Tyson's Run (2022) Movie Script

I'm sorry, Tyson, I'm lost.

And how do I

teach you something

I don't even understand myself?

Well, maybe I can learn,

and then you can learn from me.

How about we take a break

and have some lemonade?

Yes, a break and some lemonade.

- I'd like some lemonade.

- Great.

May I remind you, football players,

that the State Championship

is three months away,

and you are not gonna win it by

runnin' like a bunch of bench warmers!

Now, line it up! We're goin' again!

Hey, Mr. Kidman,

whoever crosses that goal line last,

is off the team!

Now, you're their leader,

you gonna lead 'em!

Yes, sir, Coach, I got you.

All right, let's go, folks.

It's about trust,

hard work, dedication.

If we can incorporate those principles

into our practices every day

and out there on the field,

I fully expect we'll be the last team

standing at the end of this season.

With a record seven undefeated seasons

and five state championship

titles in a row,

Coach Bobby Hollerman

is the winningest high school

football coach in state history.

In other sports-related news,

it's official, Stand bridge City

is getting a sanctioned marathon.

Here's what our mayor had to say

about the announcement.

Mayor, why a marathon?

There are those who surmise

this is simply an election stunt

at the taxpayers' expense.

So, I ask you, is this pure,

political spectacle,

or a genuine sporting spectacular?

Hosting an AIMS-sanctioned

international invitational marathon

will help put our great city on

the map and make it even greater.

Here we are, Atlanta.

Movin' through our Thursday,

nothing but sunshine in store

for the forecast.

We have a few clouds

early this morning,

however, those will burn off

by the afternoon,

and we are left with sunny skies

and a high of 73 degrees.

Friday through Sunday...

Hey, Tyson.

...warming trend, with highs,

something up to 81 degrees,

and then Monday, sunshine all day.

- Tyson.

- Yes, Mom?

Your father's home.

He said "hello" to you.

Hello, Father.

Hi, honey.

Hi.

Follow us on social media...

How was practice?

It was fine.

Dinner will be ready by the time

you finish your shower.

Okay.

Sweetie,

dinner as soon as your father's

done with his shower.

- Tyson?

- Yes, Mom.

Dinner as soon as my father

is done with his shower.

Thank you for this food

we are about to receive. Amen.

Tyson, why don't you ask your father

how his day was?

Okay, Mom.

How was your day today, Father?

Was it fine?

My day was fine, except for algebra.

Do they have algebra

at your school, Father?

Yes, Tyson.

Then maybe,

I can start going to your school,

if they have algebra.

Your mother home schools you, Tyson.

Yes, my mother home schools me,

but she can't teach me

what she doesn't understand.

And she doesn't understand algebra.

It confused her.

So, I studied it on my own today,

and one of my answers was incorrect.

If I go to your school,

I can learn algebra,

and then teach my mother,

and I could see you at your school,

teaching football.

Coaching. I coach football.

Yes, that's right, you coach football.

"Coach," a noun,

an instructor or trainer in sport.

"Coach," a verb,

to teach or supervise someone.

To act as a trainer as in sports.

To coach an athlete

or an athletic team.

I could learn algebra at your school

and I could see you at your school

coaching football.

Didn't it ever occur to you

that maybe

it has nothing to do with algebra?

That maybe, just maybe,

he wants to go to your school

to be near you,

to be part of your world?

Tyson's in his own world.

I think we can both agree

that he's just not gonna fit.

Fit in what?

Your image?

Tyson is not...

Say it, Bobby. Normal?

He's not ready.

That is such a bad excuse.

I can't believe you are

that ashamed of him, Bobby.

Look, these other kids...

They're not yours!

They are not yours!

Okay.

You don't think I'm afraid of

what Tyson will face if he were to go?

If the other kids will be nice to him?

Coach Hollerman,

you make them be nice to him.

You make them be nice to your son!

Ellie?

You okay?

Eloise?

Dinner must not have agreed

with my stomach, that's all.

You have a great day, Tyson.

You have a great day, too, Mom,

not homeschooling me.

Come on, let's go!

- Okay, bye.

- Goodbye.

Bye again, Mom.

Seat belt.

Buckle up for safety.

Take this.

My number's programmed in there,

in case you run into any problems.

Did you program

Mom's number in it, too?

Yes, your mother's number

is programmed in there.

I will try

not to run into any problems.

Okay, you ready?

Okay, the liver.

Hello, my name is Tyson Hollerman.

I am 15 years old, and until today,

I have been homeschooled by my mom.

Tard alert.

Forrest Chump in the house!

All right, all right,

calm down, all right.

One more crack like that,

Bradley Burton,

you're gonna find yourself

out in the hall.

Good morning, Tyson.

We've been expecting you.

Please, take the open seat.

Thank you. I will take the open seat.

Guys.

Hey, hey!

Focus, guys, focus.

The liver.

You are definitely pregnant.

Seven weeks, give or take.

Hmm.

And is this baby

more than likely to be like my first?

The likelihood of this child

having the same genetic disorder

as your first is increased,

but I would hesitate

to characterize the chances

as more than likely.

So, pick a number.

I mean, are we talkin' 60/40, 50/50?

'Cause I'm gonna be 42 next month.

And, I mean,

no matter what the odds are,

this baby I'm carryin'

is gonna be startin' out

with two big strikes against it.

