Half Nelson

This programme contains very strong language

HUMMING

ALARM

BUZZER

BUZZER OFF

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven,

eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve.

OK.

TANNOY ANNOUNCEMENT: There has been a room change for Miss Jackson's step rehearsals.

Step rehearsals will meet in room 326 after school today. Thank you.

Oh.

What is history?

-Opposites.

-You can read the board?!

So happy to hear that. No, what is it? What does it mean?

-Stace.

-Change?

Thank you, Stacy. I'm glad to hear someone's paying attention.

History is the study of change over time.

And what's change?

It's this. It's opposites. It's two things that push against each other in opposite directions.

So, the Civil Rights Movement, OK.

It's essentially... It's two opposing mentalities.

In the South, the majority believes all men are not created equal.

And there's a minority who believes that they are.

So that minority struggles and it fights and it pushes, till eventually it becomes the majority.

SIGHING

Am I boring you? Huh?

Let's give some examples, OK, of opposing forces, like, um...

-I'm gonna go night and day. What else?

-Big and little?

-Good. Anything else?

-Left and right.

Left and right. Very good. Stace?

-Me and you?

-You and I.

-You and I.

Teacher, student. Anything else?

-Mr Dunne?

-Yeah?

Just wondering if you'd count me and Gina's bald-headed sister as opposites?

THEY ALL SHOUT OUT: Insult!

Gina, come on, tell me you're not gonna take that. You got a bald sister?

Is your sister bald? Give me something.

-May 17th, 1954.

-Oh.

Put that Jenny Craig stuff on down and find out.

And I expect some thought from you.

I don't want just dates and facts.

I wanna know why. I wanna know consequences.

I wanna know what it means. All right, now back to the...

the bald sister.

What's going on with that?

Right. Left.

Back. Forward. I'm shootin'.

You got your girl open over here.

She's sending out smoke signals over here.

She's got the fire. She's going over here, nothing.

And you're like...

Come on, get open.

Oh, yeah!

Drey. You gonna put that down and come play or what?

I ain't done yet, coach.

All right, top of the key, three passes, here we go.

HE HUMS

-ANSWERPHONE:

-Thursday, 11:16am.

'Hello, this is Taylor calling from Consolidated Credit.

'This is a message for Mr Daniel Dunne regarding your outstanding balance.

'Please call me back at two...'

-ANSWERPHONE:

-Thursday, 5:25pm.

'Hey, Dan, it's Rachel.

'I'm in town for a while.

'You know, my mom...

'Anyway, um,

'I know it's been forever,

'but I'd really like to see you.

'And, um, I'll be at my parents.

'So, give me a call. OK. Bye.'

BEEP

-ANSWERPHONE:

-Thursday, six...

-CLICK

-Thursday, five 5:25pm.

'Hey, Dan, it's Rachel...'

# Then when you let it

# You ask for nothin' Why don't you share it?

# All of the time you live There's something out there

# This one will know How far I live on

# This one will ever know in this town

# And in the red room At a distance... #

-I like Oprah.

-I love Oprah.

-But the thing is, I was, I was, I was just fucking things up just to fuck 'em up.

-Right, right. No.

-You know what I mean?

-Right.

-But I was a writer.

-I hate words.

-Yeah.

Right, because everything that uh, is worth...

Right, just forget it. So you're a teacher.

I'm a teacher.

What am I supposed to teach them, you know what I mean? What am I supposed to teach them?

-Right.

-That's the point. If you can help one student...

-Yeah.

No, if you can change one person... If you change one person...

-You can change them all.

-No, no, it's not that.

-I wanna dance.

-Then you can teach them... The rest of the village... What is it?

I wanna dance. I have to dance.

What's goin' on, bro'?

What's the word?

What's that?

-What, this band?

-RAP MUSIC PLAYS FAINTLY

-Mm-hm.

-Some real street shit.

Go ahead man, check it out.

Yeah, you gotta feel that shit.

-What do you think about that?

-Yeah, it's not bad. That's the street shit.

-That's the street shit.

So what do you need, Teach? Another eight?

I only got thirty.

Word.

-It's been a long week.

-You want that other thing?

On May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court ruled on the case of Brown versus Board of Education,

making it illegal for states to segregate public schools.

This was a major step forward in the struggle for racial justice,

and helped begin a fury of bold and heroic actions known as the Civil Rights Movement.

Get on her. Abby, get on her.

Come on.

-WHISTLE

-Ball game, ladies. Ball game.

HUBBUB

You did a good job. Nice goin'. Keep smiling.

I like our chances against St Joe's.

I think that... The thing is, if we could just figure out a way to put the ball in the hoop,

then we'd be fine. Stace.

-Good job tonight.

-Thank you.

-You did a great job.

-Uh, is there anyone else in there?

