Daily Dialogue — May 26, 2012
TERRY: I’ve actually got to confess to you, Sammy… that the reason you may not have heard from me for a little while is that I’ve been kind of unable to write… on account of the fact that I was in jail for a little while.
SAMMY: You were what?
TERRY: Well, I did a little time, I guess, in Florida. For, uh, just for bullshit…
SAMMY: What?!
TERRY: It was just bullshit…
SAMMY: What did you do?
TERRY: I didn’t do anything. Does it occur to you that maybe I was wronged?
SAMMY: No!
TERRY: Well, could I please –
SAMMY: Oh my God! –
TERRY: Would you please let me –
SAMMY: — What happened?!
TERRY: I got into a fight in a bar down in Florida. Which I was not the one who instigated it, at all. But they worked up all this bullshit against me and they threw me in the pen for three months. I didn’t write you because I didn’t want you to get all upset about it. I just figured you’d figure I was on the road for a little while. I know it was stupid and I’m sorry.
I really didn’t mean to make you worry. But you know what? I can’t run around all the time doin’ stuff or not doin’ stuff because it’s gonna make you worry! Because then I come back here, and I tell you about my fuckin’… traumas, and I get this wounded little “I’ve Let You Down” bullshit, over and over again, and it really just — cramps me! Like I just want to get out from under it!… And here I am back in this fuckin’ hole explaining myself to you again!
SAMMY: OK — Can you please stop cursing at me?
TERRY: I mean, I realize I’m in no position to, uh, basically say anything, ever — But it’s not like I’m down there in some redneck bar in Florida having an argument with some stripper’s boyfriend and I suddenly think, “Hey! Maybe this’d be a good time to really stick it to Sammy and get myself locked up for a few months.”
SAMMY: I’m sorry.
TERRY: Me too, man. I mean “welcome home.”
SAMMY: Hey — You don’t write me for six months, I have no idea where you are –
TERRY: I’m sorry –
SAMMY: — I don’t know if you’re alive or dead –
TERRY: I’m sorry –
SAMMY: — and then you show up out of nowhere and tell me you were in jail?
TERRY: I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Sammy, I’m really sorry…!
— Terry (Mark Ruffalo), Sammy (Laura Linney), You Can Count On Me (2000), written by Kenneth Lonergan
http://static.movieclips.com/embedplayer.swf?shortid=95cBg
The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is siblings suggested by mommyfollows. Today’s suggestion by Summer Johnson.
Trivia: Kenneth Lonergan plays minister Ron in two major scenes counseling Terry at Sammy’s house, and then counseling Sammy in his office. Since Lonergan had a lot of dialogue in those two scenes, he turned over the directing to Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo, respectively.
Dialogue On Dialogue: Of this movie, Summer wrote, “This movie made me want to explore the sibling relationship a lot more in my own writing. It was the first movie I had ever seen that reminded me of my own siblings in such a real and sometimes heartbreaking way.” Terrific film.