1
[sighs]
My name is Juanita Lewiston.
I work second shift here at Saint Pete's.
Well, now they call it
Fairdell Medical Center. Whatever.
Ain't like nobody talked to me
about a name change.
I'm still the one cleaning up the messes
these bitches won't clean up theyself.
Hey, girl.
Hi.
Some of the patients are nice though.
Like Ms. Berman here. She's sweet.
But it ain't like I love my job
or nothin'.
It's just work. Five-, six-day weeks.
2:30 in the afternoon,
12:30 at night.
Hey, and it ain't like I'm-I'm sleepin'
and takin' long bubble baths
in between time neither.
'Cause I have a family.
Hey, Ms. Berman.
Hey.
[snoring]
This my grandbaby, Teisha.
Teisha, how'd I get to be a grandmama?
Hmm?
That is something you don't know,
isn't it?
You do not know that.
I'll tell you how. Let me introduce you
to my daughter, Bertie.
My mama told me to wait to have kids,
and I did.
But I should've kept on Waitin'.
I did the best I could, but Bertie,
she dropped out of school,
had this one at 19, and then moved in here
with me and Rashawn,
her brother by another father. [scoffs]
Rashawn just smart enough
to where he ain't got no job,
but he always got a pocket full of money.
He ain't nearly damn smart enough for
witness protection, know what I'm sayin'?
[fussing]
I'm a fuckin' ghetto clich.
And you are my
little ghetto grandbaby doll, ain't you?
Look, it's Swee'pea.
[fussing continues]
[bertie] Mom.
Mom.
Mom!
What?
You smilin' at the TV again.
Ain't nothin' wrong with smilin'.
I like Popeye and Swee'pea.
Ooh!
Teisha, you shit your britches,
didn't you?
Ma, I'm going out. Can you keep her?
Uh-uh.
No. This is my only night off. Come on.
But I ain't been out in two days.
You ain't goin' out tonight neither.
Come get your child.
But I'm dressed.
Where the hell Rashawn?
He not here.
Look, she gonna go right to sleep, okay?
Then you can have this place
all to yourself for once.
All right? I love you. I got to go.
[door opens, closes]
Teisha, your mama's a ho.
[fussing continues]
You know, right?
MAN: [on tv] Juanita.
Look.
JUANITA: Blair Underwood.
Ever since I met you, it's like I'm...
like I'm breathing from a different place.
[blair underwood, juanita moaning]
It's like a drum.
I just want to make you happy, baby.
Can I do that?
[horn honks]
I've been working at this place
for nine years.
My take-home is still $12.50 an hour.
Folks be talkin' about,
Least you got a job.
I understand that.
But I ain't even got time to get nothin'
from Blair Underwood in my dreams.
Vincent, Jacob, hey.
Hey, Juanita.
So fuck me for not countin' my blessings.
How's your other son?
[coughing]
Um
R...
Starts with an R.
Randy.
[chuckles]
He fine, Ms. Berman.
He in prison, but other than that,
he doing real good.
[both laughing]
Well, that's nice. That's nice.
Yeah.
Oh, sorry, here. Yeah.
Okay. So has he made any new friends?
No.
No?
But his triflin' brother Rashawn
probably be joinin' him soon.
So there's that.
[both laugh]
Well, that's great for both of 'em.
Yeah, they can move in together.
Yeah, and pick out curtains.
Oh! Oh!
[snoring]
Ms. Berman used to be a dancer.
[coughing]
She been to Europe a bunch of times.
Nighty-night.
MAN: [on phone] I get in a
workout on the yard every day
with some brothers that's got my back.
I don't get to play ball as much,
'cause that's when I get to the library.
That's good, baby.
That'll make the time go quicker.
[buzzer sounds]
[chuckles]
Ain't nothin'
making time go quick in here, Ma.
I know that.
But you're using the time in a good way.
Yeah.
Better than being a knucklehead, I guess.
That's what I'm talkin' about.
You are a smart brother.
I'm proud of you, Randy. I believe in you.
Thanks, Ma.
Listen.
I was thinking that I might...
I might take a little trip.
I need to go away, Randy.
There's somethin' I got to do.
Where you gonna go?
[sighs] I don't know.
But sometimes I feel like,
if I don't get out of Columbus,
I'll lose my mind.
Damn sure know that feeling.
Do what you got to do.
Okay. Oh...
All right.
I don't know when I'm gonna go,
but when I do,
I will let you know.
All right.
MAN: Time's up. Wrap it up. Let's go.
I got to hang up now.
There's a lot of brothers waiting.
But you go on. And don't worry about me.
Oh, okay.
[chuckles]
I love you, man.
I love you too, Ma.
I got to get back to work.
Hey, how's...
[exhales]
What? Where you goin'?
I-I got some ideas.
You don't even know?
I ain't decided.
Ma, you trippin'.
That's just some bullshit.
No, it ain't.
You need to get yourself a job.
You need to look out for her
and this baby.
Ma, you ain't goin' nowhere.
This ain't real.
The fuck it ain't. Y'all grown!
[groans]
I ain't got to be up here Waitin' on you.
You got to do for yourselves.
And I do not have to tell you
where I'm going or when I'm comin' back.
Matter of fact,
I ain't got to do shit for y'all no more.
[door opens, slams]
Oh, man. Get your baby.
[sighs] Oh, shit.
