Y'all know what's coming up, don't you?
Come on, I got it right here. I got it right here.
Bomont High School, where you at?
We got something to celebrate! Bomont Panthers, 31!
Bayson Bulldogs, 17! We killed 'em, y'all! Yeah!
All right, I want everybody on the dance floor! Come on!
What? What? Y'all ready to party?
Get up, get up! I thought this was a party! Let's dance!
Hey, Robert!
Yeah!
Bomont High, where are you at now?
- I'm not kidding. - They did not!
- Yes, they did. - They did not.
We going to Mama's?
We're about to get real wild tonight, y'all! Come on!
- Ron, where we going tomorrow? - We're going to Mama Cannon's.
I'm sorry, guys. Suzy gets the final call.
Turn it up, turn it up! It's the best part!
Louder, Bobby!
Dispatch, stand by. I've got the driver here. License and registration.
- Step forward for me, please, sir. - All right.
He is testing us.
Our Lord is testing us.
Especially now...
...when we are consumed with despair.
When we are asking our God why this had to happen.
No parent should ever have to know the horror
of burying their own child.
And yet...
...five of Bomont's brightest have lost their lives.
Among them, my only son.
My boy. Bobby.
We have other children to raise here in Bomont.
And one day, they will no longer be in our...
...embrace and in our care.
They will belong to the world.
A world filled with evil and temptation...
...and danger.
But until that day, they are ours to protect.
That is the lesson to be taken from this tragedy. That is our test.
We cannot be missing from our children's lives.
The following measures will be read and voted on accordingly.
A curfew for minors under the age of 18 will take effect immediately.
Minors must be home by ten p. m. on weeknights,
11 p. m. on weekends. All in favour, say "Aye".
- Aye. - Opposed.
Motion carries.
Punitive measures will be taken against any individual,
group or property owner who organises a public gathering
where minors engage in inappropriate activities.
Such activities include consumption of alcohol or unlawful drugs,
listening to vulgar or demeaning amplified music,
or participating in lewd or lascivious dancing.
- All in favour, say "Aye". - Aye.
Motion carried.
There will be no public displays of dancing unless supervised as part of
a school, civic or church-related function.
Outside of these authorised institutions,
public dancing among Bomont's minors will be in violation of the law.
- All in favour, say "Aye". - Aye.
Reverend? Your vote, please.
- Aye. - Opposed. Motion carried.
This is my car.
Momma, it's Ren! He's here!
I'm gonna beat you!
Hey, girls. How you doing?
You guys are huge!
- Get off of me! Attack of the cousins! - Who'd you find, Amy?
- Hey, darling. - Hey, how you doing?
Good. Hope you got some sleep on that bus.
Yeah, I got plenty of sleep. No worries, Lulu.
- Hey, boy. - Wesley.
You used to call me Uncky Wes.
You too big in the britches for that now?
- Is anybody hungry? - I'm hungry! I'm hungry!
- Sounds good. Need a hand with that? - I got it, thanks.
Hey Ren, I wanna tell you a joke. How do you make a tissue dance?
Put a little boogie in it.
Hey, buddy, I tell you about these baked beans?
Your great grandma Esther, who you didn't know.
This is her secret recipe.
Yeah, you know what the secret ingredient is?
Bourbon.
It's not bourbon. It's a ton of butter.
- That's code for bourbon. - Now, we do burgers on Saturdays.
I didn't know if you were a vegetarian, or a vegan or something?
No, no, no, this is great, it's good. Thank you.
- It's grass-fed beef. - Thank you.
With a bit of possum.
- OK. Whose turn is it? - Daddy's!
Let's join hands. Bow your heads.
Most gracious heavenly Father, we ask you to bless this food,
nourishment of our body and greater strength for Thy good.
Help us be ever mindful of the needs of others.
- Amen! - Amen.
This used to be my office, but Lulu fixed her up for you.
It's got all the essentials... water, power, bed.
Look, I appreciate what you've done here. Taking me in and all.
There, at the end, the money you sent us... It really helped.
I wish I could have done more.
Now, look... there's rules in my house.
They're not written down, they're just common sense.
Do your schoolwork. Don't stay out late, that's not just my rule, that's the law.
And don't give people attitude. This ain't Boston.
I really want to pull my own weight around here...
Cooking meals, getting work, helping out.
My buddy, Andy Beamis runs a cotton gin up on Chulahoma.
He said you can start in the middle of next week.
Couldn't I work at the car lot with you?
I'm good with engines, oil changes. That's how I made money back home.
In this economy, that's the best I got. I suggest you learn to love it.
Come on.
How am I supposed to get to work and school?
You got subways out here in Mayberry?
There's that Yankee sarcasm I've been hearing about.
Wish it were funnier. OK.
You say you're good with engines? I'll make you a deal.
If you can get this baby running, she's all yours.
- This? - That's a bad-ass car, boy.
OK, OK. The door sticks.
And the gas pedal's missing. A couple of the, uh...
Hey, it's a fixer-upper.
He did it! He did it!
Have a safe trip!
Oh, shit!
Step out of your vehicle, son.
- Is there a problem, officer? - Driver's license.
Massachusetts, huh?
You got that music cranked pretty loud, Mr. MacCormack.
You gonna throw me in jail for playing Quiet Riot?
Let's watch that attitude, son.
- Yankee sarcasm. - What was that?
Nothing. Sir.
- You'll have to appear in court. - For what?
Disturbing the peace.
Peaceful out here, isn't it?
Progress. What does progress mean to you?
We have computers in our pockets,
telephones in our automobiles, and money on a plastic card.
Who here today remembers a time when you had to go
inside the bank to get your money?
Remember old Mr. Rucker down at Bomont State Bank?
Every time you made a deposit, he'd give you a piece of Bazooka gum.
Now, I haven't yet met an ATM machine
that would give me a piece of Bazooka chewing gum,
let alone make me feel special, like Mr. Rucker did.
Now, is that progress?
Today...
...more and more, as families, we are tuning each other out.
We're either surfing on the Internet,
texting on our cell phones, or staring mindlessly at a television set.
Now, if that is a portal to the world, I want no part of it.
These are the people that we need to tune in to.
Everyone in this church.
