♪♪
[engine revving]
[man ] I don't like the swamp!
I don't like the swamp!
[man shushing]
- Don't shush me!
- I'm not shushing you.
I'm shushing that thing
in there.
Can't wait till we can get rid
of that thing inside there,
and then we're
going to get paid!
- [clanking]
- [groans]
What'd you do?!
What'd you do?!
- Huh?
- What'd you do?!
I don't know.
We hit something.
I... I bet there's a stick or
something stuck in the propeller.
Hey, don't come back here! No, no, no!
You just stay right there!
[both yelling]
Steve, you fool!
You were going to knock
that thing in the water!
And then you decided that you
were going to throw us in, too?!
Gators!
Dude, my feet
are sloshing wet!
This ain't even worth it
for the money.
All right now,
you listen to me, Steven.
Mr. Percy will not take no
for an answer. He won't!
He's going to put us in cages
and throw the cages out there.
I see the boat.
- Yeah, the boat! We found the boat!
- Oh, no!
- Oh, no!
- Oh, no.
- No! No!
- No, no, no, no, no!
- No, no, no!
- No, no, no!
- [crying]
- That little fluffy lion,
he's probably
gator bait by now.
Oh, no, no.
We-we-we got to split up.
- We got to get the hell out of town.
- Split up? Get out of town?
Where am I supposed
to go? Where?
- Well, you go to your mother's, and you just...
- My mother?!
...chill out there
till everything cools down.
What are you talking about,
my mother?
You got me into this, sir!
[sighs]
[exclaiming]
Oh...
I think, Steve, soul brother,
we are back in business.
Yeah.
♪♪
Lena! Lena,
breakfast is ready!
Come on, honey.
I'm gonna be late.
[scoffs] He always says that,
and he's never late.
Right, Smitty?
[snoring]
- Come on, buddy.
- [whines]
- Good morning, kiddo.
- Good morning, Dad.
Wh... Where are you going?
Into the office.
I got a client call.
- On a S-S-Saturday?
- Sorry, kiddo.
The servers don't check with me
before they break down.
Uh, I gotta get out there and
give them a report in... now.
Now there's leftovers
in the fridge,
and I'll be back
in time for dinner.
Okay.
Well...
- I'm gonna try to be, okay?
- Okay.
- Okay, I'll see you later. Bye.
- Bye.
♪♪
[barks]
♪♪
Hey, Lena. What are you...
[mock-stutters] doing?
N... Nothing.
Looks like you found
some cool stuff today, Lena.
What you making?
J-just some art.
[mock-stutters]
Just some art?
Speak English, nerd.
[barks]
Whoops!
[mock-stutters] Sorry.
[laughing]
Come on, Jake,
let her pick up her own trash.
Stupid jerks.
I hate Georgia.
I hate Fitzgerald.
I hate everyone in this town.
[barks]
No, wait!
Smitty, come back!
♪♪
[barks]
[purrs]
That's too small
to be a gator.
Come on out. It's okay.
I won't hurt you.
[purring]
What are you doing
out here all by yourself?
Are you by yourself?
[soft roar]
What a strong roar you have!
Do you like wagon rides?
[barks]
♪♪
[cub growls]
Where did you come from?
Who do you belong to?
[vehicle approaches]
Oh, no! Dad.
[crickets chirping]
You smell that
right there? Huh?
- I see it. I see it.
- All right, yeah.
- I see it.
- Yeah. [groans]
Man, we've been
doing this all day!
[both exhale]
All day we've been
doing this thing!
You know, I don't know why...
What are you doing?
[coughs]
Looking for a signal.
Hey, what is that?
Right there?
[Vince] Oh, that's a bike track.
It looks like a wagon,
or a trailer,
or something behind it.
- Well, who rides...
- A bicycle track.
Who rides a bicycle
with a wagon on it?
- Hey, I got a signal! Got a signal.
- [beep]
I'm going to call...
I'm going to call Percy now. Hold on.
[line trilling]
You're late.
Oh, I know. Well, you know,
we-we ran into some, uh,
unforeseen circumstances, sir.
My merchandise, is it ready?
Yes or no?
Well, yes. We-we have it, but
we, you know, got boat trouble.
