REX: Rich city folk live
in fancy apartments,
but their air's so polluted,
they can't even see the stars.
We'd have to be out of our minds
to trade places with any of 'em.
(TRAFFIC NOISES)
JEANNETTE: ...and I have four
sources saying that it is.
TIFFANY: And what did he say?
He said, "Jeannette Walls,
"you are nothing but
a bottom-feeder
"with a silly little
gossip column.
"If you print this story,
"I will have my lawyers
crawl so far up your ass
"that you will taste their
ink in your mouth."
Oh, my gosh! What did you say?
I thanked him for the
perfect kicker quote
and hung up the phone.
(LAUGHS)
The whole office gave
her a standing ovation.
And you ran it?
Oh, heck, yeah, I ran it.
Where I come from,
you never miss an opportunity
to serve a bully
a slice of humble pie.
(ALL LAUGH)
Could you box this up for me?
And maybe yours, too, if
you're not gonna eat it?
Yeah. (CHUCKLES)
She's just kidding.
No, I'm not. I never
joke about food.
(CLEARS THROAT) So, where
are you from, Miss Walls?
I think I detect a slight
twang in there somewhere.
Jeannette grew up in
Virginia surrounded by trees
and fields of wild flowers.
If we could all be so lucky.
Mmm. I own a mining
company near Richmond.
Your folks still there?
Ah, yep, they are. They have
a little house there on a
hill overlooking a river
and they love it, yeah.
And what do they do?
My mom is an artist.
My dad, um, is an engineer.
He's developing a
technology that'll burn
low-grade bituminous
coal more efficiently.
Wow. (CHUCKLES)
You have him give me a call
when he has that figured out.
I sure will.
And what do they think of you
hitching up with
this big city boy?
Well, I haven't told them yet.
Well, Tiffany still hasn't
told her parents about me,
and we've been
together over a year.
(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
Well, you better hurry up.
Who knows how much
time he's got left?
(ALL LAUGH)
That was unbelievable.
I can't believe he gave you
the account on the spot.
I know. This is
huge for the firm.
I'm taking you with me to
all of these from now on.
I'm gonna be home soon.
I just wanna have
everything ready for him
to sign in the morning.
All right.
Hey, when it comes to my family,
let me do the lying. Okay?
You got it.
Hey, don't forget
your leftovers.
See you at home. Love you. Bye.
(CLATTERING)
(HORN HONKING)
You in a hurry?
DRIVER: Come on, man!
(HORN HONKS)
You need to get out
of the street.
Hey!
(LINE RINGING)
LORI: Hello? Hey, Lori.
Hey, Jeannette. What's goin' on?
(SIGHS)
I just saw Mom and Dad diggin'
through the trash downtown.
(LORI CHUCKLES)
Did Mom find any new treasures?
I didn't stop.
What? Why not?
I don't know.
Are you okay?
Jeannette...
(CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING)
Mom, are we gonna
have any lunch?
Go outside and play
with Brian and Lori.
But I'm hungry.
(SIGHS)
Would you rather me
make you some food
that'll be gone in an hour,
or finish this painting
that'll last forever?
Go on. You know how to do it.
How many do you want, Mom?
ROSE MARY: Two, please!
(JEANNETTE SCREAMS)
(CONTINUES SCREAMING)
Rex!
Jeannette,
can you tell Miss Kelly
why you were cooking hot
dogs all by yourself?
I cook all the time.
You know, the address
that your parents gave us
doesn't seem to be right.
Where do you live?
All over. Dad says our
home goes wherever we go.
MISS KELLY: And where
do you go to school?
(PEOPLE HOWLING)
That's how gray wolves
call for their family.
(HOWLING CONTINUES)
(HOWLS)
REX: Mountain Goat,
where the hell are you?
I'm in here!
(ALL HOWLING)
Oh, sorry, Doc, just
havin' a little fun
gettin' those healing
endorphins goin'.
Mr. Walls, I'm Doctor Taylor.
No offense, you got a lot
of sick on that hand.
(CHUCKLES) Uh, this
here is Miss Kelly.
She's our resident
social worker.
These guys treatin' you okay?
There's so much food here.
You can eat as much as you want.
Maybe I should break my arm.
Me, too.
What happened here?
He fell off the couch
and cracked his head
open on the floor.
He's fine.
There was blood everywhere.
You should check him in.
One kid in the hospital
at a time is enough.
Besides, Brian's
head is so hard,
I think the floor took
more damage than he did.
(ALL CHUCKLE)
Mr. Walls, I don't find
any of this very funny.
Any of what, Doc?
These children need proper care,
and you're making a joke of it.
ROSE MARY: Rex...
JEANNETTE: Dad!
A veteran of the U.S. Air Force
brings his little girl
in here so you can wrap
her in a Band-Aid
and hand him a bill
for more than a pilot
makes in a year.
Now, my family won't
eat for three months
so that you can
drive a Cadillac.
You're part of a system
that is gettin' rich
off of the human need
to survive, Doc.
You call that "proper care"?
Mr. Walls, can we have
a moment, please?
Dad's in trouble, Mountain Goat.
We'll be back.
ROSE MARY: Come on,
kids, time to go.
Okay.
In order to pull this off,
every fiber in your being
has got to believe
that this is real.
If you can convince yourself,
then you can convince them, too.
You got it?
Good. Let's see that poker face.
Regular face. Poker.
Regular. Poker.
Regular. Poker. Regular. Poker.
Incredible. Let's go.
(ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
(INDISTINC ANNOUNCEMENTS OVER PA)
(SCREAMING)
(CONTINUES SCREAMING)
Mornin', Sunshine. You
ready to skedaddle?
(CHUCKLES)
Ready to go! Brian, wrap it up!
Bye!
REX: I've been lookin' into
this new Solarban glass.
It lets in the light, but
blocks the radiation.
It will drastically reduce
our energy demands.
Is it still gonna have glass
walls and a glass ceiling?
Of course! How else we gonna
see the stars at night?
You think my room can have
glass stairs goin' up to it?
That's a great idea. Uh,
baby, take the wheel.
Structurally, we
could make that work
if it was a spiral
with a steel stringer.
That way all the weight
pushes in toward the middle.
Just don't let it block
any light to my studio.
I need full exposure.
Oh, I like full exposure
from you, dear.
(ROSE MARY CHUCKLES)
You really think we'll build it?
Of course.
When?
You know, this running
around is only temporary.
We just need the
perfect location,
and then we can get to
work on our castle.
Okay, now who needs a book?
BRIAN: Me!
Me!
(CHUCKLING) You can drive.
Here's a new Zane
Grey adventure.
And, oh, look...
You'll love this one, Jeannette.
Black Beauty.
It's like Uncle Tom's
Cabin but for horses.
JEANNETTE: Doctor Taylor said
stayin' home and reading
books on our own
isn't a well-rounded education.
Mmm. Really?
He said we should be
goin' to a real school.
A real school, huh?
(TIRES SQUEAL) (REX WHOOPS)
(ALL SCREAMING EXCITEDLY)
LORI: He's gonna kill us!
Everyone out!
Come on!
Look at this!
All those Juniper
and Joshua trees
have adapted to survive
on only five inches
of rainfall a year.
That inselberg was formed
from cooling magma
over a hundred
million years ago.
Pretty soon the sun's comin'
down, we'll be watchin'
Orion and Aquarius
and Horologium
rotate through the night sky.
This is as real
as it gets, kids!
And don't let no dumb-ass
doctor tell you different.
You learn from living!
Everything else is a damn lie.
Oh! Look at that!
REX: What is it, baby?
That is the most beautiful
tree I have ever seen!
Someone get my canvas!
(CHUCKLES) Looks like we'll be
sleepin' here tonight, kids.
This is actually great
for your posture.
You know, the Indians
never use pillows either,
and look how
straight they stand.
Why that one?
(ROSE MARY SIGHS)
The wind's been beatin'
that tree down
since the day it was born.
But it refuses to fall.
It's the struggle that
gives it its beauty.
(GRUNTS SOFTLY)
(RUSTLING)
(CONTINUES RUSTLING)
Dad.
