1
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]
NARRATOR: These racks
and shelves
contain a lot of books.
Tens of thousands.
Hundreds of thousands.
Perhaps millions.
How do you feel about them?
Do they mean something to you?
Are they your friends?
Have you a real love
of books and learning?
You do? That's good.
Now, do you like people
and do people like you?
Do you like
all kinds of people?
The young as well as the old?
People in all stations of life?
You do? That's wonderful.
Because when you have these
two important qualifications,
love for books
and love for people,
you may well consider
the vocation of a librarian,
a vocation that gives
full enjoyment to the librarian
and radiates it to the public.
Whoo whoo whoo
Burn the books
Weaponize
Burn them all
Weaponize
If you hate their history
erase their history
Weaponize
Remove monuments
Leave no trace
of their existence
They say we lucky
just to make it out
I made it out
now here we go again
I could see the sky open up
While I feel
the doors closing in
They got you livin'
on a timeline
With your body
and your mind dyin'
I ain't goin' out
without a bang
I'm fittin'
to weaponize Einstein
I have a bug in my head
Like what you gonna do
with those thoughts?
Medicate? Drink?
Put a gun to my brain?
Feel sorry for myself
'til I blow this mother
Black Collar
Yo television go private
Wi-Fi list got me
on the terror no-fly list
'Cause I might just
like this dynamite shit
Boom vendettas make you
fight better
You know the haters
is the motivators
Okay
I use my enemies for energy
As we ridin' up elevators
On my way to meet
the Kennedys
The Rothschilds
and the Gandhis
The Al Amoudis
in the Middle East
Let's go to war
for a little peace
We go to war
for a little peace
I'm non-emotional
I'm a soldier
So see the pain in my eyes
We very volatile
Like a Molotov
firefly through the sky
In this country
'tis of thee
- Good morning, Nick.
- Good morning, Mr. Goodson.
I see God
in the devil's eye
What the hell you lookin' at?
ATHENA: Because of the Jews.
The Jews don't want me in here.
- Athena?
- Oh, thank God you're here.
This man won't let me in.
He's one of them, you know.
- One of whom?
- The tribe. The Jews.
Athena, nobody is trying
to stop you
from going into the library
when we open,
but the Jews have nothing
to do with it.
I get it.
[CHUCKLES] You're Jewish too.
Athena, keep this up,
and I promise
you will not be allowed back
in the library for six months.
- Is that what you want?
- No, no, no. I don't want that.
Morning.
- Cold enough for you, Ernesto?
- I'm from Jalisco, bro.
I'm takin' my ass back to Mexico
if this cold keeps up.
No, you're not.
- Have a good one, man.
- You, too, man.
You got ten more minutes.
Ten minutes.
- Good morning, Mr. Anderson.
- Mr. Goodson.
Why is there a polar bear
in the library, sir?
The Natural History Museum
is under renovation temporarily.
I asked if we could house
part of their collection.
Say hello to Beary White.
Hello, Beary.
When, uh,
when you have a moment,
I need to speak to you.
I have a moment right now.
Board of trustees room, noon.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
- I'm not late.
- Uh-huh.
- I'm not!
- Myra time.
It's metro time.
The public transportation
in this city
runs like a broken clock.
You make enough money
to buy a car.
Right, I can be like every other
self-centered individual,
that just wants to drive
all over the country
and ruin the environment
and not care about
their carbon footprint.
You're so fashionably green.
[SIGHS] I'm committed
to doing my part, Stuart.
What about you?
Posting a meme on Facebook
doesn't make you
an activist, Myra.
Besides, it's not like
I drive to work in an SUV.
You still drive to work
when there's adequate
public transportation.
Which gets you to work late
every day.
So says you.
You've seen our new polar bear?
Kind of hard to miss.
I think it's rather appropriate,
because I think
we are the new polar bear.
Me, you, everyone,
unless we start
actually doing something
about our carbon footprint.
Myra, if you don't wanna
leave a carbon footprint
you're gonna have to stand
in one place
for the rest of your life.
Oh, and you're also gonna
need to stop
eating, drinking and breathing.
I will if you will.
What,
is this your third request?
- Fourth.
- Mm.
I know you're my supervisor.
I am trying to be respectful.
I don't wanna go over your head,
but, Stuart,
I will if I have to.
Why do you wanna transfer
off this floor so badly?
I want more literature.
Well, then go hang out down in
Arts and Lit on your lunchbreak.
I wanna be around more
of my literary heroes.
This guy.
"Wherever there's a fight
so hungry people can eat,
I'll be there."
My tenth grade crush.
Good old Johnny Steinbeck.
You know, it's all drunks
and crazy people down in Lit.
Which is so different
than up here?
I'm talking about the authors.
Incoming.
WOMAN ANNOUNCER: Welcome
to the Downtown
Cincinnati Public Library.
Good morning, Dave.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]
So explain to me again,
how do you make cheesecake
without the cheese?
I substitute the cheese
with condensed milk is how.
Oh, I don't believe it.
Ain't nobody never heard
of no cheesecake
without the cheese, Smutts.
Cheese was invented
by the Chinese 3000 years ago.
ALL: Hail, Caesar.
I don't have to prove anything
to any of you.
I learned how to make it
when I was in the Navy.
The United States Navy
sailed its first ships in 1492.
ALL: Hail, Caesar.
Hey, I heard two more people
froze to death last night
in Northside.
I don't know why they don't just
let us stay here
when it gets this cold.
- Yeah. You know, he's right.
- Yeah.
We should just stay right here
when it gets this cold.
They're not gonna turn
the library into a flophouse
for alcoholics, Smutts.
I haven't had a drink
in two weeks.
- That's a lie.
- That's a miracle!
That's a lie, Smutts.
You and me, we had some beer
a few days ago.
- See, see, I knew it.
- Oh, come on, man.
I knew you was full of shit
with that no drinkin' shit.
Just like y... your cheese-less
cheesecake too.
Anybody got any aspirin?
Aspirin was discovered
by the French 600 years ago.
It was originally made
from apple seeds.
- Hail, Caesar.
- Hail, Caesar.
Aspirin, Caesar,
is made from willow bark,
not apple seeds.
Then how come
it's always white, huh?
Answer me that one, smart guy.
'Cause it's mixed
with cornstarch.
Hey.
So it's cold enough for you,
Mr. Goodson?
It's gonna be brutal
the next couple nights for sure.
We can all come
stay at your place. [LAUGHS]
- I would if I could.
- You could, but you won't.
No judgement here though.
Look, Jackson.
Use it to get some food,
maybe a room.
You're gonna offer me money and
then tell me what to do with it?
W... well, no, I was just
suggesting a few things
that I thought
you... you might need, is all.
How do you know what I need?
[LAUGHING]
I'm just messing with you, man.
He was just messing with you.
- For the cause.
- Evil is the root of all money.
ALL: Hail, Caesar!
STUART: You guys are just
encouraging him.
Whoa.
- Who's he?
- That's George.
- Where are you from, George?
- He's shy.
Has to get to know you.
Okay.
Montana.
Montana?
The land of 10,000 lakes.
ALL: Hail, Caesar.
Clearly now
the rain is gone
Come on.
I can see all the obstacles
In my way
Gone are the dark clouds
That had me blind
It's gonna be a bright
Bright bright bright
sun-shiny day
I think I can make it now
The pain is gone
It's okay.
All of the bad feelings
Have disappeared
Here is the rainbow
I've been praying for
It's gonna be a bright
bright bright...
Sir?
You... you're gonna have to put
your clothes back on.
Sir?
Blue skies...
William,
we've got a situation on three.
Look straight ahead
there's nothing but...
This guy is really nuts.
- You know him?
- Never seen him in here before.
Are you gonna do
something about this?
'Cause he's kind of ruining
the song for me.
Why don't you take this one,
Ernesto?
No way, amigo.
My job description
doesn't say anything
about handling no naked dude.
In my way
Gone are the dark clouds...
Damn, Ernesto. Why didn't you
say on the radio he was naked?
Because I knew
you wouldn't come if I did.
Bright bright
bright bright...
WILLIAMS: Sir. Sir?
It's gonna be
a bright bright...
WILLIAMS: Hey, we got a medical
emergency on level three.
I got a quote from a book
I turned in, like, last week.
Uh, forgot the author,
and the title,
but, uh, it's big, it's red,
and I... I found it
on the top shelf.
Can you find it for me?
I need journal articles
on parents
going back to college.
Where are your books
on critical thinking?
What kind of apple did Eve eat?
I need the addresses
of the permanent missions
of the United Nations
listed by countries.
Can you tell me why so many
famous civil war battles
were fought
on national park sites?
I need a colored photograph
of George Washington.
