Original subtitles

(indistinct radio music)

(foreboding music)

What are you doing?

Why don't you answer when I speak to you?

Fuck you.

(snickers)

That's not the way a little girl like you

is supposed to talk.

We're supposed to be friends, you and I.

I get it.

Girls like you like to talk that way.

I know just the kind of girl you are.

(foreboding music)

You see, I'm older,

more experienced.

(foreboding music)

You just keep your mouth shut and

don't move until I tell you to.

You understand?

(snickers)

(foreboding music)

(calm music)

(engine roaring)

Fuck!

(engine roaring)

[Virgil] Hey there.

Hi.

[Virgil] Do you need a ride?

No, I've just been standing in the sun

for the past three hours because I like

looking like an asshole.

Sorry.

Yeah.

[Virgil] What's your name?

Danielle.

That's a really lovely name, Danielle.

I'm Virgil.

Why, Danielle, you married?

Wrong finger, Virgil.

Well, good.

Now I can make you dinner and I won't have to worry

if I'm making anyone jealous (laughs).

Well, before I let you into this expensive

piece of machinery here

I need to ask you a few questions.

I mean, I don't just go around letting

strange girls into my car.

For all I know you can be some kind of psychopath (laughs).

Look, if you're gonna jerk me around

you might as well keep on driving, okay?

I'm just trying to get to California,

not fuck some creepy dude on the side of the road.

I got it.

I'm not your boyfriend.

Any man would be lucky to have you,

we're just not at that point yet.

And I don't fuck on the side of the road.

I mean, there are rattlesnakes.

Are you gonna give me a ride or what?

Are you gonna answer my questions?

They're important to me.

Fine, what do you want to know?

[Virgil] Well, where do you come from?

Out east.

Anything more specific than that?

It's a big country, Danielle.

Even a bigger world.

For all I know you can mean China, so.

(scoffs)

Okay, fine.

I will take what I can get.

Well, what brings you out to the Golden State?

Especially this part of the Golden State.

Your parents let you travel all alone like this?

I don't have any parents.

I just got out of foster care.

I didn't like it very much.

[Virgil] No parents, I'm sorry.

[Danielle] Look, all I really need is a ride to LA.

Can you help me out or what?

It would be my pleasure, Danielle.

Never met a real live workman before.

(engine roaring)

(clock ticking)

You enjoying it?

Hey, caught him with my own trap.

Skinned him, cured him, cooked him,

the whole deal.

I thought this was chicken.

It's rabbit.

(clock ticking)

What?

Sorry.

My mind tends to wander.

I'm gonna make something for myself,

if you don't mind.

[Danielle] Make yourself at home.

Danielle, I'm really glad you stopped by

for a bite to eat 'cause you look like

you're wasting away over there.

You need to keep up your strength for the journey.

The car ride?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Say, Danielle, you sure you won't

reconsider staying the night 'cause

I got that spare room?

Listen, I already told you,

that's not going to happen, okay?

I'm going to visit my friend in LA tomorrow.

She's meeting me early morning.

She's got a job set up for me.

Listen, Danielle,

ever heard the phrase "Don't bullshit a bullshit artist"?

We both know you don't have a job set for tomorrow.

I can get a job.

Of course you can get a job,

well, you don't.

I mean, look at you.

Now personally I don't feel comfortable

with dropping you off late at night

in one of the streets of LA.

You're what?

18?

No.

Younger?

Just get some sleep tonight, okay?

It will improve your mood.

You can go in the morning.

Good.

It's decided then.

Thanks.

You're completely welcome.

Listen, I wanted to say I'm sorry if I was

kind of rude (mumbles).

It's just I've been dicked around so many times it's

gotten to the point I'm just sort of expecting it, you know?

[Virgil] I know.

It's just nice to have someone around here for once.

I was messing with you anyway.

I probably deserve some of that snark.

Snark?

