Grand Canyon (1991) Movie Script
Yes!
Whoa!
You know what
your problem is?
You're always
talking about "X,"
but thinking
about "Y."
Learn to talk
about "Y."
Forget about "X."
"X" is going to take
care of itself.
What are you
talking about?
Hear yourself. Listen to
what you're really saying
and to what you
think you're saying.
When are you going to realize
nothing can be controlled?
We live in chaos,
a central issue
in everyone's life.
Mack, look around you.
Everyone in this parking lot
is struggling for control.
You know what it is
they're trying to control,
each and
every one of them?
Fear.
They're trying
to control their fear.
Thanks for
the game, Davis.
You're my best friend.
This is important.
Let's talk tomorrow.
Good night, Mack.
Good night, Vanessa.
I have more to say
about this.
Vanessa, why is it
when someone's successful
in one field,
they think they know
about everything?
Drive carefully.
/ went home
with the waitress
The way / always do
How was / to know
She was with
the Russians, too?
/ was gambling
in Havana
/ took a little risk
Send lawyers, guns,
and money
Dad,
get me out of this
Hyah
/'m the innocent
bystander
...should be heard
on this subject.
Missiles can accomplish
at a cheaper price
and greater accuracy
and fewer casualties
the mission, that, uh,
that a pilot was
supposed to carry out
and did in
previous wars.
And the Air Force is very
resistant to changing...
Dad should be home soon.
The game just ended.
I thought
you were studying
for your English exam.
I was. I had
the game on the radio.
Oh.
Oh, um, can you pick me up
tomorrow at, uh, 4:30?
4:30,
behind the school?
I thought you
were going to get
a ride occasionally.
I try. It's just hard
to arrange to leave
at exactly the same time
with someone.
It's just hard for me
to arrange my afternoon
around picking you up.
I'm working at the
senior center tomorrow.
If you can't do it,
I can try to find a ride.
It's kind of late,
but...
thanks.
Mom, I think you
need to get organized.
And I'm hiding
in Honduras
I'm a desperate man
Send lawyers,
guns, and money
Mmm. Uh... fuck!
The shit
has hit the fan
God.
What the...
All right! All right!
Oh...
shit.
God.
Fuck! Fuck!
Fuck.
Operator 349.
What city, please?
Yeah, I need
road service
for, um, I don't know.
Let's say Inglewood.
Hello... God.
Damn!
Yeah, uh, Buckingham,
but remember it's
about a half mile, uh...
west, I guess, of there.
It should be about
a 45-minute wait.
Uh-huh. I understand,
but, see, uh,
if it takes that long,
I might be, like, dead.
You might call
the police.
The police.
Oh, shit. No, uh...
nothing's happened.
Just get the truck here
as fast as you can.
Will do, sir.
Mayday. Mayday.
We're going down.
Hey, man.
You need some
help here?
This a nice car,
mister.
This one of them
new Jap cars?
Yeah.
Yeah, you need help
or yeah, it's a Jap car?
Thanks. Uh, no.
I've already called
for the, uh, tow truck
and the police.
You called the police?
What?
On that phone, you
called all those people?
Who else you call,
your mama?
He been busy, man.
I see.
Nice car. I could use
a car with a phone.
Maybe you wants
a ride somewhere.
Want a jump start
or something?
How about a jump start?
Ooh, he nervous, y'all.
What you so nervous
about, man?
Maybe he carrying, Jim.
Maybe he's scared
we going to bust him.
Bust his ass.
Leave that
man alone!
O.K., Grandma.
Whatever, baby.
Why don't you get out
of the car, mister?
You want me to have
Jimmy take you out?
Or how about this...
Do you ever want to get
out of that car again?
Look, what do you want?
Do you want my wallet,
my watch?
It's a shitty watch.
You're welcome to it.
I want you
out of the car.
Let's get this shit
over with.
Now, motherfucker.
Which one of you
call for the truck?
Me. That was me.
Uh, this is it.
It just sort of died.
I'm the one
that called.
I guess
it was you, huh?
Yeah.
Hey, man, we was
doing fine here.
Uh, is it the battery?
Huh?
Were you stopped, and
it wouldn't start again?
Oh, no. L-It just
died on me.
We're going to have
to take it in.
You dissin' me, man?
You bet he is.
You seeing it now, man.
That's right.
That's what he's doing.
Is that right,
you dissin' me?
No, I'm not.
Nothing like it.
I'm doing a job. This
is how I make my living.
I just ride out there
and do the job.
I want it to go
as smooth as it can.
I don't like it to be
harder than it is.
Make sure you're
in neutral
and the parking brake
is off.
That's bullshit, man.
He talking bullshit.
What's goin' down?
This is fucked up.
Get in the truck.
You'll ride up with me.
Are you the one
I'm talking to?
We all decide
what goes down,
so don't fly
that shit.
Yeah, man. Fuck you!
Am I talking
to the right man?
That's what I thought.
Look, I got
to ask you a favor.
I got to ask you
to let me go my way here.
Now, this truck
is my responsibility.
Now that the car's
hooked up to it,
I'm responsible
for that, too.
Any shit comes down now,
it's my ass.
Follow me?
Do you think
I'm stupid?
Answer me that first.
Then we'll talk.
Look, I don't know
nothin' about you.
You don't know nothin'
about me.
I don't know if you're
stupid or some kinda genius,
but I do know this.
I got to get out of here,
and you got the gun.
So I'm asking you a favor
for the second time.
Let me go my way here.
I'm going to grant you
that favor,
and I'm going to expect
you remember this
if we ever meet again.
Yeah.
But first,
you got to answer
one more thing for me,
and you got
to tell me the truth.
Are you
asking me a favor
as a sign of respect,
or are you
asking me a favor
'cause I got the gun?
Man, the world ain't
supposed to work like this.
Maybe you
don't know that,
but this ain't the way
it's supposed to be.
I'm supposed to be able
to do my job
without asking you
if I can.
That dude should is supposed
to be able to wait with his car
without you
ripping him off.
Everything's supposed to be
different than what it is.
So what's your answer?
You don't have the gun,
we ain't having
this conversation.
That's what I thought.
No gun, no respect.
That's why I always
got the gun.
Thanks.
You saved my ass.
We both got lucky.
It could have gone
different.
What's going on
in the world?
This neighborhood
has gone to shit.
This country
has gone to shit.
My sister and her kids
live near here.
That was a joke, Frasier.
Oh, / forgot
/ married a madcap.
Hey, uh, listen, folks.
Nobody's interested
in your motor trip.
We're talking about
my upcoming surgery.
Now, where was /?
So you're going to
see the Grand Canyon?
Don't miss Yosemite.
Go to the alligator farm
outside Tallahassee.
Tell /var
Woody says, "hey, hey. "
Hey, Ma.
Hey, baby.
How you doing?
I'm all right.
What time is it?
11:30.
Mmm.
What's up?
What's up?
Kelley's going to be
in the Girl Scouts
next year.
Yeah?
Mm-hmm.
I have to get her
a uniform.
Ooh!
I'm going to bed.
Sleep tight, baby.
Good night, Ma.
/t was more slow time
than Showtime
earlier this season.
The Lakers were simply
out of sync.
But a stifling defense
and a return of
that patented running game
has catapulted L.A. Back
into serious contention
in the west.
They're now just a game and
a half back of the Blazers
after ending Orlando's
magical road run.
Magic was hot as they
put up everything.
Dunleavy wanted a timeout.
His team was down by 10.
Here's EarvinJohnson
missing the layup.
This is Sam Vincent
of Orlando.
Three on one, the /ceman.
Jerry Reynolds
stuffing over Teagle.
The Lakers got hot
and went on a 20-point win.
Hello?
Hello?
Hi, guys.
Mack, what's wrong?
Nothing. I'm fine.
The car died.
Where?
Near the Forum.
Oh, shit.
Roberto.
On Manchester?
No, no. Like an idiot
I took a shortcut
and got turned around.
You've never been
where I broke down.
Shit. Are you out
of there now?
Yeah. I'm at a gas station.
Good.
You're lucky you got
out with your life.
It could have been
curtains, Dad.
Roberto,
could I talk?
See you
tomorrow, Dad.
Good night, pal.
You want me
to come and get you?
Nah. If they don't finish,
I'll take a cab.
Sleep. I'll tell about
my adventure tomorrow.
Adventure?
Mack, what happened?
Are you all right?
I'm fine.
Go to bed, honey.
I love you.
Love you, too.
Bye.
You can go swimming
in the ocean every day
and be perfectly cool,
you know.
Then one day,
one particular day,
you bump into
the big shark.
The big shark
don't hate you.
He's got no feeling
for you at all.
You look
like food to him.
You don't hate
hamburger, do you, huh?
Yeah.
Those boys back there,
they ain't got
nothing to lose.
If you just happen
to be swimming along
and bump into them,
well...
It might not be
worth worrying about.
It's like being
in a plane crash.
Well,
that's comforting.
I'm glad you
brought that up.
There just seems to be
so many ways to buy it,
particularly
in this city.
I'm amazed at
the end of each day
that anybody's alive.
Then other days I think
that maybe people
aren't so fragile.
Things have always
been kind of brutal,
and people just
keep on going.
You ever been
to the Grand Canyon?
I always meant to go.
I was there.
It only takes about
nine hours from here.
I know. We were planning
to take my boy.
How old is he?
15? Probably won't
want to go with you now,
probably go
with his friends
and his chick now.
You've missed
that boat.
What's his name?
Roberto.
Roberto.
After Roberto Clemente.
No shit.
Man, get yourself
to the Grand Canyon.
Beautiful, huh?
It's pretty, but that's
not the thing of it.
You can sit right
on the edge of it.
I did that.
I did everything.
I went down in it,
stayed overnight there.
The thing that got me
was sitting on the edge
of that big old thing.
Those cliffs and rocks,
they're so old.
It took so long
for that thing
to get to look
like that.
It ain't done either.
It happens right while
you're sitting there
watching it.
It's happening right now
while we're sitting here
in this ugly town.
Yeah.
When you sit on the edge
of that thing,
you just realize what
a joke we people are.
What big heads we got,
thinking that what we do
is gonna matter
all that much,
thinking our time here
means diddly
to those rocks.
It's a split second
we've been here,
the whole lot of us.
And one of us?
That's a piece of time
too small to get a name.
You trying
to cheer me up?
Yeah. Those rocks
are laughing at me.
I could tell.
Me and my worries
is real humorous to
that Grand Canyon.
Hey, you know
what I felt like?
I felt like a gnat
that lands
on the ass of a cow
that's chewing its cud
next to the road
that you ride by on
at 70 miles an hour.
Small.
Oh, yes...
it's small.
My name is Mack.
Yeah?
Simon.
Oh!
No!
Aah!
Aah!
/ said left!
/ told you left!
You scum-sucking pig!
/ must have
heard you wrong.
No!
/ told you not to move!
- Aah!
- Aah!
Aah!
Where's the shot?
What shot?
You took out the shot.
Which shot?
The money shot...
the bus driver's head,
the brains-
on-the-window shot,
the viscera-
on-the-visor shot.
We thought we'd show it
to you like this,
without all the...
Put it back.
Don't show me anything.
You don't need it.
You're not even
giving it a chance.
How does the rear-view
mirror gag work without it?
Am I the only one here
who respects the writing?
I got to help these kids
on the bus.
Right. Counselor
in training.
When I get back from camp,
I'll practice driving
every time we get in the car.
That gives me a month
to relax.
Have a great time, pal.
You, too.
I'll write a lot.
Yeah.
All right, you have
15 seconds to tell me
all the mother stuff
one more time.
Sunscreen, hat,
allergy pills,
summer reading,
floss.
Watch out for
poison oak, lyme ticks,
bears, dragons...
pestilence.
Just be careful,
O.K.?
Write if you
need anything.
Mom, I'm going to camp,
not the army.
I love you, sweetheart.
Me, too.
Be happy.
He's leaving home
Bye-bye
I got to go.
You O.K.?
Mm-hmm.
O.K. Call you later.
O.K.
I don't want
to go!
Come on, son.
Come on, son. You're
going to have fun. Really.
That's your
good luck hat.
Bye-bye!
O.K., Robby, you ready
for an adventure?
Mm-hmm.
We're going to figure
this town out, you and me.
Here we go.
You ride shotgun.
O.K., Mommy.
O.K.?
O.K.
Hey.
Fuck, you scared
the shit out of me.
The Rolex.
The car? You want it?
You got it.
Asshole. I told you
I wanted the watch.
The bleeding's
under control.
Just barely.
This guy's lucky.
What do we got here?
A gunshot wound
to the thigh.
Bone, muscle,
and arterial damage.
Is he conscious?
In and out.
Oh, looks like he's
coming out right now.
Severed the sartorious
muscle,
the anterior gracilis,
and partial trauma
to the rectus.
Femoral artery?
Jesus, what a mess.
Did the femur
just shatter?
See if it's even possible
to save the leg here,
O.K., O.K.
O.K.
O.K. Shh. Shh.
Yeah.
Yes. You got
a soapy head. You do.
Yeah.
What's that?
Yes, I know.
I know. O.K.
Here we go.
Right here where you can
see everything.
Mmm.
Yum, yum, yum, yum.
It's only
a paper moon
Sailing over
a cardboard sea
Where's that toe?
Here it is.
Look at this.
Oh, this is going
to look very good on you,
I can tell.
I know. Come here.
Go oopsie daisy, do.
O.K.
Who's up?
Mrs. Flores
and her three sons.
Mmm. Then what?
At 4:30, Mr. Duk.
Mr. Duck?
Mr. Duk.
Mr. Daffy Duk?
You're awful.
That's why
I can't stand you.
Hello.
Honey?
Hi, Mack.
How you doing?
Good. I'm having
a good day.
Why are you whispering?
Am I whispering? I guess
I'm feeling quiet.
I've been sitting
out back.
I talked to Davis.
How is he doing?
Terrible.
Apparently, the bullet just tore
the shit out of everything.
It's going to take
a long time to recover,
and then he may have a limp,
but they're not sure.
That's awful.
I can barely hear you.
I said that's awful.
Yeah. Do you still
want to go out tonight?
No, I can't. Uh,
I don't feel like it.
I'll make
something here.
I like the sound of that.
I got to go.
Mack, don't work late.
I won't. Bye, baby.
