Strider (2020) - full transcript

(cricket chirping)

(lively music)

- Morning, baby.

What do you want to do today?

(Jody chuckles)

Me?

Well, if it was up to me,

you and me would just stay in bed all day,

underneath the covers,
safe from the world.

Just you and me.

(camera snaps)
- Boom, gotcha kissing



your pillow, you freak!
- Get the fuck out,

you bastard!
- Yeah, you freak!

- [Donny] Jody Sue looks like poo!

- I'm gonna kill you bastards!
- Jody Sue looks like poo!

Jody Sue looks like poo!

(footsteps pattering)

- [Bill] Whoa, whoa, whoa!

Slow down there, cowboys!

- [Donny] Dad, Jody said
she was gonna kill us.

- No.
- Yeah, and she used

the F word too.
- Shut up!

- And she was kissing

her pillow.
- No, I wasn't!

- Enough! Donny, Davey, zip!



Sit, eat.

And you, ease up on the
melodrama, will you?

Kissing your pillow is not

the most embarrassing
thing they could have

caught you doing.
- Ew, Dad!

Why do you always take their side?!

- The only side I'm taking is the side

that causes me the least amount of stress.

What do you want for breakfast?

- A lock on my door!

- [Bill] People in hell want ice water.

- What does that even mean?!

- [Donny] It means you
smell like used underwear-

- That's so funny! Ew!

- Hey, that's it!
- Ugh, this place sucks!

- Yep.
- Woo-hoo!

- Too bad you're stuck here forever!

(all laughing)

(bright music)

(Hannah sighing)

(Hannah sighing)

(gentle guitar music)

- Lord, if you're up there, I
could use some Goddamn help.

Apologies. Probably coulda
phrased that better.

(water splashing)

(hairdryer whirring)

(Hannah sighs)

(locks clacking)
(truck beeps)

Get the hell outta here.

Hi.

- Hi.

- I passed you when I was out
running earlier this morning.

- Okay.

- Have you been running all
this time without a stop?

- Yeah. Why?

- Nothing. I'm just a track coach.

I was impressed by your stamina.

- Oh.

Thanks.

- You want something to drink?

- [Jody] Sure.

- Do you run like this every day?

- Yeah, couple times a week.

- But always for this amount of time?

- Yeah, I just run till I get tired

and then I head back home.

Thanks for the drink.

- Sure. Hey.

You got someplace you
got to be right away?

- Why?

- How about I take you
down to The Wagon Wheel?

I'll buy you some lunch.

I'd like to talk to you
more about your running.

- I don't get it.

- There's nothing to get.

I just always have my
eye out for new athletes.

- Is this some kinda weird sex thing?

(Hannah scoffs)

- Get in the truck.

I'm Hannah, by the way.

- Jody.

So where do you coach?

- I'm currently between jobs,

but I haven't lost my eye for talent.

You ever run track before?

- Yeah, I did a little
bit in middle school.

I was good, nothing great.

- What event?

- [Jody] 400-meter, mostly.

- Oh, well, there's your
problem right there.

You're not a short-distance sprinter,

you're a long-distance endurance runner.

Could tell that the
second I saw your legs.

- Are you sure this isn't
some weird sex thing?

- Quite sure.

So do you think you might be interested

in some running competitions?

- I never really thought about
it, but I might be, yeah.

- All right, then.

(turn signal clicking)

You know where Apex Point is?

- Yeah.

- Give or take, that is
about 5,000 meters from here.

If you're any good, you
should be able to get there

in under 24 minutes.

Give me your best shot.

- Now?

- [Hannah] Yes, now.

- [Jody] What about lunch?

- After.

- This is starting to smell
like some serious bullshit.

- Oh, come on, when was the
last time you impressed anyone

with anything besides your looks?

- Are you gonna run with me?

- Shit, no. I'm gonna drive
down there and wait for you.

Clock starts the second
you open that door.

(Jody sighs)

- Fine.

Screw it!

- That's the attitude.

(door thuds)

(mellow music)

- Goddess alert.

Hey. Jody.

- Hi.

- I'm Tim.

We had Steinecke's creative
writing class together.

- No, yeah, I remember you.

What are you doing out here?

- Writing.

Sometimes, need to get
away from the internet

and technology and just people in general.

That's when I do my best work.

What about you? What are you doing here?

- Running.

- Right, yeah. Sorry.

Stupid question.

Hey, can we stop for a second?

- I can't. I'm being timed.

- Oh.

Cool.

Can I call you sometime?

- Yeah, if you want to.

- Okay.
(Jody laughs)

Great.

Hey, what's your middle name?!

- Sue!

Why?!

- Want to write you a poem!

- Okay!

- Don't slow down right
before the finish line!

Come on!

Come on, come on, come on,
come on, come on, come on!

(Jody panting)

(Jody sighs)

Hydrate. Sip, don't guzzle.

- How did I do?

- Not bad.

Enough that you wouldn't be
a complete waste of my time.

- Gee, thanks.

- So what's your school situation?

- I just started summer vacation.

- Any job prospects?

- I babysit my little
brothers on the weekdays,

and my dad pays me for that.