I still don't know where I'm going.
But after that, I better start packin'.
BLAIR UNDERWOOD: Juanita.
[gasps]
Oh, my.
So Florida?
Absolutely.
But they got hurricanes down there,
Blair Underwood.
And half them folks can't speak English.
[in spanish] Yes.
But Miami is exciting and very fish.
[in english]
Yes, but Miami is exciting and very sexy.
Is that what that mean, baby?
[in spanish] Yes, I fell, my darling mama.
Don't call me mama, Blair Underwood.
[in english] Oh, right.
I ain't your mama.
Right. That's my bad. I'm sorry.
What the fuck's the matter with you?
I don't know. I don't know.
All right. Check it. Come on.
[moaning] What? What?
Come on. There it is.
Ah! Don't hurt yourself.
Don't hurt yourself.
So So you really think
Florida's a good idea?
That I do. And speaking of good ideas
Mm-hmm?
I'm thinkin' we might, um
might try something
a little different tonight.
Oh.
What do you think about that?
What do you have in mind, Blair Underwood?
Well, I might, uh, do a little of this.
[moans]
Mm-hmm.
Uh-oh.
And then I might move this here.
[moans]
Then I'm gonna work on this little bunion.
[giggles]
Ha!
I'm gonna work my way
right on down the line.
But before I go any further
Uh-huh?
There's something
I need to know from you.
My safe word?
[laughing] No.
What I need to know is
Mm-hmm?
Can you front me $50?
What?
No, well, 60. Sixty would be perfect.
No, I cannot front you $60,
Blair Underwood.
It's not for me. [chuckling]
No, it's for a project
I'm doing with Denzel.
Parker, my-my neighbor.
So we need some seed money for this
muffin truck idea that we're developing.
Now, it's a food truck, but just muffins.
Oh, no, no, no. I ain't hearin' this.
Come on, baby. You know I'm good for it.
I don't know that.
Yes, you do! Look, I'm here.
I'm taking care of you.
Come on. All I ask is that you, you know,
you take care of me some, that's all.
Take care of you?
Yeah.
You too?
I got three grown kids
by two deadbeat daddies, Blair Underwood.
All right, I understand.
You want some time to think about it.
I don't need to think about it.
It's cool.
I'll be back.
When?
When you get your mind right
about my proposal.
You believe this shit?
The only man I got
just tried to borrow money from me.
And he ain't even real.
I know one thing. I ain't goin' to Miami.
Matter of fact, let me just see
how far in the opposite direction
I can get
from Miami damn Florida.
Excuse me a minute, darlin'.
Where you gonna go?
West.
Towards
West.
How you gonna get there?
On the bus.
You just gonna get on a bus
and don't know where you goin'?
I... I just haven't decided yet.
Are you sick?
Did you catch the cancer
from one of them patients of yours?
What if you get one of your panic attacks?
You can't... You can't catch cancer.
Listen, my rent is paid up
to the end of next month.
And Bertie is going to need a job, so...
Bertie been needin' a damn job
for a while now.
Instead of sittin' there
letting you wait on her
JUANITA: Now she gonna have to get one.
So if you wanna help her and me,
now's your chance.
Okay. All right.
Thank you.
You're very welcome.
I just came to tell you
that I'm gonna take this trip.
And I'm gonna miss you,
but not that much.
[chuckling]
Not at least for a while.
You think you funny.
I am funny.
No, you're not.
For real though.
What's the matter with you, Juanita?
Rashawn's half a thug.
Bertie's trying to be a ho.
And Randy's the one in prison. Randy.
And I'm not
I'm not doin' any of 'em no good,
and I can't.
I'm just
I'm just nervous and sad
most all the time.
Oh, Kay-Rita,
there's got to be something more
out there for me.
So I'm just gonna go.
I'll call you.
Gonna miss you.
[sighs]
Kay-Rita always talk
about how I spoil my children
and that's why they triflin'.
I hate it when that hussy's right.
[coins clink]
[drumming stops]
I'd like a ticket to Butt.
I believe it's pronounced
Butte, Montana.
Oh, okay. Uh, then one-way to Butte.
Yes, ma'am. That'll be $197.
Is it nice there? In Butte?
I don't know. I don't think I've even sold
a ticket from here to Butte.
I'm the first?
Mm-hmm.
Do you have family there?
Oh, no.
If I had family there, you still wouldn't
have sold your first ticket to Butte.
Thank you. Have a good day.
[chorus] Go Greyhound
And leave the driving to us
A turkey leg and some slaw.
[sniffs] Still good.
When you smoke 'em, it stays fresh.
Mm-hmm.
[straw slurping]
I don't need to find Jesus, Mama.
Jesus need to find me.
'Cause I didn't do nothin' other than
get in the car with one of his friends.
He don't usually carry no gun.
I wouldn't have got in the car
if I knew he carried one.
JUANITA: I know. I know, baby. Look.
That's why I'm tellin' you, just go
about the business of finding Jesus.
Oh, please.
Shh.
Now that way you're gonna be with folks
that's doing that instead of bad stuff.
[man knocks]
Time's up. Let's wrap it up now.
I'm gonna do my time my way.
[buzzer sounds]
Y'all need to go.
I'm gonna come see you, every month.
Every month I'm coming to see you.
You ain't got to do that, Mama.
I love you.
I'm gonna be all right.
Oh, shit.
