Girl in Progress (2012) - full transcript

Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.

Okay, class.

Class, it's time for the presentations
on personal heroes.

So, you're up, George.

-Class, quiet.
-My inspiration is basketball.

I went to a basketball camp and they
made us practice for six hours a day.

This is a picture of Kobe,
because I wanna be Iike him.

Thank you, George.

Okay.

Ansiedad Gutierrez?

Everyone, please reach under your seats
and Iocate your 3D glasses.



Jenna, Iights.

And now,

a few words about
someone truly inspirational.

My mother.

My mother's Christian name is AItagracia.

The white man can't pronounce that,
so she goes by Grace,

which her parents can't pronounce.

This is the menu at her second job.

-She met her Iast boyfriend there.
-Emile's.

Grace has dated firemen, auto mechanics,

bakers, barbers, professional chess players,

and the kind of astronauts
that never go into space.

Eventually, they break up.

And when they do,
we move to another town.



You know, I think that's enough.

Here are some of
the iconic places we didn't visit

while Iiving in these respective cities.

We've been in Seattle almost a year

-and I still haven't seen this place.
-Overrated.

Why? 'Cause she's now
dating a gynecologist,

who, by the way, is married.

Bottom Iine, she inspires me
to be nothing Iike her.

Oh, yeah, and this question mark right here
represents my father.

Jenna, Iights.

Thank you all for coming.

It's not the first time she's been in here.

I'm thinking about
putting her on suspension.

Suspension?

Which could put your
daughter's scholarship at risk.

No, no, no. I will talk to her.

I got this, Mr. Principal.

-Guaterrier.
-Gualtiery.

Gualiterry.

Gualtiery.

-She's threatening to beat me.
-Is that true?

She Iikes to embellish.

She swore on her mother.

See? Embellish.

She just Iearned that word on TV.

So help me, I will set you on fire, girl.

PIease do.

Why?

Why now?

-Why now what?
-Why now are you being so impossible?

I'm a teen named Anxiety.

How many times do
we have to go through this?

That was my grandmother's name.
That's a beautiful name.

That woman was a saint.

-Whose car is this anyways?
-Becky's. And Iisten.

I'm not going to take
anymore crap from you, okay?

Just so we're clear, for the next two days,
you bus tables at the Shack.

-Don't give me that face.
-Why?

Why? Because I'm an adult.

And you're a kid,
and you do as I say, that's why.

Can we give Tavita a ride?

Hello, how's my daughter's only friend?

-Mom.
-I'm good.

-I Ioved our presentation.
-Can you not smoke?

It's cancerous.

I'm sorry your child has no father,
Mrs. Gutierrez.

And I'm sorry that you have to
work two jobs to support her.

I'm sure if you would have married that chef,

you guys would have had
wonderful dinners every night.

-Thanks for the ride.
-This is your house?

It's Iike a coliseum.

Go, Tavita. Enjoy your nuclear family.

-Bye.
-Bye.

Now she's adorable, but she
needs to work on her fashion sense.

Maybe you can help her with that,
because that hair band thing...

PIease don't make fun of her. Thank you.

Lower that, please!

Some of us are trying
not to be such immigrants!

Are some of us trying to do our chores?

Some of us have homework.

Excuses, excuses.

This side or this side?

I got suspended, Brad.

How do you feel about that?

I think that's terrible.

I think it's weird that
you're a boy gynecologist.

You can think that.

How's the wife?

How's your father?

Water the plant, go to bed at some point,

and don't call me,
if I am running Iate, I will call you.

They're beautiful.

You hate tulips.

Water. Vase.

Tick-tock.

This can't wait.

Don't wait up.

Okay, here we go.

Okay, now the crab vindaloo
will be another 15 minutes,

but it's so worth it.

Okay? Okay.

Oh, more mussels. I'm sorry,
I'II get right on that.

Two crab balls. One beaver tail.

Three fatty bays, all the way to stay.

Where's your Iittle girl?

Oh, I don't know.

Welcome to Emile's Crab Shack.
Something to drink?

Okay, good.

But you have to be
a Iittle bit more energetic.

You want people to have to
come into this restaurant

and request for you to be their waiter.

-So just be more, you know, upbeat.
-Okay.

Hi, welcome to Emile's Crab Shack.
Something to drink?

Very good. Okay, good. Okay.

Now Iet's move on to the items on the menu.

Start right here.

-Soft sell.
-Soft shell.

-Soft shell crabs.
-Yes, good.

Soft, Iike your mother.

Like your mother's kiss.

I'm Iearning.

Ansiedad.

Tables don't clear themselves.

I'm teaching Mission Impossible to read.

Hey, I'II do it.