Surprise, surprise.
Yes.
Yes.
What?
O.K.
I love you,
sweetheart.
Oh, shit.
Um, how's my girl
doing today?
Why...
aren't you...
out...
on a date, beauty?
What's with school?
So?
Hmm?
Come on, don't give me
a hard time.
Dee, nobody knows less
about men than me.
You do all right.
O.K., let me ask you
one question first.
Do you like your job?
I know what you're
going to say.
Because you can
kiss it goodbye.
It never fails.
I absolutely guarantee
the thing ends
with you
losing your job.
And not because
you're the missus now
living in
the big house.
Don't think that's
gonna happen.
I don't think that.
I wouldn't even want that.
Give me a little credit,
will you?
One of the things I think
is so great about him
is how devoted he is
to his wife and kid.
You're
so full of shit.
You may not even know,
but you really are.
You're saying what they
all say at first.
I've seen it
many times, honey.
If he is so devoted
to his wife,
what's he doing
messing around with you?
He hasn't done anything.
You told me you were
holding hands
and getting
all soulful today.
Big deal. I shouldn't
even have told you.
You got
to tell somebody.
That's how you know
it's really happening.
Otherwise, it's
too god damn lonely.
We must be going about
this whole thing
wrong or something.
What thing?
The love thing.
The touch thing.
Where there's somebody
to touch you,
real nice and gentle.
Doesn't have to be
that gentle.
Whatever.
Jane, do you ever feel
like you're just this far
from being completely
hysterical 24 hours a day?
Half the people I know
feel that way.
The lucky ones feel
that way.
The rest of the people
are hysterical
24 hours a day.
Claire, I'm here.
Hi, Mack.
You forgot to bring in
the mail.
Something here
from Carol.
Mack, come on up here.
I want to show you
something.
Mmm.
Is something wrong?
Mm-mmm.
Whose is it?
She's beautiful,
isn't she?
Oh.
Is that the Wilson kid?
Who?
I don't know.
What do you mean?
I don't know
who the parents are.
Don't make me guess.
Where did it come from?
Shh. Shh, shh,
shh, shh, shh.
So?
What's the story?
I found her.
I was jogging, and
I heard this crying,
and I looked under
these bushes...
Where was this?
On Carmelina,
around the corner.
I looked
under the bushes,
and there she was.
When was this?
This morning.
This morning? What time?
Around 9:30, I guess.
What did the police say?
Hmm?
My guess is the police
did not say, "Hmm?"
So I guess
my next guess is
you haven't called
the police.
Claire.
You know, it's possible
this baby was kidnapped,
and somebody's been frantically
looking for it all day.
I don't think so.
I could tell.
But I listened
to the news three times.
There wasn't
a thing about it.
That doesn't
mean a thing.
They may not have
announced it yet,
or maybe they're
waiting to hear
from the kidnappers.
This baby wasn't kidnapped.
I can tell you that, Mack.
This baby was deserted
by its mother,
and it's going
to need a new one.
Claire,
are you O.K.?
I'm fine.
You do know
that we're going
to have to call
the police right now?
Of course, Mack.
I haven't taken leave
of my senses.
I just wanted you
to see her,
so I waited till you
got home, that's all.
She's so beautiful.
Just wanted
you to see her.
I told you that baby
wasn't kidnapped.
I told him. I said,
"There's no way this vehicle
is worth as much
as you're going to pay
to tow it. "
He tells me, "It got
sentimental value. "
What's so funny
about that?
Maybe it did.
Yeah, maybe he got
his first piece in there.
Otis,
watch your mouth.
What did he say, Mama?
Nothing, baby.
Just bring me
that meat loaf.
He was in this car
the first time he was shot.
Man! He had
some good times in there.
Are we going to play
roundy roundy, Uncle Simon?
Uh-uh.
Time for bed,
little girl.
One game.
Come on, Mama.
You said we could play
one game.
One game, Mama, please.
In your pajamas,
teeth brushed.
Go on.
Get ready
to get whipped, Homes.
Ooh.
I know. I started it.
Oh, baby, don't you
want to stay home
and be with your uncle?
I got to go out.
I got to meet some people.
Take it slow, Simon.
From the shoulders,
old man,
you still got it.
I ain't over yet, baby.
Be back soon, Ma.
O.K.
Rarr!
Hey, anybody come from
the shoulders anymore, huh?
Anybody
got the hands, huh?
Man, I wish.
Seem like every time
you turn around,
some sucker's coming
from the pocket...
and he's strapped.
You know, I never laid
any shit on you, did I?
No.
I love you, Otis,
and I love my sister.
I don't want her
to have any more pain
than she's already had.
You know,
she's suffering here
every night till
you come home.
We don't even get
into that no more.
When we're together,
we try and have it
be good.
If we ain't
talking about it,
why you got
to talk about it?
It ain't gonna
change nothing.
You sure?
Maybe we can figure out
something together.
What? What?
You going to figure out
something
that nobody else
around here thought of?
Later, Simon.
Hey.
Hey. Plenty have
gotten out, Otis.
I don't want out.
Hey, bullshit.
Without my set,
I'm nothing.
They care
about me, man.
You want to be gang-banging
when you're 25?
Shit.
I'll never live
to be 25.
I got to roll.
Mmm.
I'll call you Friday.
Drive safely.
All right.
Kelley!
Kelley!
Kelley! Kelley!
Get down here with me!
Mama!
Mama!
Well, look who's
up and at 'em.
Somebody leave
your curtains
open last night?
I asked them to.
I wanted to see this.
City of the Angels.
I have seen the light.
Mazel tov.
Watch your end.
O.K. Right there.
Close.
Right there.
Move it up.
Be right back.
Hi, Jackson.
Let me see that elbow.
Come on, just one look.
I want to see if it's
as good as my knee.
Ah.
This is just
a scrape, man.
Shit, my knee
was a real mess.
This thing
is just half bad.
Did Adam push you?
Should we talk to him?
How come?
He's an asshole.
Maybe, but we could
discuss it.
You having a bad day?
Did you get a letter
from your mom today?
Did she say
she missed you?
Oh, man, my mom
used to do that.
It made me nuts.
They love you so much,
they don't even know
it's going to make you
feel terrible.
I missed my mom so much
the first year
I came here.
When she wrote me
and said she missed me,
I felt so lonely.
Is that how you feel?
Well, you got me.
"Just don't tell him. "
So Harlan told him
anyway.
What else
would Harlan do?
The only way he
wouldn't have told him
is if I'd told him
to tell him.
I can't talk about Harlan
again tonight.
I've begged you to get away
from him for eight years.
What, so I can start
a new immigration
practice on my own?
That night
when I thought
those boys were
going to kill me,
I realized...
I hate fucking
immigration law.
No, you don't.
You like it,
and you're good at it.
You hate being partners
with an asshole like Harlan.
Maybe you hate some
other part of your life,
and you don't
want to admit it.
What did you say?
When a person thinks
they're about to die,
nothing they did that day
will look worthwhile.
That's not what
you were going to say.
If you know what
I'm going to say,
I guess I don't have
to say anything.
Look, I don't even know
what I'm going to say
from one second
to the next.
The world doesn't make
any sense to me anymore.
What's going on?
There are babies lying
around in the streets.
There are people
living in boxes.
There are people
ready to shoot you
if you look at them.
And we're
getting used to it.
The world is so nuts,
it makes me
wonder about
all the choices
that we've made.
Jesus Christ.
What?
Oh, shit.
Oh.
Let's see what you...
Wow.
Ah...
Damn, that smarts.
Hold it up.
Apply pressure.
Pressure. Pressure.
I'm taking you
to the hospital.
They'll have
to sew that up.
No. It's not that bad.
Here, let's see.
Take it off.
Look at this.
Under the water.
See what happens
when you yell at me?
Never again, baby.
Maybe next time you'll
be more understanding
when I bitch
about my life.
Here. O.K.
Ow, ow! Let me.
I'll get my purse.
I'm going to take you
to St. John's.
Maybe you
better sit down.
I really don't need
to get this sewn up.
Are you afraid
of a few stitches?
I'm not afraid.
I just think we ought
to discuss this.
You're kidding, right?
Are you going
into shock?
I just hate seeing my blood
spill out on me like that.
Does everybody...
Earthquake!
Earthquake!
It's a big one.
Let's get
outta here.
Aren't we supposed to...
I don't care!
I'm sorry.
I'm never
complaining again.
Bullshit.
No, no. I swear.
You'll forget about
all this tomorrow.
No, no, no.
Did you feel that?
I think there's
an aftershock coming.
Sally. Your chandelier
fall down again?
- No.
- Oh, good.
Claire!
Claire!
Bernice,
what's the matter?
Claire!
It's Byron.
I don't know what's
wrong with him.
I dialed 911.
The line's busy.
I don't know
what's happening.
Everything's
going to be O.K.
We'll be right there.
He's bleeding!
No, he's not.
That's Mack.
Come on, come on.
Come on.
I need an ambulance
right away.
222 Avondale.
What?
Yes.
Yes.
Uh, male.
79, I think.
Heart attack.
Maybe a... Maybe a...
Hey, man!
Hey, Mack!
Over here!
Come on!
Give me a fly-by!
Yeah! Ha ha ha...
Mom, I think
you need to get organized.
Nobody told me that!
I sense it!
Mack.
Mack, wake up.
So, now
tell me that again.
You have the baby
at home now?
Oh, Mack,
that's wonderful.
That's not
what I said.
Claire wants
to adopt the baby.
Claire is so great.
What's the problem?
You're not allowed to just
keep every baby you find.
Aren't there laws and shit
about that kinda thing?
There's a process
you can go through.
Claire's already
started
collecting
the forms.
She is the most
self-actualized person
I ever met.
She is this week.
Home, sweet home.
Mr. Davis.
Hiya, Leonard.
Good to see you.
Just toss me in.
Just roll me back
and flip me in.
I'll go check the car.
Set the brake.
What could happen?
Is that going to work?
I'll see you back
at the house.
You got it.
Mabel, I'll never forget
the times we had.
As you know perfectly well,
my name is Esther.
My mother's name
was Esther.
And since you've been
so much kinder to me
than my mother ever was,
I have given you
a better name.
And when I think
of the experience
that changed my life,
I will think
appreciatively of you.
You are very kind.
Remember, if you start
to feel some pressure,
that means it's time
to get the pus drained.
I love it when you
talk that way.
Don't you have
a favorite charity?
A favorite child?
A favorite horse?
This is
very unusual for me.
I'm notoriously cheap.
Ask anyone.
It's true.
Goodbye, Davis.
O.K., a hug.
Come on, a hug.
There we go.
O.K., so long.
Bye.
Take it easy.
Leonard,
get me outta here.
So, tell me about
this life change.
It's not a life change.
I had some kind
of vision,
some, uh... insight,
but I don't want
to talk about it.
Tell him, Davis.
He's your best friend.
We're talking about
Mack's new baby.
Besides, I think
if you talk about stuff,
that takes the place
of doing it.
That's never been
your problem.
No kidding.
Claire wants this baby,
but you're not
high on the idea,
not that
you don't like kids.
Roberto's maybe
the best thing
that ever happened
in your life,
but he's 15 now.
Soon he'll be moving out.
You thought you and Claire
could get back the freedom
you had when you
were first married.
You feel you're
getting old way too fast.
The last thing on your mind
was starting a new family
with all the whining
and the diapers
and the attendant
baby baggage.
Why start all that again
when you already wonder
if you did the right thing
the first time?
Davis, you're awful.
This is so much more
time-efficient
than a regular
conversation.
Since you're
currently obsessed
with the question
of what's going down
and why are you
going with it,
what shape are you in
to take on some new baby
from God knows where,
who has God knows what
health and emotional problems
and never asked
to be taken in anyway?
On the other hand...
Hey, baby,
what's the matter?
While we got
a moment here,
explain something to me.
What is the theory
on this handkerchief thing?
You blow your nose in it,
put it back
in your pocket.
Then you see someone
in distress
and give them this gift
from your pocket?
They're supposed
to be grateful
as they wipe it
all over their face?
If I tell you,
you'll think it's about you,
but it's not,
but you won't believe it,
and you'll get defensive.
If you don't want
to talk about it,
don't force yourself.
I want to have children.
I really want them.
I don't care
how rotten the world is,
but I'm so far
from having them.
I'm involved with you,
and you're not going
to have kids with me.
We're not even
getting married.
I can't even start.
I got to break up with you
and find someone else
I can stand being with,
and even then, I might have
trouble getting pregnant
after everything
I've done to my body.
Maybe I should just
hop out up here.
I could call a cab.
Why, Mack?
You're my friend,
too, aren't you?
Hey.
Hey.
Who says we're never going
to get married and have kids?
No, I didn't.
Well, doesn't it?
Uh-uh. Come on, baby.
Hey.
Hey, how you doing?
I don't know
if you remember me.
Oh. Hey, man, sure.
Uh, Mack, right?
Right.
Yeah, I didn't
recognize you at first.
Yeah.
I called,
and they said you'd be
getting in about now.
I wanted to thank you again
for the other night.
You did already.
Look...
can I buy you
breakfast somewhere
or something?
Yeah. Sure.
Just a minute.
All right?
You play basketball?
I played
in high school.
Sixth man for a year
and a half.
Me, too. Sixth man
until my senior year.
Then I started.
Center or forward?
Forward. I wasn't
big enough for center.
Must have been
some team.
We had Oscar Benson
on that team.
No shit?
You must be
pretty good.
I wasn't playing
the same game
that Oscar was playing.
Uh, look...
the other night...
You weren't in any danger
except for maybe
losing your wallet.
I didn't save your life,
so don't think you have
to say something to me.
One morning
about three years ago,
I was on my way
to a meeting
at the Mutual Benefit
building on Wilshire
in the Miracle Mile.
I love that name...
Miracle Mile.
It's the building
across the street
from the County
Art Museum.
I was thinking
about the meeting.
I was worried about it,
actually.
I started
to step off the curb...
and a stranger
grabbed me
and yanked me back
as a city bus went
flying by my nose.
It filled up the world
6 inches from my nose.
I would have been
a wet bug stain.
I wouldn't have
even felt it.
It would have been
over so fast.
I thanked this stranger,
this woman
in a baseball cap,
but I was pretty much
in a daze.
