Karamazovs, The (2024)

[bunniefuu]

Am I going the right way,

to the Karamazovs?

Uh, you just make a left

at that big tree over there.

Sure it's not

faster by the stream?

Hm.

Let's not start there.

I don't even know

if it was snowing that day.

Fyodor Karamazov,

well known in his own day,

and still remembered

because of his dark

and tragic death,

had three children.

He was m*rder*d.

He had three children.

He was m*rder*d years ago now.

I'm Liz.

When Fyodor

found out he was sick,

he moved back here full time.

His summer house.

I took care

of it when he was away,

and then I was

taking care of him.

Fyodor?

It's me.

Hello?

It's 11 already.

So, Fyodor Karamazov,

he had three kids.

He was m*rder*d.

He was already dying.

He was sick.

Stomach cancer.

He always thought

it would be lung cancer.

Or m*rder.

Are you

getting any reception?

I'm expecting a call.

Do we have internet?

Your dad doesn't

have a computer, so no.

Viv!

Hi. Oh!

Have you seen Dmitri?

I'm not

his f*cking keeper.

Fyodor Karamazov

married twice.

The first wife,

Dmitri's mother,

she was young and she was

pregnant, so she had to.

Other things happened

that we don't really know,

things that, well,

I won't injure you with now.

Fyodor remarried,

and with the second wife

there were two more

children, Viv and Alyosha.

And then the second

wife died when the youngest

was just a few years old.

Fyodor Karamazov did

what was expected of him.

Nothing.

"Liz!"

"Liz!"

Liz?

Yeah?

Is Aly back

from the nut house?

You mean the monastery?

That's

what I said, isn't it?

I'm here, Papa.

She was unusual.

She dropped

out of college and moved back

to our little town

to join the monastery.

Do you know

if there are hooks in hell?

I didn't even

know we had a monastery.

Do you think

there's a ceiling in hell?

'Cause if there's no ceiling,

then there could be nowhere

to hang the hooks,

and the whole thing falls apart.

"Which is unlikely,

because if they don't hang me

down there, how is there

any justice in the world?"

...any justice

in the world?

Those hooks

are probably meant

for me alone.

Those hooks

are probably for me alone.

It will be easier

for me to go to hell

if I have a picture

of what it'll be like.

It was winter

when we all found ourselves

here together,

for the first time, really.

Fyodor and Dmitri were

fighting over money,

and then...

Fyodor said they should

meet as a joke,

and then Dmitri

called his bluff,

telling everyone to be there.

So they were.

Everyone thought

it was a terrible idea.

- Dmitri!

- Oh, f*ck.

Hey, come down here

and face me like a man!

I'm gonna k*ll you!

I'm gonna k*ll you

if you don't give me my money!

Look, I can go there myself!

I hope you slip

on your own sh*t and die!

Let's not start there.

Dmitri stood in the driveway

for probably 30 minutes.

- Alyosha!

- Dmitri!

Look at you, all grown up!

Is he, um, is he here?

Dad?

I think he's in the bathroom.

We've been waiting.

I'm late?

The assistant told me 3 o'clock.

It's always been noon.

I think you actually

don't have a lot of time.

Dmitri, it's been too long.

- Hey.

- I was waiting for you

-at the ferry.

-How's your work going?

You know, I gotta be honest,

I couldn't get through it.

-Of course.

-It was really beyond me.

-Very experimental.

-Okay.

Yeah, well, if you--

Viv had sent Dmitri

her film for feedback.

It was about oppressive

systems and the patriarchy,

the search for true

freedom without faith,

inspired equally

by Dostoevsky's

Grand Inquisitor

and her own life.

I was formally inspired

by the films of Andrei Tarkovsky

and the symbolism

of the Holy Trinity...

The film was,

in fact, without distribution,

and she was even

accused of self-plagiarism

due to repurposing.

Filmmakers do it all the time.

I'd like to see your film.

Oh, I actually

really enjoyed it.

Both of them.

Oh, wow, thank you.

I'm actually

in a bit of a rut lately.

Wait, uh, who are you?

I'm Liz.

Smerdyakova, his nurse.

I used to take

care of the place,

now I'm taking care of him.

Huh, you specialize

in taking care

of old, rotting things?