No. No, no, no.

She will do it. She needs to Iearn.

-I'II teach you when I get back.
-Okay.

Stop calling him that. It's gonna stick.

Hey, Mission Impossible.

I've got a delivery for you.

And clean up before you get there.

Grace, I need to talk to you in the office.

Can you guess what I'm about to say?

No.

Crab Masters.

I've been invited to Crab Fest.

Do you know what that is?

It is the Oscars of crabs.

It is the Wimbledon,
it is the Heavyweight Championship.

And they've invited me.

They have no idea what they're in for.

My King Crab Masala is going to
make the judges crap their pants.

But it occurs to me, out of the three ofyou,

I don't have a prime candidate
to run my restaurant.

OIga, you're too old.

Screw you.

-Becky, your husband beats you.
-What?

Grace, you're my secret weapon.

But you can be a big flake sometimes.

So here's what we're gonna do.

A contest?

Yeah. To see who's more responsible.

That's inhumane.
How do we even measure that?

Ansiedad, it doesn't matter.

What matters is, I'm going to win it.

You know how Emile's always talking about
if he had somebody to run it,

he'd open up a second place?

Well, that somebody could be me.

Okay, but what about night school?

What about night school?

Remember how you told me
you were going back to school?

Web design, working for Bill Gates,
I mean, isn't that why we moved here?

Don't you see how
this is an opportunity for me

to show some real responsibility?

Actually, I do.

-Hi.
-Hey.

Would the Iadies Iike a ride?

-Yeah.
-Yeah. Come on.

Okay, where you... Okay.

Okay.

-Really? Hang on. Hang on.
-Hold on. Yeah.

Oh, my goodness.

What are we doing tonight?

Ansiedad, get in the car, right now.

Can anyone tell me what
a coming of age story is?

Are any ofyou familiar with that term?

AII right. A coming of age story

is the story of a young person's
inner change from child to adult,

and the transformative journey
that brings about that change.

In other words, think of it as a template
for Ieaving your childhood behind.

Think of these stories as a haunted house.

One full of stuff so horrifying,

that a kid goes in one end
innocent and naive,

and comes out the other side profoundly
changed from the experience itself.

How?

How do the characters
Ieave their childhood behind?

Like, if they hate it? Like, if it sucks?

By taking on the traditional
challenges of adolescence.

Those challenges are called
rites of passage.

They're Iike unwanted,
but necessary stops on the highway

to adulthood and independence.

I want you all to write this down.

Rites of passage.

I'm coming of age, Tavita.

What does that mean?

It means, being a kid is stupid,

and I'm moving on.

But I need your help.

Film and television have cornered
the market of coming of age stories.

There are many varieties,
but the kind we're concerned with

employs the "good girl gone bad" model.

You taking notes?

-Yes.
-Here we go.

First, we establish me
as a sweet, straight-arrow kid.

You know, the kind who gets bullied
in cafeterias and Iocker rooms

and hangs out with unpopular girls.

Okay.

To reinforce my nerditude,
I do something geeky,

Iike become a cello prodigy.

-But you don't play cello.
-Well, then I'll play chess.

Around this time I get a teacher
to admire what a good student I am.

Very nerd.

I will Iater disappoint her by Iosing my way

once I start hanging with

the wrong crowd.

I'll befriend a bad girl.

And learn from her
how to become dark and rebellious.

And do terrible things Iike cut class, steal,
and possibly drugs.

But more importantly,
because bad girls go to bad girl parties.

And who else goes to bad girl parties?

Bad boys.

I don't follow.

In coming of age stories
there's always a party.

The kind with drunkenness,
where virginities are Iost,

and that's where I'II Iose mine.

To the baddest,
most insensitive guy around.

You're going to have sex?

Copulation, or sex, as you call it,

specifically the Ioss of female virginity

has been the rite of passage
for girls turning into women since

maybe before the beginning of time.

Metamorphosis, Tavita.

The point of no return.
It's how we get our wings.

I'm hungry.

So now I'm free to fly.

And I hop on a bus to Adult-ville.

My coming of age story is complete.

Roll end credits. Bring up the house lights.

I'm not a kid anymore.

And I leave her behind.

Which brings us to the Iast piece.

The Iast piece.

To cement maturity,

I'II need to experience something tragic,
Iike a brush with death.

Represented here by
the Greek demon Thanatos,

who's kind of a jerk.

What do you mean by death?

By the way, I'II need to borrow your sister's
bike to establish my plucky innocence.

Hello, Mrs. Gilmore.

Hi. I need a grandma.

I was thinking someone wheelchair-bound
that I can share poignant moments with

and tell secrets to, and someone
who's a good candidate for dying.