Dad?
Huh?
I think maybe I saw
something out there.
All right. Did you get
a good look at it?
Not really.
Was he a big ol'
hairy son of a bitch
with the damndest lookin'
teeth and claws?
Maybe. Mmm-hmm.
And, uh,
did it have pointy ears and
evil eyes with fire in 'em?
You've seen him, too?
Oh, yeah, yeah. I been chasin'
that demon for years.
Where'd you see him?
Ow!
We gotta get that off you.
It's okay. Fire
can't get you here.
We're just gonna let this
wound breathe a little. Yeah?
Now, I want you to just hold
this puppy right there.
You see the top of the flames
where the yellow
dissolves into the heat?
That zone is known in physics
as the boundary between
turbulence and order.
It's a place where
no rules apply.
Or at least they haven't
figured 'em out yet.
That's all life is,
bunch of molecules bouncin'
off each other at random.
So there's no point in tryin'
to find a reason or pattern
for why you were born
at a certain time
and why you got
bit by that fire.
You just got a little too
close to the chaos is all.
You understand?
(CHUCKLES)
I'm not sure I do either.
There. How's that feel?
DAVID: Jeannette? Yeah?
I've got a surprise
for you in here.
Okay!
You... You said it was fun.
No. I said it was funny.
Okay, well... And
it's very overpriced.
It's Italian, that's why.
Just sit down in it. Enjoy
the chair for a second.
Just wiggle around
in it a little bit.
You're not wiggling...
There you go.
I'll take it back. That's fine.
No, no, it's fine.
Don't worry about it.
I'll take the chair back.
It's not about the chair.
I...
I'm gettin' lunch
with my mom today.
I didn't tell you 'cause I
didn't want you to worry.
Are you gonna tell her about us?
I'm gonna have to tell
her at some point.
Okay.
(CHUCKLES) Okay.
Just please try to not let her
dump her crap on you this time.
That's what parents are for.
Can you just try, though?
Of course I'll try. Thank you.
Mom...
Yeah, your dad said
he saw you pass by
in a cab the other night.
Acted like we
weren't even there.
You shouldn't be ashamed of
us just 'cause we choose
a different lifestyle than you.
Being homeless in New York City
does not count as a
lifestyle choice.
Well, if we heard from you more,
you'd know that we
found a lovely place
on the Lower East Side.
Lori says you're squatting
in an abandoned building.
That does not sound safe, Mom.
When did you lose your
sense of adventure?
I have a little
bit of money now.
I can help you if you want.
Mmm-mmm-mmm.
We're fine. You're the
one who needs help.
Look at you. Your values
are all confused.
Mmm.
So what did you
want to talk about?
(SIGHS)
I'm gettin' married.
To the accountant?
David is a financial analyst.
Well, I... I don't
mean to be rude,
but isn't he a little...
Mom, David is good for me.
You mean he's got money.
I mean I'm in love with him.
Hmm.
Can I see that again?
Hmm. Well...
I just hope you've
got a good plan
for telling your
dad, because this
is gonna kill him.
(BABY GURGLING)
JEANNETTE: Shh, it's okay.
I'm right here.
Everything's gonna
be okay, Maureen.
I'm gonna take care of you.
(DOOR SLAMS) REX:
Let's go, kids!
Time to pull up stakes and
leave this hell-hole behind!
What's going on? REX:
Feds are on our tail!
BRIAN: Really? He means
the bill collectors.
Truck leaves in 15 minutes!
ROSE MARY: Now, there's not
enough room in the cab,
so you guys are in
for a real treat.
You get to ride in the back.
What?
Hey, it's not an ideal
scenario for anyone,
so we'll just try to
make the best of it.
It'll be kinda like that
rotor ride at the fair.
Except without any
lights or oxygen.
ROSE MARY: Oh, don't
be so dramatic.
It'll be an adventure.
(MAUREEN CRYING) Be careful.
There you go. Okay, scoot back.
JEANNETTE: How long do
we have to be back here?
REX: Don't worry.
This'll be the last time
you have to do this.
(TRUCK HATCH CLOSES)
(TRUCK HATCH UNLOCKS)
REX: Welcome to the oldest
mining town in Utah.
I thought that was
the last town.
Me, too.
That one was the
oldest in Nevada.
REX: People been
strikin' it rich here
for a hundred years.
They must've all
moved somewhere else
to spend their fortune.
Has a real frontier
quality to it.
Think we might be able to
stay here for a while?
Hmm, I got a good
feelin' about this one.
(CHUCKLES)
(SIGHS)
ROSE MARY: I got it.
(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)
ROSE MARY: The kids are tired
of movin' to a new town
every time you lose a job.
They'd love it in West Virginia.
I just think it'd
be good for them
to see where their
daddy grew up.
Mountain Goat, let go!
Try floatin' a little!
We're fine where we are.
Taking showers at
the public pool?
I'll get the water
turned on this weekend.
You said that two months ago.
Okay, Brian, don't be shy.
Everyone here is the same as us.
They just got different
complexions.
Go on. Go play.
If we went, your parents
could help us out
with some money.
I ain't moving back to Welch.
What are you so afraid of?
I ain't afraid o' nothin'.
Hey! Quit clingin' to the side!
(WATER SPLASHES)
Don't be scared. I got ya.
Come on. Yeah.
Kick your legs.
That's not so hard.
It's all about movin' the water.
Yeah?
Move your arms, go ahead.
Move 'em in the water.
Push the water, push it.
Push it with your arms.
That's good.
It's not so bad, is it?
Good. 'Cause you're gonna
learn to swim today.
(SCREAMS)
(GASPING)
Catch your breath. Catch your breath.
All right.
Okay, all right. Breathe. Nice.
Why'd you do that?
Okay. Okay. Now, sink or swim!
(SCREAMS)
(MUFFLED SCREAM)
(GASPING) (REX MUMBLING)
ROSE MARY: Rex!
It's okay! She's
already gettin' it!
Pretty soon she's gonna be
doin' the backstroke, right?
No. Yeah?
Okay. I wanna go back.
(GRUNTS) (SCREAMS)
(GASPING)
REX: You did it, baby!
(CHUCKLES) You were swimmin'!
Hey!
Mountain Goat!
WOMAN: Mister, you're
wrong for that!
ROSE MARY: Come on, kids.
Let's go.
(CRYING) Stop, no! Hey! Hey!
Don't touch me! You
tried to kill me!
Hey. I would never let
anything bad happen to you.
But I can't let you
cling to the side
your whole life just
'cause you're scared.
If you don't wanna sink,
you have to learn how to swim.
Understand?
Hey, you were swimmin'.
You were swimmin'.
I'm so proud of you.
(CRYING)
Hey! Everything okay?
She's fine. Mind your
own damn business.
What happens in my
pool is my business.
Oh, so this is your pool?
As far as you're
concerned, yeah.
Oh, so you're the one who
limits the black families
to an hour in the mornin',
so that the whites can
swim the rest of the day?
That's been a Federal
offense since '64.
Does he always act like this?
Or just when he's drunk?
(EXHALES)
(GRUNTS)
Dad, don't! Rex!
I can't let you talk
to me like that
in front of my daughter!
Let go! Now tap out!
Was that a tap? I couldn't tell.
(COUGHS) Was that a tap?
ROSE MARY: Rex! Will you stop!
MAN: Come on, man!
You're goin' to jail, asshole!
(PEOPLE EXCLAIMING)
Get in the car.
ROSE MARY: We're leaving
with or without you.
I'd rather be in hell
with my back broke
than live in that
godforsaken town.
Yeah, you should've
thought of that before
you got every policeman
in town looking for us.
I'm not gonna let 'em
take our kids away.
We cannot live
like this anymore.
Like what? This is freedom!
Freedom? You call this freedom?
Here we go.
(EXHALES)
(SIGHS)
Welch is gonna be fun.
We'll live in the mountains
with the squirrels
and the chipmunks.
And you'll get to meet
your Grandma and Grandpa Walls,
who are genuine hillbillies.
