Ricky (2025) Movie Script

1
[tambourine rattling]
[pensive music]
-All right, God, we
thank you, we thank you.
How wonderful you are, God.
Look at how You brought
Ricky out, God.
We are so delighted that he is
with us now.
- Whoo.
[Worshiper] Ricky is home.
You protected and shielded him.
You covered him.
Keep him, oh, God.
Ooh
[Worshiper] We thank
you for your goodness.
Thank you for your mercy.
Father God,
help him right his ships.
Thank you, God, thank you.
Thank you for keeping him.
[Worshiper] Hallelujah.
Ooh
[pensive music continues]
[vehicle beeping]
[pensive music continues]
[singer vocalizing]
[vehicle continues beeping]
[door clicking and clattering]
[Worker] Slow, slow,
slow, slow, slow.
Slow, slow, slow, wait, back.
[laid-back music]
Vanderslice sent a beat, man
The rest is history, yeah
[box clattering]
[workers chattering
indistinctly]
[door thuds and squeaks]
[door clicks]
[vehicle beeping]
-Damn.
[traffic whooshing]
Hallelujah
Though I'm
battered and blue,
feel like I'm born to lose
Though I never been,
never been, never
Never have I been so low
Now there's only
one way to go, oh
And I never
Never give up
Never give up
[phone ringing]
Never give up
- [James]Yo.
[Ricky] Yo, come scoop me.
[James]Scoop you?
[Ricky] This bus is taking
forever, yo.
[James]Nigga, I'm
doing something right now.
[Ricky] You ain't
doing shit, dawg.
I'm serious. I
need a ride, bro.
[James]Yo, I'm
like, I need, like,
I need, like, an
hour, bro, all right?
Yo, I gotta go.
[phone beeping]
Give up, never
Never will I give up
Never give up
Never give up
No, no, no, no
Never give up
Never give up
I'm so thankful
I can feel the tingle
from my head to my ankles
And I never
felt, never felt
Never, never have
I felt so cold
[traffic whooshing]
I bring a chill
to your bones
Don't you know,
don't you know
'Cause I never
Never give up
Never give up
-Damn.
Never give up
Never give up
[Ricky] What's up, little man?
[Jaz] Yo, what you doing?
What the hell are you doing?
Gimme the ball.
- Oh, nah, it just rolled...
- Give me the ball...
-down to the street.
- Please, help me.
- Hey, hold up.
-Kareem, what did I tell you
about doing that?
-Hold up. He need a cut?
-What? Stand here.
- I'm a barber.
- Who are you?
-Me, uh, my name Rick.
-Rick what? From where?
I don't know you.
Why are you talking to my son?
-Nah,
I, I just got back into town.
-You don't hear how crazy you
sound talking to me right now?
Why are you talking to my son?
-Nah, deadass.
I just got off work,
but I cut hair, too.
-Okay, well,
what's your socials?
- My what?
- Like your Gram,
something that'll tell me
who you are.
Who are you?
-Oh, nah, I don't, uh, I don't
mess with all that.
- Okay, you're done.
- Hey, Hold, hold, hold up.
Let me show you. I'm a barber,
for real.
Like, see what I'm saying?
Not that one,
I didn't do that one.
- Mm-hmm.
- Or that one.
- Okay.
- But yeah, but this.
- You did this one?
- That was me, yep.
I'm saying I could hook
little man up.
You know what I mean?
He look like he could use it.
[traffic whooshing]
[Jaz] All right,
give me your number.
-Nah, it's, it's a, uh, it's a
new phone, so-
-You don't know your own number?
-No, I, I know it, but, you
know,
I've been trying to figure out,
um...
- Right, right, okay.
- So-
-I'm gonna give you my number.
[phone rings and beeps]
It's me, 'kay?
-Hey,
what you say your name was?
-Oh, I didn't.
[door clicks and squeaks]
[horn honking]
[people chattering indistinctly]
[dog barking]
[traffic whooshing]
[sirens wailing]
[engine roaring]
[distant rap music]
[footsteps plodding]
[siren wailing]
[phone ringing]
[engine humming]
[distant rap music]
[Dealer] Hey, OG, runtz.
-What'd you say?
[Dealer] Yo,
what you deaf, nigga?
I said I got weed for sale.
- Man, fuck outta here.
- Word?
- Yeah.
- All right, bet.
[window whirring]
[Ricky] Bullshit.
[engine roaring]
[tires screeching]
[Ricky] Whoa, whoa,
whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Yo, yo, chill, chill.
-What's that shit
you saying now?
-I ain't even on all that, bro,
for real.
[gun rattling]
[Dealer] Fuck outta here.
Ricky Bobby with the gat
[engine roaring]
Y'all
Finish first, never last
Scoop
Watch me do all that
[trash can clattering]
Speed racing
Speed fast
Yeah
Speed racing
Yes
Speed fast
Yeah
Speed racing
[dog barking]
Speed fast
Yeah
Speed racing
[feet pattering]
All today,
overtime with the over days
Hold this down
while I orchestrate
Motherfucker,
get your bitch-ass.
Motherfucker, yeah, the fuck
you thought you was going?
-Yo, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,
whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Chill, chill,
chill, chill, chill.
-Fuck that.
-What's y'all want?
What y'all want?
-You made me run all this
fucking way.
-I didn't do nothing.
-Hey, hey, you with the gun,
put the fucking gun down.
Put the fucking gun down.
Put that fucking gun
on the deck now!
You think I'm playing?
I'll fucking smoke you.
Put it on the deck right now,
motherfucker!
- All right, OG.
- Get the fuck out.
You too,
get the fuck outta here.
- Fuck you, bitch-ass nigga.
- I'll put this
up your fucking ass.
-Fuck you. Get the Vaseline.
[Leslie] Get the fuck out.
-Look, man, they was trying-
-Be cool.
-to rob me.
- They was trying to rob me.
- Back the fuck up.
[Ricky] I, I didn't do nothing.
They was trying to rob me.
I was just walking home
from work.
I ain't do nothing, all right?
They was chasing me
for no reason.
- There's always a reason.
- Leslie.
-Swear to God, man. Look.
I was coming back from work.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,
whoa, be fucking cool.
Slow!
- Look, look,
-Leslie
-I'm just coming back
from work.
- Phone.
- I swear to God.
- Leslie.
- Swear to God.
- Angie,
go back in the house, honey.
[Angie] They're asking
about the car.
-Okay, Ange, go back in.
[Angie] I already told you I
want the car gone.
- Oh, my God.
- I'm, I'm tired
of playing these games with you.
- Ange.
- And who's that?
-Angie, love of my life,
go back in the fucking house!
[dog barking]
[siren wailing]
All right.
All right.
Go on. Get outta here.
Go!
[feet pattering]
[siren wailing]
[dog barking]
[water pattering]
[hand knocking]
[Winnie] James.
[hand knocking]
James, I know you hear me.
- Ma, it's me.
[Winnie] Ricky, didn't I ask you
to take out the trash earlier?
-I've been busy.
I ain't get it yet.
I've been working.
[Winnie] Well,
are you working now?
-Ma, I'm just trying, I'm trying
to get out, okay?
[Winnie] Ricky, don't you give
me that tone.
[sighs] I'm not.
I'm just trying to get out.
[Winnie] Well, take the trash
out when you're done.
-Mom.
[door squeaking]
[dog barking]
[door clattering]
[door squeaking]
[door thuds]
[bag rustling]
[car beeps]
-Yo, Mom talk to you?
Yo, yeah, yo, about earlier,
that's my bad, bro, my fault.
I got caught up, like,
for real, for real.
[scoffs] Almost had me caught up
for real, for real.
-Deadass? What happened?
-Don't even worry
about it, dawg.
[James] We good?
- Yeah.
- I don't like
how that shit sound.
- Yo, I'm gonna figure it out
like I always figure it out.
-Nah, bro, don't get caught up
in no shit, bro.
What? For real, earlier though,
my bad, bro, gangster.
All right? I got you next time.
That was on me.
-Nah, it's all good.
I need a favor from your girl,
though.
-Nigga, what? Fuck outta
here with your celibate ass.
Talking about my girl.
- Celibate, nigga?
- Yeah, nigga.
- I look celibate?
- Yeah, you do.
- Motherfucker.
-Man, come on.
[hands patting]
[Ricky] Come on,
kid, come on, kid.
[James laughs]
[phone buzzing]
[hand thudding]
Hello.
[Jaz]Hey, is this Rick?
[Ricky] Yeah, who this?
[Jaz]Oh, so you're just
giving your phone number
out to anybody?
[Ricky] Oh, nah,
my bad, what's good?
[Jaz]Yeah, you could
do that favor for my son?
[Ricky] All right, I got you.
[birds chirping]
[hand knocking]
[door clatters and creaks]
-Hold on. Kareem.
[footsteps plodding]
-Why he here?
-Boy,
play your tablet and sit down.
And be still, please.
[chair clattering]
I'll be right back.
[horn honking]
-What's up, little man?
-Fuck you looking at?
-Hey, yo, come get your kid.
[Jaz] He acting up?
Don't embarrass me.
- Out here wilding out.
- Here.
- Nah, it's, it's cordless.
All right.
[bag thuds]
[zipper zipping]
[chair clattering]
Appreciate it.
- Yeah.
[chair and items clattering]
Where you live at?
-I stay in, uh, East Hartford.
-East Hartford?
You walked all the way
over here?
-Yeah, nah, I mean,
yeah, uh, it was...
-Right.
[Ricky] not quite the, um...
[phone buzzing]
-Hello.
Do me a favor
and pick up his cake for me?
Anytime after 02:00.
