[Joe cocker's "with a little
help from my friends" plays]
-♪ Baby ♪
-♪ High with a little
help from my friends ♪
-♪ Said I'm gonna make
it with my friends ♪
-♪ Try with a little
help from my friends ♪
-♪ Oh, oh, I'm gonna
keep on tryin' ♪
-♪ Get by with a little
help from my friends ♪
-♪ I'm gonna keep
on tryin', now, babe ♪
-♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
-Over the years, a family
develops a kind of character,
A sense of heritage,
a feeling of roots.
For my family, those roots
Extended all the way to
the back of our garage.
It was kind of our
plymouth rock.
-Hey, look at this.
The old place mats.
These would be great
if we have a dinner party.
-Yeah, great.
- Remember these?
- Those are mine!
-Bonnie will love
these in the kid's room.
-Hey, but... Thanks.
-The final week of 1972.
Where I lived, it
was a time of change,
Most particularly
in the person of...
-Wow. Curtains.
[Chuckles]
- My new brother.
Sure, maybe this looked
like the same doofus
I'd shared a room
with for 15 years,
But in one way,
he was different.
-Will you look at
this pattern, huh?
-Wayne was in love.
-[Sighs]
Come on. Let's show bonnie.
-And somehow our garage was
never gonna be the same again.
-Hey, look at these!
This stuff's great!
-Not that I begrudged
the guy his good fortune.
After all, he'd found
the girl of his dreams.
-These are nice, wayne.
-Bonnie douglas... 23,
Divorced, and mother of one.
-You sure it's all
right if we take all this?
-Oh, of course it is.
-Yeah. Of course it is.
Uh, peekaboo!
[Baby crying]
-Oh. Oh, oh, oh, sweetheart.
-W-what did I do?
-But it wasn't what he'd
done that was so perplexing.
It was how he was doing it.
-Honey, you know, you're
looking awfully thin.
Are you sure you're
getting enough rest?
-Still working two
shifts at the plant,
He doesn't have time to sleep.
-Besides... Who
says I want to sleep?
-God.
-Wayne, a little help here.
-Oh, yeah.
Well, put it in backseat.
Don't break anything.
-Gotcha.
-Okay, there. This is
the cutest little baby.
Look at those eyes.
What a handsome, handsome boy.
-Yeah. Hell of a lot better
looking than his old man.
-Which, around my house,
was kind of a sore subject.
-Has, uh, james
been calling again?
-Well, no.
A couple times, but,
you know, just to say hi.
-Oh.
-Mom, don't worry. I
mean, the guy's a jerk.
Come on. We got to go.
-And there it was.
Almost overnight,
wayne had changed.
He'd become a picture
of patience, sacrifice...
-So, can I give you a
buck for your help, huh?
- Generosity.
-Hang on to it.
-Suit yourself.
I'm going for the night shift.
-It was almost ironic.
My no-good, layabout
brother had become...
A devoted family man.
As opposed to say... Me...
A man devoted to
avoiding his family...
-Hut! Hut! Hike!
- No matter what the cost.
-All right, back. Back.
In the first 10 days
of christmas recess,
I'd participated in 13
Semiorganized, semisuicidal
touch football games.
-Geez. This ground
is rock-solid.
-[Groans] I think I
broke something.
-What are we doing here?
-Of course, the
reason was obvious.
-Got you out of
the house, didn't it?
-He's right. Come on,
guys, let's huddle up.
-At 16, we were men on the run,
Fleeing house,
home, and parents.
Afraid of nothing,
except maybe...
-What are you guys
doing for new year's eve?
-Serving drinks at my
parents' party. You?
-My uncle's showing home movies.
-New year's eve...
The nightmare of
family togetherness.
-Hey, you know, eddie
putnam's having a big party.
Yeah, at his parents' ski
condo in the mountains.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
Plus, eddie's folks are
gonna be out of town, in aruba.
-It was an image
to warm the heart
Of any red-blooded adolescent.
A beacon of romance,
revelry, freedom...