DRIVER: [on pa]
Louisville. Next stop, Louisville.
[snoring]
[straw slurping]
JUANITA:
Lord, is all of Kansas this flat?
You must be going crazy
from all them lines on the road.
Somebody wake the driver!
JUANITA: And leave
the driving to us
Oh, hell.
I'm gonna need elder care
before we get off this bus.
DRIVER: Denver, Colorado.
Oh!
Who? What?
[breathing heavily]
Driver. Excuse me.
Excuse me, please.
I bought the wrong ticket.
I-I needed a city, like LA, Dallas,
the-the one where
all the Waiting to Exhale girls are from.
Oh, yeah. Phoenix. Yeah.
Phoenix! Phoenix!
Wait, you read Waiting to Exhale?
You know, I live in Phoenix.
Used to be people moved there
for their health. Not anymore.
Oh, hey. Excuse me.
Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
You're connecting to Butte, right?
Well... I just saw that on a map.
But the mountains, they're just too big.
I can't go up in them mountains.
You just need somebody to talk you
through it. Have a good trip, all right?
Oh!
All right.
You're gonna get your butt
back on that bus,
or you ain't nothin'
but a little punk-ass bitch.
[toilet flushes]
[clears throat]
I'd do what she says.
[door opens]
[door closes]
[rock music playing]
[juanita, thinking] Juanita
[quietly] My sweet Chiquita
Juanita
My sweet Chiquita
What are you up to?
My Juanita
I said Juanita
My sweet Juanita
What are you up to?
My Juanita
My Juanita
My sweet Chiquita
What are you up to?
My Juanita
'Cause there's a fat man
In the bathtub
With the blues
I hear you moan
I hear you moan
I hear you moan
[record scratch, music stops]
[whispering] What are you up to?
What are you up to?
[sighs]
DRIVER: Butte, Montana.
[bell clanging]
[train whistle blowing]
[door opens]
Huh. Guess you ain't
a punk-ass bitch after all.
I guess I ain't.
What's your name?
Juanita. What's yours?
Peaches.
Hey, Peaches. I'm Juanita Lewiston.
Mind if I sit?
Yeah. I mean, come on.
The pot roast is decent here.
What are you havin'?
I'll have the pot roast.
And I'll have a...
[chuckles]
That girl don't approve of me.
I ain't so sure about you neither.
Well, that's all right.
Still got a chance with you.
Uh, you are mistaken.
[laughs] I'm just playing.
Besides, you ain't my type anyway.
Mind if I smoke?
They let you smoke in here?
Well, technically, no.
But we're in Montana.
You know, folks here think
they should have the right to drink,
smoke, drive, and shoot a gun
all at the same time.
But God forbid my hand ends up in your
pants, or suddenly everybody's in danger.
You want one?
I quit.
But I am gonna order a drink. Excuse me.
I'd like a cold beer
and a shot of bourbon,
and whatever Peaches is drinking.
Mmm.
Well, I got to drive this big,
hard, powerful truck
through a long, wet, sleepless night.
So I guess I'll have a Cherry Coke.
[laughing] Oh, shit.
I got some stories.
What was the charge?
Attempted murder.
But you just said Randy didn't know
the gun was in the car.
It don't matter.
The prosecutor said Randy knew
the boy was in a gang.
So once he got in the car,
it amount to the same thing.
What?
Look.
We talkin' about my neighborhood,
all right?
Some of the kids
that my kids grew up with is in gangs.
Most of 'em ain't.
Some of 'em carry guns. Most of 'em don't.
But as far as the police is concerned,
they're all suspects 'cause they black
and they know each other.
Hmm.
They get the young ones
convicted of something,
and then they don't have
to go sort niggas out at the precinct.
You know, you get a rap sheet, you ain't
gettin' a job except for with the gang.
The police is puttin' more kids
in the gangs than the goddamn gangsters.
White people don't want to believe that
'cause it ain't happenin' where they live.
I believe you.
Oh, please, girl, do not get me started
about right and wrong.
What, you ain't gotten started?
[both laugh]
My shift is over.
Feel free to tip.
What, for this crap?
Juanita, something tells me
Butte was not your final destination.
No, but I hadn't planned
on going further tonight.
I know a place that's a little friendlier.
Why don't you let me give you a ride?
I'm right behind you.
Come on.
PEACHES: Bye, darlin'.
[hip-hop: woman rapping]
[grunts]
Whoa.
You got a whole world up in here.
Welcome.
A whole world.
Do you like my rig?
Tonight, I do.
[hip-hop fades]
[country: woman singing]
Well, if you wanna float off to sleep,
you can crawl back to my rack back there,
catch a wink or two.
[peaches chuckling]
Juanita, I got to ask you something.
Why did you get on that bus
in the first place?
'Cause if I'd have stayed, I'd end up
hating the people I'm supposed to love.
And I damn sure wasn't going to Miami.
Miami?
Yeah.
It's a long story.
I just needed a place
to be on my own for a while.
PEACHES: Well, I think
I've got you covered.
[peaches humming]
Hello, I'm Blair Underwood.
[r&b playing]
And, bam!
There it is.
Ladies, do you want to put
some emotion into your lotion?
Motion into your lotion? Then try me.
Try Sexy by me.
Because I'm-I'm sexy.
I'm... What? I'm workin' here.
You're in my shot.
Your shot?
