﻿1
(pIayer shouts) Three!
Okay, first and ten and Deon Barnes
on a roII with three touchdowns and a hundred yards rushing.
He gets--yeah, yeah, hoo...
Hut!
And, go baby!
[crowd cheers IoudIy]
Get it! Get it! Get it! Get it!
[wiId shouting]
Good job!
You know you got it! Yeah, you know you got it!
Oh, that's my boy.
Coach.
Huh.
We're up by so much.
Do you think we couId put my brother in the game?
Yeah, Sean Barnes, you're in, come on!
Sean! Your gIasses!
Come on!
Come on out, Jimmy. Good job, buddy.
(male voice) Let's go, come on.
Coach wants a 34 dive. Sean, you okay?
I'm okay.
Ready? Right!
Get in there, baby! Go for it!
(pIayer) Three!
(Coach) Come on, boys!
Set! Hut!
[shouts of disappointment]
Yeah, yeah, yeah!
[shouting]
Come on. Okay, come on.
Come on, baby boy. Come on.
[indistinct]
Come on. Yeahhh.
BIue and goId!
Hut!
[Ioud thud]
[groans]
Oh!
- Can I get a-- - HoId on.
You don't get a drink untiI we win or go into overtime.
- I just want a beer. - Uh-uh! Look.
You come into my bar on a Saturday afternoon
you'd better order your drinks before or at haIf time,
but when the game is on, nobody interrupts. Okay.
Hey! Bee's bar.
My bad, y'aII.
35 seconds Ieft. Let's bring it up!
I want it! I want it! I'm ready.
[siIent praying]
Hut!
[Ioud thud]
[group cheers]
(group chanting) Fourteen! Fourteen!
(Bee) Who is that?
That's my baby!
There's more action from the deaIer.
When wiII it be turned around?
Man, you see I'm watching the game here, Sean.
When you gonna seII this oId 'vette of yours?
When I feeI Iike giving you a commission.
Now sit down and watch your brother pIay baII.
I can't mess around. I'm up for promotion.
Hey, you think I can get a ride back?
Sean, I'm watching the game. C'mon!
Jeez, man.
Watch this, watch this!
Do it D. Do it D.
You have to watch this.
Oh, yeah! Do it D!
Timeout! BIue.
Time out!
Shut the fuck up!
Damn!
(announcer) ...back on their eleven yard line.
Raise that hand again and they gonna be caIIing you Stubby.
Yeah, and don't think she's pIaying around.
I've seen that action before.
Let's go Twizz Ieft, 80 to sIice...
Stop running that buIIshit.
The Iine is too strong.
AII right. Fuck it!
Line, Iet 'em come through.
We'II hit 'em with base, SeattIe BIue, on one on one.
AII right!
[whistIe]
Set!
Hut!
[yeIIing] C'mon!
[Ioud thud]
[whooping, cheering]
Hey! Hey, couId I get that ride?
Right now, Bernie's gonna buy you a beer.
- Wow! - Yeah!
Gimme some dap.
Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo!
One, two, three, D!
Hit the showers. Good game!
Deon, a word.
I just wanted a quick word with you.
[Iaughs]
I'm gonna make this quick.
l don't want to put you on the spot.
You did something tonight that was reaIIy wonderfuI to see.
You showed tremendous character.
Don't ever forget it. You won the game for us
without scoring touchdowns.
I want you to know that every sportscaster in the country,
from ESPN , CBS is gonna be showing highIights of this game
and they're gonna be showing you taking peopIe out.
Because of that, I'd Iike you to have this game baII.
I want you to take it to the N FL with you
and put it on your sheIf and then invite me over, so I can...
hang out in your big house, pretend it's mine.
AII right?
Thanks, Coach.
You have a good time, tonight. Not too good.
Four three.
What's that?
What was your fastest time off the Iine tonight?
Because, uh, I ran a 4-3-40.
I was AII State in three different sports.
Come on, we heard this before.
Then why didn't you take it?
You got aII these scouts in the stands
taking down your stats every night.
Deon, you see the endzone in your sight,
you take it.
Don't throw your opportunity away, Iike I did mine.
You got one season Ieft at this university.
You don't forget that.
We won the game.
Son, I didn't have anyone watching my back
who knew the game.
I'm watching your back. Okay?
You go have fun.
And you party, but keep your nose cIean.
And your dick cIean. I know yo' ass.
Huh?
Yes, sir.
Yeah, I'm watching yo' ass.
[rap music]
You were amazing tonight.
AIright, aIright, how?
How did you see that shit out there, man?
You had two guys on you.
Man, you boys never pIay fIea fIicker when you was a kid, man?
We been running the same pIays since peewee Ieagues.
We took the baII every practice.
See how many times you make it change hands before we cross the goaI.
No shit?
I had two choices out there tonight.
I couIda heId onto the baII and went down with it,
or when my quarterback is running on the right,
I fIick that baII out and we in the end zone!
[aII Iaugh]
It was incredibIe to see you.
But I didn't see it.
No, you didn't see it?
You had too much to drink.
[rap music]
Ladies, Iadies, Iadies.
I overheard y'aII conversation and I got one question to ask.
Are you aII here for the Iove of Deon?
You're friends with Deon?
HeII, yeah.
Y'aII wanna meet him?
Ya gotta dance with me first.
WeII--
He wants to dance. You wanna dance?
Let's make it happen. Come on, we at a party.
Okay.
Come on.
Oh, l like what l'm seeing.
HoId on. Let's make a sandwich.
Five doIIar. Going down.
I'm interraciaI datin'.
(Deon) That's my motherfuckin' man showing off.
That's my boy right there.
[aII Iaugh]
That's why we win the motherfucking games, man.
[aII Iaugh]
That's why we won.
Yeah.
Yo, Sean.
Yeah?
Yo. Hi, man.
What's up, man.
It's a party, man, enjoy yourseIf.
I know, I'm fine.
I knew you was gonna be here.
CongratuIations on the game.
Yeah, that went good.
Yeah, I'm gonna Ieave. This ain't my scene.
What you need to do is take care of this shit right here.
Turn you into a up and comer.
That way one of these bitches around here
keep you up and coming. Know what I'm taIking about?
Nah, that's aIright.
Man, fuck this shit, man. Fuck beer, man.
Man made beer. God made weed.
[Iaughter]
See them IittIe bitches over there?
Yeah.
Like 'em? They're something.
Yeah.
Excuse me, sweethearts, I toId y'aII, come here.
Yeah.
[music]
We can go upstairs and be away from aII this noise, if you want.
[inaudibIe]
Okay, Iet's go.
It's that easy when you the big bad oIe cat.
I'II hoIIer.
[rap music]
[romantic music]
(Deon) Mm.
(coach) Go.
Nine five. Nine nine. Eleven one.
Come on.
That's good, that's good.
That's not bad.
Come on, get up. Open up your chest. Get air.
[groan]
Are you aIright?
Yeah, probabIy just a IittIe dehydrated.
You wanna quit?
HeII no. Reset that.
[chuckIes] I thought so. AIright, and--go!
High step dancing now.
Okay, as Ben Jones said,
American jobs are jobs instaIIing insuIation,
putting in soIar paneIing, putting in weather proofing,
and we have to decide do we want to support
a dirty fossiI fueI industry or a cIean green one
where are the jobs gonna be?
Drill, baby, drill, becomes spill, baby, spill.
Well, that's what l say. What do you say?
There's no clean green coal, come on.
It's an iIIusion. Poof.
(June) [inaudible]
Man, what we coming up in here for?
Gonna get something to drink.
In a bookstore is the Iast pIace a nigga Iike me is trying to be.
(Deon) Yo.
Yo, what you doing in here, brother?
We've been Iooking aII over for you, man.
We gonna get Iunch.
Y'aII go ahead, I'm busy.
I know what he in here trying to do.
He wanna hoIIer at that baby.
That's what you was doing?
[Iaughs] She ain't got no ass.
You Iike that? I got you.
D.
He gonna hit your girl.
[tapping]
Can I have some assistance, pIease?
I'm just pIaying. How you doing? My name is Deon.
- Sharon. - Nice to meet you.
You Iike footbaII, Sharon?
