Finestkind (2023)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Director: Brian Helgeland
Stars: Tommy Lee Jones, Ben Foster, Toby Wallace, Jenna Ortega, Aaron Stanford
Plot: Finestkind tells the story of two half-brothers (Ben Foster and Toby Wallace), raised in different worlds, who are reunited as adults over a fateful summer. Set against the backdrop of commercial fishing, the story takes on primal stakes when desperate circumstances force the brothers to strike a deal with a violent Boston crime gang. Along the way a young woman (Jenna Ortega) finds herself caught perilously in the middle. Sacrifices must be made and bonds between brothers, friends, lovers, and a father (Tommy Lee Jones) and his son are put to the ultimate test.
* * *
[gentle chimes]
[seagulls cawing]
[waves lapping]
Good morning.
This is NOAA Weather Radio for Buzzards Bay.
This afternoon, southwest winds, 15 to 20 knots, with gusts up to 25 knots.
Seas, two to four feet.
Tonight, southwest winds, 15 to 20 knots, diminishing to 10 to 15 knots after midnight.
Gusts up to 25 knots.
Seas, two to four feet.
Friday, Southwest Bay, five to ten knots.
Seas around two feet.
[welding tool zapping]
Hey, Tom.
Tom?
Tom!
[welding tool silences]
Charlie.
When’s the last time I saw ya?
I can’t… I can’t even remember.
Uh, Mattapoisett package store last summer.
How’s Mom?
She’s good.
I think she wonders why you never come by.
Your father still lives there, right?
What’s up?
Why are you down here?
[laughs]
Oh, boy.
I was wondering, maybe you needed an extra deckhand.
[laughing] Deckhand?
Ch… Charlie… Charlie, are ya…
you’re supposed to be in college.
If you dropped out, I’m gonna wring your fucking neck.
No, I graduated three weeks ago.
Well, this is fish school, North Atlantic University.
The answer’s no. Let me buy you lunch.
No. No, I just had lunch.
I wanna go fishing.
Why?
I’m curious.
Curious about what?
Pumping it every day? Pumping it for 24 hours a day?
Working for a living?
Not taking a shower for ten days?
Curious about what, Charlie?
About me.
About you, too, maybe.
You’re my brother.
You have to take me.
[scoffs]
Finest kind.
[rock music]
Welcome aboard, college boy.
I’ll give you the tour.
Some basics: where we’re walking is forward.
Back is aft.
Right is starboard.
Left is port.
Watch your head coming through here.
Over here is the shitter.
You can also call it the head.
Don’t call it the toilet.
And you, as our new half-share shacker, you’re gonna take great pride in keeping it sparkling clean.
[snaps]
Over here on the right is Nunesy.
Meet Tom’s brother Charlie, our new shacker.
How you doing?
Hey.
You… you said to the right?
Huh?
You should have said starboard.
You being smart with me, shacker?
No, I just… I like the idea.
It doesn’t matter which way you’re facing.
Starboard is starboard.
You know what, Skeemo?
He kind of looks a little like Justin Bieber, doesn’t he?
Yeah.
You’re right.
You guys could be twins.
Yeah.
I don’t like Justin Bieber.
Neither do I.
Okay.
You guys are missing out.
[both laugh]
Ah-ha, you think you’re funny.
Guess what?
You’re getting a haircut.
Nunesy?
Yeah?
Get me the clippers.
[hair clippers buzzing]
Ha-ha, you look beautiful, Charlie boy.
You in the Navy now.
[metallic screeching]
[boat rumbling]
[fire crackling]
Charlie!
Mayday, mayday, mayday.
This is “Harmony,” “Harmony,” “Harmony.”
We have a hole in the hull, and we’re going down quick.
My position is latitude 40-49, longitude 69…
[laughs] I tell you, man.
This shit right here,
this bouncing around shit right here,
this is why my old man
wanted me to be a doctor.
I had to tell him, “Dad,
I ain’t even gonna graduate from goddamn high school.”
I don’t even think he was paying attention.
At least your father was home.
Fuck.
Oh, man.
My father was home all the goddamn time,
hating us every inch of it.
Now, the only thing killing his party when my mama died
was that us kids didn’t die with her.
So yeah, he was home, all right.
Finest kind.
You wanted a hero, Costa.
All you got was another guy trying to figure it out.
Hey, man. I… I got a question.
What the hell does “finest kind” mean?
You guys are always saying it.
It’s an expression of the trade, my man.
Yeah, but it means something different
every time you say it.
Hmm.
That’s the beauty of it.
Like, sometimes it can mean “cool.”
Sometimes it can mean “fuck you.”
It just depends on how you say it.
All right, it’s the Swiss Army Knife of words,
perfect for an English major.
[gags, retches]
Oh, there we go.
Oh, yeah.
Oh!
All right.
Very nice.
Rescue efforts extended through the night
as the Coast Guard search
for the fishing vessel “Harmony”
continue in an area of the North Atlantic
40 miles southeast of New Bedford.
Officials say a distress call was received
reporting an explosion in the engine room.
The names of the crew members…
Air Base Cape Cod, I have a visual
on the vessel survival raft at 42 degrees east,
65 degrees west.
Closing to check for survivors.
Over.
[helicopter blades chopping]
We’re not dead yet!
[rock music]
[laughing] Hey!
♪ ♪
Keep staying on, Bravo One.
You’re straight on it.
Check with the IEC.
Hey! Are you our Uber?
You see yet?
I see it.
Okay!
You keep holding on!
Yeah!
Yes!
I’m alive!
Yeah!
We’re going home now, baby!
[laughter]
Oh, Rocky!
Hallelujah.
Fellas!
We have risen.
You have risen!
What the hell happened?
Oh, man.
Ah, just another tough day in the office.
Yeah, I’d say.
I guess so.
Okay, there was a boat,
and then there was no boat.
Damn.
Yep.
So good to see your face, let me tell ya.
Uh, oh, oh… Captain Tom.
Mm, I knew you’d be here.
Boys, you’re on “American Idol.”
Only two days out of port,
the stern trawler “Harmony” sank
approximately 40 miles southeast of New Bedford.
Built in 1977, the 45-year-old vessel
is owned and operated by Excelsior Seafood…
Rum and coke, Rocky.
Rum and coke.
Budweiser me.
Bud.
Two.
Two Buds.
Linguica and eggs.
And linguica and eggs.
Yeah.
And double Jack. Start a tab.
And what will you be drinking, young man?
[sighs]
Boilermaker.
Yeah!
Whoo!
Charlie!
Very nice choice.
Let’s get hammered.
Mommy, wow, I’m a big boy now.
Hey, hey, hey!
Check it out. Listen. Listen, listen.
Listen.
Oh, my God.
You ready? In the back.
In the back.
♪ Live, baby, live ♪
♪ Ay, ay ♪
♪ Now that the day is over ♪
♪ Hey, hey ♪
♪ I got a new sensation ♪
♪ In perfect moments ♪
We heard it.
♪ That’s impossible to refuse ♪
Yeah!
Cheers.
Cheers.
Cheers, cheers.
Hey, man, you got it all over.
♪ Now that the night is over ♪
Uh, Rocky, uh, could my brother use the phone, huh?
Yeah.
♪ And the sun comes like a God ♪
Thank you.
Thanks.
♪ Into our room ♪
Who’s he calling?
Who you calling on that push-button,
practically rotary dial phone?
Nobody.
Calling your girlfriend?
Get the f…
Jesus Christ.
Who you calling?
Who you calling?
Stop.
Who you calling?
I’m not available right now, so leave a message.
Who you calling? And I’ll get back to ya.
Ah, [bleep].
Girlfriend?
Hey, Mom, Dad.
Oh!
[all groaning]
Jesus Christ.
Aw.
I’m fine. I’m fine.
Tom too. We’re good.
We’re just, uh…
Oh, hey, Mom.
He’s sitting right next to me.
Let me talk…
We’re actually in some bar, um…
Rasputin’s.
Rasputin’s.
[coos indistinctly]
[laughing] Stop.
Look, I’ll call you later.
Jesus!
[laughs]
[mocking] Mama.
Thank you.
A hell of a first trip, Charlie.
[laughter]
Charlie, hey. Charlie, check this out.
My eyesight is so fucking good, I can see almost anything.
I’ll bet you 20 bucks.
20 bucks?
20 bucks, I can see anything.
Skee?
You think you could read, uh, this little label right here?
Sure.