You know, we gotta... Once we patch
that, we'll get it to you ASAP.
I'm paying you for discretion
and speed, Vincent.
You got ... No, ...
You know what?
Be generous, Ben.
You got three days.
After that,
things will get tense.
Oh, three days is enough.
Mr. Percy, we're...
[line disconnects]
Maybe... [stammers]
Steve, he hung up.
So, change in plans?
This is a business
based on reputation, Mike.
[sniffs] And I, for one,
am a man of my word.
Seventy-two hours
or a statement must be made.
Steve, if we don't get
that lion cub to Mr. Percy,
he's going to turn us
into his new stuffed animals,
hang us on his wall
over his fireplace!
Dude, don't worry.
Look, look, look, look.
Wagon tracks, right?
We followed the paw tracks
right up to there,
and all of a sudden,
there's wagon tracks.
If we follow
these wagon tracks,
we're going to be right back
into business, okay?
Then we can get that thing,
and we can get paid.
Follow me.
♪♪
So I say to them,
"Of course hackers
cracked your source code.
You decided against the server
security upgrade to save money."
- [chuckles]
- Mm-hmm.
So now I have to spend
my entire weekend working
because they didn't listen
to me in the first place.
Hey...
[sighs] I'm sorry I'm not
gonna be here tomorrow
to hang out with you, kiddo.
But I'm here now.
So what do you want to do?
Uh, nothing. I'm cool.
Come on. Let's, um...
How about we go
for a nighttime bike ride?
I already rode today.
I'm cool, Dad.
Oh, no! I know.
Let's go find
some of those famous wild
chickens of Fitzgerald.
- Dad...
- They're from Burma.
- I'm good.
- Oh, I know!
No, we'll go to the garage, and you
can show me what you're working on.
Uh, no-no. [stuttering]
It's not quite, uh, ready yet.
- Oh, okay.
- Okay?
Okay. No problem.
You just-just let me know
when the big grand opening
is for your gallery,
- and I will be there.
- [chuckles softly]
I know Mom was in charge
of weekend activities,
but you're doing a great job.
[soft chuckle]
Have you...
heard from Mom?
No.
She's got her hands full,
I'm sure, you know,
with her new baby
and Mark and all.
- She'll call when she can.
- Yeah.
It's amazing.
What?
Um, your stutter always goes
away whenever you talk about Mom.
[soft chuckle]
You want to call her?
No, it's okay.
Hey, how's it going
with the "making friends" quest?
- Have you found a...
- [banging]
- [cub screeches]
- [dog barks]
- What was that?
- Uh... it's a piece I'm working on.
It's just not quite stable.
Two pieces that I'm working on.
They're not quite there yet.
You know what?
I'm-I'm gonna go, um...
I'm gonna go finish
working on them, okay?
Okay.
- Love you.
- Love you, too. [nervous chuckle]
- [dog barks]
- Smitty, hush!
[groans] You were supposed
to keep an eye on things.
Where did he go?
Okay, come on out.
I know you're in here.
The doors are still closed.
Okay, you want
to play hardball?
I know what you want.
Come on.
Come on.
I know you're hungry.
What should I call you?
Kimba?
- [barks]
- Google it.
Okay, let's skip that one. Hm.
You are just like
the cutest little snowball.
Hey, that's what
I'll call you.
Snowball.
[purring]
♪♪
I bet I know
what else you'd like.
[cub growls]
Come on, Snowball,
show that string who's boss.
♪♪
Morning.
You go camping last night?
Same clothes.
Oh, uh, yeah.
I-I was...
I was really into a painting.
I guess I lost track of time
and f-fell asleep.
Um... weren't you
supposed to be at work?
Oh, yeah. And hopefully,
I'll be back by dinner tonight, all right?
Here, kiddo.
Go into town,
buy some groceries,
whatever you want,
all right?
Uh... but...
You're now.
Basically, a grown woman.
Um... [chuckles]
And, uh...
since your mom's not here...
uh, I need to talk to you
about boys.
- Uh... Dad, I'm fine.
- No, no, no.
Part of growing up
means a lot of change, mm?
And, uh, I don't know,
there's-there's something very
important I need to tell you.
- Dad...
- Milkshakes.
