Original subtitles

My name is Thomas Vail, or at least it was.

I'm a photographer.

I had it all.

A wife, Allison.

Friends, a career.

And in one moment, it was all taken away.

All because of a single photograph.

I have it.

They want it. They'll do anything to get the negative.

I'm keeping this diary of proof that these events are real.

I know they are. They... Have to be.

For the last five months of my life, I've been followed.

Followed in my nightmares, followed in the harsh light of day.

And every time I turn to face my pursuers, they vanish in the shadows.

They evaporate like so much smoke.

And I'm never sure that the next time I'm followed won't be my last.

Hey, mister.

What are you doing here?

Excuse me, ticket please.

He's going to feel a little horse for days.

For you.

What the hell do you want?

Now, now, Tommy boy, is that any way to talk to your one and only hand -picked,

self -appointed guardian angel?

Head wounds usually bleed profusely, but yours isn't, Tommy boy.

Maybe you got nothing in there.

How do you know my name?

Oh, hell, Tommy boy.

The things I've got in this head of mine, they keep your nightmares busy for

years to come. What I know, what I don't know, you're welcome.

What's that?

When somebody pulls your ass out of the fire, Rob Roy, it's considered good

manners to say thank you.

No, I'm not Emily Post either.

Thank you.

Louie, looks like this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Or should I say Tommy boy? So how do you know my name?

Kind of hits you like a cold bucket of ice, doesn't it?

But you kind of get used to not hearing your own name.

Except inside your head.

I used to love this.

Don't you think it'd be a good idea to get out of here? I think it'd be a good

idea for you to shut your mouth and let me take a crack at this.

The secret is in the squeeze, Rob Roy.

You gotta squeeze it like it's a beautiful woman.

You can't go pulling it like...

The lonely attitude you are.

First thing I ever want in my stinking life.

Cute, isn't he?

Hey, listen, pal. There's a night watchman around here somewhere. He's

already called the cops.

All hell's going to break loose if we don't get out of here.

Correction. All hell broke loose the minute you stepped out of that toilet in

that restaurant and you couldn't find your old lady. You know all this.

I asked you a question.

You're better off.

This stuff will kill you.

This stuff is terrible.

You're really a jumpy sort, aren't you?

What do you think?

Who are you?

And I've been lecturing you about men.

Gus Shepard.

What do you want?

Bathroom would go over big right now.

Couple of hot dogs, cotton candy. My bowels ain't what they used to be. Let

tell you.

You drive.

It's only fair since I just saved your ass.

Well, thanks for your help, Gus.

All right.

Guy offers you the keys to his brand new Caddy. You turn your back and walk

away.

It's even got the freaking North Star system.

Give you a lift, sailor?

Oh, come on, lighten up.

You got more serious problems than me, right?

I mean, you're out here trying to get your life back, and you're getting

pretty damn fast.

Look, I don't know what your game is, Gus. I don't know how you know what you

know. I don't know whether you're on my side or theirs, but I'm sure as hell not

going to chase around after you like a dog, asking questions, not getting any

answers. Well, that hurts.

That cuts deep.

Okay, you win.

You're driving.

Hey, what are you doing?

I was grooving pretty good back here. What do you want from me, Gus?

First you save my life, then you point a gun in my face.

I realize my actions appear contradictory, Tommy boy, but trust me,

your best interest at heart. I'm sure.

Now, don't get cynical.

You've got to have heart, kid. You've got to have something to believe in.

that what keeps you going?

Something to believe in.

I've lived in this dump for the last two years.

Ain't much here, huh?

25 years in a cardboard box.

It's kind of like what's left of a human being after you take all the water out.

Pathetic. You going somewhere, Gus?

We, Tommy boy, we are going on a long night's journey. And today, got some

to see and a man to pay.

Hey, Gus, you got any coin?

No, Tappola City, Mr. J. Sorry.

Hey, where you going? The Hilton?

No, not quite. No, I'm tripping out. It's the last hurrah.

I'm going on the road.

