Come on. Turn around.
You were one minute away.
How are you six minutes away now?
Morning. Who are you yelling at?
I ordered a ride‐share 30 minutes ago,
but Christine S. keeps turning left.
I don't know what's happening.
You have a very low passenger rating.
Two out of five stars?!
What'd you do, Jean?
I don't know. I'm a very good passenger.
I make conversation, I help with directions,
and I always sit in front
so we can have a face‐to‐face conversation
when I talk politics.
Run, Christine S., run!
Oh! I think she heard you. She dropped me.
Where are you trying to go?
The grocery store.
I asked Freddie to take me, but he said he had
such a good parking spot, he didn't want to give it up.
And then I called Jackie to drive me,
but she said she drove me three times last week
and her carbon footprint was getting too big.
Hmm. Look, you've been here a few weeks now,
and Los Angeles is really not a town you can be without a car.
I mean, people become afraid to answer your calls.
I mean, I'm sexually attracted to you,
and even I don't pick up sometimes.
Yeah, I live across the courtyard.
I can hear your phone ring. Ah.
And see you turn your lights off.
Hmm. Look, don't you have a job starting soon?
I mean, what's your plan now?
Oh, I thought you and I could carpool.
I work from home, Jean.
So we'll drop you off first.
Jean...
it's time.
I remember when you guys first got your licenses,
and I didn't get to drive you to school anymore.
I missed our time together in the car.
Now when I get my own car,
you're gonna miss your time with me.
The blue one's nice.
Hey, where does she sign?!
Okay, everybody calm down.
We are not making any emotional purchases today.
Which is why I'm doing the talking
when the salesman gets here.
I worked on a car lot when I was 18.
I speak their language.
Also, let's not dance around it,
I'm the best‐looking of the bunch.
Okay, Cookie, we'll take our cues from you,
but I'm gonna do my part.
These babies still have a little gas in the tank.
Ugh.
♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪
It means a lot to me that you guys are here.
You could've been anywhere, but you're here with me.
Well, actually, Celia's in Chicago for two days
at an influencer convention, so I have nothing else to do.
Hmm, actually, I had three vacation days
that were about to expire,
and Lane told me we were going to lunch.
Still, you're here with me. [ Chuckles ]
Hey, wait. If you guys are alone tonight,
you have to come over for dinner.
It hasn't been just the three of us since I came out here.
In fact, it hasn't been just the three of us
since you guys were in high school.
Jackie always had a boyfriend.
And Freddie always had to bring a friend along
when we went to the lake for the summer.
Who eventually became one of Jackie's boyfriends.
I was not prepared to relive this today.
Okay, Bryce, this is our customer.
I hope I can trust you to take care of my girl.
Go ahead Bryce, you got this.
Well, may I suggest this model?
It gets excellent gas mileage
and has the highest safety rating in its class.
Ooh.
[ Chuckles ]
What's that?
Oh, that's your multimedia infotainment touchscreen.
Oh, so high‐tech.
Play Celine Dion!
That's not how it works. [ Chuckles ]
Oh.
But you can also get it with an optional sunroof.
[ Gasps ] Does that cost extra?
Eh...a little.
Translation ‐‐ a lot.
That's right, I speak your language.
I'll just take the base model.
But not in white because people can't see you when it snows.
Mom, this is Los Angeles. It never snows.
Yeah, and white's nice 'cause it hides the ash from the fires.
Oh, I'll take the white.
I'll track one down for you
and give you a call when I have it.
Oh, I‐I can't get it today?
But I start a new job today. How am I gonna get to work?
I call dibs on taking Mother Raines to work!
Oh, shoot, I was gonna offer.
Snooze, you lose, guys.
Good morning, Amy.
I brought you some first‐day donuts.
Oh, thank God. I almost had a yogurt.
[ Chuckles ] You're an hour early.
Oh, I went over all my orientation materials.
I got new binders.
And I'm wearing a lipstick called "Success."
[ Chuckles ] Are you ready for your first client?
I've got a client. I've never had a client.
I'm like a lawyer or a prostitute.
I've got a Julia Roberts movie job!
Don't call yourself a prostitute.
College counseling cannot take another controversy.
Oh, okay. Business Amy.
No. Boss Amy.
Got it. Boss Amy.
Your job is to figure out a kid's strength
and get them into college.
But sometimes kids have no strengths.
Oh, as a teacher,
I like to think that all students
have something to offer.
[ Chuckles ] Counterpoint ‐‐ meet Connor.
That's my first client?
I can smell the weed through the computer.
May‐Maybe I should start with an easy one.
This is an easy one.
You think parents bring their kids to us
when they're Harvard material?
You're lucky this isn't a mug shot.
I believe in you. You can do this.
Unless you can't do it, then I'll fire you.
And don't put up any personal pictures
'cause I don't like looking at people's children
when I'm canning their asses.
