16 Years of Alcohol (2003)

[bunniefuu]

MAN: Sometimes, for some people,

things don't work out

as they might have hoped,

Hope is a strange thing,

A currency for people

who know they're losing,

The more familiar you are with hope,

the less beautiful it becomes,

This is a story about hope,

Hope

and desire,

A dream of an extraordinary world,,,

,,where angels watch over you

as storm clouds gather,

Mary? Come on, come on,

pick up the phone.

- Hi, please leave a message,,,

- Mary, it's Frankie.

I just wanted to tell you...

WOMAN: Frankie, I'm here,

Frankie?

Frankie?

PUNCHING AND GRUNTING

FRANKIE: Sometimes,

for some people,,,

,,things don't work out,,,

,,as they might have hoped,

♪ PADDY REILLY: Fields of Athenry

♪ Michael, they have taken you

♪ Away

♪ For you stole Trevelyn's corn

♪ So the young might see the morn

♪ Now the prison ship

♪ Lies waiting in the bay

♪ Low lie

♪ The Fields of Athenry

♪ Where once we watched

♪ The small free birds fly

♪ Our love was on the wing

♪ We had dreams

and songs to sing... ♪

OK, cowboy, go get your mother.

Come on, Mum. Dad wants to go.

Hurry up!

I have always had

a strange feeling about love,

It seemed tricky,

Happiness and sadness,

ugly and beautiful,,,

,,real and unreal,

One thing I've always known, though,

is that I have wanted

to be around love,

Quietly, not too much,

Just enough to make my heart happy,

It didn't have to sing,,,

,,just smile a little,,,

,,smile at the world,

Love is greedy,

Sometimes, when things don't work out

as you might have hoped,,,

,,love becomes a dangerous thing,

Scary, violent,

cold like the moon,

But today, it's warm like the breeze,

Mrs Jackson? I see you've got

your pet pig with you.

Christ, Jim, it's you! You've shaved.

Ladies and gentlemen, have you

ever seen two more handsome men?

Alberto and Cornelius,

the Brothers Grimm.

LAUGHTER

What is this I see in front of me?

Who is this vision of beauty?

Well, well, well, it's my wife.

Take a bow, you gorgeous creature.

That's it, stand up, take a bow.

APPLAUSE

Magic! OK, what's it to be?

- Goodnight Sweetheart!

- He'll Have To Go? Jim Reeves.

Yes.

OK, here's one for the beautiful

girls who've stolen our hearts.

♪ Put your sweet lips

♪ A little closer to the phone

♪ Let's pretend that we're together

All alone

♪ I'll tell the man to turn

The jukebox way down low

♪ And you can tell your friend

There with you

♪ He'll have to go

♪ Whisper to me

Tell me do

♪ You love me true?

♪ Or is he holding you

♪ The way I do?

♪ Though love is blind

♪ Make up your mind

I've got to know

♪ Should I hang up

♪ Or will I tell him

He'll have to go?

♪ You can't tell the words

I want to hear

♪ While you're with another man

♪ Do you want me

Answer yes or no

♪ Darling, I'll understand

♪ Put your sweet lips

A little closer to the phone

♪ Let's pretend that we're together

♪ All alone

♪ I'll tell the man to turn

The jukebox way down low

♪ And you can tell your friend

There with you

♪ He'll have to go,,, ♪

APPLAUSE

It feels suddenly as if the clocks

stop and the world stops moving,

The derision, the hate,,,

,,the end of good,

What are you left with,

other than this thing called hope?

I knew it all along

but didn't understand it,

WOMAN MURMURS

This was a charade,

WOMAN: Oh, Christ.

Not a place where people

won things,,,

,,but a place where people lost,,,

,,and lost badly,

Here comes the wind,,,

,,cutting down the buildings,

Looking for someone to blame

for its pointless journey,

Someone always has to pay,

that's the rule, the only rule,

Have you seen your father?

Did you hear me?

Your father, have you seen him?

Did he come out of the bar?

No. I haven't seen him.

Go home.

Go home.

What have these seen tonight,

I wonder?

Hey, cowboy,

who's the fastest g*n in the west?

So, you're Jack Wilson.

Yeah, that's right.

I've heard that you're nothing

but a low-down Yankee liar.

WOMAN: She should know who I mean,

she's been with him 15 years.

Every single day she's seen him.

Anyway, she's telling me

she's coming down next Thursday.

I said, ''Be at the British Legion.''

She says, ''I'm calling the bingo.''

I said, ''You won't. Last time

you made a right hash of it.''

She comes in last week

with her husband.

Says, ''I'm not married.''

I said, ''I was at the wedding.''

Anyway, he comes in with her,

like Lord Muck and Lady Toff.

Last time I saw her she was pregnant.

I tell you what,

they only go there on a Friday...

What does that taste like?

What, this?

Terrible. Like donkey's piss.

