Convalescence
Genre: Drama
Director: Robert Machoian
Writer: Jimmy Ellis
Cast: Toby Wallace, Clayne Crawford, Anna Baryshnikov, Alexandra Astor, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Jusy Davis, Wunmi Mosaku
Plot: Jake Wilson (Clayne Crawford) lies awake in a dimly lit room, a few rays of sunlight penetrating the closed blinds. Jake, a man seemingly weathered by his past, lets out a large, delayed breath as he gets up out of bed. His eyes wander to the faded family portraits standing on his bedside. He walks toward his kitchen in his small one-bedroom home, making himself some coffee to start the day. As he pours his coffee in his mug, he spills some on himself, letting out a loud painful, “Fuck”.
Outside, as Jake walks, the small tight-knit community that Jake is barely apart of buzzes in the snow. Children play in the street and neighbours greet one another with glee, not Jake though.
We cut into Jake sitting opposite his parole officer, Claire (Wunmi Mosaku). We are mid conversation as she asks if he has contacted any family members yet. No. Claire then asks who, if anyone, other than herself has Jake made contact within the past month. Jake mentions a young man by the name of Ben. Who’s Ben? Jake explains he met Ben as part of his recovery with AA. Claire is just glad he has made the effort at connecting with someone, reminding him that someday soon he will need to reach out and speak to his family once more. Jake nods his head, thanking Claire as he stands and puts his jacket back on.
We see a younger, less weathered Jake at a bar, stumbling around the place, slurring his words. The bartender knows him by name telling Jake its time to go. Jake grabs his car keys out of his pocket and waves them around. The bartender grabs them off him, with Jake lunging to grab them back, he’s too slow and trips over his own feet falling and hitting his head on the ground.
Ben Carter (Toby Wallace?) smokes a cigarette out the front of a gymnasium, with people walking past and entering the gym. Ben puts out the cigarette once he is approached by Jake. The two of them share a nod of the head and walk on into the gymnasium.
Ben speaks in the AA meeting, introducing himself. He goes on to say that he has been sober 90 days. The longest 90 days of his life. Every day is a battle but he goes on to say that he has to win the battle, not for him but for his daughter. "My daughter... she's eight years old. She's my world. But I've let her down, more times than I can count. I've missed her birthdays, her school plays... I've broken promises I swore I'd keep." He hastily wipes the tears from his eyes. "Last year, on her birthday, I woke up in a daze, hungover and alone. I stumbled to the kitchen to make her breakfast, but she wasn't there. I panicked, thinking maybe she was with her mom... but she wasn't there either." "I found her... in her room, sitting on the floor, surrounded by her toys. She was waiting for me, waiting for her daddy to wish her a happy birthday. But I wasn't there... I wasn't there for her when she needed me the most." Ben’s shoulders shake as the words he has spoke have resonated with the rest of the group. The tears are behind his eyes, visible to everyone. "That was the moment I knew I had to change. I can't keep letting her down. I can't keep letting myself down. So, I'm here... I'm here to fight for her, for myself, for all the moments I've missed and all the moments I want to be there for." His words linger in the air, a few members wipe tears from their eyes as Ben thanks them all and sits back in his seat. Jake puts a hand on Ben’s shoulder, a small smile etched on Ben’s face as he wipes the tears away.
Both Jake and Ben sit opposite each other at a diner. The two of them drink a cup of coffee. Ben asks Jake if he’s ever going to talk at the meeting, not that he wants to push him but he just thinks it’d be good for Jake. Jake shrugs his shoulders, not knowing. Ben tells Jake to think about it, Ben stands from the table putting cash down on it, enough for both his coffee and Jake’s. He tells Jake that he’ll see him after the weekend. Jake asks him where he is going. Ben reminds him that he has a visitation right for the weekend to see Lucy. Jake remembers now, wishing him luck with his daughter. As Ben leaves Jake sits and stares at his coffee, thinking.
Jake walks the streets of the tight knit community similar to before but this time he is screaming obscenities at the top of his lungs. He gets in his car with a bottle of whiskey in his hands, and puts it in the passenger seat, it spilling over.
Jake returns home to someone on his doorstep. Haley (Anna Baryshnikov), Jake’s younger sister stands at the entry, staring at her feet. Jake stops in his tracks, after all these years his baby sister has come to visit. Unsure of what he is to do he remains still and thinks about his next actions. Haley sees him standing still as she looks up from her feet. As he sees her face he is reminded of the pain and walks away from his own home. She walks after him yelling out to Jake by name, apologising repeatedly, before asking Jake what he wants her to say. Jake turns around as she says this and stands up for himself. He doesn’t need her to say anything, he just wanted her when times were hard for him, when he needed help. When he wanted someone in his corner. He continues in saying that he knows he is her big brother, he should be her protector, but he needed one, he needed a protector when he was in the dark. But yet, he had no one. Haley’s eyes well up as tears streak down her face. As she sobs she apologises one more time. Jake walks past her and asks her once more to leave. “Dad’s dead.” This stops Jake once more. “When?” the answer is yesterday. “How?” Heart attack. Now is Jake’s turn to well up, a moment of true emotion on his face, he walks to his front door and holds it open with his hand, as if to tell Haley to come inside.