Hey, maybe there's something in there you can find and sell it and buy

a good meal, okay?

But this I'm taking.

See you, Mr. J.

You're on your own, Gus.

Whatever it is you've got planned, I'm not coming.

Get in the car.

You have to kill me.

Now, that's not a job for the likes of me to do, boy.

Besides, they will certainly get to you before I do.

And who are they?

Oh, no, no. No deal.

You refuse my offer of company, you're not going to get any answers.

It's a real pisser, isn't it? You want to walk away, and yet you feel you've

to come along.

Do I get in the car, or do I let this lunatic drive off by himself?

I've been doing fine on my own.

Yeah, you know all you need to know.

About Allison.

About your mother's stroke.

Your friend, Larry Levy.

What do I do?

Decisions. Decisions.

Who are you?

You haven't figured it out yet, have you?

I'm you, Rob Roy.

I'm you, 25 years down the line.

Yeah.

You're driving.

They have a network, a whole system. You have two nuts and your wits, and trust

me, they'll end up with most of that.

They didn't get you, Gus.

Oh, right, right.

What have I got to show for it?

Nothing, crapola.

Stinking hotel room and my life in a cardboard box.

Victory. What I'm trying to tell you, Tom, is even if you win, you lose.

You never really answered my question before.

What is at the end of the road?

At the end of the road, when this tour is over, I plan

to find the best bottle of tequila I can find and drink it down to the worm

and then put a .38 caliber police special to the side of my head and

not leave too much of a mess for whoever has to clean it up.

You can get it all back, Tommy boy, everything.

The two -story house in Evanston.

The life, your wife, she loves you. She just doesn't have your cojones.

All you have to do is tell them what they want to know.

Sure, and when they have what they want, they'll just let me get up and walk

away. You've got it, little sprout. Yes, no questions asked. Money back if

you're not fully satisfied.

But try and get this through your head.

You give them what they want.

You're theirs, game, set, match.

You go home an empty man, but you do go home.

Does this tour include breakfast?

I've thought this over for a long time, Tommy boy.

I've been out here in the middle of nowhere for 25 years.

I fought him, spat on him, pissed on his shoes.

And look what it got me.

Here I am at the end of the line, sitting here, having coffee with the

you.

Nobody twisted your arm.

I twisted it.

I made this decision.

You can't win, Rob Roy.

Oh, you may get in a couple of good thoughts, but you can't win.

They're too good.

And they got numbers on their side.

I just thought that maybe before I... Well, I mean, I

thought that here in my wise old age, maybe I could pass on a little wisdom to

someone who looks a lot like I did when this thing started.

Here, read this yourself, Rob Roy.

Your mother was checked into the emergency room of St. John's Hospital in

Council Bluffs at 4 .23 p .m. on the 14th of May in the year of our Lord,

one.

That was before I even met Dr. Bellamy.

Your point?

My point is, if this is true, then my mother's stroke had nothing to do with

what happened to me. How can you be sure of that?

Because it seemed important for Bellamy to know about my family. I mean, I

always figured that...

And he kept pressing.

But if my mother got sick before that happened... Yes, it's quite a guessing

game, isn't it? But you never know, you could be right about this one. I'll tell

you one thing. They are not perfect. They do make mistakes.

But so do you.

Can I keep this?

Keep it? Of course you can keep it. It'll probably fit very nicely in your

little cardboard box.

What is this place?

It'd give you left nut to find a place like this.

This is where it all started.

Looks harmless, doesn't it?

It looks like a civil service office.

Appropriate.

Pick up the phone.

Pick it up.

Dial 768.

Somebody's supposed to answer.

Don't you just love these guys?

Got to give them credit, though. They've got a real flair for this kind of crap.

Come on down.

How far down are we?

We're about 25 stories down.

Don't want to be overheard by any curious prairie dogs up there.

Identification confirmed.

Thank you, Dr. Richards.

Look and learn something, Tommy boy.

Paranoia.

The early days.

Hey, who is Dr.

