[waves crashing]
[waves]
[gulls cry]
[whispers] Fuck.
[exhales]
[coins clink]
No, I'm not what I look like I am!
[speaks French]
[speaks broken French]
Fucking Euros.
[theme music playing]
♪ Weaving the good life for you, sugar ♪
♪ In every way ♪
[Dennis] We come to these rooms, we work the steps
and we trust that one day, we'll be rewarded.
And then, eventually, that day comes
and the reward is greater than we could ever imagine.
[man coughs]
I met a girl.
- [all laugh] - [applause]
And this girl's different from all the other girls that I've ever been with,
in that, she actually likes me.
[laughter]
She likes me for who I am.
Well, she doesn't really know me yet. It's still early days.
I haven't told her that I am sober.
Looks like you on top of the world, huh?
What? Oh, yeah.
Hey, George, listen.
Chip showed up at the house last night. He was looking for a place to stay.
But I did what you told me to, and I stayed strong.
May I ask you a personal question?
Uh... Yeah, okay.
You deep-dick her?
I'm sorry, man.
The girl you were going on about in there, did you deep-dick her?
What? No. Not yet. I will.
I want to deep, you know, dick her.
I just haven't been in the position.
- Look, you can do it in any position. - George, I'm not comfortable having--
- Don't wait too long, though. - George!
Before you tell her that you're sober.
Oh. Yeah, no, I will. I just haven't been in that position.
You can do that in any position.
[Karel] I killed a man.
Just this morning. In fact, I kill a man every morning.
That man is me.
I kill my past.
You see, the now is like a boat.
And the past, trails behind like a wake. A wake that...
fades into the distance and disappears.
Vanishes altogether.
- Can you picture this? - [group] Yes.
Now let me ask you a question.
Think about this.
Does the wake power the boat?
- Does it? - [group] No.
- Does the boat need the wake at all? - [group] No.
So then why do you think you need your past?
[grunts]
Good morning, my neighbor. I'm Cooler.
I just moved in last night.
[dryer running]
Guten Morgen.
Hey.
Dennis isn't here.
Okay. I'm sorry, who are you?
- [chuckles] Airbnb. - Oh, yeah.
Nice to meet you, Herr Bnb.
[woman in German] Are you making the coffee?
[in German] Yes, yes. In a second.
You must be Mrs. Bnb.
Airbnb! I got it. Oh, with the Internet thing.
[in German] Would you like a coffee?
Three of you, huh? That's...
- [all chuckle] - [speaks German]
What?
[in English] He wants your towel.
- Oh. - [all laugh]
Guten Morgen.
Dennis.
- Dennis! - Chip?
Hey, hey.
- What the fuck are you doing here? - I was desperate, man.
- For what? Coffee? - No, no, no. No. I needed to...
I needed to get clean and I had nowhere else to go.
- You came here to get clean? - Yeah, man.
So, what, you're asking me to be your sponsor?
No, I...
Yeah. I guess I am.
You just told me last night that you hadn't been drinking.
No, I haven't, but I just, you know, I can't do it on my own.
I don't know, man.
Are you gonna be able to take orders from me?
Be honest. Because that's what it's gonna take.
Sure. Whatever you say.
- Good. Let's go. - What? Where are we going?
Santa Monica. I have to do a wine pick-up.
Your first play as my sponsor is to take me to get wine?
No, man. I'm gonna drop you at a meeting.
- Now? - Your first play is to not do what I ask?
No, it's just that... I'm supposed to go meet London.
Do you want to get sober or not?
Yes. Just not in this towel.
Oh, yeah. Well, come get a shirt.
Who was that girl I saw last night coming out of the house?
Oh, fuck you, man. You are not gonna swoop. Not this time.
- Hey, man. I just asked her name. - Well, I'm not telling you.
- I thought I recognized her is all. - Well, you didn't.
I'm sorry. You're my sponsor, I wanted to be honest. And I thought I knew her.
Sorry. I just really like this girl. She runs the fitness place, WMD.
