Touched by an Angel (1994–2003): Season 3, Episode 4 - Sins of the Father - full transcript
( whistle blows )
( chains jangling )
( buzzer buzzes )
If you'd wait over here
for Officer Johnson.
Oh, okay.
TESS: Ready for a new
assignment, baby?
Tess, how does anyone end up
in a place like this?
Well, that's what
you're here to find out:
Where things went wrong
and how to put 'em right.
But there's no way
out of death row, is there?
Oh, there's always a way
out of the prisons
that people
find themselves in, baby.
Now, remember, you have
Andrew and me as backup
while you're inside.
( Door opens )
You're the journalist?
Yes. I'm Monica.
Johnson.
No pencils, pens, sharp
metal objects or straps.
Don't speak to
or acknowledge nobody
till you're told.
All right?
( Ominous theme playing )
I've been here 16 years.
Nobody but clergy ever allowed
on the row before.
You must have
some serious clout.
Clout?
Yes, I suppose I do.
That's the hospitality room.
Where they...?
JOHNSON: Execute.
Well, they just
transferred in your boy.
He's a cop-killer.
Cold-blooded and hotheaded.
No hope in hell
for a monster like that.
There's no hope in hell
for anyone.
Pull your hair back.
Don't lean in too close.
( Buzzer buzzes )
Hello.
I told you,
no talking to anybody.
Especially to Willis.
His time is up, and he
doesn't need a journalist.
He needs a miracle.
I don't want visitors.
I want a damn watch.
Most guys get scared when
they only have four days left.
Not Willis, he just gets meaner.
Gimme a watch!
What's a matter, Willis?
You wanna watch time
go slipping away?
Here we go.
JOHNSON: Luther!
You got a guest.
Meet Luther Dixon,
the youngest inmate
on death row.
( Della Reese & The Verity
All-Stars' "Walk With You" playing )
REESE: ♫ When you walk ♫
♫ Down the road ♫
♫ Heavy burden ♫
♫ Hea-ea-eavy load ♫
♫ I will rise ♫
♫ And I will walk with you ♫
REESE: ♫ I'll walk with you ♫
CHORUS: ♫ I'll walk with you ♫
♫ Till the sun
Don't even shine ♫
♫ Walk with you ♫
♫ Walk with you ♫
♫ Every time ♫
♫ I tell ya I'll walk with you ♫
♫ Walk with you ♫
♫ Believe me
I'll walk with you ♫
I'm Monica.
I think you were expecting me.
How much chips you gettin'
to tell my story?
Chips?
I don't understand.
Well, why don't you come
a little closer,
and I'll kill you
like I killed that cop.
Shot him dead in the streets
and watched the blood
run out of him.
I thought you told the judge
you weren't the one
who pulled the trigger?
Get outta here, lady!
No chips, no story.
I don't know what chips are.
Well, do you have a Snickers?
What?
WILLIS: Candy.
Baby boy wants candy.
They give out candy to the kids
in the juvenile hall.
You've been in the juvie
so much, Luther,
your teeth probably all rotted.
You're in with the big boys now,
and you're never
gonna see candy again.
They have nuts in them, right?
The candy bars you like,
nuts and chocolate,
kind of sticky.
You gonna talk to the lady
or not, Luther?
Get her outta here, man.
She must be crazy.
All right. Let's go.
If you did have
a candy bar in here,
where would you keep it?
Under your pillow, maybe?
You must be trippin'
or something.
So do what you gotta do.
MONICA: I need to ask
you some questions,
and I need you
to tell me the truth.
And how you gonna know
the difference?
The truth will get you
another candy bar.
Yo, how'd you do that?
If you tell me the truth now,
I'll tell you the truth later.
Who's that?
That's my little brother,
Samuel.
He must miss you very much.
I taught him what
he needed to know.
Got him corded on real good.
"Corded on"?
In the gang.
Look, you gonna listen to me
or what?
MONICA: How old is Sam?
About 11... 12...
And he's in a gang?
I mean, you in the set,
you in the gang.
And the set is?
The 'hood, lady.
Look, you wearin' me out here,
all right?
I'm sorry.
So everybody
joins a gang because...?
No gang, no respect.
Gotta start jackin',
you know what I'm saying?
How else you gonna
make the big green?
( hip-hop music playing )
TESS: There you go. Thank you.
Well, I am ready to get started.
You are one sorry-looking angel.
( Chuckles )
Tess...
did anybody tell you
exactly why I'm here?
Well, I figure
the Angel of Death
doesn't have too many options.
Well, no, no, but...
See, I've got some
preliminary work to do
that maybe you
haven't been filled in on.
You do your job
and I'll do mine.
Tess, I'm supposed to borrow...
There he is.
TESS: How much time do we have?
Just under four days.
Four days
to change a generation?
I guess that's why
they call them miracles.
Hey, you!
Come back here right now!
( horn honking )
You bring that back here
right now, you rascal!
Andrew, they...
My car!
Somebody stole my baby!
Oh, Lord, take me home!
( Sobbing )
Where's Deonne?
MAN: He's gone.
I'm here. What's it to you?
Just had a little business
to do with him.
What a bucket.
Ho-ho-ho! Where's your car?
Or do you just have
a dashboard cover and no car?
Man, this thing needs some work.
New plugs, re-wiring...
Battery's no good.
How come you know
so much about cars?
My brother Luther taught me
before he got busted.
Oh, so Luther's
in the 'pen, huh?
He's on the row.
Youngest one ever.
Too bad Luther didn't stick
to fixing cars.
You know, I could use
some help around here.
What do you say...
five bucks an hour?
That's baby tooth. I could
make that in two minutes.
Stealing dashboard covers?
You be needing some protection
on the street.
You wanna pay for that?
( Door shuts )
WOMAN: Samuel!
Samuel, I told you to come
right home after school.
Where's your homework?
Why you dumping on my case?
I'll get it done!
I want you home now.
Where's Deonne?
Retired.
We don't want
people like you and him
doing business around here.
It's not that kind
of business anymore.
You just make sure it isn't.
TESS: You stole my car!
You stole it
and then you killed it!
Will you look at this?
The Angel of Death
done killed my car.
That car was spotless!
And it will be again too.
I promise.
Ooh! I promise.
Ooh!
Well, I was about 12
when I start jackin' parts.
Then me and the homies felt,
you know,
it was time
for the bigger chips.
So I start sellin' heats.
So you stole pieces
of automobiles
and sold them for money,
and then you and your
fellow gang colleagues
advanced to buying
and selling firearms?
( Sighs )
Yeah, you know, I sure miss
my homies, though.
Wish one of them fools
would shoot me a kite.
