Preparation for the Next Life (2025)

[bunniefuu]

[rain pattering]

[thunder rumbling]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[thunder rumbles]

[train horn bellows distantly]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[man panting]

[girl panting]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[person coughs]

[conversing in Mandarin]

[Aishe speaking]

[man speaking Mandarin]

[Aishe grunts]

[people conversing in Mandarin]

[Aishe speaking]

[Aishe speaking Mandarin]

[speaking Mandarin]

[Min speaking]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[man speaking Mandarin]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[people conversing in Mandarin]

[TV playing indistinctly]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[speaking Mandarin]

[speaking Mandarin]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[people conversing

indistinctly]

-[car horns honking]

-[indistinct chatter]

[indistinct conversation]

[in English] Hey.

You can't sleep here.

[indistinct chatter continues]

[indistinct chatter]

Oh, sh*t. f*cking wow!

Thank you.

[chuckles] You're welcome.

You're really goin' above

and beyond.

You ordered it.

[chuckles]

[man speaking indistinctly

in Mandarin]

[indistinct chatter]

[wistful instrumental music

playing]

[Skinner] Hey!

Wait.

You live here?

Why?

I just got here. I...

I've never been to New York.

So, you like it?

Maybe.

This is supposed to be

a good place to party.

"Party"?

Yeah. Party. Like, uh...

[Aishe chuckles]

Where you going? Do you mind

if I walk with you?

You already are.

-You smoke?

-No.

-No?

-No.

[Skinner] That's good.

-[man grunts]

-Sorry, bro. Sorry.

Wait.

You're fast.

[Aishe] I am fast.

Yeah. I am too.

I used to be.

Used to be a lot of sh*t

when I was in the army.

I know about army.

Yeah?

Is that why you're strong?

You look strong.

I am strong.

What do you do?

-I run.

-Word. Me, too.

-And pushing up.

-Oh, yeah?

Well, most girls,

they can't do them.

[Aishe] I can do.

[Skinner] I don't know.

I gotta see it.

-[Aishe] I can do.

-I gotta see this to know it.

But can you?

Me?

That's the question.

f*ck yeah, I can.

I don't know. I have to see it.

[people conversing

indistinctly in Mandarin]

[boxes thud on floor]

How many you want?

Twenty?

One. Two.

Three. Four.

Five. Six.

Seven. Eight.

-Nine...

-One hundred.

One hundred twenty, then.

Ten. Eleven.

Twelve. Thirteen.

Fourteen. Fifteen.

Sixteen. Seventeen.

Eighteen. Nineteen...

It's good.

What about yours?

Yeah, mine's fine.

Can I see?

Yeah.

[wistful music plays]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[speaking Mandarin]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[in English] So, I have

no idea where we are.

Like, I don't actually know

where we're going.

[in English]

You wanna turn back?

[Mandarin song playing

through speakers]

f*ck it.

Let's just force-march

this way, hard as we can.

Whether we get to a bridge

or a hole in the ground.

We'll do sh*t the army way.

f*ck it.

But this way.

Yes, ma'am.

[people speaking indistinctly

in Spanish]

[upbeat music

playing indistinctly]

[upbeat music playing

on speakers]

[indistinct chatter in Spanish]

[people conversing in Spanish]

-[in English] Two Coors.

-[responds in Spanish]

[in English] Two Coors.

[in English] Coronas.

Yeah. Sure.

Yeah, whatever it is. Two.

[bartender] Hey, hey!

[speaks Spanish]

Oh.

[exhales]

Go again with me?

If you keep up.

[bag thuds on floor]

[chuckles]

[exhales]

[Spanish song playing

on speakers]

[both grunt]

[Aishe exclaims]

[both panting]

[in English] Okay. Phew!

I'm sober now.

I tested.

Yeah?

And what?

I pass?

You have to work harder.

So, if I don't pass, then what?

More push-ups?

One thousand.

This way.

-No way.

-[Aishe] No, I...

Get that sh*t outta here.

-I pay.

-No!

-I got you.

-I have...

Are you guys gonna order?

[both speaking Uyghur]

[in English] How do you say

"hello" in your language?

