The Art of Racing in the Rain (2019) - full transcript

ENZO:

Gestures are all that I have.

I have no words I can rely on,

because my tongue was designed

long and flat

and is therefore

an ineffective tool

for making complicated

polysyllabic sounds.

And that is why I'm here now...

waiting for Denny

to come home...

lying in a puddle

of my own making.

(keys jingling,

door unlocks)

DENNY: Yo, Enz!

(door closes)

(footsteps approaching)

Enzo?

ENZO: I hear the worry

in his voice.

DENNY: What happened, pal?

Oh, Enz.

ENZO:

I can smell the day on him.

Motor oil and gasoline

and roast chicken.

DENNY: Can you get up, bud?

I'm here, buddy.

DENNY: I'm right here.

Okay.

ENZO: If only I could speak...

I would tell him not to worry.

I saw a documentary

about Mongolia on TV once.

In Mongolia,

they believe that when a dog

has finished living

his lifetimes as a dog,

his next incarnation

will be as a man.

I'm right here, bud.

There he is.

ENZO: I realize this would mean

losing all my memories,

my experiences.

But I have a plan.

I will try to imprint

what I know on my soul,

carry it so deeply

in the pockets of my existence

that when I open my eyes

and look down at my new hands,

I will already know.

DENNY: There's my Enzo.

ENZO: I will be ready.

I will remember.

(puppies whimpering)

ENZO: He picked me

out of a pile of pups,

a tangled mass

of paws and tails.

He'd stopped at the farm

on his way home

- from the speedway at Yakima.

- DENNY: Hey.

ENZO: Even back then, I knew

I was different than other dogs.

My soul just felt more... human.

This one.

(chuckles) Definitely this one.

- The pick of the litter.

- ENZO: She always said that.

MR. SPANGLE:

Well, just a minute now.

We were thinking of

keeping that one.

ENZO: He always said that, too.

Hey.

How much?

ENZO: And so,

I had my first glimpse

at the rest of my life.

(music playing on radio)

(squeals)

(young Enzo barks)

(music continues playing)

(indistinct chatter)

Tony! Denny's here.

TONY: Hey-hey!

DENNY: Ah, just wait for it.

I didn't know

you were getting a puppy.

DENNY: Neither did I.

Saw a sign on the road and,

I don't know,

something came over me.

Isn't that right, Enzo?

"Enzo?" You mean like Ferrari?

That's rad.

You can't look after a dog.

You're never home.

Oh, you're gonna ruin

the moment, aren't you?

Our best friend,

he's gonna ruin the moment.

DENNY: I'll take him

on the road with me.

He can be my good luck charm.

TONY: Hey, you coming

to our show tonight?

We're opening for

The Scoffs at The Dive.

Oh, no, he can't. He's got

a new puppy to look after.

See, he's good luck already.

I got the call this morning,

they need an extra driver.

Yeah, sure. Yeah, I'll, uh,

leave you a pass at the gate.

Okay, two passes.

Who is this guy again?

That's right.

- ENZO: I liked my new home.

- (sniffing)

It only lacked for grass,

but I figured I could make do.

- Enzo, no!

- (whines)

Don, I got to call you back.

And... go ahead.

Okay, bud, fire away.

ENZO: Denny seemed

unusually interested

in my bathroom habits.

Go on. Go ahead.

(urinating)

DENNY: Oh... (sighs)

Of course, you did.

(chuckles)

Okay, pal...

it's time to turn in.

Big day tomorrow at the race.

So just be a good boy.

Get some sleep, okay?

(whimpering)

(Denny groans)

- (young Enzo barking)

- (sighs)

Okay.

All right.

Okay.

(sniffles)

(indistinct chatter on TV)

(sighs) Okay.

Of course. Just rub that in...

- (loud bang)

- (car honks)

ENZO: I'd later learn

it was called a television.

And, in time, it would teach me

much about human behavior.

But that night,

it felt like a window

into a whole new world.

Oh, you like that, huh?

ENZO: Like it?

No, I loved it.

(car engines whirring on TV)

DENNY: Right foot on the gas.

Ease into the turn.

(barks)

(chuckles)

(indistinct chatter)

ENZO: And even better was

when he took me

to the race itself.

MAN: Denny!

- Oh, look!

- Oh, it's a puppy.

ENZO: Denny's apartment

was home, but this...

this was where I truly belonged.

(indistinct shouting)

(indistinct announcement

over PA)

ENZO: It was more thrilling

than I could've imagined.

(car engines roaring)

What do you think, Enzo?

ENZO: I

thought it was heaven on earth.

WRIGHT: What'd you say

his name is again?

Denny Swift.

KITCH: Number 96 car.

KITCH: He teaches for me

from time to time

when he needs cash,

but you trust me,

this kid's a diamond

in the rough.

CREW CHIEF: Copy that.

(indistinct chatter)

ENZO:

The heat coming off the track,

the breathless speed

and precision of the pit crew...

I was in awe of it all.

(whirring)

He did a year in Formula Three.

Got picked up

by Zip Simone's Audi program.

Started making a name

for himself,

but then Zippy went bankrupt.

Then he lost his ride.

(engine revving)

Clear!

(all applauding)

KITCH: You really serious

about starting your own team,

there's your man right there.

He's been down almost

a full lap this whole stint.

It's not about

who's got the heavier foot.

It's about the feel.

(thunder rumbling)

Denny was the first

to make the call

to switch to rain tires.

(crowd clamoring)

Step over here.

Hey. Watch this.

In all my years of racing,

I've never seen anyone

like Denny in the wet.

Reminds me what they

used to say about Senna:

"When it rains,

it doesn't rain on him."

(tires screeching)

(cheering, whooping)

- ENZO: And when he won...

- Enzo!

...I felt like I'd witnessed

true greatness.

(all cheering)

DENNY: Yeah!

First race, huh?

What'd you think, boy?

You like it?

Did you like it?

- Hey, kid, you got a minute?

- Hey.

I want you to meet Sean Wright.

Hey. Denny Swift.

He sold his tech company

for some obscene amount of money

and now he's determined

to waste it all racing GTs.

Yeah,

I think I've read about you.

That was some win today.

You think you could drive

that way for him?

Try me.

ENZO:

My first year went by in a blur.

Wait. Let me see.

ENZO: I realize nobody

has a perfect childhood,

but I'd contend

that mine came fairly close.

Denny began racing

for Wright full-time

and took me with him

whenever he could,

like a four-legged member

of the pit crew.

(indistinct chatter)

DENNY: Hey, Enz, you good?

ENZO: I was better than good.

CREWMAN: Go! Clear!

- (engine revving)

- (tires squeal)

ENZO:

Call it fate, call it luck.

All I knew was

I was meant to be his dog.

(man cheering)

ENZO: Denny always said

the best drivers

focus only on the present.

Never dwelling on the past,

never committing to the future.

(man shouting indistinctly)

- Go get it!

- Whoo!

ENZO: Reflection must come

at a later time.

Which is why drivers

compulsively record

their every move

with their in-car cameras.

DENNY: I got to turn earlier.

Get a better run on that corner.

ENZO: I learned so much

from him about balance,

anticipation, patience.

Car goes where your eyes go,

Enz.

ENZO: And I would fantasize

that one day I, too,

might actually race.

REPORTER: Congratulations

on a spectacular win today.

Not an easy race,

by any stretch.

Well, you know,

I'm a risk taker.

Man, that win was all you.

This guy hasn't even

mentioned you once.

You're way too good

for this guy, Denny.

You got to start getting

your own sponsors.

Yeah, maybe.

My drivers look to me

as their leader...

Turn this clown off.

Put on the Mariners.

ENZO: There's an old saying

I'd often hear Denny repeat:

"No race was ever won

in the first corner

but many have been lost there."

Just you and me, Enz.

Always you and me.

...and then accelerating

through.

ENZO: Nothing was more

important to us than racing.

I knew it was

only a matter of time

before Denny reached his goal

of racing Formula One in Europe.

- DENNY: (whistles) Come on!

- (Enzo barking)

ENZO: And the whole world

would see him the way I did.

Good boy.

ENZO: He'd be adored

by fans everywhere.

His victories

the stuff of legend.

His name inscribed alongside

the very best

our sport has ever known.

