The Stunt Driver (2026) Movie Script

1
- Pressure up!
We're at pressure!
Ten...
Nine...
Eight...
- World champion
stunt driver, Ken Carter,
has agreed to go under
deep hypnosis live on air
to promote his big jump
this fall.
- Six...
- You ready to go under, Ken?
- Sure as snot, brother.
- Five...
- Four...
three...
two...
one.
He's deep under.
Completely under my control.
- Ladies and gentlemen,
this year,
Ken Carter, the Mad Canadian,
is set to jump the St. Lawrence
Seaway in a rocket car.
I'd be worried too, Ken.
So, what are we trying
to unlock here today, Goldie?
- Cure his fear.
We're getting to the root of it.
When were you first scared?
Do you remember, Ken?
Where were you born, Ken?
Take us back in three, two, one.
- I was born
Kenneth Gordon Polsjek.
I was born in 1938,
St. Henri, Montreal.
Never had much.
Skinny, bow-legged,
cross-eyed kid.
I think I was always
second-guessed as a boy,
you know, and nobody ever
thought I'd amount to anything.
My father took off.
Alone with
my brother and sisters.
I was the eldest.
My mother worked
all the time. Had no dad.
Had to be theirs.
- Go there. Go to the pain
where you're scared.
- I was alone at home,
alone at school.
I always had a problem
with authority, eh?
Don't like cops,
don't like doctors,
don't like teachers.
Books are for nerds
and bandages are for pussies.
I was held back.
Reading never made sense to me.
Teachers saying: "You better
read that book, you dunce."
Teachers were mean, eh?
They beat the piss out of you.
Doing don't need learning.
Learning needs doing.
No good at anything.
No good to anybody.
I was just a dirty old
grease monkey in NDG, you know,
just a kid picking up hours
at the garage.
They started to
show me the ropes,
and then I was literally
riding on the top of cars
holding ropes.
- Take us back there in five...
- Scared of being alone,
until I wasn't.
I found a home.
I got to graduate,
from the Congress
of Canadian Daredevils
to the International
Hell Drivers, you know,
and boy, that was my...
my ticket
to see the world.
- Four...
- I found a home
where I was happy.
A home where I could
talk straight, read right.
Everybody liked me.
- Three...
- I found a place where
everybody remembered my name.
- Two...
One.
- Here comes Carter
round the bend!
- Let's go, Ken!
- Ah! Oh!
- OK.
- OK.
- Kill the motor, folks.
I need an ambulance!
Call an ambulance!
- Easy on the ankle, please.
Shit, there goes
that ankle.
- The transmission
is hammering your ankle.
- Tell the people
not to go away!
Don't go away! Don't leave, OK?
Don't leave.
- Tell the people
not to go away!
Dan, where's the microphone?
Where's that microphone?
Folks, it's the ankle again.
The same one I broke
last week down in Houston.
They're just taking me
to get X-rays.
And remember, kids, when you're
on the threshold of life,
even if you fail,
it's important to just keep on
truckin' when you're...
And you remember... Ha! Ha!
- So, Ken, have you had a lot
of injuries over the years?
- Oh, I've had some
injuries, yeah.
I mean, I've broken my back.
I've broken both my arms.
Uh, tailbone's chalk.
Broken ankles, broken kneecaps.
Chest smashed in.
Yeah, one time
in Kaukauna, Wisconsin,
up by Green Bay,
steering wheel smashed me
right in the chest.
Boy, that was a close one,
you know.
Sick of waking up...
waking up in the cold,
green hospital rooms, you know.
You don't know where you are,
and you don't know
if you're alive or dead.
You don't know if you're
going to heaven or hell.
- You take anything
for the pain, or...
Right.
- You're looking at it.
- Yeah.
Gloria, are you comfortable
with the risks
the big jump entails?
- Would I prefer
his passion was woodwork?
Yeah, sure. Yeah.
I'd sleep better
at night, for sure.
But, um... I'd live worse
in the day, I guess.
- You'd sleep better
at night,
'cause you'd be
sleeping next to a virgin.
Woodwork?
- Will this be your
last jump, you think?
- This will be my final jump.
My time card could get
punched any time, you know.
But, uh, I won't lie, you know,
we've been through it.
You know, I put her through it,
and I put myself
through it, you know.
So all this pain,
you know, it's...
People got to remember my name.
- Mmm.
- Evel Knievel.
He's got his Snake River.
I need mine.
- How is that
relationship with Evel?
- Well, we have a mutual respect
for one another.
But yeah, no, he's full of shit
and a coward.
- All right.
And why now, Ken?
- I'm chasing something,
you know?
And I think it's...
I think it's respect, you know?
It's, uh, every time
I hit that jump,
I think: "This is...
This will shut him up."
When you come off that jump,
when you stick that landing,
oh, they respect you now, boy.
- You'll see it
on Wide World Today,
the canyon flight
of Evel Knievel.
- Are you serious?
A rocket?
Where's his motorcycle?
He's an astronaut now?
Pansy-ass space stuff.
What are we looking at?
What is this hippie bullshit?
- We got a premature chute.
- He didn't even make it across.
Good Lord!
This is an embarrassment.
He's just pissing
all over everything we do.
I've said it a hundred times.
Evel Knievel is a nerd.
- Hello?
- Hello there, Dick.
This is Ken Carter calling you.
I got your number
off of Joey Washburn.
- How's old Joey?
- Joey, he's grand.
He's evergreen.
You know, I'm that guy,
the Mad Canadian.
Jumped the 20 buses
at the Houston Astrodome.
Does that sound familiar?
- Is that right? No.
What can I do for you?
- I am in the market
for a rocket car.
- Where do you plan on driving
this rocket car?
- Well, that's the thing.
I'm leaning towards jumping it.
- I'm sorry,
you want to jump it?
- Over something you
wouldn't think is possible,
like a big river or something.
- Thank you very much
for calling.
I just don't think....
- Hang on here. Listen, listen.
I know this sounds crazy.
I'm calling you out of the blue.
I know it does.
But I think we could really
wow some people here.
Make some noise.
- Yeah, noise isn't
really my thing.
- With all due respect,
why'd you build the Blue Flame?
- To break a land speed record.
- Because you hate noise?
- Now, let me just
stop you right there,
because there's nothing safe
about a rocket car.
It's a real easy way
to get yourself
and a lot
of other people killed.
- I bet they said you
were crazy, didn't they?
Well, you did it anyway, right?
You built the fastest car
in the world.
And why'd you do that?
Because you're Dick Keller.
And you can.
- All right, we got to
calculate the elevation.
Launch point's gonna
have to be maybe 100 feet.
- A hundred foot ramp.
- It depends on
the elevation of your landing.
You don't want flat.
You want your landing
much lower than your launch.
You said a mile, right?
You want to jump a mile?
God, you gotta be going 260,
maybe 280 miles an hour.
- 280...
- The amount of thrust
depends on the amount of fuel,
which depends
on the size of the tank.
The bigger the tank,
the more pressure you need.
The more pressure, the more
likely the fucking thing blows.
- Dick, just come up here.
And all I ask is that
you keep an open mind, sir,
and you bring the child
inside of you.
- Listen to me carefully, kid.
Even if we
get you up in the air,
we still got
to get you down safely.
Parachutes fail, burn, tangle.
According to my calculations,
taking it all in,
looking at all the numbers,
I'm realizing that
I want zero part of this.
- Here he is.
- Here he is!
OK...
I'm gonna shake
his hand first.
You can shake his hand after.
- OK.
- Mr. Dick Keller,
face to face, face to name.
Ken Carter, pleasure to
put those two together.
Thank you for flying up here.
How was the flight?
Danny, introduce yourself.
- It's an honour, sir.
Lafortune. Danny Lafortune.
- You're never gonna
fit in a rocket car.
- Well, I'm going to need
a big car with a big rocket
for a big jump with a big man.
- I've agreed to nothing, Ken.
- Wait till you see
our jump site.
Spectacular views. It's level.
Great drainage.
- Level?
- Are you hungry?
I know I'm always starving
after a flight.