(ENGINE STARTS)
(SIGHS) We don't need him.
Rex!
Come on, Dad!
(HONKS)
You're the head of this family!
(CAR DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES)
Are you coming?
Negative.
Mountain Goat, you know,
your mama has convinced you
that we need to go
because she's in
a state of fear.
Now, what you need to do
is stand your ground.
You see, that's what I'm doin'.
This is a very important
lesson for you.
You don't look like a very
important lesson to me.
(LAUGHS)
Come on.
Can I hold your ankle?
No.
Just for stability? I feel
like I'm about to fall.
(LAUGHING) You're on
the ground already!
(BOTH LAUGHING)
REX: All right, let's do it!
JEANNETTE: I got him! (SIGHS)
He's alive!
ROSE MARY: Oh, thank God!
(CHUCKLES)
Oh, watch out! Don't
squish Maureen!
Move over, baby. I'm driving.
Come here, give me some sugar.
(KISSING) ROSE MARY: Oh, Rex...
DAVID: Jeannette?
Can I have another
tissue, please?
Oh, jeez. David! I
need another tissue.
You're sweating
through your shirt!
Please don't point it out.
You know
when you point it out, it
only makes me sweat more.
I'm sorry. You have nothing
to be nervous about.
(SIGHS) Your dad
already hates me.
When he finds out we're
getting married,
he's gonna throw me
through a window.
Hey, he's not gonna do that.
He might kick you in
the stomach, though.
It's too real to be funny.
I'm just not there yet.
Okay.
He's gonna try to make me
get drunk with him again.
No, he's not. You know he is.
David, just tell him
that you don't want it.
Maybe... Maybe I will do that.
You know, I'm not to
be bullied by him.
I know you're not. I
will not be bullied.
Hey...
We're getting married.
We are getting married.
We can get through this.
This is nothin'.
Okay.
Hey, Dad!
Oh, come on.
Hey, Dad.
Oh, so you're acknowledgin'
my existence now?
Well, you're not exactly
the easiest man to ignore.
Well, I wanted to get this
done before you got here.
I don't know who
designs this junk.
Mechanics are all wrong.
(SCREWDRIVER CLATTERS)
Look at you.
Fancier every time I see ya.
Good to see you, Mr. Walls.
How are you?
Did you win that wet
T-shirt contest?
(CHUCKLES) Nice nips.
Cut it out.
It's really hot in the car.
It's the humidity.
Humidity?
Okay, well, just try not to
drip on my marble floor.
Grab that toolbox, if
that's not too much for ya.
Okay.
Just finished hookin' every
squat in the building
to an insulated cable
that I hot-wired off
the utility pole
down the block.
Now the other squatters want
to make me mayor of the place!
Your mama's traditional
yellow door.
(GRUNTS) Still gotta get
hinges for this thing.
This is my friend Eddie.
Does he live here?
Hello!
Oh! There she is! Hey, sweetie.
Mom.
Oh!
Look at that! Food!
What a place! Anyone else feel
like they're back in Welch?
I keep thinking we're gonna see
our yellow poop
bucket somewhere.
(LAUGHING)
Their bathroom's
not that far off.
Maureen!
She's our new roommate!
Oh. I thought that you were
livin' with that photographer.
Hmm. That was months ago.
LORI: She just broke up with
Rum Tum Tugger from Cats.
What? Yeah.
David, you get started on this,
and I'll grab you a dry shirt.
I'm okay. I'm not
gonna drink tonight.
Take it.
Yes, sir.
Rose Mary, grab a shirt
for Jeannette's sweaty
boyfriend, will ya?
LORI: So did you
hear Officer Walls
made his first arrest last week?
What?
Drug bust.
JEANNETTE: Whoa, really?
Was that scary?
(REX AND ROSE MARY LAUGHING)
Well, actually,
you got alopecia.
Not as scary as those two.
What about you?
Lori spilled the beans.
(SCOFFS)
Lori! I'm sorry.
Yeah. Uh, we are doin' it.
(ROSE MARY LAUGHING)
What?
Why aren't you wearing the ring?
Because I haven't told Dad yet.
Told me what?
That Brian made
his first arrest.
REX: Oh, goodie.
Got a son in the Gestapo
and a daughter who
writes gossip.
Never thought I'd see the day.
Never thought I'd see
you livin' in New York.
Well, somebody's gotta
keep an eye on you.
Have fun.
(LIQUID POURING)
Hey, Dad.
Actually, I have somethin'
that I wanted to tell you...
So how long is this
phase gonna last?
What do you mean?
(CHUCKLES) I mean...
(CLEARS THROAT)
He's a nice guy and all,
but he ain't got an
interesting bone in his body.
No.
He's got no fight. David's
not a phase, Dad.
Which is what I wanted
to talk to you about.
Can you honestly tell me
that you're happy right now?
Yes, I am.
No, you're not.
But hopefully, couple more
of these will loosen him up.
Maybe that stick'll fall out of his ass.
(LAUGHING)
David, here's your drink!
Welcome to Welch, everyone!
Gosh, things have
gone downhill a bit.
But I bet there's no other
artists to compete with.
My career could really take off.
(CHUCKLES)
Welcome home, son.
Hey, there, Rex.
Hey, Pops.
Thanks for lettin' me
see my grandchildren
before I die.
This is your Uncle Stanley.
Hi.
ERMA: All right, here ya go.
STANLEY: Can I have more?
ERMA: No.
This one looks just
like his daddy.
Only his hair was more curly.
You hated them
curls, didn't you?
(CHUCKLES)
Used to wet his hair down,
stand out in the snow,
see if he could
freeze 'em straight.
Yep, that's your daddy.
Stubborn as a mule,
dumb as a pigeon.
Ow!
Hey! Don't hit my
brother, you dumb witch!
Hey!
Show your grandma some respect.
You listen to your daddy, girl.
That wasn't a good simile.
Pigeons are very smart animals.
(CHUCKLES)
(SOFT THUMPING)
Dad?
What are you doing? Hey.
Oh...
Put in your spiral staircase.
Wow.
We're finally gonna build it.
Really? (CHUCKLES)
This is why we're here. It's
our chance to start over.
First thing tomorrow,
I'm gonna search this whole town
for the perfect place
to lay our foundation.
(CLEARS THROAT)
(SOFTLY) We're gettin'
the hell outta here.
Now, it's not exactly palatial,
so there's gonna be a lot
of togetherness. (SIGHS)
And it's a little
on the rustic side.
How rustic?
Welcome to 93 Little
Hobart Street.
50 bucks a week,
and in two years,
we'll own her outright.
Hard to believe one day
this'll all be ours.
Hey, she may not look like much,
but wait till you see
what I have in mind.
Come on.
We're gonna tear all this down
and replace it with
your game room,
ping pong, pool, foosball...
BRIAN: Trampoline?
Oh, yeah, trampoline
goes right over there,
and then all these
walls are gone,
replaced with three-inch glass,
glass, glass, glass.
This can stay.
ROSE MARY: Doesn't
that look lovely?
Yellow stands for
happiness and creativity.
This place doesn't have any
running water or electricity.
Ignore her. She was
born without vision.
Since we're on the north
face of the mountain,
enclosed by these two hills,
we ain't gettin' much sun,
so I'll have to do some serious
reconfigurin' to increase the
size of our solar cells.
But before any of
that can happen,
we need a good foundation.
Pick! Yes, sir.
Good man. Here.
(GRUNTS)
Make some noise, kids.
Make some noise.
(ALL GRUNTING)
(LAUGHING)
(LAUGHING)
(CHUCKLES)
(LAUGHING)
REX: Once it's deep enough,
I can pour the slab,
and we can start framin'
this damn thing.
We're gonna have the nicest
house in the county.
You ain't just whistlin'
Dixie there, little lady.
You know, we got the
highest property
on the mountain, which means
that the heat can't
burn us in the summer,
and the floods can't
touch us in the winter.
We're just glidin' right in
between all those extremes.
(JEANNETTE LAUGHING)
Things're gonna be different
this time around.