(chuckles softly)

(car engines whirring on TV)

ENZO: But for now,

he was my champion alone.

(indistinct chatter)

And then she showed up.

(indistinct)

- EVE: That was great.

- DENNY: Yeah.

Hey.

DENNY: Enzo, this is Eve.

EVE: Hi, Enzo.

How you doing?

ENZO: My first impression of Eve

was as complicated

as the scents in the air.

I'm not really

much of a dog person.

ENZO: A mélange of produce,

shampoo and pheromones.

Yeah, well,

he's more person than dog.

ENZO: Denny was clearly taken

with her grooming.

She probably bathed every day,

for all I knew.

Does he always stare at people

like this? (laughs)

If he likes them.

So, are you a chef or something?

No, I teach English

as a second language,

and one of my students is Thai,

and she made this curry

that was incredible.

But it looks like

you have to go.

I don't know

what's gotten into him.

It was nice to meet you.

Come here, come on!

Hey, uh, Eve?

My, uh... my friends,

they play in a band

and they're playing a show

at Nemo's tonight.

I thought, you know,

if you didn't have plans...

"Head Injury"?

Yeah, they're Seattle's

third most popular...

"Soundgarden tribute band."

Yeah, I mean,

according to them. (laughs)

EVE: That sounds like fun.

- DENNY: It does?

- Mmm-hmm.

Yeah! Yeah, no, we'll...

we'll make it fun.

- All right, I'll see you then.

- DENNY: Cool.

EVE: Bye.

DENNY: Come on.

- I thought you guys rocked.

- See, Mike?

He was freaking out because

we skipped a verse on Spoonman.

MIKE: Oh, we skipped a verse?

Now imagine this

all throughout high school.

So, which song was

your favorite?

The... second-to-last one.

The one with

the 12-minute guitar solo?

Yeah, that was the best part!

(laughs) Denny, marry this girl.

(chuckles) Uh,

do you want another?

No, thanks.

Could I have some water?

- Yeah, sure. Mike?

- MIKE: Yep.

So, uh... you two just met, huh?

EVE: Yeah.

- And?

- Dude.

(chuckles) And I think

he's really nice.

Wait till you see him race.

Then you'll really fall in love.

Dude!

- What? I was just...

- (chuckles)

So, when do I get

to see you race?

(laughter)

ENZO: As if Denny

would ever fall for that.

- (woman shouting)

- Yes!

ENZO: She knew almost nothing

about racing,

but for some reason,

Denny didn't seem to mind.

I assumed she would soon

be in our rearview mirror.

But by spring, it was clear

Eve wasn't going anywhere.

(all cheering)

ENZO: I'll admit I envied the

attention he lavished on her,

- with her...

- (laughs)

...opposable thumbs

and plump buttocks.

EVE: In his regular car, yes.

well, what does he know

about teaching English?

Yeah, my point exactly.

ENZO: And her taste

in television programs

left something to be desired.

EVE: Will you stop?

ENZO: Denny never tired

of pleasing her.

All for his reward,

which usually meant lots

of stroking and...

nuzzling.

- How was your class?

- It was good.

ENZO: Did I envy

her engaging smile?

Her effortless laugh?

Perhaps I did.

(Eve and Denny laughing)

ENZO: For she was a person,

unlike me.

DENNY: Mmm-hmm. (kissing)

I'll go make us some breakfast.

- (gasps) Really?

- DENNY: Yeah.

Okay, thanks.

(Eve sighs)

Hey, Enzo.

You don't mind

if I love him too, do you?

ENZO: As if I had a say

in the matter.

ENZO: They were married

at a magnificent palace

with its very own ocean.

The kind of place I had assumed

only existed on television.

I tried my best to be helpful.

(indistinct chatter)

I minded my manners,

resisted snacking on the trays

of exquisite appetizers

and made sure to do my business

in the flowerbed farthest

from the festivities.

The place belonged

to Eve's parents,

Trish and Maxwell...

who I confess I first mistook

for twins.

(indistinct chatter)

Would the bearer please

bring the rings forward?

Aww!

(guests chuckling)

ENZO: When the time came,

I did as I was instructed,

for Denny's sake.

(man chuckles)

- Good boy.

- Come on, Enz. Come here, bud.

DENNY: Hey.

Good boy.

DENNY: With this ring,

I thee wed.

Eve?

EVE: With this ring,

I thee wed.

(chuckles)

(all cheering)

ENZO: And so, we became

a family...

to varying degrees

of enthusiasm.

Think he could've shaved

for his own wedding?

- Maxwell.

- MAXWELL: What?

It's just an observation.

Oh, please.

No one's good enough for her

in your eyes.

I like him, I do,

but I love my daughter

and the man races cars

for a living.

You don't think

I'm within my rights

- to be a little concerned?

- No, not if Eve isn't.

ENZO: I've learned

that people will say

just about anything

in front of me,

as I am only a dumb dog.

I put a call in

to Andy Neuberger last week.

He said a driver who's been

on the circuit

as long as Denny has,

if it was gonna break for him,

most likely would've happened

by now.

But Eve says he's been

doing great lately.

I knew I'd find you two in here.

Come on, it's cake time.

TRISH: Daddy was making

his drink.

(both laugh)

ENZO: After the wedding came

the move.

(grunts)

ENZO: I was of two minds

about it.

I now had room to roam.

But the old apartment was ours,

Denny and me.

(indistinct chatter)

(both laughing)

ENZO: I tried to communicate

my feelings.

- EVE: What was that?

- It was Enzo. He's just excited.

ENZO: But my gestures

were inevitably misinterpreted.

(kissing)

Moreover, there was

a mysterious new aura

about Eve that, for some reason,

prevented me from maintaining

any resentment toward her.

DENNY: It's Watkins Glen,

which I usually do

really well at.

EVE: And that's in New York,

right?

Yeah. Yeah.

You could take a couple days off

and we could

get out there early.

I'm pregnant.

Wait, what?

You freaked out?

No! No, I'm not!

Wait, are you freaked out?

A little, yeah.

(chuckles)

(Denny laughing)

Did you know about this?

- (barks)

- (Denny laughs)

ENZO: I never really grasped

the concept of money

and why humans always

seemed to be in need of it.

But Denny became more and more

preoccupied with it.

- All right!

- (engine revving)

ENZO: He began to train harder

than ever.

He took

on extra teaching sessions,

competed in every race he could.

I'll miss you.

ENZO: This meant

my spending more

and more time alone with Eve.

- Come on, Enz. Come on.

- (car door closes)

ENZO: To be honest,

I still didn't share

Denny's overt affection for her.

Hey, buddy, thank you so much.

(groans)

ENZO: But we developed

a rhythm of our own.

That's very nice. (sighs)

ENZO: At times, she even

reminded me of my own mother

when she would sigh

and shrug herself

- into a prone position.

- (groans) Oh, God.

ENZO: It must be amazing

to have a body

that can carry

an entire creature inside.

I mean, other than a tapeworm,

which I've had.

Do you want to know

what it feels like?

Good boy.

(gasps) Did you feel that?

Did you feel that kick?

Oh, sweet boy, come here.

It's okay. Come here.

That's okay.

ENZO: I couldn't imagine

what was going on

inside Eve's magic sack

where the baby

was being assembled.

I just hoped it would look

like me.

(paper rustling)

DENNY: Enzo... slow down,

it's your only one.

- EVE: It's cozy.

- DENNY: I love it.

It probably looks exactly

like the last one

- I got you, but...

- (laughing)

Do you like it?

I got it from Pike Place.

It's 100 percent handmade.

(chuckles) It's, uh...

Your favorite shade of pink.

- It is.

- (chuckles)

- (exhales)

- You okay?

Yeah, I'm fine. I just want

to see what it looks like on.

Hey, can we talk about

this whole midwife thing again?

- Honey, we've been over this.

- Yeah, I know.

I'm just saying.

I mean, you know,

I was born in a hospital,

you were born in a hospital.

I know, but I really want

to do it here.

EVE: I mean,

Tanya birthed her twins at home.

And she said that

these two women

she used were amazing.

- Okay.

- (cell phone rings)

- Hey.

- (phone ringing)

Hi, Mom. Merry Chri...

EVE: Okay.

Someone from

something-something... Penske?

On Christmas Day?

DENNY: Hello.

