(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
That's last year's
Battle of the Year.
It's an international b-boy
competition held in France,
which for the last 15 years
the United States has lost.
I went to a concert
this past weekend,
and I overheard
some high school kids
saying that b-boying
was no longer cool
and it was something
their parents did.
That scared me.
It scared me
because this company,
everything I've built,
started off with b-boying.
It's obviously still
cool over in France.
The government subsidizes
Battle of the Year.
The government is
keeping hip-hop alive.
Still cool in Russia,
Germany,
Korea.
But it's not cool here
where it was founded.
Which would explain why,
domestically,
our sales are down.
Merchandising, record sales,
ticket sales, apparel.
But for the first time
in this company's history,
international sales
are exceeding domestic.
We are in trouble.
Think about it,
if b-boying ain't cool,
how long before
hip-hop isn't cool?
And what will that mean
to our business, our company?
Hey, yo!
Wake up!
Hold on!
Get your ass up.
Come on, man. You can
sleep when you're dead.
Coming.
Dante?
See your maid doesn't
do windows, does she?
What the hell are
you doing here, man?
I've been calling,
you ain't been answering.
I've been busy lately.
All right, well, bring your busy
ass over and open up this door.
This ain't
no prison visit.
You look like shit.
Look, if you came
here to sweat me, D...
Came here to make
you a proposition.
You gonna
let me in or what?
Okay-
This... This old thing work?
All right. Here we go.
Check this out.
That's Japan versus Korea,
world champions.
I mean,
b-boying ain't the same
from back in the days
when we were dancing, man.
I mean, what's the farthest
we ever had to go to battle,
the Bronx?
Now these kids are battling
in Japan, Germany, France.
So, the Battle of the Year
is coming up, right?
And I'm sponsoring
the US crew.
So my crew is called LA's Finest.
Now, these kids are good.
Acrobatic, they got skills,
but they're not great.
Yet.
Only missing one thing.
You.
I want you
to coach the crew.
Coach?
Now, I know
you need money, so...
Here you go,
check that out,
let me know if that
meets your approval.
But the freestyle
sessions are next month,
and I need you to prepare
my crew for battle.
I was a basketball coach.
It doesn't matter.
A coach is a coach, and you were
the best I've ever seen, man.
It's in your heart.
I ain't that guy anymore.
Just come with me,
let's go check out the boys,
and if you think they suck,
you walk away.
No pressure.
So what are you waiting on?
You don't want me, D.
I mean, seriously,
how many opportunities
do you have
come knocking at
your window every day, WB?
Can't even keep
my own shit straight.
Look, I'm not
gonna stand here
and pretend like I know
what you're going through,
'cause I don't.
But, come on, man,
that fire in your heart,
that need to win
and the ability
to infect those around you and get
them to believe the same thing?
Man, you still got that shit.
Guys like you don't lose it.
Look, man, this right here,
this ain't you.
You had trajectory.
And I'll be frank
with you, man,
you and I both know
she's never coming back.
You know what, man?
We're done here.
I was wrong.
This was a prison visit.
And this is
your cell, man.
The only difference has been
between my life and yours,
is that I made a life
out of opening doors
and you made one
out of closing them.
(TELEPHONE RINGS) RECEPTIONIST: Dig
One Entertainment. Please hold.
Dig One Entertainment.
How may I help you?
DANTE: WB!
Welcome to Dig One, baby.
What's up, D?
It's impressive.
So talk to me.
Tell me something
good, man. You in?
(SIGHS) Not yet.
I need to do some homework, see if I
can even pull this off, all right?
Follow me.
FRANKLYN: That's it.
About 100 hours of footage,
goes back four or five years.
Need anything else?
A hundred hours, huh?
Maybe a pot of coffee,
couple sandwiches.
So that is just
coffee in there, right?
Yeah. Just coffee.
Good.
Keep the good shit
right here.
Come on, D.
Can't plug
the cork overnight.
Doesn't work that way.
I'll be in my office.
Okay, got you a fresh pot.
(MUTES TELEVISION)
Did you want me to order you
any dinner before I punch out?
No, I'm all good, thank you.
Yeah.
Yo, look at those
elbow spins.
That shit is nasty.
Koreans came
strong that year.
Those K-boys are
like superheroes.
You b-boy?
Nah, I wish.
My people are not exactly chosen
when it comes to breaking.
What do you mean, your people?
Jews.
We're rhythmically challenged.
We're stripped of our swag
at the circumcision.
I've made my peace with it.
Anyway, I'm a fan.
Be dope to see the US
crew take the BOTYs.
What the hell is a BOTY?
Seriously?
Have a seat.
What's your name?
Franklyn, with a
Blake.
So, Franklyn with a
fill me in.
The BOTYs stands for
Battle of the Year.
It's the world cup
of b-boying.
It's the premier event,
the big daddy of them all.
It started in Germany
in the '90s,
but now it takes
place in France.
Why France?
'Cause the only thing the French
revere more than carbs is dance.
Anyway, 20 countries bring their top crew
to battle for the world championship.
And a nice Jewish kid like
you knows all this because?
They don't teach you how to pick
up chicks at Hebrew school,
and breaking made me cool.
I mean, I might be Jewish,
but my religion is hip-hop.
You've seen
Planet B-Boy, yeah?
Afraid not.
Can I ask you something?
Sure.
Why is Dante having
you coach his crew?
That's a good question.
Planet B-Boy,
it's like our bible.
It's this dope documentary
about what b-boying is now.
Can I see that?
What, this?
Yeah.
What is this thing?
It's the new Sony tablet.
It's the future.
(SIGHS)
Planet B-Boy, it's got a
billion rentals on Netflix.
Hold on.
Check it out.
Come on, wake up!
Wake up!
No time to sleep!
Work to do!
What time is it?
9:00.
You been holed up
in here all night?
Hundred hours of footage,
right?
Guess you did
your homework, huh?
Enough, anyway.
When did all
this shit happen?
Feeling old yet?
Little bit.
The moves these guys are
pulling off are phenomenal.
The Koreans are on fire.
And we need some of
that fire for our crew.
So what's up, man?
We got a deal or what?
Two conditions.
Name them.
First, I want Franklyn here
as my assistant coach.
For real?
This guy?
Yeah.
All right, done.
Second one?
This right here.
Made a little addendum
to your contract.
If this is about money,
I'll take care of it.
It's just one line, D.
Just read it.
"If I do this... "
I can't make this out, man.
It's chicken scratch.
What does that say?
"If I do this,
"I got to do it
on my own terms. "
Little place for your
initials right there.
Okay-
You are a tough negotiator,
my man.
All right, let's go see
the crew in about an hour.
Hey, Jan,
how you doing?
I'm doing busy.
Can I see D?
It won't even take a minute.
And I would do that
for you because?
'Cause we're co-workers
and I'd really appreciate it.
Try again.
'Cause I'm just a boy
standing in front of a girl
asking her to
further his career.
I love that movie.
What's your name again?
Seriously?
Franklyn. With a
Franklyn with a "Y"
is here to see you.
Go back to
the first one.
I'm sorry. I didn't
mean to bother you.
No bother. Have a seat.
Okay, let's go with that one,
but kill the roses.
The band's manager
really wanted the roses.
Right,
killing the roses.
What's up?
I just wanted to tell you
I didn't know anything about him
asking me to take the coaching job.
You saying you don't
want to do this now?
No, I want to do it,
but I didn't want you to think that
I put WB up to it or something.
Listen, nobody puts WB
up to anything, not even me.
Yeah, I just wanted to make
sure you and I were cool.
Cool?
I mean, you hooked me up
with this job, D,
and I don't want
to seem ungrateful.
Look here, man,
let me level with you.
I don't even know
who you are.
What's your name?
Seriously?
I'm Franklyn with a
How old are you?
I'll be 23 in December.
Franklyn with a do you know
who these two guys are?
