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(DRAMATIC ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
(GAS NOZZLE CLACKING)
(GAS PUMP WHIRRING)
(GAS NOZZLE CLACKING)
(PHONE BEEPING)
(ATMOSPHERIC HIP HOP MUSIC)
Mm.
Hello, handsome, you almost home?
Hey, baby, hey, it looks like
I'm gonna be working a little late tonight.
Hmm, is everything okay.
Yeah, yeah, everything is cool,
I just got a extra fare that I need to do.
Well, that's my baby, always working.
You know, we have the place all to ourselves tonight.
We do?
Where's Angelique at?
She's sleeping over Tance's house.
Oh, that's right.
That's tonight.
Uh-huh, and now you're gonna make me wait for you.
You know I hate it when you tease me like that.
(CHUCKLING) You know you like it.
I've been thinking about you all day.
I might have to take matters into my own hands.
Now who's teasing who?
(CAROLINE LAUGHING) (ATMOSPHERIC HIP HOP MUSIC)
Be safe, okay, baby?
I love you.
Alright, love you too, baby.
(ATMOSPHERIC HIP HOP MUSIC)
(CAR ENGINE WHIRRING)
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
(HORN BEEPING)
You must be my ride.
Are you Thomas?
Yes, sir. Alright, hop in.
How you doing tonight?
I'm excellent, how about yourself?
Not bad, about to get off.
Yeah, good for you.
My night's just getting started.
So where you headed?
Straight to Hell along with everybody else.
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
I'm sorry?
But first, how about 235 Detroit Street?
Okay, alright.
It says you have a five star Ryde rating.
Yeah, request the best, that's what I say.
You been doing this awhile?
Yeah, a couple months.
Pretty good gig?
Ah, it's alright.
You're full time?
Nah, just after the day job.
Keeps me out of trouble.
You ever have a really bad passenger?
Nah, most of 'em are pretty chill.
Really?
Come on. No, seriously.
That's cop-out, seriously, your worse passenger?
Hmm, my worst passenger.
Absolute worst passenger ever?
My worst passenger.
Hmm, let me think.
Okay, alright, so, a few weeks ago,
I'm driving this dude and this girl to a concert,
and both of 'em is as drunk as a skunk and high as a kite.
Halfway there, he realizes he forgot his phone back at home,
and you know, his phone had his tickets on it.
Anyway, this dude he's just flipped out on this girl,
sayin' that she was supposed to remind him
about the tickets and everything,
and then he just like raised his hand
like he was gonna hit her.
Did he?
No, he didn't hit her,
but you could tell that he had done it before
by the way that she flinched,
and then I just told him to calm the hell down,
and then he started threatening me.
So what you do?
I told him that if he didn't calm down
I was gonna call the cops.
So I turned around and drove him back home.
He was pouting and shit and complaining,
and then he got his and phone,
then I drove 'em back to the concert.
I didn't even charge them
for the extra time and the mileage,
and then had the nerve to call corporate
and give me a zero rating.
Can you believe that?
You should have kicked his ass.
Yeah, you're right.
No, I'm serious.
Any man that lays his hand on a woman like that
deserves to be punished.
But he didn't actually touch her.
Yeah, but you said you could tell
he'd done it before, right?
Well that was my impression, yeah.
Do you trust your instincts?
Usually.
And he threatened you?
Yeah.
You should have broke his fucking nose.
I mean it, seriously.
If I was back here with a girl that I was clearly abusing,
and you spoke up for her and I threatened you,
what would you do?
Huh?
Well with all due respect,
I would break your fucking nose.
Now that's what I'm talking about.
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
Ah, fuck.
Is everything okay?
Ah, my phone.
Well, you wanna use mine?
Could I?
Yeah, sure.
Thanks, I appreciate it.
Yeah, don't mention it.
It's Thomas.
No, I have good news.
Mr. Richardson agreed to your terms.
Yes, in fact, he already has.
I have it right with me.
You gonna be around for awhile, I mean, I'm on my way.
Yes.
You're welcome.
I really appreciate it.
Yeah, no problem, man.
(TURN SIGNAL CLICKING)
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
By the way, your numbers don't add up.
I'm sorry?
You said you'd been working for two months, give or take?
Yeah, a couple months, give or take.
Hell, let's call it 10 weeks
and two or three days a week, let's say three.
What, 10 fares a night?
On average, yeah, that's about right.
That's a total of 300 fares in 10 weeks, liberally?
Okay.
Well, Ryde does its calculations on tenths of percentages.