(GRUNTS)
I'm hungry.
Try that.
It's good?
What are you eating?
Butter and sugar.
Tastes kinda like frosting.
We haven't eaten in three days.
Maureen's so hungry,
she's eating butter.
You ate the butter?
I was saving that for the bread.
LORI: We have no bread!
Well, I was thinking
of baking some.
The gas is turned off.
What if it gets turned back on?
Miracles happen, you know.
We're hungry!
Hey, watch that tone, girl!
You said things were
going to be different.
Can't we just get some eggs?
Or beans, or something?
Nothing fancy.
I don't see why not.
What you got?
What about the other one?
Okay, I'll be back in
an hour with a feast
you can tell your children about
your children's children,
your children's
children's children,
and your children's
children's children's
children's children's
children's...
He probably just got stuck
talking to someone.
For ten hours?
(DOOR OPENS)
(FOOTSTEPS)
(CLATTERING) (GLASS CLANKING)
(REX GROANING)
JEANNETTE: Dad?
Hey, kiddo. What
are you doin' up?
What happened?
Oh. I got into a fight
with the mountain.
Mountain won.
Dad, that looks really bad.
Yeah. That don't look good.
What can I do? (EXHALES)
Don't worry about me.
I'm so thoroughly pickled...
I won't feel a thing.
Here.
Okay, go ahead.
(SHUDDERING)
Go on. I can't do it.
Sorry.
It's okay. It's all right.
We'll do it together. Okay?
(CHUCKLING) It's all right.
Come here.
Squeeze it together. That's it.
Now, push it through.
Yeah.
Good. Just push
it right through.
Good.
Oh, that's good. Brave.
You are amazing.
Ah...
Push it right through, go on.
That's it. Yeah. (SNIFFLING)
Oh, my God, that's beautiful!
Oh, jeez!
You don't have to tug
quite so hard on it.
It's not like tug-'o-war.
(CHUCKLES)
Okay.
REX: One more. That's good.
Wow.
That's some mighty
fine handiwork.
(SCISSORS SNIP) (SIGHS)
I swear...
There are times I think that
you're the only one around
who still has any faith in me.
You know I'd do anything
for you, right?
Anything.
All you got to do is ask.
Do you think...
(SHUDDERING)
You could maybe stop drinking?
It's just...
When you drink, you
can't take care of us.
(SIGHS)
Must be awfully ashamed
of your ol' man.
No!
I just think we'd
have money for food.
Maybe even some extra
for the Glass Castle.
You can do it if you want.
You're stronger than anyone.
(INHALES DEEPLY)
(EXHALES)
If you don't mind, honey...
I think I'd like to just...
Sit here by myself a while.
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
Dad?
For the next few days,
I'm gonna be keepin'
to myself upstairs.
And I, uh...
I need you kids to
steer clear of me.
Take your brother and
sisters outside,
do somethin' fun, okay?
And no matter what happens,
if I ask for a drink,
you can't let
anyone give me one.
Not a drop. Okay?
Can you do that for me?
Yeah.
You promise?
That's a good girl.
(GRUNTING)
BRIAN: You think we could start
building the house soon?
JEANNETTE: Probably.
(REX SCREAMING)
REX: Oh, please!
(MOANING)
(CONTINUES SCREAMING)
Ah! Ah, God! Make it stop!
(ROSE MARY SHUSHING)
Please make it stop!
Just breathe, honey.
Rose Mary!
God, help me! Shh. It's okay.
It's okay.
(REX SCREAMING FAINTLY)
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
REX: Help me, please!
REX: Oh, no!
(BREATHING SHAKILY)
JEANNETTE: Dad?
(CRYING) Oh, my God.
Please get me a drink.
I'll get you some water.
No, no, no. There's some
whiskey under the sink.
Go fetch it for me.
Jeannette...
I'm dyin'.
If you don't get me a
drink, I'm gonna die.
That is a scientific fact.
Understand?
You don't want me to die? Do
you want your daddy to die?
I can't, Dad. I promised you.
I don't care about
your stupid promise!
Go get me a drink right now!
You better go get me a drink!
Jeannette! (SOBBING)
(GRUNTING)
REX: Foundation
looks pretty good.
We're almost ready
to start buildin'.
(CHUCKLES)
JEANNETTE: I missed you.
I missed you, too.
(ALL CHUCKLING)
How 'bout that?
Look. That's wonderful.
(LAUGHING)
Dad's leaving for work!
Stop! I'll help you
put your hat on.
(GRUNTS)
All right, make sure
it ain't faulty.
Oh! Ow! Ow! Ow!
Okay, okay, that's fine.
Oh, thanks, Bill,
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas, Rex.
REX: Merry Christmas, ladies!
You, too.
REX: The foreman forgot
his toolbox, and so I had
to use this macaroni noodle
to insulate these crosswires,
and now I got every
damn person at work
tellin' me that I really
know how to use my noodle!
(ALL LAUGHING)
I couldn't find a
good one for you,
so you'll just have
to write your own.
Careful. You might change
the world with that thing.
(REX AND ROSE MARY GIGGLING)
Hmm?
(REX AND ROSE MARY
TALKING INDISTINCTLY)
(LAUGHING)
It's so pretty.
Mmm, beautiful.
Rich city folk live
in fancy apartments,
but their air is so polluted,
they can't even see the stars.
We'd have to be out of our minds
to trade places with any of 'em.
Go on, pick out
your favorite one.
It's yours for keeps.
You can't give me a star.
It's your Christmas present.
No one owns the stars.
Well, that's why you
gotta claim 'em
before anyone else does.
Like Columbus claimed
America for Queen Isabella.
Claiming a star for your own
has just as much logic.
Maybe more,
because you don't have to kill
and subjugate millions
of people to do it.
So go ahead, pick out
any one you want,
'cept for Betelgeuse and Rigel
because Lori and Brian
already laid claim to them.
I want that one.
REX: The bright one? Yeah.
That's Venus. She's a planet.
Kinda dinky compared
to real stars.
She just looks brighter
'cause she's closer to us.
I like it anyway.
What the hell. It's Christmas.
You can have a
planet if you want.
(CHUCKLES) (STUTTERS)
You know, her atmosphere
is a lot like the
Earth's, only, uh...
500 degrees hotter.
Really?
So when the sun
starts to burn out
and the Earth turns cold,
everyone might wanna move
to Venus to get warm.
And now they're gonna
have to get permission
from your descendants first.
(CHUCKLES)
(SIGHS)
I love you, kid.
Love you more.
(REX SIGHS)
(UTENSILS CLATTERING)
I really like David.
You really what?
Yeah. He's not that boring.
I think he'd be a nice
addition to the family.
Oh, by the way, I just found out
my brother is planning to
sell his half of Mom's land.
Uncle Jim? Yeah, and
it's a real shame.
My father always taught
me you never sell...
(THUDS) REX: Free
market, my ass!
The whole thing is a rigged
game, and you know it!
It's a system created
by all you fat cats
to make yourselves richer
and keep the poor
where they are.
It's nothing more than
legalized larceny.
Admit it, David.
On behalf of all the fat cats,
I'm not going to admit to
something that's not true.
David...
Jeannette, it's fine.
We're just talking.
Yeah, we're just talking.
You know what, Rex? Let's
just agree to disagree.
On behalf of the
90% in our country
workin' for $4.75 an hour,
I will do no such thing!
How very noble of you. A
real champion of the people.
How drunk are you?
How 'bout we settle this the way
they did in ancient Rome,
with a good old-fashioned
arm wrestlin' match?
Pretty sure that's not
somethin' they did in Rome.
Dad, enough.
Come on, Mountain Goat!
David's gonna fight
for your honor.
This is ridiculous.
Yes, it's ridiculous.
We are going home.
What? You're giving up already?
You're gonna just
wander outta here
with your tail
between your legs?
(CHUCKLES) I'm not
gonna arm wrestle you.
Oh, okay, so you admit it?
I'm right and you're wrong.
(CHUCKLES) Okay. Uh-uh.
What the hell.
Atta boy! (SHRIEKING)
No, David.