Yeah.
Yeah, y'all were ground-breakers
back in the day.
When I started off
with the crew,
we were called
the Battle Troop Crew.
We battled each other more
than we battled other crews.
Until WB showed up.
Comes up as
a foster kid from Georgia
with this country,
hillbilly-type swag,
but it was something
about him, man,
that he just unified the crew.
He just knows how to
bring people together.
And this is in
the early days of hip-hop,
back before white boys
were rapping and b-boying.
That wasn't around back then.
It was just black and Latino.
That's all we had.
So when we would show up
to a battle, oh, man.
(LAUGHS)
But you know what?
When he'd leave that cipher,
he went from white bread
to Wonder Bread.
That's how good he was.
Guess I know why
you call him WB.
Oh, yeah.
But if he was so dope, then
why did he stop breaking?
He wanted to do
the right thing.
See, back in those days, man,
we were all broke.
There was no money in b-boying.
Sure.
So, when he got his
girlfriend pregnant,
her uncle offered him an assistant
basketball coaching job at St. Mark's,
and he took it.
Wait, not St. Mark's that,
that racked up
all those state championships?
Yeah.
And he was the head coach
at the time that they did it.
FRANKLYN: Then what is
he doing back here?
Starting over.
I don't follow.
Couple years ago,
WB lost his wife and son
in a horrible car accident.
Completely tore
his world apart, man.
I mean, he just...
He checked out.
And I'm hoping that
he's ready to check back in.
And if I'm right,
you're gonna learn more
in five weeks from that man
than you ever would
in five years in this place.
That I promise.
If it doesn't work out, well,
we tried, right, Franklyn
with a "Y"?
Change how you think,
change your life.
B-BOY: There it is.
There it is!
See?
D, didn't I tell you?
Bring on the French.
Bring on
the punk-ass Koreans.
I like that.
Looking good.
I like what I see. Good job.
Coach, what do you think?
You saw me clapping.
You guys are good.
No disrespect,
but aren't those
the same moves you guys
brought to France?
That wasn't anything
like France.
I've been
watching your tapes.
European tours, regionals.
You've changed
the sequencing, yes,
but it's basically the same
routine as four years ago.
D, didn't I tell you this
coaching thing wasn't gonna fly?
You don't tell me shit.
You understand?
I'm not trying to play
the hard case with you,
but I just want you to know
we do have other options.
Are they threatening me?
Sounds like a threat, right?
Are you threatening me?
Come on, man.
This is your coach. What Coach says, you do.
End of story.
Coach?
All right, everybody
line up right here.
Come on, fellas.
All right,
everybody turn to the right.
Chins up, start walking.
Let's take this outside.
What the hell are you doing?
Think they got
options, right?
I brought you here
to make 'em better,
not kick 'em out
into the street.
They may have
a little bit of attitude...
I don't care about attitude.
Bring it.
These guys are stuck, D.
They ain't getting any better.
How long they been a crew,
five years?
Six years.
Even worse.
They've hit
the tipping point.
They've stopped putting all their blood,
sweat and tears into winning a battle
and started putting it
into just not losing.
Trust me, man,
I got a plan.
What you have
is an empty room.
That's what you got.
All right, what's your plan?
Make it good.
Insanity is doing the same
damn thing over and over
and expecting
a different result.
That's what
we've been doing.
It's why we
can't compete, D.
All of our competitors are gonna
bring their best dancers,
but the US, we send
one crew from one city
with maybe two or three
top-tier b-boys on it.
What we should be doing is
cherry-picking the top b-boys
from every crew in
every city across America.
Okay, let me
get this straight.
So you're saying put together
some kind of b-boy all-star team?
A b-boy dream team.
We did the same thing
in basketball,
and we started
that sport, too.
We were getting schooled
in the Olympics
till we put Jordan,
Magic, Bird,
Barkley, Ewing
on the court,
our dream team.
That dream team
had time to prepare.
You do realize you're
trying to put together
a whole new crew in what?
Battle of the Year
is in three months?
Here's the beauty of it. Freestyle
sessions are next week.
All the top crews
are gonna be in town.
Instead of a tune-up
for LA's Finest,
why not turn it into a
try-out for a national team?
When you put the word out
you're sponsoring a dream team,
they'll come in droves.
It's an opportunity
of a lifetime.
So that's your plan?
That's my plan.
It better work.
SWAY: All right, so listen up.
Dante, the once legendary
b-boy, now hip-hop mogul,
is putting out
a nationwide shout.
Yo, this is it.
Pay close attention.
Crews from sea to shining sea,
north, south, east and west,
this is for you.
My man Dante is on the hunt
for America's best b-boys
to represent the US
in the world championship.
That's right, he's gonna
handpick a dream team.
You want to be a part of it,
get down to that freestyle
competition with Cross One,
and if you think you got
what it takes to represent
the red, the white, the blue,
you'd better bring it.
Okay, Terrence.
TERRENCE: Check, check, check.
My man D is prowling
for b-boy gold.
If your crew has
what it takes,
you need to come on
down here.
We are looking for
the best of the best.
I don't care how
you get down here.
Just bring your ass on down.
BLAKE: Here's our first 32.
So what now?
Now we see what
they're made of.
BLAKE: Tell me your name
and where you're from.
Name's Sight,
representing Desert Rock.
This is Kilowatt,
Cincinnati Street Kings.
Grifter, Miami Viper Crew.
Bambino from the Rip
Rock Crew, Baltimore.
Mayhem, Orlando, Florida.
Lil Adonis from Chicago.
Flipz, Bronx Rockers.
I go by Kid.
Rebel.
And we're representing
Philadelphia.
Anis, Hollywood
Jet Funk, via France.
Do Knock, LA Strangler Crew.
The name's Rooster.
I got the five
elements of death,
footwork, style, power,
originality and soul.
If you ain't got that,
don't even get in the ring.
So why do you break?
Breaking is my everything.
This means everything
in the world to me.
It's the most important
thing in my life.
It's self-expression.
I live it, I breathe it.
I didn't really have much,
and then I found breaking.
After Afghanistan,
I needed b-boying.
Breaking saved my...
Life.
It's the only thing I got.
I'm a b-boy, and I'm gay,
and a lot of people
have issue with that.
Imagine you're
the son of a rabbi
and you're trying
to be cool and break.
You're Jewish and a b-boy.
He's probably adopted.
A main goal that I
think every b-boy has
is Battle of the Year.
Battle of the Year is like
the Mecca of b-boying.
It's like Eli Manning
winning the Super Bowl.
It's like the Olympics
to breaking.
Battle of the Year means...
Everything to a b-boy.
It's the only thing there is.
Why do you deserve
to be on this crew?
There is no dream team without Grifter.
'Cause I'm damn good.
I have what it takes
to be one of the...
Best ever.
Ever'?
I want to be on that team
that brings it home.
What do you think
about when you battle?
My main focus is,
if I don't win,
I got to go back
to my old life.
My mother.
B-girls.
Being so damn good.
Kicking ass.
I think about how
much I love b-boying.
Yeah, b-girls.
(ALL CHATTERING)
(SHUSHING)
First of all, I want to
thank you all for coming.
We appreciate your efforts.
You did a great job.
But we only have
22 spots to fill,
so please stand up
when I call your name.
First up is Do Knock.
DO KNOCK: Yes!
Anis.
Yes.
Hey, let me hear my name.
Sniper.
Oorah, yeah!
Flipz.
Yes.
Grifter.
Did you hear your name?
Man, we good.
Lil Adonis.
(RELIEVED SIGH)
Kilowatt.
Yes.
Bambino.
Yeah.
Aces.
Yeah.
Mayhem.
(GRUNTS)
Gillatine.
I knew it!
Kid and Rebel.
Yo.
That's what's up. Both
of us, man, both of us.
Swat.
A'ight.
Abbstarr. Flair.
ABBSTARR: Yeah!
