Love to the Rescue (2019) Movie Script
1
- Okay.
Here you go, babe.
- Thank you.
- Great job.
- Come on, bud.
Superheroes have to
wear clothes to school.
- Finished.
Lunchbox?
- Over there.
- Alright.
Backpack?
- By the front door.
- Great.
But do you have
the latest edition
of Science Tomorrow?
- Thank you, thank
you, thank you!
- Okay, one condition.
If they change
Pluto's status again,
you gotta let me down easy,
because I am on a
rollercoaster of emotions.
- We're running out of fuel!
We have to land!
Coming into a crash landing!
Goosh!
Okay.
What next?
- Books in the backpack!
- Books in the backpack.
- Pew, pew, pew!
- Oh man, I know
a tiny superhero
who's supposed to
get a dog today,
but if we can't get
ready for school in time
I don't know--
- Oh no, I can do it, I
can do it, I can do it!
- What else?
Lunch!
- Right.
Thanks, Dad.
- Here you go.
- Thanks.
- Today's the day!
- Okay.
So this is about the
dog presentation?
Again?
- As you know, today
is the final day
of the pet adoption
at our school.
- Mhm.
- And this dog is the
best dog for our family.
He's been in the shelter
for a really, really long time,
and he deserves a forever home.
He's loyal, smart, playful,
and he's really, really cute.
- That is one cute dog.
- Mom, please?
Please can we get this dog?
It's the last day.
- Ugh.
I don't know, Sophia.
I mean, what am I
supposed to do, you know?
About all of these dog toys
if we don't go adopt
your dog today!
Aw.
- Morning.
- Hey, babe.
- Hey.
- Hi, Bianca.
Want some eggs?
- I'll have a tiny bit.
But I just came
by to say goodbye
to you and your dad.
- Where you going?
- Um, my job is
sending me to Chicago.
There's a huge court case.
- With bad guy villains?
- Yes.
I have to fight
villains with paperwork.
- Okay.
Hey, Bianca, guess what?
- What?
- We're getting a dog today!
- A dog?
That is huge news,
are you so excited?
- I am the most excited!
- Awesome.
- Bianca.
- What?
- Do you like dogs?
- I love dogs.
I am just very allergic to them.
- What?
Are you really?
How did I not know this?
- I don't know, I guess
it just never came out.
- Hey, Owen, do
you want to go play
with Awesome Patrol
Pals for five minutes?
- Bye.
- I feel so sorry.
- No.
- He's wanted a dog for
I don't know how long,
and we just--
- No, it's a no brainer.
You get the dog, I'll
get some Benadryl.
It's fine.
- A whole month, huh?
- I know.
But I'll call you as
soon as I land tonight.
- What time?
I have the last day of the
PTA pet adoptions today,
and we're actually
gonna bring the dog
back here tonight
to get it adjusted,
and then I still
have to take a peek
at this project for
work before tomorrow,
I go through the--
- No wonder Owen is
obsessed with superheroes.
He lives with one.
- Thank you for being
so understanding
of this whole "Superdad" thing.
- Oh, please.
Superdad is cute.
- He may be cute,
but I understand
that it's made us take things
much more slowly,
and I just want you to know that
I appreciate your patience.
- And I am more than
happy to do that.
But I would like to know...
- Right, where we are going.
I get it.
Okay, well I think
we're gonna use this
time apart to think about us.
- Yeah.
Between career
altering court cases
and PTA pet adoptions.
- Superdad can handle it.
- Okay.
- Good job.
Hey, hi, good morning.
- Hey.
- Hey, good morning!
How are you?
- No way.
- Even added an itemized budget
to appease Councilwoman Palisa.
- Come on, man.
You're making the
rest of us look bad.
Thank you.
Enjoy your lunch.
- Thank you.
Hey.
- Hey.
Brainstorm time?
- Okay.
One second.
Hello?
- Kate.
Come see me please.
- Okay.
Yep, be right there.
- Come in, take a seat.
- Okay, but before
you say anything,
I would just like to point out
that I have a long track record
of making excellent
films for this studio.
- We know and--
- And I believe that we
are the future of animation
because we take risk, you know?
And sometimes those risk are--
- Can I just--
- Ugh, which is why I just
wanted to reassure you--
- Kate!
- Yes, yes, yes.
- We know.
And I feel like I would
be doing you a disservice
if I didn't tell
you that your short,
"Light The Way",
has been accepted
to the Georgia
Animation Festival,
end of next month.
- But the winner of that--
- Qualifies to submit for
the Best Animated Short
at the Oscars.
- Are you serious?
You're not serious.
- Dead serious.
We love it.
And provided you rework
the ending as we discussed,
we think this short
has the creative depth
to go all the way.
They already accepted you
from a 30 second unfinished
clip we submitted.
- I'm just gonna need
just two minutes.
Just, okay.
Okay, just two seconds.
Okay.
- I can hear you.
- Okay.
We are not gonna disappoint you,
we are going to blow you away.
- Kate.
- Yeah.
- Out of curiosity.
- Yeah.
- How is the ending coming?
- It's a mess.
It's a total mess.
- Award season?
Seriously?
- Yes!
- That's awesome!
Yes!
- Which means we have six weeks
to come up with a new ending,
and animate it.
- Sorry, six weeks?
- Yeah.
- Cool.
Cool, cool, cool, cool.
- Welp.
We're doomed.
- No, come on!
We're not doomed,
we're not doomed.
You guys are some of the finest
animators on the planet, okay?
We got this.
- Okay, in a sense, one
might say we do got this.
As in we already have an ending.
- No.
- A perfect ending
that you keep.
- And as the director,
I'm gonna say that that
is the wrong direction.
Yes, Jordan.
- Sorry.
I know I'm new around here,
but can you all explain why
they just can't be in love?
- No, no, no, no, no, nope.
Shh.
- Ah, come on!
- What?
What did I do?
- You can't just
come out and say
the L word in front of Kate.
- I am not against love.
- No, no, no, not at all.
Let's just do a quick count
of how many love
stories you've created.
Oh wait, none.
- Don't listen to them.
First of all, no, I love love.
I just don't think
it's right for me,
for it, for the story.
- You said yourself
this has to be great.
Well, some of the
greatest stories ever told
are love stories.
Without love, the Odyssey
is just like 10 years
of some dude in a
boat getting lost.
- Yeah, Kate.
This story has starlight,
a daring rescue,
it wants to be a romance!
- I hear you, okay?
But the studio is
taking a huge chance
on this short
because they believe
that we're gonna come up
with something original.
Which means subverting
expectations.
- Okay, that's fair.
- Thank you.
- Okay, friend to
friend, I gotta ask,
are you sure you're not letting
your own personal hangups
get in the way of what's
best for this story?
- I don't have any hangups.
Oh.
Liam hold on, one second.
Hi, Liam.
Can I put you on
mute for two seconds?
- Okay.
- I'm just saying,
you turn down romantic
plots at the office.
You turned down
that really cute guy
at the coffee shop that
asked for your number.
- He ordered an extra
shot, extra hot,
extra whipped, sugar
free caramel macchiato,
that is not just
high maintenance,
that is nonsense.
- But you haven't been on a date
since you and Liam got divorced,
five years ago.
- Well, that is because
I have been busy
making beautiful films
and co-parenting
my beautiful child.
- Liam isn't afraid to
put himself out there.
Liam is dating.
Liam is wining and dining.
Liam is--
- Liam is still here.
Not on mute.
But for what it's worth,
I totally agree
with Nadia, Kate.
You need to get back out there.
- Bye.
- I'm just saying.
- You know what, Liam?
I am not taking dating advice
from a man who took
me to a drive-through
fast food place before prom.
- You told me no cliche
romantic gestures.
I stand by it.
- Fair enough.
What's going on?
- So you're getting a dog?
- A full on PowerPoint
presentation.
How did a photographer
and an animator
end up with such
a serious child?
- Oh, well, I come
from a long line
of vagrant artists, Kate.
I blame your family.
She's definitely your
father's mini me.
- Oh, she so is.
Which is why I have
to get her this dog.
She just needs to get outside,
and roll around in the mud,
and make some mistakes.
- Yeah, she needs to be a kid.
- Yes.
Oh, we're adopting the dog
after school today.
Can I change shifts with you?
- Yeah, of course.
Just remember that you
need to pick her up today,
and then drop her
off in the morning
because I'm gonna be--
- In Bali for the
next two weeks.
I'm on it.
- Alright, great.
Thank you.
I owe you.
- Just bring Sophia
back a souvenir.
Something nice.
Not from the airport.
- Okay.
Bye.
- Bye.
- How we doing?
- We've only got one
dog and three cats left.
So I'd say this has been
a phenomenal success.
- That's amazing.
- Yes!
- Dad, can I please go
say hi to my new dog?
- Yeah, pal.
Just stay over there
where I can see you, okay?
- Two.
- Two what?
- Two volunteers
for the carnival.
- What?
How is that possible?
Two in all these parents?
- Please, I have
tried everything.
No takers.
- Hey, hey, hey.
We'll get it sorted.
Two is not a total disaster.
This is a total disaster.
I leave the office
for two minutes,
and then of a sudden
it's they just can't.
Aw man, I'm sorry.
What were you saying?
- Hey.
Remember when you
said you were only
gonna take this job
for a year, tops?
Now here you are,
five years later,
overworked, overcaffeinated
- I'm sorry.
Are you giving me a lecture
about working too hard?
This is coming from a teacher?
Hello pot, kettle.
We meet again.
- Okay, well, it's different
when you love what you do.
Okay?
- I'm sorry.
Who is that?
Why don't I know her?
- Because some parents
manage to wriggle free
from the tentacles of the PTA.
- Oh, not on my watch.
Excuse me!
Hi there, pardon me.
- Hi.
- I don't think we've met.
My name is Eric Smith,
I'm the president of the PTA.
- Oh, I'm Kate Healy.
And this is my daughter, Sophia.
- Oh, hello, Sophia.
- Hi.
- Nice to meet you, I'm Eric.
You excited to
adopt a pet today?
- Yes.
- Well, and clearly
we're not the only ones.
- Look, I don't want to brag,
but that volunteer over there
may or may not have just told me
that this event has been
a phenomenal success.
- More like
fur-nomenal, am I right?
It's just a little dad humor.
Alright.
Dad jokes.
Not for all dads.
Anyway, congrats on the
success of the event,
and please tell
everyone at the PTA
thank you so much
for your hard work.
- I'm actually glad to
hear you feel that way.
We are in desperate need
of some more parent volunteers
for the spring carnival.
- I would love to--
- Great.
- So much, but I am, you know,
a single parent with
a full-time job,
just not a lot of
time for the PTA.
- I understand.
I'm a single parent
with a full-time job.
- Okay, this is the truth.
Every year I go
to that carnival.
- So you understand
how important this is.
- The same carnival.
I believe that bean bag toss
once belonged to the settlers
who crossed the Atlantic Ocean.
- If it ain't
broke, don't fix it.
- If it ain't broke,
you don't need me.
- This is him, Mom.
- Look.
I really appreciate
everything that you do.
And today, I plan
to support the PTA
to the fullest by
adopting that dog
right over there.
- What, that dog?
You can't adopt that dog.
- Why?
- Because we're
adopting that dog.
- Oh.
You must be Sophia's
mom, and Owen's dad.
- Yes.
- This is Bruce.
- Hey, Bruce.
- Owen, sweetie, are you
sure this is the dog?
- Yeah.
His name is Bruce,
like Bruce Wayne.
He's Batdog, Dad.
- You know what, Sophia,
why don't we just
find another dog
who needs a home?
- Because I said in
my presentation--
- Yeah, right, got it.
- You got a presentation?
- She's a go getter.
- Wow.
- Yeah.
- I'm sorry.
Guys, could you give
us five minutes here?
- Yeah.
Let's go, come on.
- Thank you guys.
- Thanks guys, thank you.
- Okay, look.
My family's had a
really hard time.
Owen could definitely
use this friend.
- I hear you, I got a
25 point presentation,
from a 10 year old,
before 8:00 a.m.
I don't want to break
your kid's heart.
- Yeah, me either.
Okay, look.
It's not like there's a shortage
of dogs who need homes.
- That's true.
- Why don't we just agree
to be bigger people,
and find other dogs?
- You promised.
- Please, Mom.
- Wait, wait, wait.
- I promised him.
- No, I know.
- Please don't do this.
I'm sorry.
It's just Bruce,
he's an older dog,
he's not a puppy,
and he's kind of shy
around other dogs,
so he's been pretty
anxious at the shelter.
We've been waiting a long time
for somebody to love Bruce,
and I mean, now there's
two families interested.
- The fact--
- But what do we do here?
You know, do we flip a coin?
That doesn't seem fair.
- We don't have to decide today.
- Okay.
- I'm assuming, since your kids
go to the same school,
that you live in
roughly the same area?
- Rainier Boulevard.
- Dogwood Drive.
- Stop.
- It's not a dad joke,
I actually live there.
But you gotta admit,
it's pure gold.
- Okay, okay.
So you could co-foster
Bruce for a month or so,
meet up a couple times
a week to trade off.
That way we make sure that Bruce
finds the best possible home.
- Mm.
- And it's rare, but this dog
fell in love twice today.
And who are we to get
in the way of that?
- One month.
- Trust me.
You learn a lot in a month.
- Okay.
I could do one month.
- Yeah.
- Yay!
- Sophia, have you
seen my laptop?
Hey.
What's wrong?
- You told me to go outside
and take Bruce to go play.
So I decided to
research dog games.
But everyone on the internet
just seems to disagree
with each other.
- Oh boy.
Okay.
Well, remember the rules?
We never, ever research
on the internet
without Mommy.
And we never, ever, ever
look at the comments.
Okay?
- Okay.
- Second, just look at his face.