- Thanks for coming today. - Nice preaching today, Reverend.
- Good to see you. - Yes, sir, you, too.
This is my sister's son, the one I was telling you about. Ren MacCormack.
- Ren, Ren, welcome to Bomont. - How you doing?
- We are so happy to have you with us. - Thank you.
I think you're gonna like Bomont High School.
In fact, if I'm not mistaken, the graduating class this year
is the biggest in the school's history.
Hey, Roger! Come on over here!
How many seniors we have at Bomont High this year?
- About 220, give or take a dropout. - Roger's the school principal there.
- Hello. - Wait... Do you play football?
- 'Cause we really need a good kicker. - Ain't that a fact!
But, remember, if you're gonna play for us, you gonna have to stay clean,
keep out of trouble. I heard you already had a run-in with the law.
You what?
I don't know how it is up in Boston, but down here we have rules
against playing music too loud.
You're kidding me. He got popped for playing music?
Ariel! I want you to meet my daughter, she goes to Bomont.
You're going to need a friend on your first day.
This is Ren MacCormack. He'll be attending school with you tomorrow.
- Hey. - Hey.
- Hey, Dad? - Yes, honey?
Rusty and I have that science project due tomorrow,
we're going to be working on it pretty late. I was thinking I'd stay over.
- Is that OK? - On a school night? Is that necessary?
Rusty! Don't you think it's gonna take us all night?
Sure. At least.
- I guess it's fine, right... - Thanks, Daddy. Bye, Mom.
Come on, let's go.
And with two laps to go, the leader is car number 44,
Chuck Cranston!
Coming around the last turn on the final lap...
We have a winner!
In the number 44 car, it's Chuck Cranston
crossing the line first for the chequered flag!
Let's hear it for Chuck!
Yeah! He just won!
Yeah, baby!
Today's late-model division two-time champion, folks.
Give it up for Chuck Cranston! Way to go, Chuck!
Go up there, you get that flag and get that cute ass out here right now!
Come on, now!
Hey, what are you doing? Come back here with that!
- Ariel, what the hell are you doing?! - Hammer down, baby!
Oh, yeah. Come on, now.
Chuck Cranston! I don't care if your daddy does own this track,
you've got to get her out of here!
You can chase me down, old man. Chase me down!
Get back here! You're going to get yourself killed out there!
Once again, ladies and gentlemen, your late-model division two-time champion.
Let's give it up for Chuck Cranston!
Thanks for coming out to the Cranston Motor Speedway.
- Rusty! - We hope you had a good time.
Rusty, I'm talking to you!
You know when you're watching the news, and you see someone
- get killed doing something stupid? - God, this again?
I don't want to be that stupid friend who just stands around watching.
- He should never let you do that! - So you're just going to leave me?
Me?
Leave you?
I don't know what's going on with you any more.
Ever since Bobby...
- I guess I'll get my own ride back. - I guess you will.
Yellow flag.
Baby, why we got to go so fast?
You want some choirboy to put a promise ring on your finger?
You're not gonna find that with me, preacher's daughter.
Stop. I get that from everybody else. I don't need that from you.
I thought it was real simple with you and me.
Yeah?
I'm your man.
You're... you're my rebel child.
I'm not a child.
Prove it.
Shut the door.
Go on.
Are you going to pout all day?
Look, I already said I was sorry.
It's Monday. Everybody gets a do-over.
- You love me! - I know I do!
Isn't that that new kid my mom introduced me to at church?
Sure is. He's cute.
- You think everybody's cute. - I know, but I think he's cute.
He dressed up for his first day of school. That's so cute!
Oh, my God, Rusty. Come on, let's go.
Did you see his tie? I like it and I'm going to tell him.
- That's a nice tie. - Rusty.
Hey, I mean it! Don't let anyone tell you different.
Thanks, uh...
- Rusty. - It's Ahriel, right?
It's Ariel.
- Ariel. - Very good.
Hey. Watch where you're going, little guy.
- Sorry, man. I didn't see you. - It's like driving.
Stick with the flow of traffic, numbnuts.
Maybe if you weren't wearing all that camouflage, I could see you.
You should get one of them orange vests so hunters don't shoot you.
An orange vest? I don't wear orange.
I'm not a Tennessee fan. I'm a Georgia Bulldog.
Where you from? You talk funny.
I talk funny? I talk funny? You should hear you from my end.
I'm from Boston.
Massachusetts?
- It's in the United States? - Yeah, I read that somewhere.
What's up, man? I'm Willard.
- I'm Ren. MacCormack. - Nice to meet you. Let me see this.
Literature and Composition. That's this way. Follow me.
People give you shit about that tie yet?
- Nah, but the dayjust started. - First group, on your mark...
Keep that head down! Head down!
I'm gonna smoke your butt, man.
- You think so? - I know so. Your butt's getting smoked.
Come on, Willard!
Go get your water.
Don't gulp it down!
Warm it up in your mouth.
Two swallows, hit them monkey bars.
- You're looking flushed, Willard. - My cheeks are naturally ruddy, man.
Ren, this is Woody, our team captain. You don't gotta salute him.
- What's up, man? Nice to meet you. - How's it going?
Last year, varsity made it to regional. They bussed us down to Alabama.
The excitement never stops.
- You haven't been overseas? - I've been to Alabama, if that counts.
No. It doesn't.
I went to Russia two years ago with my gymnastics team.
It's kind of a sister city thing with Moscow.
Yeah, Russia... I don't know if I dig that. It sounds kind of boring.
Do you know anything about Russian girls?
I know they range from bearded to drop-dead beautiful.
Yeah? Well, I can vouch for the beautiful ones.
Two girls from the Russian team
snuck me out of my dorm room late night. They didn't have beards.
- They were smoking. - What were they smoking?
Oh, you mean, like, smokin' hot. I'm sorry. Continue.
So we go to this club. The music's banging. It's pitch black.
I couldn't see shit, just hot two girls drenched in sweat all over me.
- We danced all night. - Great. What'd you guys do after?
Oh, come on. Look, down in the South, you can't start a story
about a threesome and not finish it.
Come on.
It goes without saying, these girls are flexible.
They take me into a bathroom stall. One shoves her tongue down my throat,
the other one's on top. This girl's a champion pommel horse gymnast.
