1
(GENTLE CHIMING MUSIC)
EMMA: Some hide fearful
behind a veil of fearlessness.
Others relish in the light
of their true spiritual makeup.
But in the end, no matter
what mask you put on,
underneath it the reveal
will always be the same,
for we are all made up of flesh,
bone, blood, and stardust,
just trying to escape,
to free ourselves
from confinement,
from control of our own making.
We try to exist behind the pain
until we are forced
to confront it.
And for me, that day has come.
Put your broken heart aside
I'm longing to survive
World's got a lot to hide
If you take it on your own
So sit down
Tell a story to me now
Let's be free
- JACK: Hey, Dad.
- DAD: Hey, Jack.
DAD: So the rehearsal
dinner's on Friday at seven.
Make sure you get to
the hotel on time.
JACK: Uh-huh.
DAD: Oh, and your brother
rented out both penthouses
for the wedding party.
JACK: Of course he did.
DAD: How's that
little story coming?
JACK: Well,
actually my boss...
DAD: And don't miss
your flight out of Detroit.
JACK: What?
Dad, no, I told you I'm
on assignment in the U.P.
DAD: Where?
JACK: It's... up north.
Look, I gotta go, but
I'll see you on Friday.
(DOOR SLAMS)
(HEAD BANGS)
Ow!
(EASYGOING MUSIC)
- GRACIE: Hey, Emma.
- EMMA: Hey, Gracie.
Can I have a "Spotlight"?
Sure can.
Have a good day.
(DOOR CHIMES)
(MUFFLED ROCK MUSIC)
Hey, do you know
where I can get an...
No.
What I was going to ask you,
before you interrupted me,
was do you know where
I can get a charger?
No, we don't sell them.
What about all those?
No.
Seriously?
They're not chargers.
It's a charger.
CLERK: They're not available.
Why?
CLERK: They're
mine, I'm sorry.
They're yours?
They're for dildos.
Okay, what do I have to
do to get one of those?
(EASYGOING MUSIC)
Ah, screw it.
(JACK SIGHS)
Got it.
(SMOKE DETECTOR BEEPING)
(PHONE VIBRATING)
Crap.
Hey, Greg.
Jackie boy.
How's the new...
What the hell is that sound?
No, nothing, Greg.
It's just this damn, nothing.
What's up?
I wanted to check
in and make sure
you're liking your new digs.
Yeah, no, they're great.
You know, apart from
the Cold War era stove,
everything's good.
I mean, the townspeople
are idiots, but.
Great, great, glad to hear it.
Hey listen, this is
an easy story, Jackie.
Small town closes open mines,
identity crisis,
tighter regulations,
environmental lawsuits,
and a pivot toward cleaner,
cheaper burning natural gas,
blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
Yes, Greg, I will
get you a story.
And don't go off
the grid this time.
Every time you go on location,
I can't get a hold of you.
If I call you and you
don't pick up that phone,
I'm gonna fire you.
You'll be finished quicker
than a teenage kid on
prom night, you got it?
Yeah, yeah Greg, I got it.
(PERKY MUSIC)
DAD: You think
you can just go out
and become a famous writer?
You didn't even
finish undergrad.
Look, you're not a writer, Jack.
GREG: Explain to me why I now
have to retract your article?
JACK: I just forgot to
give him co-writing credit.
It's not a big deal.
DAD: Real writers, their
words reverberate off the page.
Yours? They barely ripple.
Go to sleep!
(EASYGOING MUSIC)
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
(JACK PANTING)
Woo!
Way to go, Jack. Good pump.
(LIGHT INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)
(GROCERY CART PASSING)
WOMAN: Hey.
Oh. Hey.
What you doin'?
I'm just shopping.
I'm Emma, Emma Ellis,
rhymes with overzealous
if that helps.
Hey, your mile sweat
time's a little slow.
I'm sorry?
9:30, that's not good.
I'm sorry, I'm confused.
Were you following me?
So you're from New York, huh?
Yeah, yeah, no,
I'm new in town.
Oh, I know.
Everybody knows.
So what are you doing here?
Ooh, let me guess.
You are,
you're running from the law.
No, no, no, no, you are
searching for your daughter
with a special set of skills?
No.
Oh.
I am a journalist.
You're a writer?
I'm a writer too.
I mean, I'm not a journalist.
You're probably like
a fancy writer guy.
I'm just like a regular writer.
Hey, who do you write for?
The Green Bay Post?
No, New York Times.
Oh.
Yeah.
Cool.
Mm-hm, I'm actually
writing a story on the town.
Oh I can help.
I can totally help.
I can introduce you to people
and show you around town
because I always say you
have to plan your work
and then you work your plan,
and I can be a part of that plan
because if I'm not
a part of that plan
you might go to
the wrong people.
And if you're not talking
to the right people
you're talking to
the wrong people.
And if you're talking
to the wrong people
then you're not talking
to the right people.
And you can't write
your paper if you're
talking to the wrong people,
'cause the right
people are the people
you're gonna need to talk
to your people about.
You know, about your paper.
Yeah.
No, that sounds great.
But I actually work
alone, so thank you,
but no thank you.
But no one's
gonna talk to you.
JACK: Why?
They don't like you.
Well, they don't know me,
plus, I'm a professional
journalist so I've done this,
but thank you for the offer.
(LIGHT MUSIC)
MALE: What can
I do for you today?
I'm just wondering if I
can ask you some questions.
Excuse me sir, I
was wondering if you
might have a few
minutes to answer some
questions about the open mines?
Excuse me sir, I was
wondering if you had a moment
to talk about how the
change towards green energy
has affected the infrastructure
and jobs in town?
Particularly regarding
the mines closing down.
No time.
Is that a rifle?
Okay, so when the
lifeblood of the town
was suddenly drained to
feed the bureaucratic
and capitalistic vampires,
that made you feel how?
(LOLLIPOP POPPING SOUND)
What are you talking about?
You don't know how to
cut wood or split wood.
JACK: No.
You know how to burn wood?
JACK: Never started a...
Never started a fire huh buzz?
Yeah.
Okay.
(OLD MAN LAUGHING)
Have a nice day.
(MAN HAWKING)
(MAN SPITTING)
Okay, those were $150.
What ya doing up
there Mr. Giggles?
God, you're so high.
How'd you get up?
Ooh, oh jump!
Jump, jump, jump!
You can do it Mr. Giggles!
Go!
Go.
Wow!
(EMMA CHEERING)
Nice job Mr. Giggles.
Who ya talking to?
Mr. Giggles is a squirrel.
He's usually very brave,
but right now he's
being a little baby!
Okay.
Well, sorry, I didn't
mean to interrupt
you and Mr. Giggles.
I'll leave you two.
How's interviews
coming Mr. Professional?
Ah, I will have you know
that they are going very well.
Nobody will talk to you, huh?
No, some won't
even look at me.
Well you're not from here.
I mean, neither am I,
but I've lived here
pretty much my whole
life so I get a pass,
but you have only
been here for a day
so you don't get a pass.
You get no trust.
You mean mistrust.
See.
That, what you just did there.
Thinking you're better.
I don't think that I'm better.
EMMA: Mm-hm!
I don't!
Look, um, you mentioned
that you might be able to...
Do you think that you could...
Do you think you could
help me with my interviews?
Ooh, I don't know.
Mr. Giggles and I had some
pretty big plans tonight.