Bullshit.
What about right here?
Mm.
[inhales sharply] I don’t know.
Is it a bet?
Okay, 20 bucks?
20 bucks.
The top line?
Yeah.
All right. Don’t fucking move it.
Okay, all right.
I’m trying to concentrate.
[laughs]
“This is
“the famous Budweiser beer.
“We know of no brand
“produced by any other brewer
which costs so much to brew and age.”
Oh, you memorized that, motherfucker.
Oh!
Oh!
Yeah!
That’s right.
Yeah, Tom!
[brakes squealing]
[car lock chirping]
Rocky.
Another round, man.
We’re not dead yet, baby.
We’re not dead yet.
Not dead yet.
Not dead yet!
All: Not dead yet!
Not dead yet!
Skeemo. All: Not dead yet!
Hey. All: Not dead yet!
Mabel “Black Label.”
all: Not dead yet!
Not dead yet! Not dead yet!
Not dead yet!
Not dead… hey, Dad.
Not dead…
Hey, Mr. Sykes.
Want a beer?
No, I don’t want a beer, Tom.
It’s 11:00 in the morning.
What did… what did you do to your hair?
[laughs] Oh, I’ve, uh…
You know what? For Christ’s sake, Charlie.
Dad, we’re just celebrating. That’s all.
I mean, we… [laughing] we had a rough night.
Yeah, I know.
Your mother is going out of her mind
worrying about you.
Did she ask about me?
I was in danger too.
I didn’t like this idea from the start,
but now you’ve had your taste.
You can come clerk with me for the rest of the summer.
Dad, I’m… I’m going back again.
Ex… excuse me?
I’m going again.
I’m going back to sea.
I mean, as soon as we get another, uh…
what do ya call it?
Go for it.
[laughter]
What’s it called?
What is it? It’s…
Site, Charlie.
Site.
As soon as we get another site.
You know, Tom, your brother
has a chance to be something.
What, a substitute teacher?
He’s got an English degree.
[laughter]
He got accepted
to Boston University law school,
for Christ’s sake.
He starts in September.
I… I admire that you wanna pay your own way,
but I don’t want you fishing.
Dad, I’m 22 years old.
And I’d like to see you make it to 23.
Wise up!
Hey.
These boys almost drowned last night.
You should be hugging your boy, not yelling at him.
Just saying.
Who are you?
Nunesy.
[laughter]
Jesus Christ.
Okay, uh, I’m late for a meeting.
Go see your mother.
She’s worried sick.
Cool guy.
I like him.
[beer top clinking]
Law school?
For you? Is that for real?
You’re gonna learn to sue people and shit?
I’ma do my best.
[seagulls cawing]
[indistinct chatter]
Back in a minute.
Stay in the car.
You can take a seat.
I’m good.
One sec. Just bring it out.
Bring it out.
Eh, screw this.
I was wondering when you’d find the time to come see me.
I had a few stops to make.
In what goddamn world
do you get away with that attitude?
Where the hell have you been? I’ve been waiting all morning.
The reason I didn’t come in here first thing
was so I could chill out,
so I wouldn’t come in here and kill you.
I wanna see the maintenance records on the boat.
Excuse me?
The “Harmony.”
Get the file out.
Let’s take a look at it right now.
You’ve got some nerve, Eldridge.
Is it here?
Zero accountability.
Blame your damn shortcomings on everyone else.
I wanna see the maintenance record
on the fucking boat!
Unlike you, that boat was shipshape.
Crankcase exploded.
I’m assuming it was the, uh, oh, bearings
you said you were gonna replace
or a leaky piston ring let a spark in.
But either way, it’s because you didn’t do your job.
You didn’t maintain it.
I most certainly did!
You didn’t do the fucking work!
Fuck it.
Right, typical Tom Eldridge.
Walk out… on me, the boat, yourself, your crew.
You have a respons… whoa!
Tom! Tom!
We were out in that storm with a hole in our belly.
I’ve never…
Fuck off!
I’ve never seen a boat take on water that fast.
I mean, the bitch went down.
[ominous music]
You have an investment out there.
I got my crew. I got my brother.
We could have died.
I’m calling the police.
Hold on, Karen. One second.
Go on, hothead.
Hit me.
Yeah.
Yeah? Huh?
I’d love to see you locked up.
Tom, don’t!
It’d be a waste of a good punch.
♪ ♪
Take a goddamn shower.
You stink.
Like fish.
A bunch of us guys stinking like fish
made you a millionaire.
Is that his car?
Yeah.
[laughs]
Now he can smell like the money too.
[both laughing]
[rock music]
♪ ♪
Man, when do we go fishing again?
Might be a little while until we get another boat.
Why?
It wasn’t your fault.
Well, that’s not the word ol’ Whitey’s
gonna put out there.
Your Dad’s right.
You should probably clerk.
Fuck me.
[chuckles]
I gotta hear this from you now?
Man, you know, when I was little,
you never told me what to do.
No?
No, you… you, like…
you’d either ignore me, or you took me with you,
and you showed me stuff:
how to jump bikes,
how to water ski,
how to light firecrackers.
Oh, yeah.
And how to know when to throw ’em.
Know where the emergency room was.
Yeah. Yeah.
I always knew where I stood with you, you know?
Get lost, or get over here.
Simple.
And the… the “get lost” never felt personal.
But the “get over here” always did.
[sighs heavily]
[soft uplifting music]
♪ ♪
You boys.
Mom.
Oh, I knew you’d be okay.
You were together.
I couldn’t lose both of you at once.
I had you early and you late.
And I always hoped you’d find each other grown up,
but just not like this.
Oh.
Okay.
[chuckles] All right.
[seagulls cawing]
♪ ♪
[urine streaming]
Your toilet broke?
Just trying to save on septic.
Why’d you park so far away?
Didn’t wanna wake up Kathy.
She hasn’t lived here in six months.
I mean, she moved out.
That’s too bad.
I liked her.
I can give you her phone number.
You… you can ask her out.
How you doing otherwise?
Uh, I’ve had a better couple days, Ray.
Yeah.
I got a proposition for you.
What’s that?
Need you to take my boat out for a run.
I’ve got something I have to do.
And you heard I was available?
Boat’s due out tomorrow.
Yeah, well, I just got in, and I’m beat.
Tomorrow.
Will you take her or not?
Jesus C… Christ, Ray.
I mean, I just wanna take a goddamn breath.
I got a crew I gotta look out for.
Bring ’em. My crew’s bound.
Just like that?
Just like what?
[laughing] I haven’t fished
for you in years,
and you just take the boat out?
Yes or no?
No!
I’d like to help you out, Ray, but you…
you make it pretty goddamn tough.
Tommy?
Please?
Yeah, okay, Pop.
Okay.
Well, have fun.
Just don’t get too hungover.
Yeah, you buy a keg and tell me not to get too drunk.
Tomorrow, you gotta be on the boat at 8:00 a.m…
We’re doing gear work all day.
Up on the third floor.
Yeah, Costa and I used to live there.
What’s up, Jamie?
[groans]
Beer delivery this way.
Charlie!
[laughter]
Boom!
[chatter]
Fuck.
We got tail.
We got linguica.
We got the Virgin Mary in the bathtub.
[chuckling]
Uh-uh, not too much in the soup.
There’s plenty of meat everywhere else.
All right.
Charlie, meet Anne Marie.
Hey.
My dry-land sweetheart.
How you doing?
Hey, Anne, this is Charlie.
Uh, Tom’s way, way [Portuguese].
Good to meet you.
Ah, I heard all about you, Charlie.
Really?
I hope you like to eat.
I do.
Oh, [speaks Portuguese].
[speaking Portuguese].
Welcome to our house.
Thanks for having me.
Go back to work.
What?
Go pump the keg.
Yes, sir.
Hey, where’d you get such a cute brother?
Beats me.
But not an ounce of pussy in him.
Uh-uh, unlike you two.
[speaks Portuguese]
Hey, that’s not a way in which a pregnant woman
should be talking.
[speaking Portuguese]
Oh.
Oh.
Ay.
Hey, sweetheart.
Mm, you need a shave.
Scratchy?
Yeah, mm-hmm.
I got us another site.
[laughs] But how?
Like… like, after yesterday? What boat?
My old man’s.
When?
8:00 tomorrow, on the dock.
Thank you.
Hey, good to meet you.
Good to meet you.
[rap music playing]
♪ ♪
Keep it pumping, white boy.