Things have a way

of working out for the best.

There's still time.

Yeah, too much, and then not enough.

All right,

this is the stomach.

All right?

And behind it, is this organ.

Who can tell me what this organ is?

Bradley.

A penis?

Now, Mr. Burton, you know very well,

that is not a penis.

A vagina?

All right, that's enough.

You just started out

your freshman year

with an F in anatomy, Mr. Burton.

Now, anyone else care

to venture a guess?

Mr. Hollerman.

Pancreas.

Pancreas. Very good, Mr. Hollerman.

Pancreas.

A gland organ in the endocrine

and digestive system.

It is both an endocrine gland

producing several important hormones,

including insulin, glucagon,

and somatostatin,

and a digestive organ,

secreting pancreatic juice

that contains digestive enzymes

that act to facilitate

the absorption of nutrients

and assist in the breaking down

of carbohydrates,

proteins, and lipids in the chyme.

Thank you, Mr. Hollerman.

That was a very, uh,

detailed explanation.

Now, can anyone tell me what this is?

Come on.

Here's the staff.

Hollerman goes back,

lookin' for a man down field.

He's got time, but

here comes that little White Dodger.

And he's got him!

He's got him!

He goes down with a boom!

Hi, Ellie.

Hi. How's Tyson?

Have you checked on him?

I did check on him and he seemed fine.

Well, go check on him again.

Every 30 minutes, really.

So, her old man says

she can't see me anymore,

until I straighten up

and act more my age.

I mean, seriously? I'm frickin' 15!

So, did you dump her?

Like a load of dirt.

Hey, check it out.

Weird Boy Wonder rockin' the spot.

Better chill on crackin' on him.

He's Coach's kid.

Whatever! I don't play football.

Hey, yo, Tyson!

Over here!

Come sit with us!

Don't be rude to our guest, Jonesy.

Get your big butt up

and give him your seat.

There you go, Tyson. Cop a squat.

Sit down.

Okay. Thank you.

You guys!

You are such a jerk!

You okay?

You can come sit with us.

Thank you for the fun.

Dude, you shouldn't have done that.

Why not?

The retard had no problem

showing me up in anatomy class

with his seven billion Einstein IQ.

And I'm gonna put Mark um at center.

Mark um? The big kid who decorated

the end zone with his lunch?

Just because a boy needs

a little extra attention,

doesn't mean

he can't be a winner, right?

All right, your team.

Hello, Father.

Hi, Tyson.

I've completed my first day

at your school,

but I didn't learn algebra today,

because algebra class

is on Thursdays, after History.

Hey, Tyson, how are you, buddy?

I'm fine, Assistant Coach Sweeney.

How are you? Are you fine, too?

Yeah, I'm fine, too.

Tyson, come in.

What happened to your shirt?

Shannon says I was punked.

I don't really understand

what that means,

but Shannon is very nice.

Not as nice as Mom,

but basically, very nice.

Did you acquire all

of these awards and accolades

from all your victories?

The teams that I coached did.

Who punked you

and who is this Shannon?

Tyson.

Yes, Father?

I asked you

what happened to your shirt

and who Shannon was.

Answer me.

Bradley and his friend punked me.

Shannon is very nice and pretty girl

who thinks Bradley is a total jerk.

But I think

Bradley is just silly and immature.

He thinks a pancreas

is a reproductive organ.

Gentlemen,

contact means hitting.

It means hitting hard.

If you wanna win,

you have to hit your opponent

twice as hard!

Now, our march to an undefeated season

and a state championship title

begins today.

So, let's get after it.

You heard what he said!

Let's line up and spread out!

Let's go!

Perhaps, I can become a gentleman

on your football team, Father.

In order to help you win

the state championship title?

Well, I'll tell you what.

All that stuff over there

could use good straightening up.

Okay, Father.

I will help you and your team

by giving all that stuff over there

a really good straightening up.

Thank you.

You're welcome, Father.

All right,

we play like we practice!

We play like we practice!

Let's go, let's go!

Let's see some speed off the line!

Go!

Faster!

Let's go!

Come on,

watch the ball on the right side!

Speed! Let's go,

let's do it again! Execute.

Let's go, let's go. Hey, man!

Call it when you see it!

Find a hole!

Come back.

Get on the line. Do it again!

What is happening here?

Get back on the line,

and let's do it again!

We're gonna do it

till we get it right!

My grandma plays better than you guys,

let's do this.

Let's go again, what are we doing?

What's your name?

My... My name is Tyson.

Stand up straight, Tyson.

Good.

Now, put your hands behind your head

and breathe in a smooth rhythm

like this.

I am Aklilu.

Perhaps, we can run together

again sometime.

Yes.

Perhaps, we can run together

again sometime.

Goodbye, my young friend.

Goodbye, Aklilu!

Who was that?

Aklilu. And I'm his young friend.

I'd like to hear more

about your first day at school,

besides the food stains and football.

Well, some of the boys in my grade

are going to drive their own cars

to school next year.

I have a question.

Can I drive my own car

to school next year, too?

Having your own car, Tyson, is a...

It's big responsibility.

Well, perhaps,

I can drive your car, Father,

until I am responsible enough

to have my own car.

Shannon says your car is lit.

Who's Shannon?

Shannon is a girl

and she was nice to me.

