Reversal (2001) - full transcript

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- [Ed] Tomorrow, there'll
be a lot of teams here,



a lot of tough wrestlers.

You guys are tougher.

You've worked really hard,
you've sacrificed a lot.

You're a great team,
best I've ever had.

But when I look at you
guys, I don't see wrestlers,

I don't even see winners,

I see something
better, I see men

and you know why I say that?

'Cause every one
of you in this room

has got a fighter's heart.

Who knows what that means?

Leo?

- Do your best every day.
- That's right,

do your best every
day all the time.



I'm not just talking
about practice,

I mean, listening to your
mother, do your homework,

feed the dog or
take out the trash,

see what you have to
do and then do it,

especially if you don't like it.

Now, can you guys do that?

- [Kids] Yeah.

- What was that? It sounds
like a bunch of mice in here.

I said, can you guys do that?

- [Kids] Yes!

- All right, that's
what I thought.

Okay, let's go over
reversals, all right.

What do you want?

Huh? [laughing]

Come here.

Okay, remember when
the man's on top,

he's in control, right?

You gotta reverse him, turn
him around as quick as you can.

Go ahead, Leo.

Grab the wrist,
lean up, lean up.

There you go.

Good job, that's the two, boys.

Now when you're out on that mat,

remember it's a
different world, guys,

out on the mat, doesn't
matter what your last name is,

what school you go to
or if your feet stink,

all that matters
is what you've got

and what you do with
it when it counts.

Roger, don't let that
little pipsqueak get away.

Good job, pipsqueak.

All right, come on,
guys, hold that man down,

guy on top, guy on bottom,
show me it's nothing, come on.

Come on, Alex,
this is wrestling,

the way you're gonna train is
the way you're gonna fight.

Come on.
- Thanks.

- There you go, there you go,
that's better, that's better.

All right, come on, keep
moving, keep moving.

[whistle tooting]
Huddle up, let's go.

[feet pattering]

[kids groaning]

Okay, guys, remember, weigh-in's
tomorrow at nine, right?

- Yeah.
- Mm-hm.

- Remember what we've
worked so hard for?

- Yes.
- Pay off's that championship.

Okay, guys, close your eyes.

Visualize the win, you see it?

- Yeah.
- I see it.

- You're on that mat,

your hands are being raised
in triumph, you did it.

We did it, that big trophy.

Break, team!
- Team!

- 46 and a half, you're a
pound and a half over, dude.

What do you wanna do?

Good for you, Leo,
that's the spirit.

Practice like a champion.

[suit rustling]

[tape tearing]

So who's your favorite band?

- Aerosmith.

[tape tearing]

- [Ed] What do you
think your opponents

are doing right now?

- What's that mean, Dad?

- The guys you're
gonna beat on Saturday,

what do you think they're doing?

- I don't know.

- [Ed] Well, guess.

- Playing with their
toys or at the park.

- You're probably right.

Come Saturday, all
they're gonna do is lose.

You know why?
- Why?

- Because you worked harder.

[tape tearing]

[soft melodic music]

Hard work always pays off, Leo.

Knees up higher, higher!
[feet pattering]

[whistle tooting]

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[feet pattering]

[whistle tooting]

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[feet pattering]

Up, come on.

Come on, let's go, let's get
those knees up, let's go.

Up, up, up, higher.

[whistle tooting]

19, we got it.

20, one more?

21, keep going, keep
going, keep going.

22, come on, for the last
match, for the last match, 23.

18, 19,

20, one more, let's go.

21, squeeze another.

22.

Five, four,

three, two, one, good man.

Let's get outta here.
[hands slapping]

We're almost there, dude.

You don't eat or drink anything,
we'll float what, a pound,

a pound and a quarter overnight?

- A pound.
- You'll float a pound?

That's great, if Mom
asks, what do we say?

- Already ate.

- Don't wanna upset her, do we?

- No, we don't.

- You tired?

- Nope.

- I'll race you to the car.

- Okay.

[soft orchestral music]

I won!

- You did.

[car door clicking]
Get in there.

[car door thudding]

[car engine starting]

[car rumbling]

[tires screeching]

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[car rumbling quietly]

[soft orchestral music]

[car door thudding]

[car door clicking]

[soft orchestral music]

[Ed kisses Leo]

[soft orchestral music]

[car door thudding]

[no audio]

[door clicking]

[door thudding]

[door creaking]

[Ed groaning softly]

[shoes thudding quietly]

I know you're awake.

Come on, aren't you gonna
help me out here, huh?

[Ed groaning softly]

What the heck is that,
is that a tarantula?

- Uh!
[hand slapping]

- Got him.

Don't ever give up, never quit.

Why do you do that?

- What?

- [Ed] Pretend to be asleep.

- Because I like it
when you carry me.

- I like it too.

Who's your best friend?

- You are, Dad and I'm
gonna try really hard

to win that trophy for you.

- You don't do it for me,
silly, you do it for yourself.

- [Leo] Why?

- Why?

Because I won't be able to
carry you forever, that's why.

Now get some sleep.

[Ed kisses Leo]

[Jessica breathing softly]

[Jessica breathing
softly continues]

[Jessica breathing
softly continues]

[refrigerator door clicking]

[refrigerator door thudding]

[soda sloshing]

[soda sloshing]

[Leo spitting soda out]

Way to go, I am so proud of you.

The world's better for
winners, you know that?

- Yeah.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

- You get respect,
people admire you,

you can do anything you want,

you can even be anything
you want, how's that sound?

- Cool.

- With that trophy, you're
gonna get your proof of that.

Every time you look at
it, it's gonna remind you,

that you can do anything
you put your mind to.

You can be a winner,
you know that?

- Mm-hm.

- We gotta get up at
five, that's in two hours,

let's hit the sack.
[hands slapping]

[mellow melodic music]

[car rumbling quietly]

[mellow melodic music]

[car door thudding]

[car door clicking]

Hey.

[car door thudding]

Today's your first
tournament, are you scared?

- Uh-uh.
- Not even a little bit?

- Uh-uh.
- You oughta be.

What happened to your shoe?

- I untied it.

- You untied it?

Up to now, it's all
been fun and games, huh?

- Ah-huh.
- Goofing off,

wrestling around
with your buddies.

But today you're gonna have
to fight a bunch of strangers.

We don't like strangers, huh?

- Uh-uh.

- They don't care about you,
they're not even your friends.

They wanna beat
you, embarrass you,

even hurt you if they can.

So when you're out on that
mat, you gotta be tough,

you hear me?
- Ah-huh.

- You gotta change,
out on the mat,

you gotta despise your opponent.

- What's despise mean, Dad?

- Despise means you gotta
kind of hate the guy.

- Why do I have
to hate him, Dad?

- 'Cause he's the
only thing standing

between you and a better life.

[hands slapping]
Let's go run it.

[mellow melodic music]

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[crowd shouting]

[whistle tooting]

[crowd shouting]

[crowd shouting continues]

That's it, that's it, go!

Come on, that's
it, that's it, go!

That's it, that's it, go!

[crowd shouting]

[whistle tooting]

Yeah!
[crowd cheering]

[whistle tooting]

[crowd shouting]

[crowd shouting continues]

[whistle tooting]

Turn over!

[crowd shouting]

- Two!

- One ahead, two.
[crowd shouting]

[whistle tooting]

[crowd cheering]

[crowd shouting]

[crowd applauding]

[crowd shouting]

[whistle tooting]

[crowd applauding and cheering]

- [Referee] Shake hands.

[crowd applauding and
cheering continues]

- Yeah!

- All right!

[group applauding]

[group applauding continues]

[no audio]

[no audio]

Here, Jessica.

