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Uncut Gems · 2019 — Chapter 10 of 14 · 2'01" · B1

Howard Owes Gooey After the Auction, Explained: copacetic

After the auction, Howard promises Gooey that the money is temporary and that he will wire it back, plus the twenty percent he owes. He needs a couple of weeks, swears it will be done, and then tries to call Kevin to make "everything will be copacetic." No one answers, and Arno arrives to threaten him.

What happens

After the auction, Howard owes Gooey a large sum and promises to repay it, plus the twenty percent interest, though he admits he needs a couple of weeks. He insists the money is only temporarily in his account and that everything will be copacetic once he sells the opal. He tries to call Kevin, gets no answer, and is then confronted by Arno.

ArgumentsThreatsPromisingThreateningRivalsB1mediumamerican
IMDb ↗

Listen for

copaceticwire it right backout of my pocketmad at me

00:00 / 02:01
Space play · ← → lines · R repeat
Now
Tap a line to replay it

Phrase of the scene

copacetic

fine, satisfactory, all good

拍卖失手、债主上门，霍华德还安慰自己说只要再打一通电话，everything will be copacetic。

Pay the bill and everything is copacetic.

Also in this scene

  • wire it right back

    to send money back by wire transfer right away

  • out of my pocket

    paid from one's own money

  • mad at me

    angry with me

Everything marked in this scene

23 notes across 43 lines

Phrase · B1so sorry- Gooey, I'm so goddamn sorry. - Shh!
Phrase · B1be supposed to be somewhere- Supposed to be on 48th street. - Thank you. Thank you.
Phrase · B2press someoneI gotta tell you I was gonna stop pressing him once we got past 200,000.
Grammar · B2once we got past 200,000

once clause

I gotta tell you I was gonna stop pressing him once we got past 200,000.
Phrase · B1go into an account- So now what? - Your money is gonna go into my account.
Phrase · B2wire something back

to send money back by wire transfer right away

- I'll wire it right back to you. - Including you owe me 20%.
Phrase · B2out of one's own pocket

paid from one's own money

Absolutely. It comes right out of my pocket.
Soundout of

liaison

Absolutely. It comes right out of my pocket.
Phrase · B1nearly an amount- That is nearly 38 grand, Howard. - I know that.
Phrase · B1need a period on somethingSo I'm gonna need a couple weeks on that, but it'll be done. I promise you.
Grammar · B1it'll be done

will for promise

So I'm gonna need a couple weeks on that, but it'll be done. I promise you.
Phrase · B1be mad at someone

angry with me

Hey, don't be mad at me, okay? Please? Please don't be mad.
Phrase · B1what for- What for? - Because I gotta sell that.
Grammar · A2I gotta sell that

gotta for necessity

- What for? - Because I gotta sell that.
Phrase · B2hit pauseLet's hit pause for one fucking second.
Soundhit pause

elision

Let's hit pause for one fucking second.
Phrase · C1everything will be copaceticAnd then everything will be copacetic.
Slang · C1copaceticAnd then everything will be copacetic.
Phrase · B1great news for someoneKG, it's me. I got great news for you.
Soundgot great

elision

KG, it's me. I got great news for you.
Phrase · B1no one on the phoneThere's no one on the fucking phone.
Phrase · B2be lucky- Shut the fuck up. - [choking] [Arno] You're lucky there's people around here, you prick. Let's go.
Slang · B2prick- Shut the fuck up. - [choking] [Arno] You're lucky there's people around here, you prick. Let's go.

Howard Owes Gooey After the Auction, explained

What's really going on

The scene is the morning after Howard's great win, and it already looks like every other day of his life. He has just made a fortune at the auction, and within minutes he is borrowing against it, promising percentages he cannot pay, and telling Gooey that the money sitting in his account is only temporary. The phrase he uses for the future — "everything will be copacetic" — is the whole trouble with Howard: he always believes the next sale will fix everything, so he never has to face the present. When his call fails and Arno corners him, the film drops the comedy and shows what all this borrowing actually costs. The scene is a bridge from triumph to collapse, and Howard walks it in about ninety seconds.

Theme

MoneyA huge win becomes a huge debt within minutes, and the scene shows how fast Howard turns success into new obligations.
SurvivalHoward is already borrowing against a fortune he has not received, promising everyone that the next deal will save him.

What you'll learn

  • Use hit pause in the same situation
  • Hear copacetic as pressure, not small talk
  • Catch who the line is aimed at

Listen for

  • out of — liaison
  • hit pause — elision
  • got great — elision
And then everything will be copacetic.

Howard's favourite word for the future: a promise that everything will work out, offered instead of a plan for making it work.

So I'm gonna need a couple weeks on that, but it'll be done. I promise you.

The request for time disguised as a guarantee: he admits he cannot pay now, then insists the payment is certain.

Let's hit pause for one fucking second.

A demand to stop the argument for a moment, which is Howard trying to regain control of a situation that is already beyond him.

It was a mistake, all right? I know it. I admit it.

His apology when things collapse, given quickly and sincerely, and worth as little as the last time he said it.

Questions about this scene

Why does Howard owe Gooey money?

Because Gooey fronted the money for the auction, and the proceeds are sitting in Howard's account. Howard must repay the principal and the twenty percent they agreed on.

What does "copacetic" mean?

It is an old-fashioned slang word meaning everything is fine or in order. Howard uses it to promise that once the opal is sold, all his problems will be solved.

Why does Howard call Kevin?

Because he wants to sell the opal to Kevin, who he believes will pay around 175. That sale, he thinks, would let him clear the debt and settle everything.

Why does Arno threaten Howard?

Because Howard still owes money to Arno's employer and has been avoiding payment. Arno corners him and says he is lucky there are people around.

What happens at the end of the scene?

Howard fails to reach Kevin, and Arno grabs him by the neck. The threat is real, and the scene ends with Howard in danger rather than celebrating his win.

Uncut Gems · 14 chapters

All chapters →
Up next · Chapter 11you're my homeJulia Comforts Howard After the Auction
Chapter 1in your best interestCollectors Come to Howard's ShowroomChapter 2so extraHoward and Dinah Fight Then Make UpChapter 3a moot pointKevin Garnett Shops for JewelryChapter 4get your hands on somethingHoward Pitches KG the Black OpalChapter 5a memorabilia pieceHoward Pawns the Championship RingChapter 6play mind games with meHoward Tells Julia to Move OutChapter 7give someone another shotHoward Begs Julia for Another ChanceChapter 8bent over backwardsHoward Blows Up at the Auction HouseChapter 9jack upHoward Riggs the Opal AuctionWatching · Chapter 10copaceticHoward Owes Gooey After the AuctionChapter 11you're my homeJulia Comforts Howard After the AuctionChapter 12give someone the runaroundHoward Bets Everything on KGChapter 13get yourself togetherArno Traps Howard in the StoreChapter 14right out the gateHoward's Live Parlay on Kevin Garnett
Chapter 10 of 14 · about 19 min to go