A Country Called Home Movie Script

1:

1 (ELLIE SNORING SOFTLY) (CELL PHONE VIBRATING) (WHISPERS) Please don't leave a message. (VIBRATES) (SIGHS) Hey, where are you going? I was just coming to see you. Oh, I'm sorry, I gotta go see Cole. Wait, why, what's up with your brother? Nothing, I just gotta go see him. You gonna ask me? Ask you what? How I did in the poker game. Well, you're not wearing your shirt, so, I'm guessing you didn't do too well. Yeah, only 'cause the guy who won it from me left early, so, I didn't get a chance to win it back. But about an hour ago, I turned it around. I won... ...over $200. So, you've got my money. I kind of had to pay some back rent. I gotta go.

ELLIE:

Hi. Hey, Ellie.

ELLIE:

What are you doing? Sarah wants to start parking her car in here, so... All this stuff's gotta go to Goodwill. You send your resume in to that design firm you were talking about? They're never gonna hire somebody without a degree, so...

ELLIE:

See what? Well, what do you think? About... Well, they're your daddy's suits. I mean, I like the brown, but everyone else seems to like the blue. Mmm. Maybe we can buy him something new. Like some black. God, are you... What a waste that'd be.Actually, can I be 100% honest with you? -Okay. -I really don't know that your daddy wanted to be buried. Well, what did he want? I mean, he always said we could just shove him under the couch. But sometimes he'd say he wanted to be cremated. -Oh. -Yeah. I know you know your daddy joked around a lot. I mean, did he ever tell you or your brother what he wanted? Mmm-mmm, I don't think we ever talked about his death. Are you kidding? He talked about that all the time. Come on, hop in. (SIGHS) What time's your brother flying in? -Cole's not coming. -He's not? Mmm-mmm. Well, I didn't know it was quite like that. It is, and then some. So, which way am I going?

-BOY:

Grandma! -(GASPS) (SIGHS) Tommy, go back to sleep. We'll be home soon. That's my grandson, Tommy. What, he's just been out in the car the whole time? I couldn't exactly bring him into the airport bar now, could I?

TOMMY:

I'm hungry, Grandma. Okay, I'll fetch you something. Just, when you pull out of here, make your first right and head down the road a while. (LINE RINGING)

-COLE:

(OVER PHONE) Hello? -Hi, it's me. How was the trip? Uh, it was a little... Are you okay? Did Dad say something awful to you? No, Dad's dead. Really? He died while I was still at the airport and this Amanda woman called to tell me. I don't understand, so you... So you're still at the airport? No, I decided to come to Texas anyway. -What? -(TOMMY SQUEALING) Um, I gotta go, I'll, I'll call you later. (CONTINUES SQUEALING) Come on, get in. Why can't this just wait until tomorrow? It just can't. Anyway, I thought you might want to see your daddy before they take him over to the funeral home. I don't wanna be rude, but I think that I can wait to see him. Okay, look, can I be 100% honest with you, Ellie?Okay. Technically, me and your daddy ain't exactly married on account of I'm still married to some no-good son of a b*tch -who lives up near Houston. -I don't understand. I need someone to officially sign some forms so they can release his body to the undertakers. -Someone who's family. -I see. I knew you were coming, I didn't wanna make your grandparents have to do it. Who?

SUSAN:

Ellie? Yeah. I thought that might be you, you look just like your father. I'm sorry for your loss. Thank you. What's this?

SUSAN:

Your father asked me to give it to you if you showed up here. Amanda, where did you get that wheelchair? Oh, uh... These things are not toys. No, I know, Susan, it's just he's so heavy. -You just about done here? -Uh-huh. This is where you live? Oh, this is it. "Be it ever so humble..." We had an apartment down the road, but your daddy loved to monkey around with those guitars. This place suited him 'cause of the garage. It's my son's place. Really, it was too big for just him and Tommy by themselves. He was still making guitars? Oh, making 'em, repairing old ones, sure. Yeah, he worked on 'em most days. Don't think he ever finished too many, but he loved working on 'em. All right, come on, love bug. You gotta get up, we're goin' in. (SIGHS) Let's see. Uh, yeah. And that's my baby boy. Jack, this is Ellie. Mark's daughter. Oh, he's a charmer. No, don't worry, don't worry about a thing, I'll put your son to bed. He works hard, so we cut him a little slack when he acts like a poo-poo head. I'll be right back. There you are. I can't believe this. Oh, yeah, well. That was your daddy's. (SIGHS) No, but he had this piece of junk when we were kids. We used to take the worst road trips in this beast. And he never got it to work right.Well, Jack got it running for me to drive but I'm too scared it'll break down. Who did he make the guitars for? Oh, different folks, here and there. He'd sell a few every year, if he'd finish 'em, anyway. Did he ever make anything else, like any violins or... Violins? No, I don't think so. Ellie, listen, I... I was wondering if you could help me with the announcement of your daddy's death. Uh, I wasn't really planning on staying. I might just even get on the first plane in the morning. But you've only been here two minutes. And I could really use your help, please. At least stay until after the funeral. I know, I, I'm sorry... Isn't this the least you could do? Okay. Sure, I'll stay until he's in the ground. All right. You know, I'd really like to just, um, maybe like go for a drive. See some of the town. Well, I don't know if there's that much to see, but okay. But the thing is, Jack needs his truck tonight. You can try your luck with that thing. Is there any other way of getting into town? (SCOFFS) (COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING ON RADIO) Don't do that again, Billy. But I'm hungry. You said you wasn't hungry. Just... Don't you start. Don't. Billy, don't do that. Stop it. Billy, put... You... Better put that back on. You got kids of your own? No. Then why don't you mind your own business, we ain't some TV show for you to gawk at. G.D., woman! (COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING IN BAR) (COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING ON SPEAKERS) (INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)

RENO:

Well, I'm a wild one to ramble The whole world out in front of me I got places to go I got people to see... Is this fellow lip-syncing to some woman? Or is he about two balls short of a sack? I'm headed for the big town... (GLASS SHATTERS) (MAN SNICKERING) (LAUGHING)(PATRONS MURMURING) (ROCK MUSIC PLAYING ON SPEAKERS)

MAN:

Hey, can I get another one? I really liked your song. At least what I heard of it. You know, it really pisses me off. He's just wasting all that beer. Does this happen a lot? Uh, you mean, bottles getting thrown at my head? (CHUCKLING) No, that guy doesn't come here that often. -Cheers. -(BOTTLES CLINK) What you got there?

ELLIE:

Mmm, it's a key. Hold on... Is this the key to my heart? -(CHUCKLES) -Hey, I have been looking everywhere for this. Yeah, I don't know what it's for. Um, my father left it for me. He... He's just, uh... He died. Huh. This is familiar. -Is it? -Yeah. You know, I can't remember where, but I saw this kind of key before. So, you wanna hear my new song or what? You're not gonna get back up there again, are you? No. Uh, no. I think once is enough for tonight. (BOTH CHUCKLE) Come on, let's go. (PLAYING GENTLE SONG) (SONG ENDS) That was great. Thanks. Um, who is this? That is Brenda Thacker. Also known as my mother. Yeah, she's been in a diabetic coma here for three days now. I'm so sorry, is she gonna be okay? Uh, yeah, I mean, they think so. But you know. They're not really sure. On the plus side, we never got along so well as we have these past three days, have we, Brenda? (CHUCKLES SOFTLY) Do you come here every day? Mmm-hmm. (PLAYING GENTLE SONG) Hi. (GRUNTS) Hi, um... I, uh, I don't know where Amanda is, but I think she might be in the back. Oh, we're here to see you. Why? Well, because you're our granddaughter. Why wouldn't we wanna see you? Yeah, we didn't mean to step on your beauty sleep. (BOTH CHUCKLE) I carry this picture around with me everywhere I go. Um... Yeah, I, I remember this day. Do you have any? Any what? Uh, she wants to know if you have any pictures of our beautiful faces.(CHUCKLES) (CLICKS TONGUE) Uh... Well, I know you wouldn't carry them around with you, but at home, I was wondering if you had any.

ELLIE:

The thing is um, when Amanda mentioned you, yesterday, that was the first time I knew that you were even alive. I, um...

TOMMY:

Daddy! Uh, I'll... I'll be right back.

TOMMY:

Daddy! Hey, little man. -How are you? -Good. -Where are you going, Daddy? -I gotta go to work.

JACK:

Yeah, somebody's gotta work around here. -What is that supposed to mean? -He's cranky in the morning. Well, he wasn't much nicer last night. Well, we keep, uh, sneaking up on you, don't we? (BOTH CHUCKLE) Oh. Oh, it is so good to finally meet you.

