Dead Love (2018)

[bunniefuu]

- [Brandon] I need to know why,

- There are so many things
no one has the answers for,

- What does that mean?

- Why we lose
the people we love,

Death,

Pain,

Change,

Sadly, it's all a part of life,

You're trying to figure out

if there's something you
could've done to stop this,

We'll never know
why people elect

to take away
the blessing of life,

There's nothing
you could have done,

We all have our time,

Unfortunately, she decided to
make that decision on her own,

- She left me,

- [Priest] Try to remember her
as she was:

a loving mother,

a human being,

I will pray for her soul,
young man,

[soft piano music]

- [Lassiter] I'll take
it from here, Fiona,

- [Katarina] Something sad?

- It's the saddest,

- I am so sorry, honey,

- No,

It's beautiful,

I think I may have
found somebody,

[uneasy orchestral music]

- Is this the cheapest one?

- I'm sorry, but this is
the least expensive casket

that we have,

- I think we're gonna
have to go to

the cremation services
down the mountain,

A casket and burial is
out of our price range,

- [Katarina] So, you mother
grew up around here, right?

[pail clattering]

[sighing]

[light playful orchestral music]

Excuse me,

Why don't I speak with
my associate and see
what we can do,

- That's him, isn't it?

- That's the one
whose mother,,,?

- Yes,

- Then that's him,

- He's cute,

I'll see what I can do

about having him
come over for dinner,

That is, if you're sure,

Excuse me,

Why don't we go with this one?

- I'm sorry,

What?

- Providing for a loved
one's death can be very hard,

especially when it
comes up so suddenly

and you're all alone,

so why don't we just
write off the whole thing

to a small local discount,

- Thank you,
but that's too much,

- Nonsense,

- You imagine that you lived
around here,

I mean, well, you're
just practically family,

- I couldn't,

- You can,

- What I meant to say

was that I couldn't accept
such a generous offer

without giving you
something in return,

- Dinner then,

Why don't you come
and have dinner

with myself and my family,

- Thank you, but--

- Oh, no-no-no, no buts,

You shouldn't be alone,

- Thank you,

- You're very welcome,

His mother dying and practically
dropping on our doorstep

is just too perfect,

- It's a tragedy,

- Of course,

But even tragedy has
its happy coincidences,

- Yeah, I guess so,

- What are you doing?

- Trying to help,

You know your mother
would've looked pretty

in a burlap sack,

I found some jewelry your
mother borrowed from me

before you were born,

- Aunt Jenny, please,

- I didn't come here to take it,
Brandon,

- Why did you come here?

- Because we're family,

That's what family does,

Your mother chose
to push us away,

That doesn't mean you have to,

- You're the only one
who came to the funeral,

The only one who cared to,

Who would choose
a family like that?

- Did anyone ever tell you you
look just like your father?

- No,

- [Jenny] Well, you do,

The rest is pure Eleanor,

[soft orchestral music]

- You're looking fair,

- Did you ever love Lassiter?

- Maybe,

Sometimes I think we
loved the song or the gift

more than we ever did
each other,

- I never noticed,

Or I guess I chose not to,

- Not like you and John,

- And still John threw
the song away,

- He has, but not you,

- [Fiona] Didn't he?

- True love, even with time on
our side,

is always an uphill battle,

Some of us are born to love,
and some of us maybe not,

- Why did you do it, Kat?

Sing the song with Lassiter?

- For you,

- I never would've asked--

- No, I'm happiest
watching you in love,

first with John and now,

Really,
I'm happiest being a spectator,

Hey,

I was never meant
to be with a man,

They're way too fragile,

[laughing]

Fiona, really, I'm happy
being here for you,

[old time Vaudeville music]

[humming]

[doorbell ringing]

Oh, Fiona!