So, I'm not a ditcher.
Please?
Okay I'll do it.
Great.
But, I'll show
you around town,
introduce you to everyone.
Make sure people don't
think you're a weirdo
and a lemon-head, if
you teach me how to
be a professional jourmalist.
And I mean like a
professional journalist.
You know what, just forget
I ever mentioned anything.
Oh okay.
Okay, well if you don't
wanna finish your article,
you know, plant
potatoes, get potatoes.
Fine.
Fine, I'll do it.
Okay great, you
wanna start now?
JACK: Right now?
Yeah, come on.
(PERKY MUSIC)
Okay.
JACK: Can you pick a side?
EMMA: You pick a side.
JACK: I've already been here.
It'll be fine.
(DOOR KNOCKING)
- Hey Larry.
- Hey.
EMMA: This is my friend Jack.
Do you mind if we comes in
and ask you some questions
about the closing of Open Mines?
Sure, come on in!
Look at that.
- Show him!
- Maybe!
- Hey!
- That's the club.
- Oh wow.
- 1892.
OLDER MALE: Probably
September or something.
Yes, September 1st 1892,
the Loretto Mine Club.
And so your dad
worked in the mine?
Well, yes, when he was single.
When he was single?
Mh-hmm.
WOMAN: And the sad
part about that story is
the mines shut down and
the people took off and...
MALE: They took a
beating at that time.
They took a beating.
Boyfriend?
No!
You're not pregnant are ya?
Jimmy!
So I said, "I think
we had a good life,"
and... and... here we are.
JACK: So could you
tell me a little bit
about what the mine
meant to the community?
I can tell you about
the Green Bay Packers.
If you want.
Um...
Don't bother,
he's the quiet type.
JACK: You wanna head inside?
EMMA: That's Jack, he
works for the newspaper.
He's kind of weird, but
it's okay to help him.
Emma, you coming?
Thank you so much for
all of your help today.
I mean, I got some
really great stuff.
No problem goblin.
So, when do you think we
can my first writing lesson?
I write every day
so I'm not bad,
but I feel like I don't
know some things, you know?
JACK: Mm-hm.
Also, my legs are
made out of spaghetti.
Wow.
And once I turned
myself into a coffee table
just to know what it felt
like to hold magazines.
Cool.
- When can I have my first
- Hey!
EMMA: writing
lesson you stupid?
I don't know, how
'bout tomorrow morning?
Great, see ya then!
Okay, great.
Thanks again.
How do I get back home?
You see that kooky tree?
The one that kind of looks
- like a Popsicle?
- Penis?
JACK: Popsicle.
There we go.
You go straight, take a
right at the cemetery,
and then you walk a half
a mile and you're there.
Okay.
Oh I can take you.
Could you?
Of course.
JACK: That'd be amazing.
Okay.
EMMA: So how you
liking Veronica's cottage?
Who's Veronica?
Oh she's my best friend.
We always go
swimming in the lake.
Oh, cool.
Is Ms. Adeline her grandmother?
She's the woman
I'm renting from.
Yeah.
Oh my God!
(EMMA LAUGHING)
Why would you do that!
(WATCH BEEPING)
Ooh, I gotta be
home in 15 minutes.
It takes me 18 minutes to
walk so I'd better run.
I guess I could just
take you back to my place
and we can take a
ride from there.
I can't get in a car
with strangers you nut job.
But it's okay, I
can run, I'm fast.
You sure?
Mh-hmm.
Okay.
You wanna come?
To your place?
Yeah.
No, I can't.
Can't run in $200 jeans, so.
Those jeans are $200!
Yeah. They're Rag and Bone.
Are you scared
I'm gonna beat you?
I mean I'll go easy
on you, I promise.
No, no, I'm not
worried about that okay.
They called me the Speed
Demon in high school,
so I am pretty fast.
Okay 9:30, let's do it.
Oh, you wanna go?
Yeah.
Okay, all right.
I don't even know
where we're going
and I'm still gonna beat you.
Ready?
Set.
Don't take a digger!
(JACK SCREAMS)
(PERKY MUSIC)
Woo I won!
(JACK PANTING)
Hey Champ!
That's my friend Jack, he
works for the New York Times.
Oh and he's staying for dinner.
Hey, Jack Cohen.
CHAMP: Emma!
(OMINOUS MUSIC)
Great.
It was really good.
So, Champ was in the Army.
He was the guy who
jumped out of planes.
Oh wow, that's
really impressive man.
Thank you so much
for your service.
Yeah, I actually had a
couple friends in the Navy
and one of them told me that...
That the Navy are
a bunch of fags?
Is that what he said?
No, no, no, but you
know, just forget about it.
It's cool.
Sorry.
You should ask Champ
about your article,
he could definitely help you.
Couldn't he, Champ?
Oh, wow yeah man.
That would be awesome.
Yeah no, I don't
trust newspapers.
Or not.
I don't trust any
media to be honest.
You know, they're always trying
to sell me on some stuff.
They got this (NOSE
SNIFFS) stench.
Like they're better.
You know, like they're
nine feet tall,
like looking down at ya.
Same way I feel about
those people coming here
and buying houses on our lakes.
'Cause they think
we're stupid, right?
But you know what's funny is,
is you city bitches,
you take happy pills
and stare at screens
all day like a bunch
of freaking zombies you
know, and we're stupid.
See, if you ask me,
from where I'm sitting,
you know, you city bitches
are the stupid ones.
Yeah.
It's very well articulated, man.
(KNIFE HITTING PLATE)
Hey, we should do a bonfire.
Ooh, yeah, it'd be so much fun.
We can do it right, Champ?
And Jack, you'll stay right?
Oh it's cold outside,
you can borrow one of Champ's
jackets, it'll be great.
That's fine right?
Yeah, yeah we
can have a bonfire.
Great.
And you'll stay won't you?
Um...
CHAMP: You gotta stay man.
She wants you to stay.
Yeah, yeah sure, I can
stay for a few minutes.
Or like an hour.
Or he can stay
for a few minutes.
Or like an hour.
(WATCH BEEPING)
Time for a bonfire.
(CHAMP GRUNTS)
(EMMA LAUGHING)
So, are you Champs girlfriend?
Why did he say that?
No, no, no I was
just assuming 'cause...
What'd he say?
Tell me.
Nothing.
I'm just guessing 'cause
you're here and he's here
and no one else is.
Listen.
That man is the
man of my dreams.
And he doesn't know it yet,
but we're gonna get
married one day.
So if he said something,
you better tell me.
Don't mess with me.
No, no, no, he
didn't say anything.
Neither did I.
Cool.
(EMMA LAUGHING)
(CHAMP GRUNTING)
(JACK CHUCKLES)
Oh you think that's
funny city boy?
Why don't you give it a try?
Nah, I'm good man, thanks.
I'm more of a stare at
the fire type of guy.
Come on, don't be a pussy.
Yeah, don't be a pussy.
You're not gonna ruin your hair.
Come on.
All right.
Let's do it.
There you go, there you go.
(SLOW PACED MUSIC)
- (GLASS SHATTERING)
- Jack: Jesus Christ!
Ooh you're okay?
(CHAMP LAUGHING)
Sorry man, you know, that
one just got away from me.
Why do you have to
be such a jerk Champ?
Awe he's fine,
he's fine, you know.
He just couldn't
handle the nasty stuff.
You're good, right city boy?
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, I'm good.