-No, that's it.

-OK. Thanks for today.

-All right. Bye, Mr Dunne.

What're you doing here?

Came to check out some basketball. I heard this was the place.

We need a little work, but we're having fun, so...

-You know?

-How are you?

I'm the same old, same old.

I'm happy to see you.

It's good to see you too.

You look good.

-Come on, I got fat.

-Oh, I know.

But it looks great. You look healthy.

-Do you wanna go get some...

-I can't. I got to, um...

-Just a quick coffee. I just wanna...

To get some coffee?

-Yeah.

-I can't tonight.

Do you wanna do it another night?

OK.

OK.

Hey.

How's your mom?

Did you get my messages?

Hello?

I'm coming in.

Anyone?

TRICKLING

TOILET FLUSHES

Somebody in there?

-Oh, I'm sorry.

-That's OK. Drey.

It's OK. I'm fine.

I'm sorry.

Are you OK?

Come here. Come here.

Can you help me up?

Sit back down.

Are you OK?

-Yeah.

-OK, good.

It's gonna be fine.

Can I have some water?

RUNNING WATER

I'm sorry.

But I'm fine.

Just don't go, OK? Just for a minute?

Just for a minute.

See you tomorrow?

BUZZ OF CONVERSATION

Hey, kiddo.

How's Darrell's leg healing?

-I don't know.

-You didn't go to the hospital?

-No.

Did your father pick you up from practice last night, Drey?

-No.

-Motherfucker. Shit. How did you get home?

-Mr Dunne.

-Who?

-Coach.

-I'm tired of this.

Something has got to change. I don't know what.

You don't gotta worry about me.

Oh, look at you, Ms Twelve.

Thirteen. I'm thirteen now.

Oh, so you grown, huh?

Can take care of yourself.

Is that it?

Pretty much.

Well, that's a relief. I guess I ain't gotta cook up these burgers then, huh?

Hey, Mom.

-You know this dude Cesar Chavez was fasting.

-Cesar who?

Cesar Chavez.

Once fasted for 35 days. That means he didn't eat for 35 days.

-Something like Gandhi used to do.

-Mm-hm.

Think you could do that?

PHONE RINGS

BEEP

'Hi, honey. It's Mom.'

Hello?

Hi, is...um...

Is Rache there?

SCHOOL BELL

Well, I feel good today.

Anyone else feel good? Hm?

I need a volunteer, and I need somebody who feels strong.

So what we got here is two opposing forces, Terrance and myself. And we're pushing against each other.

And as long as one is stronger, and it looks like it's T...

The change is slow and consistent.

But once the other side becomes stronger...

HE GROANS

There's a turning point.

Thank you, T. Make sense?

OK. Now, turning points can happen like that, they can be physical.

Or they can happen

on a greater scale.

Um...

..like a war or something.

So, why don't you do me a favour and write, er, three examples of

historical turning points that we talked about in class.

OK?

What's up?

Have you even opened the Civil Rights binder I gave you?

The Civil Rights binder...

..I have opened.

And it's got some great stuff in it.

I think it's great. Yeah. I'm just providing a little general content.

I need you on the Civil Rights section by next week.

-Nice seeing you.

-Mm.

Is that gum in your mouth?

He was a Gemini. He was so cocky.

Every day I saw him, he used to go like, "Oh, you happy you got me, you happy you got me." And I'd be like,

"Please. You're the one what's got me, so." You all like Geminis?

Oh, what's his name? Mr Ethan and Mrs Right in the movie theatre.

-I'm pretty sure they're married.

-I don't...

-You don't know what she's talking about. So don't talk.

-They look weird together.

-You think Mr Dunne is married?

-Nope.

-Would you wanna marry him?

-Come in the room, twirling his finger around, tell us to move the desks.

Why can't he move the desks? I'm getting tired of that, every morning.

-Don't forget about his glasses.

-Them bifocals.

Dunne, when I'm around, he wanna talk like he all cool and fly and everything, but...

-Roodly.

-Be quiet.

-Would you marry Mr Dunne, Roodly?

-Would you marry your father?

-Oh!

A man who was curious to know if a knife

could penetrate his bullet-proof vest was killed yesterday by a stab wound through the chest.

Witnesses say the man, Jeff Turner, 32, urged his brother, Scott Turner, 35,

to stab him as hard as he could, believing the vest would stop the knife.

It didn't.

So how's your opposites and things?

Pretty good.

-Where'd you come up with that stuff?

-It's just something I picked up in college.

-A little thick for the eighth grade, no?

-Yeah.

Yeah. Well, you'd think but, I don't know, I think they're getting it.

I don't know how you get away with it, though.

You know, Joy is so textbook.

How's your book?

-Don't ask.

-Oh.

There's always the summer.

