Give Me Back My Daughter (2025) Movie Script

1
[Policeman] This is child endangerment.
You said she was in the car for an hour?
[Renee] No, that's my daughter.
You step back.
-No, no, no.
-Ma'am, step back.
[Imani] Mommy!
You have the right to remain silent.
Imani!
[Policeman] Get away from the car!
No, no, no, Imani!
[Motown-style music]
[Renee] Come on, baby.
It's time to get up.
-[Imani, sleepily] I'm asleep...
-You're asleep.
That's so crazy because
you are actually talking.
I'm a ghost. Ghosts don't talk.
Hmm. Ghosts don't talk.
I did not have that information.
Hey, Cece,
what do you think is going on?
Is Imani asleep?
Hmm. She says no.
Is Imani a ghost?
Oh, negative on that as well.
Oh, yes, Cece?
Oh, is she?
Well, Cece says that
you are apparently ticklish!
Yeah, you're ticklish!
I've been... Blame Cece!
I have a master's
in business communication
and I excel at making offices
run smoothly.
And I excel at making...
[Both] Offices run efficiently.
[Renee] That is much better. Thank you.
[hip hop music]
-[Richard] Good morning, Renee.
-Good morning, Richard.
Oh, so our 9 a.m., canceled,
but I just confirmed
with our 11 a.m., 2 p.m.,
and 4 p.m.
-You're amazing.
-Thank you.
-[clears throat]
-Everything okay?
Yeah.
-Great.
-Nope, everything's fine.
Richard, so I know
that a management position
just opened up.
And as you know,
I have a master's in business
and communication
and my passion is making sure
things run smoothly.
I'm pretty sure
that I would be the perfect fit.
[Richard] How did you know about that?
[Renee] You mentioned it in
a meeting last week.
Right. Take a seat.
[Renee] Wonderful.
Okay, so I have a lot of ideas, you know.
The company is downsizing.
Okay, great. I can help with
that, so we're streamlining.
-I can be helpful with that.
-No, no, it's layoffs, Renee.
Not me.
Richard, I come in early. I stay late.
-I give everything, not me.
-I know. I know you do.
I don't deserve this.
Richard, there's nothing you can do?
-Richard.
-This is out of my hands.
I will write you
a glowing recommendation.
I'm sorry.
[dramatic music]
[bell rings]
Hi. Hi, sweetie.
-Hello.
-10 plus 4 is 14.
-I got them all right.
-Oh, I'm so proud of you.
-Mommy?
-Oh, um, allergies.
Don't worry about it.
Do you think Daddy
would have liked this drawing?
[Renee] Oh, sweetie.
Your dad is up in heaven right
now high fiving.
God and all the angels over this.
He's so proud of you. And so am
I, you're such an artist
[deep exhales]
Single mom, huh? That's a tough break.
Yeah, my husband died,
so, do you mind if I sit?
Oh, yeah.
At least you are not one of those women
chasing child support.
Yeah, I'm here for the job, so, you know.
You know, thing is,
this job is all about fit.
Not exactly corporate here, you know?
Oh, I'm great at getting along
with people.
Sure, sure.
But it's about more than just skills.
-It's personality.
-Mm-hmm.
-Vibe.
-Vibe, right.
No, yeah, definitely.
I have always been told
I have really great vibes.
Well, uh, I'll give you
a call if anything comes up.
-Mm, okay. Thank you.
-Yep.
[Renee] I'll just do this because...
Now I'm going. Thank you.
Are you still looking for a bookkeeper?
Yes. Okay, well, um, I do.
Yes, I do.
Oh, yeah, I would love to meet.
Your crayons.
We should get you coloring
pencils or something.
-Renee Johnson?
-Uh, yeah, yeah.
Uh, hi. That's me. Hello.
You brought your kid?
Yeah, I thought there
might be a receptionist here
that could watch her.
-We don't provide childcare.
-Of course not.
She's gonna sit really quietly
during the interview.
-Okay.
-Okay.
Come on, sweetie.
Oh, um... Here, pick it up, pick it up.
Pick it up.
Sorry. Sorry about that.
-Um... Okay.
-Miss Johnson?
-Yeah?
-This isn't going to work.
Oh, no, she's gonna sit really quietly.
It's not about noise.
It's about professionalism.
I didn't have any other option today.
Then perhaps you should reschedule
when you're better prepared.
We'll call you to set a time.
Did I do something wrong?
No, sweetie. You did everything perfectly.
-Uh, 10 a.m.?
-[Man] 10 a.m. works fine.
Yeah, I can definitely do that.
That would be wonderful.
[Man] Okay, we'll see you then.
Thank you. Thank you so much.
All right. I will see you then.
[soft music]
Okay.
Okay, baby. Here.
Do we have to eat this again?
[Renee] Uh, yeah, baby.
[Imani] I don't want to eat this anymore.
-I'm sick and tired of it.
-It's just all we have, okay?
[door knocking]
Um.
[sighs]
This is it?
I tried.
I told them about your record,
your years here.
But, um...
They said no.
[Renee] This is Imani's home.
That doesn't mean anything?
It does to me. If it were up to me.
But it's not. I know.
Mommy, are we leaving?
Yeah, baby, we have to.
[Imani] I don't wanna go, Mommy.
I don't wanna go either.
But, hey, no matter where we go,
we'll always be together, right?
Right? Yeah.
Fill this out. List every expense.
Rent, utilities, groceries, gas.
It'll take three weeks to process.
Rent, utilities, groceries, gas.
So, good news.
I was waiting to tell you,
but you've been approved
for interim assistance.
Oh, this is gonna help so much.
Yeah, it's not a lot, but
it'll help with your groceries.
[Woman] Oh, you have
no idea how much this means.
-Thank you.
-[Woman #2] You're welcome.
And if you need anything,
you just give me a call, okay?
Okay.
-Ma'am?
-Um.
How do I apply for interim assistance?
-Can I have that?
-That's only for specific cases.
Well, what are those cases?
[Woman] No, it's not available
for everyone,
and it wouldn't apply to your situation.
Okay.
Are you sure?
Because you don't have the forms
on my situation just yet.
It's only for disabled people.
-She didn't look disabled.
-Just fill out your form.
Okay.
[humming]
Oh, I thought I had another day.
[Imani] Mommy, where'd the lights go?
It's okay, baby. Hold on.
I'm gonna come to you.
Here, follow the sound of my voice.
