ANNOUNCER [ON RADIO]: Just inside
the Chicago 30, Greg McKeon in motion to the right side.
Williams ducks in under a center, takes the snap,
he's backing it up. Williams in the pocket--
Come on.
ANNOUNCER [ON RADIO]: He throws it off side.
And it's intercepted.
What?
Oh, sorry, I just hate the Bears.
You're supposed to root for people, not against them,
ain't you?
That takes the fun out of it.
Your first name's Harry?
Yeah, it's on the card.
ANNOUNCER [ON RADIO]: Return out to the 24 yard line.
I gotta try to catch the rest of this game on TV.
ANNOUNCER [ON RADIO]: Wide receiver
in motion to the left side.
Lobs to the right side and it's intercepted.
25, cutting right to the 30, cutting back the other way.
35, 40 left side line.
Fumbles the football.
It's picked up.
He's across the 40 into Tampa Bay territory.
What the hell are you doing?
Do you remember me?
You're the gas station guy.
You have 10 seconds to tell me who I am.
[cocks gun]
[theme music]
THEME SONG: We never thought we thought we'd
find a place where we belong.
Don't have to stand alone.
We'll never let you fall.
Don't need permission to decide what you believe.
I said jump, down on Jump Street.
Your friends will be there when your back is to the wall.
You'll find you need us because there's no on else to call.
When it's a hopeless a decision is what you need.
You better be ready to jump, 21 Jump Street.
One, two, three--
OK, wait a minute.
Four.
MAN [ON TV]: The liquid hydrogen tank
now at flight pressure and all three engines ready to go.
Coming up on a 1-minute point in our countdown.
Man, it's so lame to make us watch this.
It's better than sitting in class.
Yeah.
You know this would be cool if we were stoned.
Then ditch.
Go watch in your grandpa's opium den.
Excuse me.
Why didn't you wait for me.
You know I wanted to see this.
Up yours.
You never told me.
I told you last night, but you were
too screwed up again to listen.
Like mother like daughter.
You know, dad's nose was bleeding last night
from snorting so much.
Shut up.
That is so sick.
I hate it.
My brother, dweeb.
MAN [ON TV]: We have main engine start.
Four, three, two, one.
We have lift off.
Lift off of the 25th space shuttle mission.
And it has cleared the tower.
ASTRONAUT [ON TV]: Challenger now heading downrange.
MAN [ON TV]: Challenger, go with throttle up.
MAN [ON TV]: Flight controllers here looking very carefully
at the situation.
Obviously, a major malfunction.
We have no downlink.
Have Officer Ioki report to my office as soon as he gets in.
Yes, sir.
I don't think I'm going to last very long with him.
Well, he's definitely not Jenko.
I mean look at this place.
It's so-- - Sterile.
Yeah.
[knocking]
Yeah.
Give me news, Ioki.
Well, I believe someone is dealing at the school
through a student named Janine DeGray.
Tell me something I don't already know.
Sir?
You've been at Lincoln two weeks now and produced zero.
Well, the-- the girl is very standoffish.
It's very hard to make contact.
Then go through her brother.
Explore other avenues.
They don't get along.
Plus, he's straight.
Have you tried?
I don't have to.
I know.
You've got a lot to learn, Officer.
I was undercover for 11 years.
So in my book, unless you've exhausted every avenue,
you haven't even begun yet.
You don't go in every time as a buyer.
You do whatever it takes.
If the brother's straight, you be straight.
Get into their home.
Maybe you'll find something there that'll take you
to the next step.
Captain Jenko would never--
Let me know how it goes, Officer Ioki.
The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted.
It belongs to the brave.
The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future.
And we'll continue to follow them.
Thank you.
You OK?
You know, you're the only one who knows about my past.
When I was a kid in Vietnam, I remember the day the astronauts
landed on the moon.
And they said there were Americans up there.
I mean, do you know how God-like that sounded to me.
I felt safe because friends of the American soldiers
were up there watching over us.
I tried so hard to see them.
You know, when I saw that ship explode today,
all the loss, I knew what it would be like to lose you.