So even with one zero rating,
you would need no less than 2,000 fares,
1,999 of them, five star ratings,
just to average out to a five star rating.
Yeah, so?
So that's statistically impossible
unless you're tweaking the numbers.
Hey, look, I just drive the car.
Are you?
I don't know what you're talking about.
Dude, it's okay.
Seriously.
It's none of my business.
If anything, I'm impressed.
I wouldn't have the first clue
how to mess with their system.
Look, man, I'm just trying to make a living.
I'm serious, no worries.
It's not the worst thing anyone's ever done, right?
I mean, you're obviously a good driver.
So what's the worst thing you've ever done?
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
We're here.
Shit.
The gate code is 4247#.
(KEYPAD BEEPING)
And make a left here.
(TURN SIGNAL CLICKING)
It's that one.
Straight up.
Well, Mr. Thomas, it's been an interesting evening.
Well, I'm gonna need a ride back.
I'm sorry, did you have plans or something?
Ah, actually...
Shit, man, you should have told me.
I thought I did.
Shit, man, now I feel terrible.
Look, it'll only take a minute, okay?
I promise.
And then you can just drop me off on the way back.
It's probably right on your way anyway.
(SIGHING) Yeah, no worries, man.
I'll even tip ya extra, I promise.
Just give me a sec, I gotta get organized here.
Can you hold this for a sec?
Yeah.
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
Nice pen.
THOMAS: You like it?
Yeah.
It's a retirement gift.
Alright, I'll be back in two minutes, tops.
Alright, I'll be here.
Alright, I'll be right back.
(DOORBELL RINGING)
(DRAMATIC CHORAL MUSIC)
Shit.
Well, that was quick.
I was in the neighborhood. Come on in.
So, old Richardson finally came to his senses?
Mr. Richardson came to the conclusion
that it was pointless to waste
anymore time and money fighting you people,
when all you're gonna do is outspend him
and drag this out in court until he's dead.
Well, that's a morbid way to put it, but (SCOFFING).
Excellent.
Well, I guess that's that.
Yeah, it'll be nice to put all this behind us.
Ooh, would you be willing to sign as a witness?
Why not?
Ah, do you have a pen?
Oh, yeah.
Perfect.
(FLESH SQUELCHING)
(DRAMATIC CHORAL MUSIC)
(FLESH SQUELCHING)
(EARDRUM CRACKING)
See, what'd I tell ya?
That was quick.
23rd and Park?
Is that on your way?
Yeah, sure.
Let's get you home.
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
(PHONE BEEPING)
Who's that?
Text from my wife.
She's probably wondering where I am.
I'm sorry, man.
It'll be over soon.
Zacharias.
Biblical name.
Are you a religious man, Zacharias?
I don't know about that.
Spiritual, maybe.
Do you believe in original sin?
You mean like, Adam and Eve?
The apple?
I don't know about all that,
but I believe in The Golden Rule,
treat people the way you wanna be treated.
THOMAS: Wouldn't that be a world to live in?
Yeah, man, it sure would.
So what do you believe?
I believe there's an unbroken chain of sin
that stretches back to the dawn of civilization.
I believe it is truly the only thing
that unites us as a species.
Okay, um, wow.
Think about it.
We live on a planet of seven billion people.
There are eight people who are as wealthy
as the poorest 3.5 billion combined.
We have enough resources and food in this country
to feed, cloth, and house every man,
woman, and child in America,
yet there are people starving everyday.
We've created a society where a man
could work 50 hours a week
for the same company for decades,
give his entire life to that company,
only for that company to file chapter 11
and get rid of his pension and his 401K.
And the icing on the cake,
it doesn't even matter
because the cancer that he got from working at that company
is gonna kill him in less than two years anyway.
That's the society we live in.
That's the way humanity was designed.
We evolved to take advantage of each other.
To screw each other over.
It's survival of the fittest.
We pretend like we care about each other but deep down,
we're hardwired to destroy one another.
You asked me where I was heading,
do you remember what I said?
Do you believe in Hell, Zacharias?
You should.
We created it.
Shit.
(DOOR CLACKING OPEN)
Shit.
STORE OWNER: How many times am I going to warn you?
Okay. What are you doing here?
How many times am I gonna tell you not to stay here?
Are you okay?
THOMAS: Hey, what seems to be the problem?
There is no problem.
Then why are you harassing this guy?
Sir, this is not your business.
It is my business.
Can I ask you a question?
He hangs out here all of the day
and scares away my customers.
It's a free country.
This is a private property,
and he is loitering.