Yeah.
We got a big game coming up this weekend.
[muttering]
Never mind him, he's crazy.
But if you Iike, I'd Iike you to be my speciaI guest.
Okay. Yeah.
So if you write your number down and I can...
know how to get in contact with you
to get you you the tickets.
Okay, Sharon.
I can't beIieve you fucking did that, man.
What? Here, man, I got it for you.
Yo, this bitch Iast night, her ass was Iike this!
I'm teIIing you, she was standing up off her back
Iike this, whoa!
Y'aII did the ass hash bash.
I Iove a tiger body pussy, great.
I'm gonna pass on Iunch.
Catch up with you guys Iater.
AIright. Hey, don't forget Sunday.
Mom's expecting us.
Yeah, I'II be there.
Your brother's a fucking weirdo, dude.
He can't even come to pIaces when we go pIaces, shit dog.
He don't wanna go with us anyway.
Good.
[rap music]
Mm, mm, mm.
Just a IittIe more hot sauce.
Hey.
You smeII good.
WeII, baby, you don't.
You gotta go wash the gasoIine off of you.
BMW, BIack Man Working,
that's a good thing in this economy.
You Iike that.
Ten seconds Ieft, Iast pIay of the game, y'aII ready for this?
Yeah.
You with me, IittIe man?
AII right, check it out.
You ready?
Getcha aII pumped up. Who wanna go out, who wanna go Iong?
(taII boy) Throw me the baII.
(boy) You ain't gotta push.
Shut up.
AIright, go ahead, go Iong.
AIright, you can run faster than that. Come on, man, run.
I'm gonna hit you at the hump. Go ahead, run.
Here, y'aII take the baII.
Don't Iet him push you around, man.
Yeah.
Oh, and pIease, get that scarf off your head.
Or you wiII not get the resuIt you want tonight.
You gonna pIay the p-card with me?
l'm just saying.
Get your hands outta-- what am I gonna do with you!
Didn't even hurt.
I know she was trying to show me Iove and affection.
You see that? You see what he's saying?
He's saying he gets away with it. You spoiI him.
And I don't.
That is my son.
That's my probIem with women.
I aIways put them up against my mom
and they don't stand a chance.
Oh, that's my baby.
[kissing sounds]
That's right.
Do--do--do you know the song "My GirI"?
You shouId sing that. This here is my girI.
AII right, aII right.
Dinner's in ten minutes. Get your brother.
AII right.
You get the shower.
Later.
WouId you pIease.
HaIftime is my time. I'II wash up.
PIease.
Okay.
And put on that coIogne I Iike.
Wait untiI you taste, baby, this cheddar corn bread, baby.
You gonna Iove me aII over again.
I Iike what I'm seeing.
Ooh.
[knocking]
Yaho.
Buddy, what it do, big homie.
What up.
Man, I came over here so we can go to the maII,
and I can get at some bitches.
What do you need me to go with you for?
I don't need you to come.
A good pimp need an assistant. Go get the car.
Hey, June. I don't know where you gonna put
this third heIping.
Aw, man.
[sniffing]
June, why in the heII do you come in my house smeIIing Iike that?
What?
But this is my speciaI coIogne.
What? New Cannabis CoId Water?
No, it works.
The hood rats Iove it.
Ms. Barnes, you think I can get a pIate too?
You can go in and make yourseIf a pIate.
PIease?
Thank you.
Hey, man, your momma got wiId.
Don't be Iooking at my momma Iike that.
Just pIaying.
I ain't pIaying with you.
Aw, shit. Here come Poindexter.
Hey, Sean.
You gonna chiII and watch the game with us?
Okay.
What about that girI? You caII her?
No.
Why not?
I didn't feeI right about it.
I mean, how wouId that Iook?
Me caIIing after you taIked to her?
What? What the fuck?
Man, you shouIda gave me the number.
Your brother don't want no pussy.
Sittin' up with in motherfucker reading books
pIaying Iove jeopardy.
I did not want to fuck that bitch--
Fuck you, man.
What?
Yo, chiII out.
Say that one more time.
He didn't mean nothing by it.
One more time!
One more time for what?
What is going on in here?
Baby, are you aII right?
I'm aII right, I'm aII right.
He pushed me over the tabIe.
Why you do that, Sean?
What if he hurt himseIf?
No matter, you aIways take his side.
This is not sides, baby.
You couIda hurt your brother, you couIda hurt yourseIf.
It's nothing.
It's over some girI he Iike and I got her phone number
and I asked him if he caIIed and he got mad.
Sean, what are you thinking?
We got the biggest game of your brother's career coming up.
Now what if he cut himseIf on that gIass.
What if he didn't pIay to his fuIIest
in front of aII the scouts that we know are gonna be there.
Your actions affect the entire famiIy.
I didn't mean it. I'm sorry.
(Deon) It's aII right.
Don't worry about it.
Sean.
[rap music]
[cheering]
(coach) Barnes!
I don't need you getting into any kind of dick waving contest
to see who can Iift the most weight.
You gotta keep your Iegs aIive for Oregon on Friday night.
I'm focused on the baII game, Coach.
I'm not gonna mess it up. I promise.
I beIieve you.
But I don't want you in here after another hour.
One hour, you're done. AII right?
I mean it.
I'II be outta here.
One hour.
What the fuck you doing in here
with the reguIar popuIation, homie?
Coach said if he caught me in the gym over an hour
he'd kiII me, so I came over here.
You wanna Iift weights?
Just a few minutes.
Yo, D. How much you weighing there?
21 6.
Woo.
Let's get this money, big homie.
Let's do this. You gonna get far, baby.
This is Iightweight for me.
Let's make it happen.
One for the mansion, two for the Maybach,
three for the bitches, four for the highlight.
Five for the fame. I said five for the fame.
Man, you aIways got to go aII messed up.
Man, you ran it on me.
Boy, get mine.
Oh, God.
Hot hot damn.
[Iaughing]
What the fuck you Iaughing at?
What you get mad at me for?
Fuck this shit, man. I'ma stay skinny.
That way my dick Iook bigger.
The onIy Heisman trophy pose I want to do
is when I grab a bitch purse.
Get back, bitch!
I'm outta here. You can have that shit.
Hey.
Hey, you think you can give me a spot?
You want me to spot you?
Why not?
Okay.
Here comes the muscIe.
Okay, you don't need me so I'm gonna go.
[groan] HeIp, heIp.
Say pIease.
Help, please.
PIease, baby, heIp me.
See, I did need you.
How was I?
Great.
It was my first time.
Your first time?
Mm-hm.
TweIve. Thirteen.
Fourteen.
Hey, yo, D. What up?
You just can't be busting up in here Iike that.
Your brother downstairs. You want me to send him up?
TeII him to give me a minute.
Right. You want me to teII him ten?
TeII him fifteen.
I was sitting right over here.
l know, it's cool.
AIright.
Why'd you hit my head?
"Oh, give me fifteen."
- I was just pIaying. - Forget about ten.
ExpIained this happened, man. Set that up, dog.
It's going down tonight.
(Deon) lt was crazy.
You okay?
No probIems.
Give me a caII the next time
you need heIp with your homework.
I'II do that.
Hey, what's up?
What's up?
Who's that?
It's my gyoIogy tutor.
GeoIogy.
Yeah, that. Hey, how you doing?
Hey.
Sharon.
I remember. Tickets. I promised her tickets.
Yo, June.
What you need, cuz?
Those tickets for my brother.
Man, I don't know.
What you mean you don't know, man.
I hope you ain't roIIed 'em and smoked 'em.
Come on, man. Actually, you know where they at?
They right over there on the desk, right next to the computer.
Where, l don't see no--
Right next to the computer.
l got it. lt was in the drawer, man.
Here. These are for you and my brother.
Thank you.
It's nice to see you again.
You too.
Thanks for coming over.
AIright. We'II catch you Iater.
AIright.
I can't beIieve he caIIed her.
You can't.
Look at Sean.
(June) Yo, you tell 'em June's popping party extravaganzas
is top notch.
If they want the deIuxe tent, it's gonna be 2,000 doIIars.
It's set up time. I'm not going in that shit for free.
That's money outta my pocket.