Ooh, baby, yes!
Dani.
Amen.
Intricate.
INTRICATE: I made it.
And finally...
Rooster.
Yes!
If I did not call your name,
thank you for coming.
If I did,
see Franklyn here.
And, gentlemen,
be prepared to train harder,
faster and longer
than humanly possible, 'cause
over the next nine weeks,
only 13 of you will make
the final dream team.
That's it.
(SCATTERED CHEERS)
Damn.
What's up with
the barbed wire?
What the hell
is this place?
It's an old abandoned
juvenile detention center.
Shit, my mom was right.
What?
She always said I'd end
up in a place like this.
Dante makes mad money.
What are we doing here?
Coach picked it.
He used to teach summer basketball
camp here after it closed.
Not exactly
B'nai B'rith, right?
Listen, man, just 'cause we're both
Jewish doesn't mean we're best friends.
Good stuff.
This place is nasty.
FLIPZ: Looks good to me.
Compared to where I'm from, this
joint's the goddamn Hilton.
Welcome, gentlemen.
This beautiful
park-like setting
is gonna be your new home
for the next few months.
Dorms are right
through here.
Go ahead and drop your
stuff and get settled in.
Nah, man.
Are you serious?
This is ridiculous.
Crazy.
Yo, what is this place?
Listen, Coach,
I was thinking on some ideas
ever since you made me your assistant.
Well, I want to earn my keep.
Anyway, I think we should get a
choreographer if you're really serious
about making a splash
at the Battle of the Year.
Someone who's done world tours
and worked with major artists.
What's that around
your neck, Franklyn?
It's my coaching whistle.
Let me have it.
Why?
Give it up.
It's more of a support
whistle for your
head-coach whistle, so...
Franklyn.
It just separates me
from the b-boys.
Let's have it.
Can I say no?
I really want to say no.
Give me the damn whistle.
No.
Anything else?
Where's the coaches' quarters?
Over there, but you'll
be staying with them.
Seriously?
Listen up!
Battle of the Year
is three months away.
Take a moment,
think about that.
In three months,
nine of you will be sitting
back on your couches
while the other 13 are in
France, representing America.
Center stage in
a global arena.
Choice is yours.
You do this right,
nothing in your life
will ever be the same.
Don't make the mistake
of thinking I'm your friend.
I'm not.
I'm here for one purpose.
Turn you into a team by whatever
means I deem necessary, period.
'Cause right now,
in Korea, Japan,
France, Russia,
all over the world,
guys are training 24/7
'cause they want to win
the Battle of the Year.
The question is, do you?
Our rules are simple. Practice
starts at 6:00 a. m. (ALL CLAMORING)
6:00 a. m.?
6:00 a. m.?
You come at 6:01...
...you will be gone!
We train 12 hours a day,
every day.
God takes
Sundays off, we don't.
We ain't got time.
This facility will
become your world.
Step outside that world,
you will be gone.
Bitch about my simple rules,
you will be gone.
Hey, Coach.
Ask me some
wise-ass question
about "you will be gone,"
and you will be gone.
Over each of
the next nine Fridays,
I'll be handing one
of you one of these.
Bus pass.
Take you back to wherever
it is you came from.
And you will be gone.
Coach.
Yeah.
Tomorrow's Friday.
That's correct.
And tomorrow,
one of you will be gone.
You will be gone.
ROOSTER: Yo,
check that out, son.
ANIS: What?
This is what everybody's
battling for. Pie?
Yeah, pie.
Twenty-two starving dogs
and not enough to go around.
I got mine.
I know, I know, I got it.
No, I'm serious. Focus.
Don't talk to anybody,
don't look at nobody.
Just us, double trouble.
Right, double trouble.
What's up, Kid?
What's up, Do Knock?
Yo, what did I just say, man?
Are you serious?
Come on, man, he's cool.
Yay, herb-crusted shank steak in
a white wine reduction sauce.
Bon apptit, guys.
We got a problem?
I don't have a problem.
Why'd you get up
when I sat down?
Listen, man, where I'm from, we
don't ask and you don't tell.
You should try it.
Are we good?
This is like Fame,
but with Bloods and Crips.
Put 22 lions in a cage,
someone's bound to get bit.
I'm gonna have a drink.
Take over.
Have 'em in
their rooms by 11:00
and make sure they
clean up their trays.
Me alone?
But I haven't even
established dominance yet.
What if they start
throwing punches?
Try not to get hit.
Cool.
I'll just be here trading
cigarettes for protection.
You're gonna have a drink alone.
That's healthy.
MAN ON TELEVISION: The US b-boys,
they are mostly known for having
a lot of individual
skills for battling.
They need to get together
as a crew and also overcome
that ego problem
that most of the b-boys have.
It's disastrous.
Sweet.
Yo.
Trying to be
the first one gone?
Sorry.
Flipz.
Grab a pair.
Yo!
Dream Team sweats?
(LAUGHS)
Sick!
Why you late, Flipz? Yo, nice
sweats, but what are these?
Baby Gap? That's cute. You think
you can take that to France?
FLIPZ: Man, I just got here.
And you, look at these
pockets on your titties.
That shit ain't gonna
get you to France.
You know who's going to France?
I'm going to France.
(ALL CLAMORING)
(BLOWS WHISTLE)
What you talking about?
All right, everybody line up,
shoulder to shoulder! Move!
I said, move!
What the hell?
First day.
So this is how
we begin, huh?
At each other's throats.
There's two ways to have the
tallest building in the world.
One, build yourself
a giant-ass skyscraper.
Two...
...tear all the other
skyscrapers down.
We're here to build.
To build a team.
The quicker you get
that through your heads,
the better chance you got
of making that team.
Battle of the Year is your chance
to stand on top of the world.
But not if you keep
thinking small.
Not if you're just trying to prove you're
better than the b-boy next to you.
Hey, Coach,
I ain't got to prove shit.
I know I'm better than
the b-boy standing next to me.
Still running that mouth, bro?
Want to try and shut it?
Hey! Hey!
All right, that's it!
That's it!
That's enough!
You two got a problem?
Do Knock's just jealous of Rooster.
Hey!
I said, shut it!
Get back in line!
Get in line!
So you got to know
which one's the best, huh?
Well, let's clear
the decks and find out.
We're splitting into teams.
I need two captains.
Do Knock and Rooster,
surprise, surprise.
Pick your teams.
Double Trouble.
Anis, Flipz.
Kilowatt.
Same.
That's it, that's it!
Let's go!
I want to see a warm-up.
ALL: Oh!
Get it, little man!
Get him out of there!
Let's go, baby!
What you doing, huh?
Work it out, work it out.
Coach, can I
ask you a question?
B-BOY: Smoke him, Rooster!
If the idea is making these
guys a team, then...
Why have them battle?
Yeah.
Isn't there enough
bad blood already?
Just trying to figure out why
we're kicking the hornets' nest.
It's not like these guys
don't feel the pressure.
Wrong kind of pressure.
The right kind will
make them a team.
Let's go!
Let's go, baby!
I'm about to show
you how it's done.
Yeah, that's right, boy.
What?
Man, you ain't got nothing!
Yeah, get him!
Yeah, put it to him now.
Yo, Grifter,
what are you doing?
Yo, it's not even your turn.
That's so wack.
No one can requote this
No one is the dopest
Tell me if you smell me
Tell me you never felt me
I Coming on to help me
Not to overwhelm me
I Move your body
Back up. I got this.
I got this. I got this.
Bring it, whatever
Whatever the weather
I I never say never S
I just owned you! Oh, yeah!
(WHISTLE BLOWING)
Yeah!
That's all you got, kid?
And especially you, Rooster!
No more questions.
No more questions.
This is a joke, right?
I look like I'm joking?
Today's Friday, Grifter,
somebody's got to go.
Not me. Hell, no, not me, Coach.
Any one of them, yo.
