Original subtitles

[peaceful music]

[rustling]

[Ben] Adam and I were like brothers

best friends since nursery school.

We grew up in the city

and spent our summers at his parents' country house

in Stockbridge.

His dad used to say we were like two olives in a martini.

But we weren't.

Not really.

Adam was always the golden boy

a kid destined for everything.

When I think about that day at the tower

sometimes I wonder if I'd actually paid attention

to what he was saying

really paid attention

but, maybe he was reaching out.

[music continues]

But I doubt it.

I mean, in all the time I knew him, I never saw him cry

even after the accident with his eye when we were kids.

He had such a strong will.

You kind of got used to the idea that nothing could hurt him.

[music continues]

But I never had any sense that...

well, maybe I did somewhere down deep, because

when I woke up it was like I knew what had happened.

I just knew it.

[rapid footsteps]

Adam!

[peaceful music]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[music ends]

[rock music on car radio]

[Ben] After 8th grade the Ad-man and I

were both packed off to boarding school at Andover.

Four years of cold showers and tuna casserole.

Christmas break was always a long time coming.

We piled out shit into my 500 dollar Chrysler New Yorker

and [indistinct] it home to the city.

I got a letter from Columbia yesterday.

Really?

Told my dad not to open it.

[music continues]

You have a heightened sense of drama.

I don't like people opening my mail.

OK, you just make yourself comfortable.

I'll drive, you relax.

Shut up and drive.

[music continues]

Think my dad's having an affair.

Why do you say that?

He's acting weird.

He's got a little attitude on him.

What do you mean?

Hard to explain, it's just kind of a vibe.

A vibe?

What's that based on?

Dude, it's not the first time.

Really?

Yeah.

What about your mom?

-What about her? -Does she know?

She has to know.

And?

It's not something she's going to talk about, obviously.

Not to me, anyway.

Actually, not to anyone.

[music continues]

That's fucked-up.

-What? -Your dad doing that.

You serious?

Yeah, I'm serious.

Guy's been married for...

thirty years.

So?

So?

You have sex with the same woman for thirty years?

You married her.

What's that mean?

I think it means something.

Well, I guess they should stay together

so they don't rock your little fantasy world.

[music on radio continues]

It's sad.

[upbeat music]

[Ben] Adam got into Columbia, of course

and through some clerical error or something, so did I.

We were both back on home turf.

Yeah Beat Pub on 10th and Broadway

was our official hangout.

That was where we met Nina.

Belushi croaked.

No.

Mad, huh?

Hey, check out this waitress.

She's got a nice ass.

Nice ass, she so transcends nice ass.

-I'll be with you in a second. -OK.

She's all right.

Philistine.

[music continues]

[cutlery clattering]

What can I get you?

I'll have Jack Daniel's on the rocks

and a cheese burger, medium rare.

Oh, a health nut.

Hey, you know Belushi died?

Oh, wow.

You won't let that happen to me, will you?

No, never.

[exhales]

-You OK? -Yeah.

[music continues]

God...

Not bad.

Not my type.

Not bad.

You're insane.

You see her eyes?

The ponytail, those perfect little wrists.

She's so fucking cute.

I could fall deeply in love with her.

I am deeply in love with her.

Hey. Not my type.

Yeah. I've heard.

Listen, I'll give you your whole biography, OK?

[indistinct chatter]

Dances at the Quag Feudal Club.

Must I continue?

Tennis. Horses.

Oh, and lots of James Taylor, definitely.

That why she's working here?

because Daddy wants her to get in touch with the common man.

-One Jack D on the rocks. -Thanks.

-Hey, listen. I have a question. -Uhuh?

Are you on the swim team?

Yeah.

Hundred meter butterfly. Why?

[music continues]

I'll be right back with your cheese burger.

You're such a prick.

Oh.

You just process her, just like that.

Come on, you've got to admit, she's a touch removed.

I'm sorry she's not some chain-smoking Euro-fag.

[music fades]

[exhales]

Cover me, I'm going in.

Digging your own grave.

[tender music]

[music continues] [thunder]

[music continues] [traffic sounds]

[music continues]

We lived in Kansas.

And carved our names into a tree.

And a big heart around it.

[sniffs]

[music continues]

Got any keys?

-Keys... -Uhuh.

[music continues]

OK.

[music continues] [scratching]

They'll send me to Riker's for this.

[chuckles]

[music continues] [scratching continues]

[exhales]

Fifteen.

One, two, three, four, five.

Fifteen across and five down.

[sniffs]

-Five across? -No.

Fifteen across and five down.

-Do you know what? -What?

I'm always gonna be here to remind you.

[music continues]

Would you read to me?

He woke when it was barely just light enough

to see the pine trunks.

And he left the bed

careful not to wake Catherine.

No, Hemingway.

...found his shorts

and went

[book rustling]

The Peloponnesians, however

having spent the time up until midday

laying waste the land

-sailed away again. -No!

At about nightfall were informed by fire signals.

[music continues]

[pages rustling]

One fine day

Poo had stomped up to the top of the forest

to see if his friend Christopher Robin

was interested in bears at all.

