An Unfinished Life script

(growling)

I heard you interfering little bastards rummage around my yard.

I'll thank you for keeping the owls off of my cats.

You sleep OK?

Sorta.

I, uh...

(man) God, Jean, I don't know what happened.

It's like a red mist or...

Something comes over me and I...

But I feel like you backed me up in a corner and I...

You do that, and uh...

I hate it when I'm like that.

I'm sorry.

Can you forgive me?

What?!

Fuck!

(girl) You promised...

if it happened again...

You promised.

(woman) OK, this is last week and up to yesterday.

- All right? - OK.

- I stuck an extra 50 bucks in there. - Kitty, I can't...

- You can. Listen... - Here, just take it.

I don't wanna see you coming around here anymore looking like this.

You take care. Take care of that girl. Get going. OK.

(woman) We have a reciprocity agreement with Kansas.

If you can stay in this shelter for a week.

- I could find you a place in Wichita. - No.

Every man in town who beats a woman knows where this shelter is.

Do you have someone you can stay with?

(man) I don't think you really understand just how worried I am.

I don't know. Maybe they went shopping.

I wish someone in this goddamn place would just...

would just give me the truth.

Then we could find Jean pretty damn quick.

(girl) Tribune, Kansas. Do you wanna go there?

(Jean) Sure. Maybe. I mean, we can go anywhere we want.

How about Loving, New Mexico?

- I like that. - Me too.

Topeka.

Santa Cruz.

Oh, my gosh. There's a Butt, Montana.

- It's pronounced "Bute." - (car engine rattles)

- Mom? - Oh, no. No!

(motorcycle approaches)

Hey!

She's not going anywhere. There's a rod sticking through the block.

I'm heading to Sioux Falls.

Yeah.

Just take what you need.

So one inch is 83 miles.

Six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

Aloha, Oregon.

It's only ten inches away.

So that's 830 miles and we've already gone 300 miles...

We're going to Wyoming.

(girl) What's in Wyoming?

It's where your grandfather lives.

I have a grandfather?

Not much of one.

When were you going to tell me?

Oh, I'm fine.

Smells like rain.

It's not gonna rain today.

You haven't been right about the weather since 1972.

I know what rain looks like.

You got something on your mind this morning?

The goddamn bear's back.

Well, what do you think you're gonna do about it?

What I should have done a year ago.

(growls)

Did anyone notice if he had cubs? Did you see cubs with him?

(siren)

OK.

- It's under control, Einar. - You get out of the way and it will be.

Come on, let's let the Fish and Game take care of this.

This isn't some pet dog they're after.

I think they can tell the difference, all right?

That says what a college education gets you.

(man) Here we go.

(dart gun fired. Bear growls)

(car horn)

Mom.

Welcome to Wyoming.

Mom, this is us.

So is my grandpa nice?

Why didn't you tell me about him?

(Jean) Einar!

I don't want you here.

At least we agree on something.

I don't wanna be here either.

We need a place to stay for about a month or so.

Looks like you need every part of your head examined.

Is this yours?

She's yours too.

You telling me I have a grandchild I don't know about?

I'm telling you I was pregnant at Griffin's funeral.

Where you been till now?

We've been on the road for two days.

We lived in Iowa.

Now this suddenly seems like home?

What's her name?

My name's Griff.

Griff Gilkyson.

That's an unusual name for a girl.

Einar, please.

Just till I can earn enough to get us out of here.

There's a room in the basement.

I'm sorry.

Hey. I'm gonna go into town and look for a job.

You think you'll be all right here?

All right, well, just... be good.

Love you.

(toilet flushes)

I used the bathroom.

I heard you.

- Are you hungry? - Not yet.

Is there a McDonald's in town?

- You got five dollars? - No, I don't.

Well, then I don't think going into town for a meal would be a very good idea.

How was your night?

All right, I guess.

Left or right?

Let's do the right.

Left could use a rest.

(winces)

Pain bad all the time now?

Gets my full attention.

Yep.

What happened with my bear?

It's his own damn bear.

You telling me he's still alive?

He's fine. He's in that zoo Angie built.

Dreaming about the sea last night.

- Did you get wet? - (laughs)

I walked right in.

Felt like falling in love.

Smelled like a woman.

Tasted like one too.

Your memory's not that good.

Hey.

Down there.

See Jean kept her looks.

Said she brought her daughter with her.

She says it's Griffin's.

Granddaughter.

That's a nice thing for a man to have.

I might go into town for breakfast.

All right.

Taking the girl with you?

Anything else you need?

Yeah, look in on the bear.

- What? - Check on the bear.

Check on the? Why the hell would I do that?

'Cause I asked you to.

(door opens)

Are those my dad's things?

Yeah, they are.

Where does he live now?

He's dead. Didn't your mother tell you that?

Yeah. But she said you were dead too.

Are you confused about why they call a room with a table in it a dining room?

No, sir.

Since it looks like you didn't have any trouble making that sandwich,

I'd like you to make another one at 11:30. Will you do that?

- Yes, sir. - And take it to that man in the little house.

And a glass of milk.

Yes, sir.

Bear? Goddamnit. (mumbles)

"Go check on the bear."

(engine fails to start)

(ignition fails again)

Goddamnit.

Nice wheels, Einar!

Where did you get the rig?

Nancy Sidwell had this shipped up from that retirement village where Ernie died.

Maybe it was the bike killed Ernie.

What killed Ernie was a lifetime of Nancy's cooking.

- Your pickup broke down again? - Oh, hell, no. Pickup's fine.

I'm just out here training for a goddamn marathon.

I like the flag. Without an orange flag like that, you might look ridiculous.

- Hello, Ken, Catherine. - Einar.

What have I got? Bills.

- Morning, Einar. - Morning yourself, Nina.

Do you believe they're still sending junk mail to my boy?

Well, maybe the dead are flattered to get a letter. Ever think about that?

I'll let you know when I'm gone.

Maybe I'll send you a postcard from the other side.

Hey, how's Mitch doing?

Mitch - he's dreaming about the sea.

Oh, yeah? I used to live by the ocean.

Up in Oregon for about a year.

Yeah, too much rain if you ask me. But I sure like the sound it makes.

- Grandma. - What's up?