- (laughs)

- DENNY: Yeah, hi.

What is this hat?

ENZO: They say dogs

can't see color.

DENNY: Oh, Okay.

ENZO: Apparently,

neither could Denny.

DENNY: Yeah, I'll, um,

hear back from you again, okay.

DENNY: Bye.

EVE. What is it?

That was Judd Murphy

from Team Penske.

He's down a driver

and he just offered me a seat

in the 24 Hours of Daytona.

That's good, right?

Good? I mean, it's great!

DENNY: It's Daytona.

This is the shot

I've been wanting.

DENNY: This could change

everything for me.

Oh, my God, Denny, that's great!

(barking)

It's the last weekend

of January.

So? The due date

isn't till February 15th.

DENNY:

That's cutting it awful close.

Hey, what if you came

with me? Huh?

We don't have to fly.

Denny. I'm not driving

to Florida.

- (Denny sighs)

- But you have to do this.

There is nothing to debate here.

This is your shot.

If you finish well,

all these doors start to open.

You're not worried

about timing... at all?

When have you known me

to be early for anything?

(groaning and screaming)

ENZO: I didn't know a human

could make such sounds.

(Eve screaming)

ENZO: Denny missed it

all however,

as he was driving through

the night at Daytona.

ANNOUNCER: (on TV)

Denny Swift in the #22 car

putting in

a tremendous performance,

considering the team was

in 10th place.

MIDWIFE:

You're doing wonderfully, Eve.

(Eve screaming)

ANNOUNCER: (on TV)

Approaching hour 17

of this marathon race,

and the rain is really pouring.

EVE: I want to talk to Denny.

Can you call him?

MIDWIFE:

Just keep pushing, okay?

ANNOUNCER: With Swift back

in the #22 car,

he's snapping at the heels

of car #17.

MIDWIFE: One more push.

(screaming)

ANNOUNCER: Unbelievable!

Denny Swift has taken the lead

in a magnificent show of skill.

- (baby crying)

- Oh, hi, sweet girl.

You're nice and warm.

MIDWIFE: All right. We'll give

you two some time alone.

- Thank you.

- (chuckles) You're welcome.

Oh! Shoo now, pup!

No, he can stay.

Yeah. Oh...

EVE: Enzo.

ENZO: The scent was...

unprecedented.

Come here, sweet boy. Come here.

ENZO: I had never encountered

a creature quite so beautiful.

Zoë...

this is Enzo.

He's your family, too.

And he'll always protect you.

(baby coos)

- (brakes screech)

- (Enzo barking)

(Enzo barking)

DENNY: Hey, how is everything?

She's okay?

Hi! She's fine.

Yes, just fine. (laughs)

- DENNY: Hey.

- (Trish sighs)

DENNY: Yeah.

She's been waiting

for her daddy.

I should've been here.

EVE: Honey, she's a day old.

DENNY: I know, but still...

You're here now.

EVE: This is why we met.

To make

this perfect little thing.

- (kisses)

- (Zoë coos)

EVE: I still don't understand.

DENNY: We lost.

It's no big deal.

We were leading by a lap

going into the last stint.

And... I told Murph

I felt up to finishing, but...

the sponsors were pressuring him

to go with this

wonder kid from California

who'd been doing

a bunch of press lately.

Ten minutes in,

the kid hit the wall.

Totaled the car.

But you drove well.

Yeah, it doesn't really mean

a whole lot

if your team doesn't finish.

It's okay.

Really.

There's gonna be other races.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

Oh, Zoë. You okay?

Where is she?

It's been too long!

(both laughing)

ENZO: The twins,

who rarely visited,

now stopped by frequently

to clutter our home

with garish gifts.

Denny pretended not to mind,

but something about the zebra

put me ill at ease.

Look at those pretty eyes.

Hello, baby girl.

- Dad, she needs a change.

- Oh, I'll do it!

- EVE: Yeah?

- (Trish chuckling)

Yeah, Grandma's got you.

Denny!

- It's coming along.

- Thanks.

I watched some of that race

of yours, by the way.

How's that boy doing,

the one who crashed?

We've had

this conversation before.

Still, you have a daughter now.

MAXWELL: Say, for instance,

you get seriously injured,

or God forbid, killed...

- I won't.

- You can't promise that.

Yes, I can.

I promise you

that I will always provide

for Eve and Zoë,

no matter what.

And I swear to you

that I will put my safety first,

even if that means

losing every race that I enter.

TRISH: Bye. Bye, honey.

Love you.

(door closes)

ENZO: It amazed me,

the power exerted

by a creature as tiny

as our little Zoë.

A power she wielded

over me as well...

with no more effort

than the earth

does the moon in its orbit.

(indistinct chattering)

(Zoë cooing and laughing)

ENZO: I was an integral figure

in her entertainment,

leaping after tennis balls

and scrambling back

to catch them

then dancing

like a four-legged clown

to catch them again.

- Run!

- (Enzo barks)

DENNY: Whoa!

(Eve laughing)

- You ready, birthday girl?

- (giggling)

Okay, here we go.

ENZO: I was so immersed

in her world

that I'd lose count

of the weeks and months.

DENNY AND EVE:

Ready, steady...

- go!

- (Zoë inhales sharply)

(all cheering)

ENZO: And when she would

tell her playmates

that I was her big brother,

my heart would swell with pride.

Hot potato!

- EVE: Whoa!

- (Zoë laughing)

- Ahh!

- Stinky Drawers!

DENNY: Oh! She's coming in.

Go! She's coming in hot!

Good boy.

(Zoë giggling)

(Denny laughing)

ZOË: Everyone has to wait

their turn for a snack,

even zebras.

Right, teacher?

- Daddy!

- Hi!

(grunts)

Hey, I'm sorry I missed

your dance recital.

Mommy told me all about it.

- Did you win?

- No, sweet pea, not this one.

- ZOË: Better?

- (chuckles)

- You have no idea.

- (giggles)

(grunts)

Thanks for taking care

of our girls, Enz.

Okay, so what do we got here?

ZOË: Well, this is

my second-grade class.

DENNY: Feels like I'm always

at the track

or getting on a plane.

EVE: Feels that way

for me too sometimes.

(pills clatter)

It'll get easier.

You okay?

Just a headache.

I was up late grading papers.

It wasn't supposed

to take this long, you know.

Dream's always been Formula One,

but it feels...

like I'm just kind

of treading water.

Hey...

no race was ever won

on the first corner.

(chuckles softly) Yeah.

You still love it, don't you?

Yeah, of course. Yeah.

Maybe that's not enough.

I don't know.

Apex offered me a seat

at Laguna Seca for next weekend.

I told them I needed to think

about it.

You're just tired.

Yeah.

ENZO: I spent a sleepless night

contemplating

what Denny had said.

Quit racing?

He was a racecar driver

the way I was a dog.

It was his nature.

His destiny.

MAN: (on TV) According

to Mongolian folklore,

the dogs are able to see

into the spirit world...

EVE: Zoë, honey, dinner's ready!

I want to wait for Daddy.

EVE: Daddy's teaching tonight.

- Five more minutes?

- EVE: Ugh!

Okay. Enzo, dinner!

Yes!

ENZO: And then all my worries

about Denny were eclipsed

by a smell.

An odor coming from her ears

and sinuses like...

decay.

Like rotting wood.

Given a facile tongue,

I could have warned her.

Don't give me

a hard time, too, buddy.

ENZO: Instead, all I could do

was watch and feel empty inside

because there was nothing

I could do to help her.

In the zebra's mute stare,

I could sense it mocking

my predicament.

Eve had assigned me

to protect Zoë.

(exhales softly)

But no one had been

assigned to protect Eve.

(car door opens and closes)

(barking)

Hey, hey, shh.

You're gonna wake up Zoë.

Come on.

(car revving on TV)

Since when do you

watch my in-cars?

How come you go through

the turns

so much faster than

the other cars?

Well...

most drivers are afraid

of the rain,

because it's

an unpredictable element.

They're forced to react to it.

And if they're reacting

at speed...

then they're probably too late,

so they should be afraid of it.

Well, I'm afraid

just watching it.

Yeah, but if you intentionally

make the car do something,

you don't have to predict.

You control the outcome.

So, you skid the car

before it skids itself?