You know what?
You just gotta get out there,
and you have to have
fun, and get messy,
and as long as
you're kind to him,
then you'll do great.
You want me to show
you how it's done?
Yeah!
Okay.
Come on, Bruce!
Let's go play.
Okay.
We have all the necessities.
- We've got a detailed schedule,
a copy of the rules
for both houses,
and a very thoroughly
researched obedience plan.
- We've got dog toys,
dog treats, human treats.
- We are organized,
we are prepared.
- We are loving, we
are fun, we are--
- Fun loving?
- Yes!
Doubling down, we
are fun loving.
- We are gonna prove to them
that we're the most responsible
dog owners in the world, buddy.
- And make new friends.
- Oh, okay, wait.
Hey, listen to me.
It is important
to be nice, it is,
but it's kinda like,
what did Captain Hammerhead do
when he had to make a deal
with Professor Platypus?
Quick.
- Power pose and poker face.
- Power pose and
poker face, yes.
- Sharing a dog, pft.
We're expert sharers.
We're gonna win them over
with our charm and kindness.
- And cookies.
- Mostly cookies.
Hi, friends.
- Hey there, how are you?
Hi, Sophia.
- We come bearing gifts.
We have a Bruce.
And his favorite Moo-Cow.
- Moo-Cow?
- A working title.
We can change the name.
Yeah.
And cookies.
- Oh, actually.
Sorry, almost dinner time, yeah?
We'll have maybe one
for dessert, yeah?
- Hey, is that
Captain Hammerhead
from the Awesome Patrol Pals?
- Yeah, I love 'em!
- Did you know that
my mom made him?
- It's true.
I imagined him in my head,
and then I drew him,
and then he came to life.
- Really?
- Yeah.
I'm an animator, so it's my job
to draw really cool things.
- Actually, Sophia, yes.
About the treats reminded me.
I feel like we should
get on the same page
about rules if our dog's gonna
be staying with you guys.
- Your dog?
- Starting with treats
and rewards, right there.
See?
- Oh, wow.
Did you laminate these?
- Yes, I did.
If we're gonna help
Bruce feel secure,
I think it's important
that we give him
a structured,
consistent environment.
- Sure.
We also need to meet
him where he's at.
You know?
Follow his cues.
- Rules and boundaries
will actually
help him feel more secure.
- Or break his
spirit.
- Can we take Bruce to go play?
- Please?
- Yeah, sure, yeah, yeah, yeah.
- Yeah.
Absolutely, here.
Come on, Bruce!
Go have fun, buddy.
Bye, Bruce!
- Just stay where I can see you!
- Stay where I can see you!
- Okay.
- So, I'm guessing
that obedience school
is out of the question?
- If Bruce is going to go
somewhere to be trained,
I would like to approve
that, and attend.
- Okay, sure.
How about this.
You can come with me,
and I will even let
you choose the school.
- Deal.
- Great.
As long as you
agree to volunteer
for the spring carnival.
- Oh, I don't have a sitter.
- PTA provides one.
Fully vetted high
school honors student.
- What about Bruce?
- Oh, dogs are welcome.
- Okay, Eric Smith.
This round is yours.
- Have a good weekend.
See you Monday, 6:00 p.m. sharp.
Hey, Owen, come on
buddy, let's go!
- Good boy.
- You sure you
don't want to watch
something new, pal?
- Dad, it's my favorite!
And plus, Bruce
has never seen it.
- Okay.
Alright, Bruce.
Come here, pal.
- C'mon, Bruce!
- Look at that.
- Kate.
Is that our Kate?
- Yeah, that's our, I mean,
it's Ms. Healy to us, bud.
- Hey.
- Hi!
- Looks like Eric
sent you too, huh?
- Yeah, he did, he did.
Hi, Ms. Ramirez!
Putting the T in PTA, I see.
- Ah, well someone has
to rep the teachers.
It's nice to see you, Ms. Healy.
- Oh, please.
Call me Kate.
By the way, I have to tell you,
Sophia's having the
time of her life
with you in Science Club.
- Oh, good.
Well, if she can keep a secret,
let her know that I'm applying
for a field trip next month
that will blow her mind.
Spoiler alert, it involves
the science center's
galaxy exhibit.
- I call chaperone.
- Are you an astronomy nerd?
- Yes, I am.
Oh, I've been obsessed
with constellations
since I was a kid.
- Did we just
become best friends?
- I think we might have.
- It was nice to see you.
- Yeah, you too.
- I'll do that as well.
Okay, last order of business,
I know you all have
jobs to get back to.
Committee heads for
the spring carnival.
Susan, you'll do the
cake walk again as usual.
Okay.
Allison, you'll be in charge
of the games again as usual,
I'll be in charge of the
tickets again as usual.
And our newest member, Kate,
will be in charge of
the silent auction.
Everyone, give Kate
a big, warm welcome.
- Thank you.
- Alright, I want
us all to break off
into groups in a moment--
- Oh.
- And I want you all to
really think about what...
Yeah.
- Hi, yes.
What, um...
What do I do?
- You're in charge of
the silent auction.
- Oh, like the auctioneer?
Hey, can I get a one dolla,
one dolla, going once!
- No, it's a silent auction.
- So you want me to
just do it silently.
- Are you...
No, your job is to get
businesses to donate
items for prizes
for the auction,
then you're gonna
monitor the auction,
and then you'll be in charge
of announcing the winners.
That's it, very easy.
Okay, I want us all to
break off into groups,
and I want to really
think about...
Yeah, Kate?
- What is the theme?
For the carnival.
- No, there's
never been a theme,
it's just spring carnival.
- I mean, that's your
problem right there.
You gotta have a theme.
- Well, what do
you have in mind?
- Well, I mean, let's think
about it for a second.
It should be something that
sparks kids'
imaginations, right?
Kids love pirates,
we could do space!
Could you imagine how cool--
- The thing is atually, the--
- It would be?
For them to walk
in and be like--
- We don't have the budget to
revamp the entire carnival.
- Well, I mean, I'm not opposed
to hearing some fresh ideas.
All in favor?
- Okay.
Okay.
Sure.
At our next meeting, we'll
discuss potential themes.
Great, wonderful.
Any other thoughts, from anyone?
Yes, Kate?
- We need to talk
about funnel cake.
- Okay.
- Right?
- Meeting is adjourned!
- Okay.
- Folks, thank you.
- You said if I join the PTA,
I could choose the
obedience school.
You brought this on yourself.
- Join, follow.
Not stage a coup in
the school library.
- Oh, come on.
Even Carla said the PTA
could use a bit more energy.
A little fun.
- Carla's my friend.
She said that?
- You gotta admit, you
run that organization
like a well oiled machine.
You are a charismatic
and efficient leader.
- Thank you.
- But--
- There it is.
What are you doing?
- Nope.
Unfortunately, I
detect no signs of it.
- No signs of what?
- Fun.
Not a trace of fun.
Oh.
- I'm fun.
I have lots of fun.
- Okay, alright.
So what's like, an
adventure for you?
- An adventure for me?
- Yeah.
- Um, okay, let's see.
Hiking, hiking.
Yeah.
- Okay.
- I'm taking Owen and
Bruce hiking this weekend.
- Yeah?
- Mhm.
Yeah, we're gonna go hiking
down the Burke-Gilman Trail,
right 'til we get to the docks,
I'm gonna lay eyes on
this traffic hot spot
and just see if--
- Hey, Eric, what is it you said
you did for a living?
- I work for the Department
of Transportation.
- I knew it, I knew it!
- But, but--
- No!
That's work!
- I do still--
- That's not fun!
I award you zero points.
- You should come with us.
- What?
- Consider it an olive branch.
You'd be rescuing Owen
from his lame, boring dad.
Give Sophia a little
more time with Bruce.
Look at them.
- Good boy!
- Okay.
We'll come.
- Good.
- Beautiful.
- Look at that magnolia tree.
Yeah.
- Yeah.
- Does he make
you go on nature walks
all the time?
- Yeah.
- Oh, I see a bench.
- Oh.
- There you go, bud.
- Yeah.
Oh, hey, show me one of
your superhero moves!
Let me see!
Yeah, that's a good one!
Want to play superhero
red light, green light?
- So I hear you've been
teaching Bruce some tricks.
- Of course.
That's rule seven.
I like your Bruce rules.
They help me make sure
I know what I'm doing.
- Yeah.
Me too.
- Can I tell you a secret?
- Sure.
- I like that you
laminated them.
People are messy.
- Yeah.
Yeah, they are.
- Red light!
Wait a second!
Where was the green light?
- Wait.
Aren't you supposed to
wait for the green light?
How's anyone supposed to win?
- Oh, no.
Owen's much more concerned
with fun than winning.
- My mom too.
- Green light!
Look at those moves!
Mm.
- Mm.
- Penny for your thoughts?
- For 20 years, we've
been trying to find
a safe way to close
the gap on this trail.
And we finally found something
that was gonna
work for everyone,
and then that marina
that we hiked past,
they're now suing.
After we found the solution
that was gonna
work for everyone,
they're suing because they don't
want to lose parking spots.
- Hm, that's annoying.
- Yeah.
Tell me about it.
Anyway, people keep telling me
it's alright, be patient,
we're gonna figure
it out, we'll get it.
But people are getting
hurt in the meantime.
It's just making me crazy.
- Mm.
Yeah.
I get called crazy
a lot at work.
I like to think of it
as being passionate.
- I'm not sure I'm
passionate about my job.
I mean, it's not really
where I saw myself ending up.
- Well, what did you want
to be when you grew up?
- What adult has their
childhood dream job?
- I do.
- Alright, well, we
can't all be that lucky.
- See, I don't think luck
has anything to do with it.
If you know what
your North Star is,
you can chart a course.
- That was beautiful nonsense.
- No, seriously.
If you know what you want most,
then you can figure
out a way to get it.
- I have a lot of
responsibility,
I'm a single dad.
- What is it that you said to me
when I said I
couldn't do the PTA?
Oh, right.
I'm a single parent too,
with a full-time job.
- I was empathizing.
- You were calling me out,
and doing a remedial
job of back peddling.
So.
This is me, empathizing.
I'm a single parent too,
with a full-time job,
which I love.
What do you love?
- Affordable housing advocacy.
I know it sounds boring,
but that's my dream job.
- Why?
- I had an internship
when I was in college,
and we got to really fight
against these developers
to help protect lower
income housing and
I like going to bat for people.
- So this superhero thing
kind of runs in the family, huh?
- Yeah, I guess so.
- Nothing boring about that.
- Got it, yeah.
And then we can--
- Happy Monday!
- You've got to stop doing that!
- Never gets old!
Look, consider this a
small thank you gift.
- Aw.
- Aw, you're the best.
- And a small I'm sorry gift.
I drafted storyboards
for three new
possible endings last night,
so conference room please.
- You're the worst.
- Thank you so
much, you're the best.
- The worst.
- I love ya.
I do, I do.
Thank you so much.
- I see you survived your hike.
Four hours with Mr. PTA
power trip, how was it?
- It actually wasn't that bad.
He was a lot more
relaxed than I expected.
- You mean to tell me,
the guy who laminated
the dog rules was fun?
On a hike, uphill, with
the bugs and everything?
- Well, not so much
the hiking part,
but when we got ice
cream, it was civil,
dare I say, pleasant?
- Well, everyone's pleasant
when they've had ice cream, so.
- Yeah.
Yeah, you're probably right.
It's probably just a
sprinkle induced glitch.
- Alright, without further ado,
may we present, CandyLand!
Only full sized.
- Okay.
Check this out.
We can take the tent poles,
and we can turn them
into candy canes.
- Pardon me for
jumping in here, Kate.
This budget seems quite a
bit out of our means though.
- The paint shop
could donate paint.
- This is a very hefty time
commitment for all of us.
And we're not exactly
a bunch of Van Gogh's.
- Well, you know what?
If Eric can keep
everyone on budget,
then I'll teach
everyone how to paint.
- Okay.
Let's just put it to a vote.
All those in favor.
For someone who wanted nothing
to do with the PTA,
you sure made a lot
of work for yourself.
- Consider it an olive branch.
Besides, I am
choosing my battles.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
Speaking of our PTA agreement,
I feel I should
warn you, my friend,
that you are in for an
intense evening tomorrow.
- How do you mean?
- Well, I finally found
an obedience school.
Great place, solid reviews,
it's called Fuzzy Friends Time.
- Fuzzy Friends
Time, isn't that--
- 7:00.
Sharp.
- I don't have a sitter.
- Oh, you know what?
I found us one.
A fully vetted high
school honors student.
- Bye, Eric.
- See you tomorrow.
- And breathe.
And exhale.
And breathe.
Exhale.
Now once you've finished
your breathing exercises,
and you feel calm and centered,
invite your pet to sit.
- Bruce.
Please sit.
- Come on.
He obviously already
knew that word.
- Okay.
Bruce, please speak.
There you go, good job.
- Right, okay.
Sit.
Bruce, sit.
Bruce, sit.
Sit, sit, sit.
Sit, sit, sit, bud.
Come on, sit, sit, sit.
- Breathe.
- Sit, that's it.
Come on, sit, sit.
- Breathe.
- I know, I got this.
- How did you do, just--
- Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
Breathe.
There you go.
It's okay.
Try again.
- Bruce, please sit.
- Good boy!
- Good boy!
- Good boy!
- Good boy!
He did it!
- That's great, but calm.
- Okay.
Good boy, good boy.
See?
- Okay, wow, I'm a convert.
Do you make house calls?
- I am available
for all of your home
and office needs.
- Perfect.
Crazy boss?
- Breathe.
- Missed deadline?
- Breathe.
- Mm, yep.
- Yeah.
- That's a tough one.
My son makes our
living room wall
into his own personal
spaghetti art installation.
- Mm, yeah, see
now, that I support.