So, what's it like having such

smart and interesting sisters?

You told me 3 o'clock.

No, you told us noon.

That was your idea.

So, listen, you didn't ask,

but I'm going to

get down to why we're here.

Um, it's very

important that we present

a united front,

and I need your help.

I'm a Karamazov,

and I'm not too proud.

You both know that I would

do anything for you, right?

I love you.

Now, Dad, on the other hand,

I'm all right with him dying

a slow, painful death,

or a quick, painful one.

You don't mean that.

No, it's true.

Now, I'm the oldest child,

and since he's been living off

my dead mother's money

my whole life,

both of you have too, I'm sure,

today we decide to do what

is fair, what I deserve.

Didn't you

already get some money?

You-- you what,

you bought a boat?

Yeah,

the best years of my life,

living out on the water,

but then, uh, bubble, so...

And I seem to remember there was

some kind of hunting accident?

Uh, yeah, you know,

my buddy who I, um...

He's-- he's doing

much better now.

Oh, what about your business

in the north?

Well,

that's still running, actually.

We-- we almost

broke even last year.

Yeah, we're Karamazovs!

Let us praise nature.

See how--

how clear the sky is?

The leaves are still green!

Listen, I'm not trying to take

anything away from you, per se.

I mean, let me be honest,

it should be mine.

And I can pay you back

in a few years,

and it just seems like you guys

have your housing situations

pretty much covered.

I tell you,

I should have bought that house

down at the lake

ten years ago, like I said.

Do you remember?

You know how much

that thing's worth now?

I-- I tell you, I knew it!

I have a sense for these things.

I don't care either way.

I don't want any of his money

or whatever you think is yours.

Me too.

If I had any money,

I would give it to you.

Liz!

-Come!

-Excuse me.

I need you.

Liz.

Does Dad

look very sick?

Not so different,

but how would I know?

But it is bad, right?

And how long does he have?

Days? Weeks? Months?

He's not even close.

Men like him never die.

Katya!

Hey!

Yeah.

Sorry to call so many times.

Um...

Just leaving

so many messages. I--

Thanks for calling back.

I just--

I just got into town, so.

Viv was secretly

in love with Dmitri's

first girlfriend Katya,

and terribly jealous

that Katya might still

be in love with Dmitri.

Yeah.

Mm. How's your family?

Uh-huh.

And you're all going together?

What movie?

What'd you cook?

Amazing.

Uh, yeah, my--

Things are okay here, I guess.

Do you still want

to hang out tomorrow, or...

Dmitri?

What?

Why do you ask?

No, he didn't.

He drinks a lot.

He's a grown man, and he's

asking my father for money.

I'm guessing

he already spent it, though.

Mm-hmm.

Let's not talk about him.

Alyosha?

Oh, no. Yeah.

She's planning to do it.

Yeah.

She's gonna marry Jesus.

Oh, really? Good.

I miss you a lot.

Well, let me know

if you decide about tomorrow.

Okay.

Bye.

Can I have one of those?

Trouble with a friend?

And I realize

I know nothing.

Right?

Especially nothing about love.

I know it only from poets.

No one ever taught me anything.

Right?

Just to be fearful of myself.

To be careful,

because I'm-- I'm a Karamazov,

and our passions can be

carried to the point of fever.

So I-- I tried to keep

my head down as a kid,

moving from

relative to relative.

And then later,

when I set out on my own,

after the reserves, I realized,

for the first time,

I'm attractive.

Like, people

are attracted to me.

And-- and that was just,

like, a really exciting thing.

It was just great,

just being two people,

promiscuous, and able to go

one way one night,

and then in the morning,

sort of a pleasant goodbye.

But, like, love?

I love this air!

God, I hope Dad doesn't

take all our money

and spend it erecting

some giant statue of himself

covered in fake gold

with some memorial plaque

on the bottom, as if...

I just found out I'm a father.

Or, I've been one--

Or, no, I have a kid.

For, like, seven years already.

A woman I barely know.

I think we

went on, like, two dates

when I worked

on the boats up north.

So...

Yeah, when I said

I was desperate for money,

it's because

I just got a court order

saying that I owe child

support from now on.

And also to make up

for the last seven years.

Seven years.

I think it's a girl.