All right, make sure they spell
his name right, please.
All right, all right.
[Ricky] How old little man 'bout
to be?
-Nine going on 49.
Supposed to be born
in September, but he's a premie.
-Word, shit,
my birthday September.
- You lying.
- For real, 16th.
-Bullshit.
[Ricky] Mm-hmm.
-That's my father's birthday.
You know, they say Virgos
are supposed to be reliable.
[sighs] Yeah, I guess.
-What you mean you guess?
You here, aren't you?
[people chattering indistinctly]
How much I owe you?
-Nah, it's cool.
Get me next time.
-Who said anything
about a next time?
-Oh, no, I was just saying it,
you know,
for the little man,
you know, them...
-Just a little off the back and
the sides.
Line him up in the front,
nothing off the top.
You know,
you still don't know my name.
-Sure,
you ain't-you ain't told me.
-It's Jaz.
[gentle music]
[razor busing]
[Ricky] 'Kay.
[razor buzzing]
[pensive music]
-Just trimming out your hair,
little man.
-Right.
- Don't be shy now.
- Right.
-Just be like this,
"I'll cover my ears
if you don't want me
to know about it."
[Jaz] She's a nice girl.
[Ricky laughs]
-I almost got you straight.
[Ricky laughs]
[engine humming]
-I'll be right back.
[door clattering]
[Jaz] I'll be right back.
I'm just going to the bodega.
[engine humming]
[gentle music]
[shoes clacking]
[hand knocking]
[Ricky exhales]
[shoes clacking]
[door clattering and creaking]
[door thuds and lock clicks]
[door clattering]
-Here it is, 325i, ay, ay.
-Shit, my pops used to
have one just like it.
-Oh, yeah? Like
father, like son.
When I started the restoration,
told my wife
it was gonna take time.
She was screaming
at me all the time,
"You taking too
much time, Leslie.
It's taking up
too much space."
But, you know, perfection
takes time, right?
But you can see, inside
and out, it's clean.
The engine, it's good,
original engine.
It's never been rebuilt.
- Sure you mind?
- Yeah, knock yourself out.
[door clattering]
Tell you something
else about this car.
I tapped a lot of
ass in this car.
Anyway, my kids don't want
it. I don't wanna let it go.
Take my word for it.
When you're married,
peace is priceless.
-How much do you want for it?
-Give me 35, it's yours.
[Ricky sucks teeth]
[Leslie] [laughs] Why?
You from the Caribbean or what?
-Yeah, my, my peoples, they
from the Virgin Islands.
-Ah, Virgin Islands, wait,
let me ask you something.
Is that, like, a bunch
of little islands
full of virgins?
Yeah, it's a bad joke.
Anyway, I had a war buddy.
He used to [sucks teeth]
suck his teeth all the time.
He was from Trinidad, you know?
-Yeah, I was supposed to
join after high school.
-The military? Why
didn't you join?
-You said you wanted 35 for it?
-I'll tell you what, kid.
Give me 25, it's yours.
- 25?
- Yeah.
- For real?
- For real.
[clothes and cash rustling]
-All right, all right,
is, is that, is that good
for, for, like, a down payment?
-Yeah, I'm, uh, I could
wipe my ass with this.
-Shoot, I got some change,
too. You, you wanna-
[laughs] Keep your change.
I'm not gonna take
your bus fare.
- You sure?
- Yeah.
- We're good?
- Yeah, we're good, man.
Pay me the rest by
the end of the month.
I'll hold it till then.
-Thank you, Mister, um...
-Torino, like the car.
- Mr. Torino.
- Yeah.
-Mr. Torino, all
right, cool, it's...
[paper rasping]
Shit, put it in my phone.
Thank you.
- Not bad.
- I appreciate you.
- You have a blessed day.
- For real.
- I got you, man.
[pensive music]
Portions
[door clattering]
Resolution
Baller, baller
Ball drop, ball
drop, ball drop
Yeah
We gonna get this
money by the portions
New Year's resolutions
We gonna get this
money by the portions
Yeah
New Year's resolutions
[Worker] Oh, oh, shit.
-Yo, you for real right now?
[Worker] Yo, watch
what you're doing, man.
Watch what you're doing.
[Worker] Nah, nah, nah,
leave that. Leave that shit.
Nah, that's him.
[Supervisor]Ricardo
Smith to the office, please.
Ricardo Smith to the office.
Ricardo Smith to the office.
[workers chattering
indistinctly]
[Terrence] Look, Rick,
I'ma keep it a buck
with you, all right?
I warned you about it.
[fingers tapping]
[glasses clacking]
-Nah,
nah, I'm not signing it.
-I literally told you
that paperwork always gonna...
- You a fucking liar, man.
-Uh, I'm a fucking liar?
I wouldn't do that to you.
-You wouldn't do
this to me, nigga?
Are you forgetting how
the fuck I got here
in the first place, huh?
Fucking background check?
[Terrence] I'ma find
you something else.
-No, nigga, I need this.
-It's not me,
Rick. I got a boss.
I got somebody to answer to.
-Yeah, okay, well, fuck it
then. Run me my check, bro.
[Terrence] This ain't
how that work, bro.
-Run me my shit, bro.
-They'll mail you
your check, Rick.
[Ricky breathing heavily]
You gonna get your money, man,
and I'll find you
something else.
You gotta trust me.
Come on. What are you doing?
Rick, what the fuck
are you doing, man?
Rick, you hear?
Keys open doors
To these houses
and mini stores
Be a entrepreneur,
investments and many more
[Terrence] Rick,
what the fuck? Come on.
[Ricky singing faintly]
Rick.
- Don't fucking touch me, man.
- Come on, Rick.
- Bullshit.
-What the fuck are you doing?
[heartbeat thudding]
I'm trying.
You gotta trust me. Trust me.
[Terrence speaking indistinctly]
-Goddamn.
[heartbeat continues thudding]
[Terrence] I'm gonna
find you something else.
You just gotta trust me.
- Look, my bad, bro.
-Yo, yo, just leave it,
leave it, leave it, okay?
Trust me, man.
- Bro, I can't go back.
[Terrence] I know.
I know.
- I can't go back.
-I know, I know.
-I'm not going back in there, T.
[door clicks and squeaks]
Fucking, bullshit.
[phone buzzing]
Shit, fuck.
[phone continues buzzing]
- [Joanne]Hello.
- Shit.
[Joanne]Ricardo, I can hear you.
[phone beeps]
-Shit.
[pensive music]
[engine humming]
[pensive music continues]
[pensive music continues]
[Winnie] Yes, Lord.
- Protect him.
- Yes, Lord.
- Hallelujah.
- God, thank you
for keeping Ricky, Lord God,
when he was incarcerated.
Thank you for keeping
[doorbell ringing]
his mind, protecting and
shielding him, Lord God,
and now that he's
here with us, God...
- Don't let him get back...
- Sisters, Sisters,
let's finish this another time.
You guys have a good night.
- All right.
I'll call you.
- All right.
Thank you, thank you, Sisters.
Thank you, all right.
[footsteps plodding]
[door squeaking and clattering]
-Where were you supposed
to be yesterday, Ricardo?
You know those meetings
are mandatory, right?
Hello? Look at me.
I told you last week.
If you're not honest with
me, this is not gonna work.
- I got let go.
- Again, Ricky?
-It's not my fault,
Ms. Jo.
I didn't do nothing. I swear.
[Joanne] What happened?
[Ricky sighs]
-It's bullshit.
-Well, you gotta
find something quick,
and you gotta get me
that signature.
Make sure he makes his meetings.
-Isn't that your job?
-Our job is to make sure
that your son does
not go back to prison.
It's been 21 days without work.
He'll be lucky to make it to 30.
You know what you
need to do, right?
Get me that signature.
Don't make me say it again.
[footsteps plodding]
[door clicks and squeaks]
[Ricky breathing heavily]
[brooding music]
[Ricky speaking faintly]
[Ricky] Cindy,
Cindy, Cindy, Cindy.
Shit, where's she from?
-Girl from uptown on Kent.
-Oh, nigga, you talking
about big-lip Cindy, nigga.
-Yeah, upper lip Cindy.
[laughs] Upper lip Cindy.
Goddamn.
- Yeah.
-Shit, it's been a
minute. How's she?
-Well, she ran for mayor
last year and almost won.
-Fuck out.
Did you vote for her?
[clicks tongue]
Can't vote, nigga.
-Why not?
-Nigga, the same reason you
can't vote.
[both laughing]
[razor buzzing]
-I feel that, bro.
-Man, matter of fact,
hold up, man.
Hold up, hold up, I
got something for you.
- Man, what you doing, bro?
- Hold on, man.
Bro,
I told you I gotta bounce, bro.
-Here.
- What's this?
- Read it.
Like for real, my
nigga, read that shit.
That shit saved my life,
you know, health, wealth,
spiritual type shit.
Finish cutting my hair, nigga.
-Finish this shit up, man.
- Hell yeah.
- Get you a girlfriend.
[door knocking]
[Spig] Find me another girl.
-Nigga, I told you
I gotta bounce, dawg.
-Chill, man, relax.
-Spig, dip, bro.
-Come on. Hold on, man.
[latch clicking]
Early, come back in like a half.
-You got a bitch in here
or something?
Move, nigga.
- You outta pocket, man.
In my girl crib?
- Girl crib, nigga?
- Tell your girl
to clean up.
- What you feeling like, man?
Who the fuck is you...
- This nigga.
- Talking to?
- I'm talking to you, nigga.
[Ricky] Fuck outta here, man.
- Yo, who this?
- Hey, yo, chill, man.
He 'bout to leave, man. Chill.