Come on, gather your things.
Don't touch him again.
Sir, if you're going to buy something, just go inside.
If not, then go back to your car.
Come on. (HOMELESS MAN GASPING)
Hey.
(STORE OWNER SIGHING) I told you not to touch him.
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
(DOOR CLACKING OPEN)
I don't like guns in my car.
Relax.
I don't want any trouble, okay?
Look, how about I just drop you off?
We're almost there.
You don't even have to pay for the ride.
Zacharias, just drive.
(HORN BEEPING)
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
(CAR ENGINE WHIRRING)
Are you okay?
Look man, I didn't mean to make you upset.
I'm just trying to figure you out.
You're some kind of vigilante, right?
Fighting for the underdog?
Some kind of real life superhero?
(LAUGHING) Not even close.
You see someone being treated unfairly
and you go and help 'em out.
Like that homeless guy, right?
I couldn't care less about that homeless guy.
I'm sure he has his list of despicable shit
just like everybody else.
And it's not about fair,
it's about justice.
Aren't they the same thing?
Stop.
Stop!
Go back.
What? Stop the car.
Turn around.
And turn off your headlamps.
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
See that guy on the bike up there?
I want you to sneak up on him.
What did he do?
Don't get smart.
Just do what I'm telling ya.
I want you to get right behind him and when I say so,
turn on your lights and hit the gas.
Oh, hell, no. Zacharias.
No way, man, fuck that shit.
Zacharias, you need to choose, you or him?
I'm not going to be a part of this.
Zacharias, I need you to focus.
You need to choose, him or you?
Either you take him out,
or I'm the one texting your wife,
and telling her to look for you on the 10 o'clock news.
Three. You sick motherfucker.
Two.
What's it gonna be, brother? (CHUCKLING)
I'm not gonna do this.
(DRAMATIC ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
Your choice, one.
Damn it, Zacharias, now!
(ENGINE REVVING)
(ZACHARIAS SCREAMING)
(BODY THUDDING AGAINST CAR) (BIKE CLANKING)
You sick, motherfucker. (ZACHARY LAUGHING)
You sick, sadistic motherfucker.
Oh, not bad.
I mean, what the fuck was that?
I needed to see if I could trust you.
Oh, yeah, trust me to do what?
To do what I told you.
I should have let you shoot me.
I should have let you fucking shoot me.
(DRAMATIC ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
23rd and York.
You really want me out of your car, don't you?
Yeah, I want you out of my car.
I want you out of my goddamn life.
Alright.
Well, thanks for the ride.
(DOOR CLACKING OPEN)
(ZACHARIAS SIGHING)
(DOOR CLANKING SHUT)
Ya see, the thing is,
how do I know you're not gonna call the cops?
Oh, c'mon, man, I'm not gonna call the cops.
I just wanna go home.
See, you say that now.
How could I call the cops after the bicycle shit?
I'll be in just as much trouble as you, man.
That's a good point
Still, though, I, I gotta know for sure.
C'mon. What?
You're coming with me.
With you where?
To run an errand.
Look, I'm not okay with your errands.
There's no other way out of this.
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
(DOOR CLACKING OPEN)
(ZACHARIAS SIGHING)
Zacharias,
don't think that just because you can't see it,
my gun isn't pointed right at your head.
(SEATBELT CLICKING)
That's more like it.
C'mon, this won't take long.
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
C'mon.
(VIDEO GAME BEEPING AND CHUGGING)
Fuck, shit.
(THOMAS WHISTLING)
Whoa, who the fuck are you guys?
Are you John?
You cops?
No, we're not fucking cops.
We're here to buy some shit.
Rick sent us.
Oh, you know Rick?
Ah, wouldn't be smart.
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
Who the fuck are you guys?
Do you sell drugs or not?
Fuck off.
(GUN WHACKING AGAINST HEAD)
That's not way to treat a potential customer.
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
The drugs are over there in the cabinet,
and the money's over there in the drawer. (CRYING)
I'm not really worried about the drugs.
Please don't hurt me. (CRYING)
John, what's the worst thing you've ever done?
(JOHN CRYING)
Fuck you.
Zacharias, John, John, Zacharias.
John is a drug dealer and a pedophile.
John hooked up with a 15 year old girl named Emily,
had sex with her, got her hooked on meth among other things.
(CRYING) Dude, she said she was 16.
That still makes you a pedophile, genius.
(JOHN CRYING)
Emily overdosed on meth.
It's not my fault. Do you know
what it feels like?
They say it burns.