Nah, it's a boy.

And you didn't know until now?

No idea.

I just need the money to pay

for it, to make it go away.

I'm a real mess, Alyosha.

Any person who acknowledges

the inherent corruption

in all systems,

I mean, the church,

criminal justice,

capitalism, then acting

in one's own self-interest

becomes the most reasonable,

sanest thing to do.

Wait, let me make sure

I hear you correctly.

Um, the system's f*cked up.

They're not

gonna give you anything,

so you just

need to take it, yes?

I think that's right.

Well, I'll remember.

I wish it wasn't true,

but the more I think of it,

p-people should

take whatever they need.

And I know that goes

against what they teach

you at the monastery.

Have you read

Beyond Good and Evil?

I have a copy,

if you want to borrow it.

I have a lot of reading,

but thank you.

Papa, how are you feeling?

Liz here told me 3 o'clock,

and then suddenly I find--

No, I definitely said--

I'm extremely

grateful that you could meet,

and of course I would expect

no less from your goodness.

I hope we can resolve this

in a most respectful manner.

We don't need to do this

right now, we could--

We could just take

a collective breath, or...

You get settled first.

Dmitri

did this crazy bow,

which wasn't really a thing.

It surprised us all

and just went on and on.

Oh,

Jesus f*cking Christ!

I want to make one thing clear.

These are my daughters,

the flesh of my flesh,

my own dear flesh,

and what respectful,

smart children they both are.

But this? You?

The one we've all been

sitting here waiting for?

The one who insisted,

who thinks I owe him?

Well, let me

make it perfectly clear.

Whatever you say here

today is not going to change

the fact that you are not

getting a single cent from me!

Uh, forgive me, Father.

Uh, I'm-- I'm the imperfect,

uneducated brother,

the one that didn't

get sent to fancy schools

or frivolous

religious retreats.

No, no, I just

raised them and then got

shipped off

to the army, while you...

And then

the fight escalates suddenly.

It was something about how

Dmitri and Fyodor both loved

the same woman once,

and they each accused each other

of sullying her reputation.

And they go

on fighting about this woman,

and then, uh, old scandals

and grievances about money.

Dmitri and Fyodor,

both incredibly passionate men,

and it just--

just goes on and on and on.

You call yourself a father!

Oh, don't, don't, don't, no,

no, no, no, don't give me that!

We are here to settle

a dispute about an inheritance

that you owe me,

that was promised

to me by my mother!

May she rest in peace,

and that I need now!

What, what, what,

you think she's so good?

So smart?

She hates you

just as much as I do.

She's just too pathetic

to put her thoughts into action.

Oh, she thinks she's

so much better than us.

Hey, you should ask

her about her friend.

And of course, there's no one

but God to go for this one,

because you spent her

entire childhood terrifying her

by brutalizing

her mother, and worse,

and who was

there to protect them?

Me, how is such a man alive?

No, tell me,

how can you be allowed

to dishonor

the earth with yourself?

Dmitri!

f*ck!

Hello, Father.

She's talking to her

spiritual father, Zosima.

Thank you for seeing me.

It's just,

there's no peace there.

I... I couldn't do anything.

It's all confusion and darkness.

I just get lost.

I do want to try and love

fearlessly, like you say.

I will try.

I wonder if you

could just pray for us.

Or for me.

Um, I'm working on a song.

Let-- Sorry.

Do you want to hear it?

It's just a little song.

Oh, never mind,

I'm still working on it.

I should let you rest.

g*dd*mn this house!

Trying to k*ll me?

Don't worry,

none of you are inheriting it.

Hey, are you still, um,

are you still

in that political group?

No.

A few of us keep in touch,

but most of us

are on to other things now.

It must be hard to leave.

It was awful,

they were like family.

What happened

to him, the, uh, the leader?

Nothing.

He went to Canada, I think.

We actually thought

he was going to apologize,

but he just wanted

to pick up where he left off,

so most of us just left.

He wasn't charged?

No.

A few cases pending,

but it doesn't look like it.

Wow.

I wish he had

just died, you know?

We talk about

that all the time,

like if he had died

it would have been hard,

but we still believe

in the ideas, he'd be a hero.

Would you still believe?

Probably.

I wish I still could.

I excused it for a long time.