Yes.

At breakfast that morning

a simple meal

of marmalade spread lightly over a honeycomb or two...

[door buzzer]

[footsteps]

Hello?

Nina.

Ben?

Yes.

Come on up.

[door latch]

[door creaks]

-Sorry. -Hi. Come in.

[door closes] Where's the Man?

Oh, he went, uhh...

he went to Concord for the weekend.

He's interviewing that guy for his thesis.

Shit, I totally forgot that that was this weekend.

Oh god.

I'm sorry, I'm gonna take off. [door opens]

Hey.

Hey, Ben, why don't you hang out for a while?

I'm just studying for my mid-terms.

I could do with a break.

-You sure? -Yeah.

Come on, sit down.

[door closes]

Mind if I have a drink?

Of course not.

I don't actually know what we've got, though.

You want anything?

Yeah. Sure.

Think I've got some wine in the fridge.

[sighs]

[glasses on table]

[pouring sounds]

What are we drinking to?

[exhales]

How about celibacy?

Ben, it won't last long.

Yeah, it will.

I don't need this shit.

Ben, are you OK?

How much have you had to drink?

[exhales]

There.

A little better.

Time to hit the streets.

[footsteps]

Have you had anything to eat?

Could I make you something to eat?

Scrambled eggs.

Toast. Would you eat that?

I'm fine.

Ben.

I'm, I'm gonna go. [door opens]

Ben. Sit down.

Ben, sit down.

[door closes]

Eggs l'Awesome.

This is a time-honored

family recipe.

And there is one

crucial, but controversial ingredient

which is, mushrooms.

Are you OK with mushrooms, Ben?

[sniffs]

[sobs]

[heavy breathing]

[sobs]

[sniffs]

[sobs]

[sobs]

I don't understand how you do that. I fucking just...

[sobs]

Just take off with a

note taped to the fucking refrigerator...

[sobs]

Would you do that?

[sobs]

I'm serious.

Would you do that?

Would you ever do that?

No.

She was very unhappy, Ben.

She was an unhappy person.

[Ben sniffs]

Together, you were unhappy, too.

Yeah? What am I now?

[breathes deeply]

[sniffs]

[sniffs]

I feel like an ass.

Oh. No.

No, no.

You have every right to feel the way you do.

I swear, all I want is a normal relationship, you know?

I mean, is it too much to fucking ask?

[deep breathing]

Just got to find the right person.

[sighs]

Is Adam your right person?

Yeah.

Yeah, definitely.

I don't know if you...

know this, but...

I didn't really like you at first.

[sniffs] [sighs]

Yeah. I kinda got that impression.

What, he told you?

No.

No, Adam always told me how much you liked me.

I was a jerk, but...

Adam's lucky.

Oh, are you making yourself all pretty for Ben's new girlfriend?

[chuckles]

I should meet the woman

he spends the rest of his life with.

Ergo

the woman we spend the rest of our lives with.

That's rather momentous, wouldn't you say?

Huh.

No, you don't think that you're just putting a little

a little bit too much pressure on this girl?

She could be the one.

I sense it.

Hmm.

[fast-paced music in car]

What is this music?

Adam sent it to me. I realize I never listened to it.

A little last-minute cramming?

Shh, don't tell him.

[chuckles] It's pretty weird.

Is he weird?

[Ben] I met Kat at Stanford Law

the first school I'd ever attended

without Adam as a classmate.

He and Nina had gotten married

and started spending a lot of time

up at his parents' country house.

This is scary. I'm being thrown in at the deep end.

You guys have all known each other for so long.

I love you.

[engine cuts off]

That's good.

That's all that matters.

Give me a kiss.

[car horn]

[grunts]

Whew. Oh, those New England winters.

[door closes]

-Hey. -Hey.

If it isn't John Cheever himself.

-Made it. -Hey, how're you doing?

-How are you? -Good to see you, buddy.

Kat! I'm Nina.

I feel like I know you guys already.

Ben talked about you uhh, well... constantly.

That much, bored the crap out of you.

-Kat, the Ad-man. -Hey, welcome.

-Hey, sweetie.

We're absolutely thrilled to meet you.

Thanks.

She's too good for the likes of you.

What do you know? You just met her.

I can tell.

-You have a good drive up? -Oh yeah.

-Yeah. -Beautiful.

Yeah.

Carry inside, people.

-You drink, I trust? -A little.

We'll see about that.

[laughs]

Don't worry about it, I got it.

Place is great.

We'll grow on you, I promise.

[rustling]

He's attractive.

Huh?

Adam.

He's very attractive, I can see why women would like him.

Well, Nina was his first serious girlfriend.

Really?

Yeah.

I mean, I guess he fooled around with girls at Andover, but...

yeah, Nina was his first real love.

He was a virgin?

Yep.

-That's great. -Yeah.

Can't believe that. That's so romantic.

Hmm.

What?

I don't know. It's...

He's never been hurt.

I mean, never. He's never

developed any kind of

like emotional scar tissue or anything.

Why is that so important?

