Two individuals, each with plenty of issues and their own communication quirks, collide on opposite ends of a mental-health helpline in Jeremy Beiler’s short film “Happy to Help You.” Amy Sedaris plays Nora, who reluctantly calls in after losing her job at a toy store. She’s anxious about money, her dog’s dental situation, her ability to hold down a job. When Arthur, a volunteer counselor, tries to help, they can’t seem to connect. She complains and confronts, he replies gently, she rejects his attempts at soothing. In the course of their conversation, Nora hits on a sensitive spot in Arthur’s own psyche, and when the call ends, he gets further sucked into his own reawakened neurosis—leading to a surprising attempt to reconnect and offer a different kind of help.
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00:31Nora, you got a sec?
00:35I'm on my break.
00:38A parent said you made her daughter feel sad
00:42when she asked you about the Pretty Pretty Princess collection.
00:47She wants something that's movie theater?
00:49Uh, no.
00:51She said you told her that Princess Diana felt trapped
00:57in the royal family
00:59and that Prince Charles most likely ordered her death?
01:02The Jewish girl?
01:04I don't know if she was Jewish or not.
01:07Mmm.
01:08It's not hard, honey.
01:10It's a toy store.
01:12You clock in, you clock out, you smile, and that's it.
01:16Well, Trish, I told you I'm not much of a smiler,
01:19and also when you hired me,
01:21I said I'm not crazy about kids.
01:25You never told me that.
01:28Mm, I meant to.
01:31Um, look, we had a meeting,
01:33and Mark doesn't feel this is the right fit.
01:37My dog needs dental surgery.
01:40I'm sorry.
01:46Let me ask you something.
01:48Are you okay in general, honey?
01:52Yeah, I'm fine.
01:56♪♪
02:05♪♪
02:15♪♪
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02:53Thanks for calling Oasis NYC.
02:55Someone will be right with you.
02:57Please don't hang up.
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03:19Oasis, this is Arthur.
03:21How you doing today?
03:24Hello?
03:27Someone there?
03:29Hi.
03:30Hi, how you doing today?
03:32I'm really good.
03:35Are you in any kind of danger?
03:37Is this an emergency?
03:39No.
03:41Okay, good.
03:43That's good.
03:44Well, you did the hard part.
03:45You called.
03:46That takes some courage.
03:48Do you want to share your name?
03:49Yeah, no, I don't want to share my name.
03:51Okay, that's okay.
03:53So, um, how can I help you feel better today?
03:56Well, um, I really don't know.
03:59How does this work?
04:00I'm here to listen and help you reflect.
04:03This is your time.
04:04I'm holding space for you.
04:06Your what?
04:07I'm holding space for you.
04:09What is that?
04:12What is what?
04:13I don't understand what that means, holding space.
04:15Oh, just that I'm holding space for you
04:20here in this moment for you to fill the space.
04:26If there's anything that you want to share,
04:28this is that space for that.
04:31The space for you to be inside of.
04:36Okay.
04:37With your feelings and thoughts.
04:40So, you're a therapist?
04:43Yes, I'm a peer supporter, yeah.
04:46Oh, what's that?
04:48Oh, we're just, uh, we're trained volunteers, so.
04:51So you're not a therapist?
04:53Well, basically, I am.
04:55So, wait, are you in college or something?
04:58No, no, no, no, I'm in my 30s.
05:00But I did go to Vassar, not for this, for theater studies.
05:03But, you know, I know my stuff.
05:05I really am very passionate about this kind of work.
05:08And, uh, actually, I'm one of the better folks we have here,
05:12so you're kind of lucked out.
05:16So, what's on your mind that made you reach out to me today?
05:19I don't know, I really don't know.
05:21Okay, that's all right.
05:24I just feel like I need someone to tell me what's wrong with me.
05:29Hmm, why do you think there's something wrong with you?
05:32I screw a lot of stuff up, I'm not good at stuff,
05:35and I've really messed up my life, yada, yada, yada.
05:39Why do you say that?
05:40Because I'm broke.
05:42I didn't plan for anything.
05:44I certainly didn't save for anything.
05:47I can't seem to hold on a job.
05:49And, you know, people say that I rub them the wrong way,
05:52and I don't know how I'm supposed to rub them.
05:55Yeah, we tend to believe such painful storylines about ourselves.