Yeah, here look.
Just take a drink.
EMMA: You don't have...
CHAMP: There ya go.
One more, one more.
Champ.
Jack, you don't have
to drink anymore.
Good boy.
There ya go.
We're at a bonfire you know.
Put on a happy face.
Okay, so I swim
across the lake,
grab the American
flag and swim back.
Yup, yup, yup, yup,
that's exactly right.
You know, no one's ever done it.
Plenty of people
tried, but you know,
you'd be the first.
I'd be the first?
Uh-huh.
Numero uno
That's Spanish.
Es espaol
(JACK AND CHAMP LAUGHING)
I don't know if
I can do it man.
Oh you got it, you
got it, you got it.
(JACK SHIVERS)
Michael Phelps this.
You're gonna...
Michael Phelps this!
Drink!
Screw it, let's do it!
Yeah!
JACK: Emma!
I'm gonna do it!
You're gonna do it!
JACK: I'm gonna do it!
There ya go, you just
drank all my freaking Vodka.
All right.
Woo!
CHAMP: Yeah!
(WATER SPLASHING)
(CHAMP LAUGHING)
JACK: Oh my God,
(CHAMP LAUGHING)
there's something
touching my leg!
Oh it's driftwood!
I hate driftwood!
You're so stupid!
EMMA: Good morning, good
morning, are you awake?
Are you awake?
Good morning, good morning Jack.
Good morning, are you awake?
Are you awake?
(JACK SCREAMS)
Ah, good morning!
I made some breakfast,
do you want breakfast?
I made blueberry pancakes.
Champ likes blueberry pancakes,
I don't really like
blueberry pancakes,
but I just take
the blueberries out
and save them for the birds.
Where are my clothes?
Do you like blueberries?
What?
I don't.
What?
Are we gonna have
our writing lesson or?
No.
You promised.
You said if I helped
with interviews
I would get a writing lesson.
Okay fine.
(LIGHT MUSIC PLAYING)
Let me go back.
I'm gonna go get some clothes on
and take a shower
and get my dignity back.
And then I'll come over.
Okay great, I'll see you then!
(PERKY MUSIC)
(WINDOW KNOCKING)
Hi!
JACK: Hey.
Ooh, I see you
found some clothes.
JACK: Yeah.
I think Champ
might've gotten mine.
Yeah, probably.
Or a shark got 'em.
There's sharks in the water?
Well there aren't
supposed to be,
but about 100 years ago,
this guy got sharks for pets
and then he realized he
couldn't take care of 'em
so he put 'em in the water
and then they had babies,
and now we have sharks.
Cool, that makes
me feel really good.
Pretty weird right?
JACK: Yeah, no, it's awesome.
Ooh, I brought you this.
What are these?
They're my stories.
There's a lot of them.
Yeah, I write a new story
on a new person every week.
Fascinating.
I will read them later.
Or now.
Or later.
Or maybe right now.
I'm way too hungover for this.
Yeah, but you
got a lot of time
so maybe you can just
read them right now.
Hangovers don't
care about time.
I don't care about hangovers.
I do.
Well...
We'll start writing.
Okay.
Got that, now what?
Now you write.
You put pen to paper
and you just write.
Just gotta write, that's
what you're giving me?
It's what I got.
CHAMP: There are your
clothes Michael Phelps.
Thanks man.
Hey Em, can you
give us a sec please?
Just one sec.
You know, guy type stuff.
Ew, gross.
How ya doing?
I'm good man, I'm good.
Good.
Tired.
Uh-huh
Hey, listen man, um...
Yeah, no, uh... You listen.
I don't really know
what's going on
with you and Emma, but
I don't really like it.
You don't know anything
about anything around here,
so, you know, do
yourself a favor
and stay away from her.
Know your place Jack.
Write your little
article and go home.
Don't go shaking stuff that
doesn't need to be shook.
You know?
And before you go,
you should probably
go grab the American
flag, you know?
Be the first.
Have a good day, Jack.
(CHAMP SLAPS JACK)
Okay, now what?
You know what, I forgot,
I gotta... I gotta go.
What?
Why?
Yeah, no, sorry.
The office texted me,
duty calls you know.
Yeah.
EMMA: Okay well, if
you change your mind
I'll be at the Long
Branch for lunch.
JACK: I gotta go.
(SLOW PACED MUSIC)
JACK: Hey Greg, got all
the research done early.
It's gonna be a great article.
Might be my best work yet.
Gonna write up a draft tonight
and head back tomorrow.
See ya then.
(TRAIN HORN BLOWING)
(CAR DRIVING PAST)
DAD: Good news!
Your brother said
his boss is looking
for a new coordinator.
Winky face emoji.
JACK: Dad, I have a job.
DAD: Journalism
is a dying field.
This is a real opportunity.
JACK: Jesus Christ, I get it.
Get off my ass already.
Sure.
We'll see.
EMMA: Champ's good,
you know how he is.
But, I don't know.
I worry about him, but...
he's an adult.
(EMMA SCRUBBING)
See you guys tomorrow.
(MYSTERIOUS MUSIC)
EMMA: So how ya liking
Veronica's cottage?
(COMPUTER TYPING)
JACK: Who's Veronica?
EMMA: Oh she's
my best friend.
We always go
swimming in the lake.
JACK: Frank and
Shelly Ellis are survived
by their two children,
Emma and Champ.
EMMA: Weekly
Spotlight by Emma Ellis.
GREG: So you wanna work here.
What are you willing
to do to get the story?
JACK: Honestly, anything.
GREG: Lie? Manipulate?
JACK: With a
smile on my face.
(CAR DOOR OPENING)
GREG: Hey cashews
for nuts, what's up?
Hey Greg, look, I think I
might have something for you.
Well, that something better
have to do with the story.
Well, it's a story.
Jesus, what are
you talking about?
Okay, I think I
may have a story
better than the iron mine.
Here's the pitch.
I met this girl and 10 years ago
her parents and
three best friends
were killed in a
shooting, right.
And then...
Why would that interest me?
Why do I care about
a story that happens
every week in America?
We've all been shot at.
Most people don't know it
because they haven't been hit.
No Greg, the girl is here.
And I feel like if I
just really lean in,
you know, squeeze out her take,
get the human interest angle,
there's something here.
And there's some weird stuff
also going on with her.
She like talks to
herself or whatever,
but hey, you know
the crazy ones.
They always have
the best stories.
I think if I dig in man,
I can make some waves with
this story, I'm telling you.
You think?
What the hell is wrong with you?
Why can't you just
stick to the story?
You know what?
Just give me a story,
but I swear, if it is
not more spectacular
than say an elephant
that can spin
a baton with it's dick,
you're gonna be
back grading papers
for your asshole dad.
How's that pitch?
Is that pitch good?!
That sounds fair.
So on Monday I
went to the store
and Pat said that it was
only 3.75 to get the candy,
but then I went back the
next day and it was on sale
and I got it for 2.75.
So I took the extra dollar
and I'm gonna save it
and probably try to buy...
Who are you talking to?
Oh hey!
JACK: Hi.
Take a seat.
Okay.
Oh you can't sit there,
that's Tammy's seat.
Okay, sorry.
I didn't realize that we
were meeting people here.
Oh we're not.
Oh then, are we early?
Oh no, everybody's at bowling.
Oh, okay, well, I'm here.
I know.
I mean I'd knew you'd come.
It was pretty obvious.