Let me get it.

- Here you go, baby.

- Is it okay?

- Sure, it's okay.

Who wants some cake?

- [Kids] Me!

- [Ed] He ate
cake, he ate pizza.

- [Jessica] He had to ask you,

if he could have a piece of cake

- He didn't have to.
- What's up with that?

- [Ed] He didn't have
to ask me for any cake.

- [Jessica] Silly, he
can't even have any.

- What are you talking about?
- The cake.

- [Ed] He didn't have to
ask me to have any cake.

- Yes, he did.
- No, he didn't.

- [Jessica] It's
alright to gain weight.

- [Ed] He did not
say it was alright.

- [Jessica] Oh, you
control everything.

[mellow upbeat music]

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[mellow upbeat music continues]

[mellow upbeat music continues]

[shower pattering]
[skipping rope whirring]

[crowd shouting]
[wrestlers thudding]

[crowd shouting]

[crowd shouting continues]

- Squeeze!

[whistle tooting]

[crowd applauding and cheering]

[crowd applauding and
cheering continues]

[crowd applauding and
cheering continues]

[melodic rock music]

[car horns tooting]

[melodic rock music]

- Hey, break it up, break it
up, we don't need this here.

And you, this ain't
the first time

I've seen you pulling this shit,

next time, you're gonna deal
with me, now get out here.

You alright, man?
- Yeah, bro.

- Next time, you know
what I'm saying, alright?

[both giggling]

- He was out of control.
- Who was he with?

- I don't know.
- Everyone? [laughing]

- Did I see Jeff?
- Jeff was there.

[background rock music]

- Man, you're getting slow.

- Everyone has place first open,

people stood in line
for hours to get here.

- Four, Coach took the whole
team opening day, it was nuts.

You remember, Leo?

Man, you got it bad, don't you?

- Shut up, man.

- When are you
gonna talk to her?

Look, just go up to her
and say, "Hi, my name's Leo

and no, I don't expect to
be this ugly my whole life."

[all laughing]

Hey, I'm just kidding,
man, she's just a chick.

Your district
champ, ask her out.

Just go up to her and
ask her to go for a walk.

- Are you kidding
me, dude, a walk?

[all laughing]

You're such a fag.

So you wanna go for
a walk or something?

- A walk?

- I know it sounds dumb,
but I don't have a car, so.

- It doesn't sound
dumb, not at all.

I would love to go
for a walk with you.

- Great.

- Do you mean right now?

- Yeah, let's go, sure.
[both laughing]

- So why'd you ask
me out anyways?

- What are you talking about,
why wouldn't I ask you out?

- Well, I don't know,
you're just like

the nice-looking jock type
with cute cheerleader,

I don't seem like I'm your type.

- I really don't have a
type, to tell you this truth,

I mean, not-
- Come here.

[Leo laughing]

You're gonna tell me that
that's not your type?

- [Leo] Not at all, what, a
Barbie doll, high maintenance?

- She's gorgeous.
- are you kidding me?

I don't have that kind of money.

- High maintenance,
that's the problem?

Okay, I'm gonna just
stop you right now.

You're gonna have a
problem finding a woman,

who isn't high
maintenance, okay.

- Oh, really, so I take it
you're high maintenance?

- I, no, that's why I
don't have girlfriends.

- Yeah, it looks like I'd-
- I can't stand it.

Can't stand the attitude.

So didn't you just eat?

- Yeah, I got a cheat day.

- A cheat day?

- I can have 15 pounds
for a night, so you know.

Sure you don't want something?

- No, I'm fine.

Are you really gonna
eat 15 pounds tonight?

- Yeah, you know, for
the weekends though.

Pritch will gain 20, I
don't know how he does it.

- How is that possible?

- Well, you go five days
without eating, you know,

you work out, you
sweat, work out, sweat

and about two days
before weigh-in, you
dehydrate yourself,

you know, cut out
all the liquids.

- You go five days
without eating?

- Mm-hm.

- Why would anybody
do that to themselves?

- [Leo] I don't know.

- I'm sorry, did you
want a cigarette?

- [Leo] No, that's right.

[lighter clicking]
What kind of those anyways?

- They're imported from England,
my dad sends them to me.

He teaches English
Lit over at Cambridge,

that's where I plan on
going after I graduate.

I wanna write just like my dad.

- You write?

- Yeah, poetry, a
few short stories.

- So your dad sends
you smokes, huh?

- Yeah, it's kind
of funny actually,

my mom flips out about it,
right, throws her tantrum.

Then I catch her in the
next room smoking them,

[laughing] it's ridiculous.

Pretty typical of
an adult, I guess,

say one thing and
do the opposite,

but I love that woman to death

and we're like, we're
like this, best friends.

- Yeah, you're
lucky, you know that?

- Yeah, I know, I could
tell her anything.

This is my favorite part
of the day, the night,

but it's crazy, 'cause it's
morning in England soon,

so my dad will call
me when he gets up

and I'll be going to bed.

It's amazing after five years
and him being so far away,

that we're still so close.

- That's cool.

- So what about your
parents, are they together?

- They coexist, live
in the same house,

breathe the same air,
that's pretty much it.

Pretty close with my dad
though, he's a good guy.

He's a workaholic, but
I can deal with that.

[Shaw laughing]

But I think he's kind
of unhappy though.

I think he has serious regrets.

- Yeah, don't we all, you
didn't say much about your mom.

- We're not close.

- That's sad.

♪ I've been through
all that before ♪

- Why are you bleeding?

- Oh, it's no big deal, I
get it every once in a while,

from pulling all that weight.

Kind of embarrassing. [laughing]

- No, don't, don't worry about
it, I mean, are you okay?

- Yeah, I'm fine.

So you have a curfew or what?

- A curfew, are you
kidding? [laughing]

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, do you?

- I don't have a
curfew, I mean, kinda,

it is wrestling season
and I am training still.

How about I walk you home?

- Well, I should probably pick
up my car, don't you think?

- You have a car?

- Yeah, my dad got
me this old Camaro.

- So why were we walking,
why don't we go somewhere?

- Well, you said you
wanted to go for a walk.

[birds chirping]

[birds chirping continues]

[Shaw laughing]
- I got it.

So how'd you end up
in this hick town?

- Mom moved us here
after her second husband.

- This town sucks.

- Well, any town sucks
if you're miserable.

- California doesn't.

- California's not a town.

Is that where you're headed?

- Yeah, eventually.

- Yeah, I plan on going back.

So what are you
gonna do out west?

- Well, I got an
uncle out there,

but I'm going to Oklahoma first

on a wrestling scholarship, so.

- Really, you must
be pretty good then?

- [laughing] No, it's not
that, you know, the papers say

we got one of the toughest
districts in the nation,

I've won it twice and kinda
won it again this year, so.

It's not conceited, it's a fact,

you know, kinda like it's
a fact that you're fine.

[Shaw laughing]

- You know, I think we
should go skinny dipping.

- It's too cold.

- Shut up and come
on, I'm going.

- Go ahead.
[both laughing]

Knock yourself out.

[Shaw laughing]

- All right, fine, maybe
it's a little cold.

- Here, take my jacket.

- [Shaw] Thanks.

[birds chirping]
[water gushing]

[birds chirping]
[water gushing]

[car rumbling quietly]

[car rumbling quietly continues]

[car door thudding]

[car rumbling quietly]

[cicadas chirping]

[Leo knocking]

[car door clicking]

[car door thudding]

[door clicking]

[door thudding]

- What time is it?

- I don't know.

- What did you do tonight?
You were out pretty late.

- Man, we just hung out.