Take your damn pick.
You are my pick.
I said we're
breaking into teams.
But you didn't become
part of a team, did you?
Yeah, but I just roasted them, Coach.
I smoked...
"I,I,I."
Everything out of you is "I"
You even understand
the concept of a team?
Might be a cliche, son,
but there is no "I" in team,
and there'll be
no "I" in this team.
This ain't no team,
this is a crew!
And obviously,
I'm better than anyone on it!
Congratulations.
Yo, Coach!
Coach!
Yo, I've taken shits
bigger than Do Knock.
Sisqo wannabe over there.
It's not right. Grifter
smoked him, roasted him.
That was cold, babe.
Coach fired off a warning shot.
Damn right.
Don't give
the man what he wants...
BOTH: You will be gone.
Congratulations, Grifter.
You're the best.
Here's your bus pass.
You will be gone.
Too bad it wasn't Rooster.
Thank God it wasn't me.
Yeah, word.
Lot of kicks.
Oh, yeah.
My sister's husband's cousin's
mistress runs advertising for Puma,
so she hooked us up
with some gear.
Am I gonna have
a problem with those two?
Those two?
Catch up, Franklyn.
What's the deal with
Rooster and Do Knock?
They're in the middle
of a really heated Twitter war
right now, so...
The point?
They're like Shaq and Kobe.
They used to be real tight,
even ran a crew together.
So what happened?
You've seen them.
They both want
to be the man.
Got to be more
to it than that, man.
A while back, they were
both dating the same chick.
You know how that goes.
Two guys fall in love
with the same girl,
settle it with dance.
It's a tale as old as...
...as time.
We got new bags?
We got bags?
We all get one?
What?
Yo!
Hey!
Yo, listen up.
This came from Dante, man.
You know how much these cost?
These aren't cheap.
I know I can't afford it.
What? No way.
I got a PS Vita!
Are you serious? You can
control it from the back.
Yo, I got a shaver.
Yo, I needed this.
Rebel, you don't
have facial hair.
Hey, I'll trade you
my camera for that.
It's got everything.
It's like Christmas in here
right now, seriously.
(SIGHS)
MAN ON TELEVISION: The
criteria's to judge on are
choreography itself,
theme and music,
and if the crew
are synchronized.
So the top four crews
from the first rounds
are qualified for
the second round...
BLAKE: It's real simple,
gentlemen.
You don't place among
the top four teams,
you don't even get a chance to
battle for the world championship.
In six weeks, we have an
exhibition against Russia.
For us to have any chance,
we must become a team.
And since we've been reminded
there's no "I" in team,
the word "I"
is now forbidden.
We will hereafter strike it
from our vocabulary.
Whenever the word "I" comes
out of one of your mouths,
the entire team will do 100 pushups.
(ALL GRUMBLE)
You will become "we,"
or we don't stand a chance.
(BLOWS WHISTLE) All right,
gentlemen, listen up.
We'll begin
this nice and easy.
All right, sync drills.
Everybody clear?
And five, six,
seven, eight!
Feel the guy next to you?
By the Battle of the Year, we should
be able to do this blindfolded.
You're messing me up, bro.
Shut up, man.
I'll smoke you.
Keep talking, I'm gonna bust your ass.
(BLOWS WHISTLE)
Did we hear
"I" over here?
You know what
to do, gentlemen.
ALL: One, two...
All right, let's go, let's go!
Time is short here now!
Keep that formation tight.
There it is.
Right!
That's what
I'm talking about.
Now we're
getting somewhere.
All right, form your lines up.
Let's do it again.
Coach, we just did it, like...
Come on, man.
Hold on a second.
This is the Olympics
of our sport.
Shit is crazy.
What's that, Abbstarr?
Coach, no disrespect,
but b-boying is not a sport.
It's a dance.
What we do is an art form.
Yeah, that's right.
All right, hey, listen up.
That's right.
Art versus sport, very
philosophical conversation.
Let's all have a seat.
Let's talk about this.
You ever hear of a guy
named Magic Johnson?
Of course, yeah.
Of course.
Of course you have.
Played basketball,
a sport.
But watching him play,
it's like art,
poetry in motion.
Why can't it be both?
Let's form it up,
and let's run it again.
We'll be here all night
if you want to be!
Now, run it!
That's what I'm
talking about. That's it.
Where is he?
BLAKE: Keep going, guys,
four more!
What is this?
Aren't you supposed to be
working on the routine?
We are.
By running them
like a chain gang?
Where's Grifter?
He's gone.
Gone where?
Cut him.
So you cut one of
our best b-boys?
Actually,
he was the best.
Let me just make sure
we're on the same page here.
Am I mistaken,
or was it not your idea
to take America's best
b-boys to the worlds?
You're mistaken.
It was my idea to bring
the best team to the worlds,
which is what we're doing.
Ain't no "we," all right?
You work for me.
Back off.
No, you back off.
I'm sponsoring this team.
I stuck my neck out for you.
I've been calling you,
you don't call me back,
so I got to come down here
to see what's going on,
and you're running
my boys into the ground!
Meanwhile, you're a mess.
You smell like
you're sweating gin.
And is that vomit
on your shoes?
Shoes are Franklyn's.
That's not cool.
I don't got time for this.
I got to get your team ready
for the Russian exhibition.
Get your ass down here.
How hard's he
working these guys?
Real hard.
But it's working.
WB might be crazy, D,
but he knows what he's doing.
He's bringing
them together.
And how is that?
The enemy of my enemy
is my friend.
Get them inside.
FRANKLYN:
How you feeling, Coach?
Fine.
Yeah?
You look like
a gazelle out there.
A gazelle with arthritis.
(CHUCKLES)
I just wanted to ask you about
the choreographer thing again.
We got the Russians
in five weeks.
Yeah... Uh...
Get me the best.
Got it.
Anything else, Franklyn?
Yeah.
Yeah, I just wanted
to thank you.
For what?
For everything.
D said I could learn a lot
from you, and he was right.
He can be a wise man.
Yeah.
We were just in high
school and everything,
but being here is definitely,
like, mad emotional.
When you walk through
the hallways, it's like,
that competitor,
that's the guy
you're competing against right
there, you know what I mean?
That's it.
Don't slow it down!
You're slowing down!
Pick it up!
Come on!
Russia's Top 9 has
experience on their side.
They've been a team
for over 10 years.
They were Battle of the Year
champions in 2010,
known for their artistry,
finesse and showmanship.
Now, run it! Do it again!
...dancing, fellas,
it's about
becoming one, right?
Should be fine.
He's a little brusque at first,
but you'll get used to it.
(B-BOYS CATCALLING)
Settle down.
Here he comes.
Who's she?
Choreographer.
She's a girl.
Indeed she is, yeah.
She's gonna help us win
Battle of the Year? Yeah.
A b-girl?
Yeah.
She's gonna help us flip the
script at the Battle of the Year.
She's coming.
We can't whisper anymore.
Stacy.
It's nice to meet you.
Blake. Nice to meet you.
So, Franklyn here
tells me you're a dancer.
Choreographer.
Right.
Look... Stacy,
I'm just gonna be
honest with you here.
I'm afraid in this
situation, with the boys,
you might be a bit of a...
An exciting new chapter.
A distraction.
A distraction. Thank you.
Well, maybe we need to teach them a
little bit of focus and discipline.
Trust me, you need me.
Let's meet the boys.
My name is Stacy, and I'm
gonna be your choreographer.
You can teach me
whatever you want.
Preferably on the floor!
Are you good
with massages, too?
'Cause I have a lot of tension right
here up in my upper thigh region.
Are you done?
Let me explain
something to you.
I'm not into boys.
Hey, I like that.
That's cool.
I'm cool with that.
I don't mind.
I'm into men.
So you and I,
we won't have a problem.
Like that.
That's cool.
First thing
tomorrow morning?
From the top, clean,
five, six, seven, eight.