♪♪
‐Hi, Mom. ‐Hi, guys.
What are you doing here?
You invited us to dinner.
Oh, dinner, right.
Oh, I haven't even gone to the market yet.
My first day turned out to be so much more intense
than I thought it was gonna be.
There are two sides to Amy.
And today I met Boss Amy. She doesn't play.
Or give bathroom breaks.
If you have a lot of work to do,
we don't have to do this tonight.
Yeah, we could totally do it next weekend
when Celia's back in town.
Oh, God, no! [ Chuckles ]
I do have a lot of work, but I can multitask.
I'll be fine.
Okay. Should we just order in?
Order in for Family Dinner?
[ Scoffs ] Who am I, Aunt Kim?
Why don't we just go to Hometown Buffet for Thanksgiving
and get a plastic Christmas tree while we're at it?
Are we a family or are we from New York?
Okay, Mom. We know. We'll let you cook.
Oh, good. How about my curried chicken?
I do love your curried chicken.
I‐I just need to borrow a few ingredients from Danny.
How about I make my brownies for dessert?
Freddie, it's your turn to be my taste tester.
[ Gasps ] Ooh, taste tester?
I don't think I've been taste tester since high school.
If you don't want to do it, I ‐‐
She just said it was my turn.
Okay, well, if he gets the bowl, I get the spoon.
Oh, yeah, you get the spoon.
How else am I supposed to get the batter out of the bowl,
you idiot?!
Uh, I don't know, use your fingers, turd.
Oh, my babies are home.
♪♪
[ Knocks on door ]
I don't need a ride.
Oh.
Hey, how's the career woman?
Oh, spread a little thin. Ah.
I've got about six hours of research to do tonight,
but right now, I've got my babies all to myself,
and I'm gonna make them dinner.
Can I borrow a few odds and ends?
Yeah, sure.
Okay, I need three chicken breasts,
an onion, a bag of frozen peas,
anything that might go into a salad,
and a can of coconut milk.
So all you have is a flame and a pan?
Oh, I also need a pan.
Why don't you just order in?
Because I'm not Aunt Kim.
I cook for Family Dinners, and I know my drink limit.
And it's never just the three of us.
And who knows when it's gonna be just the three of us again.
Hmm.
There are boyfriends and girlfriends,
and pretty soon there's gonna be families and in‐laws.
And this gives me a chance to get a taste
of what it used to be...
Hmm.
...when they'd come home for winter break
and I'd buy all their favorite snacks
and put their towels in the dryer
so they'd be toasty when they got out of the shower.
Oh, wow. I wish you were my mom.
Our thing is complicated enough.
Yeah, I heard it.
Besides, this is what I came to L. A. for ‐‐
to have quality time with my kids.
Look, I know what you mean.
I mean, when my daughter was little,
I used to take her to ride the ponies at Griffith Park.
I used to have to hold the reins for her.
Then she made me let go of the reins.
Then she made a go at the Jet Ski,
and the pony and I were both out.
Jean, every parent wishes they could go backwards.
Just ‐‐ Just don't be surprised
if you find you can't recapture the magic of your memories.
Your kids are grown‐ups.
♪♪
Mom, Freddie's brownie's bigger than mine!
Cow bite!
Ow!
[ Buzzer sounds ]
Oh, Freddie, that's your last load.
I can't believe you made Mom do your laundry.
I didn't make her.
I just mentioned that it was in my car
and that I don't have any more clean clothes
and that my laundromat's in a bad neighborhood.
I can't help that she wanted to do it.
Oh, I love hanging with you guys.
This has been the best night.
I mean, I love Lane, and Celia's...
in your life, but I miss just us.
Okay, well, then let's keep it going!
[ Singsong voice ] Movie night.
Ooh, yeah!
But I get to pick 'cause Freddie licked the bowl.
He licks, I pick ‐‐ That's the rules.
And I pick "The Sandlot." Yes!
‐"You're killing me, Smalls!" ‐"You're killing me, Smalls!"
Oh...okay...
It's still early.
I guess I can get my work done later.
I'm kind of a night owl anyway.
I stayed up until the double‐digits
three times last week.
♪♪
Please don't be dead.
Oh, thank God. [ Chuckles ]
What are you doing here?
I'm here to take you to work.
[ Gasps ] Oh, my God. Work.
[ Gasps ] I didn't do anything!
[ Gasps ] That damn "Sandlot!"
It always puts me to sleep.
I've never made it to the end of it.
Just tell me, do they ever get the ball back?
No, no, no, don't tell me.
I can't tell you. I've never seen it.
What? It's a classic.
How have you never seen it?
You've never seen it.
Mother Raines, what are we doing?
Don't you have to get to work?
I do.
Oh, gosh, I don't know what's happening.
This is so unlike me.
Oversleeping, late for work,
I didn't do my homework.