I don't know, I mean... [drawer sound]

in an ideal world, it isn't I suppose.

What are you, a jaded stud?

Hey, been around, you know.

[laughs]

-Could have fooled me. -Oh yeah?

-Yup. -Let me show you.

[laughs]

You never told me he had an eyepatch.

Oh.

-Sure I did. -No, you didn't.

What happened?

Umm...

We got hold of a bottle rocket, one

Fourth of July, and

I lit it, but

he was leaning over it...

God, how old were you?

Seven.

How come you never told me?

I could have sworn I did.

You poor baby. That must have been awful.

I never saw him cry.

Kat, they would wear long black coats

and I gotta tell you they looked ridiculous.

[chuckles] Uhuh.

What do you mean

we looked ridiculous?

What about your little uniform, Missy?

The, the...

suede clogs and the perfect jeans.

Brooks Brothers shirt

rich girl slumming at Unique Boutique.

Oh, and what? You spent your summers

selling potatoes from a horse-drawn--

That's right! I walked 25 miles

through snow over mountains for my education.

Nothing came to me.

[laughs]

Yeah, my friends and I used to walk through Palo Alto

in these, uhh... uhh...

in these tie-dyed peasant dresses

-No. Lighter. -Listening to the dead.

-You were a dead-head? -...dancing girls.

I can't imagine that.

-It was awful. -Oh, she's wild.

All photos from that period should be destroyed.

Nina hated me back then.

Oh. Oh, you're right.

Kat, it was the other way around.

You see, Ben thought that I was stealing his little playmate.

What do you mean? You were the Yoko Ono of Columbia University.

Oh! [laughs]

[laughing] [whooping]

My little Yoko.

[chuckles] Thank you.

And then we had this very bonding moment.

Nina was very kind to me in an hour of need.

I made you eggs.

You made me eggs, Eggs l'Awesome.

Uhuh.

And you were so sad.

Oh man, I was so pathetic.

[others laugh]

Don't tell me, don't tell me

don't tell me it's the famous Emily moment.

And then... [chuckles]

this asshole, this asshole writes a one-act play about it.

I write what I know.

Yeah, nothing's so painful that Adam Miller can't exploit it

-for his own personal gain. -Hey.

-Careful. -This from a law student.

But on top of it, the fucking thing wins the...

the drama prize

and is performed in front of 200 people or something

[laughter and chatter]

-look at my life-- -I changed the names.

Yeah, you changed the names.

-I became Ken. -[Nina laughs]

It was really beautiful.

People wept.

-Yeah, I wept. -They didn't.

What was wrong with those colors?

It happened. We were two happening silhouettes.

Just carved it.

[bubbling]

[laughs]

[chuckles]

Can I... can I see it?

See what?

Your dick, what do you think?

Hey, who needs a beer?

-Go on. -Are you sure?

Are you sure you can handle it? [Kat chuckles]

Yeah, I want to see it.

Gaze into the abyss.

Ben uhh, never told me.

Everyone else felt so sorry for me.

I always felt kind of sorry for him.

Everything that happens in life

people always want to blame somebody.

Mm.

But it could have been the other way around so easily.

So you weren't pissed off, Adam?

It was an accident.

And he's still carrying it around.

You saw the way that he disappeared

when you brought it up?

Mm.

It's sad.

What are you gonna do?

[plates clink]

[cutlery clinking]

I like her.

-Yeah? -Uhuh.

She's nice.

She's genuine.

[dishes clatter]

It's good to see you.

I miss you too, you know.

Oh, I miss you guys.

[dishes clatter]

You do not belong in California, Ben.

You should move back here.

I mean it! Come back. Bring Kat.

Well?

What?

[sighs]

Kat?

I don't know, I...

I think so.

We get along really well...

It could be, it could well be...

[chuckles] Good.

You deserve to be happy.

Thanks.

[clink] Mm.

Oh my god, why are we here again?

Hey, man. Nostalgia, you know?

Sentiment, you're like an old man.

[Ben] Kat and I got married our final year of law school.

And after graduation we moved back to New York.

She started working for the mayor, and I got a job

at a big corporate law firm.

It was a very late-80's yuppie existence.

-How's your work going? -It's going good.

Yeah?

Yeah, finishing up that thing for the Sunday magazine-

-What, still? -Yeah, Ben.

I take my work really seriously,

unlike [indistinct] parasites--

-You're lazy, man. -I know and love.

I write like two briefs a day, what's the big deal?

You write briefs, I wear briefs.

You ever tried feeding a camel through the eye of a needle?

Huh?

-I can't say I've done that. -It takes a while.

It's all here baby, trust me.

[laid-back song]

See, you can go home again.

Oh.

Nothing's changed.

She's upped the material.

Only grist for the mill.

[music continues]

[grunts]

-Hello. -How are you guys this evening?

-Good, thanks. -We're doing fine.

Good. What can I get you guys?

We'd like a pitcher of your cheap, watered-down

draught beer, please.

-You got it. -Excuse me.

You're not on the swim team, are you?

It's OK, he has a brain tumor.

You don't know?