I need you
to bring home milkshakes,
but watch out...
'cause if you're not
careful...
- they'll bring all the boys to the yard!
- Oh, my God! Stop!
Aren't you gonna be
late to work?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'm going. I'm going.
But seriously, milkshakes.
Espresso chip for me.
God help you
if it's mint chip.
Do not disappoint me, child.
- Bye.
- Love you, kid.
Love you, too.
♪♪
- [laughing]
- Hey!
- Hey!
- Hey!
Are you guys okay?
Thank you, Lord!
Thank you, Lord!
We got lost fishing.
Can you point us toward the town, please?
Yeah, sure.
It's just minutes back that way.
Terrific. You know,
we lost a pet.
It's kind of an exotic pet.
Uh, have you seen anything,
like, running around town
or anything
that's kind of strange?
- What kind of pet?
- A lion.
[laughing]
This guy, man,
he's always making jokes!
You crazy guy!
Okay, then.
Uh, best of luck.
Watch your hands.
- Best of luck.
- Best of luck.
- What were you laughing at?
- You said lion, man!
That's what it is.
It's a lion.
Yeah, but you're not
supposed to say it!
[train horn blows]
[Lena] Hi, I was wondering if the
zoo had lost any animals recently.
[purring, growls]
A little white lion cub.
Okay. Okay.
Thank you.
Hey, don't get mad at me.
I'm just trying to figure out where
you came from to get you home.
Hi, uh, is this
the animal sanctuary?
By any chance, did you guys
lose a white lion cub?
Thank you.
Snowball! Smitty!
♪♪
Snowball, no!
[sighs]
- [sighs]
- [growls]
You guys are fast.
- [purring]
- [sighs]
Oh, no. You ate
all the deli meat?
Now I have to go
grocery shopping again.
You need to stay in my room.
You too, Smitty.
[distant siren wailing]
- Hey, what are you doing?
- I'm calling Mr. Percy.
- Why?
- Because I'm stalling.
I'd rather him
waiting to hear from us
than sending guys
out looking for us.
[phone dialing]
[phone ringing]
You have my merchandise?
We're stuck in the swamp.
We're having boat trouble.
[chuckles] I'm not interested
in excuses, Vince.
You're wasting one
of your three days.
Well, we're working on it.
We're working on it.
I don't like
repeating myself, Vince.
If you don't have delivery
within the timeframe agreed upon,
our deal is off.
Well, with respect, sir, we don't give
refunds, even with legitimate receipts.
I'm not interested
in a refund, Vincent.
I am interested
in my reputation.
So are we, sir.
I'm not a man of patience,
Vince.
If I don't have delivery
within hours,
there's gonna be two new
specimens for my collection!
Am I understood?
Yes, sir. Yes, sir,
you're... Yes, sir.
[chuckles]
[replaces receiver]
[groans, yawns]
I'm so tired,
I could sleep for a week.
No time for sleeping.
If we don't deliver that cub,
we're gonna be
sleeping forever.
[Steve] Why?
[Vince] Mr. Percy
is the kind of guy
who hunts apex predators
for fun.
Mm, he k*lled a bear
with a bow and arrow,
a tiger with a spear.
- And you know why?
- Why?
[Vince] To prove that he
is the apex predator,
king of the jungle.
This is a tiny town.
If anyone sees a white lion,
they're gonna tell.
- Oh, and Steve?
- Yeah?
If I ever come to you with a job
and say it's easy money,
promise that you'll
punch me in the head,
over and over and over,
real, real hard.
♪♪
All right, Smitty,
you're the man of the house.
Thank you for keeping
an eye on things.
I'm gonna bring you back an
extra juicy bone. [chuckles]
Behave, Snowball.
[door opens, closes]
♪♪
[growls]
Okay.
Espresso chip.
Espresso chip. Espresso chip.
♪♪
[barks]
Hey, Lena.
M... Move.
[mock-stutters]
Make me, freak.
I said, move!
Are you nuts?
Look what you just did!
Th-those were for-for my dad!
Hey, man. I'm bored.
Let's go get
a pizza or something.
Are you really gonna have a fight in
the middle of the street with a girl?
You're lucky
your boyfriend was here.
- Are you all right?