Who am I kidding? I'm not Julia Roberts.
I'm Eric Roberts.
I can't go to work like this.
You'll be fine. We just have to, um, smooth out your dress...
Yeah. ...and, um,
fluff up your hair...
and, uh, get you some shoes.
‐Okay. ‐You need some shoes.
Okay. Okay, oh, gosh.
[ Grunts ]
♪♪
So, Connor, obviously I've been going over
your transcript and test scores
and...court‐ordered community service?
And they are all here.
But let's look past the folder.
Why don't you tell me, in your own words,
what you think you have to offer?
Isn't that your job?
That's right, Jean. That is your job.
Why don't you tell Connor a little bit about
the college application process?
Well, based on my extensive reading,
the college application process is a lot like the...
the...
the movie "The Sandlot."
And, um, college is a lot like an...
autographed baseball.
It's more valuable to some people than to others.
And then...
A giant dog destroys it?
He does?!
The stepfather's gonna be furious.
Tell you what, Connor, how about you take this money
and get some Doritos out the vending machine
and we're gonna reschedule, okay?
Chips.
I'm sorry. This is so not like me.
I meant to get up early and study Connor's file.
I got carried away with my kids last night.
I‐I have never slept through an alarm in my life.
I've never had a boss look at me the way you're looking at me.
Don't look at me.
Look, maybe I made a mistake hiring you.
You didn't! I swear. It's just a lot to balance.
Work and children.
But I believe women can have it all.
Look, Jean, I know I'm a good time,
which may give you the impression
that I don't care,
but I'm trying to make something of this place.
It's important to me.
It's important to me, too.
I've just put a non‐refundable down payment a brand‐new car.
Boss Amy doesn't care.
Oh, of course not. I'm sorry I let you down.
I won't do it again.
Okay, I'm ready. You can look at me.
Nope, I was wrong. I'm not ready.
I'm gonna look away from you now.
Yay, Mom's home!
Ooh, outfit so nice, you wore it twice.
[ Sighs ] What are you guys doing here?
We felt bad you did all the work last night,
so we brought ingredients so you can make us lasagna.
I left the receipt on the table.
Oh, guys, I really don't think I can do dinner tonight.
I've got to get to my work. Boss Amy was super mad.
And I don't think Friend Amy works there anymore.
Oh, so you don't want to play Monopoly with us?
Aunt Kim always plays Monopoly with us.
Set it up.
♪♪
[ Insects chirping ]
Hey!
What are you doing? It's 2:00 a. m.
I thought you were a burglar or a blond raccoon.
No. I'm a night owl.
What?
[ Quietly ] I almost got fired.
I didn't get my work done last night.
And then the kids came over again tonight
and tricked me into playing board games.
Now they're asleep inside, and I didn't want to wake them up.
Want to go look at them? They're ridiculously cute.
I'm good.
Jean, you almost got fired?
Yeah, it's okay. I'm doing my reading now.
Hey, I think it might be time
to set up some boundaries with your kids.
But I don't want boundaries with my babies.
Your babies have jobs and lovers
and pay quarterly estimated taxes.
You're all seriously regressing.
It's not healthy for any of you.
I don't care. I want to regress all the way back
to when they were inside of me.
Oh, sorry. I said I want to regress all the way back
to when they were inside of me.
I can still hear you in the dark.
Jean, it ‐‐ it feels like
you might be part of the problem.
And they're taking advantage of you.
Have you never read "The Giving Tree?"
All that's gonna be left of you is a stump.
And they'll come by and sit on me every day.
That was its life's purpose. It's a happy book.
Doesn't that bother you that, after such a terrible day,
your kids still expect you to play games?
No. It's fine.
I don't matter. I'm just the mom.
I have to take what they give me.
Aw, stumpy...
♪♪
Hey, good for you! You're awake.
Oh...same outfit.
Uh, twice was a cry for help,
but three times might be a statement.
I've been up all night doing my homework.
But I got it all done.
I had a great Family Game Night.
I got Park Place.
A woman really can have it all.
Are we in the car yet?
No, not yet, Mother Raines.
But, uh, let's get you to work.
Maybe ‐‐ Maybe run my fingers through your...
Not gonna happen. Never mind.
I'll let you stick your head out of the window on the way in.
It'll be nature's blowout.
Want to hear my plan for Connor?
I want to hear your plan for you.
♪♪
Are you about finished there, Connor?
That form is just for me,
a way of getting a sense of where you'd like to apply.
You didn't fill anything out.
This is just a bunch of doodles.
What's that supposed to be, a tree?
Turn it over.
Oh, Connor.
You've been sitting there for 30 minutes.
Well, yeah, that's why it's so detailed.
Are we done?
No, we're not done.
Not even close.
Why aren't you taking this seriously?
Everyone is here for you.