I'm talking killer upper body strength. Banging.
She's scratching my back, she's tearing my clothes off.
And her friend's whispering in my ear, "Hernnya".
- Her... - Hernnya.
- Yeah.
- What does that mean? - It's Russian for "bullshit".
Why would she say that?
- 'Cause you're bullshitting me? - Yup. Yeah.
But we did dance, man.
We danced our asses off.
That ain't right.
You ever work at a gin before? You know about a bale press?
I don't know. I've never seen one.
- Where are you from? - Boston, Mass.
Did they teach you anything useful up north?
Just enough to get by. I'm hoping y'all can teach me the three R's.
Three R's?
Yeah, you know... reading, writing, redneckery.
People are giving you a hard time, I can see that.
You're young, you're from out of town and you're a smart aleck.
Can you start Thursday?
Yeah. Yes, sir!
I'll teach you to read and write,
but you're on your own when it comes to redneckery.
Yeah. Give it a little bit of gas.
Yeah, that sounds good. Cut it.
What's the deal with the preacher's daughter? She worth all that attitude?
I hear, back in the day, she used to be a goody two-shoes.
Now she fronts like she some hellraiser. Wearing her jeans tight and everything.
You could put a quarter in that girl's back pocket
and tell if it's heads or tails.
Why? You're trying to knock boots with her, aren't you?
- No. - Yes, you are. He is.
I'm just curious. I ain't trying to bang her or take her ballroom dancing.
Well, that'd be pretty hard, being that that's against the law.
What? Banging a preacher's daughter?
No, public dancing's against the law if you're under 18.
Shut up.
Wait, wait, wait. Jump back.
Are you kidding me? Dancing is against the law?
Yeah, man. We got laws up the poop chute around here.
I can't even bring a bandana to school, because they think I'm in a gang.
If my face gets sweaty, I gotta use the back of my hand.
Let me tell you something, this country was built on bandanas.
So you're telling me Bomont High doesn't have a prom.
Well, you know... They got the Fall Ball, right?
OK. So, all the churches get together and put it on.
The whole town shows up and everybody's eyes are on you
to make sure you're dancing at least six inches away from your girl.
You gotta add another two inches for me.
And, for one song, they make you... They make you dance with your mother.
I mean, talk about a boner killer.
And the schools don't wanna have dances on their property.
They... They say they don't want to be held liable.
They don't want to be held liable for what?
Five seniors died in a car crash coming home from a dance,
and that's when the whole town went crazy.
They started blaming it on the liquor, the music, the dancing.
After a while everybody started thinking dancing was a sin.
But we're talking about the law, right? Not heaven and hell?
Yeah, take that up with Reverend Moore. I'm a machine, I'm a machine.
Hey, what's up, dude?
Hey, Woody, what's up, man?
Hey, how you doing?
- MacCormack. - How you doing, buddy?
- Good, man. You hungry? - Yeah. What's good here?
We got nachos, hot dogs, hamburgers.
Frito pie, all the way.
And if you're a real man? You'll eat that jalapeño.
- Get your fingers out of my pie! - What about that guy?
You don't know where his finger's been.
Woody! Check the door, man. Cop still here?
Five-O getting his move on.
- What you got for me, Uncle Claude? - David Banner.
Bootleg. Don't get too krunk out there.
First sign of the police, I'm gonna pull the plug.
I don't wanna get a fine, and you don't wanna get another ticket.
- Wait. You got a ticket for dancing? - He got two tickets for dancing.
One more and he's off the team.
All right. Let's get this party started! It's on!
- No cops. Let's get it, come on! - Let's get it started!
Yo! It's showtime!
- It's clear! - Let's go!
Back it up, back it up, move out.
Whoa.
- Woody! - Woody!
Whoa!
Now that's what I'm talkin' about. That's a beautiful thing!
Does that turn you on? Girls acting like hussies?
It don't suck.
Oh, now, come on.
Yeah, dude. They... they get into it.
Hey, you. Let's go.
Come on, let's dance.
- Come on! - I'm good. I don't dance.
You go have fun.
Me and my boys are going to push everybody back.
Let me see you do that city boy thing.
C'mon! Get it!
Oh, dang. Oh, dang.
Claude! Reverend Moore's out front, man.
Oh, shit.
You want me to step in on this?
What, you can't keep up?
You can put on a show for that guy. Doesn't mean I'm gonna.
Attention, attention. Ariel Moore,
will you please come up to the front of the diner.
Your daddy is here for you.
She's busted!
Show's over.
You mother was afraid you didn't have any money. She said you'd be here.
Daddy, it's not a big deal. We were just messing around.
I think it would be best if you came home with me.
Right now.
Daddy gonna take her out to the woodshed.
What the hell does that mean?
It means she's in deep shit.
- Hey, honey. You're home early. - Yeah.
Did you have fun?
- Just breaking the law, Momma. - Ariel. We have not finished talking.
Ariel!
Why do you think you're above serving your penalty in Saturday School?
I don't think I'm above anyone, sir. I was just unaware that...
Hey, Eddie? Eddie?
He has a job on Saturdays over at Andy's cotton gin.
Wes. Call me "Judge", would you?
- And take your hat off. - OK, Judge Eddie.
Could you show a little mercy here? He was playing his music too loud.
About as loud as you used to play Lynyrd Skynyrd
in that old Impala me and you used to roll in.
Remember that... Judge?
You'll have Andy verify his employment?
- Now hold on... - Yes I will!
- Can I go back to the car lot now? - Sentence suspended.
Oh, man. Son, you're lucky.
Not everyone's got this town on lockdown like I do.
Oh, yeah? Since you and the judge are so buddy-buddy,
maybe you can have him explain this whole ban-on-dance thing to me.
Whatever happened to separation of church and state?
What's church got to do with it?
It seems to have everything to do with everything around here.
Let me ask you a question.
If there's a football game Sunday and you want to buy a beer, can you?
- You can't buy beer on Sundays. - And why not?
'Cause of church.
You can in Boston, why not in Bomont?
Look. Sunday is God's day.
If you want to drink beer on God's day, you need to buy it on beer's day,
which is Saturday.
It's right there in the Bible, if you don't believe me.