..Need a decent meal. She said, ''What

would you know about a decent meal?''

Can I have a taste?

..Wouldn't go on a diet

if you paid me.

CLOCK TICKS

MUM IN OTHER ROOM: I saw her.

She had your jacket on.

DAD: She probably went to the bar

to get some cigarettes.

You're f*cking out of order.

I'm sick of this, too.

MUM: You b*stard, stop lying to me!

DAD: f*cking lying. You're lying!

SHOUTING

You're f*cking out of order!

I can't go out with my pals

or have a f*cking drink!

MUM: Do what you want,

I'm not here to take it!

DAD: f*cking let me in!

I'm sick of this, too!

What are you doing?

I want to come down.

SILENCE

I'm coming down.

Can you hear me?

I'm coming down.

Hello?

I'm coming in now.

RECORD PLAYER HISSES

This is not the stuff

that dreams are made of,,,

Each second here is another education

in the art of destruction,

The wonder of hate,

There's no heart left here,

Only eyes that lie and people

that charge through the day,

Trying to remember

where it all began is not good,

All that matters is how it affects

you and the people you care about,

That's the real world,

You see, how easy is this?

Too easy to stop,

They say when a ship sinks

the rats float to the top,

Some people

Look forward to that time,

- Where did this happen?

- The social club.

- On your own turf?

- Absolutely. An outrage.

No, it's not,

it's a diabolical liberty.

Well, you know me...

- One singer, one song?

- Yes.

What did you say?

Well, I said,

''So, James, you man of mystery,

this is the moment

your world changes forever.''

Know what he said?

Oops! The boss has arrived.

Sit down just for a minute, Frankie.

So, where was I? Oh, yeah.

So I said, ''James, this is the moment

your world changes forever.''

And the b*stard said,

''It's either me or you.''

So I said,

''No, James, you're wrong.''

- ''There's only you.''

- What did he say to that?

He never lived to tell the tale.

That's right, Frankie.

How's it going, Frankie?

WOMAN SINGS

Don't see your mum much these days.

She'll be back soon.

Don't worry, that's just what women

do to get attention.

♪ Show me the stairway

♪ I have to climb

♪ So for my sake

♪ Lord, teach me to take

♪ One day at a time

♪ One day at a time

♪ Sweet Jesus

♪ That's all I'm asking of you

♪ Give me the strength

♪ To do every day

♪ What I need to do

♪ Yesterday's gone, sweet Jesus

♪ Tomorrow may never be mine

♪ So for my sake

♪ Teach me to take

♪ One day at a time... ♪

- f*ck.

- What's the matter? sh*t!

♪ If you look down below

It's worse now than then

♪ Cheatin' and stealin'

Violence and crime... ♪

Well. Here we are, Shane.

You and me.

Are you gonna go for it, Shane...

..or do I have to show you how

it's done?

Turn around, Shane.

I'll count to 10...

..and then it's all over.

One.

Two.

CLOCK TICKS

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Six.

TICKS LOUDER

Eight.

Nine...

♪ SYMARIP: Skinhead Moonstomp

♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah

♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,

yeah, yeah

♪ Alright!

♪ Now, before we reach the moon,

fellas

♪ We gotta make sure you shine

your boots

♪ Brush your teeth

♪ Because the man on the moon looking

different from man on the earth

♪ That's what I say, boy.

Now remember, I'm the boss! ♪

GENERAL CHATTER

Whoa!

What the f*ck are you doing?

Get out before I call the police.

That's it.

I've had enough of this sh*t.

- Get out of my f*cking bar.

- Hey, drop it. Drop it.

I'm sorry.

Please, I'm sorry.

My name's Frankie.

Look, we're really not

looking for trouble.

Please, take the money

and we'll move on. Alright?

Please, I'm really sorry.

- Fair enough.

- Sorry, everyone.

PUNCHING AND GRUNTING

BEATING CONTINUES

LOUD MUSIC

- What the f*ck is that racket?

- Time for a change.

- Stop this f*cking racket.

- This rubbish.

- This f*cking crap.

- Indeedy do.

- What shall it be? Budgie?

- Desmond Dekker, Dad.

- k*ll? Miller?

- Alex Harvey.

Mott The Hoople.

- Mott the f*cking Hoople?

- You are joking?

Miller, you've let the side down.

Stand in the corner.

Go on, Miller, stand in the corner

for being a f*cking idiot

who likes f*cking idiot music by...

Big poncey b*stards!

So.

Will you get in the corner?

f*ck off, Frankie.

FRANKIE: That's not nice.

You let the side down, Miller.

You asked for Mott the Hoople.

For that, face the wall.

- Desmond Dekker, then.

- Not until he...

Saved by the bell, hello.

- I'll take over, have your break.

- What about, erm...

Do you think I should stay?