If you get depressed, pull up a chair to your kitchen sink and turn on the tap.

If I ever get depressed, remind me not to come to you for advice.

(laughter) Hey!

I wonder if it's hard being that drunk this early in the morning.

Oh, it's easy if you don't stop drinking all night.

- You'd know. How do you want your eggs? - Scrambled.

Hey, there, boys. What can I get you this morning?

Get down on this table and I can see if I can stay on you till the buzzer sounds.

Agh! I hope you're having a lot of fun, Chris,

'cause soon as I get one arm free, I'm gonna kick your sorry ass.

Oh, now look what you went and did!

Good morning, fellas.

I'm gonna be your new waiter. Want some coffee?

- Why don't you screw off, you old bastard? - What?

Son, now I don't wanna work myself short of breath.

You wanna continue this? It can be over all at once.

Because that's how goddamn fast your life can change.

You believe me?

Sorry for the mess.

- Hi. - Hi.

My name's Griff.

My name is Mitch.

That for me?

Thank you.

Yeah, I know.

I almost threw up first time I looked at it.

You feeling a little queasy?

I'm fine.

OK.

I got queasy first time I saw a man eat a snail.

- You ever eat a snail? - No.

Me neither. This looks good.

- What happened to you? - I was mauled by a bear.

I saw a bear in a cage yesterday.

Yeah. That was my bear.

About a year ago, he was eating one of your grandfather's calves

and... well, we sort of interrupted his dinner, you know.

He thought we were gonna take it away from him.

You know bears - they don't like to share.

Did the bear bite Einar?

No, I was closer.

- I didn't know anyone ate snails. - Oh, yeah, sure.

In those fancy restaurants up in Cheyenne,

they eat 'em all the time like there's nothing to it.

Once I saw this kid eat a moth.

- You could hear the crunch. - Oh, no, no!

(growling)

(child) Oh, my gosh! Look at that!

(woman) Einar.

Hey, Angie.

I didn't expect to see you in this crowd.

I guess at my age it's good to be seen just about anywhere.

Well, Fish and Game said he'd settle down in a few days.

Of course, they also said he'd eat anything, which he doesn't.

I don't get it. Nobody would pay five dollars for the mountain lion I used to keep in here.

How's Mitch?

He's dreaming about the sea.

I always wanted a boat.

My dad used to take us out. It was so great.

What happened to the lion?

He died.

Lucky lion.

(growling)

Hello, Griffin.

Well, it says here you might have already won $15 million.

Probably ought to send it in for you, though.

Probably the same damn odds as losing a kid early.

You got that done.

You should know your wife came back.

You could have steered her someplace else.

Just 'cause you're dead doesn't mean you can't be useful.

See you tomorrow, boy.

Kid sure looks a whole lot like you, though.

Top to bottom.

(Griff) Mom!

- Hey! - I missed you.

- Guess what. I got a job. - Really?

I start tomorrow. So how was your day?

Not so great, huh?

(hammering)

Man, I'm tired.

I think half the people we served this morning came in just to look at you.

(Nina) Here you go.

- What's this? - Your half of the tips.

I thought you said you were used to being on your feet.

I'm not used to telling everyone I meet where I've been the last ten years.

Well...

Tell 'em you went crazy.

Tell 'em you've been locked up.

That's what I've been telling 'em.

(Nina) Looks like we did real good today.

Guess I got you to thank for that.

Maybe I'll have some music on Saturday night.

Of course, then again, you'd have to dance with Billy and Wayne.

Oh, that'd be a sight.

Can I help you?

I'm Einar Gilkyson's daughter-in-law.

Yes, I know. Did you want to come in?

Thank you.

- Any calls? - Nothing.

Homemade lunch, you know.

You got something there you want me to see?

It's a police report. But I didn't press charges.

A shelter worker in Iowa thought I ought to check in with authorities when I got settled.

He was my boyfriend.

But, um...

The report's not for this time.

It was for another time.

I'll make a copy.

That's it.

What are their names?

- Who? - Your cats.

They don't have any names.

How do you tell 'em apart?

I don't tell 'em apart.

Goddamn cheap-ass, Mickey Mouse, foreign goddamn part...

Oscar and Charlie.

Hi, Charlie.

Is that there a water-pump belt?

Why don't you use the one out on the tractor?

Why don't I use the one out on the tractor?

Hey, are you mumbling over there or something?

The tractor belt's twice this size.

- Really? - Yeah.

Oh.

Don't we have some spare belts in the barn?

I got a great idea. Why don't you go back in the house?

Well, uh, damn. I was... just trying to be helpful.

If you don't want my help, I'll just sit over here and shut up.

Pulling that out, it don't look like you know what you're doing.

Just shut up! OK? Shut up. You don't know what I'm doing.

- You don't know about the truck. - Who you talking to?

- Stop being a philosopher... - Doggone second-generation immigrant,

I bet I come over there and hang my bad foot in your ass.

(car horn)

- Thanks. - Anytime.

- See you tomorrow? - Yep. See ya.

- Hey, kiddo. - Hey.

- How was it? - All right.

- (Nina) See ya, Einar. - Got some groceries for dinner.

OK.

- Do you wanna take these inside, sweetie? - Sure.

- Got it? - Yep.

- Hey, Mitch. - Hey, there.

What happened here? Why did you stop running cows?

When Griffin died, I ran out of help.

Then I got older, Mitch got mauled,

and I sold the stock to stay on the place.

Dinner will be ready in an hour.

Come here, Sarah.

Nope, stay here.

- You finished? - Yeah.

Tell your kid to come down out of that tree.

(Griff) Come on, Charlie.

Come on. Don't be a fraidy-cat.

(plate smashes)

Oh, Jesus.

I'm sorry.

You're sorry, huh? Well, that's just fine, then.

- I'll buy you a new one. - Oh. Just that easy?

Maybe I liked that plate. In fact, maybe that was my favorite goddamn plate!

- It's just a plate. - That's it, huh?

Did it ever occur to you that not everything can be replaced?

Come down out of that tree!

- You want this on the table? - No, over here. Thank you.

I'm so glad you're back, Jean.

What happened to Nellie?

Nellie left.

About a year after we buried Griffin.

Einar just never got a handle on it.

And then, when he hardly even noticed Nellie anymore, why...