I’ll tell you when to stop.
When.
[laughs]
All right.
Charles’ll get in trouble with that.
[both laughing]
Charles better hurry,
’cause he’s got about 17 hours to do so.
I’m gonna need a lot of help from you today, Charlie.
Oh, yeah?
You’re gonna have to do just what I ask you to.
Really?
What about Skeemo?
What about him?
I don’t know. You guys together or something?
Why would you think that?
Well, ’cause you came to see him the morning we got in.
I know you know that’s not why I came to see him.
I was doing Skeemo a favor.
You can ask him about it.
I’m not no dealer.
And I sure as shit ain’t no one’s girlfriend,
you got that?
All right.
All right, I’m sorry I asked.
Well, does that mean you’ll do it?
Do what?
Whatever I ask you to.
I still got it, I think.
You never had it.
No, I think I do.
No. [laughs] That was awful on your part.
Mabes?
Mabel?
Give me a ride somewhere.
No, walk. Three’s a crowd.
I can’t feel my feet.
Come on.
It’s not very far.
Ha-ha.
Get out.
See you tomorrow, Charlie.
Gear work, 8:00 a.m. sharp.
All right.
Oh, [clears throat]
Just so you know,
Tom does not like it if we’re late.
Okay, all right. Noted.
Hey, Mabel!
Where are you going?
Somewhere else.
Come on up here.
I got money for ya.
You mean you got my money for me?
Okay. You want it, or don’t you?
Just wait here. I’ll be a minute.
Hey, what, are you ashamed?
Ashamed of what?
I’m not ashamed of nothing.
Come on.
[front door opens, closes]
Hey.
Just like I told you, huh?
Look who it is. What you drawing?
[machine shuffling money]
So who are you?
I’m Charlie.
Oh.
I’m Paulette. I’m Mabel’s mom.
You’re short 20 bucks.
Yeah, so I owe you.
Where you from?
Uh, I’m from, uh, South Dartmouth.
Where in South Dartmouth?
Padanaram.
[chuckles]
I can’t even spell Padanaram.
Yeah, it’s spelled with six zeros.
Rich kid, huh?
So what, you gonna fuck my daughter and then dump her?
Mom.
Am I wrong?
Am I?
Chucky, Tommy Bahama, whatever the fuck your name is?
Go.
Hey, drop something off for me, will ya?
Drop it yourself.
Come on!
Mabel.
Hey, look, your mom’s wrong.
That’s not what I’m about.
Look, I know we just met,
but I really like you, all right?
You need to know some shit about me, Charlie.
All right, I’m interested in stuff.
I’m interested in myself.
You know, I’m a brave person.
All right, I look after me
’cause I’m the only one that’s doing that.
All right, and you know what I want?
I wanna give myself a shot.
All right? I want… I wanna make the most
out of myself and of my life.
And I’m not sure I’m gonna do it, but I know that I can.
Does that make sense to you?
Yeah, you wanna be your own hero.
[soft guitar music]
♪ ♪
It’s just where I’m from, right.
It’s not where I’m going.
Okay.
So let’s go.
My car is this way, dummy.
♪ ♪
I’ve been up here on my own since I was 17.
♪ ♪
This is me.
You’re beautiful.
[thunder roiling]
[fire crackling]
[trepidatious rock music]
♪ ♪
[seagulls cawing]
Is he still fucking looking at me?
Yeah.
I can’t fucking do this while he’s looking at me.
It’s like taking a piss.
I can feel his eyes fucking burning my neck.
Fucking Eldridge, man.
Dude still scares the piss out of me.
He scares the piss out of everybody.
Where the hell is Charlie?
He better fucking get here before Tom does.
Oh, man. Here we go.
Thanks.
See ya, mate.
Ray, what’s up?
Got some twine tops and rings to drop off.
So drop ’em.
[mutters] [grunts]
All these years on draggers,
I hope you haven’t forgotten how to scallop.
[grunts]
You all right?
Yeah, finest kind.
I’ve been working the channel, killing it.
Big as pie plates.
It’s marked down up in the wheelhouse.
Yeah, well, yeah, I have some ideas of my own.
Well, my boat, my ideas.
I can stay home. You can take her out.
I don’t wanna tango with you right now, Tom.
I don’t wanna tango with you, Ray.
You keep an eye on the shoes.
I don’t want you fucking up my dredges.
No more than 12 knots steaming out.
This ain’t a fucking race.
[engine revving]
Hey.
Come on, guys.
Where’s my fucking brother?
[soft guitar music]
[yawns]
Hey.
Hey.
You were asleep,
but the rest of you is awake.
[moans]
You like me, Charlie?
Yeah.
I like you too.
I like everything about you.
Like me lower.
Yeah.
[phone buzzing]
[sighs] Who’s calling you so early?
It’s not so early.
What do you mean?
I keep cardboard on the windows.
What?
I like it dark when I sleep.
What… dude!
Shit!
What time is it?
Oh, uh, it’s 8:23.
No!
Skeemo.
Skeemo’s calling.
Skeemo! Skeemo, it’s Charlie.
We’ve been looking for you. You fucked up, man.
We’re in the harbor. We’re leaving.
Whoa! Is that Charlie?
Ask college boy what he doesn’t understand about “8:00.”
Tell him we’ll see him in ten days.
Thomas…
Skeemo.
Hey, Charlie.
This is Costa. Where are you?
Yo, I’m at Mabel’s.
Where’s Mabel’s?
East Rodney French!
All right, you still got time.
Mabel, just get him on to the hurricane deck, okay?
Just leave now.
All right, we’re coming.
Not a fucking chance.
You got your keys?
Yeah, I got them right here.
Go, go!
Right here, right here.
[chaotic percussive music]
♪ ♪
Go, go!
[tires squealing]
[car horn blares] Whoa!
Mabel!
Whoa!
[car horns blaring]
Oh, my God.
♪ ♪
[soft majestic music]
[chaotic percussive music]
[car horn blaring]
Oh, shit! We’re on the sidewalk!
Mabel… whoa!
Shit.
[tires screeching]
Slow the fuck down!
Oh, my God.
Mabel, fuck, you can drive.
[soft majestic music]
Come on, man. This is cold.
He’s your little brother.
And plus, we need the extra hands, Tom.
I’m sorry, rules are rules.
Same for everyone.
[suspenseful music]
♪ ♪
Look up. They’re on the dyke.
Yeah, I see him.
Oh, man.
That’s Mabel’s car, right?
[chuckles]
There… there was something I wanted to talk to you about.
I was thinking about going to community college.
Do you think that’s a crazy idea?
It’s great. Wait, what?
I fucking told you he was gonna come.
Community college.
Do you think that’s a crazy idea?
I don’t think he’s gonna make it.
He’s gonna make it.
What the fuck are you doing?
Just slow down, Tom.
He’s your little brother!
Come on.
Yes or… yes or no?
Wait, there they are!
Look!
Oh!
Oh, he’s gonna… he’s going for it, man.
Let’s go, Charlie!
Costa, look.
Right there, man.
He’s going for it.
Oh, no fucking way.
Come on, Charlie!
Come on, baby boy!
[tires squealing]
Wait, Charlie!
Yeah?
You didn’t answer my question.
Community college.
Community college?
Do you think that’s stupid, or don’t you?
It’s smart. You’re smart.
It’s smart. You should go.
Go.
Okay.
Be your own hero.
Good luck!
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
Row in!
Come on, Charlie!
Come on, Charlie!
You can make it!
Not dead yet!
All: Not dead yet! Not dead yet!
Not dead yet! Not dead yet!
There he goes!
[screams]
Oh!
Oh, shit.
Let’s go, baby dolphin!
Right here, right here. Let’s get him.
Give me that, yeah.
Pull the rig out!
Take it!
Grab it, Charlie!
Yeah!
Charlie!
[laughter]
Come on, Charlie!
Out of the water!
Let’s go, baby!
Get him out of the water!
Come on, baby!
Come on, man!
Come on, baby!
You got it.
Come up.
Come on.
[laughing] Oh.
Yeah, boy.
[pants]
[laughter]
Mabel!
Charlie!
[laughs]
[giggles]
[soft uplifting music]
♪ ♪
Outward bound.
Godspeed, boys.
Godspeed.
♪ ♪
[grunting]
Look, I overslept. I’m sorry.
Well, if you said you weren’t paying attention,
I’d throw you back over the side.