Why is it so obvious?
Your face, it's sad.
I mean, it's pretty clear
that you're lonely and
you have no friends.
Oh.
I always thought I had
a pretty, you know,
happy, have a lot
of friends face.
Oh no.
WAITRESS: Ready Emma?
Hey Tina, oh I
like your jacket.
Where'd you get it?
Oh some girl gave it to me.
It fits you perfect.
She was a small girl.
Well, jean jackets are
supposed to run small, so.
- No.
- JACK: Yeah.
I don't think so.
Pretty sure.
TINA: It's not a thing.
Read about it in GQ.
Okay, the usual?
Um.
I will have
the usual.
Great.
Oh, and by the way,
the thing you wrote on
Joe Tipper was so good.
I had no idea he built the
gazebo behind the church.
He did.
Yeah.
What do you want newspaper?
I will have the house salad.
And then do you guys have
like a balsamic vinaigrette?
We have ranch.
Oh no, I can't do ranch.
Lactose issues.
Gross.
Get the ranch.
Okay, but do you guys
have like any other options?
We have ranch.
Okay.
Yeah, yeah, sure.
You know what, I'll
have the ranch.
I'll be fine.
Uh-huh.
See, happy face.
Mm-hm.
How's your salad?
(JACK CHEWING)
Oh my God, this is incredible.
Better than your
balsamic blah blah blue?
Yeah, no, I mean like
normally I don't have ranch
because you know, stomach.
But this is like
made by the Gods.
Did you get a lot
of work done today?
Yeah, some.
So, you said you're
not from here.
Where are you from?
I grew up in Detroit but
my dad moved us up here
when he became the
union rep for the mine.
Oh, cool.
So your dad worked for the mine.
You never mentioned that.
Oh.
Oh that's so bad,
that's disgusting.
I'm full, you?
I just started.
Yeah, I'm bored,
let's do something fun.
(SLOW PACED MUSIC)
(BOWLING BALL ROLLING)
(PINS CLANKING)
You know, I think
three pins isn't bad.
JACK: It's not bad.
It's better than none.
Thank you.
How 'bout we play a
game. Truth or Dare?
One throw each.
Whoever knocks down the least
amount of pins has to choose.
Yeah I'm in!
Yeah?
It's game time.
Let's do it.
All right.
I don't wanna talk about it.
(PINS CLANKING)
Truth or dare?
Dare.
I dare you to let
me ask you a question.
That's not part of the game.
Come on, it's the rules.
Fine.
Okay.
What's your favorite color?
Yellow.
No, yellow.
It looks good.
Yeah, you're right.
You're up!
(EMMA SCREAMING)
It's getting better.
(PINS CLUNKING)
Truth.
Where'd you get that
scar on your hand?
(SOLEMN MUSIC)
Oh.
I jumped off a bridge
when I was eight.
My mom said that it was
deep enough but it wasn't
and I hit a rock.
My turn.
(GUTTER BALL)
EMMA: Not great.
No.
(PINS CLANKING)
Truth.
What does your mom do?
She's a mom.
That's it?
She loves to garden.
She can't spend
enough time there.
She always says that one
lifetime isn't enough
to accomplish ones
horticultural goals.
I mean, if a garden is the
site for an imagination,
how could we be very
far from the beginning?
You know?
(SOLEMN MUSIC)
(PINS CLANKING)
That was good.
EMMA: Thanks.
Impressive.
EMMA: Okay, truth or dare?
JACK: Truth.
EMMA: How do you
know when you've got
the best version of the story?
JACK: Well, I
guess it depends on
what type of story
you wanna tell.
EMMA: Come on, let's go!
JACK: Are you sure
we should be doing this?
Don't be a baby baby.
Ready, catch!
JACK: Okay, so you've
like never driven before?
EMMA: Nope, no
one ever taught me.
JACK: Not your
parents, your brother?
EMMA: Definitely
not my brother.
He said I wouldn't wanna
find out what would happen
if he ever caught me driving.
JACK: Exactly
what I wanna hear
right after we stole his truck.
EMMA: Not stole, we borrowed.
JACK: Okay, and
you're like sure that
he's not coming
back home tonight?
EMMA: No, beer o'clock.
He's at Dales for the
rest of the night.
JACK: Okay, all right.
So just turn the car on
and ease into it.
EMMA: Okey dokey!
(ENGINE TURNS ON)
JACK: Forward.
- Sorry, sorry, sorry,
- No, no, no, no, no!
EMMA: Sorry,
sorry, sorry, sorry.
JACK: There you go.
Slow.
Slow.
Slow.
There we go.
Good good.
Now just stay steady and
keep your eyes on the road.
Yeah, duh.
Not bad huh?
No, I mean it's better
than the parking lot.
See, this is what
writing's all about.
You take risks and
you try new things.
Check and check.
But then you have to escalate.
Like if you're going sky diving,
don't check the parachute.
Go for it, be reckless.
I mean, that's what all
great writers are you know.
Reckless.
I can be reckless.
Oh yeah?
(ENGINE REVVING)
Emma, what are you doing?
I'm being reckless.
- Just let me know
- Emma.
EMMA: if a deer comes
in the middle of the road.
- It'll be fine.
- Emma open your eyes.
- Open your eyes.
- Just live a little baby!
Emma seriously,
open your eyes!
- Don't be a baby
- Emma seriously!
It's fine!
JACK: I do not feel like
dying tonight, open your eyes!
(EMMA LAUGHING)
Oh my God.
Oh come on, so much for
not checking the parachute!
It was...
Forget it.
You poop your
pants a little bit?
(GENTLE MUSIC)
JACK: You okay?
I'm fine, just tired.
You ever think about just
going to space and disappearing?
Space?
No.
Spain yes.
JACK: Why Spain?
Gaudi.
You know about Gaudi?
Yeah, we do have
libraries here,
thank you very much.
Sorry, that was dickish of me.
Yes it was.
So, tell me.
Why Gaudi?
Well his church.
Ah, La Basilica de
la Sagrada Familia.
You know about it?
JACK: I've been.
What? Shut up!
Yeah, I went a couple
years back with my parents.
It was incredible.
So you know that he started
building it late in his life,
knowing that he wouldn't
live to see it be completed?
I mean,
he died in 1926 and
it was only like
a quarter complete.
But the people living there
continued to build it.
They were able to
keep his vision alive.
I don't know, I just think
it's really beautiful
because even after he died
he was able to give
these people meaning.
Yeah, well, that's
the dream right?
To have a legacy,
to be celebrated.
Yeah, sure that's fine,
but I don't know, legacies
are reserved for like
famous people and presidents.
What about people
like Tim or Vicky?
Who's Tim and Vicky?
Exactly.
I mean,
for me it's not about
being celebrated,
but it's about making sure
that their stories are told.
They deserved to have
their stories told
just as much as any
stupid celebrity.
I mean that's why I started
writing the Weekly Spotlights.
I want them to be able to
live on the page forever.
You know?
I mean, I've written about
every single person in town
and they may not be famous
but they are unique.
And I think if people
gave unique a chance
they might like it.
Well, I did.
I read some of your stories.
They were really good.
Really?
You're not just saying that?
No, no, no, no.
I mean honestly,
you are a natural.
Yeah.
I mean your words just
reverberate off of the page.
You have this uncanny
ability to take the reader
through an emotional
journey that isn't contrived
or try hardy, like it just is.