- No, are you kidding me?
That's just destruction.
- Come on, you
really have to just
have more fun in your--
- No, that's not
being mindful at all.
- No, no, no, just--
- Hi.
- Yeah.
- Hi.
- Hey.
- Um, our fuzzy
friends can sense
when they're not receiving
our full, energetic attention.
- Oh, yeah.
- So if we can just save the
flirting for after class?
- The...
- Flirting?
No.
No, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no.
- Wow, that was 11 no's.
- No?
- No, mhm.
- 12.
- Oh, sorry.
Since you're training
the same dog, I assumed--
- No, no, no.
We share the dog.
- It's shared.
- Yes.
But we're not together.
- I have a girlfriend,
and she has a--
- A job.
- Job.
A great job, a great job.
And a daughter.
- She has a very good job.
- Yeah, and a daughter.
Which is why I
don't really date.
I mean, not that
there's anything wrong
with dating as a parent.
So, we just share the dog,
and he has a--
- Yeah, I have Bianca.
- Bianca!
He's got Bianca!
So we're definitely,
you know, not flirting.
And this has just
become embarrassing
for all of us,
so I'm just gonna stop
disrupting the class,
you know, with
all the breathing,
and the calm bodies,
with all of the not flirting.
So, I...
Can...
- That was awkward.
- Uh, she said I'd appreciate it
if you'd save the
flirting for after class.
Yeah.
- Have more coffee,
it fixes everything.
- Mm.
- Okay, I've seen some
epic Kate speeches,
but this, may
officially elect you
Mayor of Awkwardville.
- Look, I haven't been
accused of flirting
in 10 years, at least.
- Eh.
- What?
- Were you?
- What?
- Flirting!
- What?
No!
- He said he's a single parent!
- Who has a
girlfriend, and look,
I'm not dating anyone
while Sophia's
still in the house.
Liam and I have a great system
that ensures Sophia doesn't
miss out on anything.
I am not willing to gamble that.
- If you say so.
- What?
- I'm just saying.
I'm glad Sophia's not
missing out on anything,
but you might be.
- And shake, nice to meet you.
It's very nice to meet
you, you're such a friend.
Isn't it amazing?
Here, do you want
to give him one?
- Hey.
- My instructions a bit much?
- A little bit.
- Oh, pardon me, sorry.
Kate!
- Yeah.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- You forgot to
leave Mr. Moo-Cow.
- Oh.
- I'm gonna have to stop by
your office at lunch
tomorrow and grab him.
Is that okay?
- Okay, yeah, yep.
- Alright.
- Okay.
What's that face for?
- Nothing, it's...
It's just, so when
he's with other people,
he just has this whole
Prince Charming routine--
- Oh.
Would we call it that?
- And then with me he's
like, ugh, you know?
- Okay.
You can't compare yourself
to those PTA parents.
They've known him a long time,
they're like family.
When Amy passed away, they
all rallied around him.
They brought him casseroles,
and baby sitters--
- Amy?
- His wife.
And my best friend.
We taught here together.
- Oh.
I am so sorry.
- Thanks.
Me too.
She was just one of those people
who made you feel
loved, you know?
- Yeah.
- She was grounded and steady,
but there was this
light about her.
You push him outside
of his comfort zone,
like Amy did.
It's good for him.
He needs a friend like you.
Okay.
- Good morning!
- Oh, don't do that!
- Ha!
Not so fun, is it?
- Hey!
- I'm sorry, did I scare you?
- No.
Hi.
Oh, Moo-Cow.
Yes, I totally forgot
you were coming by.
Hold on, so sorry.
- It's okay.
We need to work on
that name by the way.
This office is awesome.
- Oh.
- The ping pong out there.
- Yeah.
- They just play ping pong.
- Um, hold on.
I was on the phone with you,
and then I picked up Moo-Cow,
and I picked up my keys,
and then I dropped my keys.
I just totally left
him by the front door.
I'm so sorry.
- It's okay, it's fine.
Do you want to drop
him off at my work
when you pick Sophia
up from school?
I'm right by there.
- Yeah, that would be great.
I will do that.
Here, write your address down.
- Oh.
Wow.
- Oh, no, no, no,
it's not finished,
it's not.
Oh.
- Can I just take a peek?
- You're just coming over.
- It's amazing.
- Well, it will be amazing
once I come up with a
heart stopping ending,
which I decidedly have not.
- Oh, is it a comedy or tragedy?
- Why do you ask?
- Well, if it's a comedy,
they end up together,
and if it's a tragedy,
they're driven apart by the
forces of fate or something.
Those are the rules, right?
- You
love your rules.
Well, it's actually
not that simple.
Those are the rules for romance,
and this is not that.
This is a story about courage,
and self discovery, and--
- Love.
- No!
Why does everybody
keep saying that?
- Well, because they're
obviously in love,
look at how you drew them.
- They're not in love.
I mean--
- Okay, if you say so.
I will leave you to it,
and then I will see
you today at three ish.
Sorry, yep.
- Hi.
- Bianca wants to talk.
- Uh oh.
- No, before she left,
we said we wanted to talk about
the next steps
when she got back.
So I think it's positive, right?
- Well, that depends.
What do you want
the next step to be?
- I mean, there's lots
to consider practically,
but Bianca's great.
Right?
- Well, are you
asking me, or you?
- Both?
- Well, whether or not I think
she's the one doesn't matter.
The only opinion that
matters is yours.
- We have to send all of
these back in for approval.
- Yes.
- That one, this one.
- Okay.
- Hi!
Surprise!
Mr. McAwesome,
reporting for duty.
- Thank you.
You're wonderful for bringing
that, I appreciate it.
- Do you have any toys
here like my mom's office?
- No, I wish.
- But we do have a
model of the light rail.
You want to see?
Yeah?
Okay, let's go.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
- She's too much.
- She's amazing.
Hi.
- Hey there, I'm
glad you're here.
Cause I keep thinking
about your short.
- Oh yeah?
- Yeah, I have a few notes.
- Oh, really?
- No, I don't.
But I do have a thought here.
You said it's a story
about courage, right?
- I did.
- Isn't love the most perfect
motivator for courage?
- I mean, it's a little
limited, don't you think?
People can be brave
for a lot of reasons.
- I don't know.
The world is a lot less scary
when no matter where you land,
you always know
where you belong.
And that helps you
take bigger chances,
that gives you
something to fight for.
Do you know what I mean?
- No.
To be honest, I don't
think I've ever felt that.
- Eric.
- Hey!
- Sorry.
Travel wrapped early, so
I just hopped a flight
so I could make our
phone date a real date.
- Yes, alright, let me see--
- Hey.
- If we can get a
sitter, maybe we can--
- I'll take Owen.
- Oh, I'm sorry,
Kate, this is Bianca,
Bianca, this is Kate.
- Uh, hi.
- Oh, you're Sophia's mom.
- Yeah.
- Hi.
It's so nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you too.
- Are you sure?
- Sophia would be thrilled.
- Okay, oh my gosh, thank you.
We'll drop him off
on the way to dinner.
- Okay.
That's great.
That's great, that's great.
So great.
So I'll just see you
two lovebirds later?
- On the way to
dinner, thank you.
- On the way to
dinner, that's right.
Okay, Sophia!
Which one do you
think is the solid?
- Solid.
- Yes, very good.
- Hey guys!
- Ah!
- Daddy!
- Hey!
- Hi.
What's up, kiddo?
Oh, so good to see you.
- How was Bali?
- It was unbelievable.
Wait 'til you see
the shots I got.
The temples, the
beaches, the sunsets.
The music.
That's yours.
- Thanks, Dad.
- Of course.
- Yes, thank you
so much for that.
That is gonna be the gift
that's gonna keep on giving.
- Well, it's a good
thing that I got you
this rare gourmet coffee blend
to help power you through.
- It is a great thing!
Ah, coffee.
Let me see the pictures.
Oh, this smells so good.
Thank you, thank you
so much for this.
- You're welcome.
I've got so many good shots.
- Oh, I love that.
- Dad, there is
someone very important
I would like you to meet.
- Oh, yes.
The famous Bruce.
Hi, Bruce.
Oh, no, the pleasure
is all mine, buddy.
- I'm gonna go take
him to the backyard.
- Okay.
- Okay.
- Come on, Bruce.
- Have fun, sweetie.
- Okay.
Bye, Bruce.
- So is it okay if I take
Sophia to my place tonight?
- No, actually.
Cause Owen's coming
over tonight.
- Who?
- The little boy, Owen,
that we share the dog with.
His dad's going on a date,
so I agreed to watch him.
- Oh, so the kids are friends.
- Best friends.
We go to the park, we go hiking,
which I gotta say, is
not Eric's strong suit.
- Who's Eric?
- Owen's dad.
Oh!
He totally roped me
into joining the PTA.
- You?
How?
- Well, he wanted Bruce
to go to obedience school,
so we made a deal.
I get the choose the
school, if I volunteer.
And I chose this
like fuzzy, you know,
feeling-sy place,
and I wish you
could've seen his face
when he walked through the door.
It was...
Um, funny.
It was funny.
- You like him!
- No, I do not.
He--
- Kate Healy, I have known you--
- He is such a nice guy!
- Since the seventh grade.
- Okay, you think you know me.
- You are smitten right now.
- What?
He has a girlfriend!
- Yeah, and you are
watching his kid
so he can go out on a date?
- So, we just throw them?
- Yeah, well, at
the canvas ideally.
- And we won't get in trouble?
- Anything above the
tarp is fair game.
Ready?
One, two, three!
- Welcome home.
That's nice.
- So do you remember
that old married couple
in the Chicago office
I told you about?
- Yeah, the one who
they are always fighting
with each other?
- Yes.
Larry, enough with
the printing already.
Rhonda, you know I
can't concentrate
without a hard copy.
- I'm so glad we don't get under
each other's skin like that.
- So the other night,
I forgot my keys at the office.
So I had to double back,
and there was Larry and Rhonda,
slow dancing in the office.
He's cracking jokes in her ear,
and she's laughing and laughing.
- Larry and Rhonda.
- Larry, Rhonda.
- See, that goes to show you,
you just don't know what's
underneath the surface there.
- Yeah, maybe.
Or maybe I just
had the wrong idea.
- What do you mean?
- I don't know.
I thought their bickering was
the spark fizzling out but
maybe it was more
than irritation.
See, they hold each other
to their best selves.
Even when they drive
each other crazy,
and that's real connection.
And I think maybe
that's real love.
And maybe I just
didn't get it before.
- We don't have that, do we?
- I'm sorry.
I was excited to have the
next steps talk with you,
because you're a great guy.
And I felt like I was checking
the next relationship
boxes but--
- To be honest, I'm relieved.
For that every time I
started thinking about
the next step conversation,
I just went blank.
And I don't know,
that's not a good sign.
- So why don't we
just find somebody
who makes us crazy,
is this how this works now?
- Maybe not crazy.
Maybe just passionate.
- Yeah.
I like that, passionate.
- Hey, come on in.
How was your date?
- It was, uh, you're
covered in paint.
- Oh, yeah.
Just a painting
experiment gone awry.
What?
- Nothing, nothing.
I'm glad you had a
good time tonight.
- Yeah.
No, we did.
Come on.
Hey, buddy.
- I hope you're doing okay, pal.
- Hi, buddy.
Here, his shoes.
- Hey.
Thanks for calling me back.
- I think I got so
focused on how to share,
that I forgot we need
to choose one home.
- As fun as this is,
it can't be forever, right?
- Right.
- I mean, in
theory, it could be.
It seems like Bruce will
have a happy home either way.
So as a representative
of the shelter,
there's no problem on our end.
- I'm sensing a but.
- Look, I can't
tell you what to do.
My job is to look after Bruce,
but if it were me,
it would only get
harder to say goodbye
the longer I had with him.
It might be better to
just rip the bandaid off,
so to speak.
- I understand.
Thank you.
- Thank you.
- How's the world's
best dog doing?
- He learned two new
tricks this week.
- He's a good boy.
- The best boy.
- Hey, Owen.
If Bruce lives with me,
I promise, I'll still
share him with you.
- Oh.
Okay, but, if he lives with me,
I'll still share
him with you too.
- Owen, keep him
on the leash, bud!
- Okay, Dad!
Hi, Sophia.
- Hey!
- Ah.
Sorry we're late.
- Mm, no worries.
I got here a little
early anyway.
I'm just trying
to clear my head.
You have news?
- What?
- You're never late.
- Nothing, it's nothing.
- Spill it.
- Okay.
It's a job opportunity,
at a housing advocacy group.
- That's amazing!
Did you apply?
- No.
- Why?
Isn't that your dream job?
- There's just been a
lot of change this month.
With Bruce, and Bianca
and I breaking up.
- Yeah.
I mean, yeah, you did?
Oh, I'm really sorry
to hear about that.
That's very rough.
That's a...
- Carla?
- Yeah, yep.
But I am, I'm sorry though.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
So, this job.
- Yeah, this job.
- Yeah.
- It'd also be a pretty
big career pivot on paper.
- Oh, nonsense.
You've been in
government for years.
All you have to do
is just, you know,
get creative, and then show them
how passionate you
are about this.
Right?
- Those are not fireflies.
- Oh, no.
My boss reviewed my short,
and he told me that my
ending was uninspired,
so I'm trying to
get out of my head,
and get into my heart,
so, hence that.
- Can you get a sitter tomorrow?
- I think so.
Liam's back, maybe
he could watch him.
Why?
- I have an idea.
Something that might help
give you some perspective.
- Oh.
Thank you, I'm all ears.
- Oh, no, no, no, no, no.
If we're trying to get
you out of your head,
I think it should be a surprise.
What do you say?
You game?
- Why do you want to help me?
- We might as well have each
other's backs right now.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
I'm game.