Man, the sky and the sea are the same color.
You can’t even see the horizon.
You know what you also can’t see?
Whales down there.
Where?
50 feet below us.
Wanna hear ’em?
Yeah.
[switch clicks]
[whales singing]
Humpbacks.
Where is that coming from?
Ray wired up a microphone.
He’s a closet whale hugger.
[chuckles]
And he’s from down South, right?
Texas.
How did he end up in Massachusetts?
He had a shrimp boat out of Galveston.
Hurricane sunk it.
He came up here to New Bedford.
My mom had me.
Never went home.
You should probably turn in.
All right. I mean, aye, aye, cap’n.
You gonna fuck that thing when you’re done feeling it up?
You got to stow these things just right.
You get a little bit of mildew on the seams,
it weakens, splits.
It’s fucking over.
What the hell is that?
It’s a survival suit, Charlie.
We go down. I put this bad boy on.
Coast Guard finds me two days after Skeemo over here
is sleeping with the fishes.
Biggest waste of money I ever saw.
Boats do sink, in case you forgot
what happened last Monday.
Well, it’s like this, Nunesy.
Sure, you and I are dory mates.
But this ship starts going down
and you march out on the deck wearing that thing,
what do you think’s gonna happen?
We’re gonna pat you on the back,
say lucky for you? No.
I’m gonna smack you over the head with a marlinspike
and take the fucking thing.
And then I gotta fight Charlie for it.
And he’s a scrappy looking kid.
I’m not looking forward to that.
You think I didn’t think about that?
No, I don’t think you thought about that, Nunesy.
The fuck?
Jesus Christ.
Yeah, yeah. I’ll let him know.
I got six friends here
that say I’m gonna wear that bad boy
into the deep blue sea.
You don’t have any idea how fucked up
what you just said is, do you?
Well, you’re the one talking about killing me for it.
[laughs] I’m joking with you. You bought a gun.
You put it in your fucking suit.
Are you out of your mind?
You’re a sick man.
Yeah.
Guys, it’s clarified our roles.
It’s given us all a goal.
You know, human resources,
they’d call it good team building.
You see?
Yeah.
Team building.
Team building.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Beautifully phrased bullshit.
Team building.
[seagulls cawing]
[steam hissing]
[pulley whirring]
[water rushing]
Scalloping now, King Charles.
We hook up.
Keep your fingers clear at all times,
outside of the hook.
All right.
Back up from it.
[pulley whirring]
Wait till it gets about halfway.
Walk it back the way I showed you.
Don’t pull on it. Just walk it back.
All right.
Keep coming. Keep coming.
Great. Nicely done.
Little Double Dutch swing.
Boom.
[chains clinking]
[laughs]
Whoa!
Boom.
Whoo! Yeah.
Come on over.
First thing you do: pull this guy in.
Pull it out of the bullring.
All right, simple as that.
All right.
Gotta move fast.
Time is money.
Uh-huh.
Dump the dump chain.
Yeah.
Now, back the fuck up.
[laughs]
Look at that.
Yeah, I see.
Doubloons.
Yeah, man.
Michelin star dinner right there.
All right, Charlie boy.
So we wanna get the dredge on the rail.
So we hook it up to the lifting chain
right here, okay?
We wanna get out of this bad boy’s way.
Okay.
Okay.
Whoa!
Whoa, okay.
Hit it on the down roll.
The down roll?
[chuckles]
All right, now the fun part.
You good at bending over?
You’re gonna get a lot of practice.
Come on. [laughter]
Come on, baby.
Let’s get in here.
All right!
Let’s get mad, boys!
Assholes and elbows, come on!
All right, Charlie.
I’m gonna explain this one time.
Right side up.
Yeah.
You wanna get in there nice and slow.
Turn the knife upward and scrape the meat.
Yep. Damn, that opened that.
Have fun.
It should all just come right off.
There you go.
Hey!
Yeah, baby.
Yeah!
There you go. You’re a natural.
Man, that was perfect!
You see that?
That’s beautiful, yeah.
You got to find that rhythm.
What, you gotta dance while you…
Find that chakra that… yeah, you do a shuck dance.
It helps you out.
Man, I can’t even put the knife in
when dancing like this.
I got a lot of natural rhythm anyway, you know?
You should see him practicing salsa.
Let’s find a big scallop.
Big one’s a different story.
You got to flip your knife around, right?
Hold that. Flip your knife around.
Right. You got to hit it hard.
Knock it out.
He didn’t do that.
You got to knock it. The big ones are conscious.
You got to knock it out. Hit it harder.
You got to… knock it out!
I’m joking. You don’t got to knock it.
[laughter]
[imitates chimpanzee shrieking]
Know what I’m saying?
[imitates chimpanzee shrieking]
All right, King Charles.
Now, we wash.
Here’s where you polish them up.
You get them looking nice and sparkling clean.
Oh, yeah.
Grab one of those muslin bags
like I showed you.
Hold it open.
There you go.
[laughs] You got a bag of gold.
Yeah.
[dramatic music]
You enjoying yourself?
Yes, sir!
[laughs] Fat baby.
Hey, grab that shovel, Charlie.
I got it.
Just sprinkle a little bit on top.
Give it a little bit of love.
Like that?
Like that.
That’s perfect.
That’s good. That’s good.
Huh, huh?
Not too bad.
[sighs]
You almost looking like a fisherman.
[laughs]
[waves crashing]
[boat hull creaking]
What’s up, fuckhead?
How we doing?
Six bushels a side, 20-count.
Nice.
Not nice enough.
We’re moving north.
[groans]
Hey, Tom, we’re all cut out.
The guys wanna know when we’re setting out again.
See that line of boats?
Those are American fishing boats.
Uh-huh.
And that is a Canadian Coast Guard
moving away from us about 11 miles.
And as soon as they disappear, we’re going in.
Going in where?
Canadian waters.
That’s Canada on that side,
and there are scallops along there.
And I remember a spot from a few years ago.
It could be virgin stuff, U10s.
U10s means money, baby.
So we shut our transponder off so we can’t be located,
dip in, dip out, turn it back on,
like nothing happened.
Yeah, we’re gonna show Ray what real fishermen can do.
The biggest trip the “Finestkind’s” had
in five years is gonna be mine.
We’re gonna shove the boat share
so far up his nose,
it’s gonna come out his ears.
[laughs]
What happens if we get caught?
Getting caught is not an option.
Whew. [laughs] Say that again.
Getting caught is not a fucking option.
[Dirty Honey’s “When I’m Gone”]
♪ ♪
♪ I’m down and out ♪
♪ I’m on my knees ♪
♪ Been working so hard to fill my needs ♪
♪ ‘Cause I got bitten by a hand that feeds ♪
♪ And I’m burning cash like gasoline ♪
♪ I’m back to the grind ♪
♪ All I wanted to say ♪
♪ Is I’ve been walking this line too long ♪
♪ And all I wanted to say ♪
♪ You know time has come ♪
♪ You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone ♪
♪ I got no shelter in the driving rain ♪
♪ I got no lady to ease my pain ♪
Days like this, I don’t regret not going to college.
[laughter]
Amen, brother.
Whoo!
Whoo-whoo.
Look at that.
That’s gold, baby.
Now we’re fishing, boys!
Eat your heart out, Ray!
[all cheering]
Yeah! Come on!
Get mad!
♪ Is I’ve been walking this line too long ♪
♪ And all I wanted to say ♪
♪ You know the time has come ♪
♪ So don’t miss me when I’m gone ♪
Hey, Charles.
Come meet my friend, Shamu.
Whoa!
[laughs] He’s mooning ya.
Yeah.
Oh.
Look, his buddy, Free Willy, showed up.
[laughs]
Oh-ho! Damn.
♪ And all I wanted to say ♪
♪ Is I’ve been walking this line for too long ♪
Money bags, huh?
Yeah.
♪ Say ♪
♪ You know the time has come ♪
♪ So don’t miss me when I’m gone ♪
Get your hands off me.
Get your fucking hands off me.
Don’t start this shit again.
Oh, fuck.
[both grunting]
[laughter]
Quit, Charlie.
No, never.
Charlie.
Get the fuck off.
[laughs]
Fuck you. Ah!
Whoo!
[seagulls cawing]
[serene music]
♪ ♪
[pulley whirring]
There it is, baby.
Whoo!
[explosion booming]
[grunts]
[boat hull creaking]
Fuck.
Fuck.
Fuck.
