- You cryin', Dad?
Guess what time it is. It's cake time!
- Congratulations. - Congratulations.
Louise, you look beautiful. Doesn't she look beautiful?
You look beautiful.
I never seal the envelope
until I see what kind of party is thrown.
It's all in here. I love youse both. Mwah!
Louise, I know you think I hate you. I don't. I love you,
and I was right about that dress.
Sebastian, you better be good to her because she's my ride or die.
- I swear. She seriously-- - Yeah. You better treat her right.
Yeah, treat her right, 'cause if not, I'm gonna beat the fuck out of you.
Say hi to Aunt Louise! Hi, Aunt Louise.
Congratulations from all of us in the Russo family.
- Whoo! - Right?
- Salute, eh? - Yeah.
- Salute! - Salute !
Love it, Dad. Short and sweet.
Oh, go. Go say what you want.
Oh, Oh, okay.
This is gonna be good, boys.
- Okay. Uh... - Give it to me.
Uh, God bless from me and Leo and Sticks.
We love you both. Okay, who's next? Ro, talk.
Me? No. What the hell am I gonna say? Here.
Oh, not Sticks. Kid hasn't made a sound since his baptism.
Gotta be an asshole on the wedding video.
Sticks, gonna make a man out of you.
No, no, no, he's already a man.
Relax, Leo.
I am relaxed. I'm just saying...
- All right, give me the thing.
- No. I got somethin'.
Uh, Sebastian and Louise...
- Uh, I guess... - Put down the wine. That's enough.
- Who got my fork? - Oh, here. Take mine, Dad.
- I got one. - That's my fork.
The best advice I could give to you is, uh,
don't hurt each other, you know?
- If you can avoid it.
- And, uh... - Can you please move over, please?
- Thank you.
- Oh. - Get him a glass.
So God bless. God bless to you, and God bless the children
that you're gonna make for all of America.
Yeah. Okay.
That was different.
Hey, hey, hey. H-hold-- hold on, hold on.
Yeah, listen. Um...
You want us to edit you out?
- Yeah, edit me out. - Okay.
- You're like a freakin' 12-year-old.
You're 12 years old.
- No cheesy things? - I'm concentrating here.
No cheesy things.
Five o'clock today, okay? Don't forget.
- Be ready. - Yeah, yeah. Aren't you late?
Nah.
Oh, shit.
No more parking tickets.
Five o'clock, please, Ange. Serious.
Costing us a fortune.
Fuck me.
The fuck is this?
You know, I've been friends with him my whole life.
Can't remember him running, even when we were kids.
Looks like he shit his pants, no?
No parking in this neighborhood.
I'm like a mile away. Are they here?
Nah, I think they're bidding on that Jackson Heights job.
Oh, right. Right. Good, good.
I got to leave early, so they don't need to know I'm late.
You know me. I don't know nothin'.
- Huh. - Hey, Leo! Hey,
you think you can get one of your guys to come look at my bathroom today?
My damn tub is leaking.
Oh. Yeah, okay.
- Sure, we'll get in there. - Oh, thank you.
Hey, if you hear some groaning, it's just this old lady tryin' to yoga.
- Bye. - Huh.
Kind of hope she groans, right?
I was thinking the same shit.
How'd it go, Dad?
How did it go? Frank gave him a price.
They're gonna ask for lower. You know, we'll see.
Yeah. Oh, uh, the lady, uh, Pamela,
she said her tub's leaking, so I told her we'd get in there--
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Leo, come on.
You don't promise the client anything until I speak...
I didn't promise anything.
Forget it. Let's go take a look. Come on.
The gate, guys, it needs to be primed and painted.
Nobody's going home until it's done.
Okay, but you know I got to leave early, right?
- 'Cause I got Sticks' game. - You better get to it, then.
I'll check out the tub thing, Pops.
Your little brother's turning into a real dick.
Yeah, you know, got a lot of pressure.
Foreman and all, it's a lot of stress.
Irregardless, glad I used to beat the shit out of him.
These are so nice.
They do a good job at that Versailles.
The Viennese hour was late. That pissed me off.
- It was fine.
And the chocolate fountain was spinning all lopsided.
I think that's how it's supposed to look when it spins.
It was all beautiful, Connie.
So beautiful. Louise looked gorgeous.
Oh, they look so nice together.
Where'd they go again for the honeymoon?
Anguilla. Am I saying that right?
Oh, that's nice. That's tropical, right?
I don't know what it is, but they'd better get pregnant there.
What? I got nothing to do now.
She's out of the house. Let's go. Gimme a baby.
I put a bottle of wine in her luggage
- because wine always helps. - That's funny.
When Phil's horny, he gives me wine. He knows...
I need wine.
Of course you need it. I can't fuck Lou without wine.
- Oh, boy! - Phil pours me wine
and does this frickin' English accent.
- No. - Yeah.
Thinks it's sexy. Sounds Japanese. Swear to God.
- How about Leo?
Quiet ones are always the biggest freaks, right, Ange?
Little different for us still.
She lost weight-- Louise, right?
That dress fit her so good.
Yeah. Unfortunately, her nose
becomes more prominent with the weight loss,
but you can't win 'em all.
Okay, Dad, I'm gonna go.
- And the gate? - Done. Finished. Yeah, 100%.
- Yeah. - All right.
Yeah. Yeah. I'm gonna go. It's his last game tonight...
unless they win. Then they got the playoffs.
Well, they're not gonna win, though.
They're playing the best team
in the Tri-State area.
Uh-huh.
Yeah, it's too bad.
Basketball's been good for his confidence.
You know, you, uh, you never seen him out there, Dad.
Maybe you should come, huh? Get a chance to see him play.
It's, uh...
He's different out there.
You just told me he was gonna lose.
Yeah, but that-- uh...
- Tub's fixed. - Come here, come here.
I wanna show you something. Look at this. Got a problem.
Oh, my God. You know how much problems that's gonna give us?
We gotta call an engineer in here.
- Exactly - Look at this here.
Because here, look...
All right, see you Monday.
...through the pantry...
We are... Glendale!
Principal Murphy!
- Okay.
Principal Murphy!
Whoo!
Don't make me run, Leo.
Gonna miss the intros now.
- Mr. Russo! - Hey, Marshall.
I saved you your regular seats. It wasn't easy.
Almost a full house tonight, last game and all.
Well, no, not if we win, Marshall.
True, but North Jersey's ranked first
- in the Tri-State area. - Yeah.
John Slaughter averages 31 points a game.
Nice to see you, Mrs. Russo. First time since the Great Neck game in February.
- Oh! Got to go!
- Nothing gets by that kid, huh? - No, he knows his stuff.
I like him. Come on.
Put your hands together
for your starting lineup for your Glendale Cougars!
At guard, junior Blake Corcoran!
Oh, shit. They started already. Come on.
Come on, come on. Up here. Here.
- Don't push me. - I'm not. Just get up there.
Leo, give me some hope here. Can we sneak a win?
- Hey, why not, right? - That's what I wanna hear.
- Come on. Right here. - And finally,
at forward, standing six foot, two inches...
- Just made it. - Calm down.
Breathe or somethin'.
...Matthew "Sticks" Russo!
...Russo!
Mister... Russo!
How long have they been doing that?
Last three or four games.
'Cause I'm here all the time, I guess.
- Weird, right? - Yeah. I can see you hate it.
I got him.
Go, go!
- Ohh! Ohh! - Oh, man.
- Cut, cut! - Here you go, Sticks!
- No!
- Yeah!
- That's the shit, Leo!
- Oh, no!
- Ohh!
Defense! Defense! Defense!