[Renee] Shh.
Close your eyes,
and if you don't,
the mush-mush is gonna get you.
[laughs]
The mush-mush?
No, you don't want the mush-mush
to come get you, right?
Shh.
Shh.
Shh.
[indistinct]
You wanna sleep, right?
[dramatic music]
I really wish it could
have been different.
Me too. Here's the key.
[Man] If you need anything...
I'm gonna be fine.
[Man] Let me help you.
I'll take this to the car.
That'd be nice. Thank you.
[soft music]
[tense music]
[engine off]
[Imani] Mom.
[Renee] Hello.
Need your license
and registration, ma'am.
Yeah, that is that and...
[Policeman] You from around here?
No, I'm just passing through.
I've been on the road a while,
though. So...
Uh...
You headed anywhere in particular?
I'm heading over to family,
but it's a bit of a ways,
and so I just wanted to pull
over for the night.
I can't have you stay here.
-Oh, yeah, of course.
-It's not safe.
-Yeah.
-You can move along.
Okay. Thank you.
[Policeman] Take care of yourself.
Thank you.
[Imani] Mommy, I'm tired.
Hi.
Uh... Do you have any beds tonight?
We're full. Sorry.
Okay. Um... Look.
Would you mind if we maybe just
just stayed here for the night
in these chairs, please?
We'll be really quiet.
We won't make any noise.
She's already asleep. Please.
I know. I know.
And I know you've been here
a few times,
and I really wish I could help,
but I can't allow that.
Try again in a few days.
-Thank you.
-Mm-hmm.
Good luck.
[cricket chirping]
[Renee] Let's...
Let's wash under those arms.
Yeah! Okay.
Just...
Okay.
Arms up, please.
Present them. Present the pits.
-You still ticklish?
-Yeah.
I don't know. You
sure you're not ticklish?
You sure?
-Yeah.
-Okay.
Other arm, please.
Okay.
Let me get behind your ears.
And... your neck.
Okay. Present the pits.
Let me smell them.
All right. That one's fine.
-Oh! It's still stinky!
-No.
Yes, it's still stinky!
We gotta get... We gotta get all the funk.
Okay.
Let me smell again.
Okay. Better this time.
Let's... Can you put your jacket on?
-[Imani] Mm-hmm.
-Thank you.
-I can zip it all by myself.
-You can zip it up by yourself?
Let's see.
Good job!
All right, go inside, it's cold, okay?
Okay.
Can I help you with something?
Do you live here?
Um, I don't think I'm
on your property, am I?
[Woman] Well, you're just
not allowed to park there.
Okay.
I didn't realize you were mayor
of the street. Sorry.
No, but... I am on the HOA.
-[Renee] Uh, okay.
-[Woman] You know what?
If you do not move along,
I'm going to call the police.
Okay, honey. That's enough.
-Okay, Imani. Seatbelt.
-Okay.
But... why do we have to go?
[Renee]
Because they don't want us here.
But they're not gonna take you
away, right?
No!
No one's ever gonna take me away
from you.
Don't worry about that.
[tense music]
[tense music continues]
Mom, I'm scared.
I'm sorry, baby.
It's just for tonight, I promise.
[Imani] Okay.
[bell rings] All right,
by the time you're out of school,
I should have some interviews
lined up, okay?
You gonna have a good day?
Good luck in your interviews.
Thank you, but if I get the job,
it won't be because of luck.
It'll be because I'm qualified, right?
-Right.
-All right, let's do it.
-Oh.
-Boom.
[Both] Love you.
All right. Have a good day.
[school bell rings]
Your mom's gross.
[Renee] Hi.
I was told I could talk to you
about financial assistance.
Yeah, how can I help you?
Yeah, I was
actually here a few months ago,
and I filled out all the forms already,
but I lost my apartment not long after.
-Okay, um, what's your name?
-Renee Johnson.
[Woman] Okay.
It says your application was processed,
but the mail we sent was returned.
I don't really have an address anymore.
I'm living out of my car with my daughter.
I see.
I'm sorry to hear that.
Thank you, but, okay, but now what?
I need some help,
and I'm starting to feel
like I'm getting shut out.
Without a valid address,
the system marks
your case as incomplete.
Okay, I'm disqualified from getting help
because I'm homeless,
but I'm homeless
because I did not get the help.
I know. I know.
It's unfair, but
the system wasn't really built
for situations like this.
Okay, so where
does that leave me, okay?
Because it leaves me in a car
with my child still.
I...
Well, there are
some community organizations.
That might be able to help
with temporary support.
Charities. That's it.
That's all you, just, okay.
I'm sorry. I wish there
was more I could do.
Um, here.
It's not much, but maybe it'll
help with something.
I'm sorry.
[Motown-style music]
Thank you, Curtis.
How is the music business going?
Well, you wanna hear something new?
Yeah, I wanna hear something new.
You wanna kick something real quick?
Back off the top.
Yeah, freestyle something real quick.
Yeah, let me get a beat.
Boy, if you don't get
them headphones off your head,
and you stop bothering Mrs. Johnson.
-Sorry, Dad.
-Please.
-Hey.
-Hey.
Got some extra fries for you
two, just in case you want it.
-Thank you.
-You're welcome. You're welcome.
Hey, listen, I need you to, uh,
when you're done, get in the back.
Get he help wanted sign
and put it up for me, okay?
-[Curtis] Gotcha.
-[Jeff] All right.
-Thank you.
-[Renee] Thank you.
[phone ringing]
[David] Hi, Ms. Johnson.
This is David Haskell
from Diamond and DeVoe Realty.
I'd like to set up an interview.
Oh. Uh.
[line trilling]
-[David] Hello?
-Hi, this is Renee Johnson.
[David] Didn't expect you
to call back tonight.
Yeah, I'm, I'm very,
very interested in the position,
and I can start immediately.
[David] Let's start with an interview.
Does 2 p.m. tomorrow work?
Yeah, that would be perfect. Thank you.
-[David] Great. See you then.
-All right. Thank you. Bye.
[phone ringing]
Hello?
[lively chatter]
This is so disappointing. I cannot believe
that I had to come down here
for your behavior.
I know that you know that.
You know what you said is a bad word.
They were being mean.
Imani, I do not care.
You know better than
to talk to children like that.
They said we were poor
and didn't have a home.
Okay.
Baby, I understand
that this is hard. I do.
But we show people
who we are by being better.