How's Kat doing?

Good.

She's working all the fucking time.

We hardly see each other.

She's a powerful woman, though.

I get that.

Laminated "Office of the Mayor" card.

We can park anywhere we want to

and do.

[song continues]

[sighs]

Why isn't this great?

Come on, doesn't this place have good feelings for you?

Like, you met Nina here.

That's a good thing.

That's a fucking good thing.

Here you go.

All right.

Anything else?

Think that'll do.

Good.

It's cute.

[pouring]

-Cheers, man. -Cheers, buddy.

[glasses clink]

I was thinking about Emily the other day.

[sighs] Uh-oh.

No, just...

That intensity.

You know?

I mean that, that insane... [sighs]

feeling of romantic love...

I swear, man...

Don't even remember what that felt like.

You're lucky, you piece of shit.

You know it, don't you?

What do you think?

So...

what do you do?

I mean, are you still madly in love?

Yeah.

That insane thing goes

but something takes its place.

We find new things that make you happy.

Anyway, hindsight's always fucked-up.

Emily was nuts, man. She drove you insane.

Yeah, but...

Yeah, she was fucking cute.

[exhales]

I can still smell her perfume.

"Tatiana."

It's not fair to compare people to ghosts.

They're not gonna measure up.

Thanks. [door sound]

Yes. OK.

OK. No. Remember to book those chairs

that thing Tuesday in Staten Island.

[car engine starts] Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Thanks, Nelson.

Oh, and, and, and...

The, uhh, the mayor's reservation also.

I know.

I know, I just wanted to make sure.

I'm gonna be at the Stockbridge number or this one.

OK.

Have a good Thanksgiving.

See you Monday.

Bye.

[phone beeps]

What are you, his babysitter?

He's a very busy man.

Yeah, His Honor. He can suck me off.

Would you like that?

Desperately.

Kat, you know, I mean, I've been in the car for half an hour

it's almost five o'clock. It's gonna be a fucking nightmare.

Sweetie, I'm sorry.

I don't know what else I can say.

[kissing sound] I'm sorry.

Sex god.

Yeah, you think that's gonna work?

Yes.

Well, you're right, goddammit.

[chuckles]

Life Saver?

What kind you got?

Banana.

Oh yes.

[kissing sound] Oh.

[kissing sound]

So, how was your day?

My day was grunt work.

Took a deposition from a guy

I swear looked exactly like Charles Laughton.

Oh.

"Mr Christian!"

This from Joey Adams.

Hiram says, I had a girlfriend once, for eleven days.

That's a strange amount of time, I said.

Hiram shrugs.

"Took her that long to chew through the ropes."

I can't believe you can get the Post up here.

It's like an invasion.

So.

Who's up for a walk?

Forget about it.

Ben?

Yeah. Sure. Why the hell not?

Ma'am?

You know, I really want to get this crap done.

I don't want to think about it. Is that OK?

[exhales] Sure.

-You sure? -Yep.

It's you and me, kid.

Have fun.

[door closes]

Think they said it was gonna snow tonight.

-Yeah? -Yeah.

Wouldn't that just be great?

Cold, wet

wouldn't have to do anything.

-Be all cozy. -Mmm, it smells like snow.

Mmm.

[stream running]

[sighs]

Feel like the bridge knows the answer.

It's just that Josie and I built a whole village under it.

Oh yeah?

The Great Falls.

[laughs]

Want to hear a secret?

Yeah.

[both laugh]

A troll lives under this bridge.

-Uhuh? -Yes.

Seen him, have you?

-Sorry. -Of course.

[laughs]

OK. Whoo!

Take a stick.

-Why? What...? -Come on, pick a stick.

These are Poo sticks

for Poo and Piglet's favorite game.

All right.

Whichever one comes out the other side first is the winner.

Wait. How do we know which one is which?

Whichever comes out first is mine.

[laughs]

-OK. You ready? -Yes.

One... two, three. Go! [screams]

[splash]

[grunts] Come on, Sea Biscuit!

[tender music]

[sniffs]

[music continues] [stream running]

What?

[music continues] [water running]

Sorry.

-I'm sorry. -No, it's OK.

Really, it's OK.

Uhh...

Yes, well, I think this is the time where you say

we should be heading back to the house now.

[chuckles]

Right. That's not a bad idea.

Umm.

Nina. I'm sorry. I mean, I...

-totally-- -No. It's, it's not anything.

-It's OK. -I don't know--

It's OK.

Sex maniac.

[door opens]

[door closes]

The wayfarers return. [door closes]

What smells so good?

-Kat's making banana bread. -Ah.

Oh, man!

Hey, good walk?

Yeah. It was great.

[indistinct commentary on television]

What's the score?

21-17, Rams. Four minutes left.

Can they still find time to lose it--?

What do you think?

Cowboys have had six fucking turnovers.

Since when do you give a shit about the Cowboys?

I can't tolerate incompetence.

[sighs]

-Hey. -Hey.

Hmm. [kissing sounds]

A girl can dream. Gimme.

Red cheeked baby. [chuckles]

Where'd you guys go?

