The Kindergarten Teacher (2018) - full transcript
A kindergarten teacher in New York becomes obsessed with one of her students whom she believes is a child prodigy.
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You know, it has to be a
little revelatory at the end,
it has to have to have that moment,
that accident.
It should be spontaneous,
it shouldn't be pre-meditated.
It's like a moment of truth.
So, who wants to read?
Come on, it's like the...
what is it, the fourth week now?
Let's hear someone else.
Do you? Erm...
Lisa.
Lisa, do you mind sharing?
No.
So, what'd you write this week?
A short one, a haiku.
Oh, really? I didn't see you work on that.
I did it on the ferry.
Read it to me?
"A dream garden blooms
"Rose, iris, phlox
"But here, a white crocus
pierces concrete"
It's good, Lise.
He didn't like it.
Someone said it was derivative.
But they always say that, right?
They say it if it's good,
they say it if it's bad.
My teacher said I need
to put more of myself in my work.
What's it, like...
The flowers out by the pool?
Yeah. More or less.
Hm.
I'm gonna go cut some paper.
OK, let's move on to S.
S. Do you guys see the S
at the top of your paper?
- Yes.
- And do you see how there's...
A piece of an S? Can you see
if you can finish that S?
That's really good, Derek.
So, when you think of an S,
think about the curve of
a ssssslithering sssss... what?
- Snake.
- Snake, that's right.
Actually, everybody think of a snake.
Think of the way a snake moves when
it sort of slithers on the ground, right?
Ssssssss. Right?
Good job.
OK. How are you guys doing over here?
My hand hurts.
Yeah, we've been doing this
for a long time, haven't we?
OK, we're gonna do song circle
after one more letter.
- Have you guys got one more letter in you?
- Yeah.
Yeah? One more letter. Does anybody
have any idea what the next letter is?
T!
T is the letter that comes after S
in the alphabet. Very good.
And T is a tall, tough like
a hard tooth or like a...
- Tusk.
- Like a tusk, yes, very good.
Hey. Can I see a beautiful T?
Thank you.
You know what? Finish up the letter
you're working on let's do song circle.
OK, give your papers to Megan.
- To hell with the core curriculum
- Thank you.
♪ Oh, oh, the rattlin' bog
The bog down in the valley-oh
♪ Oh, ho, the rattlin' bog
The bog down in the valley-oh
- ♪ And on that... ♪
- Necklace.
- ♪ There was a... ♪
- Beach.
Beach?
- I love it!
- A beach on a necklace!
And a beach on a necklace
and a necklace on the...
- Popsicle.
- And a popsicle on a...
- Booger.
- And a booger on the...
Moon!
Bye. Bye, Caitlin. You have your collage?
Boys, slow down in the halls.
Hey, guys. Take it easy.
- Hi, Lisa.
- Hi, Lauren.
Anna...
Anna...
Anna...
Anna is beautiful
Beautiful enough for me
The sun...
hits her...
yellow...
house
It's almost like a sign from God
What was that?
I don't know.
Was that a poem?
Right? That was a poem.
That was remarkable.
I think we should write it down, right?
OK.
Wow, you remember it.
What's your name again?
- I'm Becca.
- Becca, right, right. I'm sorry.
I've seen you here before.
So, Jackie's gone?
- Yeah, she quit.
- That must be why I was confused.
Mm-hm. All right, let's go.
Becca, would you do me a favour?
Erm, if he does this again, will you
promise you'll write it down for me?
- Yeah, I can do that for you.
- Thanks.
Hey, Jimmy. I really liked your poem.
- OK.
- All right. Bye. Say bye.
Oh, my God.
- She uses way too many hashtags.
- Oh, my God.
OK, this is clearly edited.
Like, look at that.
Yep. That's Photoshopped.
That's definitely Photoshopped.
How was your day?
It was good.
- Dad said you had a test?
- Yeah. It was fine.
So, what did he say?
That he likes me and he wants to go out
but that he had to have a talk with Katrina.
Oh, my God, she's, like,
hanging on for dear life.
- Who's that?
- Are you guys gonna come eat?
We ordered pizza.
Excuse me.
- You too?
- Yeah.
You don't say hi?
- Hello.
- Hello.
- Could I have some of those, please?
- Er, yeah.
Did you go online and look at the dorms?
- Hey, Mr Spinelli.
- Hey.
- Yes.
- And did you pick your preferences?
Yes, yes, I did.
"Anna is beautiful
"Beautiful enough for me
"The sun hits her yellow house
"It's almost like a sign from God"
Wow. It sounds so advanced.
- How old is he?
- Five and a half. It's extraordinary.
I mean, cos Lainie and Josh
knew lots of words at that age, but...
It conjures a feeling.
So specific.
Is he religious?
No, I don't think so.
Hm. It's just weird that someone
so young would write about God.
It's disturbing, slightly.
Why do you say that?
Why use the word "disturbing"?
Er, I don't know.
Er...
It's not disturbing, I suppose.
It's, er, more like... Peculiar.
I mean, the whole God thing, I dunno.
Anna is beautiful
Beautiful enough for me
The sun hits her yellow house
It is almost like a sign from God
What do you guys think?
I love that line "Beautiful enough for me".
It suggests so many things,
like you don't deserve much
or you don't prioritise beauty.
But then the word beautiful is repeated,
so I feel like you do, in fact,
value it in some deep way
and that you really find Anna beautiful.
Yeah. I think it was really good.
Really good.
Cos with so few elements,
you make something very...
Very complex.
It's as if it was said by someone
that has seen a lot of beauty
but now, you know,
makes do with very little.
OK, so for next week, I would like
you all to focus on the boring things.
The banal, the mundane.
Just, you know, try it, and see
if the act of writing about something
can transform it into something new.
Let's see.
Ho is the whore! Ho is the whore!
- Jimmy, let's go!
- It's Grand Theft Auto!
No! No! Jimmy, no.
No, that is an awful word. All of you guys.
That's a very powerful word,
and you guys are just little kids,
and there is no place for that here, OK?
I know you guys are better than that.
I'm sorry, Jimmy,
but I have to give you a time-out.
So, Jimmy...
Tell me about your poem.
Who is Anna?
Is she someone you know?
And how about your mommy?
Is her name Anna?
My mom is dead.
I'm sorry to hear that, I didn't know.
You remember when we planted these?
They were just tiny little seeds.
What's this one smell like? Smell.
- Tomato.
- Yeah, tomato.
And we have some thyme...
The rain to the wind said...
You push...
- I'll pelt.
- Remember that one?
They so smote the garden bed
that the flowers actually knelt...
And lay lodged, but not dead
I know how those flowers felt
I'm sorry I had to give you a time-out.
I don't like doing that.
I know you can be steady
and use beautiful words.
"Ho" is a boring word.
It's a word boring kids say.
Hey.
Let's look at the kindergarten.
These toys, we play with them every day.
Or the sunflower,
we see the sunflower every single day.
And our butterfly. Right?
They're part of our everyday routine.
Maybe if we try...
We can see something new.
Do you feel anything?
No.
- Oh, hi.
- Hi.
- Sorry.
- That's OK.
Hey.
Erm, Megan, can you take Jimmy
to get his clay sculpture?
- I think it's still drying outside.
- Sure, I'll get it.
- Do you mind if we chat for a minute?
- Yeah.
Erm...
I just felt like Jimmy
was acting a little strange today.
He was energetic at recess
and then he was very quiet,
he hardly said a word
for the rest of the day.
Yeah, he does get quiet
like that, that's true.
I mean, he's a weirdo.
Becca, how often
does he compose poems?
Mm, I dunno. Like, once a week?
- Maybe, like, every few days, he'll...
- Really?
Yeah, he'll just, like, pop up,
start walking back and forth like a zombie,
like, mumbling to himself.
Yeah, I hadn't seen him
do it ever before Monday.
I've gotta say, they're really cool.
I like 'em.
- And what does his family think?
- Oh, nobody knows he does it but me.
I mean, his dad's, like, a really busy guy.
He owns that big nightclub
in Bayonne, Ultralounge?
His mom is doing her thing in Miami,
she's not around.
Oh, OK.
Jimmy said she was dead.
- No.
- Yeah, I didn't think so.
Usually I'm informed of that kind of thing.
It was a really nasty custody battle.
And are you close with his dad?
Yeah, we work together.
So, I know him.
I did coat-check at Ultralounge for a year.
And then I quit to pursue acting.
But then he said he needed
a nanny so I was like,
- "This is perfect. Part time?"
- Good.
But you know what? His Uncle Sanjay
does come by the house
and Jimmy tells me they read poems,
reports in the newspaper...
OK, that's good to know. I'm glad
there's some support in the house.
And do you like acting?
Yeah. I do.
- Well, good luck with that.
- Thank you.
Oh, I almost forgot.
There was one yesterday.
You want to see it?
I wrote it down like you said.
Yeah, sure. I'd love to take a look at it.
"The bull stood alone in the back yard
"So dark
"I opened the door and stepped out
"Wind in the branches
"He watched me
"Blue eyes
"He kept breathing to stay alive
"I didn't want him
"I was a just a boy
"Say yes
"Say yes anyway"
Wow.