I'm looking for a list of laws
that I can break
that would send me
back to jail...
for a couple of months.
- MAN 1: I am looking...
- MAN 2: I'm looking...
- WOMAN 1: I'm looking...
- WOMAN 2: I'm looking...
- MAN 3: I'm looking...
- MAN 4: I'm looking...
- Thank you.
- Here you go.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]
[INDISTINCT READING]
WOMAN ANNOUNCER: Remember
that children's story time
will take place today
at 2:00 and at 4:00 p.m...
Recommended for children
ages four through eight.
ANDERSON: Mr. Goodson.
I didn't know this meeting would
be so formal, Mr. Anderson.
Well, it's time-sensitive,
Mr. Goodson.
The, uh, the library's
being sued.
Have a seat.
The attorneys for the plaintiff
have presented the city
a settlement offer.
However, we need to have
all the facts.
I believe you've met
Mr. Foley and Mr. Larson before
from our board of trustees
who have been named
as defendants in this case.
Their attorney, Mr. Abernathy.
Of course,
you know Mr. Ramirez.
He as well has been named
a defendant in this
along with me and you.
Hamilton County Prosecutor
Josh Davis.
- I've seen you on television.
- Hmm.
Do you recognize this man?
- Yeah, that's Ike.
- Ike's name is Isiah Jennings.
Mr. Jennings is suing
the Cincinnati Public Library
for discrimination.
In his petition, he claims
approximately ten weeks ago
Mr. Goodson and Mr. Ramirez
asked him to leave the library
because, and I quote,
"My body odor."
Did you ask Mr. Jennings
to leave the library
because of his body odor?
We'd been getting complaints.
Daily complaints
from library personnel
and patrons
about the way Ike smelled.
- So that's yes then?
- Yes.
DAVIS: And then
you and Mr. Goodson
escorted Mr. Jennings
outside of the building?
That's right.
And as you were
escorting him out
do you recall
saying anything to him?
I may have said something.
Small talk.
So when you got him
out to the sidewalk
in front of the library,
did you say,
"Elvis has left the building?"
Excuse me.
- What is that?
- Excuse me.
I'm asking Mr. Ramirez
right now.
I just need to get some facts.
Have you taken into account
that in addition
to being homeless
and on the street
for the last ten years
that Ike is also mentally ill?
DAVIS: Mr. Goodson,
I will get to you soon enough.
He hears voices. One of them...
Mr. Goodson,
Mr. Davis is simply trying
to determine what action
the city needs to take,
if it goes to trial or not,
okay?
The settlement offer
from the attorneys
representing Mr. Jennings
is $750,000.
Now if the city
passes on this offer,
it's gonna go to trial,
and if the city of Cincinnati
is gonna write a check
for $750,000
to a mentally ill homeless man,
I need to be able to explain
to the mayor's office
exactly what happened.
What do you smell?
On me, what do you smell?
- Cologne.
- Is it offensive?
It's on a little heavy,
but obviously that's your style.
Would you ask me to leave the
library because of my cologne?
If we received enough complaints
from other patrons,
yes, maybe I would.
And you'd be violating my First
Amendment rights, Mr. Goodson
'cause at present, there is no
law about people wearing cologne
nor is there a law determining
how much cologne
a person can apply...
Mr. Davis, libraries
all over the country
struggle with the balance
between individual rights
and the rights of other patrons
to have a safe
and healthy environment.
If Mr. Goodson asked me
to leave the premises
because of my cologne,
is he not impinging
on my First Amendment rights
to access the public library,
to information
and its resources?
Librarians take very seriously
the right to freedom
of information.
It's a core tenet
of what we do.
Which is exactly what
Mr. Goodson
denied Isiah Jennings
when he asked him
to leave the library
because of how he smelled.
[INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMEN ON PA SYSTEM]
WOMAN ANNOUNCER: Please
be respectful of those patrons
who are on the waiting list
to use the computers.
DAVIS: Thank you so much, chief.
I'm glad to know
we're on the same page.
- Of course.
- Appreciate it, chief.
Okay. Bill, come on in.
Excuse me.
Josh Davis looking
for an endorsement?
EDWARDS: You can't get elected
mayor of Cincy
without the support
of this department.
He's an asshole.
[LAUGHS]
I'm endorsing Bradley.
Davis knows it.
- He thinks it's a black thing.
- Oh.
- Is it?
- It's a character thing.
But, yes,
I would like to see more color
in the local government.
But you ain't come here
to talk politics.
No.
EDWARDS: It's about your request
for a leave of absence.
That's right.
I don't need to tell you
this is the busiest time of year
for my best crisis negotiator
to be off the clock.
My son is missing.
Bill, we both know
your son's not missing.
He's strung out somewhere
doing God knows what.
Yes, he is an addict,
and I'm trying to keep him
from becoming another casualty
on the streets, Tom.
There's only so much
you can do, brother.
You don't think I know that?
For God's sakes, Tom! Come on.
Bill... I'm sorry.
I can't let you go right now.
Not right now.
You're a father, Tom.
I'm also the chief of police
for a city
with one of the biggest
opioid epidemics in the country.
Look, I am sorry about your son.
I truly am.
I mean, do you have any leads
or anything?
He used his debit card
last Sunday,
so he's still in town.
We just don't know where.
- A debit card?
- His mom.
You know, she hopes he'll use it
for food or warm clothes or...
I get it.
Tom...
please.
Tom, please.
I'm gonna get you
some time off, pal.
That's my promise to you.
WOMAN ANNOUNCER: Good evening.
May I have your attention,
please?
In ten minutes, the main library
will be closing for the night.
If you're working on a computer,
please be sure
to save your work
before shutting it down
and pick up any items
you may have at the printer.
Also, be sure
to take any materials
you wish to borrow
to the checkout station.
Once again, the main library
will be closing in ten minutes.
ERNESTO: Library is closed,
people!
Wrap it up and let's go!
Library is closed.
Athena, time to go.
I'll leave
when I'm damn good and ready.
WOMAN ANNOUNCER: Our End Hunger
in Cincy donation drive
will continue through...
- I'm ready now.
- Okay.
WOMAN ANNOUNCER: Accepting all
canned and bottled food items.
Remember, every donation counts.
We open at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow,
okay?
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]
- You need a ride home?
- I'm halfway across the city.
And the bus
is actually much warmer
than your shitty old car, so...
- How you holding up?
- I'm peachy.
Well, please don't let it
get to you.
You know, literally,
our biggest struggle here
is knowing which side of right
we're actually walking on, so...
I mean, I wish all these
problems could just be solved
by a community bake sale, but...
they can't.
[SIGHS]
I do go home sometimes and...
just cry myself to sleep
because...
I mean, we're only human, right?
But not tonight.
Because tonight is
make-dinner-for-my-mama night.
So your transfer
to Arts and Lit...
next week.
My hero.
WOMAN ANNOUNCER:
A training course...
Sleep well, comrade.
WOMAN ANNOUNCER: Will be
taking place this Saturday
in the quad after closing hours.
Attendance is voluntary.
[CLANKING]
So you did get my messages.
- About the heat?
- About the absence of it.
- It's an old building, Stuart.
- Yeah. I know.
Built 1865.
Did you know that?
- It's part of the charm.
- Oh, yeah?
How charming
wearing my entire wardrobe
to bed
for the last three nights.
You were aware
that this building had issues
with its heat
when you signed the lease.
It's, like, a 0 degrees in here.
As you can see,
I'm working on it.
Did you work up an appetite?
I brought you these heaters
from upstairs.
I thought you could use them
until the heat comes back on.
Thank you.
I'm gonna have to call
a real repairman tomorrow.
Real being the operative word.
I took the job...
because it offered a break
on the rent.
But I'm not gonna lie,
there's an awful lot
that needs fixing
about this place.
Like, a whole lot.
Our landlord doesn't really
expect you to do
all the maintenance around here,
does he?
I refused to have dinner
with him last month
and then the month before that,
so he seems to think
he's really screwing me
even though he's not
really screwing me.
What are you doing?
A medium pizza
with fresh tomatoes and basil
costs $12.50.
But a plain cheese
costs just under ten bucks.
So since I grow my own...
Wow.
ANGELA: You keep your apartment
really neat and clean.
- You'd hate to see my place.
- That's my thing.
- I'm a little OCD.
- Ah.
Chaos in the environment,
chaos in your head.
Oh, well, there's always chaos
in my head.
It doesn't matter whether
I take the trash out or not.
What made you decide
to become a librarian?
You know,
I've been asking myself
that question a lot lately.
It must be really nice
to have a job
where you get to sit around
and read all day, huh?
Oh, yeah.
I mean, do people even go
to libraries anymore?