Not as nice as you are to me, Mom,

but she was basically very nice to me.

I'm glad

you made a friend, sweetheart.

Because Shannon was nice to me,

does that mean she is my friend,

or because she's a girl

and nice to me,

does that mean she's my girlfriend?

And if she is my girlfriend, then

does that mean I have to kiss her,

like you used to kiss

my mother, Father?

Eat your food, Tyson.

I am eating my food, Father.

But is Shannon my girlfriend

or just my friend?

That's what I'd like to know.

I'll ask Shannon if she is

my friend or just my girlfriend,

if she is nice to me again.

Oh, please,

tell me that's not Shannon.

- No, that is not Shannon.

- Thank God.

That girl is sexy.

Shannon is more like you, Mom.

Oh.

Well, goodbye, Mom.

Tyson,

your father will be in his office

if you have a problems

with those boys again

or if you need help

with anything, okay?

I will try not have a problem

with those boys again,

and I will try not to need

my father's help with anything.

Tyson,

have a good day, okay?

I will have a good day, Mom.

Therefore,

doctors must rely on patient history

and a clinical exam to diagnose

mild traumatic brain injury.

Know the signals. My head's not only

in the game and inside my helmet,

it's in your hands.

- Yeah, Hollerman.

- Saw you on television.

Oh, yeah?

Mmm.

Considering the first kick-off

of the season ain't even happened yet,

sounds like some pretty big talk.

Well, it must've been the camera.

You know, they say that it makes

things bigger than they really are.

Speaking of bigger,

got me a new running back.

Jerome Walker, up from Katy.

Junior, 5'11", 210.

Son-of-a-gun cuts like

a quarter horse,

hits like a daggone freight train.

Is that so?

That's right.

With Walker in my backfield,

we're for sure gonna give you

and your boys a run for your money,

to see who represents our conference

at state this season.

So, is it gonna be you

and this Walker kid,

or you get to play

the rest of your squad?

You'll see what I got in store for you

at the season opener, Hollerman.

Well, I look forward to it, Ben.

You have yourself a nice day.

You, too, Bobby.

Oh, my God!

From what I see,

what you're experiencing

isn't a miscarriage,

but what is referred to as

a "threatened miscarriage."

It happens.

The good news is that

your cervix is still closed

and the fetus is still viable.

Okay, so, now what?

Until we get past this

first trimester, plenty of bed rest,

plenty of water, stay off your feet

as much as possible,

and no strenuous physical activity.

Anything else?

Avoid picking up

anything over ten pounds,

keep your feet elevated

as much as possible.

But other than that,

you just let nature take its course.

- Why wouldn't you say anything?

- Say what?

It's our decision.

No, you made your decision

the day that Tyson was diagnosed.

I'm not gonna debate this

in a parking lot.

I'm gonna follow you home.

Just go back to school, Bobby.

I'm fine.

Ellie, we need to talk about this!

No, we don't!

I'd appreciate it if you did not

make me out to be a liar.

Okay? So, please. Just go.

Tyson just might need you.

Repeat after me.

I was homeschooled until yesterday.

My mother didn't teach me Spanish,

because she doesn't speak Spanish.

I came to regular school

to learn algebra,

but algebra class is on Thursday,

after History.

Being able to speak a second language

is a good thing.

And Spanish is the second most

widely spoken language in the world.

But Chinese is the first.

Can you teach Chinese?

No. I can't teach Chinese.

Let's go with you, Shannon.

It was Bradley

who was looking under your skirt.

He had a mirror hidden under his foot,

which he slid between your feet.

Ms. Fernandez!

Oh, my gosh!

Ms. Fernandez?

I need to speak to you about your son.

Okay.

Husky feet run in my family.

I figure I shouldn't let that stop me

from taking on the challenge.

Imagine me running a marathon.

A challenge is nothing more

than an opportunity to believe.

I like that.

And I like these. I'll take 'em.

You trying to get yourself killed?

What in the world?

Get out of the street!

Hey, give the kid a break!

- Hello, again, my friend.

- Hello, Aklilu.

Take my hand.

Why were you running?

I was running to get away.

Away from whom or what?

From Spanish class.

I often ran away from English class.

That is why

my English is the way it is.

Have that conversation

on the sidewalk!

Please, come inside my store

for some water and some rest.

I like the way you say things.

Count your lucky stars

you didn't get yourself killed,

running through the streets like that!

The water is there.

I apologize for the wait.

Please, step over to the counter,

and I'll ring up your purchase.

All right.

Thank you so much!

Were you the best runner in the world?

There were certain days

when I ran well enough

to finish ahead of some of

the best runners in the world.

Can you teach me to run

and finish ahead of some

of the best runners in the world

on a certain day?

I can help you to know how to run.

But it is up to you

where and how you finish.

Up to me.

Tyson Hollerman,

running in his very first marathon,

is at this very moment

running some of the fastest

per-minute-mile times ever recorded

in modern marathon history.

Tyson is pushing some

of the best professional

marathon runners in the world

to their breaking point.

I think we should call your father

and get you home.

I think we should call my mother

and get me home.

My father put her number

in my cell phone, too.

Tyson?

Tyson, honey?

- Hello, Mom.

- What are you doin' here?

I am earning my new pair

of athletic footwear

by helping Aklilu

organize his display,

to make it more

atheistically-pleasing.