I like, I loved the
"breathing to stay alive".
What do you guys think?
I'm just trying
to understand the assignment.
I thought everything
was supposed to be observational
and about things that we see every day.
I mean, it's great, but this seems like
an exercise in surrealism.
You don't have to be literal
with my assignments, you know?
These are just exercises
that spark your creativity, you know?
Well, it might have been helpful
to know that beforehand.
OK. Well, I'm sorry. I apologise.
But I find it really interesting
that you just went your own way, really.
You know, sometimes poets,
like bulls, they should be stubborn.
I like the poem a lot. Just wondering why
you wrote it from a boy's point of view.
- I don't know.
- Because she can.
And that's what's interesting,
you know, it's interesting to see things
from a new vantage point.
Well, guys, we have to leave, but this week,
try using another point of view. OK?
Let's see what happens, all right?
And please, please, just really don't try
to please me. That's not the point.
OK? All right. Thank you. Bye-bye.
Hey. How was class?
It was good.
- Yeah, it was better.
- Hm.
- Are the kids upstairs?
- I think so.
Hey.
Oh, hi.
- You just get back from your poetry class?
- Yeah.
Oh, your hair looks nice like that.
Where's Josh?
Tutoring.
Good.
Are there any college kids there?
- Where?
- In your class.
No, it's all adults.
It's a continuing education class.
Oh.
Hey, don't you have work to do?
Yeah, I finished it in study hall.
I was thinking about how great you were
at photography last year.
Why don't you take
Dad's old camera and his lenses
and take a walk
around the neighbourhood?
I post cool stuff on
Instagram all the time.
Yeah, but developing
in a dark room is totally different.
Yeah, it just stinks in there
with all the chemicals and stuff.
OK.
Just something
I noticed you were good at.
Hi, Mr Roy. This is Lisa Spinelli calling,
I'm Jimmy's kindergarten teacher,
and I was just calling
because I would like to talk to you
about your son when you have a moment.
Erm, I left a message on Tuesday
with all my information.
So please give me a call when
you get a chance. Thanks a lot. Bye.
I'm really curious what's gonna happen
when you have no white on the paper.
I don't have any white on my paper.
Yeah. Let's see yours,
you almost have no white left.
Oh, you need a little more room
on the paper, I think.
Here you go.
- Thank you.
- You are very welcome.
Do you need something, Aubrey?
What do you need?
Now, do you think you guys
can make a chrome yellow,
like in Van Gogh's Wheatfields?
Remember how beautiful that colour was?
Is this the volcano here
and lava coming out?
Hey, Jimmy.
Jimmy.
Hey, Jimmy.
Will you come with me?
Where are we going?
Come here.
Why are we in the bathroom?
Cos I wanna talk to you about something.
Hey.
I want to talk to you about something
that I think is very important for a poet.
It's called your point of view.
So, here we are, we're in a bathroom.
But there's not just one bathroom.
There's many bathrooms.
Yes, there's many bathrooms.
Because, look...
If you're a grown-up,
the bathroom looks like this.
Yeah, you're a big grown-up Jimmy.
What do you think? Look around.
I bet there's all sorts of things
you didn't notice before.
What else do you want to be?
You wanna be a giant?
OK. Turn around.
What do you see from up there?
What's it like up there?
- The bathroom's so tiny.
- You like it?
- Yep.
- Well, what else? A cat!
Let's be a cat.
Down here. Look. Down here.
I'm a cat. Meow!
- Meow.
- Meow, meow, meow.
So, if you stay open
and if you stay curious,
then you can see
the world however you want.
You can see the world like
a little tiny bug or like a bad guy.
You know what I mean?
Can I go back to nap time now?
Will you think about what I said?
Will you think about it?
All right.
Jimmy.
Jimmy, one more thing.
It gets so dark
It stays dark even when I turn on the light
It gets so bright
The flowers bow to the sun
Do you remember the lion?
So quick and so strong
He has no master
when his master is sleeping
And all his master does is sleep
That was a poem.
Can you say it for me again
so I can write it down?
Megan, did you catch what he was saying?
Did you get the beginning?
Sorry, I had the water running.
I think he was singing a song?
He seems to be doing that a lot.
They're not songs, they're poems.
It was about the lion.
You see?
What am I gonna do with you?
- Hey.
- Becca.
- We have a little bit of a problem.
- What's wrong?
Poems are disappearing.
It happened just now.
He was pacing back and forth,
I rushed to get to him,
and by the time I got there,
he was almost finished.
All I got was, "He has no master
when his master is sleeping
"And all his master does is sleep"
Oh.
It's from the point of
view of a hunted lion.
I see.
I mean, how often are we
missing these moments?
It's hard to say, really.
I mean, I try my best, but...
Out of curiosity,
who tucks him into bed at night?
- Is it you or is it somebody else?
- It's... It's mostly me.
I think that's a time to pay attention to.
I mean, imagine how much
incredible poetry is written
in that not-quite-conscious moment
just before the lights go out.
Mm-hm.
Hey. You're such a good teacher,
you know that? You have a really big heart.
Listen, baby doll. When you're
coming up with your poems,
just let us know, OK,
so we can help you.
Yeah, cos we don't wanna
miss anything, OK?
- Do you have kids?
- I do.
- Big? Small?
- They're big, they're in high school.
Oh, wow. Well, they're really lucky
to have you, you're very attentive.
All right. Let's go, baby!
OK, so let's just work together to make
sure that all of his work gets heard.
I'll do what I can do. Bye.
- Hi. Hi, I'm Lisa. We spoke on the phone?
- Yes.
- Hi.
- Hi, Lisa.
- Is now still an OK time?
- Yes, yes, of course.
We memorised a few poems, just for fun.
Mm. Well, he composes, too.
Jimmy? I didn't realise.
Yes, and I wanted
to speak to you because...
I imagine maybe you can appreciate
how rare that gift is.
I mean, I've been a kindergarten teacher
for almost 20 years
and I've never seen anything like it.
And I just want to support it and I want
to protect it as much as I possibly can.
- Absolutely.
- Talent is so...
fragile and so rare, and our culture
does everything to crush it.
I mean, even at four or five they're coming
into school attached to their phones,
talking only about TV shows
and video games.
- It's a materialistic culture...
- Mm-hm.
And it doesn't support art
or language. Or observation.
Even my own children,
who are great, they don't read.
You know, you think,
maybe it's just a phase...
But I worry that it's something larger.
A lack of curiosity, a lack of reflection.
No one has space for poetry.
Maybe that's true.
Really, what I want
is to speak with his father.
His father?
I wonder if he would allow me
to oversee his progress.
Er... Well, he's a busy man
and, frankly, I don't know
how much you will get out of him.
Mm.
Have you met him?
No. He doesn't actually
even return my phone calls.
Maybe the baby-sitter can help?
- Becca?
- Yeah, yes. Becca.
Well, between you and me, I think Becca
is a problematic element in this, too.
I mean, she doesn't understand
the depth of his talent.
Er, listen, I apologise, but I should
get back to work soon. I'm sorry.
OK.
I'll, er... I'll speak to my brother soon.
I'll see if I can catch him this week.
That would be wonderful.
OK.
I should, er...
- I really have a deadline, so...
- OK.
- You know your way out?
- I do.
OK.
Hey, Jimmy. Will you come with me
to the playground?
I wanna talk to you about something.
Come on, let's play.
They have five more minutes.
- OK.
- OK.
Jimmy, I want to talk to you
about something very important.
When you have a poem in your head,
and when your poem is ready,
will you come to me?
Even if you see I'm busy
or I'm talking to somebody else,
or if you're mad at me that day
or if you think I'm mad at you...
Will you please come to me?
If it happens when you're not
at school, that's OK.
You can call me on the phone,
you don't have to recite your poem to Becca.
It's better if you call me, you understand?
And I'll write it down for you.
And don't let her call you silly names
like puppy dog and... and...
Bunny rabbit. It's belittling.
It means she's treating you like a baby.
So, look, I took your cell phone
from your backpack, if that's OK?
And I'd like to put my number in
so you have it if you need it.
I'm not gonna put it in under Mrs Spinelli
because that is too long.
Erm, I'm gonna type in
the letter "L". See?
L is for Lisa.
That's my name.
So, just find L
when you wanna call me, OK?
OK.
- Hello?
- Hi.
Hi.
Where you headed?
- I have practice.
- No, you don't. You had it yesterday.
We have an extra one this week.
Josh, where are you going?
I have a meeting.
Is this Marines stuff?
Josh, come in here.
We just don't get it.
You worked so hard to get into that school,
and you busted your butt,
and you pulled up your grades,
and we're proud of you.
- That's all we're saying.
- It's not even a good school.
Josh, it's stupid to put yourself
in harm's way.
People get their fucking limbs blown off.
I'm just sick of school, OK?
And plus,
I think service is more important
than whatever notion of achievement
- you have in your head.
- No, no!
Josh, if you wanna go fight for oil
in the desert, that's fine,
but don't kid yourself.
Don't worry.
He always lands on his feet.
Does he?
I don't know.
Are we finally alone?
Can I lock the fucking front door?
- No!
- And make sure...
that no one comes back in this house...
ever again?
What are you doing?