No, it's fine. I'll see you later.

g*ng LAUGHS

You are a f*cking ride.

Your man was just about to play

Desmond Dekker.

Which we approve of.

- Oh, really?

- Yes.

How about you and me getting

out of this two-horse town, baby?

THEY MAKE ANIMAL NOISES

He said Desmond Dekker,

you f*cking cow.

Turn this sh*t off.

Do you hear me? Off.

- Don't talk to me like that.

- Or I'll call the police.

Or I'll play Mott the Hoople.

THEY LAUGH

Come here. Come over here.

Christ. We came to listen to

music, do you get it?

Go on, out!

♪ VELVET UNDERGROUND: Pale Blue

Eyes

f*ck, this is sh*t!

Sorry.

For what?

- For being with them.

- You chose them.

Kind of.

Maybe see you around, then?

Can't wait.

♪ Thought of you as everything

♪ I've had but couldn't keep

♪ I've had but couldn't keep

♪ Linger on

♪ Your pale blue eyes

♪ Linger on

♪ Your pale blue eyes... ♪

DOOR BUZZER

BUZZING CONTINUES

BUZZ

Somebody out there

will always remember,

Revenge, it's a drug,

A brilliant motivator

for the hopeless,

- Where is he?

- He's coming, rat face.

- Listen to him, the big man.

- f*ck you and f*ck him.

I'm sick of being

treated like a moron.

Miller, you are a f*cking moron.

Next time

he f*ck with me, that's it.

- What's what?

- He wants to say something. Right?

What? Alright.

We go in separately. Not together.

Keep clear of each other for a bit.

OK? Or they'll chuck us out.

And Miller!

Try and stay out of trouble for once.

''Try and stay out of trouble?''

Who the f*ck does he think he is?

Prick. f*cking trouble.

I'll give him f*cking trouble.

Oh, shut up! OK, I'm next.

Come on, you nutball.

♪ CLAUDETTE & THE CORPORATION:

Skinhead A Bash Them

♪ Skinhead a bash them

♪ Skinhead a bash them... ♪

♪ ROXY MUSIC: Love Is The Drug

♪ T'ain't no big thing

♪ To wait for the bell to ring

♪ T'ain't no big thing

♪ The toll of the bell

♪ Aggravated - spare for days... ♪

Got a problem?

Like what you see, f*gg*t?

♪ Boy meets girl

Where the beat goes on

♪ Stitched up tight, can't shake free

♪ Love is the drug, got a hook on me

♪ Oh oh, catch that buzz

♪ Love is the drug I'm thinking of

♪ Oh oh, can't you see... ♪

MILLER: Go on, suck it. Suck it.

Not so full of it now, eh,

you f*cking wimps? What are you?

Look at you. See what happens

when you f*ck with me.

OK, up you get.

Nice and easy. You.

He won't do anything.

OK, Miller, you've made your point.

Let's get out of here

before we get thrown out.

You showed them, Miller.

They can't f*ck with you. No way.

They know now.

C'mon, give me the knife

and let's go...

Well done, Miller.

You f*cking idiot.

He's with you, not me.

You get rid of him.

Where are you going? You can't

f*cking leave now, Frankie?

Alright?

You alone? Can I walk with you?

Yes?

No.

So?

I'm not easy to get rid of.

It would be easier to talk to me.

Just tell me to get lost.

Hey...

..thank you.

Inside all of us

is something beautiful,

Something that wants

to say hello to the world,

We only want the world

to smile back for a moment,,,

,,and then let it move

onto someone else,

Well,,,

Frankie!

Maybe stay a little longer,

- You're looking gorgeous.

- Look, he's got great big muscles!

Hey, Frankie. How about me and the

girls showing you the facts of life?

ALL: Ooh!

Oh, yes, Louise, go for it!

MAN SINGS

- Hello, boys.

- Dirty old b*stard!

- Look at you.

- f*cking horrible.

- Dirty. Dirty.

- Horrible. Dirty.

Dirty old b*stard!

Hey! Hey!

Thanks, son. A million thanks.

God bless you. You're a good man.

A million thanks.

Can you help us out, son?

A few bob for the bus up the road.

I understand. Sure enough.

Sure enough, son.

Sorry to trouble you.

Hey, mister.

Mister!

♪ THE BLUE NILE: Family Life

♪ Starlight do you know me

♪ Please don't look at me now

♪ I'm falling apart

♪ Silver on the window

♪ Like the bike I once had... ♪

You don't wake up one day

a new person,

But you might wake up one day

and hear things in a different way,

See things in a different way,

Start to behave in a different way,

♪ Jesus love

♪ Let me down

♪ And I know where you are

♪ And it might lead

♪ Somewhere... ♪

HE COUGHS

COUGHS LOUDER

- Any chance of hearing this?

- It's not your kind of thing.

- My kind of thing?

- Retro.

Retro? What does that mean?