Right?
[phone ringing]
Hi.
Yeah, yeah. I just need two hours.
[Renee] No, I'm gonna pick her
up right after the interview.
Okay, thank you. Thank you so much.
Was that Ms. Latoya?
Yes, that was Ms. Latoya.
We gotta hustle. Come on.
Careful, though. Okay. Careful.
Okay.
She's not here, is she?
No, she has to be here.
You saw, I just called her.
[Voicemail] Hi, you reached Latoya,
leave a message after the tone.
Latoya, come on. I'm out here.
My interview is 30 minutes away.
Come on. Call me back.
Mommy, I'm not sure if she's here.
Come on. Look. Come on.
Go. Go, go, go.
Yeah, this way.
Imani.
Do you think you can be a big
girl and do Mommy a favor?
Uh, sure. What is it?
[David] Yeah, they've assured me
that the wire is gonna be
completed within the next hour.
Yeah, I know they must be anxious,
but the second closing will happen.
[David] I'm sorry to keep you waiting.
Would you like a cup of coffee?
No, thank you.
It's a little late in
the afternoon for me.
[David] All right.
[Man] Where's her parent?
I can't believe someone left
their daughter in the car.
It's freezing out here.
[David] So, um, what do you
consider to be
your biggest strength?
Mm, mm, mm-hmm.
I'd have to say my ability
to stay calm under pressure.
Really.
[Woman] I'm gonna call the police.
[David] How do you deal
with difficult clients?
Hmm. I prefer to listen first.
You know, I found, I found in the past
that when people feel heard,
they're more likely to trust you.
[Woman] Hi. I'm at 4500 Peach Street
and there's a child locked inside a car.
So where do you see yourself
in five years from now?
Hopefully here.
Contributing and growing.
And I want
to build something meaningful.
Not just for myself,
but for any team I'm a part of.
Renee, that is music to my ears.
Mm, mm, mm.
You know, that is the exact
mindset we're looking for here.
-Welcome aboard.
-Mm, mm, mm.
Glad to be here.
That's great.
Well, I will get you aligned
with our admin team,
as well as to get you the new
hire paperwork together for you.
[Renee] Okay, sure.
[soft music]
[tense music builds up]
[Policeman] Yeah,
let's get her in the car.
We'll get her back
to the station. All right?
You did the right thing. Calling us.
I mean, it's child endangerment.
You said she was in the car for an hour?
Oh, Imani. No, no, no, no, no, no.
[Policeman] Ma'am? Ma'am, stay there.
No, Imani.
[Policeman] Hey, ma'am, step back.
Ma'am, sorry. Stay there.
Stay back. Hey, ma'am, stay back.
-I'm really sorry.
-It's no good, ma'am.
Ma'am, you left her in the car
for over an hour?
Mommy!
-Imani! Imani!
-I'm going in!
You have a right to remain silent.
My interview just
ran a little bit late, sir.
Ma'am, that's no excuse.
Anything you say can,
and will be against you in a court of law.
All right?
You're making this harder
than it has to be, ma'am.
-No, no, no, this was...
-[Imani] Mommy!
Ma'am?
-Mommy!
-[Policeman] Ma'am!
Get away from the car.
Hey, don't make this harder
on yourself than it has to be.
You have the right to an attorney.
If you cannot afford an attorney,
one will be provided for you.
-Do you understand?
-Imani!
Excuse me, I have to take this.
Yes.
They're taking Imani away from me.
We're going to fight this,
but they're following protocol.
Is there anyone else Imani could
stay with?
-Family? Close friends?
-No, there's no one.
What about her father?
Her father died. My husband died.
We both grew up in foster care.
We never had a family. I'm all Imani has.
[Woman] Thank you.
Sorry about that. So, where were we?
A class E misdemeanor doesn't fit.
Renee was trying to build a better life
for her and her child
under impossible conditions.
The charge is reckless endangerment.
She doesn't deny what happened,
but there was no willful intent
to harm her child.
She's asking for leniency.
She's willing to plead no contest
if jail time is off the table.
It is excessive.
Why should I agree to that?
Please.
If I plead guilty, I lose everything.
The system does not make it easy
for people like me.
I grew up in it.
I know exactly what I'm up against.
[sighs]
Sure know how to pick them, Laura.
[Laura] You'll be on probation
for two years.
Expect regular check-ins.
Okay.
You'll also need to complete
80 hours of parenting courses
and comply with every court order.
Okay.
You also need a home, and a job.
By law, they cannot legally give
you back Imani,
if you're living out of your car.
I understand.
But listen, you can't have any slip-ups.
If you do, she could permanently
be in the system.
-Oh, absolutely.
-[Laura] Okay.
-I'll see you in a few days.
-Thank you.
Okay.
[doors opens]
Excuse me. Sorry. I didn't mean to get...
[Judge] Please be seated.
Ms. Johnson, this hearing
is to determine
whether your daughter will
remain in state care.
Your parental rights remain
intact for now,
but that all depends on
the steps that you take
moving forward.
-Do you understand?
-I understand, yes.
What's the state's recommendation?
Given the circumstances,
foster care is recommended
to ensure stability.
[Judge] Counsel,
do you have anything to add?
My client has been doing
everything in her power
to get her life back on track.
Work, housing, stability,
all while fighting uphill every
step of the way.
Ms. Johnson, I'd like to hear from you.
Would you please stand?
Why haven't you found stability yet?
I lost my job,
and then I couldn't get
assistance without an address,
and it's just been kind of impossible.
I understand hardship.
But leaving your daughter alone in a car
for an extended period of time,
that's reckless.
I did everything I could before
it came to that.
I didn't have another choice.
Your love for Imani is clear,
Ms. Johnson,
but what your daughter
needs most is stability,
and that's what this court will
be looking for.
For now, Imani will remain
in temporary foster care.
This is not a punishment, Ms. Johnson.
This is a chance for you
to get back on your feet.
We'll review your progress
at the next hearing.
But parenting classes, check-ins,
a solid plan are mandatory.
Actions matter, Ms. Johnson, not words.
I'll do everything I
can to bring her home.
Court's adjourned.
[soft music]
Hi.
I'm just gonna sit over there, okay?
[Renee] Okay.
Hi.
Mr. Patterson.
-Hi!
-Mommy.
Hi. Hi, come sit, sit, sit, sit, sit.
Oh, my God. Oh, I missed you so much.