05:58But most of the time, we're actually, we're just wrong.
06:01I mean, I've put a lot of miles on that car myself.
06:04I used to think nobody liked me.
06:06I was just obsessed with what people think about me.
06:08And then one day I realized, like, I just was totally wrong.
06:11No one does like me.
06:12Well, could be wrong all the time.
06:14I mean, sometimes you were probably right, right?
06:17Hmm.
06:18The only really big dream I ever had in my life was to not have kids.
06:23And then I had two.
06:25Do you have a relationship with them?
06:27What are they up to?
06:29Daniel's a landscaper in Chicago, and Lucy's a gay,
06:32and I think she lives in Canada now.
06:34Trust me, I was a bad mom.
06:37Sounds like you're being kind of hard on yourself.
06:39Maybe you were just doing your best.
06:41No, I'm not being hard on myself.
06:43I really resented them because I wanted to be a painter.
06:45Not that I was a very good painter, but...
06:47Well, first of all, I just, I really want to thank you
06:51for opening your heart to me today.
06:54And I want you to know that I'm holding your pain.
06:57Yep.
06:58You know, I wonder if it would feel good to pick up painting again.
07:02You know, creative expression can be a gateway to healing.
07:05No, that's a horrible idea.
07:07I haven't painted in years.
07:09You're not very good at this, are you?
07:12Well, you're in a heightened state,
07:15and I understand why you might say something like that.
07:17Something wrong.
07:19And I want you to know I forgive you for saying that.
07:21Okay, listen, is there somebody else I can talk to?
07:24Why?
07:25Because this isn't really helping.
07:29Well, I don't think that's entirely true, is it?
07:32I think this is helping a lot,
07:34but unfortunately all of our other operators are busy right now.
07:37Well, do you think maybe you can help me
07:39with some kind of financial resources or some money-type stuff?
07:42Because that's really why I called.
07:44I can see what I might be able to find for you,
07:46but I do just want to circle back to the previous point
07:49and let you know that you really are in very good hands here.
07:52I've had many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many people
07:55tell me that I've changed their lives.
07:57Who?
07:58Well, I'm not legally able to divulge any names, obviously, so...
08:02Right.
08:03Michael, a man named Michael Dorado from the Bronx, okay?
08:06He was addicted to porn.
08:07He works in Mayor Adams' office.
08:09You can Google him, okay?
08:10I helped him a lot.
08:12And I know it might seem like I don't understand where you're coming from,
08:15but I struggled with depression and anxiety myself for many, many years,
08:18and then I turned my life around, you know?
08:20So I've been there.
08:21And I didn't have to use pills either.
08:23I did it the hard way, so...
08:24I know it feels like we're far away from each other
08:26and separate sides of the phone,
08:28but, you know, you and I are not that different.
08:30Oh, really?
08:31So you're worried about your dog's teeth and paying rent?
08:33You're constantly worried about money?
08:36Well, in the spirit of honesty, no, I'm not worried about money.
08:39My great-grandfather invented Band-Aids,
08:41and I know that that makes me lucky.
08:47Hello?
08:51Hello?
08:52Are you there?
08:55Hello?
08:56Yes, you're so welcome.
08:57You are so welcome.
08:59Yeah, oh, it's my pleasure to help.
09:19This is Pearl.
09:20Tell me what's going on with you.
09:23Uh-huh.
09:24I've been there.
09:25Yeah.
09:26Yeah, you've got to find that kind of peace for yourself,
09:28because you're not going to get it from them.
09:30You're not going to get an apology.
09:31That might be how he's feeling,
09:34but it doesn't mean you're responsible for that feeling.
09:37It's... it's...
09:39I don't know.
09:40Put it on. Put it on.
09:42Oh, what the fuck?
09:49Hey, everyone.
09:50If you can gather around for a sec,
09:52just... it won't take too long.
09:53I want to show you something kind of cool.
09:55Okay, what is that?
09:57So Lonnie had the idea to make this inspiration wall.
10:01We pulled quotes from some of the surveys
10:03that the callers take after their calls,
10:05and I just wanted it to be a little reminder
10:08to all of you of the incredible work you do every day.
10:11Cheers.
10:12That's so sweet.
10:14You are amazing.
10:15Nice.
10:16Since I called Oasis,
10:17my relationship with my son has been steadily improving.