- Ohh! Matty! - Yeah!
Go, go, go.
- Let's go! - Yes!
That's halftime, ladies and gentlemen.
- Oh, my God!
See you in about 20 minutes.
♪ Who let the dogs out? ♪
♪ Who, who, who, who, who ♪
♪ Who let the dogs out? ♪
- ♪ Who, who, who, who, who ♪
They know that's 20 years ago, right?
I know. I told 'em we should use "Ain't gonna be no rematch."
- Huh? - Um, the end of Rocky.
Creed hugs him and says, "Ain't gonna be no rematch."
Rocky says, "Don't want one."
That's 40 years ago.
- Thank you. - Hey, Mr. Russo!
You got to believe, Mr. Russo.
I do, Ryan. I do.
I don't know if that's Ryan.
- Oh, shit. - What?
- Angela! - Hi, Dorothy.
Hi. I haven't seen you in a while.
Well, you know, but last game, so...
No, no, not if we win.
Look at your hair.
It came back wavy like I told you.
Yeah, yeah.
That's my sister now, you know.
Yeah, me too.
Uh, two hot dogs and a Sprite, please.
Coming up. You look great.
- I'm leaving. - What?
Mm, she's gonna push that support group shit on me.
I'm tired of saying "no" to her. Just tell her I had to pee.
- Oh, come on. - Hey, Leo.
What are you feeding that kid? We got a shot at this.
Oh, that's-that's who he is, you know?
It's his mom who feeds him.
Nah, you feed him. Leo. It's you!
Mom, I told you I was going to a game.
Yes, I did. You just never listen to me. That's why.
Okay, bye.
- Oh, Mrs. R. - Emory.
- Our boy bangin' tonight, huh? - Yeah, I guess he's bangin'.
How's your mom? You being a pain in the ass to her?
Come on. Don't do that, Mrs. R. You know I'm the best.
- We should get back, right? - Yeah, but look who's here.
Oh, you broke up with Stephanie?
Stephanie? Wait a minute, Mrs. R.
You don't know who this is? You've never seen her.
Yeah, I seen her in the bathroom.
- Oh, shit.
Hey, this is Sticks' girl.
- What?
My boy don't even tell his moms. Of course.
Mrs. R., you're Mrs. Russo? Oh, my God. Hi.
- Hi. - It's so nice to meet you.
- Oh. Well, wait, my Sticks? - Yeah.
It's so like him, right? All quiet and weird.
Mm. Yeah, yeah.
You should see your face right now, Mrs. R.
- God, this shit is hysterical. - Emory! Come on! Let's go!
Hey, boo-boo! Hey, I got to go, Mrs. R.
- I'll see you later. - Okay.
Um... okay. Well, this was cool.
- Yeah. - Bye.
You too.
Y'all, I see you runnin', bro, where my Skittles at?
Hey, Ange. I'm looking all over for you. Halftime's over.
Matthew's got a girlfriend.
- Defense!
Defense!
Defense! Defense! Defense!
Come on, come on.
Yeah!
- Defense! - I got ball! I got ball!
Defense!
Defense! Defense!
- Defense! Defense!
Stay on him, Sticks. Stay on him.
Defense! Defense!
- No! No! No. - No, no.
- We can win this! - Come on, Glendale.
I believe that we will win!
- I believe that we will win! - Johnny, go.
Good game, Glendale! Good game!
Congratulations, North Jersey.
You played a great game.
- Well, that sucked. - Leo.
Leo, I'm gonna make this high-def for you, okay?
I'll tell you what. I'll bring it by the house.
- Thanks, Scott. - Yeah.
That'll be nice for Matthew to look at.
Sure.
Well, come on. We should be down there when he comes out.
Yeah.
Ah, I should have worked with him more on his jump shot.
When? Since he's ten, you're in the yard with him every second.
- Yeah... - Here he comes.
Don't be all sad, okay?
Let's be happy for what he done.
She go in the locker room with him?
All right, don't be mean in front of her, Ange.
She don't know us yet.
Sticks, 22 points. Nice.
Rather win.
Yeah. Yeah, of course we'd rather win. Yeah.
Who's this, Sticks?
Oh, this is Dani. I mean, her name is Danielle.
- But... yeah. - Hi again.
And I guess just a first "hi" to you, Mr. Russo.
- Yeah, hi. Hi. Nice to meet you. - Yeah.
Say something!
Ow... but... uh, you said "hi" already, so...
Where you from, Danielle?
- Uh, Forest Hills Gardens. - Oh.
Not the ritzy part. We're mostly normal.
Got the smallest house on the block. Right, Matty?
You been to her house.
- Not in it, but you know, yeah.
Oh, shit. We got to go, Matty.
I, uh, I got to drive her to work.
Oh, we were gonna go to Corona, get some lemon ices, you know,
celebrate everything. You could come.
Oh, that's so nice, um, but my boss sucks if I'm late.
He's an idiot, so...
Told her I'd drive her, so let's go.
It was really nice to finally meet you guys,
no thanks to this one. Bye.
Wait. Come here.
- Oh.
- Okay, go. - Oh, man.
Come to dinner Sunday!
- Ma, she don't-- - I would love to.
I love Italian food.
Okay, Sunday, twelve o'clock.
Dinner at 12. I-I love it. I'll be there. Thank you.
Now take me to work, boy. You want me to get fired?
Wait! I'm slipping.
- Kind of heavy. - Hey!
- Sorry.
Do not fuckin' like her.
How come we don't know about her till now?
- What? Who? - The girl.
Danielle, or Dani, or whatever she calls herself.
I don't know. Come on. He's 18.
He's doing a lot of things we don't know about.
Name one. Name one thing that kid does we don't know about.
Well, how am I supposed to name it
- if we don't know about it? - Open the car.
You know, what's funny is you worry about him
'cause you never talk to nobody, and now he's got a girlfriend,
you're still worried. So which is it?
They're filling gaps, Ange.
- What? - Yeah, what-what Rocky said,
- why he went out with Adrian. - Here we go.
"I got gaps. She's got gaps."
- Together they have gaps. - "Together, we fill gaps."
- Open the door. - It's true.
- Excuse me!
Yeah. How you doing? I'm sorry. Front gate to get out of here?
Yeah. No, up the hill around there.
Oh, thank you. Yeah. I get lost in an elevator.
- Huh. - Hey, wait a second.
You're, uh, you're number 42's dad, right?
- Huh? - Uh... [chanting] Mr. Russo!
- Yeah, that's me. - Yeah. Hey, your kid--
he had a good game. Twenty-two points.
Yeah. Yeah, 22 points.
I mean, that's more than some teams get against North Jersey.
- Where's he going to college? - Oh, well, no. He's--
He's coming to work for us-- a family business, construction.
Wait, wait, you're-you're telling me
he's not going anywhere with game like that?
Look, with all due respect,
and this is none of my business--
That's right. It's not.
Well, actually, it's-- it's exactly my business.
- I'm a talent evaluator. - Hmm?
- I'm a scout for Syracuse. - Syracuse?
Wait, wait. You-you think that Sticks can--
No, no, no. I'm sorry, look-- No, I'm here for Slaughter.
Your son's not going to Syracuse,
but you're telling me none of the smaller schools
came sniffing around here for your boy?
- Sniff what? - This is the problem.
See, no one's gonna hear about a kid on the Glendale Cougars,
and it's a shame, 'cause all the roster spots,
they're probably filled up by now, but...
Look, if-if you want me to make a few phone calls,
there might be a hole here or there.
Some of those holes have scholarships.
Sounds like he's full of shit, Leo.
No, no, no, I mean, he got us a meeting at the school,
so he's not full of shit.