Ben sits on the ground with his young daughter Lucy (Alexandra Astor). She places a pink tiara on his head as he carries a big smile on his face. The emotion of just being able to see her again is etched all over him. Lucy pours Ben a “tea’ with her fake tea set. He thanks Lucy before drinking the “tea” with his pinkie raised in the air, putting on a terrible British accent as he speaks to her. Lucy’s laughs drown out the other noise going on inside Ben’s mind. The play is interrupted when Ben looks up to see Lucy’s mother, Ben’s ex-wife, Katelyn (Alycia Debnam-Carey). He tells her he will be back shortly he just needs to go speak to mum. Katelyn smiles as Ben walks towards her, he tells her that he is so glad he allowed his visit. Katelyn says that he sees he’s really trying and she appreciates it. Lucy needs and wants her father in her life. Ben smiles as he glances over to Lucy and back to Katelyn. He’s glad he can be in it. He continues saying that he is really opening up to his group. Katelyn is glad but tells Ben that she has to tell him something. What? She tells him that she is getting remarried. The smile from Ben turns sour. He tries to mask it but Katelyn can see. She asks if Ben is okay, he just nods and a choked up yes comes out. He asks her if its ok if he goes back and plays with Lucy now. Katelyn says of course. Ben turns from Katelyn and takes in a deep breath before Lucy looks up to him and the sour smile turns back grand and bright. He walks back over to Lucy and continues playing.
Inside, Jake and Haley sit in an uncomfortable silence, a juxtaposition of Lucy and Ben’s loud playing. It’s evident the two of them want to speak but neither knows what to say. Jake starts off, he asks her what their father was like towards the end. Haley scoffs, the same old drunk he always was. Jake says it must run in the family as he makes a slight dig at himself. Haley tenses up at the joke. She tells Jake that their mother sent her to see if Jake will come to the funeral. Jake says he isn’t so sure he’d be wanted after the fallout with their father it didn’t feel like the family wanted anything to do with him. Haley virtually begs for Jake to come. He caves and says he will be there. Haley smiles at the answer and goes in for what was eventually an awkward hug.
Ben stands in front of a mirror in his own home, he practices some controlled breathing, something the group does every session. He looks to his hands shaking and goes back to his breathing. Controlling his breath he stops the shaking.
Jake steps off the bus and begins walking towards the funeral home. With the funeral procession about to begin Jake is approached by his mother, Willow (). Willow stands with Haley next to her. An awkward silence lingers for a brief moment before she hugs her son. She reaches out to Haley bringing her in for a three way hug. After the hug, Jake sort of shrugs it off, but it is telling that he enjoyed the moment of love from family.
During the procession Jake can’t seem to focus and seems to not really be in the building, he just has flashes of himself similar to that of his father.
Intercut between the funeral procession and the flashbacks. We see Jake continuously drinking the whiskey from the bottle as he fumbles his keys.
Post the funeral Jake and his mother sit opposite one another and try to reconnect. We can see the sorrow in both parties eyes, but it seems that neither want to apologise. We know that Willow is sort for not reaching out, but Jake is just as sorry for causing a rift in the first place. The two talk but no apologies are made, leaving things unsettled. As Jake is about to leave Willow stands and hugs her son one last time. Jake eventually easing into it. Haley pops up and offers to take Jake home and asks if Jake could please drive. He stands still for a moment.
Jake is in the driving seat of the car, the bottle of whiskey spilt in the passenger seat. He struggles to put the keys in the ignition but does so. He starts the car and begins speeding away, narrowly missing an oncoming truck. He continues driving and feels like a drink. He reaches over and swerves into oncoming traffic, he notices and swerves back but overcorrects, sending him crashing into a home, a bright pink room, with teddies scattered throughout. Jake hits his head on the steering wheel. Eventually Jake comes too. Loud screams burn his ears coming from a child. Blue and red lights surround him.
Jake declines the lift in the car, stating he would rather take the bus. Haley scoffs at this, dropping her keys from her hand before picking them up and tripping over, before getting into her car. Jake turns his back and walks towards the bus depot.
Ben works on a car at work, at a repair shop. His mind, however, is elsewhere, he makes a mistake on the car and his boss sees it straight away. The boss can see that Ben is elsewhere so tells him to have the rest of the day.
