[ Loud clap of thunder ]
[ Horse neighs loudly ]
WOMAN: Easy!
Whoa!
What if Mr. Mallen comes back?
l hope he does. Look what he did to this horse.
Mom, look out!
Easy.
Easy. Whoa!
When all else fails, bribe them with candy.
Like l did with you when you were little.
MAN: Hey!
Hey, lady! What the hell you doing with my horse?
Stop it!
Stay back!
WOMAN: Whoa!
You won't be touching this horse anymore, Mr. Mallen.
Now, get out of my way!
You're on my property. My horse. l don't think you'll get too far.
Call the cops. You'll be saving me the trouble.
Once the police see how he treats horses, they'll arrest him for sure.
He's not calling anybody.
Mallen's the worst kind of horse dealer.
Just feeds them enough to keep them standing till the meat truck comes.
[ Horse neighs ]
Mom!
lt's okay. He'll settle down once we're on the main road.
Don't worry. We're doing the right thing.
Thanks, Mom.
Hold on, Amy!
Mom!
And on the Sealton lPO, good news, Mr. Strickland.
l managed to squeeze an extra point of commission.
Just a second. l have to take this.
Hello?
You all right?
l have to go home.
They're helping her breathe, but her vital signs are stable.
But the doc says, can't guarantee when she's going to come to.
So the next 2 4 hours will be critical.
Does dad know?
Come on, Grandpa. He's got the right.
Gave up that right a long time ago, Lou.
What happened to her face?
Windshield. They tell me she was lucky.
But your mother. . .
And at the break of day
You sank into your dream
You dreamer
Last Christmas, l was home from New York,
and mom wanted me and Amy to go with her for a ride.
lt was 25 below, but to mom it was the perfect day for a ride.
''What was the perfect part, Mom?''
She laughed and said, ''No flies.''
l try and tell myself that she lived an amazing life,
and that she died doing what she loved to do.
[ Chokes up ]
l just wish she didn't have to die so soon.
AMY: Lou?
What are you doing here?
AMY: Ow!
Shhhhhh.
Don't try to move too quick.
Where am l?
You're in the hospital, sweetie.
Where's mom?
Amy, there was an accident and uh. . .
No!
AMY: No!
[ Crying ]
Here we are, Amy, back home.
You're here! l've been waiting and waiting.
Hey, Mallory.
We got her back as quick as we could.
l'm so glad you're home.
Yeah.
My mom and dad say, ''Hi''.
They're going to come over and see you guys later.
ls she okay?
She'll get there, Mallory. She'll get there. Just give her time.
Maybe come back in a couple of days.
Okay.
Can you believe these flowers? They're from Jesse.
Here, let me take your coat.
Your friends have been calling like crazy, Amy.
They can't wait to see you.
[ Horse neighs in the distance ]
What happened to the horse?
ls he dead too?
lt's not the physical injuries l'm worried about.
A lot of horses never recover from a trauma like that.
Well, you're the vet. What are we looking at?
[ Sighing ]
Well, Marion always used to tell me, ''Never give up on a horse,''
but l'd consider putting him down, sooner rather than later.
[ Sighing ]
Well, my daughter died trying to save that horse and, uh. . .
l don't want my granddaughter to grow up thinking
that she died for nothing.
lt's your call.
Yeah. Yeah, it's my call.
[ Water sloshes ]
LOU: l miss you too, Carl.
Bye.
[ Beeping off phone ]
New York.
l guess you'll be heading back pretty soon?
That was the idea, yeah, but. . .
There's a few things around here l gotta take care of first,
starting with the bank.
They've been calling.
Banks don't call just to say hello.
Tell me about it. Have you seen these bills?
Oh, your mom took care of all that.
Well, apparently not very well. Grandpa, these are all unpaid.
Well, maybe she had other things on her mind.
Grandpa, why don't you just use the dishwasher? Just here. . .
-No, more trouble than it's worth. -Give me those.
[ Dishes clatter ]
[ Loud banging ]
Why the hell did mom and Amy have to go up to Mallen's farm?
'Cause that's what your mom did, Lou. She saved horses in trouble.
LOU: ln the middle of the night?! ln the middle of a storm?!
LOU: That creepy drunk Mallen?!
[ Horse neighs ]
MAN: Easy, easy, easy.
[ Hoofs banging ]
Woo, woo!
Easy.
[ Keyboard keys click ]
MAN: Whoa!