["Somewhere, my love" plays]
A moonlit night...
Eddie putnam's
dad's ski condo...
And winnie.
[Music continues]
-Happy new year.
-Happy new year.
-And suddenly, from the
ashes of christmas at home,
A new hope arose,
A new year's inspiration.
And all of it just
two hours by car.
-All right, I'm
going. Count me in.
Everyone, long. Ready?
- Break!
- Break!
-And with that,
the plan was set...
A new year's blowout
with all the trimmings.
-Down. Set.
Hut-hut!
-And nothing could
stand in my way, except...
-A party?
-[Grunts]
-At a ski lodge?
- Just one little hitch.
-Well, it's not exactly a lodge,
And... And it's not
really a party.
Just...
-The bash of the century.
- A get-together, you know?
-They're not gonna
have beer, are they?
-Mom, come on. Beer?
-Totally ridiculous.
-So, what do you say?
-Well...
I guess it would be okay.
-Great.
-Except we already have
plans for new year's eve.
- "We"?
-We do?
-Your brother's taking
us all out to dinner.
The whole family,
including winnie.
-What?
-Isn't that sweet? He
wants it to be his treat.
-Well, that's
great, but I'm gon...
-You know, I think this is
really important to wayne.
He's been working so hard,
Knocking himself out
for bonnie and the baby.
-Yeah, well...
Thanks, but no thanks.
-Kevin!
-Mom!
-Hmm. Clearly, we
were at an impasse.
So faced with a tough decision,
Mom did what any
fair-minded parent would do.
-Why don't you ask
your father, honey?
-Ask me what?
-Listen, dad, about that
new year's eve thing...
-You're going, and that's that.
-So much for fair-mindedness.
-Bye, honey.
-I'd been set up, sold out,
and shipped down the river.
So with new year's
eve fast approaching,
I knew my only hope was
to look to a higher source.
-Wayne, why can't the family
just get together another night?
-Because holidays
are a time for family.
-Yeah.
-Ow! These clothes are hot.
-Wayne!
-Besides, I thought it'd
be a nice thing to do.
-Geez, who was this guy?
And what had he
done with my brother?
-Look, I've got other things
to do on new year's eve.
And I was just thinking
That the family could
hang out without me.
- "Hang out"?
We're not just hanging out.
We're going to a supper club.
-A supper club?
-God, it was worse
than I thought.
-Oh, yeah!
Dinner and a show, maybe
a comedian or something.
I reserved us a
table right up front.
Can you give me a hand folding
these before bonnie gets here?
-Okay, then.
Maybe it was time to
take a different tack.
-Boy... That must be setting
you back a few bucks.
You know, I hear those
supper clubs cost a bundle.
-Hey, what's money if you don't
have people to spend it on, huh?
-And that's when it hit me.
This wasn't love.
This was insanity.
-Besides...
It wouldn't be the same
without you there, son.
- Son?
- Son?
-Okay, enough was enough.
-Look, wayne, number
one, I'm not your son.
And number two, I don't
want to spend new year's eve
In a stupid supper club.
-You don't?
-No! That's what I'm saying!
-Well...
-Sure, maybe it was selfish,
But under the circumstances...
Absolutely necessary.
-Hey. I'm sorry I'm late.
-Oh, that's okay.
You get caught up?
-Kind of. I saw james.
-Whoops.
-What'd he want?
- "What did he want?"...
The same old thing,
To hash everything out we've
been through like a hundred times.
I'm shopping, I'm
having a good time,
And I come out of the store,
And he's sitting
there, waiting for me.
-Why? W-what? Is
he following you?
I'm gonna k*ll this
guy! You know, I'm sick...
-Wayne, don't worry. I
set him straight for good.
I told him it's
over like 20 times.
-Are you sure?
-Definitely.
-And there you had it...
Love at the laundromat.
Two kids working it out...
And one kid making his getaway.
-So, kevin, we gonna see
you on new year's eve?
-What?
-Rats.
-Well, you know, I was
just talking with wayne...