Oh.

I don't know. The, umm, that bridge.

The troll bridge?

-Yeah. -See that bastard?

I missed him.

[grunts] Anyone want a beer?

M-mm.

-Ad-man? -Yeah.

[traffic sounds]

[Ben] I kind of avoided her for months after that.

I still hung out with Adam, but I made excuses

not to go to their apartment

not to see her.

Until one night I was walking home off Broadway.

Yo! Spare some change.

-He-hey! -Hu-huh.

-How're you doing? -Hey, stranger.

Oh, nice to see you.

-What are you up to? -Thanks.

Oh, you know me. I'm just, uhh...

working for the man here.

Oh yeah, all grown up, huh?

Oh no, please. [Nina chuckles]

Everybody I know, they're having kids

getting apartments in Park Avenue...

Feel like I'm getting left behind.

Oh, what? Come on, you should feel lucky.

-Yeah. -Chestnut?

-Christmas. -Nice, hey?

Mmm.

Hey, what are you doing now?

-Right now? -Yeah.

-Freezing my ass off. -Let's go have a drink.

-I gotta get home. -Aww.

-I can't. -Why?

I'm taping Jeopardy.

Get out of here! [Nina laughs]

[loud car horn] I-

-promised Adam. -You don't have a timer?

Yeah, why, I thought I'd be home.

Well, fuck Jeopardy. Why, I'm talking about

real human interaction here. Isn't that more important?

Anyway, it's the high school tournament.

-Really? -It is, whole week.

Baby questions.

[soft music]

Hey, so you guys went skiing.

Uhuh.

I haven't talked to you since then.

[music continues]

Ben, you do not need to feel weird about...

Troll bridge incident.

Yeah.

I mean, I wanted you to know that I

didn't take it badly.

It just happened.

[sighs] It's no big deal, OK?

You didn't tell him.

No.

I'm here with uhh...

I'm here with the great Kathy Burkland.

Umm...

No, probably

about an hour. Is that OK?

OK, great.

All right, you want me to bring you home anything?

OK.

Yeah, I love you, too.

Bye.

[cradles phone]

[music continues]

I just told Adam that I was, uhh...

I told Adam I was with Kathy Burkland.

Who's Kathy Burkland?

A girl I went to school with.

[rustling]

God, I don't know why I did that.

[lighter flicks]

I mean, why would I do that?

Because you're having a good time.

So?

Yeah. Guess so.

We're having a good time, and, and

you don't want to change anything.

You are having a good time, aren't you?

Uhuh.

It's like this

weird cross between nostalgia and anxiety.

I know, it doesn't make any sense.

Oh no. No, I'm with you.

It's just that it's impossible to explain, it's uhh...

You know when you're a kid

and you go to the supermarket

and for the first time you lose your mom

and you get that

you know, you get that kind of rush that...

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, I used to get something like that when I was little.

I, I would... I'd stare.

Right?

Into a little mirror

until I was utterly terrified.

And, I think, it was this

realization that I was

this solitary thing

physically alone

-right? -Yeah.

That, that I was, that I was ultimately alone

in the universe.

Well, what did you do?

I stopped looking in the mirror.

-No, but... -No.

I'm serious.

Oh.

It's like a...

like forcing yourself to wake up from a nightmare.

It's the same principle.

I wish I could describe it better.

I just get these feelings

feelings of longing, you know?

Longing and a kind of fear.

Fear that I've lost something.

[music continues]

All right.

You tell me one.

One what?

A memory, an image, a...

a PCU.

OK.

I got one.

All right.

It's summer.

It's Boat Club Beach, it's nighttime.

There's a big bonfire

bright sparks flying around

and Adam and I

[chuckles] we're entertaining the

martini drinkers.

He's doing his, his Tom Jones impression.

You know, "What's New, Pussycat?"

And

I was wearing my dad's

thick, black wool sweater

which smelled like

like

English Leather, tobacco

[music continues]

and my mother's laughing.

Everything's perfect.

Yeah.

God

I wish I could have seen Adam at that age.

You guys must have been so cute.

[music continues]

If I could freeze that moment for eternity

I'd just take it.

[music continues]

[traffic sounds] [music continues]

Here you go.

Thank you.

Good night.

Good night.

[kiss]

[music continues]

[music ends]

[slow piano music]

You're leaving me all alone.

Why don't you come with us?

To the Mondrian exhibit? Yeah, right.

It could be fun.

You could eat a blimpy.

I couldn't, sweetie. I'm fine.

I'm in a groove here. [tapping keys]

[door buzzer]

[footsteps]

-Hey. -Hey.

Adam's in the other room.

There he is.

[indistinct]

So we can't convince you?

So what's up with you?

Nothing.

Kat's down in DC again on another fucking congress.

The bachelor.

Yeah.

Living the wild life.

Hi.

I'll see you later, sweetie?

-Leave me a couple cigs here. -I left three on the table.

Hey, did you see what's at the [indistinct] next week?

Yeah, yeah.

My yearly viewing, "Touch of Evil."

You up for it?