Seemed a little squirrelly to me.
What he said made sense. Why couldn't Sticks play, huh?
We're eating in 20 minutes. Do not fill up on this.
If we can't eat it, why are you bringing it out?
'Cause Ma said bring it, and if I don't bring it,
she's gonna talk about it for the next 15 days,
and you don't got to fucking live with her!
Only one of us has to live in this goddamn house!
Look, I mean, the kid's not gonna play for the Knicks, right?
- Nobody said that. - Jesus Christ.
These refs are killing me.
What school are we talking about?
Drexel. It's in Philly.
Sounds like an ice cream.
Actually, that's Carvel.
I'm joking, dummy.
Oh.
One of the recruits got Lyme disease or somethin', so we got lucky.
Gonna lose a three-team parlay
'cause of these crooked-ass refs.
So what happens, Leo?
I mean, he screws around at this, uh, ice cream school
for-for-- for four years,
then comes to work for us anyway.
Why waste all that time?
Well, uh, maybe he takes business,
and he learns something that helps Russo Construction.
Like what?
Stuff that you learn in school. I don't know.
- Something we don't know. - We or you?
'Cause we know all we need to know about our business.
That's why it works.
I can't take it. Cover your ears, boys.
You're killing me!
You cheating, game-fixing son of a bitch!
That wasn't even that bad, Uncle Pete.
Yeah. It's Sunday. I left some shit out.
So, is this like a special occasion?
Somebody's birthday or something?
No, just Sunday.
And everybody comes? Your whole family?
Yeah, every Sunday.
That's amazing. My family... I don't know.
They're just different, I guess. I love this. Okay, listen, though,
if I start saying something stupid or that's, like, insulting or whatever,
just give me a kick under the table, and I'll shut up.
I don't think you can insult them.
I don't know. Sometimes I get a big mouth,
and then I just start talking, and I just... Hold on.
Hey! Hey, pencil guy. What's your name?
- Wally.
Relax! I'm talking to Wally.
Hey, I still need to get my taxes done. I'm coming to you, all right?
Wally!
Sorry.
People just ignore those guys all day,
so I just like to... I don't know.
I just like to say "hi" so they don't feel invisible.
You know? God, I look like a crazy person.
What is your family gonna think when they see me like this?
I don't really care what they think.
How come we haven't had sex yet?
Um...
It's not a bad thing. It's just...
What, three weeks? Right?
Emory said don't tell you this.
But I never tried sleepin' with nobody.
You knew that?
Yeah.
Take a right up here.
Well, no, my nonna's house is--
No, I know where it is. Just take a right.
Uh, this isn't gonna work for us. Come on.
- My legs are getting caught.
I, um... I don't know how funny this is.
I think it's a little funny.
You know, it's getting kind of cold out here.
Shit! Shit! Shit!
Oh, shit! Get in, get in! Oh!
- Shit.
- Did he see you? - I don't know.
- Why would you do that?
I swear, I've never seen anybody walking through here.
Sorry.
So you've been here before?
Not a lot, but...
yeah, I've been here.
Thank you, God, for blessing us with this food,
our health, our family.
And, uh, thank you for, um,
blessing us with the new company we have today.
In your name, we will forgive her and Sticks for being 25 minutes late.
- And, uh, that's it. Amen.
Amen.
Mangia. Tutti mangia.
- All right.
- Sauce-- put sauce on that. - You gotta put the sauce on.
Dani, how'd you meet this little shithead over there?
- Petey.
I say it with affection. He knows.
Uh... [laughs] First time was when Glendale came and played over at Hillcrest.
Danielle's from Forest Hills.
Oh, yeah? We worked on a house over there.
Yeah, guy had a Maserati.
Yeah, but it was yellow. No, thanks.
See, Sticks? Athletes-- they get all the girls.
Actually, I-I didn't even know Sticks played basketball.
I just saw him in the parking lot.
Just saw him in the parking lot.
- How about that? - And then what?
Uh, then I... I just went over there,
and I said, "We should hang out."
- You go to him? - Yeah.
- Oh, no. - What do you expect?
You expect Harpo Marx over there to talk to her first?
No, no.
Ma, relax. Women are allowed to make the first move
since, uh, 1971.
What are you waiting for then, Ro?
Oh, you know what? Fuck you, Frank.
- Hey. - You're breaking Mom's heart over here.
How about I stick my foot right up your fucking asshole?
- Enough! I'm telling all of you now. - Oh!
I told-- I said it's enough, didn't I?
You know, with your mother sitting right here.
Show some respect, huh?
- Sorry. - All right.
So, Dani,
you graduate high school next month too, right?
- Yeah. I can't wait. - Yeah.
- Then college. - Oh, God, no.
A lot of things I want to do. I'm gonna drive cross-country.
Oh.
For what?
Um...
How am I gonna change the world if I don't see it all first?
Man, I'm being weird. You're supposed to kick me.
You're not weird.
Well, the thing is, I...
I just want to figure it all out, you know?
What's my path? How am I gonna make a difference? And all that stuff.
What do your mother and father say about that?
- They're pissed. - I bet they are.
Yeah, but they're full of it.
They just-- They want me to go to some Ivy League school
so they can brag about it to their friends.
It's all about them.
That's why I'm working at that crappy diner,
'cause I need to buy a car.
My dad says he'll pay for school and nothing else,
which is stupid,
'cause I would just end up partying with a bunch of idiots
who don't know what they want to do yet either.
- Any more meatballs? - Oh!
- I make some more. - Oh, no, no, no. I--
- Please. No, no, no-- - Too late.
No, you did it. You did it.
No, really, I have enough.
Well, you're getting more meatballs.
- Everybody's gettin' more meatballs. - Yes.
The neighbors are getting meatballs.
- Everybody. Yeah.
Thank you.
I like what this kid's saying.
What, about the college? Yeah, but I don't think--
She's right.
The kid's gonna end up working for us anyway,
making big money, right?
L-let's get to it.
Feels good making money, right, boys?
Bought a Mustang.
Twenty-two years old,
got his own Mustang.
Listen to your girlfriend, Sticks.
Don't waste your time with that meeting.
Uh, no, no, no. I-I didn't say that.
That would be stupid.
How's that?
They're offering him a scholarship, right?
That's like 100 grand in free money.
Don't fool yourself, kiddo.
Nothing is free in this world, huh? Yeah.
I mean, they-- they say they're giving you the money,
and then they, you know, they schmuck you around with--
Well, yeah, but you don't know that yet.
I mean, Mr. Russo, you're a businessman.
You know don't turn down work before you talk to the client, right?
I mean, if you don't hear their offer first,
how do you know they're really schmucking you around?
I guess there's no harm in lookin'.
Sticks! You got a little firecracker here.
- Sticksy! Wow!
- All right. - Good boy.
Where are the meatballs, Ma?
- I'ma comin'. Shut up!
I can't find this damn athletic center.
Got here pretty quick, huh?
I mean, hour and 45, door to door.
Man, look at this.
I never thought there was anything,
you know, beautiful in Philly.
You need to turn down the rah-rah. Okay?
What? This is normal stuff I'm saying.
You called goats on the side of the highway "majestical."
- Well, that's not what I said. - Mm.
I said the sun that was coming up behind the goats was majestical.
Goats were just, you know, part of the majesty.
Just turn it down.
I'm excited. This could happen, for Sticks. Right?
I mean, who would have thought this kid with this anxiety stuff
and afraid of anything new...
- Yeah. - And here we are, right?
I'm saying, just let it be his choice,
'cause that stuff is still inside of him.
