The Son (I) (2022)
Hugh Jackman: Peter
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Quotes
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Anthony : Is that why you came to see me? To tell me what a good dad you are?
Peter : No.
Anthony : Obviously it is. You came to show me irrefutable proof of your moral superiority. Is that it? To demonstrate to me that you can give up your ambitions to look after your son. As opposed to me, right?
Peter : Not at all.
Anthony : So, you're still at it, huh? Really? Blaming me for what happened, what, 40 years ago? Yeah. Still trying to show me what a model dad you are? Wow. So, what do you want? Applause? Bravo,
Peter : It's funny you should say that, because just the other day, I was thinking again about the time when I was Nicholas's age.
Anthony : See.
Peter : Yeah. When mom was ill. I went to see her in the hospital every day after school and sat with her, and you never showed up. You were travelling all the time.
Anthony : I was working.
Peter : But the week before she died, I ran into Tom. And he told me that he'd had dinner with you the night before. I didn't even know you were in town. You didn't think it was worth telling us, or coming to see her?
Anthony : Listen, if it suits you, I can easily take on the role of monster and bow to your perfection. Yes, you have suffered so much. And... Your daddy was not nice to you, nor to your momma. Fine. So what? Don't you think it's time you started growing up? Because, believe me, it is pathetic watching a man of 50 chained to the teenager he once was. If you want my adivce, Peter, just fucking get over it, for God's sake. Just fucking get over it.
Anthony : [pause] Please.
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[Beth is calling Peter in his office to tell him that she saw Nicholas skip school]
Beth : [speaks indistinctly] I saw him.
Peter : What?
[gets up from his desk as Beth speaks indistinctly]
Peter : Today? Are... Are you sure it was him?
Beth : [Beth responds indistinctly] It was definitely him. He was just walking.
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Peter : What are you doing, Nicholas? What do you want? When I was your age, my mother was sick, I wasn't seeing my father any more, I had money problems, but I fought on. I fought on, and believe me, most days, it was no joke.
[Nicholas tries to walk away to his room]
Peter : And what has happened to you? What is there in your life that is so dramatic you're not able to go to school like everybody else? Answer me.
[shouts]
Peter : Answer me!
Nicholas : I can't deal with it!
Peter : I don't understand what that means. You can't deal with what?
Nicholas : Living! I can't deal with living. And it's your fault!
Peter : Sorry?
Nicholas : If I'm like this, it's your fault.
Peter : What have I done? What's... What's my fault?
Nicholas : You disgust me.
Peter : What did you say?
Nicholas : You give all these big speeches about life and work and then you abandon us as if we were pieces of shit.
Peter : What?
Nicholas : You think you always do the right thing, but right from the beginning, you've basically been an asshole!
Peter : Take back what you just said, Nicholas. Do you hear me? You take back what you just said. Now!
Nicholas : [shouts] Asshole!
Peter : Me, an asshole? Me? Haven't I always done everything for you? I stayed with your mother for years for your sake. So why are you saying this? Why?
[Nicholas tries to leave but Peter is holding him back]
Peter : Why? Tell me why. Is it because I fell in love with another woman? Is that my crime?
[shouts]
Peter : How is that any of your business? I have the right to reinvent my life! Fuck! It's my life, do you hear me? It is my life!
[Nicholas falls on the floor terrified as Peter realizes what he just did]
Peter : I'm... I'm sorry, Nicholas. I...
[hesitates]
Peter : I don't know what just happened.
[Nicholas runs to his room and slams the door]
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Beth : When is he coming out?
Peter : I don't know. I'll know more on Monday.
Beth : And then?
Peter : [after a short pause] I hope I can be a better father to Theo.
Beth : Stop it, Peter. You're a really good father.
Peter : What makes me sad is to have to play a part I hate with everything in me. These last few weeks, I just... keep catching myself saying things. Exactly the same things my father used to say to me when I was young. Things which made me genuinely hate him. And now it's my turn. And it just... I don't know, that makes me think I've wound up being just like him.
Beth : Well, what kind of things?
Peter : What are you gonna do with your life? When I was your age, I did this, I did that. What are we gonna do with you? I mean, if you knew how ashamed it makes me feel...
-
[Nicholas enters Peter's apartment with the latter waiting for him in the living room]
Peter : Nicholas.
Nicholas : Yeah?
Peter : Can you come here for a couple of minutes? I'd like to talk to you.
Nicholas : What is it?
Peter : Sit down.
[Nicholas sits on the couch]
Peter : We need to talk.
Nicholas : What about?
Peter : About your school.
[pause]
Peter : What's going on?
Nicholas : Nothing special. Why?
Peter : Nothing special?
Nicholas : No.
Peter : Today, you had your practice test, right? How did that go?
Nicholas : Went well, I think.
Peter : Good.
[astonished at his son's lies]
Peter : Only, you see, this afternoon, Beth went to the park, and she saw you. I don't know what you were doing, but in any case you weren't at school. So, I'm gonna ask you one last time. This time, I want an answer. What's going on?
[pause]
Peter : You started to skip classes again, is that it?
Nicholas : No. I...
Peter : Then why weren't you in school today?
Nicholas : Why did she tell you that?
Peter : That's not the problem!
Nicholas : Yes, it is the problem. She wants to turn us against one another!
Peter : No, the problem is you're fucking lying to me.
[pause]
Peter : Why weren't you in school today?
[waits for his son to answer until he loudly says...]
Peter : I'm listening!
Nicholas : Um... I wasn't feel well. I couldn't bring myself to go. And... I'm under too much pressure from this test. I'm sorry.
Peter : You're sorry.
[scoffs softly]
Peter : I called the school. I called them. And you know what they told me? They told me you'd never been back there. They told me you were there on the first day, last month, and afterwards you never came back. Never. Not once! It seems they got an email from me, saying that we'd decided to send you back to your old school.
[Nicholas says nothing]
Peter : Got nothing to say?
[pause]
Peter : So, you've become a world-class hacker, am I right? I mean, when I think you had the balls to tell me you were getting As, being invited to parties and the whole time you were lying to me. I mean, what did you do all these days? Just go for walks? Is that it? You just... I mean, we give you a chance to climb back up, and what do you do? You do the exact same thing! You lie to everybody! Explain it to me.
[Nicholas is biting his nails]
Peter : What's going on? Are you on drugs?
Nicholas : [scoffs]
Peter : Then explain it to me!
[pause]
Peter : I don't know what else to do with you, Nicholas. I'm just... I'm telling you straight, I just don't know.
[hesitates]
Peter : I've, I, I've tried to listen to you, I've tried to, to be there for you. I've tried to give you strength and confidence, but obviously, none of that's any use. I mean, you really think you can just live your life like that? Doing whatever the hell you feel like? Getting out of school, never taking any responsibility, refusing to grow up. I mean, what are you gonna do with your life? If you're not doing anything, what's gonna become of you?
Nicholas : [raises his eyes and begins to stare fixedly and as if defiantly at his father]
Peter : Naturally, you have no answer.
[notices his son's fixed stare]
Peter : Stop staring at me like that. What's the idea? Are you... Are you trying to intimidate me? That's not gonna work, I can tell you that right away. Not with me.
[pause]
Peter : All right, I'm gonna explain to you how it's gonna be. Starting tomorrow, whether you like it or not, you're going back to school. Is that clear?
Nicholas : No.
Peter : Sorry?
Nicholas : I'm saying "No, I will not go back to school."
-
Peter : What are you doing here?