Yeah. You kidding?

We're there.

OK.

Bye.

Have fun!

[door closes]

You know

that mumbling shit is annoying.

I mean

I've seen this movie fifty times

I still don't know what he's saying.

[Adam mumbling]

Honey, we're gonna get wet.

How about a drink?

I don't drink.

[chuckles]

How about a bunch of drinks?

[panting] [indistinct television sounds]

Benjie. Benjie.

That's not happening.

[sighs]

[shower running]

So when are you back?

What?

When are you coming back?

Uhh, not till Tuesday.

Hand razor.

[door closes]

Are you ditching me for the whole weekend?

You can stay with Adam.

Nice.

He's going to Boston to visit his grandfather.

What?

What did you say?

Nothing.

[shower running]

[Nina] Hello. [chuckles]

Fooled ya. This is Adam and Nina

and we can't come to the phone

but won't you please leave us a message?

[beep] [Adam] Where the fuck are you?

It's, umm...

it's gone on eleven.

My grandfather just called me Flo, so

I have a feeling the party's about over.

[soft background piano music]

I don't know where you are. Thought you'd be in bed by now.

Uhh, OK.

I will

try again half-hour.

Love you. Bye.

[cradles phone]

[phone buttons]

[ring tone]

- Hello. -Hey.

I'm sorry to call you so late. I didn't wake you up, did I?

No, no. Not at all.

Uhh, I just, I can't find Nina.

You wouldn't happen to know where she is, would you?

Well, as a matter of fact, she's sitting right here.

Hold on a sec.

[soft slow music]

-Hello? -Hey. What's up?

Hi.

Sounds like you're asleep.

No, we were just hanging out.

[indistinct conversation]

Oh, I guess I lost track of time.

So you guys were just hanging out?

Yeah. How's Boston?

Exactly the same as always.

Yeah? How's Peter?

Charming and senile as ever.

[chuckles]

Oh, give him, give him a hug from me.

I will. He sends love.

Yeah.

I'm sorry to interrupt you.

No, I was, I was leaving now, anyway.

OK. Take a cab, all right?

- Sure. -You promise?

Of course.

Good.

All right.

I love you.

I'll see you tomorrow. Bye.

[cradles phone]

[cradles phone]

Well...

goddamn.

That wasn't good.

Oh no, it was. It was totally innocent.

What are you doing?

I have to go.

Why?

I thought you said you won't go fall asleep, Ben.

Excuse me.

You know, this is insane.

-What? -What?

Nina.

Come on.

Where the fuck's my other shoe?

Whoa, hold on a second. I'll come with you.

No. Just...

It's fine. Just, umm...

Stay in bed.

[kiss]

[telephone rings]

[Nina] Hello. [chuckles]

Fooled ya. This is Adam and Nina

and we can't come to the phone

but won't you please leave us a message?

[beep]

OK, uhh...

all right. Well, I'm gonna go to bed

because I gotta get up early so I can miss traffic.

Umm...

All right. I love you.

I'll see you tomorrow.

[door opens]

[tender music]

Ben?

[melancholic music]

[music continues]

OK, Adlai Stevenson's running mate

to Head of New York Crime Commission--

-S. D. Schipofer. -Yes!

Five seconds.

The greatest director in the history of film was--

-We get-- -Time! Bullshit!

Come on!

Oh, please. You guys are pathetic.

It's the same fucking clues every time.

Please get over Orson Welles.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Last licks.

Down by five.

-No problem. -Yep.

Would you like to give or receive?

-It's your turn to give, right? -Uhh.

Uhh, receive, Alex.

-And... -Wait, wait, wait.

Go.

OK, he was the old mayor of New York.

He used to read comics over the radio--

-Theodore La Guardia. -I'll give it.

Oh. Umm...

Modern painter, drinking, dripping...

-Uhh, Jackson Pollock. -Yeah.

Umm, OK. Novelist, umm...

died in a car accident.

Uhh, Nathaniel West?

Uhh, good, but umm, existentialist French.

-Camus! -Camus, good!

OK.

OK, good. One of mine. Umm...

-Can't say that! -Hey!

-Can't say that! -Shut up!

Architect, he was the director of the Bauhaus. He, uhh...

designed the Seagram building with, umm, Phillip Johnson--

Fall on your own sword there, kid.

-Thirty seconds. -Chicago Federal Secretary.

-Glass, Glass- -[shouting]

-Yes! -How the fuck did you get that?

Umm...

Well, I don't know who this is.

-Who the fuck is--? -Fifteen seconds.

-I know who it is. -This is, umm...

oh god, OK, umm...

First names

rhymes with the daughter in Family Affair.

-Buffy? -Uh-uh.

-Cuppy, cuppy creme? -No.

-Duffy. -Yes.

-Duffy. -Yeah.

OK. Umm, last name-- [mimes buzzer]

Game, set and match!

-So close, ladies. -[laughing]

Is this a hockey tournament?

Donald Robert Duffy Dyers.

Second-string catcher for the 1969

World Champion New York Meds.

You said you weren't gonna do that anymore!