ELLIE:

You too. I've thought about hugging you and your brother for so many years. Hopefully, this is "hello" instead of "goodbye." And don't worry, we don't have that many years left to bother you. Oh, Bruce, will you be quiet? (CHUCKLES)

-Bye. -AMANDA:

Come on, hon. I let you sleep in, but now, we gotta shake a leg. See you got your parking skills from your daddy.

AMANDA:

Can you talk to the undertaker when we get there?

ELLIE:

Why? Oh, I just don't like those kind of folks. And I don't know what kind of coffin to get and... Yeah, I can talk to 'em. (SIGHS) Oh, I just don't know what to do. I said I'd talk to him, it's really not a problem. It's just that I think your daddy really did want to be cremated. But everyone says a body's got to be buried to be at peace. And I don't know if that's true, but it sure did make me feel bad. Well, you shouldn't. Mmm. I tell ya, it's like my head is splittin' in two.I just don't know how I can face today. (SIGHS) I used to rely on Mark to make these kind of decisions. And when he couldn't, 'cause he was too drunk, Jack would. He's been in such a mood lately. Ever since Mark and I moved in with him he's been... Mmm! (SIGHS) It's all just too much. Why don't we just finish up eating and you can go home, get a little more sleep and I can take care of all of this? You will? You'd do that? Oh, I tell ya, that's a huge load off my mind. And anyway, he is your daddy. -That's right. -Mmm. I'm gonna go ahead, have him cremated and then I'm gonna go back home. Good, 'cause I think that's what he really wanted. I mean that, or for us to bury him in the backyard. And I think that's illegal. We just rent that house. Did he have a... A favorite place? You know, I always saw him crossing the train tracks in his car. He'd just stop. Right on the tracks. Like he was trying to speed up the process. (CHUCKLES) Almost like that was his favorite place. Mmm. I guess his body took care of that in the end. Hmm. Mmm. Okay. Why don't you go ahead and pay for all this and I'll just run to the little girl's room. -(DOOR BELL JINGLES) -And it's always one of them. -Yeah. -It is, it is. Excuse me, hi. I was wondering if you could help me? Sure can. What can I do for you? I'm looking for the funeral home. Whoa, what's wrong? Are you suicidal? Glen, get in there and stop that woman from hurting herself.

RENO:

Hey! -Hi! -Hi. -My number-one fan. -(BOTH CHUCKLE) -You get home okay last night? -Yeah, yeah, I did. -How's your mom? -Uh, she is, I guess, the same, or someone would have called me. Yeah. Hey, do you know where the funeral home is? I think I'm lost. Oh, you've come to the right person, honey. I was lost for years. Come on. I mean, I like how thin I look in black, -but I don't really think that's a concern here. -Mmm-hmm.

ELLIE:

Do you have it in a different color? Hmm, no, ma'am, it just comes in black. Okay, well... (CLICKS TONGUE) Let's just go with the black. (CLAPS) Well, I like the black. Makes me think of Johnny Cash. You know, we can do a nice inscription on the urn. Perhaps, your father's name? What would she need the name for? You think she has like 20 different urns around the house... -(CHUCKLES) -...she might get all mixed up? Or perhaps, his favorite poem? I don't think he had one. Well, it would look real nice with a Texas flag, -or, maybe, a fishing theme? -(CHUCKLES) What? Or golf? Just a simple urn, Mr. Harris.

MR. HARRIS:

(CLICKS TONGUE) As you wish. Now, normally, the casket is displayed at the front of the chapel. But for a cremation, what we do is place a nice framed photo of your father on the table, or you can use several photos. Now, we've recently redone the sound system there, we have a real good selection of soothing tape music that you can choose from... You okay? I think so. What next? I need boxes. You're not planning on taking all those boxes? I was gonna pay for 'em. Those are all my big boxes, though. Well, are these boxes for sale or not? -Yeah, but... -Well, there's no "Yeah, but..." They're either for sale, or they're not.(WHISPERS) Look, I don't want this kind of person in my store. His name is Reno, he can be here if he wants. Ellie, let's just go. Oh, God. See, what is that?

ELLIE:

What? What are you talking about?

MAN:

She's tracking mud all inside the store. What are you talking about? I can't see anything.