When I thanked her,
she said, "My pleasure. "
I didn't notice
till the last moment
the cap she wore was
from the Pittsburgh
Pirates,
my favorite team
since I was a kid.
Roberto Clemente.
Right.
I never
got over the idea
that I should have
thanked that woman more,
talked to her,
something.
She reached out
and yanked me back
from the edge,
literally changed
everything for me,
for my wife
and my son.
Then she just
wandered off
down the Miracle Mile.
And how come she was
wearing a Pirates cap?
That's unusual at 9 A.M.
On Wilshire Boulevard,
a woman in a Pittsburgh
Pirates baseball cap.
It's suspicious.
You lost me.
I just wondered
later on,
was she for real?
Was that
a real person,
or was that
something else?
You know, sent
from somewhere else
to grab me back
from that curb.
Is that what you're
wondering about me?
I just couldn't
let it happen again.
I didn't want to just
let you drift away
like she did
and never talk to you.
Didn't seem right
to let it happen twice.
That's why
I'm bothering you.
You're not bothering me.
You're just
buying me breakfast.
Good.
You got a right
to try to figure out
what confuses you,
but it seems like you're making
more of this than it is.
The world's a hard place.
Sometimes
you just get lucky.
I believe in luck.
Of course,
sometimes you don't.
One thing's for sure...
If you're alive,
some terrible shit's
gonna happen to you.
Maybe some
good things, too,
but you can always
count on the terrible.
If it doesn't kill you,
you'll be around to see it
come down some other way.
Thank you, honey.
No. No, thanks.
My... father died
last year.
81 years old.
That's a long time
for a black man
to live in this town.
He outlived
everyone he ever knew.
Saw two wives die
and three of his children.
He had a great
ugly old face
that looked like a suitcase
gone a million miles...
all beat up and dented
and scuffed and stained.
He looked like he walked
80 years on that face.
When I used
to look at that face
and see
all the pain there,
all the things he lost,
all the hurt he had,
I wondered why
he wanted to go on,
why he just didn't
lay down and give it up.
Did you figure it out?
No. Never figured out
much about that guy.
I asked him, though.
What did he say?
Habit.
Does your sister
have a job?
She's a cashier
atJon's.
Lets her work her hours
around her
little girl's school.
Would they let her
transfer
to another store?
I don't know. Why?
I was just wondering
about something.
What's that?
Just seems like
an impossible situation.
You can't live
your life like that,
thinking someone's going
to shoot up your house.
A lot of people do.
You know,
I know this guy
who's got an apartment
house in Canoga Park.
I might be able to get
her something out there
at a very
reasonable price.
Uh...
Hey, listen, Mack,
thanks, but, uh...
I'm not so sure
it's a good idea.
O.K. I'm not going
to push it
if you're not
comfortable.
Maybe you want
to think about it.
You don't have
to decide now.
Yeah, maybe.
O.K.
You got my number.
Yeah, O.K.
Simon?
Yeah.
What is it exactly?
I want to know
for two reasons...
to know if it's
what I think it is
and that I haven't done
something to offend you.
That's the last thing
I wanted to do.
Man, you are
a piece of work.
Sometimes I let stuff go,
and then I wonder
about it later.
O.K., here it is.
I guess
I think it's hard,
maybe even dangerous,
mucking around with
other people's lives.
Sometimes
there's a reason
they're doing
what they're doing.
That's a tough one.
You don't want to fuck
with things you shouldn't.
But you don't always
want to turn away, either.
Is that what you
thought it was?
Yeah, that and...
you know...
the white guy.
You white?
Hey, how about
Canoga Park?
That's pretty white,
ain't it?
No, not really.
Think about it.
I'll see you.
To try and understand
just what exactly
had been
delivered unto me
at the cost
of flesh and bone
and precious blood,
what message was being
delivered to me
in a. 38-caliber
envelope
for me to open and read
and understand,
and this problem,
this, um, difficulty
I was having
in understanding,
it grew on me
like a fever.
It buzzed
around my brain
till I could
no longer sleep
or eat or think
about anything else.
It was as painful
and real
as the physical wound
I saw in my thigh.
What?
Nothing.
Go on. I want
to hear this.
I had a feeling that you
more than anyone else
would have a problem
taking me seriously.
I am taking you
seriously.
I'm sorry for whatever
you think you saw.
First you have to tell me
what made you smile.
"Unto. "
What?
You said,
"delivered unto" you.
I'm sorry.
That is purposeful.
We're talking about
a religious experience.
I might say doth or thou
or lots of things.
Please, Davis,
go on.
The suspense
is killing me.
The end of this long,
torturous night,
my head pounding
in syncopation
to my throbbing wound,
there came a glorious,
delicate dawn,
and I knew,
I knew I can't make
those movies anymore.
I can't make
another piece of art
that glorifies violence
and bloodshed
and brutality.
I can't contribute
another stone
to this landslide
of dehumanizing rage
that has swept
across this country
like a pestilence.
That's a mixed metaphor,
isn't it?
Anyway, I'm done,
kaput, finis...
No more exploding bodies,
exploding buildings,
exploding anything.
No more shit.
Davis,
that's wonderful.
You know how
I feel about it.
I think I've always
been frank with you.
You'll never have
to say another word.
Excellent. Have you
told the studio yet?
Ah, fuck the studio.
Have you told
your business manager?
Fuck 'em, Claire.
You said all along there's
a fortune to be made
in stories about life...
the life force,
the creation of life,
the very instinct
for living.
Besides, I don't give
a shit about money.
I made more money
this year
than my father made
in his entire life.
At the rate I'm going,
I won't run out of money
for, uh...
well, 18... months,
anyway.
I'm going to make
the world a better place
for your new bambina.
What's happening?
What's happening?
Well, let's see.
We're filling out forms.
We're being evaluated.
We're becoming
official foster parents,
which would be
the first step.
We're...
We're arguing.
We're talking.
We're... flirting
with marital disaster.
Mack and I
are both being...
passionately, unshakably
devoted to our own position.
Claire, may I be very,
very frank with you?
Is it possible
this has come up
because Roberto's
about to move on
and you are
coincidentally
approaching
a certain age?
As opposed to what?
As opposed to being
wildly in love
with this particular baby
which I had in my house
for nine hours?
Of course that's why
this has come up, Davis.
It's not that simple,
but, yes.
But is that
rational?
Rational?
Reasonable,
feasible
for you and Mack?
Well...
I guess
I'd have to say...
I don't really care.
And it's
in Canoga Park.
A nice little apartment
complex, he says.
A friend of his
owns it,
his associate.
He'd be reasonable
with the rent.
Canoga Park?
Yeah, yeah.
That's a bunch of
white people, isn't it?
Uh, I don't know.
Yeah. Right.
He didn't want
to go to Cabo San Lucas?
He didn't say.
Hmm?
Hi.
Hi.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Do you know Jane?
Nope.
- This is Mack.
- Hi, Mack.
Hi, Jane.
Do you want
to sit down?
Thanks. I got something
I should do upstairs.
I'm having
one of those days.
Which kind?
I keep drifting.
I can't seem to carry
through on anything.
Like I'll say I have
to go upstairs,
but I don't want to,
so I don't go.
Have a seat.
Thanks.
At the same time,
I'm feeling very free,
like I've got a little
buzz on or something.
Does that happen
to you?
It doesn't happen to me
as much as I'd like.
It's very pleasant.
What brought it on?
Maybe I'll try it.
I got up early
this morning.
Sometimes it helps
to be sleepy.
I got that part
down.
I went to see
this guy that helped me
when my car broke down...
he drives a tow truck.
I really like him.
His daughter goes
to this deaf college
in Washington, D.C.
His wife left him.
He's kind of lonely,
but he seems
peaceful about it.
That would be nice.
It would be great
if you could be
down about things
but still be
all right with it,
like, finally
accept the fact
you'll feel bad
most of the time
and not fight it.
It would also be nice
not to feel bad.
That's how you get
in trouble...
thinking how nice it'd
be to be happy more.
Jane, are you married?
No.
Got a boyfriend?
No.
Would you like
to meet this guy?
I don't know.
What does he look like?
How important is that?
Somewhat important.
No, I was
just curious.
I mean, he happens to be
a very handsome black guy.
I don't know
that much about him.
How are you going
to describeJane?
Same way.
A very handsome
black guy.
Yeah.
Mama, there's
a man here.
Yes?
Hello, Mrs. Dotson.
You've got a polite
little lady there.
What is it?
My name's
Harvey Charles.
I represent
the Ohio Continental
Insurance Company.
Here's my card.
You're selling
insurance?
Yes, ma'am.
We don't want
life insurance.
That's what
most people say.
Our policies only
cost $10 per month.
Mister, I'm too young to be
getting life insurance.
We're not just
talking about you.
Think about
your children.
I ask you only
one thing, Mrs. Dotson.
Just glance at these
news clippings
here in my hand.
What about them?
What they show
in frightening detail
is the high rate
of violent death
caused by gangs
and crime
in your neighborhood.
Can I hand these
to you to look at?
Look, Mrs. Dotson,
I'm not going
to kid you.
These policies
are inexpensive
because the benefits
aren't that big
when they pay off,
but what they'll do is,
if harm should come
to one of your children,
this policy will cover
all funeral expenses
and arrangements...
Kelley, go wait
in the kitchen.
What?
Go.
You trying to sell me
life insurance policies
on my kids?
Ma'am, they're the ones
on the front line.
They're the ones
in danger.
You get the fuck
off my porch!
I said get away
from my house, damn it!
Bottom of the list.
Who needs them?
Beaufort, South Carolina?
My mother tryin'
to keep the baby.
You need her as much
as she needs you.
It's big
for the money.
It's not beautiful,
but they keep it up
pretty good.
They have their share
of gangs here, too.
But they don't
run the place.
Not yet anyway.
I guess Kelley would
eventually adjust.
Is it always
this hot?
Yeah.
Deborah's
really confused.
It's a big move,
and I don't know what
to tell her, either.
Either way,
thank you, man.
Darkness in the mornin'
Shadows on the land
Certain individuals
Aren't stickin'
to the plan
And I'm searching
for a heart
Searching everyone
They say love
conquers all
You can't start it
like a car
You can't stop it
with a gun
Excuse me. Are you
Roberto's mother?
Yes.
We're Amanda's parents.
I'm Steve Fox.
This is my wife Cathy.
Hi. Claire.
We can't wait
to meet Roberto.
Feel like we know
him from Amanda's letters.
I'm sorry.
I'm afraid that
Roberto doesn't write
as much as he should.
We're very pleased
about Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving?
It's so good of you
to let Roberto come
to San Diego.
Gosh, I'm sorry. I guess
you may not have heard
everything
about this summer.
I'm beginning
to get the picture.
There's my parents.
Which ones?
See the man
in the beard?
Oh, God. They're
talking to my mother.
They were relieved
I wasn't Puerto Rican.
Amanda didn't
explain that
in the many,
many letters
that she wrote
to her parents?
I hope they're
not bigots.
Did you want
to tell me about it?
What?
What happened
this summer.
At camp?
Oh, camp was O.K.
I really
missed you, kid.
I'm glad you're back.
Yeah. Me, too.
I'm sorry about
that Thanksgiving thing.
We'll talk to
your father about it.
It's O.K. With you?
I didn't say that.
But your mind's open?
Roberto.
O.K. Remain calm.
Let me ask you
something.
How open
is your mind?
Is this going to be
about my hair?
No. This is something
pretty big.
About me?
Only partly.
It involves you.
Are you and Dad
splitting?
Why do you say that?
Is that it?
No. Absolutely no.
Why would you say
a thing like that?
Do we look like we're
about to split?
I don't know. People
do it all the time.
They look
like they're fine.
I am crazy
for your father.
Are we giving you
any sign
that we're
having trouble?
So, um, what were
you going to tell me?
Wait a minute.
Answer me.
I, um, sometimes it just
looks like you're both
kind of unhappy,
O.K.?
Maybe I misunderstood.
It just looked like that
a lot before I went away.
Really?
Yeah, but look... look,
I'm glad I'm wrong.
I mean, God, that
would be horrible.
I hope you guys
never split.
I'm sorry
I said it.
What were you
going to tell me?
What do I have to have
an open mind about?
We'll talk
about it later.
Oh, Mom, just pretend I never
said anything and tell me.
Um...
Ahem.
Your father and I
are discussing
whether to adopt
a little girl.
What?
To, uh, you know,
the evening.
Some playboy, huh?
Yeah.
Nice car.
Oh, thank you.
It's yellow.
Yeah, of course
it's yellow.
God, what am
I thinking of?
All right.
Ooh, boy.
Uh, O.K.
I thought
you changed your mind.
Oh, no way.
It's just been a while
since I did this.
You haven't been
going out?
Oh, I go out
a little.
I just
can't remember
the last time
I was, uh, set up.
Fixed up.
Yeah.
So, what do you think
so far?
So far
it's all right.
I like it.
I'm just... I'm just
a little surprised.
Why? What did you
expect?
No, it's not you.
I'm just surprised
at how nervous I am.
Me, too.
Yeah?
Yeah.
That's all right.
At least now
we know that much
about each other.
Yeah. Um, Mack must
have had some reason
to think
this would work.
I guess you've known
him a while, huh?
I don't know him
at all.
Really?
Well.
I don't know him
much, either.
Hmm, that's funny.
Maybe we're the only
two black people
he ever met.
I think you're being
too hard on yourself.
You're trying to help.
You think moving
to Canoga Park's
gonna save that family?
Who said you have
to save anybody?
Maybe out there the kids
won't get hurt. Who knows?
They'll go or not go.
You're not responsible.
You just happen
to know a guy
who owns
an apartment house.
Why am I fixing Simon
up with some girl?
I do this shit,
and the next morning
I'm astounded.
Has it occurred to you
it doesn't really matter
all that much?
Why should you be
the one person on earth
who acts rationally?
Forget rational.
I'm completely
out of control.
Stop me
before I kill.
So? Good for you.
Aren't you sick of trying
to be in control
all the time?
I am.
Mack, you think
I want that baby
because I've got
some hole in my life
or I think I'll have
some hole in my life,
but that's not it,
or it's just
a part of it.
That baby needs someone
to take care of it.
It has to be you?
I believe there's
a reason I found her.
Dismiss it all you want,
but I'll always believe that.