Don't know what that is.
I could eat the arse out of
an elephant at the airport.
Danny's our chauffeur.
- You know he ain't
got no license.
- You don't drive?
- Oh, no, I certainly do, sir.
Just don't need the Crown's
permission to do so.
Yep. There you are.
Stop talking, Carter.
You sound like a lunatic.
Coming in behind you there,
Guy Lombardo.
We're not fancy.
We're not fancy.
- Oh, yeah.
Yeah, that's a
good mile at least.
But it's way too flat, Ken.
Ken!
- Yeah, it's flat.
So, you said a mile, eh,
as the crow flies.
- Well, this is insane, Ken.
You--you can't do it.
- I can do it.
I can drive a car.
I can put my foot
on that pedal,
and I can steer a car
off a ramp.
I've been doing it
my whole life, sir.
The only question is,
is this jump possible?
- Here's a question.
Why are you jumping a river
if you can't even swim?
You've never swam?
- Not a lick.
The thought of it disgusts me.
- Look, this jump is dangerous.
It is extremely stupid,
and it is entirely pointless.
But, yes.
Technically,
the physics do work.
You can jump a mile
in a rocket car,
provided everything
goes exactly right.
- So you'll do it?
- Can I be honest?
- Sure.
- I don't think you're
really gonna do it.
- Oh no?
- But I have this haunting fear
that you might kill
yourself trying, so...
I'll help.
- You have no idea
what that means to me, sir.
- But on the day,
if I don't think you can make it
for any reason,
I'm calling it.
I'm not gonna let you jump.
I get full veto, understand?
- American presidential veto.
Yeah, that's right.
Whatever you need, sir.
Welcome to our...
- Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa.
- Welcome aboard.
Welcome to Team Carter, offi--
Welcome to Team Carter,
officially, sir!
Found ourselves a rocket
scientist, Mr. Lafortune.
- Yeah, man. I love rockets.
- This jump's never
gonna happen.
- Do you mind if I ask you
one small favour, sir?
- Why stop now?
- Can I borrow a car?
- Have any other daredevils
attempted a stunt
even close to this?
- I'm no daredevil, sir.
That implies there's
no skill involved.
Everything's left up to chance.
No, I drive jumps.
I'm a stunt driver, sir,
and not in some
rinky-dinky rocket
you've never heard of before,
ending up in the drinks,
la Madame Knievel.
US Air Force F14
Tomcat equivalent
G forces pulling on me.
You hear that?
That's the sound that woke up
the jungles of Vietnam, sir!
We are gonna blow
the socks off of Evel Knievel!
We're gonna get a big house
down in Santa Monica.
I won't be played
a fool down there.
All those Angelenos
won't ever see me coming.
- You know I'd be just as happy
with you in, like...
a two-bedroom, patch of grass
and a couple of runts
kicking around.
- Runts? Why do they
have to be...
They're not gonna be runts.
- Yeah.
- No, we're gonna have monsters.
They're from my lines.
- They're my runts too.
- They're gonna be huge.
Two huge kids.
And we can do better
than a bloody two and a half
and a patch of grass.
- I'd just be happy
with you anywhere, Ken.
- I know, I know.
I'm just saying, I...
You know, I feel it, hey?
I really think
we have the chance
to do something here, you know.
And I just...
You know, I want to make sure
we have enough money.
- Money enough for a ring?
- Absolutely.
A ring for me
and a ring for you.
You know I'm with you,
but you can't get caught up
in their shit, remember?
- Yeah.
- You don't let that big head
of yours explode with pride.
If you get cold feet out there,
you listen to them.
You listen to your feet, Ken.
- OK.
- Promise?
- Yeah.
- Your biggest numbers
outside of Monday nights
have always been stunts.
Jumps specifically.
- Yeah, and you've never
had a jump like this.
A country mile in a Lincoln.
Never been done before.
To once again quote
the immortal Joey Washburn:
"If you got a Murphy bed,
your mother's probably..."
- You know,
and we have to remember
that the people
are gonna tune in
to see whether he lands it
or whether he crashes, right?
So that's a win-win
for the audience.
Plus, with Ken here,
I think people are gonna be
flat-out charmed.
I mean, come on,
look at this guy, right?
- The jump looks impossible,
physically impossible.
- Exactly, my friend.
- Yes, and just like you,
I believe most of the people
are gonna be 100% sure
this guy's gonna crash,
and they are gonna tune in
to be witnesses to that.
- From a legal standpoint,
we can't get behind anything
we know would fail.
We'd be liable for a life.
- ABC can't lose.
Just look at your intro.
The ski jumper,
the agony of defeat...
- Let's ask Evel to oversee it.
Get his stamp of approval.
- Yeah.
- Now, that's a brilliant idea.
I have to say.
- Knievel, we don't...
- I wish I'd thought of that.
- He's a bright guy.
- We don't need him.
He's not a bright guy.
- No, I think his name
would be great on this.
It would help.
- No, but he's kind of an idiot.
- Do you think he would do it?
- I can't hurt to ask.
- I know you gentlemen have
a relationship with him.
Uh, you know, but I worry that
we'd be blurring our brands, eh.
'Cause, you know, he's got
his turf, with the motorcycles,
dressing like
a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader.
I drive four-on-the-floor
automobiles, hey?
I jump cars for a living.
And I look good doing it.
- Evel's a must.
- Yeah, yeah, we're gonna go
with Evel. Thank you, though.
- Oh, yeah, you're welcome.
- I mean, right off the top,
I just know that
this is a brilliant idea.
Look, Ken Carter
and Evel Knievel,
two great tastes
that taste great together.
- Yeah, I guess, you don't
really have a choice, you know?
- No choice is the best choice.
- Let's turn this around,
see how much
he likes his own medicine.
- And this is the guy.
This is him.
The character that
we are following.
- "The character
that we are..."
- He's a very funny guy.
- Is he not a dead ringer
for Joseph Stalin?
Joseph... Joseph Stalin.
"Look, I'm a director!
"Let me ask you a question.
How come you eat eggs
for breakfast?"
- Quiet, quiet, quiet!
Sorry, guys.
This is important.
Hello, hello. Yeah.
Yeah, he's here. Hey!
- Thank you, thank you, yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, this is he.
Yeah, this is Ken Carter, yeah.
Whoa.
OK, thank you so much
for calling.
Oh!
Do you want the good news
or the bad news?
OK, so the bad news is,
you guys know ABC.
That was them calling to say
the Wide World of Sports is in!
A quarter of a million dollars!
- Yeah, ha ha!
- The jump is on! Yeah!
Well, so what's the good news?
- The good news is
I get to fly, baby.
- To Ken Carter!
- I went to university.
I'm now by a riverbank
from Morrisburg. OK.
Ken said there will be a flare.
OK, anytime.
- Foreign soil! Yeah.
On the 26th, this will be
my endpoint, my landing zone.
We're going to plant
200 square feet of roses
right here for me to land on.
If you're gonna
have a target,
roses would be
a soft target to aim for.
- Have you always
had a thing for roses?
- A rose is your heart,
and it's your love,
and it's your woman.
You know, so...
So it's a testament to
all the great lovers, you know,
and, uh, and to Gloria.
I like to think that I'm going
to crash land inside of Gloria.
- Hmm. OK.
- Let's make hay.
- OK, gentlemen!
Come on, come on!
Oh, a little bit more!
All right, OK, unbelievable!
Don't be in a rush, gentlemen.
It's not like you're
getting any money for this.
- This ramp will be amazing.
90 feet tall, 1,500 feet
of fresh blacktop,
a real beaut.
I stand here in America,
looking across the river
upon Canada,
and I see a truly wide
world of sports.
- I'd be more worried
about the fuel tanks, right?
All that acid
just turning you to goo.
- You're gonna reinforce
the frame with Styrofoam
so the car floats better.
- Yeah, sure. Of course,
that makes it more flammable.
- And an oxygen tank.
- Well, combustible. Worse.
Rip your face right off.
- I don't want to drown.
- I'd rather drown than burn.
- Yeah, I get that, man.
They say drowning
can be peaceful.