Separation of God and beer.
And if God said it, I believe it. That settles it! Now shut up.
Hey, MacCormack.
Hey, what's up... Ariel?
Chuck Cranston wants to see you at his daddy's racetrack tomorrow.
- Be there at two o'clock. - OK. What happens at two o'clock?
- Show up and find out. - And what if I don't?
- You're gonna miss all the fun. - How come he sent you to tell me?
I volunteered.
If that shithog tries anything, I'm gonna pound him.
- No fighting, Willard. - No promises, Rusty.
You guys, keep the smoke away from her now. Her daddy smells that,
- he'll never let her hang out again. - High school field trip's here.
Twinkle toes.
Watching you the other night, that was real entertaining.
We thought we'd invite you out here. Maybe you could put on a show for us.
Chuck, didn't you hear? He's real into gymnastics.
Gymnastics.
Well... I thought only fags were into gymnastics.
I thought only assholes still used the word "fag".
Touché.
Why don't you...
...try dancing with this?
Now... we race these buses every weekend at the Derby Mash-up.
We race them in a figure eight, just like this.
Two things you gotta worry about. Your corners, and your intersection.
You fall behind, you're gonna get hit by the leader.
You pull ahead, you just might get slammed by the guy in last place.
What do you say, city boy? Ready to race?
I drove one of these at a pep rally one time... it ain't easy.
All right? If she flips over, crawl out the side window.
If it catches on fire, jump out of it.
- Keep loose. - Pump your brakes with your foot.
Pump the brakes. Tell him.
- I just told him. - Cool. Pump them brakes.
- All right, man. Good luck. - Whoa, whoa! Guys, guys.
This is pretty dangerous, right? We could get killed?
We? What's this "we", white boy? Crazy. We? Like I'd get my black ass up there.
What'd I get myself into?
How do, all you pissants? Welcome to the Cranston Motor Speedway!
Whoa, baby! You OK? You kinda had a lot to smoke.
Don't be tellin' me when I've had enough.
Looks like a lovely day for a bus...
I didn't say you had enough. I just said you had a lot.
If you want to lecture somebody, go tell Sweet Buns to start his engine.
We got one practise lap before the green flag drops, folks.
It's a three-lap race to the finish line, or the last man standing.
Gentlemen, start your engines!
Let's go!
We've got home-grown hero Chuck Cranston in Burn in Hell.
You're in my world now, boy!
On the outside, we've got the new kid racing in the Fun Zone, Ren MacCormack.
Go, Fun Zone!
Caroline and Russell are in the back of the pack, y'all.
Hey! Where's the green flag?
- Improvise. - Now we're coming into turn four,
- getting ready for the green flag. - Oh, yeah!
Preacher's daughter, my ass, baby!
Green flag, green flag, green flag! And... Go!
Come on, Ren! Go!
- Go, Ren! C'mon! - Let's go!
They're coming around turn number one. Fun Zone is loose around the corner.
Hang in there! Hang in there!
Chuck Cranston takes the lead, with Russell on his ass.
Caroline and MacCormack are door to door, they're battling for third place!
You want a little smooch?
She is tearing him up!
Coming out of turn four.
Here they come, headed straight for the intersection!
- Pump the brakes! - Somebody better stop.
Somebody better do something!
- Watch out, baby! - Shit!
- Caroline is into the wall! - Sorry, girl.
Russell! You damn son of a bitch!
Russell and MacCormack are duking it out for second place.
Shit!
We got fireworks! God bless America!
And I'm on fire.
Chuck Cranston holds the lead with one lap to go!
Getting lonely up here!
Oh, we've got us a regular Mexican standoff, folks.
Don't you play chicken with me, boy.
Who's gonna back down? Who's gonna back down?
Somebody's got to back down.
- Oh, what the hell. - No, no, no! Damn it!
Chuck is down! MacCormack takes the lead!
Yeah!
Fire! He's on fire!
Damn it!
- I got no brakes! - Run! Hurry!
We're coming for you, Ren! Hold on!
Oh, my God!
Hey man, did you know your bus is on fire?
- Yeah, no shit! - Stop this bus!
- Pump the brakes! - The gas pedal is stuck!
- Do something! - Abandon bus!
Abandon bus! We need to get off this bus!
Ren, you gotta get off, man!
Yes, sir! Get some! Fire it up!
- You OK, baby? - Oh, my God!
Get some!
That was awesome! Let's do that again! Yes!
Hey, man. Chuck's pretty sore about losing that race.
I mean, you blew up the man's bus, dude.
Yeah... Bomont blows, dude.
I don't have to tell you, though, do I?
Yeah. I've been to Chicago. St. Louis.
Been up to some of them clubs in New York City. I been around.
- Just like you, man. - Oh, yeah?
Yeah.
Hey.
You get high? 'Cause I do... every damn day.
If you want, you and I can go burn one right after school.
You know, city mouse, country mouse...
Blazing!
What makes you think I'm anything like you?
Hold on a second.
This is what we call a take-homer. You need anything else?
- I don't want this. - It's cool. It's cool.
No, it's not cool. Take this...
We can go down to the railroad tracks and chief one now.
- No, seriously, take this. - Hey!
- What is that? - What's what?
In your hand. Let me see it.
Young man. Hey!
Hey! Stop! Hey! Stop, stop!
Hey! Stop!
Open the door!
Open!
I will not tolerate it, Ren. Not in my school.
So what have you gotta say for yourself?
What do I have to say? I was on the gymnastics team for three years.
Got drug tested all the time. If I smoked weed, I'd be off the team.
- He had a joint... - You know what one looks like?
Were you going to smoke it or sell it?
Mr. Parker says you were with Rich Sawyer when this went down.
- I don't even know that prick. - Hey! Language.
Ren, level with me.
Was it Rich's joint? You can tell me.
I don't do drugs.
You can test me. And when it comes out clean,
I want this guy investigated for barging into the bathroom stall with me.
That's gross.
Well. Since we don't have the evidence,
I'm going to let you off with a warning this time.
But Ren, listen to me, you have to understand something.
You see, life is not some big party.
I don't care what the rap music people say, marijuana is just wrong.
Son, listen to me.
Ren, I knew your momma.