- From another...

- Era. I know.

What do you mean,

my kind of thing is retro?

Have you looked in the mirror lately?

- Can I hear it, please?

- Please?

- You said ''please.''

- I know.

MUSIC PLAYS LOUDLY

SHOUTS: What? What?

No, it's fine, thanks!

It's really great, thank you.

No, it's really great. Thanks.

♪ IGG Y AND THE STOOGES: Raw Power

♪ Lose sleep baby

and stay away from bed

♪ Raw power is sure to come

a runnin' to you

♪ If you're alone

and you got the fear

♪ So am I baby

Let's move on out of here

♪ Raw power is sure

to come a runnin' to you

♪ Raw power got a magic touch... ♪

That could have cut me!

- What the f*ck is up with him?

- Me, you.

- Now. Right here.

- Me and you. Are you f*cking joking?

Let's see what you're made of, prick.

Me or you.

Me or you.

No, there's only you.

Put the knife down, for f*ck's sake.

Enough.

Enough of this sh*t.

w*nk*r. Useless c**t. Like the rest

of your f*cking family - c**ts.

What did you say?

What did you say?

f*ck you, Frankie, f*ck you,

you f*cking b*stard.

That's enough, Frankie.

There is a time when you

never think of things like survival,

Fearless people know that

this is something,,,

,,that cannot last for long,

The brave ones know the truth,

They know about fear,

Sometimes it's not possible

to tell people that you are afraid,

It just wouldn't help the situation,

It's not a good feeling,,,

,,fear, fear, fear,,,

Sometimes, if you try,,,

,,things can take a different turn,

If your heart beats

in the right way,,,

,,at least you have a chance,

GIRL:

So who's that guy that you're seeing?

Erm...

He's... he's really unusual.

I don't know how

to describe him, he's...

I like him.

- He doesn't seem your usual type.

- I know.

So what's it like in there?

- It depends.

- Depends? On what?

On how you're feeling.

The way the walls look,

people's faces.

Everything around you affects you.

Do you know what I mean?

It must be the same for you.

For me?

No, no, it's always the same.

- It can't be.

- Always.

What, so, even if it's raining

or the sun's shining,

or someone smiles at you a little?

Someone smiles at you a little...

Say that again.

Someone smiles at you a little.

SHE LAUGHS

- I love it here.

- Why?

Sometimes

I just feel so small down there.

Like people could just

walk on top of me.

And up here?

I feel like I'm up with the gods.

Like nobody can touch me.

Safe.

Safe. I like that.

You can touch me.

Why can I?

Because if you're up here,

you must be one of the gods.

Gods.

Which one do you think I might be?

You were a god of w*r,

but since meeting Venus,

that's me, goddess of love,

you've changed

into Hermes,

god of luck, bringer of good news.

SHOUTS: The news today, citizens,

is good.

Frankie Mac, god of luck,

is back off the ropes

and means no harm to you good people.

Today is an official holiday

from this day forward.

Today is Frankie Mac Day,

a day of peace.

Oh mighty god of luck, Frankie Mac,

we applaud thee and worship thee

but tell us,

is there any bad news today?

No. No bad news.

Unless of course you are

an unfortunate, an imbiber,

a destroyer of the liver,

a k*ller of the kidneys,

a faithless non-believer

in the good - then today is bad news.

What does this mean, oh mighty one?

There will be no more drinking

from this day forward.

The years of alcohol abuse are over.

Citizens, repent and ask forgiveness

for your indulgence and sins.

It's over.

THEY LAUGH

You ready?

- Another.

- Really?

Three nil.

- I know.

- How much?

- How about all of my records?

- No, thanks.

No, thanks! What do you mean?

Yes, yes, but that was just a gift.

No, no, that was a mistake.

What about

your Bryan Ferry obsession?

He's alright.

No, no, he writes

music for hairdressers.

Listen to you, the brute male.

- Not at all, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed.

- Desmond Dekker!

Yes, yes, Aretha Franklin,

Marvin Gaye.

- David Bowie.

- No. No.

- Yes. Yes.

- No. No.

- Yes.

- No!

Yes.

Maybe.

What about this? This is proving

popular with the disco boys.

- The what?

- How do the disco boys wear this?

They kind of pull it in, so it shows

off their shape when they're dancing.

Shows off their shape? You're joking.

- f*cking disco boys.

- Language. Sorry. He'll try it on.

- Will I f*ck.

- Go on, show us your shape.

No way. No chance.

This will never happen. Ever.

Never. No.

Forget it. No way. No chance!

- Turn around.

- No!

I think it looks quite good.

What an amazing little beach.

How did you find this place?

Someone brought me here

when I was a kid.

- Who?

- Who what?

Who used to bring you here?

Can't remember.

- What's that?

- Glass.

A bottle factory nearby dumped

the broken bits into the sea.

It's beautiful.