- Okay.
He gets three stories.
The last one you could read,
it could be a calm one,
he gets super amped up
if you read anything
that's like,
a superhero, or space, or...
- You look like a princess.
- Thank you.
- Alright, you two
kids come with me.
It's dinner time.
And you kids have fun.
- Thank you.
- I should've known you'd take
get some perspective literally.
- A little birdie named Carla
told me that you were a
bit of an astronomy geek.
- Oh, no.
You hit it out of the park.
I have been dying to come here.
But it's always been
too late for Sophia,
past her bedtime.
- Oh, sure.
Well now we're grown
ups, with a sitter.
- Look at us!
- Wow.
- Look at us.
- Wow.
- I know, right?
- We're doing it.
- Look at this.
- This is fantastic,
and laminated.
- Oh, yeah.
- Very nice.
- I love the myth about
that star and that star
once being a peasant and
princess who fell in love.
- And let me guess,
they lived happily ever after.
- Kind of.
- Mhm.
- More of a Romeo and
Juliet sort of thing
where they put this gigantic
celestial river between
the two of them,
otherwise known as--
- The Milky Way.
- Milky Way.
- Man.
Dating is hard everywhere.
Stars.
They're just like us.
But that's not the
end of the story.
- Oh, no.
One night a year, the
stars align just so
to create a bridge
to reunite them.
That's my favorite story.
- That's your favorite?
It's so sad!
- What?
Oh no.
It's hopeful.
- Hopeful?
Please, they're two
star-crossed lovers.
- I saw what you
did there, good pun.
- Mhm, spend eternity
pining for the one
person they can't have.
There are plenty of
stars in the sky,
it's like come on,
move it along, folks.
- No, but it's hopeful,
because to never
experience a love that big
is far worse than the
pain of missing someone.
It doesn't get more
romantic than that.
- What would they
be missing out on?
- Well, for one,
she's one of the
top five brightest
stars in the sky.
So, I mean, what guy
in his right mind
is gonna pass that up?
- What about her?
- Passion.
Satisfaction knowing
that she didn't settle,
and assurance.
- Assurance.
What assurance?
They can't even be together.
- How many people can say,
even if it's for
one night a year,
that in that moment,
they were right where
they were supposed to be?
Full disclosure.
I didn't get to go
grocery shopping
like I had planned,
and so our menu tonight
is 87% kid friendly.
- Fantastic.
What do you got?
- Oh, I got cheese puffs.
- Yeah!
- I have a bottle of
wine labeled "red".
- Red.
- Yes.
Definitely adult approved.
Now this vintage, I've been told
pairs very well with the PB&--
- You had me at cheese puff.
Cheese puffs make
everything better.
- Really, cheese puffs?
- Mhm.
- Anything could've
happened tonight,
but as long as it ended
with cheese puffs,
all's well that ends well?
- That's right.
- Cheese puff.
- Mhm.
Can I say something awkward?
- That seems on brand.
- Carla told me about your wife.
I had no idea, and
I just wanted to say
I'm so sorry.
- Well, thank you.
She was amazing.
I can't help but think
how proud she would be
of what Owen and I
have built since.
- I didn't know her,
but I can't imagine
she wouldn't be.
- Your turn.
- For what?
- Sophia's dad.
What happened there?
- Oh.
I mean, nothing dramatic.
Well, we met in high school,
got married way too young.
We should've known
from the beginning.
Beginning.
- What's wrong?
- I don't need a new end,
I need a new beginning.
- What do you mean?
- My short.
I don't need a new end,
I need a new beginning.
I gotta go.
- Mission
accomplished, let's go!
- Okay, cool.
- Let's go, let's go.
Did you get it?
Oh, okay.
- Hey, team!
- Oh, come on, Kate!
- Okay, sorry.
Habit.
I've been up all night writing
a new beginning for our short.
- Beginning?
- Beginning?
- And a new ending,
and drum roll please...
It's a romance now.
- Yes!
Are you serious?
Is she serious?
- Nobody move, or
we'll all wake up.
- You were right.
It's all there, I just
need your brilliant minds
to bring it to life,
so can we do this?
- Yes, we can do it.
- Okay, thank you guys.
And I'll see you later.
Okay.
- Yes!
We got it.
- Finally, oh my goodness.
Yes, finally.
- Down and back.
Perfect.
Now let's talk about sealant.
- Okay.
- Ugh.
- Kate.
What are you doing here?
- I'm teaching
Susan about sealant.
- Oh.
Go home and finish your short.
- But I--
- Go.
- But--
- No buts about it!
You're not welcome here
until your short's finished.
- You're not the boss of me!
- No, but as
president of the PTA,
my name is on that funnel
cake machine lease.
- You wouldn't.
- No, but I will make
sure that there is
an unlimited supply
of funnel cake
waiting for someone
who may happen to have
a finished short.
- Fine!
- Maybe dial back the
caffeine a little?
- Never!
Sophia!
- At an angle,
make it like the
wind's blowing it?
- Yeah, I think
that's great, and the trees.
- Yep, can do that too.
- That looks good.
- Yeah, I like that.
Just there's that one frame
and when you get to the--
- You already did your job,
now let us do ours!
Thank you.
- Okay, great.
- Oh, excellent.
These are for "Bowl and Roll".
- Hi.
- Hey, how's it going?
- Good, we're just about to go
paint some more, and
then I think we're set.
- Pardon me.
Hey, did you finish?
- No, I just wanted to--
- Sorry.
- Sorry!
- Bye.
- Hi.
I had a million more cups
of coffee, take that!
And now my team has taken over,
and I kind of need
something to do.
I can't let this
energy go to waste,
so, I took the liberty
of making you a cover letter.
No excuses.
Apply to the job
already, would ya?
- What did she do?
- Aw.
You need to apply
for this job already.
- I'm gonna watch it again.
- Okay.
- Wow.
I did not think that
I was gonna make it.
- You did make it.
- Right?
- What's that?
- We've done
that, I wanna do that one.
- Yeah.
- Did we get to do that?
- Don't worry about it!
You're like, uh--
- Hey, Owen!
You want to do the
ring toss with me?
- Oh, yeah!
- That video.
- I know, I know.
- That was incredible.
Thank you.
- Well, it's the
least I could do.
- I
actually think it was
the literal most you could do.
Hey.
- Hey.
- Can I take you out?
A real date, no kids.
I mean, maybe Bruce could come.
Okay, look, I don't want
to make things weird.
- Okay.
- Okay?
- Yeah.
I think that would be okay.
- Okay.
Great.
- Yes!
- Yay!
- Hey!
- You gotta say it.
- You were right about
the theme, it worked.
- Yeah!
- Now, hey.
Do you think since we
did the carnival today,
it would be nice if
we could have Bruce
for one more day?
- You know what?
Rules are rules, buddy.
Especially when
they're laminated.
- Okay.
Hey.
I had fun with you today.
- Yeah, it was a great day.
Thank you.
- Sweet dreams.
- Good night.
Uh, no, no, no.
We have the dog.
You swore the PowerPoint
madness would end.
- Hey buddy.
What's that?
- As you know--
- We are sharing
world's best dog.
- We both love Bruce so much!
- And we don't want
to give him up.
So we have a plan.
- Okay.
Alright.
Show me this plan.
- Uh huh.
Did you get an adorable
ambush this morning?
Or was that just me?
- No.
Well, yes.
Sophia gave me
another one of her
PowerPoint presentations.
- Oh, I didn't.
Mine was not that sophisticated.
But still, very impressed.
It was a masterfully
coordinated--
- Eric.
- Oh.
- I'm not a rules person,
but I have had one rule.
Which is not to date
while Sophia's a kid
because I didn't want
her to get attached
to someone who wasn't
gonna stick around.
And I promised myself
that when I did date,
I would be so
careful and so sure--
- We're gonna take it slow.
We're gonna make it very
clear with the kids.
- Did you and I get the
same pitch this morning?
Our kids want us to
just mosey on down
to the courthouse,
and get hitched,
and we haven't even gone
on a first date yet.
It's too fast.
- I know how I feel about you,
and I know I haven't felt
that way in a long time.
- Eric.
The look on her face
when she was so sure
that you and I being together
would solve everything...
I can risk my
heart, but not hers.
I just think we
should, you know,
take a break for now,
and just let the
kids be friends.
- Owen.
We gotta go, buddy.
- Eric, I'm so sorry.
- No.
It's okay.
You're a good mom.
I get it.
- Hey!
Who wants ice cream?
- You want ice cream?
- This is a real
departure for you.
- I know.
- I mean, I usually--
- I know.
- Love your work but--
- I don't know what
I was thinking--
- This has far exceeded
anything we imagined.
- What?
- We love it.
I might be a little biased,
but I've seen the
other submissions,
and I'd make sure you have the
first weekend in June open.
- Really?
- In my opinion,
you're a shoe in
for the Georgia
Animation Festival.
I think you're gonna
blow the judges away.
- Hi, Bruce.
Come on.
Alright.
Come on, Bruce.
- I will find you, my sun
and stars, no matter how far.
- Hi, Liam.
- Hi.
So the digital copy of
the festival invitations
are in your inbox.
And I had my
assistant print some
on some fancy paper for you.
- Thank you.
- Oh boy, what happened?
- I don't know what
you're talking about.
- With dog dad.
- Yeah, lady, what,
you've known him
for like five seconds, but sure.
He's definitely the one.
Hey!
- Alright.
- Come on, I was watching that.
- Look.
I know we're exes,
but I like to think that
we're friends, good friends.
What did he do?
- Nothing.
Nothing.
I mean, he's amazing.
- So?
- So, I can't do
it to Sophia, okay?
I can't risk hurting her.
- Look, we raised a resilient,
loving, and smart kid.
Sometimes too smart.
But I don't think that's what
you're worried about
here, no offense.
- I don't know
why I'm so scared.
- I do.
You've never been
in grown up love.
I'm serious.
We started dating
when we were what, 17?
You have not been
swept off your feet
as an adult.
And that is an entirely
different, exhilarating,
and terrifying experience.
- What if I'm no good at it?
- Nobody's good at it.
- Okay, well, I mean,
like what if we break up?
I mean, what about the kids?
And Bruce, it's just,
it's such a bad plan.
- Yeah but, you can't
plan this stuff out.
Life likes to take a hammer
to the best laid plans.
But the Kate Healy that I know
would take all
those little pieces,
and would string them together,
and tell a bigger story.
And she sees what could be,
even when other people can't.
Isn't what they pay
you the big bucks for
over at that studio?
- Yeah.
You know, you've come a long way
since the angsty teenager I met.
- Yeah, whatever.
- Whatever.
- You better do what
makes you happy though,
cause I don't have a lot
of those speeches in me.
- You're late.
- Sorry.
Super serious game
of tetherball.
- Today, we have a
super secret mission.
- I love super secret missions.
- Take this invitation,
tell your dad it's from my mom.
Super brother, do you
accept this mission?
- I can do this.
- Kate.
- It's me.
- What are
you doing here?
- Hi.
Here.
It's for my short,
they're showing it at
an animation festival,
and I just wanted
to invite you guys.
- I know.
- You have two.
- Owen just gave me one.
- But I didn't--
- Abort, abort!
Go, go, go!
- Our kids.
- Well, I can't turn
down two invitations,
now can I?
- Great.
Great.
So I'll see you tomorrow.
- Yeah, great.
- Awesome, cool.
I'm gonna see you there?
- Yeah.
- Yep.
- That's it.
Yeah, here you go.
See?
Easy peasy.
- You look beautiful.
- Go, go, go, go!
Go, go, go, go.
- Um, I think we're in here.
This is us, we're right here.
- Welcome to the animated
short film competition.
This year's nominees
will compete
for a chance to submit
for the Academy Awards
"Animated Short" category.
Please stay seated
after our presentation
for a Q&A with our creators.
Enjoy.
- I'd like to turn
the discussion
over to Kate Healy's charming
short, Light The Way.
You know, it's a hard thing
to make an audience
believe in love again
in eight minutes or less.
- Well.
You can thank my
team for that one.
Honestly, I was
completely against
a romantic ending
for this short.
- Really?
Well, what made you
change your mind?
- Well, when we first started
working on the project,
I had written love
off as a cliche.
I was pretty sure
that I had been there,
seen the trailer,
wasn't missing much.
You know what I mean?
But then someone
very important to me
showed me just
what I was missing.
Oh.
It can shake parts of you awake
that you thought you would
have to tuck away forever.
Because love is one
of the only ways
that we show each
other that we belong.
And everybody
deserves to belong.
Dramatic fireflies,
shelter dogs,
maybe even me.
- Mom.
- Yeah.
- I'm gonna go show
Owen your award.
- Okay.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Congrats on the
Grand Jury Prize.
Your short was incredible.
- You liked it?
- No, I loved it.
I had an interview with the
affordable housing
advocacy group yesterday,
and I have a follow
up next week.
- Of course you do.
Tell me everything.
- First thing they asked about
was my very creative
cover letter.
So thank you.
So I told them that,
long story short,
I met this infuriatingly zany,
insanely talented woman
who reminded me that life was
way too short to waste any time
not doing what you love.
- She sounds like a wise woman.
Let's say, hypothetically,
this wise woman decided that
she didn't know everything.
- Okay.
- And, hypothetically, dinner
doesn't sound like Armageddon.
- No.
Stop.
One date would not be
the end of the world?
- Mm, no.
I think it actually
might be nice.
- So, what are we
gonna do with this dog?
- I don't know.
- I cannot, in good conscience,
leave this dog with
some wild, unruly--
- Unruly?
- Oh, yeah.
- Well then I
can't leave the dog
with some tyrant who's
just gonna break his spirit
and we're never gonna...
Hi, buddy.
Hi.
Alright guys, let's go home.
Right, Bruce?