I'm talk... Come on!
You triflin'!
[juanita groaning]
[muttering]
Fuck! Fuck!
[groaning]
PEACHES: Well, good morning.
Sorry. I was dreaming.
Yeah. Cussing up a storm too.
At a man, I presume?
He ain't even real.
[engine shuts off]
Where is this?
[peaches chuckles]
Where is this?
Welcome to Paper Moon.
Oh, Peaches, this is the dead-up sticks.
This is the place I was telling you about.
Don't let the outside fool you.
The cook knows what he's doing.
Uh, don't stay at the motel.
The manager's a peeper.
There's a boardinghouse up yonder.
Old gal named Millie owns it.
That's where I stay when I come through.
Don't worry. She takes all kinds.
Uh, here's my card.
I get through these parts
every couple weeks or so.
So call me. Or, you know, don't.
It's, you know, whatever.
[taps]
[peaches chuckles]
Hey. Good luck, all right?
Thanks.
[truck honks]
[rooster crows]
[accordion music]
MAN: And the bear says,
You didn't really come here to hunt,
did you?
[men laughing]
[men chattering]
MAN: Hello.
Hey.
Hi.
Hey.
Coffee?
Oh, yes, please.
Let me know if you need help with that.
Wait...
It's French.
Oh.
Well, I just want fried eggs,
crispy bacon, hash browns, and some OJ.
The special this morning
is croque monsieur
with capers and smoked salmon.
That don't sound like breakfast.
Or eggs Benedict.
It's two poached eggs, Canadian bacon
on English muffin with Hollandaise sauce.
Okay. I don't do poached.
Can you just fry 'em up?
We don't do substitutions.
Well, we could, but he
Can I talk to him?
Can I watch?
Mom!
Oh, Jess?
Yeah.
Good morning. How can I help you?
Morning.
Could I please have some fried eggs,
crispy bacon, and hash browns?
Our menu doesn't include that.
I can offer you an eggs Benedict.
Um, thanks, but I don't do poached.
They don't agree with me.
Could you just flip 'em over,
fry 'em medium,
butter the muffins, and hold the sauce?
[men chuckling]
MAN: Here it comes.
We do have the herb omelet
with andouille sausage and a croissant.
A croissant sounds good.
But what I really would like is
some regular whole wheat toast
with my fried eggs and bacon.
Ma'am
Juanita Lewiston.
Jess Gardiner. This is my place.
Oh, it's really quiet.
I don't do substitutions, so
I ain't askin' you to substitute.
Just rearrange the ingredients
so they come out like breakfast.
I'll drink to that.
Dear God, sweet music.
Mr. Gardiner,
I just rode seven hours in a big truck
with a lady named Peaches
who speaks very highly of your cookin'.
I'm so tired. And I'm hungry.
And I would really appreciate
you fryin' me some eggs, please.
Ma'am, this is my restaurant.
I'm not a short-order cook.
See, that might be the problem
right there.
I mean, no offense,
but something is wrong up in here.
I mean, it's the only place for miles.
It's cute as hell.
Y'all should have lines out the door.
[server] True that.
I'm establishing a fine dining experience.
It takes time for that.
Well, I don't know about fine dining.
But it's 7:00 in the morning.
This here is a diner.
That's what I'm talkin' about.
Lady's making a point.
Yeah, you know what, Jess?
You make a really good cup of coffee.
There ain't no ifs, ands,
and buts about that.
And the crescents that you make,
those are pretty damn good too.
But I think I speak for the little lady
and pretty much everyone
around here when I say
we do not want French cuisine breakfast.
Period. Don't want it.
And if I have to spend another winter
chewing on my wife's frozen waffles,
I might as well go ahead and shoot myself
in the head and put myself out of misery.
Geez, Drew. Come on.
I don't want that on my conscience.
Well, then deal with it.
So all of a sudden
nobody likes my cooking?
[in french] Tell the truth, my friend.
[jess stammers]
Well, Juanita. Since you started all this,
why don't I lend you an apron?
Excuse me?
Or are you here on vacation?
Not really.
But I don't know how long I'm staying.
Then stay as long as you like.
I'll pay you on a trial basis
to cook breakfast for one week.
Two weeks. Cash.
All right.
I'll have my niece Mignon
and her mother, Mary, show you the layout.
Fine.
Fine.
What can I do to help?
You could go ask those guys
how they like their eggs.
Tell 'em after they've ate
to go spread the word.
Black lady cookin' at the diner.
Okay.
Bacon, butter, biscuits for everybody.
Y'all got biscuits, don't you?
We've got the ingredients.
Well, then.
Go on.
Okay.
Okay.
I have stepped into some shit.
I got to say, nice job in there, Juanita.
Mm-hmm.
Want one?
I quit.
So did I.
You shouldn't stay at that motel.
The guy there likes to peep.
I'm aware.
[chuckles]
Millie's boardinghouse is a lot better.
Just let her know you're working with me.
She'll give you a discount.
This is the biggest littlest place
that I have ever been.
Well, it's a shame
that you're scared of the outdoors.
I'll be all right.
Come on.
I'll take you to Millie's.
Oh, you don't have to.
Just take it off. I'll take you.
Thanks.
Thanks for the tasty breakfast.
You're welcome.
I wish I knew
how to poach an egg properly.
Well I'd be happy
to be the first to show you.