This is a bad idea.
Babe, it's gonna be fun.
Babe, it's gonna be fun.
Babe, it's gonna be fun.
Dad, please.
Come on. Don't you
wanna give him
a chance to prove me wrong?
DAVID: Yes, Jeannette,
let me prove him wrong.
Okay. You guys
wanna be idiots...
Yes! Yes, yes, yes!
Here we go! ROSE
MARY: Come on, Rex.
BRIAN: Put 'em up. All right.
(GRUNTING)
ROSE MARY: Let's do it.
BRIAN: Ready...
ROSE MARY: Straighten up.
BRIAN: Set...
Go!
ROSE MARY: Come on, Rex!
Come on, David!
Yay! Yay! Come on!
(OVERLAPPING CHEERING)
ROSE MARY: Come on.
Give him what you got.
REX: How's that feel, boy?
BRIAN: Pick it up, David!
Come on!
ROSE MARY: You got it!
REX: You're gonna
lose to an old man.
Come on, honey! Bring it home!
Bring it home!
Let out the wild man!
Come on, Rex!
David, come on. You're
stronger than this.
Come on. Let's go, David.
What'd I tell ya? No fight.
Come on, David! Kick his ass!
REX: Stop helpin' him!
Take him down! Murder him!
BRIAN: Come on!
Murder him, David!
(ALL SCREAMING AND CHEERING)
Honey, don't lose this! Come on!
Murder that old dirty bastard!
Take him down! Take him down!
(ALL CHEERING LOUDLY)
Go, go, go, go!
Yes, yes, yes!
(GROANS) (SHRIEKS)
Yes!
Whoo!
Dow Jones will live
to see another day!
Left-handed rematch! I want
a left-handed rematch!
No, Dad. Don't be a sore loser.
BRIAN: You ready for
a lefty rematch?
I'm ready for whatever you
wanna throw at me, old man!
Oh! (GASPS)
What the hell, Dad?
BRIAN: Jesus! LORI: Shit.
Well, you heard him. I
mean, he said he was ready
for whatever I wanted
to throw at him.
I think he broke my nose.
It's not my fault. I
have a soldier's reflex.
I seriously thought
you were ready.
Tell your boyfriend that
he needs to be careful
about sayin' things
he doesn't mean.
He's not my boyfriend, Dad.
He's my fiance.
Let's get you home.
It's not stopping. I don't know
where all the blood
is coming from.
Please, I don't want that.
Why do you still have
all these stupid boxes?
David, you're drunk.
Just drink some water.
Let's go to bed.
He punched me in the
face, Jeannette.
I know. You told
me not to worry,
and then he punched me right
in the middle of the face.
Everybody was shouting,
it was so loud...
And you screamed at me.
You said "murder him,"
shouted it right in my ear.
Like a madwoman.
Please just drink some water.
This is serious, Jeannette.
Your dad is a total nut-job.
Hey, I can call him
that, not you.
Your mom is delusional.
Poor Maureen. She's gotta be
out of her mind that she's
choosing to live in
that dump with them.
This is my family that
you are talking about.
I know! And they are
totally insane!
(SNIFFLES)
(SIGHS)
Jeannette, I...
I want to spend the rest
of my life with you,
but if we're gonna try
and do that together,
I can't have any more of
whatever that was tonight.
I... (SIGHS)
I gotta... I gotta go pee.
I'm gonna pee.
(DOOR CLOSES)
Don't worry. It's about a
20-hour drive to Texas.
I can do it in under 15.
We'll be back
before you know it.
How did Grandma Smith die?
My mother was an old woman.
Old women die.
Did she leave you anything?
What kind of question is that?
Why can't we come with you? I
don't wanna stay with Erma.
Your dad hasn't had a
drink in two months.
I think we deserve
a little vacation.
But Erma hates us.
Don't blame her for her misery.
It's all she knows.
She's a dumb witch.
Actually, she's very smart.
That's where your
dad gets it from.
TV HOST: ...he painted
a self-portrait
with a bandaged ear.
Van Gogh.
WOMAN: Who is Van Gogh?
HOST: That's right.
ERMA: You eat what I
put on your plate.
You spit that out, you're
gonna eat that, too.
No runnin' in the house,
no shoutin', no whinin',
no openin' the windows
or the curtains.
Edgar Bergen.
Who is Edgar Bergen? HOST:
Edgar Bergen is right.
It's so weird that Dad lived
here when he was our age.
Yeah, I thought we had it bad.
BRIAN: Look at this.
You think Dad really
wrote all this?
Listen to this.
"There might be more than
this blanket of black dust,
"the stench of the tug,
"the crunch of the
coal-stained snow.
"More than the sound
of her cackle,
"the cracks in her
calloused hands.
"And there might be more,
but I won't ever know
"because it's
impossible to breathe
"when you're drowning in..."
He cusses.
"It's impossible to breathe
when you're drowning in shit."
(LAUGHING)
(BANGS ON ROOF)
ERMA: Keep it down!
This is gonna be a fun week.
(TV PLAYING INDISTINCTLY)
You bring a sharpener?
Yeah, in my bag downstairs.
Okay.
(BRIAN AND ERMA
TALKING INDISTINCTLY)
ERMA: Stop worrying.
BRIAN: No, Erma, please.
ERMA: You do what I tell you.
BRIAN: Stop it!
ERMA: Just be quiet, boy.
Listen to your grandmother.
No, stop it! ERMA:
Where are you going?
ERMA: Hold still! Hey!
Get away from him! Lori!
The boy's britches
needed fixin'!
I know what I saw.
She's a pervert!
You little bitch...
Hey, hey, hey! Let's
just calm down, okay?
(GASPS) (GLASSES CLATTER)
(GRUNTS)
JEANNETTE: Come on,
hold her down!
Stay the hell off of
me, ya little beasts!
LORI: Nobody messes
with our brother!
(ALL SHOUTING)
No! No! Put me down!
Dad,
we were just
protecting ourselves.
Erma was grabbing his...
Shut up!
I don't wanna hear
another damn word
about whatever did
or didn't happen!
It don't matter!
Brian's a man. He can
take care of himself.
Can't you?
Let's go.
Are you comin'?
Come on, kids. Let's go inside.
Come on, guys, let's go.
Come on.
Get out.
Not if you're gonna drink.
You promised.
(DOOR OPENS)
(DOOR SHUTS)
I'm not going.
Wait, wait.
Don't! Please, Dad!
(CRYING) You...
(JEANNETTE SPEAKING
INDISTINCTLY)
See what you do?
REX: It was one damn drink!
ROSE MARY: That's a
lie, and you know it!
I can smell it on your sweater!
JEANNETTE: Come on, let's go.
REX: You a bloodhound
all of a sudden?
Why don't you go sniff your
own butt for a change,
'cause that ain't smellin'
too pretty these days!
That's very funny!
You're supposed to be
at work right now!
You're gonna lose another job!
Why don't you go get a job
instead of wastin' your
time on all this crap!
What the hell is this anyway?
ROSE MARY: Abstract
expressionism!
Well, here's some
realism for you!
Wow. You're just
like your mother!
(GRUNTS)
Don't you touch me!
Get back here, castrating whore!
ROSE MARY: Get off me!
REX: Come here!
(SHOUTING) (CLATTERING)
Maureen, you wanna jump rope?
Yeah.
(SHOUTING CONTINUES)
Ready?
Go.
(LOUD THUD) ROSE MARY: No! No!
REX: Come on! ROSE MARY: No!
Get up here, God damn it...
JEANNETTE: Mom!
Rose Mary! JEANNETTE: Hold on!
(ROSE MARY SCREAMING) (GASPING)
Mom! ROSE MARY: Help me!
Help! God, help me!
LORI: Don't let her fall!
JEANNETTE: What did
you do to her?
REX: I didn't do anything!
Get your hands off me!
I don't think you want me to let go...
Ow! She bit me!
ROSE MARY: Pull me in!
REX: God damn it!
(ROSE MARY GRUNTING)
ROSE MARY: He tried to kill me!
Mom, are you okay?