The edges are smooth.

- It's only glass.

- Not anymore, it's not.

- It belongs to us. It's ours.

- Ours?

RADIO PLAYS

- Two teas, please.

- No problem.

Fair weather for this time of year.

Your girlfriend?

You want to keep

an eye on that one, eh?

Sugar?

Frankie.

- Sugar?

- How do you know my name?

- You look like someone I knew.

- That right?

Your father, you look

Iike your father. Unmistakable.

He was some man, your father.

But dangerous...

Dangerous, is that what he was?

How much for the tea?

On the house for old times sake, eh?

Frankie, Jake's from art school.

Is one of them for me?

Helen was showing me the glass.

Lovely. Beautiful colours.

The finish on it, you know?

- Here.

- No. I couldn't, honest...

- Take it, please.

- Cheers.

Jake's degree show is tonight.

He's invited us.

Degree show?

He makes collages, you know, with

stuff he finds in places like this.

- Why?

- Why?

Why?

- No one's ever asked me.

- Nobody's ever asked?

- No.

- You have no idea why you do it?

I haven't really thought about it.

Do you know why it is that you do

all the things that you do?

No, but I'm not asking anybody

to appreciate my work. You are.

You're the artist.

He's only doing what we were doing,

collecting things

and giving them meaning.

It has no meaning. It's glass.

It must have meant something to you

to want to pick it up off the beach.

Nothing. It means nothing at all?

Right, I'd better go.

Good to meet you, Frankie.

JAKE: See you later maybe?

There will always be things that

happen that are out of your control,

Strange, then, that you walk into a

world that has nothing to do with you

and you know that somewhere

down the line you might fall,

Fall hard,

But then, that's the part

that is out of your control,

You just don't know when

it's going to happen,

Jake Buchan.

Yeah, I've been watching this guy.

He's good.

You see what I mean. It's there.

- It's perfect.

- Yes.

- He's going places, he's got it.

- Absolutely.

This is the best of all,

don't you think?

Definitely.

- Why is it the best?

- It's obvious.

Obviously, you haven't

looked at it properly.

No. I have. Why is it the best?

SIGHS: It's obvious.

MAN: Now this is really something.

What do you mean, something?

Now, look.

We were having a perfectly

lovely evening before you arrived.

- I don't mean to be rude, but...

- Piss off.

That's not very nice.

I only wanted to know what the f*ck

you meant. No need to be rude.

Yes, you're right.

I'm sorry. Now could you please

f*ck off and leave us alone?

In the real world, you old c**t,

I would cut your arse

with a knife so close

that the tissue

couldn't be sewn back together.

Then I would hang you from a wall

and say to passers by,

''Look, my best work.''

And they would say, ''Absolutely

divine, darling. Heavenly.''

They would say, ''That Frankie Mac

is definitely going somewhere.''

What was all that about?

What happened in there?

They didn't show me any respect.

To them I was...

To them you were nothing.

What did you expect, a dinner invite?

Don't, Helen -

they were f*cking horrible

and maybe it was a good thing

that someone told them that.

You threatened to cut

and hang them from a wall.

HE LAUGHS

That's funny, is it?

- You find that amusing.

- I was joking. Having a laugh.

Trying to make light

of a bad situation.

What did you promise me?

Do you remember?

- Frankie, talk to me.

- I remember.

You said it was over.

The violence.

The drink.

- All of that stuff was over.

- Over.

It's never going to be over.

They hit you, you hit them,

someone says something,

you say something back.

You look for it.

It doesn't come looking for you,

you're on the lookout for it.

What am I on the lookout for?

The past.

I've got to go.

Alone.

WHISPERS: Alone?

Sure, sure, I get it.

- I understand.

- Bye, Frankie.

Bye.

Helen.

Thank you.

Thank you for everything.

People talk about strength

at times like this,

Strength of character-

be strong,

be a hero, be a man, say no,

Just when you thought

it was in your grasp,,,

,,you find yourself

back where you started,

Nothing is ever as easy

as people would have you think,

Nothing,

Vodka,

vodka, vodka,

Where is love when you need it most?

Where is love when the past

begins to leak into your heart?

Where is hope,,,

,,in a hopeless place?

FRANKIE: What the f*ck do you want?

You.

Me?

We heard you were a born again,

Frankie, a non-drinker.

Must have been given

the wrong information.

Ms Goody-two-shoes

wouldn't be too impressed.

Maybe I'll knock on her door and let

her know that her project's f*cked.

Her little experiment

has fallen apart.

- Tarzan's gone back to the jungle.

- f*ck off.

Maybe I could stand in for you,

take your place, keep her bed warm.

I said f*ck off, Miller.

Maybe I should take the boys

to hers for some fun.

She looks the type who'd like that.

She's educated, isn't she?

It makes sense,

why have one when she can three?