(JOHN CRYING)
They say it's excruciatingly painful.
Almost as painful as having your kneecaps broken.
Don't, man! Thomas, Thomas,
Thomas, no, please, man.
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
Well, that all depends on your new friend here, Zach.
Two words, Zach, shoot him,
you tell me, I do it. (JOHN CRYING)
In the meantime, batter up.
(CRYING) I'm sorry.
Thomas, don't.
(CRYING) Don't hurt me.
Oh, I'm not gonna break your legs.
I have a better idea.
(POLE CLATTERING)
They say it starts in your chest.
The burning sensation.
You have trouble breathing,
and then it moves to your esophagus, to your throat.
Thomas, please, don't.
And it finally spreads to your skin.
Burning.
Thomas, please.
Two words, Zacharias.
Three,
two,
one.
Here we go. Thomas, no!
(JOHN SCREAMING) (SKIN HISSING)
I'm surprised you didn't stop me.
Should we go again?
No.
What's that?
Shoot him?
Two words, Zach.
Ya gotta say 'em.
(SKIN HISSING) (JOHN SCREAMING)
(LAUGHING) Look it, that is crazy
how it leaves the exact same shape of the iron.
You know, it's kind of like those cartoons
when they smack 'em in the face with that frying pan,
and the frying pan looks exactly like the shape of the face.
This is the same thing, isn't it?
Hmm, maybe not.
Should we do it again?
No. Say the words.
Come on, two words.
What was that? I can't hear you.
Two words, Zacharias.
Two words.
Come on, Zacharias. Shoot him,
goddammit, just shoot the motherfucker.
(GUN FIRING)
That's all you had to say.
Hey, hold on.
Don't wanna burn the place down.
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
I can't believe how long you let that go.
I seriously thought you were gonna stop me sooner.
I think you're the sadist.
Look, this has got to stop.
You'll get used to it, trust me.
It gets easy.
(PHONE BEEPING)
Who's that?
My wife, she's worried.
That wasn't her ringtone.
Who was that?
It's nothing.
Show me.
A ride request from Brad W.
Shared ride.
Thomas? Well, let's go pick up Brad.
Thomas, look, we need to be done.
We're done when I say we're done.
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
Let's go pick up Brad.
(CAR ENGINE WHIRRING)
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
If you're still thinking about going to the cops,
you should know they're probably already lookin' for ya
and if they're not, they will be.
And why is that?
Ah, I kinda set you up. (CHUCKLING)
Remember our first stop?
That big fancy house?
I ducked behind the seat,
so you were the only one on the camera at the gate,
and after they examine the murder weapon,
your prints will be on it.
The human eardrum is no match
for a man armed with determination and a ballpoint pen.
Son of a bitch!
You evil son of a bitch.
So the man with cancer, is that your dad?
No.
Then who is he?
Some guy I used to work with.
Some guy, some guy you used to work with?
You just took a man's life
for some guy you used to work with?
I took his life in the name of justice.
Yeah, right because he was a sinner.
Now how would God judge you, Thomas?
I don't believe in God.
So what about all this big talk about original sin?
I said I believe in sin,
I never said I believe in God.
If there ever was a God.
I'm pretty sure he turned his back
on this shit hole a long time ago.
Game face, Zacharias.
This must be Brad.
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
(LIGHTNING BOOMING)
Hey, how's it going? I'm Brad.
How's it going, Brad?
Thomas, that's Zacharias.
Working late?
Yeah, I usually am.
Where to Brad?
Ah, 17th and 34th.
Just to the west of City Park.
Got it.
Go ahead and hop in.
So what do you do that keeps you out so late, Brad?
I'm a loan officer.
I sometimes have to meet the people pretty late.
A loan officer.
Yeah, like home loans, mortgages.
So, what, you stick it to those people
with a 12% interest rate, you make a million bucks?
Hmm, no, I was actually able to help them out.
They, ah, I saved them a lot of money.
Their last guy definitely screwed 'em pretty good.
I thought that's how you guys make your money?
High interest rates, subprime loans, all that stuff.
No, thankfully it's not like that anymore,
and even more it's really hard for people
to even qualify for a loan.
What I like to do is find people that are in bad situations
and get 'em out of those loans,
and get 'em into better loans
that are gonna help 'em in the long run.
Interesting.
So how's business?
Pretty good, unfortunately.
There's a lot of people in bad situations.
Got a question for you, Brad.
What's the worst thing you've ever done?
What?
What's the worst thing I've ever done?
What, what is this, cab confessions?