One, two, three, four...
Look, guys, clean, clean!
Stop, stop.
Y'all are supposed to be b-boys.
Come on, let's go!
Kilowatt, you're killing me.
STACY: One, two,
three, four...
All right,
hold up, hold up!
Everybody stop.
The hell are you doing,
Do Knock?
What did I do?
"I"?
(ALL GROAN)
Again?
Come on, man!
Idiot. Who's stupid now?
Keep talking, bitch,
I'll beat your ass.
Beat me? There's a reason why
you're always in my shadow,
and that's the same reason
Lauren left your punk ass.
Get your ass up!
(LAUGHS) What?
Yeah, that's right.
You was half the man I was.
YO, yo:
You're not
gonna stop this?
Hey, hey!
That's enough! Get him back!
Back up! Back up!
That's it!
This about that girl?
Either one of you
still with her?
Huh?
No.
So let me
get this straight.
We used to be friends,
now we're swapping blows over
some girl we're
both glad is gone
and who no doubt has hooked
up with some other fool.
That about right?
Let me be crystal clear.
History is exactly that.
History!
Fighting ends now!
You understand me?
Yes, Coach.
Any one of you even think about
fighting, you will be gone!
This is ridiculous!
We're running out of time!
Now, line up
and let's run it!
Hold your flix
I'm not for the photo op's
It's Black, code name
Yaphet Kotto ock
My twist like a ratchet
in an auto shop
Since granddaddy old Desoto
stopped and he got the Caddie
I been gladly serving any
y'all cats wanna act determined
I Spit pesticides
for rats and vermin
Seem like none of y'all
chumps is learning
I Party people gather round
What we have here
is a brand new sound
Reach for my waist
you hit the ground
You better duck when
that awful sound goes
Boom
That's what's happening
in the parking lot
Boom
That's what's
happening on stage
The man at hand
that rule the school
And reach and teach the blind
and find a way from A to Z
And be the most to boast
I'm load and proud
The game and reign
that remain
The heat is on so feel
the fire come off the empire
Or the more higher level
of depth one step beyond dope
To suckers all scope
and hope to cope but nope
'Cause I could never
let 'em on top of me
I play 'em out like
a game of Monopoly
Let it speed around
the board like an astro
And send them to jail
for trying to pass go
I Party people gather round
What we have here
is a brand new sound
Reach for my waist
you hit the ground
You better duck when
that awful sound goes
Boom
Thats what's happening
in the parking lot
Boom
Thats what's
happening on stage
Yo, where'd you get your
b-boy name from, Lil Adonis?
Here.
What's that?
That's my mom.
First time I tried
a battle, I'm 15.
But my mother, see, she knows
I'm not like the other kids.
I'm scared. I'm gay.
Yeah, he's a mama's boy.
Say all you want
about me,
but say one more word
about my mother...
We all good in here?
Yeah, we good, Coach.
Lil Adonis?
We all good?
Good, Coach.
Man, these cuts
are getting crazy.
Not bad.
You need to let
go of your ego.
Something wrong
with your watch, Rebel?
Uh... No, Coach,
it's good.
Then what was so important
to make the rest of us wait?
We battle Russia's top crew
in less than two weeks.
We'd rather not say.
I said,
why were we late?
We'd really
rather not say.
I said,
why were we late?
We had to take a shit.
(ALL LAUGH)
FRANKLYN: Getting harder
to pick them, huh?
God, each one of these guys
has the moves down.
It isn't about the moves
anymore, Franklyn.
It's about chemistry.
Like which dudes
are getting along?
Not about that, either.
Record books are filled with
teams that never got along,
championship teams, too.
So, what, then?
Those teams had
something else.
The players pushed
each other to greatness.
Tell Intricate
I need to see him.
Okay-
All right, gentlemen, tomorrow's
the day we've been waiting for.
The Russians are disciplined,
synchronized, precise.
Remember, the only way to win
this is going there as a team.
Get some sleep.
Tomorrow's the big day.
(AUDIENCE CHEERING) EMCEE:
Tonight's battle features
Russia's Top 9
versus America's Dream Team!
Let's go! Come on!
All right.
Yeah!
Come on!
Let's get 'em, Rebel!
All you, kid, all you.
Come on, Rebel.
Yeah.
Yeah!
Let's go, Kid! Come on!
Pow!
Come on.
What is this shit?
God damn it!
Go, go, go. Come on.
Chief, chief, go, go.
All right, let's go!
What's he doing?
BLAKE: Where's your team?
Rooster, get out there!
Act like a team!
Damn it!
Where's your team?
Get off the floor!
Get off the floor!
You see what you did?
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
Get 'em outside
right now!
Oh, shit.
Blake!
Are you gonna
talk to them?
I got nothing to say to them
I haven't already said.
Can't believe Coach didn't say a
word to us the whole way back.
It's 'cause you blew it.
What?
All of y'all blew it.
Call yourself the Dream Team?
More like the Dreamgirls.
Look, are you serious?
Yeah, I'm serious!
Anis, tell 'em!
Back me up!
It was your fault, Rooster.
What'd you say?
You heard me! We lost tonight
because of you, man!
Because of me? If anything, I tried to
rescue everybody! Yo, I'm over this!
I've heard that same
tired shit for years!
Anything happens, it's always
somebody else's fault!
Yo, why you coming
at me like this?
'Cause my feet hurt, I'm tired,
and it's your fault, man!
Yo, what the hell is your problem?
Listen to your boy, Rooster.
No, you shut up, too!
You're as bad as him!
What, you against the whole
world now, Frenchie?
No, just you two assholes!
Ever since I walked in
these doors,
I gave everything
I got in this team!
Everything!
But Coach was right,
this team isn't going nowhere
if you two don't get
together right now!
Look around you!
Look at these guys!
We got everything we
need to win, right here!
To be the best there is!
And you're too goddamn
ignorant to see that!
You need to check your boy!
Shut up!
Guys like you and Rooster,
you might get other chances,
but for someone like me,
this shit is it, man.
I'm never gonna get another
shot at this, ever!
So I'm taking it,
even if I gotta punch you in the
face or dog my oldest friend!
I want this, man,
more than anything in my life!
Question is what the hell
do you two assholes want?
(HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING)
Independent now
Sans label
Rooster! Rooster!
I Haters gonna ruin it S
(TURNS MUSIC OFF)
We need to talk.
There's been too much talk already.
Move. (TURNS MUSIC ON)
(TURNS MUSIC OFF)
Why you gotta be
such an asshole?
You want to fight?
I'm tired of your shit!
I'm trying to tell
you your boy is right.
Yeah, I know,
I'm an ass. I got it.
No, I'm as much
to blame as you are.
Do you know how
talented you are?
You try a move once,
barn, you get that shit.
Me? I got to practice and practice my
ass off just to come close to you!
I've always been
jealous of that.
But that's what got me here.
You got me here.
Without that,
I don't even make this team.
Yo, where you
going with this, man?
I want to win!
I want to win.
We put aside all our old
bullshit, we can win this.
They need us.
What about Lauren?
(LAUGHS)
I broke that off two months
before you guys even hooked up.
Really?
Really.
So why you been
acting all crazy?
'Cause it pisses you off!
But I want to
squash this right now.
Come on.
Let's be partners again.
Just play my music, man.
Hey, give me a hug, bro.
A hug?
Yeah!
Give me a hug.
Come on, man. All right.
(TURNS MUSIC ON)
Coach!
Yo, Coach! Wake up, man.
You're late.
It's after 6:00,
we gotta train right now.
Get out.
There's no practice today.
Come on. Get up, man.
Get out of my damn room!
We aren't going anywhere.
"We. " You don't know
shit about "we," son.
We get it. We screwed up.
Come on, let's go.
You don't tell me shit.
We're not telling
you what to do, Coach.
We're asking.
Come on, Coach,
please.
Come on, man.
