Father & Son: Dangerous Relations (1993) - full transcript

(soft music)

(dramatic orchestral music)

(all chattering)

(upbeat music)

(all cheering)

- [Man] Alright.

Come on, let's go!

Shoot the ball!

- When did this arrive?

- This morning, at orientation.

- Okay, nigger.



Off the bench.

Did you hear me?

- Who you talkin' to?

- You know who I'm talking to.

- Naw, man, you ain't talking to me,

'cause I ain't your nigger.

- Gentlemen,

you mind if I talk to the brother?

Hey, look man, you're new here,

so you wouldn't have known,

which is why you get one chance.

But you need to come over
here and sit with us.

You can't sit on this bench.

- Why not?



- Because the Aryan brotherhood

has claimed it for themselves.

They're the only ones who
are allowed to sit on it.

- That's bull.

- Hey, listen, brother,

I would never let them sit on our bench.

I might let the Chicanos
if they would ask,

which they wouldn't,

I might let the Asians sit on the bench

if they would ask, which they wouldn't,

I might even let a drugged
up Okie truck driver

sit on the bench, if the boy can sing.

But I would never,

never, man, let one of these

Honky Aryan dirt bags sit on my spit.

Now, you might look at them, look at them,

you might feel sorry for them,

'cause the only thing they got
in this cold, black universe

is this little bit of bench here, man-

- No, first of all, don't
call me brother, man.

And second, I know what's
up with this bench.

Now, you want them White bastards

tell you where to sit, that's on you.

I ain't with that.

Get the hell outta my face, man.

- Excuse me.

He's all yours.

Damn.

A toothache lookin' for a tooth, man,

- Now, you get off the bench

or I'm gonna rip off your head.

And I'm gonna stuff it down your neck.

- Aw, now look, I'm
gonna tell you somethin',

I heard this, but I ain't
believin' it 'till I saw it.

- [Man] Oh, yeah?

What's that?

- That you're so stupid, man,

if they moved your plate five inches

you'd starve to death.

That's what your mama told me

after we finished doin' that thing.

- Security!

(siren blaring)

- [Guard] Get down!

Everyone, get down!

(siren blaring)

(upbeat music)

- Well, well, well, ain't you something?

- Hey, man, I look at it like this.

Best thing is to let
'em know from the jump,

they don't want to fight with me.

- Oh, they don't want
to fight with you, man.

They want to kill you.

And they will,

first chance they get.

- Yeah, right, right.

- Yeah, right, right, right, right,

you'll see.

- Hey, Clay?

- [Clay] Yo?
- Got a minute?

- What?

- The Bookmaker wants a
green light on a brother.

- Who you want to stick?

- Williams.

The new kid.

- I don't give green lights.

- Hey, look, we don't want no trouble.

Everybody pays their
debts, one way or another.

You could pay it for him.

- I don't pay other people's debts, man.

- There'll be big trouble
if you stand in the way.

- Look, I don't give green lights.

I don't give red lights.

Somebody goes after a
brother with no cause,

then we're gonna protect him.

Somebody goes after a
brother with a reason,

then the brother'd better protect himself.

Now, I'm not sayin' it's okay,

Just better know what you're doin'.

- Then we understand each other.

- I understand you.

- The Warden wants to see you.

- Look, we've been trying to decide

whether we have a problem here or not.

- Must be.

You don't invite me up here for tea.

- And I've been trying to decide

if I can afford two of you in my prison.

- Two of me?

- Your son was just transferred here.

- My son?

Nah, that's impossible.

(dramatic music)

Jared Williams?

- Yeah, we didn't catch
it at first, either.

He uses his mother's name.

But, uh, then we look at
his birth certificate,

and what do we see?

Leonard Clay Junior.

Born Los Angeles, 1967.

Mother, Luanna Clay.

Father, Leonard Clay.

Sound familiar?

- He was five years old
the last time I saw him.

He was such a good little boy,

What's he in for?

- Aggravated Assault.

He got two years.

Should've gotten off by now,

but he got no time off for good behavior,

because there's been no good behavior.

- I've seen him.

But I was never like that.

- Oh, yeah you were.

Anyway, he doesn't have
much time left to serve.

He's just been transferred
here from Level Two.

- Why?
- Same old, same old.

Fighting.

Inmates, guards.

Anybody.

- He doesn't realize what it's like to be

in a Level Three institution.

He thinks he's tough,

but he's butting heads with the

wrong kind of people around here.

We were hoping that
maybe you could help him.

(dramatic music)

- That's right.

- Hey, look, uh, I wanna
pay the kid's debt.

- Too late, man.

I've been paid.

- Who would pay you?

- They did.

For the privilege.

They bought the green light.

- I didn't give you the green light.

- Hey, you didn't pay it
when you could've, you know?

I've got my rights.

I had a right to sell it.

Everybody here will back me.

- Yeah, well, you should know
better than to go against me.

- You said you didn't
want to get involved!

What's it to you all of a sudden?

Hey, look, uh,

you can try to buy it back,

but I don't think they're sellin'.

- You better hope, for
your sake, that they are.

- Ah, he's not worth it, man.

- Neither are you.

- [Man] You got to set it up!

- Here you go.

- I don't smoke.

- Me neither.

- Why are you carrying them?

- Coin of the realm, man.

Here.

- Naw.

- You don't take nothin'
from nobody, do you?

- Why you always suckin' up to me, man?

- You know who I am?

- Yeah, you're the brother
everybody owes something to.

Except me.

- My name is Clay.

First name is Leonard.

I'm from Compton.

I was married once.