You know when I asked you that perfectly

reasonable question about whether you need a ride

and you said to me,

"No, I've been standing in the sun for three hours"

"'cause I like looking like an asshole."

Yeah.

That's called snark.

You sure it's cool if I spend the night?

Yeah, no problem.

Use the guest bedroom.

And remember, no funny business.

[Danielle] You're such a weirdo.

You have no idea.

You wanted water?

No thanks.

(clock ticking)

(foreboding music)

You sure you don't want anything?

Yeah, I'm okay.

(foreboding music)

So, Danielle, if you don't mind my asking,

what's your living situation?

I mean your parents are...

Dead.

[Virgil] Yeah, dead.

I grew up in foster care.

You know what, I don't really care

what happened to my parents.

To be honest I don't really like talking about it.

I had the option to stay and be awarded to state

until I turn 21 but.

I don't know if you've ever been in state's care but

no thank you.

I'd much rather take my chances out here.

That's very brave of you, Danielle.

I grew up right in this very house with my mother.

And believe me it was no picnic.

(whispering)

She was a very difficult woman.

Right to the bitter end.

Oh she's...

Dead as a door nail.

So why LA?

It's a big city and I like big cities

and I hate winter so it fits the bill.

I guess I don't really have a reason.

Sounds very reasonable.

Just be careful.

Will do.

So what about you?

What about me?

Like what do you do for a living?

I mean, you just take day off and hang out all day?

That's not a problem?

Don't you have a boss?

I'm my own boss.

I'm a poet, actually.

You're kidding.

I've never met a real life poet before.

Well, why else do you think I still live

all the way up here?

For the memories?

As you once said, no thanks.

Plus, the city can have a corrupting effect on

young people such as ourselves.

You're fucking kidding me?

No, I am not.

The risk of sounding even weirder

than you probably already think I am.

Can I just say that you're probably

the best conversationalist I've ever met.

I can't wait to get to know you better.

Well soak it in 'cause I'm leaving first thing tomorrow.

Of course.

(calm music)

(floor creaking)

(foreboding music)

(screaming)

And up you go.

(foreboding music)

Come on!

What the fuck is going on?

Hi, Danielle.

You're up early.

I said what the fuck is going on?

I didn't do anything to you!

It's because I wouldn't fuck you last night?

I think you got that the wrong way around.

You practically threw yourself at me

in that little towel.

Like fuck I would.

I didn't do anything wrong.

That's a little naive, don't you think?

Of course you didn't do anything wrong.

Your toilet.

You should have the slack.

Do you really think that bad things

only happen to people when they themselves

do bad things?

I mean, if that were true I'd be the one

chained up down here.

Don't fucking touch me, you pervert!

Pervert?

Really?

God, women think everything with men is all about sex.

Well it is, isn't it?

Well, you got a point there but in this case

it is and it isn't.

Are you going to rape me?

God, no!

No!

Of course not.

What sort of monster do you take me for?

So does that mean you're not gonna hurt me?

I wouldn't go that far.

So what is this?

Some sick cult thing?

Do you see anyone else around?

One person does not a cult make.

There's an old Christian sect

you're probably not familiar with.

They taught an important lesson

that I am going to pass along to you.

Can't you just tell me?

I'm afraid not, sort of an experiential thing.

How do I put this?

Have a seat.

What would God want with a virtuous young girl

who knows nothing about sin?

I mean, if you don't know sin intimately

how can you possibly know redemption?

If you haven't done anything

how can you go and ask God for forgiveness?

You got to transform from victim to aggressor.

Luckily for you I'm here to help.

Are you understanding any of this?

You're fucking nuts, do you know that?

Oh, yeah, yeah, I do.

It runs in the family.

Don't focus too much on that, okay?

It's not gonna make this any easier for you.

Instead, how about you think about this?

I am giving you a once in a lifetime opportunity.

You see, I devised this moral cleansing.

It's sort of like a diet.

You're a girl, that's a reference you can understand, right?