- Who says drowning
can be peaceful?
- Well, especially
if you're on fire,
then the water's a relief.
- Yeah. I'm more worried
about his chutes not opening.
- Yeah, or burning up.
- I got one.
- If the car's nose dips
too much and the chutes fail,
the rocket could just push him
into the water like a 747.
- Oh, yeah.
- It'll just disintegrate. Boom.
- Oh, boom.
- Jesus Christ, guys!
- You got dental records?
- Come on, guys.
You know, I've got to do this.
- You don't do it,
I will, Bones.
I'm his understudy.
- This ain't Broadway,
Lafortune. I found you.
You were jumping trailer
park dirt in Trois-Pistoles.
And terribly, I might add.
You have zero sense
of showmanship!
I got some sense of showmanship.
- Idiot! How you not match?
Hey, how you not
match measurements? Huh?
How you not follow plans?
All you follow
is ass to the bar!
Bill buy cheap cement,
cheap as fuck, low-grade steel.
I can guarantee nothing
about this fucking ramp, OK?
It's not safe. You will die.
- But you'll finish it, right?
- You fucking sock puppet.
You fucking sock puppet!
We build a ramp,
do a rocket car. Fuck me!
- Have we found out when
Evel Knievel is coming up here?
- No, not yet.
- I think it's soon.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- The world's greatest
stunt woman.
- Yeah.
- Ken, how do you feel
about everything?
- I get frustrated.
He gets frustrated.
You get frustrated too, Fortier.
You know, I think he's just...
- I do too, yeah.
Sometimes I get frustrated.
- All right.
- Meet Kent, our dummy.
Hard worker, not exactly
the life of the party.
- Dick, the car's a beaut.
- Oh, yeah. Yeah.
She's a beast.
- It's exciting, you know.
It's one step closer.
- Yeah.
Truly, I am trying to
get this done for you,
but I have never put fuel tanks
this close to a rocket
in a vehicle this small.
- Wind's at our backs now, boys.
- Let's just hope
the wind doesn't explode.
Bring it up to pressure.
- Yeah, give us the juice.
- Here we go!
We're at pressure.
- She held.
All right, light it up.
Whoa!
Dammit!
- I just want to say, Ken, that,
you know, we believe in you.
We've been following you
for a couple of years now.
All of us, the NFB,
we believe in this jump.
- Well, thank you, sir.
That means a lot.
I appreciate that.
I want you to know
I appreciate that.
- Well, and I think
I should make it clear
that there's no pressure from us
to do the jump.
Do it or don't do it.
It's all part of the process
that we want to document.
- Don't you ever
talk to me like that ever again.
- Like what?
- I am going to make that jump,
as God is my witness.
- Oh, no, no.
I wasn't implying...
- Oh, hot damn it.
They weren't
even filming, Fortier.
- Well, it was just something
I thought better said privately.
- Yeah, but I was
legitimately touched
and pissed off by what you said.
Honestly, it just
kind of happened.
It's exciting.
- All right, well,
guys, roll sound.
- Yeah, roll sound.
- Good. Sure.
Yeah, you got it. Um...
- So, so...
- Oh, yeah, uh, uh...
Ken, I want you to know
that we believe in you
and we believe in this jump.
- Well, thank you.
That means a lot.
I want you to know that.
Thank you very much.
- We don't want to
give you any pressure.
There's no pressure
to jump or not.
We're simply observing.
Is there any kind of
appreciation or respect
between you and Evel?
- Oh, you know, I think
there's a sort of respect.
I think, you know, it's like...
when a panther and a lion
see each other,
they both smell their same...
- Scent.
- Sexual energy.
- Sure.
- When was the last
time you saw the...
- I believe I saw
Evel Knievel...
Rochester, New York.
Autumn of '70...
- Guys, just hold
that thought, guys.
- You brought
the sunshine, Evel.
- Where's the ramp at?
- There's been some delays.
- Man of the hour.
- Good to see you again, Evel.
Not sure if you
ever met my Gloria.
- Don't believe
I've had the pleasure.
- It's good to finally meet you.
- I bet.
Where's the ramp?
- Over there, sir.
- Jesus, Carter,
what the hell's that?
Where's your landing spot?
- Ogden Island.
See that patch
of red over there?
We planted roses
for me to aim at.
- Roses?
- Yeah.
How tall is this ramp, boy?
- It's, uh...
What was it? 80...
85.5 feet.
- Yeah.
- Well, I don't
see no ramp, son.
I see a pile of mud.
- Oh, it's, uh, it's a start,
but, uh, we'll get there.
I'm sure.
- Where's the car at?
- Keller's promising it
in a few days.
- Keller?
- Uh, Dick, uh,
Blue Flame Keller.
I'm sure you know him.
- Nope.
- Got a nice prevailing
wind today.
- Is that really Evel?
- Yeah, I think so, Gloria.
- I don't know.
I'm not convinced.
- Well, an ABC sure is.
- He just looks so normal.
- These delays are unacceptable.
- Yeah. Kind of
like a rocket ship.
- Come again?
- Oh, yeah, yeah.
Spent your whole career
riding motorcycles,
and you randomly decide
to become an astronaut.
- State wouldn't permit a bike.
- But you didn't make it anyway.
But we will land this jump, sir.
- The chutes deployed early.
- Yeah. Now, how'd that happen?
- What are you
getting at, Carter?
- What I'm getting at
is we're up against it, sir.
This is war on the shore.
Rain for days.
We're in the muck.
The mud and the blood
and the beer.
The last thing we need
is some Yankee doodle dandy
coming up here thinking
he's gonna tell us
how to do our jobs.
Look around you.
What do you see?
You see God's country, sir.
And you see God's chosen people.
The Canadians.
And every single one
of these people here
believes in this jump.
They've all given me their word.
They're gonna work
twice as hard to get it done.
And I will do more than cry
if they don't, let me tell you.
Is he gonna cry?
- Well, it looks like
a dangerous jump to me, boy.
You got no elevation,
no room for error.
You go down on that water,
you better have somebody get
you out, get you out in a hurry.
- Oh, yeah. Trust me, Evel,
I am worried about the water.
- Don't get yourself
killed, Carter.
It's bad for business.
- I'll cut you up.
- You want some, superstar?
Cut it!
- Turn it back on.
Let's make breakfast!
Let's make breakfast!
- What the fuck does that mean?
- It's something that we say.
My chute won't deploy early.
- It's called safety protocol,
you asshole!
- That's what you call
being a pussy?
- Come on!
- Rumour is you got bit
by the jinx.
And all I hear the wind say
is, "Chicken Shit Carter."
- Who's saying that?
- The spirits, boy! The spirits!
I worked on my own project,
the Snake River Canyon stunt,
for 3 years.
And they're trying to
finish this up in 2 weeks.
The weather's been bad.
The runway is muddy.
The ramp is not built.
I don't think
I'd attempt a stunt like this.
It's far more dangerous than
the Snake River Canyon stunt.
This may be the daredevil stunt
to end all daredevil stunts.
- Well, that's all good,
because I ain't no daredevil.
I'm a stunt driver.
- He's just jealous.
- Oh, no, no...
He's just playing his part.
- I thought he'd be taller.
You know what I mean?
- Yeah.
- Like...
- Yeah, he is a little
piece of shit, isn't he?
- And at 900 feet,
he will reach what we call
the point of no return.
- Yeah.
- What's the latest
on the big jump?
- Well, firstly, uh,
the rocket car is not ready,
and that cannot be rushed.
Secondly, the ramp
is nowhere near complete.
And lastly, the weather has not
and we fear will not cooperate.
Even if all three of those
things were in our favour,
ABC, along with Evel Knievel,
have decided that the jump
is just too risky to cover live
due to the high chance
of fatality.
- So it's over.
- No, it's...
- It's over, everybody.
Just 'cause, uh...
- Ken Carter.
- Pardon me.
Just 'cause some
coiffed-up yank
got a little scared
of a big old ramp.
I was dialled in to that jump.
Three times wider than
Snake River, I might add.
If you think I ain't
in a rush for danger,
I got news for you.