- Just hung out?

- Yeah, we just
went through firsts.

- She must be in bed.

- [Jessica] There you are.

- Hey, hun, what
are you doing up?

- Waiting, how was your day?

- Good, yours?

- Well, let's see, I
cleaned the kitchen,

I scrubbed the toilets,
which were filthy.

I organized all three closets

and I did the grocery shopping.

- Great, how are the girls?

- When they came home, they
went straight to their room,

homework, they said.

- Are you upset
about something here?

- You two leave
before I wake up,

you come home after I go to
sleep, I wanted to see my son.

Is that all right with you?

- Hi, Mom.

- Hi, honey, how was your day?

- All right.

- [Jessica] You look
tired, are you hungry?

I cooked the meatloaf
with the ketchup on top

just the way you like it.

- [Ed] It's really late,
he should go to bed.

- [Jessica] It's never too late.

- [Ed] We're training, okay.

- [Jessica] Which means what,
he has to starve himself?

- [Ed] You know how
important this is.

- [Jessica] To who, Ed?

- Actually, I am hungry, so.

- I left it in the oven on
low, I hope it's not dried out.

- Are you sure about this?

You're gonna have
to make this up.

- I know, I just don't
want her to flip out.

- [Jessica] Careful,
honey, it's hot.

How about a big glass
of chocolate milk?

- Sure.

[spoon clattering]

- That does smell good.

- There's some
leftovers in the fridge.

Help yourself.

[Leo vomiting]

[Leo coughing]

[Leo vomiting]

[Leo coughing]

[Ed breathing heavily]

- Coach Leone, working
out after hours?

[weights clanking]

Thurman Ellis, we talked
on the phone some weeks ago

about transferring my
son to this school.

- Of course, good to meet you.

- We are very happy to be
here, this is a great school.

Clean wet room, great program.

- So you wanna work out?

- Yeah, I didn't bring my
sweats, but you go ahead.

It's an unusual situation,
what we have here

with my boy and your boy being
in the same weight class.

You are the coach, I hope
that will be not a problem.

[weights clanking]

- Problem, no, be glad
to have your boy here.

Are you kidding?

- Good.

Well, my son wants to
wrestle on Friday night.

- Your son's entitled to try
out for any slot he wants

through an elimination
match, you know how it works.

- So it is a problem?

- No, I just have to
look at the big picture,

I think of the team as a whole.

- The big picture is that
my son is a state champion

and he's the same weight
division that your son is in,

huh, isn't that what
is happening here?

- Are you not listening
to me here, is this me?

'Cause I'm only gonna
say this one more time,

I've got to think of
the team as a whole,

which transcends you,
me, Leo and your son.

These boys have worked hard
all year as a unit, okay,

for these seniors, some of them,

it's the last match
they'll ever have.

Every one of these boys
are what's important here.

- Then we have to have
an elimination match,

let's do it that way, my
son wrestles your son.

- You want an elimination match?

- Of course, Mr. Leone,
my son works very hard,

he makes good grades
and he's a good boy.

It's not his fault
that we moved.

So I hope you could take
that into consideration,

that he's in a very delicate
situation being a teenager,

wanting to be accepted
at his new school

by his peers and his coach.

- What's he weigh right now?

- Same as your son,
125 during the season,

then drops down to
one 119 for sections.

- He looks a little
small for 125.

- He's under, but that's
besides the point.

- He's under?

This is Thurman Ellis, Jr.,
most of you already know him,

for those of you who don't,
two times state champion.

Tell everybody what it's
like to be a state champ.

- Yeah, it's an amazing
feeling, you know,

it's indescribable really.

You put so much time and
effort into it and for what?

Six minutes, but I'm telling
you, guys, it's worthwhile.

- This is what it's all about,
guys, this is the real deal.

I'd rather have one
state champion in my room

than 12 runners up,
you can play football,

you can play basketball, but
you can't play wrestling.

- What's next to
have no pleasure?

- You guys all know how
it works around here.

The rules are anybody
can challenge for
a slot on the team,

provided their weight's
in the ballpark.

You also know the
winner gets a slot.

Johnny, front and center.

Can you make 119 by Friday?

- Yeah.

- I told you my son wrestles
125 during the regular season.

- And I told you I gotta
do what's best for the team

to win on Friday.

You ready?
- I'm always ready.

- How about you?
- Let's go.

- Roger, you keep time.

Guys, spread out,
give them the mats.

Frank, you take this.

- Okay, guys, toes on the line.

Shake hands.

Ready, Roger?
- Ready.

[whistle tooting]

[feet pattering]
[wrestlers grunting]

[wrestlers thudding]
Two.

[wrestlers grunting]
One, two.

[whistle tooting]

- [Johnny] My wrist! [groaning]

- I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
- Coach, Coach.

- Let me see, where's it hurt?

All right, come on,
let's get out here.

- Coach, I swear
it was an accident.

- It's okay, come on, let's go.

- [Thurman] I'm sorry, Johnny.

- 22 seconds.

- Ed, you got a second?
- No, I don't,

can't you see I got a hurt boy?

- How's Johnny?

- [Ed] He broke his arm.

You look puffy,
how's your weight?

- I haven't checked.

- [Ed] Let's check.

- I'm dressed.

- Get on the scale.

[bag thudding]
[Leo sighing]

[weights clicking]

You're four over, what happened?

- I don't know.

[Leo sighing]

- You don't know?

- No, I don't know.

All this weight, it's
not coming off anymore.

- Lose because you can't win,

not because you
can't make weight.

You wanna go to Oklahoma or not?

- Yeah, I guess.

- What do you mean, you guess?

- Yeah, it's cool.

- We're talking a
full boater here,

all you can say is you guess?

- What are you getting
so pissed off about?

- Where do I start?

You were a quarter pound
over at weigh-ins last match,

you almost let the
whole team down.

- I made it.
- You always make it.

You can't keep working out 20
minutes before every match,

you're not gonna have the
juice to win, you know that.

- I won, okay.

- If you don't want Oklahoma,
I want to know right now.

- Come on, Dad.

- No, you come on, you
won districts twice,

big deal, that means
nothing, that's local guys.

You get to regionals and
states, I've been there,

we're talking real wrestlers,

that's a whole different world.

We're talking about guys who
got nothing better to do,

but to train five,
six hours a day,

guys who think like champions
two, three, four moves ahead.

No, they know what they want,
they don't have to guess.

You got an opportunity
here, don't blow it,

you'll be nothing
without a college degree.

[Leo sighing]

- [sighing] What about you?

- What about me?

You wanna work at the coal
fields for the next 20 years?

You wanna be stuck in some
dead end job, labor job,

because you don't have
a college education?

If that's what you
want, quit high school.

Is that what you want?

- No.

- Then you'd better
get your shit together

and start acting
like a champion.

If you don't wanna work, quit,

but if you're gonna play,
you finish, you got it?

- Yeah.

- What?
- Yeah, I got it.

- [Ed] Good.

[Leo sighing]

- Does this have something
to do with Ellis Jr.?

- What do you mean?
- You know what I mean.

Everybody knows I should've
wrestled him, not Johnny.

- Everybody?
- Yeah.

- You wanna coach the team now?

- No, I don't wanna
coach the team.

- Listen to me, you
worry about your weight,

I'll worry about the team.

You got four pounds to lose,
how do you expect to do that?

Get in the car, I'm
taking you to the Barn.

[keys jangling]
[drawer thudding]

[car rumbling quietly]

[birds chirping]

[car doors clicking]

[car doors thudding]

Hey, Jerry.

How you doing?
- Hi, Eddie, what's up?