The world is silent,

The clocks have stopped again,

I can see the ship that sailed

has sunk to the bottom of the sea,

YELLING

YELLING

I burn,

My heart beats the tune that

this is not a fantasy, this is real,

This is when you become

dizzy with hate,

WOMAN: Hi, everybody. Welcome.

A few familiar faces here...

..and we've a new member, welcome.

I'll explain the process.

Anybody that wants to speak

gets a chance.

I'm off first today, I'm Jennifer

and I'm an alcoholic.

Er, it's been quite a good week,

actually.

I actually went swimming -

me, swimming!

Felt really good about that.

Wednesday was hard.

Day off.

I was going to do all these things,

do this, see friends, never did it.

I got caught up watching the telly

in the morning.

Was Kilroy, he's enough

to make anybody greet, him.

I watched it

and there was this guy...

..talking about his life.

I just started to cry,

couldn't stop, uncontrollable.

I wanted a drink.

God, did I want a drink, all day.

But I didn't, I heId on...

..got to Thursday, got back to work,

got back to normality.

Now I'm here.

I got through the week.

CLAPPING

My name is Frankie...

..and I am a violent man.

I woke up one morning.

It was winter.

I could see an oak tree

standing right next to me.

It was cold.

At first I couldn't feel anything...

..and then I realised that my face

was frozen to the ground.

I couldn't lift it.

It was stuck.

I was lying on the ground.

Beneath a tree.

Frozen to the ground.

I don't know how long I had been

there, but long enough to freeze me.

Something bad had happened.

Something violent.

My hands were free and they were red.

Blood red.

Strangely enough,

my thoughts were clear. Very clear.

I could almost hear them

racing around in my head.

They told me...

..I was a dead person.

Dead.

Dead.

No longer living.

Lifeless.

I remembered everything.

Everything from the past.

The past was there in front of me.

As the sun came up, the ice thawed

and my face was released.

For a while I didn't want to get up.

I just lay there listening

to my thoughts about the past.

This is where the world spins in

the wrong direction, where it ends.

The realisation that everything that

you ever wanted will never happen.

Gone like the wind. Gone forever.

16 f*cking years of nothing. Gone.

Think of all the love you gave people

who never understood

that what you did was only for them,

and all you ever

wanted back was something small.

Hope. Not charity.

You wanted them

to make hope beautiful again...

STORM RAGES OUTSIDE

Hey, how you doing?

- Weather's shocking.

- Yeah. Terrible weather.

How are you doing?

Can't complain.

What's a man got to do to get

a drink in here?

What's the rush?

Will you join me?

It's turning cold. Think it'll snow?

After a while I got up

and I think for the first time ever,

I understood

something that had real meaning.

You can't escape from what you are.

You can only try

and make you a better person.

I'm trying, that's all I'm doing...

..trying to be better,

trying not to give up.

I guess what I'm trying to say

is sometimes things don't work out

Like you might have hoped

and it's up to you to get on with it.

Even though you feel hope is tired

and suddenly

it isn't available any more.

Christ, listen to me going on. Sorry.

Can I end with an odd

and hopefully funny thought?

Things got so desperate

that I ended up going somewhere,

just for a little while,

where they encourage you to be...

..to be someone else.

I went to acting classes.

CLAPPING

♪ THE BLUE NILE: Happiness

♪ Now that I've found peace at last

♪ Tell me, Jesus

♪ Will it last?

♪ Now that I've found peace at last

♪ Tell me, Jesus

♪ Will it last?

♪ Birds are laughing in the trees

♪ It's only make believe

♪ It's only love

♪ It's only love... ♪

- You. What's your story?

- My story?

- What's my story?

- Your story.

No. I don't think so. You know

how to talk around a subject?

- Yeah.

- I learned from a master.

A master of avoiding real questions.

A master of avoiding real questions.

Be nice to him, sounds

like he's knows what he's doing.

- So?

- So?

So, Mary...

..what is your story?

Well, I think it's just beginning.

But I don't know where it's going.

- Where do you think it's going?

- Not back, I'm sure of that.

Forward... well, hopefully...

To good places. To better places.

SHOUTS AND CHEERS

WHISTLE

No goal.

BOYS SHOUT PROTESTS

If he's off, we're all off!

Come here! Come here, come here!

What do I tell you every week?

- It was a goaI!

- No.

No excuses. You're onIy 12 years oId!

Don't push the referee

even if he is stupid.

- What do you want?

- I won't tolerate this behaviour.

You're the coach, it's your

responsibility, get it sorted out.

Get a grip of the game and

I'll look after my end. Is he off?

- Definitely.

- b*stard. Right, get stuck in.

Forget about what just happened.

There's a few minutes left,

we can still win.

Even with 10, you can win. Come on!

BOYS YELL

Stay focused!

Archie, Archie, over, over, up, up!

Watch him, watch him!

Tackle him!