WILLIS: Oh, Mama.
Mama, write me a letter, Mama,
I been here two whole days,
and I'm so lonely.
You gonna get
a lot lonelier, punk.
Yo, you better shut up, homey!
I'm tellin' you, man!
( Smooching )
JOHNSON:
Knock it off down there!
INMATE: Shut up!
So has anyone sent you a letter?
No, but you know, they oughta.
'Cause I got my respect!
( Chuckles )
You got none.
Do your friends
still respect you
now that you're on death row?
More.
Even Samuel?
Especially Samuel.
Even your mother?
It ain't her fault, all right?
My mom's tried to stop me
from doin' the gangs
and all that.
But all the preachin'
in the world ain't gonna change
the way it is out there
on them streets.
MAN: You know, Man is
an adaptable creature.
If you walk into a cow barn,
at first,
all you can smell is manure.
But after a few minutes,
you don't smell it anymore.
The smell hasn't gone away.
You just get used to it.
And that's what's happening
in our neighbourhood.
How many times
have you said it to yourself,
"There's nothing we can do
about them
selling drugs on the corner"?
How many times have you seen
a child breaking into a car
and looked the other way?
How many times
have you heard a gunshot
in the middle of the night
and simply gone on watching TV?
God wants us
to do something about this.
God wants us to take back
our children.
God wants us to stand up!
( cheering )
God wants us to stand up.
Stand up!
♫ This little light of mine ♫
♫ I'm gonna let it shine ♫
♫ This little light of mine ♫
Are all your prayer meetings
like this?
No.
Some are even more useless.
I don't quite get your meaning.
Trusting God doesn't
seem useless to me.
God doesn't live
in this neighbourhood.
♫ Oh, midnight oil ♫
♫ I'm gonna let it shine ♫
♫ Oh, midnight oil ♫
♫ I'm gonna let it shine ♫
MONICA: So you're 16.
LUTHER:
The youngest man on death row.
You think that makes you a man?
WILLIS: Mm-hmm.
A dead man.
Shut up, Willis.
LUTHER:
Yo, what's your point, huh?
Huh?
Well, I suppose my point is
that if your friends respect you
and they want to be like you,
that I'm afraid
they'll behave like you,
and one of them, maybe Samuel,
will end up in here
right next to you.
Luther, have you ever
really looked up to someone?
Your father, perhaps?
My father's a dog.
He had responsibilities.
He had a family.
But still, he jetted out on us.
That ain't no man.
My daddy wasn't no man.
What was he?
Yo, man, I ain't even
talkin' to you!
Well, I'm talkin' to you.
And your daddy ain't
the reason you here.
You here 'cause you a punk.
No wonder he left you.
Hey, Willis, I bet
you don't know the time.
I do, though, 'cause
I got a watch on my wrist!
You got a watch?
( Luther laughing )
How come you...?
Hey! Hey, Johnson!
How come he got a watch,
and I don't?
Back up!
He don't have a watch, Willis.
LUTHER: Yes, I do.
And guess what.
Guess what it say.
In three days, you a dead man.
Do you hear me?
Luther, please.
WILLIS:
Hey, check this out, baby boy.
You're new meat around here now,
but I get you face to face,
you gonna be dead meat!
Luther...
Shut up, man!
Hey, Johnson. Hey, Johnson, man!
Come get this white lady
before I squish her head
through these bars!
JOHNSON: Back up!
Both of ya.
All right. Let's go.
You got a lot to say now, huh?
Back up.
LUTHER: You need to just
shut your mouth, man.
WILLIS:
Yeah, come on, shut my mouth.
LUTHER:
Death gonna shut your mouth.
Those cars got alarms, 'Dre.
Can't live up
to your big bro, huh?
I just said they were wired.
I didn't say I couldn't do it.
Tonight.
Samuel Hill, am I gonna
have to carry these
all by myself?
I'm... b-busy.
Man, don't be disrespectin'
your moms like that.
Go on.
Unless I say different.
( Scoffs )
Samuel, I'm making your
favourite for dinner tonight.
Spaghetti. What do you think?
I got things to do.
What things?
Does it have anything
to do with 'Dre?
Samuel, use a glass, please.
I told you
to stay away from 'Dre.
He ain't nothing but trouble.
He's my road d-d-dog.
Keep that gang talk
out of my house.
You wanna end up
like your brother Luther?
At least Luther's got respect.
Respect?
Respect got him
sittin' on death row.
I want you to live, baby.
Sammy, where you going?
Samuel, you get back here.
Samuel, you hear me
talkin' to you!
Samuel!
Damn it.
Yo. Samuel.
Man, I cannot figure out
what's wrong with this thing.
It's worthless, that's what.
Yeah, well, besides that.
Now, look. It starts up okay,
and then it just dies.
Man, it's a dirty carburetor,
not gettin' any gas.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, see,
I should have seen that.
Listen...
do you think that maybe
you could...?
'DRE: Little Sam.
Little Sam!
( Hip-hop blaring )
I could really use your help.
What's with the white dude, man?
You hangin' with 5-O?
I gotta handle some business.
'DRE: Come on, Sam.
( Buzzer buzzes )
Never thought I'd see you
up in here again.
Well, here I am.
To be honest with you,
I don't understand you, Luther.
I don't understand
how anyone can kill a human
and be proud of it.
Well, ain't nothin'
to understand, you know,
it's too damn late.
But it's not too late
for Samuel.
He doesn't have to end up
in here.
But he might
because you're still his hero.
You know,
Samuel's my boy, right?
He got his stripes.
Stripes?
Look, I can't understand you
if you won't talk to me.
Fierce.
Check it out.
My pops had these scars
on his shoulder, right?
Like some cat clawed him
or somethin', you know?
And I remember him telling me
that they didn't hurt
half as bad
as the other guy looked.
The homeboys used to tell me
my pops had all the stripes.
He was hard.
And when I was little,
I... I was gonna be
just like him, you know?
But, uh...
But he left you.
Shook the spot when I was a kid.
And he was your hero.
Next question.
WOMAN: Every time I try
to talk to my boy,
it pushes him further
into the gang.
We gotta teach these children
that life is the most precious
thing they have,
and they're wastin' it.
Now, how am I supposed
to teach him anything
if I can't get him to come home?
We have to show them, somehow,
that the gang
is not their family.
That's right.
A family keeps you from harm.
It doesn't expose you to it.
If you've got a family left.
Protecting our children
starts at home.
TESS: We've got to
tell them the truth.
That gangs are death, not life.
And we've got to keep saying it
again and again
until they hear us.
Preach on, sister!
Thank you, I will.