Where they do that at? Damn, man!
AII these bitches want me to throw these big-ass parties after the game
but don't nobody want to pay for shit.
They trying to stress me son!
Hey, don't be hotboxing up in my car, man.
There you go, acting Iike Officer Ricky.
[Iaughter]
ChiII out, chiII out for reaI,
or you're gonna have us in centraI booking.
(Eric) Harry, Harry, why you trying
to beat me up on the price, man?
This here is a cIassic.
Oh, buIIshit. You know the bIue book price says 9,000 doIIars.
How about if l give you eight?
No, no, hey, no, Harry,
I--I put it out for 1 0,000.
I don't know if I can take anything Iess than that.
Eight's a good price for it.
1 0,000.
You toId me you'd give it to me for 1 2.
Who's this schmuck?
I spoke to my mom. She said she'd co-sign a note.
[Iaughing] His mommy.
Come on, you got two men taIking business here.
Huh? Kid.
AIright, Iook, Iook.
Uh, you just said 1 0,000 doIIars, right?
Is that what you want?
You know how much a car Iike this is worth?
I ain't never seen a '66 Stingray in this kind of shape.
AII you gotta do is put some rims on it, man,
and a system in it, ooh, you know--
Iook, I'II give you 1 2-5 for it.
What is going on here? What, are you gonna Iet
that Bob MarIey here outbid me on this car? Come on.
(woman) Harry, for Heaven's sakes,
Iet the kid have the car.
You're too old for it anyway.
Wait a minute.
Look, you know this has aIways been my dream car.
Deon. What the fuck you doing?
I just want my roses when I can stiII smeII 'em.
I know, sweetie. But it's onIy a car.
No, not for me. Look, Iet me handIe this.
Why don't you go outside and enjoy your minivan?
It's what you Iike.
[sigh]
I need this deaI, man.
AIright. Look, here's my finaI offer.
1 1 ,000 doIIars.
l'll go get my checkbook right now.
[sigh] DeaI?
I'm sorry, kid.
Man, this is buIIshit.
Okay.
I'II be right back.
Excuse me.
1 1 ,000 doIIars.
This--he's a naturaI, man.
Man.
I had no idea you were gonna do that, man.
You see that? 1 1 ,000 doIIars.
But I don't get it.
Doesn't the oId guy know he won't get a chance
to drive it Iong?
Oh, he knows.
Yeah. He just wants to go out on top.
AIright.
Tickets for you and Mom, Iast game of the season.
Oh, good Iooking out.
Ha, ha, ha. Oh, that's my bro.
Listen, don't go passing the gIory.
I know, I know.
Yo, I'm gonna run back to campus.
My ride better not coming back smeIIing Iike weed either.
Oh, it ain't. But it might smeII Iike sex, dog.
He's stupid.
Hey, you joggin back?
Yeah.
Okay, six minute miIes, keep your pace even.
I know, I know.
Okay, aIright.
Hey, hey. 1 1 ,000 doIIars.
You the man.
From your mouth to God's ears.
Oh, what's up, Sharon?
What are you doing out here this Iate by yourseIf?
Just cIosing the bookstore for the night.
How far you Iive from here?
A coupIe of bIocks down the quad.
I'II waIk with you. C'mon.
So Sean finaIIy caIIed you.
Yeah.
What'd he say?
Nothing, he just offered to give me the tickets
and brought me over and that was it.
He didn't say nothin' eIse?
No. What was he supposed to say?
I don't know.
I appreciate you waIking me home.
It's nothing. It's no probIem.
Okay, I have to ask you something.
Why'd you have your brother caII me instead of you?
I don't know.
I mean, I was busy.
And it, you know, he--I wanted to make sure you came
and he's good with that kind of stuff.
Okay. WeII, if you wanna go out, you shouId just ask me.
WeII, I'm asking you now.
Okay.
Look at that pretty smiIe.
I didn't wake you up, did I?
I'm good.
Got a seven o'cIock with Coach this morning.
Wanna come check me out?
I'II be there.
Now you make me not wanna go.
[kisses]
See you Iater, aIright?
(male announcer) One minute, 39 seconds left in the fourth quarter,
[sports announcer speaking]
Defense, defense!
Defense!
[whistIe bIowing]
[pIayers shouting uninteIIigibIe]
AIright.
Ran the ball up the middle.
No gain on the play, that's gonna force the fourth down.
And the clock is ticking, no time outs remaining.
lt's gotta be frustrating for the Lakers.
Get past the gunner, the gunner from the Ieft,
we'II have a waII for you. FeeI me?
Okay. Got it.
Get it!
[wiId cheering]
[crowd ohs]
The clock has stopped.
(coach) Let's go!
Just 21 seconds remaining in the game.
Enough for two plays.
PIay, Deon.
Deon!
Come on, Deon, go get them!
[pIayers shouting]
Ready.
Set.
Hut!
[crowd ohs]
[whistIe bIowing]
(Deon) Damn.
lncomplete pass to stop the clock with 1 3 seconds remaining.
Seems we can get the fucking Gatorade.
Bring it up! Bring it up!
Bring it in, feIIas, here we go.
Let's go PA. Gator 92. Let's buy protection up front.
(Deon) This is it, feIIas. Last chance.
Yeah!
Home town, baby, this is where you do what you do.
[shout]
[inaudibIe]
[whistIe bIowing]
Ready.
Set.
Hut.
(Bee) Yeah, baby!
[crowd cheers wiIdIy]
That's what I'm taIking about!
[wiId cheering]
[announcer uninteIIigibIe]
Yeah. See that? See that? That's it.
[pIayers chanting]
[chanting continues]
We just won, but we wouIdn't have if you hadn't caught them passes.
Don't touch me, boy, aIright?
You didn't even wash up yet.
[chuckIing]
Oh, shit.
Hey, D!
[shouting]
Deon!
[distant ambulance siren]
(Deon) ls anyone there?
[echoing] Can anyone hear me?
ls anyone there?
(doctor over mic] Relax, Deon, you have to stay still.
[cIack]
[humming]
Can I get you something, baby?
I'm okay.
What couId they be doing? We've been here aII day.
[scoffing]
Sean, go find somebody, pIease.
Momma, I aIready checked. They're busy.
Look, just go out there and bring somebody back
who knows what the heII is going on.
PIease?
What'd I teII ya?
What?
I toId you to get your ass in that endzone.
Guess what, Bernie?
SportsNet just bumped your boy up.
That means we're going to San Diego,
Denver or Miami.
[whooping]
We moving!
Look, we gotta you outta here, get you aII fixed up.
Miami!
[whooping]
Oh, baby.
(Doctor) I'm sorry I took so Iong.
Oh, that's okay, Doctor. What you got for us?
We got the M RI resuIts and what it's showing is a growth,
a medio-spinaI tumor in your chest cavity.
And that 's putting stress on your heart and your Iungs,
and that's why you fainted.
What does that mean?
[stammers] But can he stiII pIay?
He's pIaying in the nationaI championships.
At--at this time, with the pIacement of the tumor
any kind of physicaI activity couId cause more damage.
Can we have it removed?
Our preference wouId be non-invasive.
Radiation and chemotherapy
will shrink the tumor.
What l think we have to do is we gotta take a wait and see approach.
We gotta start chemotherapy though immediateIy.
And then within the next four months
we'll see where we're at.
Okay? l'll give you some time.
Excuse me for a second.
We'II work through this. It'II be aIright.
(Eric) Hey, Doc.
Excuse me for a minute, Doc, Doc, hoId it.
Do you know who that is in there?
No, he--
That boy has a future. He has a gift.
The N FL draft is not untiI June.
Are you saying we can expect a fuII recovery
by ApriI or May?
We'II know more once we see how his body
reacts to the treatment.
Chemo and radiation?
HoId on, that's six months.
You said it wouId just take four.
It's aIways best to remain optimistic, don't you think?
Now Iook, Doc, I know how the game's pIayed.
We're just a IittIe worried.
Eric, pIease don't--
We are. But aII this stuff is just between the famiIy.
I need to know it's not Ieaving this room.
The hospitaI maintains the strictest confidentiaIity. He'II be okay, okay?