That's right. I knew Sandy.
She had a wild spark, just like you.
Running off up north, trying to live the high life might have been fun,
but it also led her into getting into some kind of...
- ... unexpected trouble. - Unexpected trouble.
I'm thinking when you say "unexpected trouble", you're talking about me.
Right? Right?
Look, believe me, don't believe me. Suspend me, arrest me. I don't care.
But you do me one favour, all right?
Never talk to me about my mother again. You understand?
Hey!
Let him go.
Hey, MacCormack.
What's the rush?
Dude, you trying to ignore me or something?
I'm doing the best that I can!
Massachusetts, huh?
You got that music's cranked pretty loud, Mr. MacCormack.
"You got that music cranked pretty loud, Mr. MacCormack. "
Yeah! No shit, Barney Fife!
Watch that attitude, son.
Try being a cop in Boston, you huckleberry!
- I will not tolerate it, Ren. - Shut up! I'm talking!
Not in my school.
Mr. Dunbar. Mr. Douchebag! Mr. Dumb-Ass.
With your righteousness and your little vest.
Stop trying to act like you know me!
Don't act like you know me. Don't try and act like you know my mother!
You don't know the pain she went through every day.
You don't know shit! You don't know shit!
- What are you doing here? - What are you doing here?
- Well, I thought I was alone. - Not in this town, you're not.
There are eyes everywhere.
- So what was all that? - What was all what?
All that.
I was just letting off some steam, I'm sure you got your own wicked ways.
You think I'm a slut or something?
I think you've been kissed a lot.
- Where's lugnut? - You mean Chuck?
He doesn't own me. I know he acts like he does, but he doesn't.
You want to see something?
Everybody calls it the yearbook.
I don't know when it started, maybe 10 years ago or so.
- What is all this? - Some are songs. Lyrics.
Quotes from books.
Poems. Music we're not supposed to listen to.
- What do people do? Just hang out? - Yeah.
And other stuff.
You think I'm small town, huh?
I think Bomont is a small town.
You think? Try living here your whole life.
But that's all gonna change.
I've applied to colleges.
Hell, I've applied to colleges my daddy don't even know about.
Nobody wants to see Bomont in their rear-view more than me.
You want to kiss me?
Someday.
What's this "someday" shit?
You want to drop down and tumble right here? OK.
You know that sweat's gonna dry and you're still gonna feel like shit.
That's for Chuck.
Not me.
Did you hear that?
Come on, hurry!
Where are you going?
Sometimes, after football games...
...we all come out here and when the train passes,
we just make out like crazy.
Or...
...we just play chicken.
So, you're just going to let the train hit you?
Maybe.
All right, stop fooling around.
OK, get off the track.
Ariel! Get off the track!
How can I impose a curfew on the young people of my congregation
if I can't enforce it in my own home?
Have you been drinking?
I haven't been smoking, drinking, dancing,
reading books I'm not supposed to. I'm just late.
Who brought you home just now?
Ren MacCormack.
I don't want you to see that boy again.
- Why? - Because I've heard he's trouble.
Trouble? Well, man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.
Job 14:1. You know, from the Bible?
Your behaviour has been atrocious, young lady,
and it seems to have started when Ren MacCormack came to town.
Trust me, Daddy. Ren's the least of your worries.
Let's get some city life in you.
Good night! This place is gigantic!
Yeah. It's bigger than Bomont.
Hey. I'm gonna get something to drink. You go out there and shake it.
- Let go! - I wanna shake it with you.
- Dance with me. - Nah, I'm good. I'll watch you guys.
- You do this to me every time. - I'm fine. I'm gonna drink.
Go out there and dance. Have fun.
- Hey. Just go dance with her. - Willard!
What's the matter with you, huh?
We drove two hours to get here. You're just gonna stand around and mope?
I don't dance. All right? I don't dance.
I can't dance.
At all.
But it's country line dancing. It's a white man's wet dream.
Come on.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
- Excuse me, miss? - Y'all need to learn some new moves?
Shit-howdy! You drop me at day care while you go dance with them girls!
Just learn a box step or two and meet us out there.
- I got faith in you. - Yeah.
- Just fall on in. - All right.
Maybe I should get my drink on first.
You got girls walking around with Jäger shots between their boobies?
No sir, we don't have that here.
Well, you should.
One, two, three. Good, guys.
- One, two, three... - Stupid.
- Come on, Willard! It's fun! - I don't drink and dance.
So you're gonna stand around like a dork the whole night?
I'd rather be a dork than a dancing dork. Yeah.
Whoa.
Hey, I got hat hair. Come on.
Hey!
She likes to dance.
Yeah!
Hey, shitkicker, that's my girl you're groping!
Willard, we're just dancing.
Why are you dancing with another man when you're wearing my hat?
OK, that is disrespectful.
Look, nelly, why don't you go babysit this girl's purse and fetch me a beer.
Got a better idea. Why don't I kick your teeth in and grin while I'm doing it?
Willard, no fighting. You don't even know this guy.
I'll tell you what. If he can count this high,
I'll give you to the count of three to get out of my face, man! One!
Willard!
Come on, darlin'. Party with a real man and ditch this hayseed.
Animal!
- It just happened so fast... - You got knocked out.
I just remember politely asking him, "Hey, get off of my girl. "
This bridge gives me the creeps.
- Willard! - Sorry.
- What? - This is Crosby Bridge.
You know that photo in school?
The one with the teenagers that all got killed.
This is where it happened.
My brother was driving them home.
They lost control and they went head on into a truck.
They were seniors. Two of them were all-state, Ronnie Jamison and...
And my brother. Bobby.
You would've liked him.
I looked up to him.
He was my hero.
But now every time I think about him, I just think about this bridge.
Four doors, you got a Mazda, a Nissan, a Cadillac.
Low mileage, really good shape. Excuse me for one moment.
Hey, Reverend!
Good afternoon.
Hey, you need your oil changed on that Crown Vic?
No, Wes. I'm not here about my car. I'm here about my daughter.
OK.
Charlie, I need you to show Katelin the Cadillac, buddy.
- All right. - All right?
- Right this way. - You want to sit down?
Wes, I know your nephew is new in town.
