02x06 - The Exception to the Rule

[bunniefuu]

BULL: That happy-go-lucky
looking kid is me.

I was the smartest person
I had ever met,

and I was convinced I would
grow up to be an astronaut

and the first man on Saturn.

This is me the summer
after my first year in college.

I was on my first car, third girlfriend,

and second fake ID.
I had come to the conclusion

that space travel
probably wasn't in my future

and that psychology
was for losers and weaklings.

You can figure out what this is.

The point being we move through
our lives shedding skins,

kissing older versions
of ourselves good-bye

and new ones hello.

(SIGHS)

MARISSA: Oh. Uh, Bull?

Mind if I join you for your : ?

Huh? What : ?

Wh... That big-deal attorney
from upstate

that you told me to fit into
your schedule this morning.

What are you talking about?

Were you drinking last night?

Was it a day that ends in "Y"?

You don't remember me calling you.

Calling me what?

I smell a setup.

Do you want me to walk in first?

I'd love that.

Mr. Burnam?

So sorry to have kept you waiting.

Dr. Bull just arrived.

Mr. Burnam?

Dr. Bull. Uh, thank you so much
for seeing me.

You're a big deal attorney?

I-I... am an attorney.

How old are you?

. in March.

I get this all the time.

Okay.

I'm gonna walk around my desk here

and put myself in that chair and hope

that in the time it takes me
to walk from here to there,

I start to remember who you are
and why you're here.

(CLEARS THROAT)

I got nothing.

You know, now that I think about it,

maybe I never did call you
about this meeting.

Okay. Somebody want to tell me
what's going on here?

Well, don't be angry with Zack.

He really is a lawyer,
and he really has been

trying to reach you for several weeks.

I just knew that
when you heard his story

you'd want to meet him.

Because?

Because I, uh, I have a case

that could really benefit
from your involvement.

Is that the line
that's supposed to hook me?

Where are you from?

Danville. It's-it's a little town

about miles north of here.

whole miles.

I am incredibly impressed and flattered.

You have one more chance
to say something, anything,

that will make me want to talk to you

more than to check my e-mails.

It's a toxic tort case.

Okay. That's pretty heady stuff

for a young attorney.
Somebody was exposed

to chemicals that did them harm?

Yeah. My mom.

And five other people.

Your mom?

That's a lot of responsibility.

You with a big firm?

No, it's kind of just me, myself and I.

A-Actually, it was-it was my
mom's idea to reach out to you.

I don't understand.
Is your mom an attorney?

My mom's Allison Burnam.

But when you knew her

she was Allison Campbell.

Allison Campbell?

(CHUCKLES): Huh.

Ally Campbell.

Day in, day out, I do mostly
DUIs, small claim cases,

personal injury... that sort of thing.

But when my mom got sick...

I-It took us a while to realize
she wasn't the only one.

And do you have a theory
about why this is happening?

The biggest employer
in our town is a company

called Warwick Furniture Manufacturing.

All my clients are near the factory,

and they've all got something wrong.

Thyroid disease, cancer,

heart problems, bladder issues.

Doesn't the fact that different
have different maladies

make it difficult to prove causation?

Well, I have an expert who will
explain it all stems from

a chemical Warwick uses
as a flame retardant

on their furniture. Trichloroethylene.

CHUNK: The company's gonna have

their own expert. And their job
is gonna be to sh**t down

whatever theories
your expert tries to float.

I know this is gonna
be an uphill battle.

That's why I'm here.

BULL: Ally Campbell.

She was my first real girlfriend.

We went out senior year.

Took her to the prom.

She could throw better than I could,

but I could rap better than she could.

Both highly important skill sets

in the adult world
we were about to enter.

We were quite the couple.

I feel terrible about your mother,

and I wish there was something
I could do to help, but, uh,

you don't even have a settlement offer.

Actually, I do.

So then what's the problem?

My clients won't accept.

And it's not because they're greedy.

It's just not a very good offer.

They want to get enough at least
to cover their medical expenses.

They also want the company
to install water extension lines

to bypass the contaminated wells.

Seems like a pretty reasonable ask.