Thank you, Doctor.
Uh-huh.
AIright, we gotta keep a Iid on this buIIshit, okay?
So we're gonna teII them you got pneumonia.
No one has to know the truth but us.
It does not Ieave this room.
No, no, I don't agree with that, I mean,
we might as weII teII them anyway because they wiII find out.
Bernie, I can deaI with Coach Harper and the university.
What about Miami? What about the DoIphins?
It's not a physicaI Iimitation.
Worst case scenario, you're gonna be dropped down to 9th or 1 0th or 1 1 th pick.
But you'II stiII be first rate.
You'II be okay.
Listen, I know the championships are in two weeks,
but you know what?
What those peopIe saw you do the other night,
they wiII not forget you. I promise you that.
(Eric) That's right.
(male professor) 1 969, the summer of love.
So I've been toId.
America is the first country to Iand a man on the moon,
and at that same time, we're number one in education.
Now, we're number 1 8.
And as more and more jobs require
a college education, fewer and fewer of us
are actually graduating from college.
ln the year 2040, ladies and gentlemen,
China will be the big player, the big dog, America not.
So where are all these new jobs going to be
when you graduate in the spring?
l would like you all to come to Thursday's class
prepared to discuss that. Okay?
Thank you, Iadies and gentIemen. See you Thursday.
Be prepared.
Thank you. Thank you.
Hey, stranger.
Hey, Sharon.
Hey.
Look, this is kinda awkward but--
I've been trying to caII your brother for the past coupIe of days
but I haven't heard back from him.
Everybody's saying he's got pneumonia.
Is he aIright?
Yeah.
You don't Iike taIking about your brother much, do you?
I think he can taIk better for himseIf.
Fair enough.
So, what's up with you?
I'm on my way to the crew Iab,
working on my resume.
Oh, weII, show it to me.
Why?
'Cause I got some resume skiIIs.
No, for reaI. I Iook at a Iot.
AIright, Iook--
Let's see what you got.
Don't cIown 'cause it's not finished yet.
What?
You interned for a designer in New York City?
Yeah. I've aIways wanted to be in fashion,
so I took a chance and went to New York.
Okay, weII, I'd move it up on your resume.
AIright, you might know a IittIe something about resumes.
Yeah, I think I do.
Can't you give me piIIs or something instead of that?
He needs to reIax.
I toId you he doesn't Iike needIes.
Come on, Deon, you gotta do this now.
You remember when you was six years oId,
and we had that big thunderstorm,
scared you so much you hid under the bed
you thought it was the wrath of God?
That was a Iong time ago.
I know, baby, I know, but Iisten.
Do you remember what I toId you then?
I toId you there was nothing to be afraid of,
that it wasn't God punishing you,
that he was trying to give you something.
AII that Iightning and thunder,
Iight so bright you couId see inside your eye?
What'd I teII you?
It was God giving you superpowers.
I remember.
Yeah. So now, I want you to Iay back.
Lay back. Come on.
That's right. Just reIax.
CIose your eyes.
And Iet God bathe you in His Iight.
Absorb the power.
Okay. Okay, just Iay down. That's right.
Close your eyes now.
Take something scary and turn it into a strength.
And the next day, oh, l can still see your little face.
You marched out onto that football field with those super powers
like you could fly over anybody and land in the end zone.
Like you could run like the wind
and never get caught.
And l was just screaming.
Come on, D, come on.
Use your super powers. Use your super powers.
[angry shouting]
(Mom) l am disappointed in you!
[angry shouting]
[shouting continues]
You are not my son!
[shouting continues]
[equipment beeping]
Excuse me.
Excuse me, I toId you on the phone,
we can't continue like this.
We are foIIowing the treatment pIan that you signed off on.
No, these costs are out of control.
We are going to need an updated credit card on fiIe for you.
For what?
Any anciIIary charges that--
Oh, anciIIary charges Iike...
1 29 doIIars for a mucus recovery system?
Fees Iike that are often charged.
It's a damn box of KIeenex.
Now I am not giving you another credit card
and I'm not signing any of your papers
untiI somebody in this administration
expIains to me why I have to take out a Ioan
to cover the costs of buying Band-Aids and gauze pads!
I'II provide my own.
I wiII provide my own.
Excuse me, Doc, Doc, do you know where Dr. BrintaII is?
I'm covering for him but--
Oh, you cover for me, Iisten, Iisten.
Deon Barnes. We brought him in four months ago.
He's a footbaII pIayer. We did the chemotherapy,
radiation, aII that, and it cost us a great deaI of money.
Oh, I don't get into biIIing issues.
Wait, hoId on, then.
When we brought him in, he was 21 4 pounds.
Now he IittIe and skinny.
We trying to get this boy ready for the N FL draft.
AII he does is sIeep aII day.
WeII, in aggressive cases Iike his that's not uncommon.
It's a side effect of his radiation.
What you need to do is get him out of bed,
get him active and see how he feeIs.
That's the best thing right now.
Oh, but he--
(Mom) Home sweet home, baby doII.
Now you stay right there.
I'II come around and get you.
Okay. Okay, take your time.
There we go.
AIright.
Here we go.
(kid) Oh, look! lt's Deon.
[kids greeting]
They're so happy to see you.
He's gonna pIay with you Iater.
Okay?
Okay, come here.
[inaudibIe]
I'II get this.
There.
I'II take your shoes off.
Okay.
Oh, I-- I taIked to Sean.
He caIIed.
Wait, I'II heIp you.
AIright.
I'II get you in there.
AIright.
There you go.
You want some of that ginger aIe with crushed ice
Iike you had in the hospitaI?
Hm.
It's good for your stomach, right?
I'II be right back.
(Mom) The interviewer made me so nervous.
How did the interview go?
They had me meet with the supervisor
and her direct manager, and I was there
for over three hours.
Oh, well, that's good. Yeah! Real good.
Well, that was a lot.
I think they Iiked me.
What's not to like.
l mean, worst case scenario, you know.
If it doesn't work out, there's a position over at the deaIership.
I mean, it's not fashion, but--
Sean, it is so nice to get a job for Sharon.
I wouId appreciate that 'cause--
Hey, D, go ahead and eat your food.
I'm aImost haIf done with mine.
Eric, if he's not hungry--
you don't have to eat, Deon, okay?
But I did make some of that pecan pie.
You want some?
Pecan pie everybody?
I Iove pecan pie.
Bernie, you gotta at Ieast Iet him get his own stuff.
I mean, he's been home for two weeks.
He's just been sitting on his ass.
Look, you have to be patient.
It takes time. I know Deon.
He's going to do things in his own time.
He goes to take a dump, you're there to heIp him.
Okay, that's disgusting, that's enough.
I don't feeI Iike hearing that.
Look, the cancer knocked him down.
We just have to be patient.
It's not how many times you get knocked down.
It's how many times you get back up.
WouId you pIease stop with that ra-ra footbaII buIIshit?
l know my boy, l know he's gonna be okay.
He's not a boy. And you can't teach him how to be a man.
The goddamn president of the United States was raised by a woman.
Barack Obama was raised by single mothers.
He don't pIay footbaII, do he?
He pIay basketbaII. Shut the--.
Look, get the pecan pie. l'll get the dishes.
I have finaIs and stuff
so I think I'II be heading out.
I'II waIk you out.
I got it.
[groan]
Sorry about that. That was embarrassing.
No, no, it's aII good.
They're aII trying to heIp you from their own perspective.
What about you?
What about me?
Things different now that I got sick?
No. It's been tough.
It's just--
You interested in somebody eIse?
Not at aII.
I've just got-- [ceII phone rings]
I'm sorry.
It's my mother.
I'II caII you Iater.
Okay.
[groan]
Two.
(Mom) Deon!
Seventeen.
Eighteen.
[clapping] That is great!
[groan]
You couIdn't even do that this time Iast week.
Look, I just came to apoIogize.
Eric acted so damn crazy.
You know, fussing in front of--Sharon and everything.
Do you Iike her?
[chuckIe]
Yeah.
I see you boxed up the TV.
WeII, we just have to send some of this stuff back,
that's aII. It's just a deIay.
I know how much you Iike that fIat screen.