- Hey, you ever
meet my boy, Leo?

- Hi, Leo, how are you?
- Pretty good.

- I wanted to see if
he could come train.

He's already lost 10, he's
got four more, he hit a wall.

You know that last four, Jerry.

- Hey, that last four is
always in your head, son,

wished I had a nickel for
every pound I've lost,

I'd buy a new car.

- I'll see you later, Jerry.

- Okay, see you.
- Thanks.

- All right, son,
let's get after.

Okay, what we do here is
we're gonna grab the milk can,

we're gonna put it up
on the platform, okay?

It's a twisting action, you
want your hip toward the wall,

okay, you got your hip back
here, we're gonna reach in,

we're gonna get the guy in
the leg, we're gonna lift him,

I want your extension, I
want you extending out high.

So we're gonna lift with your
legs, lift with your back,

you're gonna lift, set
the milk can up on top.

All right, here we go, lift up.

[milk can clanking]

Don't worry about
coming back down,

just grab it, lift,

[milk can clanking]
twist, back down.

Get the extension going.

[mellow melodic music]

Lift, lift, lift!

[milk can clanking]
Too slow on the lift.

Back with your legs,
come on, lift the guy up,

he's gonna throw at you,
you gotta move him, lift.

Okay, grab the bar
down here, upper end,

get them out, the last
joint comes between, up

and then down.
[weight clanking]

Up.
[weight clanking]

Up.
[weight clanking]

Up.
[weight clanking]

Even, even, down even, let's
come down here in two hits!

Your girlfriend could
do better than that,

what's the matter with you?

[mellow melodic music]

Hold.

Come on, let's go, let's go!

Get your back in
there, let's go!

Bend your knees, bend your
knees, bend your knees!

Come on, come on, you
wimp, put it up there!

Put it up, put it up, get
on with it, get on with it!

[mellow melodic music]
Come on!

Pick it up, pick it up!

[mellow melodic music]

That's it, get up there!

- Rough nighters?
- Yeah, busy, busy.

- [Roger] That sounds like fun.

- Chocolate, I see.

- [Roger] You gotta
have chocolate.

- I love chocolate.

[packets rustling]

- How's your weight?

- Whatever.

- You get bitched at?

- No, I'll lose it.

[door clicking]
- Is that all?

- Yes, that'll be all.

- Can get a pack of
reds in a box please?

- Sure, $3.

Mm-hm.
- Okay.

- Thanks.
- So what's up, guys?

- Not much, what's up with you?

- You ready for the
big match tonight, Leo?

- Yeah, are you?

- [laughing] I don't
need to get ready,

there ain't a real wrestler

within 100 miles
of this shithole.

You wanna go outside? We
can go outside right now.

- Let's go.

- No, get outta here.
- What are you,

his guardian angel?
- Get out.

- Such a little bitch, Leo.

[door clicking]

- I know you wanted to drop
his ass, but save it for later.

- Yeah, well.
- Pack of Trojans.

- Trojans?
- What do you suggest?

- Well, I don't know,
I've never wore one,

but I can ask the
owner, Mr. Bunhill.

- [Roger] No, no, no, no.

- What is it, a gift or a
party balloon or something?

- No, it's ah, ah...

- Well, what is it?

- It's for you.
- For me?

- Yeah.
- Yeah, well,

what size are you?

- Extra Large.

- [Clerk] Okay, there you go.

- Thank you.

[bag rustling]

- Thanks.
- Maybe I'll see you later.

- [Clerk] Okay.

- Okay.
- Okay.

[bag rustling]
Thanks.

- [Leo] Okay.

- [Referee] Washington, 119.

- Our 19's running late.

- Okay, Coach, he
has 20 minutes.

- You got it.

- Trinity, 119.

Okay.

Okay, name?

- Dejohn.

- Washington, 125.

[weights clicking]

Okay, son, you're a
quarter pound over.

- Go get your sweats on.

[shower pattering]
[feet tapping]

[shower pattering]
[feet tapping]

You're late.
- We are here.

- Barely.

[shower pattering]
[feet tapping]

[weights clicking]

- 119 and a half.

- I thought you were fine.

- [Thurman] I was, Coach.

[hand slapping]
- Hey.

- What the hell is
wrong with you, huh?

- Don't do that, all
right, it happens.

- Not to me, it
doesn't. Go get dressed.

- All right, 125.

Leone, 125.

Good job.

- I don't believe it, man,

after talking all that shit,
he still didn't make weight.

- Coming back, man, you
know how hard it is.

- He's an asshole,
serves him right.

Don't tell me you
feel bad for him?

- I don't, I just
know it's hard.

- You look like shit, man,
what are you eating that for?

I'm gonna go get
you a power bar.

[locker door clanging]

- It's the last match
of the season, guys,

okay, this is it
for some of you.

Payback time for
all that hard work,

dedication and sacrifice.
[soft orchestral music]

I want you to keep your
heads out there tonight.

Don't get distracted,
don't psych yourselves out,

these guys tie their shoes
exact same way you do.

I wanna see you go out
there and wrestle tonight,

you hear me?

Remember why you're
here, all that hard work,

doesn't matter how much
weight you've pulled,

it's time to take action.

I want you to go out there
and give your best effort

into your own individual match

and challenge your
teammates to do the same.

110%, I expect no
less outta any of you.

I wanna see good sportsmanship
out there, no showboating.

Win or lose, keep your head up.

No crying, you're all men.

Now huddle up and let's pray.

[soft orchestral music]

Dear Lord,

you know how hard we've worked,

you know how much
this means to us.

We know we're your favorites,
so help us this day.

Make us as strong
as you made David,

when he faced old Goliath,

inspire us to victory

and protect us and our
enemies from injury.

Amen.
- Amen.

- [Ed] On three,
Prexies, one, two, three.

- [All] Prexies!

[Leo vomiting]

[Leo coughing]

- Hey, I told you you
should've had a power bar.

Yeah, you don't listen to me.

Anyways, there's tons of
chicks out in the stands,

we're gonna get laid
tonight, I can feel it.

[Leo coughing]

Man, you'd better get your
head out of the toilet.

[crowd shouting]

[crowd shouting continues]

- [Cheerleaders] T-R-I
and N-I-T-Y, go Trinity!

T-R-I and N-I-T-Y, go Trinity!

[crowd shouting]

- Go three, go three!

[crowd shouting]

Still green.

One, two, three, four!

[crowd applauding and cheering]

[crowd shouting]

- [Crowd] Trinity,
Trinity, Trinity!

Trinity, Trinity, Trinity!

Trinity, Trinity, Trinity!

[crowd shouting]

Trinity, Trinity, Trinity!

[crowd shouting]

[crowd shouting continues]

[buzzer blasting]

[crowd applauding and cheering]

- Okay, guys, shake hands.

[crowd applauding and cheering]

[Shaw sighing]

- Hey.
- How you doing?

- Good, how are you?
- All right.

- You looked really
good tonight.

- [Leo] No, I sucked.

- You won.

- I was weak.

I think I ate too
much before the match.

[Shaw laughing softly]

- Hey, Leo.

Come on, we're
gonna miss the bus.

- I got a ride.

- Don't be out too late.

- So what happened
with your dad?

I thought you weren't
coming tonight.

- Yeah, I wasn't going to,

but he had to give a
lecture at Cambridge.

- I wish I'd known
you were coming.

- Why?

- I don't know, it's just, you
know, if I'd have known, I-

- You'd what?

- Oh, you know, if I'd
known you were there,

it'd have given me strength.

- Really?
- Yeah.

- Hey, have you ever
gotten high before?

- No.