Now I understand that everybody needs a friend,
but I am not comfortable with Ren pursuing Ariel.
Pursuing?
Yeah. You have two little girls of your own,
and I think you should understand where I'm coming from here, Wes.
- I mean, as a father. - No, I don't believe that I do.
Why don't you tell me what Ren did exactly?
Well, I hear he's been having trouble at school.
Trouble with drugs.
Drugs.
Where'd you hear that? From Roger? That guy's a bully.
And I'm not just saying that 'cause he wants me to take down my sign.
It doesn't matter where I heard it, Wes.
I don't want that kind of influence around my daughter.
Influence, huh?
Reverend, have you ever seen anybody die from leukaemia?
It's slow and ugly,
and that boy had to watch his momma go all the way through it. Alone.
His daddy was a deadbeat. Never lifted a finger to help.
When she got sick, he bolted. It was Ren who took care of her.
Now, you may think that Ren isn't good enough for your daughter,
but, Reverend, I could argue it's the other way around.
Well...
I just wanted to make myself clear.
See you in church.
I don't believe this town.
I bring Ariel home past her curfew,
and Reverend Moore is all up in my uncle's grill, making threats.
Yeah. Well, you know what it is? You got an attitude problem.
- I got an attitude problem? - Yeah, you got an attitude problem.
Every chance you get, you're bad-mouthing this town.
We're small-time, but we got satellites and cell phones like everyone else.
- We're making some progress. - Don't talk to me about progress.
I've been here two months and haven't seen one wet T-shirt contest.
Oh, I know. I don't know what's up with that.
- That's not me. - Probably some stupid law against it.
I tell you what. You get a petition for that, I'd sign it.
Because if we can't have braless, wet women here in Bomont,
- the terrorists win. - That's not a bad idea.
We could start our own petition.
Challenge the law against public dancing.
Why not? Then we can just organise our own dance.
I'm not talking about some drunken kegger or free-for-all orgy.
That right there? That's an idea!
I'm talking about a formal, respectable dance.
One that's not held in the church, with everyone's eyes on you.
You could have it in the Bomont lockup.
'Cause what you're talking about is against the law.
Let me tell you something about the law. It's meant to be challenged.
- Nothing's set in stone. - Ten Commandments were.
- What's your smart-aleck reply to that? - My smart-aleck reply?
Hey! C'mon, man! Hey!
Stop! You want that wet T-shirt contest, come and get it!
The price of a dog license will go from 10 dollars to 15 dollars.
A licensed pet is a happy one.
All right. Well, theyjust finished.
If you was gonna make your move, this is when you do it.
It is at this time we will take any new business or concerns.
Come down to the podium, state your name and address. Anyone?
This meeting is adjourned!
So anyway, Elinor was saying we hadn't had you and Vi over
for Sunday brunch in quite a while.
- If you wanna get together... - That'd be great.
Reverend Moore! It's Ren MacCormack. Wesley's nephew?
Yes, Ren. I know who you are.
Yeah, well I figured you did. Wes told me you two had a talk.
There was a conversation between your uncle and myself,
but it wasn't meant for your ears.
There's a lot of that going on in this town. It's like that saying.
- The one about children? How's it go? - That they're better seen than heard?
Yeah. Well, I just wanted to let you know I'm starting a petition
to challenge the ordinance prohibiting public dancing.
I just wanted to make sure my intentions were clear.
Well... Good day, Ren.
- Showdown with the preacher man! - You got balls the size of coconuts.
Listen to me, you corn-fed hick.
If I got to stand up in front of the city council and make my case,
y'all gonna learn how to dance.
You're not gonna tell anyone about this?
No, I'm not gonna tell.
- I'm serious. - I promise. Just follow the girls.
They know what they're doing, and you don't.
- Woody, anyone on the football team? - Nobody will know.
Everybody will know.
...three, four. One, two, three, four.
Come on, man, you got to commit.
- Come on, commit to the move. - Don't mess around. Focus.
- Just do it. - Shake it.
There you go, there you go.
- Feel it. - Show me what you got.
Good, good. More hips.
- Less hips. Less hips. - A little less.
And we're jumping. And we're jumping.
Yeah!
He's getting it a little bit.
Jump, jump.
C'mon, just bounce, Willard.
Get gangsta with it. Just bounce. Gangsters don't dance, we bounce.
Come on, Willard, get gangsta.
Hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey, hey.
Hey! What's up, man? You want some?! Come get some!
Hey, we were just dancing, man.
- Can I help you with something? - You guys got city records down here?
Like local ordinances? Anything like that?
What do you want with those?
I wanna read them. Isn't that what you do in libraries other than get stoned?
Let's move that ball down the field! Now!
Two! Forty-two!
Willard! What the hell are you doing, boy?
Give me two laps right now. You move it! Now!
Yeah! C'mon!
Go, Willard! Go, Willard!
Go, Willard! Go Willard!
Nice.
Hey. Was that a three-pointer or a two?
That was a no-pointer.
Getting names on this petition is one thing,
but trying to write this speech...
I'm just having a hard time with it.
I saw you enlisted my daughters in your campaign.
- I'm sorry about that. - No. No need to apologise.
I think this family could use a little activism.
What about Uncky Wes? He seems a little worried.
Well...
Wesley, he is a car salesman trying to sell cars in the middle of a recession.
So he's all about worry.
Why is this dance so important?
When my dad left... I wasn't really surprised. You know?
I never really felt like I could depend on the guy anyways.
It was just me and Mom, you know?
She was the strong one.
And then she got sick, and it was my turn to be strong.
I thought if I worked really hard, and listened to the doctors
and did everything they told me to do, maybe we could turn it around.
Maybe she'd get better.
But she didn't.
All that hard work, I couldn't change anything.
But with this... I'm thinking I could do something.
I could do something for myself this time,
and maybe have a shot at making a change.
You know? That's all I want... is a shot.
Otherwise, I'm just going to disappear, like everyone else.
Can I see that petition, please?
You got my vote, Ren MacCormack.
Your momma would be proud.
Aren't you gonna say anything?
Well, you ain't telling me anything I don't already know.
I got eyes and ears. Yeah.
Well, I thought I should tell you myself.
Yeah.
First you're into racecar drivers, now you're into dancing gymnasts?