- Hello?
- Mrs Spinelli?
- Hi, Jimmy.
- I have a poem.
OK.
Wait. OK.
I'm ready to write it down.
Go ahead.
The gold rusts
The warmth breaks
And the light comes at morning
The police start their way
to the dining hall
And the sound of World War Three
is out there
Dust is out
And pray God, the wedding is coming
And the reciting poem is here
Shh.
I loved your poem last night.
Do you wanna hear a poem from me?
OK.
Mesmerise me, butterfly
Forcing wings open, shut
Thrust with purpose not known to me
Not expert in your grasses
In poison
Mushrooms camouflage deliverance
Today the garden teems
with wood sprites
Flashing blue
Now white
At the edge of seeing
Is that a poem you wrote?
Yeah.
You can just forget you heard it.
I don't want to spoil your talent.
You did not!
What were you saying to Natalie?
Right.
You OK?
♪ I like the way you ride it really slow
♪ Hide it, I'mma find it, and you know
♪ Girl, I gotta grind it really low
♪ I like the way you ride it really slow
♪ Hide it, I'mma find it, and you know
♪ Girl, I gotta grind it really low
♪ Girl, I got time, you can slow it down
♪ Wiggle them hips,
put your fingers on the ground ♪
Amy, what are you doing?
What's the big deal?
It's been decriminalised.
Can I have it?
You know, you and Dad always
act like artsy, progressive hippies...
OK. OK. You know what?
Smoke it if you want to.
Maybe it'll open you up.
- You...
- What's goin' on?
...could have such an incredible mind.
Incredible mind?
What's up with you?
You're acting so weird.
- I just wish...
- We got all our work done.
I wish there was
a little bit more curiosity,
vibrancy, intellectualism in this house.
You know, ever since you started taking
those dumb-ass poetry classes,
you've been acting like you're the...
cultural ambassador
to the UN or something.
OK, if you wanna go back to college
and get your stupid degree,
then you can go ahead.
OK? I actually get straight A's
without having to work very hard,
and you never acknowledge that.
You worked your ass off,
and look where you are.
Hey. What the hell is goin' on?
It's nothing. She's just being provocative.
I'm fine. I'm gonna get some air.
Cultural ambassador to the UN.
- Hello?
- Jimmy, hi.
It's Mrs Spinelli.
It's Lisa.
- Why are you calling me?
- No, it's OK.
Kindergarten teachers are allowed
to call their... their students.
Becca's gonna read me a book.
OK. I know, it must be getting
close to bedtime.
I just wanted to say hi.
OK.
A home transformed by the lightning
The balanced alcoves smother
This insatiable earth of a planet, Earth
They attacked it with their mechanical
horns because they love you
- Hello?
- Hey, Lisa, how's it going?
Come, sit down.
I was reading this...
this poem that, erm...
that a computer wrote.
You know, with some algorithm.
And it even passed the Turing Test.
In the end, we're all machines.
Well, Justin, thank you,
and good luck with the sonnet.
- Yeah, I'll crack it.
- Don't make Watson do it.
Cool, man.
I'll see you at the reading
on Thursday, then.
- Great. Bye.
- Bye.
You know, it's... it's very funny when
you have, like, this amount of books,
and I've only read,
like, one-tenth of them.
So, Justin was telling me
that there's half of the class
that are gonna stay for the next semester,
Would you like to stay?
- Yes, I would.
- That'd be great, right?
- Yeah.
- Good.
So, tell me about you.
I don't know anything about you.
What do you... What do you do?
- I teach.
- You teach?
I want to thank you for inviting me.
I can't tell you how flattered I was
when I received your email.
Oh, please. No.
I mean...
You know, your work has been...
progressing a lot,
and... and it was a no-brainer.
I mean, you... you have to come.
So, what do you teach?
I teach kindergarten.
That's such a delicate thing, right?
I mean, you... you give the kids something,
and then they...
Yeah? They have it forever.
- It's incredible.
- Yeah. That's... That's true.
So, erm...
on Thursday night,
at the Bowery,
we're doing this reading where...
you know, a bunch of poets come in.
It's very eclectic. Young and old.
And there's reviewers,
publishers as well, there might be.
And everyone that goes on stage
reads two poems.
So you have to prepare two poems
that you like.
- OK.
- All right?
I really want to thank you
for this opportunity.
Of course.
There's dancing afterwards, with poets.
You know, there's gonna be a party,
like, drinks and stuff, but...
I don't know, maybe you...
you will be, like, a centre of attention.
Huh?
I am sorry. I'm sorry.
I'm... I... God, I'm sorry.
I'm... I'm very sorry. I'm very sorry.
I'm sorry, I just...
It's presumptuous of me. I'm...
I'm sorry.
Forget about it.
Can I read you a poem?
Yeah.
I wrote it sort of quickly.
- I'd love to hear your thoughts.
- OK.
Mesmerise me, butterfly
Forcing wings open, shut
Thrust with purpose not known to me
Not expert in your grasses
In poison
Mushrooms camouflage deliverance
Today the garden teems
with wood sprites
Flashing blue
Now white
At the edge of seeing
It's good.
- Yeah?
- Yeah, that was very cool.
It's not my favourite that you've written,
but it's nice.
You know, at the beginning,
when you came into the class,
I didn't notice you at first.
There's so many people, you know, and...
Also, you were very quiet for a while.
Then you started to present your work.
But, I mean, I must say,
don't take this wrong,
but at the beginning, your work was...
was very typical, you know?
Like, all the...
you know, all the metaphors were very...
kind of commonplace,
which is normal,
because you're just experimenting
with the nature of all of this.
But when you read
your poem about Anna,
then, I thought,
"OK, there is a poet here."
And from then on, I was just...
I don't know.
I wonder what...
what's going on with you.
Are you going out with Anna?
No.
Do you like women?
Occasionally.
Hey.
Come with me.
- Is he OK?
- Yeah! Of course.
Yeah, let's go in here.
So, on Thursday,
we've been invited to a place where poets
read their poems on stage, like this,
in front of an audience.
Some of them will probably be
pretty mediocre, but...
I was wondering if you might
wanna read a few of yours.
What do you think?
Yeah, I'd like to.
I think it'd be a great opportunity.
Actually, why don't you
just stand up here?
Yeah. Like a stage.
Can you show me how you'd say
one of your poems?
Maybe "Anna"?
Anna's beautiful
Beautiful enough for me
You know what's in there?
- What?
- Your heart.
Can you try saying it more from there?
From your heart?
Anna's beautiful
Beautiful enough for me
The sun hits her yellow house
It's almost like a sign from God
OK, good.
So, on Thursday we'll do "Anna" and...
- how about "The Bull"?
- Yeah.
And we'll practise
both of them a little bit every day.
OK.
- Mr Roy.
- ...a dozen parameters...
Yes? One moment.
So... I've got a kid with a good head.
- I'm happy.
- Well, it's more than that.
I think we have a young Mozart.
He's gifted, Mr Roy.
He writes poetry on a level that is far...
beyond his age.
Have you talked to Sanjay?
- Sanjay who?
- Your brother, the writer.
The writer?
Haven't talked to him in a month.
Oh, I see.
He was supposed to call you.
What can I do for you, Lisa?
Mozart...
was nurtured by kings and queens.
They massaged his tired hands.
They fed him candy...
while he played the piano.
And Jimmy doesn't have that.
I'm not saying he should be spoiled,
but he does need support.
And Becca... she's nice,
but she's not a good influence on him.
Why?
Well, I think she treats him
like any stupid child.
She talks to him like a puppy dog.
And I should tell you she's often late
picking him up and dropping him off.
- Is that true?
- Yes. Last week, she was an hour late...
- Put the change in the coat room.
- ...because she was at an audition.
I know. I see you're very busy and...
that you're a very successful man,
and that you don't have a lot of time.
And I know that Jimmy's mother
isn't around...
I want to help my son.
Especially if he enjoys doing this.
But I don't want him to be like my brother.
You met him, right?
He's 42 years old.
Makes 50 grand a year
because he wanted to be an intellectual.
Now? Corrects spelling mistakes
for the newspaper.
I want my son to do good in school,
I want him to be smart, but...
it's also good to have a normal life.
Make money, be practical.
But, you know, I don't like
this Becca forgetting to pick him up.
I'm gonna ask her to leave.
I... I knew it wasn't going to work,
but, you know,
whenever this happens,
it's a real problem for me because...
- who watches him?
- I'm happy to.
It's not hard for me. Especially
if it's a few hours after school.
Yeah. That would help me very much.
- OK!
- At least till five or six o'clock.
- Then I can get a girl to come to the house.
- Yes, I can do that.
And, erm... I don't know
if Jimmy mentioned it to you,
but I've asked him to recite
a few of his poems
in Manhattan
on Thursday night at a poetry reading.
See, now, on Thursday he has
baseball practice with his friend.
They go together. So, er... forget it.
It's too complicated.
Mm. I see.
Do you need me to bring him to baseball?
Oh, no, no, er...
they've got it arranged.
The father of the kid takes him.
It's a shame...
that he won't be able to go
to the reading.
Don't overthink it.
They need things simple at this age.
You know what?
Let's turn our phones off.