[ Horse neighs ]
MAN: l got it.
Ho, ho!
Watch out, watch out!
[ Grunts ]
Aw, damn it!
You sure that's the same horse?
Yeah. l found out he used to be a jumper. His name is Spartan.
[ Horse neighs ]
He's still got plenty of spirit!
[ Horse neighs ]
What the hell are you doing out there, Scott?
Trying to get myself killed.
How is it going so far?
[ Grunts ]
[ Horse neighs ]
l'm beginning to think this horse doesn't like me.
[ Horse neighs ]
You think you two could finish that conversation later?
[ Horse neighs ]
This isn't working. l'm going to have to give him a shot.
Why did you bring him here, Grandpa?
Well, l figured you and this horse have a lot in common.
You're wrong.
[ Horse neighs ]
Thanks for coming over, Jen.
l wanted to call, but l just. . .
l couldn't think of anything to say, but l am sorry your mom died.
Thanks. Now just shut up about it, okay?
Did Jesse call?
l don't know.
But you liked the flowers he sent you?
Yeah. Yeah, they were nice. l guess l should call, huh?
Um, yeah. Did he send a card too?
Yeah, it said, ''Sorry your mom died.''
[ Laughing ] Oh, that's original!
So everyone's been asking when you're coming back to school.
[ Sound of a car approaching ]
[ Radio blares ]
[ Car roars loudly ]
[ Horses neigh ]
[ Hoofs clatter ]
[ Car radio plays ]
[ Galloping hoofs ]
[ Horse snorts ]
Hey, watch it! What are you doing?
l want to know what kind of idiot revs his truck around a horse.
Nice to meet you too.
My name's Ty.
What are you doing here?
l'm working.
You can't smoke here.
[ Annoyed sigh ]
Whatever.
Some lady hired me, all right? Marion somebody.
My mother.
She as friendly as you are?
She was killed in a car accident a few weeks ago.
So this kid Ty Borden, he's on probation? What did he do?
Oh, l don't know.
But your mom said she had a good feeling about him, so. . .
You'll be staying here.
[ Small laugh ]
Well, it's no palace, that's for sure.
Well, there's no bars on the windows, so l guess it'll do.
Hey. What's the deal with the babes?
You mean my granddaughters?
Your granddaughters?
Oh, wow, you don't look old enough to have granddaughters.
Here's the ''deal'' with them: you keep ten feet away at all times.
Any part of you that crosses that line will be removed.
Hey, boy.
[ Horse neighs ]
lt's okay.
[ Horse neighs ]
[ Horse snorts and stomps ]
[ Sighing ]
Fine.
[ Horse neighs ]
What are you looking for?
Bank books, statements, anything.
Mom was just so incredibly unorganized.
She knew where everything was.
l'm somehow supposed to make sense of this,
and l don't even know where to begin.
Well, you don't have to.
Yeah, l do.
You're going back to New York, right?
Yeah.
You've never been here more than a couple of days before.
Amy!
Now there's the New York boyfriend, what, Carl? The guy you work with?
Yeah, l heard you on the phone.
Amy, l'm not just going back to New York because of Carl.
l'm going because that's where l live. lt's where my job is.
So how come you're going through all moms' stuff
and you're making all these decisions about things?
You're not even planning to stick around.
Because somebody has to, Amy.
[ Horse whinnies in the barn ]
l have to feed the horses.
So what's with this place, uh, Heartland?
Land's been in my family for six generations.
Well, we used to run cattle, Whiteface mostly.
Yeah, that's when this place actually made a profit.
My mom believed there were more important things than money.
Our mother set this place up as a rescue centre for horses
after our dad left when we were little kids.
Pass the potatoes.
My mother was like a horse whisperer.
What, like a horse shrink?
She was famous.
She could just look at a horse
and know what was wrong and what to do.
So what's gonna happen now?
Well, l guess we'll carry on, just like we did before.
Not according to Lou. Lou's got lots of plans.
l just want to make this place run more like a business.
lt's not a business. That's not the way mom did things.
-Tell me about it. -What is that supposed to mean?
lt means that mom didn't even see the problems.
Problems?! The only problem is that mom's not here,
and if she were, you wouldn't be here discussing the problems!
[ Door slams ]
[ Horse neighs ]
[ Horse snorts ]
You should have stuck around for the pie.
