Empire Falls

Downstream:

it's where we're all headed, rich and poor alike.

Out in the flow, who does not feel the current tugging?

Sometimes powerfully, sometimes gently...

always insistent.

The most natural of progresses.

Until the day you learn what you have somehow known all along...

that not all of what tugs you down the stream is inevitable.

That resistance is not futile.

That you have accepted long enough.

That you have no choice but to summon up...

every ounce of strength you possess...

and turn against the current.

Sorry, Jimmy.

I don't know what got into me.

Good of you to apologize.

I guess I figured this thing between us was gonna get worse.

No, I wouldn't want that.

Hell, come around and...

Come on and set a minute. Sit.

I mean, you're right about that.

Old lady Lampley used to mark that with her red pen, remember?

Yeah.

This is more like it.

You know, me and you just talking. Nobody bent out of shape.

I saw the kids earlier.

Yeah, all heading out for pizza, they said.

- A couple more years, they'll be in college. - Yeah.

Imagine, huh?

A Minty in college!

What's so wrong with that?

I'm glad to hear you say that, Miles. I wasn't sure you'd approve.

- Why wouldn't I approve? - Tell me something.

Did you feel out of place there? At college?

Yeah, in the beginning, I guess.

- But how? - There were kids there from all over:

Portland, Boston, even some from New York.

One morning, I remember, I woke up...

and I said to myself:

"This is my bed. This is my room. This is my world."

After that, it was Empire Falls that began to feel strange.

Now you explain it that way...

I think I see what our problem is.

See, I've never felt strange in this town, not one minute in my whole life.

- Laugh all you want, Miles, but... - I'm not laughing.

Just shut up a minute. I'm trying to explain something here.

And take your hand off the door handle. You can spare me five minutes.

Okay.

See, I cared who won that game today...

and maybe to you that makes me a nobody.

But Mr. Empire Falls, that's me...

last one to leave, turn out the lights. This town is me and I'm it.

You know, but the thing is that people like you, Miles.

They do. But you know what? They like me, too.

You know what they like best about me?

They look at me and they see their self.

And they see the town they grew up in and their first girlfriend.

And you know what they see when they look at you?

That they ain't good enough.

And they know that they're never gonna get nowhere with you.

Me? Maybe.

They might just get someplace with me, and that's why they like me...

which is why I'm probably gonna be the next chief of police.

People like my attitude, I guess you could say.

An attitude like yours...

That sort of attitude just leads to things.

That's all I got to say.

Are you threatening me, Jimmy?

- Am I threatening you? - Yeah.

Threatening you?

When have I ever wanted to be anything but your friend?

Good night, Jimmy.

Hey, baby.

Where but Empire Falls would the whole town celebrate a tie as if it were a victory?

Thank you.

It was your mother who told me it was okay to love him if I wanted to...

that what a woman feels deep in her heart is her own business.

This is an adventure, Miles...

and maybe we'll meet somebody nice.

Charlie, slow down.

Faster.

Everybody deserves a chance to be happy, don't you think?

And there comes a time in your life when you realize...

that if you don't take the opportunity, you will never get another.

"So we beat on, boats against the current...

borne back ceaselessly into the past."

Miles?

You okay?

Cover for me.

The Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Glory to you, Lord.

Grace, welcome home.

- Hi, Tina. - How was your trip?

- It was so wonderful. - I wish I could afford to go on vacation.

It was like a dream.

I don't suppose you heard the news, being so far away and all.

What news?

Old Mr. Whiting's coming out of retirement to run Empire Textiles.

The shirt factory, too.

And C.B...

they're shipping him off to Mexico to run the factory down there.

His wife kicked him out is more like it.

- Grace, I don't know what we're gonna do. - Oh, my God.

I don't know if it's just gonna be the factory workers...

or if it's gonna be the office workers, too.

You know why.

I know you don't have a choice.

I don't, either.

Mom, are you all right?

Will you find a new job?

It looks like I'll have to, won't I?

The black sin, a stain on your immortal soul.

You must make amends.

Mom, are you all right?

Because I said so, Miles.

It's not something I wanna do. It's something I have to do.

Honey, I've done someone a terrible wrong...

and now I have to make it right.

It's called a moral duty...

and one day you'll understand.

When will you be back?

I don't know, but I want you to stay here, okay?

Okay.

I love you.

Honey.

Did you think something bad happened to Mommy?

Nothing did, sweetie, okay?

The lady that I went to see, she offered me a job.

Then why are you sad?

I'm not.

And you know what? I think we should go home and celebrate. What do you think?

How about hamburgers?

Yeah? Okay.

See you next Sunday. Thanks so much.

- Good to see you. Bless you. - Thanks so much.

She doesn't love, Miles.

She doesn't love. She only understands love's power.

The decision is yours, dear boy. But could you do that?

Could you let her die knowing you just walked away?

How many meals did you serve at your height?

Capacity is 150 between the bar and the dining room.

We could lose the pool table. You'd get a few more tables in here.

Let's get a little more light in here maybe. But, you know...

We could maybe lower these and make these windows bigger.

Quite an idea!

- What's that? Is that a walk-in cooler? - It is. It needs relining.

Great.

- Any chance that works? - I'd be guessing, but I think no.

Some major expense items, but...

It's not that I think it's a bad idea, Miles.

Like I told you, I'm game.

But it's gonna mean war.

That woman will come after us.

Fuck her. Let her come.

Miles.

Brian, good morning. You look good.

Thanks, boss. I'm working on it, laying off that hard stuff.

Good for you.

- Hey, Tick. - Hey.

Just the person I wanted to see.

- Hi. - Hi.

- Decor. - Sorry?

The walls in your grandmother's restaurant.

You're gonna take down those poker-playing dogs and the singing trout?

I'm thinking of nicely-framed photos of the town. You know, enlargements...

when the mills were working, people were working.

Working people, dressed for hard labor...

and then all decked-out for Sunday dinner at the hotel.

Sort of a celebration of the people that built this town...

instead of those who think they did. What do you think?

- I like it. - It's not too hokey?

Just hokey enough.

- Gin! - What?

- What? - What?

- Gin! - Can't be.

That's not the same suit.

- That's what I thought. - Anything's possible?

I've got your gin card right here.

Any chance we could go to Boston this weekend?

The Picasso exhibit's opening.

I'm gonna be pretty busy here, and I'd like to get some of this worked out.

Anymore, you're always busy.

Yesterday I asked if you wanted to proofread my English essay.

- I said I would. - And?

John, you can just go in.

I'll tell you what...

if you can convince your Uncle David to flip eggs on Sunday morning...

I'll run you down to the Picasso.

- Okay. - But you've got to do something for me.

Your mother really wants you to be bridesmaid.

- Okay. - What changed your mind?

Yesterday you were gonna be boycotting the wedding.

We worked a deal. I got e-mail.

- That's extortion. - Yep, it works, too.

Not with me, it don't.

I don't need extortion to work with you. You just give in.

Did I mention that Donny and his parents are visiting Boston this weekend?

Another Picasso lover, this Donny?

Hi, John.

I think Brian needs some help.