And if we push him into something he don't want,
he starts feeling overwhelmed,
that's gonna mess him up even more.
All right, you're right. I'll tone it down.
These trees, Sticks, huh? They're everywhere.
We're a small school, Matthew, but it's full of good people.
Really good people.
Yeah, we seen that.
My wife got lost,
and some very nice people gave us directions.
- Mm-hmm. - Yeah.
We call him "Sticks," by the way,
'cause of the long legs. Always had 'em.
Yeah. Came out of the chute that way.
Just kept growing.
Still growing.
Six-three?
Six-two.
Okay.
Still growing, though.
All right, enough chit-chat. Let's, uh, go take a look at the gym.
Oh, great.
Really? Came outta my "chute"?
Right in here.
Mr. Parsons mentioned a scholarship?
A scholarship spot has opened up,
but there are six prospects we're looking at.
Well, seven now, including Sticks.
Well, uh, Mr. Parsons-- he didn't say nothin' about that.
No. Man's a scout. He doesn't work here.
- So he wouldn't know about that. - Right.
He just knows talent when he sees it.
So in three weeks, we try out all the recruits.
And if Ben's right about Sticks' talent here, and he usually is,
then I think you've got a pretty good chance.
Here we are.
♪ Saturday ♪
♪ Bwomp, bwomp ♪
♪ In the park ♪
♪ Bwomp, bwomp ♪
Two thousand seats, huh? You believe that?
Yeah, believed it when you told us eight hours ago, Leo.
I tell you about the trees?
Yeah, like a half-wit. You told us about trees.
Come on. Time to lock up, Leo. I want to catch my bookie.
Got to settle up before the Knicks start.
You go. I'm gonna lock up here.
I want to finish this so I don't hear Frank's shit.
You sure? I can wait a few minutes.
No, no, I got it. Give me the keys.
- Okay, weirdo. - Go lose your money.
- I'll catch you tomorrow. - Later, Leo.
♪ People, dancing people ♪
♪ Smiling ♪
♪ Singing Italian songs ♪
These are the best fries I ever had.
Maybe it's 'cause they're free.
- Shh! - Don't think he heard me.
So... what else? How are the dorms?
They're far. Far away, you know?
It's Philadelphia. That's nothing.
Yeah, I guess.
- They got big guys there. - Hm.
I'm only, like, average next to them.
I don't hang out with average.
- I wrote you somethin'. - What do you mean?
Nothing. Sometimes I just think stuff, so I write it down.
What, like a poem?
Don't rhyme or nothing. Here.
Uh-uh, you wrote it, you read it.
No, it-- it ain't that good or anything.
If I read it, you're really gonna think it sucks.
Like that would happen. Come on. It's not the critic that counts.
It's the man in the arena.
Teddy Roosevelt. Maybe it was the other one.
I don't know. One of the Roosevelts.
But it's true.
You are the man in the arena. You are the brave one.
So what everybody else says or thinks doesn't matter
'cause they're all pussies.
Okay. Uh...
"Every time my eyes look at her,
my mouth waits for the right words
to tell her how she makes me feel.
Words like 'happy' and 'strong',
but better than that.
Come on, brain. Send some words down.
But they don't come.
Next time I'll ask my heart.
There's words in there.
But don't worry, mouth.
There's only three of 'em."
You get it?
♪ Saturday, bwomp, bwomp ♪
- ♪ In the park ♪
♪ Bwomp, bwomp, I'm singing on the 4th of July ♪
- You're still here? - Oh.
I like a foreman who stays longer than his workers.
Tell you the truth, I'm not-- It's, uh, my brother Frank--
Ohh! I'm still sore from today. Oh.
You know, you're good. You're really good.
Yeah. Ed, he couldn't even hang a friggin' picture.
Yeah, he wasn't good at much.
Although, you know, he was... he was always there.
- Hmm. - You know?
I think I do, yeah.
And then he goes and dies, so...
he's not good at that no more neither, huh?
- Oh.
You have dirt on you.
- Oh. - Yeah.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Tomorrow. That's... when we come back, yeah.
- Okay. - All right.
- Bye. - Bye.
Whoo.
- Hey! - Hey. How was work?
Normal, 100% normal.
Yeah. So where is he?
Oh, where you think? What's her face?
Oh, yeah? So, uh, what then? Uh, we're alone?
Yeah, we're alone. What do you think?
Somebody's in the friggin' closet?
What the hell does that mean?
I'll put you in the closet, huh?
- I'll get in there with you. - Okay.
Petey show your porn on his phone again?
- Mm. You're the porn.
The mommy porn.
- Ew, Leo. - Yeah, that was stupid.
I don't know why I said that. Forget it. Erase that. Erase it.
- Aw, I'm making cutlets. - I think you forgot one.
Oh. Still has a bone in it.
Oh, shit, Ange that's fuckin' porn talk.
- Come on.
- Huh?
- Oh, okay. - Oh.
Sticks-aroni! Hey!
Home early. Good.
What's going on, man?
She broke up with me.
Uh, what? Why?
Wrote her a poem.
Tell her what she means to me.
Means to you? She don't mean nothing to you.
- All right, Ange, please. - And since when are you writing fucking poems?
I'm gonna go to bed.
All right, hold on, hold on. Listen.
Your-your mom's hysterical here
because she doesn't like seeing you like this, getting hurt.
Dani wants to see other people. That's what she said.
- I'm so surprised. - Ange, stop it.
Can I go to my room now?
Yeah.
Yeah, get some rest.
Tomorrow we start getting ready for the tryouts.
A lot of exciting stuff happening for you!
Too bad. She was all right.
Full of piss and vinegar, you know? But in a good way.
Yeah, he'll be okay.
I just got to get his mind off it, you know?
- Get him back on the court. - Yeah.
I remember my first girl, Debbie Keaton.
Nobody cares.
I fucked her legs.
Yeah, it was the first time for both of us.
I thought I was, you know, in her vagina.
Went home, told all my friends I had sex and shit.
Next day, she dropped the bomb on me.
I fucked her legs.
Wish you hadn't told me that.
That's what I said to her.
- Motherfuckers.
- What's going on?
- Somebody broke in. - Stole all the tools.
Got my damn chop saw and all my drills!
- Motherfucker!
Who locked up last night?
Yeah. No, I did.
Oh, you fucked it up. Goddamn it.
I could see it all over your face, Leo.
It's not on my face. I'm not--
I'm not doing anything with my face.
The lock ain't busted.
Means it was left open.
I think I locked it.
You don't think!
That's your problem, Leonard.
I'll tell you one thing.
I didn't work my whole life building this company
so you can just piss it away.
All right? Come on. Let's get back to work.
Look what was left in the mailbox.
Last game highlights. Brandon's dad.
Wanna go watch?
Nah.
Sticks, remember, um...
remember when Creed breaks Rocky's nose?
- I'm gonna shower. - Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Look, you-you-- you got to believe me, Sticks.
I-I know how you feel, but I also know...
you're gonna get over it.
How?
You-- you just keep going like Rocky.
Huh? He broke his nose--
No, no, Dad. No. It's...
You said you know how I feel.
How?
You've been with Mom since high school.
No one--
Dad, no one ever forgot about you.
I'm gonna shower, Dad.
Let's go... Glendale!
Standing six foot, two inches,
he's a senior, his name is...
- Matthew "Sticks" Russo!
Mister... Russo!
Mister... Russo! Mister...
Well, you're gonna have to pay me back for this, Mom.
'Cause if you didn't say I could use the car, I would have taken the bus.
Now I'm late. I got to Uber or something.
Getting highlights is not an emergency!
It's-- Mom!
