The Time is Now

Don Balog, Vietnam Veteran, 70, lives a solitary, regimented life in a cabin in the hills of Western Pennsylvania. “Senior moments” begin to pile up and after trying to pay for gas twice, he visits a doctor and they want him to come in for a cognitive tests. He delays. Occasionally, he still has nightmares of being a P.O.W. with his best friend Hutch, who saved Don’s life. He’s invited to a Memorial Day parade by the VA and he accepts because it’s in his hometown of Pinetown. Meanwhile, a Russian man pulls a houseboat up to the Moonlight motel on the Monongahela River and unloads young girls. Arletta Petrov, 69, limps to a bench to score opioids during the Memorial Day Parade. She hears singing of God Bless America and walks to the sound. The VA contingent passes by and she sees her former love, Don, forty years later. It’s really him. Ivan, Arletta’s ex-husband tells Grace, her daughter, that they will have “guests” in the last two rooms, Russian human trafficking. If they go to the police, Grace’s husband Mickey who is in prison, will be killed. Arletta and Don reunite after Don left forty years ago. Arletta was Hutch’s fiancée and he committed suicide upon return from Vietnam. Soon after, Don and Arletta were a couple and he left abruptly. After Don can’t remember the way back to the VA with a veteran he decides to get the Alzheimer cognitive test. He tests positive and gets medication to slow the progression. Grace tells Arletta the motel situation and while celebrating her birthday at Don’s Grace sees his .38. Arletta ask Don for help with the Russians. He’s used to keeping an arm’s length but is running out a time to make things right. Arletta visits Don high on pills and have a major fight. They lay it on the table, he is fighting Alzheimer’s and she needs back surgery and has an opioid addiction. If she agrees to surgery and treatment program, he will help Grace. In the meantime, girls are being transported in and out of the motel. Don visits Mickey and learns “Bob” is the Russian kingpin. Don visits the motel and is accosted and almost killed by “Bob.” While explaining to Arletta he catches her trying to buy pills and debates leaving. After visiting Hutch’s grave, Don is all in. Arletta reluctantly gets the surgery and then learns Mickey was brutally beaten in prison as a consequence of Don’s interference. They convene at Don’s house and Grace steals his .38, although we don’t know it. Grace breaks into Bob’s room for vengeance and calls her Mom to call Don for help. Don’s deer rifle is being repaired and Don finds out Grace took his .38. He lent his truck to the VA and has to ride his motorcycle in a storm to Pinetown. Bob confronts Grace and they struggle for the gun. After a harrowing ride to the motel Don arrives just as the door swings open. As Bob is trying to pick up his gun, Don uses his survival skills to save the day. Eight months later, Don and Linda are married and living at Don’s cabin. Mickey is out of prison and happily back with Grace and daughter Dasha. The Time is Now.