(PANTING) I'm okay.
What do you mean, is she okay?
Am I okay? She just bit me!
Well, why did you push her?
I didn't push her! She jumped!
I swear to God!
You know, she's crazy!
You saw, she just bit me!
I think she broke...
(GRUNTING) REX: Jesus!
(GRUNTING)
(PANTING)
(BOTH LAUGHING)
You are one hell of a
woman, you know that?
And you're a stinking,
rotten drunk.
But you love this stinking,
rotten drunk, don't you?
(BOTH MOANING) Oh, Rex...
(PANTING)
(CONTINUES LAUGHING)
(SIGHS)
Hey, sweetie.
You have to leave him.
You know, when your dad
first met my mother,
he asked her why she didn't have
any of my paintings
on her walls,
and she said she didn't
want to encourage
a habit with no future in it.
He looked her right
in the eye and said,
"To hell with the future!
"Masterpieces like these
"should be on
display right now."
So he took down
all her paintings
and put up mine.
He's never going to change.
You have to leave him.
I can't.
YOUNG LORI: Maureen, do
you have any queens?
YOUNG MAUREEN: Go Fish!
Brian, do you have any nines?
YOUNG BRIAN: Go Fish!
We don't need them.
They're never going
to take care of us,
so we have to do it ourselves.
We'll all go to school
and start saving up
so we can move out
when we're old enough.
If we're going to
make it out of this,
we have to do it together.
Deal?
We are getting the
heck out of here.
(CHEERING)
(BLOWING WHISTLE)
(CAMERA CLICKING)
(INDISTINCT)
(INDISTINCT)
Miss Bivens asked me to be
editor of the paper next year.
What? That's amazing!
(CHUCKLES)
I swear, by the
time you graduate,
you're gonna have every school
in New York fightin' over you.
(SNIGGERS)
They're here.
Don't worry about us.
We'll be fine.
Yeah.
Hey...
(CHUCKLES) I left
five bucks in there.
Start savin' up. You're next.
Dad's in the backyard.
I think it's clear.
(CHUCKLES)
I love you guys!
(GIGGLING)
YOUNG MAUREEN: Love you.
All right, bye!
JEANNETTE: Okay, bye!
Love you! Love you!
(DOOR OPENS)
(DOOR SHUTS)
GIRL: Lori, we need to go!
REX: Hey! Where the hell
you think you're goin'?
Guess it wasn't clear.
- Hey! Lori!
- Talkin' to you, girl!
Get your ass outta that car now!
Drive, go!
(PANTING)
(INHALES SHARPLY)
You know why she left?
Huh?
Brian? You know why she left?
Maureen?
You gonna leave, too?
Answer me.
Answer me!
Rex... REX: Shut up!
No, sir.
(SIGHS)
Somebody take out
the damn trash!
(PHONE RINGS)
JEANNETTE: Lori?
LORI: Coast clear?
Yeah. He's passed out.
How is everything?
LORI: Well, last night
at the restaurant
I met a writing
professor from Barnard.
I told her you were gonna
apply to her school,
and she was really
nice about it.
She said she'd be happy
to read your stuff.
Are you serious?
Yeah. She said to call her
when you get up here.
That's amazing.
How's the escape fund looking?
Oh, it's getting close.
I think I've baby-sat every
demon child in Welch by now.
You wanna hear? Mmm-hmm.
(RATTLING)
Sounds like freedom.
She sounds fat. (LAUGHING)
Oh, you're really gonna
love it here, Jeannette.
It feels like you're breathing
for the first time.
I don't think he's
gonna let me go.
Hey, come on. Don't
even think about that.
(GLASS SHATTERING) It
doesn't matter anyway.
You can do whatever...
What was that?
Hold on. Can you call me back?
Okay.
I'm sorry.
Erma died.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
Do you think Erma ever
did something to Dad?
Like what?
Like what she did to Brian.
(SIGHS)
You can't think about
things like that.
It'll make you crazy.
I'm gonna meet you back at home.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
Dad... I'm sorry about Erma.
When it's time to go, you go.
I'm not talkin' about that.
"It's impossible to breathe
when you're drowning in shit."
ROBBIE: Ready to
lose that 40 bucks?
(LAUGHS)
ROBBIE: You can pay me
now or pay me later.
You still believe
in your ol' man?
Do you wanna help
me hustle this guy?
Make some money?
Yeah, okay, so...
Long as you stroke his
ego, he'll keep playin'.
I'll pull the plug the
second we've drained him.
(CLEARS THROAT)
You know the drill.
Robbie!
ROBBIE: Hey, Rex.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
(SCOFFS)
Jeannette?
Name's Robbie. I didn't know
ol' Rex had a daughter.
He has three.
(CHUCKLES)
Rex said you like to dance.
You like livin' in this town?
It's all right.
It ain't all right,
and you know it.
We're all mudbugs
in a boiling pot,
don't even know we're
being cooked alive.
(CHUCKLES)
I'm headin' off to Chicago
soon as I can afford
up savings for it.
What about you?
I'm savin' up to move
to New York City
to be with my sister.
All right. Big Apple. (CHUCKLES)
I like that city. I been
there a couple times.
You're gonna love it.
Yup.
REX: Robbie! Do
somethin' worthwhile
with those damn hands of yours.
Get over here, play me a game.
Well, all right.
REX: ...side pocket.
ROBBIE: You sure
about that, Rex?
Ooh! Damn!
(LAUGHING)
That's four games in a damn row.
That'll be 80 bucks unless you
wanna go double or nothin'.
No. Take it all. You deserve it.
Here you go. Wash
down that humble pie.
To your daughter
and her big move
to New York City.
New York City, huh?
(GLASS CLATTERS)
ROBBIE: Can't believe I let
that old fart take me.
I don't know if I'm
ticked or impressed.
Now, you know my apartment's
right upstairs.
Got a bunch of records
ain't on that jukebox
if you wanna come up
and listen a bit.
Thanks, but I can't.
Rex, you mind if I bring your
daughter upstairs for a bit,
listen to some records?
She's a big city girl now.
She can handle herself.
Holler if ya need me.
You know, I can't stay long.
That's all right. Just wanna
play you a tune or two.
I think you're gonna
like this one.
(MUSIC STARTS PLAYING)
Hmm. (SNAPS FINGERS)
Where were we?
Think for dancing
it's sorta like this.
You tryin' to sniff my hair? No.
(GIGGLES) What are you doin'?
(KISSES) Oh.
That's what I was tryin' to do.
Oh. I'm not that kinda girl.
Well, we'll just dance, then.
All right?
(LAUGHING)
(GRUNTS)
ROBBIE: Whoa! How'd that happen?
(LAUGHING)
Okay.
Robbie, what are you doing?
This.
Stop.
I just wanna see what you
got under this dress.
Robbie, stop!
Easy. Take it easy.
Robbie... It's all right.
Hey, hey! (SHUSHING)
Let me show you.
Mmm.
Okay. There you go.
(CHUCKLES)
Oh.
JEANNETTE: Mmm-hmm.
When I was a little girl,
I lit myself on fire.
It gets worse down there.
(ZIPS UP DRESS)
I'm gonna go now.
(DOOR SHUTS)
I knew you could
handle yourself.
It's like that time I
taught you to swim
and you thought you
were gonna drown,
but I knew you'd do just fine.
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
Okay, here.
Here's your cut.
Take it or not.
Might come in handy
for the big move.
I don't care what
Erma did to you.
It's no excuse.
I am movin' to New York,
and there's nothin' that
you can do about it.
(SOBBING)
You okay?
I need to get the
hell outta here.
Somebody sure gutted
your piggy, didn't they?
Any suspects?
That money was mine.
(PIGGY BANK CLATTERS)
(VOICE BREAKS) Why are you
doin' this to us, Dad?
(PHONE RINGING)
(PHONE RINGING)
New York Magazine. This
is Jeannette Walls.
MAUREEN: Hey, big shot.
Maureen?
How's your fancy life?
(CHUCKLES) Just gettin' ready
for my fancy engagement party.
We're excited to see you.