Doesn't give one shit, neither of them.
Here's dinner. I'll see you tonight.
And when you're done, turn the TV off and finish your homework.
- Right? - Yeah.
Hey, Dani.
- Thanks for this. - Yeah. Yeah, sure.
Hey, listen, I-I guess I came by to see...
you know... if you're okay.
Look, Mr. Russo, I-I didn't...
Sticks is so sweet, and he--
He was just getting so into us, you know?
And I mean we're only 18. I... I don't...
I-I'm leaving as soon as I get a car, so I just...
The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt him.
I know that. I know.
That's why I wanted to ask you.
Do you think that maybe you could go back out with him?
It'd only be for three weeks, just until the tryouts.
And you don't got to see him that much 'cause you work
and-and he's at practice.
Uh, uh, Mr. Russo, uh... I can't--
Listen, listen, Dani, I-I know this kid,
and-and he is not gonna make that team if he's sad like this.
I understand that, but I can't just--
- I can't just pretend-- - He's just not ready. He's not ready for the heartbreak.
The heartbreak that he's never had before.
But, no, Mr. Russo, I don't think that's a good idea. I--
How about this? I give you the money for that car.
You-you think I would take money from you?
Not take it. No, no.
It's like you're doing something for me,
so I'm just doing something for you.
- That's all it is.
No, it's not. I...
Can you-- Can you just pull over?
- Pull-- Pull over? - Yes, please.
Oh. Ah, shit.
- I'm so fucking stupid. - It's really, I--
Forget I said it.
I never had to deal with something like this,
and I don't think things through, and...
I-I-I...
It just popped in my head.
Please. Forgive me
- and just forget I said it. - Yeah.
- Okay. - I apologize.
It's okay.
Can I just drive you to work? And that...
Sure.
Okay.
You know, he didn't talk till...
till he was like four years old.
I mean, he talked, but never outside the house.
Four years old. Did he tell you that?
People said take him to doctors and this and that, but...
His mom-- she's...
She's tough, she don't believe in any of that therapy stuff.
Yeah. He was mostly a normal kid.
Ate his vegetables, all that.
He just always, for whatever reason...
He don't feel comfortable out in the world, this big kid.
Camp, sleepovers...
Even school. We--
We'd drop him off at school, and...
and it would be good, and we'd think...
"Okay, all right, he's better."
And then we get the call, "Come and get him.
He wants to come home."
He felt safe at home.
And then I got him that hoop in the yard.
He started playing it.
Boy, when he hit that court...
Oh. You seen him, right?
- Yeah. - Yean.
Not at first, though.
First I had to be there for him,
even for the practices.
He would look for me in the stands and...
and he'd point-- he'd point at me, you know,
just to make sure I was there.
Yeah, and I was... every time.
Come on!
♪ Ooh, mamma, pesce fritt'e baccalààà ♪
♪ Ooh, mamma, pesce fritt'e baccalà ♪
Ooh, I'm Italian now!
Mamma mia!
- I don't get it.
What's to get? They're kids, Ange.
Maybe she figured she made a mistake, right?
Here we go!
He's, uh, so much better now, you know?
Yeah. He spent the last week talking his dick off a ledge.
- Mm-hmm. - What does that mean?
First time having sex, right? That stops...
Messes you up, man.
No. Stupid. They're not doing that.
Of course they are. The fuck is wrong with you?
Yeah, but this... I mean, look at him.
That kid's asking for sex?
Leo, I don't care who the kid is.
It's a fact of biological science.
Sal, please tell him his kid's having sex.
I mean, he does seem a little different.
Like he's, uh, floatin'.
They're having sex, Leo, all right?
There's nothing you can do about it.
Hey, listen, if I don't call you later,
it's 'cause I got half a history book I got to read.
Yeah. Okay.
- That's your dad? - Yeah.
Oh, man. Good thing we weren't kissing, right?
It's whatever.
He's just gonna go hide away in his office.
I won't see him till tomorrow.
- Wasn't gonna kiss you anyway.
- Okay. - Yeah.
Not 'cause...
Well, you ever seen Rocky?
It's a boxing movie,
make a bunch of them with that old guy from Creed.
- Yeah. - Ah, uh-huh.
There's this part where his trainer,
or his dad, I'm not really sure,
he tells him, "Women weaken legs."
Like... with sex.
Anyway, my dad showed me that scene this morning,
and I guess he was trying to tell me not to...
You know, not to do anything with you till after the tryout,
just in case you were wondering why I wasn't trying.
No. Yeah, I-- I wasn't, like...
I figured it was something like that.
Fadeaway!
- Nice. - Thanks.
Nine...
Ten...
Eleven. Keep it going. Let's go.
Is this what you're talking about?
Yeah, that's it. It wasn't there before.
Well, uh, good news is...
you're wrong. It's scar tissue.
- Really? You sure? - One hundred percent.
Should we sonogram it?
Oh, no need.
Well, ain't it good just to know?
Angela, I really think you can relax.
I'm still in the danger zone, right?
Not five years yet. You said so yourself.
Yeah, that's true, but I-- I'm telling you, you're fine.
Look, for-for what you faced,
it's normal to have some anxiety.
Oh, here we go. You want to put me on pills now?
Oh, I'm not saying that. What about that, uh,
that support group that we talked about?
My eyes don't look right when I look in the mirror.
I felt a lump in the same damn spot I found the cancer.
I don't need to talk to fucking strangers about that!
Margie, let's set up a sonogram.
Okay.
Scar tissue. Wanna eat?
Don't look at me. I'm taking this.
- I don't know. - Hmm?
- What do you think? - Yeah, nice.
For what?
For the whatever the hell thing
that the Brunos are having at Versailles next month.
Oh, right.
These parties never stop.
Italians got to celebrate every fricking thing?
Some little asshole has a first Communion next month,
I got to go out and buy a whole new outfit?
I'm thinking about trying those dating apps.
Ro, no, you don't need that. All those creeps on there. No.
I gotta do somethin'. I can't...
as Frank so lovingly put it, keep breaking Ma's heart.
- Ro... - I'm so done.
No, you're gonna find a guy, and he's gonna be so lucky,
and Ma loves having you at home.
And Frank's full of shit, making you feel guilty about anything.
Screw him.
I know, right? Just ignore me.
Stupid, stub dick asshole.
You know that's true, right? He's got a little stub dick.
- Ro. - I'm not kidding.
I've seen both those idiots naked.
- Leo's is normal, and Frank's looks like a...
- A fucking ring pop.
Maybe... that's why Annie left him.
- Don't tell anyone I said that. - I won't.
Thank you. It's nice to laugh with somebody.
- Yeah, right? - For a change.
- I know.
I got to go get more sauce. They never give you enough sauce.
- Yeah, right? - You want one?
- Yeah, please. - Uh, watch my... you know.
- Right. - Thank you.
- Ring pop.
♪ Ain't no sunshine when she's gone ♪
Oh God, he's gonna do that fucking song again.
Oh, no, Uncle Leo. Come on, please.
- ♪ Only darkness every day ♪ - No, shut up!
- ♪ And I know, I know, I know ♪ - Stop!
- ♪ I know ♪ - Don't do it!
- Oh-ho. You got lucky.
There's 26 "I know's". Hey, Ange.
Gonna punch this tramp right in her little bitch face.
What? Who?
Danielle.
What-- Why? Did she say something?
No, she's with somebody-- a guy.
They're right in front of me. I'm looking right at 'em.
Okay. All right, all right, calm down.
What does that mean? It could be a friend, a cousin, right?
Oh, she's making out with her cousin. Let me go.
- I'm calling Matthew. - No, you can't tell him.