I do but it's just a hiccup, that's aII.
Sweetheart, you gonna get better in your own time
and we gonna get rid of this crappy ass IittIe house
and we gonna be down in Miami,
Iivin' it, honey.
And we gonna get everything we deserve in Iife, you'II see.
I'm sorry, Ma.
I didn't mean to get sick.
Oh, sweetie. Don't apoIogize for that.
What you sayin'?
I don't know why this is happening.
I mean, I didn't do nothing to nobody, I didn't do anything.
WeII--it's a chaIIenge.
It's just another chaIIenge, that's aII.
And you wiII be fine.
We wiII be fine, I promise you.
Why is God doing this to me?
Oh, no, no. Don't say that, sweetheart. Don't.
[both weep]
[phone ringing]
[beep]
HeIIo?
(Mom) Hey, baby. What's up?
Hey, Momma. I'm just checking out
the status of some appIications.
I thought you said the party was supposed to end earIy.
WeII, it was, but one of my servers didn't show up.
So I had to fiII in.
I've been on my feet aII night.
[Iaughs]
l can stop and get some pizza. What do you want?
Oh, I'm the onIy one home.
Eric and Deon aren't here.
They're not there?
WeII, where the heII did they go?
I don't know. They haven't been here for hours.
I caIIed both their phones but nobody answers.
Look, just meet me outside in five minutes.
I'II be right there.
Okay.
Bye.
[beep]
How Iong ago did they Ieave?
I don't know. Hours ago, Ma.
Oh, Lord.
Damn. What's your brother's ceII phone number?
Oh, it's in the phone. It's in the phone.
Ma. Mom, look!
What the hell is he doin'?
Jesus. PuII over. Just puII over.
Look at that time, 44 seconds, that ain't shit!
My grandmother couId do that in her wheeIchair!
I'm trying.
Get those knees up. Don't try, do it!
You gotta get them. Go get them.
Everything you ever wanted is on the Iine.
(Mom) Eric!
It's do or die time.
You don't have to do that, Deon! Stop!
Deon!
No, no, no.
Don't you fucking Iook at them!
I gotta get him!
(Eric) Don't let them distract you.
Oh, you want a break? You wanna run to Momma?
You wanna cry to your mother or you wanna pIay footbaII?
Show me something, Deon. Show me something!
Eric!
Bernie. Now you guys stop.
You have no idea what it takes to win.
You want it, you gotta show me something.
You stop it! Eric! You're gonna kiII him!
- Don't do this! - He needs to do this!
- What is wrong with you? - He has got to do this.
- That's enough! - He's got to do this on his own.
Bee, you got no idea! This is it!
He's passing out!
[indistinct]
(maIe) Sorry, guys, you're gonna have to wait back here.
[distant murmur]
(doctor) Seems Deon was working Iate tonight.
Your son, he had a-- a heart arrhythmia,
and that depIeted him of his oxygen.
Is he gonna be okay?
Yeah, he's stabIized for now.
What the heII happened?
Because the speciaIist on duty said we need to get him up and active.
Now he's got pro footbaII tryouts in Iess than a month.
ProfessionaI footbaII? You kidding me?
He can't pIay footbaII. He's got a tumor
a centimeter away from his heart.
Your son, he's never ever gonna become a professional athlete.
He's Iucky if he ever rides a bike again.
You did this.
You did this!
These motherfuckers don't know shit!
Everything they toId us was wrong.
We oughtta sue that hospitaI for maIpractice.
We shouId sue the university.
They tested him every year.
They had to know this was coming.
That wouId caII for Iawyers, Eric.
Lawyers cost money. Who's gonna pay for that?
What you trying to say? I didn't pay for shit?
I Ieveraged my garage, baby.
I couId Iose my business.
I put it on the Iine for your son.
PIease don't taIk to me about money when they're
about to forecIose on this house.
Everybody knows about your IittIe dream
to ride on my son's coat taiIs for the fame you didn't get.
Your IittIe dream to manage my son.
WeII, Eric there's nobody to manage now.
Who you gonna manage now?
Know when the best times of my Iife were?
When l was on that football field.
I don't care.
l wanted your boy to have something good to look back on.
I'm tired of aII your Ioser footbaII stories.
Every step of the way, you bIocked me.
He coulda done it. He had the talent.
And remember, when you ran off his real daddy,
truth be told, l was there.
If that man couIdn't see that he had two beautifuI sons and a beautifuI wife,
that was his goddamn probIem.
Now Iet me teII you something.
Me and my sons were fine long before you came into this mix
and we'II be fine Iong after you Ieave.
So you can just hit the road right now
because it's empty. There's no money.
Overdrawn, insufficient funds.
There's no pot of goId at the end of this rainbow,
so get the fuck outta here!
Okay!
I'm right here!
You taIking about me Iike I'm dead aIready.
I'II pay this back.
I'II find a way to pay everybody back.
I'II find a way.
[door opens and cIoses]
Hey, I have an appointment to see Steve Fisk.
[knocking]
Stephen?
That's me. You are?
Deon.
Deon, pIease have a seat.
What's your Iast name and student I D?
Barnes. Zero five one five.
I'm sorry, zero two five one five.
Barnes, Barnes. Deon Barnes.
You know we used to have this aII star footbaII pIayer by that same name.
Had an ego the size of Texas.
Oh, man.
Listen, I'm sorry about that.
Yeah, just teII me what I gotta do to graduate, aIright?
WeII--it appears as though you never actuaIIy decIared a major.
GPA's at the minimum.
But you dropped out during faII semester.
ProbabIy Iooking at the fuII two years.
It's--here are some financiaI aid forms.
See if you can have those compIeted and back to me
Iater this week, aIright?
FinanciaI aid funds? I'm on a schoIarship.
Come on, JuIio, my granddaughter can run faster than that.
Get the piano off your back, Jonas!
Let's go! [indistinct] stride out!
Listen, I heard you revoked my schoIarship.
I didn't have any choice.
Once you dropped out of schooI, it was an NCAA thing.
Nothing eIse I couId do.
I just wish you'd toId me.
And what wouId that have changed?
(coach) Set.
Go! Bring it!
Come on, baby! Let's go!
[cIick]
I thought you were a running back, Deon.
That's who gets aII the pretty girIs and make aII the money.
Now give us some running back time. Get back down there.
You got another one in you?
(Deon) AIright.
(coach) Just stride out. stride out.
This kid's nuts.
Yeah, he's the best I've ever seen.
You know, I can remember the exact moment
when I reaIized that I wasn't gonna be pIaying professionaI footbaII.
What are you gonna do now?
I don't know.
Look, if you need a job,
why don't you come see me at the end of the summer.
I'II see if I can get you on the staff.
You'II work with the running backs,
keep you cIose to the game.
[sigh]
Ray. That's the Iast drink for you.
Hey!
And I caIIed a taxi, it's on the way.
Bacardi coke?
Yeah, make it a doubIe.
You girIs taIking about me?
Yeah, about how much of a red hot stud you are.
[chuckIes]
So who's taking me home?
She is, baby. I Iost the fIip, sorry.
Respect your eIders, now.
[crash]
Oh, we gotta get him out of here.
We don't have that kind of insurance.
When'd you start smoking again?
WeII, Eric Ieft.
My son's sick. The biIIs are mounting up.
[sigh]
And everywhere I Iook, I'm in the damn brick waII.
You know what I did, I put aII my dreams in one basket.
Here I am back here at square one.
I thought my days of spoon-feeding infants was over.
And I'm here with--what?
Oh, shit. Deon!
Wait, baby, wait!
No!
Stop, Iook, I'm sorry.
I didn't mean it Iike that. I just--
Oh!
I'm sorry.
Hey, man, I'm Iooking for a job.
You hiring?
Hey, I'm Iooking for work. You guys need any heIp?
(Deon) Hey, Kerry, what's up?
Hey, do I--do I know you?
Yeah, you--remember we used to hang out.
I'm sorry, I don't remember you.
(June) So how did it go?
It didn't. I quit that buIIshit ass job.
Minimum wage, stand on your feet aII day
cIeaning up after motherfuckers.
Man, I don't know how reguIar peopIe do that shit.
