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(Adult Frankie) 1991 was the heyday
of "American Gladiators.
"
[Grunting]
We were pretty into it.
Yeah
Hey!
What the hell did you do to my living room?
Uh-oh.
We were screwed.
'Cause my dad was an even bigger fan
of "Gladiators" than we were.
But this time, we had him.
You're outnumbered.
Don't call it a comeback
I've been here for years
I'm rocking my peers,
putting suckers in fear
I'm making the tears
rain down like a monsoon
- Please.
No.
- Listen to the bass go boom
I'm gonna knock you out
He's standing on my favorite chair.
No.
- I'm gonna knock you out
- Finish him.
[Distorted] No!
Mama said knock you out
[Groans]
Wa-a-a-h!
Da, da, da-la-da
Da, da, da-la
Da, da, da-la-da
The story of my li-i-i-fe
It's probably best
if you don't go to sleep
for a couple hours.
I'm just happy me and the
dudes are hanging out.
Lately, we hadn't been
seeing a lot of each other.
George was taking it the hardest.
I did try to include him
when I hung out with Heather.
Pfft!
[Chuckles] But he was
not the best wing man.
Pfft!
What? Are we not doing that?
I've been busy, too.
Between skipping school
and that dumpster of fireworks I found,
my plate is pretty full.
Don't worry we're gonna
have plenty of time to hang
once the three of us make varsity baseball.
You think the three of you
are gonna make the team?
Yeah.
Why wouldn't we?
These are the varsity players.
They're strong, fast,
don't need their mommies
to tuck them in at night.
Hey.
That's mostly for mom.
Dude, these guys are good.
I don't know if we can make this team.
Aw, man.
Now I'll never see you guys.
Think of it as the natural
evolution of our social lives.
We all drift apart.
High-school friends are
replaced by college friends
are replaced by TV and
***, and then we die.
What if you don't go to college?
Can you just do TV and ***?
Mm.
We were gonna make that
team and prove my dad wrong.
We just needed someone to
help put us over the top.
God, I love baseball.
Milli Vanilli are true artists.
Milli Vanilli aren't even
that's not even their real name.
You don't even know what
you're talking about.
Isn't it great?
All the kids like being here.
We are one ping-pong table away
from becoming the official hangout house.
I will burn this place to the
ground before that happens.
Mom, Doug spilled the ranch dressing again.
Is there any more?
Of course.
We're always fully stocked
with the latest snacks.
It's happening.
[Gags]
Mrs.
Dunlevy, I'm Parker.
A smidge of ranch spilled on the rug.
If you have some soda water,
I could take it right out.
Of course, Parker.
Uh, or should I say "Mr.
Manners.
"
[Chuckles]
You have a beautiful home, by the way.
Thank you.
Seriously, mom?
Frozen bagel bits?
Be better.
Okay, well, Parker seems nice.
He's super smart.
He helps build houses for, like,
homeless people or birds or something.
You know, if things
don't work out with Doug,
you could always date him.
Why wouldn't things work out with Doug?
I don't know.
I just think that Doug is
well, you know, he's just Doug.
Oh, my God.
I knew dad didn't like him, but you?
No!
Well, you know
Hurry before it sets in!
Every fiber in my body was
telling me not to do this.
Dad? Will you help us make
the varsity baseball team?
Do you understand what you're asking?
Yes, we do.
Do you understand that your
minds and bodies are weak
and that I will have to crush you
and build you back up into men?
You're the only one that can get us there.
That's also available
and doesn't cost money.
Fine, I'll need signed
waivers from your parents
freeing me of any liability
should anything go wrong.
You cool with a forged signature?
Stand up in court?
- Has before.
- Done.
When do we start?
Oh, you'll know when we're starting.
Is it now?
Is it soon?
I've already said too much.
Just so you know, I have
piano lessons on Wednesdays.
Get out.
Jack, I'm telling you, I crossed a line
by telling Rachel that Parker
is more impressive than Doug.
This melon is more impressive than Doug.
I just don't want to sway Rachel's opinion
about her boyfriends.
Honey, kids are like dogs.
They don't listen unless you
rub their nose in their feces,
which, unfortunately, we can't legally do.