You've heard about the effects of drug use,
the dangers it presents to the user
and of the people around them.
But how do we end this epidemic?
Now the pamphlets I'll hand out are
the names and numbers of organizations that
will help you to just say no.
And when friends or family are abusers,
you can help them by getting help.
You're saying to be a snitch?
That's a dirty word.
But it shouldn't be.
You know, the notion of snitching originated
in the criminal world--
gangs, prisons.
Now, if we're going to beat this very serious drug problem,
we have to start thinking like law abiding citizens,
not like morons and hoods.
[jeering laughter] Let me answer your question another way.
This was in an article I read by our first Lady Nancy Reagan.
"Time and again, and in many languages, former drug users
have told me they were finally able to stop
because of the support of their families."
And I think that's how we have to see
our whole country, not as a lot of little families,
but one big one.
We're all connected.
And if someone's hurting our family,
be it a user or a pusher, well, then we
owe it to our brothers and sisters
to act aggressively upon that problem.
Hey.
Harry, right?
Right.
It looks cool.
Thanks.
Is it for art class?
No, just myself.
My dingus guidance counselor won't let
me take any more art classes.
That's OK.
Mr. Whelan let's me in here after school.
Dude doesn't look happy.
Dude's not.
She won't go out with you, you know.
Who?
My sister, man.
I seen you following her.
No, I wasn't--
Mm, hm.
All right, I think she's OK.
Yeah, well, you don't want to get what you're going after.
Hey, come on, man.
No guy thinks his own sister's hot.
No, it's not that.
She's-- she's a major coke head.
She sells too.
Janine is trouble.
Have you tried talking to her about it?
I tried everything.
She doesn't listen.
My mom and dad are just as bad.
You know, it's like I'll--
I'll try to show them stuff from like social studies today.
They'll either laugh or get mad, you know, depending
on how wasted they are.
So you think that cop was right?
What?
About that family stuff?
Yeah.
I guess so.
Maybe you can help your sister,
you know, by reporting on the guy
that's selling her the drugs.
Maybe.
Look, I didn't mean to interrupt you.
No, hey, thanks for listening.
OK.
Kyle, you're home late.
You're home early.
Yeah.
Finished roofing job on time for once.
Dad, the check, don't go to Donny with it, OK?
Kyle, a man's entitled to a little relaxation
after a hard day's work, OK?
[music playing]
MR DEGRAY: Hey, Donny.
How you doing?
Yeah, it's me.
Ah, the usual.
No, no, that's OK.
I'll send somebody over to pick it up.
You want somebody to pick it up?
I'll pick it up.
I just got this.
This is from a guy named Donny.
This is where he lives.
OK.
These people sent me to buy it.
If you go to their house, you'll find more drugs.
How do you know, son?
They're my parents.
Come over here.
I want to introduced you to Judy.
She's going to love this.
Judy, Judy Hoffs, this is Sal "The Blowfish"
Banducci, our new janitor.
Maintenance engineer.
Nice to meet. - You, too.
Would you do one for her?
Do what?
Just check it out.
You're going to love this.
Please.
[drumming sound]
[blowing]
The blowfish.
I love this guy.
HT Ioki, who's recently perfected
a new police method of getting suspects to turn themselves in.
Well, it's the Asian way, getting
the enemy to expend his energy.
I've considered my parents the enemy before,
but for a kid to actually turn them in?
That sounds a little like Hitler Youth to me.
His parents were drug abusers.
And I'm sure he had exhausted every avenue
in trying to help them.
Anyway it feels good to know that I
had something to do with the kid being better off now.
- I want you to understand why-- - Don't even.
I didn't know that they were going arrest them.
What did you think the cops were going to do?
Write them a ticket?
I just wanted them to get rid of the drugs.
You know, mom and dad wouldn't listen to what was right.
Right?
What do you know about right?
You turned us in.
I was helping them.
They were hurting themselves--
Oh, give me a break.
That's straight out of Nancy Reagan BS at school.
I can't believe you fell for it.
They were ruining our lives--
No, you mean they were ruining yours.