I've been training
till I'm sick to my stomach.
And I'm sick now.
I'm 38 years old.
And even some of my jumps
of the past few years
haven't been up to par.
And I know I'm getting too old
for this business,
but that won't
stop me from trying.
Well, it will stop me today,
but you know what I mean.
And there's a lot of people
out there asking why.
Why does anyone do anything?
What the hell am I gonna do?
Pump gas at a gasoline station?
I jump cars.
And we hear the whispers, eh?
We're not chicken.
I got news for anyone
who thinks otherwise.
We are going to fly.
We want the mile!
- So, Florida... It's a pretty
nice place you got here.
- This is our other home.
We're always here up here.
- Yeah.
- And how have you been
handling the delay?
- You see, there's
actually two Kens, Bob.
There's... there's Ken Carter,
the man you see before you,
you know, the stuntman,
entertainer, the Mad Canadian.
Then there's
Kenneth Gordon Polsjek,
who's a rational businessman.
He's behind the scenes.
He's running numbers, making
deals. He's on the phones.
And Ken Carter
and Kenneth Gordon Polsjek
are starting to understand
what their positions are
with one another.
Sometimes, Kenneth Gordon
will say:
"Hello, Carter. You're scared."
You know: "Is this really
what you want to be doing?"
- Is it?
- I guess yes and no
is what we're saying.
- Which one of the Kens
gets to be with Gloria?
- Oh.
You know, she's lucky.
- Both!
- Yeah, that's right.
They double team her.
- Carter, you have to
hit that ramp
at, what was it, 200...
280 miles per hour, Polsjek.
Ken Carter
and Kenneth Gordon Polsjek.
We're the Mad Canadian.
Listen, Carter,
there's gotta be one cowboy.
There's only one cowboy and
only one guy with the juice.
End of a long day.
Gloria likes Kingsley,
extra light.
You have to wait around
for your stunt driver husband.
- We don't need ABC back in.
This ramp's not going anywhere.
We'll come back next year
stronger and better prepared.
We cut our losses.
That gives me time
to raise more funds.
- Aiden needs to be made whole.
Trust me.
- Yeah, yeah.
I'm keeping all
the wolves at bay.
Don't you worry about that, OK?
- I'm gonna have to
look for a job. We're broke.
- We're not broke, broke.
At a certain point, Bill,
you've got to
just dig in and go for it.
- We need to be smart
about this.
- 'Cause, you know,
every one of these delays,
all they do is just give Carter
more time to stew
and second-guess himself.
- Honey, you don't even
have to make it.
You just have to try.
Evel failed, right?
He never made it
across Snake River.
You just have to hit the gas,
get off the ramp,
pull the chutes
and survive the jump.
- Gloria, that's not a jump. OK?
We're only doing this
if we think Carter can make it.
I'm almost 40 years old, OK?
People are going to remember me.
They'll know my name.
- One year, and the jump is on.
I promise.
- Now, this is not Herbie
you're looking at.
A Mark IV Lincoln with something
special under the hood.
It's got wings added
for in-air stabilization,
reinforced with foam
for buoyancy
in case of a water landing.
And then, coming out the bum,
11,000 pounds of thrust
from a catalytic rocket,
courtesy of our
resident mad scientist,
Dick Keller.
Say hello to all
the folks at home.
- Hi.
- Would you drive the car, Dick?
- Oh, yeah, yeah. Sure.
- Like, off the ramp?
- Oh, no.
This is as safe as you could
possibly jump a rocket car
a mile across a body of water.
This is as safe
as you could do it.
- Thank you so much.
Make sure that's
there for later.
We might need that statement.
Here we are, my protege.
- I am.
- Coming up the ranks,
very talented stunt driver
in his own right.
You'll be hearing
a lot about him soon.
- Yeah.
- That rhymes with his name,
Danny Lafortune.
- I am proud to be here.
- All right, thanks, Danny.
And here she is.
This is my rocket, Gloria.
- Hello.
- Gloria, how do you feel
about Ken doing the jump
in this particular vehicle
now that you've seen the car?
- I mean, the car is gorgeous.
I trust him. I trust it.
- You're gorgeous.
- Yeah.
- Almost as pretty
as the car. Almost.
- That's a big compliment.
- We're three weeks
from jump day,
and I'll be honest.
Everything about this whole plan
is so callous and stupid,
and yet here I am,
and I'm excited for it.
And Ken's got me
believing in it,
and I'm believing in him.
And I think we're gonna
pull this damn thing off.
That or we'll kill him.
Let's get the helmet on,
the race suit on.
- I don't think
we have that with me.
I think... I think
I left that back at home.
- I got my race suit.
I'm willing, ready, able, sir.
- Uh... Yeah,
put on Danny's suit.
- I can't wear those clothes.
They're for a toy.
What's going on down there?
What are you working with?
What kind of waist
do you have there?
- It's about 28.
- 28, yeah.
We're not fancy.
Get in here, Bob.
- I don't want to
hurt your elbow.
- You can't hurt that old elbow.
You can't hurt
that old turkey wing. Ah!
Gotta get out of there.
All right!
How am I getting in here?
- You've got to get in
through the sunroof.
You can just sort of
shimmy up right here.
- Oh, like a salmon.
- Yeah.
- You know what?
There's a ladder.
- There's a ladder?
- You know what? Lose the suit.
- But isn't it flame retardant?
- Yeah, if she blows, you're
dead anyway, suit or no suit.
All aboard, sailor!
- Yep.
- Get that.
Don't forget your hat!
- Thank you.
- All right, now, quick review.
You got nitrogen tanks
on either side of you.
- Yeah.
- Hydrogen peroxide's
right in front of you.
- And they are 100% safe
until full pressure, right?
- Yeah. Yeah, sure.
Three pedals,
like we discussed.
The one on the right,
that's your go button.
As soon as the light
turns green,
hit that, main rocket engages.
Middle pedal.
On the day, that's going
to be your extra booster
when you're in the air,
but today, it's actually
your brake parachutes.
So hit that when you want
to slow down and stop.
The one on the left,
don't touch it.
That is your main parachute.
That is for jump day only.
We're gonna
ease you into it.
There's enough fuel
to get you up to about 200.
- 200, yeah, yeah, OK.
That should be good.
We feel good about that, yeah.
- It's going to start bucking
at about 150.
That's OK. Just keep it pointed
straight down the pipe.
You don't drive these cars.
You aim them.
Good luck, and don't be afraid
to have fun.
Close it up.
- We're fun guys.
Just for fun, eh?
- Pressure up!
God help us.
- OK, it's all good.
You love this.
You love this.
This is why you're here.
- Be ready, Bob.
There's enough mustard
in there to get him up to 250.
- I don't think that's
such a good idea, Dick.
- Well, he'll be going
a lot faster on the day.
May as well throw him
in the deep end.
- Bad analogy.
- We're not just
testing the car, Bob.
We're testing the man.
If he's gonna shit his pants,
I wanna know today
on the blacktop.
We're at pressure!
Ten, nine, eight,
seven, six...
five, four,
three, two, one...
Go!
Ah!
- Whoo-hoo-hoo!
- Oh yeah!
- Yeah!
- Oh my God.
- Good job, guys.
- Oh!
Yes!
Thank God.
- That was amazing!
- Yeah, it was.
- Go, go, go!
- Oh, the car almost
started flying.
She actually lifted off the
fucking ground. Jesus Christ!
- The ailerons pick you up a bit
on a flat surface.
But the curve of the ramp
will keep you pinned down
on the day.
- Just get to
the end of the ramp
before you start flying, Bones.
- No shit! My foot slipped.
I hit two pedals.
- Go, go, go.
- Are you OK?
Any idea how fast
you were going?
- She is a ride.
That was a...
that was a magnificent ride.
That is a Bengal tiger.
We are still taming her.
So, yeah, how fast, boss?
- Well, I wasn't
straight with you.
- Oh, no, I know. I know.
So tell me, how much
did you lie to me?
- We set the speed at 250.
- That is a successful test.
It handles like a dream.
- Well, congratulations.