Richards? You had your Bellamy, I had my Richards.

Both second -tier operatives, both purveyors of a little -known clause in

Hippocratic Oath, do unto others before they do unto you.

This is how you found out about me?

Once upon a time, I learned a lot from this place, but that was six years ago.

You're a more recent acquisition.

It was easy enough to find you, but I've been tapped into their system ever

since I found this place.

Looks like there hasn't been anybody here in years.

I think I told you, Rob Roy, I hit him pretty good in my day.

But you wouldn't believe what it took to find this place.

You can see how far it got me.

Yeah, but there's computers and records. I mean, there's got to be a way that we

can... Downspot, 12 years it took me to find this place, then another four to

rig the scanner so that I could pass on Richard's ID. And get this, the day I

get here, voila, closed.

Locked, empty, erased, gone, vicious.

Nobody minding the store.

They found out.

They always find out.

Well, then what's it still doing here? I mean, why did they leave it intact,

knowing that you could bring people here and prove to them what you knew?

Bring people here?

Have you ever tried to explain to somebody just what happened to you?

Yeah, but this police.

I mean, if someone saw it.

Military.

National security. Double talk.

Huh. Who do you think they're going to believe?

Still would have been worth a try. You might have found somebody who would have

listened. Oh, Rob Roy.

You sound like a virgin in a whorehouse.

Listen to what I'm trying to tell you.

Every time you think you've got something, it's gone.

Smoke.

You know, I took photographs because I thought they were a record of the

facts.

You know, an unblinking eye at the world around us. I actually thought that my

camera was a recorder of the truth.

Well, you've been humbled.

a little bit, haven't you?

They have places like this so that they can manufacture the truth.

They stamp it out like so many bottle caps.

What do they want from you?

Does it matter?

It might.

I was a designer in electronics.

I was doing some research on inexpensive alternatives to

Petroleum. And just my luck, I found it.

Self -destruct mechanism is now armed. There are two minutes until self

-destruct.

What the hell did you do? I knew it. This place is armed with a self

mechanism just in case the men in blue feel they have to cover their tracks.

There are 100 seconds until self -destruct. Son of a gun. I wonder just

kind of device they've got rigged here.

Gus, don't you think we better get out of here?

It's like I told you, Rob Roy.

These guys don't leave a stone unturned. Well, let's go.

When push comes to shove, they'll press the button on themselves.

There is one minute until self -destruct.

I'm going.

You were once my pride and joy.

Bye -bye, darling.

There are 40 seconds until self -destruct.

Come on.

There are 30 seconds until self -destruct.

Come on.

Five, four, three, two, one.

What are we doing here?

Hey, just sit back and enjoy the scenery.

Hey,

you're not Gus. You're not thinking about... I'm always thinking about it. I

can't always afford it, but I'm always thinking about it, aren't you?

I've had other things on my mind.

Are you still feeling married?

Don't worry, kid.

It goes away. It takes a while, but it goes away.

Oh, I've bummed him out.

I've ruined the mood here.

Well, take a look around, Rob Roy. This is your life now.

Do you think you're going to have a meaningful relationship in your

First person that offers you tenderness, you're probably going to run like hell

thinking she's up to something.

Hey, lady, how many times do I have to tell you? You have to learn to close the

sale.

Yeah, well, that guy wanted me to wear baby clothes.

Hey, if he wants to spring for the diapers, I'm game.

But I don't carry a trousseau.

Long time no see, Gus.

What can I tell you?

Tina, this is Tom. Tom is Tina.

How you doing?

Lousy. I think it's going to be a really slow night.

Hey, you boys game for a little one -on -one?

You got a friend for Tommy, Gus? Gus. Put a sock in it. I think I saw Mary

around.

I think you'll like Mary.

I think she's just your speed.

Ten minutes?

The Edison?

No, this isn't for the usual.

We're going to do something special tonight.

Oh, yeah?

What do you have in mind, Gus?

What are you doing, Gus? Why are we here?