- No, [laughs] I would really
like to see you stoned.

- Yeah, it's just if anybody
on the team found out,

I could get thrown off.

- [Shaw] Would that really
be such a bad thing?

- Yeah, that's all I care about.

- Wow, I feel really
sorry for you.

- Well, you know,
I'm sure I could find

at least one other
thing I care about.

[soft guitar music]

What?

- I don't know, it's
just sometimes, you know,

you can be so
strong in your mind.

You get that from
your mom or your dad?

- I don't know.

- You know, tonight,
I was listening in

on this conversation,
these girls from Trinity,

where they were all
talking about you.

- What did they say?

- You know, how cute you are

and how they hope you kick
this guy's ass, [laughing]

which you did, by the way.

I don't know, it just
kind of made me proud,

'cause you were my boyfriend.

- Is that what I
am, your boyfriend?

- Well, that's how
it's shaping up, yeah.

[soft guitar music]

[cicadas chirping]

[train horn blasting
in distance]

- [Leo] So you come here a lot?

- [Shaw] Only when I need
a little perspective.

- On what?

- Life, death, that,
that sort of thing.

- I'm gonna come by sometime,
meet your groovy mom.

- Yeah, groovy, baby. [laughing]

You know, there's a kegger
at Two Mile Run this weekend.

- Really?
- Yeah, let's go.

- I don't know.
- Oh, come on.

Hey, you know, my
mom gave me money

to get a hotel room
for us. [laughing]

- Are you kidding me?

- No, I'm serious.

She knows everyone's gonna
be drinking and everything,

she thinks we should
just stay the night.

- You mean like sleep together?

- Come on, wrestling boy, who
said anything about sleeping?

Show me some of those
moves, come on. [laughing]

So are we gonna go?

- Hell, yeah!

[Shaw laughing]

[train horn blasting
in distance]

- You got stuff all
over you, come on.

- [Jessica] Ed, look who's here.

- Hey, Larry.
- Hey, Ed.

How you doing?
- How you doing?

- Hey, Uncle Larry.
- Is that little Leo?

[Leo laughing]

Wow, man, you've grown
like a weed, boy.

- Yeah.

- He's here for some radio
thing up in Pittsburgh.

I told him he
could stay with us.

- That's great,
where's he gonna sleep?

[Larry sighing]

- [Jessica] Tell everyone
all about the radio.

Your uncle is number one
in Los Angeles again.

- Number one what?

- DJ, I do a afternoon show
on the Mighty Met, KMET.

You know what a DJ is?
- Yeah.

- What?
- Someone who plays music.

- That's right, you know, it's
the number one rock station

in the country right now.

- It must be a pretty cool job?

- Yeah, it's cool, you know,
we play a bunch of commercials,

but every now and then we get
to sneak in a record or two.

What kind of music do you like?

- Zeppelin, The Doors, The Who.

- The Who?

- That's right, you like
all that old stuff, huh?

You know, if parents
would just relax

and listen to a little
Who and the Cheap Trick,

then this whole generation
gap would be over.

- Can I be excused?

- No, you may not, eat,
your Uncle Larry's here.

- It's okay, hun, he
doesn't have to eat.

- Seriously, Mom, I already ate.

- Please just eat a
little bit for me?

- Jessica, he's in training.

- Look at my son, Larry, look
at him, he's skin and bones.

He's starving to death
for some stupid game,

that doesn't mean
anything to anyone.

Tell him what you told me,
what you said about wrestling.

- Jesse, whoa.

- Tell him what you
said about sports,

how he's teaching my
son to become violent

and showing him like tribes do.

- What are you talking about?

- I-I said nothing about tribes,

I said, the only thing I said
is I'm out of the sports thing

a long time ago, you know.

I said that the team thing
was like tribal warfare,

you know, fighting
over a little ball

in a few yards of grass,

it just makes no sense
to me, that's all.

It's my opinion.
- Tell him what you said

about how he's teaching
my son how to kill.

- To kill?

- It's passive
killing, you know,

I mean, the intent is
there, the purpose is there.

You know that, Ed, to defeat?

Come on, it just seems like
to me, it's another way

to teach our young kids
how to kill each other,

you know, keep them sharp
in case they need them.

- To keep who?

- Hey, look at the news,
man, the only difference

between football and
war are the uniforms.

- And the guns, Larry.

- Yeah, and the guns, but
a football player had guns

and there were landmines
in the end zone,

then there wouldn't
have been a Vietnam.

Am I making any sense to you?

- No.

- No, that's good.

[birds chirping]

- So Larry, what do you
wanna be when you grow up?

- [laughs] Ah, a
wrestling coach, Ed.

[no audio]

[birds chirping]

What's up, Leo?

- Not much.

- Is everything okay in there?

- [Leo] Yeah.

- You want a beer?

- Yeah, sure.

- Man, if your dad could
see you now, he'd kill me.

- Why isn't he like you?

- Who knows, man, maybe
I remind him of too much.

- Too much of what?

- You know, the
past, life, freedom,

all that shit he never got.

I mean, there's a whole
world out there, man.

- Yeah, I guess.

- [Larry] So why
are you doing this?

- Doing what?

- Wrestling, starving yourself,
staying in this town, why?

- If I stick it out,
I got a scholarship

waiting for me at OU.

- Then what, I mean,
what do you wanna learn?

[train horn blasting
in distance]

Has anybody ever asked
you what you wanted, Leo?

- I guess I never
really thought about it,

just figured it was
my only way out.

- You know your mom and
me didn't exactly have

a "Leave It to Beaver"
home life either.

I ran away when I was 16.

I was lost for a long time,
man, but I turned out.

Look, [sighing]

what I'm about to tell you, man,

I mean, I'll probably
never be able

to step foot in
this house again.

Man, you're a good
kid and I love you.

You got a family situation
here, man and you gotta get out.

There's a whole world out there,
there's nothing here, man.

What you need is options and
if you, if you got no options,

no matter where you
turn, it looks good,

I mean, even if it's
just another trap.

You ever need me, you call me.

Hell, you could even come to LA,

I could get you a little
job at the radio station.

- You could do that?

- I am number one
drive time in LA.

- Yeah, that sounds cool, radio.

- It's just an option, man.

Think about it, give
it some thought.

Man, I'm outta here.

- I thought you were
staying with us.

- Yeah, I got a nice big
hotel room in Pittsburgh

waiting on me, I
ain't staying here,

reminds me too much of home.

Give me a hug, man.

[train horn blasting
in distance]

Take care.
- All right, you too.

- Okay.

[Leo vomiting]

[Leo spitting]

[Leo vomiting]

[Leo spitting]

[Leo coughing]

- Okay, guys, regular
season's finally over.

You guys did a good job, all
of you, you should be proud.

But now the real work begins,

we only got two weeks
to train for sections.

For you seniors,
Leo, Roger, Joey,

this is your last
shot, this is it, guys.

I want everybody to
look around the room.

No, take a good look.

Same time, next month, half
your buddies will be gone.

The rest of you,
the toughest ones,

the ones who train the hardest,

the ones who sacrifice the
most will move on to districts.

Out of that, maybe
one or two of you

will make it to regionals.

That's when the college
scouts come sniffing around

giving you gifts,
making promises,

that's when the real
wrestling starts, guys.

[door clicking]

But no matter how far
any of you guys get,

no matter what happens
for the rest of your life,

you could look in
the mirror and say,

that you did not fail
because you tried.

But most importantly, guys,
through this whole experience,

you'll have the stuff
to go out in the world

and achieve your goals in life,

that's the big
picture here, boys.

Thanks, you guys
are a good team.

- My boy has got
something to say.