Of course I'm telling him!
Do you love him?
- What does that mean? - Do you love him?
Because you've seen what happened to him, Ange, huh?
And-and-- And if you tell him about this,
he's gonna go right back to how he was.
So what, just supposed to ignore it?
Ange, Ange, listen, all I'm saying is,
just... un-- until he makes it.
He gets on that team, Ange, and everything changes for him.
Everything.
Oh, is that Dani?
Hey, you had your breakfast, right, Sticks?
Yeah.
How's your week been, Danielle?
- Pretty boring, actually. - Oh.
Couldn't find nothing fun to do?
Cow! Right there.
That's a cow right there.
You seen one of them, Dani?
Really, Dad?
I mean, in the wild here.
Yeah. I've seen cows before.
I'm sure you have. You seem to get around a lot.
I mean, I guess... enough to have seen a cow.
I heard it's bad for the earth when they fart-- the cows.
Yeah.
All right. Here we are.
You know that train station we passed,
that goes all the way to New York.
You been on a train, Dani?
- Dad. She's not Amish. - No, far from it.
Yeah. That's just the excitement kind of bubbling out of me.
- Sorry, Dani. - Oh, it's okay.
It is exciting. This place looks beautiful.
I know. With the trees and all, right?
Guys, go ahead. We'll, uh, we'll catch up.
Sorry about my dad...
What?
What? You what?
You're gonna mess up this whole thing, Ange.
Two hours, I gotta listen to that phony?
She messed around with a guy, huh? So what?
Remember you made out with Scotty Amato that one time.
Oh, here he goes again with Scotty Amato.
We weren't even seeing each other then.
Yeah, but you knew that I liked you.
- Ugh! - And still it happened, right?
- I let it go, though. - Did you?
'Cause you're still talking about it.
- Gotta let it go.
You gotta let him go.
Yeah, that's right. That's what this is, huh?
You, uh... all the ladies, right?
You wanna-- Connie, Patsy wanna baby him.
- No. No, no. - Keep 'em home till they're frickin' 40.
- Don't you compare me to them. - No, you are them. I mean,
- you sit together. You talk about-- - No. They've got
their whole fucking life to spend with their kids.
- I don't got that, Leo. - What are you talking about?
- I don't got that. - What are you--
Wait, wait, wait, Ange.
It's back?
- No. - Then... what's going on?
I'm a horrible fucking mother.
- What? No. - I saw her kissing that guy,
and I knew it would break his heart.
And...
And I... I was glad.
Because then he'd stay home, and then I'd have more time.
Ange, what? You-- You got so much time with him.
No, you don't know that. Leo, who knows that?
Nobody. You, Ro, Connie, and Patsy.
I can't talk to them about this shit.
They don't want to hear it. They want to talk
about baked ziti and chicken fucking cutlets.
I mean, I laugh with them. I smile with them, and they don't know that...
even though I'm smiling, really, I'm...
Crying.
Scared, Leo. Jesus Christ.
I'm fucking scared.
- Ange.
Ange, listen, remember...
remember when the chemo ended and...
Remember Dr. Scarpulla? He said to us...
He looked us right in the face.
And he said, "That's it. You're cancer-free."
Huh? Remember how happy we were 'cause we beat it.
That's it. That's the feeling that you gotta keep in there.
You can't let worrying
stop you from living like a-a normal life,
'cause then...
then we didn't beat it.
Yeah, okay.
You can beat anything, eh?
You're the strongest frickin' woman I've ever known.
- Okay, let's get inside. - I mean it.
If we had a fistfight I would lose.
Yeah. Let's go.
All right. Let's go. Come on.
You know, the truth is, if he makes this,
you're probably gonna be seeing more of him,
'cause we're gonna come to the games.
Plus he's gonna come home every weekend with his laundry.
- Right? - Yeah.
- He don't know how to do that shit. - Yeah, let's hope so.
- Yeah. - Is my makeup running?
No, no, you're good.
- You didn't even look at me. - No, but I know.
- How's he doing? - I think he's nervous.
Oh, he's tight.
I should have told him where we were sitting or something.
Oh, he'll-- He'll be fine. Relax.
There's nothing we can do from up here.
Yeah, there is.
Special request right now coming out for Mr. Leo Russo.
Lemme have that.
♪ Celebrate this time ♪
♪ Come on ♪
Go, man!
- I'm fucking hysterical right now. - I'm dead.
- Rosa! Celebrate it! - Okay.
- Shake it! Bump it! - I'm celebrating. Okay.
- Bump it! - Leo, get your butt off me.
- Whoo! - I'm so sorry about my brother.
Get out there. Show him how it's done.
...right here, Mr. Petey!
He's gonna throw up in the car. You watch.
- Give me that.
Come on!
- Thank you. - Whoo!
♪ We gonna party down and rock it with you ♪
I never told Matthew about the mall.
- I can see that. - Yeah.
- He's happy, so... - We're all happy, Ange.
I mean, think about how worried you were
about that scared little kid,
and now he's going to college.
Cent'anni!. Salute!
- Salute. - Beautiful.
Come on, dickhead. You know it's good.
♪ Doo-dee-doo-doo-doo ♪
- ♪ Doo-doo ♪ - Oh, God.
Let me back into you a little bit.
Sorry you had to come to another of these.
It's okay. I kind of like it.
Me too.
But I like being anywhere with you.
- Rexel? - Drexel.
Drexel. It's in Philly.
Oh, it's-- it's a beautiful place.
- They got trees there. - Sounds nice.
The gym holds 2,000.
People, that's people.
- You mentioned that already. - Oh.
- I-I got to get back. - Okay.
The campus has a Chipotle.
- Hey! There she is. - I'm ending it. Tonight.
Oh, no. Here? Really?
You said to wait until the tryouts, and he did it.
He got in, so now it has to stop.
But... I saw you two dancing, and I thought I saw something.
You're not feeling anything? No?
- Mr. Russo, please. - Okay.
I get it. The heart, right?
Goes... Goes wherever it wants.
Hm? It's like a coyote.
Okay. Okay, but just-- just let me ask you one thing.
Could you wait a week?
Yeah-- 'Cause-- 'Cause Monday he goes back to school,
and if he could just live with it,
the-the good feeling of what he done,
be the big shot of his classmates...
If-if that could sink in, then when you...
do what you-you got to do,
it-it'll be a lesser blow to his heart, because...
he-he'll know that he's...
he's somebody now.
Friday. That's it.
Of course. Yes.
Thank you. Thank you. And-and listen to me,
what you're doing for him,
that's gonna change his life irrevocably.
Hey.
Just talking about you. Just telling her about, um,
when you were two and ate a beetle.
Why?
- Ah-- - Come on, Leo!
Oh! Ho-ho!
- Here we go. - Here we go!
You want to go home?
- Uh, now? - It's half over.
- Sure. - Come on.
- You've suffered enough. - Okay.
- Ready to kick it up?
Don't think I swallowed it.
Just kind of crawled around in my mouth.
Gross.
Where are you going?
Figured we'd go to our spot?
Wrote you another poem.
- Really? - Yeah.
Don't worry, I'm not gonna read it right now.
It's still lame, but I'm getting better, I think.
Should we get in the back?
- Meet you there?
Uh...
Hey. Not as funny. My pants are still on.
Dani?
Just... please don't be mad at me.
What's wrong?
Just don't hate me.
Hate you?
I love you.
I know. Shit. I know!
And I'm sorry, but--
I-I never should have done this.
Done what?
He was worried about you, Sticks,
and he came to my house, and I just-- I wanted-- I...
Ugh! Fuck! What am I-- Fuck!