Training room,
10 minutes.
Told you.
We want to win, we need
to change how we think.
Sound familiar?
Success is a choice.
Every true champion knows
mental game is the key.
It's our greatest power.
Most people never touch that power.
Don't even know they have it.
Go around,
doing the same old shit,
thinking the same
old thoughts every damn day.
It's why those people will tell
you, "Same shit, different day. "
Truth is the only thing permanent
in this universe is change.
Instead of griping
about these drills,
choose to say, "We're giving
these drills, our team,
"our country,
every ounce of ourselves. "
Choose to see ourselves
as champions.
Walk, talk, eat, drink,
think like champions,
we become unstoppable.
We become champions
in everything we do.
All right, it's looking good.
I can see progress.
Holy...
I know you're tired,
but it's the fourth quarter, gentlemen.
Suck it up. Deep breath.
Let's run it again.
Tomorrow's Friday.
Last man standing.
Can't think of it as
cutting the last man.
Gotta think of it as
choosing our final team.
Yeah?
Does that make it
any easier?
No, not really.
Hey, Coach.
Hey.
WOMAN: Hey, baby.
All right, see ya.
See ya.
Are you really
this stupid?
Coach, look...
The rules are very simple.
(BABY CRYING)
Come in.
It's okay, baby,
Daddy's here.
This is Aleena.
It's okay, baby.
Mama's gonna be back soon.
She's beautiful.
Thank you.
It's okay.
You ever hear
of the Four S's?
What's that? Swaddle,
side, shimmy, shush.
May I?
It's okay, baby.
See, swaddling soothes them.
Tight, but not too tight.
Then you turn her on
her side like this.
Then you shimmy
back and forth.
It's not gonna work.
It will, quiet.
Shushing.
(QUIETING DOWN)
How'd you do that?
My boy had colic
when he was a baby.
You got a boy?
It's okay.
I'll be right back.
Start talking.
I'm not gonna leave my family
back in New York, Coach.
For the last three months, we've
been living off credit cards.
You been sneaking out
for the last three months?
It's not every night.
It's when I can.
(SNIFFLES)
You can't
kick me out, Coach.
Please, not now.
There are better ways
to handle this.
I don't come
from much, Coach.
All I got is breaking.
You gotta take care
of your family first.
That's what I'm
trying to do, Coach.
Don't you see?
This team is my chance
to give Aleena
chances I never had.
Chances to know that we
can actually do something
with our lives if I make
it to Battle of the Year.
Team goes down to
the final 13 tomorrow.
If I don't make top 13,
send me home.
I just want my
fair shake, Coach.
Please don't
bus-pass me.
Don't be late.
Delivery. From Dante.
"For France.
Burn that goddamn hoodie. "
What's wrong with my hoodie?
Nothing.
It's just very
"vagrant chic. "
It's nice.
Judgment Day.
Yeah.
Who you gonna pick?
I'm not.
You are.
Me?
You.
I know which man
I'd send home.
Wrote his name
on the back.
Great. Let me see.
I'll go get him.
Coach has gotta know when
his own judgment's biased.
I can't help feeling my heart's
talking louder than my head.
Guys have worked too hard.
Come too far.
So I'm trusting your
judgment, Franklyn.
You know them
as well as I do.
No, I can't choose.
Take one down.
What if I pick
the wrong guy?
You won't.
(EXHALES DEEPLY)
Okay.
It's not like we're
cutting the last man,
we're just picking
the final team.
You're right, doesn't
make it any easier.
Same man.
Oh, Franklyn...
You've earned it.
Thank you, Coach.
Thank you, Franklyn.
Yo, Bambino.
I know this is no consolation, but this
was the toughest choice for Coach.
We'll give you a call when we
get to France, won't we, guys?
Yeah.
You better.
That sucked.
Hey, gentlemen! Huddle up!
Let's huddle up!
All right, listen up.
We have our final
presentation with Dante,
so go back to your dorms, get changed,
meet me back here in an hour.
Oh, and get your
passports together.
Looks like we're going to France!
(ALL CHEER)
Dante's at the gate, so let's
run the intro one more time.
Get in the first formation.
Make sure it's clean.
Here we go.
All right.
It's looking great.
Hey, WB, somebody wants
to wish us farewell
when we go to France.
Look at WB.
WB, what's poppin', baby?
Unbelievable!
How you doing?
Look at you.
Yo, Kamel!
Man, hey, I been a big fan of
yours since I was about this big.
You know me?
What?
You're like the Michael
Jordan of b-boys.
Hey, meet my friend.
Hey, Anis,
come here, look.
Honored, man.
Yo, what's good? Sniper.
What's up, man?
Yo!
Yo, let's show them
the new move.
N ow?
Yeah, come on,
let's do it.
Hey, yo, Coach,
check this out!
Five, six, seven, eight...
B-BOY: Rooster!
Oh, no.
Damn.
Shit.
(ALL CHATTERING)
Come on, guys,
don't watch me pack.
Guys, ever since I was about this
big, it's always been about me.
The Rooster Show.
But these last three
months with you guys,
being able to become
brothers with you guys...
I just gotta say
it still is about me.
(ALL CHUCKLE QUIETLY)
As a matter of fact, I shouldn't
even be in this position.
Do Knock, it should be you.
Oh, for real?
Anis, make sure you call me, in
France, when y'all win, all right?
Will do, man.
And tell Bambino
he owes me.
Hey, guys...
Act like champions,
be champions.
Come on, say it!
ALL: Act like champions,
be champions.
All right, guys,
I'll see y'all later.
Later, dude.
Peace, bro.
Peace,dude.
Be safe, man.
Thanks, Coach.
Been an honor, Rooster.
We are going to Battle
of the Year to take it.
Bringin' it back
to the US!
US!
Got your rhymes
going round in my head
What up?
I So dance, little DJ, come on
I What's your name?
I Hey, rollover DJ
You're spinning away
All my time
Dream Team, baby.
R Hey, who cares what you play
I Say whatever you say
'cause I don't mind
France!
What time is it? Show time!
I Hey, rollover DJ
You're spinning away
All my time
r Hey, who cares what you play
I Say whatever you say
'cause I don't mind r
Wow. Awesome.
(THOMAS SPEAKING FRENCH)
Come over here, Blake.
Let me introduce you
to Thomas Hergenrother,
founder of Battle of the Year.
Welcome to the Battle
of the Year Village.
Thank you, Thomas.
Glad to be here.
Looking sharp, brother.
Gift from an old friend.
Let's get inside.
Damn.
So, over the next few days,
there's much to do.
Time is really tight,
and we have more than 20 crews
coming from all over the world.
All right, Thomas.
Enjoy your stay.
Thank you very much.
All right.
Yo, guys,
peep at the Germans.
French over there.
There's the Koreans.
Look at them.
No one thinks we've
got a shot at top four.
Why are they looking
at us like that?
We're Americans, so,
automatically, we're the assholes.
Damn, dude,
what's up with that?
That is what you have
when you're the best.
Just relax.
Go put your stuff away,
see the sights,
have some fun.
Sun is shining in the sky
I There ain't a cloud in sight
It's stopped raining
Everybody's in a play
And don't you know It's a
beautiful new day Hey, hey
TEAM: Yeah!
r Mr. Blue Sky
I Please tell us why
You had to hide away
for so long So long
I Where did we go wrong? I
Yo, this is where we
want to be, fellas!
And remember,
we got curfew at 10:00.
Damn!
Dang!
Flipz and Do Knock
got that first set down?
Yes.
Still need to work
on that transition...
Blake, they got it.
Don't you ever just stop
thinking about the battle?
I'm sorry.
It's okay. It's just...
Look around.
We are in France
and you worked your
ass off to get us here.
So relax and quit
stressing me out.
To Battle of the Year.
To France.
THOMAS". Welcome to our big opening
party of the Battle of the Year!