Hello, Mrs. Hollerman. I'm Aklilu.

Hi, nice to me you, Mr. Aklilu?

- "Aklilu."

- Mr. Aklilu.

- Just Aklilu.

- Okay.

I'm so sorry for any trouble

my son may have caused you.

Your son is no trouble at all.

As a matter of fact, he's a very

fine boy and a good worker.

The shoes have never been displayed

in such a neat and organized manner

since the day I opened the store.

He does have a way

of putting things together.

Indeed, he does.

We better be going, but please,

let me pay you for his shoes.

That's not necessary.

- Are you sure?

- I am sure, Ms. Hollerman.

Well, thank you, if you insist.

I do.

All right, we better get goin'.

Come on, Tyson, ready?

- Okay, Mom.

- Okay, say "thank you" and "goodbye."

Thank you and goodbye, Aklilu.

Is it okay if I ask my mother

if I can help you

keep your store organized

and you can help me practice

to run in my new athletic shoes?

No harm in askin'.

Mom, is it okay with you

if I help Aklilu, and Aklilu helps me?

He gave me his card.

Oh. Well,

we'll talk things over

with your father and see, Tyson.

We will talk things over

with my father and see.

So, goodbye again, Aklilu,

until I tell you, okay?

Goodbye to you, my friend.

So, is it okay with you, Father,

if I learn how to finish ahead

of some of best runners in the world

and become a champion like the boys

on your football team?

Or do I still have to straighten up

all their stuff?

Are you just gonna stare

at the storm all night,

or are we gonna talk about this?

I really don't know

what to talk about, Ellie.

I mean, it seems like

all the decisions around here

are gettin' made just fine

without my participation.

Well, you "participate" in a sport,

Bobby, not in our family.

That's not fair.

Tyson wants to leave school

because of the way he's treated

by the kids and the teacher.

I mean, that's what's not fair.

That was a simple misunderstanding.

No, he could have got hurt, Bobby.

Well, what do you expect?

I expect you to run interference

until Tyson finds his footing!

Look, if Tyson's gonna

go out in the real world,

which is what you wanted,

he's gonna have to figure out

some stuff for himself.

You go way above

the call of coaching duties

to protect the boys who play for you.

The boys who can't make the grade

or get a girl in trouble.

That's different.

The difference is that those boys

can win you another championship.

How many trophies

is it gonna take, Bobby?

I'm sorry I didn't give you

the son you wanted.

Come on, Ellie.

- Come on.

- Don't.

Tyson!

- Tyson!

Bobby, he can't handle the storm!

He's 5'8" feet.

He has blue eyes.

Got sandy brown hair,

weights about 140 pounds.

- Bobby, you gotta find him.

- Yes, Miss.

- You tell him whose son he is.

- Okay.

Tyson is Bobby Hollerman's son.

- Coach Hollerman? All right.

- That's right. Coach Bobby Hollerman.

We have a lot of rain

moving through

the Tri-County area now,

all part of that tropical depression

that is making its way up

and out of the Gulf,

into central Georgia.

We do have a flash flood warning...

Okay.

Here, this was taken two years ago.

He doesn't really like

having his picture taken.

Do you know what he was wearing

when he left the house?

As far as I can tell,

he had pajamas on

and brand-new pair of running shoes.

Orange.

Has he ever run away before?

From school yesterday,

but that was because of some teasing

and a misunderstanding with

the teacher, but never from home.

Is he on any specific medication

or being treated for anxiety,

depression, anything like that?

No. No, nothing like that.

But Tyson is on the spectrum.

- Spectrum?

- Autism spectrum.

Oh.

That's too bad.

He's high-functioning,

he's got a really high IQ.

It's just sometimes,

he's awkward socially.

I see.

Ma'am, can Tyson swim?

He's not a good swimmer by any means,

but he is water-safe. We saw to that.

The sooner I get this picture in play,

the sooner we find your son,

and bring him back home safe.

- Okay, thank you.

- Ms. Hollerman.

Coach Hollerman,

my name's Sergeant Speena.

Sergeant.

A 911 call just came into dispatch

from a woman riding around in this

looking for her cat.

Said she saw a kid,

running down the middle of the road,

wearing pajamas

and shiny running shoes.

- Okay, where?

- Blackwater Gorge,

which has gotta be more than 15 miles

from your house.

Could your son have run

that far that fast?

I'm not sure, Sergeant,

but I'd like to find him.

Understood, sir! Follow me!

Looks like

he might be near Blackwater.

How would he have gotten

all the way out there?

I don't know,

I'm with the State Police

and we're on our way there.

You call me the minute

you lay eyes on him, okay, Bobby?

Yeah, the second I spot him,

I promise.

1557,

need additional units

over at the Blackwater Gorge.

Tyson!

Yeah, copy that, this is...

Tyson!

- What happened?

- A rattler got me.

Hang in there.

We'll get you out of here.

Over here!

- What was it?

- He's snake-bit!

Come on, let's carry him out of here.

- Get him to the hospital.

- We got you, buddy.

Come on, come on.

Get up.

Put your arm around me.

Let's get him out. Come on.

Call ahead and make sure

we got some anti-venom!

What happened?

A rattlesnake got one of my guys!

With all this rain, these woods

are gonna be crawling with them.