You just set a new Canadian
land speed record.
- Quite the power
in that car, Ken. What was...
- Did you hear that?
That's a new record
for the books.
- So, how did it feel, Ken,
tearing up the road there?
- No, Bob, that's enough.
Cut it out.
Come on, that's enough.
- OK, Gloria.
- Let's go sit down.
- Hey, I'm sorry about that.
But hey, you passed
the big test today.
- Yeah, the test was a success.
- Are you OK?
- Yeah.
Mind's racing, you know?
Spent a long time
thinking about water.
- Hmm.
How about the wind?
Maybe listen to the wind.
What's it telling you?
- Stay the course.
- You want me
to veto this thing?
- You think you need to?
- No.
But I could pull it, find a
reason between you and me.
- That would be my veto,
which wouldn't be fair.
We would never
take that from you.
- I know you want
to make this jump.
Everyone here wants you
to make the jump.
But they're not jumping.
Everything I do
on this whole project
is to make sure you stay alive,
no matter what happens
off the end of that ramp.
That's all I care about.
This whole thing
is not a success
unless both of you are alive.
- You think this
run's gonna kill us?
- A lot less so after today,
to your credit.
But at the end of the day,
I know it's not macho,
but I'd rather be alive
than macho and dead.
There's no pride in being dead.
- You OK?
- Have you ever gone
250 miles per hour before?
- No, honey, I have not.
- We're gonna have to go
280 miles per hour.
Dick's trying to scare us.
- Well, he's a smart man.
Is it working?
- No.
No, it isn't.
- Why don't I drive us home?
- I don't have a license.
- Yeah.
- The jump's a mess, you know.
And they say the car
will be ready,
but they've said that before,
you know, so...
We're thinking of throwing in
the towel on this one, Evel,
just not doing the jump.
- Did you ever hear
about my Everglade jump?
- No, I don't believe
I did, sir.
- It was right when they were
building them raised highways
connecting the Keys,
civilizing the swamps.
They had almost connected two of
the islands when I got the idea.
Jump the expanse.
- How'd it go?
- I didn't do it.
Week out,
they're building the ramps.
Got cold feet.
I even wrote my wife a death
letter in the event that...
A message from the grave.
Something was
telling me, "No, Evel.
No."
- That takes courage, you know?
If you're not feeling it,
you're not feeling it.
You've got to
listen to your gut.
There's no shame in that.
- Oh, there are
buckets of shame.
- Oh, yeah?
- That was a stupid move.
- Yeah, eh?
- Yeah.
No, I was chicken shit.
- OK.
- Everybody knew it.
I regret it every day.
- Really?
- I was put here to do
things others can't.
The second I can't,
I'm just like the others.
It's not who I am.
It's not who you are.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, you know, thank you
for coming up to see us, bub.
- There aren't
many of us around.
I still get a little
nervous before a big jump,
just like you.
And don't worry,
I'm not gonna be there.
You don't need the added
pressure of my presence.
I understand that all too well.
- Yeah. Well, you know,
the jump's a monster, Evel.
You said so yourself. We...
We're quite worried, you know.
We have no idea
what'll happen to Carter.
Carter could suffer
the agony of burning,
and then sink into the water,
strapped into
a two-ton rocket car,
still conscious and drown.
- It's a natural reaction.
That is just doubt talking.
- Oh, doubt's screaming,
you know:
"We don't think the jump
will work, you know."
- Well, you might
break a few bones.
You spend a few weeks
in the hospital,
but you aren't gonna die, Ken.
- I'm telling you, brother,
there is a very high chance
of dying a violent death.
- You know what's at stake.
You set yourself up for life.
You capture the imagination
of the world.
People live through us.
So you got to live large.
Green means go.
That's all you got to do.
- Were you scared
at Snake River?
- Of course. Who wouldn't be?
- And did you deploy
your chutes early?
- Nope.
- Yeah...
You're gonna shine.
You're gonna shine
like the North Star.
- Ah, that's nice of you.
- Four, three...
two, one.
It's now.
You're in the present.
- Yes, ma'am.
- Now, as a rational adult,
answer me this.
If you're scared, why do you
still want to jump?
- 'Cause I'm brave.
- What makes you brave?
- You have to be brave
when you have nothing.
It's the only thing
you'll ever have.
- Why a mile in a rocket car?
- Because when I jump
the furthest, I'm not alone.
Everybody likes me.
Everybody watches me.
They look up to me.
Look up at me.
When I fly,
everybody is my friend.
- What if it kills you?
- Everyone will remember
my name.
- Fear no pain, feel no pain.
Any pain, Ken?
- No pain.
Now the bloody frost heaves
are warping the asphalt,
which means
we can't get up to speed.
Bill could repave,
but that's time
and thousands of dollars.
However, could save my life.
- 15 seconds. 30 tops.
That's what you got to do, Ken.
- What the hell are
you talking about?
- Ken, I've paid in full here.
I've put up with 5 years
of talking, talking,
talking, talking
to get to 30 seconds of action.
You have to deliver
on all the goddamn bullshit
you've waxed on about.
- I looked you in the eyes
and I promised you that jump,
and I'm going to give it to you.
- You don't have to jump, Ken.
You really don't.
But you have to make a decision.
Because I'm not
wasting another five. I can't.
- Jump day.
I love jump day.
You ready, Bones?
- Oh, I was born ready, Danny.
- Yeah.
- Bill, where are we gonna
do that press conference?
By the cow patties?
- No, no, no. No press.
- We're going to risk my life,
and nobody's gonna
be there to see it.
- If we allow
even one news organization
to get footage
of this jump today,
then, well, we have no story.
OK? And then we have no market.
And then we have
no fucking money, Ken.
Your bravery is going to
be permanently cemented
in the fabric of our culture,
thanks to the expensive film
and this expensive camera
being operated by these
questionably talented,
expensive hippies.
A Japanese television presale.
That's who we're
jumping for today.
Japan.
- Konnichiwa!
- Ken, uh, how does it feel to
have this lovely turnout today?
- Hey, Ken, how does that
make you feel
to have so many people here?
- Unbelievable.
- It's our bread and butter.
This is why we do it.
We do it to capture the
imaginations of all the people.
- And what would you say
to all these people?
- Hey, Ken, what would you
say to all those people?
- Eat your vegetables,
you know, and, you know,
do your homework, and you
could be Ken Carter too.
- I don't love
the term "daredevil,"
'cause that kind of implies
that it's not
a professional thing
that we're planning out,
you know.
But I am also...
I'm a daredevil.
You dare me, I'll devil.
- Easy, guys. Easy.
Yeah, just back it up.
There you go.
- How'd she feel, kiddo?
- The runway is rough.
It's warped.
You know, the whole thing
needs to be smoothed over.
I keep saying that.
- Yeah.
- The whole ramp
feels weird, man.
- Keep in mind that
you're going to be going 280
when you hit
the curve of the ramp.
That's a lot of Gs,
so you're probably not
gonna feel a thing.
- I need my mark.
I need more white lines.
I need more white lines,
the entire length of it, OK?
How many times do I
have to ask for this?
- OK, OK.
- That's a good idea.
We can get you more white lines.
For sure, no problem.
But I'll take a look at it.
- Doc crew, right?
Listen, just stay
out of my shot, OK?
This is a 35 mm event film.
- Oh, is that how they pronounce
television in Japan?
I'm making
a 16 mm documentary film,
so we're observing.
You can stay in the shot,
or don't. Up to you.
- That's cute. No, I like that.
- Good.
Do they let you
in the editing room, or...?
- Yeah. Yeah, they do. Thanks.
- How nice.
That must be fun for you.
- What a jackass.
- All right.
- Chute's good.
- Four chutes ready to go.
Plan A and Plan B.
- Anything to be
concerned about?
- No. No.
I've been packing silk for
30 years, never had a problem.
Somebody up there
likes you today.
Right? These conditions.
- Oh.
- It's perfect!
If you're gonna do this,
today is the day.
- Today.
- Today.
- Yeah, boy.
- All right.
- What...
- Green light, right pedal,
hand release, go.
- Check.