-You work here, don't you?
-Yes. So?

I have a business proposition for you.

Nurse Gilliam.

I don't do birthdays.

Which one is she?

There she is.

Hi.

Can you talk?

Perfect. You don't know me.

My name is Ansiedad and I'm casting you
as my sick, dying grandma.

What's your name?

Maude. I'm going to call you Maude,
is that okay, Maude?

These are for you.

This is only happening
because he makes more money than I do.

How can he get custody of her
without anyone even talking to me?

Listen, I got to call you back.

Students can't just walk in here.

I know. Sorry.

I'm just here because I need
someone to recognize my potential

and watch helplessly as I throw it all away.

Welcome to the team!

Thank you, fellow nerd.

It's all set.

Sorry I finished the cereal.

And the milk.

The dishes?

When I get back. But please know,
I'm gonna start not doing those.

I'm sorry?

As a sign.

We've already established
that chores are something I do,

so my not doing them
will be an early indicator.

I'd explain, but I'm sure you have to go.
I know I do.

So I invited Grace to my chess tournament.

You think she'II show up?

Hey.

Hey.

Ferguson, this is my friend Ansiedad.

What kinda name is that?

Can we talk?

Ferguson?

We just met. He's all right.

He's weird.
He Iooks Iike he keeps guns in his Iocker.

You're weird.

Fine. You have my breakdown?

-Yes.
-Okay.

I hacked into
a popular girl's Facebook page.

If you wanna get in with the wrong crowd,
you have to impress Valerie Lipniki. Period!

But nothing impresses Valerie Lipniki.

Now Iook down and to your Ieft.
That's Trevor Morgan.

The one with the cast?

Chick magnet.
Chews 'em up and spits 'em out.

That's your bad boy.
And he goes to every party.

So he's probably going to this one.

It's in three weeks,
and you can't just show up.

Right.

So, I need Valerie Lipniki to get me in.

And Trevor Morgan to deflower me.

Good work, Tavita.

-You're the best.
-Thanks.

Wait. Where you going?

To get the bad girl's attention.

She's acting strange.

Who?

Ansiedad.

You mean stranger?

Why? You think she's strange?

No.

I guess she is a Iittle weird.

We would've kicked her ass
in my high school.

If I would've gone to high school.

I should be out there getting a degree,

not Iaying here with some married man.

Barely married.

Married enough. Oh, gosh!

No. No!

No, why? So your wife can drive up?

She's not gonna drive up.
She's running errands.

Oh, damn it!

Hurry.

Okay.

Hey, you're home early.

Your son has migraines again.

Amazingly they haven't gotten better

by you choosing to ignore them.

Still here, Grace?

Oh, yeah. Yes, ma'am.

Come get me when you're done,
I'II drive you home, okay?

Okay.

How's your Iittle girl?

Good.

Not making any trouble?

No. No.

She's a good kid.

It must be hard without a father.

We won't be needing you
at the house anymore, Grace.

I'm paying you an extra day,
and I can recommend you, but that's it.

I'm sorry.

It was Dr. Harford's decision.

You put this in my Iocker?

-That's right.
-Why?

Because I wanna be Iike you.

One of you guys.

The note says you can get alcohol.

You think I can't?

You chess nerd?

I wanna be Iike you.

That's funny.

And what? And what?

You dress Iike a retard.

She said you dress Iike a retard?

Yes! So you can have
your clothes back now.

AII right. We are on to phase two.

I'II want a more mature Iook.
Something that screams,

"I wanna belong!"
Noted here under SIutwear.

Wait. There's a card missing.

No.

Fine.

Here. It fell.

Tavita, you can't change how things go.

I know. I just thought that one was stupid.

It's not.

Look, in coming of age stories

there's times when you have
to ignore your best friend

for dangerous new ones.

We can't be seen in public anymore soon.

But first,

I'm gonna need you to approach me when
I'm near Valerie, so I can ignore you coldly.

Okay.

That or I'II make fun of you.

And then when no one's Iooking,

I'II wink to Iet you know we're okay.

Like this.

You know what? You're right.

This one's stupid.

We don't have to do this one.
So, what's next?

"Steal Money for Makeover."

-Hello.
-Hey, it's me.

Don't hang up.

Gracey, please, just talk to me.

I don't understand...

I'm sorry, I have to win.

Checkmate.

Checkmate.

Okay, Iadies, pay attention!

Responsibilithon update.

If we're going by most tips,
Grace, you're in the Iead.

Congratulations.

Becky, Ieast amount of complaints,
that's you.

-Really?
-Yeah.

And, OIga, you forfeited everything

by spitting in a customer's food
in front of the customer.

I'm sorry, he deserved that.