Let's go home.
Yeah!
- Okay.
Here you go, babe.
- Thank you.
- Great job.
- Come on, bud.
Superheroes have to
wear clothes to school.
- Finished.
Lunchbox?
- Over there.
- Alright.
Backpack?
- By the front door.
- Great.
But do you have
the latest edition
of Science Tomorrow?
- Thank you, thank
you, thank you!
- Okay, one condition.
If they change
Pluto's status again,
you gotta let me down easy,
because I am on a
rollercoaster of emotions.
- We're running out of fuel!
We have to land!
Coming into a crash landing!
Goosh!
Okay.
What next?
- Books in the backpack!
- Books in the backpack.
- Pew, pew, pew!
- Oh man, I know
a tiny superhero
who's supposed to
get a dog today,
but if we can't get
ready for school in time
I don't know--
- Oh no, I can do it, I
can do it, I can do it!
- What else?
Lunch!
- Right.
Thanks, Dad.
- Here you go.
- Thanks.
- Today's the day!
- Okay.
So this is about the
dog presentation?
Again?
- As you know, today
is the final day
of the pet adoption
at our school.
- Mhm.
- And this dog is the
best dog for our family.
He's been in the shelter
for a really, really long time,
and he deserves a forever home.
He's loyal, smart, playful,
and he's really, really cute.
- That is one cute dog.
- Mom, please?
Please can we get this dog?
It's the last day.
- Ugh.
I don't know, Sophia.
I mean, what am I
supposed to do, you know?
About all of these dog toys
if we don't go adopt
your dog today!
Aw.
- Morning.
- Hey, babe.
- Hey.
- Hi, Bianca.
Want some eggs?
- I'll have a tiny bit.
But I just came
by to say goodbye
to you and your dad.
- Where you going?
- Um, my job is
sending me to Chicago.
There's a huge court case.
- With bad guy villains?
- Yes.
I have to fight
villains with paperwork.
- Okay.
Hey, Bianca, guess what?
- What?
- We're getting a dog today!
- A dog?
That is huge news,
are you so excited?
- I am the most excited!
- Awesome.
- Bianca.
- What?
- Do you like dogs?
- I love dogs.
I am just very allergic to them.
- What?
Are you really?
How did I not know this?
- I don't know, I guess
it just never came out.
- Hey, Owen, do
you want to go play
with Awesome Patrol
Pals for five minutes?
- Bye.
- I feel so sorry.
- No.
- He's wanted a dog for
I don't know how long,
and we just--
- No, it's a no brainer.
You get the dog, I'll
get some Benadryl.
It's fine.
- A whole month, huh?
- I know.
But I'll call you as
soon as I land tonight.
- What time?
I have the last day of the
PTA pet adoptions today,
and we're actually
gonna bring the dog
back here tonight
to get it adjusted,
and then I still
have to take a peek
at this project for
work before tomorrow,
I go through the--
- No wonder Owen is
obsessed with superheroes.
He lives with one.
- Thank you for being
so understanding
of this whole "Superdad" thing.
- Oh, please.
Superdad is cute.
- He may be cute,
but I understand
that it's made us take things
much more slowly,
and I just want you to know that
I appreciate your patience.
- And I am more than
happy to do that.
But I would like to know...
- Right, where we are going.
I get it.
Okay, well I think
we're gonna use this
time apart to think about us.
- Yeah.
Between career
altering court cases
and PTA pet adoptions.
- Superdad can handle it.
- Okay.
- Good job.
Hey, hi, good morning.
- Hey.
- Hey, good morning!
How are you?
- No way.
- Even added an itemized budget
to appease Councilwoman Palisa.
- Come on, man.
You're making the
rest of us look bad.
Thank you.
Enjoy your lunch.
- Thank you.
Hey.
- Hey.
Brainstorm time?
- Okay.
One second.
Hello?
- Kate.
Come see me please.
- Okay.
Yep, be right there.
- Come in, take a seat.
- Okay, but before
you say anything,
I would just like to point out
that I have a long track record
of making excellent
films for this studio.
- We know and--
- And I believe that we
are the future of animation
because we take risk, you know?
And sometimes those risk are--
- Can I just--
- Ugh, which is why I just
wanted to reassure you--
- Kate!
- Yes, yes, yes.
- We know.
And I feel like I would
be doing you a disservice
if I didn't tell
you that your short,
"Light The Way",
has been accepted
to the Georgia
Animation Festival,
end of next month.
- But the winner of that--
- Qualifies to submit for
the Best Animated Short
at the Oscars.
- Are you serious?
You're not serious.
- Dead serious.
We love it.
And provided you rework
the ending as we discussed,
we think this short
has the creative depth
to go all the way.
They already accepted you
from a 30 second unfinished
clip we submitted.
- I'm just gonna need
just two minutes.
Just, okay.
Okay, just two seconds.
Okay.
- I can hear you.
- Okay.
We are not gonna disappoint you,
we are going to blow you away.
- Kate.
- Yeah.
- Out of curiosity.
- Yeah.
- How is the ending coming?
- It's a mess.
It's a total mess.
- Award season?
Seriously?
- Yes!
- That's awesome!
Yes!
- Which means we have six weeks
to come up with a new ending,
and animate it.
- Sorry, six weeks?
- Yeah.
- Cool.
Cool, cool, cool, cool.
- Welp.
We're doomed.
- No, come on!
We're not doomed,
we're not doomed.
You guys are some of the finest
animators on the planet, okay?
We got this.
- Okay, in a sense, one
might say we do got this.
As in we already have an ending.
- No.
- A perfect ending
that you keep.
- And as the director,
I'm gonna say that that
is the wrong direction.
Yes, Jordan.
- Sorry.
I know I'm new around here,
but can you all explain why
they just can't be in love?
- No, no, no, no, no, nope.
Shh.
- Ah, come on!
- What?
What did I do?
- You can't just
come out and say
the L word in front of Kate.
- I am not against love.
- No, no, no, not at all.
Let's just do a quick count
of how many love
stories you've created.
Oh wait, none.
- Don't listen to them.
First of all, no, I love love.
I just don't think
it's right for me,
for it, for the story.
- You said yourself
this has to be great.
Well, some of the
greatest stories ever told
are love stories.
Without love, the Odyssey
is just like 10 years
of some dude in a
boat getting lost.
- Yeah, Kate.
This story has starlight,
a daring rescue,
it wants to be a romance!
- I hear you, okay?
But the studio is
taking a huge chance
on this short
because they believe
that we're gonna come up
with something original.
Which means subverting
expectations.
- Okay, that's fair.
- Thank you.
- Okay, friend to
friend, I gotta ask,
are you sure you're not letting
your own personal hangups
get in the way of what's
best for this story?
- I don't have any hangups.
Oh.
Liam hold on, one second.
Hi, Liam.
Can I put you on
mute for two seconds?
- Okay.
- I'm just saying,
you turn down romantic
plots at the office.
You turned down
that really cute guy
at the coffee shop that
asked for your number.
- He ordered an extra
shot, extra hot,
extra whipped, sugar
free caramel macchiato,
that is not just
high maintenance,
that is nonsense.
- But you haven't been on a date
since you and Liam got divorced,
five years ago.
- Well, that is because
I have been busy
making beautiful films
and co-parenting
my beautiful child.
- Liam isn't afraid to
put himself out there.
Liam is dating.
Liam is wining and dining.
Liam is--
- Liam is still here.
Not on mute.
But for what it's worth,
I totally agree
with Nadia, Kate.
You need to get back out there.
- Bye.
- I'm just saying.
- You know what, Liam?
I am not taking dating advice
from a man who took
me to a drive-through
fast food place before prom.
- You told me no cliche
romantic gestures.
I stand by it.
- Fair enough.
What's going on?
- So you're getting a dog?
- A full on PowerPoint
presentation.
How did a photographer
and an animator
end up with such
a serious child?
- Oh, well, I come
from a long line
of vagrant artists, Kate.
I blame your family.
She's definitely your
father's mini me.
- Oh, she so is.
Which is why I have
to get her this dog.
She just needs to get outside,
and roll around in the mud,
and make some mistakes.
- Yeah, she needs to be a kid.
- Yes.
Oh, we're adopting the dog
after school today.
Can I change shifts with you?
- Yeah, of course.
Just remember that you
need to pick her up today,
and then drop her
off in the morning
because I'm gonna be--
- In Bali for the
next two weeks.
I'm on it.
- Alright, great.
Thank you.
I owe you.
- Just bring Sophia
back a souvenir.
Something nice.
Not from the airport.
- Okay.
Bye.
- Bye.
- How we doing?
- We've only got one
dog and three cats left.
So I'd say this has been
a phenomenal success.
- That's amazing.
- Yes!
- Dad, can I please go
say hi to my new dog?
- Yeah, pal.
Just stay over there
where I can see you, okay?
- Two.
- Two what?
- Two volunteers
for the carnival.
- What?
How is that possible?
Two in all these parents?
- Please, I have
tried everything.
No takers.
- Hey, hey, hey.
We'll get it sorted.
Two is not a total disaster.
This is a total disaster.
I leave the office
for two minutes,
and then of a sudden
it's they just can't.
Aw man, I'm sorry.
What were you saying?
- Hey.
Remember when you
said you were only
gonna take this job
for a year, tops?
Now here you are,
five years later,
overworked, overcaffeinated
- I'm sorry.
Are you giving me a lecture
about working too hard?
This is coming from a teacher?
Hello pot, kettle.
We meet again.
- Okay, well, it's different
when you love what you do.
Okay?
- I'm sorry.
Who is that?
Why don't I know her?
- Because some parents
manage to wriggle free
from the tentacles of the PTA.
- Oh, not on my watch.
Excuse me!
Hi there, pardon me.
- Hi.
- I don't think we've met.
My name is Eric Smith,
I'm the president of the PTA.
- Oh, I'm Kate Healy.
And this is my daughter, Sophia.
- Oh, hello, Sophia.
- Hi.
- Nice to meet you, I'm Eric.
You excited to
adopt a pet today?
- Yes.
- Well, and clearly
we're not the only ones.
- Look, I don't want to brag,
but that volunteer over there
may or may not have just told me
that this event has been
a phenomenal success.
- More like
fur-nomenal, am I right?
It's just a little dad humor.
Alright.
Dad jokes.
Not for all dads.
Anyway, congrats on the
success of the event,
and please tell
everyone at the PTA
thank you so much
for your hard work.
- I'm actually glad to
hear you feel that way.
We are in desperate need
of some more parent volunteers
for the spring carnival.
- I would love to--
- Great.
- So much, but I am, you know,
a single parent with
a full-time job,
just not a lot of
time for the PTA.
- I understand.
I'm a single parent
with a full-time job.
- Okay, this is the truth.
Every year I go
to that carnival.
- So you understand
how important this is.
- The same carnival.
I believe that bean bag toss
once belonged to the settlers
who crossed the Atlantic Ocean.
- If it ain't
broke, don't fix it.
- If it ain't broke,
you don't need me.
- This is him, Mom.
- Look.
I really appreciate
everything that you do.
And today, I plan
to support the PTA
to the fullest by
adopting that dog
right over there.
- What, that dog?
You can't adopt that dog.
- Why?
- Because we're
adopting that dog.
- Oh.
You must be Sophia's
mom, and Owen's dad.
- Yes.
- This is Bruce.
- Hey, Bruce.
- Owen, sweetie, are you
sure this is the dog?
- Yeah.
His name is Bruce,
like Bruce Wayne.
He's Batdog, Dad.
- You know what, Sophia,
why don't we just
find another dog
who needs a home?
- Because I said in
my presentation--
- Yeah, right, got it.
- You got a presentation?
- She's a go getter.
- Wow.
- Yeah.
- I'm sorry.
Guys, could you give
us five minutes here?
- Yeah.
Let's go, come on.
- Thank you guys.
- Thanks guys, thank you.
- Okay, look.
My family's had a
really hard time.
Owen could definitely
use this friend.
- I hear you, I got a
25 point presentation,
from a 10 year old,
before 8:00 a.m.
I don't want to break
your kid's heart.
- Yeah, me either.
Okay, look.
It's not like there's a shortage
of dogs who need homes.
- That's true.
- Why don't we just agree
to be bigger people,
and find other dogs?
- You promised.
- Please, Mom.
- Wait, wait, wait.
- I promised him.
- No, I know.
- Please don't do this.
I'm sorry.
It's just Bruce,
he's an older dog,
he's not a puppy,
and he's kind of shy
around other dogs,
so he's been pretty
anxious at the shelter.
We've been waiting a long time
for somebody to love Bruce,
and I mean, now there's
two families interested.
- The fact--
- But what do we do here?
You know, do we flip a coin?
That doesn't seem fair.
- We don't have to decide today.
- Okay.
- I'm assuming, since your kids
go to the same school,
that you live in
roughly the same area?
- Rainier Boulevard.
- Dogwood Drive.
- Stop.
- It's not a dad joke,
I actually live there.
But you gotta admit,
it's pure gold.
- Okay, okay.
So you could co-foster
Bruce for a month or so,
meet up a couple times
a week to trade off.
That way we make sure that Bruce
finds the best possible home.
- Mm.
- And it's rare, but this dog
fell in love twice today.
And who are we to get
in the way of that?
- One month.
- Trust me.
You learn a lot in a month.
- Okay.
I could do one month.
- Yeah.
- Yay!
- Sophia, have you
seen my laptop?
Hey.
What's wrong?
- You told me to go outside
and take Bruce to go play.
So I decided to
research dog games.
But everyone on the internet
just seems to disagree
with each other.
- Oh boy.
Okay.
Well, remember the rules?
We never, ever research
on the internet
without Mommy.
And we never, ever, ever
look at the comments.
Okay?
- Okay.
- Second, just look at his face.
You know what?