Trust me, nothing you said
to Rachel made a difference.
[Sighs]
[Gasps]
Mr.
Manners!
That night, I went to bed
with dreams of me and the
guys and making varsity.
[Rustling]
Somebody there?
[Screams]
And so it begins.
[All grunting]
Hey
How many of these do we have to do?
Until I say stop.
Don't ask questions!
[Groans]
Perhaps this was a bad idea.
The bell.
The bell is your best friend.
If at any point you are
pushed beyond your limits,
ring the bell, and you will get
a warm meal and a hot shower.
You get nothing.
Get back in line.
I've made a list of your
greatest weaknesses.
I never take time for myself.
You guys are not bad ballplayers,
but I have been watching you,
and three things are clear.
Georgie, you're too small.
Mikey, you're too slow.
Frankie, you've got a great
arm, but you rattle too easily.
What does that even mean?
- [Air horn blows]
- [Gasps]
Rattled!
Means your sphincter gets tight
in high-pressure situations.
I'm gonna break you of that.
Lots of people would get
rattled by an air horn.
A lot of people live in
Florida.
Doesn't make it right.
- [Air horn blows]
- [Gasps]
(Joanne) Enough! It's 5:00 A.
M.
!
Great.
Now you've pissed
off my wife.
All right.
Put on these blindfolds and get in the car.
We have school today.
School's canceled.
School is not canceled!
All right, fine.
But know this after
school, I'm coming for you.
In mom's car.
Mine's in the shop.
Jack, yesterday I saw Rachel
kissing Parker on the patio.
I'm assuming that means
she's done with Doug.
We did it.
It's over.
You don't understand.
I caused this.
I was kind of hoping
that we could share in
the victory, but whatever.
You take it.
I don't care.
No, honey, if Rachel wants to
break up with Doug, that's fine,
but I don't want to be the reason.
Doug's probably at home,
crying and pouring ranch
into that goofy mouth of his.
Hey, Mrs.
D.
Doug?
Doug!
[Laughing] Hi! Yay!
It's me! Yay!
Stop it.
I don't care for that.
Oh, my God.
They're still together.
A little something inside me just died.
Aww, yeah
Two outs, bottom of the 9th, Frankie!
If you don't make this catch, you lose!
And start a downward
spiral that ends with you
living in a studio apartment in Orlando.
Okay.
Routine pop-up.
This is gonna be cake.
Just settle under it and
[Gunshot]
Aah!
Rattled!
Seriously?! A shotgun?!
Now, George, you're not
big, so you got to be tough.
I'm gonna hit some hard grounders.
They pop up on you,
take them off the chest.
- Mista lawnge, black sheep, slam, now
- [Gasps]
Know you've heard the
others, phonies to the lovers
[Screams]
[Gasping]
Ioh, dios! ¿porque?
Idolor lo peor de que sentido! Aah!
[Crying]
Michael, you are mind-numbingly slow.
If you want enough time
to make it to first base,
you're gonna have to hit
the snot out of the ball.
I know where you're going with this.
And, yes, I will take steroids.
I don't think someone who looks like you
can afford a case of bacne.
Permission to cross a line?
I'm pretty sure you just did, but okay.
How's your relationship
with your dad these days?
I hate that lazy deadbeat.
Use it.
Picture his face on the ball.
Remember the time
that he left you with
his *** as collateral.
You can get with this,
or you can get with that
You can get with this,
'cause this is where it's at
You can get with this,
or you can get with that
You can get with this,
or you can get with that
You can get with this
Well done.
You can get with this,
'cause this is where's it at
Where it's at, where it's at
Rachel, we need to talk.
I saw you kissing Parker yesterday.
So, you were watching me make out?
What are you, my science teacher?
Okay, we're gonna revisit that.
I'm sorry if me seeming down
on Doug led you to do that.
Please, mom.
I make my own decisions.
I don't even like Parker.
What's not to like?
[Laughing] I mean
I mean, then why were you kissing him?
He kissed me 'cause obviously.
And I should have stopped it.
Doug and I are gonna be together forever,
unless he gets into an accident
and ends up in a wheelchair,
'cause gross.