And then we can just...
look at the art,
and not worry about anything else.
Hi.
I tried to call three times.
Come on, honey. Let's go.
Anna is beautiful
Beautiful enough for me
The sun hits her yellow house
It's almost like a sign from God
That was great, Jimmy.
Do it just like that tonight, OK?
OK. Now...
I'll be somebody in the audience,
and I'll pretend
to ask you a question, OK?
I'm going to raise my hand.
Mr Jimmy Roy.
Who is Anna?
And then you have to answer.
So, you can say...
You can say
Anna is a little tweeting bird.
Or you can say she's one
of the little girls in our kindergarten.
Or you can say she's the moon,
or a star, or...
You can say whatever you want.
- Hi, Richard.
- Hey.
- Can I talk to you for a sec?
- Sure.
OK, great.
So... Jimmy was really
not feeling well today.
I think maybe it's best
if he skips baseball.
Well, that's fine with me.
Better he's not running around
in the heat.
Does Nikhil need me to take him
to the doctor?
Uh... You know, I just spoke to him.
I'm happy to keep Jimmy tonight.
I just was concerned because I know
you've got two other babes in the house,
and I wouldn't want him
to get everyone else sick.
All right.
As long as Nikhil's fine with it?
He agreed it would
probably be better.
- Thanks, Lisa.
- OK.
- All right, see you tomorrow.
- Mm-hm.
Who you think you're talkin' to?
Don't you know I'm the reason why
you can't shut any wet part of your face?
While all the badass hurricanes struck
a woman's name
I put God in my hands, snapped
Watched it rain
Skid my teeth across
the thin skin of my full lip
Just to usher the sun in, so, yeah
I make you dog pant
Make you beg big
But I'm also the reason you hallelujah
Just as much life I've given you
I can taketh away
Calling me bitch
Only sharpens my blade
Only makes me wanna watch you
Gargle your own tongue
I've been a killer
Baby, I keep caskets warm
God in business
I parade into rooms and the wallpaper
Don't even stand up no more
My pussy be hurricane season
So the next time
You see me walk in a room
Out a room, up the block
Shit, down the block
Just say Amen
Like I'm the answer to the sky
Hi, this is Jimmy Roy,
and he'll be reciting two poems
for you tonight.
Anna is beautiful
Beautiful enough for me
The sun hits her yellow house
It's almost like a sign from God
The Bull.
The bull stood alone in the back yard
So dark
I opened the door and stepped out
Wind in the branches
He watched me
Blue eyes
He kept breathing to stay alive
I didn't want him
I was just a boy
Say yes
Say yes, anyway
Er... I'm sorry to ask
such a basic question,
but... are these your poems?
And if so, are you using him
as a sort of poetic medium?
Yeah.
Erm...
No, these are his poems.
He wrote them.
Bravo!
Erm...
For the, erm... young man.
How long have you been writing poetry?
I started when I was five.
Jimmy? I was wondering,
who is this Anna that you write about?
Anna could be...
anyone you love.
For me, she's my kindergarten teacher's
helper, Meghan.
Jacket's tight on my arms.
I wanna take it off.
Why are you upset?
I'm not.
I'm just emotional because...
I'm so proud of you.
You did such a beautiful job.
They clapped me.
They loved it.
Jimmy, can you wait outside
for me for a minute?
Just wait right there,
right outside the door.
Jimmy?
What I've always thought...
Hi, Jimmy.
He's incredible, isn't he?
I think you should leave the class, Lisa.
I'm uncomfortable with the fact that you're
presenting work that is not your own.
OK.
All artists, they take from each other.
But what you're doing...
Um, I don't know.
It's... something different.
You're leeching off a child.
Oh, I'm so sorry that you see it that way.
You break the... the whole trust that
goes into a classroom.
The whole ethic.
I don't see what's the point.
Uh, I was excited about you, Lisa.
Well, this is about him.
No, it is very unclear what you're doing.
What's clear is that you're not an artist.
You're just, uh... an art appreciator, a...
a dilettante.
It's very different, don't you think?
Where have you been?
The reading went late.
- It went OK?
- Yeah.
Hm.
Are you proud of the kids, Lise?
Do you mean our kids?
Josh said the other day that...
he thought you seemed
disappointed in them.
No.
Of course not.
X-ing X's.
X-ing X.
Jimmy, it's Lisa, where are you?
Are you sick? I... I hope not.
I don't even know if I need
to take care of you this afternoon.
So can you please call me?
Let me know what's going on?
OK, bye.
Hi, Jimmy.
Mr Roy. Let me just find a...
Let me just find a place
where we can talk.
Nikhil. Nikhil, listen to me.
Listen. Listen for a second.
Nobody's fighting with you.
I did it in the name of his talent.
No! It wasn't a bar.
It was a poetry club.
OK. OK!
Yes!
I do under... I do.
I thought it was very late,
and that it made much more sense
for him to spend the night.
Well, I... uh...
I think you're reacting very strongly,
but of course
you're entitled to your opinion.
Yes, I should have asked
for your permission, and I'm sorry.
Meghan.
Is everything okay?
Yeah, that was Jimmy's dad.
He's leaving us. He's gonna
go to another kindergarten.
Uh... That's... That's too bad.
I'm sorry to hear that.
OK, everybody.
Let's have some snacks.
I have grape.
Carrot.
Me too.
Yeah, me too.
Gluten free.
I don't like those kind of crackers.
- We need a big one.
- Oh, I don't want a raisin snack.
- Hi.
- Hey.
- Who's here?
- We're all here.
Oh, good.
Uh, I was thinking I would cook
a big dinner tonight, for everyone.
I went to the market.
I got some great stuff.
Mmph! Honey, you're sweaty.
- You OK?
- Yeah.
Josh?
Okay.
Lainey?
Hey. I got some great food.
I was hoping we could have dinner
together tonight.
I sort of can't.
I'm supposed to go
to Kelly's to study for bio.
Well, can you go after?
Hey, I would really appreciate it if we
could sit down and have a meal together,
just once, like a normal family.
It's been a long time.
OK. I'll tell Josh.
But can I leave at 7:30?
Yeah.
Mom?
Sorry I got so upset with you
the other night.
Probably could have worded that
a little bit better.
Came off kind of bitchy.
It's OK.
How was your meeting?
It was fine.
There are actually
so many benefits to joining up.
They'll even pay for a year of my college.
OK.
You don't mind?
Have a good day.
Hey, Jimmy.
- Hi.
- Hi.
It's so hot today.
I thought maybe we could go swimming.
- You know how to swim?
- Yes.
Turn that. Push it to the left.
I missed you.
Where we're driving, up north,
is so beautiful.
Big mountains.
A lake you can swim in.
Have you ever done that before?
No. I've only been in a pool.
But I like to swim.
How long are we going swimming for?
As long as we want.
You wanna swim like the other kids?
Come on. I'll go with you.
All right.
Wanna make a wish?
I have a poem.
OK.
Come. Let's move in a little.
Anna, get up
Remember
Loneliness is still time spent
With the world
Here's the room with everyone in it
Your dead friends passing through you
Like wind through a wind chime
Don't be afraid, Anna
The end of the road is so far ahead
It is already behind us
Oh, Jimmy.
Hm. It's beautiful, isn't it?
So different from home.
It's beautiful...
and sad-looking too.
Yeah.
Sadness never ends.
Van Gogh said that before he died.
OK. Go get cleaned up, all right?
You're covered in sand and dirt.
Go ahead.
Hey, Jimmy.
Are you OK with the hot water?
I'm gonna go get washed up too.
Jimmy?
Jimmy?
Hey, Jimmy, did you lock the door?
Yes.
On purpose?
Yes.
Hey, Jimmy, sweetie. Open the door.
You know how much I care about you.
I love you so much.
This whole trip was planned for you.
Open the door, baby.
Jimmy.
Listen, tomorrow,
we're gonna go back to the lake
and we're gonna get ice cream.
And then...
we're gonna drive across the border...
and you're gonna recite your poems...
and I'm gonna write them down,
and we're gonna publish a book
that has your name on it.
Just think about that.
Hello, I've been kidnapped.
Can you help me?
Hey, Jimmy, if you wanna call the police,
you have to dial 911.
- 911. What's your emergency?
- You know, Jimmy...
this world is going to erase you.
There's not a place in this world for you.
For people like you...
Couple of years, you were gonna be...
just a shadow, just like me.
Shit.
- No, she's in the shower.
- OK. Where are you?
Have you come here before?
Jimmy?
I'm in a place with lots of beech trees.
OK. Um, can you just...
Yes, I'm near Canada.
Jimmy, tell them you're
at Placid Oaks Motel, room 114.
And tell them I don't have a weapon.
I'm in Placid Oaks Motel,
room 114...
and she doesn't have a weapon.
What did they say?
They said to hang tight
and they'll be here soon.
Hey, Jimmy.
Can you open the door, please?
I'd like to get my clothes on...
before the policemen come.
...needs to do his poetry,
but he's done all that now...
Copy that.
We'll get you an ice cream
in just one second.
...once the patch is on,
we'll, uh... we... we can coordinate...
We're gonna need
to interview the suspect...
I have a poem.
- I have a poem.