Hold on, let me look at you,

Oh,

Something, something,
we need something,

Oh,

This will work,

[giggling]

Okay, last touch,

[exhaling deeply]

- Hi, I'm Fiona,

- Brandon,

- [laughing] It's nice
to meet you, Brandon,

And you brought wine, how sweet,

- Yeah, you know, I just figured

I should bring something
to the table,

- Oh, thank you, but you've
already brought plenty,

And I should
let you in my house,

Where are my manners?

I'm [laughing] so sorry,

Please, come in,

- It's fine, [laughing]

It's totally fine,

- [Fiona] Katarina's my sister,

She's the one who
sold you the coffin,

- I don't know if sold
is the right word,

- You [laughing]
you know what I mean,

She showed it to you,

- I know, that was a joke,

- Oh, [laughing]

We just, we try to help out
when we can,

The funeral business is kinda
more of a family tradition

than a trade,
if that makes any sense,

- My mom and I used to go out
every Tuesday with the church

to hand out sandwiches
to the homeless,

You could call that
family tradition of sorts,

- Oh, so you go to church?

- No, no, not me,
but my mom did,

Weird thing about tradition,

- Yeah,

We should probably get going,

- Yeah, lead the way,

[sighing]

Holy sh*t, okay,

Lead the way,

[Kat laughing]

- How about some more?

- Oh no, I had better not,
[laughing]

Should probably get
something in my stomach

before I go embarrassing myself,

- [laughing] Oh, a man of
moderation, how quaint,

- A man of caution at best,

- Then we better get the main
course out here posthaste,

Lassiter!
[bell ringing]

- The groundsman?

- And my husband,

Not known for the
spring in his step,

Ah, not a moment too soon, dear,

- Don't let the state
of the grounds fool you,

Lassiter is actually
a very good cook,

- If looks are anything
to go by,

I'm sure you're right
about that,

- Oh, you've outdone yourself,
dear,

Thank you,

[clearing throat]

- Thank you,

- Of course,

- Good?

- Delicious, thank you,

- We usually like to
say grace before we eat,

- Stop it, Lassiter!

Brandon is our guest,

- No, it's my fault,

I shoulda waited,

Sorry,

- No, it's okay,

Honestly, I never wait either,

- I love furniture like this,

Hand-carved,

Cared for,

Meant to stand on its own

against the
fine china it's holding,

Furniture today is so
painfully pragmatic

and built to sell, to get by,

But furniture like this, it's
meant for something more,

It's timeless,

- How profound,

- Oh, no, [laughing]

Simple observation,

[laughing]

- Are you an artist?

- A musician,

My mother made me play
when I was a boy

and she never stopped making me,

- Aw, that is so sweet,

Did you get your
artistry from her?

- No,

[laughing]

- I'm sorry?

- Well, you didn't get
it from your mother,

Well, what I mean is

when I was working on her for
the funeral,

I just didn't get the impression
that she was artistic,

There were no paint traces
underneath her fingernails

or no calluses on her palms
and no scars or wounds

to indicate any past or
present labor,

I just didn't get the feeling

that her hands were
altogether very artistic,

- She sang,

Never in public,
but always to me

and when she thought
she was alone,

She had a beautiful voice,

♪ Time, she flows

♪ A maiden of mean

♪ Her breath, the lives of men

♪ Forever she'll be
the end of he ♪

♪ Faith, hope and love abide

♪ But her breath doesn't stop

♪ Until she solves
the riddle of ♪

♪ His mother,
his lover, and he ♪

♪ Her breath she'll breathe

♪ Never to hold

♪ Always the cold

- [Kat] That is absolutely
lovely, Fiona,

- That was some dinner,

[laughing]

- Yeah,
I wouldn't mind Lassiter,

See enough dead bodies

and you're bound to loosen a
bolt or two,

Are you gonna
be at work tomorrow?

- No, no work tomorrow,

I,,,

have to go by my mother's house

and sign some papers
for the bank

before they can start
the estate sale,

Turn over the keys and whatnot,

- That's awful,

You must have
so many memories there,

- Yeah, all of 'em, actually,

Been there since I left
the hospital, day one,

- Have you had any help
through all this?