You know, I was fine, you little jerk.
But you couldn't have things your way,
so you wrecked it for everybody.
You narc pig. What?
You think you're helping me?
[music playing]
[piano music]
[clapping]
Thank you, Wayne Newton, for the song.
And thank you, Cheryl, for the present.
You're welcome.
Now, make a wish.
So, what did you wish?
I wish my name was Jim.
What?
OK, when I was a kid in Vietnam, I mean,
this is when my family kind of knew we
were going to go to the states.
My parents told me to pick an American name because people
would have trouble with ours.
Yeah.
So one of my favorite TV shows was "The Wild, Wild West."
And Jim West was this really tough guy.
And so I--
I've always wanted that name.
And it's either that or Artemis Gordon.
Hey, Artemis is a cool name.
If I ever have kids, I'm going to name them Artemis.
I'd work all day, I hear these kids say my parents are creeps.
My parents won't let me go out.
My dad's uptight.
I'd give anything to see my parents again.
Just to tell them how much I miss them.
Just make them proud of me.
Tell them about you.
I can't fill up that hole.
Just don't make another one.
MR DEGRAY: I love my children.
During that unfortunate period in my life when drugs impaired
my judgment, I never for a moment
thought I was harming Kyle and Janine.
I hope your honor will take into consideration that I had
planned on entering a substance abuse center shortly
before my arrest.
And, finally, since my wife is remanded to counseling
and rehabilitation at the county hospital,
I beg the court to also grant me probation,
allow me to keep my natural right
as parent to Kyle and Janine.
The thought of losing them to a foster home is quite painful.
I beg, allow me, my natural right.
You know, you are a very selfish man, Mr. DeGray.
I don't believe that the thought of losing your children
crossed your mind for a second before your conviction.
And now, your children are another convenient tool?
Why, I feel for your children, especially
your son, who was driven to such an heroic,
albeit desperate action.
And I regret that your lives were
made public under the scrutiny of the press.
But I think years from now that your family will be
thankful for Kyle's decision.
And I remind you that you were selling drugs,
providing them to your daughter, contributing
to her delinquency.
Therefore, it is a decision of this court
that you serve no more than five years
and no less than 30 months at the state's
minimum security facility.
Court's adjourned.
KYLE: I was led to believe this would help them.
Why should we be taken away?
That's what you get from listening to people.
- Shut up. - Come on, you two.
I never thought they'd go to jail.
You liar.
It's exactly what you wanted.
Look, what's done is done.
You can't turn back the clock.
What can I do?
You can get on with your life.
That's where I come in.
Oh, wow, it only gets better.
You're fortunate.
You have a relative who's agreed to take you both.
I ain't living with him.
You have an aunt and an uncle in Portland.
No way.
My aunt's a total bitch.
It's that or a foster parent who will only take you
in because they get paid too.
Either one, I don't care.
Just get me away from doofus here.
Why are you ruining my life?
I didn't break the law, you know.
You tell me, Kyle.
What are we supposed to do?
We have laws in this country against selling drugs,
taking drugs.
Yeah, there ain't no law stronger than the family.
You should get the chair.
Janine.
This may not sound very good right now,
but you have relatives who care about you.
It'll be a different environment, a better
environment, a new start.
We have to do the best thing for you.
Oh, sure, this is just great.
Kyle, you made a choice.
Right or wrong, you made it.
And it leads to this.
The sooner you accept it, the sooner you can deal with it.
[music playing]
[explosion]
RONALD REAGAN [VOICEOVER]: The future doesn't
belong to the fainthearted.
It belongs to the brave.
[echos] Belongs to the brave, belongs to the brave.
ASTRONAUT [VOICEOVER]: Go with throttle up.
Go with throttle up, throttle up.
[gunfire] Malfunction.
Malfunction.
Hey!
[scream]
[gasps]
[music playing]
[knocking]
Cheryl!
Cheryl.
[music playing]
Harry?
5.
OK, wait a minute.
Six.
- Put the gun down-- - Seven--
Damn it.
I know you.
Eight, nine--
[gun shot]
I've got you.