- Coach, I just
wanted to apologize

for the other
night at the match.

I realize I let everybody
down, you, my dad, my team,

I even let myself down.

I just want you to know it
wasn't for a lack of effort,

I really tried.

I've been working my ass
off to get down to weight

and I'm growing, I'm getting
bigger, it's getting tougher,

but I promise you, it
won't happen again.

- It's okay, sit
down with your team.

Everybody makes mistakes.

- When can we do the
elimination match?

- [Ed] I don't know.

- Any reason why
we can't do it now?

- No, not today.

- Why not?
- Because I said so.

- Is that a good reason?

- This is my mat.

I say who gets on my mat and
when and with who and why?

- You know, I shouldn't be
talking to an assistant coach,

maybe I need to talk
to what's his name?

Mr. Blosswell.

- You go ahead and talk to Ted,

I'll tell you what I tell
everybody, you want my job,

come and take my mat.

- When can we do it?

- Monday, that
gives them a week.

- Fine.
- I wasn't talking to you.

Is that okay with you?

- [Thurman Jr.] It's
fine with me, Coach.

- How about you?

You guys can make
weight on Monday?

Okay.

- Good, good.

[door clicking]

[door thudding]

[mop swishing]

[door thudding]

- Hey, Leo.

[water sloshing]

- Why did he call
you Assistant Coach?

- 'Cause that's what I am.

- Who's the Head Coach?

- Mr. Blasswell.

- English teacher?

- Yeah.

[soft piano music]

[water sloshing]

[mop swishing]

[soft piano music]

The truth is I had to
beg him to get that job.

I went to school with half
of them and it didn't matter.

Nobody cares about used-to-bes,

that's why I'm
always telling you,

what you start, you
have to finish, Leo.

Truth is, I couldn't
be Head Coach,

no matter how many trophies
or state titles I won.

- Why?

- 'Cause I don't have
a college degree.

- But Mr. Blasswell hasn't
been to a single practice.

- And that's how
we both like it,

I get to coach,
he gets the check.

- So you don't get paid?

- I get something
better than money,

I get to send my son to college.

[soft orchestral music]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[birds chirping]

[background people chattering]

- Yeah, I know.
[both laughing]

- Leo, what's up, man?

- What's he doing here?

- Oh, we're just having
a smoke, that's all.

- I wasn't talking to you.

- He just bummed a
cigarette, it's no big deal.

- Oh, really, no big deal, huh?

What were you laughing at?
- What?

- You were laughing at
something, what's so funny?

Is he a funny guy?

- We were you
laughing at you, Leo.

- Shut up.

No, we weren't.

- Yeah, yeah, we were,

we were talking about what
a little pussy you are,

you know, Daddy's little
boy, all that shit.

- Really?
- No, that's right.

- No, stop.

Stop it, just go, please.

- First your daddy saves your
ass, now your girlfriend.

One day, you're
gonna have to learn

how to fight your own battles

and I promise you, I'll
be there when you do you.

- You know what?
- You'd better be.

- Go, please.
- No, no, no, it's fine,

it's fine, we'll
finish it later.

Don't worry about it.

- [Shaw] Stop.

- You shouldn't have done that.

- Done what, Leo, what did I do?

- You know what you did, I
don't need your help, alright.

- You need somebody's help.

Look at you, you look like shit.

What'd you eat today?

- Breakfast.

- [Shaw] What did you have?

- Stuff.

- What kind of stuff?

- I don't know, who cares?

- You don't know?

[sighing] What?

What?

- I don't know, just, [sighing].

Forget it, who cares?
Don't worry about it.

- Tell me.

- I don't know, it's just,

you know, I dreamed
this, you know.

- What, this?
- Yeah, this,

this fighting, you know,
this fighting in the halls.

You know what I mean? It's just-

- [Shaw] No, Leo, I
don't know what you mean.

- I dreamed of me and
you, we were a couple

and just keep on fighting
and bickering, you know.

- I don't get it.

- [Leo] You don't get what?

- I mean, I get it, why
weren't you imagining us

in the back seat of your
dad's car or something?

I mean, why fighting?

- I don't know, I guess, I just,

I mean, if we were fighting,

it means I care
about you, you know.

- You're truly weird,
do you know that?

- Really?

- Yes, really.

- It's only five pounds.

You still wanna quit?

[Leo sighing]

I'm really proud of you.

I mean that.

- I can't get it off anymore.

- Sure you can.

This is what it takes
to be a champion.

- What if I don't
wanna be a champion?

- What kind of question is that?

You might as well ask yourself,

what if you don't wanna breathe?

Come on, that's fear talking,
that's a quitter's question.

Four more years and
your future's wide open,

you can't quit now.

What do you wanna do,
do you wanna quit?

If there was a
shortcut, we'd take it,

this is the only way I know.

I'm sorry.

It's only five pounds.

[river gushing]

- Dad phoned last
night, he says, "Hi."

You know, I talk
about you so much,

it's like he already
knows you already.

He said the summer
after graduation,

he might fly us
out to visit him.

- [Leo] That'd be cool.

- Yeah, I'm gonna
travel after graduation.

I'm pretty sure that's
why my dad's so smart,

I mean, he's experienced
every culture,

you know, been on
every continent.

Hey, are you okay?

- Look, Shaw, I can't take
you to that keg party tonight.

- What?

- I gotta train.

- All weekend?

- 'Cause I have to
lose five more pounds

and I only have two
and a half days.

- Leo, what about
our night together?

You know, sharing the same
bed for the first time,

waking up to a new day
just the two of us.

- Look, I wanna be with
you, okay, I really do,

just not tonight.

- You know, I really
can't believe this.

- I'm sorry, Shaw.

These new weight classes,
it's getting harder.

- So we won't eat
or drink anything,

I mean, we'll just hang
out, the two of us.

- I'm not gonna have the time,

I've gotta train
day and night, okay.

There's gonna be other nights.

- Yeah, maybe there won't.

- What's that supposed to mean?

- Okay, so then you beat
him, right, then what?

Then it's two more
months of starving.

Then it's four years
of college wrestling,

which is four more years, Leo,

that's four more
years of starving

and denying yourself
of everything.

How can you live like that?

You know, it's like a sickness.

- I can quit any time I want.

- Right.

You know, that's what my
mom says about her drinking.

You know, you're always talking
about what you have to do,

it's never what you wanna do.

What do you wanna do?

I mean, what do you really want?

- I want you.

- Prove it to me, come, please.

- Come on, Shaw,
don't do this to me.

[river gushing]

- You know, Leo,

I love you, okay,

I really do,

but you don't have time for me.

You don't even have
time for yourself.

You're too busy trying
to be your dad's hero.

Call me when you stop
training and start living.

[river gushing]

[mellow melodic music]

- [Jerry] You can do this
thing, heck, I've done it,

your dad's done it, it's simple.

Your body is 90% water, so
there's a lot of water in there,

look how fat you are.

Once you drop that water weight,

your body's gonna go through
a period of adjustment,

you'll settle down, you're
gonna get a burst of energy

from that adjustment.

That energy is gonna go
in to repair and rebuild,

you're gonna steal that energy
just like robbing a bank.

It's simple, it all
has to do with timing,

timing is everything.

Don't lift any weights now,
you don't have the time

and it isn't gonna do
you any good anyway.

What you gotta do is run,
sweat, drink a little water,

run, sweat, drink
a little water,

run, sweat, weigh-in.

No sugar, no junk food.

20 minutes before your match,

you take two
tablespoons of honey,

glass of Gatorade,
a little glucose.