- Do you think he'd have any flexibility

in giving you the summer off?

- Sheesh.

I mean, probably not.

Why? Why'd you ask?

- Here's the deal, this
spring, I was training a runner

for this fall's Pinnacle Games,

and that fell through and it
left me without an athlete.

So I was planning to sit this year out,

but if you're interested,

I'd be willing to put you in that spot.

It wouldn't be easy.

Three months is not a
lot of time to train,

but it's doable if we're disciplined.

- So we could go to the Pinnacle Games?

- That's the beauty of
them, they're all amateur.

And if you do well there,

it opens up all kinds of possibilities,

not the Olympics, but paid
competitions, for sure.

- And you think I'm good enough for that?

- To be bluntly honest, probably not.

Chances are, your body will crap out,

or you won't be able to handle the pain

and stress of training,
or a million other things,

but most of it's gonna come down to you.

Are you willing to sacrifice

and be miserable in the short-term

for something potentially
really great long-term?

(gentle guitar music)

- [Bill] The Pinnacle Games?

- That's what she said.

- She thinks you have a
legitimate chance at that?

- That's what she said.

- And this isn't some kinda
weird sex thing with this woman?

- So far, no.

- I don't know, sounds fishy.

I mean, she just pulls up out of nowhere

and offers all this up?

- No, no, no, she'd seen me run before,

and then she had me do, like,
a 5,000-meter for her, so...

She thinks I have potential.

- Who's gonna watch the boys?

- I dunno.
- "I dunno."

How is this running thing
gonna be any different

than the guitar lessons
or the French lessons

or anything else you started all gung-ho,

and then quit after two weeks?

- I dunno.

- Stop telling me what you don't know.

Start telling me something

that you do know, please.
- Well, I don't know anything!

So maybe I just need
to keep quitting things

until I find the one thing
that I don't want to quit.

- There.

Thank you. That's a good answer.

Was that so hard?
- No.

- Great.

All right, we'll give
this running thing a shot.

I'll find somebody else to watch the boys.

- Thank you!

Okay, I really appreciate it.

I'm gonna go give her a call.

- But I want the coach's name, please.

Phone number, address,

email, anything else.
- Yeah.

Yeah, okay. Yeah.

(crickets chirping)

(birds chirping)

- Hey, ready to get started?

- Big time!

- All right.

We are gonna do two miles at 50% speed,

two miles at 75%, and
then two miles all out.

After that, we'll see where we are

and figure out what to do next.

- Okay, let's do it.

- The road is yours.

- Oh. So I just go.

- Yeah. I'll be right behind you.

- Wait, wait, wait!

We should do something to celebrate,

like a toast, but not a toast.

- Yeah, we're not gonna do that.

- Oh, come on, come on. Please?

Just something to
appreciate this opportunity.

- Okay, what? Come on, quick.

- Okay.

Slap my hand.

(hand slaps)
Now stick yours out.

(hand slaps)
Now hip bump!

- Yeah, there's no way in
holy hell that's gonna happen.

- Come on, crabby patty!

(Hannah sighs)

Wow!

- Are you happy now?

- Ecstatic.

- Can we get going?

- Yeah, I don't know why
you're holding things up

with these gimme fives
and these hip bumps.

Be more professional.

- Oh, my God, it's gonna
be a long Goddamn day.

- Woo-hoo!

- [Hannah] Widen your stride.

- [Jody] That doesn't feel comfortable.

- [Hannah] It will once
you get used to it,

and it'll be easier on your hips.

- [Jody] Is the bullhorn really necessary?

- [Hannah] Yes, the
bullhorn is the word of God

and shall be obeyed without question.

- [Jody] Lame.

- [Hannah] I heard that, you just earned

yourself an extra mile.

The word of God shall be obeyed
without question or comment.

Break.

Hydrate. Sip, don't guzzle.

- Can I ask you a personal question?

- Guess so.

- Did you ever run track yourself?

- Hell yes.

I lived, slept, and ate running.

- Did you ever win anything?

- Nope.

- What happened?

- No one, big, tragic event.

Just a lot of years of
good, but not good enough.

I had the heart, but not the knees.

Lunch.

- What, I don't get my sandwich?

- No, you get lukewarm
chicken and cold brown rice.

- Do I get a fork?

- Oh.

Get in touch with your inner animal.

- Mm.

So good.

- You are incredibly odd.

- So good.

(Jody mimics howling)

So tasty.

- [Hannah] You know where
the Quabbin Trail is?

- Yeah.
- We'll meet there tomorrow

at 7:00 a.m.

In the meantime, I've
written out a diet plan

I want you to get on.

It's pretty simple.

Egg whites or oatmeal for breakfast.

No processed carbs.

That includes bread and fast food.

And, you know, it's mostly
veggies and brown rice.

And no beer, if you have the habit

of sneaking a few of those in.

- Okay.

- Now, if you cheat on this,
I won't know right away,

but I will know eventually and
then there'll be hell to pay,

so do us both a favor and don't cheat.

We have a small number of
months to get you in shape.

- What are you talking
about? I'm in great shape.

- You're in great shape for a civilian.

I need you in great shape for an athlete.

- Hey, Coach?