I got you.
I'm a cop.
Oh, yeah, that's great.
I should have known it.
You bastard.
Figure it out yet?
All I figured out is that you must hate me pretty much.
Pretty much, yeah.
Why?
You took my life.
You look pretty good for a dead man.
Yeah, I do.
I never killed anyone.
Oh, yes, you did.
When I was 16, you killed me.
Don't knock yourself out.
Kyle DeGray, Roosevelt High School.
I had a sister Janine.
Oh, yeah, oh, yeah, he's the kid who narc'd on his parents.
So why did you put a gun to my head?
Because you put one to mine three years ago.
Only you pulled the trigger.
You turned in your parents.
You told me to.
What?
Oh, hell, you don't even remember, do you?
How can I?
I come across--
I come across hundreds of kids.
I destroy lives every day.
My job saves lives.
Then consider yourself a failure.
Why me?
Your parents did drugs.
Your teachers gave you the anti-drug lectures.
You turn them in.
Why me?
Because I thought you were my friend back then.
You listened.
And I thought you really cared about me and my family.
Great performance, man.
You don't have any idea--
Did you get the collar when I turned them in?
Because I'd hate to think this was all for nothing.
I dropped out of school, a series of crappy jobs,
a sister that hates my guts.
You took my family away.
I never did anything except tell you the right thing to do.
Oh.
Well, you do that a lot, I bet.
Tell me, whose else's life have you ruined?
[music playing]
[knocks]
[door locks]
[music playing]
I was hoping you could help me find someone.
Have you spoken to Kyle since?
No.
You're aware that he ran away from the shelter?
Yes.
From that point on, we've lost touch.
If Kyle only listened to the people, those
who were trying to help him.
I was trying to help.
Well, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Ma'am--
Don't call me ma'am.
I'm younger than you.
I don't think you can understand the pain of having
your parents taken away.
I think I can.
Apparently you told Kyle to betray his family.
That's not true.
My mother died of cancer.
My father, who's still in prison,
refuses to see his own daughter, his own grandchild.
For what?
A handful of drugs.
Not even a splash in the ocean's worth.
You know, Kyle didn't have to go to the police.
He could have called one of those helpline numbers.
Or turn to God for help.
I don't know the things that you said to Kyle,
but the Lord tells us if we forgive them
in their trespasses, then our Heavenly
Father will forgive us.
OK, then forgive Kyle. He needs someone.
My father and mother forsake me.
Then the Lord will take us up.
That's what the psalm tells me.
Kyle is a lost soul.
And I pray for him every day, officer, every day.
But he is not welcome in this house.
MR DEGRAY: What do you want me to say?
I was a sucko dad?
OK, I was a sucko dad.
Forgive me, I didn't have much of a role model.
Why can't you let Kyle know that?
Because he was a sucko son.
He was trying to help you.
OK, we weren't model parents.
We used drugs, and we should have found some other way
to cope with our problems.
But we loved our kids.
And we busted our asses to support them.
Maybe you should have listened to them.
It's a little late for that.
So what are you going to do about it now?
I'm in jail.
What do you want me to do?
Just don't let the past ruin your future.
Look who's talking.
What are you?
The Good Humor man?
You swing by here in your spare time and ring your bells?
What?
Do you feel a little guilty?
Sure, you know you used some dumb teenager
to advance your future.
Only now you know how dumb you were.
I'm just trying to help you now.
Don't. Not again.
Thanks, but no thanks.
Look, some stuff gets broke you just can't fix.
Never.
[music playing]
[knocks]
Hi.
Remember me?
Yeah.
[piano music]
[beep]
IOKI [ON ANSWERING MACHINE]: Cheryl, this Harry Ioki.
Um-- look, I don't know what to say.
I had rehearsed.
But these machines only give you one shot.
We need to talk.
I'm not pregnant or nothing.
Sorry about that.
There's some things that should be said.
Please call me, 555-9942.
Bye.
[tape rewinding]
[music playing]
JUDGE: Would you like to make a statement before sentencing?
No.
I'd like to say something on behalf of the defendant.