I'm afraid I'm gonna

have to call it, Coach.

Till daylight, anyway.

It's just too dangerous out here

for my men.

Your men? What about my boy?

Look, we just don't know

that he's in here.

The lady said that she saw.

A kid on the road

near the entrance to the park.

We have no idea,

he could've run the other way.

Look, Coach, I'm sorry.

Tonight was a courtesy

'cause of who you are.

If your son doesn't show up

by first light,

we'll organize a proper search

with as many volunteers as we can get.

And I suspect there'll be a lot.

But right now,

I gotta see about my man.

I'm sorry, Coach.

Ellie!

Please tell me you found him.

Not yet.

Don't you dare come home

without him, Bobby.

I'll call you when we find him.

- Okay?

- Okay.

- Hello.

- Aklilu,

it's Tyson's mother.

Yes, Ms. Hollerman.

I apologize

for calling you at this hour,

but have you, by any chance,

seen Tyson tonight?

No, I haven't seen him.

Did he run away again?

Yes.

And I'm afraid that he's not...

Don't be afraid, Ms. Hollerman.

Tyson is a very strong boy.

He will find his way

until he is found.

What can I do to help?

Tyson!

Father.

Keep calling out, son!

Father.

Keep calling out!

Father. I am here, Father.

Keep calling out!

Father!

Oh, my God, Tyson!

Hello, Father.

- Thank you for finding me.

- It's gonna be okay.

I'm gonna get you out of here.

But my leg is stuck.

I tried very hard many times,

but I could not get it unstuck.

I'm gonna need you

to hold your breath for me.

Can you do that, Tyson?

Yes, I can do that, Father.

On the count of three, okay?

You're gonna hold your breath for me,

okay?

- I understand.

- Okay.

Hold my breath on the count of three.

One, two, three.

You okay, Tyson?

I'm okay, Father,

but I'm very cold.

Hey, I don't want you to let go of me

anymore, okay?

Okay, no more letting go.

Damn it!

You said a bad word.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, son.

Help!

Somebody, help!

No!

Aklilu.

Hello, Aklilu.

His leg is pinned.

My shoulder's no good.

Hi. Tyson Hollerman?

- Room 264.

- 264, thanks.

Hey, how is he?

He's gonna be just fine.

Oh, God, I don't how to thank you.

You thanked me by asking for my help.

Oh, my God.

He's sleeping.

Ellie, they gave him something,

so he could sleep.

Your son is gonna be fine,

Mrs. Hollerman.

- I'm Dr. Windfield.

- Hi.

What happened, Bobby?

A lot. But he's safe now.

He's a lucky boy.

If he's so lucky, why all this?

He was hypothermic when he came in.

We are trying to get his core

temperature back to where it belongs.

- And that?

- This is precautionary.

Barring any complications, he should

be ready to go home tomorrow.

In the meantime, Coach,

what do you say,

we get that shoulder looked at?

I'll set you up with an orthopedic doc

- down at ER, okay?

- Thank you.

Does it hurt?

It's got my attention.

Gave out on me right when I needed it.

Aklilu, if it wasn't for him...

Tyson wouldn't be alive?

I wasn't let gonna let go of him.

You better go get that put right.

Yeah.

I'm so sorry.

My baby.

There's a saying among my people,

"A mother's heart is held

in her hands,

a father's, deep within his chest,

swollen with pride."

I don't know how

I can ever repay you.

To know that a father's son is safe,

is payment enough.

Good night.

You are doing great, Tyson.

Did you hear what my nurse said?

She said I am doing great.

Yes, we heard, sweetheart.

Well, as soon as the doctor

signs your discharge paperwork,

then you all can take him home.

Won't be but a couple of minutes.

We appreciate you. Thank you.

The pleasure is all ours.

And we're all rooting for you to take

the title again this year, Coach.

Thank you, ma'am.

- Bye, Tyson.

- Goodbye.

- Take care.

- Thank you.

We thank you for this food

we are about to receive

and for seeing us through.

And allowing us to bring home our son

safe and sound.

- Amen.

Amen.

Even though I didn't do such

a good job running in the rain,

I still want to learn how to run

and finish ahead of some of the best

runners in the world on a certain day.

And I know what day that is.

You do?

The day of the first

Stand bridge annual marathon.

Mayor Coleman says it's going to help

put our city on the map

and make it greater than ever.

If I earn new athletic shoes

and practice with Aklilu,

I can beat some of the best

runners in the world

during the marathon

and help put our city on the map.

And I could be a champion

like the boys on your team, Father.

A marathon is a very, very long race.

Twenty-six miles, 385 yards.

It takes a special kind of runner

with a lot of training,

to even compete

in a very long race like that.

You understand?

Well, I could be a special

kind of runner, Father.

And when I am a champion,

maybe I can even

become the son you wanted,

and then you and my mother

wouldn't argue about me anymore.

Tyson, sweetheart.

I'm so sorry

if you heard anything

that hurt your feelings.

We didn't mean it.

Sometimes, people say things

that they don't mean.

People make mistakes, son.

But you're not just people,

you're my parents.

So, can Aklilu help me

to win the marathon?

Or do I still have to help you

straighten up

all your players' stuff, Father?

We'll call Aklilu tomorrow, okay?

Okay.