I can't make it tonight.
Why not?
'Cause I'm movin' to California.
You're not serious?
Maureen, you can't
go to California.
That's the other
side of the country.
We have to stick together.
We always have.
That's not true.
I gotta go. I love you. (SIGHS)
Why would she go to California?
It's as far away from
them as she can get
without swimming to Hawaii.
It's our fault.
We should have never left
her alone with them.
(SIGHS)
She would have
hated this anyway.
David sure doesn't.
Thank you so much for coming.
Who needs more bubbly?
ROSE MARY: We do!
(LAUGHING)
Hi, handsome!
Did you invite them?
Oops.
Look who's here. Oh! Hey.
Okay, okay. Whoa!
Thank you, thank you!
This'll be interesting.
REX: Let's get this
party started!
Oh, congratulations, honey!
(LAUGHING)
What does an investment
banker use as birth control?
His personality.
(ALL LAUGHING)
REX: All right, one more.
What's the difference
between a bag of manure on
your lawn and an
investment banker?
Can I speak with
you for a second?
I'm in the middle
of a punchline.
Okay, hold that thought, gents.
MAN: Who is that guy?
Swanky. But I don't see one
of your mama's paintings.
What are you doing here?
(CHUCKLES)
Just networking with all
these fantastic people.
Every time someone leaves,
you act like a child.
You'd think you'd be
used to it by now.
What's that supposed to mean?
It's not a surprise, Dad.
Maureen left because your
bullshit drove her crazy.
You really wanna talk
about bullshit right now?
Look around! This ain't you!
You ain't like those
pawns, and you know it!
Don't turn this on me.
You're a Walls.
You were born to
change the world,
not just add to the noise.
You cannot marry that fool!
You're better than him!
And you're better than that
goddamn gossip column!
You're a real writer!
I like my life, Dad.
Then why is all your crap
still packed up in those boxes?
What's goin' on, guys?
(SIGHS) We don't
want to upset David.
Why do you care so much about
David all of a sudden?
Well, he's like part of the family now.
Right, honey?
This is not the time, okay?
Well, when's the right time?
Not right now! Okay?
Look, there were three
more offers today.
So you can wait till tomorrow...
I have to tell her!
Tell me what?
Trust me, now is not the time!
Tell me what, Mom?
Let me talk!
(SIGHS)
You know how I was telling
you about my brother
selling his half of
Mom's land in Texas?
Well, now that you're
gettin' married
and you have all
these nice things,
we were thinkin'
that maybe we could
borrow the money to buy it.
So the only reason why
you're being nice to David
is because you want his money?
No, it's not the only reason.
I'm also just a nice person.
You are a nice person.
Thank you.
We wouldn't ask if it
wasn't urgent, honey.
How much?
No, let's not get into...
About a million.
A million dollars?
A little under.
A little under...
If Uncle Jim's land
is worth that much,
then yours is, too.
Well, I don't know. I've
never had it appraised.
My father taught me
you never sell land.
REX: Good advice.
ROSE MARY: Right.
Grandma Smith died
when I was 11.
Have you been sitting
on a million dollars
since I was 11?
No, no! It appreciates over time.
It escalates.
You knew about this?
Do you realize what we could
have done with that money?
I don't want my kids raised
on a goddamn handout!
What the hell?
What the hell is wrong with you?
ROSE MARY: Oh...
Nice, Rose.
Hey, Mountain Goat!
Don't ever call me that again!
(CHUCKLES) Uh, Jeannette...
JEANNETTE: David, please...
REX: Come on. I know you're upset.
But let's just go back
and talk about this. Come on.
Dad, why do you think all
of us ran away from you?
We were drowning.
I still don't understand
why you followed us here.
We wanted to be a family again.
We were never a family, Mom.
We were a nightmare.
Your mom and I did everything
we could for you, okay?
We looked after you,
and it was a happy family!
Bullshit! We did it!
We took care of each other
because you were too drunk to!
It was your job to protect
us, and you didn't even try!
That ain't true, okay?
It is true.
You got some kind of weird
revisionist history goin' on.
You were a happy kid! Stop it, Dad.
Stop talking.
And they were happy kids!
And we looked after you!
Stop talking! Talking
is not trying!
You talked my whole
goddamn life!
(VOICE BREAKS) And
I believed you.
Don't!
REX: Hey, don't do this.
I don't want you in my life.
Jeannette, you do not mean that.
I don't want you
to call or write
or show up out of the blue.
I don't want another one
of your bullshit stories.
I don't wanna see you anymore.
(INDISTINCT WHISPERING)
(SIGHS)
(SOBBING)
JEANNETTE: (SOFTLY) I gotta go.
See you soon, little sister.
(SNIFFLES)
I think I figured
out how to deal
with the lack of sunlight
on the hillside.
We just need to install
specially-curved mirrors
to all the solar cells.
See, what I was thinkin' was
you don't have to go right away.
You could just... Dad...
You could finish school here
and get a job at the
Welch Daily News,
and I would help you
write those articles.
I am going.
Remember how we used to do that?
You remember that?
You are never going to
build the Glass Castle.
Oh, I am. You're not.
I am. I got it right here.
And even if you do,
it doesn't matter.
I'm gettin' on the
first bus outta here.
Well...
If the bus breaks
down, I'm gonna walk.
I am gonna finish this thing...
I will hitchhike
if I have to, Dad.
I can guaran-goddamn-tee it.
Build it if you want, but
don't build it for me.
Hey, hey, hey! Jeannette...
Mountain Goat! (DOOR SHUTS)
Okay, so I'm gonna pick
you up after work,
and we'll head straight to
the restaurant from there.
Where?
We have dinner with Mr.
Lehocky and his wife.
Jeannette, remember I
told you about this?
Furniture designer?
This guy's got more money than
he knows what to do with.
He made the chair that
you're sitting in.
Right, the furniture designer.
I got it.
Jeannette, please?
This is a very big
account, okay?
This'll be huge for us.
I said I got it. (PHONE RINGING)
Okay. Can you get that?
I gotta go.
Mmm-hmm.
(ANSWERING MACHINE BEEPS)
ROSE MARY: Jeannette,
it's me, sweetie.
It's been too long.
You can't ignore
us forever, honey.
I just really need to talk to
you about somethin'. Okay?
Have you been to the Picasso
retrospective at MOMA yet?
Mom...
Don't waste your time.
He really didn't do
anything worthwhile
after his Rose period.
All that cubist stuff
is so gimmicky.
Mom, I have to go back to work.
Why are you here?
(SIGHS)
I need to sit down.
You know how I am with
sentimental
situations like this.
It's just... I don't
know what to do.
What's goin' on?
Your dad's sick. And
he's not gettin' better.
He stopped talkin' last week.
Well, what does that mean?
He was rantin' about
that night at David's,
all that stuff you said
about his drinkin'
and how talking isn't trying,
and whatever else you said.
Then he asked me if I
think he talks too much,
and I said, "Yeah,"
'cause he does.
And then he just stopped.
Hasn't said a word since.
Won't get out of bed.
Barely eats.
The silence is awful.
He's dying, Jeannette.
You have a right to be angry.
You think I don't know that?
Of course you do.
Look, I don't wanna tell
you what to do ever,
but I know you love
him, and I just think
you'll regret it if you don't
come home and say goodbye.
Mom, I said goodbye
a long time ago.
Jeannette...
(FOOTSTEPS RECEDING)
The doctor told him a month
if he stops drinking,
which he won't, so who knows?
What exactly is it?
Pretty much everything
you can get
from four packs of cigarettes
and two quarts of booze
every day for 50 years.
He doesn't look good.
You have to go see him.
No, I don't.
You're right. You don't.
But you kind of do.
He's done a lotta shitty things,
but he's had his moments.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
(SNIFFLING)
REX: Man in the hall!
Does anybody know where
Jeannette's room is?
Oh, thank you kindly, ma'am.
(REX HOWLS)
What are you
snot-slingin' about?
What are you doing here?
I thought I'd finally
come check out
this high-fallutin'
college o' yours.
