Grace Is Gone script

Hi. You've reached Grace,

Stanley, Heidi, and Dawn.

We're not home right now, but if you leave a message,

we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Hi, everyone! It's Mom!

I just wanted to call

and tell you how much I'm thinking of you.

Stan, I guess you're at work now.

Have you had a chance to go to that group thing yet?

I think it's a great idea.

God, it's hot here.

I'm not sure when I'm going to be able to call again.

It might be a few days.

I just wanted to tell you that I love you

and I miss you.

Write me.

Good morning.

- Good morning. - Good morning.

Let's huddle up.

Put it in.

Come on, Agnes.

All right, now give me an H!

- H! - Give me an O!

- O! - Give me an M!

- M! - Give me an E!

- E! - Give me an S!

- S! - Give me a T!

- T! - Give me an O-R-E!

O-R-E!

What's that spell?

Home Store!

- What's that spell? - Home Store!

- Who's number 1? - Customers!

- Who's number 1? - Customers!

- Who's number 1? - Customers!

Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!

Go get 'em.

And Charles knows that I don't...

I don't usually go for that kind of thing.

But he's telling me

how hot I'm making him,

and, uh, I can... I can even hear him.

He's... I can hear him.

You know, so we both...

we're... we're both getting into it,

getting really...

muttering and talking,

and I'm just about to scream,

and... and... and... and then the phone goes dead.

It's pretty romantic, huh?

Oh, honey, don't worry.

Those won't be his last words.

You should consider yourself lucky.

Phone is nothing

compared to what Ron did to me

the night before he shipped.

I know, but it would never be like that

with a woman.

Oh, I wouldn't say that.

Well, you know, I've never had to make that kind of good-bye.

Well, why don't we ask Stanley?

His wife did.

Uh, well, Stan?

Grace and I had a nice time.

Well, what did you do?

We put the kids to bed, you know.

Then we watched Leno.

You didn't...

That's really none of anybody's business.

I'm sorry. It's...

Uh, I mean, it must have been so hard.

No, no, no. It wasn't hard.

I was proud to see her go.

Of course you were.

Mm-hmm.

- Of course you were. - Yeah.

Yeah, we're all proud.

I just want them to come home.

When is Ron supposed to come home?

January if his tour doesn't get extended.

Well, don't hold your breath.

They always extend.

Welcome to the Army, honey,

and my prescription medicine cabinet.

Two bombs have gone off

in the capital today,

killing at least four people,

and there have also been reports

of skirmishes between gunmen...

What was that?

Nothing.

What were you watching?

Nothing.

Turn it back on.

W-What?

Not everyone is pleased

with the new order of things in Baghdad.

Thousands today demonstrated in front...

I'm sorry, Dad.

You better be.

...the demonstration organized

by anti-occupation Shiites.

In a disturbing development is Basra in Iraq's south,

the Iranians...

...raising new security concerns...

What's this I hear about you falling asleep in school?

You know better than that.

I'm sorry.

We get plenty of sleep here every night.

There's no excuse for you to be falling asleep in school.

I know.

I'm not going to have to talk to you

about this again, am I?

I didn't hear you.

No.

Good.

I want you to go to Mrs. Shimerhorn tomorrow.

I want you to apologize,

I want you to ask for extra work to show for your disrespect.

- But, Dad... - No buts.

Dad, she's going to have her baby any day.

Mm-hmm.

And she's really grouchy right now.

Then you'd better ask her really nice.

Dad, I... I can't just go up to her...

...and ask her for more work when l...

Shh!

Thank you.

There we go. Good night.

All right now.

I love you.

Stanley Phillips?

Is your wife Grace Ann Phillips?

May we come inside, sir?

No.

Whatever you're gonna say, just say.

Mr. Phillips, I regret to inform you,

on behalf of the President of the United States,

that Sergeant Grace Ann Phillips

was killed at 2100 hours on March 12.

I was in the shower.

Mr. Phillips, may we come inside, sir?

Mr. Phillips, this is Chaplain Johnson.

He lives on base,

and he'll be available to you

and your children at any time.

Would you like to pray with me, Mr. Phillips?

No.

Mr. Phillips, I'm going to need you

to sign this, please, sir.

It's just a form

stating you'll be at this address

for the next 45 days.

Is there somebody you'd like to call

while we wait here with you, sir?

No. Don't wait.

Don't wait.

Are you sure?

Captain Douglas Tamlin will be your casualty assistant officer.

He'll be stopping by here later today

with more details

concerning your wife's death.

Mr. Phillips, any man who's ever been a soldier

shares in your grief.

Sergeant Phillips was a brave soldier.

She died serving the country she loved.

Hi. You've reached Grace, Stanley,

Heidi, and Dawn.

We're not home right now,

but if you leave a message,

we'll be back to you as soon as possible.

Hey, Mr. Phillips. It's Rick.

At the Home Store?

Just wondering if you're coming in to work today.

Okay. Thanks.

- Race you! - Oh!

What's this?

Give me that. Thank you.

Hi, girls.

What are you doing here?

Where'd you get that?

Someone left a casserole.

You okay?

Don't eat that.

- Why not? - Just don't.

Is something wrong?

Don't. Stop.

Stop. Stop, please.

Okay, girls, let's go in the living room.

I want to talk to you.