Doug doesn't live hard enough
to end up in a wheelchair.
Yeah.
Look, if you guys are
serious, you need to tell him.
No way! It would crush him.
You and I are different, mom.
Guys are always throwing themselves at me.
Uh, okay, uh, I'll have you know that, uh,
there were a lot of dudes
[chuckles] That were all over this lady
when I was dating your father.
And you never made a mistake like this?
Nope.
Not from the moment we got engaged.
What about before then?
Well
[Gasps]
You little ***!
(Adult Frankie) My dad's training
had taken a toll on all of us.
Even him.
Dad, you okay?
A little tightness in my
chest.
Get me some aspirin.
[Sighs]
Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad!
Get the thing! Get the thing!
What's the number? Something,
something, something!
Dad! Dad!
Rattled.
All right.
Mikey, outside.
George, dining room.
Bulk it up.
I need you to
take down this bag of chips.
[Groans]
What the hell are you gonna do next?
You gonna put a scorpion in my lunchbox?
You carry a lunchbox? What? Are you 6?
I promise you, there's
a point to all of this.
What? [Can opens]
How does George eating a bag of
chips help him make the team?
[Crunches]
It won't.
Then what are you doing? [Sighs]
I know the three of you
sit around all the time
getting woodies over the idea
of hanging out all the time
and playing varsity together,
but I got some bad news for you.
Georgie ain't making that team.
Ooh!
Spicy.
You hang in there, champ.
You don't get it, dad.
If George is not on that team,
we're, like, never gonna hang out.
We've been friends since second grade.
Look, I couldn't tell you
if any of my high-school
friends were dead or alive.
Except for Dave Farr,
and that's only because
a S.
W.
A.
T.
team killed
him on the evening news.
George might not be big and tough,
but he's better than
half the guys out there.
And when he makes the team,
you're gonna be sorry.
Oh, right, because that's
how I get my rocks off,
watching tiny people's dreams die.
[Scoffs]
I can't believe you kissed another guy
while you were dating dad.
Your father and I had
only been on one date,
and I wasn't convinced he
wasn't the zodiac killer.
It meant nothing, which is
why I never told your dad.
It didn't mean anything
with Parker, either.
So if you never told dad,
I don't have to tell Doug.
You know what? You're right.
Jack, get in here.
Oh, my God.
This is either gonna ruin my
life or be totally awesome.
I'm gonna tell you something
that you might not like.
- Mm-hmm.
- But nobody says telling the truth is easy.
Telling the truth is easy.
It's maintaining a web of
lies that's almost impossible.
That's why spies are so revered.
I kissed another man.
It was a week after our first
date and before we were serious.
I can tell you're upset.
No, I'm not.
It was 20 years ago.
Okay.
We've slept together
thousands of times since then.
I kind of figure that
you're kind of into me.
Okay.
Okay, I'm a little upset you're not upset,
but you're probably
repressing your feelings.
Yeah, that doesn't sound like me.
Okay, well, either way,
Rachel, there you go.
You know, it's just
you can see how the truth has set me free.
And when you tell Doug
that you kissed Parker
uh, yeah, that's a bad move.
- Jack, really? Please.
- Bad move.
I mean, I'd love for you to tell him
because it'd be like watching the moon cry.
But if you, unlike me,
want him to stick around,
then, uh
[Sighs] keep it to yourself.
Great advice, dad.
You should write a book.
[Smooches]
Bye.
Okay, yeah, Jack?
I want you to remember this moment
when we're at Rachel's fourth wedding.
I'll be too drunk.
Ugh.
Tryouts were upon us.
And as a freshman,
I was getting heckled from every direction.
Third baseman's a twig!
Don't choke, freshman!
Hey, Dunlevy!
I got down with your mother last night!
[Laughs] Nice one.
It's funny 'cause I actually did.
This was it.
My first big moment!
- Don't drop it, freshman!
- I got it! I got it!
- Whoo, whoo, whoo!
- Choke!
Choke! Drop it!
But I'm sure as hell
that it starts with me
Nice grab, Dunlevy.
There may have been a
method to my dad's madness.
Not rattled.
And one thing's for sure, it
was doing wonders for Mikey.