- ...code six...
subtitles by Yasmeen Khan
and pay attention
to the following safety announcements...
You know, it has to be a
little revelatory at the end,
it has to have to have that moment,
that accident.
It should be spontaneous,
it shouldn't be pre-meditated.
It's like a moment of truth.
So, who wants to read?
Come on, it's like the...
what is it, the fourth week now?
Let's hear someone else.
Do you? Erm...
Lisa.
Lisa, do you mind sharing?
No.
So, what'd you write this week?
A short one, a haiku.
Oh, really? I didn't see you work on that.
I did it on the ferry.
Read it to me?
"A dream garden blooms
"Rose, iris, phlox
"But here, a white crocus
pierces concrete"
It's good, Lise.
He didn't like it.
Someone said it was derivative.
But they always say that, right?
They say it if it's good,
they say it if it's bad.
My teacher said I need
to put more of myself in my work.
What's it, like...
The flowers out by the pool?
Yeah. More or less.
Hm.
I'm gonna go cut some paper.
OK, let's move on to S.
S. Do you guys see the S
at the top of your paper?
- Yes.
- And do you see how there's...
A piece of an S? Can you see
if you can finish that S?
That's really good, Derek.
So, when you think of an S,
think about the curve of
a ssssslithering sssss... what?
- Snake.
- Snake, that's right.
Actually, everybody think of a snake.
Think of the way a snake moves when
it sort of slithers on the ground, right?
Ssssssss. Right?
Good job.
OK. How are you guys doing over here?
My hand hurts.
Yeah, we've been doing this
for a long time, haven't we?
OK, we're gonna do song circle
after one more letter.
- Have you guys got one more letter in you?
- Yeah.
Yeah? One more letter. Does anybody
have any idea what the next letter is?
T!
T is the letter that comes after S
in the alphabet. Very good.
And T is a tall, tough like
a hard tooth or like a...
- Tusk.
- Like a tusk, yes, very good.
Hey. Can I see a beautiful T?
Thank you.
You know what? Finish up the letter
you're working on let's do song circle.
OK, give your papers to Megan.
- To hell with the core curriculum
- Thank you.
♪ Oh, oh, the rattlin' bog
The bog down in the valley-oh
♪ Oh, ho, the rattlin' bog
The bog down in the valley-oh
- ♪ And on that... ♪
- Necklace.
- ♪ There was a... ♪
- Beach.
Beach?
- I love it!
- A beach on a necklace!
And a beach on a necklace
and a necklace on the...
- Popsicle.
- And a popsicle on a...
- Booger.
- And a booger on the...
Moon!
Bye. Bye, Caitlin. You have your collage?
Boys, slow down in the halls.
Hey, guys. Take it easy.
- Hi, Lisa.
- Hi, Lauren.
Anna...
Anna...
Anna...
Anna is beautiful
Beautiful enough for me
The sun...
hits her...
yellow...
house
It's almost like a sign from God
What was that?
I don't know.
Was that a poem?
Right? That was a poem.
That was remarkable.
I think we should write it down, right?
OK.
Wow, you remember it.
What's your name again?
- I'm Becca.
- Becca, right, right. I'm sorry.
I've seen you here before.
So, Jackie's gone?
- Yeah, she quit.
- That must be why I was confused.
Mm-hm. All right, let's go.
Becca, would you do me a favour?
Erm, if he does this again, will you
promise you'll write it down for me?
- Yeah, I can do that for you.
- Thanks.
Hey, Jimmy. I really liked your poem.
- OK.
- All right. Bye. Say bye.
Oh, my God.
- She uses way too many hashtags.
- Oh, my God.
OK, this is clearly edited.
Like, look at that.
Yep. That's Photoshopped.
That's definitely Photoshopped.
How was your day?
It was good.
- Dad said you had a test?
- Yeah. It was fine.
So, what did he say?
That he likes me and he wants to go out
but that he had to have a talk with Katrina.
Oh, my God, she's, like,
hanging on for dear life.
- Who's that?
- Are you guys gonna come eat?
We ordered pizza.
Excuse me.
- You too?
- Yeah.
You don't say hi?
- Hello.
- Hello.
- Could I have some of those, please?
- Er, yeah.
Did you go online and look at the dorms?
- Hey, Mr Spinelli.
- Hey.
- Yes.
- And did you pick your preferences?
Yes, yes, I did.
"Anna is beautiful
"Beautiful enough for me
"The sun hits her yellow house
"It's almost like a sign from God"
Wow. It sounds so advanced.
- How old is he?
- Five and a half. It's extraordinary.
I mean, cos Lainie and Josh
knew lots of words at that age, but...
It conjures a feeling.
So specific.
Is he religious?
No, I don't think so.
Hm. It's just weird that someone
so young would write about God.
It's disturbing, slightly.
Why do you say that?
Why use the word "disturbing"?
Er, I don't know.
Er...
It's not disturbing, I suppose.
It's, er, more like... Peculiar.
I mean, the whole God thing, I dunno.
Anna is beautiful
Beautiful enough for me
The sun hits her yellow house
It is almost like a sign from God
What do you guys think?
I love that line "Beautiful enough for me".
It suggests so many things,
like you don't deserve much
or you don't prioritise beauty.
But then the word beautiful is repeated,
so I feel like you do, in fact,
value it in some deep way
and that you really find Anna beautiful.
Yeah. I think it was really good.
Really good.
Cos with so few elements,
you make something very...
Very complex.
It's as if it was said by someone
that has seen a lot of beauty
but now, you know,
makes do with very little.
OK, so for next week, I would like
you all to focus on the boring things.
The banal, the mundane.
Just, you know, try it, and see
if the act of writing about something
can transform it into something new.
Let's see.
Ho is the whore! Ho is the whore!
- Jimmy, let's go!
- It's Grand Theft Auto!
No! No! Jimmy, no.
No, that is an awful word. All of you guys.
That's a very powerful word,
and you guys are just little kids,
and there is no place for that here, OK?
I know you guys are better than that.
I'm sorry, Jimmy,
but I have to give you a time-out.
So, Jimmy...
Tell me about your poem.
Who is Anna?
Is she someone you know?
And how about your mommy?
Is her name Anna?
My mom is dead.
I'm sorry to hear that, I didn't know.
You remember when we planted these?
They were just tiny little seeds.
What's this one smell like? Smell.
- Tomato.
- Yeah, tomato.
And we have some thyme...
The rain to the wind said...
You push...
- I'll pelt.
- Remember that one?
They so smote the garden bed
that the flowers actually knelt...
And lay lodged, but not dead
I know how those flowers felt
I'm sorry I had to give you a time-out.
I don't like doing that.
I know you can be steady
and use beautiful words.
"Ho" is a boring word.
It's a word boring kids say.
Hey.
Let's look at the kindergarten.
These toys, we play with them every day.
Or the sunflower,
we see the sunflower every single day.
And our butterfly. Right?
They're part of our everyday routine.
Maybe if we try...
We can see something new.
Do you feel anything?
No.
- Oh, hi.
- Hi.
- Sorry.
- That's OK.
Hey.
Erm, Megan, can you take Jimmy
to get his clay sculpture?
- I think it's still drying outside.
- Sure, I'll get it.
- Do you mind if we chat for a minute?
- Yeah.
Erm...
I just felt like Jimmy
was acting a little strange today.
He was energetic at recess
and then he was very quiet,
he hardly said a word
for the rest of the day.
Yeah, he does get quiet
like that, that's true.
I mean, he's a weirdo.
Becca, how often
does he compose poems?
Mm, I dunno. Like, once a week?
- Maybe, like, every few days, he'll...
- Really?
Yeah, he'll just, like, pop up,
start walking back and forth like a zombie,
like, mumbling to himself.
Yeah, I hadn't seen him
do it ever before Monday.
I've gotta say, they're really cool.
I like 'em.
- And what does his family think?
- Oh, nobody knows he does it but me.
I mean, his dad's, like, a really busy guy.
He owns that big nightclub
in Bayonne, Ultralounge?
His mom is doing her thing in Miami,
she's not around.
Oh, OK.
Jimmy said she was dead.
- No.
- Yeah, I didn't think so.
Usually I'm informed of that kind of thing.
It was a really nasty custody battle.
And are you close with his dad?
Yeah, we work together.
So, I know him.
I did coat-check at Ultralounge for a year.
And then I quit to pursue acting.
But then he said he needed
a nanny so I was like,
- "This is perfect. Part time?"
- Good.
But you know what? His Uncle Sanjay
does come by the house
and Jimmy tells me they read poems,
reports in the newspaper...
OK, that's good to know. I'm glad
there's some support in the house.
And do you like acting?
Yeah. I do.
- Well, good luck with that.
- Thank you.
Oh, I almost forgot.
There was one yesterday.
You want to see it?
I wrote it down like you said.
Yeah, sure. I'd love to take a look at it.
"The bull stood alone in the back yard
"So dark
"I opened the door and stepped out
"Wind in the branches
"He watched me
"Blue eyes
"He kept breathing to stay alive
"I didn't want him
"I was a just a boy
"Say yes
"Say yes anyway"
Wow.
I like, I loved the
"breathing to stay alive".
What do you guys think?