- A little,

I have some extended family
I've never really known

and they sent an aunt of
mine out to play diplomat,

She tried,

But,,,

I'd really rather
handle it on my own,

- Could you take something?

Something to remember her by?

- Yeah, I'm still in the
house for a few more days,

but I've never really
been the sentimental type,

Taking a piece outta the house

would be like taking a piece
of her without the whole thing,

- You'd be surprised how much
you can forget over time,

A memento might not
be a bad idea,

but I'm sure you'll find your
own way to remember her by,

- You're very kind, Fiona,

Your whole family,

Even if Lassiter hates
me and my agnostic ways,

[laughing]

- Well, I guess he'll just have
to get over those, won't he?

- [Brandon] I hope I'm not
around enough to find out,

- Oh,

- I mean, I just meant this
being a funeral home and all,

- Right,

Of course,

- Good night, Fiona,

- Good night,

[unsettling music]

[panting]

- f*ck,

[slow plodding piano music]

[exhaling deeply]

Whoa,

[laughing]

[sobbing]

[grandfather clock ringing]

- [Lassiter] Fiona,

- Hello, Lassiter,

- How are you feeling?

- I'm fine, thank you,

- No, no, I meant how are
you feeling about the--

- I know,

I'm fine,

Actually, I think I'm gonna
go for a walk,

- Would you like some company?

- No,

Thank you, though,

- Fiona, I wanted
to speak with you,

I have some things on my
mind I'd like to talk about,

- I think I know exactly
what's on your mind,

And just like the last time
you had those thoughts,

I don't wish to entertain them,

So, if you'd please?

♪ Well, hand me a glass

♪ And I'll fill it up

♪ I'll tuck in my tail

♪ Like a scolded dog

♪ I'll line up my pins

♪ For you to knock down

♪ And I won't make a fuss

♪ While you tear up the town

♪ Give me time

♪ Give me peace

♪ Give me patience

♪ Won't you please
let me sleep ♪

♪ I must seem

♪ I must seem

♪ I must seem

♪ I must seem low

♪ So down low

That was beautiful,

- Jesus!

- Oh my god, I'm sorry,

I didn't mean to frighten you,

- No, it's okay,

I just thought I was alone,

- I like taking walks
through here sometimes

to clear my head,

And I thought I heard you,

so I thought it'd be
polite to say hi,

That's really beautiful,
Brandon,

- Thanks,

It was her favorite,

So, can't get enough dead
people back at the mortuary?

[laughing]

- Well, while they are
a good reminder

of how fragile we are,

a walk out here beats doing
yoga in the mortuary any day,

- There's a joke about rigor
mortis I'm missing out on here,

- [Fiona] Yeah, I'm gonna
pretend that it landed,
[laughing]

- Thanks,

- Oh, I didn't take
you as a smoker,

- I didn't take my mom
for one either,

- That was hers?

- Yeah, I had no idea,

Found it in a drawer

next to a Bible

and a,,, special box,

- Was there anything else
in the box?

- Yeah,

There was a personal,,,
device,

The kind that
requires batteries,

- Oh!

- Oh, [laughing] my god, wow,

- [Brandon] Yeah,

- No way,

- Hand to God,

- [Fiona] Oh, that must've
been really weird, [laughing]

- It was a little strange,

It's just so surreal,

So much I didn't know about her,

- Hey, everyone has secrets,

They just become truth

when there's no one left
to keep them,

- That's some deep sh*t,

- Well, my sister tells me
that I have an old soul,

- She's not wrong,

And your advice about
the memento, I took it,

- I'm glad,

Hey, how've you been
since everything happened?

- Honestly?