- All right, my bad, my bad.
- Yeah.
-I got next.
[Spig] Hell no, man.
- So you up, bro?
- I'm getting a cut.
Come on, man. I'm
getting my lineup, man.
-You don't want this work,
nigga?
[Spig] Fine.
[Thug] Like I said, I got next.
- Yeah, I'm out.
- Rick, Rick, Rick, Rick,
it's cool.
- You, you know in advance.
- It's cool, it's cool.
- And I already told you
I gotta go.
- Rick, it's cool.
I got you. I got you.
Man, it's cool.
[Girlfriend] Baby,
tell him to take his bag.
[Thug] Bro,
take the fucking bag.
- What the fuck this?
- Bro, stop playing.
[Girlfriend] It's
great. [laughs]
[Spig] It's all good.
[Thug] Yo, loosen that shit up.
[zipper whizzing]
We good?
- Yeah, we good.
[Thug] All right,
then stop being
all fidgety and shit.
Yo, why you looking so sexy,
though? What's going on?
[Spig] Hey, y'all need
to hurry the fuck up.
- Yeah, hurry up, nigga.
- Relax.
- My bad, I know I'm so...
- Yeah.
[Thug] just, just, just relaxed.
-You good?
[tense music]
[thug laughing]
Why the fuck
you all in my mouth?
You heard what the fuck I said.
- No, no, no, no, no, no...
- Hey, yo, chill...
- I be watching her.
- Yo, yo, nah,
you get out.
- Huh?
-You looking at my bitch, nigga?
- Let me talk to him...
- No, no, no!
-I'm just trying to
have a conversation.
-Let it drop,
nigga. Let him go.
Man, bounce. Be out.
[Thug] Yeah, just
be out. You feel me?
[bag rustling]
[Joanne] Any contact
with felons?
- No, ma'am.
- Yeah, okay.
Any drugs?
-No, no, I mean outside of
the ones y'all got me on.
-Well, I hope you're taking them
the way you ought to be.
- Oh, yes, ma'am, mm-hmm.
- Mm-hmm, okay.
What about a job?
You find anything?
-Yes, ma'am, sure.
-All right.
-I just came back
from cutting hair.
-What's the name of the shop?
[Ricky] Hmm?
[Joanne] The name of the shop.
-Oh, well, no, I,
I just got clients,
so, you know, I be doing them.
- You got clients?
- Mm-hmm.
-All right, um...
-I was, I was, I was
gonna save up, you know,
raise money to get a whip,
and then after I got the whip,
it was all gonna line
itself up after that.
-So you're saving up
to buy a car.
- Yes, ma'am.
- Wonderful.
[Ricky] Mm-hmm.
-How you gonna pay for the car?
-Well, well, I was gonna,
see, I was gonna work
and then, you know,
build up my clientele,
and then once I build up the
clientele, I get the whip.
-Mm-hmm, and how much money
did you make cutting hair?
-I mean it's...
-Okay, so you need a job, and
you need a plan.
All right, so let's
think about this.
You wanna buy a car,
and, uh, let's see,
what do you like to do?
Once you get the
job to buy the car,
maybe you can
upgrade your license
to get a commercial
driver's license, right?
But guess what.
You don't have a license.
Yeah, you know, you need a plan.
Things aren't gonna happen,
Ricardo,
just because you want
them to happen,
and this is not going
to be easy, but you can do it.
Now, I got a few things lined up
for you.
The grocery on Main Street,
they need a janitor right now,
and I don't know how you feel
about mani-pedis,
but they are looking
for somebody to do the laundry.
Okay?
- Mm-hmm.
- 'Cause you need a what?
- A job.
- There ya go.
They don't like giving out
second chances, Ricardo.
Do you have the signature?
[Ricky] Hmm?
[Joanne] The signature.
-Oh, um, well, no, Ms. Jo.
It was, they was moving the
paper around so fast, Ms. Jo.
-Ricardo, are you
planning on getting
a violation from me?
- No, ma'am.
-'Cause it seems
like you're planning
on getting a violation.
- Mm-mm.
-I mean, ya come in here late,
ya don't have the required
signature,
and you insult my intelligence.
Sounds like you're planning
for a violation,
but you know what, I'm gonna
give you a different plan.
I need you to get your ass
up out of that seat,
make it to the 4:00 meeting,
and bring back the
signature to me.
Can you do that? Wonderful.
And I'm gonna say this one
time and one time only.
I am not your friend.
I am not your mama.
- Mm.
- I am your parole officer,
so do not
[hand thuds]
fuck with me, Ricardo.
-Yes, ma'am.
-Why am I still looking at you?
[chair and door clattering]
[Rafael] What you hit him with?
-I hit him with a skillet
in the back of the head.
He punched me in the face.
It, it fucking felt real good.
[Rafael] All right, I hear you,
but what if you
killed this dude?
- So what?
- What do you mean so what?
-He deserved it, Rafie.
Dude shouldn't be putting hands
on no woman.
-Sometimes you gotta do what you
gotta do.
-Ah, you gotta do
what you gotta do.
What about your family, huh?
What about your kids, hmm?
All the time you do,
they'll be doing it with you.
You're not doing it alone.
-Raf, listen, nobody came to
check me when I was in prison.
Nobody put no money in my books.
-Yo, what's going on today?
What's up with the crying?
[Big Tone] 'Cause you
always say...
-Look.
[Big Tone] the same things over
every week.
-I hear you.
I hear that you feel
alone, but you ain't alone.
Just take a look around.
- Yeah.
-You got people with you.
-That's what you say
all the time.
We ain't alone.
- Yeah, I'm here for you, man.
-Yo what's up?
[attendees chattering
indistinctly]
[zipper whizzing]
[Rafael] Hit me up before
you do anything, Tone.
Welcome.
- Yeah, appreciate it.
[Winnie]Well, keep looking.
-Ma, I told you I've been
looking nonstop.
She ain't got nobody at work
that can help out?
[Winnie]Mm-mm,
it's too many of them
in my business as it is.
You gonna have to get
your hands dirty.
Go wash dishes for Bernetta.
-All right, I gotta go.
[Winnie]You're not above that.
And let me know
when you get your refills.
[plastic rustling]
[Pharmacist] All right,
you're all set, thank you.
Have a great day.
Pick up?
Name?
- Um, Ricardo.
Ricardo Smith.
[fingers tapping]
[customers chattering
indistinctly]
[notification chiming]
[notifications chiming]
[customers chattering
indistinctly]
[door clanking and squeaking]
[footsteps plodding]
-Ooh, sorry,
somebody just gave up a space,
finally.
-Appreciate the ride, Ms. B.
-Oh, Ricky, please.
This is the least that I can do.
So all right, after this,
we heading to the DMV.
- Yeah.
- You nervous?
-I been practicing, um,
nearly every day, so.
-All right, you'll be on the
road in no time.
So let me ask you.
What's happening at home?
-It's like I had more freedom
when I was locked up.
-Oh, no, uh-uh.
- I'm serious.
- No.
I am not gonna let you say that.
You have no idea what
your mother's been through.
Now Winnie is my best friend
in the world,
and I know she's a lot.
I know it.
But it's always coming
from a place of love, always.
-Yeah, I guess.
-You know you can do
whatever you want now.
The world is yours.
[sighs] I don't know
about that, Ms. B.
-I mean,
you cutting hair, right?
You could have your own
shop one day.
Talk to me, Ricky.
-I mean,
I just never thought
I'd live this long.
[Employee] Ricardo Smith.
[pensive music]
[fingers tapping]
[pensive music continues]
[hands smacking]
[pensive music continues]
[camera beeps and clicks]
[ball thudding]
[upbeat music]
[Ricky] What's up?
[James speaking indistinctly]
What's up, what's up, what's up?
Ain't got nothing.
You ain't got nothing?
-I got a jumper.
[net swishing]
You crazy?
Take a shot, take a shot.
[ball thudding]
Oh.
- Hey.
- Oh, he's smoking.
- Oh.
- Bro, you're blinking.
Once more, you're
running. What you doing?
What you got?
-That's one, tied up.
Watch the hands, bro,
watch the hands, bro.
Watch the hands, bro.
[hand and ball thudding]
-That shit outta here,
oh, my fucking goodness.
I hope you wasn't
playing like that
in the can, my nigga.
You a fucking disgrace
to the family.
-What'd you say?
-Man, check the ball, bro.
-No, what the fuck you just say?
[James] I said check ball.
- Check ball, all right.
- Yeah.
[Ricky] All right,
you talking crazy now.
[James] Uh-huh.
-You talking crazy
now. Come into the lane.
- That's right.
- Come into the lane.
- Hey, oh.
- Motherfucker.
- Goodness, bro.
- Fuck up outta here.
- The fuck, bro?
- Bullshit, bro.
Fuck up outta here.
[ball thudding]
[sighs] Tripping,
bro, what the fuck?
[Player] Hey.
[balls thudding]
[James] Yo, bro,
is you good, bro?
- You good?
- Nigga, are you?
What the fuck was that?
-A disgrace?
What the fuck you mean by that?
-Dawg, I don't know what
the fuck you done seen
or been through before now,
but, my nigga, that shit
is over with, all right?
-You know Pops used to say shit
like that to me all the time.
You know that nigga ain't check
for me once
when I was locked up?
-Yo, my nigga, don't try
to put me in the middle
of that, bro.
- Yeah, don't try to put you...
-You not the only one
going through shit.
You in the can. Pops is gone.
If I'm not on point, bro,
Moms is gonna lose her shit.
-You know shit is different
for you, bro.
[James sucks his teeth]
All right, whatever, bro.