Now, all your plans:
Your neighbourhood watch,
your canvassing the streets,
your treating the police
like friends instead of enemies.
All of that is fine,
but it's not enough.
We've got to fight these gangs
not with our fists,
but with the power of God.
Amen, amen.
What do you mean "we"?
You say we are not doin' enough.
How many jobs
are you holdin' down?
Well, I'm holdin' down
three jobs.
You're not from
this neighbourhood.
My husband was, and he's gone.
My oldest son was,
and he's gone.
My youngest, well,
I'm losin' him too.
This ain't nothin'
but a bunch of talk.
I'm sorry, but all your prayers
are just a waste of time.
It's all hopeless.
Well, if you think it's
hopeless, why are you here?
( Car alarm blares )
My car!
Hey!
Samuel!
Sammy! Samuel!
Samuel, no!
You let go of my child.
Let him go!
Valerie, if you save him now,
you won't be able
to save him later.
Mama!
Ma! ( Sirens approaching)
No, Mama!
God help him.
God help my child.
So tell me about 'Dre.
'Dre?
You know, we was riders.
I did anything for him.
He got me put on the set,
showed me what was what.
You know that last job?
Me and 'Dre did it together.
He worked everything out,
but, uh...
( snickers )
It's always cool to have
a rider like 'Dre on your team,
'cause you'll never be lonely.
So where is he now?
( Keys jangling )
JOHNSON: All right.
That's enough for now.
I'll see ya tomorrow.
( Dramatic theme playing )
MONICA: I don't suppose
this is a coincidence,
father and son
side by side like this.
TESS: A coincidence is when God
chooses to remain anonymous.
I wonder how he got
those scars on his back.
It was another violent night
in the neighbourhood
a long time ago.
He wasn't much older
than his son is now.
It was a stupid argument
over a stupid piece of street.
You were there?
Oh, some of these cases
go on for generations.
Tess, if you know Willis,
then you can make him listen,
and then maybe
he can talk to Luther, and...
I can't make him listen, baby,
and neither can you
or any other angel.
All we can do
is speak the truth,
and you can do that
as well as I can.
People hear the truth
in a whole different way.
It has a sound of its own.
God exists.
God loves you.
God wants to be a part
of your life.
Those are all true,
and Willis' heart knew it then,
but his ears
didn't wanna hear it.
But we're running
out of time now.
Samuel. Baby.
You left me in jail!
How come you didn't come get me?
I sent Reverend George
after you.
You always picked up Luther!
I know.
Maybe if I'd left him in there
all night the first time,
he wouldn't
be sittin' there now.
What kind of mum are you?
The kind that loves you.
The kind that can make
difficult decisions
because she wants
what's best for you.
The kind that wants you
to be so scared of prison
that you'll never go back.
Scared?
( Tearfully ):
You think I was scared?
The scariest thing
I see right now is you.
( Melancholy theme playing )
( breathing deeply )
How'd you get in here?
It's a little strange,
don't you think,
to see a man doing push-ups
on the day of his execution?
I've been here before.
My lawyer's got another appeal
goin' right now.
Your appeal will be denied
this time, Willis,
and you will die at midnight.
What?
The question now is,
how will you die?
Will you die as you've lived?
Or will you take truth with you
and leave some truth behind
for your sons as well?
I don't know what
you're doin' here, but, lady,
you better get outta here now
before I lose my patience.
I'm an angel just like the one
you met a long time ago.
Tess asked me to give you this.
It's the watch you lost
the night you got those scars
on your back.
An angel?
Yeah, right, well,
listen, Miss Angel.
If I'm gonna die,
what do I need a watch for?
Because there's still time left,
not for you, perhaps,
but for your children.
You're dreamin'. They long gone.
Not yet.
Samuel will listen to Luther,
and Luther will listen to you.
Willis, Luther may spend the
rest of his life on death row,
but he doesn't
have to be there alone.
And Samuel has the chance
to live a long life of his own
instead of dying on the streets.
But it starts with you.
It starts with truth.
God loves you, Willis,
and he wants to give you
this chance
to do something with your life
before you lose it.
If God loved me,
he'd save my life.
What do you think he's doing?
Reach out to your son
and tell him who you are,
and be the kind of father you
so desperately wanted to be
when you first held Luther
in your arms.
( Keys jangling )
GUARD: Time's up.
GUARD: Okay, Thompson. Let's go.
( Wind gusting )
LUTHER: Hey, old buzzard.
Last piece of sky
you ever gonna see, huh?
( Pensive theme playing )
GUARD:
All right, Thompson, let's go.
Thompson...
Willis Thompson?
WILLIS: Uh, T-bone steak...
some scrambled eggs...
some greens...
pecan pie...
and a pepperoni pizza,
extra cheese.
Anybody you wanna see?
Minister?
Friends?
Family?
No.
Yeah.
You went to the store
and never came back.
Just like that, man,
you was gone.
You even know how many nights.
Mom's cried herself to sleep?
You left us with nothin'!
Samuel still
in Mom's belly, man!
She needed you.
We needed you!
You just jetted out on us, man.
What was I thinkin'?
I'm sorry I let you know.
Well, you know what?
I'm glad they
gonna kill you tonight.
'Cause this time when you gone,
ain't no comin' back!
( Melancholy theme playing )
'DRE: Yo, that preacher's
been messing with us
for too long, man.
His time's up.
Man, you sure about this?
Man, I should have known
your brother was the hard one.
Why don't you just...?
I be just as b-b-bad
as my brother.
Oh, yeah? You b-b-bad?
You h-h-hard?
Prove it.
That's right, fool.
Let's raise up outta here, man.
( Hip-hop music playing )
( bells ring )
Preacher's daddy's store.
You just wait.
He'll be out in a while.
He's comin'.
( Suspenseful theme playing )
( indistinct conversation )
Yeah, take care of yourself.
( Bells ring )
JOHNSON: I can't say I liked
you very much, Willis.
You weren't as much trouble
as some of the others.
What you want me to say, man?
Hey, I'm just tryin' to be nice.
Now, the warden will be up
in a couple of minutes.
It's really
gonna happen this time.
( Buzzer buzzes )
Bon appetite.
( melancholy theme playing )
WILLIS: Can he see you?
What?
Can you see her?
You must be trippin'.
Talk to your son, Willis.
When you need me, I'll be here.
Hey.
Hey, what's up, man?
I'm... I'm... I'm sorry.
Sorry for what?
You know that white lady
been hangin' around, Monica?
( Chuckles )
She told me she's an angel.
Damn thing is...
I-I-I think she is.
Straight from God.
Oh, man. Yeah, 'cause see...
I seen one before,
and I didn't listen to her.
