Provided by explosiveskull https://twitter.com/kaboomskull
You have to rinse this out, Lillian.
Forgive me for not doing it quite right.
It's really not the top of my list.
You never do it right.
Never? What, I've been here for like, a week?
Two months.
Look at your sleeve.
Fuck off.
You've done absolutely nothing since moving here.
What about getting here?
Which I did, for you.
You said New York would inspire you.
But you haven't been outside once,
not even to get milk.
I've bought milk...
No, you haven't!
And you've noticed?
That's just depressing.
Look, you have no goals, okay?
You can't even commit to writing in a journal...
What are you even saying? I have goals!
Only when you're high.
You're being a dick.
No, I'm being honest.
Don't be honest on my account, okay?
I think this would be good for you.
Well, don't turn this into my thing. You did this.
Now, I'm homeless.
You're not homeless. You have a free place to stay.
Yeah, with strangers.
I don't know, even as a new beginning or something.
Don't pretend you give a shit.
If your dad gave a shit, then maybe he'd be here.
Cut his Paris trip short.
Fuck you.
Drop me here.
Look. Hey.
I'm sorry, okay?
I said that I would take you all the way, let me do that.
Yeah, you have.
What?
This is where they live.
- What? - This is where I'm staying!
This is where they live.
How is this a break-up then?
I can wave to you from my bedroom window...
Yeah, we both know you won't.
Don't slam my...
You know, you're an adult,
and you don't do the shit you're supposed to do.
And it's infuriating.
I can't deal with that anymore.
I don't like that.
You go take a shower, and you don't bring a towel.
That's the one thing you gotta remember.
The only thing you gotta remember,
and you refuse to do it.
We go see a movie,
and you ask a million questions
as if I've already seen the movie
in preparation of watching it with you.
You're an adult.
- That's not what adults do... - You know what?
You're a boring fucking asshole, okay!
Is that honest enough for you?
Good luck, Lil.
Wait.
Nate, you're not boring.
You're...
Please...
Yeah, yeah, Here I am.
- Hiya. - Hey.
Lizzy?
- Lillian, yeah. - Oh, sorry.
- Nice to meet you. - I'm Don. Very nice to meet you.
- Thank you. - Is this it?
- Yeah, that's just it. - Here, follow me.
Did you find it okay?
Yeah, I just came from across the street.
Oh, really? That's funny.
- Oh, let me just... - Oh, sorry.
Yeah, this one tends to stay open if you don't...
- I like how the wood... - Yeah, it's, uh,
kind woodsy.
It actually reminds me of a place I stayed in
a couple months ago in Marin County.
Oh yeah? I love northern California.
Come up, follow me you're just up here.
Hey daddio!
Sorry for the last...
dumb message.
You caught me at a bad time.
Um, I just got to the house.
Thank you so much for hooking it up.
It seems really cool, my room is...
super cozy, um...
a nice little view.
How's Paris? How's Celeste, how's everything?
Message me back, dude. This was your idea.
Alright, bye.
Don't commit to my journal, hm?
Nate?
It's Don.
Shit.
Yeah, come in.
- Hi. - Hey.
You wanna join us for dinner, meet Julia?
Yeah, sure. I'll be down in a second, thank you.
So, I mean, we could talk about Julia
as one of the most important women writers of her generation,
If you're asking me about her influence,
I think it was really profound.
I think she changed the way women wrote in England,
the way they thought about what they wrote.
She took up the space without being shy of doing that.
And she brought a sense of perfection to what she wrote.
So, what are you saying, that it was George?
No, I know better than to accuse George of anything.
I trod in chewing gum, I can show you if you like.
Can we please, please not do this right now?
No. No, I don't want to do anything.
Nice candles.
Really?
Told you they were silly.
Darling. Lillian, this is my wife, Julia.
- Do you have a cold? - She doesn't, um...
- No, shit, sorry. - I guess I sound
I just sound nasal.
You don't sound nasal. You sound great.
- You want some wine? - Yeah, please.
Actually, I think you have a nice voice.
I was wondering if you sang.
Just a little, not really.
Last time we saw you, you were singing.
We've met before?
When you were little.
Tiny. With your folks.
I don't remember.
Well, you wouldn't would you?
You were a baby.
Guess you're right, yeah.
I talked to your dad today.
- Yeah me too. - Yeah.
He sounds great.
- Yeah, he's doing really well. - Yeah.
Really happy.
Yeah, he's super happy with his new girlfriend, Celeste.
- She's French. - Clever her.
Yeah, he mentioned that, um...
when he gets back he's gonna
to listen to my album.
- Oh, cool. - It's great, no, no because I...
His opinion means, you know, a lot to me,
I have a lot of respect for him.
- Yeah, people seem to. - Yeah.
So, your father's moving here to New York, is he?
Yeah, once he gets back from Paris.
No, I don't want any wine.
Once he gets back from Paris,
he's gonna look for apartments for us.
And Celeste.
What about her?
Help yourself to books, but just don't
take them out of the house please.
That's fine. I'm not much of a reader.
You should read one of Julia's.
- Change your mind. - Oh god.
No, yeah. For sure.
Are you done with your beans?
