Kenneth Lonergan

Lee Chandler is shocked to discover that his deceased brother Joe named him as the legal guardian of his teenage nephew, Patrick. In a lawyer's office, Lee expresses his disbelief and inability to take on the responsibility, while the lawyer reveals how meticulously Joe planned for Lee to relocate and care for the boy.

Patrick suffers a sudden panic attack triggered by frozen meat in the freezer, which reminds him of his deceased father's body being kept in a morgue. His uncle Lee attempts to manage the crisis with his characteristic emotional detachment and practical concern, leading to a tense confrontation about grief and boundaries.

A psychiatrist, Ben, rushes home to get ready for a family party while arguing with his cynical 14-year-old son, Michael. The conversation shifts from Ben's patients to Ben's frustrations with his ex-wife's opinions on his dating life.

In a rowdy saloon, Frank James confronts his brother Jesse about his addiction to the outlaw lifestyle and the emotional toll of their crimes. After a tense moment where Jesse nearly draws his weapon on his brother, the two reconcile briefly before a young, naive gang member approaches Jesse to discuss his own insecurities about being a man in their violent world.

Ben, a neurotic psychologist, accidentally rear-ends a car containing mobsters who are hiding a kidnapped man in their trunk. The tension escalates as Ben tries to be a responsible citizen while the mobsters desperately try to get him to leave.

A powerful mob boss, Paul Vitti, barges into a psychiatrist's office to discuss his 'friend's' panic attacks. The scene explores the high-stakes tension between Vitti's menacing persona and Dr. Ben Sobel's clinical attempts to treat him.

A powerful mob boss seeks urgent psychiatric help from a reluctant therapist after suffering from sudden impotence and emotional outbursts. The scene explores the clash between the gangster's hyper-masculine world and the vulnerability required for therapy, as the doctor tries to maintain professional boundaries while being intimidated.

Lee recounts the devastating sequence of events leading up to the house fire that killed his children. He explains his intoxicated state and the small, fatal mistake of forgetting the fireplace screen before walking to the store. The scene captures the raw, numb realization of his own negligence during a routine police interview.

Ben, a mild-mannered psychiatrist, is forced to impersonate a high-ranking mob consigliere at a summit of dangerous crime bosses. To survive the interrogation of a hostile rival, Ben utilizes his therapeutic techniques to manipulate the room and deflect aggression, ultimately turning the other gangsters against their own leader's temper.

A mob enforcer named Jelly interrupts a therapy session to clear the room for his boss, Paul Vitti, who is seeking psychiatric help in secret.