Here, I got you.
What was that?
[radar beeping]
We’re hung up.
But look… no peaks, no edges, nothing.
Let me try and work her loose.
Come on. Come on, baby.
[suspenseful music]
♪ ♪
[rope straining]
Give it some juice!
Yeah.
Come on, come on.
Come on, come on, come on, come on.
Son of a bitch.
Support dredge is stuck.
Gonna haul back the starboard side.
[pulley cranking]
Oh, shit. Canadians coming.
[beeping quickening]
How much time?
[sighs] Six minutes.
Then we got to cut loose.
[engine cranking]
Fuck, that’s not a boat.
Tom, that’s not a boat.
[tense percussive music]
♪ ♪
We got killer tomatoes on the way.
What are killer tomatoes?
Canadian Coast Guard, ’cause they’re painted red.
[cauterizer zapping]
Oh, shit.
Oh! [cable whipping]
[engine revving]
How close are we to the line?
Not close enough.
We are fucked.
Fuck you!
[camera clicking]
How soon till we know if we’re in trouble or not?
It depends.
Canadians might be just happy to chase us off.
Right now, we’re just another boat coming home
’cause we lost a dredge.
Yeah, go tell the boys to get back on the lines.
All right.
Silver lining is, lucky you,
you get a second shot at Mabel “Black Label”
earlier than expected.
Yeah, I don’t…
I don’t really know what to do about that.
She’s great and everything.
I just feel like
with everything that’s been going on with Tom
and… and I just…
[chuckles] You’re overthinking it, brother.
Just take it easy.
[siren wailing]
Fuck!
Haul this to the state pier. I’ll serve the papers there!
Your vessel’s been seized!
You know why I fish?
Because when I’m out at sea,
every asshole in my fucking life disappears
from the break on down!
And you fucking clowns can suck my…
[siren wailing]
Fuck you!
What do you think about fishing now?
I’d go back out in a heartbeat.
Finest kind.
Get that word out of your mouth.
This isn’t your life. It’s my life.
You’re just a fucking tourist.
No, do… don’t get me wrong, Charlie.
I mean, you’re a hell of a kid.
You… [laughs] I mean, you could be
in some air-conditioned office with your father,
but you’re out humping it with us.
You know, always thought you were a hell of a kid.
What’s gonna happen to the boat?
We pray to God they don’t take the license.
Mr. White will probably fucking end up with her.
You stay here.
Hey, Tom?
Tom, I’m gonna get you through this.
[sighs]
[knocking]
[door opening and closing]
Mr. Eldridge isn’t home.
Where is he?
Who are you?
That tells a story right there.
I’m his son.
Ray’s in Boston.
[laughing] What’s he doing in Boston?
Call for Dr. Sattler.
Call for Dr. Lorene Sattler.
Hey, Pop.
Hey.
Hey.
What are you doing here?
How did you know I was here?
Your neighbor.
Yeah.
Is that you, Charlie?
Mr. Eldridge, good to see you.
[chuckles]
Yeah, Charlie’s been fishing with us, uh, this summer.
Oh, good. Brothers ought to be brothers.
How’s your mom doing?
She’s good. Thank you.
You’re not in the hospital because you ate
some of her meatloaf, are you?
She’s been making that a long time, huh?
[chuckles]
What’s going on?
Why are you here?
[sighs]
I got cancer.
In my stomach.
Same thing that killed my dad,
and I’m going out just like he did.
I mean…
[laughs nervously]
What can we do?
What… what are they gonna do? What… what are they doing?
Nothing.
It’s too late.
I waited too long.
I thought it was a ulcer.
At least I can stop eating them goddamn Tums now.
They were in here about an hour ago
wanting to talk about hospices.
I told them to fuck off.
I’m going fishing.
That boat’s my hospice.
What are you guys doing here?
You’re supposed to be out to sea.
Uh, we were fishing the line.
Uh, dredge got caught up.
Canadian spotter plane got us.
Boat’s impounded.
What in the goddamn hell
are you doing in Canadian waters?
Where’s the boat at now?
New Bedford.
Shit.
I never should have trusted you.
I do not understand the way you’re built.
You built me!
I did not.
You can’t work with people.
You can’t get along.
You have no allegiance.
You have no commitment to anybody but yourself.
Mr. Eldridge, with… with all due respect,
that’s not true. You’re wrong.
It’s incredible, shit they make you wear in this joint.
You got a knife on you?
Can you boys help me get out of here?
[soft pensive music]
♪ ♪
Is that my shirt you’re wearing?
[laughs] Uh, I don’t know.
I found it on the boat.
What’s your dad think about you fishing, Charlie?
Uh, honestly, Mr. Eldridge, not much.
Smart man.
[chuckles]
It’s not your fault, Tom.
I’ve been chased off the line many times.
That could have been me.
Just plain old dumb, bad luck.
It seems to be running in the family here lately.
I’ll get your boat back, I promise.
No, you’re gonna get your boat back.
My boat?
Yeah.
I die, you get the boat
and all the headaches that go with it.
I don’t want it.
I don’t want it.
Uh, maybe if we worked it together
or I had gone mate for you, but, you know,
I got nothing to do with it. Give it to your crew.
I mean, give it to fucking Charlie.
I… I don’t want the boat.
You want my boat, Charlie?
No, sir.
Sorry, Mr. Eldridge.
I don’t wanna get in the middle of this.
Mm.
You guys need to talk.
No.
Tom won’t change.
I can’t change.
Let that be a lesson to you, Charlie.
You live. You die.
It’s the in-between that counts.
[somber music]
♪ ♪
Finest kind.
♪ ♪
So then you knock the dredge out on the roll,
or else it’ll flip, and then it’ll come up empty.
And then we tow them back.
And then you have, like, 12 minutes
if we’re in rocky bottoms, like, maybe 20 if it’s soft.
What do you mean by soft?
He means sand.
Oh.
Right, so then we haul them back.
Wait, h… haul what back?
The dredges.
So do you hook up or run the winch?
I hook up because I’m the shacker.
But Skeemo and Nunesy, they run the winch.
Well, I might not know about hooking up or…
or hauling in, but Shacker, Nunesy, and Skeemo
sounds like… [laughs] A law firm.
[laughter]
So… how long before this is out of your system?
[laughs dryly]
Gary.
Don’t “Gary” me, Donna. I’m just asking.
I’m thinking of fishing for a year,
you know, deferring law school.
D… don’t screw around, Charlie.
This is Boston University Law.
It’ll open doors for you the rest of your life.
I don’t want doors opened for me.
I want my own thing.
[sighs]
You… you want what you think Tom has,
but you’re gonna find out he’s got shit.
Stop idolizing him.
You’re better than he is.
No offense.
I’m just thinking about it!
He’s disappointed.
You surprised him.
Honey, please take this slow.
Mom, there’s something else.
Mr. Eldridge has cancer.
What?
Ray?
Me and Tom drove him home from Mass General.
Well, Mr. Eldridge told Tom
that he wanted him to have the boat,
and Tom said no, and then they just fought.
[phone ringing]
It’s that bad, huh?
Ray’s giving up the boat.
Mom, him and Tom,
they’ve got to find a way to figure things out,
because if…
Some girl for you
named, uh, Mabel.
I didn’t think they named girls Mabel anymore.
Hey.
I heard you were home, white boy.
[laughs] Yeah.
Who told you, Skeemo?
Uh-huh.
I’m trying to see you.
Were you gonna ghost me?
Look, I… I don’t even have your number.
You could have called someone.
You have resources.
Look, I have been thinking about everything
that’s been going on with…
Do you got a girlfriend, Charlie?
Not right now.
I mean, not… not steady.
Well, do you want one or don’t you?
Maybe.
Well, you better decide, Mr. Maybe,
because I am parked outside
of your big, expensive Padanaram mansion.
You got fucking horses back there?
And I need advice filling out my community college apps.
[laughs]
[dreamy electronic music]
♪ ♪
We have to write an essay for the application.
You should probably write it about how good you kiss.
You know I’ve actually only ever written an essay once?
Yeah?
Yeah, senior year, Moby Dick.
Um, maybe we should leave Herman Melville out of this.
You know, I tried to read it, but I quit 200 pages in.
Yeah?
Yeah.
Um…
I couldn’t relate.
My essay was “too many damn dudes on that boat.”
I hear that.
♪ ♪
So?
What?
What’s gonna be my essay?
What about if you make it personal?