Why didn't you just tell him

to build a spaceship in the backyard,

and make it fly to the Moon?

You know what? I'd rather tell him

he can than he can't.

Look, Ellie,

I don't want to argue with you.

He has unrealistic goals of greatness.

The reality is,

every dream is not for every boy.

What do you think, Bobby,

he's like Pinocchio,

that one day,

he's gonna magically wake up and be

more real than he already is?

I'm raising him by myself here.

Things have got to change.

I'm keepin' this child.

Let's make a deal.

You fight and your daddy

will always fight for you.

I'm keepin' this child.

Hey, Coach,

team's on the field and ready for you.

Coach?

Hey, Daryl. Come in.

Yeah, what's up, Coach?

Well...

I want you to take over the team.

I figured you needed a couple of days

after what happened, so...

For the entire season.

I don't understand, Coach.

What about state?

The team needs you.

My family needs me.

And I need my family,

so, what do you say?

Yeah. Sure, Coach. I'm in.

Good.

You wouldn't happen

to have a pair of 10.5

in orange, would you?

So, Jesus said to them,

"Truly, truly, I say to you,

the Son can do nothin'

of his own accord,

but only what

he sees his Father doing.

For whatever the Father does,

that the Son does likewise."

John 5:19.

Simply put, like father like son.

I hope you don't mind me asking,

but what kinda name is Aklilu?

Aklilu is a Ethiopian name.

I'm a Somali-Ethiopian.

How long have you been in the US?

- Almost ten years.

- Do you miss home?

I find I could do more for my family

and my village by bein' here,

than bein' there.

So, I am here.

Do boys kiss girls in Africa, Aklilu?

And if boys kiss girls in Africa,

did you ever kiss a girl?

And if you ever kissed a girl,

did you like it?

Tyson, let's let Aklilu

enjoy his meal.

I will let Aklilu enjoy his meal.

But when he is done enjoying his meal,

I have a lot of questions

to ask him about kissing girls.

Remember stay to the right,

okay, honey?

I will remember to stay

all the way to the right.

- Ellie, Ellie.

- Hmm?

- He's gonna be fine.

- Okay, okay.

Tyson, stay to the right.

I'm going to remember

to stay to the right.

This will help you stay on pace.

It's splendiferous.

Thank you, Aklilu.

You're welcome.

Stay relaxed,

and remember your breathing.

Now, let's see how far

you can go in two hours.

Let's see how far I can go.

Start running.

- Now?

- Now.

- Don't lose him, Bobby.

- He's fine, Ellie.

I don't know

if this is such a good idea.

He's fine, Ms. Hollerman.

Are you sure

he's not going too fast?

Tyson does not

place limits on himself,

so, no limits should be placed

upon him.

- It's time for his water.

- Okay.

Hello, Aklilu.

- Don't speak.

- How are you?

Just drink.

Drink slowly and not too much.

Even though you told me not to speak,

is it okay if I say "thank you?"

No.

Okay, I will not say "thank you."

What?

Anyone?

Tyson.

One language is not enough nowadays.

Thank you, everybody. Have a good day.

So, I was thinking that maybe we could

sit next to each other in

all the classes together,

if you're cool with that,

especially in algebra.

I could totally use whatever extra

brain cells you can spare.

That doesn't make any sense.

I know, right?

I have a question.

Are you my girlfriend now?

Not yet.

Not curving you. But not yet.

Why don't you say

grace tonight, Tyson?

Okay, Father, I will say the grace.

Thank you for this food

we are about to receive,

and for Aklilu, and for the marathon

that's going to make me

into a champion

and put our city on the map.

And for my mother and father

letting me do.

Amen.

- Amen.

That was nice, Tyson.

The nuchal translucency looks good.

We'll have to have a CMA done

to determine the degree of risk

for autism.

CMA?

Chromosomal micro array analysis.

It's non-invasive,

so, it's not as scary as it sounds,

but it wouldn't indicate

where on the spectrum

the child might fall,

if there are signs of autism.

We don't need the test.

Well, then so far, so good.

Do you wanna know what you're having?

Well, I think we already know.

Another beautiful child.

I want to see power here.

Three, two, one, shoot.

Get up, come on, we're not dancin'.

We're not dancin'.

You wanna dance,

you ask somebody to prom, let's go.

Coach, our readers want to know.

With an unprecedented,

record-breaking season on the line,

why did you make the decide

to step down as head coach

of arguably the best

high school football team

in the state

and one of the best in the nation?

It's simple. Priorities.

So, is it fair to say that you're

putting family ahead of football?

Fair to say,

I put my family first, yeah.

"Family first."

I may quote you on that, Coach.

- Thank you for your time.

- You got it.

Watch it, guys, watch it goin' inside!

Goin! Goin!

Go in!

He's goin' in!

Goin' in!

Come on, come on! Yes!

Yeah!

Ladies and gentleman,

that is your ball game.

Final score,

Greyhounds 16, Trojans 14.

I hope it's a girl.

I hope it's a girl

and she's just like her mother.

Me, too.

You really want a girl?

I already got my son.

Come in.

Sir? Mr. Hollerman.

Hey, good morning.

Morning, Mr. Mayor.

Appreciate you coming, Coach.

Have a seat.

- May I call you Bobby?

- I've been called worse.

Haven't we all?