Turns out your sister's getting pretty handy
with the defrost button on a microwave.
[ Horse snorts ]
[ Horse neighs ]
He still doesn't trust me.
[ Horse neighs ]
Well, your mom always said you had the gift.
Think you can do anything with him?
Haven't l already done enough, Grandpa?
What do you mean, Amy?
[ Horse snorts wildly ]
Mom always told me never to go near the Mallen's farm. But. . .
l was out riding, and there was a storm coming, so. . .
l decided to take a shortcut.
And then l heard him, like he was. . .
He was calling to me.
l don't know how long he'd been out there, but. . .
l could see he was beaten.
l didn't know what to do.
So l went and got mom.
[ Horse neighs ]
And that's why mom's dead.
lt's because of me.
You did just what your mom would've done.
But what am l going to do now, Grandpa?
[ Horse neighs ]
You're gonna get on with your life. Go back to school.
Grandpa!
Tomorrow, Lou's gonna drive you. And uh. . . No more fighting.
lt's hard enough without you two at each other's throats.
Mmmm.
[ Gags at the taste ]
What l don't understand, we're in the middle of cow country,
and you can't get a decent latte anywhere.
[ Small laugh ]
They're beef cattle.
Yeah, l grew up here too, you know.
Doesn't look like it.
Really?
'Cause my friends in New York think l'm a genuine barrel-racing,
cattle-punching cowgirl.
Or at least that's what you tell them.
Was dad at the funeral?
He should've been,
but you know what it would've been like, him and grandpa.
l know. l was five when he left, Lou. l barely even remember him.
And it's not like he ever tried to get a hold of me or anything.
He wanted to.
You called him?
Amy, please don't tell grandpa.
You know, l always wondered what it would be like to have a dad.
But now l just don't care.
[ Overlapping chatter ]
Hey. Are you freaking?
Kinda.
Don't worry. l am so looking after you.
[ Heavy sigh ]
Well, what makes you think l need looking after?
'Cause here comes Jesse.
[ Nervous sigh ]
l totally didn't call him. l don't know what to say.
You're gonna have to speak to him eventually.
How many times does he need to call you?
JESSE: Amy.
Hi.
Why didn't you tell me you were coming back today?
l didn't know.
Did you get my flowers? You never called.
l know. l meant to. l wanted to. l. . .
GlRL: Oh, my God! ls that Amy Fleming?
Jesse! Why didn't you tell me Amy was coming back so soon?
Did my brother tell you l went to your mom's funeral?
lt was like the saddest thing l've ever been to in my whole life.
Ashley, shut up!
lt's okay.
Well, l hope this doesn't mean you're gonna stop competing,
because you're my only real competition,
and my mom just bought me a new jumper, Apollo.
He's amazing. But don't worry, second place isn't so bad.
lt's great to see you, Lou. You look great.
-How long has it been? -Since high school.
Oh, yeah.
To tell you the truth, l thought l'd never see you back here.
l wasn't exactly planning on being back.
Ah. . . Right. l'm sorry to hear about your mom.
l didn't want to bother you with this.
The thing is, Lou, the loan to Heartland wasn't based on equity,
it was based on your mom's reputation.
l know, and l can totally appreciate the pressure you must be under.
So. . . l've written up a business plan.
You've done a lot of work here, Lou.
lt's pretty straightforward stuff, really.
We cut costs, focus more on paying customers,
and a little less on my mother's lost causes,
and, uh, all you have to do, Steve,
is re-jig the payment schedule on our loan.
l don't know.
l mean, selling might be the most realistic solution
to your financial crisis.
You say ''financial crisis'', l say ''cash flow problem''.
Look, my mother was a horsewoman, but l'm a businesswoman.
So do me a favor, when you take my plan to your loans committee,
just pitch it like it's something we've worked out together.
Just like in high school, remember?
Oh, like the grade eleven science fair?
Well, we won first place.
Yeah, well, l did all the work on that project.
Well, l did all the work on this one. So now we're even.
Okay.
One condition: the loans committee goes for it,
you agree to let me take you out for a coffee.
Coffee in this town?
Forget it.
They go for it, l'm taking you out for dinner.
Horse business is simple:
the feed goes in one end, and you're about to get mighty familiar
with what comes out the other.
Okay. l'm done.
You see, that's the beauty about farm work. You're never done.
l gotta clean 'em all out?
Yeah. And you get to do it all over again tomorrow.