[balls thudding]
[Ricky breathing heavily]
-Yo, can you still
drop me off or not?
[James] Your ass is
sitting in the back.
[Ricky] You know I
just got my permit.
Your ass might be sitting
in the back.
[James] Yeah, all right, not in
my fucking car.
[door clattering]
[shoes clacking]
[Rafael] Uh, can you
find another seat please?
- Why?
- Cheryl, please.
[shoes clacking]
[chair rasping]
Look, I wish I had
some better news.
Big Tone's no longer with us.
[exhales] Damn.
How much time he get this time?
-Nah, he's gone gone.
[Rafael laughs]
He was a good dude, man,
but any one of us can go back
to our old ways just like that,
especially with the pressure
they be putting on us.
[attendee coughing]
Ricky.
- Hmm?
[Rafael] Something on your mind?
-No, no, I'm, I'm good.
-It's all right, brother.
We ain't judging here.
-I only been out a few weeks.
So, um, I guess I'm starting
to feel like
be better off inside.
[Ricky inhales]
[hands rasping]
My bad, y'all.
- Nah, nah.
- It's, it's whatever.
-That's what they
conditioned us to believe.
Look, we all been through that.
You can't give up, man.
You got a life out here.
[phone buzzing]
Come on, man. Focus.
Hey,
finish what you were saying.
-Nah, that, that was it.
-Look, keep coming back as many
times as you need.
We got your back,
brother, all right?
Remember, when we get locked up,
our families get locked up, too.
Um, I want ya to dig deep
in your pockets.
This donation is
for Big Tone's mom.
See y'all next week.
[chair creaking]
[coins clinking]
[bills thudding]
[footsteps plodding]
-Yo.
[hand tapping]
Excuse me, Ricardo.
Hold up.
You good?
-Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, I'm good.
-You need cash?
-Nah, nah, nah,
I don't need nothing.
I'm, I'm straight. I just-
[sucks teeth] Come on.
[birds chirping]
Damn, Big Tone, right?
[siren wailing]
[birds continue chirping]
[children laughing and
chattering indistinctly]
[phone buzzing]
That's why I don't hang
around motherfuckers, you know?
Same ones you be riding
with be the same ones
throwed you out a moving car.
He just had a newborn, too.
Did 20 years.
That shit make my four
years look like a cake walk.
How long you did?
[horn honking]
How long you did?
- Hmm?
-What? 15?
Years?
Goddamn, how old are you?
-Shit, same time you
did in you did out.
[Cheryl laughs]
What'd they do,
try you as an adult?
Yo, what the fuck you did?
[laughs]
- I gotta bounce.
- Man, chill, chill, chill,
chill, chill, chill.
My bad.
Let me see your phone.
Let me see your phone.
I ain't gonna go through shit.
[Ricky] Saying, what you about
to do with it?
-There it is.
It's in now,
just in case you wanna talk.
[phone clanking]
Is that okay?
-I mean, yeah, uh.
[Cheryl laughs]
-Text me now so I have it.
You enjoy.
Next time, lunch is on you.
-Wait, next time?
She got a big mouth,
mad attitude for the long haul
And she bark like chihuahua
I said who's that guy
A real bad one
Annoyed walking
the spotlight
A real bad man
You might win some,
but you just lost one
With your hands in the air
like signing we're all done
That's my bout
Know some close friends
that's tied down
All they see is the corner
like they going in timeout
[bar clattering]
Put in the effort, F, F
around, and you'll find out
I vroom up
Like Paul Walker
[door clattering]
In his Supra
[Ricky] Fuck you want?
-Come on, man.
Still got that energy?
I, I just wanna talk.
Can we talk?
Look, I got your check.
-Leave that shit right there,
man.
[Terrence laughs]
-You want me
to leave it on the ground?
Come on, man.
So you don't want to hear
about this other job either,
right?
All right.
[footsteps plodding]
-Nigga, don't play with me.
-Yo, I just wanna talk.
Let's go for a ride.
-What happened the last time we
went for a ride?
You remember that?
[Ricky exhales]
All right,
fuck it. You wanna talk?
Come on in here and spot me.
[laughs] Nah, man, I ain't fuck
with no bench in a minute.
-Come on, nigga,
it's just a spot.
[sighs] Fuck, all right.
Yo, you should be throwing
this shit up.
What you need a spot for?
Uh, you got it?
[bar clanking]
[Ricky grunting]
Yeah, you got
that. You got that.
Get it.
[Ricky grunting]
You got it.
So listen.
[Ricky grunts]
All that shit, I didn't,
I didn't expect it
to go down the way it.
[Ricky exhales]
Got fucked up, right?
We, uh, we were kids.
We thought we needed that bread,
needed that lick.
[Ricky grunts]
I know you ain't going
to believe this,
but sometimes I wish it was me.
[siren wailing]
[Ricky grunts]
Sometimes I wish I coulda
held it down for us, man.
When the shit went down,
man, I was shook,
and I had to get outta there,
man. I had a kid on the way.
I got people depending on me.
I just had to go.
I'm sure
if you was in my position,
you'd do the same thing, bro.
You woulda done the same thing.
Dang.
[Ricky grunting]
You good.
[bar clattering]
I mean, you gotta feel me
on that, right?
[dog barking]
Right?
[dog continues barking]
It's facts, man.
-All right, nigga, your turn.
-My turn what?
I, I, I ain't
lifting to this shit.
[Ricky] Push 10.
-I told you, man.
I pulled some shit, like,
a couple years ago.
-Come on, my nigga.
I know you not scared,
my nigga, come on.
We talking.
-'Kay. [laughs]
[hand thudding]
-Come on, just like we used
to do back in the day, right?
-All right, all right,
all right, all right.
- All right.
- Quick set.
This nigga always on that shit.
-Yeah, yeah, we talking, man.
[Terrence exhales]
Come on, man.
-All right.
You gotta spot me, though.
This, I don't know.
- Yeah, I got you.
You ready?
- This shit all rickety.
-All right, let's get it.
Ready?
-All right, all right.
-Up.
[Terrence grunting]
[Terrence breathing heavily]
[Terrence] Thought you was
spotting, Rick.
[Terrence breathing heavily]
[bar clanking]
[Terrence breathing heavily]
You spotting?
[Terrence inhaling]
Geez.
-So you came all the way down
here to talk, huh?
[Terrence] Yeah,
you know. [grunts]
-You think I would've
did what you did?
[Terrence grunting]
You think I would've ran away?
-What?
Where that spot?
[Ricky] You think
I'm just like you?
[Terrence exhaling]
[Terrence grunts]
[Terrence breathing heavily]
-What the fuck?
What you doing?
[Terrence grunting]
[bar clanking]
-What's up, nigga?
Say something. You came
here to talk, right?
[Terrence grunting]
We talking, right, dawg?
Say something to me.
- Let go.
- Talk to me.
I don't hear you, my nigga.
[Terrence grunting]
"What's up, Rick?"
- Let go.
-Say something.
-I can't hold it.
[brooding music builds]
[Terrence grunting]
-I ain't shit because of you.
[bar clanking]
[Terrence grunting]
-What's wrong with you,
Rick? What the fuck?
-What, you don't think I
would've been somebody, too?
[Terrence] Come on, Rick.
-My own wife and kids?
Instead, what do I got, hmm?
What, you thought
you was doing me a favor
by giving me
some bullshit-ass job...
-This ain't all on me
-that you fired me from?
- It wasn't my fault.
- 15 years, my nigga.
15 years, I did it for you.
- I know.
-You claim you got my back,
right?
That's what you say, right?
-When, when your
moms threw you out,
who the fuck let you
sleep on the couch?
- Nigga, whose idea was it...
- Who took you in?
-to rob the store?
You made me pop the cashier
while your ass ran out.
You remember that?
-We thought we needed that.
We thought
that was gonna get us ahead.
-Ain't no "we," my nigga.
You know what?
[breathing heavily]
You ain't shit, my nigga.
-It ain't on me, Rick.
[Ricky] You ain't shit.
Fuck up outta here.
- Come on.
- Fuck up outta here, dawg.
Go.
[solemn music]
-Your check's on the floor.
[bar and weights clanging]
[door clattering]
[pensive music]
[customers chattering
indistinctly]
[dishes clanking]
[door clattering]
[phone buzzing]
[Worker] All right, man.
[dishes clanking]
[Cheryl] It is just, shit,
it was only 'cause it was,
it was too heavy.
[window rasping and thudding]
- Yep.
- That's cool?
[Cheryl] Thank you a
lot. Yeah, that's perfect.
-All right.
-Thank you.
-No problem.
Sure you don't need
anything else?
-What you in a rush?
- No.
- You got somewhere to be?
-Me? No.
Nah, I was...
- I mean,
'cause I made some food if
that's, that's cool with you.
-Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's cool.
That your daughter or something?
[gentle music]
[floor creaking]
[dish clanking]
-You good?
-You gonna eat or what?
[lighter clicking]
[fork clanking]
-Promised that I'm
gonna get her back.
-Where's she at?
[phone buzzing]
[dish clanking]
[phone keypad tapping]
-So why you here?
Hmm?
What you mean?
-You could be chilling
with her, right?
-What,
what are you talking about?
[joint thudding]
[Ricky sighs]
- It's about this.
- Hmm?
Oh, whoa, what you doing?
-So what's up?
- I was...
- No, don't.
-It's all right.
-Sure?
-Yeah.
[Ricky exhales]
[hat rasping]
[Ricky exhales]
Two, so high.
[Ricky] Mm-hmm.
[lips smacking]
[gentle music]
-Got a rubber?
-Huh?
-Do you have a condom?
-Oh, uh, no.