Yeah.

Yeah.

When I'm in a racecar,

I'm the creator

of my own destiny.

"That which you manifest

is before you."

Create your own conditions

and rain is just rain.

(Denny chuckles softly)

Tomorrow morning you're gonna

call the folks at Apex

and you're gonna tell them

that you'll see them

in Laguna Seca.

And you can't give up, not ever.

Not for us.

Not for anyone.

EVE: Promise me.

I promise.

ENZO: At that moment,

I finally understood

Denny's love for Eve

and why for so long

I had been afraid

to love her myself.

She was

my unpredictable element.

She was my rain.

ANNOUNCER: It's looking

to be a beautiful day here

at Laguna Seca Raceway

in Salinas, California.

We have a deep field

of 43 GT cars

and an impressive roster

- of drivers.

- (object clatters)

(Eve retching)

(sniffling)

(clears throat)

(continues retching)

- Mommy?

- EVE: Go pack your bag.

We're gonna

to Grandma and Grandpa's

for a few days

until Daddy gets home. Okay?

Are you feeling sick?

I just really need to rest.

EVE: Please?

(groaning)

(retching)

(coughs)

Come on.

ENZO: It all happened so fast.

(door lock clicks)

In five minutes they were gone.

But I wasn't gone.

I was still there.

Denny always said panic's

a driver's worst enemy.

So, I did not panic.

I did not overcorrect or freeze,

even though I knew

Denny wouldn't be home

for at least another two days.

But I'm a dog.

And when God denied dogs

the use of thumbs,

He gave us the ability

to survive

without food

for extended periods.

So, although a thumb

would've been very helpful,

allowing me to turn a doorknob,

for instance,

my second-best tool

was my ability

to go without food.

The longer

my isolation continued,

the more anxious I became.

- What if Denny never returned?

- (indistinct chatter on TV)

With only a limited supply

of drinking water,

I had no way of knowing

how long I'd have

to make it last.

I sustained myself

with the odd stray Cheerio

Zoë had dropped...

and suffered the indignity

of relieving myself

on the mat...

waiting for my ordeal to end.

(car door closes)

(barking)

(thunder rumbling)

ENZO: It was roughly 40 hours

into my solitude

when I think

I began to hallucinate.

I'd just discovered

some remnants of spilled yogurt

when I heard a noise.

(thudding)

(rock music playing)

It was the zebra.

(barks and growls)

I stalked the creature

as it performed

its brutal burlesque

not sure how much more

- I could abide.

- (toy squeaks)

(barks and growls)

(fabric rips)

(laughs)

(growling)

(snarling)

(laughs mockingly)

ENZO: I ran out, hoping what

I had seen was only in my mind,

a demonic vision

driven by lack of glucose.

(thunder rumbling)

But somehow,

I knew that it was true

and that something terrible

had happened.

(TV playing in background)

(keys jingle)

Anyone home?

Enz, hey.

What are you doing? Come here.

(Enzo grunts softly)

DENNY: Enzo, come here!

(whines)

Come here, bud. Hey.

What happened?

Where is everyone?

Eve?

Are Eve and Zoë still there?

Can I talk to her?

Yeah. I'm at the house.

Enzo is here.

Wait, Eve, wait, hold...

He's been here the whole time?

DENNY: I thought you took him

with you!

No, I got to go.

I got to take care of him.

The mat was the only place

you used, huh?

Come here, bud.

There you go.

- ZOË: Daddy, I missed you!

- DENNY: Oh! I missed you, too.

ZOË: Can I say hi to my animals?

DENNY: Yeah, go up.

I'm just trying to understand.

Ugh. I felt so sick

I wasn't thinking.

The doctor thinks

it's maybe something viral.

Hi, buddy. Hi.

Enz, I'm so sorry.

- I'm so sorry.

- (Zoë screams)

(gasps) Zoë?

ZOË: Something happened

to my animals!

- (Zoë crying)

- DENNY: This is a mess.

I don't understand

why he'd do this.

Zoë, stop crying.

I'm gonna go find him.

Get over here.

- Get over here!

- (whines)

Bad dog! Come on!

Look what you did.

Look what you did!

DENNY: You see that?

Why would you do that?

DENNY: Bad dog!

- You stupid dog!

- Denny, stop!

EVE: What are you doing?

ENZO: I had only one thought:

The zebra must have

reassembled itself

and attacked the remaining

animals after I left.

I should've destroyed the demon

when I had the chance.

I should've eaten it,

even if it killed me.

(Zoë sobbing)

I'm so sorry, Enz.

I promise I'll never do

that again.

DENNY: You're a tough old dog.

Come on.

Come on.

I won, by the way.

Like first in class?

First overall.

- (gasping)

- Plus, a permanent seat

in the Apex prototype.

EVE: Oh, my God, Denny!

Oh, my God!

(laughs) They want me down

in Sonoma

to start training

with the team right away.

I'm so proud of you.

I was thinking

we could all go on the road?

- Yes.

- Maybe at least for the summer?

Yeah, go to all the races

and everything?

ENZO: In racing, your car goes

where your eyes go.

A driver who cannot tear

his gaze from the wall

will inevitably meet that wall.

But the driver

who looks down the track

as he feels

his tires break free,

that driver

will maintain control

of his car and his destiny.

I realized this was

what Denny had done.

He had manifested a win

because he knew we needed one.

(indistinct chatter)

EVE: Keys.

- Okay. I'll call you tonight.

- Okay.

Bye, bud. Hey, kiddo,

I need that.

(chuckles) Let's see.

Thank you. Thank you.

- Have fun.

- Bye.

ZOË: Bye, Daddy!

(cell phone ringing)

- Hi, Mom.

- TRISH: (on phone) Hi.

I wanted to see

how you're feeling.

I'm fine. Much better.

I'm taking Enzo for a hike

while Zoë's at school.

I need to get into shape,

I feel so gross.

TRISH: Honey,

you're frail as a whippet.

Is Denny out of town again?

Mom, I'm not getting into this.

I hear enough about it from Dad.

TRISH: Sweetheart,

I'm really just asking.

I know.

Um, I got to go.

I'll call you later. I love you.

- TRISH: I love you.

- Bye.

(sighs)

(exhales sharply)

(breathing heavily)

It's okay.

I'm okay.

(barking)

ENZO: There are moments

when the urge to speak

is truly maddening.

(Enzo continues barking)

(sirens wailing)

WOMAN: There's a number.

ENZO: Sometimes I hate

what I am.

DENNY: Hey, come on.

Come here.

Yeah... she's gonna be okay.

- Appreciate this, Mike.

- MIKE: No problem, man.

They're talking about

not even doing a biopsy,

just go in and get it...

malignant or not.

MIKE: You, um...

You want me

to call Apex for you?

Nah, I already did.

Told them I'm out

for the season, maybe longer.

I have to be here.

Okay, Enzo, you're gonna bunk

with Uncle Mike tonight.

What do you say about that?

You be good for Mike, okay?

See you in a couple days.

ENZO: I would have done

anything to stay with him.

But being a dog,

I was not allowed

into the hospital

to hear the diagnosis

or the options being discussed.

I was almost ten years old

but no one confided in me,

or expected anything except

that I control my barking

and do my business outside.

(indistinct chatter)

Somewhere the zebra was dancing.

I thought about escaping.

I wanted to push everyone away

and run off to live

with my ancestors

on the high desert plains

of Mongolia.

I might have, too,

if not for my absolute faith

in Denny's ability

to make things right again.

(indistinct chatter)

She's out of surgery.

Now we just wait and...

see how she responds.

Hey, pal.

ENZO: A transmission gear snaps

The clutch fails.

Brakes go soft from overheating.

The poor driver will crash.

The average driver will quit.

But the great driver

will drive through the problem.

Hey, listen.

I have to teach tomorrow,

so you're gonna go to

Caroline's house after school

and I'll pick you up at six.

Okay.

Okay.

Daddy?

Yeah.

When's Mommy gonna come home?

I don't know, pal.

Soon, I hope.

ENZO: The great driver finds

a way to keep racing.

Good night, Daddy.

- Love you.

- Love you, too.

(exhales)

(indistinct chatter)

Oh, what's the matter?

You like grilled cheese.

But it's gonna be cold

by lunchtime.

Give your dad a break.