She found another man. Who wouldn't?

Think they live in Colorado.

Do you think he blames me for losing his wife too?

I imagine he does.

I don't want to stay here.

What's wrong with him?

Well, it's not you.

He just never got over it.

He really loved your dad. You should know that.

- Did you? - Of course.

You do have a plan, though, right?

I mean, we don't have to stay here forever?

Sure, I do.

Soon as I earn enough money, I'm gonna get us right out of here.

You know what? What do you think about...

Butt, Montana?

Come on, let's play. You don't know how to read anymore?

Where'd the bottle come from?

The granary.

It's been there for a while. Sometimes I just like to look at it.

15, two.

You gonna open it?

I'm not sure yet. 25.

31 for two. Go.

- Did you check on the bear? - Eight.

Yeah, you asked me to, didn't you?

Here's a pair for two.

I want you to feed him.

- What? - I want you to feed the bear.

I don't trust Angie to feed anything much past herself.

"Feed the bear." "Please feed the bear." "Bear, do you like bear shoes?"

"What kind of food do you like, Bear? Steak, chicken?"

- Einar. - What?

Is her being here gonna ruin you?

- The woman killed my son. - Oh, come on.

It was a car accident. They call them accidents because it's nobody's fault.

No, they call them accidents to make the guilty feel better.

- Is that so? - I don't give a damn what they call them.

My son's dead.

Your granddaughter's not.

And neither were you.

Have you thought about how she's gonna remember you?

You know, come to think of it, I don't feel like playing cards tonight.

Put that bottle someplace where I don't have to look at it.

You know anything about pickup trucks?

Aw, shit.

Hand me that half-inch socket wrench, would you?

No, no, no. Shiny one on the top.

Yep.

Do you wanna see what I'm doing?

That's it.

- OK, see these screws here? - Mm-hm.

This one I'm tightening, this holds this thing up which holds the pan up.

If this thing comes loose when you're driving, you'll be sitting on the road.

And that's not what you want to be doing...

How come you and Einar don't get along?

You're practically his daughter.

What I am is his dead son's wife.

He's always been really good to me. He's the first friend I met here.

I am not in the mood for their crap.

I'll take 'em.

- The special today is the enchilada plate. - Thank you.

They're good enchiladas. Served by good people.

I'm a good person.

I'm also a woman who's taken more than her fair share of shit off men.

Don't push me.

I mean, I couldn't even take a pinch of crap from two little cheese dicks like you.

- (Einar) OK, crank it. - (engine fails to start)

Again.

Again.

(engine starts)

(engine revs)

Take your foot off the gas.

Take your foot off the gas!

Is that for lunch?

It's for a bear.

Who the hell knows what a bear eats anyway?

Did I ask you to do that?

Don't bears like honey?

Winnie the Pooh does.

- Oh, hey. - Thought you were sick.

Haven't seen you for a few days.

It's only a two-restaurant town, so I try to spread the county's money around.

Meatloaf. Can I have onion rings instead of mashed potatoes?

Onion... Sure, I'll ask.

Could you give me a ride home after work?

Sure.

(growls)

(Griff) He looks like he's dancing.

Well, maybe just happy to see a girl with a sack of meat.

I'll give you some here. Why don't you toss this in?

- He likes the honey. - I think he does.

Is that really the bear that hurt Mr. Bradley?

He's the one.

(Jean) I don't wanna go right home.

- Not just yet. - You don't?

Can't we just drive a little?

Here's the thing. I'm gonna be here about three more weeks.

I'm afraid I'm not gonna get through it.

Three weeks, huh?

I don't wanna be in love, Crane.

(moaning)

Don't start without me.

- (Einar) What's that? - A flower.

That's not a flower - it's a weed.

It's pretty, though.

- Don't you think it's pretty? - Yeah, I think it's lovely.

You want to wait a little longer for your mother?

- Just a little bit. - OK.

I had a music teacher who was a lesbian.

You guys are gay, right?

(coughs)

I'd think after 40 years of working together, one of us would notice, don't you?

Well, Einar, I always thought you had really lovely hands.

- You did? You never told me that. - (Mitch laughs)

I mean, it's cool. Everybody needs love.

You got that part right, little girl.

(Einar) Jeez, what's next?

Hey!

- Hey, yourself. How you doing? - Good. How are you?

Good. There's somebody I want you to meet.

Griff, this is Sheriff Curtis.

Nice to meet you, Griff.

- Are you hungry? - There isn't enough.

I gotta swing back through town anyway. So I'll see ya.

- Thanks for the ride home. - Take care of yourself, Crane.

- I don't like him. - I don't remember asking.

I don't remember you ever asking me.

Hey, I don't need your permission.

You confused about how to treat a guest in my house?

It's just some guy my mom brought home.

I expect you to be pleasant to whoever comes to my door.

Yes, sir.

Unless it's some guy looking to sell his angle on God.

There's no excuse for that bullshit.

Well, all right, then. Let's give a try at these good-looking sandwiches.

There you go. Hold it right about here.

OK.

- His foot's not gonna go anywhere. - Oh, yes, it is. Look at that calf run.

He's off and gone.

(Einar) Oops. That's a little bit low.

- Yeah! - I got it!

- (Griff) Look at that! - Oh, yeah.

Go on, try it again. There you go.

You got any more improvements you wanna make around here?

I thought I'd straighten some of this mess.

Thought Mitch might want to work on something.

- Did you ask him about it? - (Mitch) Well, of course she did.

Now that we've got interesting company around here, I...

I feel inspired.

Excuse me. I gotta go to work.

You wanna know what I dreamed last night?

What?

I dreamed you weren't such a miserable son of a bitch.

That's not dreaming. That's wishful thinking.

Did you hear anything unusual last night?

Yeah. Somebody poking around down by the river.

I found some footprints.

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I sure do miss smoking.

So do I.

Hey.

Hey! What are you doing here?

- We're going to Angie's zoo. - Really?

What kind of pies you got today, Nina?

Hey! I got three kinds of berry and chocolate pecan.

Guaranteed to make your teeth ache.

Chocolate pecan, please. With ice cream.

Two chocolate pecan, one with ice cream. Kid's got young teeth.

Coming right up.

Be right back.

Crane.

