- A suburban lawyer debates life and death.
- A woman, Shawn, can't bear to let go of her wife Kate. When Kate apparently kills herself because of her bipolar mental condition, she soon comes back. Shawn keeps Kate around despite the fact that Kate is slowly decaying and discovers that their relationship is more trying than ever.—Gislef
- Sixteen years ago, Kate Feldman and Shawn Green are mates in the Law School of the University of Chicago. They are lesbians and soon they fall in love with each other, move in together and raise a family of their own, with a daughter Heather. Before having a daughter, Kate discloses to Shawn that she is bipolar and when she is down, she thinks in committing suicide, but Shawn insists on having a daughter. On the present days, Heather is in a boarding school, Shawn works and Kate stays home since she needs to use pills. One day, Shawn finds Kate dead in the bathtub, but later, she comes and meets Shawn in their apartment.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Shawn Greene and Kate Feldman are given opposing argument in a legal case, in an auditorium before law students. The law professor in charge calls time and declares it a statement, and asks who wants to follow it. Shawn and Kate go back to their seats and glare at each other.
16 Years Later
Shawn and Kate are kissing in a bathroom stall at an arcade bar, Goldie's. A toilet flushes in the stall next door, interrupting them, and Kate giggles. Shawn laughs as well after a moment, and they go out to the bar. Kate borrows the bartender Gus' pen, and she starts to write down goals. She jokingly suggests that they kill Barb Resler or just her dog. Joshua Sullivan calls on Shawn's phone, but she puts it away and insists that they're not going to deal with work while out together.
Kate asks what they're going to do what for themselves, and suggests they go to Italy on a six-week vacation tour. When Shawn agrees, Kate takes out two airline tickets that she's already bought. Shawn is surprised that Kate already booked, and thanks her. The women kiss, and Gus jokingly tells them to break it up and pours free drinks for their 15th anniversary.
Later, the two drunken women return to their home and Kate accidentally sets off the security alarm while trying to turn it off. Shawn calls the security firm and reports that they're there, and had too much to drink. As Shawn gives the authorization code, Kate climbs up on a chair to get a corkscrew from an upper cabinet. She tells Kate that they should stop drinking because of Kate's medication, and Kate tells her not to be such a buzzkill.
Shawn agrees to one glass of wine, and switches places with Kate and finds the cork remover. Kate takes it and opens the wine bottle, while Shawn closes the cabinet door.
16 Years Ago
Shawn knocks on an apartment door, and Kate finally answers. Kate asks if Shawn got her message and wonders why she's there, and Shawn repeats Kate's "28th backup message". Kate insists that she has reasons for breaking up, and Shawn demands to hear them. After a moment, Kate says that she has Type 2 Bipolar. She shows Shawn all of her pills, and says that she knows herself. She's "in it" with Shawn every minute, and figures that she has to walk away from their relationship.
Shawn simply tells Kate that she loves her, and it's the only argument she has. Kate warns her that her condition is mean, and sooner or later it will wear Shawn down. She figures that one day Shawn will think it's too much, and she'll be right.
Later, the two women go to bed. Kate tells Shawn to get off the phone to her secretary, and when Shawn does so, Kate kisses her. The phone rings, and Shawn says that it's Heather, their daughter by Shawn. Heather sends a text wishing them a happy anniversary, and they thank Heather and tell her to go to bed because it's 2 am. Once Shawn hangs up, she hopes that Heather will be okay. Kate asks what that means, and Shawn says that Heather is little.
Kate wonders why Heather is at boarding school, and starts swearing at her. When Shawn tries to drop the matter, Kate tells her to cut the shit and asks why their kid is gone. Shawn finally says that Kate tried to kill herself three times, and Heather found Kate passed out the third time. She thought their daughter could use a change of scenery.
Kate pours herself some wine and then spills it, and complains that she can't have a drink or go to work because of her condition. She accuses Shawn of thinking she's crazy, particularly with buying the Italy tickets. Shawn points out that it was a big purchase, and says that she can't just take six weeks off of work to go. She tries to talk to Kate about it, and Kate yells at her and then says that she can feel the claws in her brain.
Shawn insists that them going out was fun, and says that they can still go back. Kate collapses on the bed sobbing, and Shawn tells her that she can't do it forever. Her wife doesn't respond, but only continues sobbing.
Later, Shawn wakes up in the middle of the night and discovers that Kate has left their bed. She hears water dripping and goes the bathroom, and finds Kate dead in the tub, having cut her wrists. Shocked, Shawn backs out and closes the door, then walks away.