The Battle of the Year
is already in its 22nd year.
Don't forget, it's not all
about winning or losing.
The whole world is coming together
to celebrate hip-hop culture.
(AUDIENCE CHEERS)
Yo, Mayhem.
I'm-a go to the bathroom.
I'll be right back.
All right, man.
He's cute. He's cute.
So, no matter what
country you're from or what
religion, let's celebrate,
All Around the World,
Same Song.
To us, Sam boy!
I'm gonna get a drink.
Watch out.
All right!
Excuse me. Excuse me.
Shit!
Man, you just spilled my drink!
I'm sorry.
I don't care if
you're sorry, all right?
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
Whoa, whoa! You good?
He's drunk.
Are you good right now? No,
it's not good, all right?
This asshole just came
and spilled my drink.
Okay, I'm gonna
get you another one.
I don't care if you
get me another one.
I was sitting with my friends...
These your friends?
Drinks on me,
everything's cool.
Fight, fight, fight!
Let's go, go, go!
Hey,hey,hey!
Chill! Chill!
(TELEPHONE RINGING)
Yeah.
What?
All right, Thomas.
I'll handle it.
Damn it!
BLAKE: One night!
I give you clowns one night, and
you throw it back in my face.
Coach, please let me...
Shut up.
I can't believe
this shit.
You gave them exactly what
they expected, ugly Americans.
Come on, Coach, you didn't even
let me explain what happen...
I said shut up.
You've learned nothing.
Nothing.
You're the exact same guys
that walked through my door
three months ago.
And you,
you started this
little dance party.
You like to
hit people? Huh?
Want to take
a swing at me?
No, man.
Huh?
WB, what are you doing?
What are you doing?
Thomas called.
Sniper's been
disqualified.
You go home tomorrow.
What?
If Sniper's gone,
I'm gone.
Don't you test me.
I'm not.
Yo, if Sniper's going,
I'm going.
Me, too, Coach.
Sorry, Coach, that's right.
He goes, we all go.
Start talking.
These local punks were
trying to start shit.
All right?
They punked Lil Adonis.
That's why
Sniper stepped up.
But listen.
A few months ago,
Sniper couldn't even sit
at the same table
as Adonis.
He couldn't even
look at him,
and now he's
fighting for him.
Say what you want, Coach,
but down to a man,
these are not the same guys that walked
through your door that first day.
You wanted a team.
Well, you got one.
I gotta call Thomas.
So, what now?
We wait.
Guys! Guys.
Did you talk to Thomas?
Yeah.
And?
Sniper.
Yes, sir.
You're staying.
(ALL CHEER)
Listen up.
It's been a long night.
Get some sleep.
Big day tomorrow.
Gentlemen...
How's it feel to be a team?
Damn good, Coach.
My name is Artem Korolev,
and I am reporting
live for MTV Russia,
from Battle of the Year,
here in Montpellier, France.
Thousands of hip-hop fans are
entering the arena right now,
ready to see the world's
best b-boy crews,
and nearly every country's
represented tonight.
(REPORTER SPEAKING ITALIAN)
(SPEAKING JAPANESE)
Hey, guys, it's your
boys Rickie and Melvin.
We are reporting live
for Kiss Radio and Kiss TV.
We are in
Montpellier in France.
(SPEAKING FRENCH)
SWAY: Thank you, China.
Right now, I'm inside
at the Battle of the Year.
This atmosphere
is explosive!
I've been waiting for this
competition all year long.
We got crews from
all over the place.
Yeah, that's right,
we've got France,
we've got Germany,
we've got...
(SPEAKING ITALIAN)
(SPEAKING JAPANESE)
...Israel, we've got
the Brazilians and of course,
the favorites, the Koreans.
It's gonna be absolutely
amazing tonight.
Yeah, but there's something to be
said about home-court advantage.
Yes. And right now,
we're in France!
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
The crew that everybody's going
after are the Seoul Assassins!
This Korean crew is
on top of the mountain,
and they're unquestionably
led by Fuel,
one of the most legendary
b-boys in the world!
But let us not forget where
this art form all began.
Where was that, Terrence?
In America!
I love the Dream Team,
Dante is my boy.
I want to see
them win, but look,
they've been
together 15 minutes.
These other crews have
been together 15 years.
I don't know if they got what
it takes to win this thing.
So give it up for France,
the Left Bank Crew, y'all!
Give it up for Germany!
The German boys,
they came for it.
Israel!
Let's welcome Belgium!
Wow! Your boys
came to battle!
Make some noise!
Japan!
Make some noise for Greece!
Brazil!
Switzerland!
Thailand!
SWAY: These boys are really
strong, really lean and agile.
A lot of buzz on
this crew right here.
Poland! Taiwan!
Right now we're witnessing
the most amazing b-boys
doing absolutely everything they
can to win this competition.
They are sweating
blood and tears.
Here we go again!
From Korea...
It's the favorites...
Seoul Assassins!
(REPORTER SPEAKING JAPANESE)
lam witnessing the
performance of...
They are fighting for
their pride and honour.
They are fighting for
their pride and honour.
This is crazy!
Show stopping, man!
They shutting
this crowd down!
Terrence, have you ever seen
anything like it?
Wow! The Seoul Assassins
are making a statement!
Man, they're the monsters
on top of the mountain.
Everybody else is
fighting for second place.
You don't want to be the crew
that has to follow that!
If the Dream Team wants to win,
they really gotta bring it.
Guess they liked it.
That is one tough
act to follow, huh?
I could stand here and tell
you it's gonna be easy,
but I won't.
Fact is, the odds and the
audience are stacked against us.
But gentlemen,
none of that matters now.
This situation, this place, is exactly
where this team is supposed to be.
Everything we've
ever done in our lives,
every decision we've made,
every hour we've trained,
every drop of
sweat we spilled,
has led us to this stage,
at this exact moment.
It is our fate, and it's giving
us a chance at greatness.
A chance to go out there and rip that
stage back from the world champions.
Make that stage ours!
Make that audience ours!
Time to shine,
gentlemen.
Time to shine.
We were born for
this moment, gentlemen.
Yeah.
That's right.
On three.
One, two, three!
ALL: Dream Team!
And now, from
the land of Lady Liberty,
the Dream Team!
(CROWD BOOING)
What's going on?
SWAY: This is some
overt hating.
I knew after the incident last
night that it was gonna be ugly,
but I don't think anybody
could have imagined this.
Nah, nah, nah, they don't
have any friends here.
Yo, this is the Battle of the Year.
It's all about respect, man.
Show some love.
They ain't
gonna stop, man.
A hard roll just
got that much harder.
Let's do this shit.
Amid a blizzard of boos,
the Dream Team's new captain, Do
Knock, kicks off the routine.
(CROWD CONTINUES BOOING)
MAN ON PA: This is a journey
into sound.
One, two.
One, two, three, four.
(ELECTRO-SWING MUSIC PLAYING)
TERRENCE: The theme of
their routine is vital.
What is the story they're
telling us via the beat?
The audience has
to see the story!
(19705 FUNK MUSIC PLAYING)
They're going step
for step, spin for spin.
This is no joke, Sway.
We're talking harmony,
continuity, synchronicity!
MAN ON PA'. In the 1970s,
New York graffiti,
rapping, and breaking,
became the prime expressions
of a new young people's
subculture called hip-hop.
(CLASSIC HIP-HOP
MUSIC PLAYING)
SWAY: T, look at
the Dream Team.
You never seen this before.
They're in perfect sync.
Pop! They're
starting to win them over!
I can't believe it!
(CROWD CHEERING)
B-BOY ON PA:
I'm African-American.
I'm Cuban-American.
I'm an Israeli-American.
I'm a German-American.
I'm French-American.
I'm Japanese-American.
I'm Irish-American.
I'm Russian-American.
I'm an Iranian-American.
Spanish-American.
I'm an Italian-American.