And now...
Look, Luther,
son...
Man, I'm not your son no more.
Yes, you are.
You are. Listen to me.
You're my son, and I gotta
tell you something,
and you got to tell
your little brother.
Those stripes I got here,
the ones that you think
make me so hard?
I got 'em runnin' away
from a gangsta
I couldn't put down
'cause I was scared.
He turned around and got me
'fore I could get him.
Angels tried to tell me
to get out then.
But I didn't listen.
Thought you said
it was one angel.
It was one, at first.
She looked like a sister.
Then there was this other one,
a white dude hangin' around.
I couldn't ever figure
why he never got put out,
till I realized what he was.
Angel of Death, Luther.
Tell me somethin'.
Who did pull that trigger?
You sorry?
I'm sorry that those kids
don't have no father,
'cause I know how that feels.
( Door unlatches )
( chains jangling )
WILLIS: It's funny.
I ain't scared no more.
I thought you never was scared.
That's a lie
from the pit of hell, son.
We all scared.
JOHNSON: Ready, Willis?
I am now.
Johnson.
I wanna say goodbye to my...
friend here, please.
Next time you meet an angel...
you listen.
You hear?
You see him, Luther?
The dude in white, you see him?
God can be with you
tonight... or not.
It's up to you.
Yeah.
Show me the way to go home.
Let's go, Willis.
( Buzzer buzzes )
Let me know if I have
any other stops to make tonight.
( Buzzer buzzes )
I think your father's
going to die in peace now.
It's too bad
he couldn't live that way.
Who cares about him anyway?
You do.
You won't admit it,
but you loved him.
That's why his betrayal
hurt so much.
And it filled you with
so much bitterness and hatred
that you can't love anyone else.
As a matter of fact, Luther,
you've become just like him.
"I ain't nothi" like that loser.
No?
How many promises
have you broken to Samuel?
Samuel never had a father.
All he had was you,
his big brother.
I took care
of my little brother.
And who's taking care
of him now?
And the man you killed,
who's taking care of his family?
You know, I have
listened to you now for days,
and I have learned some
of your language:
"In the 'hood," "in the set,"
the cop was a "one-time,"
"chips" are money,
stealing is "jackin'."
And, yes,
it's all very impressive,
you with your secret codes
and your dead homies.
But where has it
gotten you, Luther?
Into this room, alone,
where you will spend
the rest of your life
with no one...
no one, that is, except God.
God, who is doing his best
trying to take care of you,
just as he is taking care
of the victims
whose lives you have shattered.
And I don't care if you bother
to come up with some fancy word
for him too,
because he's still God,
and he loves you.
But he cannot, and will not,
let you out of here
because of what you have done.
But he will stay with you,
Luther,
and he will stay with
your little brother too,
if you'll just let him.
Your body may be in prison,
but your soul
doesn't have to be.
What did you mean by...?
'Bout Samuel?
Samuel loves you, Luther.
But right now he's holding
the gun that 'Dre gave him.
As a matter of fact,
he's going to murder someone
in a few minutes.
Well, you gotta go stop him.
You can't let him
go out like that.
Only you can do that.
How?
By loving him enough
to tell him the truth.
Are you really an angel?
Then I'm gonna listen.
Sam.
Luther?
What're you doin' here?
How'd you get out?
It looks real good
out here, man.
It's a pit.
No matter how bad it may seem,
it's freedom, Sam.
You hear me, man?
And I don't wanna see you
kickin' that to the curb
for nothin'.
What are you talkin' about?
What am I talkin' about?
This, man!
It's wrong.
It's a mistake, man.
I don't wanna see you maki"
no mistakes like me, man.
Do not be like me.
But you're down, Luther.
So what, man?
I killed a man.
He dead! He gone!
His babies
sit up at night crying.
I swear to God,
I wish I'd have never done it.
'DRE: That's how you
got outta jail, man?
Sellin' out your honor
and your respect?
Yo, it ain't no pride
or no honor
in shootin' a man in the back.
Here, come on, Little Sam.
Evidently, your brother
done punked out on us.
Sam, you ever wonder
why 'Dre got out,
and I got sent to the row?
We did that job together.
You ever wonder why 'Dre
didn't get no time, man?
Sam, he's... He's just
messin' with your head.
'Cause he turned on me.
That's right, you turned on me.
He's woofin', man.
Man, I hid that gun good.
But after they come
talk to 'Dre,
the cops go right to it.
Sam, they would have found
that gun anyway, man.
He was your road dog.
No, Sam, that's not it, man,
that ain't the answer, Sam.
Listen to me, Sam.
Believe me when I tell you
they got a home right next
to mine startin' tomorrow.
If you pull that trigger,
you better believe
it's gonna be yours, man.
That's the way it is.
No, that ain't the way it is.
Man, listen to me. Sam.
Listen, you gotta do somethin'
nobody in our family
has ever done, man.
Live!
Live to be old, man.
I love you.
I love you, man.
I love you, man.
( Bell tolling )
TESS: You look like you
could use a friend.
I thought I was alone.
Oh, there's always
somebody here.
Might help to talk about it.
The father of my sons
just died a few minutes ago.
I know.
But your prayers for him
were not in vain.
My prayers are runnin' out.
My Luther's gonna end up
just like his daddy.
And one night,
I'm gonna be sitting here again.
Sittin' here waitin'...
waitin' for midnight to strike.
But it doesn't have
to be that way with Samuel.
I know.
But that's just the way it is.
Samuel wants
to be with his gang.
Every time
he walks out that door,
he just breaks my heart.
Don't let your heart break.
Let it change.
It's too late.
There's nobody left.
Not even my little Sammy.
You've got a choice too,
you know.
Choose to believe that God
will never leave your son,
nor forsake him.
Believe that as long
as he lives,
he will have a choice.
And believe that God
will show him
the right choice
to make everyday.
And then pray
that Samuel will listen.
Mama?
I'm right here, baby.
TESS: All right, all right.
What about the light
in the glove compartment?
It's brand-new.
Hey, you ready?
MONICA: I listened.
I tried to understand
his language.
Yes, you did.
You heard what Luther
had to say, and he heard you.
He's 16 and he'll be locked up
for the rest of his life.
Why does it have to be that way
for some people?
It doesn't.
Now, God may move
in mysterious ways,
but the ways of people are
the biggest mysteries of all.
We can't change their past,
but the good news is,
they can change
where they're going.
And so can Luther.
Now get in the car, let's go.
( Engine starts and revs )
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Oh, now that sounds
more like it.
Well, I threw in a couple
of extra cylinders
while I was at it.
That's okay, isn't it?
You're a good angel, boy.