You told me you thought
there was a reason
this guy... this Simon...
showed up and saved you.
I did?
How do you think that
I feel about this baby?
What if I
hadn't heard it?
What if no one
had heard her?
We would've read
about it in the Times.
"Oh, my God.
They found a dead baby
under the bushes
on Carmelina. "
"Mack, I must have run right
by it the other morning. "
But that
didn't happen.
I found her, and maybe
I saved her life
just the way maybe Simon
saved yours.
What are you saying?
Something
has happened.
You can't go back
and have it not happen.
Some connection
has been made
and has to be played out.
That is why you can't stay
out of Simon's business.
It's like this itch
you've got to scratch.
Claire,
you're talking about
a lifelong commitment.
I won't be dealing
with this Simon
the rest of my life.
How do you know
he won't be your friend
until the day that you die?
What if these
are miracles, Mack?
Maybe we don't have
any experience with miracles
so we're slow
to recognize them.
I'm getting
a terrific headache.
No, you're not.
I'm not?
I'll tell you why
I reject your headache.
Because
it's inappropriate.
Inappropriate?
If I'm right
and these events
are truly miracles,
then it's an inappropriate
response to get a headache
in the presence
of a miracle.
Wow.
Yeah.
I don't know
about you,
but I'm thinking this Mack
must be some kind of genius.
Do you believe
in fate?
I believe in luck.
Do you think
you should come up?
Do I think
I should come up?
What do you think?
Well, I think this night
has gone about as well
as it possibly could.
I don't want
to push our luck.
Is it O.K. To call you
at work?
I look forward
to it.
This is a feeling I'd like
to have at work.
What is it?
Ohh.
Bye, Simon.
Say that again.
Simon.
You O.K.?
Whoa.
You sure?
Why don't you just
pull right over there?
Didn't see him coming,
did you?
I still don't know
what happened.
I guess you were lucky,
even though it might not
seem that way right now.
Pretty scary stuff.
I was crying
before it happened.
Really?
I don't cry this easily
normally.
Sorry.
Don't apologize.
You want to get out
of there for a second?
Walk around
and catch your breath?
Come on.
You'll feel better.
You O.K.?
Then I guess
I better hang on.
Don't imagine
you want to talk about it
with a complete stranger.
I'm in love
with a married man.
We haven't been
having an affair.
He wouldn't do it.
We just had
one night together.
One really
amazing night.
Uh-huh.
Do you think
that's awful?
Which part?
All of it.
I think it happens.
Did he treat you bad?
It hurts.
When you love someone
and they
don't choose you...
it's bad.
That's the way
he's been bad to me.
Married men suck...
by definition.
Are you married?
Tell the truth.
No, I'm not married.
I haven't found
the right girl.
Can't quit now, babe.
Last mile.
Catching my second wind,
man, shoot.
Oh, man.
That's all there is.
We did it, man.
Just put it anywhere.
That's the end of it,
baby.
Good.
I don't know
if he's even gonna
stay here tonight.
Well, let's get a beer.
Get out of the way, man!
This is fucked.
What you doing, man?
No talking, huh?
That's cool.
That's cool. I guess you
don't want no company.
I thought you
was talking to me.
I thought you said
I was fucked up.
I wasn't talking
to your sorry ass.
Who the fuck
were you talking to?
Were you talking
to yourself?
What's up, man?
Hey, that dude
was quick.
Must have come here
from Beirut.
You, stop running and put
your hands behind your head.
Stop running and put
your hands behind your head.
Here we go.
Halt!
Halt!
Turn around and get down
on your stomach.
Turn around and get down
on your stomach!
What?
Down, asshole,
and I mean now!
Put your right hand
behind your back.
Bring the other one
around.
Don't you know
what stop means?
Where you going
in such a hurry, pal?
Nowhere.
I'm just running.
Running from what?
Nothing.
I live around here.
Where?
I don't know.
You don't know?
What's that supposed to mean?
Back there across
from the park.
What park?
I don't know.
They almost smoked me!
See a nigger
run around here,
they smoke you,
ask questions later.
I ain't staying here,
I'll tell you that.
I ain't fucking staying!
What's next?
Nothing. I'm quitting.
Tell me.
This is intolerable.
I can't do this anymore.
It's sick.
I need to go on.
Don't act like
you're not relieved.
I know you are.
I don't want you to go.
You know
what your trouble is?
You just never want
to be the bad guy.
You want everything you do
to be O.K.,
but it isn't.
If you didn't want this
to happen,
then you shouldn't have
fucked me.
I'm sorry. I think
I've said that before.
But you didn't mean it.
You aren't really sorry
it happened, are you?
Are you?
You've denied me
in every way you can.
Everything I've wanted,
you've denied me.
I've been honest
with you all along.
Even that night.
Who gives a shit?
Don't you see
what you do?
Even now you deny me
what's rightfully mine.
Which is?
To resent the hell
out of you,
to feel totally rejected
and hated.
To hate you
for doing it to me.
There are a lot
of good men out there
who'll treat me like I'm
the very thing they want.
And then you do
that thing with Jane.
What?
You know,
with that guy?
That tow truck guy?
What's that got to do
with anything?
You don't even know,
do you?
You don't even know why
that hurts me so much.
Jane's in love.
She thinks he's the one.
Is that bad? I thought
she's your friend.
She is my friend.
I'm very happy for her,
but it makes me
feel like shit
that you're finding her
the love of her life
and I'm here like, what?
I'm here like shit.
How do you think that's
going to make me feel?
Dee, look, I understand
you're angry with me,
but why...
Forget it.
It doesn't have
to make sense.
I'll stay for two weeks,
but you better find
somebody else.
Is Otis coming home
tonight, Mama?
No, baby.
I told you.
When will we
see him again?
I don't know,
honey.
Ha ha!
Yeah.
I just feel like
I'd really like to work
for a woman lawyer
this time.
I never have.
It might be a good thing.
I'm not sure you'd
find it much different,
but, frankly,
with your qualifications
and experience,
I have no desire
to discourage you.
I am curious though.
Your former employer
has written you
the most glorious
recommendation.
Why did you decide
to leave him?
Hey, Otis.
Hey, what's the matter?
You O.K.?
Yeah, I'm all right.
Hey...
you're...
you're hurt, boy.
It ain't my blood.
What happened?
Hey, what happened?
I seen some bad shit,
Simon.
O.K.
O.K., O.K., O.K.
O.K.
We have a three-car
collision to report
on the Santa Monica Freeway
east of National.
Only one lane is open.
And, Ted, the surface streets
are no picnic, either.
/t is a jungle down there.
And I realized it wasn't
both you and Mom
who were always saying
how glad you were
you didn't have
little kids anymore.
It was just you.
Mom never really
said that.
Which way are you
going to turn?
Right.
So what do you
want to do now?
Get in the right lane.
No!
Whoa!
Roberto, you can't just go
because you want to!
L... I messed up.
Make sure it's clear.
I messed up.
Better to go 10 blocks
out of your way
than try to get over
when it's impossible.
Watch this guy getting
out of his car here.
Slow down. Slow, slow.
Slow!
When I say stop,
you've got to stop.
You didn't say stop.
You told me
to slow down.
It won't matter
if you hit another car,
but you can't hit a person.
That's the most
important thing.
People are such assholes.
You got to watch out
for the dumbest stuff.
Just watch...
Just watch the road.
So why should I
tell Mom
she's crazy
to want this baby?
I don't want her telling
me my stuff is crazy.
Maybe it's
not so crazy.
It's her life.
And mine.
And yours,
too, I guess,
although she's
going to be
the one most involved.
Believe me it affects
us both, a lot.
Let's concentrate
on what we're doing.
What now?
Um, I'm going
to take a left.
Really?
It's, uh...
kind of busy here,
isn't it?
Dad, I've got to
learn how to do it.
You're right.
Left turn signal.
Left turn signal.
Done.
O.K. This is good.
Right here.
Perfect.
If you only had
one life to live...
which you do...
And you really wanted
to do something
and Mom said
you couldn't,
how would that
make you feel?
Let's just think
about this turn.
All right.
What are you
watching for?
The light.
And? What's the most
important thing?
Don't hit a person.
No, I mean here.
Don't fuck around.
This is no joke.
Sorry.
Um, the most important
thing is that...
that those cars
have really stopped.
Right. Because?
Because some idiot
is always liable
to run a red light.
Good. What else
are you looking for?
Um... those cars
in the cross streets.
Good.
The light's
going to change.
This is good.
Wait.
Wait.
Not yet.
O.K.
They're stopping.
Go ahead.
Stop!
You idiot!
Fuck you!
Whoa!
Asshole!
This guy's letting us in.
Go, go, go.
When I tell you, you'll
be able to get over.
We'll pull over here.
O.K., go now.
Just pull it right over.
Y- Y-Y-Yes.
Shit.
That guy was a cretin.
It's so crazy out there,
you got to react really fast.
If you're going, you've only
got a split second to do it.
Otherwise the cross traffic
will whack you.
Sorry, Dad.
Hey, this is
difficult stuff.
Making a left turn
in L.A.
Is one of the harder things
you'll learn in life.
That guy was
almost in your lap.
Heh heh heh.
This town stinks.
Do you want to drive?
Hell, no.
I'm too shook up.
Let's get out of here.
So I guess we're going
to get this baby, huh?
Hello.
What?
We've got no Feiruz here.
You've got the wrong number.
Oh, really?
Well, fuck you also.
Who?
Feiruz. You know him?
My heart is pounding.
Ahh...
Come here.
It's O.K.
Hmm.
Everything seems
so close together.
Hmm?
All the good and bad
things in the world.
Everything.
I feel it in myself even.
And in us...
our marriage.
I love you, Claire.
I like living my life
with you.
Do you?
'Cause I love you
so much, Mack.
Ohh...
Drive me over
to the stage.
My car's
over by your office.
You can
take the cart back.
I got to get back
downtown.
Relax. No one's
going to get deported
while you drive me
to stage 20.
We spent the whole lunch
discussing your marriage
to Vanessa.
I didn't congratulate
you on the new direction
your career has taken.
On the what?
Claire told me.
You know, the violence
in your movies.
She was so pleased.
Oh, that!
Oh, fuck that.
What?
That's over.
I must have been delirious
for a few weeks there.
Hi, Tim. How are you?
Man, I don't want to be
the one to tell Claire
you changed your mind.
Changed nothing.
I regained my senses.
I was talking
like a moron.
Down here and go left.
What happened?
Nothing happened.
It never happened.
Look, Mack,
I'm an artist.
Now, go ahead and laugh,
because everybody does.
Nobody in this town
will admit
that a producer
is an artist.
But I know what I do.
I know how many
lame-o directors
I've carried on my back
and then watch as they take
all the glory,
reviews, and awards.
Which awards?
That's O.K.
I don't mind working
in modest anonymity.
That's the way
Thalberg did it, too.
If they're lame-o,
why hire them?
I haven't got time
to do it myself.
Hanging around the set
all day,
doing that boring
lighting and shit.
Let them do that.
That's beside the point.
The point is...
Turn around.
Turn around and
go back down there.
Where was I?
The point is...
there's a gulf
in this country,
an ever-widening abyss,
between the people
who have stuff
and the people
who don't have shit.
It's like this hole's
opened up in the ground
as big as the fucking
Grand Canyon
and what's come
pouring out... Hi.
My name's Davis,
building 78.
The whole building. Stop by.
I have something for you.
This is the greatest
town on earth.
Go left here.
Where was I?
The Grand Canyon.
Yeah.
And what's come out
of this big hole
is
an eruption of rage,
and the rage
creates violence,
and the violence
is real,
and nothing's going
to make it go away
until someone
changes something.
Which won't happen.
You and I
may not like it,
but I can't pretend
it isn't there,
because that is a lie.
And when art lies,
it becomes worthless.
So I got to keep
telling the truth,
even if it scares
the shit out of me,
like it scares
the shit out of you,
even if it means
some motherfucker
can blow a big ol' hole
in my leg for a watch,
and I'm going to walk
with a fucking limp
the rest of my life
and count myself lucky.
That's what's amazing,
you know,
is what we count
as lucky today.
Our criteria for lucky
has changed a bit.
We're not talking
about great art here.
Says you, Mr. Snob,
Mr. Arbiter ofTaste,
Mr. Immigration Lawyer
to the Arts.
I'll tell you this, though.
There's so much rage
going around
we're lucky we have the movies
to help us vent a little.
That line
is so tired.
I'm shocked
you'd use it.
You think just anyone
can do what I do?
You think anyone can make
the crap I make?
Wasn't there something
about "life force,"
"life-affirming"?
That's what Claire
told me.
This is life, pal.
That's what
I'm trying to get
through your thick,
sanctimonious skull.
There's always been
violence.
There will always
be violence...
violence and evil
and men with big guns.
My movies reflect
what's going on,
they don't make
what's going on.
And if I happen to make 'em
better than anyone,
then I've got a bigger
responsibility than anyone
to serve it up.
Mack, you ever seen
a movie
called
Sullivan's Travels?
No.
That's part
of your problem.
You haven't seen
enough movies.
All of life's riddles
are answered
in the movies.
It's a story about a man
who loses his way.
He's a filmmaker,
like me.
He forgets
for a moment
what he was set
on earth to do.
Fortunately,
he finds his way back.
That can happen, Mack.
Check it out.
Ha ha ha ha!
You're kind of big,
aren't you?
You look about
ready to play.
Yeah, maybe.
I want to see you
shoot from the outside.
What made you
get me together with Jane?
Dumbness, I guess.
Compulsion
to stick my nose
where it doesn't
belong.
Why,
has it ended badly?
No, it hasn't ended.
She's the best thing
that's happened to me
in a long time.
Really?
No shit?
Yes. Here you go,
my friend.
Sometimes things work.
Yeah?
Yeah.
O.K., then. To 20.
Take it out
from back there.
Winner takes it out.
You're sure? You might
not get a chance to shoot.
You're going down.
That is so cool
about you and Jane.
Yeah. That's why
I came tonight.
I thought of a way
to thank you.
You don't have to.
I have an idea.
If you're up for it,
there's something
I could do for you.
You don't have to.
Just play ball.
That's why I'm here.
I thought of a way to show
I appreciate you for...
for introducing me
toJane.
End of the line, folks.
So what do
you think?