You crack me up.
You know, I seen the way you've been looking at him.
Just waiting for the right moment to dumb down,
and wrap those skinny little legs around him.
I'm so sick of you treating me like dirt!
Hey.
Is that what I've been doing?
Just treating you like another pit-row hussy, we screw on the weekends?
I thought that's what you came here to be.
You know what?
Being a preacher's daughter don't give you a free pass on acting like a slut.
Ariel...
You walk your ass back home to Daddy!
I treated you decent! Better than you deserve!
I don't need this shit.
I was about done with you anyway!
You son of a bitch!
Stop! Stop! What are...
Crazy bitch!
Don't touch me!
Vi's in there with her.
You're OK, baby. Just don't worry, my angel.
That son of a bitch.
Careful, Daddy, you're in church.
Look at me. Look at me.
Look at me.
Did Ren MacCormack do this to you?
- Answer me! - Let's keep calm.
- We don't even know what happened. - Our daughter has been assaulted, Vi.
I'm calling the police. I want him in handcuffs.
I can see how that works for you, just blame everything on Ren.
Just like you blamed everything on Bobby.
What?
Bobby spent his whole life trying to make you proud.
He made good grades.
He went to church every Sunday,
and God help him because he made one mistake?
Now nobody remembers the good things about Bobby,
all they remember is that damn accident!
Why don't we have a school dance? It's because of Bobby!
Why do we have this stupid curfew? Because of Bobby!
Bobby's to blame for all this bullshit!
Lower your voice, talk in a civil tone.
- Let's not do this here. - Why? Isn't this my church? Isn't it?!
Isn't this where we're supposed to talk about our problems?
It's been three damn years, so why don't we start talking?!
I have been so lost.
I've been losing my mind.
And you don't even see it! You don't even care.
Of course I care.
Of course we care.
We don't expect you to understand everything we do
that's intended to keep you safe.
Stop it! I hate it when you treat me like I'm a child.
Well, whether you like it or not, you are my child!
I'm not even a virgin!
Please... Please don't talk like that in here.
What are you going to do? Pass another law?
'Cause that sure as hell didn't keep him out of my panties!
Shaw!
Well, let's go get that guy that blackened my eye,
'cause we don't hit girls in Bomont, do we Daddy?
Ariel, please.
- Please, I didn't mean to! - No, you stay here.
You've done enough.
- Where is she? - She's staying at Rusty's.
I don't know what came over me. I've never hit anybody in my life...
That's where you two are alike.
You deal with your pain in extremes.
I understand what you were trying to do.
You were trying to hold this town together and protect our children.
But these laws, they were too much, too soon.
There were other kids who lost their lives.
- I felt like I had an obligation to... - Your obligation was to our daughter.
I have been a minister's wife for 21 years now.
I have been supportive.
I've been silent.
I still think you are a wonderful preacher.
But it is the one-on-one where you could use a little work.
Your old man's wrong about a lot, but tossing Chuck in jail sounds good to me.
I just want this whole thing behind me.
I got you something.
A Bible?
It's not just any Bible. It's mine. I've had it since I was seven.
I marked a few pages. Thought it might help going up against the city council.
This is great.
Really.
You said that you might kiss me someday.
I did.
You think that someday could be today?
Hey. What's your secret plan? Get up there and boogie?
Yeah, I wish it were that easy.
This meeting will now come to order. But, before we begin,
I would like to remind all you kids that we are conducting an official meeting.
Official town business. That means no disturbances will be tolerated.
The floor is now open.
My name is Ren MacCormack.
And I want to move, on behalf of most of the senior class of Bomont High,
that the law against public dancing within the town limits of Bomont
- be abolished. - Yeah!
You will not be warned again.
Roger, if I may address Mr. MacCormack on this matter.
Please do.
Ren, besides the liquor, and the drugs
and the lewd behaviour that seems to always accompany
these types of unsupervised events, the thing that really
distresses me the most, more than any of that,
is the spiritual corruption.
These dances, this music,
it does distort young people's attitudes.
You might find it funny, but I firmly believe that
dancing can be destructive.
And celebrating certain types of music can be destructive.
And I think you're going to find that
most of the people in this community are going to agree with me.
I believe a vote is in order on this motion.
- All those opposed, please... - Excuse me.
I still got something to say on this issue...
- I thought Ren had the floor here. - This meeting will come to order.
- That's not right! - Mr. MacCormack.
I have been more than patient with your intrusions.
I would like to remind you that we speak for this town because we are from here.
Excuse me, Mr. Dunbar.
For you to come into this council chamber and question our motives...
Roger! Stop it!
I think Mr. MacCormack has a right to be heard.
I wasn't here three years ago, when tragedy struck this town.
And I know it's not my place to mourn the lives that were lost
because I didn't know them.
But it doesn't mean that I don't think about them every day.
Like a lot of students at Bomont,
I see those pictures every day at school.
And each time I see their faces, I think of how precious life is
and how quickly it can be taken from us.
I know this firsthand... in my own way.
And three years ago, nearly a dozen laws were introduced
to this council in order to protect the children of Bomont.
And most of these laws, I can see, as a parent, how they make sense to you.
But my right to dance...
...when I want, where I want,
and how I want is a right that you cannot take away.
It is mine.
See, we don't have that much time left.
All us teenagers, pretty soon we're gonna be just like you.
We're gonna have jobs and bills and families.
And we're gonna have to worry about our own children
because that is the job of a parent.
To worry. I get that.
But ours, as teenagers, is to live.
To play our music way too loud and to act like idiots.
And to make mistakes.
Aren't we told in Psalm 149...
..."Praise the Lord.
Sing unto the Lord a new song.
And let them praise His name in the dance. "
Now if anybody else brought their Bible, like I did,
will you please turn it to the Book of Samuel, 6:14.
"David... David danced before the Lord
with all his might, leaping and dancing before the Lord. "
Celebrating his love of God and celebrating his love of life.
With what? With dancing!
That's all we're doing here.
Ecclesiastes assures us, "There is a time for each purpose under heaven.
There's a time to weep.
There's a time to mourn.
And there is a time to dance. "
And this is our time.
There was once a time for that law, but not any more.
Thank you.
Thanks, Chris.