Who's representing the company?

Bartlett & Dunn.
It's a local firm, but they...

BULL: Yeah, we've heard of 'em.

They're good. And big.

And if you go to trial...

I'll get beaten badly.

Which is another reason I'm here.

A man with a plan.

miles, huh?

Well, maybe I'll run up
to Danville with you,

see what's what.

Say hi to your mom.

I'm not sure I can
be of much help, but, uh...

Can you rearrange my day?

Already did.

And arrange for a car to bring me back

into the city around : tonight?

ALL: Already did.

(QUIET CHUCKLE)

So your mom knows I'm coming?

Not really. Uh...

I couldn't be sure you'd
say yes and I-and I didn't

want to make a promise I couldn't keep.

Aha.

What about your dad...
does he know about me?

He know you're talking to me?

Dad d*ed when I was .

He worked for Warwick.

Regional Sales Manger.

He was driving up to Buffalo one night,

hit some ice, and...

Well...

I'm sorry.

Long time ago.

Full disclosure: what I'm hoping to do

is maybe review the settlement
with you and your mother

and then try and broker
a meeting with the other side,

see if we can get 'em to sweeten it.

Anything to avoid court.

Yeah.

That sounds good.

It ma-make... it makes makes sense.

Although there was a part of me

that was really looking
forward to the trial.

You like court?
You spend a lot of time there?

Um, this would actually
be my first time.

In court?

Uh-huh.

But that's okay.

When it's meant to be, it's meant to be.

Uh-huh.

Hey, Mom?

I'm home.

Also, I found this nice
stranger hitchhiking

just before the Tappan Zee Bridge.

Can I keep him?

She, uh, may be resting.

Let me go look.

(CHUCKLES QUIETLY)

(CHUCKLES) How weird is this?

You hunt me down
to tell me you've decided

- not to go away to college after all?
- Oh, boy. Okay.

- Time to go.
- Oh, no, no, no.

Get over here and give me a serious hug.

Hey.

I won't break.

(BOTH GRUNT, CHUCKLE)

(SIGHS)

Mmm.

Hey.

We're still a pretty good fit.

Your son is standing right next to us.

Oh, please. I've peeked at his computer.

He's seen lots worse

than this.

Oh, figures I'd have to get deathly ill

to see you again.

I'm so, so, sorry.

Well, the good news is
you got a great kid there.

I know.

Tell me about you.

Kidney cancer.

Not a lot to tell.

On the plus side, uh,

haven't been this skinny
since you last saw me.

On the minus side...

this is not the life

I planned for myself.

At , it's not the ending

I imagined for myself.

I'm taking targeted medication,
and I'm doing immunotherapy.

And for a couple of hours,
I'll feel great.

And then, all of a sudden,
trying to get out of a chair,

or walking across the room
will require more energy

than I can muster.

But I'm-I'm alive,

so, beats the alternative, right?

How can I help?

Honestly?

I need you to talk to the others.

This case, this-this disease...

is bankrupting us.

I lose the house next month.

Zack has emptied his savings.

I need you to convince them.

Just get them to accept an offer.

Please.

- We already talked about this.
- It's absolutely not what we're...

(INDISTINCT, OVERLAPPING CHATTER)

(LOUD, OVERLAPPING CHATTER)

(WHISTLES)

Everyone just stop. Now,
I know you're upset.

Upset?

I-I have cancer, Dr. Bull.

At the very least, I'm owed an apology

for what they've done to me. I hear you.

And I agree.

But that's never gonna happen.

Let me be clear.

In a civil case, the only good
that can come is financial.

No one is gonna say they're sorry.

No one from Warwick
Furniture Manufacturing

is going to jail.

And no one can take away your cancer.

All you can hope to win is money.

And that's what's on the table.

It's just not right.

You brought this guy from New
York City to tell us that,

- huh?
- Doesn't it matter

that what they're
offering us is ridiculous?

(SIGHS)

Ally?

Oh.

Ooh.

Oh.

Here. Here.

There.

(QUIET, INDISTINCT CHATTER)

- You okay?
- I'm okay.

I'm okay. Zack, sweetie,
I need my pills.