I mean, your writing is
from the subconscious heart.
Effortless.
(MELANCHOLY MUSIC)
Wow.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
So, do you ever
write about yourself?
Me?
No, never.
I'm boring.
You're not boring.
You know, it makes me wonder,
even though I don't really
know you all that well,
why you're still
here in this town?
I mean you say you wanna give
a voice to the voiceless right?
So why don't you go out
into the world and do it?
I mean, you said it yourself,
you've already written about
everybody else in this town,
why not go out and take
the world by storm?
I don't know.
I've got too much to do here.
You know, too many
people that depend on me.
This is my world.
Well, I think you
should reconsider.
I think you could
do a lot of good
if you decided to try to make
the world your world.
But hey, that's just me.
(MUSIC RISES)
That's the North Star.
Duh.
It's in the North.
Okay Mr. Know it all.
What's that?
Those three right there?
That's Orion's Belt.
I took astronomy in
college, so come at me.
See that constellation
right there?
What's that?
Oh, that is,
that's Seabiscuit because
it's shaped like a horseshoe.
Well.
You see that five star
cluster right there?
That is the Wu-Tang Clan.
No.
It can't be the Wu-Tang
Clan if there's only
five stars in the cluster.
So?
So there are 10 members
in the Wu-Tang Clan.
No there's not.
Yes there is.
That's way too many.
There's RZA, GZA, Method
Man, Ghostface Killah,
Masta Killa, Raekwon,
Inspectah Deck, U-God,
Cappadonna and
Ol' Dirty Bastard.
May he rest in peace.
Tammy was a big hip hop fan.
We always used to
listen to her CD.
God, her parents were so
mad when they found it.
Oh thank God they never
found her Playboy.
You mean?
Oh she was curious.
Oh.
Yeah, no, my dad
would have killed me
if he every found my Playboy.
Really?
Yeah.
Turns out that when
your father is a genius
and has every intellectual
kissing his ass,
he turns into kind of a dick.
Now I'm just doing
everything I can
to make sure that I'm not
a total disappointment.
For you.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
What's that?
Chocolate chew.
My mom always gave me one
when I do something good,
and now I get one every
time I do something new.
Well, you drove for
the first time tonight,
so you deserve it.
Yes I do.
Yeah.
You know, they say that
everyone has their fears,
but good writers live them out.
Great writers put
them on the page.
Who said that?
I don't know.
But, that's your first
writing assignment.
Challenge accepted.
Yeah?
Okay.
(MALE LAUGHING)
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC)
(MALE FALLING DOWN)
Tell my troubles
EMMA: Hey, no.
Hey!
EMMA: You're good.
What was that?
Come on.
CHAMP: Okay.
On the couch.
Come on.
- Hey.
- Hey.
CHAMP: Those are mine.
EMMA: I know.
I'm hot, I'm hot.
I know, you're fine,
you're fine, you're fine.
Go to bed?
CHAMP: Whatever.
Sleep deep, dream sweet.
Morning Jackie!
Hey Emma!
What happened?
JACK: Got a flat.
Just put a spare in.
Well I couldn't
sleep last night
so I did the assignment.
Oh cool.
All right, well it
shouldn't take me too long
to look over these if
you wanna hang out?
Oh no, I can't.
Got too much work to do.
You know, busy, busy, busy day!
I've got the garden, then the
farm, then the iron mine...
You know, I was
actually planning on going
to the iron mine later for work.
Maybe I can join you?
Um, yeah.
Yeah we can do that.
Okay, great, yeah.
Let me go put this
in a safe place,
and I will be right back.
EMMA: Alrighty roo.
Alrighty roo.
(SOLEMN MUSIC)
EMMA: To indict
fear, one must go below
the surface of the mind.
To the darkest
recesses of the soul
with love as your weapon.
A tool that...
JACK: Hey Emma,
where's the pickax?
Emma!
Paligrini said
that I don't get
the strawberries
until next weekend
'cause that's when they come in.
But they they tried to
sell me basil for 4.25
and I told them that I
always got them for 2.45
so I got the deal.
I'm thinking about putting
cucumbers next to the zucchini.
Or maybe, maybe by the
tomatoes, I don't know.
I haven't decided yet.
God it's so nice out here.
Yeah, I like taking
care of peoples stuff.
This is your moms right?
Yeah, she made it.
I just maintain it.
Try this.
Wow.
Good right?
JACK: I wish I
had this growing up.
Yeah, farms are pretty nifty.
The horses are Brian's,
the goats are my domain.
You know, I'm a goat gal.
Yeah, no, I mean
farms are pretty nifty,
I guess I was referring
more to like a childhood.
You know, I was never
really a normal kid.
Never had friends.
I still remember this
one time in college,
I told my professor that
he was misusing that
instead of which.
What's wrong with that?
You were right.
Well, he was a
Nobel Prize winner
and he was my father.
And I was wrong, so.
Well you showed him.
Now you're a big shot New
York Times journalist.
Well, I wouldn't say big shot.
Okay, little shot.
That's more accurate.
(DOOR CLOSING)
So, who were you talking
in the garden earlier?
My mom.
Oh.
You know, they actually
say that imagination
is really good for
a writer to have.
It's how you make the
ordinary seem extraordinary.
Yeah, for a writer,
kind of cheesy.
JACK: I'm sorry?
Cheesy.
Cliche, sappy?
I, no, I'm not.
Hey, let's do it.
Let's be kids.
You said you never
got to be a kid
so let's be a kid.
You know, as they say,
the imagination is a way to make
the ordinary seem extraordinary.
Funny.
Three, two, one!
Ready or not, here I come!
Ah snake!
Stick!
Never mind, it was just a stick!
False alarm.
My dad always said that
I ran before I walked
and I climbed before I rhymed.
Oh, okay.
How did you even get up there?
Let's see.
Poisonous or not poisonous?
Not poisonous.
Correct.
Yes!
Oh no.
What?
That one might be poisonous.
(JACK GAGGING)
Oh, oh okay, okay!
It's not poisonous!
He's Boris.
Yeah, I could live with Boris.
Hello Boris.
How ya doing Boris?
Very well 'cause
my name is Boris.
He's not a vampire.
Thanks for this.
Don't mention it.
Biggest fear, go.
I don't know.
Come on.
Okay, what about you?
I mean besides my brother
and sharks, and ranch.
Getting castrated.
Gross.
What?
It's a legitimate fear.
You know, I've seen
at least 20 stories
of guys getting their
junk chopped off
because they
betrayed their wife,
or girlfriend, or boyfriend.
I mean in Thailand,
it's an epidemic.
Do you think they deserved it?
To be punished?
Yeah, sure.
I mean they did something wrong
and there should
be consequences.
You know, has anybody
ever done something to you
that was so bad that
you thought about
doing something extreme?
No.
Never?
Letting people down,
that's my biggest fear.
Oh and being late and
hiccups of course.
Oh, I'm totally with
you on the hiccups.
Yeah, whenever my
hiccups show up
I'm just like, when are
you gonna get away hiccups?
Oh, see, I scare mine.
JACK: How?
I say, "Hiccups, you
better get out of here
"or I'm gonna call the police."
JACK: And then they leave?
No never.
(EMMA LAUGHING)
JACK: Perfect.
You know, we actually
went the wrong way.
But it's faster to
go back this way.
Are you all right?
I'm fine!
I'm fine, I'm fine!