Unfinished. business rob roy tying up the loose ends saying my goodbyes to

to tina damn right why you got a problem with that no

let me tell you something pally i've come through this town maybe two dozen

times over the past 20 years or so the last eight of them this lady has

me with a few hours of comfort and solace breaking up the regular routine

anxiety and misery.

And you paid her for it. So what?

Are you making some kind of value judgment here?

No. I paid her for it. How else do you think I was going to get it?

You think you're going to have it any better?

No, this is it, babe.

I haven't had much, but I have had Tina.

And you can call it anything you want.

But it's the only love and affection I got.

So I figured it was time, you know, take her out, treat her like a lady, show

her that I appreciate her.

Here's the two prettiest girls in Milwaukee.

Here's to you. And here's to you, Tina, the love of my life.

Sit down.

Oh, did I tell you guys Tom here is a world -famous photographer?

Really? Whose pictures have you taken?

It's more of a what?

than a who.

I'm a photojournalist.

Oh, cool.

Have you ever taken Julia Roberts' picture?

Uh, no. No, I've never met Julia Roberts.

Oh, yeah, me neither.

But it'd be great, though, don't you think?

Yeah, yeah, it'd be great.

So, Gus, what is all this?

What gives?

Or hopefully the two of you, if the steaks are any good in this place.

Want to dance, Tina?

Sure, guys.

What's going on here, Gus?

You're not getting all romantic on me, are you?

It's pathetic.

I'm a tired old cliche kiddo.

Went and fell in love with a hooker.

And you'd think, you'd think I'd be past that.

Yeah, I would.

Way past.

Well, I'll tell you this, my darling Tina.

I may have said a lot of things, but I never said I was perfect.

You know, I remember seeing old guys sitting in the park doing this,

and I prayed to God that I would never end up one of them.

As usual, he listened to me.

There's got to be another way, Gus.

No. No, they like it when you toss it out just like this. I'm not talking

the pigeons. I'm talking about you.

How long you been out there now?

A few months, and you're asking me about another way?

Hey, kid, catch.

Oh, oh.

You got to keep your eye on it a little better. Now let's see what kind of arm

you got.

All right.

Oh, good throw. Good arm.

All right, keep your eye on it. There you go.

Right to him. And he's got it. Good catch. Good throw to home. Throw home.

up. Home. Hurry up. Ah, he's out.

Great throw.

Great throw.

Come on over here a little closer. I want to get a better look at you.

Come on.

Come on.

I'm not going to bite you.

It's okay.

I want to ask you something.

Do you want to be a big league ball player when you grow up?

I don't know.

Maybe. You don't know maybe, eh?

Well, you know, it takes an awful lot of hard work, but if you want to, you go

for it.

All right, go on out in the outfield and see how you play the outfield. Here

comes a long one.

I take it he's the reason you've been back to Milwaukee 24 times in the last

years.

You got something?

Yeah.

Yeah, he's a great kid. I wish I could know him a little better.

Okay. Yeah!

Jeremy!

I thought I told you to keep away from us.

Well, I know, but I want to talk to you. We've got nothing to say to you.

Well, if you could just listen, just for a minute. There's something I need to

tell you. Do you want us to call the police again?

Just listen, Susan.

Please.

How do you know my name?

A lot of people asking me that question lately.

Yep, come on, sir.

Should have told him.

Why?

She hasn't got a clue who I am.

She was two years old when it happened.

Now I'm at the end of my travels, Rob Roy. No need to drag any perfect

into it.

No need at all.

Man, I'm telling you guys, she was just standing there looking at me.

And the rain was just coming down in buckets, and she just stood there and

stared at me like she'd never even seen me before.

And there wasn't even a hint of recognition in her eyes.

I don't know, man. I just... I think that probably hurts more than anything

that's happened.

Having somebody that you love just look at you like they've never even

seen you before in their life.

Well, you know what the bear of it is?

The bear of it is, in five years' time, it won't even matter anymore.

Oh, you're wrong.

You're wrong.

There's something I will never forget.

Oh, no.