DENNY: I'm kinda learning

on the job here, kiddo.

Your wife works too, huh?

My mommy's in the hospital.

Her brain got sick.

DENNY: Okay, so I'm gonna

pick you up right after school.

But today's Tuesday.

I have an extended day.

Okay, so what time is that over?

Ask Mommy. She knows.

- Bye, sweetheart.

- Bye.

ZOË: Hi, Mommy.

ENZO: Days became weeks,

and still Eve did not come

home from the hospital.

You're gonna be okay.

ZOË: Everything's gonna be okay.

Maybe you should sit down now.

ENZO: The people who cared

about Denny

made special accommodations.

Mike got him some part-time

work at the garage

and looked after me

whenever Denny asked.

Ow!

ENZO: And there were

other skills

he was forced to master.

- ZOË: You're hurting me!

- DENNY: Okay.

I'm sorry.

ENZO: Zoë spent

the hot summer days

at a kids' camp

over by Green Lake...

Hi, sweetheart.

ENZO: ...and the occasional

night with the twins.

TRISH: Bye!

Here we go.

ENZO: On those nights,

Denny would stay late

at the hospital with Eve.

When we'd come home,

he would be very quiet.

(sighs)

ENZO: And then it would fall

to me to provide what he needed.

(exhales)

ENZO: By autumn,

we'd come to resemble

something like

a seasoned pit crew.

Anticipating, adjusting,

correcting.

Wait, sweetheart, here.

Here's your lunch.

- Thanks, Daddy.

- Okay, see you later.

- Bye.

- Bye.

Bye, Enzo.

Bye.

What do you say, Enz?

You're gonna like this one.

You ready?

Hey, Zoë!

Dinner!

ANNOUNCER: (on TV) Benjamin

is going around the outside,

- and it's Wilson and Neal.

- (chuckles) Oh!

No fair.

It's the red car's fault!

DENNY: Well, yes and no.

See, you've got to be in charge

of your position on the track.

That's what

the red car was doing.

At some point, in every race

you got to take a risk

if you want to win.

(in sing-song)

"Slow hands in the fast stuff,

fast hands in the slow stuff."

(chuckles) Oh, my God!

Your mom is gonna kill me.

ENZO: That night,

Denny got the call.

The doctors were finally

allowing Eve to come home,

only she wouldn't be coming home

to us.

Why can't Mommy stay with us?

DENNY: Well, she will soon.

But we thought since

your grandparents

are home all the time,

it'd be best if she just stayed

with them.

Just for now.

Mommy's here!

(chuckling)

- Oh, Zoë...

- EVE: That's fine, Mom.

EVE: Oh, my baby.

I've been waiting for this.

Me, too.

(Enzo whines)

It's still her, boy.

(chuckles)

EVE: Mmm.

ZOË: "And it was snowing

on a squirrel,

it was snowing on a beaver

and it was snowing on everyone.

But then he said,

'Oh, look, just as we thought.'

And Boggan said, 'Whishhhh.'

Charles wrote his wish

on a piece of paper."

DENNY: I don't understand.

What exactly are you asking?

Maxwell and I think Zoë

should stay here with us.

At least until...

Until what?

Are we just assuming now

that she's not gonna make it?

MAXWELL: We're all praying

for the best,

but you heard

what her doctor said.

This might be the only time

Zoë has with her mother.

TRISH: I can drive her to

and from school.

Or you can.

TRISH: Whatever you want.

And you're welcome

to stay here, too.

We just didn't think that you...

It's really up to you.

I'll talk about it with Eve.

DENNY: Come on.

They just want to help us,

Denny.

I know.

What matters is what you want.

I want my old life back.

Has my dad been any better

with you?

He promised he would be.

Yeah, he's fine.

We're fine, really. You just...

You just keep focused on you.

Okay?

Knock wood, in a few weeks

I'll get some strength back

and we can both come home again.

Right?

Right.

I want you

to start racing again.

You've been away

from it for too long.

We'll see.

I can't be the reason

that you quit.

You promised me

that you wouldn't quit.

DENNY: I won't.

I won't.

Get some sleep...

okay?

I love you.

I love you so much.

ENZO: It must be so difficult

being a person.

Sometimes I doubt my ability

to interact on such a level,

but I know it's required

if I'm to become the human

I hope to be.

Take care of our girls, Enzo.

ENZO: I stayed awake

all that night

and many others that followed.

The demon was coming for Eve.

But he would have

to get through me first.

Only once the others awoke

did I dare relinquish

my guard duties.

Lazy dog.

ENZO: On some nights,

Denny kept watch with me.

But he couldn't rest

in the morning.

(grunting)

- I got it, I got it. Okay.

- He had to stay strong for Zoë.

Tug-o-war. What about this one?

(both laughing)

DENNY: We've got a tug-o-war.

DENNY: Which one's he gonna get?

Which one's he gonna get?

(Enzo barking)

(Denny grunting)

Here it goes! I got it.

It's over there!

Enz, come here.

Good boy.

- TRISH: Remember?

- ZOË: Yeah.

ENZO: His endurance

knew no limits.

DENNY: Ah, hey...

- a tennis racket.

- TRISH: Yeah!

TRISH: And Grandpa got you

lessons at our club

on Wednesday afternoons.

Won't that be fun?

Actually, Wednesday's

not that good for me.

I'm at the garage all day.

That's all right.

We can drive you, Zoë, right?

- Yeah!

- Yeah.

ENZO: And when Eve's parents

doted on Zoë, he let them.

He understood this was their way

of pushing out of their minds

what was happening

to their own daughter.

(indistinct chattering)

ENZO: A task that was,

of course, impossible.

DENNY: Hey, I'm back.

Where are you guys?

(barking)

(music playing on stereo)

- Hi.

- Surprise!

DENNY: (laughs)

What's the surprise?

Just come.

EVE: We decided to have a party.

We're having a party?

I think

I'm a little underdressed.

You look incredibly handsome.

Are you sure you're up for this?

I want to come home.

I want you home.

So bad, you have no idea.

(music continues playing)

Do you see?

EVE: Do you?

I'm not afraid of it anymore.

Because I know it's not the end.

But you knew that, didn't you?

You know everything.

ENZO: Not everything, no.

(Eve exhales deeply)

ENZO: But I know this:

Eve's last breath

freed her soul.

I saw it leave, myself.

Released to continue

its journey elsewhere.

(Denny sniffles)

(exhales)

DENNY: That's nice.

That's a baby game.

I have to be a grownup now.

(sighs deeply)

Trish just fixed Zoë something

to eat.

Thank you.

(sighs) All those people.

All her old friends.

Students of hers.

Yeah, everyone loved her.

I thought I'd be ready,

you know?

I mean,

I knew it was coming, but...

I wasn't ready.

Not at all.

Well, to be honest,

Denny, that's...

what's concerning us a little.

That you haven't made

any preparations.

You don't seem to have

a plan in place.

Plan? I don't...

Zoë's eating an egg

and some toast.

We just started.

Oh, I thought...

I'm sorry, started what?

Can one of you tell me

what exactly is going on here?

Um...

Maxwell

and I have been talking, and...

we were wondering if maybe

the best situation

for all of us involved

might be if Zoë continued

to live here with us.

(scoffs) What?

MAXWELL:

She needs stability right now.

And, frankly, we don't think

you're in a position

to provide that.

MAXWELL: Not if you're

gonna return to racing.

Are you gonna go back to racing?

Of course, yeah.

- Not right away, but...

- And when you do,

who's gonna take care

of Zoë then?

I will.

- Like you did Eve?

- Maxwell!

What the hell is that supposed

to mean?

Denny, please,

none of us has the heart

to argue about this right now.

Maybe if you'd been around more,

you'd have noticed

something was wrong.

Maybe it could've been caught

in time.

TRISH: That's not true!

He's upset, Denny,

he's just upset.

You don't think

that I asked the doctors

that question a thousand times?

We all know there's nothing

anybody could've done.

That's not what this is about.

Zoë is coming home with me.

End of discussion!

We just want to consider

what's best for Zoë.

What's best for Zoë

is that she is with her father.

And if you want to have

any relationship with her,

I suggest you stop pushing

this issue right now!

See, what'd I tell you?

But you could still be

in her life,

just as much as you want to.