Girls.

Yeah, Dad?

Hey, who's hungry? Who wants to go get something to eat?

- I do. - It's only 4:00.

So what?

Shotgun!

You can't call shotgun until you're outside.

Race you.

Dad?

Go. Go, go, go, both of you.

Go, go, go, go, go.

Doot doo-doot 

Hey, Dad, yeah 

Hey, Dad, yeah 

Shake your booty, no way 

Shake your booty, okay 

Jump jump 

- You go get a table... - Okay.

...and we'll go to the arcade.

- All right. - Bye, Dad.

Okay, girls, we're going right now.

- Dad... - Come on.

We just got here.

We were just getting into it.

I don't care. Just come on.

Heidi, move.

Where are we going?

Where would you like to go?

I don't know.

How about you, Dawn?

Is there any place you'd like to go?

Enchanted Gardens.

Don't be a moron, Dawn.

I'm not. Daddy asked where we wanted to go.

That's not what he meant.

You don't know.

Yes, I do.

I don't care. I want to.

Stop it.

Stop it.

- Seriously. - Seriously.

Stop!

Oh, God.

Aah! Stop!

What if we did?

What?

What if we did right now

went to Enchanted Gardens?

What if we did?

What?

Go to Enchanted Gardens right now?

Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh!

Be quiet, be quiet.

Eww.

Huh? Would you like that?

We can't.

Is that's something you'd like to do? Why not?

- Sit down, Dawn. - No!

Girls, why not?

Dad... Dad...

We have school.

You can miss a few days of school.

Yeah, Heidi.

- We can? - Yeah.

Of course we can. Right, Dad?

- Sure. Why not? - Yes!

What about your job?

Don't worry about my job.

Don't worry about his job.

Dad...

Huh? Well?

What about homework?

Don't worry about your homework.

Don't worry about our homework.

We can do... We can help you with your homework.

Dawn and I can help you in the car.

Let's do it. Right now.

- Are you serious? - Yeah!

Of course he's serious.

Yeah. Why not? Let's go.

You got to get some fun out of life, Heidi.

You, too, Dawn.

- Let's do it! - Let's go!

Let's do it! Do you guys want to do it?

I do!

You party pooper!

Yes or no, Heidi, right now.

This is a one-time-only offer.

Enchanted Gardens right now.

- Right now, Heidi. - Right now!

Do we have an atlas?

Let's do it!

Hi. You've reached Grace, Stanley,

Heidi, and Dawn.

We're not home right now,

but if you leave a message,

we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Hey.

Just wanted to let you know the girls and I are... okay.

We just decided to take a little trip.

We're having a really good time.

...could face fines

up to $300 under the new law.

There's a flood watch in parts of Western Minnesota

through tomorrow evening.

Tonight should be cloudy with rain showers likely.

Isolated thunders...

Good morning.

Good morning.

Where are we?

I'm not entirely sure.

We should call school

and tell them we're going to be absent.

Let's think of something fun to do today.

Can you do that?

What's that?

What's that? What is that?

Supposed to be an answer to my question?

Huh? Huh? No?

No.

Well, let's try that again.

Come on. Can we think of something fun

that we want to do today?

No.

No? Why not?

We've talked about it too much now.

So?

So now there's too much pressure.

Too much pressure?

What are you doing?

You cannot just drive into this field.

Oh, yes, I can.

Dad, what are you doing?

I'm doing doughnuts. What's it look like?

We're going to get in trouble.

- No, no, we're not. - Watch for the birds.

No, the birds fly out of the way.

What the heck are we doing?

Hey! Good morning, Dawn!

Are we on a road?

Nope.

Cool!

Fun, isn't it?

Yeah!

I used to do this all the time

when I was a teenager.

Why?

Why? I don't know. It's fun, isn't it?

Why would you do this?

I don't know. I guess I just like peeling out.

I didn't put a ton of thought into everything I did

when I was a kid, Heidi.

All right. Let's go.

Where are we going?

- Dad? - Yeah.

Are we really going to Enchanted Gardens?

Of course we are. Why?

I just wanted to make sure.

Okay.

- Dad? - Yeah.

Can we get a monkey?

No.

What if it's really little?

Like littler than a puppy.

Still no.

Can we get a pony?

No.

An iPod?

No.

- Dad? - Yes, Dawn.

Can we get our ears pierced?

No. Not till you're 13. You know the rules.

Dad?

Be quiet, Dawn.

What? Do I hear something?

- Dawn! - I don't hear anything...

Dawn!

...at all, no, no.

Be quiet!

Girls, come on. Straighten up.

I got a surprise for you.

What is it?

We're going to stop and see Grandma.

I can get in around back. Just wait here.

My lamp.

So you want to marry my daughter.

I sure do. Boy!

Hey.

Hey, Uncle John.

What are you guys doing here?

Oh, hey, don't... don't get too close.

I think I have bad breath.

New lamps for all!

Is your dad here?

Can I help you?

John, what are you doing here?

What are you doing here?

Trying to find a way in.

What, the front door too obvious for you?

Open the door, man.

Hey, bro.

How are you, man?

I'm good, man.

How you doing?

Come on in.

So what have you been up to, John?

I'm studying to take the GRE.

Good. You going back to school?

I'm thinking about it, yeah.