To top it off, man, this chick I used to hit,
she didn't even recognize me.
What?
I don't need that buIIshit.
Man, fuck them bitches, man.
They were onIy there for you because you was up.
Now that shit got kinda hard, you know,
bitches ain't nowhere to be found, man.
You don't need that shit.
You stiII Deon.
(Deon) Hey, how you doin'?
My name is Deon.
Maybe you can give me your number,
I'II caII you, we can hang out sometime.
Okay.
See if we can put something together, right?
Right.
Karen. AIright, I'II hoIIer at you.
You're right.
Shit.
Hey, you got a IittIe change I couId borrow
tiII I get back on my feet?
Man, I ain't got nothing' right now,
tiII I get paid for that Iast IittIe party I did.
Soon as I get the money for that,
man, I got you.
Don't trip.
Hey. Hey, come in.
I was in the neighborhood. Thought I'd bring by some food.
WeII, Deon's not here right now but I'm sure
he'II appreciate you stopping by.
I hope so. We haven't been taIking much IateIy.
Yeah?
Have a seat.
I'm sitting here finishing up Doctor RandaII's assignment.
The Green Project?
Let me see what you got.
Take a Iook.
That's exactIy what I thought.
Right? SoIar power.
Yeah, soIar.
ExactIy.
EspeciaIIy in the inner city.
We get hit the hardest
with ceIIuIar towers, poIIution, everything.
This wouId be beautifuI.
ExactIy. I just want everybody to jump
aboard with that, you know?
Yeah, I think that's good.
Thanks.
Do you know how you met?
Huh? Excuse me?
Deon. Do you know how you guys met?
At the bookstore.
Through me.
That day at the bookstore,
I was gonna come ask you out.
But before I couId, Deon bIocked me and got your number
and then handed it to me outside the door.
You're tripping.
Why do think it was me that caIIed you instead of him?
He had a Iot going on.
Oh, pIease.
He was busy.
Come on, Sharon. Come on.
Do you reaIIy think you were anything speciaI to him back then?
Why are you teIIing me this now?
You're a good woman, Sharon.
Yeah. Thanks.
I don't want to see you become another one of his fooIs.
Hey. It was me that was interested in you.
Yeah.
Shhh. Me.
[door opens and cIoses]
What the fuck?
Deon.
Get out!
Deon. Let me expIain.
Just leave.
- No, you ain't gotta go nowhere. - You, too.
This is more my house than it is yours, okay?
You got it twisted.
Twisted? You're the one here trying to fuck my girI.
It wasn't even Iike that.
No, teII her.
TeII her what?
How you don't give a shit about anyone eIse but yourseIf.
You don't care about women.
You don't even know how.
You jeaIous?
You always did want to be me, didn't you, Sean?
What is that supposed to mean?
You probabIy cheated on every woman Iike a dozen times.
You too?
So I get sick and you start this buIIshit,
and you start talking this shit.
I'm not covering for you anymore.
It was aII true, huh.
You said you loved me.
I do Iove you.
Why do you keep messing with aII
these other girIs on the side? Huh?
Why you say that Iike you know for sure I'm doing that?
Why can't you just stop?
You're making this bigger than it actuaIIy is.
Bigger than what it is?
When I cIose my eyes and I think about my future,
I see your face.
[Ioud weeping]
Do you have anything to say?
I'm not the one that got some expIaining to do.
You were kissing my fucking brother.
And you the one been Iying.
I don't want any part of this.
Sharon.
Hey, Sharon.
Let her go.
Hey, Sharon.
PIease.
Hey, you happy, man? She's gone.
Fuck you, man.
Fuck aII of this.
Now you Iisten.
You've been Iiving off of us, man.
AIright? The famiIy is broke and divided because of you.
Mom has to work two, sometimes three jobs
to heIp support you.
I got work study, man.
I got to take out aII these Ioans for my coIIege education.
You get a fuII schoIarship and you don't even go to cIass haIf the time.
You think you're so fucking smart.
Nobody fucking knows you, Sean.
Everybody you know knows you as Deon's brother.
Don't you forget that.
You Iisten.
[panting]
Now Eric ain't here to back your ass up.
And Mom ain't nowhere around.
You need to step off.
You aIways was haIf a man.
Get off!
You think I meant to get sick? Huh?
You think if I Ieave aII your probIems wiII go away?
Then I'II Ieave then.
Yeah. Yeah, right.
As if you don't think Mom's gonna come chasin' after you!
Fuck you.
You can't stand on your own two feet.
You never have.
[slow rap music]
[music continues]
[upbeat music from shop]
Hey, brother.
I teII you you can't sIeep out here, man.
Hey.
Hey, partner.
Deon?
What the fuck you doin' man?
Can't find a job.
Got no degree and I can't stay at home.
Come on out of there.
Okay, you can stay here.
You can stay with me--tiII you get your shit together.
Operative phrase, you get your shit together.
l ain't gonna be bringin' to you your lemonade and your biscuits
like your momma does.
Thanks.
Don't thank me. You gonna work.
You aIways taIk shit Iike you know cars.
We about to find out.
Hey, caII Bernie.
I don't need no more momma drama up in here.
Come on.
Start cIeaning up right there.
Right back there.
[ceII phone ringing]
Bizzy Bee Catering.
(Deon) lt's me, Mom.
Deon, baby, where are you?
l'm fine, Mom.
Look, I'm gonna be moving out for a IittIe whiIe, aIright?
I need you to respect this.
What are you talking about?
What the hell is going on? Where are you?
Mom, I'm gonna need a IittIe space, okay?
I am not going to have this conversation with you on the phone.
Where are you?
I'm at the garage.
Deon, come on, Iet's go.
I got a big catering job at the yacht cIub
and I'm Iate, so get your stuff, Iet's go.
Mom, I gotta handIe this on my own.
This is ridicuIous, you know that?
Go get your things, I'm gonna take you home,
and l'm gonna go to work.
Why you not hearing me?
I can't go home right now.
I am not Ieaving you in this greasy ass garage
with aII these oiI fumes and gas fumes and aII that.
Baby, Iook at your hands. You can't do this.
Mom, it's aIright.
It's not good for you right now.
You shouIdn't be exposed to germs Iike that.
Stop.
Look--okay.
Look, I gotta handIe this.
If I make mistakes I gotta make 'em on my own.
Okay. Whatever I did, I'm sorry, okay?
Mom, you didn't do nothing.
Listen, when your daddy Ieft,
I was so busy trying to be mother and father
that I wouId go and work too hard
and I'd come home feeIing guiIty
and then I'd Iove you aII too hard, you know?
So maybe if you feeI Iike I smothered you or--
abandoned you or something Iike that--
You didn't smother us. It's not you, Mom.
This is too hard for me right now.
I need you to come home with me. Come home.
I need this. I gotta figure this out for myseIf.
Just go home.
You mean it?
Wait. Who's gonna take care of you?
I'm gonna take care of me.
You promise me.
Yeah.
WiII you come home for Sunday dinner?
Soon.
Soon?
But--
(Bernie) No, pIease, Iisten, I'm here.
I'm here right now, yeah, you know--
I just had a famiIy emergency.
Everything's been-- Miss White--
What do you mean you don't need--
wh--but I'm here with the food
and everything's here, Miss White.
You know I'm aIways the--
What the--fuck--
Wh--What--
Fuck it.
[crying] Fuck it.
Goddamn it! I don't know what anybody wants me to do.
[uninteIIigibIe]
I can't do it anymore.
[weeping]
I can't--can't--I can't do any better than I've done.
I've done the best I can. God, you gotta do the rest.
Do the rest for me.
That's 40 doIIars pIus 2.75 and then 1 .50 for--
Hey, CarIos.
Mande.
[speaking Spanish]
He gonna have it for you, don't worry.
HoId the fucking Iight stiII, man.
[speaks Spanish]
What that mean?
Hey, D.
God damn.
[speaks Spanish]
What you caII me?
[Iaughter]
Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
[Iaughter]
Damn, man, carefuI with that shit.
[speaks Spanish]
[Iaughter]
Get some skiIIs.
Leave him aIone, he's the new guy.
[speaks Spanish]
Go home.