My wife's name was Luanna.

Look, I'm your daddy.

(horseshoes clanking)

Hey, hey.
- Man!

You stay outta my face.

You lost the title father when
you walked out on us, man.

- Listen, I wanna help you.

I want to bring you in here.

You ain't gonna make it otherwise.

- It don't matter.

You stay outta my way.

- Hey Jared!

How's your mama?

- She's dead.

That's all you need to know.

(dramatic music)

- Hey, I thought we was friends.

How come you didn't tell me you had a son?

- Friends don't make each other hurt.

- Yeah, where'd you hear that?

Somebody been havin' you on?

That's their main talent
once the money's gone.

What else you been holding back on me?

- I ain't been holding nothin' back, man.

Just, uh,

never wanted to mention him in here.

I was trying to keep his
world and mine apart.

- Yeah, but Clay, without you,

this world didn't give him a chance.

- I thought his mama
was taking care of him.

I remember she used to
do a pretty good job.

- But she died.

- Yeah,

she had this whole life in my head

that I know now never even existed.

I saw her married again.

More kids, maybe,

Watching Jared play baseball,

going to his graduation, stuff like that.

(shower running)

(suspenseful music)

- Hey, boy, hey, boy!

Remember me?

(men clapping)

(man vocalizing)

- You can't ever be alone.

You come to take a shower,
you use that first stall.

If it's busy, you wait.

If other people leave, you leave too,

unless you want to be dead.

(dramatic music)

- Hey, man, your father, he wants to-

- Don't call him that.

- He covered the 10 cartons.

- Why?
- Guess he figured

he owed you.

- Yeah, well, he owed me then.

It's too late for all that now.

- He saved your life by
paying your gambling debts!

- He bought himself a little peace, man!

I ain't-

- He ain't had no peace since
he's known you were here!

Hey, Rico!

From Clay.

- You know, Mr. Clay,

We don't usually give
serious consideration

to someone convicted of murder

until their third or fourth
time before the board.

The public doesn't like it.

We usually just go through the motions.

- Yes, sir.

You're very good at it, too.

- See, we've got a problem.

Under California's
determinate sentence law,

we've got to release your son from prison.

We don't think he's ready for the street,

but we have no legal way
to keep him any longer.

The only power we have is to
set the terms of his parole.

- Now, I can tell you from our experience,

this kid's not gonna make
it unless something changes.

- The only change we can
make is to let you out early.

- You're gonna parole me?

- With some conditions.

We've decided to make the
two of you live together.

- What?

Oh, no.

Don't do that to me.

- You will be under high
control of your parole officer.

You will live in a halfway house

until you get a permanent job.

Both of you will be enjoined

from being within a three-mile radius

of your old neighborhood.

If either of you is caught there,

it will be a category one violation

and the violator will
be returned to custody.

Those are the terms.

- If you give me your word,
I think you'll keep it.

And you could make a difference.

- That hardhead won't listen to me.

- The two of you just might
be able to save each other.

(dramatic music)

- Clay?
- Yeah.

- Williams?
- Yeah.

- Good.

I'm Rick Torres, your parole officer.

- [Jared] We know who you are.

- Sorry, I'm late.

- If there's one thing we do
know how to do, that's wait.

- I understand you're
a father and son team.

- We ain't no team.

- Okay,

let me take you to the halfway house.

(upbeat music)

(all chattering)

Gentlemen, let me remind you,

you're still technically in prison.

From eight a.m. to six p.m.,
you can walk the streets,

look for jobs, I don't care.

At six p.m. you're signed
back into the halfway house

or I file an RTC.

That's a Return To Custody.

When you've got permanent jobs,

you can move out, all
other terms of parole

remaining in effect.

Now every three days we do a UA.

We monitor for alcohol,
Morphine, Cannabinoids,

Barbiturates, Amphetamines, Codeine,

Phencyclidines, and Cocaine.

You come up dirty, you go back.

- Hey, look, I just served
15 years of hard time.

I did it long, I did
it right, but I did it!

Now I'm out and I'm not going to pee

in somebody's bottle just to
prove what kind of man I am.

- You don't, you go back.

You think about it,

and let me know your answer.

(dramatic music)

Morning, gentlemen.

I made some calls.

It's not easy finding work for you two.

You don't know how to do anything.

And you got a murder rap in your jacket

I have to disclose to my contacts,

otherwise they won't
hire any of my people.

So for now, I know a
contractor with some day labor.

Go down to the corner of 18th.

They'll pick you up at seven.

(machines whirring)

- Hey!

Not there, you idiots.

Over there!

Come on!

Let's make some room for traffic.

Hey, you comprende?

Come on!

Move it!

Come on.

Around here, we do things my way.

You got that?

- I'm glad you didn't
take a swing at my son.

- What do you mean?

- Well, he likes to fight, you know?

He doesn't understand the kind
of trouble he can get into.

Take me, for example.

I'm out on parole, for murder.

You'd think I'd learned something by now.

But I think I'm dumber than ever.

And they say he's just like me.

So I'm glad

that there's somebody with
some sense around here,

like you.

(all chattering)

(alarm blaring)

- [Man] I'll send it in about 10 minutes.

- Damn!

Is that a fine-lookin' woman or what?

(phone ringing)

- Hello?

Yeah, Mr. Preuss is gonna
be another five minutes.

Uh-huh, okay, thanks.

Mr. Preuss, we gotta go!

(engine revs and falters)

- I'd be happy to look
under the hood for you.

- This car's been giving
me a lot of trouble.

I'm gonna call the tow service.

- No, pull the latch.