[Grunts] what the world needs
now is a new kind of tension
'Cause the old one
just bores me to death
That's for selling our dog, dad!
You see, all I did was help
him unlock his potential
by focusing his anger.
Suck it!
All right, so, maybe I went too far.
Now it was just up to
George to prove himself.
(Merkel) All right!
Let's group this up! I
want you guys batting.
I want you guys in the field.
And you four take a breather.
Oh, no.
George just got put in a group
with the fat kid, the girl,
and a guy in khakis khakis!
Sweet.
We're gonna smoke these fools.
All right, all right.
New pitcher! Dunlevy!
This was my moment.
All I had to do was fan
the next batter I faced,
and I'd make the team.
All right, next batter
up George Estrada.
- What the world needs now
- no.
What the world needs now
Is another folk singer like
I need a hole in my head
Fate, you are a cruel ***.
Normally, I could just blow
a pitch right by George.
But he needed my help, so
I threw him a meatball.
(Man) Good!
Time out!
What? These are tryouts!
There are no time-outs!
I'm a doctor.
(Young man) Go back to middle school!
Dad, what are you doing?!
Why are you throwing meatballs on purpose?
He took a good cut!
Son, this is survival of the fittest,
not survival of the fittest
and his little buddy.
I'm just trying to help out my friend.
So you go easy on him and
you both don't make the team?
You think George is gonna feel any better
knowing you half-assed it?
Watch the bounce!
You have a gift.
Don't waste it.
Time in!
My dad had a point.
Let's go, ***!
And I knew what I had to do.
Yeah
Strike it up
Strike it up
Strike it up
Strike it up
I had never pitched better.
Or felt worse.
[Up-tempo music playing]
Hey.
[Music stops]
Listen, I know I can't make you tell Doug.
I know that, too.
And I'm sorry I sound like a hypocrite,
but that's because I did a lot of things
that I regret that I don't want you to do.
Look, asking your kid to
be better than you were
is the weirdest part about being a parent.
Well, the weirdest part is watching a human
shred through your lady cave.
Mom!
Grow up.
You were there.
[Scoffs]
But know this
if I would have told your dad earlier,
I would have been happier.
And that's what I want for you.
We both want the same thing, mom
for me to be happy.
Uh
There you go.
Thank you, my dear.
Well, what's the news?
I made varsity.
[Gasps] And so did Mikey.
Pending a background check.
Oh! Hell, yes!
[Laughs] I'm making brownies.
Come here! Oh!
I can't wait to hear
all the details tonight
when I tuck you in.
I know I should be stoked right now,
but I'm just bummed that
George isn't gonna be there.
Look, I don't have friends.
I think that they're something people use
to distract themselves
from the fear of death
and the eternal darkness that follows.
Cool.
Yeah.
- Well, have a good day.
- No, wait.
It's also possible I don't want friends
because I've never had any
as good as the ones that you've got.
Yeah.
Yeah, those guys are pretty great.
Yeah.
They'd take a bullet for me.
No, they wouldn't.
People say that until it's bullet time.
Point is, life has a way
of dragging people apart,
but if they're worth it to you
You'll make the effort to
keep them in your life.
[INXS' "Never tear us apart" plays]
Congrats on making the team.
I'm proud of us.
Relationships take a lot of work.
Don't ask me
What you know is true
They're not always convenient.
And a lot of times,
they're downright painful.
[Sobbing] Why?!
You are a way better kisser than he was.
You were there
I am?
Uh-huh.
Two worlds collided
But when you find the
ones that really matter,
they're always worth it.
Right there.
Thank you.
You just have to make the effort.
- Hey, dude.
- [Brakes squeak]
What are you doing here?
I just thought I'd come over
and we could watch "American Gladiators.
"
Or two worlds collided
Go!
And they can never tear us apart
Dad! Dad!
I think I severed a tendon! Oh, my God!
My baseball career is
over.
Can you help me?
Nice try, chief.
Not rattled.
Come on!
[Growls]
[Screams] Rattled.
How did you know I was gonna need tissues?
Eh, I put snakes all over the house.
(Joanne) [Screams] Damn it, Jack.
Rattled.