Now Iisten, you,
wives have a problem with you.

Just tone it down a Iittle bit.
I'm not saying get rid of it.

Lord knows they're not coming here
for the food all the time.

AII right. Just be mindful.
That's all I'm saying.

Got it, boss.

Mission!

Go empty the trash!

Do to the trash
what your ex-girlfriend did to you.

Dump it!

No.

Thank you. But I already ate.

Burgers and fries, our favorite.

Greasy, extra greasy.

Extra, extra greasy!

Fine!

I'II just eat them all by myself! I can do it.

See if I care!

Oh, God! Doesn't scholarship mean free?

I need six more jobs.

Ansiedad!

Ansiedad!

Why is the door Iocked?

What are you doing?

Rehearsing for my
blasting death metal phase.

Unless hip-hop freaks you out more.

This freaks me out.

Great.

What happened to your teddies?

I decapitated them.

Grow up.

I'm trying.

Mom?

Yes?

Did you win that?

In chess.

How nerdy.

I'm happy you have
something you Iike to do after school.

Mom?

Yes?

You say you're tired
as a halfhearted excuse for not noticing.

I am tired, baby.

I'm really, really tired.

Fine.

Why aren't kids allowed
to use the school elevator?

Because kids are animals.

Now, can we talk about your homework?

You should be amazed
I even show up for class.

My mother never finished high school.

She keeps saying
she's gonna go to night school

but she never will.

How old is your mother?

She was 17 when I ruined the party.
And then she had to Ieave home

'cause her mom wouldn't have her around
with yours truly.

Your grandma sounds tough.

I guess.

Are you trying out a new Iook?

You can tell?

What are you wearing?

It's Ferguson's.

We're going out. My mom doesn't know.

Hey!

So, some of us are hanging out tonight.

My mom's away
and I have keys to her gallery.

I was thinking that ifyou're still
down to help us

with that stuffyou said you could get,

you'd be really hooking us up.

Are you out ofyour mind?
I'm not buying you Iiquor.

It's bad enough I Iet you in here!

Tell him it's important, Maude.

Hey, Iet me be straight with you.

You're only here seeing your "grandma,"

because your grandma gets no visits.

Now, you coming by is doing her good.

Well, can I have the bottle
you keep in your back pocket?

Get out!

Bye, Maude.

Mission.

I need your help.

Do you know what today is?

Thursday?

Actually, it's Friday.
But it's also my mother's birthday.

Really?

You should buy her a present.

Like what?

Tequila.

Which I will hand-deliver
at just the right surprising moment

with a bow and a note.

She's here.

Oh, my God! You did it!

Awesome! Thanks.

I Iike your cast.

Thank you.

It's very clean.

Yeah. I don't Iet people write on it.

I know what you mean.

Trevor.

Trevor's here, everyone.

And the party starts.

Go play with your fat buddy, Iittle girl.

Okay.

I'm sitting here.

You're so not.

Hall passes.

-Oh, my God!
-I got a ton.

Yeah, right.

Fine.

Wait.

What's your name?

Anne.

Where'd you get hall passes, Anne?

For me to know.

Okay.

You can sit here.

But the hippo's gotta go.

What the hell are you Iooking at?

You got enough chins?

Do I Iook Iike a meal to you?

Leave her alone.

I mean,

Iook at her,

she's a fat blob.

The school has to reinforce her Iunch tray.

And her boyfriend's Ferguson.

-The flea packer?
-Yeah.

And her mom's a big alchie
who drinks all her father's money.

And she dresses Iike a retard,

because she is a retard.

Get out of my chair.

Come sit. We have so much to talk about.

I absolutely Iove your hair.

-I should totally wear it Iike this sometime.
-Gorgeous. Yeah.

I mean, what is this style?

You want some gum?

Thanks.

So, have you heard about
the blackout party?

Two crazy crab salads, two crabby chowders
and one fatty bay all the way to stay.

Got that, Lo Mein?

Why not anyone call me chef?

Just say chef!

Damn it!

Hey, you okay?

Becky just quit.

She had a fight with a flight of stairs.

That Ieaves you to run the restaurant.

You're not ready.

That means I can't go to Crab Masters.

-I can do it.
-Do what?

I can run this place. I've done it before.

Where?

Memphis. Rib joint. Fifty tables.
I managed Iunch.

AII me.

Come on. Come on, I got your back.

You go get that Crab Oscar.

Grace, don't make me Iook Iike a fool.

I promise.

Mission, come here.

Give me this. Take this.

You're serving tables now.
Look presentable, would you?

Hi!

Welcome to Emile's Crab Shack.
Something to drink?

What happened?

My wife came home and said you quit.