-It's been weeks.
-I missed you too, Mommy.
Oh.
How have you been?
What do you wanna eat?
What do you wanna eat?
What's going on up here, girl?
[Curtis] Here you go, Imani.
Jeff's world-famous ice cream.
-[Renee] Thank you, Curtis.
-I got you, girl.
[Imani] I want to eat.
Hey, so what is it, what's it like with,
um, with that family?
And Mr. Patterson, is he nice to you?
Mm-hmm.
Has he hurt you?
-No.
-Okay.
-You promise?
-I'm not lying.
Okay, okay.
-[Curtis] Here's the bill.
-[Renee] Thank you.
-Thank you, Curtis.
-[Curtis] No problem.
-Mommy?
-[Renee] Yeah?
Can I come home with you?
Um, not this time,
but really, really,
really, really soon, okay?
I promise.
Just, um, I'm still working
on a few things, okay?
-Bye, Imani.
-Bye.
No hug. She doesn't hug any.
Thank you.
Um, here's her stuff.
Oh, Imani wanted you to keep
the sketch pad.
Okay. Thank you.
And here is the house line.
Call any time between 6 and 8,
and if you leave a message,
we'll make sure Imani hears it.
[Renee] Okay.
And we will try to find someone
around us who can do her hair.
I appreciate that. Thank you.
-Okay, I'll be in touch.
-Yes, good to see you.
-Thank you.
-Good night.
Bye!
Did you see all the lint
in that child's hair?
Have they ever had a Black child before?
You place my baby with somebody
that does not know how to do her hair?
That is the least of
your worries right now.
I'm sorry, what does that mean?
Okay. Imani says that she has
nightmares of a big shadow
knocking on glass.
She is afraid to go to the bathroom
or take a shower
unless someone's there.
I tried everything to keep her safe.
I believe you.
But you need to do better.
Look, look at the Pattersons.
Okay, they have been fostering
kids for 10 years.
They opened their hearts
and their home to kids who needed it.
I need to be the one that Imani
is with, okay?
I need to be taking care of her.
Then step up. Find any job, okay?
Even if it means flipping burgers, do it.
You need to show the court
that you are fighting for Imani's future.
Okay.
Thank you for today.
-All right, I'll see you.
-Okay, I'll see you, thank you.
Mm-hmm.
I don't think this is
the right fit for you.
Jeff, I flipped so
many patties in college.
I can run this place with my eyes closed.
Come on.
Give me five minutes, they'll be
begging me for the recipe
for the secret sauce.
But, uh, why here?
-Can I show you something?
-Yeah.
-Here, uh, follow me.
-Okay.
[soft music]
Everything I own is in that car.
Everything. My entire world.
And I'm in it, too.
Since I got evicted six months ago.
You know, I had, uh... I had plans.
I was gonna have a salon
with my name on the door.
A client list that I built from scratch.
Then my husband got sick,
and I thought, you know,
dreams can wait.
My focus became taking care of him.
And then he died.
And my sole focus became taking
care of Imani,
and now I don't have her either.
And I don't...
I don't even know if
those dreams are still in me.
Look, I...
I want the job because I really,
really wanna do this on my own.
And I really, really thought
that I could, but...
I can't.
I can't.
My wife
had that same fight in her.
And I see it in you.
Renee, you're not alone.
Family isn't just blood.
It's the people that stand
by you when it all falls apart.
You're not alone.
Let's get you started.
Yeah?
-Yeah.
-Thank you, Jeff.
[Jeff] It's gonna be okay.
[both laugh]
[Motown-style music]
[Renee] Yeah, I shuffle a lot of burgers.
[Jeff] Okay, all right.
Okay, so...
What we have here is the Fryer Dunker.
Now, do you know what we dunk
in the Fryer Dunker?
-Fries.
-Bingo.
-Okay.
-Okay.
No tricks here. Just fries.
[laughs]
All right. Real simple.
Now, the regular basket.
And standard, but our Razzle Dazzle.
Mmm.
You toss up in here.
And that is reserved
for our special spice.
Special spice. Razzle Dazzle.
[Jeff] Razzle Dazzle. Special spices.
Now, getting there,
we give it a little love.
[Renee] All right.
Just a little... Just a little loving.
You know, not too crazy.
I make a fry master out of you yet.
[Renee] All right. Razzle.
-Dad, you got more out front.
-Okay. All right.
You're doing great. I'll be right back.
All right. I'll Razzle Dazzle for you.
Razzle Dazzle.
That just pisses me off.
I see a white girl coming out of
the same courtroom,
same judge, same problem as me,
and she gets handed the world.
Yes. I can understand your frustration.
There are certainly racial
disparities going around
within the juvenile dependency system.
However, again, what are we here for?
We're here to focus on what we can do,
the things that we have power over,
in order to improve our lives,
to become better parents for our kids.
On a lighter note,
I got to see my little Elijah.
-[Woman] Did you?
-Yeah. The other day.
-Yeah.
-How'd that go?
He's staying with his grandma
right now because of everything.
And I know I messed up, like, bad,
but I am busting my ass
every day to get him back.
Exactly. Right?
And that's why we're all here.
We're not here
to judge each other as mothers.
We're here to be vulnerable,
like you're doing,
to open up so that we can know
where we can support each other,
so that we can become better
parents for our children.
Because we want our kids
to be proud of us, too, right?
We're proud of them.
Hey.
Why are you here?
I actually don't have anything
to say today.
And you don't have to. Okay?
We don't do that here. We all know that.
So, who does want to speak?
[Renee] [clears throat]
-Hey.
-Hey.
First time in there?
Yeah.
It's a lot.
Feels like you're drowning at first.
Yeah, something like that.
You figure it out, though.
No one's coming to save you.
But sometimes somebody will sit
with you while you work it out.
Do you live around here?
No.
I actually have a long way to go.
But, um, the session ran long,
and the buses stopped running.
I'll give you a ride.
Come on. I'm right here.
-Thanks for letting me stay.
-You're welcome.
This is it.
-So, make yourself comfortable.
-Thank you.
I pay 600 bucks to sleep on this couch.
It's lovely.
Oh, is this your little side hustle?
Uh, yeah.
It's, um, it's therapy
they can't bill me for.
Mm-hmm. Okay. I hear that.
Oh, Imani would love this sort of thing.
[Kelly] Oh, yeah? She's artsy like that?
Yeah. She gets that from her dad.
