Valley of Love

They call this soup?

Shit.

The service is awful. You're breaking up.

What?

I can't hear you!

What was that?

This goddamn heat.

Apparently it's 140 in Vegas.

Fuck...

Did you just get here?

Late last night.

I tried to call you.

- How about a drink? - I forgot my phone, just a sec.

Which building are you in?

"C". And you?

"A."

What'll it be?

You're looking well.

- Think so? - Yeah.

I got fat.

Whatever makes you happy.

How could I possibly be happy like this?

When did we last see each other?

In Venice.

- Positive? - I think so.

I almost turned around in Vegas.

I did turn around.

And then I came back.

What the hell are we doing here?

This whole thing's insane.

But we said a week.

But we said a week.

I can't.

It's what you said, you said a week.

A day won't make a difference.

My husband's in Paris, so are my kids,

we haven't spoken in 2 days. I can't reach them from the hotel.

Maybe it's for the best.

Suck it up for 1 week. What's 1 week out of your life?

A lot, in my condition.

Our son is asking this of you.

You're here for him.

Do what he asks.

That's ridiculous.

You didn't go to his funeral.

I haven't been to a funeral since my dad died.

- It's your son. - Screw what you think!

You suffer more than me? Is that what you're implying?

I don't want to argue.

So why are you being such a shit?

Look!

What?

Did you see that thing?

Where?

It was running, running... Look!

I don't want to argue either.

I have to leave Thursday for an important appointment.

We both have to be here, otherwise it won't work.

Otherwise it won't work?

Yes.

I'm not crazy.

In Paris, I met a woman,

a well-respected woman, who advises politicians and execs.

She has a gift. I swear she does.

It may be hard to believe, but...

Does she charge a fee?

Obviously, what does that change?

Everything.

In that case, a doctor who charges for care,

a dentist, say, is a quack?

A surgeon's a crook because he gets paid!

That's so stupid.

Let's not have a fight.

Then stop picking one.

Fees, no fees, you're being ridiculous!

So she's a psychic?

She thinks that...

Yes!

I couldn't reach you.

And you? How are you guys?

Did Tina get off alright?

Did it go well?

Yes.

Yes, of course.

Let me put the other earbud in. Yeah?

Why didn't she bring it?

She should've brought the big one!

Asshole.

What was his problem?

Dunno.

It's spectacular.

Yes.

Ever been here before?

It's been a while.

Has it changed?

Before...

there was no walkway.

You could walk right on the ground.

Here we're...

50 meters below sea level.

There's a sign, look.

Crazy.

They wrote it over there too!

- That's new. - It's amazing.

I didn't see that.

Why did he die?

Why?

How should I know?

Michael was a loner.

We hardly saw each other.

I missed out on something with him too.

Like all of us, we all miss out on something.

He took photos.

Where in San Francisco did he live?

A neighborhood called "The Mission."

He invited me a few times, but I never went.

Fucking heat.

I'm going back to the car. Come on.

Do you blame me?

What for?

Is it our fault?

Of course it's our fault.

Good one! We had him, we're responsible.

We have 2 more hours.

Go wait in the car, if you prefer.

You really want to wait 2 hours?

If it has to happen the way he wrote it would.

But it's only what he wrote!

They're just words, just words...

Why overthink everything?

I'm not overthinking anything.

It's like some kind of pilgrimage.

He wanted us to get lost in the middle of nowhere.

So we'd talk about him.

And that's where it ends.

He thought we fucked up his life, what do I know?

It's his way of punishing us.

He brings us to Death Valley,

so we spend a week together.

A kind of punishment.

This, the scorching heat... punishment!

Or maybe he wants to kill me.

We talk about him, about us, we sweat,

we say we miss him.

I'll play this game 'til Wednesday,

but Thursday, I'm gone. I'm gone, it's too hot!

I went 7 years without seeing him.

How can you not see your child for 7 years?

It was his decision.

I bore that child. I loved him.

How can you stop seeing a child you brought into the world?

He refused to see the two of us.

Did he talk about me?

We didn't talk.

Did you meet his friend?

You'll have to face problem.

You can't keep running away.

What problem?

Why'd he never want to see me again?

I don't know.

What did you tell him?

- Fuck... - What'd you say all those years?

I can hear anything.

Then listen to this:

You sent your son away at 7. I put him in boarding school.

By 16, he wanted us out of his life.

15 years later, some asshole informs us that our son is dead.

That he spent a week here,

and when he got home, he ate enough pills to end his life.

If those are your "problems" this is hardly the place.

You're really a bastard.

Yeah.

I'm whatever you want, an asshole, a bastard, an alcoholic.

And the list goes on.

- Screw you. - You, too.

Screw you!

Shit, and it's hot!

Are you asleep?

He's not coming.

We have 5 more days.

Four.

I waited for you by the pool.

I can't go back out there.

There are assholes galore.

I want us to read the letters together.

I don't feel like it!

No, I really don't want to.

Not now.

- I want to hear it in your voice. - I don't want to.

Please.

I'm Michael. I'm your son.

I'm the child you bore,

and now I'm dead.

I'm dead and you're alive.

As I write this, I'm not sick.

I don't do drugs or belong to any cults.

I'm of sound mind.

I can picture dad's face as he reads his letter.

I don't like the way he's looking at me.

I've never liked that look. And you, mom,