Now Showing: The Final Will

 

The Final Will

Genre: Drama

Director: Darius Marder

Writer: Jimmy Ellis

Producer: John Malone

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Colman Domingo, John Leguizamo, Molly Parker, Laurie Holden, Taylour Paige

Plot: Dover, Delaware: Walter Fitzsimmons (Keanu Reeves), army veteran, evident by photos on a wall, now owns a car dealership, business is steady.

Walter is talking with two people about buying a brand-new car, he goes through all of the features in the car. He offers to take them out on a test drive. He sits quietly in the car with the couple as they drive it around a little. When they arrive back to the dealership the couple say they will take it. He writes up the paperwork and giving them the car.

He retreats to his office, his wife Niamh (Laurie Holden) is there. She asks him about the sale and he said it went smooth. There is something missing though, no excitement in his voice. She asks him what’s wrong, she can tell when something is amiss. He tells her that as much as he cares for Clay he is finding it harder and harder to visit him. He wants to go but feels conflicted about it.

While at home, Walter receives a call. The While in his office with his wife Niamh he receives a phone call. The caller on the other line introduces himself as Clay’s lawyer. The lawyer tells Walter that Clay isn’t doing well and wants to see him before his time is up. Walter sits down and Niamh takes notice. Walter tells the lawyer he will get there as soon as possible. Niamh looks to him and asks if it was Clay. Walter nods his head telling her he has to go. She agrees and hugs her husband.

Walter sits in the waiting room of the hospital staring into nothingness. The nurse comes out telling Walter, Clay is ready to see him. Upon entry Walter makes a joke to the bedbound Clay (John Leguizamo), who coughs as he laughs. Clay talks with limited and spaced-out breathing. Clay tells Walter he looks worse than him. When Walter gets close however Clay begins lowering his walls. He tells him he’s in pain. Walter says they can put him on more medication. Clay shakes his head, not physically, mentally, emotionally, he’s in pain. Walter asks him what he can do. Clay tells him nothing. There is nothing to do now but let nature runs its course. Clay tells him he wants him to get together with the boys. This leads into Clay asking for one last favour. Walter says he will do anything for him, after all he saved his life countless times in the Gulf. Clay asks him to, before the funeral visit the rest of the platoon, the ones still left anyway, including Annette. Clay points to the bedside table and Walter grabs the big envelope. On the front “My Final Will”. Clay tells Walter not to read it until he reaches them. He then tells him there is one letter for Annette. Go to her first. He tells Walter he loves him. “Now Fuck off, I don’t want you to see me like this.” Walter puts his head on Clay’s, as he does a split-second flash occurs back to the war with two younger versions of them doing the same thing on the battlefield. Leaving he hears Clay coughing. He turns back and Clay smiles. He walks down the hallway and to the waiting room. Suddenly doctors and nurses rush the way he just came, one of them says the room Clay is in. Walter turns back around and runs behind them. He enters the room hearing Clay flatlining. He screams out, he is escorted back out the door by a doctor as they do their best to bring Clay back. Walter slinks to the floor outside in tears.

Driving home Walter is just staring at the road. He doesn’t know what to do now. When he gets home he just sits in the car, dejected. He finally walks in the house and directly to Niamh, she asks what is wrong, Walter just holds her tight. The two of them don’t say a word, they just sit there in silence, hugging, this stays unbroken for a minute.

Walter packs a bag with Niamh asking him what he’s doing. He tells her of Clay’s last wish, for him to deliver his final will before the funeral. He kisses Niamh and gets on his way

The screen fades in from black as gunfire and explosions are heard. In the war, Stuart O’Sullivan (Walton Goggins) runs on the battlefield. As he slides behind rubble for cover the soldier next to him drops to the ground. Stuart stares at the lifeless body, not moving an inch. Clay is there telling the young soldier to get on his feet and move, if he stays he will die. Clay slaps him, this snaps Stuart’s focus toward Clay.

Savannah, Georgia: Stuart wakes from what evidently was a restless sleep, heart racing. He reaches for his bed side table and grabs two pills immediately swallowing them. He lies back down on the bed, more relaxed than just moments ago.