That's great. What for?

Law. Or medicine. I haven't decided yet.

Oh.

That's great.

What's new with you?

Not much.

You all right?

What do you mean, am I... I... I'm fine.

You're not upset?

About what?

Uh, I don't know. I mean, where do I start?

The situation's such a mess.

The situation? What situation?

What situation?

I mean, it sounds like a ing mess over there.

Watch your language.

Sorry. Sorry.

You don't know what you're talking about anyway.

Who does? The administration?

I mean, they'll tell you the sun comes out at midnight

if it serves their cause.

And how about that monkey boy president of yours?

He's your president, too.

I didn't vote for him.

You didn't vote at all, did you?

That's... That's not the point.

Isn't it?

Just...   更多影评 www.130q.com

stop talking.

Let's not have that conversation right now.

You'd like that, wouldn't you?

That's what your side's all about, isn't it?

Censoring dissent?

Stop.

Why? I mean, we're just talking.

Are you afraid of talking?

No, I'm not afraid of that at all.

I just don't want to confuse the girls. Is that all right?

I'm sure they're already confused.

I mean...

really, what do you think about all this?

Do you have an opinion?

They think their mom's a hero,

and they think it's easy to criticize the situation

when you're sitting in your mom's living room

thinking about going back to school...

maybe law, maybe med... I don't know.

They think every one of those privileged opinions

is a freedom that their mother fights for daily

on your behalf.

That's what they think.

Well, it's... it's good to see

that you let them think for themselves.

You girls hungry?

You think your dad will buy us lunch?

It's 4:30, man.

You think your dad will buy us dinner?

Want to buy Uncle John dinner?

You don't want to come?

No, I think I'm just going to stay here and...

take a little cat nap.

You're bigger than the last time I saw you.

How old are you now?

Dawn's 8. I'm 12 1/2.

Wow.

How old are you?

32.

Bet that sounds pretty old to you, doesn't it?

Do you have a job?

Why? Are you hiring?

No.

Hey, how come you kids are out of school?

Dad's taking us to Enchanted Gardens.

- Why? - For fun.

You think that place is fun?

What do you mean?

Nothing.

Uncle John?

Yeah.

Why did Dad quit the Army?

He didn't quit.

What do you mean?

He had to leave because of his eyes.

The Army's strict about crap like that.

But weren't his eyes always bad?

Mm, more or less.

Well, if they're so strict,

how'd he get in the first place?

He didn't tell you?

Oh, Christ.

Well, if he didn't tell you,

he probably wouldn't want me to, so...

All right, you promise not to tell your dad if I tell you?

He cheated.

How?

He had a buddy take a picture

of the physical examiner's eye chart.

Memorized the letters.

What?

Your dad wanted to serve so bad.

I mean, he really bought

all that patriotic "I Want You" crap.

Which was a good thing, too,

because he never would have met your mother otherwise.

Well, how'd the Army find out about his eyes?

Eventually they just gave him a test he couldn't cheat on,

and that was that.

End of the dream.

Why don't you and Dad like each other?

Did your dad tell you that?

Well, we're just... we're just different.

We have different opinions.

Doesn't mean we don't like each other.

I mean, do you agree with him about everything?

You shouldn't.

Why not?

Because it's important

that people have their own views

based on an understanding of facts.

But it's also important not to trust the facts

because most of them are lies.

I don't understand.

Well, it basically comes down to a...

gut thing.

You just have to be open to allowing

for a truth which differs from your own opinions,

or else you'll never actually see the truth at all.

What's that about?

It's her time of day.

What, it's... it's her time of day?

Mom and Dawn both set their watches

at the same time every day.

That way, they know

that they're both thinking of each other

at the same moment.

Girls?

Yeah?

Yeah?

Do you...

want to play tag?

Sure.

That's good because...

you know why?

Why?

Because, uh, you're it.

You're it.

Woo hoo hoo hoo hoo!

You're it. Time out.

What do you mean time out?

You can't call time out.

That is so lame. You can't just...

All right. I'm just going to read the paper...

and find out what's going...

Time in.

You know, I mean, it's so typical.

I'm the victim of this kind of thing every single day,

and you know why?

It's because I'm an honest guy,

and I have to pay for it.

Mm-hmm.

- Ha! - Aah!

Hey, the phone's ringing. Open up.

Hello.

Yeah, this is John.

Oh, hey, Mary.

What the hell are you doing, man?

What's wrong? Where are the girls?

The girls are fine.

Stan, I just talked to Mary.

I know what's going on.

Do the girls know?

No.

That's good. Don't tell them yet.

We got to go. We got to go.

We got to go.

Stan, what are you doing to them?

I'm taking them on a trip.

Just stay out of it.

Stay out of it?

You're the one who brought me into it.

I didn't bring you into anything.

You were just here. I didn't plan that.

Do you really think

that... that... that taking them to an amusement park

is going to help them get over losing their mother?

- Just stay out of it. - You're going to screw those girls up.

Is that what you want to do?

- Get out of my way. - They'll never forgive you.

Get out of my way!

Nobody asked you! Do you understand?

I got to go.

Don't you want to wait for Mom?

No.

We're on a schedule.

Stan...

please stay and wait for Mom

because we can talk it all out together.

No.

It was nice seeing you again, John.

I got to go. Okay?