Ben is back home, sitting on his bed, his back is to the camera, as we hear him breathing heavily, trying to supress his tears.
Still the night of the funeral Haley stumbles up the stairs toward Jake’s home. She knocks on the door, waking a sleeping Jake. Being late at night Jake offers a place for his sister to stay. She declines saying that she already has accommodation. Jake tells her that she needs to go home then and sleep, it’s been a tough day for her. She scoffs at him before leaving.
Jake heads back inside, pours himself a glass of water as he stares at himself in the mirror, he too practices the breathing seen done by Ben earlier on.
Ben is walking the street, a day full of problems, he wishes would be over. On his walk he runs into Haley, who was on the phone walking. As they bump into each other Haley’s phone drops to the floor, and smashes. She begins berating Ben but looks up to see him as he apologises. She tells him its okay, she needed a new one anyway. She asks him if he would like to walk and talk, offering him coffee. Ben says he doesn’t have much money, he has to decline. Haley says she will pay, she just wants someone to talk to.
Haley takes Ben back to her accommodation and pours him a coffee, putting some vodka in the cups. Ben sees this but says nothing. She hands him the mug. Ben stares at the mug, the thought crosses him mind to throw it away. Haley asks what’s wrong. Ben says nothing. He drinks the coffee and tells Haley to get more vodka. Instead of the vodka Haley places herself on Ben’s lap and begins kissing him.
The next morning Jake is woken by a loud knock at the door. He opens the door to find a crying Ben looking straight into his eyes, clearly asking for help. Ben says that he needs a meeting. Jake nods his head and grabs his coat. The two of them talk with Jake trying to get Ben to tell him what happened. Ben told him the truth he met a girl and she poured it out. He was too weak. Ben says he knew he should’ve known better but he drunk it anyway. Jake tells him it’s a setback that they will get past. They will work together.
The two arrive at the meeting and take their seats. After a while they ask Jake to speak, he isn’t going to but knows how much Ben wants him to. Jake explains that he started drinking at 13, his father was an alcoholic, he was an alcoholic and he thinks his sister is an alcoholic. He says that his drinking took a turn for the worst when it sent him to jail. Jake’s voice begins to slightly crack. He explains that he ran into a house, a little girls bedroom, while driving. As he almost sobs he tells the group that all he could remember were the screams, he’s just glad he didn’t kill her. 18 months in jail, 18 months he will never get back. They thank him for sharing, Ben looks to him proud that Jake could share.
Ben and Jake are almost at Jake’s doorstep where they see Haley waiting. Ben mentions that that was the woman. Jake questions his sister? Ben didn’t know. Jake tells Ben to wait here for a moment while he speaks to his sister. Jake walks up to Haley, she greets him with a big smile and an attempted hug. Jake pats her on the back and asks if they can talk inside. Haley goes inside with him and asks what’s up. Jake asks her if she gave alcohol to the man out the front. Haley offers a confused face. No. Why? Jake then asks her if she knew he was a recovering alcoholic. Haley laughs it off, how was she supposed to know. Jake asks her calmly if she would have even cared. Haley just laughs at Jake saying she has no idea what he’s talking about. Jake becomes agitated that she is blatantly lying to him, saying as much. Haley tells Jake to fuck off, he shouldn’t be lecturing him about Alcoholics. Jake begins yelling at her, “90 days he was sober. Do you know how hard it is to get to 90 fucking days. No you don’t. I do. 90 days is the most fucking difficult to get to. Haley says she didn’t know. Jake continues that Ben has an 8 year old daughter that he cant see because he is an addict. Does she knowhow that feels? She doesn’t know. Jake then calms himself down, he walks to his front door and holds it open. He looks to his sister with pleading in his eyes. He tells her to leave. As she walks past him he says that she needs help, he adds that he wishes someone was this upfront with him, but she needs to find someone. She laughs at him, still in denial about having a problem.
Jake then sits on a chair in his house, lighting a cigarette and smokes it as he taps his foot. He stands up and shoves a coatrack to the ground, before composing himself. He goes and gets Ben outside and invites him in. Jake offer Ben a place living with him. Offering that they help each other get through the next period of their lives. Jake reminds him that he will have to start again, start from scratch, he asks if Ben is willing to do that, if he’s willing to do it for Lucy, to continue fighting. Ben nods his head.
6 months later.
Ben stands at an open front door, as we are looking at his face. A glow shines as he smiles. Lucy runs into the arms of her father. Katelyn stands at a car door and yells out to Ben that she will pick Lucy up at 10 in the morning. She tells them to have fun for the night. Ben carries Lucy inside and blocks her eyes. As her eyes open we see Jake standing near a pile of presents for Lucy, as well as a big birthday cake. The two of them smile as they sing happy birthday to Lucy for her 9th birthday. Her first overnight visit with her father.
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