And where is he?
He's gone. He passed.
I'm... I'm so sorry.
It's fine.
-Oh. We're hugging.
-Mm-hmm.
-No, I'm...
-Just let it happen.
Okay. I'm fine, though.
-It was a while ago.
-Okay.
Well, there's no refunds on hugs.
-Store policy.
-Mm-hmm.
-My house. You know.
-Very fair.
Oh, I remember these.
I used them in my own side hustle.
I used to braid hair in college.
I had an entire enterprise.
Ran it right out of my dorm room.
-I made good money, too.
-So why'd you stop?
Oh, you know. You know how life does.
I always thought I'd come back to it,
but, you know,
something always comes up.
I just sort of stopped thinking
about it altogether.
Hmm.
Well.
Welcome back.
Okay. You got your first
customer of the night.
Thank you. Go.
-Oh.
-There you go.
-You're annoying. Now I get it.
-Mm-hmm.
-But you love me?
-Do I?
Yeah.
Look, whatever I gotta do to stay here.
Ah! That's not an even exchange.
[laughs]
-Hey. You need anything?
-[Renee] No, no.
I'm just cleaning up a little.
I'm gonna shower real quick, okay?
[Renee] Alright, do not mess up that hair.
-I won't.
-All right. You better not.
[phone ringing]
[Mrs. Patterson] Hello?
Hi. This is Renee Johnson
calling for Imani.
[Mrs. Patterson] Ms. Johnson,
you know you're only supposed
to call between 6 and 8 p.m.
Oh, yeah. I'm so sorry about that.
It's just that I got some news,
and it would mean the world to me
if I could share it with Imani.
Please?
Well just this once,
it's almost her bedtime.
-Thank you.
-[Mrs. Patterson] Hang on.
Imani, it's Mom.
Hello?
-[Renee] Hi, baby!
-Mommy!
[Renee] Hi!
I have some really, really
good news to share with you.
[Imani] Tell me. Tell me.
-Mommy got a job today.
-What do you do?
I'm gonna be working at Jeff's Diner,
that place that you like.
[Imani] No way. You're making burgers?
-And pancakes, too!
-That's crazy!
How are you doing? What's it like there?
Mr. and Mrs. Patterson are nice.
They are super nice, actually.
Okay. Okay.
What are the other kids like?
It's a lot of kids here,
but I'm really the only one
that looks like me.
Um, yeah.
That can be hard sometimes, huh?
-Yeah, but they're nice.
-[Renee] Oh, well, that's good.
You know, pretty soon,
I'm gonna be picking you up,
and you're gonna come home with me.
[Imani] Oh, that's fine, Mommy.
You don't have to.
Hm? What? What does that mean?
I like it here.
Yeah, but you like it better
with Mommy, though, right?
Imani, let's wrap it up, sweetie.
-It's time for bed, okay?
-Okay.
-Sorry, Mommy. I gotta go.
-No, Imani, don't...
Imani?
[Curtis] Ma'am, this is what you ordered.
Excuse me?
I told you I didn't want
the cheese on the burger.
-You see the cheese, right?
-Ma'am, I'm sorry, right?
But if you ate most of the food,
I can't just take it off the bill.
[Woman] I'm not going to pay
for something I didn't order.
[Curtis] Do you know how many
times you've done this?
-[Woman] This is ridiculous.
-This is not the first time.
All this food's gone, and you're...
Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay. Check out.
What?
Oh, okay.
Hey, so maybe I can be helpful?
What seems to be the problem?
Yes, this is not what I ordered.
She's lying. Do you know how
many times she's done this?
-Ma'am.
-Curtis, Curtis, Curtis.
So, you do seem to have eaten
most of it, though.
What exactly is the problem?
I mean, this isn't what I ordered.
-It was wrong from the start.
-So why did you eat it?
-It doesn't make sense.
-Excuse me?
There's no more food on the plate.
-There's food on the plate.
-Okay, okay.
-This is your mom.
-So unprofessional.
You're not, because you ate all the food.
Excuse me, don't talk
to my daughter like that.
Okay, I got it, I got it,
I got it, I got it, ma'am.
So, look, you did, in fact,
eat the bulk of it,
so we're not going
to take it off the bill.
However, what we'll do
is we will get you a fresh one
since you were saying
it's not what you ordered.
[Woman] Thank you.
[Renee] We'll just get you a fresh one.
Curtis, can you make sure it's
made right this time?
-Yes, please.
-I'll make it right.
-Thank you.
-You're welcome.
You're doing a great job, Curtis.
Take care of her.
[Mrs. Patterson] I'm sorry, Ms. Johnson.
Imani won't come to the phone.
Okay, um, can you just tell her
I called, please?
[Mrs. Patterson] I will.
[Renee] Thank you.
-[Curtis] Everything all right?
-Yeah, I'm fine.
Hey, your mom,
she used to keep the bathrooms
open for everybody, huh?
Yeah, she always said family
isn't just blood.
So we show up for her.
You know, when I was a kid, I
stayed with my aunt for a while.
I remember feeling like my parents
didn't want me anymore.
But it wasn't that.
Sometimes people do
what they think is best,
even when it hurts.
Doesn't mean you are not wanted.
Takes a minute to come back together.
What are you listening to?
Oh, something I came up with
the other day.
[Renee] Oh.
Be careful with them, though,
my mom gave them to me.
I'll be very careful with them.
Oh, a lot of F-bombs.
You know, your music is good,
but you don't have to cuss so much.
You're right. I'll work on it.
[Renee] Okay.
Something I'll write down.
You know, I actually
write a lot of stuff down.
Helps me get the words out.
Oh, this is really good.
-Not too many cusses.
-No.
You are really talented.
You know, I remember you telling me
never to give up.
I still stand by that.
I hope you never give up either.
Thank you, that means a lot.
I know some days it feels like
nothings ever working, like
we're stuck.
But you remind me to keep pushing.
Good.
Because that's what we do.
We push through.
All right, I got those chitlins coming up.
All right.
Hey, Jeremy.
We need more pie up there.
Thanks for what you did earlier.
No problem.
Jeff, I have an offer for you.
Why don't you let me do all the
day-to-day stuff around here?
You can focus on the kitchen,
and I'll do everything else,
including dealing with the
homeless folks in the bathroom.
-I'm not changing my policy.
-I know that.
I actually love that about you.
Well, I can't pay you any more.