Yes. You should come visit.
Get yourself a library card.
Impress your friends.
I might just do that.
Come and watch you do
all your freaky
librarian things.
You know,
watch you get all crazy
with your Dewey Decimal System.
"Learning The Qur'an."
Hm.
You getting into it? Are you
thinking about converting?
Some books get defaced
and, you know,
if I can fix them,
make a little extra money, I do.
Oh, wow.
Hate crimes.
Seeing a lot of that lately.
So you're just
really into books, huh?
Books saved my life.
Saved your life?
Books helped me get sober
and... helped me
turn my life around.
They were tangible
and they were real.
Something I could get my hands
and my head around, so yeah.
Yeah, they saved my life.
"It works if you work it."
One year.
One year and still trudging
the road of happy destiny.
I piled up
a bunch of other addictions
while I was at it.
Drugs...
sex.
Tell me about it.
I'm still working on that one.
Stuart.
Come on.
It's not like I see
a parade of women
coming in and out
of your apartment.
[SCOFFS] Are you clockin' me?
I'm the building manager.
I... see a lot of stuff.
I get to know
the habits of the tenants.
- Okay.
- Yeah.
The guy, over in 6,
I'll bet he's got a freezer
full of body parts.
[LAUGHS] No.
No, he's an accountant.
Never late on his rent.
Okay.
Um, t... the couple over in 4?
Oh. They're professors at UC.
Also, swingers.
- No way.
- Mm-hmm.
- Did they...
- Invite me to join them? Yes.
I didn't, of course.
The guy up in 10?
Still gathering
some intel on him.
He's a little weird.
Not creepy...
but weird.
So far, I know
he's really into books...
and he's a librarian,
so that makes sense.
He's, uh, sober.
He grows his own tomatoes.
And he doesn't really
have a lot of visitors.
I think you should stay away
from him.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]
COLEMAN: Ramstead?
No. Nobody in here
with that name, man.
Well, maybe he's under an alias.
He doesn't wanna be found.
Most of the men in here don't,
detective,
but you can go ahead and have
yourself a peek just the same.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]
[MEN COUGHING]
So we'll try again tomorrow.
Sure.
You don't have to walk me
to the door.
I wasn't going to.
It's 10 degrees outside.
I know you're still upset
about the debit card...
BILL: No, I'm not.
He's your son, too, Marcy.
And if he's not too loaded,
let's just hope
he had the sense to use it
to get a room tonight.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]
- Good morning.
- Hi.
You know, I think I'd like
to come down to the library
and see some of those books
that saved your life.
Alright, if you feel like
braving the cold.
Yeah. We close at 6 o'clock,
so come on down.
Maybe we can, I don't know,
grab a bite to eat over at OTR?
- Yeah.
- Yeah. Good.
Okay.
Hey.
You know, I was a lot of things
before I was a drunk.
I wasn't always...
fixing broken heaters
for cheap rent.
I hope
this isn't gonna get weird,
because I don't really think
I can handle this getting weird.
You seem like
a really good guy
and I hope I'm not wrong.
WOMAN ON TV: And with
this blast
of Arctic air
and frigid temperatures,
local homeless shelters
are hitting capacity...
MAN ON TV: The bitter cold
Arctic air is settling in
and we've got a very cold night
coming up tonight.
Probably the coldest night
of the year. The lowest...
These guys bought this lion cub,
right, at Harrods,
release it into the wild.
Twenty years later, they go back
and the freakin' lion
remembers them.
- Barnes.
- He's okay.
Alright. You're good.
- Drugs?
- Exposure.
- You know him?
- Yeah, he's a regular patron.
We're gonna go live
in moments, Rebecca.
REBECCA: Alright. Let's go.
Let's get this over with before
I freakin' freeze to death.
- Ernesto.
- Yeah?
- Did you find him?
- Yeah.
I tried to revive him,
but he was unresponsive.
This weather's no joke, brother.
REBECCA: City in recent days.
The severe cold spell
has already claimed
nearly half a dozen lives
this week.
The unidentified homeless man
was found dead
just outside the doors
of the Downtown Cincinnati
Public Library.
Witnesses called police
early this morning
to report a body outside
the library near Walnut Street.
Police are not treating the
scene as a homicide. However...
NARRATOR: Indian Hill,
where Josh Davis grew up
with a silver spoon
in his mouth.
Even if he's now trying
to deny it.
EARL: I'm Earl Bradley.
I grew up here,
on these streets,
in this community.
I'm a pastor
and small businessman.
It's why I'll stand up
to special interest
and fight for you every day
because we need a mayor
for all of us.
JOHN: This thing went up
on their website last week.
It's already gone viral.
Hm. Freakin' baby carriage?
It's effective, and it's, uh,
it's driving grassroots
low-dollar fundraising, Josh.
Also means Bradley gets
on TV earlier than we do.
Maybe you should go
work for him.
Maybe I will.
Let's have a look at our spot.
If it sucks,
then maybe you'll need to.
DAVIS ON VIDEO: What happened
to Cincinnati?
To our neighborhoods?
Who let criminals
take control of our city?
Politicians in Columbus
who don't have a clue,
that's who.
DAVIS: Voice sounds good.
DAVIS ON VIDEO:
Well, enough's enough.
I'm Josh Davis.
As prosecutor,
I cracked down on crime.
Tough but fair.
As mayor, I will take on
politics as usual
and restore law and order
so we can help grow
small business,
protect our way of life
to move Cincinnati forward.
It doesn't suck.
[LAUGHS]
It doesn't suck.
This goes up
on our website Monday, Josh.
Tell me,
what don't you like about it?
I just wish I looked nicer.
- Nicer?
- Yeah, you know, not so angry.
I mean, I'm not an angry guy.
Just, I'm passionate, you know.
I wanna, I wanna look nicer
in the ad.
Yeah, yeah.
Pl... plenty of takes.
We'll... we'll go
through them all
with that in mind,
find you a nicer take.
You got it, Josh. Nicer take.
Can I beat him?
Bradley's a pillar
of the community, Josh.
- He's a pastor, he's a...
- Can I beat him?
No.
Early polling suggests
that if the election
were held tomorrow,
he wins in a walk.
Unless...
unless something were to happen,
something big
that puts you and the community
in the spotlight, alright?
Something besides...
another embarrassing
unarmed police shooting.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]
- Hi.
- MYRA: Yes.
I'm looking for a globe
of the Earth.
They're all right there.
No, that's not good enough.
Isn't there a life-sized one?
Yes, but it's currently in use.
Hey, uh, there are a bunch of
guys fighting in the men's room.
JACKSON: You were supposed
to look out for him, Ray.
Lay off him, man,
you were more concerned
about finding a bottle
than you were about any of us.
Oh, that's bullshit, Smutts!
You would be dead ten times if
I wasn't there to save your ass!
- RAY: You know it!
- What's going on, fellas?
Caesar's missing.
No one has seen him
since last night.
We were riding on the metro
to keep warm.
Somewhere along the way,
he must have wandered off.
We looked around
and he was just gone!
JACKSON: Just like that.
One minute he's there,
the next minute he's not.
We looked all around.
No one has seen him.
I mean, nobody!
Cold must have got him,
Mr. Goodson.
RAY: I got a bad feeling, man.
It ain't like Caesar to not be
here when the public opens.
- Caesar's dead.
- What?
How do you know that, George?
- Because I killed him.
- What?
You killed Caesar?
- That's right.
- Why would you kill Caesar?
What did he ever do to you?
He never did anything to me.
I didn't even know him
that good.
So... what do you mean
you killed him?
I killed him with my laser eyes.
See, the government,
they... they... they put
this weapon in my head
when I was a baby.
It's a laser.
It, it kills people
when I look at 'em for too long.
It's, it's a chip.
They put 'em in a lot of babies
when they're born.
And... and that's why I...
I don't wanna look
at any of you for so long.
I...
I don't wanna kill anyone else.
You looked at Caesar too long?
That's what happened,
Big George?
I looked at him...
for a real long time
with my laser eyes.
He exploded.
Caesar exploded?
You mean like in that movie,
"Scanners?"
- I love that movie, man.
- RAY: Oh, man.
You know. You... you remember?
[BUZZING]
- Boom.
- [LAUGHING]
- You saw that movie, right?
- RAY: Oh!
- SMUTTS: Oh, come on, Stuart!
- That was a good movie.
- You gotta know! You know!
- You guys are crazy, man.
- SMUTTS: It's like...
- Oh.
Boom.
Yeah.
Stupid. You're so... [LAUGHING]
Oh, I love it.
I love it though.
[MELLOW MUSIC]
WOMAN ANNOUNCER: Good evening.
May I have your attention,
please?