Yeah, um...
You know what, actually? Here.
Thanks.
Take the fork and knife away.
Why, do you have a cold?
You look just like your mother.
So I hear.
Hey, it's Nate. Leave a message after the beep.
Hey Nate. Um...
It's me.
Just calling...
Just calling to wonder if you
wanna watch a movie.
I promise I won't ask questions.
So, yeah. Just call me back.
Bye.
- Hey. - I'm sorry to interrupt you.
No, it's okay.
Would you mind just keeping the door closed?
Because it's like, the smoke's coming out.
Oh, sure. Yeah.
Julia and the dog are getting a bit of a contact high,
I'm sorry, I don't mean to be an asshole about this.
No, of course. Yeah.
I think it smells amazing, personally, but you know.
Well, you can have some if you want.
Uh, yeah. Actually.
Sure, fuck it.
Of course.
What you doing? You drawing, you writing?
Drawing, yeah.
Cool.
Kind of have to, you know.
Draw and...
I have interests.
Goals.
You know.
Yeah.
I don't know if you'd be interested, but
but I'm kinda assembling a bunch of different artwork
that my friends make, you know,
like drawings or paintings, or even like,
bits of scraps of like, poetry and text and stuff,
that I'm... we're gonna collage for the back of my record.
My...
My... the record.
Record.
Record. Record.
You keep saying "record" over again.
- Am I saying it right? - Yes.
He's stoned...
Anyways, if... you know.
Have you always made music?
Yeah, yeah. It's, uh...
It's like you said, like, I need it, you know.
It's cool.
Yeah, yeah.
Wait don't move, don't move your nose.
You want... don't want me to move my nose?
Just stop your nostrils
from going wild.
- I'm dying. - Okay, I got it.
You know,
If I had my way, I'd build myself a house.
Yeah, you should do it.
- Right? - Yeah.
With my bare hands, just like,
go and get some wood,
get some tools, and build myself a house.
Why not?
You should do that. What's stopping you?
You wanna help?
You wanna know something?
I already built my own little house.
- What? - Yeah.
- Yeah, man. - Where is it?
- Wanna see it? - Yes.
Let's go!
Be quiet.
Watch, watch this step there.
Oh my god!
I know, right?
You built that with your bare hands?
When we moved here, there was all this wood here
and I salvaged most of this,
the door was here, all this stained glass.
Oh, my...
...god.
I'm so glad you like it.
- Can you play something? - Yeah, sure.
Oh my god, yes.
See, I got my hammock right there, little seat...
This is a bed that can pull down if I'm just like,
if I need to take a nap or whatever.
I sleep out here sometimes.
I ran this cable from the house.
What are you? A genius?
You're literally set, you never have to go inside again.
Oh shit... Actually, what time...
We have some, uh...
neighbor issues sometimes.
- I can just play unplugged. - Wait, no, no, no.
I have an idea.
I got an idea, let me just take this.
You, shut this.
Nice.
- How's it sound? - Beautiful!
- Please, keep going. - Hi, love.
I'm in the garden, where are you?
No, I'm just in the shed.
I'm in the shed,
and then Lillian is just outside of the shed.
I can't see you.
I'm just... we're just rocking out, you know.
You wanna come down and join us?
Why not?
How am I talking?
Look, I'm gonna come... No, no, no!
I'm gonna come, I'm gonna get your tea right...
No! Please, please don't do that!
Just give me one second.
Could you just get the candle
and just turn off the amplifier?
I'm talking to you now.
What do you mean?
Just... can you just...
Listen, this poor girl.
She just broke up with her boyfriend.
I don't know what to say to that.
That's not... Okay, well, I wish you wouldn't.
- Good night. - Yeah, see you.
Bonjour papa!
Or is it bonsoir?
God, it's so cool you're in Paris!
That's amazing. I wish I was there.
Please, please take photos.
I'm here, I'm home, Nate's place, he's at work.
God, Nate's place, has such a nice ring to it.
Maybe I should open up a restaurant
and call it Nate's place, serve comfort food.
I don't know how to cook though, can't really do that,
I can't really clean.
What's that thing, the person in the front called?
Maître.. maître d', right, what do they do?
I can do that. Anyway,
please come home soon, wherever that is.
Dad, where are you?
Come on! You were the one
who told us to record these stupid messages.
You never get back to me, please, just give me something.
I..
Things suck here, Dad.
Fucking baby.
What!
Well, she needed some help.
We all need some help.
well you know what, no, you think I like...
I'm finding it quite strange you need...
...reassurance, or something. Am I not enough?
You are enough for me, you're more than enough,
but lately you've retreated completely inside yourself...
I'm sorry. I wonder why...
- We are social animals... - Yeah, you are...
Hey, Dad. It's me again.
Julie and Don are really fighting.
Can you hear it?
...it fucking turns my stomach, that's all.
Shit, I can hear footsteps.
Oh my God, it's like the beginning of a horror movie.
I actually got really freaked out.
Oh my God.
I think I just heard the front door slam.
Oh my God, please, please, let it be her.
Please let it be her.
I'm fine.
I love you.
Bye.
I had a sense reading her work that she was a perfectionist.