- No?
- Mm-mm.
[lips smacking]
[gentle music continues]
[Ricky sighs]
[laid-back music]
[wrapper rustling]
[laid-back music continues]
-Let me do it. I wanna do it.
-Just one second, I just gotta
get it from this side.
-Let me do it.
'Kay? It's all good.
[wrapper rustling]
[Ricky exhales]
Shit the world is on
On
Better like this now
Whatever I need
That's what I happen to be
Feeling like the star
His light is shining on me
Happy to be here
I'm just happy to be
[couch creaking]
Happy to be here
- You okay?
- Yeah.
-Take this off.
Life can get so crazy
I'm happy to be here
Yeah, happy to be here
Yeah
[shirt rustling]
Why you choose
to be so sad
Why you sad
You snooze you lose
-You okay?
[Ricky] Mm-hmm.
[lips smacking]
Now you're cheating,
still falling
What you wanna be
You can be great
Love will come to me
[brooding music]
Maybe I'm stressed
Devil unto me
[Ricky moaning]
I'm good in my way
[lips smacking]
Spreading all this stuff
And hater gonna hate
Feeling like LeBron
-Okay, okay, slow down.
Wait. Hold on.
Chill. Chill.
Chill, chill,
chill, chill, chill.
[Ricky moaning]
[Ricky exhaling]
[Cheryl] Really, nigga?
[Cheryl exhales]
Now you're cheating,
still falling
Feeling like LeBron
[Cheryl] Lucky you just got out.
[pensive music]
[engine humming]
[pensive music continues]
[James] Girl,
you know I'm handsome.
This what I do. [laughs]
Uh-huh.
Girl, you know you
love it. Stop playing.
All right, man, I'll
talk to you later,
chocolate chocolate, drop.
[laughs] All right.
All right.
- Boy, I know you ain't say
chocolate drop.
- Oh, I definitely did.
[Ricky] Nah, she
fell for that for real?
-Man, I got game, bro.
I don't know what the
fuck you talking about.
You need to worry-
-You crazy.
-about you and yours.
-Bro, don't be worried about me.
[James] I'm not
worried about you.
- I get mine, bro, shit.
- Nigga, you all up in my car,
"Oh, nigga, please."
From where? From who?
You feel me? But look, I
ain't gonna lie, real talk.
You need some help
with the ladies,
you know what I'm
saying, whatever, bro.
Uh, little bro at your
service, you heard?
[upbeat rap music]
-But, yo, for real, though,
I could use some extra bread.
-Yeah, I got you, bro.
I told you I holler
at my boss for you.
You just gotta finish
getting your license.
Soon as you done, I got you.
-You think you could, think
you could teach me, though,
like, how to drive?
[James] Damn, nigga,
what you want,
me to buy your car, too?
[laughs] What the fuck?
-No, man,
I'm being deadass, bro.
-Yeah, bro, yeah,
it ain't shit, bro.
I got you. I'll show you.
-All right, bet.
[mellow music]
-Yo, brother, what's the word?
[hands smacking]
How are you?
- Good, bro.
[James] You know my
brother Ricky right here.
- How you doing?
- Rick.
- King.
- Nice to meet you, bro.
Hey, man, where you
want me to set up?
-Uh, you can just set
up right back there.
I'll get right with you.
[James] What you
working on over here?
[King] Man, bro, I'm
trying to get to it, man.
[James] Oh, I gotta get on this.
I gotta get on
this. What's this?
[King] Bro, I gave
you two on, bro.
Got backups.
- Bro,
my work schedule been crazy,
though.
It been stressing me out,
dealing with this,
that, and the third.
[King] This has it, man.
Go ahead and try.
[James] You don't even know how
to roll a spliff, bro.
I don't know.
[King] Nah, you got your own.
[lighter clicking]
[mellow music continues]
- Hey, man, you ready?
- What's up?
I'ma be there with
you, bro, one moment.
Got you.
[James coughing]
It's that zaza, man.
Yeah, I get...
- See about this track.
Got me feeling
so easy, hey
Got me feeling so easy, ah
Why ya got to tease me, ah
Tell the DJ, do my replay
Ah
Big time
When the bass line drop
Ah
My type of woman
My type of woman
My type of woman
My type of woman
Virtuous woman
African woman
My type of woman
My type of woman
got that fire, fire
She got got
that fire, fire
Her body fire, fire
She's my desire, mm-mm
-I can't hear you.
That fire, fire
She got that fire, fire
Things burning higher,
higher
I know she right up
When the bass line drop
Ah
My type of woman
My type
[door squeaking]
[Jaz] I was trying to say why
you ain't hit me.
-Oh, um,
been a little caught up.
-What you doing here?
- About to cut King.
- King?
-Mm-hmm, you know him?
-How do you know King?
Yeah, I know King.
You know that's Kareem's father.
- For real?
- Yeah.
- So that's your man?
- No, no, no, no, no.
That's Kareem's father,
like I said.
That's been over and done
for some time now.
-Yeah, he, um,
James's friend, so.
He's my brother.
-James is your brother?
[Ricky] Yeah.
-Wait, so you the one
that was locked up?
Why you didn't say anything?
[laughs] Shit.
Would you? [sighs]
-I mean, you could have.
I wouldn't have judged you.
[pensive music]
[Ricky breathing heavily]
[Ricky speaking faintly]
[siren wailing]
[pensive music continues]
[Bernetta] I understand
the situation.
[Customer] You understand
the situation?
[Bernetta] So I'm gonna...
[Customer] Someone
stole my wallet.
You understand the situation?
[Bernetta] Now it went
from missing to stolen?
[Customer] Yeah, someone stole
my wallet from...
- [Bernetta] All right, sir.
- [Customer] that corner table
over there where I was sitting.
- [Bernetta] Look.
I'm trying to help you.
- I paid the bill.
- I've...
- I'm here to help you.
Do you want me to help,
or you just sitting here
and holler all day stole.
- Okay, all right,
what would somebody...
- You want sit, hey, wait.
- Oh.
- Are you good, Ms. B?
-Is that where this
is going now?
Is this what we're doing?
- Hey.
- What you talking about?
- I can handle this.
- Okay, all right, all right.
- I can handle this.
- Get the fuck up outta here.
- All right, all right.
[Bernetta] Ricky,
I can handle this.
[door clattering]
[Ricky] Goddamn.
-Ricky, Ricky.
- Don't fuck with them, Ms. B.
- I need you to calm down.
I deal with these kind
of fools every day.
Entitled asshole.
The wallet's probably stuck
with his ass.
Did you see any wallets
over there?
- No, I didn't see any.
- Okay, fine, so we're good.
I need you to keep it together.
- Uh-huh.
- Okay, look, look at me.
Look at me.
You're doing great.
[pensive music]
You're doing great.
Come on.
[Ricky breathing heavily]
[hands rubbing]
[pensive music continues]
- Bro, that's some...
- That shoes on.
-That's your damn room, bro.
- The hell it...
- It's both of y'all rooms.
This is lit.
- Since you were 12,
both of y'all rooms.
- It's crazy.
[Ricky] Mama, you
know I still got clothes
in the dryer, right?
-Mm, okay.
-Well, yeah, I got some clothes
that could get washed, too,
if you...
- You, you, you do?
[James] I mean, I
just figured, you know,
it's your day off.
- I got something for you.
[James] Hey, Ma,
chill, chill, hey.
[feet pattering]
[latch clicking]
[footsteps plodding]
Nigga, is you listening?
-Huh? Yeah, yeah,
yeah, no, I'm listening.
-You want me to teach
you or what, bro?
You not even paying attention.
- Yeah, yeah.
Show me, nigga.
That's why I'm here.
-All right, bro, look,
when you get in the car,
check your surroundings,
all right?
- Mm-hmm.
- First thing you do, bro...
-All right.
-and check your mirrors
right after.
- All right.
- You feel me?
- Yeah, that one...
- Right.
- Then this one...
- Yeah, yeah.
[James] Yeah, these your
blind spots and all that.
- For sure, yeah.
- All right, seat belt.
- Seat belt.
- Then foot on the break.
[Ricky] Yeah, okay.
[seat belt rasping]
-Put mine on, too.
I don't you.
-All right, cool,
shit, all right.
What's this for?
- Foot on the break.
- Foot on the break.
- And then start the car.
Go down to the pole slowly
and then come back.
-Right there?
[James] Yeah, and when
you turn, use your blinker.
- Slowly.
- Don't do too much.
[Ricky] All right,
we about to go.
- Slowly.
- Slowly.
- Yes.
- We about to go.
I'm starting it.
- All right.
- All right.
Crazy, man, I taught
you everything you know.
[sucks teeth] Nigga,
please, what you school me?
All right, matter of fact, you
taught me how to tie my shoe.
That's a fact, so, so,
what, I owe you one now?
-Yeah, nigga, you owe me one.
-Yeah,
I owe you these nuts, nigga.
Fuck outta here. [laughs]
- The fuck?
[James] You went, [laughs]
you went right you
right into that.
-Look at your
scrappy-ass tall ass.
-Oh, don't start with me, nigga.
I know you ain't trying to rate.
- Yeah, nigga.
- Scooby Doo-looking-ass nigga,
fucking
struggle-nap-having-ass nigga,
beard not connected, fuck all.
- Oh, for real?
[James] Yeah, for real.
[Ricky laughs]
-Yeah,
your momma got struggle naps.
[clicks tongue] Nigga.
Come on, bro.
My mother your mother, too.
Fuck that, I'ma tell her now.
[Ricky laughs]
- Nah, nah, don't tell her.
- You chilling now.
Nah, she gonna...
- No, for real, I gotta...