All right. Here we go.
( Cooing )
( heartfelt theme playing )
( chains jangling )
( buzzer buzzes )
If you'd wait over here
for Officer Johnson.
Oh, okay.
TESS: Ready for a new
assignment, baby?
Tess, how does anyone end up
in a place like this?
Well, that's what
you're here to find out:
Where things went wrong
and how to put 'em right.
But there's no way
out of death row, is there?
Oh, there's always a way
out of the prisons
that people
find themselves in, baby.
Now, remember, you have
Andrew and me as backup
while you're inside.
( Door opens )
You're the journalist?
Yes. I'm Monica.
Johnson.
No pencils, pens, sharp
metal objects or straps.
Don't speak to
or acknowledge nobody
till you're told.
All right?
( Ominous theme playing )
I've been here 16 years.
Nobody but clergy ever allowed
on the row before.
You must have
some serious clout.
Clout?
Yes, I suppose I do.
That's the hospitality room.
Where they...?
JOHNSON: Execute.
Well, they just
transferred in your boy.
He's a cop-killer.
Cold-blooded and hotheaded.
No hope in hell
for a monster like that.
There's no hope in hell
for anyone.
Pull your hair back.
Don't lean in too close.
( Buzzer buzzes )
Hello.
I told you,
no talking to anybody.
Especially to Willis.
His time is up, and he
doesn't need a journalist.
He needs a miracle.
I don't want visitors.
I want a damn watch.
Most guys get scared when
they only have four days left.
Not Willis, he just gets meaner.
Gimme a watch!
What's a matter, Willis?
You wanna watch time
go slipping away?
Here we go.
JOHNSON: Luther!
You got a guest.
Meet Luther Dixon,
the youngest inmate
on death row.
( Della Reese & The Verity
All-Stars' "Walk With You" playing )
REESE: ♫ When you walk ♫
♫ Down the road ♫
♫ Heavy burden ♫
♫ Hea-ea-eavy load ♫
♫ I will rise ♫
♫ And I will walk with you ♫
REESE: ♫ I'll walk with you ♫
CHORUS: ♫ I'll walk with you ♫
♫ Till the sun
Don't even shine ♫
♫ Walk with you ♫
♫ Walk with you ♫
♫ Every time ♫
♫ I tell ya I'll walk with you ♫
♫ Walk with you ♫
♫ Believe me
I'll walk with you ♫
I'm Monica.
I think you were expecting me.
How much chips you gettin'
to tell my story?
Chips?
I don't understand.
Well, why don't you come
a little closer,
and I'll kill you
like I killed that cop.
Shot him dead in the streets
and watched the blood
run out of him.
I thought you told the judge
you weren't the one
who pulled the trigger?
Get outta here, lady!
No chips, no story.
I don't know what chips are.
Well, do you have a Snickers?
What?
WILLIS: Candy.
Baby boy wants candy.
They give out candy to the kids
in the juvenile hall.
You've been in the juvie
so much, Luther,
your teeth probably all rotted.
You're in with the big boys now,
and you're never
gonna see candy again.
They have nuts in them, right?
The candy bars you like,
nuts and chocolate,
kind of sticky.
You gonna talk to the lady
or not, Luther?
Get her outta here, man.
She must be crazy.
All right. Let's go.
If you did have
a candy bar in here,
where would you keep it?
Under your pillow, maybe?
You must be trippin'
or something.
So do what you gotta do.
MONICA: I need to ask
you some questions,
and I need you
to tell me the truth.
And how you gonna know
the difference?
The truth will get you
another candy bar.
Yo, how'd you do that?
If you tell me the truth now,
I'll tell you the truth later.
Who's that?
That's my little brother,
Samuel.
He must miss you very much.
I taught him what
he needed to know.
Got him corded on real good.
"Corded on"?
In the gang.
Look, you gonna listen to me
or what?
MONICA: How old is Sam?
About 11... 12...
And he's in a gang?
I mean, you in the set,
you in the gang.
And the set is?
The 'hood, lady.
Look, you wearin' me out here,
all right?
I'm sorry.
So everybody
joins a gang because...?
No gang, no respect.
Gotta start jackin',
you know what I'm saying?
How else you gonna
make the big green?
( hip-hop music playing )
TESS: There you go. Thank you.
Well, I am ready to get started.
You are one sorry-looking angel.
( Chuckles )
Tess...
did anybody tell you
exactly why I'm here?
Well, I figure
the Angel of Death
doesn't have too many options.
Well, no, no, but...
See, I've got some
preliminary work to do
that maybe you
haven't been filled in on.
You do your job
and I'll do mine.
Tess, I'm supposed to borrow...
There he is.
TESS: How much time do we have?
Just under four days.
Four days
to change a generation?
I guess that's why
they call them miracles.
Hey, you!
Come back here right now!
( horn honking )
You bring that back here
right now, you rascal!
Andrew, they...
My car!
Somebody stole my baby!
Oh, Lord, take me home!
( Sobbing )
Where's Deonne?
MAN: He's gone.
I'm here. What's it to you?
Just had a little business
to do with him.
What a bucket.
Ho-ho-ho! Where's your car?
Or do you just have
a dashboard cover and no car?
Man, this thing needs some work.
New plugs, re-wiring...
Battery's no good.
How come you know
so much about cars?
My brother Luther taught me
before he got busted.
Oh, so Luther's
in the 'pen, huh?
He's on the row.
Youngest one ever.
Too bad Luther didn't stick
to fixing cars.
You know, I could use
some help around here.
What do you say...
five bucks an hour?
That's baby tooth. I could
make that in two minutes.
Stealing dashboard covers?
You be needing some protection
on the street.
You wanna pay for that?
( Door shuts )
WOMAN: Samuel!
Samuel, I told you to come
right home after school.
Where's your homework?
Why you dumping on my case?
I'll get it done!
I want you home now.
Where's Deonne?
Retired.
We don't want
people like you and him
doing business around here.
It's not that kind
of business anymore.
You just make sure it isn't.
TESS: You stole my car!
You stole it
and then you killed it!
Will you look at this?
The Angel of Death
done killed my car.
That car was spotless!
And it will be again too.
I promise.
Ooh! I promise.
Ooh!
Well, I was about 12
when I start jackin' parts.
Then me and the homies felt,
you know,
it was time
for the bigger chips.
So I start sellin' heats.
So you stole pieces
of automobiles
and sold them for money,
and then you and your
fellow gang colleagues
advanced to buying
and selling firearms?
( Sighs )
Yeah, you know, I sure miss
my homies, though.
Wish one of them fools
would shoot me a kite.
WILLIS: Oh, Mama.
