The Bright Years

Ryan sits under the kitchen table in his family’s home in Texas, drawing a night sky on its underside while he listens to his parents argue. When the arguing stops, his mother Elise asks him to help her find the car keys while his father Barton is in the bathroom. When they cannot find them, Ryan’s mother decides they will walk and ushers Ryan out the door.

Outside, Ryan tells his mother that he hates his father. He sees bruises on her face, and she cries as she tells Ryan that she loves his father. He realizes that they will not return home.

Lillian sits at the library reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, though she knows she should be working. She is hoping for a promotion at the bank where she works. A man interrupts her, sitting down and introducing himself as Ryan. He explains that he recognizes her from the bank and asks her to lunch.

At the Greek restaurant across the street, Ryan explains that his visits to the bank are for a loan to open an art gallery. He works in a restaurant but dreams of having a space for himself and other artists to make the art they want.