You know, what makes you scared,
what makes you happy.
Yeah.
Yeah?
Yeah.
It was a great crew while it lasted.
Hey, we don’t know it’s over yet.
Didn’t tell my wife I’m unemployed yet.
Yo, what happened?
$100,000 fine, catch forfeited,
said Ray’s lucky to keep his fucking license.
Shit.
I thought it was just supposed to be
a… a preliminary hearing.
Well, their minds were made up.
Why see me twice?
Especially in that suit.
I would fine you a million fuck dollars.
[laughter]
Easy for you to laugh.
You got everything.
Yeah, you’re right.
I got everything, including you.
[laughter]
Face only a mother could love.
Yeah, son of a bitch said I could send it out
as my Christmas card.
Yeah.
Ah, shit.
How are we gonna make $100,000?
Well, Ray’s house is against it,
so we’re fucked at the bank.
We can’t fish it up because the boat’s impounded
until the fine’s paid.
But goddamn if I’m gonna lose my father’s boat.
I… I still don’t see what’s in it for me.
You lend us the money.
You… you pay the fine.
We’ll fish exclusively for Excelsior
until you recoup your 100 plus another 50.
50% return on my dollar.
Yeah.
I wish life were that simple.
I can’t let my father die with his boat tied up.
Name your terms, and you got a deal.
The “Finestkind” is a highliner.
Ray Eldridge running it would be a great investment,
but you…
[laughs]
No.
And, uh,
the way you’re feelin’ right now, Tom?
Never forget it.
[“Danny’s Song” playing]
♪ People smile and tell me I’m the lucky one ♪
♪ And we’ve just begun ♪
♪ Think I’m gonna have a son ♪
♪ He will be like she and me ♪
♪ As free as a dove ♪
♪ Conceived in love ♪
♪ Sun is gonna shine above ♪
♪ Even though we ain’t got money ♪
♪ I’m so in love with you, honey ♪
♪ And everything will bring a chain of love ♪
Donna.
Hey, Ray.
How are you doing?
Never better.
Charlie told me.
Did he?
You come to say goodbye?
Oh, come over here.
Come on.
Rocky, you got a good, cold white wine hidden back there?
[laughs]
Chardonnay or a Pinot Grigio?
Chardonnay.
Yeah.
In a paper cup.
In a paper cup.
[both laughing]
Only you could ever do this to me.
What?
Make me laugh and make me cry at the same time.
Does it hurt?
I can handle it.
That’s not what I asked.
Here you go.
Thanks, Rock.
How’s Tom handling it?
Ooh. [sighs]
[chuckles]
It’s not too late.
You put Tom in this world.
You can’t leave without saying goodbye.
Me and Tom said goodbye a long time ago.
There’s no point in saying it again.
♪ Strong and kind ♪
♪ And the little boy is mine ♪
♪ Now, I see a family ♪
Couldn’t you have played one of your Merle Haggard songs?
I’m out of quarters, baby.
♪ Yeah, we’re gonna fly to the sun ♪
[thunder rolling]
Heroin.
Smuggling fucking heroin.
Are you guys serious about this?
You go bad, you might as well go bad to the bone, baby.
[chuckles]
What if we get caught?
I’ll go to Walpole,
lift some weights, do some time.
We’ll all get jobs in the laundry.
Not gonna get caught.
We’re gonna go ten miles offshore,
pick up a drop,
deliver it back onshore.
Done.
Pick up a hundred-grand delivery fee.
We don’t gotta stick with the cards
that we were dealt, man.
Fuck the cards.
Fuck the cards.
Yeah, fucking fuck the cards.
We deal ourselves a new hand.
[uneasy music]
♪ ♪
What do I tell Charlie?
[laughter]
Ooh, tell Charlie?
Yeah, he’s part of the crew.
He’s got a right to know.
Yo, Charlie’s the one who set this up.
♪ ♪
Sorry we’re late.
You found these drug guys?
You brokered the deal?
Yeah.
My mom knows them.
Yeah, she says it’s cool.
Oh, your girlfriend’s convicted felon,
drug-dealing mother says it’s cool.
I feel so much better now.
Listen, if you’re not interested,
they’re just gonna find somebody else who is.
Was that a threat?
No.
I’m just saying they wanna do business.
So whether that’s with us or whoever,
it really doesn’t matter.
How does it work?
They wanna meet at Supreme Donuts in an hour.
[thunder rolling]
[sighs]
There you go.
Marky, I asked for a cruller.
Does look a cruller to you?
[door opens]
Ah, here we go. There they are.
Yeah, get this out of here.
What is this, Mabel, a fucking convention?
This is Tom.
He’s the captain.
Hi, Tom.
I’m Weeks.
Pull up a chair.
Everybody, sit down.
Relax.
Would you like some coffee?
Yeah, I’ll take a black, no sugar.
Counter’s over there, motherfucker.
Hey.
He’s with you guys?
Yeah.
He just thinks he’s better than us,
so he sits by himself.
20 grand.
Another 80 when you hand over my stock.
You know, Mabel here says you guys are one-timing,
but if this works out…
No, this is it. One time only.
Short on cash?
Mabel here, she has all the, uh, times,
addresses, you know, attitude and longitude…
all that bullshit.
We was gonna write it on her panties,
but it turns out she’s not wearing any.
Ha-ha. There you are.
All right, so you’re the one with his brain in his dick.
You I don’t think I like.
And you, you’re a dumbass.
You, I’ve seen those eyes before.
Those are the eyes that keep people like me in business.
And you’re the righteously pissed off one.
You I can deal with, even if you are fucking mute.
All right, guys, don’t fuck up.
No second chances.
Your mom’s got my number.
I expect to see you promptly after the fact.
Sure your brother-in-law’s okay with this?
Yeah, he owes me a favor.
A big one.
Let’s take her to the ice house.
What do we need ice for?
[grumbles] Make a couple of tows,
have some fish in the hole if the Coast Guard boards us,
wanna know why we’re out there empty.
See, that’s why you’re the captain, right?
All right, boys, let’s go.
[pained grunt]
What?
Just so you know, Charlie, this is it.
After this, we go separate ways.
[scoffs]
What are you talking about?
Don’t start this shit again.
You can turn in any time.
No, I’m not turning in.
I’m not going anywhere. This is my deal.
It was my idea. I set the whole thing up.
Do you know what line you’re crossing right now?
What… what line I’m crossing?
Did you know what line you were crossing
when you went into Canada?
Huh? You crossed a line
to say “fuck you” to your father, right?
And I crossed a line to help you.
Oh! [groans]
Get up on that fucking bowline.
[pained grunt]
[tense music]
♪ ♪
That’s him. That’s him.
♪ ♪
[water splashing]
[transponder beeping]
Let’s get after it.
We leave it.
We can’t do that.
We fucking leave it.
We can’t do that.
We’re leaving it there!
They’re gonna think we ripped them off!
I’m gonna turn it back around.
Fuck.
You live. You die.
It’s the in-between that counts.
Ray Eldridge said so, right?
Hey, this gets his boat back.
He dies knowing it’s okay.
[phone ringing]
Yeah.
Yeah, we got it.
All right.
They wanna meet at the parking lot
of the Supreme Donuts in 10 minutes.
But they only want two of us there.
[uneasy music]
Shotgun.
♪ ♪
[engine starting]
Tom!
Tom, I’m coming with.
♪ ♪
Get out.
[chuckles] What?
Get out.
It’s the way it’s gotta be.
It’s me and Charlie till the wheels come off.
Get out.
♪ ♪
Get the cashier’s check.
We pay the fine.
Then how long before we get the boat?
We’ll be fishing in no time.
What is it?
What?
Don’t know.
[siren blips]
Shit. Drugs are mine.
You don’t know about it. You’ve never seen ’em.
Tell me you understand.
Police! Hands up!
Tell me you understand!
Turn off the car. Throw the keys out the window.
I understand.
Turn off the car.
Throw the keys. Throw!
Get up.
Go, on the ground!
♪ ♪
You dumb bastards.
You’re not fucking cops.
Protect and serve, motherfucker.
[both grunting]
Let’s go. Let’s go.
[engine starting]
[tires squealing]
No!
Oh.
Are you okay?
Fuck, he’s busted your fucking head open.
I gotta get you to the hospital.
No, uh…
Hold that.
No.
We gotta… we got…
we gotta go deal with those Boston guys.
They’re gonna think we fucking stole from ’em.