It was hard to see...

to see what needed to happen.

What needed to happen.

Yeah, I mean...

Some things...

really do just need to die

for others to grow, to live.

Exactly.

Exactly.

Yeah, that's exactly what I was

exploring in my movie.

Um...

Those actors in your movie...

I don't know how to say this.

Uh...

They really

looked like your siblings.

Really?

Yeah.

It's uncanny.

I don't see it.

Ah!

Hey!

What's up?

Oh, sh--

Don't sit on the fish.

Oh, sh*t.

Ready?

One, two, three.

Ah!

-Keep holding it.

-Okay.

Oh, my God, I got something!

Oh!

Ah!

We kind of look alike.

I never thought

we'd be together again.

Why not?

We did try that once, remember?

I don't.

It was Christmas?

Why'd you come

here again, Aly?

It's nothing.

You'd think it's ridiculous.

Come on.

It's simple, I...

just wanted

to see our mother's grave.

She wasn't that great.

I was four, so I--

But I can still picture her.

-Can you, Viv?

-Not really.

Yeah, I remember

my mom had just died.

I came to live here.

I was, what, like 10?

You know,

I took care of you both.

They were always having parties.

You remember that?

Yeah, of course.

I was young, but I remember.

What about before that?

Your mother?

You know, um...

She drove us away

in the middle of the night.

I woke up

in the backseat of a car,

and I didn't see Dad

again until after she died.

I don't know why.

It's something about how...

I don't know.

Really?

Well, when your mom got

sick, they wanted me out, so--

I thought you wanted to go.

That's not what I heard.

Why would I want to?

That's what they told us.

No. Maybe.

Well, I ended up

living with my uncles

anyway before the army, so...

I saw a picture

of us the day you left.

You were still a kid,

but you looked older,

and you were smiling

with your arm around Viv,

who was sobbing

with her eyes bright red.

I don't remember

that at all.

Hey, Viv, try this.

- Oh, yeah. I don't--

- Yeah.

Oh!

I've got something!

Oh! I've got something!

I've got something!

Oh, my God!

Hold on.

Viv.

I got 20 years in, easy.

Long as these kids

don't leave me dry first.

All of you trying to k*ll me.

Maybe I should do it myself.

sh**t myself in the face

like your mother had to,

crazy b*tch.

Oh, yes.

I was warned not to pay.

It's like feeding stray cats,

because you think

it's a one-time thing,

and then boom, month

after month, year after year,

school plays, and this job,

and that fancy nursing school.

Don't forget to pay for it.

I'm done.

Liz.

Liz, I'm done.

Liz!

Liz, God damn it, where--

Liz!

Liz?

Liz?

I'm done.

Liz?

Liz?

Liz!

Liz, God damn it!

Liz?

Liz?

I'm here.

I'm done.

Liz, look,

look, I'm a fisherman.

They came home drunk

with some kind of local fish.

Wait, what's this?

I cleaned it

and made fish soup.

Oh, you startled me.

Dad?

How are you feeling?

Here.

Bring him some coffee.

Thanks.

My sweet girl.

You're so pretty now,

just like your mother.

Let me help with that box.

Bunch of worthless sh*t.

Who's this?

Oh, mom's icons.

I remember these.

I do remember.

That light.

Aly's teacher, Zosima,

had said her path

was with her family.

To have love and compassion.

He was old and dying, too.

Devastating she lost

them both at the same time.

Hey, buddy.

Um. Can I ask you something?

So, um, you-- you know

why I need money, right?

Apparently, uh,

I need 3,000 today.

Or...

I-- I wouldn't ask

if it wasn't really important.

You remember--

You remember Katya?

Just go over to her place

and tell her I need a loan.

I've-- I have the worst luck.

Okay, I'll do it.

But just...

stay away from dad.

Yeah.

I think it went

something like that.

That sounds like

an errand I wouldn't want.

I just can't believe him.

Doesn't he know that

Viv's in love with her?

Morning.

-What's up?

-Nothing.

Gonna get some coffee.

Does anyone need anything, or--

I just made some.

Actually, can you

stay here and just keep

an eye on dad

in case Dmitri comes?

I'm-- I'm sorry, I need to run.

Is she okay?

Yeah, uh...

