If I Go Will They Miss Me (2026) Movie Script
1
[waves crashing]
[seagulls squawking]
[waves crashing]
["This Bitter Earth"
by Jon Batiste]
This bitter Earth
[seagulls squawking]
[Lil Ant]
I remember the first time
Dad took me to the beach.
-Well
-[playful chatter]
And we counted
all the airplanes
that took off that day.
[airplane whooshing]
A lot of people say
I look like Mom...
-What good is love
-...but some people say
I look like Dad.
I think we have the same smile.
[birds chirping]
That no one shares?
Mom always tells me
stories about Dad,
-like when he was my age.
-[boy] Personally, I...
[continues indistinctly]
[indistinct conversation]
[Lil Ant]
Mom said Daddy used to play
by the tracks all the time.
-Over there by the tower.
-And if my life
-Right by school.
-Is like the dust
And how Dad had these two
really close friends.
One of them died
when he got a little older.
And JJ, my godfather,
who's still Dad's best friend.
-[Young Big Ant] Look at it.
-[Young JJ] What do you mean?
-It's not my bunny.
-Man, all little bunny.
-[Young Deshawn] It ain't
our bunny either.
-[flies buzzing]
-[Young JJ] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
-Can we go?
I won't, I won't, I won't
stop looking at this, bro.
-Yeah, doucheface. Come on.
-Yeah, let's go.
-[preacher] Are you ready
for Jesus?
-[woman] Yeah.
No! No, no, no, no, no!
-I'm asking you.
-[car horn honking]
-[woman] Hallelujah! Yes!
-Are you ready for His love?
-[preacher] Huh? Are you...
-[Lil Ant] Mom said
Dad would
always get shy around her.
-Oh, this bitter Earth
-And would always, like,
talk to him by the same wall
we live by.
-Well, I got a basketball
game tomorrow.
-Yes
[Young Lozita]
Oh, really?
Where are you playing?
-Same place as last time.
-Oh, at the park?
-Yeah.
-Can it be so cold?
-All right. I'll be there.
-[Young Big Ant] Cool.
[indistinct chatter, laughter]
Today you're young
[Lil Ant]
Dad used to draw things
just like me.
[indistinct chatter]
-It's Keith. Shh. It's Keith.
-Too soon you're old
[Lil Ant]
And one day, he did something
he wasn't too proud about.
[Keith]
Hey, all y'all,
get the fuck off my roof.
Man, fuck you, Keith!
Hey, don't have me
have to come up there.
Shut the fuck up, man.
[Young JJ]
Man, bring your bitch ass
up here, then.
[Keith]
All right, this is my last
warning, man.
I'm telling y'all
to get off my damn roof!
-It's your last warning.
-Fuck you!
-Get off my fucking roof!
-[clatters]
-[Young JJ] Fucking bitch.
-[Young Deshawn] This is what
you are, trash!
[Keith]
Oh, that's how
y'all gonna do me?
-And this bitter Earth
-I know where all y'all stay at.
-[Young Deshawn] We don't care!
-Oh
-[Young JJ] Fuck you.
-[Keith] Why y'all up there
bullshitting?
-Get off my roof, man.
-[Young Deshawn]
Do it. Do it, do it.
-Man, throw that.
-May not be
-[clatters]
-[Keith groans]
[Young JJ]
Damn.
Bitter after all
[airplane whooshing]
[Young Big Ant]
Shit!
[Young JJ]
Don't worry about it.
He's straight.
I seen him get up.
And if anybody ask,
-I won't say nothing.
-[Lil Ant] Mom said
that the janitor
didn't die that day.
-This bitter Earth
-[indistinct chatter]
[Lil Ant]
But everything changed
after that.
[indistinct chatter]
Well
What a fruit it bears
-[airplane whooshing]
-[Young Big Ant] Ma?
What good is love
That no one shares?
And if my life
[policeman]
Hey! Stop right there!
[Lil Ant]
Somebody called the cops
when Keith got hit.
Somebody said it was Dad.
Oh
-It hides the glow
Of a rose
-But all that happened
way before Dad got back
from the Trojan War.
-Kind of like Odysseus...
-[playful chatter, laughter]
-...who eventually returned
back to Ithaca...
-And what good
...after being away from his
family for a really long time.
-And I mean it.
-[woman] That's correct.
-[indistinct chatter]
-...knows
Oh
[Lil Ant]
Things are always better
when Dad's out.
-Yes
-[speaking indistinctly]
-Can it be so cold?
-[Lil Ant] Dad's back now.
And I hope he stays
for longer this time.
-Today you're young
-[indistinct chatter]
[all cheering]
Too soon, you're old
[airplane whooshing]
[birds cawing]
[Trae]
Put up your middle finger.
I don't care.
-[Lil Ant] Huh?
-[Trae] Put up your middle
finger. I don't care.
-[Lil Ant] You said put up my
middle finger. You don't care?
-[Trae] Yeah.
-[Lil Ant] Why would I
put up my middle finger?
-[Trae] Just do it, bro.
-You cuss a lot.
-[car revving]
[wheels rattling]
[Trae]
I'm gonna win. I'm gonna win.
-Whoa!
-[Lil Ant] I did it!
-[Trae] You cheating.
-[Lil Ant] No, I didn't.
[airplane whooshing]
[Lil Ant]
If you could fly anywhere,
where would you fly?
Um, I'll fly to Alaska.
Why Alaska?
'Cause, like,
all the cool animals there.
-[light music]
-And there's hardly
any, like, control centers.
Walk around, have fun.
[mimics plane flying]
I think I would fly...
Hm.
Yeah, I think I would just fly.
[airplane whooshing]
-[faucet running]
-[reporter 1 on TV]
A standard step needed to bring
the aircraft
to a proper landing weight.
We're coordinating with
Los Angeles World Air Force
and LA County Fire,
and we share the concern
over reports of minor injuries
among students and adults
at a nearby school.
We've also just learned
that an official is...
-[reporter 2] Breaking story.
Yesterday afternoon...
-[water bubbling]
...a 747 dumped jet fuel
on multiple elementary schools
in south-east
and south central Los Angeles.
Reports from those live at
the scene said the jet fuel...
-["Heaven, Heaven"
by Marian Anderson]
-I got a robe
You got a robe
All God's children
Got a robe
When I get to Heaven
Gonna put on my robe
I'm gonna shout
All over God's Heaven
-Heaven
-JJ, what up, fool?
-Heaven
-[Big Ant chuckles]
-Everybody's
Talking about...
-Headed up there now.
Pull up on me
when you get a chance.
-...Heaven
-Oh, shit.
-For real? [chuckles]
-Heaven
-All right.
-Gonna shout all over
-Coming down by the second.
-God's Heaven
[chuckles]
No, I can't come.
She's gonna smoke
something with me, though.
-...about Heaven
-[chuckles]
Heaven
-Heaven
-[airplane whooshing]
Everybody's talking
About Heaven
Heaven
Heaven
I'm gonna shout
All over God's Heaven
[birds chirping, cawing]
I got a harp
You got a harp
All of God's children
Have a harp
When I get to Heaven
Gonna play on my harp...
[JJ]
Hey, man, rise and shine, man.
-Come on. Come on, man.
-Stop blessing me, man.
-Do it, man. Come on.
-What up, JJ?
Early morning, man.
[Lozita]
Lord God,
thank you for this day.
Thank you for waking me up.
Thank you for waking
my family up.
Thank you for providing.
Thank you, God.
Help me to be patient today.
[airplane whooshing]
-[neighbor] Hey. How you doing?
-[Lozita] Hey.
[neighbor]
I see you out there
keeping it clean as usual.
-[Lozita] You already know.
[chuckles]
-Everything all right, though?
-[Lozita] Yeah, everything good.
-Man.
I heard your, uh,
Big Ant just got out.
-Yeah. [chuckles] He's here.
-He good?
-Yeah.
-He doing all right?
-You know, I'm hoping him
and Lil Ant can, can bond.
-Ah.
-Me too. That's good.
-You know, he want that
more than anything.
Yeah, I know they get along
real good.
-I know he miss him.
I know he do.
-Yeah... [chuckles] he do.
-[neighbor] That's good, though.
-All right, you be well.
-[neighbor] All right. You too.
-All right.
Man, that's why Randy had
to put hands on him
-'cause he kept
stepping out of line.
-[Trae] Hey, Dad.
-Hey, Daddy.
-[Trae] Hey, Dad.
-Hold on, Lee.
-[chuckles] Stop!
-I said hold on, Lee!
-Ew!
[laughing] Stop!
Hey, Dad.
-Getting your hair done?
-Yes, sir.
-You look good.
-Thank you.
Getting out the bag, man.
-Got some noodles for me, baby?
-Yeah, I got it.
I don't know why you still eat
like you locked up.
-[Big Ant] That shit good.
-[Lozita chuckles] No, it ain't.
Dad, they gave you ranch sauce
when you was locked up?
[Big Ant]
Nah, they don't give you ranch
in prison, baby.
Oh, no.
Lo, you still need me
to look at your car?
Nah. Not anymore.
It randomly started working
this morning out of nowhere.
[Acacia]
Dad, how come
I only got one ranch sauce?
[Big Ant]
I told 'em to get
as many as they could, baby.
[Acacia]
How do they expect me to eat
with only one ranch sauce?
Told them to give me
as many as they could.
[plastic bag rustling]
-Whatchu drawing, man?
-[pencil clatters]
[Lozita]
Hey, don't be getting mad.
I know he don't be
drawing me like that.
[Acacia]
What in the heck
we gonna do with only
-three ranches, though, y'all?
-Girl.
[Acacia]
Anthony, that means
you only get one.
-[Lil Ant] Nah, Acacia.
I need at least two.
-[Trae] Stop!
-[Big Ant] Stop. Stop.
Give it back to him.
-Give me that.
-[light scraping]
-[Lil Ant sighs]
-[Trae] Fine. Take it.
-Thank you.
-[Big Ant] I'll be right back.
-[Lozita] You just got here.
[Big Ant]
Just gonna be out back, man.
-[refrigerator door closes]
-[smacks lips]
-[light scraping]
-[Big Ant] JJ.
-What's up, nigga?
-[door squeaks, slams]
[reporter on TV]
Investigators continue
to piece together the details
of yesterday's fuel dump,
where an estimated 60 people,
largely students
and adults at local schools,
-were treated for injuries.
-[man shouting indistinctly]
Students were evaluated
at the scene
and given decontamination
measures using soap and water.
The schools briefly underwent
shelter-in-place procedures,
-though district officials say
no evacuation is necessary.
-[paper rustling]
[continues indistinctly]
[Lil Ant]
What's up, Dad?
[Big Ant]
What's up, son?
-[sighs]
-[reporter] Airline officials
declined to comment
when asked whether the plane...
[continues indistinctly]
The question is how and why
the jet released the fuel.
According to what is...
[continues indistinctly]
Seen them drawings
in your notebook over there.
That's my homework.
Mr. Nettles said...
...we could draw people we knew,
or, like, people who reminded us
-of ancient Greek people.
-[reporter continues
indistinctly]
...93rd Street
Elementary School.
I don't care what he said, Ant.
I don't wanna have
to keep telling you.
Don't keep drawing me, man.
Why not?
[boy on TV]
We were outside during recess
-and there was this...
-Just don't.
...flying over school.
At first, we all pointed at it
because it looked
closer than usual
and we noticed this kind of
mist fall behind.
It looked like rain,
but it was not raining anymore.
When it started raining on us,
it smelled really strong.
The gas from the car
and tons of other...
One teacher
was waiting for us to move,
but we were all confused
because it felt like...
-[gentle melodic music]
-[faucet running]
-[Acacia] Hurry up, man.
-[knocking on door]
-[knocking on door]
-[Acacia] Anthony,
I gotta use the bathroom.
Mom said I need
to try on this new shirt.
[Acacia]
Well, then try it on
and get out! I gotta pee!
-[continues knocking]
-Hurry up, man!
-[Lozita] Come on, Anthony!
[continues indistinctly]
-[continues knocking]
-[Acacia] Anthony!
-Yeah, I'm coming!
[continues knocking]
-[Acacia] Anthony!
-[door unlocks]
[Acacia sighs]
About damn time!
Shut up, buster!
[door creaks]
[mellow music]
[indistinct chatter]
[indistinct chatter]
[indistinct chatter]
Okay, so can anybody tell me
how the Greek god Zeus
became so powerful?