Not great,

Turned in the keys to
the house this morning,

and so I'm sleeping in
a hotel, which is fine,

I just never not had my mom,

And now that she's gone,

I can't seem to
let anybody else in,

Pushed my aunt out as soon
as I possibly could and,,,

I've been having these dreams,

I just don't feel like
myself anymore, you know?

- Dreams?

- They just started,

And,,,

I'm hanging myself

in the same place that she did
every time,

And I get up there

and I look down

and I can't help but think,
"How could she have done it?

"I could never,"

She left me alone,

She didn't even leave a note,

She left without saying goodbye,

And that's what kills me,

[sniffling]

- Brandon, hey,

She would've wanted you to
know how much she loved you,

- I should get going,

- Oh, are you sure?

I can always stay
if you need me to,

- Oh, no, it's fine, Fiona,
thank you,

See you around,

[foreboding music]

- What's the matter?

- [Fiona] I think I've
made a mistake,

- Oh, my sister?

My sister, that doesn't
sound like her,

- The dreams are preventing
him from healing,

He's not ready for this life,

- Does it change the
way you feel about him?

- No,

- [laughing] Because it's a
little late to turn back now,

Hey,

No one ever said that
this was gonna be easy,

He's alone,

He needs a soft touch to
consider what to do next,

not someone with doubts,

And at this point,

you need him far more
than he needs you,

So, stay the path,

- Kat,

Is it really worth it?

You and Lassiter are so unhappy,

- We have an arrangement,

But you,,,

Oh, you have a chance
at so much more,

And every day being with you is
worth it,

Every single day,

- No, you're right,

You're right,

- [Kat] I know, I know,

I love you,

- I'm sorry, Kat,

I love you too,
- That's okay,

[slow synthesizer music]

- Hi,

[soft piano music]

- What are you doing here?

- Well,
funerals can be difficult,

so I at least like to
check up on the families

and make sure
they're doing okay,

You know, go the extra mile,

- Well, you've gone
many more miles

than necessary, Fiona, so

thank you,

- So, how does one get in the
st century train business?

- That's a good question,

Well, I am my father's
son, if you can believe it,

He died when I was little in
the very same job I do now,

- So, you liked trains when
you were little too then?

- No, no, I hated them actually,

It scared me shitless,

[Fiona laughing]

I'm telling you,

Thomas the Train is one thing,

but you're a toddler

and your dad takes you to
the front of that thing,

the engine, it's a totally
different experience,

It's loud, and I hated loud,

- Do you remember him well?

- Not much more than that,

He smelled like engine grease,

How do you do that?

- What?

- Get people talking,

I mean, I haven't felt much
about my dad

one way or the other in years,

and here we are trading secrets,

- Ooh, I don't know

if I'd exactly call this
trading, Brandon,

- You're right,

Your turn,

- Well, you know how I feel
about secrets,

- I suppose I do,

Listen, I just got on
my lunch break

and there's a
pretty scenic overlook

I like to eat my sandwiches,

if you'd care to join me,

- Okay,

I didn't grow up here,

- No?

I thought the funeral business
was a family tradition,

- Oh, it is,

Just came a long way off to
inherit it,

- Uh-huh,

- It's true,

- So, where's a long way off?

- All over,

I moved around a lot as a kid,

- World traveler?

- Exactly,

Never really
got to know my father,

Katarina says it's for the best,

And my mom,

she passed away recently,

But it was her time,

- I'm sorry,

What about the funeral home?

- It was an uncle's,

We took over for him
when he passed on too,

- That's so weird,

I don't remember you or your
uncle ever owning that place,

- Well, you know what they say,

best not to get too cozy with
a funeral director, [laughing]

- You're not wrong about that,

- It actually used to be
a butcher shop, [laughing]

about a hundred years ago,

- No,

- Yeah! [laughing]

- That's terrible,

- Yeah, [laughing]

Oh god, please don't
tell anybody about that

or we probably would be out
of business pretty quickly,

- I don't know about that,

You must have another way
of putting food on the table

if you're just handing
out funerals on a whim,

- Yeah, we figure it out,

God, I still can't get over it,

They never change, but they
always take my breath away,

- The mountains?