[ Shovel clanks ]
[ Horse neighs ]
Whoa!
Except, not that one.
[ Horse neighs ]
-What's his problem? -That's for Amy to figure out.
And what's she gonna do with him?
[ Horse neighs ]
Fix him if she can.
She's got to be crazy.
She's got her work cut out for her.
[ Horse snorts ]
Lou!
Why are they taking Prince? He's not ready to go yet.
Oh, they, um. . . They think we're charging too much.
Mom hardly charged them anything.
Exactly.
Amy, we need to start making a profit,
or we're going to be forced to sell off this land.
Sell mom's dream! Just like that, to some rich oil people?!
Heartland isn't a dream, Amy. lt's a ranch, a business.
Shut up! You don't know anything!
What is going on with you two?
Lou wants to sell Heartland so she can go back to New York!
Come on, now, no one said anything about selling.
Tell him, Lou. lt's obviously what you want to do.
Why do you think she went to the bank?
You got something you want to tell me, Lou?
Thanks for the blankets, Val.
Sorry it took so long to get them back.
You don't need an excuse to come and see me, you know, Jack.
l swear, Val, l never thought l'd be raising kids again.
And l wasn't that great at it the first time around,
and now it's all l can do to keep those two girls
from killing each other.
You want my advice, Jack?
Buy them a little something. DVD, Laptop. . . $100,000 jumper.
That oughta win you a few red ribbons.
[ Chuckling ]
Anything to keep the peace.
[ Chuckles ]
Well, if l could afford it, l might just try.
But. . . Uh, Lou tells me we're in default on our loan,
and the bank can call it in at any time.
Jack! You're sitting on land worth millions,
and you're straightening nails to mend fences.
l mean, come on, put a ''for sale'' sign on Heartland.
The buyers will beat a path to your door.
Hell, l might be the first in line.
l always figured l'd have something to pass on to my grandkids,
not just money, a place they could call home.
l've got a bottle of single malt
that's older than both those gals of yours put together.
Another time, Val.
l promise.
Okay, Jack.
[ Guitar strumming ]
You play pretty well.
You kidding? l suck.
Maybe you could take some lessons.
Lessons?
l won this guitar in a card game from a guy who knifed his old man.
But lessons. . . Yeah, where do l sign up?
Okay, l get it.
l'm just here to check up on the horses.
And, by the way, you do suck.
Hey, wait!
What are you gonna do with that crazy one?
Spartan?
Your granddad told me you were gonna fix him.
Yeah.
But l don't know if l'm any good at that kind of stuff.
Well, maybe you could take some lessons.
'Cause somebody better do something.
lt's not right keeping him locked up in that stall like that.
[ Horse neighs ]
[ Horse hoofs bang loudly ]
[ Horse neighs ]
[ Horse hooves galloping ]
Come on, get up!
[ Whistles ]
AMY: Get up!
How long has she been out there?
Oh, she was already at it when l got up.
What's she doing?
She's trying to get that horse to join up.
Oh.
You keep driving him around that pen long enough,
he'll figure out who's boss.
What happens if he doesn't?
Well, you keep driving him till he does.
Let's get to work.
Well, what about breakfast?
[ Laughing ]
You want breakfast in bed, sleep in the kitchen.
[ Horse neighs ]
Get, get, get!
[ Horse neighs ]
No, you don't. Come on!
[ Clicks teeth ]
[ Horse neighs ]
[ Horse hooves gallop ]
[ Horse snorts ]
[ Whistles and clicks teeth ]
Hyah!
[ Horse neighs ]
[ Hooves clatter ]
l know that you blame me! But we were just trying to help you!
lt's not my fault.
[ Shouting ] lt's not my fault!
[ Horse whinnies ]
You see that, Amy? He's ready to join up.
Come on, how do you know?
'Cause horses never lie.
That's a good boy.
Good boy.
l'm sorry to keep you waiting.
That's okay. lf the news is good, l've got all the time in the world.
Well. . . The good news is the loans committee liked your business plan.
So, we're on for dinner?
l appreciate the offer.
And l did my best.
But they were concerned, Lou.
Like l said, the plan is solid, but. . .
Look, you could have the best business plan in the world,
but with you in New York, who's going to implement it?
You mean, they want me to stay?
[ Horse snorts ]
You're doing a hell of a job with him, Amy. l'm proud of you.
l'm proud of him.