In ten minutes, the main library
will be closing for the night.
If you are working
on a computer,
please be sure to save your work
before shutting it down.
Once again, the main library
will be closing in ten minutes.
[PANTING]
Mr. Goodson,
I gotta talk to you.
Look, all, all the shelters
downtown are full up again.
Uh-huh. What about the emergency
overflow at Shelterhouse?
[SCOFFS] That's a 40-minute walk
away.
In this weather?
In these shoes?
Look, Mr. Goodson,
you know I'm a veteran, right?
I served my country.
[CHUCKLES] This all I get?
Well, look.
I... I... I decided to organize.
Organize?
We ain't gonna leave
the library tonight.
Tonight we occupy. [LAUGHS]
- Occupy? Is that right?
- Yeah.
Well, so what about
tomorrow night?
And the night after that?
What if this cold snap
lasts into next week?
- Have you thought about that?
- Mr. Goodson, listen to me!
Every public official
in this town know
there's not enough shelter
for us people on the street.
Those so-called Christians,
they, they pretend
like they don't know that.
Feed the hungry.
Clothe the poor.
House the homeless.
Now see, that's what Jesus said.
But I don't think
he said occupy.
Well, it worked for those
hippies down in Wall Street.
Maybe it can work here for us.
Who is us?
Whoo whoo whoo
Hey hey hey weaponized
Whoo whoo whoo
Weaponized
Whoo whoo whoo
Hey hey hey weaponized
Oh, shit.
Come on, come on, come on.
Weaponized
Whoo whoo whoo
Come on.
Mr. Anderson, I was just
coming up to see you.
Do you have a moment?
Is this about the settlement?
It has nothing to do with that.
I... it's about the weather.
I'll catch up with you.
- The weather?
- Yes.
We need to keep the library
open tonight because of it.
Our patrons
who don't get into shelters,
they are at risk of exposure.
T... the temperature's
gonna drop below 0.
Mr. Goodson,
I'm well aware of the problem,
but we're a public library.
We're not a shelter
for the homeless.
No, that's exactly what we are.
Every day of every week.
I'm not in the position
to declare our library
an emergency shelter.
People are freezing to death
in our own city.
- How are you okay with that?
- Whoa, hey! I'm not.
I'm not okay with it.
Okay, you could, you could call
the mayor's office.
You could call
the mayor's office right now!
- Mr. Goodson...
- But...
Stuart, listen.
The board of trustees
wants you gone.
That's what's going on.
And I'm trying,
but I'm having a difficult time
makin' a case for you
to stay here.
So, no. The library will not be
an emergency shelter tonight,
tomorrow, not ever.
They wanna fire me?
They'd prefer if you tendered
your resignation.
I was following
library protocol, sir.
Fire me for doing my job?
I'm sorry.
- It's out of my control.
- Out of your control?
You have no idea how much shit
is about to get out
of your control, sir.
Weaponize
Whoo whoo whoo
Weaponize
Whoo whoo whoo
Does anyone know if we have a
special event going on tonight?
- MAN 5: I don't know.
- MAN 6: I don't know anything.
Can anyone confirm or deny if
we have a special event tonight?
I'm seein' a bunch of patrons
up on the third floor.
[CLAMORING]
WOMAN ANNOUNCER: Good evening.
May I have your attention,
please?
The main library is now closed.
Pleas exit the building.
Once again...
MYRA: Stuart, what's going on?
Nobody's leaving.
Patrons are staging an action.
- What are they protesting?
- Freezing to death.
ERNESTO: Stuart.
What the hell's going on, man?
What are all these people
still doing here?
STUART: Remember how difficult
it was
to get Ike out of the library?
Yeah, we should have left
his stinky-ass alone.
We wouldn't be
in all this trouble.
Well, now we got
a whole lot of Ikes in here
who don't wanna go out
in the cold.
I don't blame 'em, man.
I wouldn't either.
JACKSON: What's it gonna be,
Mr. Goodson?
You're either one of us
or you're one of them, right?
Everybody, uh, rally up!
Rally up!
WILLIAMS: Ernesto,
what's going on up on three?
Uh, everybody, listen up!
The library
has not been sanctioned
an official emergency shelter
yet.
- But we believe it should be!
- WILLIAMS: Ernesto, you on this?
Yeah, give me a sec.
What the hell do I tell him?
Dude.
[SIGHS]
Uh, you ever been arrested?
- Uh, no, have you?
- Unfortunately.
- Pepper sprayed?
- No. You have?
Are we staying or we goin'?
Get out of here, Myra.
If you're staying,
I'm gonna stay.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]
Incoming!
[CLAMORING]
[GRUNTING]
[CLAMORING]
- George.
- Don't look at me.
I'm... I'm not...
I'm not lookin' at you.
But I need you to move
that bookshelf
up against the doors.
Why?
[GRUNTING]
Be... because security is coming
and... and... and we don't
want 'em in here.
Why?
Because they have
laser eyes too.
From... from the government?
Wh... when they were babies?
Yes, and we don't want them
in here hurting people.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]
[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]
[GRUNTING]
[GRUNTING]
Jackson, give us a hand!
What is it they want,
Mr. Anderson?
- They wanna stay warm.
- Warm?
[SIREN WAILING]
ANDERSON: Why can't we handle
this in-house
with our own security detail?
It's standard operating
procedure to alert the Cincy PD
if we're
in a lockdown situation, sir.
[CLAMORING]
So, what's the plan?
Uh, [CHUCKLES] plan?
Uh, uh, that was it.
You know, um, they're out,
we're in.
I know they're watchin'.
Oh, yeah. They're...
they're lookin' at us
like a... another bunch
of crazy angry niggas.
It's up to you
to prove 'em wrong, Mr. Goodson.
Why me?
'Cause [LAUGHS] they don't think
you crazy.
[LAUGHS] Come on, man!
[LAUGHS] Why him?
This isn't an action.
This is... a disaster.
[CELL PHONE RINGING]
Yeah?
Wh... what about Peters?
Can't you track down Lou?
Okay.
Yeah, okay.
Five minutes.
What is it?
There's some situation
at the central library.
Probably somebody having a
meltdown about an overdue book.
Mm.
You wanna go with?
I mean, it could be
just a bunch of nothing.
Yeah, when's the last time
they called you in
for just a bunch of nothing?
- I'm sorry.
- I know.
Shit.
BILL: What have we got?
We've got 70-plus homeless men
barricaded on the northeast
corner of the third floor.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER ON RADIO]
Now, why would this guy
initiate this action?
Has he got some beef
with the library or...
he's been spending too much time
in the True Crime section?
- Excuse me, sir.
- Yes, uh, Ernesto.
Yeah, Stuart did not
initiate this. The patrons did.
Mr. Anderson, I'm gonna need
an address for Goodson
so that a judge can issue
a search warrant
for his residence,
try to get some idea
of his state of mind.
Mr. Goodson was recently named
in a lawsuit
brought against the library
in which he and...
Mr. Ramirez
were primary defendants.
We... we settled yesterday.
In the tune of $750,000.
You can read all about it
in the paper on Monday.
Hm.
Stuart Goodson.
What is it with this guy?
He seems hell-bent
on ruining my week.
He thinks
he's saving people's lives
by keeping them out of the cold.
Well, we have shelters
in place for that.
Well, apparently,
not enough of them.
So that's what
this is all about?
It's some sort of exercise
in civil disobedience?
So, we, uh,
send in a tactical team,
battering ram, crash the door,
toss in some tear gas,
arrest 'em all for trespassing,
we're home
before "The Tonight Show."
This is my operation, Davis.
Besides, we don't even know
what they want.
What they want?
Who cares what they want?
This is a public facility,
they're trespassing,
they're breaking the law, we
need to get them out of there!
Well, now,
what are you doin' up here
when the cameras are downstairs?
Excuse me! Do you people know
how to do anything without
the use of excessive force?
This is a public library,
for God's sake.
Yes, sir.
MALE ANNOUNCER: Next station,
Ninth and Walnut,
The Library.
[CELL PHONE RINGING]
- Hello.
- ANGELA: Hey.
I'm outside of the library
and there are
a lot of cop cars here.
Is everything alright?
Not exactly.
Is this one of your freaky
librarian things?
The patrons have turned
the building
into an emergency
homeless shelter.
Obviously,
there's been some pushback.
Okay, so now is probably
not a great time
to come and get my library card.
You still wanna hang out
with me?
Do you have any idea
how much cooler
you're gonna be
with a criminal record?
[CHUCKLES] Well, I... I kind of
already have one.
[ANGELA LAUGHS]
I knew deep down
you're a bad boy.
Wow. You know, news trucks
just pulled up.
STUART: The news?