You just gotta get out there,
and you have to have
fun, and get messy,
and as long as
you're kind to him,
then you'll do great.
You want me to show
you how it's done?
Yeah!
Okay.
Come on, Bruce!
Let's go play.
Okay.
We have all the necessities.
- We've got a detailed schedule,
a copy of the rules
for both houses,
and a very thoroughly
researched obedience plan.
- We've got dog toys,
dog treats, human treats.
- We are organized,
we are prepared.
- We are loving, we
are fun, we are--
- Fun loving?
- Yes!
Doubling down, we
are fun loving.
- We are gonna prove to them
that we're the most responsible
dog owners in the world, buddy.
- And make new friends.
- Oh, okay, wait.
Hey, listen to me.
It is important
to be nice, it is,
but it's kinda like,
what did Captain Hammerhead do
when he had to make a deal
with Professor Platypus?
Quick.
- Power pose and poker face.
- Power pose and
poker face, yes.
- Sharing a dog, pft.
We're expert sharers.
We're gonna win them over
with our charm and kindness.
- And cookies.
- Mostly cookies.
Hi, friends.
- Hey there, how are you?
Hi, Sophia.
- We come bearing gifts.
We have a Bruce.
And his favorite Moo-Cow.
- Moo-Cow?
- A working title.
We can change the name.
Yeah.
And cookies.
- Oh, actually.
Sorry, almost dinner time, yeah?
We'll have maybe one
for dessert, yeah?
- Hey, is that
Captain Hammerhead
from the Awesome Patrol Pals?
- Yeah, I love 'em!
- Did you know that
my mom made him?
- It's true.
I imagined him in my head,
and then I drew him,
and then he came to life.
- Really?
- Yeah.
I'm an animator, so it's my job
to draw really cool things.
- Actually, Sophia, yes.
About the treats reminded me.
I feel like we should
get on the same page
about rules if our dog's gonna
be staying with you guys.
- Your dog?
- Starting with treats
and rewards, right there.
See?
- Oh, wow.
Did you laminate these?
- Yes, I did.
If we're gonna help
Bruce feel secure,
I think it's important
that we give him
a structured,
consistent environment.
- Sure.
We also need to meet
him where he's at.
You know?
Follow his cues.
- Rules and boundaries
will actually
help him feel more secure.
- Or break his
spirit.
- Can we take Bruce to go play?
- Please?
- Yeah, sure, yeah, yeah, yeah.
- Yeah.
Absolutely, here.
Come on, Bruce!
Go have fun, buddy.
Bye, Bruce!
- Just stay where I can see you!
- Stay where I can see you!
- Okay.
- So, I'm guessing
that obedience school
is out of the question?
- If Bruce is going to go
somewhere to be trained,
I would like to approve
that, and attend.
- Okay, sure.
How about this.
You can come with me,
and I will even let
you choose the school.
- Deal.
- Great.
As long as you
agree to volunteer
for the spring carnival.
- Oh, I don't have a sitter.
- PTA provides one.
Fully vetted high
school honors student.
- What about Bruce?
- Oh, dogs are welcome.
- Okay, Eric Smith.
This round is yours.
- Have a good weekend.
See you Monday, 6:00 p.m. sharp.
Hey, Owen, come on
buddy, let's go!
- Good boy.
- You sure you
don't want to watch
something new, pal?
- Dad, it's my favorite!
And plus, Bruce
has never seen it.
- Okay.
Alright, Bruce.
Come here, pal.
- C'mon, Bruce!
- Look at that.
- Kate.
Is that our Kate?
- Yeah, that's our, I mean,
it's Ms. Healy to us, bud.
- Hey.
- Hi!
- Looks like Eric
sent you too, huh?
- Yeah, he did, he did.
Hi, Ms. Ramirez!
Putting the T in PTA, I see.
- Ah, well someone has
to rep the teachers.
It's nice to see you, Ms. Healy.
- Oh, please.
Call me Kate.
By the way, I have to tell you,
Sophia's having the
time of her life
with you in Science Club.
- Oh, good.
Well, if she can keep a secret,
let her know that I'm applying
for a field trip next month
that will blow her mind.
Spoiler alert, it involves
the science center's
galaxy exhibit.
- I call chaperone.
- Are you an astronomy nerd?
- Yes, I am.
Oh, I've been obsessed
with constellations
since I was a kid.
- Did we just
become best friends?
- I think we might have.
- It was nice to see you.
- Yeah, you too.
- I'll do that as well.
Okay, last order of business,
I know you all have
jobs to get back to.
Committee heads for
the spring carnival.
Susan, you'll do the
cake walk again as usual.
Okay.
Allison, you'll be in charge
of the games again as usual,
I'll be in charge of the
tickets again as usual.
And our newest member, Kate,
will be in charge of
the silent auction.
Everyone, give Kate
a big, warm welcome.
- Thank you.
- Alright, I want
us all to break off
into groups in a moment--
- Oh.
- And I want you all to
really think about what...
Yeah.
- Hi, yes.
What, um...
What do I do?
- You're in charge of
the silent auction.
- Oh, like the auctioneer?
Hey, can I get a one dolla,
one dolla, going once!
- No, it's a silent auction.
- So you want me to
just do it silently.
- Are you...
No, your job is to get
businesses to donate
items for prizes
for the auction,
then you're gonna
monitor the auction,
and then you'll be in charge
of announcing the winners.
That's it, very easy.
Okay, I want us all to
break off into groups,
and I want to really
think about...
Yeah, Kate?
- What is the theme?
For the carnival.
- No, there's
never been a theme,
it's just spring carnival.
- I mean, that's your
problem right there.
You gotta have a theme.
- Well, what do
you have in mind?
- Well, I mean, let's think
about it for a second.
It should be something that
sparks kids'
imaginations, right?
Kids love pirates,
we could do space!
Could you imagine how cool--
- The thing is atually, the--
- It would be?
For them to walk
in and be like--
- We don't have the budget to
revamp the entire carnival.
- Well, I mean, I'm not opposed
to hearing some fresh ideas.
All in favor?
- Okay.
Okay.
Sure.
At our next meeting, we'll
discuss potential themes.
Great, wonderful.
Any other thoughts, from anyone?
Yes, Kate?
- We need to talk
about funnel cake.
- Okay.
- Right?
- Meeting is adjourned!
- Okay.
- Folks, thank you.
- You said if I join the PTA,
I could choose the
obedience school.
You brought this on yourself.
- Join, follow.
Not stage a coup in
the school library.
- Oh, come on.
Even Carla said the PTA
could use a bit more energy.
A little fun.
- Carla's my friend.
She said that?
- You gotta admit, you
run that organization
like a well oiled machine.
You are a charismatic
and efficient leader.
- Thank you.
- But--
- There it is.
What are you doing?
- Nope.
Unfortunately, I
detect no signs of it.
- No signs of what?
- Fun.
Not a trace of fun.
Oh.
- I'm fun.
I have lots of fun.
- Okay, alright.
So what's like, an
adventure for you?
- An adventure for me?
- Yeah.
- Um, okay, let's see.
Hiking, hiking.
Yeah.
- Okay.
- I'm taking Owen and
Bruce hiking this weekend.
- Yeah?
- Mhm.
Yeah, we're gonna go hiking
down the Burke-Gilman Trail,
right 'til we get to the docks,
I'm gonna lay eyes on
this traffic hot spot
and just see if--
- Hey, Eric, what is it you said
you did for a living?
- I work for the Department
of Transportation.
- I knew it, I knew it!
- But, but--
- No!
That's work!
- I do still--
- That's not fun!
I award you zero points.
- You should come with us.
- What?
- Consider it an olive branch.
You'd be rescuing Owen
from his lame, boring dad.
Give Sophia a little
more time with Bruce.
Look at them.
- Good boy!
- Okay.
We'll come.
- Good.
- Beautiful.
- Look at that magnolia tree.
Yeah.
- Yeah.
- Does he make
you go on nature walks
all the time?
- Yeah.
- Oh, I see a bench.
- Oh.
- There you go, bud.
- Yeah.
Oh, hey, show me one of
your superhero moves!
Let me see!
Yeah, that's a good one!
Want to play superhero
red light, green light?
- So I hear you've been
teaching Bruce some tricks.
- Of course.
That's rule seven.
I like your Bruce rules.
They help me make sure
I know what I'm doing.
- Yeah.
Me too.
- Can I tell you a secret?
- Sure.
- I like that you
laminated them.
People are messy.
- Yeah.
Yeah, they are.
- Red light!
Wait a second!
Where was the green light?
- Wait.
Aren't you supposed to
wait for the green light?
How's anyone supposed to win?
- Oh, no.
Owen's much more concerned
with fun than winning.
- My mom too.
- Green light!
Look at those moves!
Mm.
- Mm.
- Penny for your thoughts?
- For 20 years, we've
been trying to find
a safe way to close
the gap on this trail.
And we finally found something
that was gonna
work for everyone,
and then that marina
that we hiked past,
they're now suing.
After we found the solution
that was gonna
work for everyone,
they're suing because they don't
want to lose parking spots.
- Hm, that's annoying.
- Yeah.
Tell me about it.
Anyway, people keep telling me
it's alright, be patient,
we're gonna figure
it out, we'll get it.
But people are getting
hurt in the meantime.
It's just making me crazy.
- Mm.
Yeah.
I get called crazy
a lot at work.
I like to think of it
as being passionate.
- I'm not sure I'm
passionate about my job.
I mean, it's not really
where I saw myself ending up.
- Well, what did you want
to be when you grew up?
- What adult has their
childhood dream job?
- I do.
- Alright, well, we
can't all be that lucky.
- See, I don't think luck
has anything to do with it.
If you know what
your North Star is,
you can chart a course.
- That was beautiful nonsense.
- No, seriously.
If you know what you want most,
then you can figure
out a way to get it.
- I have a lot of
responsibility,
I'm a single dad.
- What is it that you said to me
when I said I
couldn't do the PTA?
Oh, right.
I'm a single parent too,
with a full-time job.
- I was empathizing.
- You were calling me out,
and doing a remedial
job of back peddling.
So.
This is me, empathizing.
I'm a single parent too,
with a full-time job,
which I love.
What do you love?
- Affordable housing advocacy.
I know it sounds boring,
but that's my dream job.
- Why?
- I had an internship
when I was in college,
and we got to really fight
against these developers
to help protect lower
income housing and
I like going to bat for people.
- So this superhero thing
kind of runs in the family, huh?
- Yeah, I guess so.
- Nothing boring about that.
- Got it, yeah.
And then we can--
- Happy Monday!
- You've got to stop doing that!
- Never gets old!
Look, consider this a
small thank you gift.
- Aw.
- Aw, you're the best.
- And a small I'm sorry gift.
I drafted storyboards
for three new
possible endings last night,
so conference room please.
- You're the worst.
- Thank you so
much, you're the best.
- The worst.
- I love ya.
I do, I do.
Thank you so much.
- I see you survived your hike.
Four hours with Mr. PTA
power trip, how was it?
- It actually wasn't that bad.
He was a lot more
relaxed than I expected.
- You mean to tell me,
the guy who laminated
the dog rules was fun?
On a hike, uphill, with
the bugs and everything?
- Well, not so much
the hiking part,
but when we got ice
cream, it was civil,
dare I say, pleasant?
- Well, everyone's pleasant
when they've had ice cream, so.
- Yeah.
Yeah, you're probably right.
It's probably just a
sprinkle induced glitch.
- Alright, without further ado,
may we present, CandyLand!
Only full sized.
- Okay.
Check this out.
We can take the tent poles,
and we can turn them
into candy canes.
- Pardon me for
jumping in here, Kate.
This budget seems quite a
bit out of our means though.
- The paint shop
could donate paint.
- This is a very hefty time
commitment for all of us.
And we're not exactly
a bunch of Van Gogh's.
- Well, you know what?
If Eric can keep
everyone on budget,
then I'll teach
everyone how to paint.
- Okay.
Let's just put it to a vote.
All those in favor.
For someone who wanted nothing
to do with the PTA,
you sure made a lot
of work for yourself.
- Consider it an olive branch.
Besides, I am
choosing my battles.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
Speaking of our PTA agreement,
I feel I should
warn you, my friend,
that you are in for an
intense evening tomorrow.
- How do you mean?
- Well, I finally found
an obedience school.
Great place, solid reviews,
it's called Fuzzy Friends Time.
- Fuzzy Friends
Time, isn't that--
- 7:00.
Sharp.
- I don't have a sitter.
- Oh, you know what?
I found us one.
A fully vetted high
school honors student.
- Bye, Eric.
- See you tomorrow.
- And breathe.
And exhale.
And breathe.
Exhale.
Now once you've finished
your breathing exercises,
and you feel calm and centered,
invite your pet to sit.
- Bruce.
Please sit.
- Come on.
He obviously already
knew that word.
- Okay.
Bruce, please speak.
There you go, good job.
- Right, okay.
Sit.
Bruce, sit.
Bruce, sit.
Sit, sit, sit.
Sit, sit, sit, bud.
Come on, sit, sit, sit.
- Breathe.
- Sit, that's it.
Come on, sit, sit.
- Breathe.
- I know, I got this.
- How did you do, just--
- Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
Breathe.
There you go.
It's okay.
Try again.
- Bruce, please sit.
- Good boy!
- Good boy!
- Good boy!
- Good boy!
He did it!
- That's great, but calm.
- Okay.
Good boy, good boy.
See?
- Okay, wow, I'm a convert.
Do you make house calls?
- I am available
for all of your home
and office needs.
- Perfect.
Crazy boss?
- Breathe.
- Missed deadline?
- Breathe.
- Mm, yep.
- Yeah.
- That's a tough one.
My son makes our
living room wall
into his own personal
spaghetti art installation.
- Mm, yeah, see
now, that I support.