- Who? Worried about what? - Gosh, no,
I shouldn't have said anything. I don't know why...
- I-- [sighs] I have to go. - Dani, wait!
Just forget about it. Just forget about all of it, okay?
Wait!
You know, you're lucky, Sticks.
To have family that cares that much.
I'm sorry.
Nicholas!
Oh, that's-- That's it right there.
That's how it's done, people.
Come on, y'all! This is 50 years of marriage!
You gotta jam like her right now Vito and Eleanor, this for you!
Let's leave now before the valet parking gets nuts.
Get m'lady home for a spot of tea and a shag.
Christ.
- Think he'll start? - I don't think so. Probably not at the beginning.
If he works hard enough, he will get there.
Not for nothing, maybe we get a little point shaving thing.
- Petey. - Who's gonna know?
I'm like his uncle.
- Can't win me a couple of bucks?
Oh, my God.
That Joey Bones don't stop, he's gonna kill us all.
I tell you what I can't wait for.
All of us going to a game, huh? How much fun is that gonna be?
You guys, you can come, huh? Be fun.
- Some people work. - Oh, yeah, you can't be happy
for anyone doing better than you, right?
Who's doing better than me?
- Come on, you guys.
What Sticks is doing, it's a reflection on all of us.
- That's right. - All right, lads and ladies,
I'm gonna lower this music 'cause it's cake time!
Ah, Yeah. I love cake.
I love cake. I love cake.
I always love cake.
Hey, big man.
What's wrong, Matthew?
Dani broke up with me.
- Just went back with you. - What, she got the bipolar?
Got another word for what she is.
What happened, Matthew?
I don't know. She just started crying and ran away.
Dad, did you go to her house?
What? What does that mean?
She said Dad talked to her at her house.
- You didn't go to her house. - No. No.
Go to her house. What-- Why am I gonna do that?
Here's what's happening.
This is a kid who's messed up, confused, probably.
She's making stuff up to explain whatever she can't explain.
That's what's happening.
Sit. Mangia la cake.
Yeah, come on. Come on, Sticks, sit down.
I don't want cake. Give that-- Give that to him.
That's got the-- the cherry stuff in the middle.
- Leo. - Come on.
That's your favorite right there. Come on, Sticks.
- Leonard. - What?
You go to the girl's house?
No! I-I just said I'd-- No. I told you that.
Yeah, I know what you told us.
I also know when you're covering up for something
- you half-assed. - Why--
- Same here. - Why are you saying all this?
You can't see he's upset?
Yeah, I can see that.
Okay, so let him eat cake.
That's all we're trying here.
Sit down, and we can all calm down, right?
And talk about all the good stuff
that's happening to him right now--
basketball, Philadelphia, the cows.
- Leo! - What?!
- What did you do? - Nothing!
I didn't do anything!
Dad.
Please.
I-I did. I talked to her.
- I knew it! - Shut up, all right?
- Huh? Just shut the fuck up. - Hey, hey.
It was to help you, Sticks.
What'd you do, Leo?
She left, and you were so sad.
- What did you do? - I told her the truth.
That he couldn't play after she left, that he was...
He was crumbling.
And maybe if she could just, you know...
stay with him a little longer.
- Oh, shit. - What?
She was pretending?
No. No, no, she wanted to do this. She cares about you.
She didn't want the money. She didn't want nothing.
- Money? - Oh, my God.
- Wow. - Jesus Christ, Leo!
- Who's doing better now, Ro? - What's the matter with you?
Okay. What should I do? Let him be like your fucking kids?
- Oh, you wanna talk about my kids? - Oh, no, come on.
I don't pay nobody to be with 'em!
- She didn't want the money. - Hey, and cake time is over...
That's the point I'm making here.
All she wanted to do was help him.
Let-let's twist, everybody.
- Get up and let's twist.
She didn't want any of it. She cares about you.
That-- No, no. Sticks. No, no.
No, leave him alone. You done enough.
What? What did I do? I got him into college! Huh, what did I do?
Open your damn eyes! You humiliated him!
So what? And then he-- he don't get an education.
Huh? He goes straight to Russo, working for you and Frank.
No, I'm trying to save him from a lifetime of humiliation!
Except that's not really the reason.
Huh?
You want him to get an education, Leo,
or you want him to play ball?
The ball gets him the education.
What's it get you? Hmm?
More attention, more kids cheerin' your name?
I don't know what you're talking about.
- Be fucking honest. - I am being honest!
That you want this for yourself!
You be honest!
She told me herself she didn't want him to make it!
She wanted him to stay home because she would--
Okay! Let's get the love back in the room.
I know exactly how, with some...
Hokey fucking Pokey.
- Leo! - Huh?
- What are you doing? - Leave me alone, Petey.
Come on. You're piss drunk here.
- I'm taking you home. - Leave me alone!
- I'm taking you home. - Get off!
Shit. That was an accident.
Give me yours.
What? No, it was an accident.
Get the fuck outta here.
- Give me your jacket. - Leo, what are you doing?
- Come on. Take it off! - No!
- Let go of me! What the-- - Give me that jacket!
What, are you out of your mind? Oh, come on!
Leo, my god! Aah!
- Let go. - Oh, shit! Let go.
- Let go! That's enough!
What the fuck, Leo?
You know, you've always been there for me.
Why don't you let me be the one to help you for once?
You want to help me, Petey?
- Leave me alone. - Come on.
Oh, for crying out loud, Leo.
It's my only jacket.
- I've got a gun, asshole! - Huh?
Leo?
Jeez, I-I can't believe this.
I mean, you don't see homeless guys around here.
- Yeah. - Oh.
- He just grabbed you? - Yeah...
- 'Cause of drugs. - Oh.
What were you doing over here anyway?
I, uh, just needed a walk.
You're a good lady.
We should really disinfect this.
I got some peroxide upstairs.
Should we go up and get it?
Yeah. Okay.
Give me your hand.
Is that Ed?
- Oh, God, no. That's my dad. - Oh.
Looks like a nice guy.
- Eh, he left when I was seven. - Hm.
- That's not nice. - No.
He was done, you know? He didn't wanna be here anymore.
That's what my mom said, anyway, so...
Still keep his picture, though, huh?
Yeah.
I guess time heals everything, right?
- Or you just never know. - Yeah.
The one thing I do know, when Ed died on me...
is that the only time that you're guaranteed...
is right now.
I'll be right back.
You know I liked you from the start, Leo.
- How come?
I don't know, you know? You're-- you're different.
You got heart.
Got heart, but I ain't got no locker, do I, Mick?
What was that?
Mickey. He, uh...
He gave away Rocky's locker.
He gave it to another fighter
because he thought that, uh, Rocky...
was a bum.
Oh. Okay.
My wife was right. I...
I hurt my whole family.
Just so I...
I-I wouldn't feel like a bum anymore.
Okay. What's happening here?
Uh, I'm not sure.
All I know is, um...
I can't do sex with you.
- Oh. - We didn't do nothing!
It got weird, but I left!
Oh, Petey.
Shit.
Stupid jacket.
- I, uh...
I slept on the grass.
I didn't want to wake you.
How thoughtful.
Listen, Sticks, I...
I guess... what I'm trying to say here is, uh...
I-I always...
I always try to do what I think is best for you.
- I'll eat this later, Ma. - But not this time.
I mean, uh...
If I'm telling the truth to myself, I-I...
A lot of what I did was...
It was... for me.
And-and-- And also, you were right.
When-when you said that I didn't know,
I never had nobody break my heart.
I didn't know what you were feeling.
I do know one thing that's, like, similar.
I know what first love feels like.