[student 1]
Me! Me, Mr. Nettles!
Zeus became the king
of the Olympian gods
during a cosmic battle.
He overthrew his own father,
battled and beat all the Titans.
And that's what made him
so powerful.
-[siren wailing in distance]
-[Mr. Nettles] Good job.
Why don't you ask Zeus
to help you with that ringworm
too, nigga?
[Mr. Nettles]
All right, all right.
All right, all right.
Let's settle down.
Let's settle down.
So, can anyone tell me,
based off our assignment
this week,
where Pegasus,
the winged horse, came from?
-[birds chirping]
-[student 2] Answer
the question, Ant.
-School boy-ass nigga.
-[students chuckling]
[Mr. Nettles]
What about you, Maria?
Would you be
able to tell the class?
How about you, Anthony?
Pegasus was an immortal
winged horse.
A real nice one.
Just like the one
on my daddy's ranch.
[tinkling]
Pegasus's dad was a god.
He was Zeus's brother.
[poignant music]
[inaudible laughter, dialogue]
[Lil Ant]
They called him Poseidon.
And they was real close.
Like best friends close.
Poseidon's home
was in the water.
I heard Poseidon was the most
powerful god of the ocean.
He was buff and he had muscles.
And he was the strongest ever.
[inaudible dialogue]
He had a big old spear
that he called a trident.
T-R-I-D-E-N-T. Trident.
[seagull squawking]
He threw his trident
super far...
...farther than any human
could ever throw it.
[whooshes]
Pegasus had a mom too,
and her name was Medusa.
And her hair
was full of snakes.
Red ones, black ones,
green ones too.
-The snakes
never hurt her, though.
-[hissing]
Didn't ever bite her
or nothing.
Pegasus was a winged horse,
and he helped Zeus fly
real high, all up in the sky.
-[explosions]
-And he carried his thunder
and all his lightning for him.
[firecrackers bursting]
-Pegasus always
helped people...
-[firecrackers whistling]
...and Zeus saw
what he was doing.
So, he turned him into
a constellation in the sky...
-...so he could live forever.
-[firecrackers bursting]
And if we're really lucky,
we can still see him.
[Mr. Nettles]
Great job, Anthony.
[school bell ringing]
[birds chirping]
[children chattering]
-[Big Ant] How your pops
doing, man?
-[Ezekiel] Doing good, bro.
He's just out there working
and shit, trying to make money.
[Big Ant]
Shit, Lil Ant.
Grab that off of you
before he get over here.
[low tense music]
[Ezekiel]
A'ight, bro.
[indistinct conversation]
-Hey, Dad.
-[Big Ant] What's up?
Mr. Nettles said I did a good
job on my Pegasus project.
So, what's up?
Somebody told me you got your
ass whooped while I was gone.
-That's true?
-[airplane whooshing]
How you think
that made me look out here?
[muffled music
playing in distance]
[Lozita]
We need some more drawers, man.
Can't fit nothing
in here no more.
-[Big Ant coughing]
-[Lozita] Anthony.
[Big Ant sniffs]
It's nothing crazy. [coughs]
[Lozita]
When was the last time you and
your son did something together?
You seem cool spending time
with Acacia. [scoffs]
-[Big Ant] Acacia cool.
-And your son ain't?
[Big Ant sighs]
Man, put your phone away.
-And can you please
hand me my scrubs?
-[sighs]
-Do you even want this still?
-Yeah.
Then you need to start
spending more time
with your son like you used to.
It's like the minute
he got a little older
-is the minute you started
messing with him.
-[sighs]
All right.
[airplane whooshing]
-[car horn honking]
-[laughter]
[indistinct chatter]
[man]
Oh, that thing stubborn.
[thudding]
[JJ]
Tell them we was on that
graveyard shift, dawg. [laughs]
[JJ]
And you missed the party
last Saturday, man.
-The cowgirl party.
-Oh, how was it?
It was lovely, man.
We had a booth.
We had a ball, man.
We had them boots
to the ground, man.
-Boots to the ground?
-Boots to the ground.
-Good time.
-Good time.
-Trina, you was out there?
-Yep, I was there.
-Come on now.
-[laughs, speaks indistinctly]
-Come on.
-[JJ] Boots to the ground.
-[lighter flicks]
-[cigarette crackling]
-[blows]
-[dog barking in distance]
[birds chirping]
Yeah, girl,
your shit all fucked up.
-[airplane whooshing]
-Ah.
I ain't talking
about you, silly.
I'm talking about this horse.
[airplane whooshing]
Yeah... too much fluid
in her shit.
Yeah. I'm gonna push out
down a little bit, all right?
-I don't know what time. Just--
-[dog howls]
-I'll let you know
when I'm coming.
-[JJ] Yo!
Yo!
Nah, it's my dawg, JJ.
Yeah, you don't know him.
-[JJ scoffs] Interest me?
I don't know.
-[Big Ant] That's,
that's what I'd be saying.
The older you get, the younger
they try to say they are.
You know what I'm saying?
I'm going, "Oh, girl."
I know she wasn't really 20.
[JJ]
Nigga, she told me
she was 20. [sighs]
-I'm gonna believe her.
Looks, she-- What the fuck...
-She gotta at least be about
-30, 31.
-Whatever she was, nigga,
-that's the truth.
-And I know you like 'em
a little older, so...
-Um, I like who like me, nigga.
-Yeah.
Look, whatever she is,
I believe her
-'cause that's what she believe.
So it is what it is.
-Uh-huh. [chuckles]
-But... [laughs] nigga,
don't be...
-[both laughing]
Dude, don't be fucking with me
and my hoes, bro,
-when you out here
outside, nigga.
-Come on now.
-[cell phone vibrating]
-I know what you be doing, bruh.
See? As long as you...
[continues indistinctly]
Ah, yeah, speak of the devil.
He gonna ring your name.
What's up, bobo?
[JJ speaks indistinctly]
-A fight?
-[students clamoring]
[teacher]
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!
-Yeah. A fight.
-[indistinct chatter on TV]
I had to go up there
and get him.
I wasn't even at work
a whole hour, man.
-Why?
-[Lozita] I don't know why.
You need to ask him that.
Did you tell him what I did?
[indistinct chatter]
-[Lozita] Are you serious
right now?
-Please?
[Lozita]
Do you hear your son?
-It don't sound like him.
-[JJ sniffs]
[Lozita]
Anyway, I need you
to get Acacia after school
since I gotta head back.
-All right.
-And don't forget,
Acacia got straight A's
on her last report card.
Remember what you promised her?
Okay.
[sighs]
[Big Ant]
It don't sound like him.
[JJ]
Sure didn't sound
like you neither, man.
That's all that shit
went down.
[birds chirping]
-Man.
-He and I ain't
the same, though.
[siren wailing in distance]
[JJ]
He coulda just been
trying, on some, uh,
attention-seeking type shit.
You know what I mean?
Yeah, but, you know
I be keeping him away
from that shit.
That little nigga trippin'.
Lo trippin' too.
-Yo, Lo solid.
-Yeah.
You know, she a good,
good mama. You know?
-Give her that, at least.
-[siren wailing in distance]
-Here, nigga. [sniffs]
-Hey.
[indistinct conversation]
Finna push up out of here.
See your old girl.
Which one?
One on the other side
of the projects.
[rustling]
Jeez! This nigga wild.
[laughs heartily]
All right, man. Ah!
Nigga, ain't you supposed
to get back to work?
What time you supposed
to be back? I know your lunch.
You been taking them
long-ass lunch breaks
-and shit.
-Hey, man.
Hey, don't worry about me.
-The airport close when I leave.
-They gonna fire your ass.
-When I get back, all the
flights will get back active.
-Mm-hm.
You know what I'm saying?
I am air traffic control, nigga.
-I control this shit.
-[chuckles]
-[thuds]
-[tires screeching]
-[car engine starting]
-[siren wailing in distance]
[car chirps]
[light scraping]
[airplane whooshing]
[belt clattering]
-[Big Ant] Think
it's about to rain, V.
-[Vanessa] Mm.
[Big Ant]
Shh.
Gotta go pick up my kids.
[Vanessa]
What?
Said I gotta go pick up my kids.
[Vanessa]
Are you coming back?
I'll try to.
[gentle music]
[birds chirping]
I'll eat that one.
I wonder what that one is.
That one with, like,
the stripes on it.
It kind of reminds me
of a leopard, like you said.
[Acacia grunts]
All right, tough guy.
How about this one?
I like the color.
I feel like
it very complements me.
-How do you feel about this one?
-No, not at all.
-Oh. Okay.
We're gonna try one more.
-[thuds]
Ooh. Aah. Are we liking it?
Anthony. What's up, my man?
[Big Ant]
Ken. What's up, man?
You see,
I got my kids with me today.
[Ken]
Mm-hm.
Oh, I got some good deals
for you today.
Talk to me.
[Ken]
What are we looking at?
New gold chain.
Maybe a letter?
Add an N and a T to that?
-[Big Ant] Nah, shit.
Nah, it's for her.
-[chuckles]
-Really?
-Baby got straight A's.
-Straight A's!
-[music continues]
Can I get
some new earrings, Dad?
Earrings?
You need to be focused
on not getting in fights
and getting better grades
like your sister.
-Come on, man.
-Talking about earrings.
[scoffs]
Nigga getting in fights,
talking about earrings.
[Ken]
Which one you like, sweetie?
[Acacia]
I don't know.
Something cool, I guess.
-[Big Ant] Like that one?
-[Acacia] That one?
Oh, I like that one.
-[Ken] Talking about this one
right here?
-[Acacia] Yeah.
[Ken]
Great choice.
Thank you, Pops.
[indistinct chatter]
[music continues]
[mimicking airplane humming]
-[mimicking airplane whooshing]
-[wind howling]
[rain pattering]
[thunder rumbling]
Anthony.
Let's go.
[thunder rumbling]
Boy, I was looking for you.
[thunder rumbling]
[rain pattering]
I seen what you did back there,
little nigga.
I just want you to know
I saw you.
I don't know what you're trying
to prove, but whatever it is,
you need to stop that shit.
All right?
[man 1 speaking indistinctly]
-[man 2 speaking indistinctly]
-[laughter]
-[man 1] Top right.
Now top right back.
-[thuds]
-Huh!
-[man 3] Here we go.
[insects chirping]
[man 1 speaks indistinctly]
[voice whispers]
Anthony.
[airplane engine powering up]
[airplane engine roaring]
[eerie music]
[door creaks]
[door closes]
[door creaks]
[door creaking]
[airplane engine whooshing]
[airplane engine roaring]
[door creaks]
[voice whispers]
Anthony.
[music intensifies]
[music fades]
[music playing faintly]
[Lozita]
Where the fuck were you, man?
[Big Ant]
I told you,
I was with JJ. I mean--
-[Lozita] Nigga,
no, you weren't.
-[Big Ant] Shit,
you doing all this yelling
at me. You don't know
your son out in the courtyard
by himself.
-[Lozita] Don't change
the subject.
-I'm not, I swear to God.
[Lozita]
Whatever.
[Lozita sighs]
[Big Ant]
I'm here now, ain't I?
[Lozita]
That's all you got to say,
is "I'm here now"?
[Big Ant smacks lips]
Yeah. Scoot your ass over.
[Lozita grunts softly]
I can't keep doing this, man.
I got you.
[Lozita moaning]
[continues moaning]
[moaning fades]
[rooster crowing in distance]
-[sighs]
-[rooster continues crowing]
-[drawer slides]
-[object clatters]
[objects clatter]
[birds chirping]
[music playing faintly]
[Big Ant]
Y'all niggas need to move, man.
Some of us need to get to work.
Man, get out the damn way.
[airplanes humming]
[eerie intense music]
Ant!
[Big Ant]
I've seen a whole lot of 'em.
[siren wailing in distance]
I've seen this little boy.
Like one of Lil Ant friends,
a Mexican boy that died.
I thought I seen Lil Ant too.
I was probably trippin'.
[horse snorts]
You think I'm trippin'?
[chuckles]
["Let Your Heart Be Free"
by Patrice Rushen
playing over speakers]
[JJ]
Why would they come for Lil Ant?
[sucks teeth] Why now?
[Big Ant]
Shit, I don't know.
They came for me. Came for you.
Shit felt real, dawg.