Einar.

She capture your interest?

Have you thought about the girl? They're a set.

Can I get you anything else, Crane?

No. Just the check.

OK.

How does the law stand on shooting somebody on your property?

Well, if you didn't want to go to prison, they'd have to be in your house.

- That's what I thought. - You think you got a problem?

I'll let you know.

Hey.

You wanna hand me that rasp?

No, those are pliers. The rasp, next to...

- This? - That's it. Yep.

Are there really cowgirls?

Haven't you ever ridden a horse before?

No. There weren't any horses around Gary's apartment.

He was my mom's boyfriend.

We lived with him for two years.

My mom had another boyfriend before Gary.

His name was Hank. He didn't have any horses either.

Hank didn't hit my mom like Gary did.

He was just mean with his words.

Like you.

I can see where not learning to ride a horse would be a disadvantage for a cowgirl.

- You wanna try? - Yeah.

Here, grab that blanket.

(Griff) What's that?

Wanna have a look?

Good afternoon, boy.

Your father was sure first-rate.

I miss him.

I wish I missed him.

You would if you'd known him.

Stay.

Your mom's boyfriend in Iowa, he smoke?

Yeah, a lot.

Did he hit you?

Mostly my mom.

Jimmy. Jimmy, no, no.

My parents scraped and saved to get us out of El Paso.

To get a quiet place, far away from everything.

(Crane) Then they put an interstate through it.

(Jean) This would have killed them.

- I remember your parents. - You do?

- Yeah, they were good people. - What a mess. Did you know Griffin?

Yeah.

He was two years behind me in high school.

Do you know how he died?

Yeah, it was, uh...

Up in Calgary at the stampede. A car accident.

Guess everybody in town knows that.

Well, it was a long time ago.

I was driving, you know.

Guess everybody in town knows that too.

- Well, hello. - Hello.

Well, I'm not so sure I'm happy to see you in here, Einar.

How about a club soda, Eileen?

I can do that for you.

- I hear you have a granddaughter. - Yeah. By God, I do.

How old is she?

She's still shiny. She still expects everything's gonna turn out all right.

- (man) Shit! - That's a good age.

(man) Here, buy yourself a ing drink.

You're one lucky son of a bitch.

You know those guys?

The one in the hat is Jed Spear's boy, Josh.

And the other guy?

Some dude from the Midwest.

Einar.

- Her ex-boyfriend's in town. - Yeah, I know he is.

He's staying down at the Sage Creek Motel.

Why in the hell didn't you arrest him?

'Cause I can't do anything, except keep an eye on him. Unless he bothers her.

Does she know he's here?

I haven't told her yet.

Look, if he'd been out at your place, I could make that enough.

You'd let me know if he'd been out there bothering you?

Oh, he doesn't bother me one little bit.

- Jesus. - (printer whirs)

Here.

Bad news.

Bad news.

That's 15-2,

15-4...

That's two runs of three and a pair which puts me out.

- I haven't had a decent hand all night. - Well, don't growl. You dealt half of them.

I'm not growling. Give it here.

- You want some help getting to bed? - No, I'll manage that.

I always thought this was one of your best.

Why, thank you.

Ever wish you'd lived a different life rather than living up here and working with me?

No.

I was always happy that I found work that suited me.

Since I was a kid, all I ever wanted to be was a cowboy.

Shit.

- How about now? - Now too.

Mind if I leave Griff here with you for a while till her mother comes home?

There's an errand in town I'd like to run.

Be all right with me if she stayed up here all the time.

Hey.

Be careful with that errand.

(knock at door)

Yeah?

Take it easy, buddy. What do you want?

I'm helping you pack.

You don't know how much I love her.

Your love was written all over her face when she got here.

There's nothing more useless than running after a woman that doesn't want you.

She wanted me to find her. If she didn't, she wouldn't have come back here.

Pull over. Here.

Keep going. I see you back here again, I'll kill you.

You've seen too many westerns, old man.

That doesn't exactly work in your favor.

- You need a ride? - A ride would be fine.

- That man threaten you? - Yeah, he sure as hell did.

Jean Gilkyson's a friend of mine. She doesn't want you here.

- You don't know her like I do. - No, you're right. I don't.

I'll make this simple for you - I don't want you here.

Now, get going.

Is this something we're gonna have to talk a lot about?

No, Einar.

We never have to talk about this again.

Jean?

Jean?

Jean?

- What? - Get dressed. I wanna talk to you.

What is it?

Just had a chat with your ex-boyfriend.

Thought you oughta know he was in town.

- You mean Gary's here? - He was.

- Gary's in town? - He left.

Well, we should call Crane.

Crane knows all about it.

- I'm sorry. - Tell me something. I'm a little confused.

By bachelor number one and bachelor number two.

Are you screwing Crane Curtis for protection or sport?

Would you like to ask your daughter how she feels about it?

Don't bring Griff into this. You don't know about her.

- And whose fault is that? - Oh, it's my fault, Einar. Right?

Isn't it my fault? Isn't everything my fault?

Griffin flipped a coin.

What are you talking about?

Griffin flipped a coin and I lost.

So I was the one driving.

It was three o'clock in the morning and we were both tired.

We wanted to make it down to the rodeo in Great Falls.

It was a flipped coin?

What was it - a quarter? Was it a nickel?

- I don't remember what it was. - I wanna know what killed my boy!

I killed him, Einar.

Is that what you wanna hear?

It wasn't the change in our pockets

or the weak-ass coffee or the rain.

It was me.

I fell asleep and I flipped the car six times.

I killed Griffin.

You got no argument from me.

You think it's something I forget?

You think I'm not sick with it every day of my life?

But I tried to keep living and you haven't.

Is that why you hate me so much?

You know, you act like I killed you the day Griffin died.

Well, great.

Lie all the way down and we'll bury you.

What's the matter? You're afraid no one will come to the funeral?

- We'll talk about your leaving tomorrow. - We're done talking.

Just so you know,

I have been trying.

But forgiving...

just isn't easy for me.

Son of a bitch. What the hell did he call it?

What - does he think he's a preacher or some goddamn thing?

Know-it-all.

(Jean) I'm sorry we woke you up so early.

That's OK. I'm not a great sleeper anyway.