- Whew!
Yellow flag, 400 feet.
Middle pedal.
- Check. You can do it.
- When the nose dips off
the tip of the ramp,
left pedal
and the chutes deploy.
- Check, buddy. You got this.
- I got this.
- Great.
- OK. OK.
- All right.
- One more.
Let's do it again.
- Oh, come on.
- Let's give her again.
- Yeah!
- No, let's do it again.
We got time, eh, boys?
We got time, right?
- No. Not really, no.
- Yeah, it's great stuff.
- Let's do it again.
Let's do it again.
Yeah. Yeah.
You spray down my body
right away.
You don't go for the source
of the heat. You get me.
You guys are fully credentialed?
You're allowed to be firemen?
Is this a volunteer thing?
- It's not.
- What about the frogmen?
Do you know the frogmen?
What about the frogmen?
- This is it?
- This is it.
- We're doing it. Yes!
- Yes.
- All right. Let's go, guys.
- All right.
- Let's do it.
- This is it.
You like guinea pigs, Bill?
- Are you talking about rodents?
Sure, I have no problem
with guinea pigs.
- Big fan.
- You're a big fan
of guinea pigs?
- I think they're
my favourite animal.
- Well, that stands to reason.
You technically are
a human guinea pig.
- What is it, Keller?
- Crew won't refuel the tanks.
Aiden wants his money.
- Ah! Godammit, you know.
I--I told you to...
You said you were
taking care of this.
- Yeah, and I'm gonna
cut them a check.
- Check? No, that won't work
with these guys.
These aren't the kind of people
that take checks.
- Where the hell am I supposed
to get $27,000 in cash
at 4:30 p.m. in Morrisburg?
- Well, I don't...
You know, you're...
You're the money guy. I...
You know, I...
I drive the car.
God.
- Is he just...
Trevor! Trevor!
- Not us. Car. Shoot the car.
- Ask him if he has
$27,000 in cash.
- I don't speak Japanese.
- Who the fuck has been
translating this whole time?
- I don't know,
but it wasn't me.
- Well, apparently,
Bill messed up,
and now they won't
gas the vehicle.
So we can't do
our jump right now.
There's no way he's gonna
find that amount of money
before the sun goes down.
Bill better pay up.
I'm telling you. Jesus!
- And you're OK with it.
You're happy.
- What did you just say?
- I said you're happy.
- I'm not happy.
I want to do this.
I'm mad, OK?
I'm fuming here.
I'm blowing a fucking gasket.
- Oh yeah?
You walking away?
- Would you stop that?
I'm not walking away.
- Then you get back
over there, Ken.
You're gonna go
stand by that car
and quietly wait
for Bill's money
till you can't see the hand in
front of your face, all right?
You go.
- Just wait.
- This ain't on you today.
Not today.
Come on! Just go. Please.
Like, seriously.
- Ow!
Jesus.
- Fucking go!
There's always something!
- Do you think that, uh,
Ken is maybe a little too scared
to do the jump?
- Maybe he is,
but, you know,
he's about to
risk his life, man.
- That is true.
- That's...
That's quite something,
you know?
- Have you ever felt
that maybe you've been
in the shadow of Ken?
- Yeah, a little, but I'm ready
to step in, you know?
I'm supporting him
in a way, you know?
- Bob, you've been with us
since the beginning,
since the very inception.
- It's been a long road,
a lot of broken bones,
but we are this close,
this close to making history.
- OK, stay over there.
OK, on him. On him.
- Oh, did they get takeaway?
- Wow.
- They got chicken?
They got--they got
chicken for everybody?
- Yeah.
Probably fucking choke on it.
- OK, jump's on, guys!
Double time!
Let's go!
Get these tanks juiced!
- Oh! Yeah, you know, the good
Lord is shining down on me.
You know? It's a miracle.
Good tidings.
- All right, so you're gonna
walk over to the car, OK?
And you're gonna say
something electric, OK?
- Bob, thank you for having me.
And good luck with your film.
- Thank you, Ken.
- OK, that's the opposite
of what I asked for.
OK, give me something exciting.
Show me that you are
a superstar, OK?
Let's go, no fucking around.
This is zero hour.
Everybody better be
fucking prepared,
because we get one shot at this.
If for any reason there is
a catastrophic failure
here on the ground
and you find yourself on fire,
do not run.
I repeat, if you're on fire,
do not run.
You stop, you drop
and you roll.
- Oh, hello.
Gloria, how about you and me
go get hitched down in
the States by those roses?
- Just take my hand
and we'll walk.
OK? Just turn.
We'll just walk away, right now.
- The countdown.
Fortune favours
the urgent, buddy. Let's go.
If you're doing
a safety protocol,
it's too late for that shit.
We are going.
This vehicle's filled
with highly combustible fuel.
There's two ways
this thing can go.
It can go perfectly
or catastrophically.
You decide which way.
Good luck, Ken.
- They cleared the boats.
- Yep, slowed the current.
We got a 15-minute window.
Frogmen, firemen, all ready.
- You still have that American
presidential veto, so...
if you see anything...
- You say the word,
this all goes away.
- Everything goes away.
- What's the call?
- I jump.
- OK.
You'll be good. Good luck!
Let's get this lid on.
- Oh, God!
- Pressure up!
God help us.
- We're at pressure!
- Green light, right pedal,
hand release, go.
Off the end of the ramp,
nose dips, left pedal.
Chutes deploy.
- Ten, nine, eight,
seven, six, five,
four, three, two...
Abort! Abort!
Abort!
- I'm on it! I'm on it!
- Get me out of here!
- Damn it!
Keller, you chickenshit
motherfucker!
- Wait! Wait!
- Ah, Jesus!
- Get out of here, go!
Call the firemen off.
Call the firemen off.
Everything is OK.
I repeat, everything
is under control.
Ken's all right.
- Who the fuck
asked you to abort?
- Seal blew on
the loader regulator.
It sets the dome regulator.
It vented.
Just dumped fuel all out
the back of the dome.
I had to call it, OK?
Had he gone, would have
been a small burst, no power.
He never would have made it.
- Oh, Jesus Christ, I nearly
had a heart attack, boys.
- Can we fix it?
- Yeah, we can fix it.
Go get a
good night's sleep, right?
Come back first thing
and just go for it, right?
We were almost there.
He was ready to go.
- We could have
done this jump today
if you hadn't
futzed around.
- Put that finger away.
We could have
done it today
if you paid our bills
like you were meant to.
- With what money, Ken?
All of our money
is right fucking here.
Not to mention the money
that this fucking puke
just barfed all over the runway
because of a fucking valve?
- There's a man's life at stake.
- I don't give a shit!
You're stalling.
Green light means go, asshole.
From now on, that is it.
- I won't be talked to that way.
- Hell yes, you will.
I'm still talking.
See?
- Ken, it pains me to say this,
but I can no longer guarantee
the safety of this jump.
I'm out.
- Oh, come on.
- All right, everybody,
just breathe.
- Hey, get over here.
- Take a breather!
Relax. Take a break.
Take a deep breath.
Let's get a good night's sleep,
like you said.
- Don't trust these idiots.
Don't trust them with your life.
Walk away.
- I can't.
- Yeah, you can.
I've got veto power.
I'm using it.
I'm pulling it right now.
Walk away with me right now.
- I gotta jump, you know.
People like me.
- Of course people
like you, Ken.
You're a goddamn
fabulous person.
I mean, you really make us see
incredible things in ourselves.
I like you a hell of a lot.
About as much as one can.
Whether you jump or not
doesn't change that
for me or anybody else.
OK, OK. Just...
good luck, either way.
- Oh...
- Yeah.
- No.
- I'm sorry.
- No! Oh... Oh, great.
Well, good Lord.
We lost our rocket surgeon,
which isn't important at all.
- Shut the fuck up, Ken! OK?
You understand? Goddammit!
I got to tell you,
everybody here,
feels really fucking good
to finally say that.
Shut your fucking mouth!
Be quiet!
We're now into overages.
So you or Polsjek or
whoever the fuck you are today
is gonna have to
cough up, all right?