- Yeah?

- Did I do all right today?

- Look, I'll tell you
when you do really well,

and I'll tell you when you do really bad,

but what I won't do is hold your hand

and give you a pat on the back for getting

through a basic training day.

Got it?

- Got it.

- Tomorrow at seven.

(engine whirs)

- Mr. Worm, you have been found guilty

of being a covert agent of Al-Qaeda.

The punishment is death by bike tire.

Put him down, Davey.

- Ew.

God, you guys are such little psychos.

- F you, Jody Sue!

- F you, Jody Sue!
- Yeah, that's really mature.

Really mature.

Hey, guess what, guess what, guess what?

You're gonna keep it up?

I'm gonna sell you to the
pedophile down the street!

Yeah, run away, little nerds!

- Dad!
- What?!

- Jody said she was gonna
sell us to a pedophile.

- Yeah, what's a pedophile?
- I don't have the patience

to do this right now, guys.

Go play your Xbox.

- [Both] Xbox!

- You too. Get inside.

What the hell's the matter with you?

- What?!

They're out there killing worms!

That doesn't bother you?
That's like serial killer shit!

- No, it's not. It's little boy shit.

And watch your mouth, you're
getting way too comfortable

with your swearing around here.

- Sorry.

- Yeah, you're always sorry.

If you're not gonna help
out and make things better,

the least you can do is
not make it more difficult.

Shit!

- Hey, guys.

- [Davey] You made Dad mad.

- Wet toilet paper ball!

(paper ball splats)
- Ew!

Oh, my God, I can't take it anymore!

(Donny chuckles)

Hey.

Hey, do you still want to meet up today?

Cool. Can you meet me at the
A.C.P. in, like, 20 minutes?

Okay.

Okay, bye.

- [Tim] So, what made you call me?

- I was having a good day
and that became a bad day,

and I just wanted someone to talk to.

What made you chase after me earlier?

- Just caught up in the moment.

I wanted to ask you out all school year.

- Really?

What?! Why didn't you?

- Because we were in the same class.

If you said no, it would have
been 20 weeks of awkwardness.

Yesterday, it was like, if she says no,

she's got the whole summer
to forget about me making

an ass out of myself, so...

- Well, you should have asked me sooner.

- Now you tell me.

- So did you write me that poem
you said you were going to?

- Yes, but I was hoping to sneak it to you

as you were leaving so
you could read it at home

and I wouldn't have to see your face.

- No.

No, not a chance, so give it to me.

(Tim sighs)

Give it to me, come on.
- Okay, all right, all right.

See, what I did was
write the name Jody Sue

down the side of the page,
then used every letter

of your name to start a new sentence.

- [Jody] Okay, so read it all out to me.

- [Tim] What? No, no way.

- [Jody] Mm-hm, if you're gonna go 50%

of the way to write it, then
you have to go the extra 100

to read it out loud.
- Ugh.

- Hey.

I would never make fun of you.

- Okay.

(gentle music)

(Tim sighs)

J: Just when I thought it
was gonna be a lonely summer.

O: Out of the sunlight she ran.

D: Dream-like, vision-like.

Y: Yesterday doesn't matter,

only today and tomorrow with her.

S: Sensual.

Her stride, her essence.

Sensual.

(Jody chuckles)

- Nobody's ever called sensual before.

- Well, get used to it.

U: Under her spell, that's where I am.

E: Every day,

every minute, every second,

I want to be with her as much as I can.

- Wow.

- Do you like it?

(Judy chuckles)

- Was that good?

- Yeah.
(Judy chuckles)

Let's do it again.

(crickets chirping)
(birds chirping)

- How those legs feeling?

- Sore, but good.

- Well, strap in 'cause it's
about to get a whole lot worse.

These stairs used to
kick my ass in my prime.

Now, it's your turn.

Go up, come down, go up again.

Over and over.

- How many times?

- Till I say stop.

(Jody clicking tongue)

- [Jody] You're the coach, Coach.

- Faster! Show some hustle.

- That wasn't so hard.

- Yeah, that's what I said my first time.

Let's see if you can keep saying it.

I'm gonna go make a phone call.

But sound travels out here,

so don't think you can
get away with slacking.

I want to hear the constant
rhythm of footsteps.

Hi, I'm calling to find
out if it would be possible

to get my credit line raised?

Yeah, and how much would be possible?

Okay, and what interest
rate would that be at?

(Hannah sighs)

Okay, yeah, let's go ahead and do that.

And when would that be available?

Okay.

Thanks.

(cellphone beeps)

Something the matter?

- Just pacing myself.

- Yeah, well, pace yourself faster.

Come on.

Get back up.

(Jody groans)

- Shit!

- Good.

Not bad.

(birds chirping)

(soft knocking)

Yeah?
- Hi.

I'm Bill Brightwell, Jody's father.

- Oh.

Hi.

Come on in.

Come on in. Have a seat.

Can I get you something to drink?

- No thanks.

I just figured since you
guys were gonna be spending

so much time together,
we should probably meet.

- I completely understand.

Did you have any specific questions?

- No, I just wanted to get a general idea

as to how you thought
things were gonna go.