You know the ones I mean,
in... in my bathroom?

Well, I don't think
we changed any minds down there.

Not even with the encore
from An Officer and a Gentleman.

Actually, you changed mine.

I think we should go to trial,

and I think
we should squeeze those bastards

because of what they did to you,

squeeze 'em for everything they've got.

We?

If you'll have me, Counselor.

I'm gonna send that car
downstairs back into the city,

get my clothes and my laptop.

Maybe you can point me
to a hotel that's near by?

There's a room for you
right down the hall.

But Jason...

Zack, why don't you go downstairs

and tell your clients
we're going to court?

- (SIGHS)
- Jason?

You haven't seen me in years.

I really never expected
you to drop everything

and make my problems your problems.

Problems? You have problems?

You think spontaneously bleeding

from a facial orifice is a problem?

Where I come from, that's
the ultimate party trick, lady.

- (LAUGHING)
- It is lady, isn't it?

Now,

I am gonna go downstairs and try
and talk a little more sense

into your happy band of co-plaintiffs,

make some phone calls,
and then I'm gonna hit the bed

in that room you offered me,
and I mean hit it hard.

And I want to be really clear.

If you try and sneak in
in the middle of the night

and pull any funny stuff,
all bets are off, okay?

I'm just not that kind of boy.

Now, see, that's what I'm talking about.

You got to work on your impulse control.

- So what now?
- So, today I'm hoping

Zack and I get
to meet with opposing council.

But before I sit at the table,

I'd like to know
what kind of cards I'm holding.

Well, it turns out

the flame retardant Warwick
uses is technically legal

in the United States,

but it's banned in most
of the rest of the world

because of concerns that
it's bioaccummulative

and carcinogenic.

Be careful with that, though, okay?

Those findings are derived
from experiments with rats.

Benny's right.

Rat models are far from perfect

when predicting toxicity in humans.

They're only accurate
about % of the time.

Okay, but the science isn't junk, right?

No, it's not junk.
In fact, it's terrifying.

And if I were on the jury,

I'd go full Erin Brockovich
on their ass.

- Mm, that's quite an image, Cable.
- (TEA KETTLE WHISTLING)

Wait a second.

Mm. I smell food.

Nothing personal. Later.

(LAUGHING): Wow.

What is all this?

Are there lumberjacks
coming for breakfast?

Yeah, I know. I kind of overdid it.

No. It's great.

Just maybe we should offload
some of this onto Zack.

No, he's already gone.
He left for work an hour ago.

He's trying to set up that
meeting with the other side.

Well... his loss.

Mmm.

So...

just you and me here.

Listen, I know it's been a long time,

but I've actually
been thinking about this

a lot, so,

if I asked you to...

do something... with me,

would you at least

think about it?

Give it some thought?

♪ For relationship there's just room ♪

♪ To hit it,
how many brothers out there ♪

♪ Know just what I'm getting at? ♪

♪ Who think it's wrong ♪

♪ 'Cause I was splitting
and co-hitting that? ♪

♪ Well, if you do, it's O.P.P. ♪

♪ And you're not down with it ♪

♪ But if you don't,
here's your membership ♪

♪ You down with O.P.P.? ♪

♪ Yeah, you know me ♪

- ♪ You down with O.P.P.? ♪
- ♪ Yeah, you know me ♪

- ♪ You down with O.P.P.? ♪
- ♪ Yeah, you know me ♪

♪ Who's down with O.P.P.? ♪

♪ Every last homey ♪

♪ You down with O.P.P.? ♪

♪ Yeah, you know me ♪

♪ You down with O.P.P.? ♪

♪ Yeah, you know me ♪

- ♪ You down with O.P.P.? ♪
- ♪ Yeah, you know me ♪

♪ You down with O.P.P.? ♪

♪ Well, for the ladies, O.P.P... ♪

Hello. Zack, good to see you again.

Mr. Dunn.

And you must be Dr. Bull.

I am indeed. Preston Dunn

of Bartlett & Dunn.

Have a seat, please.

So... what can we do for you gentlemen?