You are gonna have
to pay me to jump.
Ha ha ha!
- All of this is my idea.
It says:
"Good luck, Ken Carter."
Nobody knows who the hell
Bill Wilkins is.
- After watching you piss
and moan and shit the day away
and talk, talk, fucking talk.
- I'm risking my life.
I'm the only one here
risking my life.
So what you call just talking
and talking and wasting time,
that is vital preparation, sir.
- I think that you're
never gonna make that jump
because you're fucking scared.
- Of course I'm scared!
I'm trying to jump
a fucking mile!
I'm not just hiding behind
a camera, passing judgment.
- If you don't make this jump,
then we will replace you.
- Bill, I have put every penny
I have into this.
There's nothing left.
I have no money left.
The piggy bank
is shattered, all right?
How dare you question
my integrity
or my commitment to this jump?
Shame on you, Bill.
- The real shame here
is your lack of balls.
- That's all I've got is balls!
I'm from Griffintown,
you piece of shit!
I'll snap your neck.
I eat Americans for breakfast!
So fuck you!
I'm gonna kill you!
Come here, you two!
Fuck all of you!
I'll fucking eat you alive!
- So what are you
gonna tell them?
- Yeah, you know,
I think I--I...
I think I still want to jump,
you know.
- Jesus!
I'm going. You're coming?
- I need to do the doing.
It's one more day.
Please just have faith in me.
Gloria, this is me.
This is what I do.
This is my identity.
- Stop. Stop. Stop talking!
Everyone likes you, Ken.
Congratulations.
Except for the one person
who loves you.
- Hey!
- Hey.
- Right on time. How are you?
- Hey, Bill,
I slept like the dead,
so thank you for the room.
- Come on in.
Listen, thank you
very much for coming.
It was a crazy day yesterday,
and we all thought maybe you
could use a bit of pampering,
so we tried to
make it up to you.
- Well, I appreciate that, boys.
Thank you.
And thanks for reaching out.
- Sure thing. Come on in!
Let's, uh, let's talk.
Let's regroup.
Try to plan this out properly.
Let's find the perfect window
over the next few days, right?
- Yeah.
- First of all,
let me just apologize.
You know, I know that, um,
my behaviour over the last
few weeks has been bad.
We're all under immense stress,
but I really let it get to me,
and I'm sorry.
- Well, thank you
very much, Bill. That...
It takes a man to say that,
you know, and I appreciate that.
We're--we're sorry too,
you know.
Words were said, you know,
but you and I have been down
a long road together,
and we're gonna see it through,
I promise you.
So let's talk
about them windows.
What's our next target date?
Next week, you know, I'm free.
- Sure, absolutely.
But we also wanted to discuss
some future plans
with you as well.
You know?
We know the film is gonna
have this Japanese opening,
but we can see
this thing going global.
- It's exciting, you know.
It's a worldwide
television event.
Yeah. It's wonderful.
Yeah. Um...
Hey, where...
Where's that Trevor?
You guys are usually
glued at the hip.
- He's watching rushes.
- And action!
- Jump day!
I love jump day.
I swear half the problem
is a long countdown,
too much time to mull it over,
to think about it.
Five counts is all I need.
Fuck yeah!
- Fuck yeah!
- I want off this ramp
and on this isle.
Five seconds to glory, boys.
American, here I come!
Woo-hoo!
- And what will you say to Ken
when you see him next?
- "I did it.
I did it, man."
We get off the ramp,
because we don't want
some tire tracks on us.
- That's good, that's good.
Give us the hat again.
- The hat? While I'm going down?
- Yee-ha-ha-ha!
- Japan, eh?
That's really fascinating,
because I think
they'd appreciate me.
I knew it. I got
the kamikaze blood.
And I could set up a few
smaller jumps over in Japan,
you know, just to coincide
with the television premiere.
We could even have old Danny
do a few of them,
just to take the load off of me.
He's a buffoon,
but I believe in him.
- Let's do this!
Yellow flag, 400 feet.
Middle pedal.
- Check!
- Check!
Off the ramp.
OK, fuck this.
I got it. I got it.
Green means go!
- This is a very dangerous jump,
and we wanted to explore
the idea with you, of course,
of maybe treating this jump
as a kind of a passing
of the torch.
Your face is still
front and centre, obviously,
but maybe we, uh,
find a younger man.
Maybe a Danny Lafortune, right,
who might actually
perform the jump.
But we're still gonna
bill this jump as yours.
Your face and name
is all over it.
- But Danny would do the jump.
- Yeah.
- Where is Danny Lafortune?
Oh, no.
Oh, no! What...
What have you done?
- Calm down, Carter.
- Whoa!
- You crazy son of a bitch!
- I need my back brace, Bob.
Bob, it's got a custom airbrush.
It's la chasse-galerie.
You know, it's...
- Danny, Danny,
we gotta go, OK?
- Yeah, yeah,
we're gonna go, we're gonna go.
- Hey, Danny,
Carter found out, OK?
It's go time.
- OK, fuck my back.
It's buggered already.
Let's go. Let's do it.
- Yeah, perfect.
- Danny, are you sure
about this?
- Yeah, yeah, I'm sure.
- Maybe just take a second.
- Yeah, I'm sure.
- Hey, asshole.
Get out of my shot, OK?
Observe elsewhere.
- Do you know
how to use this car?
- Yeah, yeah, I know it. I know.
I did it a hundred times
with Jesus Christ Superstar.
Metal pedal, yellow flag,
whatever, on green.
Hit the gas!
One for you.
- Danny has no idea
what he's doing.
He's never driven a car
faster than 130,
let alone a rocket car
doing 280 miles per hour!
That rocket car
is customized to fit me. OK?
Danny is a foot shorter than me!
His feet won't even
hit the fucking pedals.
- Well, we feel he's ready.
- What?
- Uh...
Thank you, God.
God bless all you motherfuckers.
- Give me a drink. Come on.
- Yeah, yeah.
Hell yeah. Come on!
- That's for confidence.
- That little man
is going to die.
Get on the phone, call someone
and end this thing.
- It's too late, Carter.
He's jumping in two minutes.
- Oh my God!
- You're chicken shit!
- You speak English?
- Come on, let's go! I'm ready.
Let's go. Let's do this.
Let's do this!
Come on, let's go!
Pedal first, and then the lever,
and then the hand release.
OK, I'm good, I'm good.
Yeah, whoo!
OK, see you, everyone!
Getting hot. Buckling up!
Burn this fucking engine.
Fucking helmet.
Give me a five count.
Let's do this!
If I'm not ready in five,
I'll never be.
- Atta boy, Danny.
We are loving it!
- Forgive me, Carter,
for I have sinned.
Let's go, God. Bring this on!
- We're at pressure, OK?
So you have to go on zero.
Don't wait.
You use every drop.
OK, here we go, people!
Let's go!
Everybody, get ready! On five...
- Fuck it.
- Oh my God!
- Oh no!
- Oh, Jesus!
- No way.
- Oh my God, no!
- Holy...
Oh my God!
- Somebody call Bill!
- Guys, let's go, go, go!
- Keep moving, guys.
Keep moving.
Doesn't matter.
Just get in there.
- Get the shot.
- Just get in there.
- You were never gonna jump!
I could see it in your eyes.
Everybody saw it.
- That is libelous hogwash.
- Well, let's see what
the verdict is.
Why don't we see who's right,
Carter, you or me.
Wilkins.
Yeah?
Fuck. What?
Oh, no.
No, no photographs!
Oh, stop rolling! Now!
- What? What happened?
- Danny jumped.
The car ripped apart in the air.
Let's go! Come on, goddammit!
Do you know how to run?
Move your asshole.
Run right up it. Come on!
- What went wrong, goddammit?
- You should be real
grateful, Carter.
We just saved your life.
- Is he alive?
- I don't know! Come on!
Goddammit, move it.
- Oh, oh! Ah! Ah!
- Danny, are you...
Are you all right?
- I can't feel my feet!
- It's OK, Danny.
- Ow, ow, ow!
- Did he die?
Ah, you fool!
No!
Fortier...