But I'm sure you need to freshen up.
Asshole.
I mix water and vinegar.
I don't care for vinegar.
The vinegar you don't taste.
It's just to keep the egg together.
Then I slowly turn it around.
I like to plump up the egg
to make it look like
White girls' titties.
Okay.
Well, we'll cover it up.
Then we grab the salade.
Salad?
Yes.
And then we reach for the titties.
Correct. Yes.
Dip them in the ice-cold water,
so it stops the cooking process.
And then I take it out.
Put it there.
Take off the excess moisture.
You add your garnish, voil.
Bon apptit.
Same to you.
WOMAN: Hey.
Oh!
Be right back with the cash, Mountain.
Hey.
Hey.
I'm the deputy sheriff around here.
Deputy sheriff?
Mm-hmm. They call me Mountain.
I'm Juanita.
Hi, Juanita.
Here you go.
I'm off duty.
See you.
See you later.
None of my business.
No, it's just that I've had problems
with credit and
It's a long story. Try the eggs.
Okay. It's good.
[beeping]
[groaning]
[beeping]
[groaning]
[beeps]
[beeps]
MIGNON: Jess won't be in today.
Why not?
It's E day.
It's the day my brother reminds everyone
he's just another drunk Indian.
He's what you call a binge alcoholic.
He's getting a lot better.
How do you figure?
He talks in whole sentences now.
[scoffs] Not to me.
Well, yeah.
Okay, what the fuck's E day?
Desert Storm, on this day 23 years ago.
He won't let it go.
And what,
everybody in town knows what E day is?
Well, it's a small town.
Pretty much.
I thought he might've trashed the place
like he did last year, but
Well, even he knows
he can't afford to do that again.
Where does Jess live?
[sighs]
Oh, shit.
Jess?
[country music in distance, man singing]
Jess?
But that wind never stops
Woo!
Nashville was nothing
Like I'd ever seen
Hey.
Juanita.
Jess, your hand.
I wasn't expecting anyone.
Where's your first aid?
Were you lookin' for me?
Won't you please
[stereo shuts off]
JUANITA: Jesus, shut up.
I'm not gonna be covering for you
every time you lose your mind
'cause of some guy named Eddie
or whatever other shit you got goin' on.
How do you know about Eddie?
Apparently the whole town knows.
It's like it's a holiday around here.
If I'd have known, I could've slept in.
I didn't ask you to come see me.
I can take care of myself.
Yeah, this is you taking care of yourself?
You don't know about anything.
Huh? I know enough to know
that you ain't right.
Look here. I've seen bodies.
Boys that I've known
since they were in Pampers.
[groaning]
Was it your fault?
Did you tell them, It's clear.
You can walk through.
I checked. There's no live ones?
Then ten feet later
his body parts were everywhere.
Eddie had my back. I should've had his.
Well, now you can't.
So you got to look after yourself.
Yeah?
[horn honks]
My ride.
I have to get back to work.
Wait, how did you get here?
I walked.
I done told you already.
I don't know where she is.
And I wouldn't tell you if I did.
[phone ringing]
Hello?
JUANITA: Kay-Rita.
I'm gone five minutes
and you miss me already?
Hey, girl. What's up?
What's wrong? What happened?
Nothin'. Everything's fine.
Bertie's fine. The baby's fine.
Is that her?
Rashawn's still dumb as dirt.
What happened?
Let me talk to her. Mama. Mama.
Hey.
How you doin'?
I'm fine, Rashawn. How are you?
You know how it is.
I've been, like, thinking,
you know what I'm sayin'?
[scoffs] How's that going for you?
What you thinking about, man?
For real. I'm lookin' to make a change,
and like,
get out of the game for real, you know?
Oh, really? That's good.
Yeah. No doubt. For real, right?
But I'm gonna need,
you know, just like,
some dollars, you know,
to help me make this transition
in my life.
The transition from jail to bail.
And that transition ain't happenin'.
I'm tryin' to talk to Mama.
You tryin' to go in her pocketbook.
You believe this?
She ain't got time for that.
Let me talk.
Juanita.
He gettin' out the game
because he got a warrant and he's scared.
No I ain't.
Look, he is still my baby, Kay-Rita.
You said yourself your baby's half a thug.
Well, he got a choice now.
He gonna be a whole thug
or he got to get out for real.
You just got to
let this thing play out, girl.
The police is here.
Let me talk to him.
Yeah, all right.
Mama?
Rashawn, shut up and listen to me.
I know you scared.
And when you get inside,
you're gonna be even more scared
and you're not gonna be thinking right.
And when that happens,
I want you to stop and think,
What would Randy do?
And you do that. You hear me?
Your brother's gonna be fine,
and you are gonna be fine.
You just
You have to keep your mind right.
You understanding me, Rashawn?
Yeah. I hear you.
Okay.
I love you.
Love you too. I got to go.
[police radio chatter]
[accordion music]
Garnish, garnish, garnish.
Got it. Got it.
Orders are backing up here.
[jess chuckling]
Everybody ready?
Hell yeah.
Juanita, ready?
Wait, wait.
What powwow?
I'll tell you on the way. Come on.
Hey. On the way to where?
You know what? It's up in the middle
of the mountains, ain't it?
I know 'cause I looked it up
on the Google.
Google.
[mary laughing] Right.
Maybe you could tweet it to us
so we know how to get there.