All right. [grunts]
[breathes heavily]
No one’s here.
Counter lady said they took off a few minutes ago.
Charlie, we’re in trouble.
The hell are we gonna do?
They had badges, they had lights,
just like undercover cops.
We went to the doughnut place to tell Weeks what happened,
but we were late.
Already left.
What if Weeks sent those guys?
And why would he do that?
So he wouldn’t have to pay us.
No, he… he wouldn’t take a chance
with real cops showing up on us.
What’s going on over there, Rock?
Don’t know.
Boys were waiting.
Tom came in beat up.
What happened?
Weeks just called my mom and said you guys didn’t show.
He’s crazy mad.
We got robbed.
What?
Who were they?
Who’s who?
The guys who jumped us.
Are you asking me?
How would I know?
Tom, don’t.
You set us up.
Are you fucking serious right now?
You fucking set us up. Look at me.
I didn’t fucking set you up.
Hey, whoa, whoa!
Hey! What the fuck is your problem?
Stop! Stop it!
The fuck is your problem?
You fucking set us up!
Fuck you, I did!
How can you talk shit like that?
Charlie, she set us up!
You don’t fucking know me!
You fucking set us up!
Tom!
Never say some shit like that again!
Come on, get out.
Get off.
Get your fucking hands off me!
Hey! Hey! Hey, stop!
I didn’t fucking set you up, all right?
Would you stop?
I didn’t set you up!
Okay!
I like you guys.
Yeah, we like you.
Yeah, you like me too?
Why didn’t you fucking like me in there?
You didn’t say shit to Tom!
You just let him… you…
I just had to stand there and fucking take it!
He’s my fucking brother. What do you want from me?
Get the… shut the…
What am I supposed to do?
Get the fuck out of my way!
Mabel, I believe you!
[engine starting]
[tires screeching]
Fuck!
I’m good.
[chuckles] That’s fucking priceless.
What the hell’s going on here, boys?
N… nothing, Ray.
Just a misunderstanding.
Misunderstanding?
You sure about that?
Your problems are much bigger than mine, I guarantee it.
No offense, Ray, but fuck off.
Who the hell do you think you are?
I’m your fucking son!
I’m your fucking daddy.
[sighs]
All right, boys.
I’m gonna cook you some food,
and we’re gonna talk some shit out.
We’ll figure this out, okay?
[shotgun cocking]
How you doing?
Yo, my guy, like, let’s…
let’s just take this outside, okay?
Nah.
Keep going where you were going.
[front door shutting]
[muffled shout]
Tony, please.
She’s got nothing to do with this, man.
Oh, no, I agree.
Only thing I would accuse your wife of
is making a wonderful cup of coffee.
Where’s Jamie?
The living room, watching TV.
The boy likes Big Bird just like we used to.
Just get out of my house.
We’ll talk about this outside.
Nah.
Kitchen table.
That’s where the real family business gets done.
Tom.
Come on. Sit down.
So which part of “promptly after the fact”
did you have trouble understanding?
Because you fellas got something of mine, right?
[shakily exhales] Ah…
Oh, yeah, that’s a problem we’ve been having.
How far apart are the pains now, Marky?
Just breathe.
About three minutes.
Now, the quicker you fellas help me with my problem,
the sooner you can handle your own.
Deal’s a deal, cap, all right?
Big fish eats little fish.
Where’s my heroin?
You should ask your girl, Mabel.
I actually stopped by there before I came here.
Ain’t that right, Paul?
Oh, yeah.
See, you girlfriend said fake cops took it.
Come on.
You think we haven’t heard that bullshit before?
She set us up.
No, she didn’t.
Charlie.
She didn’t fucking set us up!
The kid’s right.
If you got a snitch, I’d look a little more internally.
And Mabel doesn’t know squat.
And trust me, we asked her hard.
You fuck. What’d you do?
Call me that again.
Hey, hey! Come on!
Ah!
Call me fucker again!
Ah!
Hey, hey, hey!
Call me a fuck again!
Hey, come on!
Call me a fuck again!
Come on!
I got you. Just breathe.
Just breathe.
Not so fucking brave now?
[panting]
Is this your brother?
Yo, Marky, this big fucker here, is my brother…
Irish twins, ten months apart.
[chuckles] You guys look more spread out than that.
Still a pain in the ass, though, right?
I don’t have your heroin.
Well, if that’s true, cap, then someone in your crew
blew up the deal.
Snitch is on your end.
I doubt it.
Paulie there’s my cousin.
See, family will fuck you, but not like that.
Truth is, it doesn’t fucking matter.
It’s the price of doing business, all right?
Some fish you catch. Some get away.
Am I right?
Ah!
Just breathe, baby.
[pained groan]
Where I’m from,
you’re only as good as your hard-earned reputation.
You can’t have ’em laughing at you.
[screams]
So I very much wanna get my dope back.
Oh, she’s having the baby right now!
We’re telling the truth!
Shut the fuck up!
It doesn’t fucking matter!
The only thing that matters is this gets resolved tomorrow!
That’s what happens when you work in the shop!
You get short fucking notice when people aren’t happy!
Charlie, hold her!
Charlie!
Go!
[sobs]
Tomorrow morning, 10:00 a.m.,
you’re gonna bring my heroin to Supreme Donuts.
Otherwise, your troubles with me
are gonna be over one way or another.
Am I being clear?
Clear.
Are we sure?
Because I’m not talking about breaking your legs here, yeah?
I understand!
Let me explain one more time.
Hey, hey, hey! Come on…
[gasps]
Oh, oh…
Wait, stop!
[sobs, screams]
Tomorrow.
Let’s go.
It’s okay.
See you soon.
Nunesy! Nunesy! [snaps] Nunesy, 911!
Fuck.
[screams]
Ah!
Mabel!
[soft guitar music]
God, Charlie.
Mabel.
Charlie, I just…
[sobbing] I don’t want you to look at me right now.
It’s really ugly.
[sniffs]
There’s no one else I wanna look at.
I’m sorry.
I’m really sorry, Charlie.
Sorry.
[crying]
♪ ♪
[footsteps approaching]
Can I help you, sir?
I need some advice.
Hey, Charlie.
Oh, shit.
Mr. Eldridge.
What the hell are you doing with that pistol?
Where’s Tom? What’s going on?
Look, it’s a long story.
You know Anne Marie Costa?
Know who she is: Tony Costa’s wife.
Yeah.
She had a baby today, and, uh, Tom drove her to the hospital,
and I haven’t seen him since.
I was hoping he was here.
So why the gun?
It’s messed up.
Costa got shot by a burglar in their house.
I’m getting a rash from all your bullshit, Charlie.
You wanna hear what I know?
Yeah, sure.
You boys go out fishing on the double down.
You’re back in port after one day.
I see Tom beat up, screaming about being set up.
Tony Costa catches a burglar in this house,
gets shot, and you, the college boy,
are running around with a pistol in your belt.
Even a half-wit New Bedford police detective
could figure this shit out.
I know. We’re grown-ups, you know.
We can’t run to our dads when things go wrong.
I’m not your father, Charlie.
I’m that son of a bitch, Ray Eldridge,
everybody tries to steer clear of.
Oh, hell, I don’t even know
what I’m doing here anyway.
My wife divorced me, my son won’t talk to me,
and I ought to be dying down in Texas,
not up here with a bunch of goddamn swamp Yankees.
Shit.
So why are you here?
The price of New England scallops
is a hell of a lot higher
than the price of Gulf Coast shrimp.
[weakly chuckles] Right.
And I like the North Atlantic.
I heard the whales.
Hmm.
Yeah.
Whereabouts?
Wheelhouse on the “Finestkind.”
[laughing] Oh, did you sing along with them?
No, I…
[imitates whales]
[laughs]
[guttural humming]
[chuckles] Gotta sing along with ’em, Charlie.
Otherwise, you just listening.
Your father love you, Charlie?
Yes, sir.
Well, I love my son too.
We’re in trouble.
Then why don’t you tell me about it?
[Peter Broderick’s “Not At Home”]
♪ I’m not at home ♪
♪ I have no instruments ♪
♪ No instruments ♪
♪ I’m using yours ♪
♪ I’m throwing pillows on the floor ♪
[baby cooing]
♪ On the floor ♪
♪ And when I’m home, I’m not at home ♪
♪ And when I’m home I’m not at home ♪
♪ I’m having thoughts of driving in a storm ♪
♪ I was in a storm ♪
Yo, Nunes.