I'm not asking you for any more money.
I'm asking you for responsibility.
I wanna help you
the way you helped me.
Well, I still need you out on the floor.
You still got me out on the floor.
Okay. All right.
Well, let's try it.
[Renee] Thank you so much, Jeff.
I appreciate it.
Um, I've got a...
I'm going to show you this place,
this old place that we used to stay at.
Little old spot.
The landlord owes me a favor.
Maybe you could check it out?
Yeah, that'd be cool.
Thanks. Thanks again.
[Mrs. Patterson] Okay, let's go.
All righty.
Oh, there's Mom. Okay.
All right. Here's Dee Dee.
Okay, you take good care of Dee Dee.
[Imani] Silly Dee Dee.
All right.
Have fun. All right? See you later.
Hi, baby! Hi!
[exciting music]
[Singer] I can't fall asleep
I know it's the way it goes sometimes
I don't wanna eat
I think I've got butterflies
And it's not from my girl
Who's changing my world
Though even though that'd be nice
It's a way that I feel a little unreal
I'm thinking I'll take my time
Do you...
Ugh, it took forever
to get the lint out of this.
Who's this? You didn't introduce me.
This is Dee Dee.
Mr. and Mrs. Patterson gave her to me.
They said it was just to replace Cece.
Why would you replace Cece?
They said I needed a new one.
Okay.
Well, welcome to the family, Dee Dee.
How much longer?
As long as it takes, baby girl.
Oh!
All right now.
It's been 15 minutes, not five hours.
-Feels like forever.
-No, no, no.
Where you going? Right here.
-Ow!
-I didn't even do anything.
I don't want you to do my hair.
Imani!
-Hello!
-[Renee] Hi.
Where's Imani? There you are.
-[Imani] Mrs. Patterson!
-Hi!
Did you and Dee Dee have a good day?
Yeah. Okay, hi.
Why don't you wait in the lobby
with Mr. Patterson?
I'll be right there.
-But Imani!
-Oh give Mommy a hug.
Sorry.
-I love you.
-I love you.
Okay, I'll be right there. See you soon.
Here. Maybe you can get these
bows in her hair. I couldn't.
We couldn't find anyone to do her hair.
-I'm sorry.
-Don't worry about it.
I'll just, I'll take care of
it when she's with me.
Bye, Halima. Nice to see you.
I'll be in touch.
Great, thank you.
-Ms. Johnson, have a good day.
-Have a good night. Yeah.
Tough session today.
You don't see it?
Imani won't even call me.
They're definitely telling her
that she's never going to come back.
No, I know it feels that way,
but the system isn't perfect.
-Imani's safe with them.
-She's safe with them.
Look, look. I was in foster care, okay?
I know what it's like. I was there, okay?
I know what it feels like
to think that your parents
are coming for you,
and they never do, and you just
feel abandoned and lost,
all right?
I'm not gonna put Imani through that.
Okay? I'm coming back for her.
You have no idea what it
feels like to hold on to hope
that your mother is gonna come for you
and everything is just falling
apart, and she never comes.
Okay? I know how that feels, me.
I understand.
But I'm just asking you
to approach this strategically.
Okay? If you push back, you
are gonna jeopardize everything.
Halima, I'm gonna do whatever it takes,
but I'm not gonna pretend
that everything is fine
when it's not, okay?
I know exactly what I'm up against.
I'm not going to stop
until I get Imani back.
In the meantime,
find somebody to do her hair.
I'm sick of this.
I'll see what I can do.
[upbeat, dreamy music]
What kind of fool am I?
When too many times
You say that it's true
Are you sure your mother's
gonna go for this?
Yeah, girl. Don't worry about it.
I got you.
-Hey, Lena.
-[Lena] Mom.
-What you doing here?
-I brought a friend.
-I don't need any new stylists.
-Mom... come on, please.
I don't need...
Do you have a license?
I'm actually in between
certifications at the moment.
Okay, so you don't have a license.
No.
Can you take her to get washed?
Thank you.
Um... How about a 70-30 split?
How about... I don't
even know if you can do hair.
[Renee] Well...
How about you let me finish
her hair, okay?
Free of charge.
But if she loves it, then I'm hired.
60-40.
Oh, honey, I'm the
one taking all the risk.
60-40.
Thank you for the opportunity.
Mm. Yeah.
Oh, and you got one shot,
so don't mess it up.
Really?
Mm.
Hi, I'm gonna take over. Okay?
You don't even know this
Although I love this
Baby, there's gotta be
more to us than this
You don't even know it
You ain't do my hair like that.
Well, I didn't need to, really,
you were impressed with very little.
You ever think about, like, a cinnamon?
Hmm.
-Okay.
-Mm-hmm.
Okay, my ass. You like it.
-Nice job.
-[Renee] Thank you.
[Tiana] Mm-hmm.
You know you gotta bring in
some more clients
to cover what you need to pay me, right?
Yeah, I could do that.
Use the internet,
but do not give them the name
of this establishment
until you're certified.
All right?
Just book them and then give
them the address after.
And you...
You won't get enough of
putting me in these situations.
Hiring your friends.
Let's hope this one's
better than the last.
She's good, and you know it.
[Tiana] Mm. What I know is you
need to come up here
and clean this up for me.
-Come on.
-[Kelly] I don't work here.
Uh, you do today while I go take
care of your son.
Let's go.
Chop-chop.
Make it look new-new.
-Good night.
-[Renee] Good night.
Oh, wow. It's bigger than I thought.
It's a nice place.
Yeah, I know, this is really...
How long has it been on the market?
[Man] Oh, just a few weeks.
Wow. And the bathroom's back there?
[Man] Right there in the hallway.
[Renee] Okay. Okay.
It's $1,500 for the deposit,
same for the rent,
and $40 for the app fee.
And you need to make three times
the rent amount.
Wow.
Um, it's a beautiful place,
and that's a steal,
but I don't make three times the rent.
See, I like Jeff.
And a friend of Jeff is a friend of mine.
So I'll take a chance on you,
but app first.
If everything checks out,
then you can move in next week.
Thank you.
Yeah, I'll fill out the application.
[Man] All right.
Hey, everyone.
How are we this evening?
[Woman] Hey, Felicia.
-You're okay?
-[Woman] Yeah.
Well, good.
I've got something exciting
that we're gonna do together.
And that is we are going to share
something we've all learned
recently this week, okay?