Get the heII outta here. I'II see you aII tomorrow.
Oh, heII no, no, no, new guy gets the beers.
Right in there.
[groan]
WeII, it's officiaI.
Your mechanic skiIIs are for shit.
It costing me paper.
I'm sorry.
[sigh]
I'm the one that shouId be sorry, man.
I didn't do everything I wanted to when I was
at the top of my footbaII game.
Bernie once said to me, "Eric, you a weII-baIanced brother
'cause you got a big-ass chip on both shouIders."
She said that?
I was messed up.
Maybe she's right.
Maybe I was too hard on you, Deon.
For trying-- for trying to Iive through you.
But whatever l did or didn't do in my life,
that's on me.
What about my Iife?
What do I do now?
[sigh]
WeII, you know our peopIe.
BIack foIks--
most of us we wanna pIay baII,
and we never Iearn to own the team.
Look here.
This is made in China.
Why is this made in China?
I don't know.
'Cause the Chinese man wiII work very hard
for very IittIe money.
So what you do is you take the best of each race, right?
For exampIe, work Iike a Chinese man
but get the education of a rich white man.
Learn to make deaIs Iike a Jewish man.
And have the heart, fIavor and spirit of a bIack man.
You take that shit and put it together, it's done.
Then you just appIy it to being in the business
of whatever you Iove.
But that's what I'm sayin'.
Without footbaII, I don't know what I Iove.
What the fuck eIse can I do?
WeII, for me after footbaII,
it was cars.
Garage ain't much, but at Ieast I own it.
I'm the boss.
But Iook at you, Deon, peopIe Iike you.
You got charisma.
You make peopIe beIieve in you.
You got peopIe skiIIs Iike the way you soId that man that car.
I didn't do that. You did that.
You couId seII shit, Deon.
That's a Iegit skiII.
WeII, I'm gonna go see Coach.
See if I can work my way up into that assistant position.
If you're gonna go see Coach,
you can't go dressed Iike that, man.
You know what my daddy aIways said?
Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.
I got something for you.
l got something.
HoId on. Uh-huh.
You couId fit this. Look at this.
Designer shit. Stand up.
I caII it Negro Make-Do. Look here.
Uh-huh.
Yeah, Iook Iike Negro need money.
Come on, man, it'II work.
I'm taIIer than you, man.
Look, sagging is in styIe.
Just sag this shit a IittIe bit.
Put your hands in your pockets, you know.
It's gonna Iook Iike I wore it.
(coach) Hey, hey, hey.
Stop standing around. Let's set it up and run it again.
Defense gonna eat 'em up
if they don't faII deeper into that pocket.
[chuckIe]
Deon, what can I do for you, son?
I just came to see about that assistant position.
Hey, Soris, run it again tiII they get it right.
AIright, boys, Iet's go. Let's run it again.
I went to the administration, I asked them about putting you on the staff.
And they said that weII, the budget cuts
and a Iot of mumbo jumbo about peopIe Iosing their jobs.
They're pretty much afraid to say yes.
So they're saying no?
Deon, the reaI reason I can't put you on my staff
is because the university feeIs because of your condition,
that if something happened to you
and you're uninsured,
they'd be on the hook for the costs.
I'm so sorry, son.
(male reporter) ln other news,
unemployment figures are in and the numbers are not good.
Cheap labor continues to be outsourced abroad.
Particularly hardest hit are minorities.
Black unemployment is almost twice that of white.
Unemployment amongst blacks has risen 33% over the past two years.
Manufacturing and construction jobs
have been hit the hardest.
Unskilled workers and those without college degrees
are finding it increasingly difficult to land gainful employment.
[baby crying]
Okay, I wiII transfer you.
Mr. Barnes, someone is here to see you.
Deon, you can't just show up here Iike this, man.
I got no more money to give you.
I'm not asking for money. I'm asking for a job.
You don't got any experience.
Is this some kind of joke to you, Deon?
It's not a joke, man. I just need a job.
Just give me a chance, pIease.
PIease, I can do this.
Look, I'm a Finance manager, not SaIes.
Even if I couId, I can't make that kind of decision.
PIease, man. Just try me out, man.
There's gotta be something I can do.
l can't.
l'll work for free.
Deon.
PIease, man. Don't make me beg.
Deon.
I'm sorry, man.
I'm sorry for everything I said, for everything I done.
I apoIogize. I don't know what eIse to say to you.
Sharon, I'm sorry.
l didn't mean to say the things l said to you.
I didn't mean it.
I just need a IittIe bit of heIp, man.
I didn't mean to say it. I mean it.
[voice breaking] I just need some heIp.
Come on, get up.
Come on, get up, get up.
You're embarrassing yourseIf.
Just--I'm sorry.
I was just trying to find a job.
Hey, son. You work here?
Yeah.
I want to taIk to you about this car right here.
This car?
Yeah.
It's a ChrysIer 2005. It's Iisted at 1 1 , 1 50
but I couId probabIy get it for you at ten five.
- Sean. - What?
That's your brother out there, huh?
Is this gonna be a probIem?
No. No, sir, no probIem.
WeII, if you can do ten five, I don't see why you can't do ten.
I might be abIe to get it for you for ten.
Then you might have a saIe.
HoId, one moment pIease, one moment.
Deon. Deon, what the fuck.
PIease, I got this.
What the fuck are you doing?
I'm up for promotion here.
I won't mess up, I swear.
You gonna get me fired.
I won't, pIease.
Just Iet me do this.
Fuck. Fuck.
Fucking manager, he's pissed.
l'm sorry, l can't sell it to you for that price.
If I do, we're gonna actuaIIy Iose money.
You toId me I couId have it for that price.
Either you're a man of your word,
or you're not.
The owner's gonna be here in 1 5 minutes.
And if the paperwork's isn't done,
chances are he's gonna shut down this deaI and me with it.
Hey, hey, hey!
Not so fast.
You better get that paperwork started right now,
'cause I'm writing you a check, end of story.
It's a good try, man.
He says it's good for seIIing shit.
ObviousIy, she seII you some buIIshit.
Man, that's a power tie.
AII the big seIIers wear this shit.
The tie heIps you seII stuff.
71 ,000 miIes. It's actuaIIy priced at 3500 doIIars.
Here we are, a beautifuI car for a beautifuI Iady.
My brother runs the finances.
If you can get them in that margin right there,
we in business, brother.
You never know if you don't try.
That's right.
See? Same suit but you change the tie.
You're ready.
(Deon) A 2009 Jeep Cherokee.
Got enough space for you to take the dog.
l know how much you love the dog. Hey, Noah.
I'm gone for a coupIe of days
and new car saIes doubIe.
Hear that, Gerry?
He beat your record.
Good initiative using your brother, Sean.
Thank you, sir.
Come on, Iet's taIk about moving you up to GeneraI Manager.
D, what up, baby?
What up?
Shit, what's this?
I toId you I was gonna pay you back.
I didn't beIieve it.
I got something eIse you ain't gonna beIieve.
Check it out.
Ooh, damn.
[indistinct] I'm seeing eye candy.
Yeah, but this how brothers be fucking up.
They end up buying some shit that's too expensive on credit,
and the banks win, man.
As soon as the car puIIs off the Iot,
it's considered a used car.
BeIieve it or not, this is a used car.
What?
Yeah.
Does it run?
It stiII got the factory warranty.
Eric says it runs beautifuI.
And you know that brother don't pIay.
Man.
What about the gas though?
Gas? It's a hybrid.
You goin' green, nigga.
You know I Iike that green.
And it's American made.
So you there ain't that shit with the acceIerator getting stuck and aII that shit.
Can I afford it?
No.
Get a white bitch to co-sign?
You might.
No, you can do Iike Sean taught me, and incorporate.
Then you're not buying as an individuaI,
you're buying as the actuaI company.
You pay it off through your taxes,
you know, Iike the big boys do.
Damn, man, you gettin' kinda smart, nigga.
Now you know it's hurtin' my feeIings
to find that you just now reaIizing that I'm smart.
Smart as the new gangsta.
Man. Let's go get the keys.
That's 1 2 new, 2 used. You did good, man.
Hey, I got promoted to GM because of you.
What?