You're gonna fill yourself up on sin

and then purge yourself completely of any goodness,

whatever that means,

that's been holding you back.

You're literally gonna beat it out of yourself.

And then you're gonna be happy to be rid of it.

Trust me, Danielle, I certainly was.

Fuck you!

Come on, Danielle.

You have to agree to go on this journey with me.

I want you to do this together.

There's no priest in this religion only fellow sinners.

Did you hear what I just said, you fucking fuck!

Yeah, I did hear what you just said,

but thank you for asking, Danielle.

Don't interrupt me and I won't interrupt you.

We're partners in this so how about a little

mutual respect, okay?

Good.

So, this process here,

it's gonna take nine days.

Don't worry, today is day one

but I started counting at midnight,

so you've already made some progress.

That's good news, huh?

I find that it boosts morale a little bit

to find out that you got a head start.

Maybe not judging from that face.

After day nine you will either be free to go

and live out the rest of your life every now and then

thinking back fondly on the man who set you free,

this guy.

Or you'll be insane or dead.

I've seen it go either way.

So, what do you say?

Are you in?

(spits)

Day one is to get you habituated.

It's a day for contemplation and fasting.

I find it not filling up your belly and

not having any clear what's coming next

tends to take a bit of the fight out of you.

On that note, trying to get and do much trouble down here.

Virgil?

Yeah?

You said you were a Christian, right?

Do you go to church.

No.

I'm a Christian sure, but nah I don't go to church.

I'm not really into traditional religious observances

as you can probably ascertain.

I'm a Christian too, Methodist.

That's funny, you have a pretty interesting necklace

for a Methodist.

Oh, that's just silly fashion stuff.

I think we're actually really similar you and I 'cause

I don't go for rules or tradition much either.

I'm not as innocent as I look.

This chain is so tight.

It's kind of the point, Danielle.

Do you think maybe you could just

loosen it just like a little bit?

Just a tiny bit?

I can't breathe.

Just for one second?

Well, it's only for one second.

You know, I think we got off on the wrong foot

this morning, Danielle.

Me too.

Because you don't seem to understand

what you're here for at all.

I know what you're thinking before you do,

so don't try to trick me.

It's not gonna work, okay?

(foreboding music)

Sorry I had to get rough on you there.

It's not the sort of man that I am.

(screaming)

You're going to make things very interesting for me

but very difficult for you if you don't

quit this right now.

(screaming)

Hello?

Hello?

Hello?

Thank God!

Look, I don't know where the fucking key is

for this fucking lock but you've got

to help me get out of this, okay?

Is he gone?

How did you get free?

Look, there's got to be a phone in this house somewhere.

I know that there's someway we can just...

What's your name?

Samantha Bryant.

Listen you bitch!

(struggling)

Stop it!

Stop it!

What are you doing?

(sobbing)

I'm very proud of you, Samantha.

(sobbing)

Hi, Danielle.

How are you feeling?

What do you fucking think?

See something you like?

I'm not gonna hurt you, Danielle,

but do need you to answer me.

You're not gonna hurt me?

You lying piece of shit!

I am not lying to you.

When I say I'm not gonna hurt you

it means I'm not.

When I saw I am it means I am.

It's that simple.

So, is there anything you wanted to ask me?

Can I have some food?

Of course you can.

Just think of me as an extension of yourself.

When a child needs something they ask his parents or

legal guardians in your case, I suppose.

It's not a reflection on the child herself.

It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with her.

It's just the nature of childhood.

Put down the chain first, Danielle.

It's okay, you're okay.

You're okay.

You almost got it.

Thank you.

Perfect.

I'm so glad you're a fast learner.

I had this one girl just could not get it.

She kept refusing food like she thought

she was Gandhi or something.

I mean, I obviously don't give a shit so I just

mash it up and shoved it down her throat

like I was gonna make foie gras.

Say, do you know what to day is, Danielle?