Nah, man, just a question.
What's the worst thing I've ever done?
Worst thing ever?
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
Well, when I was a kid I really wanted a dog
but my dad didn't let me have one,
so one day I'm walking home from school,
and I see this stray puppy,
and so I take him home and I put him in my room,
but a few days later my dad found out
and he was pretty pissed.
(ZACHARIAS LAUGHING)
What, what was yours?
Don't ask.
You know what?
Turn here.
It's a shortcut.
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
Is this your stop?
Thomas, you need to let this one go.
I don't know if it was your puppy dog story
or your boy scouty demeanor,
or maybe the tan line on your left ring finger,
but something tells me there's more to you
than meets the eye, Brad.
Fuck this. Ah, ay, ay.
That wouldn't be a good idea.
Look, I don't know what kind
of fucked up shit this is,
but I don't want any part in it.
Just let me go and we can pretend
this whole whole thing never happened.
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
(GUN FIRING)
Yeah, I knew he was packing.
You can tell.
Oh, shit.
Well, come on.
You gotta help me move him.
Well are you gonna help me move him or not?
Do I have to do everything?
(KNOCKING ON WINDOW)
When I get back,
you and I are gonna talk about your attitude.
I'm gonna remember this Zacharias.
(BRANCHES RUSTLING)
That's far enough.
Now put your hands up.
Keep 'em where I can see 'em.
Now I want you to slowly take out your gun
and toss it over.
Slowly.
(GUN CLACKING) No sudden movements
or I will shoot you.
You know, I had you all wrong.
I would have thought there was a ruthless killer
inside there somewhere,
but you're just a big, old softie.
Yeah, well good 'cause coming from you,
I'll take that as a compliment.
And you know what?
I changed my answer.
You are officially my worst passenger ever.
(THOMAS LAUGHING)
You're not gonna shoot me, are you?
I'm not going to but I should.
I'm calling the cops.
If I were in your shoes,
I would have shot me 10 times by now.
Yeah, well that's the difference between you and I,
I value human life.
(THOMAS LAUGHING)
Alright, alright, if you wanna call a cop,
go ahead and call the cops, okay?
Here, use my phone.
You might wanna look at the photo gallery first.
(DRAMATIC ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
Oh, God, no.
Did you really just think you were some random driver
at the wrong place at the wrong time?
Do you, do you remember what you just said
to me a minute ago?
"I value human life."
(LAUGHING)
I was actually gonna let you go.
Why?
My daughter is innocent.
So was my son. Your son?
I don't even know who you are.
And yet I know everything about you.
I know you've been married
to your wife Caroline for 17 years.
I know Angelique is your only child.
I know that when you're not driving your car for money,
you work at Atlantic Prudential Insurance,
and you decide who gets treated,
who suffers, and who dies.
What?
What are you talking about?
Jacob had leukemia.
There was an experimental treatment
that could have saved his life.
It was a combination of two drugs already approved
to treat certain conditions other than his.
Jacob had one treatment,
and he showed remarkable improvement.
All he needed was just 11 more treatments,
but the drugs weren't approved for his condition.
So you people refused to cover it.
(DRAMATIC ORCHESTRAL MUSIC)
I watched him suffer and suffer and suffer.
But you know what the kicker is?
The drugs were approved for treating leukemia
less than six months after my son died.
Look, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry about your son, man,
but I had not control over that.
I don't make those decisions.
I have no authority there.
There are tables and equations.
My son was not an equation!
Look, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry about your boy,
but my daughter is innocent.
She had nothing to do with this.
The sins of the father
shall be visited onto the children
of those who hate the Lord.
But you don't even believe in the Lord.
I believe in sin.
Thomas, please, tell me where she is?
Your daughter is in a hole so deep and dark
that not even the dogs will smell
her rotting corpse after she starves to death.
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
But the good new is you get to decide
whether she lives or dies.
You get to choose with that.
Shoot me, she stays in her hole.
Call the cops and turn me in,
she stays in her hole.
What if I shoot myself?
Bingo.
How do I know you'll let her go?
Zacharias, do you have any doubt in your heart
or mind that I'm not a man of my word?
I'll tell you what,
I'm gonna give you a little time to think it over.
You got two minutes.
(ATMOSPHERIC GUITAR MUSIC)
(OMINOUS ELECTRONIC MUSIC)
You must be my ride?
Hey, I'm Chris, nice to meet ya.
Thomas, nice to meet you, Chris.
So where are you headed?
(DRAMATIC ELECTRONIC MUSIC)