We have the time and the money

to care for her

the way Eve would have wanted.

You can continue to pursue

your racing full-time.

I'm done.

I'm done listening to this.

You're giving us

no other choice.

Maxwell,

you promised me you wouldn't!

(stammers)

DENNY: Are you kidding me?

I just buried my wife

and you're suing me

for custody of my daughter?!

(sobs) Denny, I'm so sorry.

This is not at all

what we thought...

ZOË: Finished my egg.

Sweetheart, go inside

and pack your things.

We're gonna go home right now.

Everything's fine, honey.

Your dad has some things

to take care of,

so you'll stay with us for now.

Zoë, go and get your stuff.

We're leaving.

Who the hell

do you think you are?

MAXWELL: You can't do this alone

and you know it.

What happens when

you're back to disappearing

for days on end

at those races of yours?

You're on a plane every weekend.

You missed her birth,

for Christ sakes!

You're not taking her.

- (grunts)

- Oh, my God.

(groaning)

- Are you...

- I'm fine.

I said I'm fine!

Denny, please let her stay.

Just for now.

The lawyers could come up

with a compromise!

DENNY: Zoë!

We'll come back later

for your dolls, okay?

Okay.

Get in the car, sweetheart.

You're making a big mistake!

Enzo, get in.

Not now, Enzo.

(scoffs)

What? Okay.

(chatter on TV)

ENZO: I didn't know what was on.

I only knew he needed

a distraction.

It was something Eve used to do

when Denny was down.

Okay, you crazy dog.

ENZO: It turned out to be

the 1989 Luxembourg Grand Prix

in which the Irish driver

Kevin Finnerty York

finished victorious

while driving the final 20 laps

with only two gears.

A true champion

can accomplish things

a normal person

would consider impossible.

Denny just needed

to remember that.

DENNY: Thanks for taking

my call at home, Mark.

You're the only lawyer

that I know.

And you're the only mechanic

I trust.

(chuckles)

MARK: Relax, Denny.

From what you told me

on the phone,

this is open-and-shut.

- Where is your daughter now?

- She wanted to go to school.

- Should I have kept her at home?

- No, that's good.

You're responding to her needs.

They're trying to claim

you're an unfit parent

because of the intrinsic

dangers of your occupation.

MAXWELL:

It's a totally bogus suit.

Can't imagine why they

even bothered to file it.

I'll demand a summary judgment

and that'll be that.

You're saying

there's not even a chance.

This is Washington State.

The child is always awarded

to the biological parent.

- No question.

- (breathes deeply)

- Afternoon, Officers.

- You Dennis Swift?

I'll just check if he's still

in the back.

I'm Denny Swift.

Would you step out

from behind the counter, sir?

Okay.

We have a warrant

for your arrest.

DENNY: Some kind of joke?

Place your hands on the counter

and spread your legs.

- Okay.

- (Enzo barking)

Hey, buddy, it's okay.

DENNY: Can you tell me

how long this will take?

You have the right

to remain silent...

I need to pick my daughter

up from school.

Denny,

I can pick her up for you.

No, call Mark Finn.

- He'll know what to do.

- Do you understand your rights?

- Yeah, I understand.

- This way, please.

Call Mark Finn.

Stay.

TONY: What are you

arresting him for?

ENZO: I'd only felt

such helplessness once before.

The day Eve collapsed

in the woods.

MARK: Coffee tomorrow morning,

8:30 sharp.

We'll go over everything then,

all right?

All right.

We tried picking Zoë up

from school, but...

I know, her grandparents got

to her first.

They timed this thing

on purpose, man.

Come on.

Thanks, Mike.

MARK: Fourth-degree assault

is a gross misdemeanor,

so it's unlikely

you'll see any real jail time.

But we both know

that's not what this is about.

There's almost no chance

you'll be awarded custody

- if you're convicted.

- (scoffs)

Now, because

of the criminal charges,

the judge granted

a temporary restraining order.

That means you're looking

at 90 days

before you can see Zoë again.

No.

DENNY: No, I can't not see...

MARK: You're gonna have to.

Eve's parents already filed

a motion

to terminate your rights.

Mark, this is crazy.

He grabbed me.

Any witnesses?

Trish, I guess,

but her back was to us.

DENNY: I can talk to her.

No, do not speak to either

of them, I mean it.

You'll jeopardize

your entire case.

Now, to explain your absence

to Zoë

we have agreed to invent a story

about you driving

for a team in Europe.

I also managed to negotiate

a letter exchange.

Ninety days!

ENZO: The injustice

was unbearable.

First, Denny lost Eve,

and now he would be deprived

of Zoë, too.

Denny struggled

as the weeks passed.

(chuckles softly)

ENZO: While I very much wish

to be human,

there is one advantage to being

a dog that I will miss.

What do you think, Enz?

(barks)

ENZO: It is this:

A dog can power down his psyche

and slow his metabolism.

He can sit for hours on end

with no effort.

A dog can change

the tempo of the world,

but people are at its mercy.

(phone ringing)

Hello?

MARK: (on phone)

What's the deal with the dog?

- Huh?

- MARK: The dog.

Zoë's been asking

her grandparents to see the dog.

Of course, she can see Enzo.

Tell her he's been staying

at Mike's

and I can have Mike

drop Enzo off this weekend.

- MARK: Okay. I'll float it.

- Okay.

Thanks, Mark.

MARK: Listen, my secretary says

we sent you an invoice.

Yeah, I paid that.

MARK: That was

your prior invoice.

I realize you can't leave

the state,

so racing is not an option.

But I have people working

on this...

paralegals, support staff.

Yeah, I know, Mark. I'll...

find a way to pay you.

(sniffles)

ENZO: It was hard to comprehend

this turn our lives had taken.

(Zoë giggles)

Come here, Enz!

Make sure you wipe his paws off

before he comes in.

Grandma just had

the carpets cleaned.

Okay. (giggling)

(singing) Hey, little Enzo

So nice to see you...

I miss Daddy. Don't you?

ENZO: For the first time

in my life,

I was glad I couldn't talk.

I wouldn't know

what to tell her.

(chuckling)

ENZO: After Zoë went to sleep,

I took the opportunity

to spy on the twins.

The man put me on the ground.

I cracked a rib, for God's sake.

You saw what happened!

The lawyer said

the whole case hinges

on you corroborating

my statement.

You need to testify.

ENZO: Inside me

a darkness was brewing.

Just remember

who we're doing this for, okay?

Our granddaughter.

That's all that matters.

ENZO: And I was not above

using the tools of my dogness

to exact justice.

What?

You like pepper?

Maxwell.

ENZO: I knew that pepper

was bad for me,

but I ate it anyway.

Good, huh?

ENZO: After all,

I'm just a stupid dog.

It's the second longest

bull market we've ever seen.

Potential sellers

have not bailed out.

ENZO: I watched and I waited...

(Enzo's stomach growling)

...as in my stomach

a foul concoction steeped.

(Enzo farting)

(sniffing)

MAXWELL: Come on.

We got to go outside, come on.

(stomach growling)

Come on. Let's go,

let's get busy, come on!

Come on, let's go,

let's get busy.

Oh, no, no. No!

- No, no, no, no!

- (defecating)

MAXWELL: Trish! Get down here!

The dog just took a liquid dump

on the carpet!

MAXWELL: Where's the bucket?

Ohhh, God.

MAXWELL: Trish!

Can you get down here?

ENZO: You get busy, mister.

Your eyes are already forward,

looking at that next turn.

- Mmm-hmm.

- Give me a second, okay?

What happened?

I thought they were keeping him

until tonight.

MIKE: Yeah.

From what I understand,

Enzo wasn't exactly

the ideal houseguest.

Okay. Well,

we're almost finished up here.

ENZO: It'd been years

since these old eyes

had seen a live track.

I didn't realize

just how much I'd missed it.

I even felt the tug

of my old dream

of driving in a real racecar

alongside him.

KITCH: All right,

let's checker the session,

clear the track!

All the students

to the grandstand.

Nobody head home yet.

Hey, Denny, got a minute?

DENNY: Give me a second.

Luca!

Don, how are you?

Good to see you.

KITCH: Good to see you.

This is Luca Pantoni

from Ferrari.

He's visiting us from Italy.

- Denny Swift.