I'm just trying
to understand the assignment.
I thought everything
was supposed to be observational
and about things that we see every day.
I mean, it's great, but this seems like
an exercise in surrealism.
You don't have to be literal
with my assignments, you know?
These are just exercises
that spark your creativity, you know?
Well, it might have been helpful
to know that beforehand.
OK. Well, I'm sorry. I apologise.
But I find it really interesting
that you just went your own way, really.
You know, sometimes poets,
like bulls, they should be stubborn.
I like the poem a lot. Just wondering why
you wrote it from a boy's point of view.
- I don't know.
- Because she can.
And that's what's interesting,
you know, it's interesting to see things
from a new vantage point.
Well, guys, we have to leave, but this week,
try using another point of view. OK?
Let's see what happens, all right?
And please, please, just really don't try
to please me. That's not the point.
OK? All right. Thank you. Bye-bye.
Hey. How was class?
It was good.
- Yeah, it was better.
- Hm.
- Are the kids upstairs?
- I think so.
Hey.
Oh, hi.
- You just get back from your poetry class?
- Yeah.
Oh, your hair looks nice like that.
Where's Josh?
Tutoring.
Good.
Are there any college kids there?
- Where?
- In your class.
No, it's all adults.
It's a continuing education class.
Oh.
Hey, don't you have work to do?
Yeah, I finished it in study hall.
I was thinking about how great you were
at photography last year.
Why don't you take
Dad's old camera and his lenses
and take a walk
around the neighbourhood?
I post cool stuff on
Instagram all the time.
Yeah, but developing
in a dark room is totally different.
Yeah, it just stinks in there
with all the chemicals and stuff.
OK.
Just something
I noticed you were good at.
Hi, Mr Roy. This is Lisa Spinelli calling,
I'm Jimmy's kindergarten teacher,
and I was just calling
because I would like to talk to you
about your son when you have a moment.
Erm, I left a message on Tuesday
with all my information.
So please give me a call when
you get a chance. Thanks a lot. Bye.
I'm really curious what's gonna happen
when you have no white on the paper.
I don't have any white on my paper.
Yeah. Let's see yours,
you almost have no white left.
Oh, you need a little more room
on the paper, I think.
Here you go.
- Thank you.
- You are very welcome.
Do you need something, Aubrey?
What do you need?
Now, do you think you guys
can make a chrome yellow,
like in Van Gogh's Wheatfields?
Remember how beautiful that colour was?
Is this the volcano here
and lava coming out?
Hey, Jimmy.
Jimmy.
Hey, Jimmy.
Will you come with me?
Where are we going?
Come here.
Why are we in the bathroom?
Cos I wanna talk to you about something.
Hey.
I want to talk to you about something
that I think is very important for a poet.
It's called your point of view.
So, here we are, we're in a bathroom.
But there's not just one bathroom.
There's many bathrooms.
Yes, there's many bathrooms.
Because, look...
If you're a grown-up,
the bathroom looks like this.
Yeah, you're a big grown-up Jimmy.
What do you think? Look around.
I bet there's all sorts of things
you didn't notice before.
What else do you want to be?
You wanna be a giant?
OK. Turn around.
What do you see from up there?
What's it like up there?
- The bathroom's so tiny.
- You like it?
- Yep.
- Well, what else? A cat!
Let's be a cat.
Down here. Look. Down here.
I'm a cat. Meow!
- Meow.
- Meow, meow, meow.
So, if you stay open
and if you stay curious,
then you can see
the world however you want.
You can see the world like
a little tiny bug or like a bad guy.
You know what I mean?
Can I go back to nap time now?
Will you think about what I said?
Will you think about it?
All right.
Jimmy.
Jimmy, one more thing.
It gets so dark
It stays dark even when I turn on the light
It gets so bright
The flowers bow to the sun
Do you remember the lion?
So quick and so strong
He has no master
when his master is sleeping
And all his master does is sleep
That was a poem.
Can you say it for me again
so I can write it down?
Megan, did you catch what he was saying?
Did you get the beginning?
Sorry, I had the water running.
I think he was singing a song?
He seems to be doing that a lot.
They're not songs, they're poems.
It was about the lion.
You see?
What am I gonna do with you?
- Hey.
- Becca.
- We have a little bit of a problem.
- What's wrong?
Poems are disappearing.
It happened just now.
He was pacing back and forth,
I rushed to get to him,
and by the time I got there,
he was almost finished.
All I got was, "He has no master
when his master is sleeping
"And all his master does is sleep"
Oh.
It's from the point of
view of a hunted lion.
I see.
I mean, how often are we
missing these moments?
It's hard to say, really.
I mean, I try my best, but...
Out of curiosity,
who tucks him into bed at night?
- Is it you or is it somebody else?
- It's... It's mostly me.
I think that's a time to pay attention to.
I mean, imagine how much
incredible poetry is written
in that not-quite-conscious moment
just before the lights go out.
Mm-hm.
Hey. You're such a good teacher,
you know that? You have a really big heart.
Listen, baby doll. When you're
coming up with your poems,
just let us know, OK,
so we can help you.
Yeah, cos we don't wanna
miss anything, OK?
- Do you have kids?
- I do.
- Big? Small?
- They're big, they're in high school.
Oh, wow. Well, they're really lucky
to have you, you're very attentive.
All right. Let's go, baby!
OK, so let's just work together to make
sure that all of his work gets heard.
I'll do what I can do. Bye.
- Hi. Hi, I'm Lisa. We spoke on the phone?
- Yes.
- Hi.
- Hi, Lisa.
- Is now still an OK time?
- Yes, yes, of course.
We memorised a few poems, just for fun.
Mm. Well, he composes, too.
Jimmy? I didn't realise.
Yes, and I wanted
to speak to you because...
I imagine maybe you can appreciate
how rare that gift is.
I mean, I've been a kindergarten teacher
for almost 20 years
and I've never seen anything like it.
And I just want to support it and I want
to protect it as much as I possibly can.
- Absolutely.
- Talent is so...
fragile and so rare, and our culture
does everything to crush it.
I mean, even at four or five they're coming
into school attached to their phones,
talking only about TV shows
and video games.
- It's a materialistic culture...
- Mm-hm.
And it doesn't support art
or language. Or observation.
Even my own children,
who are great, they don't read.
You know, you think,
maybe it's just a phase...
But I worry that it's something larger.
A lack of curiosity, a lack of reflection.
No one has space for poetry.
Maybe that's true.
Really, what I want
is to speak with his father.
His father?
I wonder if he would allow me
to oversee his progress.
Er... Well, he's a busy man
and, frankly, I don't know
how much you will get out of him.
Mm.
Have you met him?
No. He doesn't actually
even return my phone calls.
Maybe the baby-sitter can help?
- Becca?
- Yeah, yes. Becca.
Well, between you and me, I think Becca
is a problematic element in this, too.
I mean, she doesn't understand
the depth of his talent.
Er, listen, I apologise, but I should
get back to work soon. I'm sorry.
OK.
I'll, er... I'll speak to my brother soon.
I'll see if I can catch him this week.
That would be wonderful.
OK.
I should, er...
- I really have a deadline, so...
- OK.
- You know your way out?
- I do.
OK.
Hey, Jimmy. Will you come with me
to the playground?
I wanna talk to you about something.
Come on, let's play.
They have five more minutes.
- OK.
- OK.
Jimmy, I want to talk to you
about something very important.
When you have a poem in your head,
and when your poem is ready,
will you come to me?
Even if you see I'm busy
or I'm talking to somebody else,
or if you're mad at me that day
or if you think I'm mad at you...
Will you please come to me?
If it happens when you're not
at school, that's OK.
You can call me on the phone,
you don't have to recite your poem to Becca.
It's better if you call me, you understand?
And I'll write it down for you.
And don't let her call you silly names
like puppy dog and... and...
Bunny rabbit. It's belittling.
It means she's treating you like a baby.
So, look, I took your cell phone
from your backpack, if that's OK?
And I'd like to put my number in
so you have it if you need it.
I'm not gonna put it in under Mrs Spinelli
because that is too long.
Erm, I'm gonna type in
the letter "L". See?
L is for Lisa.
That's my name.
So, just find L
when you wanna call me, OK?
OK.
- Hello?
- Hi.
Hi.
Where you headed?
- I have practice.
- No, you don't. You had it yesterday.
We have an extra one this week.
Josh, where are you going?
I have a meeting.
Is this Marines stuff?
Josh, come in here.
We just don't get it.
You worked so hard to get into that school,
and you busted your butt,
and you pulled up your grades,
and we're proud of you.
- That's all we're saying.
- It's not even a good school.
Josh, it's stupid to put yourself
in harm's way.
People get their fucking limbs blown off.
I'm just sick of school, OK?
And plus,
I think service is more important
than whatever notion of achievement
- you have in your head.
- No, no!
Josh, if you wanna go fight for oil
in the desert, that's fine,
but don't kid yourself.
Don't worry.
He always lands on his feet.
Does he?
I don't know.
Are we finally alone?
Can I lock the fucking front door?
- No!
- And make sure...
that no one comes back in this house...
ever again?
What are you doing?
- Hello?
- Mrs Spinelli?