JUANITA: You know what?
Fuck all y'all.
MARY: It's gonna be fun. We're gonna
be feeding a bunch of hungry Indians.
JESS: And don't worry,
I got your wheelie bag of bricks.
JUANITA: Shut up.
JESS: You shut up.
JUANITA: You shut up.
[jess laughs]
Go!
Dusty.
How are you, buddy?
I'm good.
Right on. Pleasure. Where should we park?
Uh, right on up there.
All right. I'll see you in a bit.
See you in a little bit.
[chanting]
MIGNON: Keep the wings coming.
[chanting continues]
Jess! Jess!
JESS: Yeah?
Jess. Come here.
Yeah?
Give me your arm.
Take me over there, please.
I need to sit inside.
Okay. Well, just have a seat here and
No. I'm telling you, I need to go inside.
Okay.
My heart's racing. I can't breathe.
Jess, I can't... I can't breathe.
Just listen to the drums.
Yeah. Yeah.
Feel your heart beat.
Yes.
[panting]
Better?
Mm-hmm.
We're gonna say a short prayer over you
and bless you and cleanse you up.
And then we'll sing a song
for your spirit to heal you.
[man chanting]
We ask the Creator to help us
[group chanting]
To bless us and watch over you.
We ask all the spirits of the earth
to come and help you.
We ask the old people, our holy people,
the ones that passed on,
to come and help you.
So all your energy
that will go inside the smoke
will go into the Creator's world,
so that you think of all the things
that will help you,
all your relatives that come and help you.
As we sing this song for them,
we call on their spirits
to come in and give you a hand.
We cleanse your body
so you can travel in a good way.
Your life will be good again.
It's up to you to keep it that way.
Thank you.
[drums, bells]
[chanting]
[calls out]
[music stops]
[groaning]
Mornin'.
Mornin'.
Seen Juanita?
No.
Wishing she was sleeping with you
in your bed there?
Thought she was bunking with you
last night.
Well, she was. But she's not there now.
And I didn't know whether you and her had
It's not such a crazy idea, is it?
She went that way.
All right. Thanks for the coffee.
[grunts]
JESS: So what's wrong?
JUANITA: I wish I hadn't gone
this far from my kids.
I miss 'em so much.
But I wasn't doing any of 'em any good.
JESS: You got to do
what's right for you.
Do you know what you've done for me?
Look, you've helped
turn my business around.
And you patched me up the other day.
I... I appreciate you, Juanita.
Come on. I'll take you back.
Don't want people to think you're crazy.
What are you all smiling for?
The food that good?
I'm hungry.
You hungry?
I love that hair color.
Thank you.
[all laughing]
Oh, man.
What's up with you?
It's my shoulder. It's just out of place.
It needs something to rest on.
All right.
You better not get us in a wreck.
I'm the one out of my belt.
We can share my seat belt.
Shut up.
No, you shut up.
Ooh!
Hey.
[mignon makes kissing sounds]
Carl!
Oh.
[juanita, jess moaning]
[stereo: acoustic guitar]
All right.
Oh, my.
JESS: Oh, my God.
[buzzing]
[jess groaning]
Jess.
Jess.
[whimpering]
Jess. Hey.
[shouting]
Jess, hey! Shh!
Breathe, breathe, breathe.
Okay? Hey.
[groaning]
Shh.
You all right?
Oh, Juanita
Yeah?
Oh, goddamn.
This terrible dream
Yeah, yeah, I got that.
God, I could use a drink.
Okay. All right.
You go ahead and get one,
and I will be on my way.
What? No. I...
I don't want one. It just helps to say it.
Well, that's bullshit.
See, that's puttin' it on me,
so when you drink, then it's my fault.
I know the territory.
I ain't sticking around for it, Jess.
I... Hey.
I wouldn't do that to you.
You don't know that.
That's true. I'm sorry.
Look, I do want a drink.
But I'm not gonna.
I want you to trust me.
I don't know if I can.
Well, that's fair.
Can I make you some breakfast?
You know they put us together as a joke.
The Blackfoot Montana Indian
and the black kid from Newark.
Thank you.
Welcome.
Before we went to the Gulf,
we already had plans
to work together after the army.
I was gonna show him how to cook.
[sighs]
I think that's why I like black people.
I told Randy not to get in the car
with those knuckleheads.
I been telling him that
since before he was old enough
to cross the street by himself.
And he'd always say,
Yes, ma'am. I won't.
But he did. He made a mistake.
So did Eddie.
It's not our fault, Jess.
Voil, breakfast amricain.
Bon apptit.
Thank you.
I like you.
I like you too.
But
But what?
We ought to take this slow.
I don't know, Juanita.
You know me. I enjoy the fast lane. I'm...
Jess, I ain't playin'.
I mean, I wanna keep moving.
Then keep moving.
I'll be here when you come back.
Bullshit.
What?
Do you mean that?
Yeah, I think so.
You think so?
Well, yeah, I mean it.
You don't believe me.
Why the fuck should I believe you?
I mean, this is all nice,
but drunk motherfucker in the kitchen,
he ain't so nice.
And what about you,
always stumbling everywhere?
The black woman
who always has her guard up.
No one's perfect.
But no one wants to be alone.
I don't mind it.
I took this trip to be on my own,
and this certainly is not my last stop.
I'm going to California to see the ocean.
And I want you to see it.