I mean she must have had a mother that, you know,
looked at her askance at every moment, you know.
And so, Julia probably channeled this perfectionism
into her writing, and I'm a bit of a perfectionist myself,
so her sentences reflect the discipline of her spirit and...
You know, a great artist though, is disciplined.
That's what some people think.
"Oh, I'm just going to write a book"
No, it requires discipline and solitude and being alone.
and when you read someone's book, you're..
you're having a glimpse into their solitude.
I didn't come up with that, that was Paul Auster.
He had a wonderful early essay collection.
Or two essays called "The Invention of Solitude".
Fuck.
Are you hungry?
Don?
So, it...
I didn't get to the end of your message
because it cut out after "entitled oaf".
Julia?
I was just going back.
Who is that?
Just the entitled oaf.
I see you've made yourself right at home.
Yeah, likewise.
Unless you live here too?
I look after Buddy.
It smells really good.
Thanks.
Alright Bud, come on.
That's for the dog?
Yeah.
Wow. That's a lot of trouble to go through for a dog.
Oh.
You hear that, Buddy? I'm wasting my time.
Is there any left?
Seriously?
Obviously not.
Eat up, Bud. We gotta get to the park.
Yeah, I got a business call.
I'm just gonna find his leash.
- Dad! - Hey, baby girl.
- Bonjour! - Hi.
- How ya doing? - So, I was thinking...
I don't really care what neighborhood we move to,
but I get first choice of the bedroom right?
Well, listen baby. I can't talk right now
I'm so sorry to put this off, but Celeste is sick again...
- She ate something... - Oh, man.
She's been vomiting all night. It's awful.
We're waiting for a doctor right now.
Don's gone.
Yes! I can't wait to hear his music.
It's just me and her in the house now.
- You're coming home soon, right? - So soon.
Lil, listen, I'm coming so soon.
Oh shit, is that the doctor?
- Bonjour monsieur. - Hold on one second, baby.
Yeah, bonjour, come in.
Oui, my fiancée.
Okay, listen I've got to go.
Are you good for money?
Do you need me to put some money into your account?
Yeah, thank you, just for...
Okay, alright. I love you. I've got to go.
- Bye, bye. - Wait, fiancée?
What the fuck!
I'm not sure if amid the merriment, marijuana,
and mediocre drawing last night,
my husband set out the ground rules.
Well he's gone now, so I will.
In lieu of rent, dinner.
I'm not fussy, whatever you're having.
Please water the plants when needed
and take out the recycling,
it's on a Tuesday.
Is writing in my private journal
part of the ground rules too?
My father will be coming back from Paris any day, so,
so I'll do the recycling this time,
but will be out of your hair by next Tuesday.
The entitled oaf.
When needed.
What the hell does that mean?
Hey plants.
Feel like you need some water?
I know you like me breathing on you though right?
Does she do that, huh?
Alright guys, need water, don't need water?
Come on speak up.
Oh, and tell Miss Havisham that I'm on it.
Okay.
Dressing gowns are too hard to draw.
There's a towel for you in the cupboard.
Presuming you brought your own underwear,
from one Miss Havisham to another.
Met your dog walker.
I'm about to make your dinner,
was it wrong to presume you had someone
to buy you toothbrushes?
Ugh, what's up with that mask?
You should fire your interior decorator.
Oh, and good to know we have
"Great Expectations" for one another.
Come on, Bud.
Hey.
Oh, that really takes me back.
What... is on the salad?
It's for Julia.
She said she wasn't fussy.
I mean...
No one over 11 would eat this.
I would.
Yeah, well, you're high.
You're high.
No, I'm not.
Is that mayonnaise?
Did you just put mayonnaise on there?
Can you hop off?
It does look like mayonnaise, it looks exa...
Well then, it is mayonnaise.
Can you just scrape the mayonnaise off?
Can you really scrape your attitude off?
Okay, will you at least bring it up to her?
She's been eating in her room lately.
And seriously,
just bring the macaroni and cheese.
Don't bring the... the salad.
Come on Buddy.
Shit.
Uh your... your dinner is out here on the floor.
Okay, bye.
The mask is gristly,
as was your cooking. I take it back, I am fussy.
It's Don's.
Let's hope it stops you
from getting too comfortable in your womb.
I will not be carrying you to term.
Venture out young oaf.
Fortune favors the brave.
Hey, is everything okay?
Yeah, fine.
Why are you up so early?
Why aren't you?
I got the day off.
Huh, lucky you.
I gotta get going, I'm just making sure you weren't dead.
- What? - Your recycling.
Figured somebody must have broke in and killed you
before you had the chance to take it out.
No I... I just overslept.
Nate?
Is that you?
Cool, alright. Well, see ya.
Hey.
Hey, Buddy.
How was the conference call?
Uh...
It got canceled.
It was with my dad.
Buddy?
Do you ever like, not
pick up his shit?
No.
People would understand if it was like soupy though, right?
Like, how do you even... pick that up?
Soupy?
Just trying to show some interest.
Well, you don't need to.
Lillian...
What's up?
- Um... - Hi.
Um, I'm Laura. It's nice to meet you.
No, it's formal, it's too formal. Um...