I think about your wife sometimes.

-She made me coffee in that fancy...
-Expobar.

Yeah.

You know, seeing you Iying sideways
Iike that, I'm thinking,

that's something I want
to see every morning.

I'm going to tell her.

I don't believe you.

So don't believe me.

We need to stop.

So we should stop.

You Iook pretty.

Hey! No, "Good morning"?
No, "What are you making?"

I'm making chilaquiles.

I hate chilaquiles.

Since when?

Since I realized you only make them to
avoid talking about your Iatest 'tard move.

My Iatest what?

'Tard move, Grace.
It's when you do something retarded.

Like taking a married man back.

Don't talk to me Iike that.

I'm out of control. Catch you Iater.

Hey.

I got invited.

Are you okay?

-Hey, Tee, I don't have all day.
-I'm coming.

What are those?

Nothing.

Skinny pills.

-I'm halfway down my Iist.
-Hey, Tee.

AII I need is a Trevor and it's over.

Wonder what you're gonna do for that.

Too bad you don't have
another friend to betray.

Let's go!

Epiphany.

It's a Iiterary term for a sudden realization.

An "Oh, my God!"

revelation where the world
suddenly crystallizes.

In our protagonist's case,

it's the moment where she thinks to herself,

"Wait a minute."

Nice.

"What have I done? And is it worth it?"

In Shakespeare,
some characters are vengeful,

sad or suicidal
as a result of their epiphanies.

Excuse me. Where are you going?

The girls' room.

Shouldn't you ask permission?

Can I have permission?

Hey, students in my class raise their hand.

Am I Ietting you down?

You're Ietting yourself down.

You're right. Can I go now?

Yeah, don't Iet me slow you down
on your way to night school.

Answer to number one, Friar Laurence.

Two, the Capulets. Three, Mercutio.

Let me hear it.

CIose the register every night
same as always,

but make each day a separate cash pile.

Pile each pile in the safe
and then Iock the safe.

With...

We're winning Crab Fest, do you know why?

Because you trust everything back here
is gonna be just great.

Yeah, that, too.

-Later. Expect my call.
-Yep.

Did you ever get the tequila?

-Tequila?
-Yeah.

God, I hate tequila. It makes me so sick.

Okay, Iet's get to work.

-Hello?
-Ms. Gutierrez?

Gutierrez. Yes?

I'm from accounting at Bronley.

Just wanted to make sure you're aware that
your daughter's tuition is showing unpaid?

Yes, I'm so sorry.
I actually just gave her that check.

Would cash be an inconvenience?

I mean, I only ask because
your last two checks gave us some trouble.

I'm home, chaparrita.

Ansiedad! I'm missing money from my tin.

What tin?

My tin, Ansiedad!
Where I keep my bill money!

-It's Anne, Mom.
-It's what?

People call me Anne.

I don't care what people call you!
I'm missing money!

Are you saying I took it?

I'm pretty sure you know better.

Well, I do, so I didn't.

So I miscounted?

-You've done it before.
-I know.

By the way, we are also missing shampoo.

-Don't open the curtain!
-Turn around.

-Mom!
-What do you think?

I haven't seen this before.
You forget I gave birth to you.

You would have been a good hairdresser.

I didn't almost make it
through beauty school for nothing, huh?

Hey, how is that Iittle rich friend ofyours?
I haven't seen her around.

Her name's Tavita.

Yeah, right.

Hey.

Hey, hey, hey, you okay?

Hey, I didn't expect to hear from you. Yeah.

When?

In the morning? That's refreshing.

Let me call you from my "phone" phone,
'cause I have to save my minutes.

So I guess I just miscounted, you know.

Somewhere along the way, I thought
I had more money than I actually did.

Is there a reason we're meeting here
instead of, you know...

Instead of some place
with a bed and free HBO?

Yes, because I need to talk.

Yeah, but...

Okay.

I'm sorry. Am I wasting
your Iittle window of opportunity

by talking about
my daughter's unpaid tuition bills?

AII right.

Maybe you trust your daughter too much.

Maybe she took the missing money.

-No, no.
-Anyway, here.

Take this.

Now can we go?

But I was kidding. I'm kidding.
I'm kidding.

-Sit down.
-It's not funny.

Sit...

I've spoken with a Iawyer.

And Iooks Iike
we're gonna have to Ieave town.

-You talked to a Iawyer?
-Yeah.

Being serious right now, right?

Look at this face.

-CIean slate.
-CIean slate.

Just you and me.

Just the two of us.

Just the two of us?

Yeah.

The three of us.

I meant the three of us.

Where are you going?

Hey!

What the hell? How'd you get in my car?

Girl secret.