15 Years Ago
Shawn talks to a therapist, about how she and Kate have been together for a year and just moved in together. She says that Kate is "everything", and says that Kate has mental health issues. Shawn thought she understood, and when Kate is depressed all she can talk about is dying. She admits that it scares her, and Kate has tried to kill herself twice before in the past. Shawn admits that she wishes Kate would just kill herself if she wants to so badly, then apologizes, wondering what's wrong with her. The therapist assures Shawn that it's okay and Shawn is overwhelmed.
Later, Shawn sits alone in the house, surrounded by reminders of Kate as she prepares to move. She hears the water dripping from the bathtub faucet, but can't go into the bathroom to shut it off. Shawn scrubs the wine off the carpet, where Kate spilled it, and remembers Kate's blood in the bathtub. A naked Kate come out of the bathroom and Shawn turns to see her.
Kate is soaking wet from the tub and her negligee covered in blood. She asks what happened, wondering why she's wet. Shawn stares at her in shock that Kate is there, and Kate points out that she lives there. Standing up, Shawn says that she thought she lost Kate and loves her so much. Kate's wrists are still cut, and Shawn sees them as she goes to hug Kate. Kate asks her what's wrong, and Shawn tells her that nothing is wrong. She hugs Kate and says that everything is going to be fine.
The women go to the kitchen and Shawn makes Kate coffee. Kate says that she's queasy and asks what happened the night they went out for their anniversary. Shawn remembers Kate's suicide, and Shawn asks what Kate remembers. Kate can't remember, and Shawn says that they went out to the arcade bar, Goldie's. She says that they got in late, and Kate took a bath and must have fallen asleep in the tub.
Shawn asks Kate remembers her, and Kate assures her that she does. Kate complains that it's freezing and she can feel her bones. Shawn takes Kate to the bedroom and picks out some clothes for her. Kate walks into the bathroom and asks what's wrong with the water. The bathtub water is filled with blood, and Shawn dismisses it as rust. Kate walks out with the sweater Shawn gives her, and Shawn flushes the toilet and pulls the plug on the bathtub.
Later, Shawn prepares to go to work. Kate assures Shawn that it's fine for her to go to work, and she's going to finish her scrapbook. Shawn asks if she'll be okay, and Kate jokingly says that she might hurt herself with the Sharpies and stickers. Kate tells Shawn to go, and Shawn reluctantly goes.
At the law firm where she works, Shawn goes to her job and does her work. She keeps her cellphone nearby, and texts Kate but gets no answer. When she returns home that night, late, she finds Kate sitting in the dark staring at her scrapbook without moving. Shawn turns on the lights and approaches Kate, who doesn't respond at first to her. Kate can't remember her mother from the scrapbook photos, and Shawn gently takes a Sharpie from her and writes in the date of their marriage. Once she's done, she puts a soothing hand on Kate's shoulder, and Kate just stares at the scrapbook.
14 Years Ago
At their new house, Shawn soaks in the sub drinking wine as Kate sits on the side. Kate says she's been stable for a year and she wants a baby. Her wife warns that it will be hard, and Kate tells her that they can do hard things.
Shawn prepares to go to work, on the phone with a co-worker Jordan about a case. She sees Kate in the living room, sitting and pulling out her hair. Hanging up, Shawn goes to Kate and asks her if everything is okay. Kate says that she wants to go outside and stares out the window. Shawn warns that it's cold, but Kate insists and Shawn offers to call out of work and stay with Kate.
Kate looks at the strands of hair she's pulled out, and vaguely agrees with her wife. Shawn gets Kate a stocking hat and serves wine, then turns on some Italian music as a preview of their trip. Kate screams in pain at the noise, and Shawn hastily turns the music off. She suggests that they just talk and sits down at the table. Kate insists on going outside, and Shawn tells her that she needs to stay with her. Shawn tries to distract Kate, trying to debate her about the Red Sox versus the White Sox.
Kate bends over her Italian food, and her right eyeball falls into the food. Shawn sees the eyeball and stares at Kate in shock as she looks up, her eye sockets empty. The doorbell rings and Kate offers to go get it. Shawn quickly leads her upstairs instead, and tells her to stay in Heather's room and gives her an eyepatch to wear. As Shawn leaves, Kate wonders who Heather is.
