let go. Don't be afraid. When you run through the fire, you will not be burned. The Furnace was made to purify God. No, no, please, leave it. Please can you leave that, please? I was told to take them all off. Just leave it! Where is he? Coffin. You're gonna wanna come see this. - Come on! - Okay. Look. It's Mary. Coffin! She made it. She made it. - It's a miracle. - Yeah. Coffin! - Let's go get her. - No, no, no, no, no. Coffin! Let her finish. Yeah. Coffin! Guys, uh, please put it back up, guys. Please, huh? Put it back up! Coffin! Coffin! Coffin! Bet you've never been so happy to see a cylinder in your life again, eh? Careful, careful. You did it. You did it. No. We did it. We did it. Mary ran the Furnace again the following year. And won. I was A bird on a wire The life forms took my desire Feel a hold in my brain When I am destined to say From one soul And my wings, they unfold Now I'm Safe Now I'm Safe I'm a bird on a wire |
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