You know, you're gonna be on TV.
Good evening,
this is Rebecca Parks
with breaking news
from Downtown Cincinnati
where a situation is unfolding
inside the public library.
Information is sketchy
at this time,
and no details
have been released.
But as you can see,
the Cincinnati Police Department
has been dispatched.
So we don't know
if it's a hostage situation
or an active shooter.
What was that?
REBECCA: To update you on news
as it breaks.
As you know, resources
are already stretched thin
due to the record-breaking cold
weather we are experiencing.
Live and trying to stay warm
from Downtown Public Library.
Well, at least
we're all staying warm.
REBECCA: Back to you
in the studio.
MAN ON TV: Thank you, Rebeca,
we'll stay
on top of that story
as it develops.
Myra?
The cops? Really?
I can't do this.
I... I have... I have
the worst feeling about this.
- I have to get out of here.
- Hold on. Hold on.
This is totally
in your wheelhouse.
You're the one who's always
like, "Vive la Resistance!"
I wish
this was in my wheelhouse!
This is bigger
than riding the metro
and getting organic food.
I am not prepared to be
in a standoff with a cop.
I can't do that.
I don't know how to do that.
- Please, just understand me.
- Okay.
My mom's gonna watch that.
She is not well.
You know that. It is not gonna
be good for her to see that.
I get it.
And...
we're gonna get you out of here.
How?
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
You gonna answer that,
Mr. Goodson?
- Why don't you?
- Well, I don't work here.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER ON RADIO]
[LINE RINGING]
- STUART: Hello?
- What are you doing in there?
- STUART: Who is this?
- Is this Stuart Goodson?
It is.
This is Detective Bill Ramstead
from the Cincinnati PD.
- Hello, detective.
- Why don't you call me Bill?
STUART: Why don't I call you
William?
Only my mother calls me William.
May I call you Stuart?
Only my friends call me Stuart.
A lot of your friends out here
are worried about you, buddy.
They'd like to see
this situation
resolve itself peacefully.
Tell him, tell him this is
a peaceful demonstration.
This is
a peaceful demonstration.
So no one's being held
against their will?
No. Everyone is here
because they wanna be here.
Everyone is here
because they wanna be here.
Would it be safe to assume
that some are not of, uh,
sound mind?
Uh, I mean, you don't need
to be mentally ill
to know that it's freezing
outside, detective.
That was good, man.
BILL: So why'd you barricade
the doors?
[whispers To make it hard
for you mo-fuckers
to get in here to take us out.
You can say it. Yeah.
Go on, say that. Say that.
To... to make it harder on you...
mo-fos to get in here
and take us out.
[LAUGHTER]
Look, you make it harder on us,
we're gonna have to make it
harder on you, brother.
And sooner or later, you're
gonna have to open that door.
Well, tell him we plan to open
the doors first thing tomor...
Look, why don't you just
hand the phone
to the guy that's doin'
all the talking?
It will be a real timesaver,
okay?
No, I don't wanna talk
to the police.
[SIGHS] He says he doesn't
wanna talk to the police.
Yeah, yeah, I heard him.
Look, Goodson,
do you have any idea
what the hell
you're doin' in there?
And how much trouble you're all
gonna be in for this stunt?
Um, "We need the library
to remain open
as an emergency shelter
for the duration
of the cold spell.
Or provide us
with a reasonable facility."
Now what are you gonna
give me in return?
We're negotiating?
That's what they pay me for,
buddy.
STUART: We don't have
anything to give you.
Well, why don't you just quit?
Come on out now
before anybody gets hurt.
Which is what you should do,
Goodson!
- That sounds like Davis.
- Goddamn right it is!
You still wearing
that cheap cologne?
- Everybody...
- Son of a bitch!
Everybody, calm down. Just...
Please, calm down.
Goodson.
You still there, Goodson?
Here's our demand.
I want Davis to go outside.
Outside?
That's right.
I want Davis to go outside
in front of the library
to lay down on the concrete
for five minutes.
No blankets.
I guess you're gonna miss
"The Tonight Show."
Civil disobedience, my ass.
This is petty revenge.
That's a pretty odd demand.
Um...
Mr. Goodson, you okay?
Stuart?
[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]
Hi.
Can you do me a favor
and just, uh,
keep the press back
for about five minutes?
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]
[REPORTERS CLAMORING]
REBECCA: Josh,
Rebecca Parks with WCBO.
What are you doing, sir?
WOMAN 3: Can you tell us what's
happening inside the library?
WOMAN 4: Is there an emergency
inside the building?
[REPORTERS CLAMORING]
REBECCA: Hi, yeah.
Jim and Carol.
We're still live at the scene
at the Downtown branch
of the public library
where Hamilton County
prosecutor Josh Davis
has emerged from the building
and for some unknown reason...
He's doin' it. He's actually
laying on the pavement.
- That's awesome.
- You sure about that?
REBECCA: Bizarre and crazy
are certainly two words
I would use to describe this.
Strange live images
to you at home.
Many of you know Josh Davis
has announced his plans
to run for mayor of Cincinnati.
So I'm sure he'll have
some explanation
for us and for the viewers
of this city
as to just what the heck
is going on here.
Son of a bitch.
You son of a bitch.
[REPORTERS CLAMORING]
[GROANS]
Okay, I'll answer all your
questions in just a moment.
[EXHALES]
Well, we can all agree that, uh,
what we've just witnessed
was an irrational act,
especially considering the, uh,
extreme temperatures
this evening,
but I want to assure
all of you that, uh,
and the people of Cincinnati
that I am not mad.
The only madness tonight
comes in the form
of one particular individual
who has seized control
of one of our most
respected institutions.
Now without getting
into details,
this individual is an employee
of the public library,
and as we've tried to negotiate
in a peaceful manner
with this individual,
we were presented
with a, a list of demands,
one of which was an order for me
to lay outside in front
of the building on the street
for a period of five minutes.
MAN 7: Did the suspect say
why he wanted you
to lie down in the street?
Well, obviously, he's, uh,
he's disturbed in some way.
I mean, he may be mentally ill.
We're, uh, we're still
investigating that.
- Is the suspect armed?
- Uh, is he armed?
Well, my experience
would tell me that, uh,
this individual would have
a hard time detaining 100 people
if he wasn't armed
with... with some kind of weapon.
Thank you very much,
we're trying to resolve
this situation as calmly
and as peacefully
as we possibly can.
Oh, great.
You have a gun. Mr. Goodson?
Of course, he doesn't, Ray.
You don't, do you?
[SCOFFS] I've never even
held a gun, Smutts.
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
MAN 8: Hey, buddy. Kill 'em all.
- MAN 8: Let God sort 'em out.
- Have a nice night. sir.
MAN 8: You hear me?
Kill 'em all.
Who... who was that?
It's a wrong number.
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
BILL: This is Ramstead.
I'm gonna try to control
the incoming calls,
keep the crackpots at bay.
Well, you can start with Davis.
Why is he telling the press
that this is
a hostage situation?
WILL: Goodson, you're the one
who told him
to go outside
and lie on the ground.
The guy wants to be mayor,
he doesn't have a clue
what's going on
in his own damn city.
- WILL: Goodson...
- Nobody in here has a weapon!
You gotta calm down.
STUART: Why are you guys
treating me like I'm a suspect?
This thing isn't about me!
RAMSTEAD: What about
your apartment?
STUART: My apartment?
What about it?
We have a warrant. Now
you tell me are we gonna find
anything funny
when we get inside there?
[CHUCKLES] Funny?
You mean like a... a booby trap?
Or a circus clown?
Uh, uh, Mr. Goodson,
we gotta keep...
Don't you see
what they're trying to do here?
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
- WILL: I have to ask.
- I'm a librarian.
And you got a lot
of nervous people out here.
What the hell do you guys
have to be nervous about?
You got all the guns.
Are you on any drugs
or medication right now?
Not at the moment, detective,
but what are you sellin'?
Maybe I better take
the rest of the calls.
You're probably gonna
get us all killed.
[CHUCKLES]
[LAUGHS]
Yeah.
That was quite
a campaign speech.
And that, my friends,
was a lesson
in how you sway public opinion.
Fake news?
DAVIS: I created a narrative
which allows us
to bring this situation
to a close.
Not next week or a month
from now but tonight.
This evenin'.
Don't everybody
thank me at once.
Are you mentally unstable?
STUART: Listen, Davis is trying
to spin this story
to make me look crazy.
This is
a peaceful demonstration.
ANGELA: Okay,
so you need to tell your side.
How?
You need to get on TV...
or you need to get
on the phone with a reporter.
Because if people see something
on TV, they believe it's true.
[SCOFFS] I can't go
on television.
Stuart, get some photos
or videos
and send them to me.