You know, you go ahead.
I'll come over later for notes
for my assignment.
GREG: Jack, I did some
Google on this story of yours
and I
love
it!
And with this girl you have,
with this first person account,
it's a slam dunk.
Listen, Greg,
I was thinking,
why don't we do a piece
just on the shooting?
Yeah, no, I think that
will be more interesting.
I was thinking about it, right,
and I think doing the
first person angle
might be a little heavy handed.
Are you an insane person?
Her POV is what
makes this special.
Without her, no one's
getting to page two.
Just trust, please!
(SLOW METHODICAL MUSIC)
DAD: Mr. Cohen, we
have reviewed the case
and come to the
conclusion that you are
in fact guilty of plagiarizing
your fellow classmate
Mr. Rick Stanley's work.
And as such, have
broken the ethical
guidelines of Harvard University
and are hereby expelled.
Well, congratulations Jack,
you just screwed
up your whole life.
EMMA: To indict
fear, one must go below
the surface of the mind.
EMMA AND JACK: To the
darkest recesses of the soul
with love as your weapon.
JACK: That is the
philosophy I see Ellis having
10 years after
this tragic event.
(BED CREAKING)
(SLOW PACED MUSIC)
No Veronica, he's nice.
I know how city boys can be
but he's different.
No, stop it.
I'm old enough to hang
out with boys by myself.
I don't know, I
know I just met him
but he's weird.
Like weird in a
good way you know?
Just, this feels like
for the first time
in a long time, someone is
actually listening to me.
Yes dad, I'll be careful.
I don't know what to do.
I don't even know
if he likes me.
I think I messed up
yesterday though.
I freaked out at the bridge.
He probably thinks I'm crazy.
No, nothing happened.
We did bump shoulders though.
Yeah, they touched
for like two seconds.
Like this.
One Mississippi,
two Mississippi.
Almost three Mississippi
but not quite, we let go.
He didn't bump me hard,
it was an accident.
No yeah, it was
totally on purpose.
I think I like him.
Yeah, I think I like him.
(DOOR KNOCKING)
Jack!
Jack, it's Emma!
Coming.
Hey.
EMMA: Hello.
How's it going?
EMMA: Good.
Good.
Sorry I didn't
show up last night.
I just, I got a little bit busy.
Ah, don't even worry about it.
You know, I had plenty to do,
so no big deal.
Wanna go to the carnival?
I would, but I can't.
Ever seen a horse give birth?
Wait, is that a ride?
(UPBEAT MUSIC)
I was born on a river
I was born on the coast
(MACHINE RINGING)
My mama was a killer
CARNIVAL ATTENDANT: Winner,
winner, winner, winner.
My father was a ghost
All my love is a mantra
It's always calling to you
And if my heart is a camera
I'm taking pictures too
'Cause I feel like I feel
'Cause I'm a wheel in you
Oh, in you
When is it supposed to happen?
Wait for it.
(PHONE BUZZING)
DAD: Hey, we're headed
to the rehearsal dinner.
Where are you?
So, I'm sorry again
about the bridge yesterday.
No, I'm sorry.
I think I was just tired.
Yeah.
Yeah no, I mean
you had a long day.
Do you wanna go
back to your place?
Uh...
Yeah sure.
No, carnies aren't
creepy, they're nice.
I mean Champ even worked
the carnival once.
Why does that not surprise me?
Sorry.
It's just.
Like they go from
town to town, right?
And there's just something about
like wanderers, these vagabonds
that I just don't trust.
Maybe vagabonds
isn't the right word,
but they just give me like
this weird vibe, you know?
Yeah, well, you can
be weird sometimes.
And weird means unique.
And unique is good.
Okay.
Man, those rose colored lenses
you see the world through,
it must be nice.
Yeah.
Yeah they are.
I'm not naive though.
I know that there
is bad in the world.
So why wouldn't you wanna
see it with a pink tint?
It's nice.
JACK: What?
That was my first kiss.
Oh.
Um...
How was it?
Meh.
Cool.
Cool, cool, cool, cool.
(EMMA BURPING)
Nice.
(EMMA BURPING)
My dad taught me.
(EMMA BURPING AND LAUGHING)
(EMMA BURPING AND LAUGHING)
What does he do now?
Your dad.
You know, now that he
doesn't work at the mine?
Well he doesn't, um,
like technically
work at the mine,
but he still helps the people
who work there you know.
Like guides 'em and stuff.
Guides them?
Yeah, he like,
he like gives them advice.
Emma...
Yeah, I'm bored.
We should, we should
swim the lake.
Emma...
EMMA: You know what,
we can race across
and you don't have to worry
- because the sharks
- Emma.
EMMA: only really
feed in the morning.
So you don't have
to worry about that.
Emma I...
And I just need to remember...
I saw you at the cemetery.
So?
You know, I was
just walking by
and I saw you there,
and when you left I went
and I read the names
on the tombstones
and I searched them.
And I know.
I know about the shooting.
Brian, Veronica,
Tammy, your parents.
I just wanted to let
you know that I know.
You know it's like no big deal,
but I just felt like I
should share that with you.
Look, it's not a big deal.
You're gonna think I'm stupid.
No, no, no, no.
I would never think
that you're stupid.
You know, it's just,
you don't understand.
I don't understand?
You, you, you, you,
you don't understand.
- I understand perfectly fine.
- That's not what I meant.
EMMA: Just 'cause
I didn't live in like
some stupid big city like
Barcelona or whatever,
I understand.
I know you do, that's
not what I meant.
No, no, no, no.
Listen, I'm sorry.
I don't wanna talk about it!
- I don't wanna talk about!
- I'm sorry.
EMMA: I don't
wanna talk about it!
- I don't wanna talk about it!
- I'm sorry.
- I don't wanna talk about it!
- I'm sorry.
- I don't wanna talk about it!
- Emma, I'm sorry.
I don't wanna talk about it!
I don't wanna talk about it!
- Please stop!
- I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
EMMA: Please, I don't
wanna talk about it!
I don't wanna talk about it!
- (DOOR BANGING)
- Champ: Open the door Jack!
JACK: Oh, crap.
Oh no.
Crap.
(DOOR BANGING)
CHAMP: Open the door Jack.
Emma.
Emma?
Emma where'd you go?
CHAMP: Open the door Jack!
(JACK EXHALING)
I'm going to die.
(JACK BREATHING AND
EXHALING INTENSELY)
(DOOR OPENING)
JACK: Hey Champ.
CHAMP: Where is she?
JACK: Where is who?
Where is who?
Where is she?
She's not here man.
Just calm down.
She's not here.
She's not?
No.
(JACK GRUNTING)
CHAMP: Emma.
Emma!
(JACK COUGHING)
I told you man,
she's not here.
Oh.
What are you...
No.
(COMPUTER CRACKING)
(CHAMP GRUNTING)
EMMA: Champ.
Champ, Champ, stop it!
Stop! Stop!
Stay away from her.
Emma let's go.
Emma let's go!
(DOOR SLAMMING)
(DOOR CLOSING)
Why'd you have to do that?
Because he was taking
advantage of you.
You don't understand
Emma, okay...
Why do people
keep saying that?
I understand, I
understand perfectly fine.
I'm not saying that.
I'm not saying.
I'm not an idiot!
I'm...
I know you're not.
- I know you're not an idiot.
- You don't need to
EMMA: Protect me Champ.
I'm perfectly...