Hey, I got a regular mattress out in the storage shed.

Maybe you and I can wrestle it in here after work.

Did you drink the whole bottle?

She left. She walked out of here and took the kid.

That her idea or yours?

I didn't drink the whole thing.

Which side of your ass you want the needle in this morning?

Left.

(winces)

Well, what'd you dream about last night?

I didn't dream at all.

I lay awake all night, wondering if you'd ever stop blaming the world for whatever.

Wondering if you'd be able to hold on to the family you've got.

I managed to hang on to you, didn't I?

Have you ever wondered why I'm the only one left?

Well, I have my boy. I have his memories.

Yeah.

Maybe he'll remember how desperately he wanted to get out of here.

How bad he wanted a life of his own.

If you weren't a cripple, I'd jerk you out and kick your ass.

Oh, talk sense.

I never saw the day you thought you could kick my ass, Einar.

- Einar! - What?

I wanna go see the bear.

You've seen the bear.

- I want you to take me to Angie's. - You're not up to it.

I'm not asking permission, goddamnit! I want a ride!

Well, then call a taxi.

- I'm going back. - What?

I'm staying with my grandpa and Mr. Bradley.

- The hell you are, Griff. - Yes, I am.

No, you're not!

You're not going anywhere. You're staying.

I'm going back, OK?

You make decisions like they don't matter for anybody else but you!

That is not true. I always think about you first.

Then it should start to show.

Griff! Get back here! I'm not gonna say it again.

(Nina) Let her go.

Let her go be with her grandfather for a while.

Do you think I'm a shitty mother?

I think you're doing the best you can.

That's her second-grade picture.

Of your daughter?

Yeah.

We were having a picnic at the river and she went for a swim.

She wanted to practice.

She was a great swimmer.

And I, uh...

I looked away for a minute.

And she was... gone.

She was...

I would do anything to have that minute back.

But I'm never gonna.

- Nina, I'm... - We're not supposed to outlive our kids.

You have to understand that about Einar.

- Where's your mother? - She's staying with Nina.

You walked all the way out here by yourself?

I got hungry.

Want one egg or two? We got a lot to do today.

How about two?

What are we gonna do with that?

You spread it around so we don't have to walk in it.

Here, slide on over here and take the wheel.

- Come on. - I can't drive.

You're not gonna be driving. You're gonna be steering.

Come on. You can do it.

Turn before you get to that fence. Don't touch anything else.

Yeah.

OK.

- Set. - Yeah.

Six o'clock in the morning, I wake up to gunfire.

And I look out the window and everything's shot to hell in the yard.

- Jonesy, it's pottery. - Still, man.

Shouldn't you be catching people who are shooting the neighborhood up?

Why the hell didn't you tell me Gary was in town?

Excuse me.

- I didn't think you'd want to see him. - Well, I had a right to know.

I just... I would have thought you'd had enough of him.

Come on, Crane. Why don't you ask me what you really wanna know?

Why didn't I just walk away the first time he hit me?

Why didn't I just call the police? Right? It's so simple.

- Crane, are you gonna deal with this? - Just give me a second here.

Jean.

(Jonesy) I couldn't care less about his personal problems.

(Griff) There's a buffalo over there. His name is Ronnie.

And then there's two wolves.

Tom and Jerry.

Come on. Look.

Food.

Come on.

Aren't you hungry?

You had enough?

Yeah.

Yeah, I've had all I need.

No, no, no, that's OK.

I gotta run to the feed store for a minute. You think you can fix Mitch some lunch?

Sure.

OK, then.

(Mitch) Einar?

Einar!

- Mitch? - Griff.

- Get Einar for me. - He went to town.

Oh, no.

Do you know where he keeps my medicine?

- In the refrigerator? - Go get it for me.

- Right now? - Quick as you can.

OK.

- OK. - OK. Good girl.

Do you... you know how to load it?

Yeah, just... That's it.

OK.

Pull the pants down, stick it in me and push the plunger down.

(grunts)

Was that OK?

It was so smooth, I thought my mom had done it.

Thank you.

Hey.

Jean.

As it turns out, you're right. I'm a complete asshole.

I never judged you for being with him, though.

You're wrong about that.

You made it stop. You left him.

You wanna know the ugly little truth?

You stay because you don't think you deserve any better.

'Cause you think it's the best you can do.

It's Mr. Bradley.

How you doing?

We can't just leave him there, Einar.

We walked into his business.

Hell, he was just doing what bears do.

We can't punish him for that.

You got to let him go, Einar.

Get him out of that cage.

Don't you lie here and think I can do that.

You know, I can get myself shaved in the morning.

- All the way dressed too. - OK.

Could probably manage to stick myself in the butt with one of those syringes.

But what I can't do is continue to lie here every day and watch you mourn

for a life you think you should have had.

There are people everywhere who think they got dealt a bad hand, Einar.

Hey.

Did I give him too much?

No.

You did great today.

(growls)

(roars)

Goddamn bear.

I don't know what I'm gonna do.

I never do anything right.

Well, what do you think?

Attagirl.

- Right, let's try third. Let the clutch out. - Third?

Now, let's go to the left.

Not too hard.

OK, that's good. You're getting the hang of it.

There you go. I think we're gonna get this thing done.

Hey, Griff. How's life on the ranch?

It's good.

Jean, you got two customers out here.

Hey.

- We're just visiting, OK? - OK.

I miss you. What you been doing?

Einar's been teaching me how to drive.

Why don't you go look to see what Nina's got in the kitchen for special?

- OK? - OK.

Would you care if I took her camping?

Thanks for bringing her in, Einar.

- Did she say driving? - It's a ranch.

- She's 11. - I know, I know. She...

But she's a good girl.

Good kids don't get that way by accident.

- Is that a compliment? - It's just the way it is.

What else you been teaching her?

I don't know enough

to know what to teach a girl.

What I'm saying...

is if you wanna come back to the ranch, that's...

that's gonna be OK.

Maybe tomorrow then, when you get back.

Tomorrow would be fine.

I think camping would be great.

She'll love that.

- Do you want all of these? - Yep, all of 'em. Hold on to those.

What's the medicine for?

When we get that bear in the cage, I'm gonna give him a shot.

That way, he can sleep all the way up to the mountain.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you.