Mama, write me a letter, Mama,
I been here two whole days,
and I'm so lonely.
You gonna get
a lot lonelier, punk.
Yo, you better shut up, homey!
I'm tellin' you, man!
( Smooching )
JOHNSON:
Knock it off down there!
INMATE: Shut up!
So has anyone sent you a letter?
No, but you know, they oughta.
'Cause I got my respect!
( Chuckles )
You got none.
Do your friends
still respect you
now that you're on death row?
More.
Even Samuel?
Especially Samuel.
Even your mother?
It ain't her fault, all right?
My mom's tried to stop me
from doin' the gangs
and all that.
But all the preachin'
in the world ain't gonna change
the way it is out there
on them streets.
MAN: You know, Man is
an adaptable creature.
If you walk into a cow barn,
at first,
all you can smell is manure.
But after a few minutes,
you don't smell it anymore.
The smell hasn't gone away.
You just get used to it.
And that's what's happening
in our neighbourhood.
How many times
have you said it to yourself,
"There's nothing we can do
about them
selling drugs on the corner"?
How many times have you seen
a child breaking into a car
and looked the other way?
How many times
have you heard a gunshot
in the middle of the night
and simply gone on watching TV?
God wants us
to do something about this.
God wants us to take back
our children.
God wants us to stand up!
( cheering )
God wants us to stand up.
Stand up!
♫ This little light of mine ♫
♫ I'm gonna let it shine ♫
♫ This little light of mine ♫
Are all your prayer meetings
like this?
No.
Some are even more useless.
I don't quite get your meaning.
Trusting God doesn't
seem useless to me.
God doesn't live
in this neighbourhood.
♫ Oh, midnight oil ♫
♫ I'm gonna let it shine ♫
♫ Oh, midnight oil ♫
♫ I'm gonna let it shine ♫
MONICA: So you're 16.
LUTHER:
The youngest man on death row.
You think that makes you a man?
WILLIS: Mm-hmm.
A dead man.
Shut up, Willis.
LUTHER:
Yo, what's your point, huh?
Huh?
Well, I suppose my point is
that if your friends respect you
and they want to be like you,
that I'm afraid
they'll behave like you,
and one of them, maybe Samuel,
will end up in here
right next to you.
Luther, have you ever
really looked up to someone?
Your father, perhaps?
My father's a dog.
He had responsibilities.
He had a family.
But still, he jetted out on us.
That ain't no man.
My daddy wasn't no man.
What was he?
Yo, man, I ain't even
talkin' to you!
Well, I'm talkin' to you.
And your daddy ain't
the reason you here.
You here 'cause you a punk.
No wonder he left you.
Hey, Willis, I bet
you don't know the time.
I do, though, 'cause
I got a watch on my wrist!
You got a watch?
( Luther laughing )
How come you...?
Hey! Hey, Johnson!
How come he got a watch,
and I don't?
Back up!
He don't have a watch, Willis.
LUTHER: Yes, I do.
And guess what.
Guess what it say.
In three days, you a dead man.
Do you hear me?
Luther, please.
WILLIS:
Hey, check this out, baby boy.
You're new meat around here now,
but I get you face to face,
you gonna be dead meat!
Luther...
Shut up, man!
Hey, Johnson. Hey, Johnson, man!
Come get this white lady
before I squish her head
through these bars!
JOHNSON: Back up!
Both of ya.
All right. Let's go.
You got a lot to say now, huh?
Back up.
LUTHER: You need to just
shut your mouth, man.
WILLIS:
Yeah, come on, shut my mouth.
LUTHER:
Death gonna shut your mouth.
Those cars got alarms, 'Dre.
Can't live up
to your big bro, huh?
I just said they were wired.
I didn't say I couldn't do it.
Tonight.
Samuel Hill, am I gonna
have to carry these
all by myself?
I'm... b-busy.
Man, don't be disrespectin'
your moms like that.
Go on.
Unless I say different.
( Scoffs )
Samuel, I'm making your
favourite for dinner tonight.
Spaghetti. What do you think?
I got things to do.
What things?
Does it have anything
to do with 'Dre?
Samuel, use a glass, please.
I told you
to stay away from 'Dre.
He ain't nothing but trouble.
He's my road d-d-dog.
Keep that gang talk
out of my house.
You wanna end up
like your brother Luther?
At least Luther's got respect.
Respect?
Respect got him
sittin' on death row.
I want you to live, baby.
Sammy, where you going?
Samuel, you get back here.
Samuel, you hear me
talkin' to you!
Samuel!
Damn it.
Yo. Samuel.
Man, I cannot figure out
what's wrong with this thing.
It's worthless, that's what.
Yeah, well, besides that.
Now, look. It starts up okay,
and then it just dies.
Man, it's a dirty carburetor,
not gettin' any gas.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, see,
I should have seen that.
Listen...
do you think that maybe
you could...?
'DRE: Little Sam.
Little Sam!
( Hip-hop blaring )
I could really use your help.
What's with the white dude, man?
You hangin' with 5-O?
I gotta handle some business.
'DRE: Come on, Sam.
( Buzzer buzzes )
Never thought I'd see you
up in here again.
Well, here I am.
To be honest with you,
I don't understand you, Luther.
I don't understand
how anyone can kill a human
and be proud of it.
Well, ain't nothin'
to understand, you know,
it's too damn late.
But it's not too late
for Samuel.
He doesn't have to end up
in here.
But he might
because you're still his hero.
You know,
Samuel's my boy, right?
He got his stripes.
Stripes?
Look, I can't understand you
if you won't talk to me.
Fierce.
Check it out.
My pops had these scars
on his shoulder, right?
Like some cat clawed him
or somethin', you know?
And I remember him telling me
that they didn't hurt
half as bad
as the other guy looked.
The homeboys used to tell me
my pops had all the stripes.
He was hard.
And when I was little,
I... I was gonna be
just like him, you know?
But, uh...
But he left you.
Shook the spot when I was a kid.
And he was your hero.
Next question.
WOMAN: Every time I try
to talk to my boy,
it pushes him further
into the gang.
We gotta teach these children
that life is the most precious
thing they have,
and they're wastin' it.
Now, how am I supposed
to teach him anything
if I can't get him to come home?
We have to show them, somehow,
that the gang
is not their family.
That's right.
A family keeps you from harm.
It doesn't expose you to it.
If you've got a family left.
Protecting our children
starts at home.
TESS: We've got to
tell them the truth.
That gangs are death, not life.
And we've got to keep saying it
again and again
until they hear us.
Preach on, sister!
Thank you, I will.
Now, all your plans:
Your neighbourhood watch,
your canvassing the streets,
your treating the police
like friends instead of enemies.