It's Thursday.

No, Danielle.

I know you're not retarded.

I know you know the days of the week.

What is this particular Thursday?

I don't know.

It's the day of the Last Supper.

Your heart skipped a beat when I said "last",

admit it.

I'm not gonna murder you, Danielle.

You gotta stop being so uptight.

It didn't.

Well, then you're a lot tougher than some

of these other girls, I guess.

Thank you.

What is this?

It's the thing you're gonna drink

and not ask questions about.

I can't!

The fuck you can't.

Don't tell me you've never had alcohol before.

I don't know if you've ever heard of a little thing called

"hospitality".

But what it means is when your host

gives you something to drink,

you drink it and you act like you like it too.

Now down the hatch.

I think you're a little confused about your definition

of hospitality.

Just drink it, Danielle.

It's one of the least bad things I've done to you.

I can't, Vergil.

It's not that I won't, it's that I can't.

It's physically impossible.

It tastes like fucking rubbing alcohol.

Have you ever heard of vodka?

Pow (laughs)!

Have you forgotten what I told you on day one?

Everything I do is to help you.

It's all done out of love.

That's what you got to get through your little

fucking head.

Like letting someone beat the shit out of me

when I can't defend myself?

Did it ever occur to you that maybe

you were helping Samantha overcome

some of her demons?

It's girls empowering girls

like the Girl Scouts of America or something.

I'm here to help you, Danielle.

Things have been pretty easy

for the past two days

but they're gonna be rationing up

quite a bit from here on out.

Now, you know how I feel about hearing you scream.

And even if you could hold in your scream for this next part

which, believe me, you couldn't.

You're not gonna wanna be sober for it.

I like you, Danielle.

You're just...

You're different.

Stop!

Don't!

Stop! Get off me!

Get off me!

Calm down, Danielle.

I'm just here to help you.

Come on, drink up.

(foreboding music)

It doesn't matter if you keep closed down

as long as it gets inside of you.

(muffled scream)

(gasping)

Good girl.

Now we wait.

(foreboding music)

(coughing)

(calm music)

Penny for your thoughts?

Better?

Okay.

Up we go.

Danielle.

We've been over this and over this.

If you don't participate I can't help you.

See, it's Good Friday.

It's a very important day.

God so loved humanity

that he sent his only son to be

crucified on their behalf.

Are you just gonna sit there like nothing happened?

Today's the day that commemorates his crucifixion.

Now call me narcissistic but I like to think of myself

as a kind of Christ figure.

I've taken on a lot of people's sins over the years.

Curiosity.

That's a gateway sin.

Without it none of the other ones would be possible.

I'll tell you what.

You wanna find out what happens when I press

this red button here?

Just continue to not participate and

stay completely still.

(screaming)

Fuck!

It's one of those things that they

use to keep dogs from running out into the street.

The (mumbles) around humans too.

You just gotta put it in the right spot, you know?

I'm really considering writing a letter

to the company to let them know

that they are totally missing out

on an untapped market.

Got this guy on eBay.

(screaming)

I can do it just once more.

I feel like you're not gonna make me use it again

and I wanna make sure I get my money's worth,

so my B.

Now up you go.

Put out your arms.

To the side, Danielle.

Have you never seen a picture of Jesus Christ before?

Now, the name of the game is

don't drop those buckets.

(foreboding music)

(screams)

Please, please, let go of me!

I can't do it!

I can't do it.

Please don't.

You put the wood in the buckets

or else you get the shock again.

No, but seriously,

put the wood back in the buckets.

You're capable of a lot more than you know.

I'll tell you what.

If you can pick up those buckets

the way you had them before, just once,

one more time, I promise not to shock you again.

Scout's honor.

I believe in you, Danielle.

(calm music)

I'm very proud of you, Danielle.

I'll be right back.

There, you're not chained up anymore but

this relays right back to my house.

So if you try something stupid

I'm gonna have to do something stupider.