Your parents are spending thousands of dollars
on a college counselor.
I was up all night, and you're contributing nothing.
Can you just take care of this?
No, Connor, I will not "just take care of this."
I asked you to do one thing, and you act like it's too much.
All you had to do was circle the schools
that you were interested in applying to.
I'm sick of you expecting me to do everything.
So?
So, you're not a child!
You can contribute.
I just asked you to fill out some forms,
but you don't fill out forms,
you don't ask questions about schools,
you don't inquire about scholarships.
I did not move here from Iowa for this!
But you know what?
It's my fault.
I created this.
I give and I give and I give.
Does anybody care?
Does anybody ask about my day?
Of course not. Because I don't matter.
Because I'm just a stump.
[ Sighs ]
H‐How was your day?
Oh, God.
I'm sorry, Connor.
I‐I‐I kind of thought the University of Oregon
looked cool. Really?
We could get you into Oregon.
Yeah. And, if you have another one of these forms,
I can fill it out without the...
tree‐nis.
♪♪
‐Hey, Mom. ‐Hi, Mom.
Don't you "Hey, Mom" me.
Oh. Hey, Lane.
Are you cooking us dinner tonight?
Where's Mom?
[ Gasps ] Is she going to the store?
I need Q‐tips.
You didn't see her sleeping in my car in the driveway?
Don't worry, I cracked a window.
Because I care. Unlike you two ingrates.
[ Scoffs ] What's your problem?
We just came over to let Mom make us dinner.
And I found more laundry for her to do.
[ Scoffs ] You guys are amazing.
And of course, she'd just
cook your dinner and do your laundry.
Because she'd do anything for you.
And you'd let her without even noticing
she's falling apart.
Like, look at this place!
You should see her. You should smell her.
I had to tuck my hanging pine tree in her armpit.
And I didn't crack the window for her safety.
I cracked it for the resale value of my Prius.
What is this about?
You!
All you do is take and take.
You need to be nicer to your mom.
I‐I don't know where you're getting that.
From her.
When I talk to her and I ask her,
"How are you? How was work today?"
You know, when I'm driving her to work and back,
which is the least I can do after all she's done for me.
I mean, after all, she did raise me.
Oh, wait. No, she didn't.
That's you.
So, why am I the one driving her to work?
Okay, I feel like you're trying to make us feel bad.
I'm definitely trying to make you feel bad.
Why?
We're just doing what we've always done.
My mom lives for this stuff.
She toasts Freddie's underwear.
Like "Here's to Freddie's underwear?"
No, she puts it on air fluff for 10 minutes
so it's nice and warm.
Why don't you do something for your mom?
Clean this place up.
I'm going to run her through the car wash before she wakes up.
[ Door closes ]
Is Lane our new dad?
♪♪
Thanks for coming with me, you guys.
I invited the kids, but Freddie's busy with Celia
and Jackie's back at work.
[ Voice breaking ] They're done with me.
You're gonna be okay. Boundaries are good for you.
Your new ride's gonna cheer you up.
‐Ta‐da! ‐Ta‐da! [ Laughs ]
What?! What are you guys doing here?
We wanted to surprise you.
I hope you like your gift, Mom.
It's from us.
What? No.
You bought me the car? It's too much!
My babies bought me a car!
Your babies bought you a car!
No, no, no, no. We didn't!
We didn't buy the car. We paid for the sunrooooof!
Yeah, Mom, look. 'Cause if you notice,
the bow's on the car, but it's mostly on the sunroof.
The sunroof, yeah.
‐Oh. ‐Oh.
Oh.
Well, it's still very nice.
I mean, a huge letdown after you think
you got a whole car from them, but, uh, still.
It's ‐‐ It's ‐‐ It's ‐‐ It's ‐‐ It's nice.
‐I love it. ‐[ Chuckles ]
It's my own sunroof. So glamorous.
Yeah, it's been brought to our attention
that we've sort of been acting like infants.
Yeah, and we wanted to do something nice for you
for a change to say thank you for, you know, everything.
Aww... It's perfect.
I love you guys.
Let's see.
Door open!
Unlock?
[ Chuckles ] Mom...
Oh, thank you. Tired.
Door open!
[ Alarm honking ] Oh!
Gosh.
Shh! Quiet!
Quiet! Shh!
Hey, Connor's parents called.
Oh, no. I just bought a new car.
No, they're happy with his progress.
And I'm not sure why this is a compliment
that needs to be said, but good job
on changing your clothes today, mm.
If you let me come back tomorrow, I'll do it again.
I'm looking forward to working with you.
And you can put a picture up at your desk, but just one.
And no babies. Babies creep me out.
Got it. I'll bring one from home.
Ohh.
[ Sighs ]
[ Alarm sounding ] Oh, God!
Oh, God! Ohh...
Stop! Shh!
[ Alarm continues ]
♪♪