Yeah. Me.
Good. That's reaI good.
I got a favor to ask you.
What?
We don't get paid tiII the end of the month.
So I was wondering if you wouId puII a drawer for me.
That's a Iot of money, Deon.
I know, but where eIse am I gonna go, Mr. GM?
AIright. Hey, Sharon,
couId you puII some cash from the Iock box?
Thank you.
Here. You take this so you can pay back
some of the student Ioans you got.
I want to thank both of you for Ietting me in here and do my thing.
AIright.
Ooh!
Ooh, Iook at you!
Look at you. You Iook so good.
You gained weight.
Yeah, I been handIing my business,
trying to get it together.
You got a job?
Sean gave me a job.
I'm seIIing cars over at the deaIership.
Wait a minute, you and your brother are working together
and nobody toId me about that?
Yeah, Ma, I thought that wouId heIp with the biIIs.
Look, I toId you, I don't want you worrying about that.
I know, but I'm tired of watching you do everything for everybody eIse
but yourseIf.
Ooh, you did it to me again.
AIright, I guess you were right.
You said you had to do it yourseIf
and you did,
And thank God I was abIe to Iisten to you
and just do it.
But don't you be giving up on your mother, hear me?
I'm not promising anything but maybe
I can go back to coIIege and get that degree.
[gasping] Oh, man.
Oh.
WeII, what the heII are you Iooking so sad for!
Big D is back.
Hey, Big D!
[crowd cheers]
Baby, are you hungry?
Sherry, I want you to get him some smothered pork chops.
CoIIard greens? With coIIard greens, yeah.
Collard greens, corn bread.
Okay! I'II do it right now.
And what you want to drink?
Cranberry juice for you, right?
Yeah. Oh, I'm sorry.
l'll get your refill.
[groan]
[sucks in air]
Deon, I'm not supposed to do this.
I'm required to refer you to the oncoIogy team.
Is your famiIy going to be here soon?
It's just me this time.
Look, I started to gain my weight back.
I was feeIing good--
and my hand just seized up.
Look, you're the onIy one who's been straight with us, Doc.
Just teII me the truth.
New M RI tests show that...
the cancer's come back.
[gasping] Fuck.
You got a metastatic tumor in your brain that's appeared.
It's right above the motor cortex,
and that's what's affecting your hands.
I've 9,000 doIIars Ieft to my name, Doc.
Can't drag my family through this again.
Come on. Come with me.
Isn't it fuckin' ironic?
I'm a cancer doctor but I enjoy second hand smoke.
I quit a year ago but I stiII Iike coming out here.
I figure as Iong as I'm not Iighting up, it doesn't count.
Fuck it.
I don't understand, Doc. I did aII the treatments.
What's causing it?
I don't know.
I mean, environments, cigarettes, genetics,
the sun. I mean, there's hundreds and hundreds of reasons.
It's impossibIe to pinpoint just one, Deon.
Understand?
Look, when I was a resident, there was a patient that I'II never forget.
She and her husband saved for years
'cause they wanted to take a trip to Africa
to see the siIver back goriIIas in the Congo.
We saw her tests.
We knew that any treatment that we gave her
wouId just be postponing the inevitabIe.
I mean, she was dying. She was riddIed with cancer.
I wanted to teII her, we aII wanted to teII her,
but the hospitaI's poIicy was pursue a very aggressive
and expensive series of treatments
regardIess of the fact that her insurance dropped her.
Her husband Iost everything.
Their house, the savings,
he never got to take that trip with his wife.
She died a few months Iater.
Right there. In this hospitaI.
Look, you came to me because I've been straight with you, right?
Yeah.
Okay. Here it is.
The 9,000 doIIars is not gonna go very far.
This costs upwards to 1 00,000 doIIars,
and even that's onIy gonna buy you a few months,
four months, five months.
And I die anyway?
I'm teIIing you--
I'm teIIing you what the tests are teIIing me, aIright?
There's always hope.
But you can never run again. There's no athIetics, that's over.
Look, the question is--
do you wanna do it in there--
with those machines attached to you?
Or do you want to do it on your own terms?
That's the question.
(female voice) Honey--
I know it's raining right now,
but you're gonna have many more birthdays, okay?
Be happy and ceIebrate today.
AIright? WiII you do that for me?
Deon, you better wipe the shower down when you use it.
[sigh]
[inaudibIe]
CongratuIations, Momma. You movin' on up.
Like the Jeffersons, baby.
What you taIkin' about?
We got this big order for Saturday night.
Top of the line.
[unintelligible].
"Sean Barnes has been accepted
"into the Masters of Business Administration Program
at CoIumbia University."
You knew about this?
They offered me a schoIarship.
Oh, baby. We've been going through aII this
and you've been heIping me and you had time to appIy?
Oh, baby. I'm so proud of you.
And you know what? I know I haven't said that enough.
And I haven't said thank you enough.
You've been heIping me so much.
What? Ooh.
Check it out. Check it out.
What?
Huh?
Oh, that's beautifuI.
Oh my goodness.
It's what you're wearing.
Who the heII are we
catering for, MicheIIe Obama?
This is beautifuI. Who set this up?
Somebody must have recommended you.
Okay.
Can I heIp you with those?
You Iook so handsome.
You Iook beautifuI.
ReaIIy though.
I mean--
WeII, it's a party, Momma.
[gasping]
This is beautifuI.
You didn't teII me it wouId be Iike this.
HoIy--
This is great.
I'm teIIing you.
Bizzy Bee Catering is a big star right now.
But you know, I'm so excited.
I went and Iooked in my recipe book,
my gourmet book and I found--
[upbeat music]
(June) Hey, Mrs. Barnes,
you brought me some more of that delicious food.
What's up, Sean?
Did you set this up?
You Iike?
I Iove it. It's beautifuI.
I had to grow up one day, Mrs. B.
PIus you know I've aIways been an entrepreneur type.
How eIse was I gonna pay for my weed?
You are--
Have a good time tonight, man.
Let's do this, y'aII.
It's beautifuI.
Ooh. What is this?
Momma, I think the guest of honor
wouId Iike to dance with you.
Look at my two young men.
What is this?
Yeah, alright.
They're pIaying your song, Momma.
(emcee) This is a very special request coming up,
right here for a very important lady out here.
And it's a special request from our own host, Deon.
Let's get it down.
[soft music]
I don't beIieve you aII.
Here we go.
I need you to do me a favor.
What is this about?
I need you to promise first.
What is this? Come on.
I know you up to something.
Somebody wants to dance with you.
Go ahead, go ahead.
You--
Come on now.
It Iooks beautifuI.
Yeah.
Thank you for this.
Thank you, man, I couIdn't do it without you.
Yeah, they're men now. Look at them.
They're some good men.
You remember this pIace?
Yeah, we used to pIay pee wee Ieague here together.
We had good times, man.
Yeah.
That's where aII the buIIshit started.
Where it aII started.
Hey, man, I have something I shouIda done a Iong time ago.
Just wait a minute.
[IiveIy chatter]
Sherry, can I borrow Sharon for a minute?
Yeah.
What's going on?
You two Iook great together.
I wanna see you dance.
You hesitate, this is gonna start aII over again.
Get out of here, man.
I can't dance.
It's okay.
BeautifuI party.
And beautifuI Iady.
Oh, can you beIieve this shit?
I couIdn't find a tux in my size so I had to settIe for a size smaIIer.
I started out as a young man pIaying quarterback
and I got oId and became a Iineman.
WeII, you busting out of that, coach.
It makes me Iook sIim, don't it?
I'm gIad you came.
WeII, it means a Iot that you caIIed me.
A Iesser man wouId've heId a grudge about what went on.
Life's too short for that kind of shit.
Sure is.
We had some good times together, didn't we, Coach?
Yes, we did.
Hey, I want you to--hoId onto this for me.
I know you know where I got it from.
I know. Thank you.
It's a party, man. Get your groove on.
Yeah, okay.
Come here.
Yeah?
I thought he was sick. What's he ceIebrating?
l don't know.
I think he just wanna go out on top.
Go! Go!
That's it.
[crowd cheering]
That's my boy!
[cheering]
[wild cheering]
[piano music]