[speaking Uyghur]

[in English] Very good.

How do you say, uh...

"Be my girlfriend"...

in your language?

[speaking Uyghur]

[in English] So,

if a guy likes a girl,

he goes like... [speaks Uyghur]

[in English]

and then she knows?

[in English]

Maybe he'll get her

some gifts.

If he's rich,

then TV and refrigerator.

Boys will give small animals.

Small animals?

Yeah.

Like this?

Does this count?

Baby goat.

When they get fat...

we'll eat them all

and cut their heads.

That's f*cked.

That's life of a goat.

What does a man do here?

If he wants a girlfriend.

Whatever she wants.

How do you know what she wants?

f*ck. I don't know.

Trick question?

No.

I guess, uh...

He...

tries to show her...

how she makes him feel.

What she does to him.

What she does to him?

She makes him believe.

In what?

[chuckles softly]

-Hm.

-So we remember tonight.

Get in close.

You get in close.

Next to me.

[phone camera shutter clicks]

[both chuckles]

[keys jingling]

[door unlocks, opens]

[indistinct chatter]

[somber music playing]

[Aishe chuckles]

[Aishe exclaims]

[Aishe] Hey!

[Aishe laughs]

[Aishe panting]

Oh, don't! Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Aishe grunts]

[both grunting]

[both panting]

[vendor speaking Uyghur]

[speaking Uyghur]

[in English] You. Money.

[in English] Wait.

No. I said I'd treat you.

I got this. I got this.

[speaking Uyghur]

[speaking Uyghur]

[in English] Guess something.

About what?

About me. Guess.

Give me something to go on.

I'm Muslim.

Are you surprise?

No.

I knew there was something

different about you.

Maybe now you don't want to

play games anymore.

Not true.

Too hard.

No. I do.

[indistinct chatter]

Taxi!

[car approaches]

Hey, we need to go to a hotel.

-Um, like, now.

-Yeah.

Whatever hotel.

-Close?

-Yeah, man.

Whatever's close. Let's go.

Now. One sec.

[exhales]

Almost left my whole

f*cking life in there.

-Okay. You ready?

-Yeah. Let's go.

Yeah.

Are you okay?

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

How far is Pittsburgh?

[Skinner] I don't know.

I came straight from Virginia.

Hitchhiked.

From Fort Pickett.

You didn't wanna go home?

Nope.

I figured got enough in

the bank for a few months.

So, I came to New York.

You think you wanna stay?

Are you?

Gonna stay in New York?

I think maybe

I will buy a cart, sell food.

Maybe I need

to borrow money first, to loan.

But this way,

I can make my own money.

My hands. Mine.

I like carts.

Yeah?

Yeah.

I dig food.

[somber instrumental

music plays]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

Like I said, the paint's green.

My daughter's idea.

Neighborhood used to be Irish.

Now it's take your pick.

You wanna see more of the room?

That's all right.

See more of the room.

It's got four walls.

That's all I need.

Bathroom too.

That's all I need.

[Yu] Hey!

[speaking Mandarin]

-[Skinner] Oh, that's Jake.

-[Aishe] Hm.

We were supposed to come here

together after we got out.

I decided to come anyway.

[Jake] This thing

ain't f*ck' working.

Ready.

[upbeat song playing

over speaker]

Yeah, it's mornin', huh?

You gotta get up.

Right here. Yeah.

Come on. On the floor.

You know what time it is.

What are we doing, huh?

Get the f*ck down!

-Let's go.

-All right.

Up. Come on.

-[Skinner] Yeah, that's me.

-Come on.

[Jake] Yeah. You feel that

in here, huh?

I know I don't look

so good now.

[Jake] That's work.

That's f*cking work.

But I'll get there.

You get to it. All right?

That's the life we live.

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

[Skinner] What's my name, huh?

-[Jake] m*therf*cker.

-What's my name, m*therf*cker?

-[Jake] f*ck. m*therf*cker.

-What's my name?

We ain't never done.

-Do you have pics?

-[Jake] Yep.

-Of, like, yourself?

-[Jake] Yep! Yep.

Come on. Come on.

No.

[Jake] We ain't never done.

The baseboard's on.