I've been doing some reading
on these Pinnacle Games,

seems like they're a pretty
big deal if you win, huh?

- They're a big deal
even if you don't win.

- And you think Jody's
good enough to compete?

- Hard to say.

She's good.

It's a little too early
to know if she's great.

- Yeah, course my biggest
concern is her getting

her hopes up and then being disappointed.

- Well, I have told her
exactly what I just told you.

I haven't sugarcoated anything.

- Good. Good.

Keep her hopeful, but realistic.

And even though I know you're
getting something out of this,

I do appreciate you taking her on.

God knows it's been a long time

since she had a female
role model worth a damn.

- Glad to do it.

- Word of warning though,
she does get frazzled easily,

and sometimes, she quits things

before she gives them a chance.

- Well, I haven't seen
any of that in her yet,

but I'll keep an eye out for it.

- Good. I mean, I'm not
trying to insult her.

I would love for her to
find her true passion.

It's just that I assume
you're putting a good chunk

of your own money into this training.

- Yeah, a fair amount.

- Yeah.

So before, like I said, I was concerned

about her getting her hopes
up and being disappointed,

there is a flip side to that,

I'm also concerned about
her getting your hopes up

and you being disappointed.

- I have been down that road before,

but, like I said, I'm not
seeing any of that in Jody.

At least, not yet.

- I'm glad. I worry about her.

- Well, maybe instead of
look at her for what she is,

it'll be better if you looked at her

for what she's capable of being.

- That is a good strategy,

but, just to put it out there,

if you need help with money
for the training, let me know.

I mean, I can't do much,
but it doesn't seem right

for you to be carrying
the whole load on this.

- Actually, yeah, that would be great.

I wish I could be more proud
and say I didn't need it, but-

- Hey, fuck pride, okay?

You don't mind me swearing, do you?

- Knock your fucking self out.

- Good.

Pride is destructive.

There's nothing wrong
with asking for help,

and there's certainly nothing wrong

with accepting it when it's offered.

- Have a drink with me.

All I've got is cheap, white wine.

That okay?

- Sounds good.

- Sorry about the cups.

I live a pretty Spartan lifestyle.

- Hey, reminds me of my old bachelor days.

- Do you think I'm pathetic?

- No. Why would I think that?

- I don't know.

I have no idea how I appear to adults.

Every minute of my life is
spent with teenage girls.

- Trust me, I don't look very
good to outsiders either.

Let me put it this way, Jody's
mother is no longer with us,

and it's not because she's dead.

- That a good story there?

- Nope.

Just met someone else, moved to Florida.

The end.

- Well, maybe she'll get
eaten by an alligator.

- Only if I'm lucky.

Are you at least happy
doing what you're doing?

- You know, I have a lot of flaws,

but lack of self-awareness
isn't one of them.

I know I'm too old to be
asking people for money,

and I'm definitely too old
to be chasing after dreams

I should have given up a long time ago.

I should have quit a long
time ago, but I didn't.

You ask me if I'm happy, the answer's no,

but I think I could be
if I can even accomplish

a little of what I set
out to 20 years ago.

Shit. Sorry.

Real great first impression, huh?

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Brightwell.

Let me vomit a metric ton of
personal baggage all over you."

- Hey, it's all right.

What you're doing is important.

We need dreamers to inspire our children

and to remind us adults
that there is more to life

than just punching a time clock

and getting through the workday.

- Well, thanks.

- Yeah.

Just keep doing what you're doing.

Cheers.

(gentle piano music)

- Do you think I should get that

tramp stamp tattooed back there?

- You bite your blasphemous tongue!

(Jody chuckles)
You shouldn't do anything

to alter this beautiful skin.

- Mm.

- All right, you're Xs, I'm Os.

You go first.

- Center square.

I feel like this isn't fair though

'cause I can't see the game board.

- I guess you'll just have to trust me.

Mm.

I'm upper right corner.

- Lower right.

- So what do you like most about running?

I'm upper left.

- I don't really like anything about it.

It hurts and it makes you stink.

- But...

- But sometimes, after
a long-distance run,

the pain, I mean, it
doesn't really go away,

but it just becomes something different,

a little more fuzzy,

and then your thoughts start to fade

and just kinda becomes easier
to forget all the bad stuff,

so I like that part.

Oh. Lower left.

- What bad things do you want to forget?

- Everything in my life.

Until I met you.

- Thanks, but I think I
have some bad news for you.

I win.

(Tim laughs)
(Jody groans)

- Bummer!

So what do you want for your prize?

- I don't know.

I think I just want to
kiss the game board.

(Jody chuckles)

(Tim chuckles)

(Jody chuckles)

(Jody laughs)

(Tim grunts)

(water splashing)

- Oh, shit!

Oh, shit!

(Jody yelping)

- All the way in, up to your waist.

- Oh, my God.

Oh, my God.

Okay, what now, what now, what now?

- Run, knees up, like you're sprinting.

- Woo!

Oh, my God!

If I had balls, they
would be in my throat.

- Well, it's a good thing
you don't have balls, then.

- Are there any, like,
snapping turtles in here?

- No, the sharks ate them all.

- Was that a joke?