Amy, come on. Pool party back at my place! Mom's out of town!
Amy! Stop obsessing about that horse!
Everybody's going! You have to come!
Horse could do with a break, Amy. l think you could too.
Okay.
[ Car roars by ]
[ Music blares ]
Hey, boss, when's quitting time?
We got a couple of hours of work left to do.
lt feels like some weather coming in, so l'd pick up the pace if l were you.
[ Party chatter ]
[ Rock music plays ]
Can l tell you something?
You know your last night in the hospital,
it's kind of stupid, but l kept wanting to call your cell phone.
Oh, that's so totally sweet!
The only problem is l don't have a cell phone.
Tell me about it. That's why l got you. . .
[ Gasps ]
You know that guy?
Yeah, he works for us.
One of your mom's strays?
Here it is! Oh, my God! lt's a camera phone and everything!
Hey, isn't that. . .?
He is hot. And he's totally alone.
Not for long.
There's Ashley.
Party of one?
You're working late. Hope you're not gonna charge us overtime.
lt's on the house. l figure l still owe your family plenty.
Hey, you know there's a new kid in that room over the barn.
Hope he's less of a pain in the ass than l was.
[ Laughing ]
That's not saying much.
Yeah.
God knows where l'd be if it wasn't for your mom.
ln jail. Dead.
That was just mom, always about doing the right thing.
lt's a pretty tough act to follow.
[ Party music blares ]
-l'm going in for the close up! -Jesse, get off! You're drunk!
Come on, it's a party!
l want to go home. How am l gonna get home now?
lt's all good. l drive good when l'm drunk.
[ Laughing ]
Hey, give me those.
Jesse, let go of me! Jesse, it's not funny!
Hey, what the--?
[ Shocked murmurs from the partygoers ]
Stop it!
Okay!
You all right?
No, l'm not all right. What's the matter with you?
Looks like she didn't fall for your big hero act.
Nice night for a walk.
ln fact, l sort of envy you, you know.
All alone in the middle of nowhere,
nothing but the open road ahead of you.
Might even make it home by dawn if you don't freeze to death first.
Okay. l'm sorry.
l thought that guy was hurting you, and l just. . . l kind of lost it.
You got a heater in there?
Last time l checked.
Doesn't work, though.
[ Amy chuckles ]
Whatcha doin' up there?
You know, just ruining a perfectly good pair of designer gloves.
Here, let me get that.
A little late. Where the hell were you?
What's you're problem, old man?
l gave you a job, and you didn't do it!
And what did l tell you about my granddaughters?
Grandpa, it's not what you think.
Whatever, l'm outta here.
You got that right. First thing tomorrow!
Grandpa, haven't you ever made a mistake in your life?!
Oh, l made plenty, and l paid for every one.
Well, you're making another one right now.
[ Keyboard keys click ]
[ Birds chirp ]
How are ya?
That's a good boy.
Easy.
l know.
Are you gonna let me ride you?
Yeah?
You'll let me get a saddle on, won't ya?
[ Small laugh ]
[ Doors creak open ]
There you go.
Good boy.
[ Horse neighs ]
Easy.
[ Horse snorts ]
That's a good boy.
Good boy. Good boy, Spartan.
She fixed him.
Yeah, she did, indeed.
Samantha Louise.
Those pictures you sent me don't do you justice.
You look just like your mother.
Really? People always told me l was like my dad.
Well, they tell you that after you lied to them,
or took off without telling anybody where you were going
because you couldn't handle the pressure?
l think they were talking about my eyes.
lt's good to see you, Lou.
l wasn't sure if you got my note, or if you were even gonna show up.
Yeah, l wasn't sure either.
Well, l really appreciate you calling me about your mom. . .
. . .and Amy.
The problem is grandpa. He's never gonna forgive you.
And Amy, l don't think she's ready to see you yet.
lt's okay.
We'll just take it one day at a time.
[ Tearful ] Oh, Dad!
lf it was up to me, l'd kick your ass so far down the road,
you'd be crappin' in Montana.
But. . .
But what? What are you saying?
l'm saying, grab a shovel.
And why would l want to do that?
Well, 'cause that's what we use when we clean the barn.
What about breakfast?
[ Chuckling ]
No, Carl. l can't say when l'll be back.
But l know it won't be next week.
l haven't told the boss yet.
[ Music plays ]
l love you, Mom.
Rip: DevilsBackbone