But when you come back,
you better take that bug out of your ass.
Maybe I will, and maybe I won't.
Man, I miss you already.
Hey, welcome back.
Hey.
Juanita, you look great.
Doesn't she?
What'd you do, get a makeover?
Wow.
No.
I think our secret is out.
Oh, God.
[stereo: country]
Don't give me no wine or red roses
[laughing]
Don't give me no fancy work of art
I'm working. I'm working. Stop.
Don't give me no candy
No fine Chemineaud brandy
No, no, come on.
Just give me the key to your heart
Shh, shh.
No.
Yeah.
[song continues]
I'm not ready for all this.
Ready for what?
This.
MAN: I don't need no money
No sugar, jam, or honey
Just give me the key to your heart
[humming]
Mama?
[screams]
Randy! What-What are you doing here?
Did you escape?
No, I'm out on parole. [chuckles]
You know, they have so many brothers
locked up, somethin' had to give.
And I've been doing good,
staying busy like we talked about.
[laughs] Oh!
Oh...
How did you get here?
On the bus, same as you.
Mountain just dropped me off
from town, so
Morning, Miss Juanita.
[shrieks]
[both laughing]
Oh, my God.
Why didn't you tell me you were coming?
[laughing] Surprise.
I'll be damned. Oh, my God.
Ma, Ma, Ma.
What?
I'm hungry.
Oh, hell. Yeah, let's go. Oh! Oh!
Hey, everybody. This is
You got to be Randy.
Hey, how you doing, Mr. Gardiner?
Call me Jess.
How you doing, Jess?
Too late for breakfast.
I can offer you coffee.
Shut up. I got you covered. I got you.
Hey. Here. I got
I'll keep five. I'll have the rest to you
when I'm able, all right?
That's all right. Long trip?
Long, yeah.
All right. This is, uh...
Drew. How was the bus ride?
Long.
You had no right
to keep it a secret from me, Jess.
It wasn't my decision.
Oh, bullshit.
He didn't want you to know.
Why not?
'Cause he knew you'd get anxious
waiting for him all weekend.
No. He knew you was buyin' him a ticket.
I loaned him that money.
He said he'd buy the ticket himself.
And you wanted me to come out
and cook for y'all all weekend.
What? Jesus.
Yeah, yeah.
You want to be the man,
keepin' my black ass in your kitchen.
What? Now you're making things up.
Dragging me out in the middle of nowhere.
Drag you?
Mmm.
Juanita, there is no possible way
that I could ever make you do anything.
Hey! [pounds] I wish you'd go ahead
and just yell at each other
so I can go back to sleep.
It's noisier than prison. Shit.
All this whispering is what woke me up.
Oh, and, Ma,
I told him not to tell you I was coming.
Good night.
Night.
[train whistle blows in distance]
Now can we go to bed?
Let's try this again.
Okay.
The vinegar in the water
is to keep the egg together.
Twirl it around like the whirlpool.
Okay.
All right. Just like that. That's good.
Okay.
Crack it, keep it close
'cause it's gonna suck it in the middle.
There you go.
Okay.
Voil. So keep at it, and, uh
be better than your last five eggs.
Say hi to your big mama, Tee.
Hey!
Go on, now. Say hi. Well, at least wave.
Tee!
I told Bertie I wasn't gonna hire her
if she was gonna be late or lazy.
Tell your mama what you said, Bertie.
I told her, I said,
I don't need no job from you, Kay-Rita,
'cause I got me a job at the Kroger.
Ooh-hoo! Go on, girl!
And she wasn't lyin', either.
Got her a job!
And last week
they made me assistant manager.
Damn. A manager? Oh, girl.
Teisha, quit. Lord, this baby is strong.
Bye, Teisha. Bye, baby.
She doin' real good, Juanita.
Maybe I oughta leave home more often.
[laughing]
I guess so. When you coming back?
[sighs] Not for a while.
Oh. You like living in What is it?
Paper Cup? Paper Towel? What is it?
Paper Moon, fool.
Paper Moon. Right.
Girl, I can't even find it on the Google.
That's 'cause it's just little.
See, I couldn't do that.
Why not?
It's bigger than your neighborhood.
Oh, so now it's my neighborhood? Shit.
You was livin' here six weeks ago.
And you just gonna what,
live in Paper Plate the rest of your life?
[juanita laughing]
Look here, when Randy showed up,
the black population
of Paper Moon doubled.
If y'all come, all the white folks
just might up and move out.
Then it'd just be us and the Indians.
We'd have the whole place to ourselves.
Speaking of Indians,
tell me about Cochise.
[laughs]
Jess Gardiner.
He's nice and good and all that shit.
But I don't wanna talk about him.
Why not?
Because my trip ain't over.
And if I come back here
after I go to California
then we can talk about Jess Gardiner.
Oh. All right.
Now. No stalling. Where Rashawn at?
KAY-RITA: Well, he out of jail.
He on probation
'cause he's a first-time offender.
But he's got to do
100 hours of community service
or else he going back to jail.
I don't know if he gonna
stay off them corners though.
I mean, I just don't know.
JUANITA: Hey, I believe he will.
Hey. Rita, I got to go.
How I look?
Oh, you look good, girl!
Ooh!
Did you get a makeover or somethin'?
Ha, ha!
Or somethin'.
[laughing]
Bye-bye, my sister.