When that honey and that
juice hits your bloodstream,

your cells are gonna
come alive, energize,

all vying for sustenance,

that's when you're
gonna rob the bank.

You're gonna get six
minutes of energy,

enough to take the mat.

Don't cut any corners
on this thing,

you listen to me here now,
Leo, there's no shortcuts.

[mellow melodic music]

[mellow melodic music continues]

[melodic rock music]

[melodic rock music continues]

[melodic rock music continues]

♪ Lines form on my
face and hands ♪

♪ Lines form from
the ups and downs ♪

♪ I'm in the middle
without any plans ♪

♪ I'm a boy and I'm a man

♪ I'm 18 and I don't
know what I want ♪

♪ 18, I just don't
know what I want ♪

♪ 18, I gotta get away

♪ I gotta get out
of this place ♪

♪ I'll go running in
outer space, oh yeah ♪

[melodic rock music continues]

♪ Yeah, yeah, 18, I just
don't know what to say ♪

♪ 18, I gotta get away

♪ I gotta get out
of this place ♪

♪ I'll go running
in outer space, oh ♪

♪ 18

[car door thudding]

[refrigerator door clicking]

[packaging rustling]

[no audio]

[no audio]

[refrigerator door thudding]

[jar thudding]

[gentle orchestral music]

[Leo thudding to floor]

[police radio
broadcasting quietly]

- [Officer] Ah, there's
a young girl in here.

- [Officer] 2-10, Boyd,
we're 97 at the location.

- [Officer] No pulse.

[police radio
broadcasting quietly]

- So how you doing?

[no audio]

All that losing weight, you
pushed it a little bit too far.

[door clicking]

- Hey, Leo, how are you feeling?

- Okay.

- Okay is good, that's good.

- So how is he?

- Well, let's see, hypovolemia,
hypochloremia, gastritis,

subsequent idiosyncratic
cardiac arrhythmia.

Otherwise he's a healthy kid.

You know what any of this means?

Your son is starving himself
to death, he's dehydrated,

that's why he passed out.

It's just his body's
way of letting us know

that something worse is
getting ready to happen.

Next, he'll lose his
hair, lose his teeth,

we might have to remove
a section of his bowel,

he'll have a colostomy
bag to remove his waste.

Then one day, he'll
have a heart attack

or he'll just stop breathing.

I ah, found this in his pocket.

- What is it?

- It's a laxative, he's been
taking it to lose weight.

Without any food in his system,

he's been evacuating part
of his stomach lining,

this could cause
permanent damage.

- What is this?

Look at me.

Pulling weight's done one way,

through training, you know that,

it's not about cutting corners.

You know better, you're a Leone,

we don't do it this way.

You looking for the easy
way out, is that it?

This isn't training,
it's cheating.

Okay, you gotta cheat, you quit.

If you don't wanna work for it,

you don't wanna earn it the
right way, you don't deserve it,

you hear me?
- Look, he needs his rest.

Let's take this
outside, come on.

[door clicking]

[door thudding]

[soft melodic music]

[soft melodic music continues]

[soft melodic music continues]

[soft melodic music continues]

[soft melodic music continues]

[soft melodic music continues]

[soft melodic music continues]

[soft melodic music continues]

[soft orchestral music]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[birds chirping]

[car door clicking]

- I need to be
alone for a while.

I'm gonna go for a walk.

- I feel bad about everything
that you're going through,

I really do.

I figured it'd all be worth
it, all that hard work,

anything to get out of this
place, go for your dreams.

- My dreams got killed
in the car wreck, Dad.

Her name was Shaw Ashland.

You never even met her.

- I know.

- I should have been with her.

I wanted to be with her.

I still do.

- Don't say that.

You'll get through this,
take a little time is all,

time heals everything, you're
a strong kid, you are, you're-

- I'm what, Dad, a winner?

A champion like you?

Well, if this is
what it feels like,

if this is what it
takes, I hate it.

Look, I don't know
what I want in life,

but I know what I don't want.

I don't want some crazy woman

telling me when to
jump and how high,

I don't wanna have to sit
in my piece of shit car

for an hour every night,

'cause I'm afraid to
go into my own house.

I don't wanna be
embarrassed by my family.

I couldn't live like that, Dad.

I don't know how you do.

I don't wanna be like you, Dad.

[soft melodic music]

[Ed inhaling deeply]

[soft melodic music]

[soft melodic music continues]

[soft melodic music continues]

[soft melodic music continues]

[soft melodic music continues]

[soft melodic music continues]

[soft melodic music continues]

[soft melodic music continues]

[birds chirping]

- [Jerry] Hey, hey,
Leo, how you doing?

- Good.
- What are you doing here?

- [Leo] I gotta get down to 119.

- You gonna wrestle Ellis?
- Yeah.

- [Jerry] All right,
how much you weigh?

- 28.
- How much time we got?

- [Leo] Five days.

- Nine pounds, five
days, piece of cake.

You remember Jeremy Hunter?

Pulled more weight than any
kid we've ever had here.

Okay, if he can do
it, you can do it,

we're gonna pull you
all the way down.

You're gonna have enough
juice in the end to win, okay.

Don't let it scare you, you
may think you're gonna die,

you may wish you
were dead, okay.

Your vision may go out on you,

you're probably
gonna get super weak,

you may not even be
able to grip, okay.

Don't let that bother you,

don't you pass out on
that mat, don't fall down,

you listen to your Dad,
you'll be able to hear,

get to the corner,
get off the mat

and get inside the locker
room, get some water,

chew some ice, sit
down and calm down,

'cause you're probably gonna
shake like a leaf, okay.

Believe me, you may
get uncontrollable,
don't panic, normal.

Okay, it happens, but you'll
make it, you're gonna live,

you hear me, you're
gonna live, maybe.

Get up that rope,
let's see what you got.

Come on, hand over
hand, tough guy, huh?

[car rumbling quietly]

[construction machinery
rumbling quietly]

[car door thudding]

[construction machinery
rumbling quietly]

- Hi.

Is this 104 Prospect?

- It's 104.

- [Leo] Miss Ashland?

- Who are you?

- I'm Leo.

I was a friend of Shaw's.

- Oh.

Hi.

- I just came by
to say I'm sorry.

- You knew her well?

- Yeah.

- I didn't,

at least not in the
last five years.

I don't know, ever
since her dad died.

- Her dad died?

- Come here.

Can you tell me

who Shaw was?

Can you just

tell me about her?

- She's beautiful.

Sweet.

Fragile.

Yeah, she really
cared about people

and she put you first.

She taught me a lot.

She taught me to take life

not so seriously.

She's a free spirit.

- Yeah, she was, she
was a free spirit.

So was her dad.

Did she have a lot of friends?

- Everybody loved her.

- Yeah?

How'd she do in school?

- Straight A's.

[Mrs. Ashland laughing]

- Straight A's?

I didn't know that. [laughing]

[Mrs. Ashland sobbing]

You loved her, didn't you?

- I still do.

- Yeah. [sobbing]

[soft melodic music]

[soft melodic music continues]

- If there's anything I
can do, just get in touch.

[soft melodic music]

[soft melodic music continues]

[soft orchestral music]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[mellow rock music]

[mellow rock music continues]

[mellow rock music continues]

[mellow rock music continues]

[mellow rock music continues]

[mellow rock music continues]

[mellow rock music continues]

[mellow rock music continues]

[mellow rock music continues]

- Check that out.

- [Leo] What's it say?

- What's it say? First
place, 45 pounds.

You win one of these,

huge pizza party with
all your friends.

You even get your picture in
the paper, how's that sound?

- Good.

- That's your trophy.

You want it?

- Mm-hm.
- Yeah.