Do you wanna go...

BELL RINGS

You wanna have dinner with me again?

-OK.

-Mm-hm.

Did you guys hear that they found a crack vial in the locker room?

Jesus.

-Do they know whose it is?

-Whose it is? Er, I don't know.

Hey, but you know what? That's a good idea.

We could put it in the lost and found. See if anybody claims it.

Better yet, why don't we put up flyers with a picture?

-What's new?

-I don't know.

I can't hear you. Come over here.

That's a nice cap.

Thanks. It's Mike's.

Yeah, I know.

Talk to him lately?

He writes sometimes.

How's he doing in there?

All right, I guess.

If you needs something, let me know, all right? I know people in there.

-I could make a call or whatever, all right?

-OK.

-OK?

Yeah.

All right.

What, you thirsty?

Huh? You want something to drink?

-My bike.

-Ain't nobody gonna fuck with that bike.

Yo, Javier, this is Drey.

Hey, Tina! You remember Mike's little sister Drey, right?

Oh, hey sweetie.

Come on, sit down, I'm gonna get that juice for you.

Help yourself.

Come on, T. I'll be right back.

Yo, pick a hand.

-Left.

-Hah! You lose. Here.

Come on, what's up with that juice?

I'm not thirsty.

Well, don't be a stranger, kid.

You can stop through and say hello.

Yeah.

You saw Frank today?

Just ran into him.

On September 13th 1971, 1200 Attica State Prison inmates

seized control of the prison and took hostages to negotiate changes to the inhumane conditions.

-To you and all the people!

-Governor Nelson Rockefeller ordered a military assault on the prison

which killed 29 inmates and ten hostages, every one caused from police gunshots.

An official commission later stated, "With the exception of Indian massacres in the late 19th century,

the police assault was the bloodiest one-day encounter between Americans since the Civil War.

ALARM BUZZER

HE HUMS

Unbelievable.

What're you doin'?

Go sit in the desk. Ten points off.

Second chances are rare, man.

You wanna take better advantage of 'em.

Don't let go. Grab the T-shirt if you need to.

You know, a little elbow here and there never killed anybody.

Know what I mean? As long as the ref isn't looking.

-Not in my house.

-Oh.

This is a nice surprise.

-Where's Ma?

-Working.

Darrell's uncle came to visit, so came along with him.

-How's Darrell's leg?

-It's all right.

It's nice to see you.

Those for me?

Frank's been sending me some of them nasty peppermints he always eatin'.

What is that? Oh, I threw them shits out.

So how's the team?

We suck.

And Ma? Still working too hard?

Yeah.

Is she all right for money, though?

Frank still looking out?

-Yeah.

-Good.

He owes us.

So how come you never told on him?

For what? Would've made shit more complicated.

The shit was already fucked up as it is, you know?

Besides, that's all in the past, though.

I'm gonna get outta here, you'll see.

I mean, we got Russell Simmons on the case.

Russell Simmons.

It gonna be a'right.

'So remembering I had to write an essay about growing up.

'If I don't turn it in by tomorrow I'm gonna fail the course.

'Well, that's your problem, Charles.'

My problem is making sure that you keep an eye on things while I'm gone.

And actually that's also your problem.

You got another problem, Charles.

Don't let 'em get in the way of your work.

'There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious,

'makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part.'

You can't even passively take part,

and you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels,

upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop.

And you've got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it, that unless you're free,

the machine will be prevented from working at all!

And what is this machine that he's talking about?

-It's keeping us down. What is it?

-Like robots and stuff, right?

Um, it could be robots.

It could be robots. But let's say it's a metaphor.

He's saying this machine is keeping me down. What is that?

What keeps us from being free?

Ms Drey.

Prisons.

Absolutely.

Absolutely, prisons. OK?

Prisons are definitely a part of it. What else?

White.

White is definitely a part of it. The man.

-The school.

-The school. Exactly.

The whole education system is part of the machine. What else?

Aren't you the machine, then?

Oh, no, you didn't.

-What did you say?

-Aren't you the machine?

You're saying I'm the machine?

Yeah. You're white, you're part of the school.

Oh, yeah, I guess you got a point.

All right, so I'm part of the machine. But if I'm part of it, so are you. You are, too.

We all are. And this is the thing.

Everything is made of its opposing force.

We may be opposed to the machine, but we're still very much a part of it. Right?

I work for the government,

the school. But I'm also very much opposed to a lot of its policies.

-You guys hate coming to school, right?

-Yes.

Holler back if you heard me.

-You hate it, but you come anyway.

-Sometimes.

-Sometimes. Exactly.

Yo! What's up? Where you headin'?

Look like you're in a rush. Hungry?

-No, I'm cool.

-I'm starvin'.

Come on, burgers on me.