No, you won't forget it.

As a matter of fact, it'll haunt you every time you close your eyes.

But after a while, it won't matter anymore.

Oh, I promised you some frills and chills before the end of the ride, Rob

What do you think of that?

Mm -mm.

Where did you get this?

Know what it is?

Yeah, it's a picture of me taking a picture.

Oh, Robbie boy.

You've got the looks, Rob Roy, but you don't have the brains to go with them.

is a picture beginning to form.

Jungle.

Execution.

Tommy boy recording it all on film.

What are you saying?

That there was somebody else there taking photographs that day?

From what I heard, yours ain't got no faces.

They're all turned the other way.

Except for whoever took this one.

You're only a part of it.

Yeah, but who?

If there was somebody else taking... I got what I got. And that's all she

I thought you would be interested.

Because this is why you're at the top of their hit parade.

You look like a man that could use a drink.

She makes that sweet music.

Oh, come on.

Gus, you don't have to do this. I mean, you said it yourself.

Whoever these people are, they're not perfect. They make mistakes.

Why give up hope now?

I can't think of a better time.

Man, you've been fighting for so long.

Why now?

I mean, how can you be sure that the next time you stumble onto something, it

isn't going to be the thing that unravels at all?

How can you give up hope?

Hope?

I'll tell you what you start hoping for after a while.

You start hoping that they'll make another move at you.

You start hoping that the next game will be a good one.

And you look forward to their making the next move because it keeps you sharp,

thinking that you can slip through it one more time.

That's what you hope for.

They haven't beaten you.

Yes, they have.

Yes, they have, Rob Roy.

Have you ever heard of the Freedom of Information Act?

Yeah.

Well,

here's to democracy.

Six months ago, I saw my friggin' blueprints printed in a magazine.

courtesy of the U .S. Constitution.

You see how they get to you, Rob Roy.

They were all I had.

Those are the kind of things keep you living.

They're what you end up living for.

Now, even they don't give a spit.

What's that?

Dr. Michael Richards.

The man who made all this possible.

I should send him a valentine and make him remember me.

I've been demoted to the bottom of the list, Rob Roy. Pushed out by the likes

you.

The younger generation.

I should mail myself in.

Make them pay attention.

Nothing left now, Tommy boy.

Nothing left now.

Dr. Michael Richards?

Yes, who is this?

Looking for a man named Gus Shepard.

Who is this? Shut up and listen.

The man you're looking for is in the Log Motel.

Just off Interstate 90, exit 15, Milwaukee.

He knows more than you think he does.

A lot more.

What did he tell you?

Listen, if you want him, you better move quickly. He's not going to be there

long.

Who is this?

I hate guys.

Yo, Rob Roy.

You're up.

Oh, I'm working on it.

How are you doing?

Oh, fine fettle. Fine fettle, Tommy boy.

How do I look?

What's the occasion?

Well, I've got an appointment with the man.

You know what they say about interviews?

Look, let's make the first impression.

Hey, come on, come on.

This is crazy.

I'm a wild and crazy kind of guy.

Think about what you're doing.

Think about it? I've had 25 years to do nothing but think about it. Now, don't

go and ruin my big last scene.

I want you to promise me something, Rob Roy. I want you to promise... To quit.

Give up the game.

That way I'll know my last good deed did some good.

I can't make that promise you know that, Gus.

Not even if it's an invisible man's last request?

Mormon, give me the gun.

I'm sorry, Father.

I tried to show this poor innocent the way.

But he was blind and he couldn't see.

See ya.

Gus Shepard!

We know you're in there.

The motel's been vacated.

You don't come out, Gus.

We're coming in.

I'm getting too old for this.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Come on.

Come on. Come on, Roy.

Get up. Get up. Come on. You can hurt later. Get up.

Oh, no, no. It's no good. I can't. Get out of here.

Tommy! Come on! They're not after me, Gus. They're after you.

Well, if they aren't, I'll be fine. Just get out of here.

I'll write you, Rob Roy, on Valentine's Day.