- Jesus Christ, Gary. - How are ya?

God, you look great.

I thought you left town.

Well, I wanted to see you.

You know I miss you.

I don't want you here, Gary. Can't you understand that?

Must be nice for Griff, living up here with her grandfather.

Country living and all.

Of course, it's not for you.

Just give it up, Gary.

I'm not coming back to you.

Can we just at least sit down? Have a drink or some kind of...

Offer me a coffee or some...

It's pretty country up here.

Might stick around a while.

We're gonna get caught.

These are government guys we're stealing this from.

They went home to dinner a long time ago.

I thought you said we're just borrowing it.

As long as I pay my taxes, it's the same thing. Let's go.

OK, now scoot on over and get ready to back up.

Come on ahead. Easy.

Come on.

Whoa.

OK.

Here.

Hold that still.

- When I tell you, you start cranking. - OK.

(growls)

- I'm a little bit scared. - That makes two of us.

Start cranking.

OK, now get in the truck.

OK.

Come on.

(roars)

Einar!

- Get behind me. Get behind me. - Einar, I'm sorry.

Get in the truck.

Walk slowly and don't look right at him. Get in the truck!

Go on.

Look here.

(car horn)

- Einar! - Wait a minute. Oh, shit.

Are you OK?

I think that he went through an artery.

I think you'd better get me to a hospital.

- Oh! - Sorry.

(phone rings)

(Nina) Hello?

What?

I was just trying to pull... Oh!

Pull the, uh, loft door down.

You know, to keep the bats out.

'Cause once those bats get in the rafters,

then you can't hardly get 'em out.

And that's when he fell.

Right. That's when I fell.

It was just dumb. I didn't know what the hell I was doing.

- Let's try this again, Einar. - Hmm? Oh, Jesus, no...

I hit the gearshift.

- I didn't mean to. - It wasn't your fault.

It was an accident.

You did everything just right tonight.

As well as your dad could have done.

(horse whinnies)

I guess God kept me alive to bring her into the world.

But every day, I wish...

I wish it was me that died in that car instead of Griffin.

I wish you both had lived.

I was fallen-down drunk the night that Mitch got mauled.

That's why I couldn't get the bear off him before I did.

He never said anything about it.

He never would.

You.

I'm not just gonna lie down here.

(bear roars)

Just keep going.

Heard you made a hell of a fall, Einar.

You're lucky you only cracked two ribs.

It was the soft part of the yard.

- Am I finished? - Not yet.

I'm going to keep you here for a little bit, make sure your spleen's OK.

Ah, I'm fine.

Well, I'll check back on you this afternoon.

So you can double-bill me?

Seems fair to me. You are twice the trouble.

Let's give it a day or two, OK?

Hmm.

Couple of days. That's bullshit.

(Jean giggles)

Einar?

OK?

Yeah, I'm fine. Got clumsy.

Mitch.

Mitch, we set the bear free.

I know.

Thank you.

You want me to run some breakfast out to Mitch?

No. Usually coffee's enough for him in the morning.

You know,

she could go to school here.

Not a bad school.

Whoa, Jimmy.

Stay there.

- What do you want, Gary? - It's time to come home, baby.

I love you, Jean.

You love me?

- That's what your love feels like. - You bitch!

- Mom! - Don't you ever hit me!

- Mom! - Don't you hit me!

- Mom, are you OK? Mom! Mom! - Come on.

- Mom! Mom! - Let her go, Gary!

- Let go of me. - Are you coming or staying?

Hey! Take your hands off her!

- What the hell? - (gunshot)

Get in the car. Get in there!

Griff, get out of the car.

- Griff! Griff, goddamnit! - (Jean) Griff!

Mom!

- Mom! - (engine fails to start)

Come on.

Mom.

- Come on. - Mom.

- It's enough, Einar. - Mom.

(Einar) You leave her alone. Now, come on here. Come on, get.

Get out of here. Get away, you greedy little bugger.

- She didn't do anything to you. - That's Mitchell. He's a boy.

Yep.

Come on.

Get outta... Goddamn...

(bus driver) Loma. Loma, Nebraska.

So what about you, Mitch? You know anything about this?

About what?

So you don't know anything about it?

I just drove him home from the hospital.

Mm-hm. Of course. Right.

Hello, Officer Curtis.

Good afternoon there, Griff.

Einar.

Would you stay for lunch today?

Yeah, I might.

I gotta speak to your grandfather for a second, though, first.

Ah, heck. It can wait. Here, let me grab that for you.

So, how was she today? Looks good, huh?

- Yeah? Did you do the milking? - Yeah.

Think it might rain today.

No, it's gonna stay warm.

I didn't say anything about the temperature. I said it might rain.

Would you bury me next to Griffin?

Don't you think you oughta die first?

It's gonna happen, you know.

Where the hell else do you think I'd bury you? It's where my family lies.

You think the dead really care about our lives?

(Mitch) Yeah, I think they do.

I think they forgive us our sins.

I even think it's easy for them.

(Einar) Griff said you had a dream about flying.

Yeah.

I got so high, Einar,

I could see where the blue turns to black.

From up there, you could see all there is.

And it looked like there was a reason for everything.

(  "Don't" by Shania Twain and Robert John Mutt Lange)

  Don't

  Don't you wish we tried?

  Do you feel what I feel inside?