Girls!

Girls, get your stuff together!

Girls!

Come on. Get up.

Okay. Come on. Get up. We got to go.

- Why? - What?

- We got to go right now. - Why?

I thought we were going to see Grandma.

We're going to talk to her later.

- Get in the goddamn car. - Dad.

What about Uncle John?

What about Uncle John?

We didn't get to say good-bye.

You'll see him again.

I'm bored. Let's drive into a field.

No, Dawn. We already did that.

Why not?

Because we already did it.

So?

So we ought to do something else.

Seems like we've been driving forever.

Well, it's going to be forever with that attitude, isn't it?

You're kind of quiet back there, Heidi.

What are you doing?

Just working on my report.

What's your report about?

Mom.

Whose idea was that?

Mrs. Shimerhorn's.

Mrs. Shimerhorn's.

Why does she think that's a good idea?

Because she thought it would help or something.

Help with what? What do you need help with?

I don't know. You know how people get when Mom goes away.

No. How do they get?

Like serious.

I call bed!

I call bed.

Not if I get there first!

Oh!

Dad, this is so fun. You want to try?

I'm going to go get a cot.

Okely-dokely, artichokey.

I have to poop.

You don't have to tell me things like that.

There's free shampoo and a sewing kit!

Hey, what are bath salts?

Noble Elementary.

Mrs. Fissel?

Yes.

Hi. This is Heidi Phillips.

I was calling to tell you

that my sister and I are going to be missing

a couple of school days this week.

Oh, that's okay, Heidi.

We're not sick or anything.

We're just taking a trip.

For fun?

Oh, Heidi, I understand.

I was wondering if you could have our teachers

e-mail our dad our homework.

Of course, sweetheart.

Is Mrs. Shimerhorn there?

Mrs. Shimerhorn is in the hospital.

Why?

She's actually having her baby.

Oh, she is?

Yeah, and Miss Abrams will be taking over for her

for the rest of the year.

Oh. Can you ask her if it's all right

if my report is late?

Mrs. Shimerhorn said it had to be done by Monday.

I'm sure it's fine, Heidi, okay?

I'll see you soon.

Okay.

Bye, sweetheart.

Bye.

Who was that?

Mrs. Fissel.

What did you call her for?

I was trying to get our homework.

Heidi!

She was really nice.

That's cool.

Bang-bang! Choo-choo train!

Come on, Heidi, do your thing!

Say woo!

What?

Got you.

Marco.

Polo!

Marco.

Polo.

- Marco. - Polo.

- Marco. - Polo.

Count how long I can do it.

Okay.

Yeah.

Dad, watch this.

That's good.

This is a long time.

It's like five days.

That was good.

- That was about, like, - How long?

I don't know, two minutes?

Ha!

You weren't counting.

I was close.

Dad?

Yeah.

What's going on?

What do you mean?

Why are we doing all this?

I just wanted to give you girls a surprise, you know?

Take you on a trip.

You didn't go to work yesterday, did you?

No, I didn't go to work.

Were you fired?

You know Mom's going to be really mad

if you lose your job, right?

I didn't lose my job, Heidi.

Okay?

But if you were going to, you'd tell us, right?

Yeah, I would tell you.

I'm going to go to sleep.

What are you doing?

Nothing.

You're not old enough to smoke.

I'm 18.

No, you're not.

Want to bet?

I saw you with your mom at the pool.

That wasn't my mom.

Oh, yeah? Who was it?

It was an autistic woman.

I take care of her for money.

You shouldn't lie.

I'm not lying. It's the truth.

How old are you?

18.

Want one?

Sure.

Heidi?

Heidi?

Heidi!

Why are you coughing?

You haven't even smoked it yet.

I knew you'd never smoked before.

Better go home, boy.

Get your stuff. We're going right now.

- Now? - Yeah. Right now.

It's in the middle of the night.

You arguing with me? Move.

Jesus, Heidi,

you can't just walk around

in the middle of the night by yourself.

You could have been hurt, kidnapped, who knows?

I said I was sorry.

All right, but what I want to know is

what the hell you were doing out there in the first place.

Make me leave your sister alone

in... some hotel.

I couldn't sleep.

You couldn't sleep? Why not?

Why do you think?

Is that why you're falling asleep in class?

Oh, boy.

What do you do every night?

I don't know.

Walk around.

I went to a support group the other day.

What?

You know, the one they got at Debbie Sager's house.

For military wives.

I stopped by there the other day.

Isn't that weird?

What did you talk about?

Uh-uh. No.

I didn't.

Did it help?

I don't know.

I don't think it did.

Will you do me a favor if you can't sleep?

Um, will you wake me up?

Why?

So I can talk to you.

Really?

Yeah.

You'd do that?

Yes, I would do that.

Yes.

You still want to try it?

With you?

Yeah. I'd rather you do it with me

than some punk kid.

Well? What's it going to be?

Sure.

Have you ever done this before?

No comment.

Do you want one, or should we split one?

Let's split one.

Good idea.

Good one.

Oh, are you okay?

Yeah.

Are you sure?

Yeah, I'm fine.

Okay.

Maybe we should stop, right?

I'm going to go get some water.

You stay here, okay?

The world could fall apart

But you're my heart, my dear

I will sing this song

Till we are gone, my dear

How do I keep you from losing your way?