I think...
it's not all bad.
Whoa!
You know what
your problem is?
You're always
talking about "X,"
but thinking
about "Y."
Learn to talk
about "Y."
Forget about "X."
"X" is going to take
care of itself.
What are you
talking about?
Hear yourself. Listen to
what you're really saying
and to what you
think you're saying.
When are you going to realize
nothing can be controlled?
We live in chaos,
a central issue
in everyone's life.
Mack, look around you.
Everyone in this parking lot
is struggling for control.
You know what it is
they're trying to control,
each and
every one of them?
Fear.
They're trying
to control their fear.
Thanks for
the game, Davis.
You're my best friend.
This is important.
Let's talk tomorrow.
Good night, Mack.
Good night, Vanessa.
I have more to say
about this.
Vanessa, why is it
when someone's successful
in one field,
they think they know
about everything?
Drive carefully.
/ went home
with the waitress
The way / always do
How was / to know
She was with
the Russians, too?
/ was gambling
in Havana
/ took a little risk
Send lawyers, guns,
and money
Dad,
get me out of this
Hyah
/'m the innocent
bystander
...should be heard
on this subject.
Missiles can accomplish
at a cheaper price
and greater accuracy
and fewer casualties
the mission, that, uh,
that a pilot was
supposed to carry out
and did in
previous wars.
And the Air Force is very
resistant to changing...
Dad should be home soon.
The game just ended.
I thought
you were studying
for your English exam.
I was. I had
the game on the radio.
Oh.
Oh, um, can you pick me up
tomorrow at, uh, 4:30?
4:30,
behind the school?
I thought you
were going to get
a ride occasionally.
I try. It's just hard
to arrange to leave
at exactly the same time
with someone.
It's just hard for me
to arrange my afternoon
around picking you up.
I'm working at the
senior center tomorrow.
If you can't do it,
I can try to find a ride.
It's kind of late,
but...
thanks.
Mom, I think you
need to get organized.
And I'm hiding
in Honduras
I'm a desperate man
Send lawyers,
guns, and money
Mmm. Uh... fuck!
The shit
has hit the fan
God.
What the...
All right! All right!
Oh...
shit.
God.
Fuck! Fuck!
Fuck.
Operator 349.
What city, please?
Yeah, I need
road service
for, um, I don't know.
Let's say Inglewood.
Hello... God.
Damn!
Yeah, uh, Buckingham,
but remember it's
about a half mile, uh...
west, I guess, of there.
It should be about
a 45-minute wait.
Uh-huh. I understand,
but, see, uh,
if it takes that long,
I might be, like, dead.
You might call
the police.
The police.
Oh, shit. No, uh...
nothing's happened.
Just get the truck here
as fast as you can.
Will do, sir.
Mayday. Mayday.
We're going down.
Hey, man.
You need some
help here?
This a nice car,
mister.
This one of them
new Jap cars?
Yeah.
Yeah, you need help
or yeah, it's a Jap car?
Thanks. Uh, no.
I've already called
for the, uh, tow truck
and the police.
You called the police?
What?
On that phone, you
called all those people?
Who else you call,
your mama?
He been busy, man.
I see.
Nice car. I could use
a car with a phone.
Maybe you wants
a ride somewhere.
Want a jump start
or something?
How about a jump start?
Ooh, he nervous, y'all.
What you so nervous
about, man?
Maybe he carrying, Jim.
Maybe he's scared
we going to bust him.
Bust his ass.
Leave that
man alone!
O.K., Grandma.
Whatever, baby.
Why don't you get out
of the car, mister?
You want me to have
Jimmy take you out?
Or how about this...
Do you ever want to get
out of that car again?
Look, what do you want?
Do you want my wallet,
my watch?
It's a shitty watch.
You're welcome to it.
I want you
out of the car.
Let's get this shit
over with.
Now, motherfucker.
Which one of you
call for the truck?
Me. That was me.
Uh, this is it.
It just sort of died.
I'm the one
that called.
I guess
it was you, huh?
Yeah.
Hey, man, we was
doing fine here.
Uh, is it the battery?
Huh?
Were you stopped, and
it wouldn't start again?
Oh, no. L-It just
died on me.
We're going to have
to take it in.
You dissin' me, man?
You bet he is.
You seeing it now, man.
That's right.
That's what he's doing.
Is that right,
you dissin' me?
No, I'm not.
Nothing like it.
I'm doing a job. This
is how I make my living.
I just ride out there
and do the job.
I want it to go
as smooth as it can.
I don't like it to be
harder than it is.
Make sure you're
in neutral
and the parking brake
is off.
That's bullshit, man.
He talking bullshit.
What's goin' down?
This is fucked up.
Get in the truck.
You'll ride up with me.
Are you the one
I'm talking to?
We all decide
what goes down,
so don't fly
that shit.
Yeah, man. Fuck you!
Am I talking
to the right man?
That's what I thought.
Look, I got
to ask you a favor.
I got to ask you
to let me go my way here.
Now, this truck
is my responsibility.
Now that the car's
hooked up to it,
I'm responsible
for that, too.
Any shit comes down now,
it's my ass.
Follow me?
Do you think
I'm stupid?
Answer me that first.
Then we'll talk.
Look, I don't know
nothin' about you.
You don't know nothin'
about me.
I don't know if you're
stupid or some kinda genius,
but I do know this.
I got to get out of here,
and you got the gun.
So I'm asking you a favor
for the second time.
Let me go my way here.
I'm going to grant you
that favor,
and I'm going to expect
you remember this
if we ever meet again.
Yeah.
But first,
you got to answer
one more thing for me,
and you got
to tell me the truth.
Are you
asking me a favor
as a sign of respect,
or are you
asking me a favor
'cause I got the gun?
Man, the world ain't
supposed to work like this.
Maybe you
don't know that,
but this ain't the way
it's supposed to be.
I'm supposed to be able
to do my job
without asking you
if I can.
That dude should is supposed
to be able to wait with his car
without you
ripping him off.
Everything's supposed to be
different than what it is.
So what's your answer?
You don't have the gun,
we ain't having
this conversation.
That's what I thought.
No gun, no respect.
That's why I always
got the gun.
Thanks.
You saved my ass.
We both got lucky.
It could have gone
different.
What's going on
in the world?
This neighborhood
has gone to shit.
This country
has gone to shit.
My sister and her kids
live near here.
That was a joke, Frasier.
Oh, / forgot
/ married a madcap.
Hey, uh, listen, folks.
Nobody's interested
in your motor trip.
We're talking about
my upcoming surgery.
Now, where was /?
So you're going to
see the Grand Canyon?
Don't miss Yosemite.
Go to the alligator farm
outside Tallahassee.
Tell /var
Woody says, "hey, hey. "
Hey, Ma.
Hey, baby.
How you doing?
I'm all right.
What time is it?
11:30.
Mmm.
What's up?
What's up?
Kelley's going to be
in the Girl Scouts
next year.
Yeah?
Mm-hmm.
I have to get her
a uniform.
Ooh!
I'm going to bed.
Sleep tight, baby.
Good night, Ma.
/t was more slow time
than Showtime
earlier this season.
The Lakers were simply
out of sync.
But a stifling defense
and a return of
that patented running game
has catapulted L.A. Back
into serious contention
in the west.
They're now just a game and
a half back of the Blazers
after ending Orlando's
magical road run.
Magic was hot as they
put up everything.
Dunleavy wanted a timeout.
His team was down by 10.
Here's EarvinJohnson
missing the layup.
This is Sam Vincent
of Orlando.
Three on one, the /ceman.
Jerry Reynolds
stuffing over Teagle.
The Lakers got hot
and went on a 20-point win.
Hello?
Hello?
Hi, guys.
Mack, what's wrong?
Nothing. I'm fine.
The car died.
Where?
Near the Forum.
Oh, shit.
Roberto.
On Manchester?
No, no. Like an idiot
I took a shortcut
and got turned around.
You've never been
where I broke down.
Shit. Are you out
of there now?
Yeah. I'm at a gas station.
Good.
You're lucky you got
out with your life.
It could have been
curtains, Dad.
Roberto,
could I talk?
See you
tomorrow, Dad.
Good night, pal.
You want me
to come and get you?
Nah. If they don't finish,
I'll take a cab.
Sleep. I'll tell about
my adventure tomorrow.
Adventure?
Mack, what happened?
Are you all right?
I'm fine.
Go to bed, honey.
I love you.
Love you, too.
Bye.
You can go swimming
in the ocean every day
and be perfectly cool,
you know.
Then one day,
one particular day,
you bump into
the big shark.
The big shark
don't hate you.
He's got no feeling
for you at all.
You look
like food to him.
You don't hate
hamburger, do you, huh?
Yeah.
Those boys back there,
they ain't got
nothing to lose.
If you just happen
to be swimming along
and bump into them,
well...
It might not be
worth worrying about.
It's like being
in a plane crash.
Well,
that's comforting.
I'm glad you
brought that up.
There just seems to be
so many ways to buy it,
particularly
in this city.
I'm amazed at
the end of each day
that anybody's alive.
Then other days I think
that maybe people
aren't so fragile.
Things have always
been kind of brutal,
and people just
keep on going.
You ever been
to the Grand Canyon?
I always meant to go.
I was there.
It only takes about
nine hours from here.
I know. We were planning
to take my boy.
How old is he?
15? Probably won't
want to go with you now,
probably go
with his friends
and his chick now.
You've missed
that boat.
What's his name?
Roberto.
Roberto.
After Roberto Clemente.
No shit.
Man, get yourself
to the Grand Canyon.
Beautiful, huh?
It's pretty, but that's
not the thing of it.
You can sit right
on the edge of it.
I did that.
I did everything.
I went down in it,
stayed overnight there.
The thing that got me
was sitting on the edge
of that big old thing.
Those cliffs and rocks,
they're so old.
It took so long
for that thing
to get to look
like that.
It ain't done either.
It happens right while
you're sitting there
watching it.
It's happening right now
while we're sitting here
in this ugly town.
Yeah.
When you sit on the edge
of that thing,
you just realize what
a joke we people are.
What big heads we got,
thinking that what we do
is gonna matter
all that much,
thinking our time here
means diddly
to those rocks.
It's a split second
we've been here,
the whole lot of us.
And one of us?
That's a piece of time
too small to get a name.
You trying
to cheer me up?
Yeah. Those rocks
are laughing at me.
I could tell.
Me and my worries
is real humorous to
that Grand Canyon.
Hey, you know
what I felt like?
I felt like a gnat
that lands
on the ass of a cow
that's chewing its cud
next to the road
that you ride by on
at 70 miles an hour.
Small.
Oh, yes...
it's small.
My name is Mack.
Yeah?
Simon.
Oh!
No!
Aah!
Aah!
/ said left!
/ told you left!
You scum-sucking pig!
/ must have
heard you wrong.
No!
/ told you not to move!
- Aah!
- Aah!
Aah!
Where's the shot?
What shot?
You took out the shot.
Which shot?
The money shot...
the bus driver's head,
the brains-
on-the-window shot,
the viscera-
on-the-visor shot.
We thought we'd show it
to you like this,
without all the...
Put it back.
Don't show me anything.
You don't need it.
You're not even
giving it a chance.
How does the rear-view
mirror gag work without it?
Am I the only one here
who respects the writing?
I got to help these kids
on the bus.
Right. Counselor
in training.
When I get back from camp,
I'll practice driving
every time we get in the car.
That gives me a month
to relax.
Have a great time, pal.
You, too.
I'll write a lot.
Yeah.
All right, you have
15 seconds to tell me
all the mother stuff
one more time.
Sunscreen, hat,
allergy pills,
summer reading,
floss.
Watch out for
poison oak, lyme ticks,
bears, dragons...
pestilence.
Just be careful,
O.K.?
Write if you
need anything.
Mom, I'm going to camp,
not the army.
I love you, sweetheart.
Me, too.
Be happy.
He's leaving home
Bye-bye
I got to go.
You O.K.?
Mm-hmm.
O.K. Call you later.
O.K.
I don't want
to go!
Come on, son.
Come on, son. You're
going to have fun. Really.
That's your
good luck hat.
Bye-bye!
O.K., Robby, you ready
for an adventure?
Mm-hmm.
We're going to figure
this town out, you and me.
Here we go.
You ride shotgun.
O.K., Mommy.
O.K.?
O.K.
Hey.
Fuck, you scared
the shit out of me.
The Rolex.
The car? You want it?
You got it.
Asshole. I told you
I wanted the watch.
The bleeding's
under control.
Just barely.
This guy's lucky.
What do we got here?
A gunshot wound
to the thigh.
Bone, muscle,
and arterial damage.
Is he conscious?
In and out.
Oh, looks like he's
coming out right now.
Severed the sartorious
muscle,
the anterior gracilis,
and partial trauma
to the rectus.
Femoral artery?
Jesus, what a mess.
Did the femur
just shatter?
See if it's even possible
to save the leg here,
O.K., O.K.
O.K.
O.K. Shh. Shh.
Yeah.
Yes. You got
a soapy head. You do.
Yeah.
What's that?
Yes, I know.
I know. O.K.
Here we go.
Right here where you can
see everything.
Mmm.
Yum, yum, yum, yum.
It's only
a paper moon
Sailing over
a cardboard sea
Where's that toe?
Here it is.
Look at this.
Oh, this is going
to look very good on you,
I can tell.
I know. Come here.
Go oopsie daisy, do.
O.K.
Who's up?
Mrs. Flores
and her three sons.
Mmm. Then what?
At 4:30, Mr. Duk.
Mr. Duck?
Mr. Duk.
Mr. Daffy Duk?
You're awful.
That's why
I can't stand you.
Hello.
Honey?
Hi, Mack.
How you doing?
Good. I'm having
a good day.
Why are you whispering?
Am I whispering? I guess
I'm feeling quiet.
I've been sitting
out back.
I talked to Davis.
How is he doing?
Terrible.
Apparently, the bullet just tore
the shit out of everything.
It's going to take
a long time to recover,
and then he may have a limp,
but they're not sure.
That's awful.
I can barely hear you.
I said that's awful.
Yeah. Do you still
want to go out tonight?
No, I can't. Uh,
I don't feel like it.
I'll make
something here.
I like the sound of that.
I got to go.
Mack, don't work late.
I won't. Bye, baby.
Surprise, surprise.