So who's going to go first?
Oh.
All right, Renee.
Um, so this week I learned
that sometimes there are
no good choices to make,
but if you make the best when you can
and you hope for the best,
that's really all you can do.
And I don't know,
just knowing that I'm not
the only one going through this,
that means a lot.
So...
[applause]
[Woman] We're all just here to try.
All right, so let's try to throw
this ball around the room,
right?
Who's next?
[Kelly] Well, that felt like
I got my head above the water.
[Renee] I'm just glad we're
getting something out of this.
Yeah.
Oh, by the way,
I went down to that school.
Here.
So.
My license will not transfer,
but if I can count my old hours,
I'm pretty ready to take the exam soon.
[Kelly] So you got it
all figured out, huh?
Not even close, but it is a step.
Also, you know, I was thinking,
if you move back in with your mom,
it could help you get Elijah back.
Her and I don't vibe like that, so...
I hear you, but if it looks good on paper,
then isn't it worth doing?
Come on.
[man whistling]
No, no, no, no, no!
My God, no, no, no, no!
No, no, no...
No, no, no, no! God, no!
Come on. Come on.
Come on. Come on!
Come on!
[phone ringing]
Jeff, somebody broke into my car.
[Jeff] Oh, my God, are you kidding me?
No, they took everything.
They took the battery.
[Jeff] Oh, no.
They even got Imani's notebook.
[Jeff] Um, do you need to take
the day off?
No, no, I'm still coming.
I just need a minute.
[Jeff] Okay, well, take
your time. Be safe.
-Okay, thank you. Bye.
-[Jeff] Bye.
[grunts]
[grunts]
[Curtis] [mumbling]
Packers?
I hope that's not true, young man.
No, I'm just vibing.
You just vibing?
You vibing and I asked you
to fill up those napkin holders,
right?
You ain' doing that, but you vibing.
Son, take off those headphones, please.
Stop listening to that garbage.
-It's not garbage.
-I said what I said. Garbage.
You know how many dudes out
there trying to make it?
For every 50 Cent,
there's a thousand Soulja Boys.
Soulja Boys rich.
Why is he
the only one you ever mention?
That's not the point, Curtis.
Mom would have supported me.
Your mom would have
told you to get real.
No, she'd tell you to move on.
-[Jeff] What did you say to me?
-Wait, now.
Wait.
-[Jeff] What did you say to me?
-[Curtis] You heard me.
No, like, real talk.
When's the last time you ever
been to one of my events?
Well, when you start winning,
I start coming.
Winning.
I do win.
You would know that if you cared.
Come on, y'all. Calm down.
You think I wanna be stuck here?
Missing out on you growing up?
You are here because you can't let go.
You better watch your mouth, little boy.
You're only holding on to this place
because you can't let go of Mom.
And you know that.
[Renee] Curtis.
Curtis.
I'm done, okay? I don't need your help.
I wish she was here.
Curtis, have you shown
your writing to your father
like you did with me?
He doesn't care to know that part of me.
You're gonna have to make him
see that part of you, okay?
-You need to show him.
-What if he doesn't listen?
I'm right here with
you, let's just go try.
Let's try it.
[Jeff] Curtis.
My father
He weeps as he buries her
in the grave
How is this man
to complete without his queen?
He clamors at the night
Whispers of the heart
rancor with an undying curse
A wail to the heavens
The crops may grow, but I will wither
And I, the forgotten son
Say let it go
Let it go
I'm sorry, Son.
[Renee] Oh, what a day.
I could really go for a private
island and a cocktail right now.
Okay.
Private island, but hold the cocktail.
Hold the co.
Oh, wait. Do you not drink or something?
Is not really my thing anymore.
Anymore?
What? You abuse the privilege?
I just don't.
Oh, wow. Okay.
So you can pull me into hugs
with no return policy,
but I can't ask you anything
about your life?
Look, it doesn't matter. Okay?
Oh, I... Sorry, I didn't...
-Do you want to talk about it?
-There's nothing to talk about.
I lost my kid.
Yeah, Kelly, so did I.
You can talk to
me about what happened.
She almost killed him.
That's what happened.
You were drunk,
and you got behind the wheel.
-I did the right thing.
-You did the right thing.
You called CPS. They don't just show up.
They come with cops, Tiana, cops.
Watch your mouth. I'm your mother first.
And then you just stood there
while they took away my baby.
No, I was not just standing there.
I was cleaning up your mess.
What a minute.
You called CPS on your own daughter?
She was driving drunk
with my grandson in the car.
I was saving him.
Saving him from who? From his mom?
You know what?
When I get Elijah back,
you'll never see him again.
I promise you that.
When?
You're never getting
him back again, Kelina.
Ever.
You know what? Screw you.
Kelly, I'm sorry.
That's right.
Walk out on me like you walked
out on your baby.
Kelly, I didn't mean for that to happen.
-Kelly!
-Just mind your damn business!
-Thank you.
-You're welcome.
-Thank you, brother.
-My pleasure, bro.
What is this?
It's for Imani.
It's just a place for her
to draw and just be a kid.
It's really sweet. Thank you.
Listen, just hurry up
and get some furniture in here
so it doesn't look like you and
Imani are struggling forever.
Struggling? What color is my fridge?
-That's a nice fresh silver.
-Thank you. Thank you.
-It's not white.
-Okay.
[both laugh]
[Jeff] Here.
Thank you.
You're more than welcome.
[phone ringing]
Come on, girl.
[Voicemail] Hi, you reached
Kelly. Leave a message.
Stop blowing up my damn phone.
[Renee] Well, pick up your phone, then.
I should have ignored
your stupid voicemail.
I'm glad you didn't because
I need you here. I really do.
I'm not taking back nothing I said.
I wouldn't expect you to.
And you're still on my shit list.
That's fine with me.
That's where I belong.
I moved back in with my mama.
Oh, my God. That's great. Good.
Yeah. It really helped in my case.
So...
So my advice you took?
I do give good advice, then?
Girl, shut up. We gonna be late.
Okay. Well, let's not be late.
But also, I do give good advice.
-You ready?
-[Renee] Yeah.
[clears throat]
Okay, so
the last foster family I was placed with
was this older white couple.
And there were no other kids,
it was just me.
So they just let me do whatever.
Um...
But the husband was always
watching me,
always staring a little too long.
And one night, I found out why.
I tried to tell someone,
my caseworker and a few teachers,
but nobody listened.