Yes I do!
You keep saying you
understand, but you don't.
You walk around all
day with a smile
but shit isn't happy okay.
It hasn't been for a while.
But I like that you smile.
That's why I protect you
from things like this
- and people like that.
- No.
- So you can keep smiling.
- No you protect me
EMMA: so you can feel better.
It's not for me, it's for you.
It's for you to feel better.
I'm fine Champ.
I'm happy.
I'm really, I'm fine.
What am I supposed to do?
Hm?
Answer me, what am
I supposed to do?
I went to war and
when I came back
my world was destroyed.
I let you down,
- I let mom down,
- You didn't let
- I let dad down
- any of us down.
CHAMP: I should've been
on that bridge but I wasn't
and I regret that
every day of my life.
And I will never let
that happen again.
So no, I'm sorry,
I'm not gonna let
some guy come in here
and mess with your mind!
He's not messing with my mind.
I know exactly
what is happening!
Why him?
You don't even know him.
Why him?
Because he treats
me like a normal,
like a normal person.
I like him Champ.
I like him a lot and
I'm not a fragile egg.
I know exactly what I'm doing.
I figured out not only
how to take care of myself
but to take care
of everybody else.
And you,
you would have just
left and be forgotten.
You would've just
accepted what happened
and moved on.
You have moved on, but I
figured out a way to maintain.
I figured out
- a way to keep their memory...
- You don't know
CHAMP: what's
best for you Emma!
Yes I do, Champ!
You don't!
Yes, I do!
You think you
do, but you don't.
I'm on the outside, okay.
I can see it.
I can see it.
You couldn't protect me then
why do you think you
can protect me now?
(DOOR SLAMMING)
Ah!
God!
(DOOR OPENING)
Sometimes he gets
ahead of himself.
I mean, it's not just you,
he thinks everyone's
out to get me, so.
Is your eye okay?
He's just trying replace them.
He's just trying to live up.
Always has been ever since...
That day.
I was gonna leave.
I wasn't even gonna tell
anyone, I was just gonna go.
I was 16.
I wanted to live, I
wanted new experiences.
I didn't think this
place was enough.
My bags were packed,
I was at the bus stop,
waiting for the bus.
That's when it happened.
- I was just confused
- Emma I'm so sorry.
EMMA: With who I needed to be
and who I wanted
to be, you know.
I needed to be here.
I needed to be with them.
Because maybe if I
had been with them
- then it wouldn't,
- Emma.
EMMA: It wouldn't.
- I shouldn't have
- Emma.
EMMA: Tried to go
because it wasn't...
Emma.
Emma it would have happened
whether you were here or not.
I'm not crazy.
I know.
I know.
Good.
Night Jack.
JACK: Goodnight Emma.
(LAMP SWITCHING OFF)
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
(AMBIENT MUSIC)
DAD: Jack, I don't know
what the hell is going on.
You do not ignore me!
I am your father.
Your brother's
ceremony is in an hour.
Your mom's freaking out,
you're letting your family down
for some mediocre story.
Worst part is I'm
not even surprised.
But I'm done.
So let me be frank. I've been
writing long enough to know
that it's not gonna
happen for you.
It's time to come
back to reality
and get your
priorities in check.
Call me back.
(DOOR CHIMING)
(SLOW PACED MUSIC)
Looks like Champ
came over to say hi.
Yeah.
Listen, is there any chance
that we could salvage this?
No.
Great.
(DOOR CHIMING)
(COMPUTER CRACKING)
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
Emma, I, uh
I'm sorry for what I did.
He just...
I'm sorry.
You're all I got, so.
I know.
But you're wrong.
You've got beer.
(BOTH CHUCKLING)
Yeah, I do.
I do have beer.
If you like him,
like if you really like him,
I'm okay with it.
I wrote it forever ago.
But you always said that your
business is like a murder,
you know, you gotta
keep it quiet.
So I never made it to
the Weekly Spotlight.
You really think all
this crap about me?
Of course.
You're my person.
(CHAMP EXHALES)
(BOTTLE SOUNDS)
(DOOR KNOCKING)
CHAMP: Hey Jack.
Crap.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
What, does he have?
A box of guns?
I see you.
Open the door!
Just leave me alone man.
I'm leaving tomorrow.
Was it open?
For your novels or whatever.
Article.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
You know, I know
it's not my place,
but I,
I think Emma's just looking
for a little bit of freedom.
Emma's all I got man.
And despite what
she might think,
I'm all she's got.
She's like a deer
with a broken leg.
So,
she's gotta keep moving
and living as if she
ain't got a broken leg,
but the problem is,
all that moving
is gonna catch up.
Someone or something
is gonna catch up.
And when they do,
she's not gonna know
how to defend herself 'cause
she's only got three legs.
But this whole time,
she's been pretending
that she's got four.
You know?
Yeah.
It's a metaphor man.
I thought you were supposed
to be like a smart person?
It was a metaphor.
Uh...
Okay.
10 years ago
three of Emma's friends
and our parents,
they were...
I know.
You know?
You know?
And you still didn't
get my metaphor?
I'm just a city bitch.
(JACK CHUCKLES)
(CHAMP EXHALES)
She blames herself.
That's why she'll never leave.
Always where she needs
to be, like a button.
It's a metaphor.
That's actually a simile.
The reason that
I'm telling you this
is 'cause she trusts you.
She never dealt with
any of this crap man
and I don't know what to do.
She walks around all day
helping people in town
as like a distraction.
She never even been
to the funeral.
Maybe that's what it needs?
CHAMP: What?
Maybe that's what she needs.
Yeah, you know.
Some perfect ending.
What are you talking about?
She's never had
any closure right?
So we need to give that to her.
Yeah.
You know what we
have to do right?
I'm not digging
up those bodies.
What?
No.
All right.
EMMA: She loves to garden.
She can't spend
enough time there.
She always says
that one lifetime
isn't enough to accomplish
ones horticultural goals.
I don't know, I just think
it's really beautiful
because even after he died
he was able to give
these people meaning.
My dad always said that
I ran before I walked
and I climbed before I rhymed.
Tammy was a big hip hop girl.
The horses are Brian's,
the goats are my domain.
You know, I'm a goat gal.
CHAMP: She walks
around all day
helping people in town
as like a distraction.
She never even been
to the funeral.
EMMA: Bags are packed.
I was at the bus stop,
that's when it happened.
- I was just so confused
- I'm so sorry.
EMMA: With who I needed to be
and who I wanted
to be, you know.
I'm not crazy.
I know.
(JACK TYPING)
Hey Greg, it's Jack.
I just wanted to let you know
that I'm almost done
with the article.
I'm just waiting
on one more piece
but feeling really
good about it.
I won't be able to
email it to you though
because I ran into some
technical difficulties.
But I'll be hand
delivering them tomorrow.
I mean, who needs internet?
Am I right?
(JACK CHUCKLES)
Anyway, if you need anything,
just give me a call.
I'm around.
So...
Yeah...
Okay, bye.
EMMA: In the end, no
matter what mask you put on,
underneath it, the reveal
will always be the same.
For we are all made up of flesh,
bone, blood, and stardust.
Just trying to escape.
To free ourselves
from confinement
from control of our own making.
We try to exist behind the pain
until we are forced
to confront it.
And for me, that day has come.
My purple flip-flops
sink so far into the dirt
that I might as well
not have shoes on.