You wanna see second place?

- Yeah.

- Yeah?

[soft melodic music]

What do you think,
which one do you want?

[melodic orchestral music]

[melodic orchestral
music continues]

[melodic orchestral
music continues]

[melodic orchestral
music continues]

[melodic orchestral
music continues]

[melodic orchestral
music continues]

119.

[weights clicking]

117.

[background people chattering]

Hey, Ted, how you doing?

Ted, I don't know if you
met Thurman Ellis Sr.?

- Ted Blasswell, of
course, how are you doing?

- You too, I'm sorry I
didn't catch your last name.

- Oh, Thurman Ellis.
- Ellis.

- We met at a PTA meeting
a couple of weeks ago.

- Yes, of course.

- I thought Ted should be here,

so there's no misunderstandings.

- Oh yeah, that's fine with us.

- Great, you wanna
referee, Coach?

- No, Coach Leone, be my guest.

- You got it. All right,
guys, let's clear the mats.

Leo, Ellis, come on.

You guys know the gig,
three two-minute periods.

Frank, keep score time for me.

Okay, guys, shake hands.

[whistle tooting]

[feet pattering]
[wrestlers grunting]

[wrestlers grunting]

Two.

[feet pattering]
[wrestlers grunting]

[feet pattering]
[wrestlers grunting]

[wrestlers breathing heavily]

[feet pattering]
[wrestlers grunting]

[wrestlers grunting]

Two.

[feet pattering]
[wrestlers grunting]

[wrestlers grunting]
Two.

One, two, three, two, near fall.

[feet pattering]
[wrestlers grunting]

[wrestlers grunting]

[wrestlers grunting]

[feet pattering]
[wrestlers grunting]

[feet pattering]
[wrestlers grunting]

[soft orchestral music]

[whistle tooting]

- Way to go, bro.

[soft orchestral music]

- Okay, come here,
guys, shake hands.

- It's all yours, man, take it.

- I don't want it anymore.

You can have it.

- [Ed] What did you say?

- My heart's not
in it anymore, Dad.

[soft orchestral music]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[door clicking]

[door thudding]

- Morning.

- Good morning.

- Where'd you get the milk?

- Stole it from the Reinhardt's

- You stole it?

- I've been stealing
it for years.

No offense, but I can't stand

that powdered shit
you always buy.

- So how you doing,
you all right?

- Shaw told me her
mom knew all about me,

that she wanted to meet me.

She told me a lot of
things, they were all lies.

Why do people who are
supposed to love each other

always have to hurt each other?

[chair creaking]

[Ed sighing]

[milk pouring]

- They don't do it on purpose,
not even the worst ones,

not even your mother.

I think it's the only
way they've got to
show you they hurt.

You know, I went out with
your mother for over a year

before I ever met her parents.

One Valentine's Day, when
I was still in high school,

I drove over to her house,

she lived right over
there on Bissol Avenue.

Got some flowers, knocked on
her door, nobody answered,

so I went around back
and there she was,

in the backyard, crying.

Her mother had beat her
with the garden hose,

then hit her in the head
with the brass nozzle in.

- Why?

- For not making
homecoming court.

- What did you do?

- I took her in and
10 months later,

we had a kid and it was you.

- Do you love her?

- [Ed] I guess, I think so.

- Why don't you leave?

- Because of you,
because of the girls,

because I'm Catholic, I don't
wanna burn in hell maybe,

I don't know.

- How do you put up with it?

- You know, I may be a lot
of things in your eyes,

but I'm not a quitter.

She's a good person, she is,

she just needs help, that's all.

[envelope rustling]

[chair creaking]

- What's this?

- It's an airline
ticket to Los Angeles.

I want you to go stay
with your Uncle Larry.

I want you to get out
of here while you can.

- Where'd you get the ticket?

- I borrowed the money
from JD over at the plant.

It's time for you to do
what's in your heart,

not what's in mine.

- I wanna stay here,

with you.

[chair creaking]

- I'd love you to, but it's,
you gotta go find your own way.

[gentle melodic music]

Did you know my father
never saw me wrestle?

Every time I won, the
ref would raise my hand,

I'd look out in the stands
and see if he was there,

but he never was.

He didn't even
know I won states,

'til your Grandma showed him
the newspaper the next morning.

He never said a word about it.

He was a good man, he just
never really encouraged me

to do anything with
my life, you know.

I always thought that if he'd
been there to encourage me,

maybe my life would've turned
out a whole lot different,

you know.
[gentle melodic music]

It's funny, you know,
when you're younger,

you always promise
yourself that things

will be different for your kids.

All you do is make a
whole new set of mistakes.

I guess I pushed you
probably a little too hard,

so that you'd go out in the
world and push yourself,

so you'd make
something of yourself.

I just want you to know
that I did the best I could

and I'm sorry.

[soft orchestral music]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[car rumbling quietly]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[soft orchestral
music continues]

[birds chirping]

[car rumbling quietly]

[car rumbling quietly continues]

[car doors clicking]

[car doors thudding]

[car door clicking]

[car door thudding]

[birds chirping]

Tell me what this
airplane's like.

- What?

- I've never flown before,
when you land, call me,

tell me what it's like to fly.

- I will, when I get settled,
I'll send you a ticket,

you'll come out and visit me?

- I will.

You grew up on me.

In all that time
we were together,

all those matches, all those
trophies, all that winning,

I have never, ever
been as proud as I am

for what you're doing right now.

Good luck out there.

Don't forget about
me, you hear me?

Get outta here.

- I love you, Dad.

- I love you more, son.

I've always loved
you, you're my boy.

You go out there
and show the world

what a Washington,
Pennsylvania kid can do

and go make your own mistakes.

Just try to learn
from some of mine.

- Okay.

[keys jangling]

[wind blowing gently]

[airplane door thudding]

[soft orchestral music]

[airplane engine starting]

[soft orchestral music]

♪ Chances come and
when they're gone ♪

[airplane engine rumbling]

♪ They curse the fool
who waits too long ♪

♪ So let's take care
of what we have ♪

♪ Before the good
we know goes bad ♪

♪ And the beauty fades
and just slips away ♪

♪ The dirty air,
the dying seas ♪

♪ Will this be the world we
leave to the wild and young ♪

♪ I say just look
at what we've done ♪

♪ And right before our eyes

♪ Today's yesterday could
be tomorrow's goodbye ♪

♪ Here comes the rain

♪ It might wash her tears away

♪ But it doesn't
change a thing ♪

♪ Like my brother before me

♪ All I can do is
write this song ♪

♪ And for her I sing

♪ Chances come and
when they're gone ♪

♪ They carve in stone
what we've done wrong ♪

♪ So let's take care
of what we have ♪

♪ Before the good
we know goes bad ♪

♪ And the beauty fades
and just slips away ♪

♪ The dirty air,
the dying seas ♪

♪ Will this be the world we
leave to the wild and young ♪

♪ I say just look
at what we've done ♪

♪ And right before our eyes

♪ Today's yesterday could
be tomorrow's goodbye ♪

♪ Do you ever think about
the future or the past ♪

♪ Do you ever wonder how
long this world will last ♪

[mellow melodic music]

♪ So let's take care
of what we have ♪

♪ Before the good
we know goes bad ♪

♪ And the beauty fades
and just slips away ♪

♪ The dirty air,
the dying seas ♪

♪ Will this be the world we
leave to the wild and young ♪

♪ I say just look
at what we've done ♪

♪ And right before our eyes

♪ Now it's right
before our eyes ♪

♪ Today's yesterday

♪ Will be tomorrow's goodbye

[mellow melodic music]

[no audio]

[no audio]