  You know our love is stronger than pride

  Oh

  No, don't

  Don't let your anger grow

  Just tell me what you need me to know

  Please talk to me

  Don't close the door

  Mmm

  'Cause I wanna hear you

  I wanna be near you

  Don't fight. Don't argue

  Give me the chance to say that I'm sorry

  Just let me love you

  Don't turn me away

  Don't tell me to go

  Don't

  Don't give up on trust

  Don't give up on me, on us

  If we could just hold on long enough

  Mm

  We can do it

  We'll get through it

  Don't fight. Don't argue

  Just give me the chance to say that I'm sorry

  Just let me love you

  Don't turn me away

  Don't tell me to go

  Don't protend that it's OK

  Things won't get better that way

  Don't do something you might regret someday

  Don't

  Don't give up on me

  Don't

  We can do it

  We'll got through it

  Don't fight. Don't argue

  Just give me the chance to say that I'm sorry

  Just let me love you

  Don't turn me away

  Don't tell me to go

  Don't

  Don't fight. Don't argue

  Don't give up on me

  Give me the chance to say that I'm sorry

  Say that I'm sorry

  Just let me love you

  Don't give up on me

  Don't turn me away

  Don't tell me to go

  Don't

  Don't fight. Don't argue

  Give me the chance to say that I'm sorry

  Just let me love you

  Don't give up on me

  Don't turn me away

  Don't tell me to go

The Miramax clearance sale continues with An Unfinished Life, Lasse Hallstrom's hugely disappointing character study starring Hollywood A-listers Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez, and Morgan Freeman. This earnest and contrived story of an aging rancher estranged from his daughter-in-law meanders predictably towards the inevitable reconciliation, without ever feeling genuine. What's supposed to be an emotionally uplifting tale of forgiveness and second chances instead comes across as embarrassingly trite, like one of those maudlin Hallmark Hall of Fame made-for-television movies, where touchy-feely aphorisms pass for heartfelt dialogue. The stars do what they can in their sketchily developed roles, but their sincere efforts are mostly for naught in this dramatically banal film.

Written by novelist Mark Spragg and his wife Virginia, a former therapist (which explains the script's excess of psychobabble-style exchanges and anguished revelations), An Unfinished Life takes place in rural northwestern Wyoming. Rancher Einer Gilkyson (Redford) has never gotten over the death of his only son, Griff, who died in a car accident years before. A crotchety sort, he shares his spread with his old friend/ranch hand Mitch Bradley (Freeman), who's still recovering from being mauled by a grizzly bear. With Griff dead and his wife MIA, Einer feels like he's alone in the world except for Mitch. Until his estranged daughter-in-law Jean (Lopez) arrives with her 11-year-old daughter Griff (Becca Gardner) in tow. Fleeing an abusive boyfriend (Damian Lewis), Jean asks Einer if she and Griff can stay with him awhile. Although he blames Jean for killing his son (she was driving and fell asleep at the wheel), Einer begrudgingly agrees to let her and his tomboy granddaughter stay. Slowly—very slowly, thanks to Hallstrom's lackadaisical direction—Einer bonds with his granddaughter and learns to forgive Jean, who's anxious to make a fresh start in this picturesque setting. www.130q.com

The scenery is the only element in An Unfinished Life that feels remotely authentic (even though the film was shot in British Columbia). Oliver Stapleton's cinematography captures the desolate beauty of the harsh terrain. It's the Wyoming that novelist Annie Proulx depicts so indelibly in her short-story collection, Close Range, which includes Brokeback Mountain. In their screenplay, the Spraggs try to paint an emotionally astute rendering of contemporary Wyoming life a la Proulx, whose spare prose vividly evokes the life of her characters as a mixture of hard-bitten stoicism and aching loneliness. Unlike Proulx, however, the Spraggs litter their Wyoming narrative with "big sky" clichés, on-the-nose dialogue, and pat story developments. Characters literally cross paths at the most dramatically convenient times throughout An Unfinished Life, which the Spraggs also burden with a symbolism-heavy subplot about the grizzly bear that mauled Freeman's character.

On the plus side, Redford and Freeman are warmly believable as lifelong friends who bicker like some old married couple (the stars previously worked together in Brubaker). And newcomer Gardner is appealingly matter-of-fact as the sensitive tomboy granddaughter. As for Lopez, she's decent in an underwritten role as the tortured Jean, who finds an unlikely suitor in the dreamboat local sheriff (Josh Lucas).

Shot in 2003, An Unfinished Life has long been gathering dust on the Miramax release shelf—which is where it should have stayed.

Robert Redford on a horse roaming the wide-open countryside of Wyoming - doesn't sound like much of a stretch, does it? What is unusual about Redford's participation in Lasse Hallström's An Unfinished Life is that the actor in as unkempt as he has ever appeared on screen (he looks like showed up on set after bypassing the makeup trailer). And, although this touchy-feely motion picture transforms Redford's character into a human being, he starts out as an unapologetic misanthrope.

The tale presented in An Unfinished Life cannot be considered original. It's as familiar a piece of storytelling as you're likely to find - a physically and emotionally isolated man is revived by the introduction of two strangers into his life. With a movie like this, there are no surprises. You get what you expect. Success is based on three factors. Are the characters believable and interesting? In this case, yes. The small group of men and women populating An Unfinished Life transcend the stereotypes from which they spring. Is the acting solid? Again, yes. There isn't a weak performance to be found. Finally, does the plot contain enough interesting details to prevent it from seeming stale? There are some interesting minor elements here that allow it to avoid being a clone of every other movie of its ilk.

Einar Gilkyson (Robert Redford) lives alone in rural Wyoming. His sole companion is Mitch (Morgan Freeman), a former fellow cowboy who became an invalid a year ago after being mauled by a bear. Einar cares for Mitch, giving him a pain-killing shot every morning with his cup of coffee, then bringing him lunch and dinner. Einar's reclusive lifestyle is interrupted by the arrival of his daughter-in-law, Jean (Jennifer Lopez), and granddaughter, Griff (Becca Gardner). Einar isn't overjoyed to see them - he blames Jean for the death of his son 12 years ago, and, until now, wasn't aware of his granddaughter's existence. But Jean and Griff have nowhere to go - she is fleeing from a violent boyfriend, Gary (Damian Lewis), and needs someplace to get her footing. www.130q.com

On the surface, the film is about Einar getting to know his beloved son's daughter. It takes some prodding from Mitch, a lowering of Einar's guard, and a few visits to his deceased son's grave before he makes the first move, but he does so. An Unfinished Life is also about Einar forgiving Jean and himself, and Jean coming to grips with what happened. She admits that one of the reasons she ended up with Gary is because, deep down, she didn't feel she deserved better. Meanwhile, Mitch must confront his demons in a concrete way.

Redford, finally acting his age, doesn't try to be a romantic lead. Released from the constraints of having to be handsome to win a woman, he turns in an affecting performance as a man whose life ended with his son's. Morgan Freeman reminds us that there are few better character actors working today. Newcomer Becca Gardner shows no hints of awkwardness - she's a natural. And, for the first time in years, Jennifer Lopez throws off the superstar cloak and gets back to basics. This is the best performance she has given since The Cell, and it recalls her early career, before she became a paparazzi darling. (One wonders if she did this film, with its opportunity to collaborate with a respected director like Hallström, in an attempt to rehabilitate her tarnished reputation as a thespian. Like Ben Affleck, she is still suffering from the fallout of her year of overexposure.)