- PANTONI: Pleasure.

Is this the new model?

Yeah, direct from the factory.

It's even better-looking

in person.

You know,

I saw you race once. In Daytona.

Yeah, that was a tough one.

Luca was hoping

you could show him the track.

Yes, sir.

(engine revving)

(people whooping, cheering)

MIKE: Who is that?

Head of driver development

from Ferrari in Italy.

MAN: Whoo-hoo!

I figure it'll take him a lap

to get comfortable

but next time by

it'll be a flyer.

- (chuckles)

- Follow me.

- MIKE: Come on, Enz.

- Up here, guys. Bring it in.

Now watch. You're getting

a master class here.

(tires screeching)

That said, any of you

ever drive like that,

I will black flag you

so fast your head'll spin.

Denny's a professional.

(tires squealing)

MAN: Whoo!

- How was it?

- (chuckles softly)

- That was incredible.

- Ha!

You deserve it.

- All right, show's over!

- What'd you think, huh, boy?

KITCH: See everybody tomorrow!

You're a Ferrari guy.

Isn't she a beaut?

I would like to offer you a job.

I work in Maranello,

the factory headquarters,

and we have

a wonderful track there.

You'd be testing the cars.

Thank you, Mr. Pantoni, but...

there are certain things

that keep me from leaving

the country right now.

Don explained to me

all about your troubles.

But if your situation

should change,

my phone is on the card.

It was a pleasure.

DENNY: Thank you, sir.

Come on.

(engine revving)

He's asked

about you over the years.

When I told him what you

went through with Eve,

- he said he wanted to hire you.

- Huh.

All I know is, he respects

how you're fighting

for your daughter.

And what if I don't win?

KITCH: There's no dishonor

in losing the race,

there's only dishonor

in not racing

because you're afraid to lose.

Now go find your students,

get back on the track.

That's where you belong.

(clicks tongue) Come on.

ENZO: Ninety days seemed

an eternity, even for me.

But at long last,

day 90 arrived.

- Hey.

- Daddy!

DENNY: Oh!

Hi. (chuckles)

- Enzo!

- (Enzo barking)

MARK: I'll be back

for her by six.

DENNY: Okay.

- Take care.

- Thanks.

(chuckling)

- Mmm. Missed you.

- ZOË: Missed you.

Come on. I made something

special for dinner.

(utensils clattering)

Daddy?

Are you gonna go back

to Europe soon?

- No, not yet, sweetheart.

- Yay.

But, Zo, you need to stay

with your grandparents

for just a little while longer,

okay?

No, I want to come home.

I know you do.

And I want you to

more than anything, but...

the lawyers still need

to make a decision

about where it's best

for you to live.

Okay? That's just part

of what happens

when someone's mommy dies.

Just tell them.

Tell them I want to live

back home with you and Enzo.

DENNY: Okay.

I'll tell them.

- Bye, Daddy.

- Bye, baby.

(Denny sighs)

You'll get her every other

weekend until the trial.

After that...

It's all or nothing.

(tapping on glass)

Look, Denny...

I know this isn't what you

want to hear right now...

but their attorney

made it clear to me.

The suit, the criminal charges,

it can all go away tomorrow,

if you dropped

your custody claim to Zoë.

Now, I have an obligation

to make sure you understand...

we have leverage now.

I'm talking visitation,

privileges.

Things we're gonna have

a much harder time securing,

if you're found guilty

of assault

and Zoë's grandparents

are awarded custody.

Leverage.

I'm not saying we can't win.

We might.

But we could also lose. Big.

Can't lose, Mark.

Denny, anyone can lose.

You, of all people,

should know that.

Look, just...

just give it some thought.

(car door closes)

(car engine starts)

ENZO: I knew

what Denny was thinking.

If he just had

a steering wheel to hold onto,

his hands wouldn't shake.

"Just you and me, Enzo."

That's what he'd always say

when we'd take our night runs.

Come on, Enz! Let's go.

ENZO: But not that night.

We were together, but alone.

I began to devise a plan.

We'd drive

to Zoë's school one day,

pick her up unannounced

and then head straight

for Montreal,

where they host

a Grand Prix every summer.

Enz?

Enzo, stay where you are!

Enzo, no!

- (Enzo whimpers)

- (Denny gasps)

Oh, God!

- I... I didn't see him!

- It's not your fault.

ENZO: It was mine. Stupid.

- Is he okay?

- DENNY: He's still breathing.

- Um...

- ENZO: I'm so stupid.

Let's get him in your car.

(panting)

ENZO: Your car goes

where your eyes go.

How could I forget?

Ayrton Senna did not have

to die at Imola.

That's what I was thinking

on the way to the hospital.

He struck the concrete barrier

at the Tamburello corner

at 190 miles an hour.

But, by all accounts,

he would've survived

if not for a small piece

of suspension

that managed

to penetrate his helmet.

Straight to the back.

ENZO: But I know the truth.

Senna died that day

because his body

had served its purpose.

His soul had learned

what it came here to learn.

And I knew that

if I had already learned

what I was meant to...

I too would be gone.

But apparently,

I still had work to do.

DOCTOR: Fair amount

of internal bleeding.

Also, some renal damage.

He is very lucky.

It could have been far worse.

I have to be honest

with you, Mr. Swift.

An old dog like yours,

this kind of injury's often

the beginning of the end.

X-rays, sedative, pain meds

and nighttime emergency fee

comes to $812.

Thank you.

(machine beeps)

NURSE: I'm sorry,

your card was declined.

Oh.

Okay, um... here's my debit.

(machine beeps)

Uh, it says insufficient funds.

Is there a problem?

Uh, I deposited my paycheck

today, so it...

probably just needs to clear.

I do have some cash. I have...

$300.

I can go to the bank

first thing in the morning

and bring the rest by then.

It's fine. These things happen.

Write a receipt for the $300,

leave a note for Susan

to invoice

the balance in the morning.

Actually...

are you okay

if I keep just twenty of it?

Thank you.

DENNY: You ready to go home?

Huh, pal?

ENZO: The medication kept me

in a near-constant dream state

for weeks

which I confess came

as a relief.

(audience cheering faintly)

Anything to replace that look

I'd seen on Denny's face.

MARK: It's not for me to say

whether it's the right decision

or not.

But, for what it's worth,

I support you

on this a hundred percent.

Me, too.

You're doing

what you have to do.

Zoë will understand

when she's older.

The visitation schedule

will be as we discussed.

Plus, three weeks in the summer,

a week at Christmas,

and the April school break.

But what about the charges?

MARK: They'll be dropped

immediately.

Like I said, Denny,

we had leverage.

ENZO: A sharp panic rose

in my throat.

- I need a pen.

- ENZO: Was I still dreaming?

Who was this person,

this imposter?

What had he done with Denny?

Sorry. Only one I could find.

ENZO: And then all was revealed.

Mmm, it wasn't Denny.

It was the zebra.

I'd been in a position

to prevent the demon

from destroying Zoë's toys

and I'd failed.

I knew I had to stop it,

but how?

Enzo! Give me those papers!

Come here!

- TONY: Where'd he go?

- MIKE: Out the window!

(Tony laughing)

DENNY: Enzo,

you give me those papers!

It's not funny, Tony.

Enzo, drop it! No!

(Mike laughing)

I mean, it's kind of funny.

Okay, you made your point.

you made your point.

(Mike and Tony laughing)

Call their lawyers.

Tell 'em we'll see 'em in court.

DENNY: I'm with Enzo

on this one.

You're sure?

I made Eve a promise.

I'm not quitting.

Man, I got to get me a dog.

(all chuckling)

(indistinct chatter)

ENZO: Denny was prepared

to risk everything.

Lose the case

and he would lose Zoë.

His breathing that morning

struck me as unusual.

(exhales sharply)

ENZO: Deep inhalations,

quick exhalations.

It was a sound I recognized.

It was the way he breathed

just before a race.

This is it, Enz.

(doorbell ringing)

It's Tony.

Hey, man. Thanks for coming by.

I would've brought him

by the shop,

but he hasn't been doing

too good lately.

TONY: Yeah, poor little guy.

DENNY: Hey, Enz,

look who's here. It's Tony!

Hey, Enz, buddy.

How you doing, hmm?

- Good luck, Den.