It was like I, I could see 'em,
smell 'em.
And those little homeboys
were standing out there
looking me dead in
my motherfucking eyes, dawg.
-Shit.
-[indistinct background chatter]
I don't know, man.
Why all of a sudden, Grandma?
[Big Ant]
Just sayin'
when I get that close...
...when I feel like that,
you know, just...
I don't know, man.
I ain't tryin'
to let my little nigga down,
and flyin' to being gone
and shit, like...
..."Get back,
this motherfucker trippin'."
-[dog barking in distance]
-[inhales deeply]
I think you good, bruh.
I do. I think you good.
-Yeah.
-He ain't like,
he ain't like that.
You know. He ain't like us.
He a good kid. For real.
-Yeah.
-["Gettin' It" by Too $hort
ft. Parliament Funkadelic]
[Lozita]
Ma, you want some catfish?
No, I don't. You know I don't
-eat catfish.
-You can take some home.
-I don't eat catfish.
-You can take some home.
-I want some spaghetti.
-Whose turn is it?
It's your turn, Ma.
What's up with Ant?
He been real, like, quiet.
-Lil Ant, Big Ant?
-[Jenn] Huh?
-Lil Ant or Big Ant?
-Lil Ant.
-[Julia] No.
-[sighs] I don't know.
[Julia]
Te-- te-- tell the truth.
Tell the truth.
You know what's going on.
He's a teenager. I don't know
what's going on, Ma.
I don't have all the answers.
I really don't know.
-But... I noticed it too.
-[Jenn] Yeah.
You gotta get that boy right.
Oh, it's not my turn.
Yeah, it's my turn. But...
[sucks teeth]
...I think you can go. Go ahead.
-Ooh! No, no, no. Okay. Yeah.
-[Julia] Oh!
-Go ahead, go ahead, go ahead.
-What-- [laughs]
-[laughs happily]
-[Jenn giggles]
-[Jenn] Come on, now.
-[Lozita] Yeah.
Ant's been quiet lately, but...
I mean, ain't that normal?
Ant didn't say, like,
nothing going on in school?
But at least
he's staying out of trouble.
-Ooh, it's cold out there.
-[Lozita laughs]
-What's up?
-[Jenn] Well, what's up?
I'm just chillin'. [sing-songy]
what it do, baby?
-[Jenn laughs]
-I'm just chillin',
what you eating?
[Trae]
Where'd you get it from?
[Lil Ant]
The swap meet.
[Trae]
Did Dad get it for you?
[Lil Ant]
Nah.
[Trae]
Where'd you get it?
[Lil Ant]
I just took it.
And, like, Dad didn't even make
me give it back to him, either.
[Trae]
Dang.
[background chatter]
[Lil Ant]
Hey. If I tell you something
I seen, seen the other night,
put on everything,
you wouldn't tell nobody?
[Trae]
All right. On everything.
[Lil Ant]
Nah, you'd probably tell.
[Trae]
Come on, man.
[Lil Ant]
Nah.
[mimicking plane flying]
You ain't ready for that.
-[lighter flicks]
-Scaredy cat.
-[Lozita] You think I still
ain't got it? I still got it.
-[laughs]
Whoa, I think the kids
out there. Shut the door.
Shut the door.
-[Lozita] You thought
I forgot how to smoke.
-[Jenn] Yeah!
How long it's been
since you smoked with me?
Come on, big sis.
Don't chief it.
-[Jenn] You needed this.
-It's been too long.
-[Jenn] You needed it.
-Yeah, I needed it.
-About to say "pass it."
What the fuck was that?
-[chuckles]
-Like, what?
-[coughs]
Don't say nothing.
Yes, I'm coughing. [coughs]
[coughing] Don't say nothing.
-[coughing]
-Damn.
-Shut up. Shut up.
-Damn. Damn.
-It's all good.
What's up with you, though, man?
-Mm.
What's up with you
and that nappy-head boyfriend?
Oh, come on.
Look, I'm glad he back.
I'm glad he home.
-Mm-hm.
-You know, we good.
You sound like...
[clicks tongue]
-Like, what? Listen, listen--
-They-- the kids,
need their daddy.
-Whatchu need?
-Am I right?
-No, whatchu need? "Am I right?"
-What I need?
It is not about what I need.
It's about
what them three kids need
right now.
And that's Big Ant.
If you got out of jail,
won't you want
somebody there for you?
You know,
I've been with him forever.
-What do I look like?
-If I was me,
I wouldn't want nobody
if I keep going to jail.
I don't want him to keep going
to jail either, Jenn.
But what can I do?
I mean, he's here now.
When he locked up,
you want somebody there for you,
don't you?
I don't know.
I don't know.
[indistinct background chatter]
Look, you know, my place
is going to be available.
You got a whole month.
-Mm.
-I still think...
you should have it.
-Nobody in there?
-Ain't nobody gonna be in there.
It's gonna be empty.
Could be yours.
Just because
you're the oldest don't mean
you don't need help too.
It might be a good move.
I don't know.
[radio jockey over radio]
Power 106, where hip-hop live,
hip-hop live... [echoes]
["Never Leave Me Alone"
by Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg
playing over radio]
Never leave me alone
Never leave me alone
Never leave me alone
Feel good to get away
a little bit, don't it?
-Yeah.
-Just to be able to chill.
How was school this week?
-It was good.
-It was good?
-Yeah.
-Still talking
to that little girl
-you was telling me about?
Yeah? [chuckles]
-Yeah.
-[seagulls squawking]
-[waves crashing]
I remember Pops used
to work back there.
You remember Grandpa?
-A little bit. Yeah.
-A little bit?
He used to bring me out here
when I was about your age.
He worked at this factory
over there by the airport.
Shit, he wanted
to be a pilot too.
-Really?
-Yeah.
[seagull squawking]
It didn't work out, though.
Why not?
Sometimes shit
just don't work out.
[song continues faintly]
Did he ever get to fly?
Nah.
Did you?
Not yet.
[airplane whooshing]
-Ready to get in?
-Yeah.
It's gonna be too cold soon
if we don't get in there.
Come on.
[seagulls squawking]
-[waves crashing]
-[tender music]
-[Lil Ant] My chain?
-[Big Ant] Yeah.
[chain clinking]
Come on, Ant!
Man, I know you ain't scared.
Stop being a bitch!
-Come on! It ain't that cold!
-[waves lapping]
[waves crashing]
[Lil Ant]
Wait up, Dad.
-[waves crashing]
-[Big Ant chuckles]
Ah, that's my boy!
That's my boy. Proud of you.
[music continues]
Love you, man.
[Lil Ant]
Oh. And there was
this one fruit stand.
He got me
a whole big bowl of fruit.
So good. I had watermelon,
pineapple, grapes.
-[Trae] What kind of grapes?
-[Lil Ant] So good.
I don't know what they had
in those grapes,
but they were so good.
-You definitely have to come.
-[Trae] Help me
get this off, man.
Oh, Dad... Me and Dad
were running into the water...
[chuckles]
and he tripped on a wave.
It was like small wave coming by
his feet, and he didn't see it.
He tripped and he fell.
It was so funny.
You know, Dad be waking up
all early and stuff,
helping out
at the ranch all alone,
-and feeding the horses...
-[music continues]
...kind of...
...kind of like Pegasus,
all up there in the sky
with nobody around... carrying
all the lightning and thunder.
Bro, what are you doing?
-That's how you do it.
-Bro, that's not even
how you do it.
-Faster.
-[grunting softly]
-Faster.
-[grunting]
-[giggles]
-You better leave
Dr. Kim alone, Ma.
-That man is married.
-I don't care. [giggles]
-[Lozita] Ugh.
-[chuckles]
I was just thinking about
that dress you wore
your wedding night.
That beautiful white dress.
And Anthony had
on that light blue suit. Mm.
-Y'all looked so good.
-[music continues]
[birds chirping]
[Lozita]
What made you think of that, Ma?
What made you think of that, Ma?
I was just thinking.
Just popped in my head.
-[birds chirping]
-[indistinct chatter]
[JJ] Man, bring me
some of that drink when
you come back this way, though.
-[man speaking indistinctly]
-[JJ] You know what I'm saying?
I'm so-- I ain't trying to lean,
though. I'm just trying to sit.
[indistinct chatter]
[JJ]
Man. Oh, shit.
You know what it is.
They'll be drinking
all night, clear?
Yeah. I ain't fuck
with that sh--
That shit did look
like ocean water.
-God damn.
-This shit right here,
that's too little, man.
I need a bigger joint.
That's why this shit
is all fucked up
-and it ain't working.
-It's the only one
I got out here.
I'm about to see
what I got in the house.
That shit belong
in my kid's toy set.
-I'm telling you right now...
[speaking indistinctly]
-Shut the hell up.
[door closes]
-I don't know, Lil Ant
didn't take my damn tools, man.
-[clatters]
[subtle music]
[traffic noise]
[chuckles softly]
Damn, Lil Ant.
Oh, come on, now.
[chuckles softly] Wow.
Oh, man.
[wind howling]
[music continues]
Damn.
[mutters indistinctly]
Yeah.
[chuckles]
[indistinct background chatter]
[enigmatic music]
[paper rustles]
[mutters]
[whizzing]
[sheets fluttering]
[Lozita]
Whatchu just do?
Huh?
[smacks lips]
Tch. [mumbles]
[dog barking]
[siren wailing in distance]
-[dog barking in distance]
-[indistinct chatter]
Why are you throwing Anthony's
things away like that?
'Cause he drawing you again?
-That's what you trippin' about?
-Nah, man, I ain't trippin'.
Oh, so you're not trippin'?
So, why did you throw
his stuff out like that?
Man, what the fuck I look like,
explaining some shit to you
you don't know nothing about?
-Something I don't know
nothing about?
-Yeah,
-that you don't know shit about.
-Yeah, okay.
-So just, just--
-Well, try me, nigga.
-[Big Ant sighs]
-[faucet running]
-[Lozita] Try me.
-[dog barking]
You can't just take Anthony
to the beach one time
and just expect everything
to go back to normal.
It don't work like that.
Shit.
Maybe you should
call on that bitch.
I don't know, one of your horses
-and ask them for advice...
-[Big Ant] Shut the fuck up, Lo.
-...'cause you don't wanna
talk to me.
-Shut the fuck up.
I said
I don't feel like talking.
Why are y'all yelling
at each other like that?
Yeah! But we need
to talk about this!
I don't feel like
fucking talking today, Lo!
-[Lozita] Okay.
-[birds chirping]
-Oh, man... [mumbles]
-[Lozita] Really? You just--
-[door slams]
-[breathing shakily]
-[thumping]
-[groans, cries]
[exhales slowly, crying]
[indistinct chatter on TV]
-[motorcycle revving
in distance]
-[dog barking in distance]
[muffled music]
[drawer slides]
Have you seen my drawings?
[Acacia]
No.
What about my wings?
[Acacia]
No.
Mom?
Yeah?
-Where are my drawings
and my wings?
-[sighs]
[reporter on TV]
There are specific fuel dumping
guidelines for aircraft...
They upstairs, in my closet,
in the back.
-[Lil Ant] Why are they
in your closet?
-They just are!
[birds twittering]
Anthony.
[Lil Ant]
Dad. Dad!
Why do that to my stuff?
-[Big Ant] What?
-Why you do that to my things?
[Big Ant scoffs]
Ant, if you don't get
the fuck out my face
and go back
in that house, boy...
-Fuck wrong with you?
-[siren wailing in distance]
[Lil Ant]
Why you do that, Dad?
Ant, you better get
the fuck out of my face, nigga.
Fuck wrong with you?
-That's my stuff!
-Ant, get the fuck
out of my face.
-Why do you do that?
That's my shit!
-[airplane whooshing]
Nigga, I know that's your stuff!
-That ain't you!
-That's my shit!
[muffled] That ain't you,
that's why, nigga!
[inaudible dialogue]
[inaudible dialogue]
-[smacks]
-[JJ] What the fuck?
-Ey, man!
What's wrong with you, man?
-[speaks indistinctly]
-I ain't even hit him that hard.
-You fucking trippin'!
-[Lozita] Why would you do that?
Why would you do that?
-Lo, don't start with me.
-Are you crazy? Are you crazy?
-[Big Ant] Lo, I ain't
even hit him that hard.
-Why would you do that?
-Lo, get
-your baby, go on in the house.