God, this is awkward.
Sorry, who are you?
Oh, I work with Nate.
We're not in the same department, but I'm in factual.
Documentaries mostly.
You made the thing about Women's Militia in Syria.
Yeah, you saw it?
Nate showed me.
He told me that you also went to film school.
- Yeah. - Awesome.
You working on anything?
Sorry, is that an obnoxious question?
I don't. I'm just curious.
Uh, yeah. I got something.
It's early days,
you know, not quite Syria, but yeah.
You guys know Julia Price, right?
The writer?
Kind of obsessed with her. Tried to interview her
but she said she didn't do that.
She's just like you and me, really.
- Intelligent women, who... - Yeah.
- What? - No, no, no, sorry.
I interrupted you. You were saying?
Right well, we're collaborating.
On what?
I'm making a film about her.
Are you serious?
How did you get her to do that?
Well, I have to live with her.
God, I haven't even heard her speak.
She's pretty private though, right?
She is. Yeah.
And I should probably get back to her, she...
needs her milk.
It was really nice to meet you. You seem really cool.
What?
Nothing.
Hey, Julia.
Would you be okay with me making a documentary about you?
I know I haven't read any of your work, and
and I've never sat through a whole documentary,
but you said I should be brave.
Okay, full disclosure. I just bumped into my ex, and,
and he's already found somebody new. Dick!
There's definitely an overlap.
Anyway, she's a film maker.
Makes films about...
things that matter,
and who's nice and beautiful.
Fuck.
Please help the lazy entitled oaf.
Please.
Flowers and a tray buddy, check it out.
This is for Julia.
It's my job.
She's my boss, remember.
Well, I'm worried you might poison her.
Can I take it up?
Sure.
Cool. Thanks.
Yeah.
Mmm, fancy.
It's Lilian.
I have your lunch.
A little bit of an improvement, I think.
Alright, I'm just gonna leave it outside.
Oh, come on!
Ugh.
Camera.
Camera people, camera...
Camera men.
Here we go.
Brooklyn, New York.
Hm.
Hi!
Hi.
I've never met someone named Lillian before.
I'm actually realizing right now,
I've never said the name Lillian,
so that's huge for me, thank you so much.
I got us these, here you go.
Oh my God, I'm so excited about your film, girl!
Is it good, do you like it, what are you thinking?
So, what I was thinking was,
we put the camera on the face.
- Yeah - And...
When they say something important,
or really, something interesting, we push in.
I don't know what you mean.
Well, basically what I'm trying to do is
get a sense of how other people see her,
and then bam, you see her.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, awesome. And...
and maybe we could use like, an older, softer lens,
you know to, to take away some of the Christmas...
The crispness.
Sure, yeah.
Make it a bit softer and hazier, you know,
if that's what you're into.
Lill... an.
Lill... Lill... Lill... ann...
Just Lillian.
Just nickname-wise, it's 'Lil' right, because "Ann"...
Ann is such a sad girl name.
I got a ton of lenses.
I've got like a Canon K35, you know?
- Yeah. - It's, you know,
very flattering on the human face.
Hoo, your profile pic does not do you justice.
You are really beautiful.
Can I get one beer for the lady,
and can I get a cranberry juice for me?
My name is Simon,
but I actually just recently changed it to Sol.
S-O-L. It's kind of good, right?
- Yeah. - Right? I love it.
It's like kind of athletic, kind of, you know,
"Where's he from?"
What about Bausch & Lomb Super Baltar lenses? Huh?
- I like that one. - Yeah?
I changed it online, actually, I just have to get my friends
to commit to saying it now, which is
kinda proving to be harder to do than I would have hoped for.
I'm experiencing a lot of resistance
and it's kind of like, getting in, in a weird way.
It's kinda been eating away at me,
it's making me think, like, am I choosing the right name?
You know, I don't know, it's good right?
- Yeah. - It's good.
Yeah.
Is it though? I love it.
Sol.
Can I get you another drink?
- No. - Okay.
So I have a whole box of lenses. I don't know if they're lenses,
or if they're ends, but I think it's both.
It came with the camera, so, like, we're fine.
Or like...
maybe, I don't know, like, a KOWA?
- Or, a Hawk, anamorphic. - That sounds awesome.
- Yeah, right? - We can probably use all that.
Oh my God, this is so great.
Have you read any of her books yet?
- No. - That's better.
I think that's really, really smart. I do.
I think out of respect to her,
you might want to be a little more prepared.
That's intentional.
Oh, is it?
That's how I work.
My dad got us a sound stage...
Okay.
...because he feels guilty.
He abandoned me, or whatever...
- Okay, no. Let's keep it happy. - ...for his fiancée.
Let's keep it happy.
So, how long have you been working on documentaries?
I don't have much interest in documentaries.
I have more of an interest... in you.
Am I hired or what?
Of course, you got it. You're hired!
Cheers.
Okay, one, two, three!
- This is good. - This is good.
Yeah.
We start tomorrow.
Lillian.
Hey.
You're up.
Morning.
Good morning.
You look beautiful.
Would you like to take a shower together?
I think I only have one towel.
Well, I'll just wait for you here.
- I've just got stuff to do. - Yeah, well.