STUART: Video of what?
Whatever. Whatever's really
happening in there, okay?
- MAN 9: Help!
- ANGELA: Stuart?
Hey. Hello... Hello?
[CLAMORING]
MYRA: Can someone call 911?
Stuart, could you call 9-1-1?
- He's having a seizure.
- Got it.
Can I have your coat, please?
It's okay. It's okay. It's okay.
It's okay.
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
Hold on.
STUART: Yeah, we have
a medical emergency in here.
We have a man down.
We're calling for a truce.
I'm calling for a truce
to get him out.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]
BARNES: Hey, be cool in here.
I don't wanna be coming back
to take you out on one of these.
- Sorry, Myra.
- Don't apologize.
Just... I'm gonna see you soon,
okay?
You the detective
I've been talking to?
That's right.
You're in poor company.
Coming from the guy
who's got himself locked down
in a room full of bums.
Ah, you'd fit right in.
Goodson,
you got the doors open.
Now this is an opportunity
for you
to stand down,
end this right now.
You want us out?
Give us somewhere to go.
How about we all go
to your place?
Well, my ex-wife got the house
in Mount Adams,
so I'd love to see
everybody go over there.
I'm gonna go, uh,
bring in some food.
I'll call in an order
and pay for it.
I'm gonna have to run
that request up the flagpole.
Well, you run it up the flagpole
and across the street
to LaRosa's.
Are we negotiating now?
That's what they pay you for.
- Uh, wait a second.
- Wh... what are you doing?
Stop! You stop!
What about our truce?
Hey, take it easy.
I'm not going for my weapon.
Anybody that look like him
in there tonight?
[MELLOW MUSIC]
- Is that your son?
- Yeah.
- What's his name?
- Michael. Mike.
I thought he might be in there.
I haven't seen him.
Oh, you hang on to it.
[GRUNTING]
[HELICOPTER WHIRRING]
[SIREN WAILING]
This is what we netted from the
search of Goodson's apartment.
And he has a series of priors.
"Drunk and disorderly,
resisting arrest
shoplifting
from a grocery store,
trespassing."
[WHISTLES]
From this sheet, it sounds like
this guy was on the streets.
He was.
- And you hired him, anyway?
- I did.
He's been sober for a number
of years, earned his degree
and worked harder than anyone
I've ever seen
to get himself right.
Library gave him
a second chance.
Tonight he pisses it all away.
Mm mm mm mm
Mm mm mm mm
Mm mm mm mm
- Hey, guys.
- Hey, what's up, baby?
[INDISTINCT SONG]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
SMUTTS: Mr. Goodson.
Mm mm mm mm
Look at her, Mr. Goodson.
- What do you think?
- She's pretty, Smutts.
And she wants to go out
on a date with me.
She's from around here too.
Just across the river
in Covington.
She's a flight attendant
for Delta.
[LAUGHS]
And have you told her about you?
Hell, no.
She thinks I'm a pilot.
[LAUGHS]
Oh, this internet dating stuff
is a liar's paradise,
Mr. Goodson.
[CHUCKLES]
Good luck.
[SONG CONTINUES]
[LAUGHS]
Hi, mom.
Do you know that
Smutts is online right now
trying to get a date?
[SCOFFS] That's what he does
every day, Mr. Goodson.
Has he ever hooked up?
[LAUGHING]
That fool be dreamin'.
What about you?
You ever dream about
getting off the street?
[CHUCKLES] No, not really.
I mean, there's a certain
freedom out there.
I mean, you know...
I may not have money
and stuff...
but on the other hand,
I don't have anything
that anybody wants
or could take.
Now that's freedom.
So why do all this?
For who? For what?
[CHUCKLES] To shake the tree.
Let 'em know
that we still matter.
God gives us all a voice.
It's up to us whether we use it
or stay silent.
I mean, the police
are out there, the media.
We got their attention, right?
They'll forget all about this
by tomorrow.
No. Maybe, maybe not.
We gotta raise the level.
We gotta keep...
the black prophetic fire...
alive.
We gotta make some noise.
We gotta make some noise.
We gotta make some noise.
We gotta make some noise.
[POUNDING ON DESK]
Make some noise
[POUNDING ON DESK]
Make some noise
Make some noise
Make some noise
Make some noise
Make some noise
Make some noise
Make some noise
Make some noise
Make some noise
Make some noise
Make some noise
Make some noise
Make some noise
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]
Make some noise
Make some noise
Make some noise
Make some noise
Make some noise
[INDISTINCT CHATTER ON RADIO]
MYRA: Well, if you guys
aren't gonna charge me,
I think I'm just gonna
get out of here.
Sit down.
[SIGHS]
So you worked with him
for how long?
Yeah, you know, you don't
have to answer any of this.
- Five years.
- Mm.
[SIGHS]
He's a model citizen.
He's a real stand-up guy.
I mean, I don't know what
the hell you want me to say.
He's having some sort
of nervous breakdown?
He's come unhinged?
So you guys have an excuse,
you can just go in there
and, you know,
do what cops do best.
Break down the door.
[CELL PHONE RINGING]
Don't shoot me,
it's just my cell phone.
Probably...
Oh, my mom. Can I take it?
Yeah.
MYRA: Hey, mama.
I know. I'm safe.
It's okay.
Well, I'm gonna be leaving
once these douchebags
stop violating
my Fourth Amendment rights
and... and then I can text you,
okay.
Alright, I love you. Bye.
- Excuse me. Sorry, just...
- Here you go.
- Oh, Ernesto, you're a saint.
- Y tu.
[SIGHS]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
[KNOCKS]
Food's here.
[ALL CHEERING]
Wait a minute!
Wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait.
How do we know
they're not a cop?
How do we know you're not a cop?
I don't know.
But I'm not.
W... why don't we ask him
a question that,
that only a pizza guy
would know?
How much do you charge
for a... a plain cheese pizza?
Medium or large?
- Medium.
- 9.50.
And if I wanna add
fresh tomatoes and basil?
- MAN 10: 12.50.
- He's legit.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
REBECCA: Damn it, Chip.
Close the door!
Excuse me.
Can I talk to you for a sec?
Honey, look, we're about
to go live.
I don't have the time.
Sorry, doll.
I was wondering if you wanted
to have contact with my friend
who's in the middle
of the situation inside,
but since you're being
such a bitch,
I'm gonna have to find
somebody else...
No, no, no.
Ma'am. Ma'am. Ma'am.
- REBECCA: What's your name?
- Uh, I'm Angela.
- REBECCA: Angela.
- Yeah.
Hey.
I've had an impossible day.
Really? Did your manicurist
cancel on you?
I deserve that.
You said
you had a friend inside?
- Yeah.
- Inside the room with hostages?
They're not hostages.
And I have video to prove it.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Thought we weren't allowed to
eat in the library, Mr. Goodson?
Just tonight, Ray.
Only one piece, Big George?
I'm practicing portion control.
[CHUCKLING]
- Yo, what you doin', man?
- Hey, yo!
JACKSON: Hey, give me that!
You can't take that!
Hey, just takin'
what's mine, man.
MAN 11: Quit being an asshole,
man! Come on!
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]
[EXHALES]
And what's the downside
of letting them
stay put here tonight,
or if not that,
finding them
an alternative shelter?
I mean, wha... what's the cost?
Busses to transport them to it?
It opens the door
to every nutcase with a cause
to hold this city hostage.
This is a disrupter.
The Cincinnati PD
has effective protocols in place
to neutralize this.
It's not always pretty,
but it gets the job done.
So you're saying we go in there
and we teargas
100 homeless people?
That would make one hell
of a campaign ad.
"Vote for Davis
or he'll teargas you."
You... you... you know,
I'm not trying to diminish
the severity
of the situation here
or... or what it is that you do,
but, uh...
Stuart Goodson is no nutcase.
It is my job to uphold the law
and protect democracy
in this city.
You know,
I devoted my entire life
to preserving
the freedom of information
that flows
in and out of this institution.
The public library
is the last bastion
of true democracy
that we have in this country,
and I'll be damned
if I'm gonna sit here
and let you thugs
turn it into a battlefield.
Well, if we're not gonna get
kinky and start waterboarding,
I'm just gonna, I'm gonna go.
Hey...
try not to... kill
any of my friends tonight.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]
- Hey, Rebecca?
- REBECCA: Wait, wait, wait.
This just in.
Wait for it, Chip.
Our next feed is going national.
Oh, cool.
Oh, wait, wait.
My Twitter feed is blowing up.
I've got 3000 new followers
since this story broke.
- Chip, this is huge.
- CHIP: Great.
Listen, um,
based on what I'm seeing
in these video clips here,
uh, there doesn't appear to be
anything more than
a demonstration going on inside.