Do women after menopause
still have a sense of humor?

I just didn't know that.

Woo!

- Hey, I have not been through menopause.

(Jody laughs)

Ha ha ha, hilarious.

Mouth shut, knees up.

Less talk, more run.

(Jody squeals)

(Jody squeals)

(gentle music)

- Ta-da.

- Whoa!
- I've always wanted to do

something dramatic and say "ta-da."

- Where did you get that?
- My brother gave it to me.

He said it unlocks the mental cage

where the creativity's kept.

- I mean, I've never done it before.

Have you?
- No.

But I think we need to start living

a little more dangerously.

- I'm just still in training, so-

- Come on. Discipline is for the day.

Afternoon and night is for rock and roll

and shaking the pillars
of Heaven Almighty.

- Okay, okay, okay, okay,
okay, but you got to go first.

Yeah?

Yeah? Is that good?

- It's wonderful.

(Jody laughs)
(Tim coughing)

Your turn, Giggles McGee.

- Okay, okay.

Oh, my God, that smells

like rubbing alcohol.
- Do it.

- Okay.

Oh, my God!

Oh, my God, that is so repugnant.

- My brother warned me about this.

He said the bad taste was
the price we had to pay

to get to the visions on the other side.

- Did you bring anything to mix it with?

(Jody chuckles)

- I figured it would cooler
if we pounded it straight

like Charles Bukowski.

- Who's Charles Bukowski?

- I think the trick is just to get it down

as fast as we can.

We'll alternate gulps back and forth.

- Okay, okay.

Okay, but we're gonna hydrate,

we're gonna sip, and no guzzle.

- That's not what we want.

We need to guzzle.

(Tim chuckles)

- No.
(Jody coughs)

Okay, okay.

(Tim coughing)

(Jody sighs)

Hoo!

Okay, okay.

(Jody sighs)

(Tim coughs)

Woo! Woo!
(Tim coughing)

I love the woods.

My mom really liked the
woods too, but, you know,

she's not really, like, around anymore.

(Jody laughs)

I don't want to think about that,

so here's a question

that my little brother
asked me this past week:

Who do you think would win in a fight,

a T-Rex or a great white shark?

They're both big and they're both vicious,

but one's a land animal and
one's, like, a water animal,

so the location of the fight is,

like, what's most important.

And I see it taking place
on, like, a shoreline.

And if that's so, then which
beast is better at dragging

the other one into their domain?

'Cause the T. Rex has
those tiny little arms,

and the great white has, like,
those massive fins, so...

Thereby, I think it would
be easier for the dinosaur

to grab hold of said
fins and drag him on land

where he lay him down
for a proper beating.

(Jody laughs)

Timothy.

Contribute to the debate.

Timothy.

Timothy!

Contribute to the debate!

(Jody chuckles)

(loud tapping)

- Come on!

You okay?

(Jody sighs)

Are you hungover?

- No.

'Cause I think I'm still
a little bit drunk.

- Oh!

I don't Goddamn believe this!

- I'm sorry, Coach.

- You can shove your "sorry."

This may not mean anything to you,

but it means everything to me.

You take your ass home and you think about

what you really want to get out of this,

because if you're gonna half-ass it,

I'm gonna throw you right
back on the trash heap

where I found you!

(door clacks)

(door thuds)

- What?!

Come on!

Fuck.

(Jody panting)

(Hannah sighs)

- I can do most of it by myself,

I can do 99% of it by myself,

but I just can't do all of it by myself.

A little help, please.

(soft knocking)

What?

- I ran all the way here so it wouldn't be

a total waste of the day.

- Sit.

Hydrate. Sip, don't guzzle.

So why'd you come here?

- I wanted to say that I'm sorry.

- You already said that.

- I know, but I'm not just
saying it, I'm feeling it,

'cause I've been doing this training

and I've been seeing this guy,

and I'm trying to give my all to both,

but I don't want to let him down,

and I don't want to let you down,

and I can't think straight

and I can't do anything right and I suck!

I suck harder than
anyone who's ever sucked

in the history of suckdom.

- Well, that was quite a mouthful.

- Yeah, it's just been piling up, I guess.

- What's his name?

- Tim.

- And how long you been seeing him?

- Since we started training.

- That's been a pretty
impressive juggling act, then.

Thing is, training's only
gonna get tougher from here,

and I'm not sure you're ready for that.

- I am.

I wouldn't fuck up again.

And if I did, I would quit,

or you could punch me in the
stomach as hard as you want.

- Well, how could I pass up
an opportunity like that?

All right, put out your pinkie.

- What?
- The ultimate pinkie swear.

From now on, you will do
what I say, when I say,

and you will follow my regimen exactly,

even when I'm not around to watch you.

Swear.
- I promise.

- All right.

Tomorrow morning, 6:00 a.m.,
in front of your house.

- Thank you.

- Yeah, don't thank me yet.

The hard stuff's still to come.

Go home, get rested.

- Okay.

(dramatic music)

(Laurene laughs)

- [Laurene] Well, shit.

Hannah Goddamn Dalton.

- Laurene. How are you?

- I'm good.

What brings you back to
the old stomping grounds?