Hope you'll go out

And you'll come back some day

But love is not enough

This I know

Stay together. I'll be right back.

- I just got to make a phone call. - Where are you going?

I'll meet you by the dresses.

Hey.

Hey, Dad.

What are those?

Earrings.

Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no, no.

You said we could get anything we wanted.

You know the rules. Not until you're 13.

I'm almost 13.

And I'm 8.

This is something you really want to do right now?

Yes.

All right. Let's do it.

Okay!

Really?

Yeah.

Is it going to hurt?

You won't even feel a thing, I promise.

- You ready? - Mm-hmm.

Did it hurt?

No.

- Excuse me. - Sorry.

That's okay.

Is that it?

That's it. Want to see?

Looks good, Bear. You're all grown up.

- You next? - Yeah.

1, 2, 3.

Is that all right?

I just got my ears pierced.

That's nice, sweetie.

That looks good.

This one's nice, too.

Did it hurt?

A little.

A little bit?

You did it.

Where's Dawn?

Find her. How much do I owe you?

Oh. 32.50.

- Dawn? - Thank you so much.

Dawn!

Dawn?

Dawn?

Dawn!

Bear, where are you?

Dawn! Bear!

Dawn Amber Phillips!

See if she's over there.

Bear.

Dawn, honey, what are you doing in there?

Dawn, are you all right?

Dawn.

Anybody home?

Come in.

Hey.

Hey.

This is a nice place.

This really is.

You decorate it yourself?

No.

Well, it's really, really nice.

It's a nice little house.

Nice walls, nice... nice roof.

Phone.

I could see a nice little happy family living here.

Yeah.

You miss home.

Yeah.

I miss Mom, too.

You know, I was thinking.

Maybe this would be a good thing

to get for the house.

You could put it up

in you and your sister's room.

Would you like that?

Mm-hmm.

I love you, Dad.

I love you, too, Bear.

Come here.

Dad?

Yeah.

You smell.

I think I like this one.

Try it.

Looks pretty nice.

Hey, Dad.

Yeah.

What do you do at work all day?

I sell shit.

Dad.

I'm sorry.

I sell stuff.

You know what I do.

I sell stuff at Home Store.

Come on. Give me an H.

O.

Give me an O.

O.

- Give me an M. - M.

- Give me an E. - E.

Give me an S.

- J. - S.

- Give me a T. - Q.

Give me an O-R-E.

O-R-E.

What's that spell?

Nothing.

You're right about that.

#...hold you in my arms

It scares me

Just to think that something so beautiful

Could just come apart in my hands

I've always been chasin' rainbows

How are you feeling, excited?

You getting excited?

Yeah.

Good.

How are you feeling?

I'm good.

Dad?

Hmm?

Do you ever think

that Mom should have stayed home?

All the time.

Why did she have to go?

She was doing her duty, Heidi, you know that.

I know, but what exactly does that mean?

We've talked about this.

We have people all over the world

looking out for our safety.

When they discover a threat,

they have to act on it.

That's the way the world is.

On the news they're saying

that we went to war with the wrong people,

that it was all a lie.

Well, you can't always believe

everything you hear on television, can you?

Sometimes you just got to trust

that you're doing the right thing.

We got to believe...

Well, what if you can't?

Then we're all lost.

Hi. You've reached Grace, Stanley,

Heidi, and Dawn.

We're not home right now,

but if you leave a message,

we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Hey. It's Stanley and the girls.

I just wanted to hear your voice on the machine

and tell you that we're all right.

We're in Florida.

I told you we were going to Florida, right?

Taking the girls on a little trip.

Anyway, do you remember that, uh...

I was thinking that when we...

when we came down here before you shipped out,

and I just... I wanted to apologize

because, uh...

because I was so angry back then,

and, uh, I just wanted to let you know

I was thinking that...

that the reason I was so angry

was because I was ashamed...

that it was you who was going and not me.

We would have been better off if it was me.

The girls would have been better off.

And I made such a ing mess out of this thing.

Grace, I'm such a mess.

I... I don't...

know how to talk to these girls.

I haven't even told them.

So you got to tell me what to do... Grace.

Please, God, tell me what to do.

So how do I say it?

You got to tell me what to do.

Who were you talking to?

School.

Mrs. Shimerhorn.

Mrs. Shimerhorn?

She said everything's going to be fine

but we got to get that report in

and do a couple of makeup assignments,

but, uh, to enjoy the trip.

So let's go.

Come on.

Load up!

- Are we there yet? - No.

- Are we there yet? - Mm-mmm.

- Are we there yet? - No.

- Are we there yet? - Mm.

- Are we there yet? - No.

- Are we there yet? - No.

Are we there yet?

No.

- Are we there yet? - No.

Are we there yet?

No!

Are we there yet?

How about now?

Oh, it's right there!

It's right there! Oh, my gosh, Dad!

Step on it, old man!

There it is, Heidi!

It's right there!

What ride do you want to go on first?

Mission accomplished.

I wonder if they have a TV there.

They probably do.

It's all yours. Take your pick.

Welcome to the Enchanted Hotel.

Enchanted Gardens!

Enchanted Gardens!

Enchanted Gardens!

All right, girls.

Uh, just don't stay up all night, okay?