- Rosa. - Fuck me! I knew it. It's a swoop.
Calm down. Jesus, just because I know her name doesn't make it a swoop.
- I know your mom's name. It's Jackie. - What do you have to bring her up for?
What does she have to do with this? You know, you are just like her.
You can't stand to see me happy, so you have to destroy it.
What are you trying to say, Dennis?
That your mom and I are perfect for each other?
Don't even.
Hey, did you say anything about this to George?
I did. He told me to deep-dick her.
Oh, you know what, if I were you I wouldn't--
You know what, I'm gonna stop you right there.
I'm not interested in hearing what Chip would do in this situation.
- I wouldn't tell George. - I don't wanna hear it.
I'm the sponsor, I ask the questions. All right?
All right.
[Dennis] Where did you end up staying last night?
[Chip] Oh, it was right... right on the beach.
They got valet at an AA meeting? Fucking Santa Monica.
All right, look, I'll meet you back here in an hour, all right?
And you may wanna stay away from the whole "I killed a man" rap.
Actually, don't mention it at all. Just tell the truth. It will set you free.
You got it, boss.
[horn honks]
[Dennis] All right, all right! Grab some fucking serenity.
- Wow, thank you. - Have a nice day.
- It's okay. I didn't take it personally. - You saw me walk out.
I'm sorry. I had to meet a friend.
Don't apologize. It takes more courage to walk out than to stay put.
I just didn't get a good night's sleep so I guess I wasn't feeling very awake.
So you came to get coffee?
- This is my shoe. - Almost got it!
[pants]
I tried to get a coffee over on Rose, but the thing took off.
So now I feel like I've done half a triathlon
just running after it, man.
I'm too dehydrated. I don't even think I want coffee anymore.
[pants] Oh.
Looks like you're releasing a lot of old toxins.
Mm-hm. Mm-hm.
[pants]
Thank you, brother.
I just woke up real hard-line cramped.
Just surrounded by shit from my past, you know what I mean, holding me back.
It's just some days, I-- It's hard to just even get in the driver's seat.
You know what I mean?
That's what happens when you carry the past around with you.
The past is dead. You have to let go of it.
Trade it in for the riches of the present, and only then can you be happy.
Whoa, dude. Did you just make that thought up?
[indistinct chatter]
Here you go, man. Can I get your keys?
Keys.
Thanks.
Wait. How do these look on me?
- Very good. Yes. - These look really good--
[Dennis] Hey, guys. Hi. How's it going?
- Hey. - Hi, I'm Dennis.
- Hi. - I'm Chip's sponsor.
- Alex. - Alex. Cool. Nice to meet you.
- We gotta go. - I do?
Yeah, you do. You have to do what I say. Remember?
He had a big slip recently, so he needs to be kept on a short leash.
Dennis is a rookie sponsor. So I'm just breaking him in.
Oh, you're the friend.
What? No. No, no. He's the friend now.
- No. Wait. What did he say about me? - Nothing.
You can't trust anything he says.
Other than he values you as a friend.
- Did he ask you to say that? - No.
And he also said that you're the reason he wants to get sober
and hopefully rebuild the trust that he lost.
He's a good guy.
- Okay. Well, we better go. - We gotta go.
- Well, you've got my number. Use it. - Yeah. Nice to meet you.
You got her number?
She stuck her hand out. She wanted to help.
Oh, yeah?
Dennis, don't be jealous. You're still my sponsor.
- You're doing great. - You know that's not what I meant.
But thanks for the vote of confidence.
I'm not into her, man. I got London, remember?
Is everything okay between you two?
I don't know.
It kind of feels like she's... pulling back.
- Did you tell her the truth about... - No, no way. It's way too loaded.
- What, you're just gonna keep up the lie? - I don't know.
I wanted to make amends, you know, but then I thought...
"Unless to do so would injure them or others."
- You found a loophole in the Ninth Step? - The Ninth Step is a loophole.
- I'm just trying to do it by the numbers. - I'm not sure that adds up.