- Sometimes I like to think
that we've already died

and this is it,

- Heaven,

- Sure,

Wherever,

- That's some thought,

- You don't think
it could be true?

- Where do we go
after we leave here then?

- Maybe we just
get to start over

from the beginning with
everyone that we've ever loved,

- Maybe,

- I like to think that the
first people I get to see

would be my mother and father,

It'd be like Heaven to me,

[soft piano music]

- No,

No,

No,

No,

[sobbing]
No, no, no, no, no,

No, no, no, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, [sobbing]

No, [sobbing]

No, no, no, no, [sobbing]

[uneasy music]

- What are you doing here?

[sighing] Lassiter, no,

- Take it,

Take it!

- This has to stop,

- Katarina hates me,

- You made your choice,

- You don't know what it is
to be hated or to be used,

You only know love and loss,

I have love for you

and I will make it so that
you never lose it again,

- You're a psychopath,

- Love is--

- No,

You're pathetic,

not love,

You,

You spend so much time
watching me,

but do you know what
you are to Katarina?

A glorified lawn gnome,

Your life is the sorry
price of keeping her alive,

And you're too much of a
coward to do anything else,

You always could have left,

- Love doesn't work that way,

- I don't love you,

[light acoustic guitar music]

♪ Time, she flows

♪ Maiden of mean

♪ But breath allows a man

[humming]

[knocking]

[slow music]

- Bite me,

- What?

- Bite me,

- [Brandon] Sorry,

- I wanted it,

[foreboding music]

[sobbing]

[breathing heavily]

[slow uneasy music]

- What do you want?

Can't this wait until tomorrow?

- Why won't she love me?

- Because she's better
than you, that's why,

Get your hands off of me,

You wouldn't dare,

You're a rat with a gift,
nothing more,

[uneasy music]

- Brandon,

Hey, hey, Brandon, hey,

Brandon, hey,

Hey,
- Hey,

How you doin'?

- I need to talk to you
about something,

- Okay,

- I had a lot on my mind,

I know if I don't tell you now,
I,,,

Whatever you decide, I
will respect your decision,

- What is this?

Are you clean, hmm?

[sighing]

[laughing] Geez, you're
not dying or anything,

- Not exactly,

That song that I sang at
dinner, do you remember it?

There's a bit more to it,

I'll spare you the serenade,

but it boils down to the
secret of eternal life,

- I don't,,,

What?

- Okay, you know, the
sooner that you realize

that I'm not kidding, the
easier this is gonna be,

I am,,, years old,

And Katarina and Lassiter are
even older,

- [laughing] f*ck you,

- Shut up

and listen to me,

- Okay,

- [sighing] The song
presents it as a riddle,

My sister and I and our
husbands figured it out,

You need to eat to live,

You have to eat your mother,
your lover,

and part of yourself, and
then you live forever,

After that, anyone will do,

But you have to have the flesh
of man,

the breath of time herself,
and then you never age, ever,

- Wait,

Wait,

Back it up,

You were married?

- That's what you got
from all this?

- [laughing] I'm sorry,
it's just,

it's the only thing you
said that made any sense,

- I was,

And he died,

- I'm starting to see
some holes in your story,

- Anyone can break the song,

When he k*lled himself,
I started aging again,

- And why would he do that, hmm?

- I don't know,

But the song requires a lover,

Time lives alone,

So, to beat her, you can't,

Without another,

I can't go on living,

- So, you and,,,

- John,

- John, right,

and Katarina and Lassiter then,

you all got together and ate
your mothers and each other

and [laughing] now you're
just kicking it

around the countryside
ever since?

[laughing]

Okay, where do I come in?