- I got a new runner.

She's been pretty decent in training.

I want to see how she holds up

under the pressure of competition.

- You thought of me.

- I did.

You're the best long-distance
runner in the area.

- I was the best long-distance
runner in the area.

I'm more mom than athlete now.

I just...

I come here to keep
rust off the old joints.

- You're good enough for what I need.

- What's in it for me?

- Thrill of matching up
against a worthy competitor?

- Stopped caring about
that a long time ago.

- Hundred bucks to the winner.

- Make it two.

- I'm not in the greatest
spot financially right now.

- Neither am I. That's why I need two.

- Fine.

- 5,000-meter?

- Yup.

Stone Church Road.

Tomorrow at eight.
- Done.

- Hey.

Don't you want to know
anything about my girl?

- Nah. Not necessary.

- [Hannah] How come?

- Forget it.
- Humor me.

- If you have to know,
I'm not that worried.

Your judgment's not been the best lately.

No offense.

- Oh, why would I be offended by that?

- Oh, come on.

Hannah, what happened to your last girl?

Didn't she have, like, a
nervous breakdown or some shit?

- She couldn't handle the training.

- Ever think it was you
she couldn't handle?

- Tomorrow at eight.

Bring cash.

- Right back at you.

- Okay, now, she's a great runner,

but she can't pace herself for shit.

So what you're gonna do
is you're gonna hold back

to about 75% most of the way.

Just let her wear herself out.

Okay, when you see that red barn,

that's when you drop the hammer.

You go all out, a hundred percent.

Got it?

- And you think I'm ready for this?

- I wouldn't have set it up if I didn't.

And not to throw you off,

but our financial future's gonna take

a bit of a hit if you lose.

And by ours I mean mine.

- You bet money on me?

- Yeah, I did.

- Oh, my God.

- If you can't handle the pressure now,

how are you gonna handle the
pressure at the Pinnacle Games?

- Yeah.

Okay, yeah.

- What's this?

- A piece of paper.

- Nope.

It is a blank white page.

Whenever you get overwhelmed,

that's all I want you to think about.

Keep this in your head,
a blank white page.

Got it?

- That's stupid.

What are you doing?

What the hell?
- What do you see?

- Your hand.

- In your mind, what do you see?

- Fuck it, blank white page.

- Again.
- Blank white page.

- Good.

A blank white page.

All right, you ready?

- Yeah.

- Good. Let's go.

- Jody.
- Any problem over there?

- No, no problem.

(serious music)

- All right, toes on the line.

Get set!

(gun fires)

(intense drum music)

(thrilling music)

- [Laurene] See you at the finish line.

- Come on.

Come on.

Don't get cocky. Don't slow down.

You got her if you just hold steady.

(Hannah applauds)
Come on!

Come on! You're home!

- I'll catch up with you later, Coach!

- Woo!

(Laurene panting)

- Where the hell did you find her?

- Just running down the side of the road.

- Well, shit.

If you ever get sick of her, let me know.

I'll take her on myself.

- Cash?

- Oh, right.

- Oh, God.
- Sorry about the sweat.

- It's disgusting.

- They'll spend fine once they dry out.

- Ugh.

Ugh.

Oh, I got to admit, I liked
that cross the finish line

and keep on running thing.
- Oh, yeah.

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

- Showed style and charisma.

(Jody laughs)
Hey, that can be as important

to future sponsors and
advertisers as actually winning.

Oh, speaking of which...

Ugh.

Ugh.

- What is this?!

- Hundred bucks. Half the winnings.

Whatever we make, we split 50/50.

- Thank you.

- Yeah, remember that when you sign

your first million-dollar
endorsement deal.

- Mm-hm, we'll see.
- And whatever you do,

don't smell that money.

- Oh, my God!

Oh, my God.
- What did I just

tell you not to do?

- Smell the money.
- And what did you do?

- Smelled the money.

It smells like onions and jockstraps.

Smell the money!
- No!

Seriously, I do not have the
gag reflex for shit like that.

- How have you been an athlete this long

with such a low gross out tolerance?

- It hasn't been easy.

That hygiene shit is the worst part.

Like, you go into the
locker room after a workout,

and you got your soap and your towel,

and you set that soap down in the shower,

and every time, without fail,
when you pick up that soap,

even if it's just for a second,

there will be a spare pubic
hair on that soap, every time.

Like, how do pubic hairs even get

in the soap tray, I don't know.

- I think I need

you to smell the money!
- No.

- Just a little bit!
- Keep that shit away from me!

- Smell the money!
- No, no!

No!
- Guess what?!

Smell it!
- No!

Smell the money!
- No!

- Come on!
- No!

(Jody squealing)
No!

- Boom, baby!

- What is this?

- Oh, that's just some prize money

because Coach set up a
race for me, and I won!

- No shit?
- No shit!

I'm sorry, no kidding.

- Wow, that's great.

You should be proud of yourself.

What are you gonna do with it?

- I'm gonna give it to you.

I mean, I know it's not that much,

but I thought it might help a little bit

with the daycare for the trolls.

- No, no.

Hey, you won this fair and square.

You do what you want with it.