I'll take a look, see what happens.

- All right.

But just look.

- Let's see what we have here.

- These are very delicate,
very complicated engines.

- Oh?

- What is that?

- This is the fimdupter.

I think it's clogged.

If the collibrute can't get any gas,

the whole deculator system goes out.

- Oh.

Are you sure it wasn't the polyplop?

(chuckling)

Wait a second, where
are you going with that?

- I know what I'm doing.

(air hissing)

- [Mr. Preuss] What's going on?

- The car wouldn't start.

- Try it now.

(engine revving)

(upbeat music)

- Thank you.

- Doug?

Yvonne.

I'm calling about the guy

that fixed Mr. Preuss' car this afternoon.

Yeah, that's the one.

He doesn't seem like a killer to me.

- Killers usually don't.

And they usually don't kill again.

As we say in the trade,
they killed their problem.

- So, there's no doubt that he did it?

- There was some doubt as to why.

I read the court record.

Clay said it was self-defense.

Kill or be killed.

- So, why didn't they believe him?

- Well, yeah,

you see, he was a
self-confessed car thief.

- Don't tell me this,

- Yes, a slick, best there was,

50 car a month thief.

Only stole the expensive cars.

You know, the kind prosecutors drive.

The kind defense lawyers drive.

The kind judges drive.

- So who did he kill?

- A big time fence named Jackson.

Guy didn't chop cars.

He sold 'em whole with new paperwork.

Big profits.

- So why did he kill him?

- Jackson tried to stiff him.

Clay was going to take the car back.

Jackson pulled a gun.

Clay took it away from him.

Almost.

From then, it's a matter
of interpretation.

But the jury bought murder two.

- But what do you think?

- I would've bought self-defense.

- So you don't think I'd
be wasting my time on him.

- If you'd be wasting your
time, I'm wasting my life.

Look.

Clay, his son, they're not sociopaths.

No screws missing.

Their psych reports reveal real
human beings, with feelings.

I think Clay is the kind

that can make it if he gets a chance.

- So, when can he come
in for an interview?

(dramatic music)

(siren wailing)

- Mr. Williams, would you join us, please?

Leonard Clay, I have a job
interview for you tomorrow.

Could be permanent.

I told 'em you're an expert mechanic.

Am I right?

- I'm an expert car thief.

I'm an experienced mechanic.

- Clay Junior, are you an expert
or experienced at anything?

- Yeah.

- Yeah, aren't we all.

I got a job for you.

Pay's good.

Don't need experience.

- Anything to get out of
all that dust and heat.

- Oh, it's air conditioned, sir.

(upbeat music)

(knocking on door)

- Come in.

- Are you why I'm here?

- Mr. Preuss, aside from
developing buildings,

also owns this dealership.

We're always looking for a good mechanic,

so please sit down, Mr. Clay.

Mr. Preuss was very impressed

with the way you fixed his car.

So he had me call our builder

to find out why an
excellent mechanic like you

was working as a common laborer.

And he had me call Mister Torres.

- Ah.

- And he said that while
you were in prison,

you learned how to be a mechanic.

In fact, the best they ever saw.

You're not saying anything.

- No, I try not to interrupt

when people are saying
nice things about me.

- [Yvonne] Oh.

- So-
- So,

go ahead.

- Well, what, uh, do I
have to do to get the job?

- You've got it.

On a trial basis at first.

But it is permanent if
there are no problems.

- Why you doing this?

- Mr. Preuss would like to help.

- Mr. Preuss?

I see.

Well,

you thank Mr. Preuss for me.

- I will.

- Thanks.

- You're welcome.

(upbeat music)

- You said this job was air conditioned.

You didn't say nothin'
about it bein' arctic.

- I know it's hard, brother.

But it's a good job.

Where's your UA?

- I don't need it.

I got the job.

It's permanent unless I mess up.

Which means that we can
move out of here, right?

I've got the money I saved from prison.

- Yeah.

You still have to drop
off a UA once a week.

But, Let me confirm your job

and I'll have both your
walking papers typed up.

- I ain't going with him.

- Only way out, pal.

Terms of parole.

- Then I'll stay.

- No you won't.

- I'm staying here!

- No you won't!

You listen to me,

They didn't want you out on the streets.

They're just waiting for you to screw up.

You don't move in with
him, you go back now.

- And you can thank your sorry butt

that I'm willing to put up with you.

- Hey!

I haven't finished.

I have jurisdiction over you for one year.

You live together, home
every night by 10 p.m.

subject to voice verification.

If I call, you better be there.

(dramatic music)

(siren wailing)

- Brother, brother, brother,

you done been in the joint so long,

you forgot how to live in
a thousand square feet.

- I don't like big places.

Don't like people close to me, that's all.

- Why we still eating prison food?

- I like beans.

- Well, I can't feel free
if I'm eating prison food.

- You're not supposed to feel free.

You're on probation.

The minute you start feeling free-

- Hey, you don't try to be my jailorman.

You just, step off me, all right?

- I figure it like this,

It ain't gonna take us too
long to lose each other,

bein' as you're an expert at it.

Look here.

I wanna get rid of you

just as fast as you wanna get rid of me.

Now all this right here,

it's just for the man, to make him happy.

Just to share space.

That's it.

- We could try to get to know one another.

- When I was a little
boy, I wanted a father.

I don't want one now.

(phone rings)

- Yeah?

- [Torres] Torres.

Voice verification call.

This Clay?

- Put Jared on the phone.

- Right.

It's Torres.

It's for you.

- What up?

- [Torres] Torres.

Voice verification for Jared Williams.