He was a cultural icon, he caught Nolan Ryan.

Who the fuck is Duffy Dyer?

Who the fuck is Mies van der Rohe?

Moonlit room.

Curve of a naked woman's back.

Down to where it meets her hip.

Motels.

With ice machines and

lots of towels.

Big towels.

Out of the past...

a new print.

Rainy Saturday.

Driving to buy a pumpkin.

The throb of the windshield wipers.

College football game on the radio.

Roxy Music.

So?

The Sierras in winter.

Yeah, we're hiking up to the tower tomorrow, right?

Yeah.

Fifth Avenue.

[soft slow music]

Night of the first snowfall.

Hush.

Snow on her hair.

[music continues]

Fifteen across.

Five down.

[music continues]

Dive into a pool.

Swimming down.

Then looking up.

[indistinct]

It's like a cocoon.

Yeah, that's beautiful.

It's sort of like

being on a boat when it's raining.

You know? Something weirdly great about that.

It's cozy.

It's like a good road-house.

What do you know about being at a road-house, Ben?

Are you trying to sound like a beer commercial?

Or does it just come naturally?

What would you like to talk about, Nina?

Well, we could talk about what a shit-head you are.

Want more Jack?

Why not?

[sighs]

[soft slow music]

You remember when we used to come up here with my dad?

Used to be that guy down at the bottom.

Sold those little cartons of orange drink.

I used to love all that fake shit.

Instant ice tea.

Slim-Jims.

Nothing feels that way any more, that intense.

The wind...

Light...

It was all kind of dazzling.

Feel like I can't smell anything anymore.

Yeah. Well...

You find new things that make you happy.

It was what you said to me once, remember?

You lose certain things, you gain certain things.

[rapid footsteps]

I've got a thirty-year old male who fell 40 feet.

He has severe head injuries and is unresponsive.

He has pelvic fractures.

We're gonna be there in about three or four minutes.

We need a trauma protocol.

He just fell?

[regular medical beeps]

How does that happen?

Adam.

How do I do this?

[rustling]

[door closes]

[rustling]

So where's Nina?

She's trying to find Adam's mother.

[cutting]

What?

What was the look, Kat?

Ben, there's no look.

That look... you can't, OK?

Don't do this to me tonight. Not tonight.

Just...

Please, Ben, I can't take care of both of you right now.

Well...

you don't have to take care of me.

Please, just don't get drunk tonight?

Did you get through?

They left already.

I left a message for them in the...

hotel in Vermont. They're not gonna be there till tomorrow.

Did you call your mom?

No.

Can't handle her right now.

I, umm...

I put out some crackers and cheese.

There's tequila.

Yes, please.

Are you OK?

Want some dinner?

You don't have to.

No, I should probably eat something.

You know, I haven't eaten since...

you know, before.

I was just gonna make some spaghetti, is it OK?

That's great.

[indistinct chatter]

Yeah.

[cutting sounds]

[chuckles]

Remember that complaint class that we had?

Wayne Hamilton?

Uhuh. Professor Mandelton?

[both laugh]

And every Thursday Adam had the overlapping class

he'd sneak out 15 minutes early.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh my god. Yeah, yeah, and...

Kat, one day, Adam is, umm...

He's trying very hard

to sneak out of class unobtrusively

but it's Adam, right? [laughs loudly]

So, he's bumping along, and he's wearing this long

I remember, the long Red Army coat.

And it's dragging along the floor

and, he's knocking everybody's books over as he goes

and the teacher is in the middle of this profound thought

and without missing a beat, he goes--

"And so, it became clean on

you know, this preternatural..." [Nina laughs]

"Just as I know that something

of earth-shattering importance

happens every Thursday afternoon at 3:45

that necessitates this gentleman's leaving."

And everybody just starts laughing!

[chuckles] And Adam just stops.

You know, he looks at the floor

he smiles, and he looks up, and he goes

[clears throat]

"Well, actually it's 3:40, sir, but, uhh...

I was really into that story." [laughs]

[laughs]

[laughs]

And then he just smiles

and then he like shuffles out of the room. Oh.

-Quintessential. -It was so beautiful.

God, we laughed for days.

The Ad-man. [Nina chuckles]

Thank you. Let me help.

No. No, no. Stay.

[clattering]

[water running]

I'm going up.

Why don't you come and sit with us for a minute?

I can barely keep my eyes open.

-You OK? -Hmm.

Night. Night, sweetie.

Good night.

We love you.

I know.

-You coming soon? -Yeah, yeah.

OK.

[footsteps on stairs]

[door closes]

[door opens]

Hey.

Hi. [door closes]

-You OK? -Uhuh.

-Gonna read? -Yeah.

You don't mind if I stay up for a while, do you?

No, no.

Take care of her.

I'll be up soon.

And, Benjie?

I need you, too.

A lot.

I love you.

I love you.

[door opens]

[door closes]

[footsteps on stairs]

[door slides]

[tender music]

[sighs]

I want to go back to the hospital.

I...

[exhales]

It's the middle of the night. I don't...

-Would you drive me? -I...