- What? Hm?
- Take a look.
CHIP: There's no evidence
of any threat.
I think there is.
What are you seeing
that I'm not?
There are more eyeballs
tuned in to this story
than anything we've covered
in the last six months.
That's what I'm seeing, Chip.
[SIGHS] Oh.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[KNOCK ON WINDOW]
- MAN 12: Who's that?
- MAN 13: Did you hear that?
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Mr. Anderson.
I'm not here
to try to talk you out.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Let him in.
What's goin' on?
Hey.
[DAVIS SCOFFS]
Yeah. Kumbaya.
[SCOFFS]
Hi.
- Anybody sittin' here?
- Go ahead.
[CELL PHONE RINGS]
- Hi.
- ANGELA: Hi.
Did you get those pictures
and the videos I sent?
I did.
Are you ready for your close-up?
- STUART: [SIGHS] What do I say?
- You say the truth.
[SNIFFLES] Hi.
Hi, did you get the clips
I sent you?
- I did. I did.
- Okay.
The guy's a friend of yours?
Yeah, I mean, well, we live
in the same building,
but you saw what's really
going on in there, right?
I did. I said I did,
so I must have, right?
Yeah.
- Angela.
- Uh-huh.
These things
very rarely end well, okay?
So why don't you
just stick around, stay close,
and in case this barrel
of monkeys goes sideways,
we can get you on
for an interview.
Thanks.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Okay.
Chip, we got him patched in?
Great. Okay.
- REBECCA: Stuart?
- STUART: Uh, yes. That's me.
REBECCA: Hi.
This is Rebecca Parks from WCBO.
How are you doing in there?
Well, uh, I... I'd be
a hell of a lot better
if you people in the media
would get your facts straight
before you start
spreading misinformation
with your broadcast.
Hey, thank you so much
for this exclusive.
Alright, Chip. We good?
MAN ON TV: We have breaking news
out of Cincinnati, Ohio, tonight
where it appears
a hostage situation
in a downtown library
has been going on
for the better part
of the night.
We're gonna take you there live
to our Cincinnati affiliate...
Would you mind clearing
my eye line, honey? Chip?
MAN ON TV: Rebecca Parks
has been covering the scene
since it began. Rebecca?
That's right,
we do have a breaking news,
a WCBO exclusive,
outside the extremely chilly
central library
which has been on lockdown since
about 6 o'clock this evening.
A newly released information
about this situation
is the man
responsible for the lockdown
has a criminal past.
We have obtained some images
from inside the building
that are exclusive to us.
Hi, mom.
What the...
How did they get this footage?
Where are they getting
this footage from?
And now, on the phone,
we have with us
Mr. Stuart Goodson
who many believe is
the instigator for the lockdown,
and some say is holding
over 100 people
inside the library
against their will.
Mr. Goodson, are you there, sir?
Yeah, I am.
You're a city librarian,
is that correct?
- A supervisor?
- Yes, that's right.
REBECCA: Are officials correct
in the assumption
that you are indeed holding
people against their will?
Of course not. No, tha... that
is absolutely false.
REBECCA: So this is not
a hostage situation?
It never was.
Well, there seems to be
a whole lot of confusion about
what exactly is going on inside
the building, Mr. Goodson.
Now a source
inside the police department
has confirmed that you've had
quite a few brushes
with law enforcement
in the past,
and that you yourself
were, in fact, homeless
and living on the street
some years ago.
Okay.
Would you care to comment
on that?
You just did.
Well, I'm... I'm simply
trying to clarify
for our viewers at home
what's happening in there.
This is
a humanitarian crisis
that's happening
in our own city.
This is not some problem
that's gonna be solved
with a community bake sale.
[SCOFFS] That's my line.
Well, I'm... I'm hoping
that you can
shed a little light on it
and... and give us all
some context here, Mr. Goodson.
- Context?
- REBECCA: Yes, that's right.
Context.
"There is a, uh...
a crime here
that goes beyond denunciation.
There is a...
a sorrow here
that weeping cannot symbolize.
There is a failure here
that topples all our success."
What is he saying?
What is he talking about?
Okay, a failure, Mr. Goodson.
Can you elaborate
on that a bit?
"The fertile earth,
the straight tree rows,
the sturdy trunks
and the ripe fruit,
and in the eyes of the people,
there is a failure,
and in the eyes of the hungry,
there is a...
a growing wrath."
Okay, so you're saying
my goodness,
the people inside are angry.
Is that right?
STUART: "In the soul
of the people,
the grapes of wrath
are filling
and growing heavy...
growing heavy for the vintage."
Well...
some interesting words
from inside the central library
here in Downtown Cincinnati
where we still have
a lockdown situation
that doesn't appear to be
ending... anytime soon.
Damn it. You put me on the phone
with a lunatic.
Hello? You set me up!
MYRA: That was John Steinbeck.
"Grapes of Wrath."
It's required tenth grade
reading material.
And if that doesn't prove to you
that this is not
a hostage situation,
I don't think
that you're qualified
to report even the weather.
Chip.
Sweet.
[SIGHS]
ANDERSON: Good words.
I wish they'd been mine.
Well, they are yours, Stuart.
And mine. And theirs.
They belong to all of us.
[MELLOW MUSIC]
What do you think's
gonna happen to us, man?
We all going to jail tonight?
They'll probably get us
for trespassin' and resistin'.
I've never been to jail.
[LAUGHING]
That's 'cause you ain't been on
the street long enough, George
- Give it time.
- SMUTTS: Mm-hm. Yeah.
But I'm not a criminal.
None of us are, brother.
Never broken God's law
in my life.
Always did right.
Served my country,
married my high school mama,
raised three kids,
even paid my taxes.
But you lose that J-O-B, shit.
I've been arrested 19 times.
- Ten for jaywalkin'.
- Twenty six for me.
Thirty two.
Well, give or take.
Hey, you know who been to jail
more times than any man I know?
Caesar.
Fifty five times.
One time, they arrested him
for singin' in the street.
Wow.
Hail, Caesar.
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
[LINE RINGING]
[TELEPHONE CONTINUES RINGING]
[SIGHS]
[CONTINUES RINGING]
What do you want?
Just checking in.
Seeing what's up.
Sure, whatever.
[SIGHS] You know...
I was your age
when I hit rock bottom,
when I realized that my anger
and getting loaded
weren't workin' for me anymore.
- STUART: So you know what I did?
- Started selling crack?
I started reading...
in this room
in that same chair
you're sitting in now.
And look where you ended up.
Whoop-de-doo.
Must be like deja vu, huh?
Mike... [SIGHS]
of all the men in this room...
I look at you and I say
he's the lucky one.
You know why?
'Cause there are people
out there
who are concerned about you.
Your family.
Your family needs to know
that you're... [GRUNTS]
MAN 14: Mike, stop!
[CLAMORING]
- ANDERSON: Stuart, you alright?
- MIKE: Get off of me!
- MAN 14: Calm down!
- MIKE: Get off of me!
[CLAMORING]
MAN 14: Calm down!
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
MIKE: Let go!
- MIKE: It hurts!
- Don't resist, Michael.
- Bring your ass on.
- Just stop. Just stop.
- Don't resist, okay?
- Come on, bring...
- Come on.
- Michael, stop!
Come on, turn.
You lied to me about my son.
At least now you know
where he is.
Why did you lie to me?
Could I have a minute here,
please?
- Yes, sir.
- Yes, sir.
Why did you lie to me?
A librarian's duty is to protect
the privacy of the patrons.
Maybe you've heard
of the Connecticut Four.
Yes. I've heard
of the Connecticut Four.
I read that appellate case
when I went back
to graduate school
ten years ago.
Goodson,
your intellectual vanity is...
breathtaking.
These people
that you're protecting,
your patrons, is it worth it?
Is it worth throwing
your life away for?
Would they do the same for you?
Not on your life, pal.
I've been working
with drunks and addicts
and the mentally ill
for my entire career,
all day, every day.
And they're not your friends.
They don't give two shits
about you!
All they care about
is their next hit,
their next bottle,
their next meal,
and they will beg,
borrow and steal
to get that from you.
But you already know that,
don't you?
How many years did you spend
on the street, Goodson?
Yeah. I read that file.
"A danger to himself
and others."
Seventy two hour
psychiatric hold twice,
51/50'd twice.
I wanted a second opinion.
BILL: How's this gonna end,
Goodson?
[HONKING]
No.
Sir, no! This area's closed.
What are you doing?
Sir, this area's closed.
- I have to get through.
- You need to move your car.
- I have to get through.
- No, no, this area's closed.
You need to move your car
right now.