Yes.
Yes.
What?
O.K.
I love you,
sweetheart.
Oh, shit.
Um, how's my girl
doing today?
Why...
aren't you...
out...
on a date, beauty?
What's with school?
So?
Hmm?
Come on, don't give me
a hard time.
Dee, nobody knows less
about men than me.
You do all right.
O.K., let me ask you
one question first.
Do you like your job?
I know what you're
going to say.
Because you can
kiss it goodbye.
It never fails.
I absolutely guarantee
the thing ends
with you
losing your job.
And not because
you're the missus now
living in
the big house.
Don't think that's
gonna happen.
I don't think that.
I wouldn't even want that.
Give me a little credit,
will you?
One of the things I think
is so great about him
is how devoted he is
to his wife and kid.
You're
so full of shit.
You may not even know,
but you really are.
You're saying what they
all say at first.
I've seen it
many times, honey.
If he is so devoted
to his wife,
what's he doing
messing around with you?
He hasn't done anything.
You told me you were
holding hands
and getting
all soulful today.
Big deal. I shouldn't
even have told you.
You got
to tell somebody.
That's how you know
it's really happening.
Otherwise, it's
too god damn lonely.
We must be going about
this whole thing
wrong or something.
What thing?
The love thing.
The touch thing.
Where there's somebody
to touch you,
real nice and gentle.
Doesn't have to be
that gentle.
Whatever.
Jane, do you ever feel
like you're just this far
from being completely
hysterical 24 hours a day?
Half the people I know
feel that way.
The lucky ones feel
that way.
The rest of the people
are hysterical
24 hours a day.
Claire, I'm here.
Hi, Mack.
You forgot to bring in
the mail.
Something here
from Carol.
Mack, come on up here.
I want to show you
something.
Mmm.
Is something wrong?
Mm-mmm.
Whose is it?
She's beautiful,
isn't she?
Oh.
Is that the Wilson kid?
Who?
I don't know.
What do you mean?
I don't know
who the parents are.
Don't make me guess.
Where did it come from?
Shh. Shh, shh,
shh, shh, shh.
So?
What's the story?
I found her.
I was jogging, and
I heard this crying,
and I looked under
these bushes...
Where was this?
On Carmelina,
around the corner.
I looked
under the bushes,
and there she was.
When was this?
This morning.
This morning? What time?
Around 9:30, I guess.
What did the police say?
Hmm?
My guess is the police
did not say, "Hmm?"
So I guess
my next guess is
you haven't called
the police.
Claire.
You know, it's possible
this baby was kidnapped,
and somebody's been frantically
looking for it all day.
I don't think so.
I could tell.
But I listened
to the news three times.
There wasn't
a thing about it.
That doesn't
mean a thing.
They may not have
announced it yet,
or maybe they're
waiting to hear
from the kidnappers.
This baby wasn't kidnapped.
I can tell you that, Mack.
This baby was deserted
by its mother,
and it's going
to need a new one.
Claire,
are you O.K.?
I'm fine.
You do know
that we're going
to have to call
the police right now?
Of course, Mack.
I haven't taken leave
of my senses.
I just wanted you
to see her,
so I waited till you
got home, that's all.
She's so beautiful.
Just wanted
you to see her.
I told you that baby
wasn't kidnapped.
I told him. I said,
"There's no way this vehicle
is worth as much
as you're going to pay
to tow it. "
He tells me, "It got
sentimental value. "
What's so funny
about that?
Maybe it did.
Yeah, maybe he got
his first piece in there.
Otis,
watch your mouth.
What did he say, Mama?
Nothing, baby.
Just bring me
that meat loaf.
He was in this car
the first time he was shot.
Man! He had
some good times in there.
Are we going to play
roundy roundy, Uncle Simon?
Uh-uh.
Time for bed,
little girl.
One game.
Come on, Mama.
You said we could play
one game.
One game, Mama, please.
In your pajamas,
teeth brushed.
Go on.
Get ready
to get whipped, Homes.
Ooh.
I know. I started it.
Oh, baby, don't you
want to stay home
and be with your uncle?
I got to go out.
I got to meet some people.
Take it slow, Simon.
From the shoulders,
old man,
you still got it.
I ain't over yet, baby.
Be back soon, Ma.
O.K.
Rarr!
Hey, anybody come from
the shoulders anymore, huh?
Anybody
got the hands, huh?
Man, I wish.
Seem like every time
you turn around,
some sucker's coming
from the pocket...
and he's strapped.
You know, I never laid
any shit on you, did I?
No.
I love you, Otis,
and I love my sister.
I don't want her
to have any more pain
than she's already had.
You know,
she's suffering here
every night till
you come home.
We don't even get
into that no more.
When we're together,
we try and have it
be good.
If we ain't
talking about it,
why you got
to talk about it?
It ain't gonna
change nothing.
You sure?
Maybe we can figure out
something together.
What? What?
You going to figure out
something
that nobody else
around here thought of?
Later, Simon.
Hey.
Hey. Plenty have
gotten out, Otis.
I don't want out.
Hey, bullshit.
Without my set,
I'm nothing.
They care
about me, man.
You want to be gang-banging
when you're 25?
Shit.
I'll never live
to be 25.
I got to roll.
Mmm.
I'll call you Friday.
Drive safely.
All right.
Kelley!
Kelley!
Kelley! Kelley!
Get down here with me!
Mama!
Mama!
Well, look who's
up and at 'em.
Somebody leave
your curtains
open last night?
I asked them to.
I wanted to see this.
City of the Angels.
I have seen the light.
Mazel tov.
Watch your end.
O.K. Right there.
Close.
Right there.
Move it up.
Be right back.
Hi, Jackson.
Let me see that elbow.
Come on, just one look.
I want to see if it's
as good as my knee.
Ah.
This is just
a scrape, man.
Shit, my knee
was a real mess.
This thing
is just half bad.
Did Adam push you?
Should we talk to him?
How come?
He's an asshole.
Maybe, but we could
discuss it.
You having a bad day?
Did you get a letter
from your mom today?
Did she say
she missed you?
Oh, man, my mom
used to do that.
It made me nuts.
They love you so much,
they don't even know
it's going to make you
feel terrible.
I missed my mom so much
the first year
I came here.
When she wrote me
and said she missed me,
I felt so lonely.
Is that how you feel?
Well, you got me.
"Just don't tell him. "
So Harlan told him
anyway.
What else
would Harlan do?
The only way he
wouldn't have told him
is if I'd told him
to tell him.
I can't talk about Harlan
again tonight.
I've begged you to get away
from him for eight years.
What, so I can start
a new immigration
practice on my own?
That night
when I thought
those boys were
going to kill me,
I realized...
I hate fucking
immigration law.
No, you don't.
You like it,
and you're good at it.
You hate being partners
with an asshole like Harlan.
Maybe you hate some
other part of your life,
and you don't
want to admit it.
What did you say?
When a person thinks
they're about to die,
nothing they did that day
will look worthwhile.
That's not what
you were going to say.
If you know what
I'm going to say,
I guess I don't have
to say anything.
Look, I don't even know
what I'm going to say
from one second
to the next.
The world doesn't make
any sense to me anymore.
What's going on?
There are babies lying
around in the streets.
There are people
living in boxes.
There are people
ready to shoot you
if you look at them.
And we're
getting used to it.
The world is so nuts,
it makes me
wonder about
all the choices
that we've made.
Jesus Christ.
What?
Oh, shit.
Oh.
Let's see what you...
Wow.
Ah...
Damn, that smarts.
Hold it up.
Apply pressure.
Pressure. Pressure.
I'm taking you
to the hospital.
They'll have
to sew that up.
No. It's not that bad.
Here, let's see.
Take it off.
Look at this.
Under the water.
See what happens
when you yell at me?
Never again, baby.
Maybe next time you'll
be more understanding
when I bitch
about my life.
Here. O.K.
Ow, ow! Let me.
I'll get my purse.
I'm going to take you
to St. John's.
Maybe you
better sit down.
I really don't need
to get this sewn up.
Are you afraid
of a few stitches?
I'm not afraid.
I just think we ought
to discuss this.
You're kidding, right?
Are you going
into shock?
I just hate seeing my blood
spill out on me like that.
Does everybody...
Earthquake!
Earthquake!
It's a big one.
Let's get
outta here.
Aren't we supposed to...
I don't care!
I'm sorry.
I'm never
complaining again.
Bullshit.
No, no. I swear.
You'll forget about
all this tomorrow.
No, no, no.
Did you feel that?
I think there's
an aftershock coming.
Sally. Your chandelier
fall down again?
- No.
- Oh, good.
Claire!
Claire!
Bernice,
what's the matter?
Claire!
It's Byron.
I don't know what's
wrong with him.
I dialed 911.
The line's busy.
I don't know
what's happening.
Everything's
going to be O.K.
We'll be right there.
He's bleeding!
No, he's not.
That's Mack.
Come on, come on.
Come on.
I need an ambulance
right away.
222 Avondale.
What?
Yes.
Yes.
Uh, male.
79, I think.
Heart attack.
Maybe a... Maybe a...
Hey, man!
Hey, Mack!
Over here!
Come on!
Give me a fly-by!
Yeah! Ha ha ha...
Mom, I think
you need to get organized.
Nobody told me that!
I sense it!
Mack.
Mack, wake up.
So, now
tell me that again.
You have the baby
at home now?
Oh, Mack,
that's wonderful.
That's not
what I said.
Claire wants
to adopt the baby.
Claire is so great.
What's the problem?
You're not allowed to just
keep every baby you find.
Aren't there laws and shit
about that kinda thing?
There's a process
you can go through.
Claire's already
started
collecting
the forms.
She is the most
self-actualized person
I ever met.
She is this week.
Home, sweet home.
Mr. Davis.
Hiya, Leonard.
Good to see you.
Just toss me in.
Just roll me back
and flip me in.
I'll go check the car.
Set the brake.
What could happen?
Is that going to work?
I'll see you back
at the house.
You got it.
Mabel, I'll never forget
the times we had.
As you know perfectly well,
my name is Esther.
My mother's name
was Esther.
And since you've been
so much kinder to me
than my mother ever was,
I have given you
a better name.
And when I think
of the experience
that changed my life,
I will think
appreciatively of you.
You are very kind.
Remember, if you start
to feel some pressure,
that means it's time
to get the pus drained.
I love it when you
talk that way.
Don't you have
a favorite charity?
A favorite child?
A favorite horse?
This is
very unusual for me.
I'm notoriously cheap.
Ask anyone.
It's true.
Goodbye, Davis.
O.K., a hug.
Come on, a hug.
There we go.
O.K., so long.
Bye.
Take it easy.
Leonard,
get me outta here.
So, tell me about
this life change.
It's not a life change.
I had some kind
of vision,
some, uh... insight,
but I don't want
to talk about it.
Tell him, Davis.
He's your best friend.
We're talking about
Mack's new baby.
Besides, I think
if you talk about stuff,
that takes the place
of doing it.
That's never been
your problem.
No kidding.
Claire wants this baby,
but you're not
high on the idea,
not that
you don't like kids.
Roberto's maybe
the best thing
that ever happened
in your life,
but he's 15 now.
Soon he'll be moving out.
You thought you and Claire
could get back the freedom
you had when you
were first married.
You feel you're
getting old way too fast.
The last thing on your mind
was starting a new family
with all the whining
and the diapers
and the attendant
baby baggage.
Why start all that again
when you already wonder
if you did the right thing
the first time?
Davis, you're awful.
This is so much more
time-efficient
than a regular
conversation.
Since you're
currently obsessed
with the question
of what's going down
and why are you
going with it,
what shape are you in
to take on some new baby
from God knows where,
who has God knows what
health and emotional problems
and never asked
to be taken in anyway?
On the other hand...
Hey, baby,
what's the matter?
While we got
a moment here,
explain something to me.
What is the theory
on this handkerchief thing?
You blow your nose in it,
put it back
in your pocket.
Then you see someone
in distress
and give them this gift
from your pocket?
They're supposed
to be grateful
as they wipe it
all over their face?
If I tell you,
you'll think it's about you,
but it's not,
but you won't believe it,
and you'll get defensive.
If you don't want
to talk about it,
don't force yourself.
I want to have children.
I really want them.
I don't care
how rotten the world is,
but I'm so far
from having them.
I'm involved with you,
and you're not going
to have kids with me.
We're not even
getting married.
I can't even start.
I got to break up with you
and find someone else
I can stand being with,
and even then, I might have
trouble getting pregnant
after everything
I've done to my body.
Maybe I should just
hop out up here.
I could call a cab.
Why, Mack?
You're my friend,
too, aren't you?
Hey.
Hey.
Who says we're never going
to get married and have kids?
No, I didn't.
Well, doesn't it?
Uh-uh. Come on, baby.
Hey.
Hey, how you doing?
I don't know
if you remember me.
Oh. Hey, man, sure.
Uh, Mack, right?
Right.
Yeah, I didn't
recognize you at first.
Yeah.
I called,
and they said you'd be
getting in about now.
I wanted to thank you again
for the other night.
You did already.
Look...
can I buy you
breakfast somewhere
or something?
Yeah. Sure.
Just a minute.
All right?
You play basketball?
I played
in high school.
Sixth man for a year
and a half.
Me, too. Sixth man
until my senior year.
Then I started.
Center or forward?
Forward. I wasn't
big enough for center.
Must have been
some team.
We had Oscar Benson
on that team.
No shit?
You must be
pretty good.
I wasn't playing
the same game
that Oscar was playing.
Uh, look...
the other night...
You weren't in any danger
except for maybe
losing your wallet.
I didn't save your life,
so don't think you have
to say something to me.
One morning
about three years ago,
I was on my way
to a meeting
at the Mutual Benefit
building on Wilshire
in the Miracle Mile.
I love that name...
Miracle Mile.
It's the building
across the street
from the County
Art Museum.
I was thinking
about the meeting.
I was worried about it,
actually.
I started
to step off the curb...
and a stranger
grabbed me
and yanked me back
as a city bus went
flying by my nose.
It filled up the world
6 inches from my nose.
I would have been
a wet bug stain.
I wouldn't have
even felt it.
It would have been
over so fast.
I thanked this stranger,
this woman
in a baseball cap,
but I was pretty much
in a daze.