- My voice is here.
- That's all.

- Thanks.

Hello.

- Hi.

You know, I was wondering,

uh, maybe one night, uh,

after work,

you might join me for dinner.

- I don't think that would be a good idea.

- Right.

Yeah.

- Whoa, what is that?

- Those are collard greens, boy.

- You serious?

- Yeah.

Eat them with vinegar.

- Yeah, Sometimes I think
you're from the South.

(chuckling)

What's wrong with you?

- My mama was from the South.

Now, there was a great woman.

She could sing, man,

make the walls of the church shake.

She loved so hard,

fit just like a tight shoe.

Don't make her mad, now,

you'd much rather suffer a hurricane.

- What about your daddy?

- He was from Los Angeles.

- What happened to them?

- Well, my mama died when she was young.

I don't remember my dad too much.

He used to drift in and
out from time to time.

Then he was gone.

- [Woman] Clay, telephone call line four.

Clay, line four.

- Yeah, this is Clay.

- Jared didn't come back to work

at the packing plant this afternoon.

Any idea where he is?

- No.

- I'm going to have to put out a bulletin

in the old neighborhood in
case he goes back there.

- You asking for my blessing?

- C'mon, Clay, let's work
together on him, okay?

- I'm not gonna be his police man.

- I'll be his cop.

You just be his dad.

Take it easy.

- Yeah.

(knocking on door)

- Hey, uh,

you kids here know where Sharon's at?

Hey, little man,

How you doing?

Sharon still live over there?

- I don't know.

Hey, give me a ride.

- You want a ride?

You want a ride?

You don't want a ride?

- Hey, can you do this?

- Wanna get down?

- Can you do this?

- Yeah, what'cha got, what'cha got?

- Aw, man,

watch this, watch this.

Now, that's how it's done.

Aw, you don't like that?

Hey, miss thing, miss thing,

Hey, girl, bring your
little bootie over here.

- [Girl] No.

- Come here girl, let
me show you something.

- Come here, come here.

- No.

- You leave her alone!

Leave her alone!

- Uh, Miss Brown, how ya doin'?

You was watchin' me the whole time, huh?

- I've been watching you, all right,

to make sure you leave
without causin' any trouble.

- Yeah, well, I came by to see Sharon.

- I bet you did.

I just bet you did.

Well, she ain't here.

She moved away.

- Where to?

- Never you mind.

Out of the state.

Where you will never find her.

She's goin' to school.

She's goin' to make somethin' of herself.

Not like you.

- What's up?

How come you never liked me?

- Don't ask me to count the ways.

Now, you just be gettin' out of here

before I start dialin' 911.

- Hey, just, just,

tell Sharon I'll never
forget her, all right?

- And she'll never forget you
either, you son-of-a-bitch.

(siren wailing)

- Alright, thanks man.

Man, I don't think there's girls.

Let's go in and find out what's happening.

- Leave it alone.

Don't ask.
- I won't.

- But you want to know, don't you?

- It's probably the last
thing I want to know.

And don't be screwin' up out there

thinkin' you're going to get to me.

It's you you're gonna get to.

(phone ringing)

- Torres, it's 10 o'clock.

You know where your telephone book's at?

- [Torres] Put Clay on the phone.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

He wants to hear your voice, too.

(dramatic music)

- Get in.

I'll give you a lift.

For a man who works on some
of the world's best cars,

you shouldn't have to ride the bus.

- Well, look at you,

all shiny and air-conditioned
and everything.

- They let some of the
employees drive the demo cars.

This is a perk.

- Somebody sure forgot to perk me.

- So what about that
dinner you promised me?

- I thought you said
it wasn't a good idea?

- It isn't.

But get in.

You know, you're a lot
brighter than most of the guys

I met in college.

Why didn't that happen for you?

- Where'd you grow up?

- Not far from Compton.

Baldwin Hills.

- (scoffing) Lady, that's
a million miles away.

- You would have done well.

I'm sure of it.

- For what?

You're a college graduate, aren't you?

- Yes.
- How much you get paid?

- That's not the point.
- Are you paid

more than a secretary?

- Not much.

But I have a lot of responsibilities.

- Oh, so you are exploited
and underpaid now.

- I'm getting valuable experience.

- So you can be even more qualified

for the next job you're underpaid at.

- Do you enjoy being cynical?

- No, I don't enjoy it.

So,

you changed your mind
because you think I'm bright?

I can't imagine why a woman
like you is not married.

- I was.

For three years.

Two of which I spent
trying to find the courage

to admit I'd made a mistake.

You know, it's hard to
find the right person.

- Oh, yeah, I know.

It's a cold, cruel world out there.

You gotta be tough.

- Yeah.

Tough.

And dangerous.

You like being dangerous, don't you?

- Hey, I'm not dangerous.

I'm irate.

- What's the difference?

A dangerous man is dangerous
even when he's not irate.

- So why don't you try not being irate,

and see what happens?

(both laughing)

It's nice.

You chose a nice place to live.

- Yeah, but nobody knows anybody here.

In the joint, I knew just about everybody.

Knew about their families,
about their kids,

about their mistakes,

- You sound like you miss it.

- I miss my friends.

You mind if I kiss you?

- Do you usually ask?

- Usually doesn't enter into it.

It's been 15 years.

- I don't mind.

- Oh, woman.

You are everything I
imagined a beauty to be.

- I'm attracted to you, too, Clay.

But this is moving too fast.

- Why should I be in such a hurry?

- Because, because you've been in prison.

And I think you'd fall in
love with just about anybody.

- You undersell yourself.