Got it?

(whistling)

Can you believe our time together

is more than half over?

That's how a dad must feel when his

daughter is about to graduate high school.

I know you don't have parents but

you must understand what I mean like

from TV or something.

Don't worry, though.

You still got a lot left to do.

Get up.

And strip.

You said that wasn't a part of the deal.

God, Danielle.

You're such a tough nut to crack.

This is not a sex thing, believe me.

You should look at yourself in the mirror.

You're filthy, you're bruised.

And to be completely honest,

smell awful.

Think of how bad it is for me to be

down here with you right now.

You're lucky I like it so much.

No, no, okay, okay, okay.

Now into the tub with you.

Anyway, isn't that better.

Yes.

See, Danielle, I wanted to ask you something.

I was really impressed with you yesterday.

How long can you hold your breath?

(dramatic music)

Let it happen, Danielle.

Let it happen.

Stop fighting me and it will end.

I can do this all day.

All I want is for you to stop fighting me

then it will stop, okay?

Do you have something you wanna say to me, Daniellle.

Thank you.

Anything else?

Again?

I'm so proud of you, Danielle.

(coughing)

Up you go.

You know, a lot of the girls die during that one.

Sometimes it takes hours.

I hope it fits.

(knocking on door)

Can I help you?

Leland.

Leland Bryce.

Hi, I'm out passing these out.

My daughter ran away a few days ago.

Someone spotted her hitching near here.

We're just from a few towns over,

a little town called Newman Creek.

You don't say?

May I?

Doesn't look familiar.

Wait, is this the number I call if I see anything?

Yeah, right there at the bottom.

She's run away before but never this long.

If you do see her can you just let her know that me and her

stepdaddy really miss her.

We just want to know if she's okay.

How old is she, Tanya?

She'll be 19 in a month.

We're just real worried about her.

Don't be.

She's probably fine.

(foreboding music)

You wouldn't lie to me, would you, Danielle?

No.

Good to know.

I think I misjudged you.

You're more complicated than I thought.

What do you mean?

I'll tell you later.

Have a seat.

See, Danielle,

do want smores.

It's an insanely easy question.

Yes.

Good.

I thought you might.

Girls tend to have a bit of a sweet tooth, right?

Two of us, Danielle.

In another life we probably could've been friends.

But our arrangement here is not very

conducive to friendship.

It's too intense.

I mean, I am exhausted.

Are you sleeping well?

Yeah, it's all right.

Good.

I know I didn't.

I had this terrible dream last night.

It didn't start out terrible.

I was on this date with a real knockout.

We were parked in this wooded area.

It was familiar but not,

kind of in that way that dreams go sometimes.

And I don't remember what we were talking about exactly,

but she's giggling and touching my arms,

so we must have been doing something, right?

I even had, you know, butterflies.

So we're walking and we get to the edge of a cliff.

Somehow that's where the path led

right to the edge of a cliff.

Don't ask me to explain how dreams work.

And there's this big city below us.

And we look out over all the city lines.

It was day when it started but

somehow time passed, the dream.

And I don't know what changed,

but all of a sudden I felt this power.

I knew if I wanted to I can snuff out

every last blinking light in the city,

plunge into darkness.

Or I could take out one traffic light

and kill an intersection of people like God does.

And I'm smiling talking about this now but

all of a sudden I felt my date's gaze

boring on the side of my head.

And I look back at here and she's looking at me all right,

not like before.

She's got this sneering, mocking little bull.

She's got something stuck up.

Needless to say I did not like that look one bit.

And then I looked down and I realized

I'm fucking naked.

Somehow she hadn't noticed,

or at least she hadn't said anything.

So I'm so fucking embarrassed, I don't know what to do.

I've been looking around for a place to hide but

I literally got my back to the edge of the cliff.

So I do the next best thing.

I pick up this rock that I see lying on the ground

then I started bashing her head

over and over.