Yeah, well, I've got to be going anyway, so...
Okay.
My day's super full.
I was actually gonna head out,
you know, I just didn't want to...
- Those are mine. - Yep, these are your jeans.
It's fine.
Can you just be quiet on your way out?
Yeah, yeah. Well...
If you ever...
Why the rip?
The edit?
There are no mistakes in here surely?
Thank you for my lunch.
Delicious. Surprising.
As were the flowers,
thoughtful,
cheering.
I'm going to ask her.
Feels weird doing it behind her back.
Okay, she's going to be thrilled.
We're going to get so many good people
to say really nice things about her,
it's going to be like her funeral
but over and over again, and she'll be there.
Yeah, that's not really the point.
Good boy.
Good boy!
Hi.
That looks nice.
Think she'll venture down?
You're starting to sound like Julia.
I have to ask her something.
Well, she's kind of based up in her room right now.
Wait, wait. Is she OK?
Does she need a pan?
Oh, and are you guys turning her every few hours,
because people can get bed sores.
It's actually like, a huge misconception.
- Who is this? - Sorry.
This is Soul.
Sol.
- Sol? - Yes.
Sol.
Yeah, Lillian and I are making...
Making breakfast together.
So, what did you wanna ask her?
Well... um...
Are there any documentaries about Julia?
Like we'd love to see one as her fans.
Oh.
- Oh, you're a fan. - Yeah.
- Well, uh, great. - Yeah.
Well I've told him all about her, and her novels.
What's your favorite novel of hers?
Okay, Dad.
Nice to meet you, "Sol".
Very nice to meet you too.
I never got your name.
It's George.
George?
She's gonna be so into it.
And your dad's being very generous.
Oh my God, look.
That's Nate, my ex.
Can you hold my hand. Just, please.
Nate!
Nate, my man.
I got this.
You're safe babe. Come on.
- Stop. - Cross the street.
Stop.
- Hey, Nate. - Hey.
So, this is Nate? What's up, bro.
Alright.
You are
I'm Ool.
- I'm Ool. - Ool?
O-O-L. Yeah.
You guys were together for a while right? Or what's...
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, two years.
Now, she's with me.
I don't know.
Are you, Lil?
Yeah. We're...
We're together... for now.
Oh, don't be coolio with Oolio.
You're crazy about me.
We're very much in love.
Mhm...
Wait, how'd you two meet?
Uh...
Ool is the cameraman on my film.
- And you met... - We did.
Well we've actually got to get going to the...
the sound stage for, um, for some interviews, so...
Whoa. That's amazing.
Lil, that's great. It's coming together so fast.
Yeah, my dad really helped out, so...
Oh, come on. Don't sell yourself short, babe, it's all you.
Yeah, he's actually right.
Alright, well, it's good to see you.
Yeah, good to see you, yeah.
Hey.
Come on. Bring it in.
- We good? - Yeah.
Ool?
Alright.
This is all we got.
Oh, my, god!
This place is amazing.
What are we supposed to even do with it?
I think it's obvious.
- You do. - Yeah.
I think we ask them to dance up top.
I honestly don't think we're gonna have to ask.
I feel like this space is practically begging them to.
- Okay. - What?
It's just making me anxious.
That's good.
That's what you want, you know what I mean?
Okay.
Just... it's not...
Let me try. Please. You know what I mean?
I think we just let them kinda explore, explore, explore.
If we say "Use this space".
Hopefully it comes to that, and then I'm following them,
and then it's finally,
"I'm Zadie Smith".
I just want to talk about Julia as a political writer
because I think that's important.
I teach her as a political writer,
and a lot of the time, my students don't understand that
because they think of politics
as the writer, who's out in the street,
the writer who's marching,
the writer who's involved at a public level,
but I say to them there's another kind of writing
which takes its time, you know,
you might not see its political consequences
for several generations,
but it's there in the prose.
And I think she's a writer of political strength.
But it's personal, it's intimate,
you really have to enter into it.
I completely agree. Don't you?
I wasn't listening.
If I were an animal, I would be...
and then you...
Can we, um, maybe
take a different angle?
Okay, if Julia were an animal, she would be?
In my opinion,
becoming as successful as she was
at that age,
in England, I think she got tired of it.
I think she wanted to get back to her work
and concentrate on it.
The idea of being reclusive,
to stay in your room and read and write,
is, to me, not reclusive.
To me, that's the life of a writer.
It just seems strange to others, perhaps.
This is a documentary,
but we're kinda playing with the form.
You just got here, you might be feeling...
Could I rule it out though...
Please?
Of course, of course. No dancing.
- Okay. - Okay.
Well, you've ruled it out, you've ruled it out,
I'm not ruling it out.
So, we have kinda, one of three,
who is open to the possibility of...
Sol...
No dancing.
Seems you're venturing out a little, brave one,
Where do you go to, I wonder?
Might you have outgrown this collaboration?
Sorry to sound mawkish. I don't suit this role well.
Julia?
It's dinner. Sorry, I've been out, working all day.
Can I come in?
Hello?
Are you in here?
What?
Lillian.