Stuart walks the streets with a hood over his head and hands in his pocket. He walks into the waiting room of a psychologist.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: A sofa bed is laid out made in a living room. A suitcase stands at the end of the sofa bed. Lorelei Abello (Taylour Paige) walks around the apartment getting her young son ready for school. Her son runs over to his grandfather Vance (Colman Domingo). Vance hugs his grandson, and the grandson pretends to box his grandfather. Vance laughs and picks him up swinging him in the air. Lorelei comes and kisses Vance on the cheek, she asks him to keep the place tidy. Vance looks at her saying he’ll do his best. “And hey, I’ll look for a place to live today.”

Vance heads out and walks to a nearby bar, there he orders a glass of whiskey. They ask him what the occasion is, he’s never in this early, he says he is meeting an old friend. Abraham Roseman (Jason Isaacs) comes into the bar in a wheelchair. Vance sees him and yells out, “How do you keep aging you old bastard.” Abraham smiles as he wheels himself over to Vance. Vance carries two drinks over to a table where they set up. Vance immediately starts off asking how he is now that Rose is gone. Abraham tells him he is getting by. He actually taught himself how to cook which surprised him. Vance says it’s good to hear he is looking after himself. Abraham drinks the whiskey, telling him he tries. He can’t do it for much longer, live by himself that is. He then asks what’s new with Vance. He tells him it’s the same old, arguments with Nat. Abraham says he used to love the arguments with Rose. Vance shakes his head telling him he wouldn’t like this one, he reveals that he and Nat are getting a divorce. Abraham tells him he is sorry to hear. Vance adds he is actually staying at Lorelei’s at the moment and it’s great, but she deserves her own space. Abraham tells him that he would offer but he’s sure Vance wouldn’t want him as a burden. Vance says that he would actually love that, like the old days. Abraham shakes his head saying anything is better than the old days.

Walter gets off the plane in Memphis, Tennessee. He hails a cab and eventually arrives to a house. He knocks and answering the door is Annette Gould (Molly Parker). She immediately welcomes him inside. He kisses her on the cheek upon entry. Walking through Annette is seen in a photo with her husband. The last thing seen is a photo of her husband with his ashes beneath it. The two sit down, Annette drinking a coffee. She asks what she can do for Walter. Walter tells her that Clay is dying. She puts her coffee down telling him she is sorry to hear that, she knows they were close. Walter tells her that although Steve isn’t here Clay still wanted her to have something. Walter produces a letter. He hands it to her and tells her it was written by Steve to her in case he lost his life at war. Clay kept it all these years and didn’t realise, he wanted her to have it. Annette opens the letter and reads it, as she does a tear falls from her eye. She wipes it away and stands, as does Walter, she gives Walter a hug asking if he wants to stay for dinner. He thanks her for the offer but he has to get going to see all of the boys and tell them what is happening. She runs in to the kitchen telling him to at least take some for the road. He thanks her and her him, Walter walks out the door, ready for his next destination.

Stuart is meeting with his psychologist, Dr. Marquette (Gabriel Byndloss). She asks him if he has had any flashbacks recently. He just stares at her telling her the same one he has had for the past 2 weeks. She asks if he would like to run through it again with her. He tells her he has told her before, he doesn’t need to again. She then moves on to the medication. She asks him if the SSRI’s are helping him cope. He nods telling her they definitely help ease his mind. She tells him that is good, he is making some progress. She then questions him about other flashes, he tells her he’s had none. This causes a smile to form on the doctors face, she tells him that is all for today. As he leaves she tells him to take care of himself.

Stuart arrives home and immediately has a pill to calm himself. He proceeds to his bathroom with a rope in hands. Stuart ties the rope around a bar in the bathroom, creating a noose. He stands on his bath. As he is about the put his head through he hears a knock at the door. Stuart gets down and yells out that he doesn’t speak to door knockers. Walter then yells out asking about old friends. Stuart opens the door, his lip quivers before he hugs Walter straight away. He apologises to Walter over and over, before changing it into a thankyou. Walter is unsure as to why. He sits Stuart down on the bed, asking him what’s wrong. Stuart looks to him telling him he needs help. Walter is concerned. Stuart points to the bathroom, leading Walter to check it out. Walter takes the rope down and walks back to Stuart. Walter tells Stuart he is there for him, he is only ever a phone call away. Stuart tells him that he didn’t want to concern him. Walter explains that Stuart is like a brother to him, any trouble he has he comes to him. Walter then tells him about seeing Abraham and Vance. Without telling him about Clay, Stuart knows. He tells him he’s sorry about Clay, he wishes he could have seen him one last time to thank him. Walter ends up inviting Stuart to Philadelphia. Stuart says he would love to see them again but he can’t fly, ever since the Gulf he has had a fear. Walter tells him that they can hire a car. Stuart smiles at Walter before they place their heads on one another’s (much like Walter and Clay).

