Genre: Drama
Director: Ben Affleck
Writer: Dwight Gallo
Cast: Ben Affleck, Christina Hendricks, Wyatt Oleff, Mackenzie Foy, Billy Crudup, Nick Jonas, Noah Centineo, John Carroll Lynch, Sadie Sink, Thomas Barbusca
Plot: Brooklyn, New York - Summer, 1964. Thomas (Wyatt Oleff) is getting ready to go out and explore the city with his friends when his mother Holly (Christina Hendricks) stops him and asks him to bring lunch to his father at work. Thomas begrudgingly agrees. When Thomas gets down to the Brooklyn Navy Yard he starts looking for his father. Suddenly, a man, fully engulfed in flames runs screaming past Thomas. Thomas' father, Marco (Ben Affleck), pulls him away from the burning man. He asks Thomas what he's doing there and Thomas hands him his lunch. As workers begin trying to extinguish the burning man, Marco walks Thomas away from the incident, saying he's too young to be seeing things like that.
That night, Thomas sits on the fire escape outside his apartment, listening in on his parents talking. Marco says the idiot at the docks lit a cigarette in the paint store, which is full of fumes. Next thing everyone knew, the guy was thrashing around and screaming, then spilled brush cleaner all over himself. Holly says a little prayer for him as she puts some dishes away. Marco tells her not to waste any prayers on that bastard - the guy turned scab three times. Thomas starts climbing down the fire escape to the street below. Marco asks Holly if Thomas has gone to his fruity poetry class yet. Holly says that Thomas enjoys the class and that the teacher, Father Gregory, says Thomas is very advanced even though he's the youngest in the class. Marco says he still thinks it's fruity. Holly chastises Marco. She reminds him that just because Thomas is quiet and likes to read doesn't make him some sissy who gets pushed around. Thomas plays football, and Holly reminds Marco about the time he knocked that Jewish kid's teeth out, and that kid was twice Thomas' size. Marco smiles as Holly and asks again if Thomas is gone. Holly smiles and leads Marco to their bedroom.
Thomas walks down the street and meets the beautiful Laurie Caprini (Mackenzie Foy) outside of her building where she is talking with her neighbor and friend Megan Doyle (Sadie Sink). She greets Thomas and tells him that she just has to grab her notes from last week's class then they can leave. Megan tells them that she will let them carry on with their nerdy evening plans and leaves. Laurie's older brother Christian (Nick Jonas), home on leave from the Marine Corps, jokes about Laurie having a boyfriend. She tells him to shut up as she heads inside for her things. Thomas asks Christian what kind of gun he has in the Marines. Christian tells him he uses an M-14, which he likes since you can fire it automatic like a machine gun. Christian asks Thomas if he heard about that thing at the Navy Yard. Thomas nods and says he was there. Christian says he has to report back tomorrow. Thomas asks how Christian likes serving in the Marines. Christian says he likes it, but he misses being home a lot of the time. He misses his sister and worries that nobody is around to look out for her. Thomas volunteers to help out on that front. Christian laughs and gives Thomas a few dollars. He tells Thomas to buy Laurie a milkshake or something, saying she'll think it's cute. Laurie comes back outside, and she and Thomas start walking down the street.
At the poetry class, Father Gregory (Billy Crudup) starts reading William Blake's The Lamb to the class:
"Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies,
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand, dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain,
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp,
Dare its deadly terrors clasp!
When the stars threw down their spears
And water'd heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tyger Tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?"
The poem leaves Thomas shaken. Father Gregory asks the class what they think of Blake's poem. Thomas asks if the poem is saying that God didn't make the tiger. Father Gregory chuckles and says that God made everything, and asks Thomas if God didn't make the tiger, then who did? Thomas says he doesn't know, maybe someone who doesn't make things like lambs. Father Gregory explains that Blake is telling the reader that the tiger and God's creation is so powerful that mortal minds can't grasp its grand scope. Laurie interjects, asking why it couldn't be taken both ways and that Thomas should be able to read the poem how he likes. Father Gregory says he understands what she's saying, but in this case Thomas is simply incorrect in his reading. Before class adjourns, Father Gregory says that they will cover another Blake poem in the next class.
After class, on the walk back home, Laurie tells Thomas that she likes how he interpreted the poem and that he shouldn't let Father Gregory tell him how to read something. Laurie looks Thomas in the eyes and tells him that she likes how he thinks and kisses Thomas on the cheek. Thomas blushes. Laurie sees Megan crying down the block. Laurie calls out for her, but Megan ignores her calls and steps out in front of a moving vehicle. Megan glances over to Laurie just before the vehicle hits her. Laurie bursts out into tears and collapses into Thomas' arms.
Marco and Holly are discussing Megan's death. Marco suggests if she did mean to do it, that maybe she just went crazy. Holly says that she heard Megan was running around with Giovanni Pazzi. She says that young man is trouble, but Marco tells her that isn't something she should go repeating too loudly since everyone knows Giovanni's father is mobbed up. Holly says that Laurie is coming by today to take Thomas into the city to look at some museum. Marco says that sounds fine to him. Holly tells him to not say anything to Laurie about her friend being crazy and getting herself killed. Marco says he knows how to be sensitive, and Holly laughs.
Thomas and Laurie walk down the street, past a crowded restaurant. Giovanni Pazzi (Noah Centineo) is standing out in front of the restaurant, watching them as they walk by. When Laurie notices him, she tries to walk in a way where Thomas will shield her view. Thomas asks Laurie if she knows him. Laurie says she doesn't. Thomas says it's Giovanni Pazzi. He's heard some bad stuff about him. Laurie says that's what she hates about their neighborhood. Everybody is always telling people negative things about others. Laurie says that she just doesn't want to listen to people saying mean things about each other right now. Thomas apologizes to her and then shut up. At the museum, Thomas' attention is captured by a giant dinosaur on display. Laurie jokingly asks why boys are always interested in monsters and kisses Thomas on the cheek. Thomas reaches down and holds Laurie's hand. The two smile as they look up at the dinosaur.