And there's brains going everywhere

all over my body, my face, my mouth.

And I look down and, I mean, this bitch

doesn't even have a head anymore.

I mean, I really messed her up.

And then I hear this siren.

I start panicking.

My heart's beating on my chest, I don't know what to do.

Did you get caught?

No.

I woke up.

The siren sound it was just my alarm clock going off.

(beeping sound)

Ever happen to you where a sound from real life

kind of creeps on into one of your dreams?

Yeah, sometimes.

I wonder what it all meant.

Yeah, I don't know either.

Would you like to remember your time here, Danielle?

I don't think that'll be a problem for me.

(foreboding music)

Thank you.

You're very welcome, Danielle.

I see you're sleeping better.

Danielle, I need you to help me.

Okay.

The first time I need you to trust me.

Does that mean I can go?

No, no, no, no.

It's only day seven.

But I do something for you

you do something for me.

Agreed?

Okay.

Are you sure you can do this for me?

(dramatic music)

Thank God!

Who are you?

What's going on?

Do you have the key?

I can't get this chain off of me.

(gasping)

Come on!

He could be back any second.

I am not staying here.

Shh!

What is your name?

I'm Martha.

Martha Sprule from Calabasas.

You have to fight back.

Now get up!

Now fight back.

Come on, get up!

You're not gonna survive with that attitude,

now get up!

You don't have to do this, you know.

You don't have to listen to him.

Put your arms and defend yourself.

Now you hit me.

Come on, you can do better than that.

No, really fucking hit me!

Now that's better.

I'm very proud of you.

(calm music)

Danielle!

I think I'm in love!

(upbeat music)

There's that curiosity again.

Time flies, Danielle.

It's our last day together.

[Danielle] It is.

I will be right back.

Just one more second.

Danielle, can you do something for me?

Can you move that cinder block to the foot of the tub?

I just want to see you struggle.

Lie down.

(calm music)

This isn't gonna be easy, Danielle.

There's some things you think you can't do

and I'm here to show you you can.

I'm here to set you free!

It's all done out of love.

If it helps I really help you don't get

hypothermia and die.

(calm music)

Don't worry.

It's all over.

It's just water.

Drink.

(upbeat music)

(foreboding music)

That's not connected to anything, is it?

Of course not.

Can I ask you a question?

Sure.

Ask me anything you like.

Will there be others?

What do you mean?

You know what I mean.

Will there be other girls like you?

No.

There'll be other girls but

each one of them is different

like a beautiful little snowflake.

Feel better?

I want you to stop.

I thought you understood?

I do.

The survivors usually understand.

You become of like mind.

We have like mind, Virgil.

We both like to be in control.

And right now I'm in control.

That so?

Bitch.

You ungrateful little bitch!

But I'm afraid I'm gonna murder you

like you tried to murder me.

Fuck you!

Jesus Christ, Danielle,

you are a goddamn fake, did you?

Can't help but blame myself.

I try to show you a better way

but I obviously failed.

Now we're gonna have to start all over.

(calm music)

Sorry I didn't make you any moonshine for this, Virgil,

but I wanted to make sure you would feel all of this.

(coughs)

Oh good, I thought you'd be upset.

Looks like we'll both be enjoying this.

It's just that for a second there

I thought you haven't learned anything

in the last nine days.

And now I can see.

I really did help you.

Are you gonna thank me?

(dramatic music)

(laughs)

All you have to do to get me to stop is just ask.

But have it your way.

Well?

Stop it, okay?

Can we just go, please?

I don't wanna be here!

Fuck you, Tanya.

I know your lying heart.

You're some lying little girl

who ran away from home 'cause she didn't like

mommy and daddy.

Unfortunately for you I'm not that girl anymore.

Stop!

See?

All you had to do was ask.

But that wasn't so hard, was it?

Leland.

Yeah, I know who you are too.

You really shouldn't go leaving your license around.

(moaning sounds)

(upbeat rock music)