Shawn answers the door and finds their neighbor Barb there with her dog, Susan. Barb asks if everything is all right there, and says that she heard Kate screaming when she was walking. When Barb asks about Susan, Shawn tells her neighbor that Kate is doing well. Barb assures Shawn that Kate's "incident" at a bake sale needs no apology, then says that she's thinking about the neighborhood kids. Shawn assures her that it won't happen again, and then closes the door in Barb's face.
When Shawn goes up to Heather's room, she discovers that Kate is gone and the potted plants have been overturned. Shawn finds Kate under the bed, and asks if Kate wants to come out. Kate says that she doesn't and she likes it there because it's dark. When Shawn tries to coax her out, Kate tells her wife to leave her alone. Shawn says that she wishes she could leave Kate alone, because things happen when she doesn't. She angrily tells Kate that she has responsibility and a family, and tells her to come out. Kate screams at her that she won't, and resists Shawn's efforts to pull her out
That night, Kate and Shawn lie on the floor after struggling. Shawn apologizes to Kate, saying that she didn't intend to be so mean. Kate repeats that she wants to go outside, and asks Shawn if she's her prisoner. Shawn points out that Kate always wanted to go and Shawn begged her to stay, not asking her to go away or die.
Shawn rants about how she suicide-proofed the house and tried to explain to their traumatized daughter Heather, as long as Kate will stay. Kate tries but went away, and Shawn says that it's selfish. Kate insists that she wants to go outside, and Shawn begs her to stay.
Kate stares at Shawn and says that she remembers her as the woman who left her in the bathtub. Shawn denies it, saying that Kate was already dead when she found her. Kate says that she wasn't, and Shawn left her.
-----
Earlier, Kate is still alive but nearly unconscious. Shawn comes in, sees her in the tub, and leaves.
-----
Shawn apologizes to Kate, and says that she was tired and couldn't keep Kate there. She hugs her wife, muttering that she's so sorry, and promises that she'll never leave Kate again.
Shawn dozes off, and Kate rolls out of her wife's embrace and wanders the neighborhood as it snows. Her ankle breaks and she falls, and Kate manager to get to her feet and staggers on. She comes to a dead bird lying on the grass and picks it up, and cradles it to her chest. Kate limps to a nearby cemetery, lies the bird in front of a tombstone, and digs in the dirt with her hands. She then lays down in the shallow grave she's made and smiles as the snow covers her over without melting.
Later, Shawn wakes up and looks for Kate. She finds Kate lying in the grave, and Kate screams when Shawn picks her up and carries her to their car. Shawn says that they'll do it Kate's way and drives to a spot in the forest. She finds a dead rat in a trap she laid, puts in it a bucket she brought along, and returns home. Going to the basement door, Shawn calls down to Kate that she's back.
Shawn goes downstairs and lights a candle. She finds Kate sitting in a corner, tells her that she found her a new friend, and gives Kate the dead rat. The decaying Kate takes it, and Shawn lies down and talks about they're starting to suspect something is going on because she keeps calling in sick. She wonders if she should quit, and suggests to Kate that they debate it. Kate, nothing more than a rotting corpse, merely looks at Shawn for a moment then continues digging in the cellar dirt.
Shrugging, Shawn says that she wins the "debate", says goodnight to Kate, and tells her that she loves her. She rolls over and lies on the mattress she dragged down, and Kate lies in the shallow grave that she's dug and "sleeps".
13 Years Ago
Shawn returns home one day and finds Kate in the living room. Kate has dragged plants and dirt into the room, surrounding herself with "life" like her therapist advised her to deal with her bipolar condition. Kate tells Shawn that she's been debating all day if she should live or die. She figures that if she dies, there will be no more fighting and no more "war" for either of them. If she lives, they'll get the baby.
Considering, Shawn asks Kate what she thinks of the name "Heather". Kate smiles and considers the name.
Later, Heather comes home and calls to her mothers. Shawn hears her in the basements and wakes up, and tells Kate that Heather is there. When Shawn runs up, Heather says that she came home earlier than expected. She realizes that Shawn smells and asks if she was in the basement. Shawn takes Heather to the kitchen, makes her some food, and talks to her about the school she's attending. Heather says that she joined the debate team, and figures Shawn will be a stage mother.
Shawn jokingly asks if Heather can beat her at debating, and they talk about school uniforms versus freedom. Heather talks about the merits of school uniforms, and says that it's Shawn's turn. Shawn just stares at her, smiling and remembering the past with Kate, and Heather asks if she's going to go. After a minute, Shawn says that she is.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content