-[Lozita] Come on.
-[JJ] You good?
-[Big Ant] I ain't even
hit him that hard.
Fuck he think he talking to?
Ant, what the fuck are you on?
Are you fucking trippin', Ant?
That ain't no fucking nigga
in the street!
-That's your fucking son, dawg!
-Exactly, you right, nigga.
-[JJ] That's your fucking son!
-That's my son, nigga!
That's my son!
Get the fuck out of here!
That's my son!
Why I do that?
Because I wanted to,
motherfucker!
Why I do that?
[Lil Ant sobbing]
-[JJ] Who the fuck you think
you talking to?
-[Big Ant] Ey, you don't know!
-[JJ] What don't I know, man?
-[Big Ant] You don't
fucking know!
[JJ]
What don't I know, nigga?
What don't I know?
[operatic music]
I've been watching that boy get
raised as a fucking baby, man!
[Big Ant speaks indistinctly]
[JJ]
Fuck it. You need to get
your fucking shit together.
I'm out this bitch, man.
[gravel crunching]
[Big Ant]
What's up?
-[chuckling] You know what's up.
-[lighter flicks]
[birds chirping]
[bird cawing]
[music continues]
[airplane whirring]
[pencil scratching]
[indistinct chatter]
[indistinct chatter]
[music continues]
[airplane whooshing]
[indistinct chatter]
-[traffic humming]
-[paper rustling]
[Big Ant]
"Dear Lo,
I hope you're doing okay.
I tried calling you earlier,
but my time ran out.
I'm really sorry I couldn't be
at Anthony's birth last week.
Him being my first son and all.
I've been talking
to all the guys here about him.
[music continues]
Thank you for holding us down
while I'm in here.
Tell Acacia I miss her.
Little Anthony too."
[helicopter blades whirring]
-[waves crashing]
-[indistinct chatter]
-[music ends]
-[waves crashing]
[Lozita]
Look, I, uh... [sighs]
know we didn't really
get to talk about the other day.
About your dad.
But I want you to know...
...I want you to know I'm sorry.
And what happened the other day,
it should have never happened.
I'm sorry.
-You hear me?
-Yeah.
I'm sorry that I didn't protect
you the way I should have.
I told you that would
never happen again.
And it won't.
-He was wrong.
-[siren wailing in distance]
And I want you to know, like...
...we're not perfect.
Your daddy
is a work-in-progress.
I'm a work-in-progress.
But we're gonna
figure this out... okay?
-Forgive me?
-I forgive you.
Come here.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry about all of it.
[helicopter blades whirring]
-[gentle music]
-Come on.
[objects clattering]
[reporter on TV]
Still, concerns remain
among both students
and parents about the safety
of the school environment.
-[objects clattering]
-While this story has...
[continues indistinctly]
-[liquid glugging]
-[clatters]
[birds chirping]
[clacks]
[dog barking in distance]
[indistinct chatter]
[clanking]
-[horse neighing]
-[clanks]
-[music continues]
-[scraping]
[indistinct chatter]
-[Big Ant] Got it?
-[Julia] Yeah.
It was nice, right?
-Good service.
-It was a really good service.
-Ready to go home?
-Oh, yeah. [chuckles]
-It's time for me to eat.
[chuckles]
-Oh, yeah.
[bird cawing]
[airplane whooshing]
[roaring]
[bird cawing]
[cinematic music]
[children chattering
indistinctly]
[indistinct chatter]
[poignant music]
[children chattering
indistinctly]
[Lil Ant]
If I go...
...will they miss me?
If I go...
...will they miss me?
[inaudible laughter]
[music continues]
[inaudible dialogue]
If I go...
...will they miss me?
Will they miss me?
-[music fades]
-[insects chirping]
-[Big Ant] Man, what's up?
-[dog barking]
I've been busy.
Nah, I just...
[muffled music]
Yeah, I've just been busy.
I mean,
you know I wanna see you.
[dog barking]
-[Acacia] You got it, Ma,
or do you need help?
-[Lozita] No, here.
-Take this, baby.
-Okay.
-[Lil Ant] Acacia,
can you take these?
-[Lozita] Thank you.
-[Acacia] Yeah.
-[Trae] Acacia.
[Acacia]
Okay. Hold up, now.
Some of y'all can walk
to the kitchen.
-I got--
-[Lozita] No. Come on,
help her out.
-[Acacia sighs]
-[Trae] Thank you.
[Trae]
Mm. It's cold.
[Acacia]
Anthony, I'm about
to whoop that ass.
[Lil Ant]
No, you're not.
-[insects chirping]
-[Acacia] Mm-hm.
-Yeah, okay.
-[Trae] Goodness.
Y'all keep on--
Hold on. I'm gonna call...
[continues indistinctly]
-Y'all said that
we was gonna do it.
-[Acacia] No.
[overlapping chatter]
[Lil Ant]
One more Street Fighter.
One more time we play--
[Acacia]
Hold up. Hold up. Who?
Your dad.
He's supposed to have been here.
-[Acacia] Oh.
-[sighs]
[Acacia]
All right. Yeah,
I wanna play Street Fighter.
-[Big Ant sighs]
-[indistinct chatter on TV]
[Vanessa chuckles softly]
-What? [chuckles]
-[scoffs] Nothing.
[indistinct chatter on TV]
-[chuckles]
-What?
Nothing, boo.
-What time is it?
-[airplane whooshing]
I don't know.
[Big Ant]
Ah!
-What? What?
-Fuck!
-[chain clinking]
-[sighs] Shit!
-What?
-I have to go.
Lozita has this going-away
thing for Jenn. I forgot.
-Nigga, what?
-[speaking indistinctly]
[insects chirping]
[door squeaking]
[Big Ant softly]
Shit.
Fuck.
[siren wailing in distance]
[car zooming in distance]
[door creaks]
-I thought you were asleep.
-[Lozita sighs]
[Big Ant]
Got back as soon as you hit me.
I know you ain't gonna
believe me, but...
the truck wouldn't start.
[chain clinking]
[sniffles]
You missed Jenn's
whole going-away party.
And for some reason...
...I don't know why,
but Anthony wanted to show you
his Student of the Month award.
[Big Ant sighs]
Well, I came back
as soon as you hit me.
Promise.
I read through...
[sobs, chuckles]
[sucks teeth]
[voice breaking]
I read through all of those
letters that you sent me
when you was away.
[smacks lips] You was
a whole different person.
Talking about... [inhales]
..."I can't wait to get out
so I can be with y'all"
and "I can't wait
to meet my son."
[Big Ant sighs]
[crying]
[smacks lips, sighs]
[Big Ant]
My bad, Lo.
[car zooming in distance]
-[exhales]
-My bad.
[bed creaking]
-My bad, Lo.
-Let me fucking go, man.
Let me fucking go.
[crying] Let me go!
-Let me go!
[crying] Let me fucking go!
-[airplane whooshing]
Let me go!
Let me go!
Let me go! Let me go!
[continues crying]
[traffic humming]
[birds chirping]
[airplane whirring]
[man]
Hey, Ant!
[child coughing]
I know she can be scary, a'ight?
You know, they, they don't
give us no manual
for this life shit,
especially... how to be a dad.
And, uh...
...I'm not trying
to tell you how to live
-or how to be a father.
-[gentle music]
You got
a beautiful family, bruh.
Lozita, your children,
Lil Ant, I--
He's special, bruh.
[sighs] Look, I just--
Don't, don't be scared.
-Stop being silly, fool.
-[Big Ant chuckles softly]
Don't be scared
of how he sees you.
All right?
He sees you as something that we
could never see our fathers as.
All this shit over here.
He sees you as a god.
I hear you, man.
I wish that my son would see me
as a god when he's Ant's age.
-Nah, I know what you mean.
-You know what I'm saying?
So, so, so just
accept that, bruh.
Accept that. Hold him.
Tell him you love him.
Don't be scared
of this shit, bruh.
Embrace this shit, bruh.
[music continues]
Bruh, hold on to him tight.
Don't let him fly away.
Don't let them take him away.
[child coughing]
[JJ shushes softly]
You know
I appreciate you, nigga.
-Yeah, man.
-I love you, nigga.
I love you.
You know what I'm saying?
Hey, I'll love you way more
-when you cut that shit
off your face, too.
-Aw, man.
-Fuck that, nigga.
-Hey, you gotta let that shit--
It is not for you.
Just testing it out, man.
You know what I'm sayin'?
Niggas always used to be
having a baby face
before I could grow
some of my beard out.
[JJ]
Not your best look. You know
what I'm sayin'? Not your best.
You know what I'm sayin'?
Tell him.
[faint chatter]
-Yo, J.
-What's up?
-You got them earrings?
-Yeah.
[music continues]
Uh-huh.
Mm-hm. Yeah.
I knew Ken got me right.
Hold up. Hold up. [sighs]
-It's for my son today. Yeah.
-Amazing.
A whole little box.
That's for Lil Ant.
-"Ant!" He gonna love that.
-[Ken chuckles]
[airplane whooshing]
-[man] What's up, Ant?
-What's up, boy?
[inaudible laughing]
[birds chirping]
[door clatters]
[siren wailing in distance]
Lo?
[child crying in distance]
Hey, Ant. Come here, man.
Acacia?
I know y'all hear me
calling y'all.
[muffled music]
[birds chirping]
Ant, stop playing with me, man.
[indistinct chatter]
[traffic humming]
[dog barking in distance]
Stop playing with me, man.
[siren wailing in distance]
[airplane whooshing]
[cigarette crackling]
[poignant music]
[whooshing]
-[horse snorts]
-[birds chirping, cawing]
[lighter flicks]
[stifles sob]
[choked chuckle]
[huffs]
[airplane whooshing]
-[flicks]
-[cigarette crackling]
[blows]
[exhales sharply]
[Big Ant]
Dear God...
[music continues]
...I come to You a sinner...
...and I humbly repent
for all the things I've done.
All the things I've done.
I pray You protect Lil Ant
in everything he do.
Just like how You
protected me through mines.
[rustling]
You come back up, sometimes
you gotta get low again.
Go to the left.
Now you have to go to the right.
You always wanna
come back straight.
[birds chirping]
You always wanna
stand strong, Ant.
Check your wings.
[music continues]
I pray he don't forget
all the things
I done tried to teach him.
-You flying?
-Yeah.
[snickers] Me too.
[inaudible dialogue]
[airplane whooshing]
[inaudible dialogue]
[Big Ant laughs]
Hold them wings strong, Ant.
Dear God...
...I pray You look out
for every single one of us.
-Every single one of us.
-[music continues]
Every single one of us.
Every single one of us.
Lozita...
...I pray you continue
to forgive me for everything.
[airplane whooshing]
Dear God, I pray that
You keep him out of harm's way.
[music continues]
Dear God...
...I pray You protect Lil Ant
in everything he do.
[music continues]
[JJ]
It's all right, Ant.
It's all right. It's all right.
I got you.
-I got you.
-[airplane whooshing]
I got you. It's okay.
It's all right. It's okay.
It's all right.
I got you, Ant. I got you.
-[seagulls calling]
-[waves crashing]
[airplane whooshing]
[indistinct chatter]
[music continues]
-[Big Ant] Hey, Trae.
-[Trae] Hi, Dad.
-[Big Ant] Hey, Mama.
Appreciate you calling me.
-[Julia] Anytime, baby.
-[Acacia] Hey, Dad.
-[Big Ant] What's up, girl?
[waves lapping]
[music continues]
-["This Bitter Earth"
by Jon Batiste]
-This bitter Earth
Well, what a fruit it bears
[inaudible dialogue]
What good is love
That no one shares?
[whooshes]
And if my life
My life is like the dust
-Oh, that hides
-[Lil Ant] They called him
Poseidon.
The glow of a rose
He threw his trident super far,
farther than any human
could ever throw it.
Then what good am I?
Heaven only knows
Oh, this bitter Earth
Yes, can it be so cold?
Today you're young
Too soon you're old
But while a voice
Within me cries
I'm sure someone
May answer my call
Oh, this bitter Earth
Oh, this bitter Earth
May not be so bitter
After all
Oh, while a voice
Inside me cries
Yeah
And I'm sure
Someone out there
May answer my call
And this bitter old Earth
May not be
So bitter
Yes
So bitter
After all
[song fades]
[poignant music]
[music continues]
[wind rustling]
[music fades]
[wind whooshing]
[whooshing fades]
[waves crashing]
[seagulls squawking]
[waves crashing]
["This Bitter Earth"
by Jon Batiste]
This bitter Earth
[seagulls squawking]
[Lil Ant]
I remember the first time
Dad took me to the beach.