-So how's school?

-It's all right.

What's up with basketball?

We got a game tomorrow.

Word?

-Wanna come?

-Your mom's gonna be there?

-Workin'.

-Pops?

Fuck it, I'll come too. Somebody gotta represent!

Tina packed some sweets for Mike last night.

Your brother was a good friend.

Still is.

That dude was funny. You know he...

He ever showed you the chicken walk?

-The what?

-The chicken walk!

I mean I can't do it but,

it's like...

HE SQUAWKS

Sure was bananas.

You know we used to work together, right?

You ever think about working?

Shit. I used to work here.

-For real?

-150 a week.

-Hey, Keisha.

-What's up, man?

I need two milkshakes, baby.

I know I don't sound sincere but really...

-You're gonna be great at it.

-Thank you. I think I...

Why can't I say that sincerely?

You can.

-I went back to school.

-Yeah?

-Environmental Policy.

-I know, but I think you're really gonna be great.

I believed you the first time.

I'm just nervous. I'm sorry.

-How are you?

-Don't know.

Are you still rockin' out?

When the occasion calls.

Yeah.

Who's the lucky guy?

I met him in the program.

I don't know, Dan.

Some people change. Some people actually change.

-Yeah, not me.

-I know.

No way. I'm still an asshole.

You're not an asshole.

You're just a big baby.

I'm a big asshole baby.

Let's go, Rebels!

Pass it in.

-Go, Drey!

-There ya go!

-WHISTLE BLOWS

-Blue ball.

What IS that?

-You're killing us.

-Watch yourself, another bad call.

-Blue ball.

Walk it off, come on, shake it off. Hustle back.

-What's up?

-It was a bad call, man.

-You OK?

-Yeah.

-Want a ride home tonight after the game?

-All right.

Foul! Foul!

-Call a foul.

-Coach, go to your bench.

-She pulled her down. Call the foul.

-Back to your bench.

-Go back to your bench.

-Call the foul.

This is fuckin' bullshit. Call the foul.

You're gone, Coach. I won't tolerate that language.

Oh, it's the language you don't tolerate.

Fuckin' language. Excuse me. I didn't know it was the language.

All right. Good luck, girls.

DOOR SLAMS

-I think your hand's changing colours. Get more ice on it.

-You should've seen the wall.

I'm telling you, though, you should've knocked that nigga out.

You can't go around knocking people out, you know,

or throwing balls at them just because you're upset.

It would've felt good, though? Felt good to just get it out?

There's other ways of getting it out.

Right, like you do?

Look, just because you know that one thing about me...

One thing doesn't make a man.

SHE SNORTS What?

One thing doesn't make a man?

-You know I was just talking about your hand, right?

-Yeah.

Yeah, I knew that.

THEY LAUGH

Hey, who was that guy that was, uh, cheering for you?

-Do you know him?

-Not really.

Do you?

No.

So we can just keep the whole punching-the-wall thing a secret, right? Don't tell anybody.

Right?

What's up, man, you lost?

Where you goin', man?

He lost.

Shit.

HEAVY GUITAR INTRO

# I was 21 years when I wrote this song

# I'm 22 now but I won't be for long

# People ask me, when will you grow up to be a man?

# All the girls I loved at school are already pushing prams... #

-I had a good day.

-# I loved you then as I love you still

# Though I put you on a pedestal they put you on the Pill

# I don't feel bad about letting you go... #

Even after the Duelfer Report, right?

Even after it said, "There are no weapons, there are no WMD programs, there is nothing."

They do the PIPA study, the University of Maryland thing.

And turns out, 72% of his supporters still believe

there's WMDs.

75% still believe

they're supporting al-Qaeda.

And so what the fuck do we do?

You know? What do you do?

What does one... I'm one man. What do I do? You know?

I used to be so...

fucked up. I used to be so fucked up. I was just out there, you know?

But I fuckin' cleaned up.

I cleaned up.

For the most part.

I do it now to get by, but I can handle it. You know what I mean?

I tried the rehab thing.

I tried it. Didn't work.

Didn't work, you know?

It works for some people.

My ex-girlfriend

is getting married.

So it works for some people.

Right? Didn't work for me.

The kids

keep me focused. And I...

# You know it's time

# That we

# Grow old and do some shit

# I like it all that way

# I like it all that way... #

Number three, change moves in spirals,

not in circles.

For example,

the sun goes up and then it comes down.

But every time that happens, what do you get?

You get a new day.

You get a new one.

When you breathe, you inhale and then you exhale.

But every single time that you do that,

you're a little bit different than the one before.

We're always changing.

And it's important to know that there are some changes you can't control,

but that there are others you can.

SCHOOL BELL RINGS

Hi.

You're not eating with the teachers?

I just...felt like being alone.