An Unfinished Life is a study of emotions and characters; it's deliberate and unhurried. The director has an obvious affinity for individuals trapped in stasis - many of his best films focus on them. This movie will appeal to a specific audience - those who care more about spending time with three-dimensional characters than following a convoluted plot or getting an adrenaline kick. An Unfinished Life isn't original, but, for those who enjoy this sort of drama, it's an opportunity to remember how, in the right circumstances, on-screen characters can touch our hearts.

Lasse Hallström's "An Unfinished Life" is so conventional it's almost audacious. No one makes movies like this anymore, for some bad reasons as well as good ones. A taciturn rancher who, still bitter over the death of his son some 10 years ago, relearns how to love by getting to know the granddaughter he never knew he had; a man who has been mauled by a bear, and who suffers such severe pain he can barely leave his bed, but who nonetheless defends the growly beast with convenient circle-of-life maxims like "He was just doin' what bears do." How are we, enlightened moviegoers of the new century, supposed to countenance such characters without snorting into our popcorn?

If "An Unfinished Life" had been made 10 or 12 years ago, we'd have, rightfully, dismissed it as an intensely earnest, overly manicured, run-of-the-mill melodrama. But today "An Unfinished Life" comes off more as a curiosity than anything. The picture is outrageously predictable and somewhat poky, but there's also something admirably bold about the way it so adamantly demands we swallow its hokum. I couldn't believe half the things that came out of these characters' mouths, and yet I found myself perfectly willing to hang around until the end, just to make sure every intensely obvious character transformation took place as promised -- and to find out what happened to the bear.

Robert Redford plays the grizzled, emotionally impaired rancher (he has the aggressively fictional name Einar Gilkyson) who's dismayed when his son's widow, Jean (Jennifer Lopez), whom he hasn't seen since his son's funeral, shows up on his down-at-the-heels Wyoming ranch with her 11-year-old daughter, Griff (the astute, appealing Becca Gardner), in tow. Einar blames Jean for his son's death -- he died in a car accident, and she was the one behind the wheel -- but we know for sure (just as surely as he doesn't) that his resentment is just a feeble attempt to cover his pain. We also know, as sure as Heidi wears a dirndl, that Griff is going to win her grandfather's affection. But for now, he's not budging, and Jean needs his help: She's finally gotten up the nerve to leave her dangerously abusive boyfriend, and she has nowhere else to go.

Einar welcomes Jean and Griff with barely a grunt, although he does show a touching tenderness with Mitch (Morgan Freeman), his longtime ranch hand and the man who has suffered so greatly at the mitts of that angry bear. Einar massages Mitch's ravaged back with businesslike authority; he administers the morphine shots that Mitch needs daily with the same matter-of-fact detachment that he shows while milking his one remaining cow. And when the bear shows up on Einar's property again -- he wanders into town, looking quizzically over a fence at a little girl on a tricycle, before scaring a bunch of preteen boys off their banana-seat bikes -- Einar goes after him with a shotgun: This is one problem he can solve. But Einar is talked out of firing his gun by the local sheriff (Josh Lucas), and the bear instead ends up as a pitiful caged attraction at a local park, a development that greatly distresses Mitch, who insists on calling the big lummox "my bear."

There's lots of criss-crossing bonding going on in "An Unfinished Life": Man with daughter-in-law and granddaughter, man with bear, and so forth. And the fact that it all sounds so nuts on paper, yet seems so confoundingly sensible on the screen, is testament to Hallström's gifts. "An Unfinished Life" is an extremely well-made picture, perhaps sometimes too well made: It moves forward with the efficiency of a well-greased machine. Still, it's pleasurable in itself to see the control Hallström has over the picture. And his cinematographer, the great Oliver Stapleton, pulls off some astonishingly casual-looking shots whose brilliance doesn't hit you until after the fact (as when two barn cats watch Einar, with semidetached interest, from the foreground, as he lopes across his yard in the background). www.130q.com

And even when they're made to utter dorky dialogue (the abusive boyfriend, a creepy redhead played by Damian Lewis, explains his behavior with lines like "You back me into a corner, and I hate it when I'm like that"), the actors seem to believe deeply in the picture around them, and that makes a difference. Lopez, as always, is a charming, believable presence. (Lopez is too often branded a "bad" actress, a verdict that discounts how immensely likable she manages to be even in the crappiest pictures.) Freeman is Freeman, as dependable as the phases of the moon -- he's good here, even though it's the kind of "good" he can now deliver in his sleep.

And Redford, even as he's playing the stock silent guy who, though he's been weakened by age, is still guided by an impulse to protect the wimmin-folk, is surprisingly entertaining. Redford isn't an actor I feel much warmth for: With a few exceptions, he has always struck me as a stiff, pretty prop. But even in a business that's somewhat kinder to aging men than it is to women, Redford's willingness, finally, to look his age -- after struggling too valiantly for years to remind us of his boyish good looks as he started to lose them -- is something we shouldn't take lightly. Redford summons some gnarled emotional complexity here, particularly in a scene where he visits his son's grave to read him the junk mail he's still getting, more than 10 years after his death.

And what about the bear? I won't tell you what happens to him -- the credits list him as "Bart the Bear" -- though I will tell you he steals every scene he appears in. At one point we see him in his nighttime cage, illuminated by a too-bright overhead light (how's a bear supposed to get any sleep in here?), hunched in a disconsolate heap. Another time, he's sprawled in a bored stupor on the floor of his daytime cage, as children wave and chatter at him. We see him only from behind, a depressed blob of silvery-brown fur who's probably wondering if being made into a rug would really be such a bad thing. This bear is supposed to symbolize many things in "An Unfinished Life": The inability to let go of grief and anger, and the need for emotional freedom at all costs. But in the end, he's just a bear, going about the honest business of doin' what bears do. If anything, he's a metaphor for the movie itself -- a picture that has ambled, almost accidentally, into a time and place where it doesn't belong.