Viv!

We gotta talk.

Yeah?

How long

are you gonna be here?

Hopefully, it's temporary.

Oh, now

you're a starving artist?

I thought I put you up in

one of those nice buildings.

No, dad.

I'm not trying to move in here.

I have to get

back to my film anyway.

I just don't want

any of your alternative

lifestyle under my roof.

It's true.

What?

Heard

from someone in town.

I've-- I've been thinking

about your film a lot.

That monk.

How he talks about dead weight.

Like the dead weight

of the generations before us.

Like-- Like how

when the lifeboat is full,

those who hate

life will load in

more people

and sink everybody,

but those who love life

will take the ship's axe

and sever the extra

hands clinging to the sides.

Or something like that.

Yeah.

Well, that's the exact wording.

Do you love life, Viv?

Do I?

Uh, I don't know.

Yeah.

I don't know either.

He sent Aly to Katya's house.

Dmitri did.

Wh-- Why?

Why?

Why?

Why does everyone know

everyone else's business

in this tiny,

shitty piece of sh*t town?

Aly's teacher had said,

avoid lies, all lies.

Especially

the lies you tell yourself.

And avoid fear.

Fear is a consequence

of every lie you tell.

Hey, what's this?

What's this?

Oh, my gosh!

You guys, please,

please don't wake him.

I love these woods.

The water, even the house.

But there was something

inside me that was

making it harder

and harder for me to be there.

I couldn't deny it.

The others,

they all found places to run.

Found ways to find comfort.

They built up their defenses.

They had to, to survive.

To... escape this place.

And I always wonder, how does

a person find something

to love?

Love must come from somewhere.

Or someone.

I was there.

I had loved them all.

I did.

Oh, that's

definitely you.

- Oh, wow.

- See, this is me.

I am a Karamazov!

Oh, Jesus H.

When I, when I, when I,

when I fall into the abyss,

I-- I go, I go

all the way in,

- head down and heels up.

- No.

No, no.

I'd like to know your music.

Your scarf--

Let me-- let me kiss

the hand of the scarlet

with which the gods

are clothed.

- Hey. Fire.

Fire.

-Fire.

-Fire.

- Okay.

- To the fire!

Just get out,

just get out of here.

He's gonna find--

He's just gonna wake up.

That's right.

Hey! Hey.

I know.

Allow my fate.

Fyodor Karamazov.

Well known in his own day.

And still remembered because

of his dark and tragic death.

Had three children.

Other things happen

that we don't really know.

I do miss him.

He had this way about him

that, I don't know...

made it impossible

to look away.

Fyodor Karamazov.

I thought

about him all the time.

His little jabs, and tantrums.

I'd stay awake at night

preparing comebacks.

Fyodor Karamazov.

He occupied people's minds.

I do remember.

Sorry, I forgot where I was.

Right, back to...

Katya?

You're really not there?

Look, I--I'm in a place

where I'm letting go of things

that aren't serving me,

toxic things,

and I don't know what business

you have with my brother,

or why you'd want to

hang on to that dead weight,

but if you're willing

to let go of things

that are torturing you

and should probably just die,

yeah, you should give me a call.

And I'm not expecting you to.

I'm leaving, and I would like

to not leave you behind.

But...

I loved you once.

Perhaps there still is love.

Within my heart,

it hasn't all died out,

but I wouldn't

trouble you with it.

I wouldn't

trouble you for anything.

That's Pushkin.

That's Pushkin.

If you're with Aly,

tell her to meet me at the cafe.

Viv, hi.

Uh, I decided I'm leaving.

Sorry, I know I just got here,

but, um,

I've been sitting here thinking,

how am I going

to say goodbye to Alyosha?

So you wanted to see me?

Of course.

Very much.

I'll get you some

fish soup or something.

They make it well here.

You don't live on

bread alone, do you?

I'll have fish soup and--

and bread and tea.

I'm hungry, but...

Listen, Viv--

And cherry preserve.

They have it here.

Do you remember how you used

to love cherry preserve?

- When you were little?

- You remember that?

I'll have preserve.

I still love it.

I remember everything.

Alyosha, of course I remember.

And I feel like

I've been here for days,

and you and I haven't

exchanged a single word.

I want to get to know you.