- I am doing what I want with it.

I'm giving it to you.

- You're positive?

- Positive positive.

- All right, great. Hey, thank you.

- Yeah.

Where are the little trolls, anyway?

- They're out back, playing
with their nunchucks.

- Mm, good place for them.

- Hey.

I am really proud of you for the way

you've stuck with this running.

And I'm proud of you
for giving me this too.

- Thanks.

Don't be so weird about it.

- I said I am proud of you.

- Don't be weird!

(crickets chirping)
(birds chirping)

Hey.

What's this?

- Pinnacle Games confirmation sheet.

I entered us. We're in.

- Okay, so this isn't just talk anymore.

We're really doing this.

- We are.

- We're going to the Pinnacle Games.

- What did I just say?

- And you think I'm good enough for this?

- Don't get cocky, all right?

We still have a month of training to go.

- Come on, please.

Coach Tough Love, do you think
I'm good enough for this?

- I think you will be good enough.

- Okay, close enough.

- Okay, so we're hugging.
- Mm.

- All right.
- Mm.

Oh, my gosh.

I'm gonna get this framed.

I'm gonna hang it on my wall.

- Yeah, let's not get carried away.

♪ Mm, this is the perfect
time to get carried away ♪

- Actually, what are we doing?

Get up, get up, get up.

You got to train me into a sleek,

fierce, lightning bolt from hell.

♪ Ah, ah ♪

♪ 'Cause I got in ♪

♪ 'Cause I got into the Pinnacle Games ♪

- All right, come on.

♪ We're gonna go to the Pinnacle Games ♪

♪ We're gonna have so
much fun at the games ♪

♪ Did you say the Games ♪

♪ 'Cause I said the Games ♪

- Okay.
- Oh, you got an extra hug!

♪ You got an extra hug and you loved it ♪

- Okay.
- Oh, my God, get off me.

Oh, my God.

- Jesus Christ.

(triumphant music)

(crickets chirping)

(Jody coughing)

- [Tim] What is it?

Are you just nervous

for the Games tomorrow?
- No.

Last week, I was nervous.

Today, I'm just fucking terrified.

Like, I just...

I can't do this.

I'm not ready, I'm not
ready for the Games, so...

- Didn't you just win
that race a few weeks ago?

- Yeah, but that was against one person.

The Games are against multiple athletes,

the best in the country.

My God, in front of, like,
hundreds of people, so...

There's no way that I
don't choke, you know?

- I wish I knew what to say.

- There's nothing you can say.

I mean, I'm just...

I'm not ready, not ready for the Games.

This isn't just jitters, you know?

Like, I've been thinking about
it and thinking about it.

Like, I'm not ready.

Can't do it.

- Well, I think you are,

but if you're sure you don't want to...

Well, if we both got up
really early tomorrow,

I could snag my mom's
car, you could sneak out.

Maybe we could just go on a road trip,

up the Maine coast or something.

Just hide the whole weekend
till everything blows over.

- You would do that for me?

- Course.

I'd do anything for you.

(gentle piano music)

- I don't know. I just don't know.

I'm just not ready for the Games.

- What are you gonna say to your coach?

- God, I don't know.

I can't say anything face to
face, that's 100%, like...

I guess I'll just call her
when we're on the road, but...

She's gonna be so Goddamn
disappointed in me,

which shouldn't even surprise her

because nothing I do is
ever good enough for her.

Or for my dad, for that matter.

The only person I don't
feel that way about is you.

- I'm glad.

- I'd kiss you if I
didn't have puke breath.

- Hey, I don't mind.

Ugh, ew!
- Stop!

- Sour puke taste.
- Stop, that's not funny!

Stop.

I seriously love you.

- I seriously love you too.

(crickets chirping)
(birds chirping)

- Hi, it's me, again.

You need to call me and let
me know what's going on.

We're losing time here.

(Hannah sighs)

(engine whirs)

(soft knocking)

- [Bill] Hi.

- Hi. Is Jody here?

- I thought she was with you.

I figured you'd be halfway
to the Games by now.

- We should be. She never showed.

- Come on in.

- If I had to guess,

she's probably with that
boy she's been seeing.

- What boy she's been seeing?

- All I know is his first name is Tim,

and she's been seeing him all summer.

Sorry, I didn't know you didn't know.

- All right, I'll start calling around.

Holy Christ, I don't
even know where to begin.

Yes, I do. At least, I think I do.

Goddammit!

- All right, I'm gonna check out

some of our old training spots.

It's a long shot, but it's
better than doing nothing.

- [Bill] Hey, if you hear anything,

please, just let me know, all right?

Anything.

- I will.

Hey.

It's gonna be all right.

(Hannah sighs)

(stream splashing)

(tone rings)

(cellphone rings)

(cellphone beeps)

Hang on. I got to pull over.

Are you all right?

- Yeah.

- Where are you?

- I'm with Tim.

In New Hampshire, near the coast.

- What? What the hell are
you doing in New Hampshire?

- I had a bit of a meltdown.

It was the worst kinda
sick I ever felt, so...

I just had to get away.

- Okay.

I need you need to get back in his car

and get your ass back
here as fast as possible.