- I don't mean to.

I'm just afraid of the
way you'll react to me.

I mean, the earth will move,
and we'll both be overwhelmed.

And then I won't know what it means.

- It's not about meaning here.

It's about feelings.

And it will feel good.

- (sighing) I better go home.

- You think I'll be less horny if we wait?

- I'll be less afraid if we wait.

- I never knew anybody who'd
be less afraid to wait.

- Goodnight.

- Goodnight.

- Who was she?

Who brought you home?

- Where'd you get that?

- Oh, this.

This here,

This is God's way of telling
me I've been too sober.

- You know, if they
find alcohol in your UA,

you're gonna be busted!

- Aw, man, it's three
days till my next one.

It'll be gone by then.

Can I just ask you who was she?

- Stay outta my private life.

You look to your own.

Look at this place.

I will not live like a pig.

Now, you listen to me.

Nobody ever, ever,

disrespects me in my own house.

- This ain't your house, boy!

You ain't never had no house.

And for all the respect
my mama showed you,

you couldn't even pay the rent.

Let me tell you what you
can do with your respect.

You can stick that where
the sun ain't shined

since you been locked up, punk!

- You're ready to go back.

- [Jared] Get the hell outta
my face with that crap!

- Yeah, that's what that is,

you're ready to quit.

- You want some?

Come on!

Come on!

(Jared grunting)

You want something?

Come here!

(door clicking)

- Hi.

Hope I'm not interrupting anything.

Happened to be in the neighborhood.

Thought I'd drop in.

The door was open and you
didn't answer the bell.

So, what's going on here?

- Nothin'.

Just a little redecorating.

- That's funny, looked to
me like you were fighting.

- Well, you know how
redecorating can be stressful

on a relationship there, Torres.

- Yeah, well, let me help you out on this.

You, your job is the living room.

You keep it clean, you keep it picked up.

I come by, see some crap on the floor,

you go back to jail no matter who did it.

You.

The kitchen, the bathroom.

Same terms.

I find you keep those three rooms working,

people stay out of jail.

See you soon.

- You think he saw these cans?

- Naw.

He didn't see 'em.

- Why you got to be so sure
about everything you say?

- Well, you usually don't say
anything unless you're sure.

- Well, why don't you say
something that's real?

Why don't you say somethin',

why don't you say somethin' about how come

I never heard from you my whole life?

How come,

I didn't get not one letter from you, man.

Not a birthday card, nothin'!

- What would you do if I'd
sent you a birthday card?

- I would have spit on it.

- Right!
- I would have tore it up.

But at least I would have-

- You would have what?

- I would have had you to be angry at.

It's hard to scream at a photograph.

(dramatic music)

- [Woman] Service rider,
pick up line four.

Service rider, pick up line four.

- Black, please.

- Don't you have a coffee
pot in your office?

- No, I thought I'd come out here

and have the really good stuff.

I kind of had the impression
that you're avoiding me.

- I thought you couldn't handle it.

- I just need to get to know you better.

- Oh, yeah?

Well, how do we do that?

I take you to the movies,
we watch other people talk

and then we get to know each other better?

- No.

Why don't you come over
and fix my motorcycle?

So, do you think you can make it run?

- Nothing really wrong with it
except it hasn't been driven.

- Why don't you take it for a ride

and see if that's all it is.

- Why you so nice to me?

- Hasn't anybody ever been
like that to you before?

- A couple of people.

My mama.

- And your wife?

- Yeah.

But she didn't know
what you know about me.

You one of those people who gets off

on knowin' a killer?

- Don't you say that to me!

Don't you ever say that to me.

Don't even think it!

I hate killing and I hate violence.

I, I find it hard to believe
that you even killed somebody.

- You better believe it.

- I know why you won't tell me about it.

You don't want to be forgiven.

You don't forgive yourself

because you lost your
family by what you did.

- Where'd you get this bike?

- It belonged to somebody who died.

(engine revs)

(soft jazzy music)

(Leonard growls)

(Leonard laughing)

(laughing)

- Wow!

Alright, who was the man?

- Ah!

You're jealous of a dead man?

- There's no way I can fight a dead man.

- Well, you don't have to,
because he was my brother.

He was a great kid.

I loved him so much.

If he'd lived, he would've
been a lot like you.

Angry, holding back,

saying, "Heart, don't wound me anymore."

- So what happened to him?

- He went to prison.

They said he was gonna
be out in six months.

And then they said he attacked a guard.

And then they said,

they said he was dead.

I was ashamed of him when he was alive.

I didn't know what I
had until I'd lost him.

I want you to have his bike.

- Oh, I can't just take the bike.

I tell you what, I'll pay you for it.

- No.

Clay, it's not for sale.

I know you don't want
to owe anybody anything.

But nobody can get through life alone.

So if you want this bike, you
have to take it as a gift.

- All right.

But first,

let me cook for you.

And then you can meet my son.
- Okay.

(soft guitar music)

(door jingles)

- Hello.

How are you?

Everything's on special for Father's Day.

Look at these wallets.

Hand tooled.

The best.

- No, no, forget it.

That's all right.

- If there's something
important you want to say,

a thank you or an apology,

or a "remember-when-kind-of-thing",

say it with gold.

Everyone is impressed by gold.

A nice chain, maybe.

50% off today.

- Hey, man!

- Where you been?

You forget we were expecting
somebody for dinner?

- Yeah, yeah, look,

you're here.

She's here.

What you need me for?

- I'm Yvonne.

I've heard so much
about you from your dad-

- Yeah, well, he don't
know nothin' about me.