Might be something there.
getting Don stoned first night in our home,
desperate for affirmation,
scared of women,
feral,
chewing gum on the steps,
footprints on the walls,
Shit.
Toothpaste all over the mirror.
George.
She'd better not.
Okay.
Stubborn.
Bitch.
Bright. Creative.
Compelling.
Compelling...
Dad?
Hey, Dad? Can you hear me?
Dad? Hello?
Are you pocket dialing me? Hello?
You're pocket dialing me.
Thank you for agreeing to do this.
Oh God, no. Thank you.
I mean, look at this room. It's like a...
It's like a ballet studio, I feel compelled to dance.
I could move and talk about Julia,
you know, how amazing she is and I could leap something,
You know, I... I'm actually sweating now.
I'm immediately sweating.
You know what, I saw your father at the Russian baths last night,
- because there was sweat... - Wait, wait, wait.
My dad's in New York?
Yes, yes. He's...
very enamored with his young lady friend.
and they didn't want her to get the Platza,
because of her condition,
- What do you mean? - ...she's likely to be struck
on the belly. Well, the Russians,
they take these oak leaves and they...
and they strike you with them and you sweat
and all the poisons and all your struggle...
Are you sure it was my dad?
Yes, well, if he hasn't called you
it's because he wants to surprise you,
and... anyway I mean I could...
I think maybe just take a breather
and sit down, and we can talk about Julia.
Okay.
Anyway, yeah, I could use the break.
You know, one thing that's interesting
about the party where I first saw Julia,
was that you were there with your mother,
and I was across the room
and I was looking at Julia admiringly,
and I caught her in a private moment,
looking at you and your mom,
with, like, I think it was
love,
and amazement.
and, and...
She was enraptured,
looking at the two of you as a tableau.
And it was a private moment but I...
I saw it and I never forgot it, and that's why
when your father asked me to do this,
I was just like, "I'm going to meet that young child",
and I never forgot the way
Julia looked at you and your mother.
- I'm pretty sure that's yours. - Oh...
Yeah, that's... that's Stella's.
I'm... I don't have a bag. I'm so sorry.
I got it.
- Thank you. - It's okay.
She usually just goes once a day,
and so I... I only bring one bag and then...
It's unpredictable,
so maybe next time, just bring more than one bag.
Yeah.
Yeah. Of course.
I am so sorry... Thank you.
- I'm so sorry. - Yeah.
Um...
I'm sorry, Stella. I let you down.
You were perfect!
Who's that?
Just a fellow dog-walker.
She likes you.
Well, she wouldn't for long.
You don't know that.
I'll stick with dogs.
Are you okay?
Yeah, I...
My dad's back from Paris, he hasn't called me.
I just wanted to talk to him.
Can't call your mom?
Nah, she wouldn't say much. She's... dead.
Ah, I'm sorry.
Don't be sorry. She left when I was little.
I mean, that's still tough.
She came back a couple of times, and then
and then died alone in India in a lake.
Um...
My grandma...
died in front of me.
- What? - In Indiana, yeah.
She was kicked to death by a horse.
Do you say that a lot?
That sounded kinda rehearsed.
I said it to make you feel better.
- Do you use that as a line? - No!
Do you?
It doesn't really reflect well on me.
What... and mine does?
My mother left me, George.
Multiple times, and...
I'm clearly unlovable.
Well,
I feel like an asshole because I...
I couldn't save my grandma
from being kicked to death
by a horse.
I'm sorry.
- It's not funny. - No.
It's not.
Buddy.
If you ever...
need to talk or anything,
I'm around.
Like, if no one else is
around, I'm around.
Thanks.
Good boy.
Come on.
You tell mum how good I was huh?
Let's go.
The novel I really love
is "Good Posture".
Um,
I know, I mean, biographically I know
that she had moved to New York
and lost a baby.
The most unimaginable horror.
and then there's this novel,
and it's a kind of...
It's an elegy in part,
but there's also a love story in it.
but it's not a romantic love story,
it's a love story about another family,
a relation that she's looking...
onto,
and there's this incredible scene where she's...
The narrator, sorry,
is in this room
with this young mother, slightly strange woman,
and her child,
and this strange young woman is so in love with her child,
you know the way you are when you first have a baby.
it's such a tactile
and adorable moment in your life,
and the narrator's watching this relation,
which is completely hermetically sealed, doesn't involve her,
and she's in love with this couple,
this woman and her child.
But it's not hers, she can't enter into it,
She's like a... on the outside looking in.
I always thought that was the most moving
situation,
and so beautifully described.
I'd hoped boredom would push you to my book
and you'd find some answers there,
but it seems you really don't like to read.
I'll save you the trouble, little oaf.
Page 39 to 45.
She called me "lovable".
Lovable Lillian.
It's pretty cool, right?
Hello!
You guys think if this is the only thing I do right,
maybe she'll forgive me?
Huh?
Um...
it's quite common with... with Dachshunds.
- Oh. - Because they have
such long backs, and...
- We'll go this way. - Oh, okay.
And their backs are so long and they have short little legs,
- Right... - So, it's like, a lot to hold.
- I guess. - Oh, so we give them wheels.
- Yeah. - I never heard that.
You're very knowledgeable, George.