We're gonna be late, but
maybe they'll take pity on us.

- I could tell you that I'm coming,

but that would be a lie, so...

I've calmed down, but I'm
still sure of my decision.

I'm not ready for the Games.

- Okay, no, no, no.

You're giving into fear, and
I know you're gonna regret it.

I know you think you have
an ocean of opportunities

ahead of you, but you don't.

These opportunities are so rare,
and you've trained so hard.

- Yeah, so maybe we could
try again next summer?

- There's not gonna be a next summer.

This was my last shot.

- I'm sorry, Coach. I know I'm a coward.

- So that's it?

- Yeah.

- Do me one favor?

- Sure.

- Call your dad.

He's worried.

(cellphone beeps)

(lively piano music)

(Jody sighs)

(Hannah grunts)

(dramatic music)

- You okay?

Come here.

(keys clacking)

(snaps fingers)

Go wait for me in the kitchen.

Step out.

Do you got anything you
want to say for yourself?

- Not really.

She was scared, she didn't think

she could talk to you or her coach,

and she needed help, so that's what I did.

So I'm sorry about the
feelings that got hurt,

but I'd do it again if I had to.

- Well, you did the wrong thing,

but I guess it was for the right reasons.

You're Tim, right?

- Yeah.

- I appreciate you looking out for her,

but if something like
this ever happens again,

you and I are gonna have a
real problem, you understand?

- Yes, sir.

- All right. Go on home.

(Tim sighs)

(engine whirs)

Do I have to say anything?

- No.

- You know how much you hurt your coach?

- Yes.

- And you're gonna go over there

and you're gonna apologize to her,

face to face.
- Yes.

Yes, I'll go over later.

- No.

- I'll go over now?

- Yes.

And this Tim guy, is that serious?

- Yeah.

(Bill sighs)

- All right, I don't what your mother

and you used to talk about,

but did you two have the sex talk?

- Oh, my God, Dad!

The only thing that could make

this day worse is you trying
to have the sex talk with me.

- We're not gonna do it now, okay?

But we're gonna do it.

We'll get through it one time.

It'll suck for you, it's
gonna definitely suck for me,

but we'll do it one time

and then we'll never have to
talk about it again, okay?

- Okay.

- Okay?
- Okay!

- Okay. Good.

Now, go.

(door clacks)

(door thuds)

(crickets chirping)
(birds chirping)

(Jody sighs)

(soft knocking)

(door clacks)

- [Hannah] Come on in.

How was your trip?

- Terrible.

- Good.

- You know I didn't do it for fun, right?

- I know.

- You ever freezed up
before meet like I did?

- Yeah, but I fought through it,

which is why I wish you
had just talked to me

instead of just taking off.

I could have talked you through it.

Didn't I do that for you
when you raced Laurene?

- Yeah, but it was just so overwhelming

that I didn't want to
be talked through it.

Do you hate me?

- No, I don't hate you.

- Are you disappointed in me?

- Absolutely, I am.

And I'm not gonna do anything

to try to make you feel better about that.

- I deserve that.

I just hope you can find a
way to forgive me because

I really respect you and
you're my best friend

and I really love you a lot.

(Hannah scoffs)

What?

- Nothing, it's just been a long time

somebody's said anything like that to me.

(gentle piano music)

Hey, remember that pinkie swear

you made a couple months ago?

- Yeah.

Why?

- 'Cause I still owe you
a punch in the stomach.

Take a good look.

This is where the Games are held.

- [Jody] It's a lot bigger
than I thought it was gonna be.

- Yep. That's why I brought you here.

This is what the future holds,

so if you're gonna get overwhelmed,

do it now and get it out of your system.

- So does that mean you're
gonna train me for next year?

- I'm thinking about it.

I'm not big on giving
people second chances,

but that attitude hasn't
gotten me very far, so...

- I know you have no reason to believe me,

but I wouldn't let you down again.

- Two conditions.

One, the day may come when we
look at your little freeze-up

and laugh about it, but I'm not there yet,

so for now, we don't talk about it,

we don't joke about it.

We shove it to the back of our brains

and we pretend like it never happened,

like two normal, dysfunctional Americans.

Two, the day before the Games,

you are not out of my
sight for one second.

You stay at my house,
you sleep on my floor,

and if you have to go to the bathroom,

you do it with the door open.

Got it?
- Ew.

- [Hannah] That's the deal.

I'm not giving you another
chance to freak out.

Got it?

- Got it.

- It's intimidating though, isn't it?

Most of us never have the
chance to run the big race,

and even fewer of us win it.

- Are you nervous?

- Nope.

- Good. Neither am I.

♪ It's crazy to say ♪

♪ But every single day ♪

♪ Any road I take ♪

♪ Is leading to you ♪

(gentle guitar music)

♪ And I tried to escape ♪

♪ I tried to walking away ♪

♪ But it's never enough ♪

♪ And I'm falling in love ♪

♪ Oh, I'm falling in love ♪

♪ Oh, I'm falling in
love, in love with you ♪

♪ And I'm falling in love ♪

♪ I'm falling in love ♪

♪ I'm falling in love, in love with you ♪

(gentle piano music)