- Hi, Jimmy.
- I have a poem.
OK.
Wait. OK.
I'm ready to write it down.
Go ahead.
The gold rusts
The warmth breaks
And the light comes at morning
The police start their way
to the dining hall
And the sound of World War Three
is out there
Dust is out
And pray God, the wedding is coming
And the reciting poem is here
Shh.
I loved your poem last night.
Do you wanna hear a poem from me?
OK.
Mesmerise me, butterfly
Forcing wings open, shut
Thrust with purpose not known to me
Not expert in your grasses
In poison
Mushrooms camouflage deliverance
Today the garden teems
with wood sprites
Flashing blue
Now white
At the edge of seeing
Is that a poem you wrote?
Yeah.
You can just forget you heard it.
I don't want to spoil your talent.
You did not!
What were you saying to Natalie?
Right.
You OK?
♪ I like the way you ride it really slow
♪ Hide it, I'mma find it, and you know
♪ Girl, I gotta grind it really low
♪ I like the way you ride it really slow
♪ Hide it, I'mma find it, and you know
♪ Girl, I gotta grind it really low
♪ Girl, I got time, you can slow it down
♪ Wiggle them hips,
put your fingers on the ground ♪
Amy, what are you doing?
What's the big deal?
It's been decriminalised.
Can I have it?
You know, you and Dad always
act like artsy, progressive hippies...
OK. OK. You know what?
Smoke it if you want to.
Maybe it'll open you up.
- You...
- What's goin' on?
...could have such an incredible mind.
Incredible mind?
What's up with you?
You're acting so weird.
- I just wish...
- We got all our work done.
I wish there was
a little bit more curiosity,
vibrancy, intellectualism in this house.
You know, ever since you started taking
those dumb-ass poetry classes,
you've been acting like you're the...
cultural ambassador
to the UN or something.
OK, if you wanna go back to college
and get your stupid degree,
then you can go ahead.
OK? I actually get straight A's
without having to work very hard,
and you never acknowledge that.
You worked your ass off,
and look where you are.
Hey. What the hell is goin' on?
It's nothing. She's just being provocative.
I'm fine. I'm gonna get some air.
Cultural ambassador to the UN.
- Hello?
- Jimmy, hi.
It's Mrs Spinelli.
It's Lisa.
- Why are you calling me?
- No, it's OK.
Kindergarten teachers are allowed
to call their... their students.
Becca's gonna read me a book.
OK. I know, it must be getting
close to bedtime.
I just wanted to say hi.
OK.
A home transformed by the lightning
The balanced alcoves smother
This insatiable earth of a planet, Earth
They attacked it with their mechanical
horns because they love you
- Hello?
- Hey, Lisa, how's it going?
Come, sit down.
I was reading this...
this poem that, erm...
that a computer wrote.
You know, with some algorithm.
And it even passed the Turing Test.
In the end, we're all machines.
Well, Justin, thank you,
and good luck with the sonnet.
- Yeah, I'll crack it.
- Don't make Watson do it.
Cool, man.
I'll see you at the reading
on Thursday, then.
- Great. Bye.
- Bye.
You know, it's... it's very funny when
you have, like, this amount of books,
and I've only read,
like, one-tenth of them.
So, Justin was telling me
that there's half of the class
that are gonna stay for the next semester,
Would you like to stay?
- Yes, I would.
- That'd be great, right?
- Yeah.
- Good.
So, tell me about you.
I don't know anything about you.
What do you... What do you do?
- I teach.
- You teach?
I want to thank you for inviting me.
I can't tell you how flattered I was
when I received your email.
Oh, please. No.
I mean...
You know, your work has been...
progressing a lot,
and... and it was a no-brainer.
I mean, you... you have to come.
So, what do you teach?
I teach kindergarten.
That's such a delicate thing, right?
I mean, you... you give the kids something,
and then they...
Yeah? They have it forever.
- It's incredible.
- Yeah. That's... That's true.
So, erm...
on Thursday night,
at the Bowery,
we're doing this reading where...
you know, a bunch of poets come in.
It's very eclectic. Young and old.
And there's reviewers,
publishers as well, there might be.
And everyone that goes on stage
reads two poems.
So you have to prepare two poems
that you like.
- OK.
- All right?
I really want to thank you
for this opportunity.
Of course.
There's dancing afterwards, with poets.
You know, there's gonna be a party,
like, drinks and stuff, but...
I don't know, maybe you...
you will be, like, a centre of attention.
Huh?
I am sorry. I'm sorry.
I'm... I... God, I'm sorry.
I'm... I'm very sorry. I'm very sorry.
I'm sorry, I just...
It's presumptuous of me. I'm...
I'm sorry.
Forget about it.
Can I read you a poem?
Yeah.
I wrote it sort of quickly.
- I'd love to hear your thoughts.
- OK.
Mesmerise me, butterfly
Forcing wings open, shut
Thrust with purpose not known to me
Not expert in your grasses
In poison
Mushrooms camouflage deliverance
Today the garden teems
with wood sprites
Flashing blue
Now white
At the edge of seeing
It's good.
- Yeah?
- Yeah, that was very cool.
It's not my favourite that you've written,
but it's nice.
You know, at the beginning,
when you came into the class,
I didn't notice you at first.
There's so many people, you know, and...
Also, you were very quiet for a while.
Then you started to present your work.
But, I mean, I must say,
don't take this wrong,
but at the beginning, your work was...
was very typical, you know?
Like, all the...
you know, all the metaphors were very...
kind of commonplace,
which is normal,
because you're just experimenting
with the nature of all of this.
But when you read
your poem about Anna,
then, I thought,
"OK, there is a poet here."
And from then on, I was just...
I don't know.
I wonder what...
what's going on with you.
Are you going out with Anna?
No.
Do you like women?
Occasionally.
Hey.
Come with me.
- Is he OK?
- Yeah! Of course.
Yeah, let's go in here.
So, on Thursday,
we've been invited to a place where poets
read their poems on stage, like this,
in front of an audience.
Some of them will probably be
pretty mediocre, but...
I was wondering if you might
wanna read a few of yours.
What do you think?
Yeah, I'd like to.
I think it'd be a great opportunity.
Actually, why don't you
just stand up here?
Yeah. Like a stage.
Can you show me how you'd say
one of your poems?
Maybe "Anna"?
Anna's beautiful
Beautiful enough for me
You know what's in there?
- What?
- Your heart.
Can you try saying it more from there?
From your heart?
Anna's beautiful
Beautiful enough for me
The sun hits her yellow house
It's almost like a sign from God
OK, good.
So, on Thursday we'll do "Anna" and...
- how about "The Bull"?
- Yeah.
And we'll practise
both of them a little bit every day.
OK.
- Mr Roy.
- ...a dozen parameters...
Yes? One moment.
So... I've got a kid with a good head.
- I'm happy.
- Well, it's more than that.
I think we have a young Mozart.
He's gifted, Mr Roy.
He writes poetry on a level that is far...
beyond his age.
Have you talked to Sanjay?
- Sanjay who?
- Your brother, the writer.
The writer?
Haven't talked to him in a month.
Oh, I see.
He was supposed to call you.
What can I do for you, Lisa?
Mozart...
was nurtured by kings and queens.
They massaged his tired hands.
They fed him candy...
while he played the piano.
And Jimmy doesn't have that.
I'm not saying he should be spoiled,
but he does need support.
And Becca... she's nice,
but she's not a good influence on him.
Why?
Well, I think she treats him
like any stupid child.
She talks to him like a puppy dog.
And I should tell you she's often late
picking him up and dropping him off.
- Is that true?
- Yes. Last week, she was an hour late...
- Put the change in the coat room.
- ...because she was at an audition.
I know. I see you're very busy and...
that you're a very successful man,
and that you don't have a lot of time.
And I know that Jimmy's mother
isn't around...
I want to help my son.
Especially if he enjoys doing this.
But I don't want him to be like my brother.
You met him, right?
He's 42 years old.
Makes 50 grand a year
because he wanted to be an intellectual.
Now? Corrects spelling mistakes
for the newspaper.
I want my son to do good in school,
I want him to be smart, but...
it's also good to have a normal life.
Make money, be practical.
But, you know, I don't like
this Becca forgetting to pick him up.
I'm gonna ask her to leave.
I... I knew it wasn't going to work,
but, you know,
whenever this happens,
it's a real problem for me because...
- who watches him?
- I'm happy to.
It's not hard for me. Especially
if it's a few hours after school.
Yeah. That would help me very much.
- OK!
- At least till five or six o'clock.
- Then I can get a girl to come to the house.
- Yes, I can do that.
And, erm... I don't know
if Jimmy mentioned it to you,
but I've asked him to recite
a few of his poems
in Manhattan
on Thursday night at a poetry reading.
See, now, on Thursday he has
baseball practice with his friend.
They go together. So, er... forget it.
It's too complicated.
Mm. I see.
Do you need me to bring him to baseball?
Oh, no, no, er...
they've got it arranged.
The father of the kid takes him.
It's a shame...
that he won't be able to go
to the reading.
Don't overthink it.
They need things simple at this age.
You know what?
Let's turn our phones off.
And then we can just...
look at the art,
and not worry about anything else.