Wow! They can't see, but yet
they're moving in unison!
This is incredible!
MAN ON PA:
This is a... This is a journey
into sound.
For the last 15 years,
people have said
the US b-boys are selfish, cocky
and got no teamwork skills.
NO more, my man, HO more.
We are watching
the dawning of a new day!
The Dream just destroyed it!
Big ups to
those American boys.
Now, I don't know
if the judges
are gonna put them
in the final four,
but they deserve to
go to the final four.
(SPEAKING FRENCH)
So, Rickie, some of
the world's greatest b-boys
are competing for bragging
rights and national pride here
at the Battle of
the Year championship.
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
Hey, the scores are in!
I got the final four
in my hot hands.
Check this, check this.
Okay, Battle of the Year,
number one seed from Korea!
Seoul Assassins!
Second seed is from...
France!
Number three seed...
from Germany!
Okay...
Last, but not least...
...the US of A!
DANTE: So, a toast
to the judges
whose jaws all hit
the ground when they saw
you guys perform today.
Good job, fellas.
Cheers.
That's right.
Cheers.
What?
Oh, my God.
Hey.
(ALL APPLAUDING)
Where's the baby?
With my mom.
Coach.
Meet Jolene.
Hi. So nice
to meet you.
Pleasure. Welcome to France.
Thanks.
Where'd you get
the ticket?
We all chipped in.
Consider it a honeymoon.
Look at that.
(SPEAKING FRENCH)
TERRENCE". Once again, it's on.
The Americans and the Germans
have made it to the final four.
Left Bank
versus the Dream for the right to battle
the reigning champion.
Yeah!
Sway, why don't we break down the
scoring system for our viewers at home?
Now, we have five judges representing
various countries here tonight.
Each judge scores on
a scale of one to 10,
which means
a perfect score is 50.
Incredible.
The Dream is all over them.
Wow, Left Bank is
looking desperate now, T.
Come on!
And there it is,
Terrence!
The Dream Team wins. They're
going to the final battle.
(SPEAKING GERMAN)
The Americans really did it.
They will compete in the finals
against the highly favored Koreans.
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
The American crew just left the
stage and I have no words.
SWAY: For the first
time in 15 years,
the Americans have a chance to bring
home a b-boy world championship
back to American soil
where it all began.
Why is everyone looking
so nervous right now?
We got what we
asked for, right?
Us against the Koreans?
And now the entire
world is looking at us,
which, if you ask me, that's
how it's supposed to be.
I mean, who created
this whole b-boy thing?
We did.
Who?
We did!
Exactly.
I mean, our generation may have
kicked this whole thing off,
but torch is in
your hands now.
So, really only
one thing left to do.
Bring the crown
home where it belongs.
Can we do that?
Yes, sir.
I said, can we do that?
Yes, sir!
That's what I'm talking about.
(KNOCK ON DOOR)
Two minutes, Dream Team.
Breathe, gentlemen.
Not that much
left to say.
They're expecting
ugly Americans out there.
Let's show 'em
who we really are.
Act like champions.
ALL: Be champions!
Let's go.
Ladies and gentlemen.
The moment you've all
been waiting for is here!
So we got, from Korea,
please give it up for
the Seoul Assassins!
And from the US of A,
Dream Team!
All right!
One, two, three!
Let the battle begin!
We got this! We got this!
Let's go! Come on!
And here we go.
The Battle of the Year is on.
Kid and Rebel, they know
how to bring the pain.
Come on, boys!
Yeah!
Korea counters
with a monster combo.
Absolutely incredible.
See, this is why the Koreans
are considered unbeatable.
Yeah!
Man, that doesn't even seem
humanly possible.
Seoul Assassins
are killing it.
Okay-
Flawless synchronization.
Sick moves!
These guys have no fear.
This is a battle
for world supremacy.
Damn!
Oh, my God, they're ripping
up the floorboards!
The Dream Team's
battling out of their minds,
and the crowd is loving it.
Go! Come on!
Fuel calls out Do Knock!
Fuel is calling for
the best of the best.
Fuel unleashes
a series of lethal moves!
You're watching a world-class
athlete at the top of his game.
That kind of power
move is mind-boggling.
Yeah!
Do Knock!
Yeah, Do Knock!
Do Knock answers
with one-handed rollbacks!
Back and forth, Sway.
They're going blow
for blow right now.
TJ, for the first time,
the Assassins seem
to be on their heels!
They're giving it everything they
have, but time is winding down.
Oh!
Oh, baby, the US strikes...
Yes!
...with a devastating move!
Korea strikes back
with an aerial assault!
Electric,
incredible, fantastic!
Who won?
That right there was,
pound for pound,
the best battle I've
ever seen in my life!
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
They have given absolutely everything
on the stage. Their heart...
...their souls are on the
stage just now.
CROWD: (CHANTING)
USA!USA!USA!
Who will bring home the crown of
Battle of the Year world champion?
I can't believe what I saw!
Did you see that?
What the hell?
I really can't tell
who the winner is, man. You?
This is gonna be close.
I don't know, I don't know.
Yo, man, judges'
scores are in!
Seoul Assassins
by one point.
Terrence,
the Koreans win!
Damn.
One point.
One goddamn point.
Well, gentlemen,
here we are.
I want you to know something.
I don't give a damn
what that scoreboard says
or what color the medal
is they give you.
Proud of all of you.
Come on, Coach, you don't
have to sugar-coat it for us.
We didn't accomplish
what we came to do.
I wouldn't do that, Sniper.
Look, fellas,
all my life, I've had to
consider myself a fortunate man.
I don't know, things just
kind of went my way.
All that changed
two years ago.
I lost my wife, 15-year-old
boy in a car wreck.
And when I lost my family,
I lost my way.
I don't know, I just...
Well, I quit living.
You've all heard me
say a million times,
"Change how you think,
change your life. "
Fact is,
you've changed
the way I think.
You've changed my life.
First day of training,
I had one goal,
teach a crew
how to be a team.
We became much
more than that.
We became a family.
Something I thought
I'd lost forever.
And win or lose,
gentlemen,
when you got family
nothing else matters.
But it wasn't supposed
to end like this, Coach.
It's not the ending,
Do Knock.
It's the beginning.
Wait.
You coming back
next year, Coach?
You kidding me?
We did all this work
to come in second?
Second sucks.
(ALL LAUGH)
Damn right.
Come on, let's
huddle up one more time.
On three.
One, two, three!
ALL: Dream Team!
(KOREAN NATIONAL
ANTHEM PLAYING)
ROOSTER: Do we have to
watch that whole thing?
STACY: No.
Yeah, Roo's right.
Take it off.
Hey, you guys needed me. If I
was there, we would have won.
Once an asshole,
always an asshole.
I'm just saying.
Are you for real?
This guy, man.
Second place, there's nothing wrong with it.
It's just second place.
Guys, tell him what
we think about second.
ALL: Second sucks.
(LAUGHS)
It sure does.
I still wish I could have
been there, though, man.
You can be. How much time you
got left on those crutches?
About six weeks, and I'll be ready.
There it is.
For the rest of us, though, since we
got more than three months to prepare,
we should start
rehearsals on Monday.
ALL: What?
Come on, Coach.
We just got back.
Good idea, Coach.
We just got back, Coach.
Really?
Listen up.
My rules are simple.
Practice starts at 6:00 a. m.
Come at 6:01...
(ALL CLAMORING)
I just can't live
anymore like this
My heart just opened
up the door again
Just watch me fly
as I spread my wings
Don't ask me why 'cause
there are too many things.
As your friend As your
friend As your friend
As your friend
I woke up as your friend
I just can't live
anymore like this
My heart just opened
up the door again
Just watch me fly
as I spread my wings
Don't ask me why 'cause
there are too many things
And now we're
standing on the edge
Looking like
"Here we go again"
I used to be your man
but today
I I woke up as your friend I
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)