- Thanks, man. Yeah.

- You want to watch TV?

- (barks softly)

ENZO: Dogs are not allowed

in court,

so I was forced to imagine

what was happening across town.

I invented whole scenes

in my head

fueled by Denny's nightly

retelling of the day's events

as well as my own admittedly

melodramatic sensibility.

Objection, Your Honor!

ENZO: Perhaps it was

my advanced age

but I found my imagination

increasingly prone to wandering.

No, sir,

I most definitely did not.

ENZO: Until...

(phone ringing)

MAN 1: (on TV) Isn't it

possible at some point

- you decided to speed up?

- (barking)

MAN 2: Your Honor, I object.

Asked and answered.

MAN 1: How?!

(sighs)

Yeah. (clears throat)

MAN 1: (on TV) You don't even

remember killing...

Um, I'm on my way.

TONY: Something's happened, bud.

- You want to come?

- (barks)

What's going on, Den?

ENZO: With some effort,

I was able to decipher

what had happened.

So help me God.

ENZO: Today was the day

Trish had testified.

Can you please tell the court

about the alleged assault?

TRISH: It happened the way

my husband said it did.

PROSECUTOR: So, you personally

witnessed Dennis Swift

throw your husband,

a man 20 years his senior,

o the ground

fracturing a rib

and very nearly his wrist?

Yes.

PROSECUTOR: Thank you.

No further questions.

(sighs)

You can step down now.

JUDGE: I'm going to suggest

that we take a brief recess here

while I review all of

the testimony and materials.

(stutters) I can't.

(people murmuring)

Excuse me?

I can't!

(stutters) I can't do this.

I thought I could, but I just...

I didn't see anything.

I'm only saying

what you told me to say.

I'm sorry,

but I can't do this anymore.

I know that Denny

loved Eve too much

to ever hurt her father.

Objection. The witness

is clearly speculating.

It's your witness, counselor.

MARK: They dropped the charges.

All of it. Tossed out.

(both laugh)

You did it, Denny.

It's over, man.

- (all laughing)

- (barks)

ENZO: He'd done it.

Denny's risk had paid off.

If a driver has the courage

to create his own conditions...

then the rain is simply rain.

Daddy!

- I missed you.

- DENNY: Oh, I missed you.

(Enzo barking)

ENZO: Zoë was ours again.

Denny had won her back,

and it was a victory

for the ages.

(phone ringing)

Denny, this is Luca Pantoni

returning your call.

Luca, yes, hi.

Thank you for calling me back.

I wanted to let you know

that the...

issues keeping me in the States

have been resolved.

ENZO: I could just picture him

on the terrace

of some magnificent villa.

I can tell by your voice

they were resolved

to your satisfaction.

DENNY: Yes, sir.

And I was wondering if the job

that you'd offered me earlier,

- if that was still available?

- It is.

Then my daughter and I,

and our dog Enzo,

would very much like

to join you in Maranello.

Your dog's name is Enzo?

Yeah, he's a racecar driver

at heart.

Okay, I will have my assistant

make all the arrangements.

Welcome to Ferrari.

We will talk again soon, Denny.

Ciao.

Ciao.

(chuckling)

- GIRL: What is it, Zoë?

- KIDS: Wow!

MAN: This is a great party,

look at these gifts, it's great.

- Nice cake, Denny.

- WOMAN: So cute.

- "Wishing for you...

- (doorbell rings)

...a fairy tale birthday."

What'd you get?

- ZOË: Daddy, look!

- Oh, cool.

(sighs) I don't...

If you want me to go, I could...

- ZOË: Grandma!

- TRISH: Hi, sweetheart.

ENZO: I might not have been

as forgiving.

But Denny had Zoë

to think about.

I'd often heard the expression

"to be the better man."

ZOË: Grandpa!

ENZO: Well, I knew

no better man than Denny.

Big number nine.

Big number nine.

All right.

- You ready?

- Ready...

BOTH: steady... go!

- WOMAN: Aw...

- (all cheering)

- Happy birthday.

- Thanks, Daddy.

- Okay, who wants cake?

- ZOË AND KIDS: Me!

Yeah? Okay, Grandma,

will you help me with this?

Grab a knife from the kitchen.

ENZO: Sometimes my life

seems like it has been

so long and so short

at the same time.

I feel as if I've lived

for an eternity.

DENNY: Yo, Enz!

ENZO: And yet it's as if no time

has passed at all.

DENNY: Enzo?

ENZO: I hear the worry

in his voice.

DENNY: What happened, pal?

Oh, Enz.

ENZO: I can smell the day

on him.

Motor oil and gasoline

and roast chicken.

Can you get up, bud?

ENZO: I saw a documentary

about Mongolia on TV once.

DENNY: Oh... Okay.

ENZO: In Mongolia,

when a dog dies,

he is buried high in the hills,

so people cannot walk

on his grave.

DENNY: I'm here, buddy.

I'm right here.

ENZO: His master whispers

into the dog's ears

his wishes that in his next life

the dog will return as a man.

Not all dogs return as men,

they say.

Only those who are ready.

Let's get you up.

ENZO: I am ready.

(grunting)

ENZO: I know death is not

the end.

Eve told me so.

And I believe her.

When I return to this world,

I will practically be an adult

the moment I am plucked

from the womb

with all the preparation

I have done.

There he is.

ENZO: I will walk among

my fellow men,

lick my lips

with my small dexterous tongue

and shake hands

with a firm grasp.

DENNY: There's my Enzo.

ENZO: And I will teach people

all that I know.

All that I have learned.

- You okay now?

- ENZO: I'm fine, Denny.

I am.

You've always been with me.

You've always been my Enzo.

DENNY: First time I saw you,

I knew we were supposed

to be together.

(sighs)

I love you, boy.

What are you doing here?

DENNY: I thought we'd go

to the track.

'Cause I have

a surprise for Enzo.

Thanks for arranging this, Don.

We won't be out long.

Take your time.

Track's all yours.

Okay.

- Have fun.

- Thank you, sweetheart.

Not too tight? Okay.

- You ready?

- (barking)

All right.

Drivers, start your engines.

(starts engine)

ENZO: I have never ever felt

so special.

You did it, man.

Brakes are warm, tires are warm.

What do you say we try

a hot lap, huh?

(barking)

ENZO: I'd like

to stay out here forever.

- Stay with them forever.

- (giggling)

We're gonna take this one

at speed. You okay?

(barking)

ENZO: I wish I could glimpse

what awaits them in Maranello.

Denny will be

a wonderful driver for Ferrari.

So wonderful that one day

they will pluck him

from the ranks

to give him a tryout

for their Formula One team.

"Try me," he'll say.

I'd like to see that.

(laughing) Enzo!

ENZO: But we can't have

everything we want.

Besides, the best drivers don't

dwell on the future or the past.

The best drivers

focus only on the present.

You've been a good friend.

A very good friend.

ENZO: The best of friends.

Come here.

ENZO:

We'll be heading home soon.

But for now,

all I want is one more lap.

Just one more.

I'll bark again so he knows.

(barks)

Faster, Denny.

Faster!

(announcer speaking Italian

on PA)

(all speaking in Italian)

(man speaking Italian)

(in English) Dad!

There's some people

who want to meet you.

- Uh...

- Come on, they're big fans.

I think you'd really like them.

You're the boss.

(both speaking in Italian)

MAN: (in English)

We are your biggest fans.

Your daughter said that

you would not mind.

No, of course not.

My son,

he talks about you always.

(speaks Italian)

He races the go-karts.

He's very good.

Bene. Va bene.

Oh, could you please sign

the program?

Sure.

We are going to watch the race

from the infield tomorrow.

DENNY: Hmm.

(speaking Italian)

Enzo.

Enzo?

(speaking Italian)

(in English)

My name is Enzo.

MAN: He wants to be a champion.

Like you.

Mi scusi.

(in English) Your son reminds

me of an old friend of mine.

My phone number in Maranello.

When you think your son

is ready, give me a call.

DENNY: I'll make sure

he gets proper instruction.

Grazie.

He talks about you always.

MAN: He says that you are

the greatest driver ever.

Better even than Senna.

(both laugh)

Well, he's a racecar driver

at heart.

Grazie! Grazie mille!

Grazie!

Prego.

Come on.