I wanted to know
ifyou're going to that party tonight.

Maybe.

I understand.

But if you see me there,
will you take my virginity?

What is this? What is this?

Unless that's not something
you'd wanna do.

No, I'II do it.

I mean, that's what I do anyway.

Great.

I have another favor to ask.

-Anything.
-Okay.

I have this Iist of things I need to do.

Wanna help?

With what?

A first kiss.

You haven't even had a first kiss?

No.

You want me to be your first kiss?

But it has to be awkward and clumsy
and I have to hate it.

AII right.

You know, if you tell anybody
that happened,

I'm gonna call you a Iiar to your face.

You're going to be perfect.

Stop following me!

-PIease?
-You're not my girlfriend.

No matter what we do in my basement.

So step off, Shrek.

Hey.

Don't pick on her.

Only you can, right?

I thought so. What do you care anyway?

Shouldn't you be somewhere
getting your hole punched for your story?

-Tavita.
-He's right!

What do you care?

This is your fault, all of it.

I hate you.

I'm just here to say goodbye, Maude.

It's time for me to go.

I bought this for you with the money I stole.

The big moment's tonight.

I'll be mature after that,

and then I'm gone.

But I wanted to say,

I took death off my Iist,
so you don't have to die if you don't want to.

Because soon,

I'll experience all the loss I'll need to grow.

It's been really nice to have someone
who cares, Maude.

Thank you for being there for me.

You've been there for me as well.

-Maude, you spoke.
-Excuse me?

I'm sorry, who are you?

-Goodbye, Maude!
-My child!

What are you doing here? And why
did you just call my mother Maude?

Come on, Mom. I'm taking you home.

Lo Mein, crab appetizers, table eight.

Grace, phone.

Crab Shack, Grace.

Grace, it's me. I'm out front. I messed up.

Of course Ansiedad is part of the plan.

It was a slip. Like I miscounted.

-Stupid.
-Grace, call.

Are you listening to me?

Crab Shack, Grace.

Grace, it's Emile.

-Busy tonight?
-Are you there?

-Yeah, you have no idea.
-Grace.

Can you call me back
when you actually take me seriously?

I do take you seriously.

Oh, no, Emile. I know you do.
I'm so thankful for you taking me seriously...

Excuse me. The back toilet is clogged
and that is disgusting.

This a restaurant
and that's not sanitary or hygienic.

Hello.

We can work...

Grace, listen to me.

Who's this?

What do you mean I have no...

Mission, why are you answering the phone?

Yes.

It's Emile.

No, we can't deliver a meal right now,
we're busy. Thank you.

Oh, for God's sake.

Grace, are you there?

Write a sign that says, "Out of service,"
and tape it to the bathroom.

Test me.

What?

Test me to see if I take you seriously.

College Terrace.

What's that?

That's where we can go for my web design.

I can go to college there
and that's where I'II get my certificate.

Me and you, Ansiedad.

A beautiful little house!

Start a new family.

And Becky knows somebody at Facebook.
So, it's all set up. You in?

Of course.

Palo Alto. Yes.

I could move my practice there.

You misspelled "service."

Oh, God, do it again with a "C."

Hey, how about some service, please?

Oh, man!

-Grace.
-Yeah, what?

I have to ask you one question.

Does Becky know someone
at Facebook or on Facebook?

What?

I mean, you don't really think you're gonna
get a job working at Facebook, do you?

Gracey.

Go home to Mrs. Harford.

Goodbye.

Wanna go home, buddy?

Yeah? Yeah.

Let's do that.

Oh, it's nothing.

This one needs a hospital.

It's a Iittle cut.
That's a Iittle nick, just tough it out.

Now baby, you clear it with your mouth.

Come on!

I pay the mortgage on this place, Iady.

Fire, fire!

Stop. Stop! PIease, Lo Mein. Chef, chef!

You're my only chef tonight!

Chef!

Chef, get over here! Chef!

Chef!

Everything is under control.

Okay.

Mexican jumping shrimps.

Don't do that.

Excuse me. What are you talking about?

And you know, I'm the manager now.

You can't just come in here
without knocking.

And by the way, thank you.

You saved me.

I owe you.

Yes?

I know how you can repay me.

Here we are.

What?

Nothing.

Do I Iook hot?

Yeah.

Good. Because I'm doing Trevor tonight.

Let's get this party started!

This is my cousin's band.

Cool.

-I write many of their songs.
-Yeah?

-Yeah.
-Really?

He's kidding.

My aunt, she is not in a costume,
it's just her dress.

I don't know
how to dance to this kind of music.

I'II teach you.

Hi.

Hey.

This is nice. This is nice. Yeah, I Iike it.
It's fun.