-Well
-[playful chatter]
And we counted
all the airplanes
that took off that day.
[airplane whooshing]
A lot of people say
I look like Mom...
-What good is love
-...but some people say
I look like Dad.
I think we have the same smile.
[birds chirping]
That no one shares?
Mom always tells me
stories about Dad,
-like when he was my age.
-[boy] Personally, I...
[continues indistinctly]
[indistinct conversation]
[Lil Ant]
Mom said Daddy used to play
by the tracks all the time.
-Over there by the tower.
-And if my life
-Right by school.
-Is like the dust
And how Dad had these two
really close friends.
One of them died
when he got a little older.
And JJ, my godfather,
who's still Dad's best friend.
-[Young Big Ant] Look at it.
-[Young JJ] What do you mean?
-It's not my bunny.
-Man, all little bunny.
-[Young Deshawn] It ain't
our bunny either.
-[flies buzzing]
-[Young JJ] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
-Can we go?
I won't, I won't, I won't
stop looking at this, bro.
-Yeah, doucheface. Come on.
-Yeah, let's go.
-[preacher] Are you ready
for Jesus?
-[woman] Yeah.
No! No, no, no, no, no!
-I'm asking you.
-[car horn honking]
-[woman] Hallelujah! Yes!
-Are you ready for His love?
-[preacher] Huh? Are you...
-[Lil Ant] Mom said
Dad would
always get shy around her.
-Oh, this bitter Earth
-And would always, like,
talk to him by the same wall
we live by.
-Well, I got a basketball
game tomorrow.
-Yes
[Young Lozita]
Oh, really?
Where are you playing?
-Same place as last time.
-Oh, at the park?
-Yeah.
-Can it be so cold?
-All right. I'll be there.
-[Young Big Ant] Cool.
[indistinct chatter, laughter]
Today you're young
[Lil Ant]
Dad used to draw things
just like me.
[indistinct chatter]
-It's Keith. Shh. It's Keith.
-Too soon you're old
[Lil Ant]
And one day, he did something
he wasn't too proud about.
[Keith]
Hey, all y'all,
get the fuck off my roof.
Man, fuck you, Keith!
Hey, don't have me
have to come up there.
Shut the fuck up, man.
[Young JJ]
Man, bring your bitch ass
up here, then.
[Keith]
All right, this is my last
warning, man.
I'm telling y'all
to get off my damn roof!
-It's your last warning.
-Fuck you!
-Get off my fucking roof!
-[clatters]
-[Young JJ] Fucking bitch.
-[Young Deshawn] This is what
you are, trash!
[Keith]
Oh, that's how
y'all gonna do me?
-And this bitter Earth
-I know where all y'all stay at.
-[Young Deshawn] We don't care!
-Oh
-[Young JJ] Fuck you.
-[Keith] Why y'all up there
bullshitting?
-Get off my roof, man.
-[Young Deshawn]
Do it. Do it, do it.
-Man, throw that.
-May not be
-[clatters]
-[Keith groans]
[Young JJ]
Damn.
Bitter after all
[airplane whooshing]
[Young Big Ant]
Shit!
[Young JJ]
Don't worry about it.
He's straight.
I seen him get up.
And if anybody ask,
-I won't say nothing.
-[Lil Ant] Mom said
that the janitor
didn't die that day.
-This bitter Earth
-[indistinct chatter]
[Lil Ant]
But everything changed
after that.
[indistinct chatter]
Well
What a fruit it bears
-[airplane whooshing]
-[Young Big Ant] Ma?
What good is love
That no one shares?
And if my life
[policeman]
Hey! Stop right there!
[Lil Ant]
Somebody called the cops
when Keith got hit.
Somebody said it was Dad.
Oh
-It hides the glow
Of a rose
-But all that happened
way before Dad got back
from the Trojan War.
-Kind of like Odysseus...
-[playful chatter, laughter]
-...who eventually returned
back to Ithaca...
-And what good
...after being away from his
family for a really long time.
-And I mean it.
-[woman] That's correct.
-[indistinct chatter]
-...knows
Oh
[Lil Ant]
Things are always better
when Dad's out.
-Yes
-[speaking indistinctly]
-Can it be so cold?
-[Lil Ant] Dad's back now.
And I hope he stays
for longer this time.
-Today you're young
-[indistinct chatter]
[all cheering]
Too soon, you're old
[airplane whooshing]
[birds cawing]
[Trae]
Put up your middle finger.
I don't care.
-[Lil Ant] Huh?
-[Trae] Put up your middle
finger. I don't care.
-[Lil Ant] You said put up my
middle finger. You don't care?
-[Trae] Yeah.
-[Lil Ant] Why would I
put up my middle finger?
-[Trae] Just do it, bro.
-You cuss a lot.
-[car revving]
[wheels rattling]
[Trae]
I'm gonna win. I'm gonna win.
-Whoa!
-[Lil Ant] I did it!
-[Trae] You cheating.
-[Lil Ant] No, I didn't.
[airplane whooshing]
[Lil Ant]
If you could fly anywhere,
where would you fly?
Um, I'll fly to Alaska.
Why Alaska?
'Cause, like,
all the cool animals there.
-[light music]
-And there's hardly
any, like, control centers.
Walk around, have fun.
[mimics plane flying]
I think I would fly...
Hm.
Yeah, I think I would just fly.
[airplane whooshing]
-[faucet running]
-[reporter 1 on TV]
A standard step needed to bring
the aircraft
to a proper landing weight.
We're coordinating with
Los Angeles World Air Force
and LA County Fire,
and we share the concern
over reports of minor injuries
among students and adults
at a nearby school.
We've also just learned
that an official is...
-[reporter 2] Breaking story.
Yesterday afternoon...
-[water bubbling]
...a 747 dumped jet fuel
on multiple elementary schools
in south-east
and south central Los Angeles.
Reports from those live at
the scene said the jet fuel...
-["Heaven, Heaven"
by Marian Anderson]
-I got a robe
You got a robe
All God's children
Got a robe
When I get to Heaven
Gonna put on my robe
I'm gonna shout
All over God's Heaven
-Heaven
-JJ, what up, fool?
-Heaven
-[Big Ant chuckles]
-Everybody's
Talking about...
-Headed up there now.
Pull up on me
when you get a chance.
-...Heaven
-Oh, shit.
-For real? [chuckles]
-Heaven
-All right.
-Gonna shout all over
-Coming down by the second.
-God's Heaven
[chuckles]
No, I can't come.
She's gonna smoke
something with me, though.
-...about Heaven
-[chuckles]
Heaven
-Heaven
-[airplane whooshing]
Everybody's talking
About Heaven
Heaven
Heaven
I'm gonna shout
All over God's Heaven
[birds chirping, cawing]
I got a harp
You got a harp
All of God's children
Have a harp
When I get to Heaven
Gonna play on my harp...
[JJ]
Hey, man, rise and shine, man.
-Come on. Come on, man.
-Stop blessing me, man.
-Do it, man. Come on.
-What up, JJ?
Early morning, man.
[Lozita]
Lord God,
thank you for this day.
Thank you for waking me up.
Thank you for waking
my family up.
Thank you for providing.
Thank you, God.
Help me to be patient today.
[airplane whooshing]
-[neighbor] Hey. How you doing?
-[Lozita] Hey.
[neighbor]
I see you out there
keeping it clean as usual.
-[Lozita] You already know.
[chuckles]
-Everything all right, though?
-[Lozita] Yeah, everything good.
-Man.
I heard your, uh,
Big Ant just got out.
-Yeah. [chuckles] He's here.
-He good?
-Yeah.
-He doing all right?
-You know, I'm hoping him
and Lil Ant can, can bond.
-Ah.
-Me too. That's good.
-You know, he want that
more than anything.
Yeah, I know they get along
real good.
-I know he miss him.
I know he do.
-Yeah... [chuckles] he do.
-[neighbor] That's good, though.
-All right, you be well.
-[neighbor] All right. You too.
-All right.
Man, that's why Randy had
to put hands on him
-'cause he kept
stepping out of line.
-[Trae] Hey, Dad.
-Hey, Daddy.
-[Trae] Hey, Dad.
-Hold on, Lee.
-[chuckles] Stop!
-I said hold on, Lee!
-Ew!
[laughing] Stop!
Hey, Dad.
-Getting your hair done?
-Yes, sir.
-You look good.
-Thank you.
Getting out the bag, man.
-Got some noodles for me, baby?
-Yeah, I got it.
I don't know why you still eat
like you locked up.
-[Big Ant] That shit good.
-[Lozita chuckles] No, it ain't.
Dad, they gave you ranch sauce
when you was locked up?
[Big Ant]
Nah, they don't give you ranch
in prison, baby.
Oh, no.
Lo, you still need me
to look at your car?
Nah. Not anymore.
It randomly started working
this morning out of nowhere.
[Acacia]
Dad, how come
I only got one ranch sauce?
[Big Ant]
I told 'em to get
as many as they could, baby.
[Acacia]
How do they expect me to eat
with only one ranch sauce?
Told them to give me
as many as they could.
[plastic bag rustling]
-Whatchu drawing, man?
-[pencil clatters]
[Lozita]
Hey, don't be getting mad.
I know he don't be
drawing me like that.
[Acacia]
What in the heck
we gonna do with only
-three ranches, though, y'all?
-Girl.
[Acacia]
Anthony, that means
you only get one.
-[Lil Ant] Nah, Acacia.
I need at least two.
-[Trae] Stop!
-[Big Ant] Stop. Stop.
Give it back to him.
-Give me that.
-[light scraping]
-[Lil Ant sighs]
-[Trae] Fine. Take it.
-Thank you.
-[Big Ant] I'll be right back.
-[Lozita] You just got here.
[Big Ant]
Just gonna be out back, man.
-[refrigerator door closes]
-[smacks lips]
-[light scraping]
-[Big Ant] JJ.
-What's up, nigga?
-[door squeaks, slams]
[reporter on TV]
Investigators continue
to piece together the details
of yesterday's fuel dump,
where an estimated 60 people,
largely students
and adults at local schools,
-were treated for injuries.
-[man shouting indistinctly]
Students were evaluated
at the scene
and given decontamination
measures using soap and water.
The schools briefly underwent
shelter-in-place procedures,
-though district officials say
no evacuation is necessary.
-[paper rustling]
[continues indistinctly]
[Lil Ant]
What's up, Dad?
[Big Ant]
What's up, son?
-[sighs]
-[reporter] Airline officials
declined to comment
when asked whether the plane...
[continues indistinctly]
The question is how and why
the jet released the fuel.
According to what is...
[continues indistinctly]
Seen them drawings
in your notebook over there.
That's my homework.
Mr. Nettles said...
...we could draw people we knew,
or, like, people who reminded us
-of ancient Greek people.
-[reporter continues
indistinctly]
...93rd Street
Elementary School.
I don't care what he said, Ant.
I don't wanna have
to keep telling you.
Don't keep drawing me, man.
Why not?
[boy on TV]
We were outside during recess
-and there was this...
-Just don't.
...flying over school.
At first, we all pointed at it
because it looked
closer than usual
and we noticed this kind of
mist fall behind.
It looked like rain,
but it was not raining anymore.
When it started raining on us,
it smelled really strong.
The gas from the car
and tons of other...
One teacher
was waiting for us to move,
but we were all confused
because it felt like...
-[gentle melodic music]
-[faucet running]
-[Acacia] Hurry up, man.
-[knocking on door]
-[knocking on door]
-[Acacia] Anthony,
I gotta use the bathroom.
Mom said I need
to try on this new shirt.
[Acacia]
Well, then try it on
and get out! I gotta pee!
-[continues knocking]
-Hurry up, man!
-[Lozita] Come on, Anthony!
[continues indistinctly]
-[continues knocking]
-[Acacia] Anthony!
-Yeah, I'm coming!
[continues knocking]
-[Acacia] Anthony!
-[door unlocks]
[Acacia sighs]
About damn time!
Shut up, buster!
[door creaks]
[mellow music]
[indistinct chatter]
[indistinct chatter]
[indistinct chatter]
Okay, so can anybody tell me
how the Greek god Zeus
became so powerful?