-Now you gotta get
to your meeting?
-Yeah, come on.
Just show me, dawg.
Just
show me what I gotta do, bro.
[James] All right,
bro, cool, all right.
-I'm just not
understanding why...
[door clattering]
I, that's, I know.
[door clattering]
Well, I, I'll take him to
the Supreme Court if I have to,
but I'm getting
my fucking daughter back,
and I said what I said.
-Yo, you good?
[folder rasping]
Cheryl, what happened?
[fingers tapping]
You all right?
-No, I don't know. Ask Jaz.
-What?
-What you mean what?
You heard me.
You, what, you think I
ain't know about her?
-What you talking about?
-Cheating-ass nigga,
I swear to God, though.
-Cheating?
Wait, we together now?
-We together?
You wasn't saying that shit
last night when we was fucking.
-Yo, chill, chill, chill, chill.
-You chill. Chill what?
I don't care who-
- Hey, stop.
- Fucking hears me!
-Okay, all right.
-You a lying-ass nigga, Ricky.
- How?
- Yo,
lying, broke-ass nigga.
Lose my fucking number.
- Yo, Cheryl.
[Cheryl] Lose my fucking
number. You heard me.
[phone buzzing]
- Fuck.
Hello.
[Joanne]You know where you're
supposed to be tomorrow,
right, Ricardo?
-I do, I do, miss, and look...
[Joanne]If you do not make your
check in on time this time...
- No...
- [Joanne]then...
-I swear to God I'm
gonna be there, okay?
I'ma, I'ma see you.
- [Joanne]10:00 AM in my office.
-10:00 AM
-[Joanne] All right now.
- I got it.
- [Joanne]And don't be late.
[phone beeping]
[brooding music]
[inmates chattering
indistinctly]
[Ricky screams]
[Ricky breathing heavily]
[birds chirping]
[engine humming]
[laid-back rap music]
[Ricky exhaling]
[bedding rustling]
-Shit.
[bedding rustling]
[feet pattering]
Oh, my God.
Shit.
[drawer clattering]
[shirt rustling]
[drawer clattering]
[hand knocking]
James.
[latch clicking]
Yo, James.
[James groaning]
Wake up, dawg.
- Yo.
- What?
What?
- I gotta see my PO.
Can you drop me?
- Really, what the fuck, bro?
Ask Mom, man.
- She still at work.
[James] Oh, man.
-Come on.
[James murmuring]
[Ricky sighs]
-Motherfucking...
[footsteps plodding]
[folder clattering]
[floor creaking]
What the fuck?
Fuck.
[Cheryl]Yeah, this is Cheryl.
Leave a message.
[phone beeps]
[Ricky] Yo, call me
back when you get this.
[phone ringing]
[folder clattering]
[Cheryl]Yeah, who this?
-Hey, hey, it's Rick.
[Cheryl]Nigga, didn't I say
lose my number?
Look, I, I got your
folder by mistake.
I think you got mine.
I gotta see my PO.
[Cheryl sucks teeth]
Come on.
- [Cheryl]Hold on.
-Come on.
[Cheryl]Man, you better hurry up
'cause I'm on my way out.
- Okay, okay, cool,
I'm coming right now, right now.
James.
[jeans rustling]
Yo, dawg, come on. I need you.
I need you, fam.
- Bro, what the fuck, bro?
- Come on. I need you, bro.
-Why is you watching me,
my nigga?
Goddamn, bro.
-For real?
[clicks tongue] Bro.
The fuck out, bro.
Get the fuck out, bro.
[vomit squelching]
[brooding music continues]
-The fuck?
Fuck is that?
[cloth rasping]
Fucking,
you fucking gross, dawg.
[Ricky breathing heavily]
[horn honking]
[traffic whooshing]
[horn honking]
[gear stick clattering]
[window whirring]
Hey.
- Oh, shit.
-You got my folder?
- This you?
- Yeah.
-When'd you get this.
-Hey, let me get that folder,
though.
-You lucky.
You was about to be assed out.
Yo, how you got this?
[door clattering]
- What you doing?
- I need a ride up the street.
-For what?
- What do you mean for what?
- I gotta go.
-I got, yeah, and I need
to ride up the street.
Can you just take me...
- No, I just I told...
- up the street right here?
- You I gotta see my PO.
I'm gonna be late.
-I waited for you.
It's right there.
[folder clattering]
- Goddamn.
All right, where we going?
-Why you so mad?
I waited for you.
- Told you I gotta go.
- And I do, too.
[Ricky] Wilding.
[car rattling]
[tires screeching]
-Shit, nigga, when you get your
license, yesterday?
[Ricky] Where we going?
[Cheryl] Chill.
-This your stop right here?
-This one,
no, across Main up there.
[phone buzzing]
You not gonna answer?
Go ahead and answer.
You don't think I know
who the fuck it is?
[Ricky] What you talking about?
-It's Jaz, ain't it?
[Ricky scoffs]
Right?
Why don't you own your shit?
Just fucking say who it is.
-Don't worry about it.
-Oh, this her shit.
Oh, you driving Jaz's shit.
[glove box clattering]
-Oh, hey, chill, what you doing?
Hey, the hell are you doing?
Get the fuck out, man.
- Make me.
- Get the fuck outta here, man.
-Make me.
[Ricky] You about to ruin my
fucking life.
-Open my fucking door.
-You about to ruin my
fucking life. Get out.
-Still here.
[engine humming]
I'm still fucking here.
What you gonna do?
Fucking little-ass boy,
not a fucking thing.
I'm up there.
What,
you gonna cry to your mother?
Fucking bitch.
-Where your daughter at?
-What'd you just say?
What'd you just say?
[liquid sloshing]
[Ricky] Where we going?
This your stop?
-Motherfucker.
[glass shattering]
[tires screeching]
[heartbeat thudding]
[glass shattering]
[heartbeat continues thudding]
-Fuck, ah.
[Cheryl and driver
speaking faintly]
-[Cheryl] Get the fuck back in
your car.
[driver speaking faintly]
[ominous music]
[Cheryl and driver
speaking faintly]
[hand knocking]
[ominous music continues]
[driver speaking faintly]
[Cheryl and Ricky
speaking faintly]
[ominous music continues]
[Driver] Who's gonna pay
for the truck?
[bat thudding]
[glass shattering]
[Driver] Who's gonna pay for the
fucking truck?
Get out. Let's go.
[bat thudding]
Get outta the fucking car.
Now, get the fuck outta the car.
[engine roaring]
[siren wailing]
[brooding music]
[engine humming]
[brooding music resumes]
-Oh, shit.
Fuck.
[gravel crunching]
-Come the fuck on. Man,
yo, bro, you deadass, bro?
My nigga,
get the fuck outta my car, bro.
[hand knocking]
Get out, bro.
Why you still moving, bro?
Stop the car. Get out.
What the fuck is wrong, bro?
Get out, bro.
- Uh, calm down, bro.
-Ain't no calm down, my nigga.
Look at my car.
- Hey, let me talk to you.
I had to go see my PO.
- Nigga, yo, bro,
fuck your PO, nigga.
- I tried to wake you up-
-Fuck you, too, bro.
Get outta my shit.
Who gonna get it fixed?
- Where Momma?
- How?
- No, I'm not getting out, bro.
- You in my car, bro.
- I'm not getting out, bro.
-How am I gonna get it fixed,
bro?
-I'm not getting out, bro.
-I don't got the money for this.
And neither do you.
- No.
- So how?
- Bro.
- How, nigga? How, nigga?
[Ricky] I'm not getting out...
- Bro, get the fuck out...
- the car, bro.
We gonna solve it.
- James,
go put the car in the garage.
Ricky, get out the car.
[James] Bro.
Bro, get the fuck, bro.
-I know.
- Ma, look at my car.
- I know!
[James sighs]
Ricky,
get out the car!
[door clattering]
- Goddamn.
- [James] Always doing...
- Goddamn?
- Bro, shut the fuck up.
Always doing some...
- Ricky, go in the house.
[James] dumb shit, bro.
The...
- James.
- Mom.
- I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know.
Go put it in the garage, please.
-All right.
[box clattering]
-Mama, I was just
trying to see...
-Mm-mm.
Mm-mm, just be quiet
for one minute.
This has gotta stop.
-I didn't do nothing, Mom.
[Winnie] So all this happened
'cause you ain't do nothing?
-It's not my fault.
-I found the wallet, Ricky.
You stealing now?
You stealing now?
-Mama, you should have heard
how he was talking to Ms. B.
He was talking to her crazy.
-So it's his fault
you stole a wallet?
Do you hear yourself?
-I found it after he left.
-But you didn't give it back.
[phone buzzing]
[hand thuds]
[phone continues buzzing]
Oh, this bitch,
what you going to tell her?
[phone buzzing]
Ricky, baby, I'm tired.
I'm done. Baby, I'm done.
Ricky, I'm done.
[items clattering]
[Winnie whimpering]
[pensive music]
[birds chirping]
[pensive music continues]
[Ricky sighs]
[Ricky] Oh, you done?
-I didn't mean it.
- You done, huh?
- Ricky, I didn't mean it.
Baby, I didn't mean it.
- Just stop.
- I didn't mean it.
- Stop.
-I didn't mean it. Ricky.
[door clattering]
I didn't mean it, I didn't
mean it, I didn't mean it,
I didn't mean it.
[door squeaking]
[pensive music continues]
[Winnie] Will you cover my
shift, please?
I'll do another double
for you tomorrow.
No, no, no worries,
I'll call Maxine.
Thanks anyway.
[phone thuds]
[hand knocking]
[items clattering]
[door clattering and squeaking]
[Winnie sighs]
He's not here, and it's
not past his curfew, so.