Well, Mr. Burnam and I wanted to see

if we could have a conversation

with you about our pending court action.

What about it?

Well, the proposal on the table,

is, in our opinion, exceedingly modest.

It doesn't even speak to the request

for extending water lines

that would bypass the polluted wells

so that our clients could use
clean water

in their homes.

We were hoping we might be able
to convince you

to sweeten the offer and maybe
avoid court altogether.

And why would we do that?

Yeah. Sense of fair play?

Your client's sense of remorse?

You don't want

to be publicly humiliated
in a court of law?

Tell me when to stop.
I got a million of 'em.

Dr. Bull, we have no reason to fear
court.

Our clients firmly believe
they've done nothing illegal.

The fact that there is an offer

on the table is solely a function

of their commitment
to being a good neighbor

and trying to help friends
who have fallen on hard times.

Wow.

You said that like you almost meant it.

Preston,

let me explain something to you.

Yes, you have money on your side,

and a small gaggle of attorneys,

but your gaggle all specialize
in one thing.

Keeping your clients out of court.

And court is where I live
every single day.

I have more experience in court

than all
of Bartlett & Dunn put together.

So if that's where you want
to work this out,

so be it, but if you
wake up in the middle

of the night and change your mind...

that's my cell number.

I need ten times what's on the table,

and those extended pipelines.

That should get it done.

Though, if I were to get
this case in front of a jury,

I think it'd be a lot more
expensive than that.

Ladies.

Gentlemen.

Don't get up. I wouldn't for you.

Was that how it was supposed to go?

Fear's a w*apon. We just weaponized you.

And yes, that's how
it was supposed to go.

A trial is a piece of theater.

It's not just the events
that shape the outcome,

but often the order of events.

My suggestion is we put
the scientific experts on first,

then our whistleblower, and then
finish with the plaintiffs.

That makes sense. Save the most
emotional testimony for last.

Mm. The problem is,
if the science doesn't land,

the opposition is gonna argue
that there's no reason

to hear from the plaintiffs

because their argument is immaterial.

Well...

Look, okay, we can't do that.

That's the whole reason
I'm in this thing.

I mean, I... I want my mother

to have a chance to talk to these guys.

- What guys?
- The company.

Warwick Furniture Manufacturing.

I want them to hear
what they've done to her,

what they've taken from her.

First her husband, now her life?

Even if we get nothing,
she has to have that moment.

She's entitled to that moment.

Zack,

she's entitled to do
whatever helps us win.

I mean, there are five other plaintiffs.

I don't foresee any reason why

she wouldn't be able to testify, but

let's keep our eyes
on the prize. You understand?

Great.

ZACK: Now tell me about voir dire.

(ROLLING THUNDER)

Well, the judge will
automatically eliminate anybody

from the jury pool
who works for Warwick,

or is related to anybody
who works for Warwick,

or is related to anybody
who used to work for Warwick.

But that is not the problem.

The problem is, in a town like this,

that even if you don't work for Warwick,

you come to believe your
prosperity is tied to theirs.

Mm. Yeah. I hadn't thought of that.

So we find the outliers, the anomalies,

people who live in Danville who
are suspicious of big business.

And maybe people who feel
cheated in their lives.

That's interesting. What do you mean?

Well, folks who have been
lied to in the same way

that Warwick lied to the plaintiffs.

(ROLLING THUNDER)

BULL: You sure you've never
been in a courtroom before?

(MURMURING)

BULL: Big team, huh?

Kind of intimidating.

Little bit.

You've got a big team, too.

You just can't see 'em.

MARISSA: We're right there
with you, Zack.

From lawyer to lawyer,
you're gonna k*ll it, kid.

We're here for you, Zack!

Go get 'em.

The town you live in is on fire.

No water lines, no hydrants.

Only way to stop the fire
is for everyone in town

to form a human train

and pass buckets of water
from person to person.

Finally, the fire's put out,

but three of your neighbors
complain that,

while they were part of the human train,

people dropped buckets of water
on their feet,

and now they have broken toes.

They're suing the town.

What do you think?

About...?

About the three people.

(CHUCKLES) I know
where you're going, and...

And...?