I want you to know me.

I don't know

what the f*ck I'm doing.

Do you have siblings?

Yes.

Well, then you must know, right?

Or m-- maybe not.

Maybe-- Maybe your siblings

are reasonable,

realistic people,

people who actually

spend time in the real world,

where one has to pay

for things with--

with money and hard work,

not-- not prayers,

not ideas or words.

You know, look,

I-- I know it's shameful to ask,

but... my honor, actually,

yes, my honor guides me

to live in the real world

where nothing is free.

Right? Love, even

getting what we love costs.

Do you love me, Aly?

I do love you, Viv, very much.

You're a riddle to me,

but I think...

I understand

something about you.

I've been sitting here,

and do you know

what I've been

thinking to myself?

If I were

to not believe in life,

if I were to lose faith

in someone I loved

or just lose faith in the order

of things, if I were

to become convinced that life

was a disorderly, f*cked-up,

chaotic mess,

I would still want to live.

I know this to be true.

I've asked myself,

is there so much despair

in the world

that it would overcome this...

wild, indecent

thirst for life in me?

And I've concluded

that apparently there's not.

Alyosha, I want to live.

And I do live,

even if it's against logic,

even if I don't believe

in the order of things.

Still-- the sticky little

leaves that come out

in the spring are dear to me.

The blue sky is dear to me.

Some people are dear to me.

Who you love

without even knowing why.

Some causes are dear,

which I thought

I'd stop believing in.

We've got to

get you this fish soup.

It's good.

They make it well here.

Sticky little leaves,

the blue sky.

I love them.

That's all.

These things, you-- you don't

love them with your mind,

not with logic, but

with your insides, your guts.

Do you understand any of this

blather, Alyosha, or-- or not?

Yes, you said it beautifully.

And I'm so glad

you want to live.

I think everyone

should love life

before everything else

in the world.

Love life more than its meaning?

Certainly.

Love life without logic,

like you said.

And until then, we'll never

understand its meaning.

That's what

my teacher always says.

Now... give me some tea.

I'm glad we're talking, Viv.

Like, Alyosha thinks

she's running around

saving us all from each other,

but where is she? Huh?

A-- and Viv's never had

any sense of urgencies.

Ever, really.

I always shielded them

from the worst of it.

Seems like you still are.

Thank you.

Thank you. You know, I--

I just--

I'm trying to do what's right.

You know?

Just put things in order.

If I could just get this money,

I could make things right.

I don't want

my kid to end up like me.

Yeah, that would be--

I don't know what to do.

I'm-- I'm-- I'm desperate.

You know your dad has money.

Why the hell

do you think I'm here?

- But he's not--

- No, it's in the house.

What, like cash?

Yeah.

Yeah, he usually

keeps about... at least 3000.

In an envelope,

just sitting there.

Where in the house?

Well, um, it gets

moved around a little bit.

It could be, uh,

in a couple places. Um...

There's the umbrella stand

in the entry hall and, uh...

Hmm.

Yeah, yeah, the, uh...

file cabinet in his office

or his nightstand.

What a, what a-- what a crazy,

surprising world this is.

Liz, you're-- you're

a perfect stranger and...

And-- and I'll give it back

before he even knows it's gone.

I mean, it's your money.

It should be yours.

Exactly.

I'll-- I'll give it back.

How is that possible?

You're not listening, Viv.

There's still

so much love in mankind.

How can you say that?

Have you been

listening to the news?

I'm going to give

you some samples, okay?

Uh, mass sh**ting,

child sex trafficking.

Yes, that's horrible.

Violence just

begets more violence.

But I think all we can

hold on to is active love.

Try to love your neighbor

actively and tirelessly.

And I think

that's all we can do.

Try to love.

I'm sorry, all of this...

love your neighbor stuff,

I don't buy it.

The closer you are to someone,

the harder it is to love them.

We have the same family,

Aly. You know this.

-What? What's wrong?

-I need to check--

No, no, no. Come on.

Sit down. Sit down. Sit down.

I need to check on

Dmitri and Dad!

Enough!

Enough of this

brother's keeper bullshit.

Let them tear each other apart.

It's all they've ever wanted.

Why are we denying them

their heart's desire?

You don't mean that.

Oh, yeah? I don't?