I don't think we're done.

But we can make some.

-Put me the f*ck back down.

-[Skinner] All right.

When you look good again.

[Jake] Ah-one, two...

Good job. You're getting better

at working out now.

[Jake] 'Cause that's what

we want, huh?

Are we getting worse right now?

[Skinner]

I'm not getting worse.

We're getting better.

[Jake] We're getting better,

right?

[Skinner] That's the sh*t

I'm doing now.

-How much the weight?

-Well, not exactly like...

He's got, like, 650 on the bar.

At least.

I gotta remember to get this.

You'll look like him?

Probably not.

[poignant music plays]

[man grunting heavily]

[breathing heavily]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[car horns honking]

-[indistinct chatter]

-[telephone ringing]

[receptionist

speaking Mandarin]

[speaking Mandarin]

[speaking Mandarin]

Psst, psst.

[speaking Mandarin]

[in English] Sorry.

[speaking Mandarin]

[door opens]

[woman sniffling]

[lawyer speaking Mandarin]

[woman crying]

[woman speaks indistinctly]

[Skinner groans softly]

[water running]

[Aishe in English] Skinner?

Skinner?

[water stops]

Skinner?

You okay?

[Skinner sniffles, cries]

-[inhales sharply]

-[grunts]

What's happening?

I'm... I'm...

f*ck this whole...

I don't know.

I don't know. I don't know.

Sertraline.

Ambien.

Seroquel.

Valium.

Risperidone.

What's for?

[Skinner] Nothin', apparently.

I still feel

like something's, like...

Like, everything's coming

for me. Something bad.

You ever seen

how my eye shakes?

How it's like...

I can't stop lookin' off?

Like there's something there?

Like you look

over shoulder all time?

Yeah.

[Aishe] I understand this.

I went in jail.

You?

What for?

[Aishe] Because of how

I come into the US.

So, the police lock me up.

They trap me in there

for I don't know how long.

But they don't know

what to do with me,

so they let me go.

I don't know what will happen

if they lock me up again.

That's the most f*cked up thing

you can do to someone.

Like...

Me, too.

Same sh*t happened to me.

I was done.

I did my service,

but they sent me back.

Three times.

I got trapped, too.

How did you get out?

I started making mistakes.

Like, I didn't mean to.

I just...

I didn't mean to.

I made mistakes,

so they let me go.

But now f*ck'

all my benefits,

my health insurance...

I'll be out of med soon.

I mean,

they don't do sh*t, but...

I don't know.

Maybe it'd be even worse

without 'em.

Worse how?

I can't let you get...

taken away.

Maybe we can help each other.

Somehow.

[rain pattering]

[thunder rumbling]

-[woman] Just give me a break.

-[officer] Ma'am, I'm sorry.

[woman] Every week,

you do this.

[woman sighs in exasperation]

I got her numbers right here.

[man speaking Mandarin]

[speaking Mandarin]

[man speaking]

[man 2 speaks Mandarin]

[woman speaking Mandarin]

[woman speaking indistinctly]

[man speaking]

[man speaking]

[indistinct chatter]

[rain pattering]

[indistinct shouting]

[muffled g*nsh*t]

[sighs]

[breathing heavily]

[breathing heavily]

[sighs]

[pan sizzling]

[man in English] Number 15!

[woman 1] Order number 48!

[man speaking indistinctly]

[woman 2] Number 21 is ready!

Kung Pao chicken

with a spring roll, right?

-[woman 3] The combo!

-[children chattering]

-[man] I have order number 42!

-[woman 4] Sesame chicken.

-No.

-[Aishe startles]

Only the orange ones are ours.

-Uh-huh. [groans]

-[woman 5

speaking indistinctly]

[customers speaking

indistinctly]

[woman 4] Shrimp broccoli!

Chicken fried rice, please!

[indistinct chatter]

[man clears throat]

[both speaking Uyghur]

[in English] Um,

you can't be here.

-[in English] I do something?

-No.

Uh, can you come back later?

When?

Six o'clock?

-When I finish?

-Yeah.

-Okay?

-[Skinner] Sure. Yeah.

[line ringing]

[Skinner] If you're

hearing this, go for Skinner.