I think it's a ridiculous story.

We move to strike this juror,
Your Honor.

Who would you say are some
of your favorite sports teams?

Favorite?

Well, for baseball, I like the Yankees.

Football, Cowboys. And for basketball,

I'm a Golden State guy.

Good God.

This guy's never met
a Goliath he didn't like.

He won't be happy until the
underdog is spayed and neutered.

We move to strike, Your Honor.

So, who's next?

Uh, juror .

Her name is Madeline Fox.

She's .

She's a project manager,

and she works in software development.

A management position, huh?

In a typically male-dominated field.

She might be someone who
can potentially lead a room.

Jury forewoman material. We like that.

And she just filed for divorce.

Infidelity?

Uh, Cable says yes.

Him or her?

I just got a nonverbal "him."

Excellent.

Woman's already of a mind that the world

and its institutions are corrupt,

that vows and promises are worthless.

Shouldn't be hard
to convince her that Warwick is

just one more
in a line of big institutions

built to let people down.

Do you have any questions
for this juror?

No, Your Honor.

We find this juror acceptable.

Mr. Dunn?

We, too,

accept this juror, Your Honor.

FRANKLIN: Good. We'll begin

tomorrow morning, : a.m.

(GAVEL BANGS)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

That was weird.

They seemed almost as happy to
have that last juror as we did.

I know. (CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

Something's wrong.

I need to know why the other
side's okay with that juror.

Just doesn't make any sense.

I don't know what to tell you, Bull.

She's an introvert.
She's anti-big business.

There's nothing
in her motivational matrix

that would seem to make her
attractive to the defense.

Which means we don't fully
understand their strategy.

Maybe I put too much weight
on the juror's divorce.

I thought for sure
we could use her anger

at her ex-husband's cheating
and channel it towards Warwick.

- What am I missing?
- BENNY: Just a thought,

but maybe they like her
for the same reasons we do.

I don't follow that at all.

Well, maybe they think that
someone on our side is cheating,

being less than truthful.

No, that's crazy. Who's cheating?

Who's being less than truthful?

I swear, I can vouch for
every plaintiff. I can vouch

- for every witness.
- I can, too.

Be that as it may,

here's what we need to do.

I want everyone at TAC

to double-check everyone on our side.

The whistleblower,
the expert witnesses... everyone.

(QUIETLY): Look,
I'm not sure Benny's right,

but it's the most plausible
explanation I've heard.

Look for any inconsistencies,

anything that can be painted as a lie.

And I need it done tonight.

Okay.

I think we should shake things up,

do anything we can to throw
the other side off-balance.

Tomorrow, in court, let's lead

with the victims.

Save our whistleblowers
and expert witnesses for last.

(SOFT CLANGING, SCRAPING)

(SIZZLING)

Oh.

If I had known

that making breakfast
was part of the package,

I might have followed you
to that college.

Okay.

Here's something you don't know.

Those times I came
by your house that summer

to say good-bye,

what I really wanted to do
was get you to run away with me,

make a baby with me,

live over a store with me in
some town where nobody knew us.

I was completely prepared
to get a job at a gas station

or a pizza parlor... whatever it took.

But college...

was this thing I was supposed to do.

You were this thing I had to do.

Every Bruce Springsteen song
I ever heard

told me that was true.

I just couldn't get the words
to come out of my mouth.

You're forgiven.

That was a long time ago.

God.

Ugh. What are you doing up so early?

Well, I'm glad you asked.

I got a call.

From someone who works for me.

They think they know what the
defense has up their sleeves,

who the cheater is.

Well, fantastic. Who?

They think it's you.

I got an e-mail with a copy

of your great-grandfather's
death certificate.

(CHUCKLES) Okay...

You aware that he d*ed of lung cancer?

. Houston Plaza Hospital.

I don't think I even remember

the guy's first name. The man

had d*ed over years
before I was even born.

The problem is,
on your insurance application,

you indicate no history
of cancer in your family.

And that matters why?

I-I mean, I wasn't lying.

I-I forgot.

If I even ever knew.

It's not like I have lung cancer.

I have kidney cancer.