What the hell happened?
- You were right.
The--the bumps on the asphalt.
He--he got rocked.
- Jesus.
- He broke his back.
Might not walk again.
He was lucky.
The only reason
the chutes deployed
was the chassis disintegrated.
No chutes, and he would have
hit the water faster.
He would have died.
- Why?
Fortier, man...
Why did they do
the jump without me?
- They didn't think
you'd jump, Ken.
But Danny... Danny didn't
even think about it.
He just did it.
I'm sorry, Ken. I'm so sorry.
You know, I...
You know.
- Can we... Oh my God!
- Well...
- Will you stop?
- No, I mean...
- Please?
- Hold on a second.
- As long as you got what you
need for the movie, eh, Fortier?
- Ken, it's not like that.
We're just simply observing.
- Oh, you're just
following orders.
Just like Gring at Nuremberg.
Judas!
- All right...
No, wait, Ken.
Let's get the van.
We got to...
We need this interview.
- Sorry, honey.
- It's OK.
Is he OK?
- He broke his back.
- Will he walk?
- He did it, you know.
He... he jumped.
Danny jumped.
He did it.
He just did it.
- He might be eating
in the restaurant.
Could be here.
- What are you doing here?
- Ken?
- He doesn't
want to talk to you.
He doesn't want to talk to you.
Don't... don't open it, Ken.
- Oh, for Pete's sake!
- It's not OK that you
didn't tell him. Not OK!
- What did you
want me to do, Gloria?
Ken, I'm impartial!
I had nothing to do
with the decision.
And as a documentarian,
there's no way I can
influence the outcome.
And we want to get
your side of the story.
Open the door!
- Piss off!
- We're rolling out here.
You want that to be
the final word?
Ken, I want to talk to you.
- With this footage,
you're going to jail, OK?
You're going to jail.
You're all going to jail.
- Now look, Ken, I just want
to talk to you for a second.
- Get in here.
- Can't believe you
did that to him.
You guys suck.
You really suck.
- We're in this with you.
We're basically
brothers in this.
Just sit down,
and let's talk about it.
Your business partners would
argue that you had your shot,
that you were stalling,
costing money.
- Well, you know...
today's crash justifies
some of my stalling,
wouldn't you say?
- Have you dodged a bullet?
You feel some relief,
maybe a blessing in disguise?
- Men like me, stuntmen,
we don't dodge bullets.
We catch them in our teeth.
He's laid up in a bed in a cold,
green hospital room, you know,
so I'm not gonna sit here
and tell you that what happened
to Danny Lafortune today
wouldn't have happened to me.
I won't take that from him.
Monsieur Lafortune...
Are you OK?
- Mm-hmm.
I did it.
I'm... I'm sorry, but...
- I'd have done the same thing
if I were you.
- I'll...
I'll do stunts again.
I swear.
- We do what others can't
and suffer the consequences.
We live large,
so you don't have to.
And all we ask in return
is to be remembered.
Because we stare death
in the face.
We've been doing it
my whole life.
And we ain't about to stop now.
- Will you reattempt this jump?
- I have this
awful feeling, Bob,
that I'm gonna be living
in the shadow of this jump
for the rest of my days.
It's gonna take me years...
years to crawl out
of this particular hole.
And you?
Are you finished
your movie, you know?
'Cause someone jumped.
- Yeah, I believe so.
We've been with you
for five years, Ken.
The film needs an ending.
- Good.
I guess you got
what you needed then.
I'm Ken Carter,
and I'm a stunt driver.
I jump cars for a living,
and people like to see me do it.
I've recently signed a contract
with Petuwaq
International Speedway
for a jump to take place
on August 29th, 1982.
Five, four, three...
- It was driver error.
It had absolutely nothing
to do with my crew.
I was the one who pulled it
to the left
and pulled it to the right.
But let me tell you something.
Labour Day weekend, I will jump
this car across the pond.
I swear to you, I will.
- Hello?
- Bob, there he is.
It's Ken Carter calling you.
- Ken! It's good to
hear your voice.
How are you doing?
- Bob, I don't know if you
heard the news, but, yeah,
I went in the drink up in
Peterborough a couple weeks ago.
- Are you OK?
- Oh yeah.
All's well that ends well.
You know, it got me thinking
of old times.
And I'm gonna try
again on Labour Day.
So maybe you and the crew
want to come and film.
It's gonna be
just spectacular.
Dick's back with the team, eh?
So, you know, gearing up to
take another run at Morrisburg.
- I wish it were
that easy, Ken, but...
You know,
the film's in the can.
We've moved on to
something else.
And I can't pull the guys off
to go back and shoot this.
I just don't have the budget.
Government agencies,
red tape, you know the drill.
- Yeah, sure, of course I do.
Of course I do, you know?
- You're welcome to come,
though, you know.
You know that, right?
- Of course, Ken.
- You're more than welcome
to come, you know?
I'd love to see you.
And, uh...
Yeah, film crew
or no film crew.
- Well, I'll try my best
to make it, Ken.
But I just got something
on the stove here.
But I hope the jump
just goes gangbusters.
And let's talk again soon.
- OK, Bob.
Good to speak to you. OK.
- Hey.
They're running
way behind over there.
We won't jump till 11:00.
Won't be any light.
- Gosh. Paint the car yellow.
Boys, paint the car yellow.
Arse to nose, whole thing.
Camera will see it better
if it's yellow.
- Jump's dirty, Ken.
Way dirtier at night.
- Every jump's dirty.
Yellow like a canary, boys.
The whole thing.
She's purring, Dick.
Tip-top shape. It's great work.
- It's awfully late, Ken.
After what happened last month,
let's call it.
- Oh, last month,
I said it would be today.
- Keep it straight,
and you'll keep dry.
- Thank you, Dick,
you know, for all of it.
There's none of
this without you.
The jump didn't work,
and that's all on me.
- You all right?
- I'm tired.
- What's the call?
- Jump.
- OK.
Pressure up!
- And now,
let's give a big welcome
to the Mad Canadian,
Ken Carter!
- We're at pressure.
- Nine, eight,
seven, six...
Five, four,
three, two, one...
- Oh, God.
- Let's go!
Ken!
We got you!
Ken!
Hey, Ken!
Open your fucking eyes! Come on!
- Stand clear!
- I'm here, buddy.
I'm here with you.
OK?
Ken?
You hang in there.
I should have just
taught you how to swim.
We could have just swam.
- Daredevil stunt driver
Ken Carter
was killed early today trying
to beat his own world record.
- Carter came close
to pulling off a jump
even Evel Knievel deemed
"the daredevil stunt
to end all daredevil stunts."
- We shot it before his final
attempt in Morrisburg.
He made me promise
that I'd only...
You know.
He really loved you.
- He loved you too, Bob.
- Well, I'll leave you to it.
I'll wait outside.
- No, please. Stay.
- All right.
- Yeah, Bob?
Hello there, honey.
Uh, if you're watching this,
then it's bad news, I'm afraid.
But, uh,
please don't blame yourself.
It was all my fault.
And please don't
waste any time mourning me.
Move on.
Start a new life for yourself.
You know, find a patch of grass
and those runts.
And...
See you on the other side.
I love you, Gloria,
with all my heart.
And I pray you never see this.
But if you do,
please understand,
no matter what the jump,
you were always
who I was aiming for.
You are my rose.
This is my dream.
This is the end of my dream.
I don't care
if I ever jump again.
But this, I'm gonna do.
This is my dream.
I created it.
I built it. I designed it.
Nobody ever jumped a car a mile.
That's what I'm gonna do.
That's what I want to do.
And that's what I'm gonna do.
The thing about it is,
it's something that
you only dream about.
What can I do, jump 18,
19 cars, 20 cars,
go out there
and bust more bones?
You're right,
I'm getting too old,
but not old enough to do this.
I'll do this one.
I won't retire.
We can travel around,
let the kids...
I'll teach the children,
like the Eagles said,
but I'll teach them
because they believe in me.
This is next.
It's the final.
It's the ultimate thing.
What can you do with a car
other than this?
No, no, it's my dream.