Well, it's so they don't
have to put them down.
Oh.
- Yeah. - My, um,
- Grandmother... - I don't know what I would do
if I had to do that with Stella,
like, make that life changing decision without
knowing if she was absolutely in favor of it or not.
- You know? - Right.
Yeah.
I don't want to ask her.
Uh...
Ask her what?
Keep up, George.
You're falling behind.
I'm... I'm kidding. Um...
I'd want to ask her, you know,
what choice would she make for me?
Like, Stella...
What would you do for me?
You know?
I mean, I don't think she would put you down.
No, right, wheels.
Yeah, that's... that was my guess too.
Yeah.
But, um...
My grandmother said that
the wheels actually weren't that great for her dog.
- Oh, really? How so? - Just because, it, like,
It kinda took her whole confidence away.
Like, her tail was down all the time, and she just,
Like, there's no light
in her eyes anymore, just gone.
Personality, gone.
- Yeah. - All of her joy was diminished.
See, I would hate to diminish someone's joy.
George, you're so...
sweet with animals,
your love for them, your compassion for them.
Like, it's... It's really wonderful.
Thanks. Um...
Not all animals.
- Oh, really? - Yeah.
I don't like horses.
How funny. Why's that?
I saw my grandmother get kicked to death by one.
By a horse. Right... And it was like,
right in front of me, when I was little.
Oh my God.
Yeah.
It's okay.
Well, I hope, um...
I hope they're together, and at peace.
Who?
Your grandmother and the...
- Dachshund? - Thank you.
- Alright. - Alright.
Julia gave me a copy of her book.
Oh.
Yeah, check out what it says.
- "Lovable Lillian"? - Yeah.
That's great. She wrote "To George" in mine.
Actually, Sol and I
have been interviewing people about Julia.
What?
What are you doing?
Something.
Lillian, Jesus Christ!
Has no one ever taught you how to behave?
No, George. They haven't.
Not everyone can be like Buddy over here.
You have a really interesting way of
showing gratitude.
Yeah, I bet you'd like to show her gratitude.
When are you gonna like, grow up?
Come on, Buddy.
This has been such a fun project, Julia.
We have just kind of jumped right in.
Yeah, and you should be so proud,
I mean, these writers have just
been so forthcoming, they've been so happy to talk about you.
Are you familiar with my work?
No, but Lillian and I decided very early on,
very deliberately, to kinda come at it blindly.
You know, not blind. I just think without an angle,
without any sort of approach,
so that it could kind of,
take its own form,
we could kind of go on this kind of organic journey together.
Yes, yes. I see.
And I guess you could say we've kind of scooped you up
and taken you on this crazy little ride.
Kidnapping of sorts.
Oh no! Julia, shut up, no.
You writers are so dramatic.
No, I like to think of it as more of a surprise.
You know, Lillian and I have... Hi Lillian!
Lillian and I, have, um...
Kinda blindfolded you, and taken you outside
when you deliberately asked us not to,
and you're taking off the blindfold,
you're taking it down,
and you're... the light's hitting and it's hurting a little bit
but you're looking out, and you're seeing the world
for the first time, and you're going,
"Thank you Sol and Lillian."
"Thank you for pushing me", you know,
"out of my comfort zone."
"This is thrilling!"
"To hear these writers,"
"talk about me, in such an intelligent and kind way."
"What a thrill! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"Again, thank you."
So, yeah...
I guess now that I've put that on the table,
I should, um, get going and let you two talk, but,
I just can't say enough. Wow, wow, wow!
What an honor to meet you, and...
I'm such a fan.
Even having
never read your work, I am truly, just. Wow.
Just knowing your impact on...
- I'll walk you out. - Oh, yeah, yeah.
It's was the least I could do Lillian.
Julia...
Jesus Christ!
I got take-out.
Okay, goddamn it.
Mmm.
My god.
It's really good.
- It's amazing. - Thank you.
I didn't make it.
It's cold, but it's good.
Mmm.
It was for Sol, and then we got into this stupid fight.
- Mmm. - And...
I chased after him and I left it on this little stoop thing,
and then when I was walking back, it was still there.
It was like, 30 minutes later.
I'm pretty sure it was mine.
So, is this where you and Julia hang out?
No. No, not in this mess.
We hang out
in the kitchen. We talk sometimes.
I make tea.
Mess is fine for me though, right?
Uh, do you wanna
watch a movie?
Is it short?
Can you not... Do you mind
scooching over a little bit that way?
- Sure. - Thanks.
Okay, is there anything you need before I hit play?
Are you the type of person
who doesn't like to talk during movies?
Yes.
- Absolutely. - Perfect.
Here we go.
Have you seen "Lady and the Tramp”?
- With the noodle thingy? - Yeah?
- Wanna try it? - No.
What's going on?
Are you okay?
Yes.
- Lillian? - Yeah?
Can you just... whoa.
Uh, what are you...
- I got a vibe. - No, you didn't.
- I completely got a vibe. - I did not give you a vibe.
You did give me a vibe.
I swear, that's bullshit.
You would know if I gave you a vibe.
How would I know? What would it look like?
No! Hey!
Go home.
I don't have a home, George.