Allison, I believe you.

But the defense,
if they get you on the stand,

they will use that
and they will tear you apart.

You're not gonna let me testify.

No. That's not what I'm saying.

I'm just not gonna put you on the stand

and give them that opportunity.

Now, if they want to question
you, they can call you.

But that'll take a couple of days,

and... we can figure out

what they're doing, where they're going.

Mm.

And what if they don't call me?

Allison,

whatever you're gonna say...

Don't say it doesn't matter.

You got to make your little
"Born to Run" speech to me.

I don't get to give one to them?

To the jackals who took my husband?

Telling him he had to make his numbers,

even during a blizzard.

To the greedy pigs
who dumped poison in my water.

I don't get my turn?

(SIGHS)

You're not gonna be dead
in to months.

(DOOR OPENS, SHUTS)

ZACK: What'd you say to my mom?

I told her that life...

court... isn't fair.

You don't think she knows that?

I told her we weren't
gonna put her on the stand.

I wish you hadn't done that.

Why? Were you gonna tell her?

People are entrusting you
with their futures,

their family's futures.

They've got to count on the fact

that you will do the hard
things, the tough things.

Even though it's

no fun.

Aren't you glad you asked?

Mr. Burnam.

- Your first witness.
- Yes, Your Honor.

The plaintiffs would like
to call Brian McCannon.

Morning, Brian.

How you feeling?

Today's a good day.

I get both kinds,
but today's a good one.

That's great to hear.

Now, you live on land

that has its own well, do you not?

I sure do.

Quarter mile from the factory.

And speaking of bad days,
you've been sick a lot lately,

- haven't you?
- Yes.

Just over the past year.

And what were your initial symptoms?

Well, truth be told,
I hadn't felt well for a while,

but it wasn't until my first seizure

that I realized
something was very wrong.

You want to tell us what happened?

I was grocery shopping.

Standing in the bread aisle,
and I just picked up

a loaf of white bread,

and I was gonna put it in my cart

- when I felt this thing.
- BULL: I know you can't see it,

but our lady's leaning in.

I thought there was maybe an earthquake.

Series of explosions,

vibrations or something.

And then I realized

it was me.

I was vibrating. I was shaking.

My hand. The bread.

And I remember just kind of deciding,

I'm gonna sit right down here

on the floor of this grocery store

until whatever this is passes.

And I started to bend down to do that,

and I somehow must have hit
my head on the floor.

And they called .

DANNY: Bull, can you hear me?

Danny, what is it? I'm kind of busy.

Bull, you need to call for a recess.

Whatever you do,
do not let the other side

- cross-examine.
- And that's when Dr. Cartwright started

the battery of tests.

What kind of tests?

A bunch on me, and a bunch on my water.

And what did they reveal?

That my water was sick
and that I was sicker.

You can read it all for yourself.

It's all there in black and white.

Your witness.

Your Honor, we'd like to
call for a recess.

What?

JUDGE: I'm confused.

Are you the attorney of record?

No, Mr. Burnam is.

And can't you speak for yourself?

Yeah, of course I can.

(CLEARS THROAT)

The plaintiffs would like to request

a short recess.

Request denied.

We've barely gotten started here.

Mr. Dunn, would you like

to cross-examine this witness?

I certainly would.

Mr. McCannon...

Just...

I'd like to ask a few questions

about your physician,

Dr. Wallace Cartwright.

Okay, sure.

How long has Dr. Cartwright been
your primary care physician?

Oh, at least a couple years.

Our records say months.

Whatever.

But you wouldn't take issue

with the fact that he
became your doctor after news

of the lawsuit was on TV?

The Internet? In the papers?

Objection. Relevance.

Seriously?

No, I wouldn't take issue with that.

Now, isn't Dr. Cartwright also a...

personal friend of yours?

Someone you grew up with?

Again, Your Honor. Relevance.

PRESTON: Oh, I guarantee you,

there's abundant relevance, Your Honor.

JUDGE: Overruled.

The defense believes this witness,

with the help of his friend,

has falsified his medical record

in order to profit from this lawsuit.