[voicemail beeps]

[doorknob rattles]

[man on radio]

Many of these issues

are getting worse because of

the unchecked migrant issues.

Queens has become

a landing zone

for thousands

of new arrivals...

and while we are a nation

of immigrants, we are also...

[soft rock song playing

on speakers]

[bottle clangs]

Where'd he go?

[bartender] There's nobody

named Jake here. I told you.

[thuds]

[line ringing]

Hello?

[Skinner] Aishe...

[sighs] Where were you?

[Skinner] I was just waiting

for you.

I thought...

I thought something happened.

[Skinner chuckles]

I was just waiting.

Where?

[Skinner] I was waitin'.

I've just been waitin'

all day long.

[song continues playing]

-[Jake] Give me

this f*cking sh*t.

-Stop, bro. Stop!

[Jake] What are you doing, huh?

Get the f*ck--

- [Skinner] No.

-Get down!

-What the f*ck--

-Get down.

-Do you know what time it is?

-[man laughing]

Do I gotta get him up myself?

Get the f*ck up!

-[crowd exclaiming]

-[Skinner grunts]

I can still, I can still,

I can still.

Yeah! Yeah!

All right. All right.

All right, man.

Whoo!

I got you. I got you, bro!

I got you! Whoo!

-Put me down!

-I got you!

-I got you!

-[man straining]

I got you.

-I got you.

-[man] I'm good.

-I got you, man. I got you.

-I'm good.

[chuckles] Hey!

-[man 1] Come on, man.

-No.

-[man 2] Come on.

-[man 1] No, no. No, no, no.

What the--

[crowd exclaims]

-[man 1]

Go back home, man. Stay down.

-[man 2] Stay down.

It's over now.

[horn honking]

[indistinct shouting]

[song continues]

[Skinner coughs]

[intercom buzzing]

[Skinner over intercom] Aishe!

[banging on door]

Aishe! I'm here!

[intercom buzzing]

Let's go! Come on!

[shutters opening]

[speaking Mandarin]

[speaking Mandarin]

[in English] Aishe!

I've been ready to go

since f*ck' noon!

You're the one that told me

to f*ck' go!

You're always f*ck' working,

so what am I gonna do?

Come on!

Aishe!

I'm sorry, okay?

[woman speaking indistinctly]

[Skinner] I'm sorry.

[speaking Cantonese]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[speaking Mandarin]

[woman in English]

Number 15, sushi combo.

[man] Number 35, arugula salad

with roasted chicken.

[cell phone vibrating]

What do you want?

[Skinner] I don't know if

y'all have enough protein.

[cashier chuckles]

Hey.

-How much?

-I got you.

[cashier] Five.

-You want help?

-I know what to do.

Are you okay, though?

You okay?

You made me pay

five dollars for this.

I could go

to the park for free.

[Skinner chuckles]

What's so funny?

[Skinner] You're gonna get

your workout.

I know you can on your own.

I'm just...

I'm here, just in case.

-Let's go.

-[Aishe exhales]

[Skinner] One.

-Great.

-[Aishe straining]

Slow.

Three.

Too close.

Last one.

-[Aishe strains]

-Boom.

[Skinner] Wait, wait, wait.

You can't handle these.

[scoffs] I can.

-[Skinner] Yeah?

-Yeah.

[both breathing heavily]

[upbeat music playing]

[Aishe straining]

-Plank. Plank. Plank. Plank.

-[Aishe groans]

Too close.

Hey.

[Aishe grunting]

[Aishe panting]

[Skinner] Let's go.

Keep going.

Here.

You like it?

No.

I liked today, though.

Today was how a day should be.

I want it to be.

We're gonna do this every day

from now on.

Yeah?

Yeah.

Every single day.

Every single day.

[cash register beeping]

-[man 1] Thank you, bud.

-[man 2] Appreciate you, boss.

-I'm sorry.

-Don't worry about it.

[man 1] How are you?

Can you do me a favor?

Could you step over to the car?

I just want to talk to you

for a minute.

Ma'am, can you step over

to the car?

[man 2] Stop running.

Come on.

Hands behind your back.

-Relax. Stop moving.