Vance with the help of Lorelei and his grandson move into Abraham’s house. With very little belongings however Lorelei is more there for moral support. Once Vance is set up he hugs his daughter and grandson goodbye thanking her once again for allowing him into her home. Once they leave Vance immediately grabs a beer for Abe and himself. The two of them sit down, this conversation is even deeper than the last one. Abraham is evidently not doing good since Rose died. The house is a mess. He delves into his emotion and says he is glad Vance is here to support him. Vance says that the cleaning starts tomorrow, but tonight they drink.

Stuart and Walter stop for the night at a small motel. Stuart gets some sleep and Walter goes outside to call Niamh. He tells her that he has visited Annette and picked up Stuart, he is doing worse than they thought. He tells her that he is almost in Philadelphia. She asks him how he is doing. He tells her just seeing Annette and Stuart makes him feel like he should be doing more for returned soldiers. Niamh tells him they can talk about that when he gets back. She tells him to get some rest, he has a big day tomorrow. They hang up. Walter immediately calls Vance. Vance answers and is drunk. He excitedly tells Walter that he is living with Abraham now. Walter laughs saying that makes his trip easier, he tells Vance that he will be in Philadelphia tomorrow and they need to catch up. Vance tells him he looks forward to it but that he needs to go. Walter walks back to the room smiling.

The next morning Abraham wakes up with a huge headache, he reaches for his wheelchair but stumbles and falls to the ground. He calls out for Vance for some assistance. Vance comes in, and lifts Abraham into the chair. He tells Vance that it was the best night he has had in a long time. Vance chuckles telling him tonight is only going to get better, Walter is in town. Abraham asks if he realises that this isn’t a good news trip. He tells him he thinks it could mean the end for Clay. Vance suddenly goes from happy to contemplative.

Walter and Stuart arrive at Abe’s, the four of them greet each other with hugs, and laughs. Vance makes a joke about Walter’s beard, telling him he’s trying to copy his look. Abe can sense something off with Stuart and leads him to the drinks. He asks him if everything is ok. Stuart simply looks at him saying no, but they all have their trouble so “fuck it”. Stuart takes a swig. Abe tells Vance to pull out the poker table. Stuart looks to him calling him old man and asks if he wants to lose his money again. The four of them laugh. Walter brings up there trip to Vegas with Jake and Clay in 2010. The amount of money they lost there, Vance told him that they don’t talk about Vegas. This transitions Walter into the reason for him being here. He tells them that as though know Clay is sick. This was his last wish, for Walter to meet with all of them and deliver his final will. He pulls out the envelope and its content (pieces of paper) from inside. Walter begins reading and gets to what Clay is leaving them. Walter then stops reading and smiles, “that bastard”. They all look to him confused. Walter starts off by talking then the voice changes to that of Clay’s. He tells all of them to continue looking after one another, they all have their problems. And just because the war ended it doesn’t mean they should stop caring for one another. It adds that for some of them this is the closest thing they have to a family, cherish it. He adds at the end a final phrase to Walter. “You aren’t a fucking car salesman. We all know you hate cars. Do something for you and do what you love. Niamh won’t care, help those you always have. And last but not least to all of you, live your fucking lives! Love Clay.” Stuart is teary eyed as is Walter, Vance puts his drink down and Abe raises his, “A toast, to Clay, may that bastard rest in peace.” They all raise their drinks. Walter suggests that they now play some poker.

As the night ends, Vance goes to bed and Abe calls his daughter. Stuart and Walter return to the car and start the long drive home.

Walter talks with Niamh about selling the car dealership. He never liked it anyway, he reiterates what he said on the phone, that he wants to help people, people like Stuart. Niamh kisses her husband and tells him she is in, no matter what.

The day of Clay’s funeral has come. Walter stands with Niamh, Stuart, Vance and Abe. As the 21-gun salute occurs, Stuart, Vance Walter and Abe salute, appearing next to them is a translucent Clay and Steve also saluting.