Who are you?
I'm the officer he pulled a gun on.
I think there were extenuating circumstances
that would explain--
He pleaded guilty, sir.
He didn't take into account the consequences
of his actions.
He shouldn't be punished for that.
You are way out of line, officer.
But there were things that happened
in the past, your honor, things that are outside his control.
Thank you, officer.
That will be fine.
No.
Come on, man.
Look, they ain't taking your parents this time.
They're taking Kyle.
Now doesn't that scare the hell out of you?
Tell them.
Bailiff.
Look, they took his family, but it wasn't his fault.
You see--
damn it.
Why are you doing this?
Talk to me, man.
Just tell them what happened.
Let me-- let me explain what I did.
Just see something.
Why aren't you saying something?
[music playing]
IOKI [ON ANSWERING MACHINE]: Cheryl, this is Harry.
Yes, again.
Could you do me a favor.
I think my phone is busted, and I need someone to call me.
[phone ringing]
Yeah.
CHERYL [ON PHONE]: Harry, I've been thinking.
Maybe we should talk.
Hi.
Long time no see.
Yeah.
Harry, your message, you tried to sound funny and charming,
but-- uh--
pain in your voice, couldn't get it out of my head.
I killed some people.
This kid, Kyle, and me, and you.
Can we go?
It's too-- it's too formal here.
Please.
Yeah.
So I finally sold the dues because I
got so tired of always parking it on a hill
so I could jump start it.
That car was like an old friend.
Some friendships need a running start.
You know, sometimes I think back on the things
I did a month ago, a year ago, 10 years ago,
and I say, what the hell was I doing?
Harry, that boy Kyle is not your fault.
No, let me finish.
I was thinking back, and you know,
you were the best thing ever in my life.
And I messed you up.
I want to fix that.
Did you feel good when the shuttle
got off the ground again.
Yeah.
Maybe it's a sign for us.
No.
If the explosion was an omen of the end--
Harry, you left me way before you left me.
I know.
It was a mistake.
That you're trying to correct.
Let it go.
We didn't work out.
I never meant to hurt you.
Harry, you lost your family.
You can't let that stop you from loving someone else.
But I--
I don't know.
I guess it's really hard for me to believe it
when something is so right--
I let my past ruin our future.
You didn't ruin my life.
I'm with someone now that makes me very happy.
OK, this is not a joke.
Dump him and give me another shot.
Harry--
No, I swear to God, I'm not going to make the same mistake
again if you help me.
I can help you without being in love with you.
I mean it's part of our job on this planet.
We're all connected, you and me and the mailman and that kid
Kyle.
And the baby I'm going to have.
Be happy for me.
I mean, you can be a little sad for Harry and Cheryl,
but be happy for me.
So when is it due?
In about six months.
What are you going to name it?
Well, if it's a girl Michelle.
If it's a boy Artemis.
Your dad passed his parole hearing.
If I could get him here, wouldn't you talk to him?
No.
OK, you're right.
Excuse me.
You're right.
We all messed up your life.
Your parents were bad parents.
Your sister was a bad sister.
And I'm a bad cop.
We all did wrong to you and now your life sucks.
Yeah, it's really easy for you to say now, isn't it?
Why didn't you think about that when
you got me to turn my folks in?
I did.
See, I saw you were in pain, and I thought
that maybe this was a way out.
I know some kids that have been helped by doing what you did.
Only now I realize for you it was the wrong thing.
What else could I have done?
I don't know.
Maybe we should have called social services
or gotten your folks in Al-Anon.
There are other things out there.
But who knows what would have worked.
I guess it really doesn't matter now, does it?
I guess not.
No, I guess not.
So what's in the future for you, Kyle?
Is there going to be one?
Huh?
I mean, hell, if anyone got a good reason to snuff it,
it's definitely you.
I mean, all those people who ruined your life.
What are you doing?
I'm helping you, man.
You want me to write a note for you.
I'm not going to hang myself.
You're not?
Well, then, we better move on.
You see you, Kyle, we all hang together or we just don't hang.
[knocks]
[music playing]