- Okay, Dad. - Because we got to get...

We got to get some sleep

because we've got a big day tomorrow, okay?

Okay.

Big day.

Let's stay up all night.

Okay.

"We can, we must,

"and we will see it through to completion

"the mission for which these young Americans

"and their families have sacrificed,

"carrying with us the memory

"of those who have lost their lives

"in the battle.

"We ask our commanders on the ground

"at every opportunity

"if there's something we ought to be doing differently.

"In our 200-plus years,

"America has learned some important lessons,

"and one is that weakness is provocative.

"It tempts aggression.

That appeasement is..."

Hey. It's Stanley and the girls.

I just wanted to hear your voice on the machine

and tell you that we're all right.

We're in Florida.

I told you we were going to Florida, right?

Taking the girls on a little trip.

Anyway, do you remember that, uh...

I was thinking that when we...

when we came down here before you shipped out,

and I just thought I wanted to apologize

because, uh...

because I was so angry back then,

and, uh, I just wanted to let you know

I was thinking that...

that the reason I was so angry

was because I was ashamed...

- Hey. - Hey.

You look like you're ready to go.

I am.

Oh, that dress looks pretty.

Thanks.

Where's your sister?

Outside.

Outside doing what?

I don't know. Some Heidi thing.

Oh, right.

Ooh.

Okay.

What are you doing out here all by yourself?

You all right, sweetheart?

Yeah. How are you?

Me? I'm just fine.

Just fine.

Slept like a rock,

which is good.

You know your sister's just about ready to burst,

she's so excited.

What do you think? You want to get going?

Sure. Sure.

Dad?

Yeah.

Nothing.

Have an enchanted day.

This way...

or this way?

Do you want this balloon?

Yeah. I like blue.

I don't know. This is kind of...

This is a powerful balloon.

I don't know if I should let you hold it.

Whoa! Ha ha ha!

That's a big balloon.

Heidi, Heidi, hold your sister.

Hold your sister down.

Hold her. Hold her.

The wind's going to take her away.

What do you want to do now?

Let's go.

Yeah.

You want to leave?

I did everything I wanted to do.

Okay.

Come on.

Why aren't we on the highway?

Let's get out of the car.

Sit down.

I need to tell you something...

and it's something I should have told you a lot earlier.

You know your mother and I love you very, very, very much.

Dawn.

Yeah.

Nothing's ever going to change that.

Ever.

Do you remember when we talked about things

that could happen while she was away?

Well, your mother was hurt.

She was hurt real bad.

Where is she?

She was hurt so bad, they couldn't fix her.

She's just hurt, right?

Dad.

She's just hurt.

Where is she?

It's okay, Dawn.

We'll take care of her. She's just hurt.

Your mom is a soldier,

and soldiers sometimes get hurt,

and sometimes they even...

die in battle.

And that's what happened.

Grace Ann Phillips

was born in Newport, Indiana, on October 3, 1971.

She was a happy child

who loved spending time outdoors.

Once she even spent an entire summer

sleeping in a refrigerator box

in her mother's backyard.

She waterproofed it with garbage bags

so she could sleep in it even when it rained.

Grace was a brave woman.

She enlisted in the Army right out of high school.

She met my father, Stanley Phillips,

at boot camp in Fort Knox, Kentucky,

later that summer.

They married after training was over.

My father says that, to this day,

he's still surprised Mom said yes,

which is funny because Mom used to tell

my sister and me she was worried

he was never going to ask the big question.

Grace and Stanley loved each other very much.

They were best friends.

Anyone who knew Grace

knows she was a special person.

She was kind, generous, and funny.

She had a loud, silly laugh

you could hear

even when you were in the next room.

And she could sing better than anyone.

We'll miss her very much,

but we promise to always think of you

when we laugh, wake up,

fall asleep,

and look at the ocean.

I promise to keep your memory with us forever.

Is it time?

Not yet.

Okay, get ready.

Can't find all the words yet

It's still not the time yet

And my mind can't think of anything

It only sees you

You know I am trying

God knows I am trying

And why does the wind keep shouting out?

It's still not over

I keep on trying

I think I'm learning

To live in hearts

You leave behind

Is not to die, Grace

And find the right place

Is there a right place

Where I can make it all make sense somehow

And face tomorrow?

I keep on trying

I think I'm learning

To live in hearts

You leave behind

Is not to die, Grace

The world go round some

We move along some

To live in hearts

Of theirs and mine

Is not to die

Grace

John Cusack can project such tenderness and kindness. He doesn't often play roles that give him the chance, but when he does ("Say Anything," "High Fidelity," "Being John Malkovich"), he knows how to do it. His character Stanley Phillips in "Grace Is Gone" is one of his most vulnerable and is the key to the movie's success.

He is a suburban dad with two young daughters and a wife in the military. He supports the war in Iraq and would be there himself if he didn't have bad eyes. One day, two Army officers come to his door and he won't invite them in, as if he's reluctant to accept the news they've come to tell him: His wife has been killed in the war.

Their girls are Heidi (Shelan O'Keefe), 12 years old, and Dawn (Gracie Bednarczyk), who is 8. He sits them down in the living room to break the news and finds that he simply cannot. Instead, in a crazy evasion, he improvises on the spur of the moment and announces they will get in the car and drive to Enchanted Gardens, a Florida theme park they like. Heidi, who is very smart, thinks this sounds fishy: He's pulling them out of school to go on an unannounced holiday? Dawn doesn't ask any questions.