So, what happened?
We went to look at a place together. Turned out to be Cooler's pit.
Can you believe that place is four grand?
Oh, yeah. Paying rent in Venice is not exactly your area of expertise.
[scoffs]
I don't know, man. She just seemed disconnected,
- like she was on a seven-second delay. - Then give her a minute.
It's a big decision, man. Maybe it's just too much too soon.
Look, this is some emotionally charged fucked up shit, man.
You're just probably holding on too tight.
I mean, think about it, you have lost everything.
You've lost your house, you've lost your store,
- you've lost your reputation. - All right, man.
[sighs]
See, this is why I don't valet.
There's a trick to it! There's a trick.
You know, London's all you got left.
Last time you'll have a 30-year-old girlfriend.
Well, one that looks that good.
Isn't a sponsor supposed to look for the daylight?
You know what? Ask her out on a date.
A date?
Yeah, I bet you two have never done that before.
You know, keep it light. Reset.
Now I feel bad asking Alex to be my sponsor.
I totally thought that you would be pro-legalization.
[chuckling] Yeah, no.
Legalization is the reason I can't pay rent.
It totally killed the weed business.
Fifty thousand dealers lost their livelihoods overnight.
Those people had families.
They had bills to pay, habits to support.
Man.
- [horn honks] - Oh.
Hey, neighbor!
- That's my neighbor. - What is this?
I never told you about the time I was failing all my college courses
and my parents cut me off, so I went to the 7-11
and I bought a lottery ticket and won a couple hundred G's?
- No. - You're in for a treat.
So I was failing all my college courses and my parents cut me off,
so I went down to the 7-11, bought a lottery ticket,
- won a couple hundred-- - Couple hundred G's.
So I did tell you about that!
- [laughs] - Yeah. It was so sweet.
Just enough to put a nice down payment on a little home, you know.
Which is what I should've done at the time. Forgot.
Well, you might win again.
No. That's not how it works.
Winning the lottery twice, like, the chances of that are astrological.
- Hey. - Hey.
Hey.
Sorry I was a no-show. I had to help Dennis take me to a meeting.
That's okay. I had Cooler to entertain me.
I said I was sorry. How many times do you want me to apologize?
Burn!
Hey, I put a couple of your things in the Minnie Winnie.
Oh, yeah. Thanks. Yeah.
Dennis is not a good look on me, or on Dennis.
What is all this?
I'm trading in my past, man, for the riches of the present.
You know, I don't think Karel was actually telling you to have a yard sale.
I think it was more spiritual.
You know, that it's a bad idea to focus on our past,
because it pollutes our present?
I just-- I feel like we focus so much time on trying to fix past problems
that we don't, you know, see what's right for us in the moment.
We just gotta cut the past loose because it doesn't exist.
Right. That's right.
So if the past doesn't exist,
then the chances of me winning the lottery again for the first time
just doubled.
Yeah. Exactly.
Will you guys mind the store for me, please?
Sure.
So if your theory holds true, and our past doesn't exist, then...
then that means maybe
we haven't been out yet.
[laughs]
Are you asking me out on a date?
Yeah, I guess I am.
A proper first date.
- A first everything. - Not on the first date.
Right.
[grunts]
- Hey. - [grunts] Hey!
- Are you okay? - Uh, yeah.
- You want some help there? - No, no. It's real heavy.
- Oh, I got it. Holy crap. - Oh.
That's a good spot. Um...
Hey, you know last night, when we were talking about AA?
Oh, yeah.
No, you shouldn't listen to me about that stuff.
I have a thing for alcoholics.
- You do? - Not like that.
Not a good thing, trust me. It's--
My dad is an alcoholic.
- Yeah. - Oh. That's tough.
- Yeah. Is he in--? - The program?
- Yeah. - Yeah. Yeah, he's all about the program.
Oh, well, that's good.
- I mean, at least he has a handle on it. - He does.
He's the best dad in the world at saying sorry.
He'll sob and say what a terrible father he's been...
It's complicated.