-Don't worry. He's
gonna be there.
-But I thought...
-It would mean
a lot to us, kevin.
Right, honey?
-And with that kiss, there
went my night of revelry.
There went eddie
putnam's dad's ski condo.
-See you there!
-And in its place, I was
left with just one thought...
New year's eve was
gonna be one long night.
[ Whistle blows]
-Secondary.
-Everybody on this
field's a hitter today.
-December 31, the
final day of 1972.
Bands were playing,
crowds were cheering,
Teenagers were sulking...
Big-time.
-So, what do you think?
-About what?
-My new suit.
Pretty sharp, huh?
-You bought a new suit?
-Yeah! I want to look
good for tonight.
You don't think it's too, uh...
-Wayne, you're blocking the tv.
-Oh. Sorry.
-Great. It wasn't bad enough
I was stuck in the house.
Now I had to share it with a
love-struck clotheshorse.
-Oh, maybe dad has a better tie.
-Wayne, look. About tonight...
-Hey, you don't
have to say a word.
I know what you're thinking.
-You do?
-Sure! You don't
have to wear a suit.
Jacket and tie
will do just fine.
Okay, buddy?
-Uh-huh.
-[Singing indistinctly]
-So, while the rest of my
teenage world was heading off
For a new year's bash in
the snow-covered north,
I was doomed to a night of...
[Indistinct conversation,
baby cooing]
Family.
[Laughter]
-I remember the
first new year's eve
That jack and I spent together.
I was 19 and we had
dinner with your parents
You remember?
- Yeah, I remember.
-Yeah, this was homey.
-I just think it's so great
what you have here.
The two of you...
The history you have...
How much you love your kids.
-Well... That's what
we're here for.
Right?
-Right.
-Gimme a break.
-[Baby voice] and
david's gonna have
His first new year's eve!
Isn't he?
Isn't he?
-God.
-Okay! Let's get a move on!
See ya there.
-You want to
take him? All right.
-Wayne, you sure I can't help
you out with the bill tonight?
-Sorry, dad. Tonight's my treat.
It's gonna be a night
you'll never forget.
Right, kev-bo?
-Which, as it happened, was
exactly what I was afraid of.
-See ya there!
-Bye!
-And so there was nothing
to do but roll out the barrels
And start the fun.
I mean, hey, how
bad could it be?
[Hawaiian music plays]
[Indistinct conversations]
-It's happy new year time!
-By 9:15, it was clear
this was gonna be
The worst new year's
eve in history... Bar none.
-I'll tell ya, I wouldn't
mind having those girls
At my next luau, if
you know what I mean.
[Rim sh*t]
-He's funny, isn't he?
-Yeah, a riot.
-I feel like I'm on
location with jack lord.
[Rim sh*t]
-But it wasn't just the bad
jokes and the stupid hats
And the god-awful music
that were gnawing at me.
-Did ya hear the one
about the peanut...
-There was something
missing here.
Something like...
-Dad, where's wayne?
-Got me. Probably hit traffic.
-What, for an hour and a half?
-Don't worry,
honey. He'll be here.
This is his night.
-But I wasn't so sure.
-I bet he went someplace
good, like a party.
-Kevin, will you stop?
Why don't you just
relax and have fun?
-Okay, ladies and gentlemen,
Now we got a very
special treat for you!
Straight from god know where,
Zanic... Let's hear
it! The magnificent!
Oho! Here we go!
-That's it. I'm calling wayne.
-Kevin.
But I'd had it. I
was out of there.
[Audience "oohs"]
- Thank you.
- Look at that.
[Applause]
-You know what I need from
the audience is a volunteer.
How about you, sir?
-No, i... No.
-Oh, go on, jack.
You love magic.
- No, i...
- Go on.
- Actually, I insist.
[Cheers and applause]
-Ah, well.
Like they say, a
bird on the head...
-Come on, butthead. Pick up.
-But wayne was still
unaccounted for.
-[Sighs]
Great.
-Face it.