- May I come in?
- For what?
- Come on, Winsome.
- Look.
I'm on my way out.
-He violated his parole.
-Like I said, he ain't here.
-I am here unofficially.
How long have we known
each other?
[foot thuds]
[door squeaking and clattering]
[phone thuds]
[keys jangling]
-You got some nerve bringing
that up.
What, are you desperate?
-Yeah,
desperate to save your son.
-We only got one savior, and it
ain't you.
You left the church.
Now you trying to make up
for it,
hiding behind your badge.
-I did not leave the church.
I got kicked out of the church
for being who and what I am.
But you see me?
I'm not hiding behind anything.
I'm here doing my job,
trying to save your son,
who is in danger
of going right back to prison.
[item thuds]
[Winnie sighs] Like I said, I
got somewhere to be.
-Well,
I guess it's fine then, huh?
Maybe just go right back
to prison.
He goes right back,
does the rest of his time,
take advantage
of those great programs.
- Joanne, if you had...
- It is...
-any real kids of your
own, you'd understand.
-You got two.
I got 45 on my desk right now,
and I stick my neck out
for each and every one of them,
including your son
'cause they're worth it.
-And still, he's my son,
a 15-year-old boy in prison
with grown-ass men,
grown-ass violent men.
And I couldn't protect him.
I haven't slept comfortably
in over 15 years.
So I hear you and all of that.
But you don't have
a fucking clue.
-Are you listening to me?
Your son violated his parole,
and we've got to find him fast.
[phone ringing]
It's going to be a problem.
I don't wanna be the one
to have to do it.
-Yeah.
Oh, okay, um,
let me call you back.
[Joanne] Was that him?
-No.
I think I finally got coverage
for my shift.
-Okay.
You stay here.
Call me if you hear from him.
I'll be around,
and I'll circle back.
[Winnie] Yeah, you do that.
[Joanne] Hmm.
[door clattering and squeaking]
[dog barking]
[footsteps plodding]
[dog continue barking]
[fingers tapping]
[door clattering]
[engine churning]
-Are you sure it was him?
[pensive music]
[engine humming]
[pensive music continues]
[Seatbelt clicking]
[Door opens and closes]
[traffic whooshing]
Ricky.
- Yeah.
- Get up.
- Hmm?
- Get up.
Come on.
-No.
[liquid sloshing]
-Ricky,
get up.
We are going.
[liquid sloshing]
[bottle clinking]
-Gimme that back!
[Winnie sobbing]
-Ricky, you're scaring me.
Ricky.
[exhales] Fuck.
- You're scared.
- Why you come here, man?
- You gotta go home.
- No, why you come here?
-Because I love you, and I'm not
giving up on you.
-It's done.
- What's done?
- It's done.
It's over.
- It ain't done.
- It's over.
- It ain't done.
- It's over.
- It ain't done.
It's over when it's over,
and it ain't over.
But if you wanna
be done right now,
we gonna be done right now.
[passersby speaking
indistinctly]
- Don't do this.
- Oh, don't do what?
[door clattering and squeaking]
[passersby chattering
indistinctly]
[Winnie sighs]
[latch clicking]
-Ricky.
I know it's hard.
[engine churning]
Baby, sometimes I don't know
what to do either.
But you gotta trust me.
[passersby chattering
indistinctly]
You gotta trust me.
Do you trust me?
Do you trust me?
Have I ever let you down?
No.
Joanne's coming, so we gotta go.
Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
Get up.
[Winnie breathing heavily]
[pensive music]
Home, home, Ricky.
Yes, please, Ricky.
[Ricky] Stop.
- I'm not stopping.
- Stop.
-I'm not stopping!
I want you home, and I don't
give up, and we don't give up.
I'm not giving up.
I'm not gonna give up.
Come on.
Come on. We're going home.
Thank you, baby,
thank you, thank you.
[door clattering]
Thank you, thank you.
[Ricky exhales]
[pensive music continues]
[Ricky speaking faintly]
[Winnie] You all right in there?
[Ricky speaking faintly]
[Winnie] Ricky?
[Ricky speaking faintly]
[hand knocking]
[doorknob clattering]
[Winnie] Ricky?
[hand knocking]
[Winnie] Open the door.
[hand knocking]
[Winnie] Open the door, Ricky.
Open the door!
[doorknob clattering]
[hand knocking]
[water pattering]
[hand thuds]
[Joanne] How long
has he been in there?
[Winnie] A few hours.
[door squeaking]
[water pattering]
[footsteps plodding]
[water continues pattering]
[tap squeaking]
-Winsome,
give us a moment, please.
-Okay.
[floor creaking]
[door squeaking and clattering]
-Well, look at you.
Do I need to write this up?
What happened?
-I fell.
-You fell,
and I was born yesterday.
You think I'm riding your ass
because I don't like you,
or I don't understand what
you've been going through.
You're wrong.
I have walked the same
footsteps you're walking now.
I was homeless,
on the street with nothing.
And, Ricardo,
you are not the only person
that has ever done bad things.
And just because you have
done bad things in the past
does not mean you can't do
great things in the future.
You cannot let your
past define who you are.
[Ricky inhales]
You can make it.
I see you, Ricardo.
[pensive music]
I see you.
[hand knocking]
[floor creaking]
[door clattering and squeaking]
I see you.
[pensive music continues]
[fist thuds]
[pensive music continues]
[footsteps plodding]
[door squeaking and clattering]
[pensive music continues]
[door clattering and squeaking]
[bag rustling]
[Ricky] Yo, T.
[bag rustling]
-Now my family inside.
What the fuck you doing here?
- Look, bro.
- This is my house.
I got my babies here, B.
-I'm, I'm not here for no
trouble, bro.
-What?
Then what's this about, huh?
-Fuck.
[hands thudding]
-What's going on, man?
The fuck happened to you?
[children chattering
indistinctly]
-Hey, man, you still got that
job for me?
[Terrence] Course, man.
[pensive music]
No bullshit.
[hands smacking]
[Ricky] Mr. Torino.
[tool clattering]
[Leslie] Oh,
what happened to you?
-It was kind of a car accident.
-Clearly, Jesus,
are you all right?
-Yeah, I'm good, I'm good.
I'm just a little banged up.
-'Kay, uh, I'll leave it alone.
Just take it easy, man.
-Got you.
But, man, um,
you can sell the car.
-Wait, why?
What are you talking about?
-Yeah, I don't need it anymore.
[Leslie] In some kind of
trouble, son?
-Uh, man, uh, you think I can
get my money back?
-Yeah, of course.
Of course.
[cash rustling]
Here.
Listen.
I'm getting older now.
I'm retired.
My house is paid off.
My kids are up and out.
I'm in kind of a happy marriage,
[laughs]
so I'm not going anywhere.
So when you get
all this shit sorted out,
you come back, car will be here.
Give you my word.
-Thank you.
[dog barking]
[hands thudding]
-Go easy, young brother.
Go easy.
-Thank you.
[Ubeat music]
[hand knocking]
- Yo.
Got some bread for you, dawg,
[upbeat music continues]
[hand knocking]
All right.
[latch clicking]
[door squeaking]
[floor creaking]
[Ricky sighs]
[cash rustling]
-My nigga, this ain't enough.
-No, I know it ain't enough,
dude.
-Yo, bro, and my insurance not
paying for nothing,
bro, so you gotta cover...
this whole shit.
-I feel you, dawg,
but I'm trying.
-My nigga, you gotta
try harder, bro.
This ain't gonna cut it.
-But it's all I could do
for now.
Oh, I got you, dawg.
I just need some time.
-My nigga, how?
How you got me, bro?
Like, you always doing
some dumb shit, bro, really.
What was you thinking?
It ain't even just
about my fucking car, bro.
I lost my job, too,
behind this shit.
I ain't taking no more losses,
all right?
-I just need a little more time,
all right?
- Whatever.
- Just a little bit more time.
[upbeat rap music]
[Ricky speaking faintly]
[phone buzzing]
Hello.
[Jaz]Why am I looking
at your ear?
-Hmm?
Oh, oh, my bad.
-What the fuck happened?
[sighs] Um, nothing.
-Look at your face.
-No, I'm good, I'm good.
For real, I'm good.
-Ricky, don't lie to me.
-I'm not lying, for real.
What's up?
-Well, do you need anything?
-Nah, nah, I'm good.
-Kareem asked about you.
-Word?
[Jaz]Mm-hmm.
-What'd he say?
-He said he wants to see you.
-And what about you?
- What'd you say?
- Nothing.
-What'd you say?
Don't lie.
-No, I mean, I was just, I was
just saying, um...
[Jaz]What are you saying?
-I mean, I was just,
I was just saying that I,
I wanted to see you
That's all.
[Ricky sighs]
-I could.
[Ricky exhales]
Just holler at me, 'kay?
-Yeah.
Yeah, I can do that.
-All right, I'll talk to you.
[phone beeps]
[dog barking]
[dish clanking]
[phone ringing]
[Winnie] Hello.
Wait-nigga, calm down.
[footsteps plodding]
[door squeaking and clattering]
[brooding music]
[people chattering indistinctly]
[footsteps plodding]
[brooding music continues]
[door squeaking]
[dispatcher speaking
indistinctly]
[brooding music continues]
[Ricky] Hey yo.
[Ricky] Yo, what's going on?
-You're being arrested
for a hit-and-run.
- But, Mom, I don't...
- What's going on?
[officer and James
speaking indistinctly]
- Go back to the house.
- What's going on?
- Ricky, go back to the house.
- What's going on, Momma?
- Ricky, go back to the house.