-[man 1] Relax. Relax.

[man 2] Breathe for me, okay?

[man 1] You got any weapons

on you? Any sharp objects?

Why are you running? Huh?

Speak English?

[man 1] You got ID?

What's your name?

-You don't have a name?

-[man 2 speaking Spanish]

[man 1 in English] Okay.

[sighs]

[indistinct chatter]

[phone clangs]

So, she calls me.

"Is this John McIntyre?

This such-and-such

and so forth?"

You never tell 'em

your real name.

Number one rule with women.

You hear him? Listen to that.

My girlfriend's

from over there.

Oh, yeah?

[McIntyre] You best tell her

your last name's Kim.

Or you're screwed.

[man chuckling]

-Yeah.

-[McIntyre] Yeah.

I haven't felt this good

in a while.

[McIntyre] All right, buddy.

You gotta at least

buy me dinner first.

[phone vibrating]

Where you wanna go?

[automated voice] The person

you're trying to reach

does not accept

this collect call.

Goodbye.

[sighs]

[sniffles]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[somber music playing]

[grunting]

[breathing heavily]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[exhales]

[sniffing]

[sobbing]

[somber music continues]

[man in English] Stand up.

Stand up.

[judge] You're getting an ROR

and a date

for your new hearing.

If you don't show up,

you'll get removal orders

issued in absentia.

Understood?

This way.

[door buzzing]

[door closes]

[speaking Mandarin]

[Aishe sighs]

[phone vibrating]

[Skinner] Are you mad at me

or somethin'?

I've been calling you.

[Aishe] No.

They lock me up again.

sh*t. Just come over tonight.

I wanna help you.

You can't keep

living like this.

Come over tonight.

And we'll go straight

to City Hall tomorrow...

first f*cking thing.

We'll get married.

I'll pay for it.

I'll pay

for everything. Just...

Come over.

Look, I know I got

a lotta sh*t wrong

with me, but...

it's just the pills.

They make me do stupid sh*t.

And I don't mean it.

It's the pills.

I know.

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[indistinct chatter]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[speaking Mandarin]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[in English] I have

to get better work.

I have to do it myself.

I got you.

[Aishe] But you have

your whole life ahead.

I don't want to take advantage.

I don't see

why it can't work out.

[Aishe] Because you have

your own problems.

What if I just put mine

to yours?

Do you not want this?

[scoffs]

[Aishe] No.

But maybe we should wait.

[Skinner] Maybe we shouldn't.

If there's somethin'

that you wanna do...

you better do it today.

You have no idea

what's gonna happen tomorrow.

Just think about it.

I will think about it.

[woman] I could get you

a job here easy.

[man] Oh, you'd like that, huh?

[woman] Over the summer,

over the weekends.

[chuckles] I mean,

that could be really fun.

[woman]

We could see each other.

[woman 2 speaking Cantonese]

[woman] Can you learn Chinese?

[man speaking Mandarin]

[in English] But maybe

you could teach me more.

[woman] You wanna know

how to say "fried rice"?

[speaking Mandarin]

[speaking Mandarin]

[Aishe] Mmm.

[in English]

Can I put the light?

-[smacks lips]

-[Skinner chuckles]

Hey.

[gasps]

What has happened to you?

Hmm.

What?

[lighter clatters]

I have a headache.

Sun is still there.

Come walk with me.

Skinner.

What?

You're turning this color.

Did you take your medicine?

Yes.

I even took

the Chinese sh*t you bought.

Two f*ck' cups.

Didn't do sh*t.

Nothin' f*ck' does.

What if you just force-march

through this? Army way?

Really. Like...

Like there

is nothing happen to you.

Maybe you can go to a gym.

Maybe you can go get a job.

Maybe you can clean the room.

Maybe you can

just walk with me.

-Maybe you can just--

-Maybe just...

[Aishe] Maybe what?

f*ck' talk?

[Aishe] Yeah.

What?

Maybe you can just do anything?

Do something for yourself.

All right.

Maybe you can shut the f*ck up.

[scoffs]

Aishe...

I don't owe you sh*t.