It's just fucked up.
Don't slam the door.
Yeah, no one else is going to.
It's a famous conundrum in writing that's
It's very difficult to write about happiness.
and only Tolstoy,
perhaps, has made happiness
really swing on the page,
writes thrillingly about happiness.
Montherlant, the French writer, said that
that happiness "writes white",
that it doesn't show up on the page,
whereas unhappiness is in, you know,
cold black block capitals.
Um, there's no mistaking unhappiness.
There's something bland and cow-like about happiness.
I knew. I know an English lady writer who..
who officially resigned from writing
because she was so blissfully happy in her second marriage,
or whatever it was.
It's not a stimulus, an...
an intellectual stimulus, being happy. On the contrary.
Look, honey, look. This is where Celeste is from, right here.
That's near Papillon.
- Nice. - Ce terre plus bon un frais.
- Plus beaux. - Beaux.
Beaux.
Ah.
Son perre.
- Isn't that her mother? - Is it?
Sorry.
Ah, oui oui, maman.
I'm sorry I can't...
Doesn't she look exactly like her mother?
I mean, she's gorgeous. She's gorgeous.
Very similar. Dad, where are your glasses?
Oh he's not wearing them,
I don't like it.
They hide his beaux visage.
Beaux visage.
- Gross. - Please.
So, how's the documentary going, honey?
- I stopped it. - What?
It was just feeling weird.
Well, it's natural to feel weird in the middle of the process.
You gotta keep going. That's not a reason to stop.
I know. Dad, how's the apartment hunt going?
Have you been getting the links I've been sending you?
I got the links, and we're gonna really go through them
right now we're just... thought we'd just stay at a hotel,
you know, because it was easy and...
Julia actually found out about the film
before I could ask her.
What, you didn't get permission first?
Thank you.
No, Dad. I fucked up.
Oh, Lil.
I'm sure you guys have fucked up before right?
Hey listen, Lil,
Celeste and I are...
We...
do you... do you think that you could ask Julia
to take care of you for a little while longer?
You know just until...
Yep, I'll make other arrangements.
No, don't. Lillian don't be like that,
I'm not saying we're not gonna do this,
we're going to do this, I promise,
it's just that we need...
we have to talk a little bit about, um...
Do you want to get a place of your own?
Do you think that's a better idea?
I think you'd be actually happier
living with friends.
You could get a place with friends or something?
Yeah, sure. I don't know anyone, but I'll figure it out.
Okay. I mean, yeah.
- And, whatever the rent is... - I got it.
"I got it." Listen to this kid.
"I got it."
So grown up. She's so fiery.
How do you say that in French?
- Explosive. - Explosive.
You take after your father, no?
Hey, easy on the wine.
Yeah, that's funny. I think I take after my mother.
Lillian.
Don't be like that. Hey. Honey.
Shit. She knows.
- She knows? - Yeah, she knows.
Lil?
Sing along...
Sing al... Sing along.
And I'll do...
I'll do...
You know, when a writer
closes themselves off like that,
it might be a kind of a chrysalis stage,
something might come out of it, something beautiful,
but they have to be left alone to work it out.
- Here you go. - Thanks.
Hey.
Hello.
I would like some coffee, please.
Alrighty.
Do you want anything to eat?
- Did you make it? - Yes.
I'll just have two cups of coffees.
Two? What, is Buddy drinking coffee now?
No. It's for...
Pauline.
Dog girl?
See, I told you
the dead horse thing would grow on her.
Dead grandma. Not dead horse.
Whatever.
Uh, and it's not like that. Here.
Wow.
Yeah, she made it.
- Whoa. That's perfect. - We're business partners now.
Getting down, business partners.
Good one.
I'm just gonna...
It's a bone dollar,
I'm just gonna put that in your little tip jar.
For that, big spender, these are on the house.
- Really? - Yep.
Thank you, Lillian.
Sure thing, George.
I will see you around.
Okay.
- Hello. - Hi.
What can I getcha?
Proud of you!
I know, I know.
It's going to be rough without me, guys.
No one's gonna treat you like I do.
I think this is gonna be good for us.
Come in.
Really?
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Have you been playing?
No, no.
Music's his thing in this house.
Tone deaf.
Well, you look way cooler holding it.
- Really? - Yeah.
I know you've been practicing.
Oh God...
Will you sing me your song, please?
That one you can't stop playing.
- I know all the words. - I'm sorry.
Play it.
Almost gone
Can't be long
'Til I lose,
I lose control
I don't know
Oh God, I'm nervous.
It's nice.
I do
Sing along
Sing it anyways
All alone, on your way home
Done me wrong
Sing it anyway
Sing along
To your favorite song
It's your own familiar melody
It's your own Don't be long
You've done me wrong
Sing it anyways
Lose control
I don't know
But I do
I do, I do
I do
I do, I do, I do
- I do, I do, - Yes I do, yes I do!
I do, I do!
Yes, I do!
I do, I do
Yes, I do...
Very good.
You're a very clever girl.
Thank you.
- See you later. - Yeah.
What subway are you taking?
- I'm taking the C. - Oh, well. I'll walk with you.
It's cold.
No socks?
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