Home Fries 1998

The curtain rises on a serene evening at Burger-Matic, where an unassuming request for a milkshake by Henry Lever kindles a series of unpredictable events that spiral out of control. His hushed admission to Sally Jackson, the drive-thru attendant, discloses that his wife is aware of their forbidden relationship, inviting her to pry further into the delicate issue of a pregnancy, her voice a blend of worry and curiosity. The tranquility of Henry’s night is shattered when an unexpected intruder—a Cobra attack helicopter—suddenly appears, leading him to flee into the woods while neglecting his vital heart medication. In his frantic escape, he seeks refuge in a secluded outdoor chapel, but danger looms as the helicopter hovers ominously overhead. The pilot, Angus Montier, skillfully angles the aircraft, with his brother Dorian desperately trying to intervene amidst his own rising anxiety. The mounting pressure becomes too much for Henry, culminating in a catastrophic heart failure.

As the helicopter retreats into the distance, the air is filled with unsettling radio transmissions—echoes of Sally and her colleagues at Burger-Matic blend with chaotic exchanges between Angus and Dorian, creating a haunting atmosphere. The next morning, Beatrice Lever confronts heartbreak when she learns about Henry’s unexpected death. Her reaction is one of profound shock, transitioning swiftly to a calculated resolve that hints at darker ulterior motives. Meanwhile, Angus and Dorian grapple with the fear of their involvement being exposed, realizing that their conversation was overheard at Burger-Matic—the only apt location close enough to catch their words.

In the midst of her grief, Sally is unable to ignore the gossip surrounding Henry’s demise. It is during this tempestuous period that Dorian forges an unexpected friendship with her, gifting her a model helicopter to celebrate her upcoming child and sharing gripping stories about their National Guard endeavors. When Sally invites him to accompany her to a lamaze class, Dorian seizes the chance to deepen their bond, eventually showing her around the military base where they operate their helicopters. Within the cockpit, she opens up about her emotions regarding Henry, her thoughts pouring out like a dam bursting with pent-up feelings.

Caught in the web of his own guilty secret about Sally, Dorian’s stress surges, pushing him to keep his family unaware of the truth. The looming threat of Angus’s rage adds to his unease, intensifying the already complicated sibling dynamics. When Angus finally learns about Sally’s identification, Beatrice visits her under the pretense of reconciliation, but her true aspirations remain clouded in ambiguity. Dorian’s terror escalates, fearing that Angus’s misguided loyalty to their volatile mother could lead to catastrophic consequences.

As expected, Angus soon appears at Sally’s door via helicopter, his intentions unmistakable. Compelled to act swiftly, the trio, including Beatrice, makes a desperate escape in a vehicle, but the fleeting moment of safety fizzles out when Angus forces them to stop along the roadside. Rather than revealing the chaos encircling them, Beatrice maintains an air of ignorance, leaving Dorian and Sally to confront the situation head-on. As tensions brew, Dorian must find clever ways to dissuade Angus from escalating his aggression.

Amidst this relentless drama, Sally’s body begins to communicate that the time for labor has arrived. With urgency mounting, Dorian rushes her to the hospital, where she delivers a baby boy. In the tranquility that follows, Dorian struggles to articulate their complicated familial relationships to the newborn. Through a blend of fear and optimism, he shares with the infant that he is fortunate to have the best mother in the world—a touching acknowledgment of love’s capacity to shine through even the most tumultuous of situations.