All of that is fine,
but it's not enough.
We've got to fight these gangs
not with our fists,
but with the power of God.
Amen, amen.
What do you mean "we"?
You say we are not doin' enough.
How many jobs
are you holdin' down?
Well, I'm holdin' down
three jobs.
You're not from
this neighbourhood.
My husband was, and he's gone.
My oldest son was,
and he's gone.
My youngest, well,
I'm losin' him too.
This ain't nothin'
but a bunch of talk.
I'm sorry, but all your prayers
are just a waste of time.
It's all hopeless.
Well, if you think it's
hopeless, why are you here?
( Car alarm blares )
My car!
Hey!
Samuel!
Sammy! Samuel!
Samuel, no!
You let go of my child.
Let him go!
Valerie, if you save him now,
you won't be able
to save him later.
Mama!
Ma! ( Sirens approaching)
No, Mama!
God help him.
God help my child.
So tell me about 'Dre.
'Dre?
You know, we was riders.
I did anything for him.
He got me put on the set,
showed me what was what.
You know that last job?
Me and 'Dre did it together.
He worked everything out,
but, uh...
( snickers )
It's always cool to have
a rider like 'Dre on your team,
'cause you'll never be lonely.
So where is he now?
( Keys jangling )
JOHNSON: All right.
That's enough for now.
I'll see ya tomorrow.
( Dramatic theme playing )
MONICA: I don't suppose
this is a coincidence,
father and son
side by side like this.
TESS: A coincidence is when God
chooses to remain anonymous.
I wonder how he got
those scars on his back.
It was another violent night
in the neighbourhood
a long time ago.
He wasn't much older
than his son is now.
It was a stupid argument
over a stupid piece of street.
You were there?
Oh, some of these cases
go on for generations.
Tess, if you know Willis,
then you can make him listen,
and then maybe
he can talk to Luther, and...
I can't make him listen, baby,
and neither can you
or any other angel.
All we can do
is speak the truth,
and you can do that
as well as I can.
People hear the truth
in a whole different way.
It has a sound of its own.
God exists.
God loves you.
God wants to be a part
of your life.
Those are all true,
and Willis' heart knew it then,
but his ears
didn't wanna hear it.
But we're running
out of time now.
Samuel. Baby.
You left me in jail!
How come you didn't come get me?
I sent Reverend George
after you.
You always picked up Luther!
I know.
Maybe if I'd left him in there
all night the first time,
he wouldn't
be sittin' there now.
What kind of mum are you?
The kind that loves you.
The kind that can make
difficult decisions
because she wants
what's best for you.
The kind that wants you
to be so scared of prison
that you'll never go back.
Scared?
( Tearfully ):
You think I was scared?
The scariest thing
I see right now is you.
( Melancholy theme playing )
( breathing deeply )
How'd you get in here?
It's a little strange,
don't you think,
to see a man doing push-ups
on the day of his execution?
I've been here before.
My lawyer's got another appeal
goin' right now.
Your appeal will be denied
this time, Willis,
and you will die at midnight.
What?
The question now is,
how will you die?
Will you die as you've lived?
Or will you take truth with you
and leave some truth behind
for your sons as well?
I don't know what
you're doin' here, but, lady,
you better get outta here now
before I lose my patience.
I'm an angel just like the one
you met a long time ago.
Tess asked me to give you this.
It's the watch you lost
the night you got those scars
on your back.
An angel?
Yeah, right, well,
listen, Miss Angel.
If I'm gonna die,
what do I need a watch for?
Because there's still time left,
not for you, perhaps,
but for your children.
You're dreamin'. They long gone.
Not yet.
Samuel will listen to Luther,
and Luther will listen to you.
Willis, Luther may spend the
rest of his life on death row,
but he doesn't
have to be there alone.
And Samuel has the chance
to live a long life of his own
instead of dying on the streets.
But it starts with you.
It starts with truth.
God loves you, Willis,
and he wants to give you
this chance
to do something with your life
before you lose it.
If God loved me,
he'd save my life.
What do you think he's doing?
Reach out to your son
and tell him who you are,
and be the kind of father you
so desperately wanted to be
when you first held Luther
in your arms.
( Keys jangling )
GUARD: Time's up.
GUARD: Okay, Thompson. Let's go.
( Wind gusting )
LUTHER: Hey, old buzzard.
Last piece of sky
you ever gonna see, huh?
( Pensive theme playing )
GUARD:
All right, Thompson, let's go.
Thompson...
Willis Thompson?
WILLIS: Uh, T-bone steak...
some scrambled eggs...
some greens...
pecan pie...
and a pepperoni pizza,
extra cheese.
Anybody you wanna see?
Minister?
Friends?
Family?
No.
Yeah.
You went to the store
and never came back.
Just like that, man,
you was gone.
You even know how many nights.
Mom's cried herself to sleep?
You left us with nothin'!
Samuel still
in Mom's belly, man!
She needed you.
We needed you!
You just jetted out on us, man.
What was I thinkin'?
I'm sorry I let you know.
Well, you know what?
I'm glad they
gonna kill you tonight.
'Cause this time when you gone,
ain't no comin' back!
( Melancholy theme playing )
'DRE: Yo, that preacher's
been messing with us
for too long, man.
His time's up.
Man, you sure about this?
Man, I should have known
your brother was the hard one.
Why don't you just...?
I be just as b-b-bad
as my brother.
Oh, yeah? You b-b-bad?
You h-h-hard?
Prove it.
That's right, fool.
Let's raise up outta here, man.
( Hip-hop music playing )
( bells ring )
Preacher's daddy's store.
You just wait.
He'll be out in a while.
He's comin'.
( Suspenseful theme playing )
( indistinct conversation )
Yeah, take care of yourself.
( Bells ring )
JOHNSON: I can't say I liked
you very much, Willis.
You weren't as much trouble
as some of the others.
What you want me to say, man?
Hey, I'm just tryin' to be nice.
Now, the warden will be up
in a couple of minutes.
It's really
gonna happen this time.
( Buzzer buzzes )
Bon appetite.
( melancholy theme playing )
WILLIS: Can he see you?
What?
Can you see her?
You must be trippin'.
Talk to your son, Willis.
When you need me, I'll be here.
Hey.
Hey, what's up, man?
I'm... I'm... I'm sorry.
Sorry for what?
You know that white lady
been hangin' around, Monica?
( Chuckles )
She told me she's an angel.
Damn thing is...
I-I-I think she is.
Straight from God.
Oh, man. Yeah, 'cause see...
I seen one before,
and I didn't listen to her.
And now...
Look, Luther,
son...
Man, I'm not your son no more.