-You Iive here?
-Yeah.

-Yeah?
-In this couch.

-Oh, you Iive there.
-Yeah.

Well, I have a curtain I can shut. Look.

This is my Tia GIoria's house.

She Iets me stay here for now.

Well, until I open my own restaurant.

I'm seeing a whole new side to you.

How you doing?

PIease don't be nice to me. Be mean.

Right.

Pressure me.

I'm pressuring you.

You're really pretty.

You're being sweet.

I thought you were a womanizing jerk.

That's just a facade.

You know, to piss off my dad.

I really want to get to know you.

I don't.

Now Iet's get to it.

Put this on and come right back.

Okay.

Mission, you are so determinated.

Yeah. You have plans, man, you have plans.

My plans, always fail.

Like right now,

Ansiedad's school is gonna kick her out
because I can't pay for her bills.

They're gonna kick her out
because I cannot afford to pay.

And then our "job" job sucks.

You know, our job at the Shack.

Emile's so mean,
he makes us split all our tips.

He makes you split tips, too, right?

Okay.

Come on.

Oh, no.

No, no, no.

No, no, no.

Shoot.

This is for my story.

What are you doing?

Wait.

Forgot these.

SIut!

-Nothing happened.
-Oh, yeah.

You forgot these.

-Look at that.
-Hey, Trevor.

Yeah, I hit that.

-Yeah!
-Oh, my.

You stole my panties.

You sicko.

Get out of here!

Mommy? Mommy, I'm so stupid.

Mommy.

Why aren't you ever here?

My ticket.

-It's Saturday.
-PIease.

-I need to get into my Iocker.
-Buzz off before I call the cops.

The Shack.

What happened?

Somebody crowbarred the register.

-What?
-And the safe. They don't know who.

AII right. We're done with this guy.

Got anybody else?

You can go.

Grace?

Come here.

Come here.

Sit down.

-AII right. AII right. What about the...
-Put him on copy...

How does this happen on your watch?

This is all I have.

-Have nothing to say?
-No.

Guess you figured out that the
second Iocation's not going to happen.

In case anybody cares,

came in third.

Lock up, OIga.

Ma'am. Here's my card.

Think of anything, or if you have any
questions, you can call me at the station.

-Let's go, partner.
-AII right.

Hey! Hey!

Did you do this?

Did you break in? Did you get me drunk

and take advantage
and help yourself to this?

No. I'm helping you.

You said you needed help
with your daughter's school.

I did it for you.

I'm crazy about you.

-Oh, my God.
-Hey, calm down.

-No!
-Calm down!

No calm down. You're an idiot!

What is wrong with you,
what makes you think you can just take...

Okay, okay, okay.

-What are you thinking?
-No one's going to know.

-No one's going to know, okay?
-Grace.

I'II give the money back.

Some blonde Iady wants to talk to you.

You Iock up, I'm Ieaving.

If this is about tuition payment, I...

No, no. I'm Jill Armstrong,
I'm your daughter's English teacher.

She's been skipping class.

Why hasn't the school called me?

Well, they probably have.

I Ieft you a message
that your daughter erased.

She told me so in a Ietter
that outlines behavior that

you know, frankly,

the State would consider parental neglect.

But I am not going to call the State.

Your daughter,
she thinks she's in a coming of age story.

She's trying to grow up.

I think she believes
experiencing certain things

will speed that process along. It's Iike...

It's Iike she's name checking
these hardships

that she can skip to the point where
she's matured from experiencing them.

Oh, God. Look, I didn't go to Harvard, okay?

I don't have an education.

But this stuff you're telling me,

this is something that my mother
would call tarado.

Do you know what that means?

Well, it means stupid.

You don't have to go to Harvard
to see a Iittle girl crying out for help.

-She's trying to outgrow you, Ms. Gutierrez.
-Have a nice day.

She's trying to Ieave home,
Iike you Ieft home.

How dare you.

I was 17,
and I had a horror show for a mother.

So how dare you judge me?

I was a Iittle kid.

My mother was never there for me.

You know what,
Ansiedad Ieft this Ietter for me.

But I'm sorry, I think it's for you.

Dear Jill.

I deleted your message to my mom,

so you'll have to try her again.

Maybe this time

mention I've stopped
going to class altogether.

You might also tell her that I'm drinking now

and doing gateway drugs
as part of my growth.

Please tell her that I intend to have sex soon

and become a woman.

Because that's what she did
to get away from her mother.

She never talks about it,

but I know.

Thank you for showing me the way.

Anne.

I'm gonna need you to be
as specific as possible.

Don't say "Iong hair" when
you can say "shoulder Iength,"

or "medium height" when
you can say "4'3," understand?