This whole evening
was one colossal bust.
-Bonnie?
You're late.
-Kevin, hi.
-The way she was dressed
made me glad I hadn't worn a tux.
-Is your family here?
-Well, they're inside.
Aren't you gonna come in?
-Is... Is wayne here?
-No.
Isn't he with you?
-No.
-What happened?
What, he spill
something on his suit?
-But suddenly I had the feeling
this wasn't about haberdashery.
-I was hoping he was here.
He was so upset when he left.
-He left?
What do you mean, he left?
-Kevin, wayne and I split up.
-What?
-It's not that I don't love him.
I mean, he came into my life,
and he's done so much for me
And you see how
great he is with david.
- But...
- It's just I saw james,
And I didn't think
I'd feel anything.
-Oh.
-It was weird.
There we were... Some phony
magician harassing my dad
While my brother's whole
life was coming apart.
-Maybe I shouldn't
have told him tonight.
God, you really
must hate me, huh?
Not to mention your folks...
What they're gonna think of me.
-But if she'd come
looking for forgiveness...
-I'm sorry.
I really am.
But not for you.
-Yeah.
-Kevin, you don't
want to miss this.
They're about to saw
your father in half.
-And now, ladies and
gentlemen, for my finale...
Sawing a human body in half.
-But somehow I knew I couldn't
stay to pick up the pieces.
-Kevin, is everything all right?
-No.
We got to find wayne.
-That night, we looked
for wayne everywhere...
Bonnie's house, our house,
Six coffee shops, four bars,
Even the bowling alley.
But he was nowhere.
It was like he vanished.
And then just when we
were ready to give up...
-Isn't that wayne's car?
-Where?
- We found him.
-Yeah, that's it.
-Maybe you should go in alone.
-Yeah.
I wasn't quite sure
what to expect.
For some reason, I'd
never actually hung out
At a laundromat
on new year's eve.
So I tried to prepare
myself for the worst...
An outraged
maniac, a jilted slob...
-He sets! He sh**t!
Yah!
- Or just a guy in a bad suit
Tossing socks at
a washing machine.
-Wayne?
-Hey, butthead!
Fancy meeting you
here, huh? [Chuckles]
Catch.
Thataway.
You missed it. I
sank 16 in a row.
16!
Okay, seven.
All the people that were
here doing laundry earlier
Were very impressed.
You'd be surprised how many
people save their laundry
For the major holidays.
[Chuckles]
Is it me, or am I the
only one talking here?
-You know, we missed
you at the dinner club.
-Oh, yeah? How'd it go?
-Good.
They had a m-magician.
-Sounds like hell.
-Kind of.
[Clears throat] listen, uh...
I heard about what happened.
-Yeah. Me too.
You know...
You can't make someone
fall in love with you.
Yeah, no, you can't
make them fall in love.
It's just got to happen!
-And I guess that's
when it hit me...
How hard this guy had tried.
How hard he'd been
trying his whole life.
And suddenly it all made sense,
Who my brother really was.
Not the family
man he wanted to be
Or the stupid older brother
I'd fought with my whole life.
But just another grown-up kid...
With a broken heart.
-Kevin?
Are you guys okay?
It's almost midnight.
-Say this for my
girlfriend... She had timing.
-Whether you're
here in times square...
-How about that?
Another year, huh?
-1972 Was a memory,
like it or not.
-Four, three, two, one!
Happy new year!
[ "Auld lang syne" plays]
-Happy new year.
-The funny thing is,
looking back now...
-Happy near year, kevin.
-Happy new year.
- What I remember
most is how it ended.
-So, butthead, you
gonna kiss her or not?
Come on! You're only young once.
-Hell, the guy was right.
So maybe that new year's
eve 1972 didn't work out
Exactly like any of us planned.
There was heartbreak
we didn't anticipate
And events we
couldn't have imagined.
Still, it wasn't all bad.
There was a magician.
So maybe there was
a message in it all.
The future was calling us.
And no matter what, there
was no turning back now.
[People cheering]