- It's not. I'm gonna... Okay. - Yeah.
Wait. Is your dad an alcoholic in Venice?
He's an alcoholic everywhere. But he's in the program in Venice.
- No shit. - He's a cop.
A cop. That's great.
- I'll see you. - Okay.
[whirring]
Man, I used to be so good at this.
[car approaches]
What's wrong with you, man?
Well...
For starters, I'm an alcoholic.
Plus, man, I just-- I need a set of wheels.
Well, then, take the tandem.
Come on, man.
You knew that she was George's daughter but you didn't tell me.
- You wouldn't let me say anything. - You should've said something.
You would have said it was a swoop. I was in a no-win situation.
And I lost.
Fuck, man.
Well, what am I supposed to do?
Tell the truth. It will set you free.
- Man, I'm such a loser. - See, I bet you feel better already.
[all] ♪ Now is the now, is the now ♪
♪ Is the now, is the now Is the now, is the now ♪
♪ Is the now, is the now ♪
♪ Is the now ♪
[all sigh]
- [Karel] So present. So beautiful. - Yeah.
- [London] Chip! - Hey.
- Thanks. - Oh, come here.
- Hey. - Hey.
- I want you to meet Karel. - Sure.
- Thank you so much. - You're welcome.
- That was amazing. - Yeah.
- Nice to meet you, Chip. - Hey, man.
- You're Karel? - I am.
I don't know why, but I always pictured Karel as a woman.
Well, his grandparents are Czech.
Oh.
So it's all about reinvention? Forgetting the past, huh?
- That's part of it, yeah. - I bet that plays great down here.
A town of seekers. I'm sure that's what attracted you.
Yeah.
I wonder, uh... I wonder what attracted you.
Open minds. Artists. Their willingness to accept new ideas.
Or critical thinking would ruin what you're trying to do.
I'm gonna go get my shoes before they walk away again.
That's great.
Yeah. I thought about doing something like this.
What stopped you?
I'm probably not as qualified as you are.
You don't need a masters in clinical psychology from Yale
to help people.
Who told you that?
A clinical psychology professor I had at Harvard.
Look, man. I don't wanna tangle with you.
London is going through a really weird time.
I imagine that's what drew her to me.
Sure, just-- She's dealing with some fucked up shit from her past.
Which no longer exists.
Yeah, except it happened. I know because I was there.
- I understand. - What?
What do you think that you understand?
That if London walks away from her past, she might leave you behind.
I like you, Chip, but we're gonna have to continue this another time
because I have a rebirthing session.
[laughs]
- Dude, are you for real? - I seem to have upset you.
I'm not upset. I just have an aversion to made-up words.
Clearly, I've triggered something.
- You're holding onto some past trauma. - No, I'm not.
Are you sure? Because if you ever need a rebirthing session...
My last birthing was good enough for me.
I like you too, Karel.
That's it, man. I don't know what else I can do.
- Other than try and win the lottery? - It worked last time.
Didn't they send you an eviction notice or anything?
Oh, yeah. Like, five of 'em. But I didn't open 'em
because of, like, Schrodinger's cat.
John, you gotta read your legal documents, otherwise--
[knocking]
- [woman] Spike, open up! - It wasn't me!
We got a call.
A burn-out in a Minnie Winnie thinks the street is his personal trashcan.
John!
- Is that weed? - No.
Spike, aren't you still on parole?
Yeah.
You can't have narcotics on your property, man.
- Didn't you read your parole agreement? - Hey, he didn't even smoke it yet.
Fucking federales.
- [Rosa] Oh! Hey. Love the jacket. - [Dennis] It's mine.
Take a seat. Make yourself comfortable.
Uh... Actually, Rosa...
- I have that book. - Oh, you like Frida Kahlo?
"Feet, what do I need you for, when I have wings to fly?"
Kudos!
Oh, you like photography?
Uh...
No. No, I actually just put that there to make myself seem more artistic.
- [laughs] - Here you go.
Uh...
Rosa...
I can't drink this.