-I know what you mean.

-You do?

Mm-hm.

All right, Mr Dunne, I'll see ya later.

Enjoy your lunch.

Thank you.

-Oh, yeah, um, do you think I could get a ride home later?

-OK.

OK.

OK.

MUSIC IN CAR

-OK, have a good weekend.

-You too.

-Bye.

-Yo.

-Yo.

I lost my key.

-You lost your key?

-What do we do?

-I don't know. You wanna call your mother or something?

-She's an EMT.

I could page her. But I don't know.

All right, get in.

MUSIC COMING FROM VAN

What's up, y'all? You want some candy?

-That's all you got?

-Oh, shit, I'm sorry.

-So where's your bike at?

-They stole it.

They, who?

I don't know. I'm gonna find out, though.

So what, man, y'all just chillin'?

She lost my key. Her key.

So, Drey, what? You need a place to stay till your moms get home?

-No man, we're cool.

-Are you cool, Drey?

Mm-hm.

All right.

But you don't know him, huh?

Who, Frank?

Frank?

I thought you said you didn't know him.

Just a guy from the neighbourhood.

Do you know what he does?

Look. I know that I'm the last person that should be saying this...

You don't have to worry about me.

OK, uh, let me... Just give me a sec.

Wait.

OK.

Have a seat. You can watch TV, if you want.

Make yourself at home.

You got them old things?

-Records?

-Yeah.

Yeah, Little Miss MP3, I got records.

You should check 'em out. You might learn something.

Who's this?

-My parents and my brother.

-They still live together?

Yeah.

You got so many books about black people.

-I... I got books about all kinds of people.

-Can I borrow one?

Yeah.

Who is she?

It's an old friend.

-What happened to her?

-Oh, well, um, you should mind your business.

You put it up there.

I've seen her before. She was at the game that night.

-Right?

-Yup.

You need help in here?

-You like to cook?

-Yeah, sometimes.

Mostly just for...special occasions.

You got a lady coming over tonight or what?

Uh, yeah.

Must like her a lot.

Mm, she's all right.

-She like you?

-I don't know.

-I'm hard to like sometimes.

-That's true.

-Ohh!

Oh, yeah, you just gotta...

You mash those up, you mash 'em up with your hands.

Get in there and squeeze 'em.

See what you need is some jokes.

Women love jokes.

OK, you got any?

What do you call cheese that's not yours?

-What?

-Nacho cheese.

-It's yours if you need it.

-Absolutely not.

-That's a funny joke. Thank you.

-You're welcome.

-Hey, Coach.

-Yeah?

-Can I ask ya something?

Mm-hm.

What's it like when you smoke that stuff?

-Sorry.

-No, don't be. It's all right.

Mash 'em up.

Hope you have a nice date, Mr Dunne.

Hey, thanks for the joke.

So my buddy gets in the car and the cab driver's like, "Oh, I'm so sorry I'm late, sir.

I had to kill somebody on the way here." You know?

And he's like, what? He's like, "No, yeah, no I had a quick...

-I, I killed him. I killed him.

-He killed him?

And he's like, "What are you...

You killed him?" He's like, "Yeah, I kill people all the time.

I'm killing people, you know, anybody really kind of mouth off to me, I fuckin' kill them."

Turns out he thinks kill is the word for punch. Right?

-No.

-So he's punching people.

My friend thinks that he's killing them. He's terrified.

And he thinks that the word for cement is semen.

So he's like, "Well, basically you can't go anywhere in India without stepping on semen.

"Semen everywhere.

"There's semen buildings. It's lot of people, you know, so everything is made of semen." You know?

I didn't say every day.

You're her father.

Today she got locked out of the house. She didn't even have your number at work.

HE SNIFFS

SHE GASPS

Are you a communist?

What?

Mm, I was looking through your books.

-Che In Africa?

-So?

The Communist Manifesto?

If I had a copy of Mein Kampf, would that make me a Nazi?

You know, this is really good.

Very tasty.

You should try it warm.

Well, you don't have a copy of Mein Kampf,

but if you did then, yes, I'd ask you if you were a Nazi.

-Maybe I'm hiding it.

-Why would you hide it?

-Cos it's just not cool to be a Nazi any more, baby.

So what are you doing today?

Well, I gotta...

It's great you're writing.

Yeah. We'll see.

-I should let you get to it, then.

-Yeah. Thanks, though. I had a good time.

-Yeah, me too.

On November 1st, 1977, Harvey Milk was elected to the San Francisco City Council.

He was the first openly gay person to EVER be elected to public office.

A year later he was assassinated by another member of the City Council called Dan White.

Mr Harvey Milk has been shot and killed.

-Oh.

-Dan White claimed he shot Milk because he ate too much junk food that day.

This would later be known as The Twinkie Defense.