Man, to lose that?
I got lucky, Sticks.
I got real lucky.
And I-I promise you,
one day you're gonna get lucky too.
Anyway, uh...
I just hope that you can forgive me.
Not yet.
Okay.
I'm not going to that school.
Yeah.
We're scheduled to wrap on the 25th.
I don't know how fast you want me to move.
I got my entire crew working in there day and night!
Hammers waking her up in the morning?
What the fuck is up her ass?
Yeah, I don't think it's personal.
I think she's just a little lonely, that's all.
Oh, yeah? Yeah? Is that what you think?
- Hey. - Hey.
- Hmm.
- Oh. Yeah. - Yeah, that's-- Yeah.
Pops wants me down at the lumber yard right away.
Yeah. Yeah. Hey, Petey.
Listen, uh...
Uh, look, I owe you, uh--
Forget it, weirdo. You were drunk.
We wrestled in the plants. It's over.
Okay. All right. Thanks.
I didn't hurt you, though, right?
Had to ice my knee and pull pottery out of my ass, but I'm fine.
Fucked you up, though.
Found that T-shirt you thought you lost.
You remember when I shaved my head?
It was this day.
You had a tournament. Your dad said he had to go to it.
Told me to wait to shave it off, but I'd started the chemo,
and the hair was already coming out in clumps,
and I just wanted to get it over with, you know, so...
drove myself to the salon, and they buzzed it.
And of course, all the salon ladies--
they're all blabbing about how good I look,
how I got a good head shape and all of that.
'cause they got to say that.
I-I... And I don't want to hear it from them.
I-I want to know what your father thinks, my husband.
So I text him a picture.
What'd he say?
He said I look like a mutant.
'Cause he thought it'd make me laugh, make me feel better.
That was this day.
He's so fucking stupid sometimes.
- We start at seven. - Yeah. Yeah. Sorry.
I just-- I had some stuff to deal with at the house.
Yeah, I'm sure you did.
Anyway, listen, um, I-I said some things
to you and Frank last night, and, uh...
Let's forget it.
No, yeah. I-I just want you to know that I didn't--
You gonna make me say, "Forget it" again?
No.
All right.
Is he going?
No.
You okay with that?
Gotta be, right?
I guess that's true.
He's lucky to have you, Leonard.
Thanks, Dad.
Hey!
We're outta here, baby!
Shit.
Hey.
Uh, uh, I was just driving by, and, um--
Uh, you're gonna have to buy something.
Huh?
Uh...
I'll take some gum, I guess.
Sure. It's $1.75.
- Juicy Fruit. - It's a classic.
I, um...
I just-- I figured you might run into somebody,
hear about it eventually, but, um...
I'm not going to Philadelphia.
Fuck.
Oh, no, don't. Please don't feel bad.
That's why I came.
Uh... truth is...
I don't think I ever really wanted it.
Figured I'd try to find my own... thing...
for me.
And you showed me that.
All right. Look, you-you got your gum.
- If you're not gonna eat-- - Armon, not now!
Oh. Every day, something with this girl.
What were you saying?
I think I was saying thanks.
Well, you're welcome.
So when are you leaving?
Two weeks.
- Wow. - Yeah.
Twenty-five hundred miles.
You scared?
Everybody's scared, Sticks.
Ladies and gentlemen,
let's give a big hand for the newly christened...
...baby Isabella!
- She's cute. - All right.
The bow's crooked.
Don't run. You're a grandma.
That's a bad bow. Hold on. Stop. It's over her eye.
- She loves her bow. - You made her cry.
- I didn't make her cry. - Yes, you did.
- Oh, stop it, smile!
Didn't we just go to their wedding?
Yeah, about five months ago.
- Puttana.
- What does that mean? - Nothing good.
What's everyone doing in their seats?
Come on! Let's make this a party!
Are you serious?
Oh, my God. This dude is bush league, okay?
You can't yell at the crowd like that.
There's a nuance to what you do with it.
Babe, no one is as good as you, but you're not working today.
- Let's go! - You know what? You're right.
How about we go cut a rug and help this kid out?
- Yes. - Ah. Come on, you.
I will have your daughter back shortly, good sir.
Don't break anything.
Coming through! Ooh, ahh!
- "Good sir." - "Oh, let's cut a rug, baby."
- Hey, shut up. - Come on, Dad.
Look at the clown she's with. Guy's a goober.
We're just bustin' Aunt Ro's chops.
She's happy, so shut the hell up, all right?
- Frank, I got it. - We were-- Okay, but--
- Hey, what the hell? - Show some respect.
Hey, it's a new jacket.
I got to go. Uh...
Just tell 'em congratulations for me.
Where are you going?
Well, I-I told you, Dad. I got some stuff.
Seven a.m., Monday, eh? Lumber deliveries.
- Okay. - Don't be late.
Am I ever?
- Every day. - Mm-hmm.
- Okay. I'll see you soon. - Okay. Okay.
- Bye-bye. - Bye!
- Open the door. - Oh.
So all of them had cancer?
Huh? No, they got all kinds of meetings. Alcohol, drugs.
- My group was cancer. - A lot of people, huh?
Yeah. What'd you tell everybody?
Oh, I just said that you had the pink eye.
Pink eye? I told you to say fever.
I know. I wanted to say that, but, uh, came out "pink eye."
Well, what do I care what they know?
So what do you do in there? You just talk?
Yeah, that's it.
You think it's gonna help?
Mm, maybe.
That's good.
- Oh, shit. Let's go.
I knew it was this side of the campus.
How was I supposed to know? We never been here before.
Excuse me. This is the little gym?
- Uh, yeah, right there. - Okay, thanks.
- Oh, now we're late. - Well, don't blame me.
I'm not blaming you. I'm just saying it's your fault.
- See? It's empty.
You don't know where you're going.
Will you stop? He said to come through here.
But you don't know if this is the here.
Well, nobody knows that.
So we will lift our voice, and we sing.
We stand on our feet, and we dance.
This is the beauty and the majesty of an instrument
in the hands of a magician.
The truth-- the truth is acoustic, perfect,
like fits, like pitch, like cadence,
like symphony and breath. So listen.
Within these walls, listen,
because the music...
never stops playing.
- Marshall Davis Jones, guys. - I don't, um...
Yeah. Me neither.
Thank you so much for coming back to where you started.
All right, I don't envy having to follow that,
but let's get into it.
Oh, we about to throw a freshman lamb to the slaughter here, guys.
- Okay.
For his first time at Queensborough Spoken Word,
reciting a piece he calls "The Arena"...
Matthew Russo.
Whoo! Go, Matthew! Yeah!
We shouldn't have come.
"What does it look like?
Always wanted to know.
What does the thing look like?
The thing that won't let me breathe...
won't let me leave...
won't even let me talk.
You don't get to see it, though.
Like the Invisible Man...
the only time you see him is when he suits up.
And the only time the thing suits up...
is in the arena."
Oh, that's the title.
"So that's what I do every day.
I get in the arena, and there it is."
"Fear."
"And we fight...
hard.
I lose most of the time.
But that's okay.
I know what it looks like now.
And every time it gets in the arena,
I'm getting in there too.
And one day...
I'm gonna fuck 'em up."
- Oh!
"I'm gonna fuck 'em up real bad."
- Yeah, you are.
"It's gonna stumble and grab me so it don't fall."
- Come on.
"Then pull me in close and whisper in my ear..."
"'Ain't gonna be no rematch.'"
- Whoo!
"'Ain't gonna be no rematch.'"
- Whoo! - Whoo!
Whoo! I love you, Matthew! Whoo!
Who's this whore?