Well, so I packed up what little I had.
And I left.
And I've been on my own ever since.
I learned really, really quickly
to only rely on myself.
Trust can get you hurt.
That's what the system taught me.
And that's exactly what
I believed right up until I'm...
Right up until I met Cordell.
He was just like me.
No family, no support system.
We were both just invisible.
And we linked arms
and we were together.
We were two little fishes
just swimming against the tide together.
And then he died.
And then he died.
Right before Imani was born.
I said to myself, I said,
"Renee, you did this alone before
and you can do it alone again".
That wasn't true, though. It wasn't true.
I leaned on him more than I even knew.
And when he was gone, I...
I was convinced that the only
way I was gonna survive,
the only way Imani was gonna survive,
is if I taught her to be just like me
and only count on herself.
But now I'm here in this room
with all of you and,
and I see that.
I had it all wrong.
And all of you, so many people,
Kelly, you've all
you've all shown me something different.
So...
Uh, sharing.
[laughs]
Um, thank you. Thank you.
[Woman] No, thank you.
I'm so proud of you.
-[Renee] Oh! Oh, look at the...
-Surprise!
Hi!
Hi!
-Honey.
-Congratulations.
-Yes.
-Thank you.
-I'm so proud of you.
-Thank you.
Now, I normally don't do this,
but thank you.
Well, what are you thanking me for?
Just... for showing me
that it's not too late.
I watched you fight like hell
for Imani, for yourself,
and made me wanna fight harder
with my mom.
-I love this. So much.
-I do, too.
And I kind of love you.
-Okay, this feels thick.
-[Tiana] Uh-huh.
Because it is your full pay
for the last couple of months.
I mean, since you're licensed now,
I don't have to worry
about a lawsuit, so...
[Renee] Tiana.
-She did not...
-She did.
You did earn it, though.
And you gave me my baby back.
So... it's the least I could do.
All right. Well, let
me put it in the bank.
[Tiana] Put it in the safe place, girl.
-Put it right in the bag.
-Black mama purse.
Come on, come on.
-Hold on. Let's get this.
-Thank you.
-Let's do it, let's do it.
-[Curtis] Yeah?
Yeah, thanks.
[Curtis] It's all good to go.
Three beautiful Black queens.
One, two, three. Got it.
[Renee] Good!
-You did it, Mrs Johnson.
-Thank you.
I'm so proud of you.
Come here, come here, come here.
Thank you so much.
-[Curtis] Let me take this.
-[Renee] Oh, yeah.
[Curtis] Hang it up around here
somewhere.
[Renee] Okay, somewhere. Thank you.
Hi, baby! Hi! Hi, hi, hi!
-You did good, Mommy.
-Thank you.
I'm sorry I was mean to you.
[Renee] It's okay, Imani.
You have every right
to feel your feelings.
I wish you could come live
with me and Mrs. Patterson.
She makes the best pancakes
in the world.
I'll give you the recipe. Congratulations.
-Thank you.
-Congratulations.
Let's go.
-You deserve it.
-Yes. Come on.
Thank you.
[soft music]
You ready?
I don't know.
What if they don't give her back to me?
You've done everything
they asked you to.
Think positive.
Positive, positive, positive.
Positive.
[Judge] We've heard from
the state's attorney.
I've reviewed the report
from Child Protective Services.
Now, Ms. Johnson, if you wouldn't mind,
would you please stand?
I'd like to hear from you in
your own words
what's changed since
the last time you appeared
before this court.
You got this.
[clears throat]
I'm... I'm employed now.
I've also secured an apartment,
and I can make rent on my own.
I renewed my cosmetology license
for a second stream of revenue
just to fall back on
in case of emergencies.
What you need to know about me
is that I grew up in the system,
and it taught me to be distrustful,
and it made me feel invisible.
I really, really wanted
to be able to do all of this
on my own.
And I thought that asking
for help was a sign of weakness.
And now I know that it's not.
It's about survival.
I learned to lean on the support
of the people around me.
And that's what I'm doing now
for Imani's sake.
I am here to fight for my daughter.
I'm asking you for a chance.
I'm asking you for the chance
to give Imani the life
of love and stability
that she deserves.
Thank you, Ms. Johnson. Please, sit.
This court exists to protect children.
And my rulings may not please everyone,
but they are made with the best
interests of the child in mind.
Ms. Johnson, your efforts
are to be commended.
However, I can't ignore your challenges.
Your new housing and jobs,
while steps forward,
are just not enough yet
for permanent custody.
However...
I am willing to expedite
the reunification process.
What does that mean?
It means that Imani goes home
with you today
under strict conditions.
-Oh, yeah. Yes, thank you.
-You can't lose your job.
You've got to pass all inspections.
One slip and custody
reverts back to the state.
-Do you understand?
-I understand. Thank you.
Good.
[cheers and applause]
[Laura] You did it. You did it.
Hi.
-Hi, sweet girl.
-Can I come home with you now?
-Absolutely, you can.
-Yeah, yeah.
Why don't you just follow
me back to the house?
We'll get her stuff. And get on your way.
Thank you, I will. Thank you so much.
I'm so happy for you both.
-I made this for you.
-What is this?
What? Imani...
Is this daddy?
-And this is us?
-Yes.
[Renee] It's so beautiful,
Imani, thank you.
I know the perfect place
to put it, in our new home.
[Curtis] You ready?
[Renee] What I am ready for?
[Imani] Mommy, it's your car!
[Renee] I... Are you serious?
Oh, my God! I...
[mixed chatter]
You fixed it?
Reliable wheels for a fresh start.
And the bow was my idea, so...
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[Jeff] You're welcome.
You're welcome.
Um, let's go for a ride, all right?
-Let's do it.
-Yeah, let's go for a ride.
You wanna sit in the front?
-Is there room for...
-[Renee] Yeah.
[mixed chatter]
[Renee] Welcome home.
Wow.
Here.
-What do you think?
-I love it.
[laughs]
Remember I was telling you about
the perfect place I had
for this drawing?
What is this?
[Renee] Mr. Jeff put that up for you.
Isn't that wonderful?
[Imani] Now we can draw.
[Renee] Okay.
I see Cece and Dee Dee figured
out their relationship?
Yep.
They've been friends from the start.
Just like us, huh?
I'm so happy to have you home.
[Imani] Me too, Mommy.
Me too.
[soft music]
[outro music]