When I thanked her,
she said, "My pleasure. "
I didn't notice
till the last moment
the cap she wore was
from the Pittsburgh
Pirates,
my favorite team
since I was a kid.
Roberto Clemente.
Right.
I never
got over the idea
that I should have
thanked that woman more,
talked to her,
something.
She reached out
and yanked me back
from the edge,
literally changed
everything for me,
for my wife
and my son.
Then she just
wandered off
down the Miracle Mile.
And how come she was
wearing a Pirates cap?
That's unusual at 9 A.M.
On Wilshire Boulevard,
a woman in a Pittsburgh
Pirates baseball cap.
It's suspicious.
You lost me.
I just wondered
later on,
was she for real?
Was that
a real person,
or was that
something else?
You know, sent
from somewhere else
to grab me back
from that curb.
Is that what you're
wondering about me?
I just couldn't
let it happen again.
I didn't want to just
let you drift away
like she did
and never talk to you.
Didn't seem right
to let it happen twice.
That's why
I'm bothering you.
You're not bothering me.
You're just
buying me breakfast.
Good.
You got a right
to try to figure out
what confuses you,
but it seems like you're making
more of this than it is.
The world's a hard place.
Sometimes
you just get lucky.
I believe in luck.
Of course,
sometimes you don't.
One thing's for sure...
If you're alive,
some terrible shit's
gonna happen to you.
Maybe some
good things, too,
but you can always
count on the terrible.
If it doesn't kill you,
you'll be around to see it
come down some other way.
Thank you, honey.
No. No, thanks.
My... father died
last year.
81 years old.
That's a long time
for a black man
to live in this town.
He outlived
everyone he ever knew.
Saw two wives die
and three of his children.
He had a great
ugly old face
that looked like a suitcase
gone a million miles...
all beat up and dented
and scuffed and stained.
He looked like he walked
80 years on that face.
When I used
to look at that face
and see
all the pain there,
all the things he lost,
all the hurt he had,
I wondered why
he wanted to go on,
why he just didn't
lay down and give it up.
Did you figure it out?
No. Never figured out
much about that guy.
I asked him, though.
What did he say?
Habit.
Does your sister
have a job?
She's a cashier
atJon's.
Lets her work her hours
around her
little girl's school.
Would they let her
transfer
to another store?
I don't know. Why?
I was just wondering
about something.
What's that?
Just seems like
an impossible situation.
You can't live
your life like that,
thinking someone's going
to shoot up your house.
A lot of people do.
You know,
I know this guy
who's got an apartment
house in Canoga Park.
I might be able to get
her something out there
at a very
reasonable price.
Uh...
Hey, listen, Mack,
thanks, but, uh...
I'm not so sure
it's a good idea.
O.K. I'm not going
to push it
if you're not
comfortable.
Maybe you want
to think about it.
You don't have
to decide now.
Yeah, maybe.
O.K.
You got my number.
Yeah, O.K.
Simon?
Yeah.
What is it exactly?
I want to know
for two reasons...
to know if it's
what I think it is
and that I haven't done
something to offend you.
That's the last thing
I wanted to do.
Man, you are
a piece of work.
Sometimes I let stuff go,
and then I wonder
about it later.
O.K., here it is.
I guess
I think it's hard,
maybe even dangerous,
mucking around with
other people's lives.
Sometimes
there's a reason
they're doing
what they're doing.
That's a tough one.
You don't want to fuck
with things you shouldn't.
But you don't always
want to turn away, either.
Is that what you
thought it was?
Yeah, that and...
you know...
the white guy.
You white?
Hey, how about
Canoga Park?
That's pretty white,
ain't it?
No, not really.
Think about it.
I'll see you.
To try and understand
just what exactly
had been
delivered unto me
at the cost
of flesh and bone
and precious blood,
what message was being
delivered to me
in a. 38-caliber
envelope
for me to open and read
and understand,
and this problem,
this, um, difficulty
I was having
in understanding,
it grew on me
like a fever.
It buzzed
around my brain
till I could
no longer sleep
or eat or think
about anything else.
It was as painful
and real
as the physical wound
I saw in my thigh.
What?
Nothing.
Go on. I want
to hear this.
I had a feeling that you
more than anyone else
would have a problem
taking me seriously.
I am taking you
seriously.
I'm sorry for whatever
you think you saw.
First you have to tell me
what made you smile.
"Unto. "
What?
You said,
"delivered unto" you.
I'm sorry.
That is purposeful.
We're talking about
a religious experience.
I might say doth or thou
or lots of things.
Please, Davis,
go on.
The suspense
is killing me.
The end of this long,
torturous night,
my head pounding
in syncopation
to my throbbing wound,
there came a glorious,
delicate dawn,
and I knew,
I knew I can't make
those movies anymore.
I can't make
another piece of art
that glorifies violence
and bloodshed
and brutality.
I can't contribute
another stone
to this landslide
of dehumanizing rage
that has swept
across this country
like a pestilence.
That's a mixed metaphor,
isn't it?
Anyway, I'm done,
kaput, finis...
No more exploding bodies,
exploding buildings,
exploding anything.
No more shit.
Davis,
that's wonderful.
You know how
I feel about it.
I think I've always
been frank with you.
You'll never have
to say another word.
Excellent. Have you
told the studio yet?
Ah, fuck the studio.
Have you told
your business manager?
Fuck 'em, Claire.
You said all along there's
a fortune to be made
in stories about life...
the life force,
the creation of life,
the very instinct
for living.
Besides, I don't give
a shit about money.
I made more money
this year
than my father made
in his entire life.
At the rate I'm going,
I won't run out of money
for, uh...
well, 18... months,
anyway.
I'm going to make
the world a better place
for your new bambina.
What's happening?
What's happening?
Well, let's see.
We're filling out forms.
We're being evaluated.
We're becoming
official foster parents,
which would be
the first step.
We're...
We're arguing.
We're talking.
We're... flirting
with marital disaster.
Mack and I
are both being...
passionately, unshakably
devoted to our own position.
Claire, may I be very,
very frank with you?
Is it possible
this has come up
because Roberto's
about to move on
and you are
coincidentally
approaching
a certain age?
As opposed to what?
As opposed to being
wildly in love
with this particular baby
which I had in my house
for nine hours?
Of course that's why
this has come up, Davis.
It's not that simple,
but, yes.
But is that
rational?
Rational?
Reasonable,
feasible
for you and Mack?
Well...
I guess
I'd have to say...
I don't really care.
And it's
in Canoga Park.
A nice little apartment
complex, he says.
A friend of his
owns it,
his associate.
He'd be reasonable
with the rent.
Canoga Park?
Yeah, yeah.
That's a bunch of
white people, isn't it?
Uh, I don't know.
Yeah. Right.
He didn't want
to go to Cabo San Lucas?
He didn't say.
Hmm?
Hi.
Hi.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Do you know Jane?
Nope.
- This is Mack.
- Hi, Mack.
Hi, Jane.
Do you want
to sit down?
Thanks. I got something
I should do upstairs.
I'm having
one of those days.
Which kind?
I keep drifting.
I can't seem to carry
through on anything.
Like I'll say I have
to go upstairs,
but I don't want to,
so I don't go.
Have a seat.
Thanks.
At the same time,
I'm feeling very free,
like I've got a little
buzz on or something.
Does that happen
to you?
It doesn't happen to me
as much as I'd like.
It's very pleasant.
What brought it on?
Maybe I'll try it.
I got up early
this morning.
Sometimes it helps
to be sleepy.
I got that part
down.
I went to see
this guy that helped me
when my car broke down...
he drives a tow truck.
I really like him.
His daughter goes
to this deaf college
in Washington, D.C.
His wife left him.
He's kind of lonely,
but he seems
peaceful about it.
That would be nice.
It would be great
if you could be
down about things
but still be
all right with it,
like, finally
accept the fact
you'll feel bad
most of the time
and not fight it.
It would also be nice
not to feel bad.
That's how you get
in trouble...
thinking how nice it'd
be to be happy more.
Jane, are you married?
No.
Got a boyfriend?
No.
Would you like
to meet this guy?
I don't know.
What does he look like?
How important is that?
Somewhat important.
No, I was
just curious.
I mean, he happens to be
a very handsome black guy.
I don't know
that much about him.
How are you going
to describeJane?
Same way.
A very handsome
black guy.
Yeah.
Mama, there's
a man here.
Yes?
Hello, Mrs. Dotson.
You've got a polite
little lady there.
What is it?
My name's
Harvey Charles.
I represent
the Ohio Continental
Insurance Company.
Here's my card.
You're selling
insurance?
Yes, ma'am.
We don't want
life insurance.
That's what
most people say.
Our policies only
cost $10 per month.
Mister, I'm too young to be
getting life insurance.
We're not just
talking about you.
Think about
your children.
I ask you only
one thing, Mrs. Dotson.
Just glance at these
news clippings
here in my hand.
What about them?
What they show
in frightening detail
is the high rate
of violent death
caused by gangs
and crime
in your neighborhood.
Can I hand these
to you to look at?
Look, Mrs. Dotson,
I'm not going
to kid you.
These policies
are inexpensive
because the benefits
aren't that big
when they pay off,
but what they'll do is,
if harm should come
to one of your children,
this policy will cover
all funeral expenses
and arrangements...
Kelley, go wait
in the kitchen.
What?
Go.
You trying to sell me
life insurance policies
on my kids?
Ma'am, they're the ones
on the front line.
They're the ones
in danger.
You get the fuck
off my porch!
I said get away
from my house, damn it!
Bottom of the list.
Who needs them?
Beaufort, South Carolina?
My mother tryin'
to keep the baby.
You need her as much
as she needs you.
It's big
for the money.
It's not beautiful,
but they keep it up
pretty good.
They have their share
of gangs here, too.
But they don't
run the place.
Not yet anyway.
I guess Kelley would
eventually adjust.
Is it always
this hot?
Yeah.
Deborah's
really confused.
It's a big move,
and I don't know what
to tell her, either.
Either way,
thank you, man.
Darkness in the mornin'
Shadows on the land
Certain individuals
Aren't stickin'
to the plan
And I'm searching
for a heart
Searching everyone
They say love
conquers all
You can't start it
like a car
You can't stop it
with a gun
Excuse me. Are you
Roberto's mother?
Yes.
We're Amanda's parents.
I'm Steve Fox.
This is my wife Cathy.
Hi. Claire.
We can't wait
to meet Roberto.
Feel like we know
him from Amanda's letters.
I'm sorry.
I'm afraid that
Roberto doesn't write
as much as he should.
We're very pleased
about Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving?
It's so good of you
to let Roberto come
to San Diego.
Gosh, I'm sorry. I guess
you may not have heard
everything
about this summer.
I'm beginning
to get the picture.
There's my parents.
Which ones?
See the man
in the beard?
Oh, God. They're
talking to my mother.
They were relieved
I wasn't Puerto Rican.
Amanda didn't
explain that
in the many,
many letters
that she wrote
to her parents?
I hope they're
not bigots.
Did you want
to tell me about it?
What?
What happened
this summer.
At camp?
Oh, camp was O.K.
I really
missed you, kid.
I'm glad you're back.
Yeah. Me, too.
I'm sorry about
that Thanksgiving thing.
We'll talk to
your father about it.
It's O.K. With you?
I didn't say that.
But your mind's open?
Roberto.
O.K. Remain calm.
Let me ask you
something.
How open
is your mind?
Is this going to be
about my hair?
No. This is something
pretty big.
About me?
Only partly.
It involves you.
Are you and Dad
splitting?
Why do you say that?
Is that it?
No. Absolutely no.
Why would you say
a thing like that?
Do we look like we're
about to split?
I don't know. People
do it all the time.
They look
like they're fine.
I am crazy
for your father.
Are we giving you
any sign
that we're
having trouble?
So, um, what were
you going to tell me?
Wait a minute.
Answer me.
I, um, sometimes it just
looks like you're both
kind of unhappy,
O.K.?
Maybe I misunderstood.
It just looked like that
a lot before I went away.
Really?
Yeah, but look... look,
I'm glad I'm wrong.
I mean, God, that
would be horrible.
I hope you guys
never split.
I'm sorry
I said it.
What were you
going to tell me?
What do I have to have
an open mind about?
We'll talk
about it later.
Oh, Mom, just pretend I never
said anything and tell me.
Um...
Ahem.
Your father and I
are discussing
whether to adopt
a little girl.
What?
To, uh, you know,
the evening.
Some playboy, huh?
Yeah.
Nice car.
Oh, thank you.
It's yellow.
Yeah, of course
it's yellow.
God, what am
I thinking of?
All right.
Ooh, boy.
Uh, O.K.
I thought
you changed your mind.
Oh, no way.
It's just been a while
since I did this.
You haven't been
going out?
Oh, I go out
a little.
I just
can't remember
the last time
I was, uh, set up.
Fixed up.
Yeah.
So, what do you think
so far?
So far
it's all right.
I like it.
I'm just... I'm just
a little surprised.
Why? What did you
expect?
No, it's not you.
I'm just surprised
at how nervous I am.
Me, too.
Yeah?
Yeah.
That's all right.
At least now
we know that much
about each other.
Yeah. Um, Mack must
have had some reason
to think
this would work.
I guess you've known
him a while, huh?
I don't know him
at all.
Really?
Well.
I don't know him
much, either.
Hmm, that's funny.
Maybe we're the only
two black people
he ever met.
I think you're being
too hard on yourself.
You're trying to help.
You think moving
to Canoga Park's
gonna save that family?
Who said you have
to save anybody?
Maybe out there the kids
won't get hurt. Who knows?
They'll go or not go.
You're not responsible.
You just happen
to know a guy
who owns
an apartment house.
Why am I fixing Simon
up with some girl?
I do this shit,
and the next morning
I'm astounded.
Has it occurred to you
it doesn't really matter
all that much?
Why should you be
the one person on earth
who acts rationally?
Forget rational.
I'm completely
out of control.
Stop me
before I kill.
So? Good for you.
Aren't you sick of trying
to be in control
all the time?
I am.
Mack, you think
I want that baby
because I've got
some hole in my life
or I think I'll have
some hole in my life,
but that's not it,
or it's just
a part of it.
That baby needs someone
to take care of it.
It has to be you?
I believe there's
a reason I found her.
Dismiss it all you want,
but I'll always believe that.