- I started aging,

I need another,

And,,,

I love you,

- So, you thought,,,

Fiona,

This is insane,

I don't know what you're
trying to pull here,

This is crazy,

[laughing]

I mean, last night was great,

And the biting thing,
that was a little weird,

but I went with it,

but now you're just
talking nonsense,

- Those dreams, they're
getting worse aren't they?

And that song that's stuck in
your head,

Brandon, it's already started,

- You're f*ck' insane,

- No, no, no, no, no,

- Fiona, I didn't eat anyone,

- I'm sorry, Brandon,

- For what?

- The dinner,

You,,,

- I what?

What do I do, Fiona?

What did I do?

- You ate her,

And me,

Brandon, please, it's okay,

Brandon! [sobbing]

- Stay the f*ck away from me,

- No, Brandon, no! [sobbing]

Brandon!

[sobbing]

Brandon!

Brandon, wait!

Wait,

- Get the f*ck off me,

[screaming]

How do I stop it?

How do I stop it, Fiona?

- You won't have an
appetite for anything else,

But if you eat, it'll stop,

I'm sorry,

I'm sorry,

I don't why I felt
so drawn to you,

- You barely f*cking know me!

- Didn't you feel something?

- You fed me,

- I love you,

I love you,

- You're a psychopath,

I don't want this,

- Yeah, you do,

It's not from me,

It's from your mother,

She's how I found you,

She really loved you, Brandon,

[uneasy synthesizer music]

- [Woman] My dearest Brandon,

I love you so completely,

You are my only pride,

I no longer want to be a burden,

My beloved song,

So many of my mistakes
aren't yours,

I have kept you to myself for
too long,

I owe all of the happiness
of my life to you,

Don't be alone,

Marry someone you love,

[booming noise]

[uneasy music]

- Well hello, Brandon,

Ah-ah-ah-ah,

Careful now, or I may slip,

Life is so precious a thing,

Fickle and tenuous,

A little bit this way, a little
bit that,

and you may just end one,

I'd say that death is
what I'm most afraid of,

but really it's the not
knowing that gets me,

Even so, there are worse
things than taking a life,

and that's ruining one,

And you ruined mine,

She loves you and not me,

and you don't even
want her back,

Don't worry,
it's nothing essential,

[gasping]

- No! [sobbing]

- No, no! [sobbing]

- No, no! [sobbing]

Kat!

Kat! [sobbing]

No! [sobbing]

- So, I know what
you're thinking,

Why not end it all if my
never-ending life is ruined?

And to that, I say, stick
with the devil you know,

[screaming]

Now, my life is ruined
and you're on my table,

And I had to think, what
would be worse for you:

the dark uncertainty of death or
my curse,

a never-ending life of pain

with a woman you don't love
and a stupid f*cking song?

Should I k*ll you or just shove

a piece of your own
kidney down your throat

and into Fiona's dinner?

I have to be honest, I
flip-flop on the matter a bit

until I came up with
something better,

I'll make you choose,

- I love you, Brandon,

[groaning]

- Get away from him,

Get away from him!

Oh my god, Brandon,

[sobbing]

Brandon,

Brandon, I can still fix this,

I know I put you here,
but please,

Please, Brandon, I love you,

I can fix it, [sobbing]

I know I did this to you,
I'm so sorry,

Please, please, I can fix this,

I can fix this,

I just need to know
if you love me,

Brandon,

Brandon, do you love me?
[sobbing]

Brandon, if you love me, I can
fix this,

Do you love me?

- I love you, Brandon,

- I love you,

- What?

- I love you,

I love you,

- Brandon,

[sobbing]

[acoustic guitar music]

♪ Time, she flows

♪ A maiden of mean

♪ Her breath loves a man

♪ Forever she will be
the end of me ♪

♪ Her breath she'll breathe

♪ Her breath she'll breathe

♪ Never to hold

♪ Never to hold

♪ Always the cold

Do you love me?

[moving into driving
slow rock music]