- Tell me what's going on.
[officer and Ricky
speaking faintly]
-Get back to the house, Ricky.
Step back!
[all speaking faintly]
[brooding music continues]
[door slamming]
[brooding music continues]
[dramatic music]
-Momma!
[dramatic music continues]
[buzzer blaring]
[door clanking]
[Officer] Face forward.
[officer chattering
indistinctly]
[camera clicking]
[metal clinking]
[door clattering]
[inmates chattering
indistinctly]
-Hey, pigs, where the
phone call at, man?
What up?
What y'all doing back there?
[Lawyer] Ricardo Smith.
[heartbeat thudding]
Interfering with law enforcement
while on parole.
I'm gonna do my best
to convince her
that you won't re-offend,
but be prepared.
This judge is not fond
of second chances.
Do you understand
what I'm saying?
[heartbeat thudding]
[Ricky breathing heavily]
Do you have any questions?
Ricardo.
- Hmm?
-Do you have any questions?
-No.
[feet shuffling]
[door clattering]
[inmate speaking indistinctly]
[door rasping and clattering]
[footsteps plodding]
-What did they say
to you in there?
[inmates chattering
indistinctly]
-Yo, you hear me, Ricky?
Yo, you hear me, Ricky?
Look, bro, I ain't got
no priors or whatever,
so it's cool.
All right?
[inmate chattering indistinctly]
[inmates yelling indistinctly]
[feet pattering]
-Column line eight on the
arraignment docket,
Ricardo Smith.
Please raise your right hand.
Please raise your right hand.
Do you solemnly swear
or solemnly swear and affirm
that the evidence you give
concerning this case will be
the truth, the whole truth,
and nothing but the
truth, so help you God?
- Yes, yes, ma'am.
- Thank you.
Please state your name.
-It's Ricardo, Ricardo Smith.
[Bailiff] And your
date of birth, please.
-September 16th, 1995.
-Does your client
understand his rights?
[Lawyer] Yes, Your Honor.
[Judge] Okay,
we're going to hear
from the bail
commissioner, the state,
and then the attorney
for Mr. Smith.
-Your Honor, Mr. Smith is
a resident of Connecticut.
He does have family ties
in the Hartford area.
With regards to record check,
his first conviction,
October of 2010.
He's currently finishing
a 12-month parole
of his 15-year sentence.
Mr. Smith was arrested
last night for interfering
with law enforcement.
With regards to today's matter,
I recommend bail set at 15,000,
which is the court-set
warrant amount.
[Judge] All right, State.
-Your Honor, Mr.
Smith was convicted at 15
for armed robbery
and attempted murder,
and, while in prison,
assault and battery.
It's apparent to the state his
presence in this court today
is enough evidence
that he'll re-offend.
I recommend no bail set,
Your Honor.
- Counsel.
- Your Honor,
Mr. Smith lives
in East Hartford
with his mother and brother.
His mother took time off from
the hospital to be here today.
His father would be here,
but unfortunately,
he was deported for
overstaying his visa,
leaving Mr. Smith the man
of the house at age 13.
He's currently employed at
his neighbor's restaurant,
who's also here today.
He's checking in with
his parole officer
and attending
his court-ordered meetings.
[Judge] Officer Scott,
do you have anything
you'd like to add?
-Thank you, Your Honor.
[footsteps plodding]
[door squeaking]
Your Honor, in the time
that I've been working with
Mr. Smith, I have seen him
make great personal strides.
It is my understanding that
Mr. Smith only left the home
to see
about his brother's safety,
and the neighbor has the video
that proves that.
Your Honor, you know he's
wearing a GPS monitor.
We know where he is.
Thank you, Your Honor.
[Judge] Okay,
I read the reports.
-Can, can I say something?
- Ricky.
- [Judge] Control your client.
- Please.
- Sorry, Your Honor.
-Look, I just wanna speak my
truth, Your Honor.
-This is not a trial,
Your Honor.
-Are you trying to tell me
how to run my court, Ms. Wong?
[Lawyer] No, Your Honor.
-I'll give you the
chance to speak,
but do note that anything
you say in this courtroom
could be used against you.
-Yes, ma'am.
I ain't even supposed
to be here, Ms...
[Judge] Mr. Smith, do not
waste this court's time.
-No, Your Honor, I'm not
supposed to be here.
[door clattering]
[Ricky exhales]
[door clattering]
I tried to take my
life a few times.
[Winnie sobbing]
I almost killed someone.
I almost killed a man
when I was 15 years old.
[Ricky breathing heavily]
[Judge] What are
you saying, Mr. Smith?
-James is a good kid,
Your Honor.
He nothing like me.
I swear to God.
[hands thudding]
I was driving the car,
Your Honor, not him.
Look, I know Pops always told me
to look out for you
and be example to you,
but I couldn't do it,
and I'm sorry for that, bro.
I failed you, and
I'm sorry for that.
I figured maybe
I could be an example
for some of these other
young cats out here.
Prison ain't no place
for a kid, Your Honor.
[Ricky sighs]
Mom,
I'm sorry, y'all.
[Winnie] Baby, you're fine.
- It's fine.
- [Judge] Order.
Order, counsel.
- I'm sorry.
[Judge] Please
control your client.
I will not tolerate
this behavior in my court.
- [Ricky] I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
- [Judge] Counsel.
- [Ricky] Ms. Joanne, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
[Judge] Mr. Smith,
[speaking faintly].
[pensive music]
[door clanking]
[singer vocalizing]
[pensive music continues]
[bed clattering]
[hand thuds]
[pensive music continues]
[inmates chattering
indistinctly]
[phone clanking]
[pensive music continues]
[buttons clicking]
[phone clanking]
[pensive music continues]
[pensive music continues]
[footsteps plodding]
[pensive music continues]
[book thudding]
[pensive music continues]
[brooding music]
[pensive music]
[door clattering]
[inmates chattering
indistinctly]
[officer speaking indistinctly]
[inmates chattering
indistinctly]
[buzzer blaring]
[gate clattering]
[gentle music]
[door clattering]
[plastic rustling]
[James] Praise the Lord.
[Ricky laughs]
- What's up with you?
- Good.
-That you?
-Come on now. You know I
had to get something new.
I hope you didn't think I
was gonna stay in that, bro.
[hands smacking]
-Oh, I missed you, bro,
missed you.
[Ricky speaking faintly]
[gentle music continues]
[hand thudding]
Man, glad to be out.
[James speaking indistinctly]
[Ricky speaking indistinctly]
[James laughing]
-Nigga, is you crazy?
[Ricky laughs]
They must have beat your
ass or something in there.
[plastic rustling]
[gentle music continues]
[singer vocalizing]
[door clattering]
Ready?
- Let's do it.
[engine humming]
[gentle music continues]
[singer vocalizing]
[car whooshing]
[gentle music continues]
[pensive music]
[pensive music continues]
[laid-back music]
Hallelujah
Though I'm
battered and blue,
feel like I'm born to lose
Though I never been,
never been, never
Never have I been so low
Now there's only
one way to go, oh
And I never
Never give up
Never give up
Never give up,
never give up
Never will I give up
Never give up
Never give up
No
Never give up
Never give up
And I never
Never give up
Never give up
Never give up,
never give up
Never will I give up
Never give up
Never give up
No, no
Never give up
No, no
Never give up
I'm so thankful
I can feel the tingle
from my head to my ankles
And I never felt,
never felt, never
Never have I felt so cold
I bring a chill
to your bones
Don't you know,
don't you know
'Cause I never
Never give up
Never give up
Never give up,
never give up
Never will I give up
Never give up
Never give up
No, no
Never give up,
never give up
And I never
Never give up
Never give up
Never give up,
never give up
Never will I give up
Never give up
Never give up
No, no
Never give up
No
Never give up
[laid-back music continues]
[people chattering indistinctly]
[Man] Look at you.
Get off my porch if
you have any sense.
[gentle music]
-I think the hardest thing
I had was my difficulty
when I first came home was,
like, getting a job was hard
because I couldn't do the
jobs that I wanted to do.
-My first time being released,
it was early 2000s
so it was none.
There weren't really nothing.
It was parole, and they tell
you to go look for work,
and you go look for work,
and if you can't find one,
keep trying.
-The biggest challenges I
faced, once I was exonerated,
was getting familiar
with everyday freedom.
-The challenges I faced coming
back into this world
was the fact that I still
had a sticker on my back.
-I built this wall around me
that I just couldn't break
down at some point, you know,
from so many years in prison.
-It's tough being a formerly
incarcerated student
in law school
because I have classmates
who are like, "You're a felon.
What are you doing here?"
-Chose my path as building my
own business,
and I knew conventional
jobs weren't gonna help.
To work for somebody after
being locked up for so long
and the age bracket that I'm
in, it was gonna be kinda hard.
-So a lot of those programs,
the mentality of those programs,
"If we can just save one."
If you're not trying
to save nine outta 10,
that in and of itself
wasn't attractive to me.
-They gave me a
certificate of pardon,
a full pardon,
[gentle music continues]
a full pardon.
I look at that, and I say,
"Thank you, Lord.
Thank you, Lord,
for washing me."
[paper rustling]
[gentle music continues]
[Interviewer] How did you feel
seeing your brother going
through the system?
-As a older brother, I felt
like I couldn't do nothing
or try to do anything.
I just let it happen, and I
regret it every single day.
[Interviewer] Do you have any
advice for people you know,
for the families of people
who have been incarcerated?
-Stay outta trouble.
Do the right thing
so you won't end up in prison
or being accused
for something you ain't even do.
[dramatic music]
[dramatic music continues]
[gentle music]
[Music fades]