And I'm sure you don't
know nothin' about him.

- Hey, don't do this.
- Don't you do this!

I mean, look at you, man.

Look at this.

You up in here livin' large
like ain't nothin' happened.

You know, my mother waited her whole life

for you to come back to her.

What is it that you
women see in him anyway?

Can't you see that all
he does is hurt people?

- I'd better go.

- No, no, no, no, baby, stay.

I better go.

'Cause, see, there ain't never
been any room for me, anyway.

Just do me a favor, alright, sweetheart?

Don't love him.

Or else he'll hurt you

just like he done did to everyone else.

Alright, beautiful?

- He's jealous.

- Of what?

- Of me.

- He hates me.

- No, that's not what that feels like.

I'm gonna go.

- Please stay.

- No, I don't want to
come between you two.

He needs you, and you need him.

You need to work it out with him.

Otherwise, I don't have a chance.

I hope you work it out.

Goodnight.

(dramatic music)

♪ Divide from Abraham ♪

♪ David's son, but then who has
momentum in this day and age ♪

♪ Fathers and sons ♪

(dramatic music)

(door clicking)

♪ And we're losing ♪

(dramatic guitar music)

(upbeat music)

- What up?
- What's up?

Hey
- What up, G!

- Yo, yo yo.

Come back to see the homeboys.

(all chattering)

- What's going on, man.

(all chattering)

- Bad, bad.

(all laughing)

- Hey, man, you looking for some action?

- Just miss my family,
know what I'm sayin'?

- That things we leave, you know.

(all laughing)

- Check it out, trying to get numb.

- So, what'll you have?

(knocking on the table)

- We know what we want.

Vodka doubles.

- And we want 'em now!

- Hell, give him the same as us.

We'll buy.

- That's okay.

- You're too good to drink with us?

- No, I'll just have a beer.

- Hey, man!

I know why you look familiar.

I think I was bowling with you.

I think your head was my ball.

- No, it wasn't bowling.

It was pool.

- Yeah, and you was the eight ball.

Whoa!

Look at that.

And what do you shine it with?

And do you know the difference
between it and Shinola?

(dramatic music)

- Alright, that's it.

Hello, Yvonne?

It's me.

Still not home?

Listen, I,

I won't be able to come
to work for a couple days.

I don't want to lose that job.

I'll explain it to you when I see you.

I don't know when I'll be
able to call you again.

Goodbye.

(telephone beeps)

(phone ringing)

- Yeah?

- Jared, this is Torres.

Glad you're home, at least.

We've got a problem with your dad.

Parole violation.

We're gonna have to hold him for a while.

- So, what else is new?

- The question is, are
you gonna be all right

until he gets home?

- Hey, Torres, I'm always all right.

(dramatic music)

(door slamming)

(doorbell ringing)

- Who is it?

- [Torres] Parole Agent Torres.

- Mr. Torres,

don't you call people
before you drop in on them?

- No, that technique doesn't
work well in my profession.

- Oh, come in.

- Has he called you yet?

- He tried.

I wasn't in, and then he tried again.

- And you didn't take the call.

- No.

So what did he do?

- He took a drink.

- Is that such a big deal?

- It looked worse at first.

Police thought he hit a guy,

but the drunk just fell off his bar stool.

- Well, you must have worse offenders.

- Yeah, but they're not worth the effort.

First 90 days on the outside, Miss James,

that's when they make it or break it.

- Well, why don't you just let Clay go?

- I can keep him from going
back to prison this time.

But someone's got to bail him out.

- Why me?

- Who else is there?

- I'm afraid of him.

- I don't think so.

I think you're afraid of yourself.

Are you gonna bail him?

- I don't know.

- If you do, you're in for the ride.

- Hey, Jared!

You're late.

You're not dressed.

- I'm dressed.

Now, I may not be no competition for your

blue collar follies, but I'm dressed.

- I got half a mind to have
you thrown off the job.

- Half a mind?

You give yourself a whole lot
of credit there, don't you?

- You're fired!

I don't know why I ever hired you.

- 'Cause I work like
a dog for minimum pay.

Yo, just give me my
pay and I'm outta here.

- You want your pay?

You can pick it up in two weeks.

Of course, we're gonna have to check

to see if you made enough
withholding for the year.

And those girls in the office,

they never seem to get that just right.

(dramatic music)

- I think they're gonna
get it exactly right.

'Cause, see, you're what they
call a responsible person.

Matter of fact, you're
the responsible person.

Now, if I got any grievances,

I'm comin' to you.

Capisce?

- I still don't understand
why you bailed me out.

I thought you cut me loose.

- I don't know why I did, either.

And I'm scared to death
to tell you the truth.

- Everything's just like I left it.

- Well, you didn't expect him

to do the house cleaning, did you?

- I just hope he gets
here before 10 o'clock.

- Got anything to drink?

- Was that a joke?

- I thought so.

Only I won't be convinced until you laugh.

Two drinks and I'm a pushover.

Cheers!

(soft music)

- I don't know how to act when

someone's so nice to me.

I want it all.

- You can have it all.

Just gotta take it.

And hold on for dear life.

(soft jazzy music)

- [Tyrrell] I say we
get some Cadillacs, man.

- No, man.

Big Ed pays more for yuppie cars.

Jar, you say your old man

works at a Mercedes dealership?

- Yeah, yeah.

But that ain't the place
to hit, though, man.

'Cause where he works at

they got alarms direct wired to the cars.

You know what I'm sayin'?

By the time we got all
our problems worked out,

the cops will be on us.

- That's what makes it a challenge.