Is that for real?

-RAPPING:

-That's why the ghetto got my back like the Heimlich

My name's Che, revolutionary rhymefest

And I gots ta put coke in the kitchen

Police everywhere like cheap seats

Roundin' brothers up on street sweeps

You guilty by association

Raise bail, don't give em no probation

No parole, step on that nigga's soul

Let him know the devil in control

Here we go

Hundred miles, gotta keep on runnin'

Can't stop to bleed, I can feel them comin'

And I can see my past in shotgun blasts and shattered glass

Band on the run

The grind keeps on flippin'

Pull stacks off each tracks, I keep rippin'

Cold black, serve them packs and keep pimpin'

Gangstas, stones and the bloods now he's trippin'

Niggas viewing death as a lifestyle

Put it on wax and sell it to that white child

Even softball fuckers wanna fight now

While your little sister is in the club strippin'

All a nigga wanna do is listen

The thick rims spinnin', they spinnin' nigga, they spinnin'

Grandma say that by should stop sinnin'

He's so large he don't even like black women

Paparazzo shots, they get old

Your record went break now shit's cold

The white chicks says you're crooked

She wouldn't fuck, yeah that nigga took it...

Drey.

Drey, come here.

-Where you goin'?

-Home.

-I'll give you a ride home.

-It's cool. I got a ride.

-I don't really think you should be riding with him. Do you think?

-Drey.

-Is everything cool?

-Everything's OK.

I'm gonna take her home.

Is that right?

-Yeah.

-Is that right, D? Huh, you getting a ride with Teach?

-Nah, man.

-Drey, Drey, Drey, come on.

Come here.

Everything's fine. Have a nice night.

-I'm gonna take her home, OK?

-Hey, look, uh, you know what?

Let me introduce myself, huh?

-I'm Frank.

-Come here now, OK?

Come here.

Hey, wait, wait, wait! Hey, hey. Coach, you need to take it easy, man.

-Oh, I'm sorry.

-Come on. Did I hurt you?

I didn't mean to...

We'll see you later, Teach. Come on.

Dunne, right? Lloyd Dickson. My daughter Paula went to Jefferson.

Paula Dickson?

You taught History, right?

Paula Dickson?

She's in her first semester at Georgetown. History major.

Paula Dickson...

You have a good night.

Dave...

Dave. Dave!

In Asia the idea that things are made of opposites,

ying and yang, dates back 3,000 years.

Taoism's saying change is the only constant.

But that just died in the West. It just couldn't be both.

Couldn't be black and white. It couldn't be right and wrong.

It had to be one or the other.

Who am I to say that Aristotle's wrong? Right?

But that doesn't make any sense. These things need each other.

The idea that...

that all God's creations are perfect.

Perfect. So just to suggest

that a tree is crooked and it's straight,

it's strong and it's weak is to suggest that God created something imperfect.

They do, however, acknowledge it in people. We are sinners, but we can strive to be good.

Just not in nature itself, I guess, you know?

Oh, uh, I'm gonna...

I'm gonna go. You guys... write down what's on the board. DOOR CLOSES

WATER FLUSHES

Broward County, Florida middle schools mistakenly failed over

6,500 students in June due to what it later called a computer error.

A school official called the total count of students affected...

.."an insignificant sum".

What goes, Danny boy? How's history?

-I can't do it any more.

-Oh, I know the feeling.

Hang in there. Things will get better.

And if not...

there's always summer.

Don't you have a class right now?

-Look, that's him over there.

-That ain't even your bike.

-How that's him?

-That's my bike.

-Oh, I see it.

-There he go, right there.

He a little round, too.

-That's my bike, nigger.

-What?

-What the fuck you doin' on my bike?

-I didn't know it was yours.

-You didn't know it was mines?

You always see me on this bike.

Sorry. I..I just didn't know it was your bike.

You hell are sorry, nigger. I should fuck you up.

Get off my bike.

-Oh, so what happened, huh?

-What?

I thought you was gonna fuck him up.

-Didn't have to.

-Oh, shit.

OK. You didn't have to.

-Hey.

-Hey.

Hey.

It's back.

Yeah.

Did you know my brother?

I knew of him, but I didn't know him.

He wasn't in any of my classes or anything.

Think I could end up like him?

Do you?

Hey what's up, Teach?

How's the dianetics going?

It's dialectics. Can I talk to you?

What's up?

OK, look. I hate to be this guy right now. All right?

Mm-hm.

-But I need you to stay away from Drey.

-Excuse me?

-You heard me. So just do me this solid, all right, man, please?

-Do you a solid?

You know what I'm saying. You understand me.

Oh, so this is like stay away from the girl, she's too precious?

-I'm not kidding.

-Oh, I know.

-So you understand?

-Look, man. Drey is my family.