- No, are you kidding me?
That's just destruction.
- Come on, you
really have to just
have more fun in your--
- No, that's not
being mindful at all.
- No, no, no, just--
- Hi.
- Yeah.
- Hi.
- Hey.
- Um, our fuzzy
friends can sense
when they're not receiving
our full, energetic attention.
- Oh, yeah.
- So if we can just save the
flirting for after class?
- The...
- Flirting?
No.
No, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no.
- Wow, that was 11 no's.
- No?
- No, mhm.
- 12.
- Oh, sorry.
Since you're training
the same dog, I assumed--
- No, no, no.
We share the dog.
- It's shared.
- Yes.
But we're not together.
- I have a girlfriend,
and she has a--
- A job.
- Job.
A great job, a great job.
And a daughter.
- She has a very good job.
- Yeah, and a daughter.
Which is why I
don't really date.
I mean, not that
there's anything wrong
with dating as a parent.
So, we just share the dog,
and he has a--
- Yeah, I have Bianca.
- Bianca!
He's got Bianca!
So we're definitely,
you know, not flirting.
And this has just
become embarrassing
for all of us,
so I'm just gonna stop
disrupting the class,
you know, with
all the breathing,
and the calm bodies,
with all of the not flirting.
So, I...
Can...
- That was awkward.
- Uh, she said I'd appreciate it
if you'd save the
flirting for after class.
Yeah.
- Have more coffee,
it fixes everything.
- Mm.
- Okay, I've seen some
epic Kate speeches,
but this, may
officially elect you
Mayor of Awkwardville.
- Look, I haven't been
accused of flirting
in 10 years, at least.
- Eh.
- What?
- Were you?
- What?
- Flirting!
- What?
No!
- He said he's a single parent!
- Who has a
girlfriend, and look,
I'm not dating anyone
while Sophia's
still in the house.
Liam and I have a great system
that ensures Sophia doesn't
miss out on anything.
I am not willing to gamble that.
- If you say so.
- What?
- I'm just saying.
I'm glad Sophia's not
missing out on anything,
but you might be.
- And shake, nice to meet you.
It's very nice to meet
you, you're such a friend.
Isn't it amazing?
Here, do you want
to give him one?
- Hey.
- My instructions a bit much?
- A little bit.
- Oh, pardon me, sorry.
Kate!
- Yeah.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- You forgot to
leave Mr. Moo-Cow.
- Oh.
- I'm gonna have to stop by
your office at lunch
tomorrow and grab him.
Is that okay?
- Okay, yeah, yep.
- Alright.
- Okay.
What's that face for?
- Nothing, it's...
It's just, so when
he's with other people,
he just has this whole
Prince Charming routine--
- Oh.
Would we call it that?
- And then with me he's
like, ugh, you know?
- Okay.
You can't compare yourself
to those PTA parents.
They've known him a long time,
they're like family.
When Amy passed away, they
all rallied around him.
They brought him casseroles,
and baby sitters--
- Amy?
- His wife.
And my best friend.
We taught here together.
- Oh.
I am so sorry.
- Thanks.
Me too.
She was just one of those people
who made you feel
loved, you know?
- Yeah.
- She was grounded and steady,
but there was this
light about her.
You push him outside
of his comfort zone,
like Amy did.
It's good for him.
He needs a friend like you.
Okay.
- Good morning!
- Oh, don't do that!
- Ha!
Not so fun, is it?
- Hey!
- I'm sorry, did I scare you?
- No.
Hi.
Oh, Moo-Cow.
Yes, I totally forgot
you were coming by.
Hold on, so sorry.
- It's okay.
We need to work on
that name by the way.
This office is awesome.
- Oh.
- The ping pong out there.
- Yeah.
- They just play ping pong.
- Um, hold on.
I was on the phone with you,
and then I picked up Moo-Cow,
and I picked up my keys,
and then I dropped my keys.
I just totally left
him by the front door.
I'm so sorry.
- It's okay, it's fine.
Do you want to drop
him off at my work
when you pick Sophia
up from school?
I'm right by there.
- Yeah, that would be great.
I will do that.
Here, write your address down.
- Oh.
Wow.
- Oh, no, no, no,
it's not finished,
it's not.
Oh.
- Can I just take a peek?
- You're just coming over.
- It's amazing.
- Well, it will be amazing
once I come up with a
heart stopping ending,
which I decidedly have not.
- Oh, is it a comedy or tragedy?
- Why do you ask?
- Well, if it's a comedy,
they end up together,
and if it's a tragedy,
they're driven apart by the
forces of fate or something.
Those are the rules, right?
- You
love your rules.
Well, it's actually
not that simple.
Those are the rules for romance,
and this is not that.
This is a story about courage,
and self discovery, and--
- Love.
- No!
Why does everybody
keep saying that?
- Well, because they're
obviously in love,
look at how you drew them.
- They're not in love.
I mean--
- Okay, if you say so.
I will leave you to it,
and then I will see
you today at three ish.
Sorry, yep.
- Hi.
- Bianca wants to talk.
- Uh oh.
- No, before she left,
we said we wanted to talk about
the next steps
when she got back.
So I think it's positive, right?
- Well, that depends.
What do you want
the next step to be?
- I mean, there's lots
to consider practically,
but Bianca's great.
Right?
- Well, are you
asking me, or you?
- Both?
- Well, whether or not I think
she's the one doesn't matter.
The only opinion that
matters is yours.
- We have to send all of
these back in for approval.
- Yes.
- That one, this one.
- Okay.
- Hi!
Surprise!
Mr. McAwesome,
reporting for duty.
- Thank you.
You're wonderful for bringing
that, I appreciate it.
- Do you have any toys
here like my mom's office?
- No, I wish.
- But we do have a
model of the light rail.
You want to see?
Yeah?
Okay, let's go.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
- She's too much.
- She's amazing.
Hi.
- Hey there, I'm
glad you're here.
Cause I keep thinking
about your short.
- Oh yeah?
- Yeah, I have a few notes.
- Oh, really?
- No, I don't.
But I do have a thought here.
You said it's a story
about courage, right?
- I did.
- Isn't love the most perfect
motivator for courage?
- I mean, it's a little
limited, don't you think?
People can be brave
for a lot of reasons.
- I don't know.
The world is a lot less scary
when no matter where you land,
you always know
where you belong.
And that helps you
take bigger chances,
that gives you
something to fight for.
Do you know what I mean?
- No.
To be honest, I don't
think I've ever felt that.
- Eric.
- Hey!
- Sorry.
Travel wrapped early, so
I just hopped a flight
so I could make our
phone date a real date.
- Yes, alright, let me see--
- Hey.
- If we can get a
sitter, maybe we can--
- I'll take Owen.
- Oh, I'm sorry,
Kate, this is Bianca,
Bianca, this is Kate.
- Uh, hi.
- Oh, you're Sophia's mom.
- Yeah.
- Hi.
It's so nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you too.
- Are you sure?
- Sophia would be thrilled.
- Okay, oh my gosh, thank you.
We'll drop him off
on the way to dinner.
- Okay.
That's great.
That's great, that's great.
So great.
So I'll just see you
two lovebirds later?
- On the way to
dinner, thank you.
- On the way to
dinner, that's right.
Okay, Sophia!
Which one do you
think is the solid?
- Solid.
- Yes, very good.
- Hey guys!
- Ah!
- Daddy!
- Hey!
- Hi.
What's up, kiddo?
Oh, so good to see you.
- How was Bali?
- It was unbelievable.
Wait 'til you see
the shots I got.
The temples, the
beaches, the sunsets.
The music.
That's yours.
- Thanks, Dad.
- Of course.
- Yes, thank you
so much for that.
That is gonna be the gift
that's gonna keep on giving.
- Well, it's a good
thing that I got you
this rare gourmet coffee blend
to help power you through.
- It is a great thing!
Ah, coffee.
Let me see the pictures.
Oh, this smells so good.
Thank you, thank you
so much for this.
- You're welcome.
I've got so many good shots.
- Oh, I love that.
- Dad, there is
someone very important
I would like you to meet.
- Oh, yes.
The famous Bruce.
Hi, Bruce.
Oh, no, the pleasure
is all mine, buddy.
- I'm gonna go take
him to the backyard.
- Okay.
- Okay.
- Come on, Bruce.
- Have fun, sweetie.
- Okay.
Bye, Bruce.
- So is it okay if I take
Sophia to my place tonight?
- No, actually.
Cause Owen's coming
over tonight.
- Who?
- The little boy, Owen,
that we share the dog with.
His dad's going on a date,
so I agreed to watch him.
- Oh, so the kids are friends.
- Best friends.
We go to the park, we go hiking,
which I gotta say, is
not Eric's strong suit.
- Who's Eric?
- Owen's dad.
Oh!
He totally roped me
into joining the PTA.
- You?
How?
- Well, he wanted Bruce
to go to obedience school,
so we made a deal.
I get the choose the
school, if I volunteer.
And I chose this
like fuzzy, you know,
feeling-sy place,
and I wish you
could've seen his face
when he walked through the door.
It was...
Um, funny.
It was funny.
- You like him!
- No, I do not.
He--
- Kate Healy, I have known you--
- He is such a nice guy!
- Since the seventh grade.
- Okay, you think you know me.
- You are smitten right now.
- What?
He has a girlfriend!
- Yeah, and you are
watching his kid
so he can go out on a date?
- So, we just throw them?
- Yeah, well, at
the canvas ideally.
- And we won't get in trouble?
- Anything above the
tarp is fair game.
Ready?
One, two, three!
- Welcome home.
That's nice.
- So do you remember
that old married couple
in the Chicago office
I told you about?
- Yeah, the one who
they are always fighting
with each other?
- Yes.
Larry, enough with
the printing already.
Rhonda, you know I
can't concentrate
without a hard copy.
- I'm so glad we don't get under
each other's skin like that.
- So the other night,
I forgot my keys at the office.
So I had to double back,
and there was Larry and Rhonda,
slow dancing in the office.
He's cracking jokes in her ear,
and she's laughing and laughing.
- Larry and Rhonda.
- Larry, Rhonda.
- See, that goes to show you,
you just don't know what's
underneath the surface there.
- Yeah, maybe.
Or maybe I just
had the wrong idea.
- What do you mean?
- I don't know.
I thought their bickering was
the spark fizzling out but
maybe it was more
than irritation.
See, they hold each other
to their best selves.
Even when they drive
each other crazy,
and that's real connection.
And I think maybe
that's real love.
And maybe I just
didn't get it before.
- We don't have that, do we?
- I'm sorry.
I was excited to have the
next steps talk with you,
because you're a great guy.
And I felt like I was checking
the next relationship
boxes but--
- To be honest, I'm relieved.
For that every time I
started thinking about
the next step conversation,
I just went blank.
And I don't know,
that's not a good sign.
- So why don't we
just find somebody
who makes us crazy,
is this how this works now?
- Maybe not crazy.
Maybe just passionate.
- Yeah.
I like that, passionate.
- Hey, come on in.
How was your date?
- It was, uh, you're
covered in paint.
- Oh, yeah.
Just a painting
experiment gone awry.
What?
- Nothing, nothing.
I'm glad you had a
good time tonight.
- Yeah.
No, we did.
Come on.
Hey, buddy.
- I hope you're doing okay, pal.
- Hi, buddy.
Here, his shoes.
- Hey.
Thanks for calling me back.
- I think I got so
focused on how to share,
that I forgot we need
to choose one home.
- As fun as this is,
it can't be forever, right?
- Right.
- I mean, in
theory, it could be.
It seems like Bruce will
have a happy home either way.
So as a representative
of the shelter,
there's no problem on our end.
- I'm sensing a but.
- Look, I can't
tell you what to do.
My job is to look after Bruce,
but if it were me,
it would only get
harder to say goodbye
the longer I had with him.
It might be better to
just rip the bandaid off,
so to speak.
- I understand.
Thank you.
- Thank you.
- How's the world's
best dog doing?
- He learned two new
tricks this week.
- He's a good boy.
- The best boy.
- Hey, Owen.
If Bruce lives with me,
I promise, I'll still
share him with you.
- Oh.
Okay, but, if he lives with me,
I'll still share
him with you too.
- Owen, keep him
on the leash, bud!
- Okay, Dad!
Hi, Sophia.
- Hey!
- Ah.
Sorry we're late.
- Mm, no worries.
I got here a little
early anyway.
I'm just trying
to clear my head.
You have news?
- What?
- You're never late.
- Nothing, it's nothing.
- Spill it.
- Okay.
It's a job opportunity,
at a housing advocacy group.
- That's amazing!
Did you apply?
- No.
- Why?
Isn't that your dream job?
- There's just been a
lot of change this month.
With Bruce, and Bianca
and I breaking up.
- Yeah.
I mean, yeah, you did?
Oh, I'm really sorry
to hear about that.
That's very rough.
That's a...
- Carla?
- Yeah, yep.
But I am, I'm sorry though.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
So, this job.
- Yeah, this job.
- Yeah.
- It'd also be a pretty
big career pivot on paper.
- Oh, nonsense.
You've been in
government for years.
All you have to do
is just, you know,
get creative, and then show them
how passionate you
are about this.
Right?
- Those are not fireflies.
- Oh, no.
My boss reviewed my short,
and he told me that my
ending was uninspired,
so I'm trying to
get out of my head,
and get into my heart,
so, hence that.
- Can you get a sitter tomorrow?
- I think so.
Liam's back, maybe
he could watch him.
Why?
- I have an idea.
Something that might help
give you some perspective.
- Oh.
Thank you, I'm all ears.
- Oh, no, no, no, no, no.
If we're trying to get
you out of your head,
I think it should be a surprise.
What do you say?
You game?
- Why do you want to help me?
- We might as well have each
other's backs right now.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
I'm game.
- Okay.