And to prove it, we would happily pay

for an independent exam

from a mutually agreed upon physician.

Mr. McCannon...

would you be open to such an exam?

W-What do I do? Do I object?

What's the point?

Look at her. She's already
made up her mind.

She knows a liar

and a cheat when she sees one.

Dr. Bull, maybe
it's not as bad as you think.

Zack, I appreciate you've
never done this before,

but believe me when I tell you,

it's absolutely as bad as I think.

- Really?
- Really.

This case revolves around one juror.

One.

And right now she thinks that Brian

and, by association, your clients...

all of them... are liars and cheats,

just like the man
she used to call her husband.

But the defense can't prove
that Brian or his doctor

actually falsified those records.

Only that he won't agree
to take another exam.

And you don't find that damning?

So what do we do now?

You know the answer to that.

We have to cut him loose.

We're okay here...

And we have to let that jury...

and particularly that juror...

know that we find
that kind of dishonesty

even more repugnant than she does.

- And what do we say to Brian?
- I don't know.

How about, "Thanks
for screwing up our case."

Or "I really liked
the supermarket story,

but how about if you're sick
the next time you use it?"

Oh, I've got one.

"You still have to pay us."

We'll pick and choose, mix and match,

but it'll be one of those.

I can do this.

The hard stuff, the tough stuff.

I'll do it.

Hey, um...

(PEBBLES CLATTER ON GLASS)

Can Ally come out and play?

I don't think that's wise.

I'll be your best friend.

- Jason...
- Allison...

- No.
- Okay.

I'm coming up.

What?

No, stop it.

Okay.

I'm coming down, damn it.

Just give me a minute.

- (WINDOW CLOSES)
- (CHUCKLES)

I know I was the one

who said you shouldn't,

but I'd like you to testify.

Tomorrow.

First thing.

Something really bad must
have happened today.

I was wrong about who
they thought cheated.

Your son handled it
masterfully, by the way.

We're gonna lose, aren't we?

There's no way you would let
me anywhere near that stand

if you thought we had a sh*t at winning.

I don't know what's gonna happen.

I know we have our experts,
they have their experts,

but the bottom line
is we can't prove what they did

caused what happened
to you and your neighbors.

And they can't prove it didn't.

The chemicals they used aren't illegal,

although the way they disposed
of them was reckless,

which means it all comes down
to what a jury thinks.

And right now that jury thinks

that we are not
sh**ting straight with them.

And I would like to know

that somebody got something
that they wanted

out of this.

So, as a favor to me...

if you're not doing anything...

happen to be in the neighborhood...

don't have an issue
putting your hand on a Bible...

- would you mind speaking your piece
- (CHUCKLES)

in court?

Call your witness, Mr. Burnam.

The plaintiffs would like
to call Allison Burnam.

Hey, Mom.

Hey, kiddo.

How long have you lived in Danville?

Over a quarter-century.

Virtually my entire adult life.

And what brought you here?

Warwick Furniture Manufacturing.

My husband... we were newlyweds...

got a job with Warwick as a salesman.

And your husband...

my father...

is no longer with us, correct?

He d*ed in .

He was driving up to Buffalo
on a sales call.

There was a blizzard

and a bad traffic accident
on the thruway.

cars...

So given all that time, and all
that you've been through...

all that you're going through now,

you must have some strong feelings

about Danville and Warwick.

I do.

Objection. Relevance.

Objection overruled.

Please continue.

ZACK: You were saying...

I love Danville.

You were born here.

Our house is here.

We had all those Halloweens,

all those... everythings.

Magical things happen in this town.

I even had an old boyfriend

show up out of the blue
to try and help me today.

And how do you feel about Warwick?

PRESTON: Objection, Your Honor.

What possible relevance could
the plaintiff's feelings

- for the defendant have?
- JUDGE FRANKLIN: Counselor.

Sit down and be quiet.

ZACK: You were saying.

Warwick...

I am...

so grateful to them,

for so many things.

You listening to this?

Did you prep her?

Tell her what to say?

No.

It's all her.

ZACK: So explain this to me.

You have kidney cancer.

You lost your husband. This trial today

has wiped you out financially.