10:20Thanks, Fitz.
10:21And we're done.
10:22It's totally finished, or work in progress.
10:24Kind of, we keep adding...
10:25It's done for now.
10:26Ah.
10:27Okay.
10:29Okay.
10:36Hey.
10:37Hey.
10:38You doing okay?
10:39Yeah, yeah, I'm great.
10:40Hey.
10:41You know, if you ever want to practice
10:43keeping your skills sharp,
10:44or, like, you want to listen in on any of my calls,
10:47or, like, get any pointers or anything...
10:50Thank you so much.
10:51Yeah, absolutely.
10:52Yeah, I appreciate that.
10:53And I'm here for you, too,
10:54for me to give you pointers, anytime.
10:56Okay.
10:57Yeah.
10:58All right, you let me know.
10:59Yeah, I will.
11:00Okay?
11:01Okay.
11:02You're so welcome.
11:09Boss man.
11:10Do you have a second?
11:11Sure, what's up?
11:13I was just kind of confused about the...
11:15the inspiration board and my lack of quotes.
11:19Come in.
11:20Sit down.
11:23Oh, I like your earring.
11:25Thanks.
11:26Looks cute on you.
11:28Look, Arthur,
11:29I don't like to put too much weight on the surveys,
11:32but you do have an average of 2.5 stars.
11:35That's not everybody, right?
11:36That's...
11:37Not everybody's giving me the junk ratings, right?
11:39Some people are giving me the full five stars.
11:42It's out of ten.
11:45Look, Arthur,
11:46the phones have been ringing off the hook
11:48since the pandemic,
11:49and we need all the help we can get.
11:51We'll take anybody.
11:54But for you,
11:55I'm going to need to see some improvement.
11:57Is there a way I can call people back?
11:59Because I think...
12:00No.
12:01That's illegal.
12:03The call logs are confidential.
12:05I know.
12:06Arthur, I really appreciate the compliment about my earring
12:10and the comments you've been leaving on my Instagram,
12:13but I want to clear about one thing.
12:16I do have a boyfriend.
12:18Yeah, that's great.
12:21I'm not...
12:22That's great.
12:23So?
12:24No, I'm not, um, that's...
12:26I love that.
12:27Okay, sweetie, I-I have a lunch I need to get to.
12:30What's his name?
12:31Chris.
12:32Chris.
12:33That's a beautiful name.
12:35Shh.
12:37Okay.
12:38This is not mine.
12:40It's not mine.
12:42Just like that.
12:43It's a personal place.
12:45I like mine.
12:47Okay.
12:48It's a personal place.
12:50I'm trying.
12:52That's fine.
12:53I'm just trying to say...
12:55Okay.
12:57Okay.
12:58Okay.
13:06What are you doing in here?
13:25Uh, yeah.
13:26No, Ari just asked me to finish some stuff up for him.
13:29You can clean.
13:30I'm good.
13:32You know, to recognize that half the people around you are, at any given time, are just
13:45as crazy and depressed as you are, depression is kind of normal.
13:49I think it's normal to be sad about having spoken to him in 20 years and he hasn't spoken
13:55to you in 20 years.
13:56Are you kidding me?
13:57That's the coolest thing I've ever heard.
13:58Are you eating something?
13:59No.
14:00And what would it mean about you if you were bad at your job?
14:01That there's something wrong with me?
14:02What if it didn't have to be so heavy?
14:03I mean, maybe you're doing your best.
14:04Yeah, okay.
14:05Uh, all right.
14:06I have to go.
14:07Are you sure you don't want to share your name?
14:08It's Jack Reacher.
14:09Okay.
14:10Thanks for calling Jack.
14:11And, um, if you're on the phone, you can call me.
14:12I'll be right back.
14:13Bye.
14:14Bye.
14:15Bye.
14:16Bye.
14:17Bye.
14:18Bye.
14:19Bye.
14:20Bye.
14:21Bye.
14:22Bye.
14:23Bye.
14:24Bye.
14:25Bye.
14:26Bye.
14:27Bye.
14:28Bye.
14:29Bye.
14:30Bye.
14:31Bye.
14:32Bye.
14:33Bye.
14:34Bye, Jack.
14:35Uh, I don't want to talk to you any longer, and if you're up to it there's a brief survey
14:42after the call, ok?
14:47Okay, thank you.
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