Excuse me.

-Could I have another fish soup?

-What are you doing?

No, sir.

We'll just get the check.

No, I'm going to have

another fish soup

- and another craft-- craft beer.

- Viv, you're yelling.

And you're going to sit here

with me while I finish them.

And we are going

to live with the possibility

that we might get free.

Do you ever think of that?

Aly, don't

you want to be free?

When's the last time you could

honestly say you loved life?

You tried to love.

Shouldn't it be easier?

Do you want to live

for some heaven

where mothers embrace

the torturers of their children?

Where the suffering

of children is acceptable

for the sake of mercy?

That's some f*cked up mercy,

if you ask me.

Why should we sit

here and eat fish soup?

Because I want justice.

Because

justice is reason enough.

Viv, it's okay.

Calm down.

Every time

I think I've escaped,

I'm back there

in that hell house.

I'm the little kid

in the broom closet

with their hands

over their ears.

We've never talked about this.

- Why are you doing this?

- Aly, I don't know

how much you remember.

Do you remember this?

Do you remember when Dmitri

didn't get into the reserve?

No. He failed a test

for the police academy.

And Dad was so mad,

he came downstairs

and cold-c*ck Dmitri

in the face with the phone.

He picked him up by the neck.

Do you remember this?

Dmitri couldn't move

his head for like a month.

Do you remember when he tried

to run me over with the car?

You must remember.

You were in the back seat.

He pushed me

at the passenger side.

He took a swerve at me.

He said, "Don't worry,

I knew you would roll away."

He was laughing.

Do you remember

when he made Dmitri

spend the night in the garage?

It was below zero.

He was crying all night.

I got my head

cracked against the wall

for trying to let him out.

Do you remember when

he shot a hole in the ceiling?

Do you remember when

he hit me with a golf club

for trying

to change the channel?

Do you remember all

those trips he made you take

to the cabin with him?

Alone.

-Do you remember?

-I remember!

Can't help me.

Live with me.

Why do you stay here?

Why?

Well, it's like

a story from the 17th century.

It's a trope of...

Mostly I was

focusing on technique.

So it's not about us?

I think... it must be.

Is that what you want?

Why

should God forgive them?

- To just burn

it all down?

Let them k*ll each other?

Like you said, let us

all just take whatever we want?

Aly, I didn't

mean it like that.

- Really?

- It's a dumb--

But is that how you feel?

You--

You're holding

on to your idea too?

Yeah, I suppose.

I don't want

to talk about this anymore.

Now go, go.

Go to your teacher.

I'm gonna go

to the house for a few things,

and then catch the ferry.

Okay?

Bye.

Okay.

Love you.

Love you.

Bye.

Is everything okay?

Where's Dmitri?

What happened?

Should we call someone?

Who do we call?

Ladies and gentlemen...

Dmitri's trial

started almost immediately.

Ladies and gentlemen--

Ladies and gentlemen...

Uh...

Ladies and gentlemen...

Can we all agree on this?

It was a farce.

It is terrible, what has become

of our once great country.

Hard-working people like me--

Like you and me...

We are trapped in this...

just abyss between our lofty

ideals, best intentions,

and the reality

of how we actually behave.

I am proud.

I would tell you

if I k*lled my father.

Ladies and gentlemen,

the Karamazovs, right?

My nice little family.

I-- I went to what is legally,

rightfully my house.

Because the system,

it wants to hold me up

and tear me down as an example.

Now, I-- I went to my house

to get my money

so that I can

support my beautiful son.

And to avoid jail,

but here we are.

Legally, rightfully my house.

But I did not k*ll him.

And I see him there,

and I wasn't expecting him,

so I asked him again,

and I pleaded again.

He said no,

so I start looking

for the money,

and he's holding it.

And in a fit of rage that I am

not proud of, I snapped.

I'm good at a lot of things.

I'm not good at lying.

During this as*ault,

even as I'm in this blood rage,

I-- I know to, you know, stay

away from the vital organs.

Just-- just teach him a lesson.

A lesson that was

a long time coming,

but a completely

non-lethal lesson.

And not just for my sake, right,

not just for my son's sake

or my sisters' sake,

but for all of our sakes,

because he is one of the things

that is wrong with this town,

and we all know it.