All right, I gotta say,

like everybody else in this town,

I was shocked to learn that

you wouldn't be leading our team

to another state championship.

I'm sure there's more important issues

comin' across your desk

than who is coaching

the high school football team.

So, what can I do for you?

Your son.

My son?

Yeah, I heard about that business

over at Blackwater Gorge.

That's a real shame.

My son might have some challenges,

but it's nothing

that we are ashamed of.

I meant no offense.

Yeah.

It's hard to keep up nowadays,

with what's politically correct

when referring

to those among us who are...

different.

A good place to start might be

not calling them "different."

Point well taken.

So you wanna tell me

what I'm doin' here?

Yeah, let me cut to the chase.

I think it would be best if your son

did not run in my marathon.

Nothing personal, but

the focus should be on the race itself

and not on Coach Hollerman's kid.

I can't afford to have this thing

turned into some

social cause or crusade

for the mentally-handicapped.

You catch my drift?

I mean, they have special events

for kids just like yours.

Heck, they even have

their own Olympics.

So, why don't you

just do right by your kid

and have him earn a ribbon

or get an atta-boy badge

doin' something like that?

My son is gonna run in your race

whether you like it or not.

But it's not just my race,

it's my city. You...

Not for much longer if you try

to stop my boy from running.

Okay, well, that sounds

an awful lot like a threat.

Well, if I announce my candidacy

for the fall election,

and that's threatening to you,

then yeah, maybe it is a threat.

I am pretty popular

around these parts.

All right.

If you wanna have your son run a race

that he's not even

gonna be able to finish,

let alone win, you knock yourself out.

But you keep him and that drug-takin',

blood-dopin', sneaker salesman

that you got trainin' him,

yeah, away from my cameras

and the real runners.

Like I said, Coach, it's my city.

I think we're done here.

Hi, Tyson.

Hi, Shannon.

Heard they wrote about you

in the newspaper. That's lit.

Good luck in the race.

Yeah, sorry for the way

we treated you.

Hey, Forrest Chump!

I don't care

who your father used to be,

you're goin' down.

I care who his father is.

If I were you, butt-for-faces,

I'd go sit back down

before you got knocked down.

Hey, good luck in the marathon, Tyson.

Whole team's rootin' for you.

Well, thank you and the whole team.

And good luck winning the championship

without my father being your coach.

- He means that...

- No, I know, I know.

Hello, Father.

Aklilu and I ran a half-marathon,

which is 13 miles, 192.5 yards,

and Aklilu said I ran extremely well.

You go in the house, Tyson.

Go on, do as you're told.

Come inside

and take your shower, Tyson.

Come on.

I appreciate everything

you've done for Tyson,

but I think it's best

if I take it from here.

May I ask why?

I don't want you spendin'

any more time with my son.

Let's just leave it at that.

Tyson?

Tyson!

Well, he's gettin' faster,

I'll give him that.

It'll be dark soon.

We'll find him.

Hello, Aklilu.

Running, and running away

are two very different things,

my friend.

Why didn't you stay for dinner?

Did my father say something rude,

hurtful or distasteful

when he was speaking to you?

Is that why you didn't stay for dinner

and left without saying goodbye?

Your father was not rude,

he was honest.

Honest about what?

Honest about how he feels.

I don't understand, Aklilu.

How my father feels about what?

How he feels about his son.

Tyson.

Tyson, are you okay?

I'm okay.

Father, what feelings

were you honest about

with Aklilu that made him leave

and not stay for dinner

or say goodbye?

We'll talk about it at home. Let's go.

No!

Tyson.

I want to know what

my father's honest feelings are,

and why they made Aklilu

not have dinner with us

or say goodbye to me.

Perhaps, it would be best

if you talk about it here.

I'll make tea.

The New York Marathon

was my last race.

Why, Aklilu?

Because he didn't

play by the rules, Tyson.

Does that mean you cheated, Aklilu?

The day of the race,

I woke up with a cold.

I considered pullin' out of the race,

but there was big prize money

for the winner.

So, you cheated to get money?

I sent half of all my winnings

to my family and my village.

But cheating is

like not telling the truth.

It's always wrong,

no matter the reason.

I took a cold medicine before the race

for my congestion.

After I had won the marathon,

I was drug-tested.

A banned substance

in the cold medicine

was detected in my blood

and I was disqualified.

But that's not fair.

You just made a mistake.

People make mistakes.

Tyson, if you don't play by the rules,

it's not fair to the honest athletes.

Bobby.

It's okay, Ms. Hollerman.

Your father is right, Tyson.

It was my responsibility to know

what was in the medicine.

I couldn't understand the label.

That's because you ran away

from English class,

like how I ran away

from Spanish class.

Why didn't you explain this earlier?

You did not want an explanation.

Well, we owe you an apology, Aklilu.

I am owed nothing.

Your son is owed something.

What am I owed, Aklilu?

A chance.

Do you think Aklilu will come?

He might, Tyson.

I guess Shannon won't be here,

because she is not my girlfriend yet.

Oh, I wouldn't be surprised

if she was here somewhere.

I think everybody in this town

who isn't runnin' in the race

is watching the race, sweetheart.

Well, I don't want you

and my father to watch me race.

Why, Tyson? Why would you say that?

I want you to go wait

at the finish line,

so you can watch me win.