[student 1]
Me! Me, Mr. Nettles!
Zeus became the king
of the Olympian gods
during a cosmic battle.
He overthrew his own father,
battled and beat all the Titans.
And that's what made him
so powerful.
-[siren wailing in distance]
-[Mr. Nettles] Good job.
Why don't you ask Zeus
to help you with that ringworm
too, nigga?
[Mr. Nettles]
All right, all right.
All right, all right.
Let's settle down.
Let's settle down.
So, can anyone tell me,
based off our assignment
this week,
where Pegasus,
the winged horse, came from?
-[birds chirping]
-[student 2] Answer
the question, Ant.
-School boy-ass nigga.
-[students chuckling]
[Mr. Nettles]
What about you, Maria?
Would you be
able to tell the class?
How about you, Anthony?
Pegasus was an immortal
winged horse.
A real nice one.
Just like the one
on my daddy's ranch.
[tinkling]
Pegasus's dad was a god.
He was Zeus's brother.
[poignant music]
[inaudible laughter, dialogue]
[Lil Ant]
They called him Poseidon.
And they was real close.
Like best friends close.
Poseidon's home
was in the water.
I heard Poseidon was the most
powerful god of the ocean.
He was buff and he had muscles.
And he was the strongest ever.
[inaudible dialogue]
He had a big old spear
that he called a trident.
T-R-I-D-E-N-T. Trident.
[seagull squawking]
He threw his trident
super far...
...farther than any human
could ever throw it.
[whooshes]
Pegasus had a mom too,
and her name was Medusa.
And her hair
was full of snakes.
Red ones, black ones,
green ones too.
-The snakes
never hurt her, though.
-[hissing]
Didn't ever bite her
or nothing.
Pegasus was a winged horse,
and he helped Zeus fly
real high, all up in the sky.
-[explosions]
-And he carried his thunder
and all his lightning for him.
[firecrackers bursting]
-Pegasus always
helped people...
-[firecrackers whistling]
...and Zeus saw
what he was doing.
So, he turned him into
a constellation in the sky...
-...so he could live forever.
-[firecrackers bursting]
And if we're really lucky,
we can still see him.
[Mr. Nettles]
Great job, Anthony.
[school bell ringing]
[birds chirping]
[children chattering]
-[Big Ant] How your pops
doing, man?
-[Ezekiel] Doing good, bro.
He's just out there working
and shit, trying to make money.
[Big Ant]
Shit, Lil Ant.
Grab that off of you
before he get over here.
[low tense music]
[Ezekiel]
A'ight, bro.
[indistinct conversation]
-Hey, Dad.
-[Big Ant] What's up?
Mr. Nettles said I did a good
job on my Pegasus project.
So, what's up?
Somebody told me you got your
ass whooped while I was gone.
-That's true?
-[airplane whooshing]
How you think
that made me look out here?
[muffled music
playing in distance]
[Lozita]
We need some more drawers, man.
Can't fit nothing
in here no more.
-[Big Ant coughing]
-[Lozita] Anthony.
[Big Ant sniffs]
It's nothing crazy. [coughs]
[Lozita]
When was the last time you and
your son did something together?
You seem cool spending time
with Acacia. [scoffs]
-[Big Ant] Acacia cool.
-And your son ain't?
[Big Ant sighs]
Man, put your phone away.
-And can you please
hand me my scrubs?
-[sighs]
-Do you even want this still?
-Yeah.
Then you need to start
spending more time
with your son like you used to.
It's like the minute
he got a little older
-is the minute you started
messing with him.
-[sighs]
All right.
[airplane whooshing]
-[car horn honking]
-[laughter]
[indistinct chatter]
[man]
Oh, that thing stubborn.
[thudding]
[JJ]
Tell them we was on that
graveyard shift, dawg. [laughs]
[JJ]
And you missed the party
last Saturday, man.
-The cowgirl party.
-Oh, how was it?
It was lovely, man.
We had a booth.
We had a ball, man.
We had them boots
to the ground, man.
-Boots to the ground?
-Boots to the ground.
-Good time.
-Good time.
-Trina, you was out there?
-Yep, I was there.
-Come on now.
-[laughs, speaks indistinctly]
-Come on.
-[JJ] Boots to the ground.
-[lighter flicks]
-[cigarette crackling]
-[blows]
-[dog barking in distance]
[birds chirping]
Yeah, girl,
your shit all fucked up.
-[airplane whooshing]
-Ah.
I ain't talking
about you, silly.
I'm talking about this horse.
[airplane whooshing]
Yeah... too much fluid
in her shit.
Yeah. I'm gonna push out
down a little bit, all right?
-I don't know what time. Just--
-[dog howls]
-I'll let you know
when I'm coming.
-[JJ] Yo!
Yo!
Nah, it's my dawg, JJ.
Yeah, you don't know him.
-[JJ scoffs] Interest me?
I don't know.
-[Big Ant] That's,
that's what I'd be saying.
The older you get, the younger
they try to say they are.
You know what I'm saying?
I'm going, "Oh, girl."
I know she wasn't really 20.
[JJ]
Nigga, she told me
she was 20. [sighs]
-I'm gonna believe her.
Looks, she-- What the fuck...
-She gotta at least be about
-30, 31.
-Whatever she was, nigga,
-that's the truth.
-And I know you like 'em
a little older, so...
-Um, I like who like me, nigga.
-Yeah.
Look, whatever she is,
I believe her
-'cause that's what she believe.
So it is what it is.
-Uh-huh. [chuckles]
-But... [laughs] nigga,
don't be...
-[both laughing]
Dude, don't be fucking with me
and my hoes, bro,
-when you out here
outside, nigga.
-Come on now.
-[cell phone vibrating]
-I know what you be doing, bruh.
See? As long as you...
[continues indistinctly]
Ah, yeah, speak of the devil.
He gonna ring your name.
What's up, bobo?
[JJ speaks indistinctly]
-A fight?
-[students clamoring]
[teacher]
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!
-Yeah. A fight.
-[indistinct chatter on TV]
I had to go up there
and get him.
I wasn't even at work
a whole hour, man.
-Why?
-[Lozita] I don't know why.
You need to ask him that.
Did you tell him what I did?
[indistinct chatter]
-[Lozita] Are you serious
right now?
-Please?
[Lozita]
Do you hear your son?
-It don't sound like him.
-[JJ sniffs]
[Lozita]
Anyway, I need you
to get Acacia after school
since I gotta head back.
-All right.
-And don't forget,
Acacia got straight A's
on her last report card.
Remember what you promised her?
Okay.
[sighs]
[Big Ant]
It don't sound like him.
[JJ]
Sure didn't sound
like you neither, man.
That's all that shit
went down.
[birds chirping]
-Man.
-He and I ain't
the same, though.
[siren wailing in distance]
[JJ]
He coulda just been
trying, on some, uh,
attention-seeking type shit.
You know what I mean?
Yeah, but, you know
I be keeping him away
from that shit.
That little nigga trippin'.
Lo trippin' too.
-Yo, Lo solid.
-Yeah.
You know, she a good,
good mama. You know?
-Give her that, at least.
-[siren wailing in distance]
-Here, nigga. [sniffs]
-Hey.
[indistinct conversation]
Finna push up out of here.
See your old girl.
Which one?
One on the other side
of the projects.
[rustling]
Jeez! This nigga wild.
[laughs heartily]
All right, man. Ah!
Nigga, ain't you supposed
to get back to work?
What time you supposed
to be back? I know your lunch.
You been taking them
long-ass lunch breaks
-and shit.
-Hey, man.
Hey, don't worry about me.
-The airport close when I leave.
-They gonna fire your ass.
-When I get back, all the
flights will get back active.
-Mm-hm.
You know what I'm saying?
I am air traffic control, nigga.
-I control this shit.
-[chuckles]
-[thuds]
-[tires screeching]
-[car engine starting]
-[siren wailing in distance]
[car chirps]
[light scraping]
[airplane whooshing]
[belt clattering]
-[Big Ant] Think
it's about to rain, V.
-[Vanessa] Mm.
[Big Ant]
Shh.
Gotta go pick up my kids.
[Vanessa]
What?
Said I gotta go pick up my kids.
[Vanessa]
Are you coming back?
I'll try to.
[gentle music]
[birds chirping]
I'll eat that one.
I wonder what that one is.
That one with, like,
the stripes on it.
It kind of reminds me
of a leopard, like you said.
[Acacia grunts]
All right, tough guy.
How about this one?
I like the color.
I feel like
it very complements me.
-How do you feel about this one?
-No, not at all.
-Oh. Okay.
We're gonna try one more.
-[thuds]
Ooh. Aah. Are we liking it?
Anthony. What's up, my man?
[Big Ant]
Ken. What's up, man?
You see,
I got my kids with me today.
[Ken]
Mm-hm.
Oh, I got some good deals
for you today.
Talk to me.
[Ken]
What are we looking at?
New gold chain.
Maybe a letter?
Add an N and a T to that?
-[Big Ant] Nah, shit.
Nah, it's for her.
-[chuckles]
-Really?
-Baby got straight A's.
-Straight A's!
-[music continues]
Can I get
some new earrings, Dad?
Earrings?
You need to be focused
on not getting in fights
and getting better grades
like your sister.
-Come on, man.
-Talking about earrings.
[scoffs]
Nigga getting in fights,
talking about earrings.
[Ken]
Which one you like, sweetie?
[Acacia]
I don't know.
Something cool, I guess.
-[Big Ant] Like that one?
-[Acacia] That one?
Oh, I like that one.
-[Ken] Talking about this one
right here?
-[Acacia] Yeah.
[Ken]
Great choice.
Thank you, Pops.
[indistinct chatter]
[music continues]
[mimicking airplane humming]
-[mimicking airplane whooshing]
-[wind howling]
[rain pattering]
[thunder rumbling]
Anthony.
Let's go.
[thunder rumbling]
Boy, I was looking for you.
[thunder rumbling]
[rain pattering]
I seen what you did back there,
little nigga.
I just want you to know
I saw you.
I don't know what you're trying
to prove, but whatever it is,
you need to stop that shit.
All right?
[man 1 speaking indistinctly]
-[man 2 speaking indistinctly]
-[laughter]
-[man 1] Top right.
Now top right back.
-[thuds]
-Huh!
-[man 3] Here we go.
[insects chirping]
[man 1 speaks indistinctly]
[voice whispers]
Anthony.
[airplane engine powering up]
[airplane engine roaring]
[eerie music]
[door creaks]
[door closes]
[door creaks]
[door creaking]
[airplane engine whooshing]
[airplane engine roaring]
[door creaks]
[voice whispers]
Anthony.
[music intensifies]
[music fades]
[music playing faintly]
[Lozita]
Where the fuck were you, man?
[Big Ant]
I told you,
I was with JJ. I mean--
-[Lozita] Nigga,
no, you weren't.
-[Big Ant] Shit,
you doing all this yelling
at me. You don't know
your son out in the courtyard
by himself.
-[Lozita] Don't change
the subject.
-I'm not, I swear to God.
[Lozita]
Whatever.
[Lozita sighs]
[Big Ant]
I'm here now, ain't I?
[Lozita]
That's all you got to say,
is "I'm here now"?
[Big Ant smacks lips]
Yeah. Scoot your ass over.
[Lozita grunts softly]
I can't keep doing this, man.
I got you.
[Lozita moaning]
[continues moaning]
[moaning fades]
[rooster crowing in distance]
-[sighs]
-[rooster continues crowing]
-[drawer slides]
-[object clatters]
[objects clatter]
[birds chirping]
[music playing faintly]
[Big Ant]
Y'all niggas need to move, man.
Some of us need to get to work.
Man, get out the damn way.
[airplanes humming]
[eerie intense music]
Ant!
[Big Ant]
I've seen a whole lot of 'em.
[siren wailing in distance]
I've seen this little boy.
Like one of Lil Ant friends,
a Mexican boy that died.
I thought I seen Lil Ant too.
I was probably trippin'.
[horse snorts]
You think I'm trippin'?
[chuckles]
["Let Your Heart Be Free"
by Patrice Rushen
playing over speakers]
[JJ]
Why would they come for Lil Ant?
[sucks teeth] Why now?
[Big Ant]
Shit, I don't know.
They came for me. Came for you.
Shit felt real, dawg.
It was like I, I could see 'em,
smell 'em.