The trip involves the usual cookie-cutter roadside chain eateries and the usual interstate highway sameness, although it is punctuated by a stop to visit Stanley's brother John (Alessandro Nivola), a layabout who rouses himself at the sight of Stanley to start attacking the war. Stanley won't be baited. He shares his secret, begs it be kept a secret and loads the girls back in the car. 更多影评 www.130q.com

Enchanted Gardens, as it turns out, is not quite enchanted enough to be the right setting for breaking the bad news, which Heidi has more or less intuited on her own. But there does come a time on the beach when the truth must be told, and he does it gently and with love. That's what the movie is really about, anyway: not the war, but Stanley's love for his daughters.

There have been many scenes where mothers told children about the deaths of their fathers, but almost none where the roles are reversed, as in "Grace Is Gone." The movie comes as a quiet revelation. Every time a news program features the faces and names of U.S. troops killed in Iraq, I feel a little shock when they show a woman. It doesn't seem right. Getting killed in the war doesn't seem right for anyone, of course, but you know what I mean.

"Grace Is Gone" is not a great movie, simply functional, but Cusack gives a great performance. The film somehow doesn't live up to his work. It wasn't shot on video (and, for that matter, good video these days can look great), but the screen looks dingy and some life seems to be faded from it.

The story drags its feet a little, too, considering we know where they're going and what must happen when they get there. And a possible political confrontation between the two brothers is so adroitly sidestepped that the movie, although probably anti-war, never really declares itself. All we have is a father who has lost his wife and two girls who have lost their mother. The way Cusack handles that, it's enough.

There are bad choices made by characters in films that infuriate the audience, as nobody can understand why the people onscreen would have any reason to do what they are doing. There are also bad choices made by characters which can be instantly understood, as they're the kind of unintelligent behavior which pretty much all those watching can understand doing themselves, given the situation. And since the lamentable choice made by Stanley Phillips (John Cusack) early on in Grace is Gone comes not long after he has discovered that his wife has been killed while serving in Iraq, it would be the rare viewer who wouldn't understand at least some part of why he did it.

Stanley's problem is that the news of Grace's death—delivered solemnly on a beautiful day by a pair of soldiers who seem carved from headstone granite—leaves him not only without a wife, but also as the sole provider for a pair of daughters: 12-year-old Heidi and 8-year-old Dawn (played with radiant smarts by, respectively, Shelan O'Keefe and Grace Bednarczyk). So, faced with the horrible news and unsure of when and how to break it to the girls, Stanley hides. A stolid manager at a Home Depot-style store in their quiet Midwestern town, Stanley is the embodiment of dull routine, making it all the more exciting for the girls when he tells them that they're taking off and heading for Enchanted Gardens, a Disneyworld-type theme park where Dawn has always wanted to go. Maybe that will be the right place to tell them, he figures. It's a horrendously bad plan, but given the quiet normalcy of the day and the massive tragedy which Stanley is suddenly tasked with landing on his daughters, it's not shocking at all that he would disappear into a fantasy of sorts, where maybe Grace hasn't died. So off they drive in the SUV with the yellow ribbon magnet on the back, girls curious but thrilled at the sudden adventure, father gripping the wheel tightly while anguish eats him alive from the inside.

In his script for Lonesome Jim, James C. Strouse showed that he had a knack for delivering a certain kind of Midwestern pathos that's understated almost to the point of invisibility. Here, in his writing/directing debut, Strouse hones that talent even more precisely, with Cusack the near-perfect instrument. The six-foot-three Cusack's size hasn't before seemed so apparent, as he's so often been the comedic or romantic lead, but Strouse uses his lead's bulk here as a weight, vividly reinforcing his grounded, suburban-dad nature. In the film's funny opening scene—one of a few lightly comic moments that Strouse successfully dashes throughout while never mitigating its seriousness—Stanley finds himself at a soldiers' spouse support group, as of course the only man. As the women rhapsodize about the romance of their last nights with their men, a visibly squirmy Stanley can only recall that they put the kids to bed and watched Leno; anything else is strictly off-limits.
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Stanley's stoic heartland nature extends to his politics, a refreshing choice by Strouse, who could easily have used the film more bluntly either as a tool to hammer an anti-war message, or simply ignored it altogether. But while the film refuses to judge Stanley for his relentlessly pro-war beliefs, it nevertheless brings the issue to a head in a few sharp exchanges between Stanley and his slacker brother John (wonderfully played by the underrated Alessandro Nivola). The two spout impotent clich at each other while the girls look on in confusion.

Grace is Gone is a muted and sad piece of work, occasionally dipping so far into its low-key unobtrusiveness that it almost fades from sight to the plaintive strings of Clint Eastwood's delicate score (no, really). There's an undeniable integrity here, though, with the powerfully sympathetic Cusack leading a clutch of standout performances through an honest and fair appreciation of death and the gaping holes of its aftermath. Given its light touch, Grace is Gone fades from the mind rather too quickly, though, quite unlike the memory of a wife Stanley is fleeing from.