I, I don't... I... I mean... I

I.. No, I... He's not gonna even know we're there. We'll...

I just... I think we should go in the morning.

We'll go first thing in the morning.

[sniffs]

This is insane.

I don't think I'm gonna be able to handle this.

My baby's gonna die.

My baby's dying.

Shh, shh, no, no, no.

I really don't think that I'm gonna be able to handle this.

Because I feel like my head's just gonna explode or something

and I don't know what to do.

[sobbing]

[sobbing]

[sobbing]

[music continues]

[kissing sounds]

I love you so much.

Do you despise me?

I love you, but...

But...

This is over.

You know that.

I'm evil.

I am so evil.

His best friend.

I mean, what were we doing?

Ben, what the fuck were we doing?

[door opens]

Umm...

I'm sorry, but do you mind if I go in there alone?

Hey, uhh, you want us to wait?

No, umm...

I'll take a cab.

OK.

Benjie?

Coming?

Yeah, sorry.

[door opens]

I'll need some bread. Can you get a loaf of that olive bread?

Is this how you cope?

Cooking, shopping. I mean, what are you?

Martha Stewart? Can we just get out of here?

What? You think I'm enjoying this?

Do you think this is what I want to be doing right now?

We have no food, Ben. OK?

Can we just get this over with?

[clattering]

Sorry that it's such a chore to be with me.

Sorry I'm not Nina.

[car door opens]

[rustling]

[rustling]

What do you want to do?

I'd like to kill you.

Kat, you want to leave?

[chuckles]

Leave?

[chuckles]

Why the fuck should I leave?

I'm not the asshole.

I'm not the one who's fucking his best friend's wife.

Do you want me to leave?

St-

How, how could you do this?

I mean, Adam?

You, you're unreal. You fucking terrify me.

Kat, please.

-What? What, is this a bad time? -What do you want me to say?

I don't know why I did it!

I mean, what are you? A two-year old?

You just take whatever you want? Fuck everyone else!

It was a horrible thing to do! I'm sorry!

I'm sorry if I hurt you!

What? If you hurt me? Are you insane?

What do you want from me?

Don't fuck other people!

[sighs]

Don't break my h...

...my heart. How's that?

God, you piece of shit!

You know...

I can, uhh...

I can almost...

I can almost understand you doing this to me.

But how...?

I mean, did... did you want to possess him?

Somehow?

Some, some part of him

you couldn't have? Huh?

So you fuck his wife, is that it?

You killed him, I hope you know that!

I mean, you know what he was like!

Shut the fuck up!

I don't know you.

You're shit. You are fucking shit!

I know what I did!

I know it!

Fuck. [glass breaking]

[intermittent medical beeps]

[sniffs]

Adam.

I'm sorry.

I love you.

[tender music]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[music continues] [car engine]

[music continues]

[water running] [music continues]

[muffled sobs]

[sobbing]

[door opens]

[sobbing continues] [water running]

[footsteps] [traffic sounds]

[knocking on window]

[knocking on window]

-Too wild! -Yeah.

-Hey. -Hey.

Oh my god.

Look at you.

You look great.

So do you.

How are you?

-I'm OK. -Yeah? You made partner?

Oh, no. Actually, I quit.

You're kidding.

No, no, no.

Hmm.

Well, what about you? You, umm...

I heard you were in London.

Yeah.

How's that?

It's great.

-Yeah? -Yeah, I love it.

I heard about you and Kat.

I'm sorry.

Yeah. Well...

Do you keep in touch?

Yeah. She's doing good.

She's getting married, in April.

-Really? -Yeah.

He's a good guy, actually. I met him.

That's great.

Happy for her.

Well, how long are you in New York?

Umm...

-[mumbles] -Hi.

Hi. [kissing sound]

-[both moan] -That felt good.

Oh, I'm sorry. Honey, this is Ben.

This is Ben Hoggs.

Oh my god. Ben, good to meet you.

Nina's told me so much about you.

This is my husband Chris.

And this

this is Owen.

Hello monster.

-Hey. -[Nina chuckles]

Hi, Owen.

How you doing?

[Nina chuckles]

Oh my god, he's, uhh...

-He's beautiful. -Isn't he gorgeous?

Yeah.

Just like his mom.

Oh, why don't we sit down?

You'll have supper with us, huh?

Oh...

Well, I mean, I'd love to, but, umm...

I gotta be somewhere at eight.

Are you sure? Oh, come on.

Yeah. Yeah, I'm afraid...

but, uhh, thanks. It's...

I mean, actually, I should

I should probably get going right now.

All right. Umm...

-I'm gonna walk you out. -OK.

-Good to meet you. -Yeah, nice to meet you.

[door opens]

So, when do you go back to London?

Oh, umm...

day after tomorrow.

[traffic sounds]

I was going to call.

Uh.

Don't worry.

How are you, Ben?

Are you OK?

I try to do good things.

I know.

I do, too.

T... Owen is beautiful.

Looks just like you.

Yeah.

I can't believe how much I love him.

I'll call you next time.

I promise.

You better.

[tender music]