And those little homeboys
were standing out there
looking me dead in
my motherfucking eyes, dawg.
-Shit.
-[indistinct background chatter]
I don't know, man.
Why all of a sudden, Grandma?
[Big Ant]
Just sayin'
when I get that close...
...when I feel like that,
you know, just...
I don't know, man.
I ain't tryin'
to let my little nigga down,
and flyin' to being gone
and shit, like...
..."Get back,
this motherfucker trippin'."
-[dog barking in distance]
-[inhales deeply]
I think you good, bruh.
I do. I think you good.
-Yeah.
-He ain't like,
he ain't like that.
You know. He ain't like us.
He a good kid. For real.
-Yeah.
-["Gettin' It" by Too $hort
ft. Parliament Funkadelic]
[Lozita]
Ma, you want some catfish?
No, I don't. You know I don't
-eat catfish.
-You can take some home.
-I don't eat catfish.
-You can take some home.
-I want some spaghetti.
-Whose turn is it?
It's your turn, Ma.
What's up with Ant?
He been real, like, quiet.
-Lil Ant, Big Ant?
-[Jenn] Huh?
-Lil Ant or Big Ant?
-Lil Ant.
-[Julia] No.
-[sighs] I don't know.
[Julia]
Te-- te-- tell the truth.
Tell the truth.
You know what's going on.
He's a teenager. I don't know
what's going on, Ma.
I don't have all the answers.
I really don't know.
-But... I noticed it too.
-[Jenn] Yeah.
You gotta get that boy right.
Oh, it's not my turn.
Yeah, it's my turn. But...
[sucks teeth]
...I think you can go. Go ahead.
-Ooh! No, no, no. Okay. Yeah.
-[Julia] Oh!
-Go ahead, go ahead, go ahead.
-What-- [laughs]
-[laughs happily]
-[Jenn giggles]
-[Jenn] Come on, now.
-[Lozita] Yeah.
Ant's been quiet lately, but...
I mean, ain't that normal?
Ant didn't say, like,
nothing going on in school?
But at least
he's staying out of trouble.
-Ooh, it's cold out there.
-[Lozita laughs]
-What's up?
-[Jenn] Well, what's up?
I'm just chillin'. [sing-songy]
what it do, baby?
-[Jenn laughs]
-I'm just chillin',
what you eating?
[Trae]
Where'd you get it from?
[Lil Ant]
The swap meet.
[Trae]
Did Dad get it for you?
[Lil Ant]
Nah.
[Trae]
Where'd you get it?
[Lil Ant]
I just took it.
And, like, Dad didn't even make
me give it back to him, either.
[Trae]
Dang.
[background chatter]
[Lil Ant]
Hey. If I tell you something
I seen, seen the other night,
put on everything,
you wouldn't tell nobody?
[Trae]
All right. On everything.
[Lil Ant]
Nah, you'd probably tell.
[Trae]
Come on, man.
[Lil Ant]
Nah.
[mimicking plane flying]
You ain't ready for that.
-[lighter flicks]
-Scaredy cat.
-[Lozita] You think I still
ain't got it? I still got it.
-[laughs]
Whoa, I think the kids
out there. Shut the door.
Shut the door.
-[Lozita] You thought
I forgot how to smoke.
-[Jenn] Yeah!
How long it's been
since you smoked with me?
Come on, big sis.
Don't chief it.
-[Jenn] You needed this.
-It's been too long.
-[Jenn] You needed it.
-Yeah, I needed it.
-About to say "pass it."
What the fuck was that?
-[chuckles]
-Like, what?
-[coughs]
Don't say nothing.
Yes, I'm coughing. [coughs]
[coughing] Don't say nothing.
-[coughing]
-Damn.
-Shut up. Shut up.
-Damn. Damn.
-It's all good.
What's up with you, though, man?
-Mm.
What's up with you
and that nappy-head boyfriend?
Oh, come on.
Look, I'm glad he back.
I'm glad he home.
-Mm-hm.
-You know, we good.
You sound like...
[clicks tongue]
-Like, what? Listen, listen--
-They-- the kids,
need their daddy.
-Whatchu need?
-Am I right?
-No, whatchu need? "Am I right?"
-What I need?
It is not about what I need.
It's about
what them three kids need
right now.
And that's Big Ant.
If you got out of jail,
won't you want
somebody there for you?
You know,
I've been with him forever.
-What do I look like?
-If I was me,
I wouldn't want nobody
if I keep going to jail.
I don't want him to keep going
to jail either, Jenn.
But what can I do?
I mean, he's here now.
When he locked up,
you want somebody there for you,
don't you?
I don't know.
I don't know.
[indistinct background chatter]
Look, you know, my place
is going to be available.
You got a whole month.
-Mm.
-I still think...
you should have it.
-Nobody in there?
-Ain't nobody gonna be in there.
It's gonna be empty.
Could be yours.
Just because
you're the oldest don't mean
you don't need help too.
It might be a good move.
I don't know.
[radio jockey over radio]
Power 106, where hip-hop live,
hip-hop live... [echoes]
["Never Leave Me Alone"
by Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg
playing over radio]
Never leave me alone
Never leave me alone
Never leave me alone
Feel good to get away
a little bit, don't it?
-Yeah.
-Just to be able to chill.
How was school this week?
-It was good.
-It was good?
-Yeah.
-Still talking
to that little girl
-you was telling me about?
Yeah? [chuckles]
-Yeah.
-[seagulls squawking]
-[waves crashing]
I remember Pops used
to work back there.
You remember Grandpa?
-A little bit. Yeah.
-A little bit?
He used to bring me out here
when I was about your age.
He worked at this factory
over there by the airport.
Shit, he wanted
to be a pilot too.
-Really?
-Yeah.
[seagull squawking]
It didn't work out, though.
Why not?
Sometimes shit
just don't work out.
[song continues faintly]
Did he ever get to fly?
Nah.
Did you?
Not yet.
[airplane whooshing]
-Ready to get in?
-Yeah.
It's gonna be too cold soon
if we don't get in there.
Come on.
[seagulls squawking]
-[waves crashing]
-[tender music]
-[Lil Ant] My chain?
-[Big Ant] Yeah.
[chain clinking]
Come on, Ant!
Man, I know you ain't scared.
Stop being a bitch!
-Come on! It ain't that cold!
-[waves lapping]
[waves crashing]
[Lil Ant]
Wait up, Dad.
-[waves crashing]
-[Big Ant chuckles]
Ah, that's my boy!
That's my boy. Proud of you.
[music continues]
Love you, man.
[Lil Ant]
Oh. And there was
this one fruit stand.
He got me
a whole big bowl of fruit.
So good. I had watermelon,
pineapple, grapes.
-[Trae] What kind of grapes?
-[Lil Ant] So good.
I don't know what they had
in those grapes,
but they were so good.
-You definitely have to come.
-[Trae] Help me
get this off, man.
Oh, Dad... Me and Dad
were running into the water...
[chuckles]
and he tripped on a wave.
It was like small wave coming by
his feet, and he didn't see it.
He tripped and he fell.
It was so funny.
You know, Dad be waking up
all early and stuff,
helping out
at the ranch all alone,
-and feeding the horses...
-[music continues]
...kind of...
...kind of like Pegasus,
all up there in the sky
with nobody around... carrying
all the lightning and thunder.
Bro, what are you doing?
-That's how you do it.
-Bro, that's not even
how you do it.
-Faster.
-[grunting softly]
-Faster.
-[grunting]
-[giggles]
-You better leave
Dr. Kim alone, Ma.
-That man is married.
-I don't care. [giggles]
-[Lozita] Ugh.
-[chuckles]
I was just thinking about
that dress you wore
your wedding night.
That beautiful white dress.
And Anthony had
on that light blue suit. Mm.
-Y'all looked so good.
-[music continues]
[birds chirping]
[Lozita]
What made you think of that, Ma?
What made you think of that, Ma?
I was just thinking.
Just popped in my head.
-[birds chirping]
-[indistinct chatter]
[JJ] Man, bring me
some of that drink when
you come back this way, though.
-[man speaking indistinctly]
-[JJ] You know what I'm saying?
I'm so-- I ain't trying to lean,
though. I'm just trying to sit.
[indistinct chatter]
[JJ]
Man. Oh, shit.
You know what it is.
They'll be drinking
all night, clear?
Yeah. I ain't fuck
with that sh--
That shit did look
like ocean water.
-God damn.
-This shit right here,
that's too little, man.
I need a bigger joint.
That's why this shit
is all fucked up
-and it ain't working.
-It's the only one
I got out here.
I'm about to see
what I got in the house.
That shit belong
in my kid's toy set.
-I'm telling you right now...
[speaking indistinctly]
-Shut the hell up.
[door closes]
-I don't know, Lil Ant
didn't take my damn tools, man.
-[clatters]
[subtle music]
[traffic noise]
[chuckles softly]
Damn, Lil Ant.
Oh, come on, now.
[chuckles softly] Wow.
Oh, man.
[wind howling]
[music continues]
Damn.
[mutters indistinctly]
Yeah.
[chuckles]
[indistinct background chatter]
[enigmatic music]
[paper rustles]
[mutters]
[whizzing]
[sheets fluttering]
[Lozita]
Whatchu just do?
Huh?
[smacks lips]
Tch. [mumbles]
[dog barking]
[siren wailing in distance]
-[dog barking in distance]
-[indistinct chatter]
Why are you throwing Anthony's
things away like that?
'Cause he drawing you again?
-That's what you trippin' about?
-Nah, man, I ain't trippin'.
Oh, so you're not trippin'?
So, why did you throw
his stuff out like that?
Man, what the fuck I look like,
explaining some shit to you
you don't know nothing about?
-Something I don't know
nothing about?
-Yeah,
-that you don't know shit about.
-Yeah, okay.
-So just, just--
-Well, try me, nigga.
-[Big Ant sighs]
-[faucet running]
-[Lozita] Try me.
-[dog barking]
You can't just take Anthony
to the beach one time
and just expect everything
to go back to normal.
It don't work like that.
Shit.
Maybe you should
call on that bitch.
I don't know, one of your horses
-and ask them for advice...
-[Big Ant] Shut the fuck up, Lo.
-...'cause you don't wanna
talk to me.
-Shut the fuck up.
I said
I don't feel like talking.
Why are y'all yelling
at each other like that?
Yeah! But we need
to talk about this!
I don't feel like
fucking talking today, Lo!
-[Lozita] Okay.
-[birds chirping]
-Oh, man... [mumbles]
-[Lozita] Really? You just--
-[door slams]
-[breathing shakily]
-[thumping]
-[groans, cries]
[exhales slowly, crying]
[indistinct chatter on TV]
-[motorcycle revving
in distance]
-[dog barking in distance]
[muffled music]
[drawer slides]
Have you seen my drawings?
[Acacia]
No.
What about my wings?
[Acacia]
No.
Mom?
Yeah?
-Where are my drawings
and my wings?
-[sighs]
[reporter on TV]
There are specific fuel dumping
guidelines for aircraft...
They upstairs, in my closet,
in the back.
-[Lil Ant] Why are they
in your closet?
-They just are!
[birds twittering]
Anthony.
[Lil Ant]
Dad. Dad!
Why do that to my stuff?
-[Big Ant] What?
-Why you do that to my things?
[Big Ant scoffs]
Ant, if you don't get
the fuck out my face
and go back
in that house, boy...
-Fuck wrong with you?
-[siren wailing in distance]
[Lil Ant]
Why you do that, Dad?
Ant, you better get
the fuck out of my face, nigga.
Fuck wrong with you?
-That's my stuff!
-Ant, get the fuck
out of my face.
-Why do you do that?
That's my shit!
-[airplane whooshing]
Nigga, I know that's your stuff!
-That ain't you!
-That's my shit!
[muffled] That ain't you,
that's why, nigga!
[inaudible dialogue]
[inaudible dialogue]
-[smacks]
-[JJ] What the fuck?
-Ey, man!
What's wrong with you, man?
-[speaks indistinctly]
-I ain't even hit him that hard.
-You fucking trippin'!
-[Lozita] Why would you do that?
Why would you do that?
-Lo, don't start with me.
-Are you crazy? Are you crazy?
-[Big Ant] Lo, I ain't
even hit him that hard.
-Why would you do that?
-Lo, get
-your baby, go on in the house.
-[Lozita] Come on.