Small and unassuming, Grace is Gone packs an emotional wallop that ultimately belies its low-key sensibilities - with star John Cusack's career-defining performance certainly playing a key role in the film's unexpected success. Cusack stars as Stanley Philipps, a small-time manager who is stunned to learn that his military wife has been killed in combat. Unable to tell his daughters (Shelan O'Keefe's Heidi and Gracie Bednarczyk's Dawn) that their mother is dead, Stanley instead decides to delay the inevitable by taking the girls on a cross-country road trip to Florida-based amusement park Enchanted Gardens. Writer/director James C. Strouse - making his debut here - has infused Grace is Gone with a laid-back feel that mirrors his quiet and distinctly subtle screenplay, as the filmmaker devotes the majority of the proceedings to character-building sequences revolving around the trio's languidly-paced journey (which is, not surprisingly, rife with personal revelations). It's the strength of the central actors' work that ensures one never craves a more substantial storyline, however, and there's little doubt that Cusack - who effectively sheds his sardonic persona to convincingly become this downtrodden, sedate figure - remains the most overt element behind the film's often profoundly moving atmosphere. And though Strouse occasionally relies on manipulative techniques to elicit a visceral reaction from the viewer, Grace is Gone primarily comes off as an affecting and flat-out engrossing piece of work that's nothing short of heartbreaking in its emotional honesty.

If Martian Child is the price film goers must pay in order to get Grace Is Gone, then it's a worthwhile trade. This low-key drama, the directorial debut of James C. Strouse, is the kind of opportunity that real actors relish. With a minimalist plot, Grace Is Gone turns its primary focus on John Cusack, giving the actor an opportunity to display both his talent and his range. One can argue that the premise is not a can't miss proposition, but with Cusack in the camera's crosshairs, the situation's poignancy seems genuine rather than exploitative.

Stanley Phillips (Cusack) is a manager at a Home Depot clone. It's not his dream job. He wants to be in the army, but unacceptably poor vision disqualified him. So, instead of being with the troops in Iraq, he mans the home front, caring for his two daughters, 12-year old Heidi (Shelan O'Keefe) and her younger sister, Dawn (Gracie Bednarczyk). But it eats at Stanley that he's stocking shelves and preaching customer service while his wife, Grace, is defending the country. Then, one morning, there's a knock at the door. Stanley opens it and sees two uniformed men. He knows immediately why they are there. They give him the news, but he can't absorb it. Worse, he can't bring himself to tell Heidi and Dawn. Instead, he packs them into the car and begins a spontaneous trip from Minnesota to Florida, the location of their favorite amusement park. But is his intention to give them one last innocent vacation before the winter of grief or to put off the inevitable so he can delay (and thereby deny) the reality of what has happened?

Grief affects everyone differently. Some embrace it in an orgy of tears. Others keep it contained within like some wild beast that must be controlled. Still others seek to ignore it, perhaps not realizing that it is tireless and relentless and will catch up to its quarry eventually. Stanley's coping mechanism involves a little of each. He curls into a fetal position and weeps when he's alone in his room. In front of his daughters, he tries to maintain an aura of normalcy. Heidi recognizes the falseness of the façade but Dawn does not. Stanley calls his home answering machine just to hear his dead wife's voice. Eventually, he begins to record messages to her - pleas for help asking how to communicate with the girls who will never see her again.

The odyssey Stanley takes his daughters on isn't a splurge in the magic of Disneyland. It's a cross-country car ride punctuated by nights spent in cramped motel rooms and hours of unrelieved monotony as towns and states pass by the windows. At the end of the line is a tawdry little place that's no more impressive than the average country fair and is sparsely attended at best. It's sad to recognize that this is what Stanley sees as his daughters' last chance at joy before the realities of a cruel fate are unveiled.

Grace Is Gone isn't about Grace's death or how Stanley tells his children. Instead, it's about one man's attempt to cope with a situation he is unprepared for. Worse, there's an element of guilt involved because, in his heart of hearts, Stanley believes he should have been on the front lines with his wife. Grace Is Gone is about one man's coming to grips with a tragedy that too many families are confronting. The film does not preach, and that's a strength. Stanley is in favor of the war and, while Grace's death shakes his confidence, there is no evidence that it changes his viewpoint. Alessandro Nivola has a small role as Stanley's liberal brother, but his presence in the film is to provoke dramatic conflict, not to grandstand or preach from the pulpit. There is no message here except perhaps that measuring war casualties by the dead and injured greatly underestimates the real number.  更多影评 www.130q.com

Cusack's performance is note-perfect. The film puts all its faith in him and he answers the call. This is also a different Cusack than we are accustomed to seeing. Wounded and grief-stricken, the repressed, internalized Stanley is 180 degrees from the characters Cusack frequently essays. His portrayal of Stanley provides additional evidence, if any was needed, of his range. He is ably supported by two newcomers, Shelan O'Keefe and Gracie Bednarczyk, whose work is naturalistic and unforced.

Like most character-based motion pictures, this one moves slowly and deliberately, with very little happening during the protracted middle segment of the film. Grace Is Gone demands patience and commitment from viewers. It's a bit of a downer (not that one would expect anything else from a movie with this subject matter) but it's never dishonest or overly sentimental. Ultimately, this is worth seeing for Cusack's nuanced and powerful performance and for the emotions that the director successfully excavates.