Yes.

-Hair?
-Long.

-Eyes?
-Brown.

Hi, is my daughter here?

Neither is mine.

Mine Ieft Iast night.

When did yours Ieave?

They each got boyfriends now.

Did you know that?

And they're smoking, too.

-You smell your Iittle girl's clothes?
-No.

No, I don't smell her clothes.

The police ask you
where you think she might be?

-Yes. And...
-And?

What time she Ieft this morning,
and what clothes she was wearing,

and where she goes and who she goes with.

And I didn't know.

Excuse me.

Hello? This is she.

Where? Is she okay?

What are you doing here?

I need bus money.

I'm Ieaving Grace.

You can either reach for your wallet

or we're 30 seconds away from the wife
wondering what's going on out here.

So, in other words, you're extorting me?

Is that okay?

Listen. When you're older,
and you think about this, and you will,

I want you to remember this.

Nothing is as black and white as it seems,
and Iove

is a Iot more complicated and beautiful
than you'II ever imagine.

Where's your mother, dear?

I don't know, ma'am.

-Dr. Harford.
-Yeah?

It's raining.

Your jacket.

Your son needs glasses.

There you go.

Why are we stopping?

-Get off me.
-I am not Ietting you go.

-Get away.
-I am not Ietting you go.

Leave me alone.
That's what you're good at, right?

Ansiedad, please, please.

PIease, please.

Thank you. Baby, I'm sorry.

-Where were you Iast night?
-Oh, God. I'm sorry.

Why aren't you ever there?

-I don't need this, I'm going back.
-Baby.

No, Ansiedad. PIease, please.

Baby, please.

How did you even find me?

Your doctor boyfriend call you?

His wife.

-That's all over now.
-Until the next guy.

And then I don't exist again.

Baby, you do exist.

-I'm not your baby.
-Yes, you are, and I know that now.

Too Iate.

Ansiedad.

Ansiedad. Stop.

I don't want you out there alone.

I don't want what happened
to your friend to happen to you.

What friend?

Come here, baby.

What friend, Mom?
What are you talking about?

Tavita.

She took some pills.

-You're Iying. No.
-No, she's in bad shape.

-I didn't do that. I didn't do that.
-No, of course you didn't do it.

-I didn't wink.
-Of course you didn't do it.

Oh, you don't know.

-You don't know what I did. You don't know.
-Tell me.

Ansiedad.

Go away.

Ansiedad, stop.

I'm sorry, baby.

Leave me alone.

Ansiedad, please.

You never cared about me.

Baby, I'm sorry.

Baby.

She's going to be okay,
but make sure she's not Ieft alone.

She needs a Iot of care.
I'II be back tomorrow. Bye.

Last assignment of the year.

Two hundred words
on the nature of child versus adult

as pertaining to the stories
that we've discussed.

And are those

as separate as we've been Ied to believe?

Now, please avoid making
overblown closing statements

or sweeping proclamations about life.

Keep things like unselfishness,

inevitability...

GIasses don't work
if you don't wear them. There.

-...responsibility...
-How's that? Lean back a Iittle bit.

... forgiveness...

Hey, hey, dirty dishes in the sink, Mister.

Not on the counter.

...Iimited to your own personal experience.

Please include a section discussing growth,

and is it limited to youth?

Or are we constantly evolving?

-I know that's good!
-Mom!

Can someone argue that life
is a succession of rites of passage,

a long string of big and small moments,

where we essentially come of age?

Aren't we constantly changing
throughout our lives?

And isn't that a good thing after all?

Thanks.

Well, if I'm right, this is the part
where you apologize to me.

You're right.

And I'm sorry on my mom's behalf, too.

-She's too proud to thank you.
-You know, you give her no credit.

Maybe she called me yesterday
to do just that.

Really?

Maybe.

Or maybe that's my addition to your story.

We never talked about the Iesson.

I'm sorry?

In coming of age stories,
there's always a Iesson.

The thing you Iearn
so mistakes stop repeating.

And did you Iearn it?

I think so.

I'm sorry.

Do you want to come inside?

I got to go.

My mom's waiting for me.

Okay. Call me.

I will.

-Ready?
-Yeah.

We haven't been to Connecticut yet.
Or parts of Canada.

We could move there.

We're not moving.

We always move.

How about Lancaster, New York?

Baby.

We're not moving.

So can we talk about my name change now?

Oh, brother.

I spoke to the county clerk

and he'II need your signature
on a petition I've already filled.

-You have a beautiful name.
-And you changed yours.

Okay, I'II make you a deal.

For now you keep it, and when you turn 18,

-you can change it.
-I can't wait.

I know.

Let's get home.