-[JJ] You good?
-[Big Ant] I ain't even
hit him that hard.
Fuck he think he talking to?
Ant, what the fuck are you on?
Are you fucking trippin', Ant?
That ain't no fucking nigga
in the street!
-That's your fucking son, dawg!
-Exactly, you right, nigga.
-[JJ] That's your fucking son!
-That's my son, nigga!
That's my son!
Get the fuck out of here!
That's my son!
Why I do that?
Because I wanted to,
motherfucker!
Why I do that?
[Lil Ant sobbing]
-[JJ] Who the fuck you think
you talking to?
-[Big Ant] Ey, you don't know!
-[JJ] What don't I know, man?
-[Big Ant] You don't
fucking know!
[JJ]
What don't I know, nigga?
What don't I know?
[operatic music]
I've been watching that boy get
raised as a fucking baby, man!
[Big Ant speaks indistinctly]
[JJ]
Fuck it. You need to get
your fucking shit together.
I'm out this bitch, man.
[gravel crunching]
[Big Ant]
What's up?
-[chuckling] You know what's up.
-[lighter flicks]
[birds chirping]
[bird cawing]
[music continues]
[airplane whirring]
[pencil scratching]
[indistinct chatter]
[indistinct chatter]
[music continues]
[airplane whooshing]
[indistinct chatter]
-[traffic humming]
-[paper rustling]
[Big Ant]
"Dear Lo,
I hope you're doing okay.
I tried calling you earlier,
but my time ran out.
I'm really sorry I couldn't be
at Anthony's birth last week.
Him being my first son and all.
I've been talking
to all the guys here about him.
[music continues]
Thank you for holding us down
while I'm in here.
Tell Acacia I miss her.
Little Anthony too."
[helicopter blades whirring]
-[waves crashing]
-[indistinct chatter]
-[music ends]
-[waves crashing]
[Lozita]
Look, I, uh... [sighs]
know we didn't really
get to talk about the other day.
About your dad.
But I want you to know...
...I want you to know I'm sorry.
And what happened the other day,
it should have never happened.
I'm sorry.
-You hear me?
-Yeah.
I'm sorry that I didn't protect
you the way I should have.
I told you that would
never happen again.
And it won't.
-He was wrong.
-[siren wailing in distance]
And I want you to know, like...
...we're not perfect.
Your daddy
is a work-in-progress.
I'm a work-in-progress.
But we're gonna
figure this out... okay?
-Forgive me?
-I forgive you.
Come here.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry about all of it.
[helicopter blades whirring]
-[gentle music]
-Come on.
[objects clattering]
[reporter on TV]
Still, concerns remain
among both students
and parents about the safety
of the school environment.
-[objects clattering]
-While this story has...
[continues indistinctly]
-[liquid glugging]
-[clatters]
[birds chirping]
[clacks]
[dog barking in distance]
[indistinct chatter]
[clanking]
-[horse neighing]
-[clanks]
-[music continues]
-[scraping]
[indistinct chatter]
-[Big Ant] Got it?
-[Julia] Yeah.
It was nice, right?
-Good service.
-It was a really good service.
-Ready to go home?
-Oh, yeah. [chuckles]
-It's time for me to eat.
[chuckles]
-Oh, yeah.
[bird cawing]
[airplane whooshing]
[roaring]
[bird cawing]
[cinematic music]
[children chattering
indistinctly]
[indistinct chatter]
[poignant music]
[children chattering
indistinctly]
[Lil Ant]
If I go...
...will they miss me?
If I go...
...will they miss me?
[inaudible laughter]
[music continues]
[inaudible dialogue]
If I go...
...will they miss me?
Will they miss me?
-[music fades]
-[insects chirping]
-[Big Ant] Man, what's up?
-[dog barking]
I've been busy.
Nah, I just...
[muffled music]
Yeah, I've just been busy.
I mean,
you know I wanna see you.
[dog barking]
-[Acacia] You got it, Ma,
or do you need help?
-[Lozita] No, here.
-Take this, baby.
-Okay.
-[Lil Ant] Acacia,
can you take these?
-[Lozita] Thank you.
-[Acacia] Yeah.
-[Trae] Acacia.
[Acacia]
Okay. Hold up, now.
Some of y'all can walk
to the kitchen.
-I got--
-[Lozita] No. Come on,
help her out.
-[Acacia sighs]
-[Trae] Thank you.
[Trae]
Mm. It's cold.
[Acacia]
Anthony, I'm about
to whoop that ass.
[Lil Ant]
No, you're not.
-[insects chirping]
-[Acacia] Mm-hm.
-Yeah, okay.
-[Trae] Goodness.
Y'all keep on--
Hold on. I'm gonna call...
[continues indistinctly]
-Y'all said that
we was gonna do it.
-[Acacia] No.
[overlapping chatter]
[Lil Ant]
One more Street Fighter.
One more time we play--
[Acacia]
Hold up. Hold up. Who?
Your dad.
He's supposed to have been here.
-[Acacia] Oh.
-[sighs]
[Acacia]
All right. Yeah,
I wanna play Street Fighter.
-[Big Ant sighs]
-[indistinct chatter on TV]
[Vanessa chuckles softly]
-What? [chuckles]
-[scoffs] Nothing.
[indistinct chatter on TV]
-[chuckles]
-What?
Nothing, boo.
-What time is it?
-[airplane whooshing]
I don't know.
[Big Ant]
Ah!
-What? What?
-Fuck!
-[chain clinking]
-[sighs] Shit!
-What?
-I have to go.
Lozita has this going-away
thing for Jenn. I forgot.
-Nigga, what?
-[speaking indistinctly]
[insects chirping]
[door squeaking]
[Big Ant softly]
Shit.
Fuck.
[siren wailing in distance]
[car zooming in distance]
[door creaks]
-I thought you were asleep.
-[Lozita sighs]
[Big Ant]
Got back as soon as you hit me.
I know you ain't gonna
believe me, but...
the truck wouldn't start.
[chain clinking]
[sniffles]
You missed Jenn's
whole going-away party.
And for some reason...
...I don't know why,
but Anthony wanted to show you
his Student of the Month award.
[Big Ant sighs]
Well, I came back
as soon as you hit me.
Promise.
I read through...
[sobs, chuckles]
[sucks teeth]
[voice breaking]
I read through all of those
letters that you sent me
when you was away.
[smacks lips] You was
a whole different person.
Talking about... [inhales]
..."I can't wait to get out
so I can be with y'all"
and "I can't wait
to meet my son."
[Big Ant sighs]
[crying]
[smacks lips, sighs]
[Big Ant]
My bad, Lo.
[car zooming in distance]
-[exhales]
-My bad.
[bed creaking]
-My bad, Lo.
-Let me fucking go, man.
Let me fucking go.
[crying] Let me go!
-Let me go!
[crying] Let me fucking go!
-[airplane whooshing]
Let me go!
Let me go!
Let me go! Let me go!
[continues crying]
[traffic humming]
[birds chirping]
[airplane whirring]
[man]
Hey, Ant!
[child coughing]
I know she can be scary, a'ight?
You know, they, they don't
give us no manual
for this life shit,
especially... how to be a dad.
And, uh...
...I'm not trying
to tell you how to live
-or how to be a father.
-[gentle music]
You got
a beautiful family, bruh.
Lozita, your children,
Lil Ant, I--
He's special, bruh.
[sighs] Look, I just--
Don't, don't be scared.
-Stop being silly, fool.
-[Big Ant chuckles softly]
Don't be scared
of how he sees you.
All right?
He sees you as something that we
could never see our fathers as.
All this shit over here.
He sees you as a god.
I hear you, man.
I wish that my son would see me
as a god when he's Ant's age.
-Nah, I know what you mean.
-You know what I'm saying?
So, so, so just
accept that, bruh.
Accept that. Hold him.
Tell him you love him.
Don't be scared
of this shit, bruh.
Embrace this shit, bruh.
[music continues]
Bruh, hold on to him tight.
Don't let him fly away.
Don't let them take him away.
[child coughing]
[JJ shushes softly]
You know
I appreciate you, nigga.
-Yeah, man.
-I love you, nigga.
I love you.
You know what I'm saying?
Hey, I'll love you way more
-when you cut that shit
off your face, too.
-Aw, man.
-Fuck that, nigga.
-Hey, you gotta let that shit--
It is not for you.
Just testing it out, man.
You know what I'm sayin'?
Niggas always used to be
having a baby face
before I could grow
some of my beard out.
[JJ]
Not your best look. You know
what I'm sayin'? Not your best.
You know what I'm sayin'?
Tell him.
[faint chatter]
-Yo, J.
-What's up?
-You got them earrings?
-Yeah.
[music continues]
Uh-huh.
Mm-hm. Yeah.
I knew Ken got me right.
Hold up. Hold up. [sighs]
-It's for my son today. Yeah.
-Amazing.
A whole little box.
That's for Lil Ant.
-"Ant!" He gonna love that.
-[Ken chuckles]
[airplane whooshing]
-[man] What's up, Ant?
-What's up, boy?
[inaudible laughing]
[birds chirping]
[door clatters]
[siren wailing in distance]
Lo?
[child crying in distance]
Hey, Ant. Come here, man.
Acacia?
I know y'all hear me
calling y'all.
[muffled music]
[birds chirping]
Ant, stop playing with me, man.
[indistinct chatter]
[traffic humming]
[dog barking in distance]
Stop playing with me, man.
[siren wailing in distance]
[airplane whooshing]
[cigarette crackling]
[poignant music]
[whooshing]
-[horse snorts]
-[birds chirping, cawing]
[lighter flicks]
[stifles sob]
[choked chuckle]
[huffs]
[airplane whooshing]
-[flicks]
-[cigarette crackling]
[blows]
[exhales sharply]
[Big Ant]
Dear God...
[music continues]
...I come to You a sinner...
...and I humbly repent
for all the things I've done.
All the things I've done.
I pray You protect Lil Ant
in everything he do.
Just like how You
protected me through mines.
[rustling]
You come back up, sometimes
you gotta get low again.
Go to the left.
Now you have to go to the right.
You always wanna
come back straight.
[birds chirping]
You always wanna
stand strong, Ant.
Check your wings.
[music continues]
I pray he don't forget
all the things
I done tried to teach him.
-You flying?
-Yeah.
[snickers] Me too.
[inaudible dialogue]
[airplane whooshing]
[inaudible dialogue]
[Big Ant laughs]
Hold them wings strong, Ant.
Dear God...
...I pray You look out
for every single one of us.
-Every single one of us.
-[music continues]
Every single one of us.
Every single one of us.
Lozita...
...I pray you continue
to forgive me for everything.
[airplane whooshing]
Dear God, I pray that
You keep him out of harm's way.
[music continues]
Dear God...
...I pray You protect Lil Ant
in everything he do.
[music continues]
[JJ]
It's all right, Ant.
It's all right. It's all right.
I got you.
-I got you.
-[airplane whooshing]
I got you. It's okay.
It's all right. It's okay.
It's all right.
I got you, Ant. I got you.
-[seagulls calling]
-[waves crashing]
[airplane whooshing]
[indistinct chatter]
[music continues]
-[Big Ant] Hey, Trae.
-[Trae] Hi, Dad.
-[Big Ant] Hey, Mama.
Appreciate you calling me.
-[Julia] Anytime, baby.
-[Acacia] Hey, Dad.
-[Big Ant] What's up, girl?
[waves lapping]
[music continues]
-["This Bitter Earth"
by Jon Batiste]
-This bitter Earth
Well, what a fruit it bears
[inaudible dialogue]
What good is love
That no one shares?
[whooshes]
And if my life
My life is like the dust
-Oh, that hides
-[Lil Ant] They called him
Poseidon.
The glow of a rose
He threw his trident super far,
farther than any human
could ever throw it.
Then what good am I?
Heaven only knows
Oh, this bitter Earth
Yes, can it be so cold?
Today you're young
Too soon you're old
But while a voice
Within me cries
I'm sure someone
May answer my call
Oh, this bitter Earth
Oh, this bitter Earth
May not be so bitter
After all
Oh, while a voice
Inside me cries
Yeah
And I'm sure
Someone out there
May answer my call
And this bitter old Earth
May not be
So bitter
Yes
So bitter
After all
[song fades]
[poignant music]
[music continues]
[wind rustling]
[music fades]
[wind whooshing]
[whooshing fades]