You know you was railroaded.
Shaw Moore walked into that meeting with those votes already in his pocket.
You didn't have a prayer.
- So what happens now? - Nothing. It's over.
What if it's not?
What if you had your dance in Bayson?
The point was to have it in Bomont. What's Bayson, like 30 miles away?
No. You're standing in it. Come here.
You see that water tower? That's in Bomont. Everything east is in Bayson.
That means the cotton gin.
Now, I figure that if the Bomont fire trucks can't come
this far east, neither can the long arm of the law.
What about the long arm of Reverend Moore?
Well, try to convince him it won't be a spiritual corruption.
Maybe he'll think about it.
And the disciples came to Jesus and said,
"Master, why is it that we can't do such things?"
And Jesus said, "It's because you have little faith.
If you even had the faith of a tiny mustard seed,
you can say to the tallest mountain, 'Move from here to there'
and it will move. For with faith, anything... "
Who's there?
It's me. It's Ren MacCormack.
Ren.
I thought you were someone else.
My son used to sit there when I would practise my sermons,
- and I... - Yeah, with me it's grocery stores.
Excuse me?
There's always so many mothers at grocery stores.
You get enough of them calling after their kids and pretty soon,
you know, one of them starts to sound like your own mom.
Sometimes I think I can really hear her.
Sit down.
My boy, Bobby, was taken from us so suddenly, and...
I can't remember the last thing I said to him.
Well, it ain't so easy with time, either.
With my mother, I always thought there'd be this day where we got to
say our good-byes.
But, you know, death...
...death is on its own clock.
Yes... it is.
Look, I know you and the council voted against us having this dance,
but it's not gonna stop it from happening.
Andy Beamis gave us permission to use his place.
And with your permission...
...sir.
I would like to take Ariel to the dance.
Now I promise you,
I would never, ever do anything to hurt her or disrespect her.
And I sure as hell won't let anybody else.
I didn't mean to swear in your church. I'm sorry.
Wouldn't be the first time.
The dance means a lot to me. I mean, you know that.
But your daughter... she means more.
And if you don't let her go, I'm not gonna go.
I know you got to do what you got to do.
Well, thank you for...
Thank you.
I'm standing before you today with a troubled heart.
I've insisted on taking responsibility for your lives.
But I'm really...
...just like a first-time parent
who makes mistakes, and learns as he goes along.
And, like that parent,
I find myself at that moment when I have to decide...
...do I hold on or do I trust you to yourselves?
Do I let go and hope that you've understood my lessons?
If we don't start trusting our children...
...how will they ever become trustworthy?
I'm told that the senior class at Bomont High School
has secured the use of a warehouse in nearby Bayson for a senior dance.
Please join me in keeping them in our prayers...
...that our Lord will guide them in their endeavours.
Now, if you will turn to your hymnals...
- ... page 472. - See? Who said there's no miracles?
"Just As I Am Thine Own To Be. "
- Willard, look in there. - What is this?
- Grab hold. - Grab hold. All right, let's lift!
C'mon, c'mon...
You look stunning!
Really? Is it OK, though? I mean, it's not too simple, right?
Oh, baby, simple elegance is something to strive for.
Well, you can't go to a prom without a corsage.
Oh, my gosh. Mom! It's beautiful.
- You didn't have to do that. - I didn't.
No red boots?
Not tonight.
- Can you help me pin this? - Sure.
It's not that kind of corsage. It goes on your wrist.
You have no idea how hard it is for me to let you walk out that door.
I just want what every parent wants. I want my kids to come home safe.
I know it's been hard on you.
And I know I haven't made it any easier.
I just don't want you to be disappointed in me any more.
No. You are my angel.
And I will always love you.
Hey, Daddy, guess what?
We're dancing.
I was going to come up and...
What? What's the matter?
You look beautiful.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
Come here.
Shaw, come over here. You've got to see them. They look wonderful!
- They're gonna think that we're spying. - We are spying. Come here!
Let me get the door for you.
Ren, it's OK. I can go through your door.
Hold on, I gotta kick it from the other side.
Ren, stop.
Come here.
- Won't you give me a hand? - Yes.
- You OK? - I'm good.
OK.
That was smooth.
Good job, Ariel.
Hey. C'mon.
Hey, Woody. By the looks of it, I'd say our offensive line has no backbone.
You should move your team down the field, captain. Come on.
Come on.
Huddle up. Come on. Y'all see them women over there?
They ain't looking for a first down, or a touchdown.
They're looking for some men to take charge and ask them to dance.
Y'all gonna ride the bench or are you gonna man up?
Come on, now. Hands in.
- Break! - Straighten up, boy!
- Here you go, my lady. - Thank you.
When you said you were gonna wear a cowboy hat,
I didn't know how I'd feel about it.
Now that you've seen me in it, what's the verdict?
You're sexier than socks on a rooster.
That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me.
I mean it, stud.
Cute.
Remember, you promised.
No fighting.
- Willard. Don't you look pretty. - What can I do for you tonight, Chuck?
We got some business to take care of with our friend MacCormack.
Let's be cool, no fights tonight, all right?
I get it. No fighting.
Willard! Are you OK? Let go of me!
Shut him up.
- MacCormack! Get on out here, boy! - Willard!
What do you want me to do? They started this!
Then kill the sons of bitches!
Russell, handle that now! Come on!
Hey, Chuck!
Hey, Yankee Doodle. Why don't you come on down and get your ass kicked.
You're real tough when it's four to one.
Rusty! Get your hands off of her!
You freak, don't you ever touch her like that! Ever!
You like that?
You want some more!
Yeah! Go, Dogs!
You want to take me?
Yeah, run away like a little bitch!
You wanna dance, boy?
The race is over, Chuck.
- Ren, Ren, watch out! - Play fair, punk!
Thanks to Mr. Beamis.
How about a little less boxing and a little more boogie?
- It feels like a morgue in there! - I'm on it.
- You OK? - Yeah. Are you OK?
Yeah. My little brawler. You look beautiful, come on!
Thank you. I kicked his ass!
Hey! I thought this was a party!
Let's dance!
- I need you to hold myjacket. - What are you doing?
Back up, sweetheart.
I don't know how big this is going to get.