Don't you want a challenge, Jar?

- Yo, yo, move in.

Take a few parking lots
in, that's what's up.

- No, no, then you got
license plates to deal with,

possibly inferior product.

Ed don't pay much for used cars.

You know that, Jared.

- Di, you can't steal no showroom cars.

They don't put no gas in it.

And it ain't about hotwiring,
because you can't do that.

- Wait.

Big Ed is a professional.

He don't send us out
without the inside story.

- Yeah, man.

He knows where the keys are

and how to get them.

- How he gonna know all that?

- 'Cause he has cased
every dealership in town.

- Look, all we got to do is get the cars

inside the warehouse and we're home free.

- Yo!

Why it got to be that one?

- You know why!

Time, it's time, brother.

You gotta chose between him and us.

You gotta decide who your real family is.

- You in or out?

- Yo, man, what that sucker
ever do for you, man?

That's what I want to know.

- Yo!

My old man never did me no favors.

I'm down.

- That's what I'm sayin'!

- I'm with you.

(soft music)

- Why don't you sleep now?

- I can't sleep.

Every time I close my eyes,

I'm dreamin' I'm in that prison.

It's like I get locked
up every time I sleep.

I'd much rather keep them open on you.

(soft jazzy music)

(phone ringing)

Hello?

He's gone out.

- Do you expect him shortly?

- Yeah, any second.

He's right, any second.

- He didn't show up for his UA yesterday.

I checked in at the meat-packing plant.

Seems he no longer works there.

Employment is not one of
the terms of his probation.

Two road signs pointing the same direction

usually means you're going someplace.

If he's not there by midnight,
I'm pulling the plug, Clay.

- What's the matter?

- I gotta find him.

- [Yvonne] What is it?

- He got this in the old neighborhood.

Just couldn't stay away, damn it!

- Where are you going?

- I've done mostly
everything wrong in my life.

I have no excuses.

If I can't save him now, he's lost.

What did I ever do to
deserve you in my life?

(soft jazzy music)

- Be careful.

(dramatic music)

- Cops!

Just be cool.

Ain't no black-and-white gonna cruise

this way for the rest of the night.

They just want time to get
outta the neighborhood.

Just give 'em time.

- This gonna be good.

We're gonna be rich.

- Man, you ain't gonna be nothin'

if your woman find out you worked tonight.

They're gonna take it
all for your kiddies.

- Hell, no!

She ain't gonna find out about it.

I ain't gonna support
four crumb-snatchers.

- You have four kids now?

- Serious.
- Damn!

You've been busy, brother!

- Yes.

- That'll give you time
to catch up now, Jar.

- He'd have to have two sets
of twins to catch up with me.

I got me another one on the way.

- Damn!

- Now, hold on, hold on.

Two sets of twins would
make it four, right?

- Yeah, well, countin' the
notch already on your stick,

that makes five.

(all laughing)

- Oh, come on, man!

Don't look so serious, ain't nothin'

to being a daddy.
- Yeah, you sure

got a sweet little girl.

- That, that little girl,
you're telling me that,

that's mine?

That's me?

- Sharon never told you, huh?

Now, ain't that just like a woman?

(all laughing)

(dramatic music)

- Let's go.

(suspenseful music)

- [Man] I got your back.

- Do it, do it, do it!

- Come on, do it!

(yells)
(glass shatters)

(alarm ringing)

(tires screeching)

- [Man] What the hell you doin', man?

(glass shattering)

- I've got the keys!

Break her!

(glass shatters)

Get in, man!

Get in!

Hurry up.

Come on.

The keys!

- Jared!

What the hell you doin', man?

Move it!

- I ain't with it.

I want out, man.

- You don't get in that car and drive,

I'll mix your brains with broken glass.

Now you follow Dion and
I'll be right behind you.

(car tires screeching)

(police sirens blaring)

- Hey, what's up with you, man?

- What's up with you, man?

- You crapped out on us, man!

Could've got us all killed.

- I did what I was supposed to do.

- Just shut up.

- What's the problem?

- My man Jared went chicken on us.

He was standing around peeing his pants

instead of carrying out the instructions.

Man, look what he did to our car.

- That was an accident!

I didn't ask to drive that car, anyway!

- Shut up.

I'll have to deduct
five K for that fender.

that comes out of your take.

- Well, you can keep that.

I don't want no part of that.

- I don't want to see his ugly face again.

I don't want losers screwing up a business

that took 20 years to build.

Now, you pay your men
and get 'em out of here!

- Tyrrell, count it.

Dion, here's yours.

You drive.

(siren wailing)

Jared.

- I told you.

I don't want none of it.

- Hey, you gotta take it, man.

You earned it.

- No, you keep that.

I want to buy my way out.

- You don't buy your way out.

You get invited out.

Now, you don't show no
respect for your family.

You don't deserve to be among us.

You stay outta my face,

or pay the price.

(engine revving)
(upbeat music)

- Hey!

Get on here.

- No.

- Hey!

- What?

(grunting)

(both grunting)

(dramatic music)

- We gotta talk, boy.

For real this time.

- You've got no right to be here, man.

- I loved her and I married her.

That gives me the right.

- You killed her.

You lost the right.

- You really know how to
hurt me with those words,

don't you?

- Man, I could never hurt you enough.

- Your mama's what binds us.

We need her now.

She was a beautiful woman.

So young, so full of hope.

- She was old.

She had gray hair before her time.

The hope was all gone out of her.

For years.

You broke her heart, man.

She dried up inside,

and then she died.

- I loved your mama, Jared.

You gotta believe that,

- You divorced her.