Archie, Archie! What are you doing?

WHISTLE

WHISTLE

No way!

Referee, you have got to be joking!

- Glad you could make it.

- Sorry.

- Again.

- Again?

Right, shall we continue?

So we've reached the end.

This is where all the games,

all the sh*t,

all the fun that they've had at each

other's expense all comes to light.

So take a moment

and we'll give it a go.

Ready, Frankie?

So we're in a bar

in the quiet part of the city.

It's the kind of bar where sad people

go and drink and stare into space.

Smoke is hanging in the air.

People talk in whispers.

Alright, Mary, in your own time.

Men watch me.

I know.

I see them. I like it.

Look at the sad b*stards,

watching, wanting, thinking,

''What is she wearing

under that dress?''

''I bet she's wearing nothing at all.''

- Frankie?

- Sorry.

Sorry, I was listening

and thinking...

- That it was your line.

- No, I was thinking...

How odd it is that

we've been doing this for days

and it's the first time I've actually

listened to what's being said.

- Well, good. Can we go on?

- No.

- No. I can't.

- What do you mean?

I'm sorry,

but this is f*cking rubbish.

Who cares about rich, spoiled people

playing games with each other?

Other rich, spoiled people.

It makes them feel better.

''Look'', they say to themselves,

''that could be me up there,

that could be,

if I didn't look in the mirror.''

''Look at her power, what she can

do to men, how beautiful she is.''

It's a fantasy, now, for f*ck's sake,

you've had your revelation,

can we get on with this,

what did you call it, Frankie?

This f*cking rubbish.

I can't. I'm sorry, it's pointless.

Alright. Let's take a break.

Frankie, can we talk, please?

I think we should talk here.

Fine. How many times

have you been late, Frankie?

Lots.

How often has Mary bailed you out

and told a white lie? Too often.

What the f*ck do you think

you're doing here?

What the f*ck do you think this is?

Emotional therapy?

Bullshit. This is work.

This is hard work.

Everyone here is trying their best.

You walk in, late as usual,

and what do you bring to the table?

Your f*cking baggage.

Don't you think it's about time

you stopped

wallowing in your own story,

in your own self-pitying bullshit?

I'm sorry, Frankie, but f*ck you!

I'm sick of your chippy bad attitude

and it's not our fault.

It's not our fault.

If you don't like us and the f*cking

rubbish that we make, well, f*ck off.

Oh yeah, what are you going to do?

Beat me up?

Oh, that's good,

get it out of your system.

Don't like the director,

so I hit him.

MARY: That's enough.

I'm sorry.

Everyone, I'm sorry. You're right.

Please. I am sorry. I am.

- No, I'm sorry for what I said.

- Me, too. Me, too.

TEACHER: So, er, shall we try again?

Right...

Danger past,

The feeling that something has gone,

Something that was part of you,

Something that you needed,

It protected you, The violence that

you wore like a cloak of honour,

The feeling that you could protect

your world with fists has gone,

It's pouring out of you,

Running away, fast, fast, faster,

You're of no use to it any more,

Maybe,,,

maybe now you can fly

with the gods,

♪ THE BLUE NILE: Happiness

♪ Happiness

♪ Happiness

♪ Happiness

♪ Happiness

♪ I wanted more

♪ I wanted more

♪ Happiness

♪ Live with less

♪ Happiness

♪ Happiness

♪ Happiness

♪ Happiness

♪ Now that I've found peace at last

♪ Tell me, Jesus

♪ Will it last

♪ Now that I've found peace at last

♪ Tell me, Jesus

♪ Will it last?

♪ Happiness... ♪

CHATTER AND LAUGHTER

LAUGHTER

Hey!

TEACHER: Hey, do you mind?

- Am I not good enough for you?

- Get off.

TEACHER: Hey, let her go!

- You heard him. Let her go.

- Well, well.

Look at you,

Shane coming to the rescue.

Are you ready, Frankie?

Maybe you should just go.

f*ck you. f*ck all of you.

Watch your back, Frankie, you never

know what might be behind you.

OK, everyone?

I came here with someone who thought

that it was the palace of the gods.

There are no gods in this city,

Frankie. Just us.

I love how you can do that.

Exclude the world at will.

What else do you love about me?

In all our time together,

you've never said that.

- Said what?

- That you loved me.

I,,, love,,, you,

I love you,

That easy,

it's that easy for some,

MAN WHISPERS: When will you tell him?

About me, Me and you,

Us, Together, Forever, When?

He will be coming soon.

Coming here to see me. To see me

and for me to tell him it's over.

- Say it again.

- It's over. Over and Over.

Us. Together. Forever. It's over.

I know what they are doing. Saying.

In their head. What it means tonight.

Tonight is a bad night.

Where are the stars?

Where is the star of hope tonight?

Tonight. I can feel it.

Creeping, crawling like a rat.