Tyson, I just want you to concentrate

on running your own race

at your own pace,

don't worry

about your mother and me,

we'll be at the finish line

no matter when you cross, okay?

Okay, Father.

I will concentrate on running

my own race at my own pace.

Okay, how do we...

I really wish Aklilu was here.

Yeah, we should go.

Ladies and Gentleman,

I wanna welcome you

to the first annual

Stand bridge City Marathon!

All right, all right.

Elite runners,

take your mark, get set...

All right, let's get it goin'.

Come on, go, dude!

- Come on.

- Hey, watch out, man.

- Get out of the way.

- Out of the way!

I knew he's gonna

turn this thing into a circus.

All right!

Where is he?

I don't know, I don't see him.

Can you teach me to run

and finish ahead of some

of the best runners in the world

on a certain day?

I can help you

to know how to run,

but it's up to you

where and how you finish.

Run!

Up to me.

Give it up for 'em,

give it up for 'em now!

Come on, let's go,

we might have missed him.

You're a generous pourer, Clara.

You're very welcome.

Here we are

and the elite runners have

Just passed the five-mile mark.

How are they doin'?

Well, it's early in the race

yet to tell,

but considering

the unexpected warm temperatures,

and humidity index,

they are doing really quite well.

They finished the first five miles

in 23 minutes and 11 seconds,

which is sub five-minute miles.

Can the runners keep up that pace?

One of them will have to

or even pick up that pace

if they wanna cross

the line ahead of the rest.

Well, we still have a long way to go,

but this could be a very

exciting finish. And I know you...

Tyson!

Don't stop, idiot!

How far do you think he is?

If he's running

at his practice pace,

he should've been at mile nine.

Tyson,

I just want you to concentrate

on running your own race

at your own pace.

I will concentrate

on running my own race

at my own pace.

Where once there were ten,

now at the halfway point,

there are three. Explain.

It's simple, really.

Right now,

we're seeing the best of the best.

Unless something unforeseen happens,

we're likely looking at our champion,

but only time will tell

which one of the three it will be.

Stay relaxed

and remember your breathing.

Excuse us, excuse us.

Sorry, we're lookin' for our son.

- Everybody's got somebody in the race.

- Okay, sorry.

There he is!

He's bleeding, Bobby, he's hurt.

Look at his knee!

- Tyson!

- Let him do.

Aklilu!

Every runner has one perfect run.

This is Tyson's run.

El, let's go, come on.

- Where are we goin'?

- We're gonna go to the finish line.

All right,

we play like we practice!

We play like we practice!

Six miles left.

What should we be looking for

from this point on?

How they handle the wall.

The wall? Can you elaborate

on that term for our viewers

who may not be familiar?

The wall is the point in a marathon

where the runners

have depleted their glycogen,

and that's the sugar

that your muscles use for energy,

and once it is depleted,

the body has to turn to burning fat.

But that transition takes time

and the tank is empty

until that transition is made.

This stops many runners

at about the 20-mile mark.

I see.

Tyson!

Here, drink.

Are you my girlfriend yet?

Yep.

Keep goin'.

Don't quit.

I'm getting word,

that there is a development about

a mile behind the elite runners

that's worth noting,

so, let's go there live.

And this young man

you're looking at now, is the son

of renowned high school

football coach Bobby Hollerman,

Tyson Hollerman.

He's only 15 years old.

He's running

in his very first marathon.

That can't be right.

All right. The official time

for young Tyson

for the last two miles,

nine minutes flat.

If that's true,

that is an extraordinary time.

It'd be almost world-record pace.

Yeah, absolutely.

Even at my best, I couldn't do that.

A marathon

is a very, very long race.

It takes a very special kind of runner

with a lot of training to even compete

in a very long race like that.

You understand?

Well, I could be

a special kind of runner, Father.

Only two and a half miles to go,

can he do it?

Can mighty Tyson Hollerman

pull off a miracle,

make his mark in marathon history?

A history that dates back

over 2,500 years.

Uh, frankly, I just don't see how.

If the leaders

maintain their pace,

he would have to run the last

two miles sub four minutes.

I mean, in my opinion,

that's just not possible.

We've been watching him

do the impossible

for the last ten miles.

Who knows?

Maybe this little kid with a big heart

is destined to show the world

the impossible is possible.

Come on, kid!

Quiet! You'll make him nervous.

- Tyson, come on!

- Come on, Tyson.

You got it, Tyson!

Hey, come on, come on.

Why don't you say it?

He's what? He's not normal?

He's not ready.

Yeah!

Hey!

You did it!

You did it, Tyson.

Did you see me, Mom?

Yes, honey, we saw you.

And did you see me, Dad?

Did you see me finish ahead

of some of the best runners

in the world on a certain day?

Daddy saw you.

Come here. We are so proud.

Good job, baby.

I'm not entirely sure

how it all works,

but maybe I was first,

so I could learn,

and you could learn from me.

If you know so much about football,

how come you don't play?

'Cause I'd have to play with a bunch

of big idiots worse than you.

Whatever, dude.

If it ain't Forrest Chump

comin' to take a dump.

Hey, Out-of-your-mind-stein,

you run like a girl.

Bet you pee like one, too.

We better make sure he doesn't

flush his skinny butt down the toilet.

Tyson's Run (2022) - full transcript