Oh, really? Is it that disgusting?
- No. No, no. No, it's not that. - Gosh. I'm sorry.
No. You don't need to apologize. I get it. I totally get it.
- Yeah-- - I mean, come on. You're a sommelier.
This wine probably tastes like shit to you. It's fine.
- I just need to tell you. - Forget it. It's fine. Honestly. Shut up.
- But-- - Please, do not say another word.
Rosa.
So, what's on your mind? Hm?
Nothing.
I'm sorry, guys. We don't do walk-ins.
Come on, man. I'm a good friend of Paulo's.
Is he working tonight? He'll sort us out.
Yeah. Yeah. Paulo's in Mexico.
Oh, wait. I know that one. Um...
That's Antonio. Antonio! Antonio, right? Chip.
Come on, man, we know each other. Hey, come on, I dated your ex.
For the record, she told me they were broken up.
Oh, it doesn't matter. We can just get takeout.
Hey, that's my bike.
- What? - Hey, that's my fucking bike, asshole!
- That's my fucking-- - Let's go after it. Let's get it.
- Turn left. - Let's cut down here.
- Hold on. - Oh, shit.
- [Chip exclaims] - [London laughs]
[Chip] We got him.
[London] Now what?
How the fuck?
Okay, turn around.
Here we go. Here we go, here we go.
- It's a shame that we lost him. - I can always get another bike.
- No, I mean that was fun. - That was fun.
- Sorry. - Sorry.
Well, I mean, if you just wanna follow somebody...
Wait. Not too close.
Oh, God. Come here.
OK, we can't be seen together.
[walkie-talkie beeps]
What is he doing? He's not even going in.
Oh, my God, he is a spy. We're spying on a spy.
It's shift change.
He's here to pick up waitresses either going to or coming from work.
[scoffs]
- And you know this, how? - I invented it.
[laughs]
The package moves. The package moves.
[door closes]
- [siren chirps] - [George] Freeze, motherfucker!
- Yeah. Yeah. - Shit, Dennis.
Dude yells at you and the first thing you do is get down on all fours.
Jesus, George!
[laughs]
What business you got on this side of town?
Uh...
Nothing. I just, uh...
Don't lie to me, Dennis.
Oh, wait.
You got some deep-dick business over here, am I right?
[laughs]
I know that smile.
- Yeah. Yeah. - Look at you.
You know who else live here, right?
- Uh, no. - Rosa.
That's my little girl.
Oh, no. I did not know that. That's a coincidence.
Yeah. [laughs]
- Hop in, man. I'll give you a ride. - No. I'm on my bike.
It's around the corner.
- Okay. Suit yourself. - Thanks, though.
Hey, Dennis.
You better have a light on that motherfucker.
[laughs]
What the fuck?
Goddamn.
[shrieks]
[London moans]
That was a lot of fun.
Not bad for a first date.
No past to get in the way.
No.
- Where are you staying? - The Intercontinental.
[both laugh]
Seriously.
[groans] Oh.
Oh, man. That's harsh.
So, tell me where you're staying.
You know what...
Believe me, this kills me to say, but...
why don't we just keep it a first date?
Okay.
It's just that we moved so fast and I feel like we missed out, and...
I don't want to miss out.
Okay.
["On Lankershim" by Foxygen plays]
♪ And it all but seems ♪
♪ My lifetime dreams have ended ♪
♪ And I know some people Hope they won't come true ♪
Never fails, man.
[group chants] ♪ Now is, now is ♪
♪ Now is, now is... ♪
♪ And I can see From mango trees a memory ♪
♪ Of locked upon The pause of death of you ♪
♪ Well, it just gets bigger ♪
♪ 'Til you can't seem to figure out ♪
♪ Oh, walk away ♪
♪ But I still can't seem To figure it out ♪
♪ I walk away ♪
♪ Walk away, walk away ♪
♪ When someone loves you ♪
♪ But you just can't figure it out ♪
♪ Oh, you walked away ♪
♪ You walked away ♪