She's my friend. All these cats, these are my friends.

Would you like to be my friend, man?

What is this? A fucking romper room?

-What the fuck is a romper room?

-Are you fucking listening to me?

-Why you so fucking angry, man?!

-Because you are not listening to me.

-Look, I'm right here, baby. Tell me what you're talking about.

I'm telling you to do something good.

-Oh.

-Are you capable of that?

Oh. So now we back to the point of what is white is right, right?

Fuck.

-So it's...

-This has nothing to do with that and you know it.

-No!

It's good for Drey to have somebody like you looking out for her,

Mr Model A-One Fuckin' Citizen.

I don't know.

I don't know.

Fuck.

Because I'm supposed to do something, right?

But what am I supposed to do?

Look, man.

You want a drink?

-What?

-Motherfucker, do you want a drink?

I mean, are you thirsty?

-How that sound?

-OK.

You want some candy?

Uh.

Man, don't touch that cat.

Hey y'all, this is Teach. Dan, man. These are my boys.

That's Mike's little sister Drey, it's her teacher.

-What's happening?

-What's up?

You ain't bringing that shit in my house, man. Put that cat down.

Thank you very much. Get your ass outta here.

BANGING

Dan?

What's going on?

I am not now, nor have I ever been...

..a communist.

-What's happening?

-I was in the neighbourhood.

Thought maybe I'd surprise ya.

Yeah, it's a surprise.

That's true.

You OK?

Yeah, I'm great. How about you? How are you?

-Um, I'm good. A little tired but uh, I'm good.

-Oh, is it late?

-Uh, well...

-Well.

I don't know. What time is it? 2:30, yeah.

-Oh, that late?

-Yeah. Well, you know, we got, um, class tomorrow.

Oh, I forgot about class.

I'm sorry about last time.

It's OK. It's OK.

What are you doing?

Not right now, OK?

No. It... Dan. OK, you're drunk.

What are you doing? Hm?

Stop it.

Well, that was weird.

What the fuck was that?

I don't know.

Listen, feel free to whatever, you know?

Whatever. No hard feelings.

I completely understand.

OK?

Maybe I'll see you tomorrow.

Or not. I don't know. It's hard to say where I'm gonna be. I'm so fucked up right now.

I hope you know I really liked you.

I had fun.

Not tonight, I didn't have fun.

But the other night I had...

We had fun, right?

Look, I'm bleeding a bit so I'm using your couch arm thing.

But I'm gonna wash it.

OK?

Sorry.

What?

How's things?

Well, how do they look?

What do you want?

Nothing.

Look, you know you don't really see other kids coming up to my car,

Drey, to talk to me. It's uh...

You know,

I'm your teacher.

Not your friend.

Why don't you go play with kids your own age?

I'm just trying to be alone.

Then be alone, then. Asshole.

Bitch.

THEY MUTTER

HE COUGHS

Hey, uh, I think Henderson's looking for you.

Must be about the new, uh, curriculum, huh?

Yeah. No, I'm sure that's it.

But, um, hey Dan, if there's anything else going on, you know?

If, uh, you need any help?

You know, anything.

You know we're here for you, pal.

Close the door.

Is there something going on that I should know about?

Um.

On September 11 1973, the CIA helped overthrow and murder

democratically elected Chilean president Salvador Allende.

The military coup lead to mass disappearances, assassinations

and tortures of thousands of Chilean civilians

under the leadership of US-backed dictator Augusto Pinochet.

Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said of Allende's 1970 election,

quote, "These issues are much too important for the Chilean voters to decide for themselves."

Danny.

-Hi, Mom.

-What happened to your lip?

-That's plenty, thanks.

-HE MUMBLES

That's good.

-Good, good.

-So, how's the novel?

-You're writing a novel?

-It's a kid's book that I haven't started yet.

-I love children's books.

-What's it about?

-Dialectics.

-Dialectics. What is that?

-Oh, no.

It's a, um, it's a theory that attempts to explain how change works.

-Sounds interesting.

-How does change work, Dan?

-Let's save it for dessert.

-I hear you went to the march.

-Yeah, it was really great.

-Yeah, really.

400,000 people there.

Oh, that's fantastic. What do they report it in the press, 200,000?

Danny Glover was there.

-Danny Glover? Oh, I like him.

-Yeah.

-What was that movie that he was in?

Legal Weapon. Cindy, what is it exactly...

Hey, what was his name?

-Charles.

-"Charles, get your fat ass off my bike!"

-That's what she said, "before I fuck your fat ass up."

-You said that?

You know she did. Then my man started stressin'.

He started apologizing. "I'm sorry. I didn't know it was yours."

-Then what'd you do, you knock him out?

-Tell her.

Didn't have to.

Ah! Didn't have to!