And yet you're saying you're grateful?

I'm not grateful for the cancer,
of course.

And I would trade... anything

to have my husband back.

And there are days when
I'm really bitter.

But... I know, in my heart,

that Warwick didn't put
the ice on the highway

that made my husband's car hit
the car in front of him.

They pushed him to sell, sure.

But he was a big boy
and he would have pushed back

if he wanted to.

He loved his job.

And that's the reason he
was on the road that day.

That's the reason we lived here.

It's the reason we're all here today.

As far as the cancer...

I know that no one put poison
in the ground

knowing that it would do this.

They couldn't have.

They're my friends,
they're my neighbors.

And I know that the company
stopped doing it

as soon as they realized that
it was seeping into the wells.

So if you're okay with everything,

why are we here?

I guess we're here because

when bad things started happening

to the people who depended on
that water,

and we went to Warwick for help,

instead of saying,
"How can we help you?"

they said, "Prove it."

And I think

we were all just... stunned.

It was as if our friends,

our neighbors...

our town no longer cared for us.

This town is Warwick.

I mean, if my dog got out of my backyard

and bit the little boy who lives
next door to me,

I would run over there and I would say,

"What can I do to help?

"Can I drive you to the hospital?

Can I pay for the doctor?"

I wouldn't say, "Those don't look

like my dog's teeth marks."

ZACK: And how much did you
and the others ask for?

Enough to cover our medical
bills and time lost from work.

And also that they re-pipe our wells

to a safe water source.

ZACK: And how much did they offer?

Nothing, as far as the wells go.

And about a tenth of the money
we needed to be made whole.

And still... you're not mad?

I have my moments,

but... no.

It would be like being mad at myself.

If that makes any sense.

It does to me.

No further questions.

Is the defense prepared to cross?

Absolutely, Your Honor,
if I could just beg

the court's indulgence
for a brief recess.

We'll take a -minute recess.

(GAVEL POUNDS)

(QUIETLY): That was amazing.

Thank you.

Did I just just make a total
fool out of myself up there?

Not even close, Mom.

How you feeling?

Pretty good.

Thanks for making it happen.

(PHONE BUZZES)

Hmm. If you folks will
excuse me for a moment...

- Thank you, sweetie.
- Yeah, of course.

times our original offer.

And we'll take care of the piping.

Let's just end this now.

That's very generous.

You have to get her her
house back from the bank.

In fact, for all her pain and suffering,

you have to pay it off.

Come on. I'm doing your work here.

Trying to keep you out of court.

Done.

(CAR DOORS CLOSING)

Hey, you guys wait out here.

I'll go and get my mom and Dr. Bull.

Um, but give me a minute.

She might be resting.

♪ ♪

♪ There's no room for relationships ♪

♪ There's just room to hit it ♪

♪ How many brothers out there
know just what I'm gettin' at? ♪

♪ Who think it's wrong ♪

♪ 'Cause I was splittin'
and co-hittin' that? ♪

♪ Well, if you do, that's O.P.P.
and you're not down with it ♪

♪ But if you don't,
here's your membership ♪

(ALLY LAUGHING NEARBY)

- ♪ You down with O.P.P.? ♪
- ♪ Yeah, you know me ♪

♪ You down with O.P.P? ♪

♪ Yeah, you know me ♪

♪ You down with O.P.P? ♪

♪ Yeah, you know me ♪

♪ Who's down with O.P.P? ♪

(SIGHS)

She coming out?

No. I don't, I don't think so.

Um, she's kind of down for the count.

And Dr. Bull?

Him, too.

But I'm thinking picnic in the park!

- ♪ You down with O.P.P? ♪
- ♪ Yeah, you know me ♪

♪ You down with O.P.P? ♪

♪ Yeah, you know me ♪

♪ You down with O.P.P.? ♪

♪ Yeah, you know me ♪

♪ Who's down with O.P.P? ♪

- ♪ You down with O.P.P? ♪
- ♪ Yeah, you know me ♪

♪ You down with O.P.P? ♪

- ♪ Yeah, you know me ♪
- ♪ You down with O.P.P? ♪