[breathing heavily]

[speaking Uyghur]

[sighs]

[water splashing]

[melancholy music playing]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[melancholy music continues]

[liquid glugging]

[Mullah in English] So,

you want to learn about

our faith?

[in English]

My family was Muslim.

I know about God, but...

too many rules.

No. No, no, no, no.

Let me tell you something

about God.

He's like

the shade of a tree...

on a hot day.

[water splashing]

[Mullah] You're burning

in the sun...

in the fire.

He opens the door...

There's water.

[melancholy music playing]

But you can't have

all these beautiful things

if you live the bad life.

If you don't obey the law.

[Aishe speaking Mandarin]

[woman speaking indistinctly]

[speaking Mandarin]

[speaking Mandarin]

[Mullah in English]

You may suffer in this life.

You struggle,

you have pain.

But if you obey...

you will earn

the goodness of God.

You will have peace...

In the next life.

[in English] It's beautiful.

Beautiful to think.

It is.

But I'm living

in this life now.

What do I do about that?

[Mullah] Come on.

Please. Come.

I have a long way home.

Of course. Of course.

You must go.

Don't be late for your family.

Take it easy.

-Hey.

-[Skinner] I'm good.

I'll wait one... soon.

Whoa! That's a change of pace.

[Skinner laughs]

Give him a break.

[both chuckle]

Well, I know

what we're used to.

[Skinner] I'll catch up,

I'll catch up.

Don't you worry.

[door opens]

[door closes]

That's McIntyre.

-Aishe.

-How you doin'?

Aishe, Johnny.

Here, have a drink.

No, thank you.

Why not?

I don't need to.

I need to talk.

[scoffs]

We drink and talk.

Just have one.

I ask to meet you because...

I need to tell you something.

Why you wanna come to a bar

if you don't wanna have

a drink?

I'm here...

because I need

to make decision.

I'm living this life now.

This is my life.

And the reality of my life--

Just have a drink.

What do you f*ck' want?

-Where are you goin'?

-[door opens]

[Aishe] I decided.

[door closes]

-[Johnny] You two okay?

-Yeah.

I'm sorry.

-f*ck'...

-[Johnny] You sure?

Yeah, I'm sorry.

I'll be back in a sec.

[door opens]

[door closes]

[Skinner] No, no.

You're gonna f*cking

talk to me.

After what I've done for you,

what have you done for me?

What did you do exactly?

You snuck over the border!

[Aishe] What?

So I f*cking owe you. There.

Take all my money.

Take my money.

I love you. You used me.

Take my money.

Will that help?

You done?

I treated you

like a human being.

[speaking Uyghur]

[in English] I don't understand

what you're saying.

[speaking Uyghur]

[in English] Okay.

I don't understand

what you're saying--

[in English]

Of course you don't.

I know you don't.

We're done.

-[Skinner] Wait.

-Don't.

[Skinner] No, wait.

Just...

[Aishe sobbing]

[Skinner] It's okay.

It's okay. I got you.

I got you.

[objects clattering]

[Skinner] Don't go.

I'll give you whatever

you need.

Just...

What do you need?

Marriage? We'll go

to a lawyer first thing.

I swear to God.

I got a few hundred dollars,

I think.

I wish I had more.

Aishe.

Aishe.

There's a lot I can't do,

so just, like...

let me do what I... what I can.

I don't hate you...

Skinner.

I just need to make my life.

[door opens]

I don't hate you.

I just want you to know.

[door closes]

[objects clattering]

[Skinner groans]

[Skinner groaning]

-[Skinner groans]

-[objects clattering]

[Skinner sobbing]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[men singing in Spanish]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[men laughing, exclaiming]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[indistinct chatter]

[man speaking Spanish]

[speaking Spanish]

[Aishe speaking Uyghur]

[Spanish pop song

playing over speakers]

[phone beeps]

[line ringing]

[line ringing]

[line clicks]

[Skinner]

If you're hearing this,

go for Skinner.

[voicemail beeps]

[phone snaps shut, beeps]

[somber music playing]

[breathing heavily]

[breathing heavily]

[somber music continues]

[somber music continues]

[upbeat music playing]

[upbeat music playing]

[wistful music playing]

[wistful music playing]