Yes, you are.
You are. Listen to me.
You're my son, and I gotta
tell you something,
and you got to tell
your little brother.
Those stripes I got here,
the ones that you think
make me so hard?
I got 'em runnin' away
from a gangsta
I couldn't put down
'cause I was scared.
He turned around and got me
'fore I could get him.
Angels tried to tell me
to get out then.
But I didn't listen.
Thought you said
it was one angel.
It was one, at first.
She looked like a sister.
Then there was this other one,
a white dude hangin' around.
I couldn't ever figure
why he never got put out,
till I realized what he was.
Angel of Death, Luther.
Tell me somethin'.
Who did pull that trigger?
You sorry?
I'm sorry that those kids
don't have no father,
'cause I know how that feels.
( Door unlatches )
( chains jangling )
WILLIS: It's funny.
I ain't scared no more.
I thought you never was scared.
That's a lie
from the pit of hell, son.
We all scared.
JOHNSON: Ready, Willis?
I am now.
Johnson.
I wanna say goodbye to my...
friend here, please.
Next time you meet an angel...
you listen.
You hear?
You see him, Luther?
The dude in white, you see him?
God can be with you
tonight... or not.
It's up to you.
Yeah.
Show me the way to go home.
Let's go, Willis.
( Buzzer buzzes )
Let me know if I have
any other stops to make tonight.
( Buzzer buzzes )
I think your father's
going to die in peace now.
It's too bad
he couldn't live that way.
Who cares about him anyway?
You do.
You won't admit it,
but you loved him.
That's why his betrayal
hurt so much.
And it filled you with
so much bitterness and hatred
that you can't love anyone else.
As a matter of fact, Luther,
you've become just like him.
"I ain't nothi" like that loser.
No?
How many promises
have you broken to Samuel?
Samuel never had a father.
All he had was you,
his big brother.
I took care
of my little brother.
And who's taking care
of him now?
And the man you killed,
who's taking care of his family?
You know, I have
listened to you now for days,
and I have learned some
of your language:
"In the 'hood," "in the set,"
the cop was a "one-time,"
"chips" are money,
stealing is "jackin'."
And, yes,
it's all very impressive,
you with your secret codes
and your dead homies.
But where has it
gotten you, Luther?
Into this room, alone,
where you will spend
the rest of your life
with no one...
no one, that is, except God.
God, who is doing his best
trying to take care of you,
just as he is taking care
of the victims
whose lives you have shattered.
And I don't care if you bother
to come up with some fancy word
for him too,
because he's still God,
and he loves you.
But he cannot, and will not,
let you out of here
because of what you have done.
But he will stay with you,
Luther,
and he will stay with
your little brother too,
if you'll just let him.
Your body may be in prison,
but your soul
doesn't have to be.
What did you mean by...?
'Bout Samuel?
Samuel loves you, Luther.
But right now he's holding
the gun that 'Dre gave him.
As a matter of fact,
he's going to murder someone
in a few minutes.
Well, you gotta go stop him.
You can't let him
go out like that.
Only you can do that.
How?
By loving him enough
to tell him the truth.
Are you really an angel?
Then I'm gonna listen.
Sam.
Luther?
What're you doin' here?
How'd you get out?
It looks real good
out here, man.
It's a pit.
No matter how bad it may seem,
it's freedom, Sam.
You hear me, man?
And I don't wanna see you
kickin' that to the curb
for nothin'.
What are you talkin' about?
What am I talkin' about?
This, man!
It's wrong.
It's a mistake, man.
I don't wanna see you maki"
no mistakes like me, man.
Do not be like me.
But you're down, Luther.
So what, man?
I killed a man.
He dead! He gone!
His babies
sit up at night crying.
I swear to God,
I wish I'd have never done it.
'DRE: That's how you
got outta jail, man?
Sellin' out your honor
and your respect?
Yo, it ain't no pride
or no honor
in shootin' a man in the back.
Here, come on, Little Sam.
Evidently, your brother
done punked out on us.
Sam, you ever wonder
why 'Dre got out,
and I got sent to the row?
We did that job together.
You ever wonder why 'Dre
didn't get no time, man?
Sam, he's... He's just
messin' with your head.
'Cause he turned on me.
That's right, you turned on me.
He's woofin', man.
Man, I hid that gun good.
But after they come
talk to 'Dre,
the cops go right to it.
Sam, they would have found
that gun anyway, man.
He was your road dog.
No, Sam, that's not it, man,
that ain't the answer, Sam.
Listen to me, Sam.
Believe me when I tell you
they got a home right next
to mine startin' tomorrow.
If you pull that trigger,
you better believe
it's gonna be yours, man.
That's the way it is.
No, that ain't the way it is.
Man, listen to me. Sam.
Listen, you gotta do somethin'
nobody in our family
has ever done, man.
Live!
Live to be old, man.
I love you.
I love you, man.
I love you, man.
( Bell tolling )
TESS: You look like you
could use a friend.
I thought I was alone.
Oh, there's always
somebody here.
Might help to talk about it.
The father of my sons
just died a few minutes ago.
I know.
But your prayers for him
were not in vain.
My prayers are runnin' out.
My Luther's gonna end up
just like his daddy.
And one night,
I'm gonna be sitting here again.
Sittin' here waitin'...
waitin' for midnight to strike.
But it doesn't have
to be that way with Samuel.
I know.
But that's just the way it is.
Samuel wants
to be with his gang.
Every time
he walks out that door,
he just breaks my heart.
Don't let your heart break.
Let it change.
It's too late.
There's nobody left.
Not even my little Sammy.
You've got a choice too,
you know.
Choose to believe that God
will never leave your son,
nor forsake him.
Believe that as long
as he lives,
he will have a choice.
And believe that God
will show him
the right choice
to make everyday.
And then pray
that Samuel will listen.
Mama?
I'm right here, baby.
TESS: All right, all right.
What about the light
in the glove compartment?
It's brand-new.
Hey, you ready?
MONICA: I listened.
I tried to understand
his language.
Yes, you did.
You heard what Luther
had to say, and he heard you.
He's 16 and he'll be locked up
for the rest of his life.
Why does it have to be that way
for some people?
It doesn't.
Now, God may move
in mysterious ways,
but the ways of people are
the biggest mysteries of all.
We can't change their past,
but the good news is,
they can change
where they're going.
And so can Luther.
Now get in the car, let's go.
( Engine starts and revs )
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Oh, now that sounds
more like it.
Well, I threw in a couple
of extra cylinders
while I was at it.
That's okay, isn't it?
You're a good angel, boy.
All right. Here we go.
( Cooing )
( heartfelt theme playing )