That's my girl right there, poking people on the street.

-HE SCREAMS

-Oh.

Oh, Danny. You won't believe what I found this week.

-You guys really live it up around here.

-Hey, you hear that?

Uh, the rock star approves. Cindy-loo-hoo.

-Aw, Jeff, didn't you tell her that around here we always party like it's 1999?

-Oh, my God.

MUSIC: "It's All Right To Cry"

Can you be any more embarrassing?

Did you know I was in Vietnam? I got the scar.

-Remember?

-Remember this one?

Jesus.

Why you got these scary things?

Got 'em off the internet.

Some dude in Texas.

-I wouldn't want these things in my house.

-Well, they in my house.

And my house is your house.

So deal with it.

You ever sell to coach?

Why?

Just wondering.

-Look, don't you think you and Teach's relationship is a little uh...

-What?

Inappropriate?

-What do you mean?

-Look, he your teacher, Drey. I mean sometimes you act like...

-He's my friend.

-Look, he's a base head.

All right? And base heads don't have friends.

I mean... This motherfucker was outside my house yesterday

telling me that we shouldn't be associated with each other.

MUSIC: "Can't You See" by Marshall Tucker Band

# Gonna take a freight train down at the station, Lord

# I don't care where it goes

# Gonna climb a mountain the highest mountain

# Jump off, nobody gonna know... #

Hey, teach me something, Dan.

Teach me...

..some Ebonics.

Is that where they got you teaching in that zoo?

Hey, tell me something, how do you say...

.."asshole" in Ebonics?

Look, uh... Look, I'm going.

Hey-hey hey-hey.

Hey.

I'm sorry. I'm an asshole.

I love ya.

You know that right?

Yeah, I know.

Very good. Good.

241, apartment three.

-MOBILE RINGS

-Hello.

What's up?

I bet you are so good with those kids, Daniel Dunne.

I am really proud of you.

Thanks, Ma. Sometimes I think uh, they were the only thing keeping me sane.

It's a good thing, you know, to teach.

Your father and I thought we were gonna change the world when we were young, you know? What did we know?

Uh, well, you stopped a war, so.

You think so?

-Yeah.

-That's nice, honey.

I think it was more about Daniel Ellsberg than anything we did, you know?

One man alone means nothing.

I guess not.

Do you hear from Rachel any more?

Not really.

I saw her at the pharmacy the other day.

Maybe it's her mom.

-Maybe.

-You know she looked great.

You should give her a call.

But, you know, clean up a little first.

You're killing me with the tie.

You can stop. I'm fine.

-You happy?

-I'm so happy.

That's so great, sweetie.

You're happy, I'm happy. Watch the basketballs, OK, honey?

Hey, Mom?

How was it?

Easy, right? Hah, I saw you shaking all across the street and shit.

-SHE LAUGHS

-Sure beats the hell out of flipping burgers.

-Thank you.

Your mom said there was more wine out here.

-Found it.

-Do you like my brother?

Yeah.

Why?

Uh, he's nice.

He's funny.

Does he tell any jokes?

Sometimes.

Like what?

Like...

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

The interrupting cow.

-The interrupting...

-Moo!

Yeah?

Man, go put some fuckin' clothes on. Put some clothes on.

Where you going?

Come inside, sweetie.

Ain't nobody gonna bite you.

Everything cool?

I guess we should get you home, then.

I don't think it's a good idea, you falling asleep in front of the TV every night.

What's up, Drey, you in a funk today?

Wanna tell me why?

Just thinking about Mike, I guess.

Yeah.

I miss your brother, too. We'll go see him, soon as I get some time off.

I can't believe they hit me with another double tomorrow.

Can you believe that?

Can't get a goddamn break.

So what else is happening?

I heard something about a civil rights thing with Oprah or something?

Drey?

-MACHINE BEEPS

-Hi, honey.

Just calling to let you know how much fun it was for us last night. We should do it more often.

I love you, sweetie.

Call us soon, OK?

Shh. Shh.

Hello, everyone. I'm Mr Light.

I will be filling in for...

Where's Mr Dunne?

I really don't know.

-When's he coming back?

-They don't tell me much in the office.

Why don't you guys tell me what you've been learning?

-Yo, what's good, Drey?

-I don't know.

-What's good with you?

-Chillin'.

Need a ride?

-I got my bike.

-We'll throw it in the back.

I gotta get home.

-Well, I'll take you.

-Not today.

-Drey.

Look, I'll see you around, huh?

What happened to your friends?

They're gone.

You missed a hell of a party.

Looks like it.

Thank you.

Ouch.

You ready to go?

You missed a spot. >

-Knock, knock.

-Who's there?

The interrupting cow.

The interrupting cow who?

Moo.

That was horrible!

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

E-mail [email protected]