I gotta say, for the tuition
I expected a bit more.
Your mom says that
you're jumpin' ship.
What happened to all
your fancy scholarships?
It isn't enough.
And they don't cut breaks
for poor little country
girls with big dreams?
You can't say I didn't warn ya.
Did you come all the
way here from Welch
just to rub it in my face?
You were right. Okay?
I never should've come here.
Now I'm droppin' out.
The hell you are!
That's $950.
And, uh,
that there is genuine 100% mink.
Should be able to pawn
that for at least $50.
Where did you get all this?
New York City is full
of poker players
who wouldn't know their
ass from their elbows,
and your mom said I finally
had a good reason to gamble.
You did this for me?
Since when is it
wrong for a father
to take care of his little girl?
So it turns out Mrs. Lehocky
is actually a fan of yours.
She reads your
column every week.
Rich, white and old is
our target audience.
(LAUGHS)
I heard your mom's
message on the machine.
Something goin' on?
It's just Mom bein' Mom.
You know, whatever they
want, please don't give in.
You've been so much
better without them.
Have I?
MRS. LEHOCKY: We've been
a team for so long,
it's hard to tell who
does what anymore.
But Ollie's always been
a master craftsman.
And I'm more of a visual person.
Vi's the real artist
of the operation.
I just make sure they don't
fall apart when you sit down.
(LAUGHS)
But when we were your age,
we didn't think any of
this was going to happen.
We'd have been
fine making chairs
out of a tiny garage for
the rest of our lives.
Just do what makes you happy.
You may make some money
at it, you might not.
Don't matter either way if
you're doin' what you love.
MRS. LEHOCKY: And what
about you, Jeannette?
Is this what you've
always wanted to do?
Uh... No, actually.
I was once a political
science major.
I was very eager to write
stories that actually matter.
MRS. LEHOCKY: Your
stories matter to me.
Thank you.
I don't know, it's just...
This is not where I thought
that I was gonna end up.
Well, maybe you're
not at the end yet.
Jeannette's dad is developing
a technology to burn
low-grade bituminous
coal more efficiently.
Well, isn't that nice.
Where is your dad now?
Uh...
(EXHALES)
I'm sorry. Would you
excuse me for a second?
(SIGHS)
REX: There. How's that feel?
(SOFTLY) It's so ugly, Daddy.
I look like the demon.
Hey, there's nothin' ugly
about you, you hear me?
One day, I promise you,
you're gonna look at this
as just another sign
of how strong you are.
You're a Walls, Mountain Goat.
We ain't like other people.
We got a fire burnin'
in our bellies.
And that there is
goddamn proof of it.
Now...
This knife is specially
designed to hunt demons.
It's very sharp.
Don't take it out
unless you see him.
You can borrow it for the night.
You know, all monsters
are the same.
They like to frighten people,
but the minute you
stare 'em down,
they turn tail and run.
I love you, Mountain Goat.
(BREATHES DEEPLY)
My parents are squatting
in an abandoned building
on the Lower East Side.
Jeannette...
They were homeless for
three years before that,
which is pretty much
how they raised us.
My dad is not developing
a technology for
bituminous coal,
but he could tell you anything
that you want to know about it.
He is the smartest
man that I know.
He is also a drunk,
never finishes what he starts,
and can be extremely cruel.
But he dreams bigger than
anyone I've ever met.
And he never tries to be
somebody that he's not.
And he never wanted
me to, either.
(SIGHS)
I'm sorry, but I have to leave.
(VOICE BREAKING) Go.
You ready to go get that demon?
(BOTH HOWLING)
Let's go!
(SIGHS)
(SIGHS)
I'll go get some air.
Leave you to it.
Hey, Dad.
Do you remember when
those grape-pickers
in California went on strike,
and the vineyards had
to sell everything
for a nickel a pound?
You stuffed the car so full
we couldn't see out the windows.
Brian found some in his
pocket two weeks later
that had turned into raisins.
Or when you let me pet
that cheetah at the zoo?
She was lickin' that popcorn
butter off your hand.
Those other parents wanted
to chop my head off.
(SNORTS)
They were just jealous.
Remember when you
made your own braces?
They were a goddamn feat
of engineering genius.
It was a hanger and
a rubber band.
Well, by God, it worked.
Look at those gorgeous choppers.
(LAUGHING)
Mom says you haven't
been talkin' lately.
(COUGHING)
(GROANS)
Sort of takin' some
time to think.
(GROANS)
Here.
What's this?
It's every story you've
written since eighth grade.
Thought maybe you could
start addin' to it for me.
(CLEARS THROAT)
I spent my whole life
huntin' for those
demons in the wild.
And the entire time
they were hidin'
inside my own belly.
Sad state to spend your life in,
bein' afraid of your own self.
I know it...
Wasn't easy on you kids.
Got a lot to regret
about my life.
Dad...
(BOTH SIGH)
Never forget
how beautiful you
are, Mountain Goat.
And smart...
And creative and strong...
You're so strong.
(CHUCKLES)
No little girl should ever have
to carry her daddy on her back.
(SOBS)
You ain't like me at
all, Mountain Goat.
You're not afraid.
I am like you.
And I'm glad.
(CHUCKLES)
We had some good
times, didn't we?
(LAUGHING)
Never did build
that Glass Castle.
No.
But we had a good
time plannin' it.
(WATER RUNNING)
Hi! Happy Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Something smells good!
How's life as a freelancer?
I'm still gettin' used to it.
Yeah? You like bein' poor again?
Thanks, Brian.
BRIAN: Careful with my child.
Hey.
Maureen...
BRIAN: I like the new place.
JEANNETTE: How's California?
It's really nice and sunny.
Here's your
housewarming present.
I thought you'd like one of him.
I didn't do so well
with the hair, but...
Do you like it, honey?
It's perfect.
(ALL LAUGHING)
What? What?
I never told you about this?
No, you didn't.
He didn't have money
for presents,
so he takes each of us outside,
and says that we can just
pick out our own star.
Seriously? Yeah, yeah,
any one we want.
So I took Rigel.
It's that little blue one
on the foot of Orion.
What was yours, Lori?
And I chose Betelgeuse
'cause it was this
pretty shade of red,
and then later that
night Dad told me
it was only that color
because it was dying!
Yeah! You got the dud!
You were so mad!
Yeah, because he wouldn't
let me pick a new one!
"'Cause there's no return
policies in outer space."
"Well, that only works for
plastic toys made in Japan."
BRIAN: But he also said,
"When everyone else's junk
is broken and forgotten,
"you'll still have your stars."
(LAUGHING) (SNIFFLES)
LORI: (SIGHS) Yeah.
(CHUCKLES)
(SIGHS)
BRIAN: Jeannette,
what's goin' on?
LORI: You okay?
ROSE MARY: What are you
thinkin', sweetie?
I just...
I feel really lucky...
(LAUGHING)
ROSE MARY: Let's
make a toast to Rex.
Life with your father
was never boring.
(LAUGHING)
REAL ROSE MARY: All these
here are portraits of people.
I have a whole box of
flowers back there.
Down here people like my flowers
better than they
did in New York.
(CLUCKING)
You know, Jeannette's story
about how he gave her a star,
what a difference between
Lori's and Jeannette's.
JEANNETTE: "I got a star.
"Oh, Daddy, you're so wonderful.
(LAUGHING)
"I love you."
And Lori says, "You
goddamn son of a bitch,
"you didn't have enough money."
(LAUGHING)
The star story. (BOTH CHUCKLE)
Dad loved grand gestures
that preferably did not require
a whole lot of follow-up.
(LAUGHING)
And he did it twice.
I've made this all by
my own free choice.
So I haven't regretted it.
It's been an experience.
I've gotten a lot out of it.
Even if I go down the drain,
I have still come
out the winner.
Still come out a winner.
Any idiot
can see that this is
a goddamn land-grab
by the city officials
using taxpayers' money
to tear down the buildings
so that they could
give away the property to
the goddamn developers,
so the developers will pay
'em off under the table.
It's not new, but it has gone
as far as we're gonna let it go.