At school, Thomas sees some kids picking on Todd Doyle (Thomas Barbusca), Megan's little brother. Thomas steps in and starts pummeling the bullies, scaring them off. Todd thanks Thomas for the help. Thomas asks Todd if he knows why his sister did what she did. Todd says he can't talk about it, but Thomas says that he won't tell anyone what he tells him. Todd tells Thomas that Megan was fooling around with Giovanni Pazzi and he got her pregnant. Todd says his dad went crazy when Megan told him and he hit her. Todd describes hearing her crying and their father screaming at her and hitting her. Todd says that Megan said she didn't want it to happen, but that Giovanni forced her. That made their father even angrier, and he hit her even more. It was that night that she got hit by the car.
Thomas stops by Laurie's house, but her father Tony (John Carroll Lynch) tells him that she isn't home. At Father Gregory's class, Thomas looks at Laurie and notices that she seems distressed. Father Gregory reads William Blake's counterpart to The Tiger, The Lamb:
"Little Lamb who made thee
Dost thou know who made thee
Gave thee life & bid thee feed.
By the stream & o'er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing wooly bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice!
Little Lamb who made thee
Dost thou know who made thee
Little Lamb I'll tell thee,
Little Lamb I'll tell thee!
He is called by thy name,
For he calls himself a Lamb:
He is meek & he is mild,
He became a little child:
I a child & thou a lamb,
We are called by his name.
Little Lamb God bless thee.
Little Lamb God bless thee."
While Father Gregory reads, Thomas' eyes remain on Laurie. By the end of the poem, Laurie starts to cry and rushes out of the classroom. Thomas runs after her. Father Gregory is confused by the series of events. Thomas runs out of the building just in time to watch Laurie get on a bus. Thomas tries to run to catch the bus, but it drives away without him as a passenger. Thomas runs all the way to Laurie's house. He knocks on the door, and Laurie's father, Tony, tells Thomas that Laurie already went to sleep. Suddenly a voice from inside cries out for Tony. He rushes to the screaming, and finds his wife on the bathroom floor crying, and Laurie in the bathtub, the water red from her blood. Thomas follows Tony into the bathroom and sees Laurie in the tub, wrists slit from wrist to elbow.
One week later, Holly says to Marco that somebody ought to call the cops on that Giovanni Pazzi boy. Marco says that anyone who does that isn't going to last long. Holly says she doesn't know exactly what should be done, but it breaks her heart that people are just letting it happen, first Megan then Laurie. Marco says that maybe someone ought to tell these girls to keep their legs shut. Holly slaps Marco, calling him an insensitive idiot. She says that he'll never know the kind of fear the girls felt. Holly says that nobody will do anything about it because everyone in the neighborhood is afraid of Giovanni's father. Holly asks Marco why the men of the neighborhood aren't trying to do something to protect the rest of the young girls in the neighborhood. Marco says they did. Holly asks what he means, and Marco tells her that he and some other guys went down to Albert Pazzi's restaurant yesterday to talk to him. Marco describes being escorted into Pazzi's office where they met Pazzi and a dozen of his thugs. One of the other guys calmly and politely told Pazzi about what Giovanni's been going around doing. Marco then tells Holly that Pazzi didn't say a single word, but instead he took out a shotgun and smashed every single one of the guy's fingers with the butt. Marco says he's never been so scared in his life - not even the Korean War could hold a candle to the feeling he had in that office. Holly embraces Marco. Thomas has been eavesdropping from the hallway.
Late that night, Thomas picks the lock on his father's lock box and steals his father's gun out of it. He heads down the street and down to the Pazzi's restaurant. He watches from an alley across the street as some of Pazzi's thugs tell Giovanni that some girl called for him and asked to meet up and hand him an address. Giovanni smiles and starts walking down the street. Thomas follows, being sure to stick to the shadows. Giovanni stops at a corner and looks at the address he has written down. As he is standing there, scratching his head in confusion, Christian emerges from the shadows and knocks Giovanni to the ground with one punch. Christian keeps punching until Giovanni's face is a mess of blood, pulp and shattered teeth. Christian grabs Giovanni's leg and begins dragging the unconscious Giovanni down the street and down to Washington Cemetery. Thomas follows from a distance, being careful to not be seen or heard. Christian tosses Giovanni down into an empty grave that has already been dug up. Giovanni wakes up upon hitting the cold dirt. Thomas hides behind a gravestone as Christian pulls out a gas can and douses Giovanni with gasoline. Giovanni begins screaming for help. Christian lights a match and tosses it down into the hole. Giovanni screams as he burns to death.
Albert Pazzi is found dead not long after, with the rumor around the neighborhood being that his heart gave out when the police asked him to identify Giovanni's burnt remains. The entire neighborhood attends Albert Pazzi's funeral out of respect, or fear. Thomas stands with his parents as they watch the funeral from a respectful distance. Thomas walks away and looks around the cemetery until he finds Laurie's grave. He sits down next to it and begins talking to her. He says that her brother must have been AWOL, but clearly Christian had some business to attend to. Thomas tells Laurie's grave that Christian is definitely a tiger, but he expresses worry that he may have been born a lamb himself.
Marco asks Holly where Thomas ran off to. She points off in the distance to Thomas visiting Laurie's grave. Marco says it's time to go now that the funeral is over, but Holly tells him they should give Thomas a few more minutes.
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