It's as if the earth is telling
me I'm not going to leave.
I feel the heat
of Ricky's breath
as the words hit my ringing ear.
Death is all I hear.
A foe I would soon be
forced to befriend.
The news traveled through
my body like a tornado.
Welling my eyes,
halting my mouth,
closing my throat, yet
stopping at my heart.
It was if there
was a safety net.
As if five people
caught me mid-fall
springing me back up.
This is when I realized
that this would
not be their end.
He could not dictate
their finale.
This would not be their story,
so it became my story.
Our story.
I don't know if there
is life after death,
or ghosts, or even God,
but I do know one thing,
if I couldn't fight
to keep them alive,
I would fight to give
their memories a pulse,
a rhythm, a heartbeat.
(EMMA SOBBING)
So I live to protect
it, to honor it.
Jack!
Jack?
JACK: Rose Colored
Lenses by Jack Cohen.
JACK AND EMMA: 10 years
after a rogue shooting
in the Upper
Peninsula of Michigan,
We find Emma Ellis.
Because he treats
me like a normal,
like a normal person.
EMMA: I'm not crazy.
JACK: I know.
EMMA: She denies
her lack of sanity,
but anyone with a truthful
eye could see otherwise.
JACK: Feeling good?
CHAMP: A drink would help.
(LIGHT SOMBER MUSIC)
These are nice right?
JACK: Yeah, she'll love them.
Oh, she's here, she's here.
JACK: Hey.
What is this?
Surprise.
We just wanted to
give you the funeral
that you never got
a chance to go to.
"Her incomprehension
of the event
"may have stunted her more
than the tragedy has?"
What?
"Emma Ellis is the only ghost
"remaining from the shooting."
It was John Maynard that night,
not Matt Maynard
you fucking asshole!
Emma, I was gonna tell you.
I was gonna ask
for your consent.
My consent?
Yes, I wanted...
Those stories weren't for you,
they weren't for you!
Emma, I wanted to help you.
I don't need help!
I don't need any help!
I'm not the victim!
What are you talking about?
The story was about me Champ.
It was about me, it was
about the shooting, about us.
I shouldn't have trusted him.
He was only hanging out
with me to get the story.
I'm gonna kill you.
(FAST PACED MUSIC)
(EMMA BREATHING)
(CHAMP GRUNTING)
(CHAMP SCREAMING)
Emma!
Let me explain!
I don't work for
the New York Times!
I work for the
Milwaukee Gazette.
Okay.
I needed something.
Then I found you
and you were that something.
You stole from me.
I liked you and
you stole from me,
you stole my memories!
The only thing that I have!
But that's only because
you were so amazing, okay?
I was gonna give you
co-writing credit.
You're lying!
JACK: No I'm not!
Stop lying, just
tell the truth!
All right, fine.
You wanna know the truth.
I am a mediocre writer at best.
Okay, the only thing
that I ever wrote
that had any semblance of
notoriety was in college,
and even then, my friend
Rick help me write it.
My dad thinks I'm a
disappointment, right.
I always had this
idea that I could
be this great journalist,
like Carl Bernstein,
but
I never will be, you know?
'Cause... 'cause
I'm not good enough.
I'm not you Emma.
Okay, you write from the heart.
I try, I try so hard
to do that you know.
And I try, and I try, and I
try, and I try and I fail!
Every single time!
You know how hard that is?
To be working for
something your entire life
to come into a town
and to find somebody
that's better than
you and has no idea?
I don't care, I don't
care, I don't care!
You don't care about me!
You don't care about my story!
All you care about is
your stupid career!
JACK: That's not
true, I wanna help you!
No, you don't understand!
I'm fine!
I was gonna go out
into the world,
I was gonna leave!
I was going to go tell
ordinary peoples
extraordinary story.
Then the people I found
the most extraordinary
were taken from me.
I lost my chance.
The world lost their
chance to know my people
so I promised I would never
make that mistake again
and I have held my promise
for the last 10 years
and written about
every person in town
so they know that
their story will
continue to live long
after their gone.
What about your
friends and family?
I mean doesn't their
story deserve to live on?
Yes it does.
And I do so by
visiting where their
memories live every single day!
But I could never write about it
and then you come here
and you remind me of
where I was going!
Where I could have gone and
you listened to me,
and you ask about them.
You ask about them
with no judgment
and finally,
I could find a way to create
a way for their
stories to stay alive,
but beyond where
their memories live.
I finally felt free.
Just to find out that
it all comes from a lie.
And then you stole it from me.
(SLOW PACED MUSIC)
But what about you Emma?
Doesn't your story
deserve to be told?
- Words stuck in my mouth
- Yeah.
Yeah, every story
deserves to be told.
But why would I want
mine told by a fraud?
Stuck on the inside
Burning in your ear
But you don't wanna hear
Stuck on the inside
Oh, and I've been
trying to tell you
Where
Talking to you
Talking to me
To where
Ooh ooh
Carrying each other
Words are all we need
Well there's no good
Place to start
When you're
talking in the dark
Ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh
I've been trying to tell you
I know, I can't
I've been trying to
Tell you
I am, want, I can't
That I
I, I, I'm
Talking to you
Talking to me
Oh oh oh
So where
Ooh ooh ooh
Can we hear each other
Words are all we need
Oh oh oh
So where
Ooh ooh ooh
Talking to you
Talking to me
Where there's no good
Place to start
Talking in the dark
(ENGINE RUMBLING)
No.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
(GATE CLANKING)
(PHONE BUZZING)
Shit.
Shoot, shoot,
shoot, shoot, shoot.
Hey, Greg.
Listen, I am so sorry.
I had...
I'm on my way to the office,
it's just that my car, um...
Jack, I don't know
what you've been
doing up until now, but,
this was good my friend.
This was good.
It was great.
What?
What do you mean what?
The article jackass.
What article?
I...
Jack, the way you put
those ideas together,
it left me speechless.
But I can't be
speechless right now.
I'm too excited.
It really moved me man.
I mean, I actually was crying
after that first paragraph.
Last time I cried like that,
when I found out "The
Bachelor" wasn't real.
I mean Jack, that
was unbelievable.
It's like you've been
holding out on me.
It's like you've been
teasing me for two years
and then suddenly,
you get my pants off
and you see that I'm a woman.
That's how I felt reading that.
You're very sneaky Jackie.
Am I supposed to tip you?
Such a strong hold on all
those victims point of view.
And in the first person.
Who are you channeling pal?
Jack, how did you do it?
Yeah.
No, it just uh...
just came to me.
GREG: Tell you
what, this is gonna put
the Milwaukee
Gazette on the map.
(PHONE BUZZING)
I've got the whole world
At my fingertips
I feel like flying
I feel infinite
I know that we're the kind
To think along
some other lines
But we'll be fine
Come along now
(EMMA LAUGHING)
The sky is endless now
We are limitless
We are limitless now
The sky is calling
Calling out to me
Some new beginnings
With endless possibilities
Are you with me
Can you hear me
When I sing
Out
Come along now
The sky is endless now
We are limitless
We are limitless now
Come along now
The sky is endless now
We are limitless
We are limitless now
Are you with me now
Can you hear me now
When I'm singing out
When I'm singing out
I've got the whole world
At my fingertips
I feel like flying
I feel infinite
I know that we're the kind
To think along
some other lines
But we'll be fine
Come along now
The sky is endless now
We are limitless
We are limitless now