And whatever you want

to do to me because I assaulted

my father, then-- then fine,

I-- I'll take that sentence

honorably and proudly,

but I did not k*ll him.

I picked him up off

the ground,

I put him back on the toilet,

and I walked out of

the house, and that's

the end of the story.

But I did not k*ll him.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I, I--

Thank you. Thank you.

I think it went

something like that.

He didn't need

to say all that stuff

about Dad being a b*stard.

Everyone knew it.

Doesn't matter if we knew it,

of course it's true,

he just shouldn't have said it.

He's just really honest.

He said some

beautiful things, though.

Well, I guess we'll find

out at the sentencing, won't we?

But you could see the sincerity

that was coming from him.

I mean, who in this town could

believe that he could k*ll Dad?

Everyone.

Literally

everybody in this town.

You know what?

It doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter anyway.

Maybe it was his time.

And he was a terrible person,

and he did terrible things.

- I know that.

- Terrible things.

Liz, our family's

going through a lot right now,

and I think you need

to be a little nicer to Alyosha.

Whoever he was,

we lost our father.

I know.

I know that.

I understand completely.

Do you think

that I don't understand that?

Liz, I think

you need to go home.

This is my home.

I'm sorry?

This is my home.

I-- I'm the one

who's always been here.

I'm the one

who takes care of the place.

I'm the one who fixed that.

You guys came and went,

but I've always been here.

You! You go home! Go home!

Both of you, just go home!

But of course we're so grateful.

You're-- you're so grateful?

Yes.

What are you grateful for?

For all the care

you've given our father

when none of us were here.

For-- for every day,

everything you've done.

I know he's a very

hard person to be with,

and you were with him.

You took care of him.

- You took care of this house.

- Don't.

I'm so sorry

if we never recognized that.

Don't!

My dad always

said you're like family.

I'm like family?

Yes.

We see you as family.

I don't think I believe that.

I think you barely see

anything past yourselves.

Isn't that nice?

Isn't that nice?

That you didn't have to see--

that you didn't have

to see what everybody else saw.

That's great. That's great.

Nice little

life you got to have.

Your little problems,

your writer's block,

your-- your religious,

your-- your privileges

of being Karamazovs,

sitting in a monastery

and not having to pay attention

to what's happening

in the world.

Oh, that's great for you,

picking and choosing

what you get to see,

being all holy.

I'm not holy.

- Kneeling.

- That's enough.

For years I've been

trying to figure out,

do you know or do you not know?

That's fine.

We'll go.

You stay.

Come on, Aly.

Fyodor Karamazov.

He had four children.

He was m*rder*d.

He was already dying.

He was sick.

But nevertheless,

it was a dark and tragic death.

He was a real b*stard.

Still, I do miss him.

Liz!

Liz!

Liz!

Liz!

Love,

hate, revenge, mercy,

and justice

mingled into one.

Once again, cleaning up

the mess of the Karamazovs.

Liz!

I can't believe

I wasn't here with you.

I want

to remember what you said.

Love the earth,

and the flowers, the trees,

and the animals,

just as they are.

Love for that I throw myself

on the earth

and kiss the grass.

We come from something

bigger than ourselves,

a big sea, that life is that--

that we try to love,

but mostly we fail.

But that these little

seeds

of our trying

come from a bigger love,

this huge love

that we don't understand,

and that can give us courage.

That's something

to hold on to.

I will not be afraid.

Let it be madness.

There are these bright

moments, these miracles,

when I feel close to God,

and I'm in the right place,

and I'm on the right path,

and I just get lost.

You're from here, right?

It's so funny,

you don't remember either?

No, no, I do.

I just, when I left, so many

things became irrelevant.

I guess I just blocked it out.

Yeah, yeah, I'm from here.

My mom met my dad at work.

She was his accountant,

apparently.

Was she?

Apparently.

That I don't blame you.

You don't blame me?

sh*t, I wanted him

dead for years.

Salvation?

You put yourself in prison.

I was a good daughter

without a father,

a good sister without

a brother.

You're a riddle to me.

I loved you once.

Perhaps there still is love.

Some things really

do just need to die

for others to grow, to live.

To our joy.

Not our grief, but our joy.

One cannot live without joy.