Hi.
I tried to call three times.
Come on, honey. Let's go.
Anna is beautiful
Beautiful enough for me
The sun hits her yellow house
It's almost like a sign from God
That was great, Jimmy.
Do it just like that tonight, OK?
OK. Now...
I'll be somebody in the audience,
and I'll pretend
to ask you a question, OK?
I'm going to raise my hand.
Mr Jimmy Roy.
Who is Anna?
And then you have to answer.
So, you can say...
You can say
Anna is a little tweeting bird.
Or you can say she's one
of the little girls in our kindergarten.
Or you can say she's the moon,
or a star, or...
You can say whatever you want.
- Hi, Richard.
- Hey.
- Can I talk to you for a sec?
- Sure.
OK, great.
So... Jimmy was really
not feeling well today.
I think maybe it's best
if he skips baseball.
Well, that's fine with me.
Better he's not running around
in the heat.
Does Nikhil need me to take him
to the doctor?
Uh... You know, I just spoke to him.
I'm happy to keep Jimmy tonight.
I just was concerned because I know
you've got two other babes in the house,
and I wouldn't want him
to get everyone else sick.
All right.
As long as Nikhil's fine with it?
He agreed it would
probably be better.
- Thanks, Lisa.
- OK.
- All right, see you tomorrow.
- Mm-hm.
Who you think you're talkin' to?
Don't you know I'm the reason why
you can't shut any wet part of your face?
While all the badass hurricanes struck
a woman's name
I put God in my hands, snapped
Watched it rain
Skid my teeth across
the thin skin of my full lip
Just to usher the sun in, so, yeah
I make you dog pant
Make you beg big
But I'm also the reason you hallelujah
Just as much life I've given you
I can taketh away
Calling me bitch
Only sharpens my blade
Only makes me wanna watch you
Gargle your own tongue
I've been a killer
Baby, I keep caskets warm
God in business
I parade into rooms and the wallpaper
Don't even stand up no more
My pussy be hurricane season
So the next time
You see me walk in a room
Out a room, up the block
Shit, down the block
Just say Amen
Like I'm the answer to the sky
Hi, this is Jimmy Roy,
and he'll be reciting two poems
for you tonight.
Anna is beautiful
Beautiful enough for me
The sun hits her yellow house
It's almost like a sign from God
The Bull.
The bull stood alone in the back yard
So dark
I opened the door and stepped out
Wind in the branches
He watched me
Blue eyes
He kept breathing to stay alive
I didn't want him
I was just a boy
Say yes
Say yes, anyway
Er... I'm sorry to ask
such a basic question,
but... are these your poems?
And if so, are you using him
as a sort of poetic medium?
Yeah.
Erm...
No, these are his poems.
He wrote them.
Bravo!
Erm...
For the, erm... young man.
How long have you been writing poetry?
I started when I was five.
Jimmy? I was wondering,
who is this Anna that you write about?
Anna could be...
anyone you love.
For me, she's my kindergarten teacher's
helper, Meghan.
Jacket's tight on my arms.
I wanna take it off.
Why are you upset?
I'm not.
I'm just emotional because...
I'm so proud of you.
You did such a beautiful job.
They clapped me.
They loved it.
Jimmy, can you wait outside
for me for a minute?
Just wait right there,
right outside the door.
Jimmy?
What I've always thought...
Hi, Jimmy.
He's incredible, isn't he?
I think you should leave the class, Lisa.
I'm uncomfortable with the fact that you're
presenting work that is not your own.
OK.
All artists, they take from each other.
But what you're doing...
Um, I don't know.
It's... something different.
You're leeching off a child.
Oh, I'm so sorry that you see it that way.
You break the... the whole trust that
goes into a classroom.
The whole ethic.
I don't see what's the point.
Uh, I was excited about you, Lisa.
Well, this is about him.
No, it is very unclear what you're doing.
What's clear is that you're not an artist.
You're just, uh... an art appreciator, a...
a dilettante.
It's very different, don't you think?
Where have you been?
The reading went late.
- It went OK?
- Yeah.
Hm.
Are you proud of the kids, Lise?
Do you mean our kids?
Josh said the other day that...
he thought you seemed
disappointed in them.
No.
Of course not.
X-ing X's.
X-ing X.
Jimmy, it's Lisa, where are you?
Are you sick? I... I hope not.
I don't even know if I need
to take care of you this afternoon.
So can you please call me?
Let me know what's going on?
OK, bye.
Hi, Jimmy.
Mr Roy. Let me just find a...
Let me just find a place
where we can talk.
Nikhil. Nikhil, listen to me.
Listen. Listen for a second.
Nobody's fighting with you.
I did it in the name of his talent.
No! It wasn't a bar.
It was a poetry club.
OK. OK!
Yes!
I do under... I do.
I thought it was very late,
and that it made much more sense
for him to spend the night.
Well, I... uh...
I think you're reacting very strongly,
but of course
you're entitled to your opinion.
Yes, I should have asked
for your permission, and I'm sorry.
Meghan.
Is everything okay?
Yeah, that was Jimmy's dad.
He's leaving us. He's gonna
go to another kindergarten.
Uh... That's... That's too bad.
I'm sorry to hear that.
OK, everybody.
Let's have some snacks.
I have grape.
Carrot.
Me too.
Yeah, me too.
Gluten free.
I don't like those kind of crackers.
- We need a big one.
- Oh, I don't want a raisin snack.
- Hi.
- Hey.
- Who's here?
- We're all here.
Oh, good.
Uh, I was thinking I would cook
a big dinner tonight, for everyone.
I went to the market.
I got some great stuff.
Mmph! Honey, you're sweaty.
- You OK?
- Yeah.
Josh?
Okay.
Lainey?
Hey. I got some great food.
I was hoping we could have dinner
together tonight.
I sort of can't.
I'm supposed to go
to Kelly's to study for bio.
Well, can you go after?
Hey, I would really appreciate it if we
could sit down and have a meal together,
just once, like a normal family.
It's been a long time.
OK. I'll tell Josh.
But can I leave at 7:30?
Yeah.
Mom?
Sorry I got so upset with you
the other night.
Probably could have worded that
a little bit better.
Came off kind of bitchy.
It's OK.
How was your meeting?
It was fine.
There are actually
so many benefits to joining up.
They'll even pay for a year of my college.
OK.
You don't mind?
Have a good day.
Hey, Jimmy.
- Hi.
- Hi.
It's so hot today.
I thought maybe we could go swimming.
- You know how to swim?
- Yes.
Turn that. Push it to the left.
I missed you.
Where we're driving, up north,
is so beautiful.
Big mountains.
A lake you can swim in.
Have you ever done that before?
No. I've only been in a pool.
But I like to swim.
How long are we going swimming for?
As long as we want.
You wanna swim like the other kids?
Come on. I'll go with you.
All right.
Wanna make a wish?
I have a poem.
OK.
Come. Let's move in a little.
Anna, get up
Remember
Loneliness is still time spent
With the world
Here's the room with everyone in it
Your dead friends passing through you
Like wind through a wind chime
Don't be afraid, Anna
The end of the road is so far ahead
It is already behind us
Oh, Jimmy.
Hm. It's beautiful, isn't it?
So different from home.
It's beautiful...
and sad-looking too.
Yeah.
Sadness never ends.
Van Gogh said that before he died.
OK. Go get cleaned up, all right?
You're covered in sand and dirt.
Go ahead.
Hey, Jimmy.
Are you OK with the hot water?
I'm gonna go get washed up too.
Jimmy?
Jimmy?
Hey, Jimmy, did you lock the door?
Yes.
On purpose?
Yes.
Hey, Jimmy, sweetie. Open the door.
You know how much I care about you.
I love you so much.
This whole trip was planned for you.
Open the door, baby.
Jimmy.
Listen, tomorrow,
we're gonna go back to the lake
and we're gonna get ice cream.
And then...
we're gonna drive across the border...
and you're gonna recite your poems...
and I'm gonna write them down,
and we're gonna publish a book
that has your name on it.
Just think about that.
Hello, I've been kidnapped.
Can you help me?
Hey, Jimmy, if you wanna call the police,
you have to dial 911.
- 911. What's your emergency?
- You know, Jimmy...
this world is going to erase you.
There's not a place in this world for you.
For people like you...
Couple of years, you were gonna be...
just a shadow, just like me.
Shit.
- No, she's in the shower.
- OK. Where are you?
Have you come here before?
Jimmy?
I'm in a place with lots of beech trees.
OK. Um, can you just...
Yes, I'm near Canada.
Jimmy, tell them you're
at Placid Oaks Motel, room 114.
And tell them I don't have a weapon.
I'm in Placid Oaks Motel,
room 114...
and she doesn't have a weapon.
What did they say?
They said to hang tight
and they'll be here soon.
Hey, Jimmy.
Can you open the door, please?
I'd like to get my clothes on...
before the policemen come.
...needs to do his poetry,
but he's done all that now...
Copy that.
We'll get you an ice cream
in just one second.
...once the patch is on,
we'll, uh... we... we can coordinate...
We're gonna need
to interview the suspect...
I have a poem.
- I have a poem.
- ...code six...
subtitles by Yasmeen Khan