Something bad is in the air tonight.

Come soon. Come here. Come back.

Come to me. Speak to me. Love me.

She's changing. Don't panic.

I can see her changing. Don't panic.

Don't awake me. Keep dreaming.

- Keep dreaming...

- He's here. The fool. He came.

- He came. The fool.

- The fool. He came.

I came... I came to tell you...

To tell me...

To tell her... that...

I love you.

Me.

You and me.

Forever and ever...

WHISPERS: Forever and ever.

♪ Ae fond kiss, and then we sever

♪ Ae fareweel, and then for ever

♪ Deep in heart-rung tears

I'll pledge thee

♪ Warring sighs and groans

I'll wage thee

♪ Who shall say that

♪ Fortune grieves him

♪ While the star of hope

♪ She leaves him?

♪ Me, nae cheerful twinkle

lights me... ♪

- Me?

- You.

♪ Dark despair around benights me. ♪

WHISPERS: Forever and ever.

♪ I'll never blame my partial fancy

♪ Naething could resist my Nancy

♪ But to see her was to love her

♪ Love but her, and love for ever

♪ Had we never lov'd sae kindly

♪ Had we never

♪ Lov'd sae blindly... ♪

COUPLE LAUGH

Sometimes, the city takes your heart

and moulds it into something

you don't recognise,

Something lost,

The lost heart,

In the city of hope,

Where nothing belongs to you,

Frankie?

Frankie, will you talk to me, please?

Hello, Mary.

Can you not even look at me?

What's happened, Frankie?

One minute we're fine, we're happy

even, the next minute, you're gone.

- Gone.

- Yes, you're gone.

No one can believe it.

They thought you got lost again,

we were all worried about you.

Frankie, will you look at me, please?

Are you alright? Did you...

- What's happened?

- Happened?

Frankie?

I don't know what to do.

Help me out here.

I'm not...

I can't go on like this.

I'm not strong enough to...

To fool me.

To fool you?

What are you talking about?

To fool you? What do you mean?

Maybe I'm the fool.

Maybe I'm the fool, I keep running

after you, I keep trying...

Don't do this, Frankie.

Don't do this to me.

I've been through a lot with you.

I've waited...

I've waited for you to want me

more than a friend or a lover or...

I've waited for you to love me.

Do you know how that feels?

No.

Because all that mattered

was you.

We made a mistake, Mary.

No, we didn't make a mistake.

We had a chance. I took it...

WHISPERS: You don't want it...

You don't want it.

At least tell me why?

Why you don't want it...

Why you don't want me.

If everything that you'd ever ruined

fell from the sky at this moment,,,

,,then the world

would be covered in darkness,

Is this what you really wanted?

Is this the dream?

Do you have it now?

The shape of yourjourney,

at last you can see it,

Maybe it's time to start the clocks

ticking again,

Look time in the face,

Look at time in the face

and forget about the past,

Stop the past

leaking into your heart,

Forget, just stop the past

leaking into your heart,

But, then,,,

Sometimes, for some people,,,

,,things don't work out

as they might have hoped,

Hope is a strange thing -

a currency for people

who know they're losing,

The more familiar you are

with hope,,,

,,the less beautiful it becomes,

♪ GILLIAN WELCH AND DAVID

RAWLINGS:

I Dream A Highway

♪ Oh, I dream

♪ A highway back to you, love

♪ A winding ribbon

♪ With a band of gold

♪ A silver vision

♪ Come and rest my soul... ♪

Mary?

Come on, come on, pick up the phone,

- Hi, please leave a message,,,

- Mary, it's Frankie,

I just wanted to tell you,,,

DROPS PHONE

MARY: Frankie, I'm here,

Frankie?

Frankie?

♪ The Grand Ole Opry's

♪ Got a brand new band

♪ Lord, let me die

♪ With a hammer

♪ In my hand

♪ I dream

♪ A highway back to you... ♪

''The words are lovely,

dark and deep,''

''But I have promises to keep,''

''And miles to go before I sleep,,,

,,miles to go

before I sleep,''

♪ Thank the hatchetman

♪ Who forked my tongue

♪ I'll lie and wait

♪ Until the wagons come

♪ And dream

♪ A highway back to you

♪ The getaway

♪ Kickin' up cinders

♪ An empty wagon

♪ Full of rattlin' bones

♪ Moon in the mirror

♪ On a three-hour jones

♪ I dream

♪ A highway back to you

♪ Oh, I dream

♪ A highway back to you, love

♪ A winding ribbon

♪ With a band of gold

♪ A silver vision

♪ Come, arrest my soul

♪ I dream

♪ A highway back to you

♪ Which lover are you

♪ Jack of Diamonds

♪ Now you be Emmylou

♪ And I'll be Gram

♪ I send a letter

♪ Don't know who I am

♪ I dream

♪ A highway back to you... ♪