I have supplies,
I have clothing,
I have food
for the folks inside.
Things they need
to help keep them warm.
Wait, you're Pastor Bradley,
right?
You're, you're running
for mayor.
That's right.
Now are you gonna help me
put these boxes on the curb?
Here. Let's start here.
Yeah. There we go.
[MELLOW MUSIC]
Listen, there's a lot of folks
coming from the church
with supplies.
You have to let them through.
Hey, what the hell's
going on here?
This is a secured area.
Well, you're gonna have
to tell all of them that.
Excuse me. Is this where
I can drop stuff off
for all those people in there?
Yeah, you can...
you can set it here.
Cool.
- Do you need some help?
- Sure, thanks.
Thanks.
- This is clothes stuffs?
- And some blankets.
Oh, that's so nice of you.
You can put food over there
by those, um, red baskets,
and we'll take this here.
Okay.
Don't worry.
I work at the library.
This is gonna be
the easiest way.
And you, can you help me
with the cars,
because I don't know how...
Oh, cool. This is food stuff,
so...
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Here. Thank you.
They're not comin' out of there
unless we make 'em.
I know.
No matter
how this thing goes down...
we're gonna look like
the bad guys.
I know.
Man, I always knew
you was one of us.
[CHUCKLES]
Why you ain't never tell me
you was on the street?
- Would it have mattered?
- Hm.
Reckon there's gonna be
100 angry cops
at the door soon, huh?
You know,
there's a lot of vets in here.
I can't imagine
they care either way.
You're all a bunch of bums,
Jackson. Don't you know that?
They gonna get in.
They always do. [SCOFFS]
This time, I'mma fight back.
It's a fight you'll lose.
Yes, that's right,
we are still here live
in front of the Downtown
Cincinnati Public Library
where the action had been
unfolding on the inside
but is now unfolding
on the outside.
Hey.
Got it.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
REBECCA: What we've been seeing
is ordinary citizens
turning up
on an incredibly chilly evening.
What had been a... a staging area
for local law enforcement...
STUART: Hi, this is Stuart.
Please leave a message.
So you're really pushing
the envelope, huh?
You seem hell-bent
on getting these guys to use
whatever means necessary
to get you out of there.
[BUS HONKING]
I thought that you were smarter
than this, Stuart.
Do you have any idea
how this is gonna end?
Do you have any idea?
[INDISTINCT CHATTER
ON POLICE RADIO]
Well, it looks like
these guys... do.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
[CLAMORING]
[CLAMORING]
George?
George?
You wear these now.
George, you wear these now
and you'll be able
to look at people
and not hurt them
with your laser eyes.
- For real?
- For real.
[GASPS] Oh.
[CLAMORING]
See?
Nobody is exploding.
You're right.
Now listen.
I'm gonna need your help
doing something.
Uh, detective?
DAVIS: Shit.
Ah.
Jesus Christ. Come on.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Okay, time to go.
What? I'm a prosecutor,
not a policeman.
I mean,
this is... this is your gang.
Guess it's time for you
to leave the building, Elvis.
- Move, move, move.
- Go, go. Go, go, go.
[INTENSE MUSIC]
- Let's breach.
- Alright.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Hold, hold. Here we go.
[INHALES SHARPLY]
Let's go.
[FURNITURE MOVING]
Ho... ho... hold on. Hold on.
I can see clearly now
The rain has gone
I can see all obstacles
In my way
All of the dark clouds
That had me blind
Gonna be a bright bright
Bright
Sun-shiny day
Oh I can make it now
The pain is gone
All of the bad feelings
Have disappeared
Here is that rainbow
I've been praying for
It's gonna be a bright
Bright
Bright sun-shiny day
It's gonna be a bright
Bright sun-shiny day
I can see clearly now
The rain is gone
I can see all obstacles
In my way
All of the dark clouds
That had me blind
It's gonna be a bright
Bright
Bright sun-shiny day
I can see clearly now
Burr.
I'm sorry about your son.
Well, at least we know
where he is.
Stuart Goodson...
you're under arrest.
You have the...
the right to remain silent.
You have the right
to speak to an attorney.
If you can't afford one,
one will be appointed to you
by a court of law.
Do you understand your rights?
Okay, good. Let's go.
Be a bright
Bright
Bright sun-shiny day
Whoo whoo whoo
I can see clearly now
The rain is gone
I can see all obstacles
in my way...
Whoo whoo whoo
Weaponize
Whoo whoo whoo
Weaponize
Whoo whoo whoo
Weaponize
Whoo whoo whoo
Whoo whoo whoo
Weaponize
Whoo whoo whoo
I... I... we can't put this
on the news.
Weaponize
Whoo whoo whoo
Weaponize
Whoo whoo whoo
Whoo whoo whoo
Weaponize
Whoo whoo whoo
Bright bright sun-shiny day
Weaponize
Whoo whoo whoo
CAESAR: Hey, fellas!
- What happened to your clothes?
- JACKSON: Hey!
- Ha-ha-ha!
- CAESAR: Hey! Hey!
- Holy crap!
- Caesar, where you been?
[LAUGHS] I disappeared!
- We thought you were dead!
- CAESAR: Ah!
- Ah!
- No, I'm here!
What happened to you?
Oh, my God!
Put something on, Jackson!
In my way
All of the dark clouds
that had me blind
[MELLOW MUSIC]
Bright bright
Bright sun-shiny day
It's gonna be
a bright bright
Bright sun-shiny day
It's gonna be a bright...
Excuse me, sir.
Do you know these guys?
Yeah, these fellas,
they're my friends.
Would you mind answering a few
questions for our viewers?
- Is this a live broadcast?
- It is.
The first live broadcast
in the United States
took place September 4, 1951
when Harry S. Truman
gave a speech
to the Japanese Peace Treaty
Conference in San Francisco.
Bright sun-shiny day
That's absolutely correct.
It's gonna be a bright...
Hail, Caesar!
[CHUCKLES] Hail, Caesar.
Who would have ever thought
that I would be, uh,
escorting you out of the library
in handcuffs, Mr. Goodson?
I promise not to sue you,
Mr. Ramirez.
[LAUGHS]
All of the dark clouds
That had me blind
It's gonna be a bright
Bright
Bright sun-shiny day
[LAUGHING]
It's gonna be a bright
Bright
Bright sun-shiny day
It's gonna be a bright
Bright
Bright sun-shiny day
It's gonna be a bright
Bright sun-shiny day
Gonna be a bright
Bright sun-shiny day
Sorry about tonight,
Mr. Anderson.
I'm not.
It's gonna be a bright
sun-shiny day
I can see all obstacles
in my way
Gone are the dark clouds
Hey.
I'm gonna go back
to your apartment
and pick up some clothes
for you.
It's gonna be a bright...
See you in jail.
Sun-shiny day
[CHEERING]
Yo, we made some noise tonight,
man!
Shit, they ain't never
gonna forget
what we did here tonight. Yeah!
- Whoo! We did it!
- They will never forget us.
Gonna be a bright bright
Bright bright sun-shiny day
It's gonna be
a bright bright
Bright sun-shiny day
It's gonna be
a bright bright
Bright sun-shiny day
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]
WOMAN 5: What percentage
of the world's population
has access to the internet?
MAN 15: How many miles is it
from the Earth to Mars?
WOMAN 6: I'm looking for
how many times
the 25th Amendment has been...
MAN 16: How long does it take
to die of hypothermia?
MAN 17: I'm looking for data
on total homeless population...
MAN 18: I'm looking for
how many nuclear weapons
are currently on the planet.
MAN 19: How many plots
are there in literature?
WOMAN 7: How many times is the
word God used in the Bible?
MAN 20: Where does it say in
the Holy Quran
to go forth
and kill the infidels?
WOMAN 8: I'm looking for
articles on climate change.
MAN 21: How does a person
become a librarian?
- WOMAN 9: I'm looking...
- MAN 22: I'm looking...
MAN 23: I'm looking...
I'm looking for a miracle.
Can you help me find one?
[RHYMEFEST SINGING
"MAKE NOISE"]
Wakin' up on the train
tryin' ride through the pain
Now beggin' for money
he was askin' for change
Take a sip of the wine
that's the blood in his veins
Came back from Iraq
and got the war in his brain
How many days of waiting
Man
How many checks are pending
The rent's due
Got evicted just yesterday
Layin' low standin' out
with nothin' to say
When you spend that
first night in your Chevrolet
You get to look at that life
in a different way
I got a suitcase briefcase
missin' a bag
With my diabetic pills
it was all that I had
In the library
waitin' on time to pass
Hey take another sip
hide the flask
I saw light in a flash
And I thought thank God
I'm behind this glass 'cause
I can see clear
I can see clearly now
The rain