She would have waited
forever for you to get out.

You wouldn't even let her come visit you.

- I didn't want her
hanging out with no loser.

I wanted to set her free.

I was no good for her, Jared.

Everybody knew that.

- But she never stopped waiting
for you to come back, man.

And she never,

never let anyone else touch her.

- She knew where I was, why I was there.

I wanted her to forget me.

- Don't you get it, man?

She couldn't forget you.

When someone gives you
their love and you leave,

it's gone.

What you did, you took her love man,

you're just a thief through and through.

- Jared, you don't know
what it's like when a man

can't take care of his family.

I couldn't stand that.

Stealing cars was the only way

I could make some decent money.

- You could've been a janitor.

- A janitor?

- Other people's fathers
take jobs they hate, man.

But you was too good for all that.

She had your picture out, man.

I had to look at it every
damn day of my life.

I couldn't say nothin' bad about you.

I'd to hear about the way you
was before things went bad.

But, see, I knew what was up with you.

I knew you were sittin'
in some hole somewhere

thinkin' you got off easy!

Thinking you didn't have
to take no responsibility

for your son.

You just left her to do it all alone.

But, see man, you didn't just divorce her.

You divorced me.

And I hate you for that, man.

I hate you.

- 1988.

Is that when you first
started getting' angry, Jared?

First started acting like me?

- I ain't like you.

- Yes, you are.
- I ain't nothin' like you!

- Yes, you are.

You are startin' to make
the same mistakes I made.

My daddy made my mama cry.

I made your mama cry.

Who you gonna make cry, Jared?

Huh?

- I already did.

- What?

- I got a little girl, man.

About two and a half years old.

- Man.

Hey, can we,

can we break this cycle?

You got to be with her, Jared.

(dramatic music)

I wish I could make it up to you, son,

not being there for you.

- I wish you could too.

But you can't.

(dramatic music)

- You should have made
him take the money, man.

You didn't see him at the job, man.

Like, like he was standing
there watching us, taking notes.

Now he don't got the money.

Maybe he can tell the cops we forced him.

- Get out of my face.

He's on probation.

You think he's going to run to the cops

with some dumbass story?

They'd put him away in two seconds,

ain't no questions asked.

- Yeah, but, he changed, man.

You didn't see him.

I think he smashed that
car on purpose, man.

Tryin' to stick it to us.

- That's right, Mario.

You didn't see him.

You should've been there.

Our man Jared is not one of us anymore.

And he smashed a $85,000 car.

- I tell you what.

I don't trust nobody
don't take that money.

- [Man] Me either.

- Come on.

We got some unfinished
business to tend to.

- That's right!

(phone ringing)

- Hello?

- Parole Agent Torres, Miss James.

I heard about the break in.

I also know neither Clay or
his son were home by midnight.

- [Yvonne] Well, I can tell you Clay

had nothing to do with the break-in.

- How do you know that?

- Because I was with him last night.

He, he's really trying.

He went out to look for
Jared after he spoke to you.

He didn't steal these cars.

That would've been the
furthest thing from his mind.

- And where did he go to look for Jared?

- I don't know.

Jared could be anywhere.

This is a big city.

- Oh, no ma'am.

It's small for people who only have

one little corner of it to call home.

- All right, then why
are we playing this game?

You know where he went
and you know he had to go.

Why didn't you go look for Jared?

You were just setting Clay up to fail.

- No, I wasn't.

You'll have to believe that.

Their home turf is off limits.

I'd have to bust Jared
if I found him there.

I was hoping Clay would bring
him out without incident.

- Can you find them before the police do?

- I'll try.

- I'm gonna wait for
Clay at his apartment,

if you need me.

- Thanks.

- You sure this is the place?

- You saw his name on the mailbox!

- Yeah, man, but I never got
my mail any place I ever lived.

- Yeah, but you ain't on probation.

- So, what you sayin'?

- You know what I'm sayin'-

- Just shut up!

- Man, where is he, then?

That's all I'm sayin'.

- Don't matter.

At some point, he's coming home.

- Man, if that sucker
thinks he can screw us over

'cause he did hard time, man, he's crazy.

- Hey, I thought we was
just gonna to talk to him.

Make him take the money,

- Hey, man, we're just gonna talk, man.

We're just gonna talk.

Hey, look.

(suspenseful music)

(suspenseful music)

- Come on, come on.

(men grunting)

We don't want you talking to nobody.

- Jared!

(gun firing)

- Come on, come on.

Get on your feet, man!

Somebody call an ambulance!

- [Man] Go, go!

- Clay!

- Don't you die on me!

- Clay, oh, my God, oh.

Somebody help us!

- Come on, come on.

It's all right.

- I love you.

I always did.

- Daddy.

Come on, stay with me, man.

Come on, don't leave me.

Don't leave me, man,

Come on, come on.

Hold on.

Hold on, man.

(ambulance siren wailing)

No!

No!

(ambulance siren wailing)

So, all this time you're
spending with me, man,

you spend that much time
with all your clients?

- Hey, I spend more time
chasing some of them.

Did I ever tell you about the guy

who lives in a trailer
with 50 rattlesnakes?

- No, don't.

(laughing)

- Just goes to show we can all get along

with different types.

Here, give her this for me.

(toy dog barking)

- Yo, we gotta stop
shopping at the same store.

(toy dog barking)
(laughs)

- Give her both.

She'll figure out what to do with them.

- Thanks.

(soft music)

- Daddy!

(laughing)

- I got a flower for you.

And I got-

(soft jazzy music)

(dramatic music)

(soft music)

(soft music)