Wondering if Tom crashed here.
I waited for him all night at the marsh,
but he didn’t show.
You know where he went?
Yeah, Tom came ten minutes ago,
out of his fucking skull.
He asked to see my survival suit .38
and stuck it in my face like I’m the fucking snitch.
Did you know where he went?
He went to go see Skeemo at his grandmother’s.
You know the address?
Yo, what’s the fucking address?
85 Duffy Street, man.
All right. It’s gonna be all right, okay?
Charlie!
Tommy’s wrong, man.
Skeemo’s one of us.
♪ Why must I always say it again? ♪
♪ I’ve got a new girl now, now, now ♪
♪ I’ve got a new girl now ♪
♪ And she’s a lot like you ♪
♪ I tried to wash my face ♪
♪ But my head… ♪
[stereo quieting]
[snores]
[sniffs] [exhales]
Tommy.
[weakly chuckles]
I didn’t hear you come in.
[sniffs] I got a pizza.
You want some?
That’s, uh… that’s a lot of dope there, Skeemo.
Where the money come from?
I hit a scratch card for, like, 500 bucks.
Oh, okay.
Can you believe that shit?
Huh.
Lucky day, you know?
I went in there. I wasn’t even gonna buy one.
Bought some cigarettes. I had five bucks left over.
Swallow it.
Swallow it, you snitch.
[muffled grunting]
Swallow it.
[muffled groan] [spits] Fuck. [panting]
What the fuck is wrong with you, man?
Jesus.
Tell me what’s up.
Fuck.
I don’t know what you think I did.
Tell me what you…
Jesus Christ, Tom.
Charlie, your brother’s gone fucking crazy.
Put the gun down!
Christ, Tom!
Get out of here, Charlie. Go home, Charlie!
Tom, listen to me!
I don’t know what the fuck he’s…
oh… fuck!
I needed a fix, all right?
I needed a fucking fix to know I could when I had to!
Can’t trust a junkie, right?
Don’t you know?
Well, I can’t trust the junkie inside me.
Ray dies thinking his boat is lost because of you.
No.
[pistol cocking]
That’s your fault, not mine.
You’re the captain. You crossed the line, not me.
That’s on you.
Shut the fuck up!
Tom, you’re my brother. Look at me.
Look at me.
You live and you die.
It’s the in-between part that’s important.
This is the in-between part.
Please.
[breathing heavily]
I feel like I’m losing something.
I don’t know how to get it back.
Yeah, I know exa…
I found it.
Good for you.
Yeah, right here.
I found you.
I got you, you fucking nutcase.
[chuckles]
Come on.
Gotta make a deal.
[engine rumbling]
Now that right there, Marky,
that’s a goddamn righteous cruller right there.
I appreciate that with you.
Always, you always listen to what I say
or why I feel a thing.
Let me guess: will work for food?
[cackles]
I’m Ray Eldridge, Tom Eldridge’s father.
So what?
I want you to leave my son alone.
[laughs] You believe this fucking guy?
What, you hold his hand
when you walk him across the street?
Wipe his runny nose?
Ah, I got it.
When it snows out, you clip his mittens to his jacket
so doesn’t lose one.
[laughs] This motherfucker coming in here.
I want you to call it a day.
I can’t do that.
Your kid owes me big time on something.
I got $15,000 in this sack.
I’ll give it to ya.
I appreciate that. [clears throat] I do.
But you’d need, I don’t know, another 300 sacks.
Does that help you understand the scope of this issue?
Please, leave Tom alone.
I wish I could, all right?
I got boys of my own.
I’d hate to see ’em jammed up like this.
But maybe, you know, you should have raised your son
not to go into business with guys like me,
you know, maybe doubled up on the belt,
been a better role model.
Coulda, shoulda, woulda. But I’ll tell you what.
I’m gonna do you a favor, all right?
Give you a head start.
Why don’t you go down here to this funeral home,
and I want you to go in there and pick out
a fucking pine box for your kid,
because he’s gonna fucking need one.
Now, get the fuck out here!
This motherfucker coming in here.
No, oh, sh…
[patrons screaming]
[grunting]
There’s a man outside waiting on us.
He’s pretty rough.
[laughs] Go fuck yourself.
[strained grunting]
[tires screeching]
[disquieting music]
♪ ♪
You hear the price of scallops this morning?
$25.
Sandra Jane brought in 18,000 pounds.
What’d you do, Pop?
Someday, if you ever have a son,
the first time you look at him,
you get a feeling all at once
that you’d die for him.
Little thing you never saw before,
and you would stone cold die for him.
That feeling doesn’t go away.
You might forget.
But it’s always there.
Always there.
♪ ♪
I… I love you, Pop.
I do.
I’ve tried real hard to not ever need anyone.
Don’t you do that.
Don’t let him do that, Charlie.
No, sir.
♪ ♪
[sirens wailing distantly]
Hey.
You all right?
You think they’re gonna give me
a hard time in there?
Mabel, come on. You’re safe with me.
I like trusting you, Charlie.
How do I look, white boy?
How do you look?
Fucking incredible.
Mm-hmm.
Almost ready.
My famous meatloaf.
So where did you go to school?
New Bedford High?
Yeah.
Blue House, Tan House?
I was actually in Gold House.
Me too.
You can take the girl out of New Bedford,
but you can’t take New Bedford out of the girl.
And you shouldn’t want to.
I keep her right here.
So what’d you wanna ask me?
Oh, uh, I wanted to borrow some money.
[sighs] Sure.
How much?
$100,000.
To pay the fine on Ray Eldridge’s boat.
Right.
Jesus Christ.
After everything that’s happened,
everything that’s gone so horribly wrong,
you still wanna fish?
Yeah.
I do.
Just because I’m a goddamn lawyer
doesn’t mean you should be.
Don’t get mad, Dad.
What do you want me to do?
I want you to listen to me!
O… okay, Charlie.
All right?
But you haven’t said anything that makes sense
to me in a long time.
Look, I have done hard work when I was young,
and it’s fulfilling.
It is.
But this is so dangerous.
Yeah, exactly. That’s what I love about it.
You gotta fight out there. You gotta be brave.
You gotta be smart. You gotta be strong.
I feel alive when I’m out there.
I feel connected.
I feel like I’m making my own choices.
I feel like I’m getting closer to who I am!
But Charlie, law school is gonna give you
so many options.
Dad, listen to me!
I’m not going to law school.
[quiet dramatic music]
So… [sighs]
If you stuck with this,
how long before you’d be a captain?
I’m not sure I wanna be captain.
Why not?
Tom’s captain.
I couldn’t be with him if I was one too.
And Tom needs me.
He needs me. I need him.
Dad, I have to be with my brother.
I have to.
Do you understand?
I do.
[sighs] Fuck.
But I… I do.
Tell Tom to come see me tomorrow.
I’ll help out with the legal work,
and, uh, I’ll pay the fine on the boat.
Th… this is not a gift.
Okay.
It’s not a gift.
Okay, all right.
Not a gift, yeah.
Of course. We will pay it back.
Well, I’m not sure it’s a loan either.
What do you mean?
I think I might want in on this, be your business partner.
I… I’m out of my fucking mind.
[laughs]
It’s great, ain’t it?
Wherever you’re going with this, I want you to take me with you, Charlie.
All right.
You’re crazy.
Oh, not as crazy as you.
I love you, Dad.
[tense music]
♪ ♪
There he is.
Here.
I’ll take care of you.
♪ ♪
Is “Finestkind” ready to rumble?
[bell clanging]
♪ ♪
Hope nobody’s in a hurry.
[upbeat music]
♪ ♪
[hopeful music]
♪ ♪
[boat horn blaring]
[chuckles]
Yeah!
Not dead yet, Mr. Eldridge!
Whoo!
Crazy fishermen.
[laughing] Oh.
Not dead yet!
♪ ♪
Whoo!
[boat horn blaring]
Whoo!
Not dead yet, Mr. Eldridge!
♪ ♪
[laughs]
[boat horn blaring]
Outward goddamn bound!
Outward goddamn bound.
Mabel!
Charlie!
Whoo!
Charlie!
[boat horn blaring]
[chuckles]
♪ ♪
[boat horn blaring]
Finest kind, baby!
[serene music]
♪ ♪
[discordant string music]
♪ ♪
[contemplative orchestral music]
♪ ♪
[foreboding music]
♪ ♪