He gets three stories.
The last one you could read,
it could be a calm one,
he gets super amped up
if you read anything
that's like,
a superhero, or space, or...
- You look like a princess.
- Thank you.
- Alright, you two
kids come with me.
It's dinner time.
And you kids have fun.
- Thank you.
- I should've known you'd take
get some perspective literally.
- A little birdie named Carla
told me that you were a
bit of an astronomy geek.
- Oh, no.
You hit it out of the park.
I have been dying to come here.
But it's always been
too late for Sophia,
past her bedtime.
- Oh, sure.
Well now we're grown
ups, with a sitter.
- Look at us!
- Wow.
- Look at us.
- Wow.
- I know, right?
- We're doing it.
- Look at this.
- This is fantastic,
and laminated.
- Oh, yeah.
- Very nice.
- I love the myth about
that star and that star
once being a peasant and
princess who fell in love.
- And let me guess,
they lived happily ever after.
- Kind of.
- Mhm.
- More of a Romeo and
Juliet sort of thing
where they put this gigantic
celestial river between
the two of them,
otherwise known as--
- The Milky Way.
- Milky Way.
- Man.
Dating is hard everywhere.
Stars.
They're just like us.
But that's not the
end of the story.
- Oh, no.
One night a year, the
stars align just so
to create a bridge
to reunite them.
That's my favorite story.
- That's your favorite?
It's so sad!
- What?
Oh no.
It's hopeful.
- Hopeful?
Please, they're two
star-crossed lovers.
- I saw what you
did there, good pun.
- Mhm, spend eternity
pining for the one
person they can't have.
There are plenty of
stars in the sky,
it's like come on,
move it along, folks.
- No, but it's hopeful,
because to never
experience a love that big
is far worse than the
pain of missing someone.
It doesn't get more
romantic than that.
- What would they
be missing out on?
- Well, for one,
she's one of the
top five brightest
stars in the sky.
So, I mean, what guy
in his right mind
is gonna pass that up?
- What about her?
- Passion.
Satisfaction knowing
that she didn't settle,
and assurance.
- Assurance.
What assurance?
They can't even be together.
- How many people can say,
even if it's for
one night a year,
that in that moment,
they were right where
they were supposed to be?
Full disclosure.
I didn't get to go
grocery shopping
like I had planned,
and so our menu tonight
is 87% kid friendly.
- Fantastic.
What do you got?
- Oh, I got cheese puffs.
- Yeah!
- I have a bottle of
wine labeled "red".
- Red.
- Yes.
Definitely adult approved.
Now this vintage, I've been told
pairs very well with the PB&--
- You had me at cheese puff.
Cheese puffs make
everything better.
- Really, cheese puffs?
- Mhm.
- Anything could've
happened tonight,
but as long as it ended
with cheese puffs,
all's well that ends well?
- That's right.
- Cheese puff.
- Mhm.
Can I say something awkward?
- That seems on brand.
- Carla told me about your wife.
I had no idea, and
I just wanted to say
I'm so sorry.
- Well, thank you.
She was amazing.
I can't help but think
how proud she would be
of what Owen and I
have built since.
- I didn't know her,
but I can't imagine
she wouldn't be.
- Your turn.
- For what?
- Sophia's dad.
What happened there?
- Oh.
I mean, nothing dramatic.
Well, we met in high school,
got married way too young.
We should've known
from the beginning.
Beginning.
- What's wrong?
- I don't need a new end,
I need a new beginning.
- What do you mean?
- My short.
I don't need a new end,
I need a new beginning.
I gotta go.
- Mission
accomplished, let's go!
- Okay, cool.
- Let's go, let's go.
Did you get it?
Oh, okay.
- Hey, team!
- Oh, come on, Kate!
- Okay, sorry.
Habit.
I've been up all night writing
a new beginning for our short.
- Beginning?
- Beginning?
- And a new ending,
and drum roll please...
It's a romance now.
- Yes!
Are you serious?
Is she serious?
- Nobody move, or
we'll all wake up.
- You were right.
It's all there, I just
need your brilliant minds
to bring it to life,
so can we do this?
- Yes, we can do it.
- Okay, thank you guys.
And I'll see you later.
Okay.
- Yes!
We got it.
- Finally, oh my goodness.
Yes, finally.
- Down and back.
Perfect.
Now let's talk about sealant.
- Okay.
- Ugh.
- Kate.
What are you doing here?
- I'm teaching
Susan about sealant.
- Oh.
Go home and finish your short.
- But I--
- Go.
- But--
- No buts about it!
You're not welcome here
until your short's finished.
- You're not the boss of me!
- No, but as
president of the PTA,
my name is on that funnel
cake machine lease.
- You wouldn't.
- No, but I will make
sure that there is
an unlimited supply
of funnel cake
waiting for someone
who may happen to have
a finished short.
- Fine!
- Maybe dial back the
caffeine a little?
- Never!
Sophia!
- At an angle,
make it like the
wind's blowing it?
- Yeah, I think
that's great, and the trees.
- Yep, can do that too.
- That looks good.
- Yeah, I like that.
Just there's that one frame
and when you get to the--
- You already did your job,
now let us do ours!
Thank you.
- Okay, great.
- Oh, excellent.
These are for "Bowl and Roll".
- Hi.
- Hey, how's it going?
- Good, we're just about to go
paint some more, and
then I think we're set.
- Pardon me.
Hey, did you finish?
- No, I just wanted to--
- Sorry.
- Sorry!
- Bye.
- Hi.
I had a million more cups
of coffee, take that!
And now my team has taken over,
and I kind of need
something to do.
I can't let this
energy go to waste,
so, I took the liberty
of making you a cover letter.
No excuses.
Apply to the job
already, would ya?
- What did she do?
- Aw.
You need to apply
for this job already.
- I'm gonna watch it again.
- Okay.
- Wow.
I did not think that
I was gonna make it.
- You did make it.
- Right?
- What's that?
- We've done
that, I wanna do that one.
- Yeah.
- Did we get to do that?
- Don't worry about it!
You're like, uh--
- Hey, Owen!
You want to do the
ring toss with me?
- Oh, yeah!
- That video.
- I know, I know.
- That was incredible.
Thank you.
- Well, it's the
least I could do.
- I
actually think it was
the literal most you could do.
Hey.
- Hey.
- Can I take you out?
A real date, no kids.
I mean, maybe Bruce could come.
Okay, look, I don't want
to make things weird.
- Okay.
- Okay?
- Yeah.
I think that would be okay.
- Okay.
Great.
- Yes!
- Yay!
- Hey!
- You gotta say it.
- You were right about
the theme, it worked.
- Yeah!
- Now, hey.
Do you think since we
did the carnival today,
it would be nice if
we could have Bruce
for one more day?
- You know what?
Rules are rules, buddy.
Especially when
they're laminated.
- Okay.
Hey.
I had fun with you today.
- Yeah, it was a great day.
Thank you.
- Sweet dreams.
- Good night.
Uh, no, no, no.
We have the dog.
You swore the PowerPoint
madness would end.
- Hey buddy.
What's that?
- As you know--
- We are sharing
world's best dog.
- We both love Bruce so much!
- And we don't want
to give him up.
So we have a plan.
- Okay.
Alright.
Show me this plan.
- Uh huh.
Did you get an adorable
ambush this morning?
Or was that just me?
- No.
Well, yes.
Sophia gave me
another one of her
PowerPoint presentations.
- Oh, I didn't.
Mine was not that sophisticated.
But still, very impressed.
It was a masterfully
coordinated--
- Eric.
- Oh.
- I'm not a rules person,
but I have had one rule.
Which is not to date
while Sophia's a kid
because I didn't want
her to get attached
to someone who wasn't
gonna stick around.
And I promised myself
that when I did date,
I would be so
careful and so sure--
- We're gonna take it slow.
We're gonna make it very
clear with the kids.
- Did you and I get the
same pitch this morning?
Our kids want us to
just mosey on down
to the courthouse,
and get hitched,
and we haven't even gone
on a first date yet.
It's too fast.
- I know how I feel about you,
and I know I haven't felt
that way in a long time.
- Eric.
The look on her face
when she was so sure
that you and I being together
would solve everything...
I can risk my
heart, but not hers.
I just think we
should, you know,
take a break for now,
and just let the
kids be friends.
- Owen.
We gotta go, buddy.
- Eric, I'm so sorry.
- No.
It's okay.
You're a good mom.
I get it.
- Hey!
Who wants ice cream?
- You want ice cream?
- This is a real
departure for you.
- I know.
- I mean, I usually--
- I know.
- Love your work but--
- I don't know what
I was thinking--
- This has far exceeded
anything we imagined.
- What?
- We love it.
I might be a little biased,
but I've seen the
other submissions,
and I'd make sure you have the
first weekend in June open.
- Really?
- In my opinion,
you're a shoe in
for the Georgia
Animation Festival.
I think you're gonna
blow the judges away.
- Hi, Bruce.
Come on.
Alright.
Come on, Bruce.
- I will find you, my sun
and stars, no matter how far.
- Hi, Liam.
- Hi.
So the digital copy of
the festival invitations
are in your inbox.
And I had my
assistant print some
on some fancy paper for you.
- Thank you.
- Oh boy, what happened?
- I don't know what
you're talking about.
- With dog dad.
- Yeah, lady, what,
you've known him
for like five seconds, but sure.
He's definitely the one.
Hey!
- Alright.
- Come on, I was watching that.
- Look.
I know we're exes,
but I like to think that
we're friends, good friends.
What did he do?
- Nothing.
Nothing.
I mean, he's amazing.
- So?
- So, I can't do
it to Sophia, okay?
I can't risk hurting her.
- Look, we raised a resilient,
loving, and smart kid.
Sometimes too smart.
But I don't think that's what
you're worried about
here, no offense.
- I don't know
why I'm so scared.
- I do.
You've never been
in grown up love.
I'm serious.
We started dating
when we were what, 17?
You have not been
swept off your feet
as an adult.
And that is an entirely
different, exhilarating,
and terrifying experience.
- What if I'm no good at it?
- Nobody's good at it.
- Okay, well, I mean,
like what if we break up?
I mean, what about the kids?
And Bruce, it's just,
it's such a bad plan.
- Yeah but, you can't
plan this stuff out.
Life likes to take a hammer
to the best laid plans.
But the Kate Healy that I know
would take all
those little pieces,
and would string them together,
and tell a bigger story.
And she sees what could be,
even when other people can't.
Isn't what they pay
you the big bucks for
over at that studio?
- Yeah.
You know, you've come a long way
since the angsty teenager I met.
- Yeah, whatever.
- Whatever.
- You better do what
makes you happy though,
cause I don't have a lot
of those speeches in me.
- You're late.
- Sorry.
Super serious game
of tetherball.
- Today, we have a
super secret mission.
- I love super secret missions.
- Take this invitation,
tell your dad it's from my mom.
Super brother, do you
accept this mission?
- I can do this.
- Kate.
- It's me.
- What are
you doing here?
- Hi.
Here.
It's for my short,
they're showing it at
an animation festival,
and I just wanted
to invite you guys.
- I know.
- You have two.
- Owen just gave me one.
- But I didn't--
- Abort, abort!
Go, go, go!
- Our kids.
- Well, I can't turn
down two invitations,
now can I?
- Great.
Great.
So I'll see you tomorrow.
- Yeah, great.
- Awesome, cool.
I'm gonna see you there?
- Yeah.
- Yep.
- That's it.
Yeah, here you go.
See?
Easy peasy.
- You look beautiful.
- Go, go, go, go!
Go, go, go, go.
- Um, I think we're in here.
This is us, we're right here.
- Welcome to the animated
short film competition.
This year's nominees
will compete
for a chance to submit
for the Academy Awards
"Animated Short" category.
Please stay seated
after our presentation
for a Q&A with our creators.
Enjoy.
- I'd like to turn
the discussion
over to Kate Healy's charming
short, Light The Way.
You know, it's a hard thing
to make an audience
believe in love again
in eight minutes or less.
- Well.
You can thank my
team for that one.
Honestly, I was
completely against
a romantic ending
for this short.
- Really?
Well, what made you
change your mind?
- Well, when we first started
working on the project,
I had written love
off as a cliche.
I was pretty sure
that I had been there,
seen the trailer,
wasn't missing much.
You know what I mean?
But then someone
very important to me
showed me just
what I was missing.
Oh.
It can shake parts of you awake
that you thought you would
have to tuck away forever.
Because love is one
of the only ways
that we show each
other that we belong.
And everybody
deserves to belong.
Dramatic fireflies,
shelter dogs,
maybe even me.
- Mom.
- Yeah.
- I'm gonna go show
Owen your award.
- Okay.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Congrats on the
Grand Jury Prize.
Your short was incredible.
- You liked it?
- No, I loved it.
I had an interview with the
affordable housing
advocacy group yesterday,
and I have a follow
up next week.
- Of course you do.
Tell me everything.
- First thing they asked about
was my very creative
cover letter.
So thank you.
So I told them that,
long story short,
I met this infuriatingly zany,
insanely talented woman
who reminded me that life was
way too short to waste any time
not doing what you love.
- She sounds like a wise woman.
Let's say, hypothetically,
this wise woman decided that
she didn't know everything.
- Okay.
- And, hypothetically, dinner
doesn't sound like Armageddon.
- No.
Stop.
One date would not be
the end of the world?
- Mm, no.
I think it actually
might be nice.
- So, what are we
gonna do with this dog?
- I don't know.
- I cannot, in good conscience,
leave this dog with
some wild, unruly--
- Unruly?
- Oh, yeah.
- Well then I
can't leave the dog
with some tyrant who's
just gonna break his spirit
and we're never gonna...
Hi, buddy.
Hi.
Alright guys, let's go home.
Right, Bruce?
Let's go home.
Yeah!