Come on, y'all. Come on. Say, Bye.
Thank you.
[bertie] Bye. Say, Bye.
Bye.
Okay, who had the trout amandine?
Millsy says he caught this up in Alaska.
Huh.
Oh, bullshit.
[chuckles]
[mignon exhales]
Hey, Peaches.
Hey, sug'.
Hey, fellas. How's it hangin'?
Good.
Lower and lower.
Springtime fresh.
Comfy.
PEACHES: Hey, girl.
Mary, what's the specials today?
Trout amandine,
medallions with beef on pommes frites,
and Mediterranean smothered chicken.
All right.
I'll have all of them and a Diet Coke.
Gimme the chicken.
Glad to see nothing's changed.
JESS: Pickup!
PEACHES: Hey, Jess.
You're looking nice.
Two more and a poached egg salad.
Salade des ufs. Say it.
Salade des oof.
[groans]
I say it for the customers.
PEACHES: Say it to me.
I love when you talk dirty.
MARY: Oh, Lord.
[mignon laughs]
Ordering Mediterranean smothered chicken
for Peaches.
Chicken. Got it. Poulet touff.
Who's the new cook?
JESS: Randy, come meet Peaches.
This is Juanita's oldest son.
Well, hello, Juanita's oldest son.
Speaking of dates,
how's my new girlfriend?
Your girlfriend?
[jess sighs]
I have to go get her.
Peaches, make yourself useful.
Don't forget the eggs.
Eggs! Sh...
Come on, woman. I got no time.
You also ain't got no manners.
[chuckles]
Just get in.
I don't know why, but I'm gonna miss you.
Then don't go.
You know, I've been to California.
All the people there are shallow.
Oh, yeah. I forgot.
You all deep and shit.
Hell yeah.
JESS: Eyes closed.
Keep 'em closed.
They're closed.
[juanita giggles]
All right. There you go.
JUANITA: Oh... [laughs]
I got you.
Oh, God.
There we go.
I'm getting dizzy. [giggles]
We got it. Watch out!
[yells]
That's not funny.
Close your eyes.
I'm getting dizzy.
All right. Here we are.
Hold it.
Open your eyes. Now, I will be here.
And this place will be here
whenever you wanna come back.
Voil. Chez J and J.
That's nice. It's nice.
And they will too.
Surprise!
[cheering]
PEACHES: Yeah!
[hooting]
Get a room!
Close your eyes.
California, here we come.
Come on, girl.
DREW: Peaches, you got some precious
cargo there now. You take care of her.
Have a safe trip.
[truck honking]
[chuckles] I knew it.
I knew that if I waited long enough,
you'd come back to me, Juanita.
Hey, Blair Underwood.
Hey!
[murmurs]
Ain't it a little early for that?
Nah, it's the weekend.
It's Tuesday morning.
Right. Well, it's Tuesday brunch.
It's a Hollywood thing.
[chuckles] You want some?
No.
Here.
No, you go ahead.
All right.
So look here, Juanita.
Uh, so this whole you-and-me thing
ain't gonna work out no more, huh?
Nope. Not a chance.
All right. I'm good with that.
Say, Juanita, you remember
that cooking show I told you about?
Mm-hmm. I remember.
Cooking with Blair Underwood.
Right? Right?
So, we've run into a little bit
of what I call a cash flow problem.
I got to go, Blair Underwood.
Oh, okay. Sure.
Juanita?
You look really nice.
Did you get a makeover or something?
Ha!
Somethin' like that.
[soundtrack: r&b]
WOMAN: I give you a
thumbs-up, a high five
I got my deuces
And I got a big, bright smile
I feel alive
I occupy my space
And activate my mind
I say what I wanna say
I got nothin' in my way, hey
I get into it
I get into it
I can't get it outta my head
I'm into it
I'm feelin' like myself again
I feel like everyone's a friend
We all need one of them days
One of them days every now and then
Just feels good
Little peace of mind
Not a cloud in the sky
Just feels good
Even the sunshine's feelin' my vibe
I got sunglasses on my happy face
I feel 100 percent up in this place
I give you a fist bump
Say, What's up?
I take it from a midday stride
To a midnight strut
Hands down, right here, right now
I got the hottest ticket in town
'Cause I'm cool, cool
Whatever I do, cool
Whether I'm solo
Or I'm rollin' with the crew, crew
I get into it
I get into it
I can't get it outta my head
I'm into it
I'm feelin' like myself again
I feel like everyone's a friend
We all need one of them days
One of them days every now and then
Just feels good
Little peace of mind
Not a cloud in the sky
Just feels good
Even the sunshine's feelin' my vibe
I got sunglasses on my happy face
I feel 100 percent up in this place
[chorus vocalizing]
A thumbs-up, high five
A peace sign, a fat smile
I feel alive
Just feels good
[chorus vocalizing]
Little peace of mind
Not a cloud in the sky
Just feels good
Even the sunshine's feelin' my vibe
I got sunglasses on my happy face
I feel 100 percent up in this place
A thumbs-up, high five
A peace sign, a fat smile
I feel alive
I feel alive
Yeah
A thumbs-up, high five
A peace sign, a fat smile
I feel alive
I feel alive
Activate my mind, my mind
I get into it
Feels good
[chorus vocalizing]
Just feels good
[chorus vocalizing, clapping]
Feels good
Just feels good
[song ends]