You told me you thought
there was a reason
this guy... this Simon...
showed up and saved you.
I did?
How do you think that
I feel about this baby?
What if I
hadn't heard it?
What if no one
had heard her?
We would've read
about it in the Times.
"Oh, my God.
They found a dead baby
under the bushes
on Carmelina. "
"Mack, I must have run right
by it the other morning. "
But that
didn't happen.
I found her, and maybe
I saved her life
just the way maybe Simon
saved yours.
What are you saying?
Something
has happened.
You can't go back
and have it not happen.
Some connection
has been made
and has to be played out.
That is why you can't stay
out of Simon's business.
It's like this itch
you've got to scratch.
Claire,
you're talking about
a lifelong commitment.
I won't be dealing
with this Simon
the rest of my life.
How do you know
he won't be your friend
until the day that you die?
What if these
are miracles, Mack?
Maybe we don't have
any experience with miracles
so we're slow
to recognize them.
I'm getting
a terrific headache.
No, you're not.
I'm not?
I'll tell you why
I reject your headache.
Because
it's inappropriate.
Inappropriate?
If I'm right
and these events
are truly miracles,
then it's an inappropriate
response to get a headache
in the presence
of a miracle.
Wow.
Yeah.
I don't know
about you,
but I'm thinking this Mack
must be some kind of genius.
Do you believe
in fate?
I believe in luck.
Do you think
you should come up?
Do I think
I should come up?
What do you think?
Well, I think this night
has gone about as well
as it possibly could.
I don't want
to push our luck.
Is it O.K. To call you
at work?
I look forward
to it.
This is a feeling I'd like
to have at work.
What is it?
Ohh.
Bye, Simon.
Say that again.
Simon.
You O.K.?
Whoa.
You sure?
Why don't you just
pull right over there?
Didn't see him coming,
did you?
I still don't know
what happened.
I guess you were lucky,
even though it might not
seem that way right now.
Pretty scary stuff.
I was crying
before it happened.
Really?
I don't cry this easily
normally.
Sorry.
Don't apologize.
You want to get out
of there for a second?
Walk around
and catch your breath?
Come on.
You'll feel better.
You O.K.?
Then I guess
I better hang on.
Don't imagine
you want to talk about it
with a complete stranger.
I'm in love
with a married man.
We haven't been
having an affair.
He wouldn't do it.
We just had
one night together.
One really
amazing night.
Uh-huh.
Do you think
that's awful?
Which part?
All of it.
I think it happens.
Did he treat you bad?
It hurts.
When you love someone
and they
don't choose you...
it's bad.
That's the way
he's been bad to me.
Married men suck...
by definition.
Are you married?
Tell the truth.
No, I'm not married.
I haven't found
the right girl.
Can't quit now, babe.
Last mile.
Catching my second wind,
man, shoot.
Oh, man.
That's all there is.
We did it, man.
Just put it anywhere.
That's the end of it,
baby.
Good.
I don't know
if he's even gonna
stay here tonight.
Well, let's get a beer.
Get out of the way, man!
This is fucked.
What you doing, man?
No talking, huh?
That's cool.
That's cool. I guess you
don't want no company.
I thought you
was talking to me.
I thought you said
I was fucked up.
I wasn't talking
to your sorry ass.
Who the fuck
were you talking to?
Were you talking
to yourself?
What's up, man?
Hey, that dude
was quick.
Must have come here
from Beirut.
You, stop running and put
your hands behind your head.
Stop running and put
your hands behind your head.
Here we go.
Halt!
Halt!
Turn around and get down
on your stomach.
Turn around and get down
on your stomach!
What?
Down, asshole,
and I mean now!
Put your right hand
behind your back.
Bring the other one
around.
Don't you know
what stop means?
Where you going
in such a hurry, pal?
Nowhere.
I'm just running.
Running from what?
Nothing.
I live around here.
Where?
I don't know.
You don't know?
What's that supposed to mean?
Back there across
from the park.
What park?
I don't know.
They almost smoked me!
See a nigger
run around here,
they smoke you,
ask questions later.
I ain't staying here,
I'll tell you that.
I ain't fucking staying!
What's next?
Nothing. I'm quitting.
Tell me.
This is intolerable.
I can't do this anymore.
It's sick.
I need to go on.
Don't act like
you're not relieved.
I know you are.
I don't want you to go.
You know
what your trouble is?
You just never want
to be the bad guy.
You want everything you do
to be O.K.,
but it isn't.
If you didn't want this
to happen,
then you shouldn't have
fucked me.
I'm sorry. I think
I've said that before.
But you didn't mean it.
You aren't really sorry
it happened, are you?
Are you?
You've denied me
in every way you can.
Everything I've wanted,
you've denied me.
I've been honest
with you all along.
Even that night.
Who gives a shit?
Don't you see
what you do?
Even now you deny me
what's rightfully mine.
Which is?
To resent the hell
out of you,
to feel totally rejected
and hated.
To hate you
for doing it to me.
There are a lot
of good men out there
who'll treat me like I'm
the very thing they want.
And then you do
that thing with Jane.
What?
You know,
with that guy?
That tow truck guy?
What's that got to do
with anything?
You don't even know,
do you?
You don't even know why
that hurts me so much.
Jane's in love.
She thinks he's the one.
Is that bad? I thought
she's your friend.
She is my friend.
I'm very happy for her,
but it makes me
feel like shit
that you're finding her
the love of her life
and I'm here like, what?
I'm here like shit.
How do you think that's
going to make me feel?
Dee, look, I understand
you're angry with me,
but why...
Forget it.
It doesn't have
to make sense.
I'll stay for two weeks,
but you better find
somebody else.
Is Otis coming home
tonight, Mama?
No, baby.
I told you.
When will we
see him again?
I don't know,
honey.
Ha ha!
Yeah.
I just feel like
I'd really like to work
for a woman lawyer
this time.
I never have.
It might be a good thing.
I'm not sure you'd
find it much different,
but, frankly,
with your qualifications
and experience,
I have no desire
to discourage you.
I am curious though.
Your former employer
has written you
the most glorious
recommendation.
Why did you decide
to leave him?
Hey, Otis.
Hey, what's the matter?
You O.K.?
Yeah, I'm all right.
Hey...
you're...
you're hurt, boy.
It ain't my blood.
What happened?
Hey, what happened?
I seen some bad shit,
Simon.
O.K.
O.K., O.K., O.K.
O.K.
We have a three-car
collision to report
on the Santa Monica Freeway
east of National.
Only one lane is open.
And, Ted, the surface streets
are no picnic, either.
/t is a jungle down there.
And I realized it wasn't
both you and Mom
who were always saying
how glad you were
you didn't have
little kids anymore.
It was just you.
Mom never really
said that.
Which way are you
going to turn?
Right.
So what do you
want to do now?
Get in the right lane.
No!
Whoa!
Roberto, you can't just go
because you want to!
L... I messed up.
Make sure it's clear.
I messed up.
Better to go 10 blocks
out of your way
than try to get over
when it's impossible.
Watch this guy getting
out of his car here.
Slow down. Slow, slow.
Slow!
When I say stop,
you've got to stop.
You didn't say stop.
You told me
to slow down.
It won't matter
if you hit another car,
but you can't hit a person.
That's the most
important thing.
People are such assholes.
You got to watch out
for the dumbest stuff.
Just watch...
Just watch the road.
So why should I
tell Mom
she's crazy
to want this baby?
I don't want her telling
me my stuff is crazy.
Maybe it's
not so crazy.
It's her life.
And mine.
And yours,
too, I guess,
although she's
going to be
the one most involved.
Believe me it affects
us both, a lot.
Let's concentrate
on what we're doing.
What now?
Um, I'm going
to take a left.
Really?
It's, uh...
kind of busy here,
isn't it?
Dad, I've got to
learn how to do it.
You're right.
Left turn signal.
Left turn signal.
Done.
O.K. This is good.
Right here.
Perfect.
If you only had
one life to live...
which you do...
And you really wanted
to do something
and Mom said
you couldn't,
how would that
make you feel?
Let's just think
about this turn.
All right.
What are you
watching for?
The light.
And? What's the most
important thing?
Don't hit a person.
No, I mean here.
Don't fuck around.
This is no joke.
Sorry.
Um, the most important
thing is that...
that those cars
have really stopped.
Right. Because?
Because some idiot
is always liable
to run a red light.
Good. What else
are you looking for?
Um... those cars
in the cross streets.
Good.
The light's
going to change.
This is good.
Wait.
Wait.
Not yet.
O.K.
They're stopping.
Go ahead.
Stop!
You idiot!
Fuck you!
Whoa!
Asshole!
This guy's letting us in.
Go, go, go.
When I tell you, you'll
be able to get over.
We'll pull over here.
O.K., go now.
Just pull it right over.
Y- Y-Y-Yes.
Shit.
That guy was a cretin.
It's so crazy out there,
you got to react really fast.
If you're going, you've only
got a split second to do it.
Otherwise the cross traffic
will whack you.
Sorry, Dad.
Hey, this is
difficult stuff.
Making a left turn
in L.A.
Is one of the harder things
you'll learn in life.
That guy was
almost in your lap.
Heh heh heh.
This town stinks.
Do you want to drive?
Hell, no.
I'm too shook up.
Let's get out of here.
So I guess we're going
to get this baby, huh?
Hello.
What?
We've got no Feiruz here.
You've got the wrong number.
Oh, really?
Well, fuck you also.
Who?
Feiruz. You know him?
My heart is pounding.
Ahh...
Come here.
It's O.K.
Hmm.
Everything seems
so close together.
Hmm?
All the good and bad
things in the world.
Everything.
I feel it in myself even.
And in us...
our marriage.
I love you, Claire.
I like living my life
with you.
Do you?
'Cause I love you
so much, Mack.
Ohh...
Drive me over
to the stage.
My car's
over by your office.
You can
take the cart back.
I got to get back
downtown.
Relax. No one's
going to get deported
while you drive me
to stage 20.
We spent the whole lunch
discussing your marriage
to Vanessa.
I didn't congratulate
you on the new direction
your career has taken.
On the what?
Claire told me.
You know, the violence
in your movies.
She was so pleased.
Oh, that!
Oh, fuck that.
What?
That's over.
I must have been delirious
for a few weeks there.
Hi, Tim. How are you?
Man, I don't want to be
the one to tell Claire
you changed your mind.
Changed nothing.
I regained my senses.
I was talking
like a moron.
Down here and go left.
What happened?
Nothing happened.
It never happened.
Look, Mack,
I'm an artist.
Now, go ahead and laugh,
because everybody does.
Nobody in this town
will admit
that a producer
is an artist.
But I know what I do.
I know how many
lame-o directors
I've carried on my back
and then watch as they take
all the glory,
reviews, and awards.
Which awards?
That's O.K.
I don't mind working
in modest anonymity.
That's the way
Thalberg did it, too.
If they're lame-o,
why hire them?
I haven't got time
to do it myself.
Hanging around the set
all day,
doing that boring
lighting and shit.
Let them do that.
That's beside the point.
The point is...
Turn around.
Turn around and
go back down there.
Where was I?
The point is...
there's a gulf
in this country,
an ever-widening abyss,
between the people
who have stuff
and the people
who don't have shit.
It's like this hole's
opened up in the ground
as big as the fucking
Grand Canyon
and what's come
pouring out... Hi.
My name's Davis,
building 78.
The whole building. Stop by.
I have something for you.
This is the greatest
town on earth.
Go left here.
Where was I?
The Grand Canyon.
Yeah.
And what's come out
of this big hole
is
an eruption of rage,
and the rage
creates violence,
and the violence
is real,
and nothing's going
to make it go away
until someone
changes something.
Which won't happen.
You and I
may not like it,
but I can't pretend
it isn't there,
because that is a lie.
And when art lies,
it becomes worthless.
So I got to keep
telling the truth,
even if it scares
the shit out of me,
like it scares
the shit out of you,
even if it means
some motherfucker
can blow a big ol' hole
in my leg for a watch,
and I'm going to walk
with a fucking limp
the rest of my life
and count myself lucky.
That's what's amazing,
you know,
is what we count
as lucky today.
Our criteria for lucky
has changed a bit.
We're not talking
about great art here.
Says you, Mr. Snob,
Mr. Arbiter ofTaste,
Mr. Immigration Lawyer
to the Arts.
I'll tell you this, though.
There's so much rage
going around
we're lucky we have the movies
to help us vent a little.
That line
is so tired.
I'm shocked
you'd use it.
You think just anyone
can do what I do?
You think anyone can make
the crap I make?
Wasn't there something
about "life force,"
"life-affirming"?
That's what Claire
told me.
This is life, pal.
That's what
I'm trying to get
through your thick,
sanctimonious skull.
There's always been
violence.
There will always
be violence...
violence and evil
and men with big guns.
My movies reflect
what's going on,
they don't make
what's going on.
And if I happen to make 'em
better than anyone,
then I've got a bigger
responsibility than anyone
to serve it up.
Mack, you ever seen
a movie
called
Sullivan's Travels?
No.
That's part
of your problem.
You haven't seen
enough movies.
All of life's riddles
are answered
in the movies.
It's a story about a man
who loses his way.
He's a filmmaker,
like me.
He forgets
for a moment
what he was set
on earth to do.
Fortunately,
he finds his way back.
That can happen, Mack.
Check it out.
Ha ha ha ha!
You're kind of big,
aren't you?
You look about
ready to play.
Yeah, maybe.
I want to see you
shoot from the outside.
What made you
get me together with Jane?
Dumbness, I guess.
Compulsion
to stick my nose
where it doesn't
belong.
Why,
has it ended badly?
No, it hasn't ended.
She's the best thing
that's happened to me
in a long time.
Really?
No shit?
Yes. Here you go,
my friend.
Sometimes things work.
Yeah?
Yeah.
O.K., then. To 20.
Take it out
from back there.
Winner takes it out.
You're sure? You might
not get a chance to shoot.
You're going down.
That is so cool
about you and Jane.
Yeah. That's why
I came tonight.
I thought of a way
to thank you.
You don't have to.
I have an idea.
If you're up for it,
there's something
I could do for you.
You don't have to.
Just play ball.
That's why I'm here.
I thought of a way to show
I appreciate you for...
for introducing me
toJane.
End of the line, folks.
So what do
you think?
I think...
it's not all bad.