
For brothers Jake and Vince Friedken, New York City feels like a place where anything can happen, ever since their father gave them fake watches and a strange lesson: value is what you convince others it is. Jake, the first of the brothers we meet, reflects on this, essentially saying life is short and we should cherish our connections with others. He expresses this at a memorial service for Anna, reminding everyone to appreciate the time they had with her. The brothers grew up believing everything is fleeting, and the only true value lies in what you can sell. While both accepted this idea, Vince fully embraced it and became someone driven by scams and deception. For Jake, however, living this way has always felt like a difficult necessity, a way of life that never quite fit comfortably – like trying to make a Nick Cave suit work at the beach.