- Yeah. Wh-whatever.
[train whistle blows]
Oh, no.
[gasps]
Oh, my God.
Snowball, what did you do?
Come on, Snowball,
let's get you cleaned up.
I'm glad
I found you, buddy.
What were you even doing
out in that swamp?
Were you running away?
Oh, speaking of...
this, so you don't run away.
I'll tell you a secret.
I've been thinking about
running away, too.
I love my dad,
and he's been great since Mom left,
but I hate it here.
We moved to Fitzgerald
for a fresh start,
but the kids,
they're so m... mean.
At least you don't think
I'm weird.
- [door squeaks]
- Dad!
We gotta get you
to the studio.
Dad, I can explain.
What on earth
happened in here?
Look at this pla...
Pee...
Is that pee on my floor?
I'm... sorry.
It's my fault.
[sighs]
When I went into town,
Smitty was asleep, and...
I guess he got stuck inside
and got a little carried away.
- [whines]
- [mouthing] Sorry.
Wait, wait.
Smitty did this?
Because that doesn't
seem like him at all,
or like you
to forget about him.
Look, I said I'm sorry.
It's been a rough day.
[sighs]
Look, Lena, I know.
All right, I know
you didn't ask
for it to be just the two of
us, but look, kid...
you got to put yourself
out there
and start making
some friends.
Dad!
Let's just...
Let's just
clean this up, okay?
Bad dog.
[doorbell rings]
Good evening, Mr. Bickle.
Is Lena home?
Yeah, sure. Come on in.
[stutters] Jake.
Uh, I saw you
dropped these earlier.
That was
very thoughtful of you!
Are you gonna introduce us?
Uh, Dad, this is Jake.
We have class together.
Jake, my dad.
Call me Rob.
You live right
down the street, right?
Yes, sir. Me, my mom
and little brother.
Sir, huh?
I, uh, bought you
fresh milkshakes.
I didn't really know what flavor,
so I just got chocolate mint.
You know, why don't you guys
have them?
I'm... Jake, I'm so sorry,
but it seems like our dog
went a little nuts in here.
Ah... you know, Lena,
why don't you show him
your studio while I clean up?
It-it's not ready yet.
We don't want to be
rude to our guest.
I'm sorry.
Sorry for showing up
like this.
Sorry about Ron
and the guys.
I should've said
something sooner.
Why do you hang out
with those guys?
I've known them
my entire life.
So that makes it okay
to be a part of that?
No, but they're
the baseball team,
the basketball team,
and the football team,
so if you can't
b*at them...
Help them b*at up
someone else?
No, I would never
let them hurt you.
They've been hurting me
since we moved here!
You've been
watching them do it!
You think
you can just show up
and we're gonna be
best friends?
[cub growling]
- What was that?
- The dog.
The dog's
right next to you.
[chuckles]
- Jake?
- Look, I get it.
You got no reason to trust me,
but I am trying to be your friend.
Promise me
you won't say anything.
- Promise!
- Okay, I promise.
[barks]
This is so cool.
Snowball. Snowball.
Come on out, buddy.
You're really
a great artist.
Thanks. [chuckles]
I guess you're the only person
other than my dad
to ever come in here.
Speaking of secrets,
is that a baby lion?
Shh. Don't scare him.
I don't know
if he likes people yet.
- Well, does he like you?
- Well, yeah, of course.
I mean, other people.
He doesn't like
your dad?
Dad doesn't know
about him yet.
Okay, so you have a baby
white lion in your garage,
and your dad
doesn't know?
[chuckles] Awesome!
[purring]
- I think he likes you.
- I'm glad someone does.
Stop that.
You've been upgraded
to a nice-leaning neutral.
So there's hope
for me yet, huh?
[chuckles]
Snowball, hey.
♪♪
- Where's your phone?
- In my room?
I don't know. Somewhere.
What kind of kid doesn't
know where her phone is?
This one.
Nobody ever sends me
anything important,
and I'd rather be
working on my art
than typing away
like a zombie.
Where'd you find him?
I found him
in the swamp yesterday.
- There's no lions in the swamp.
- There was at least one.
Well, what if he escaped
from a zoo or something?
I'm sure someone's
looking for him.
Yeah, I checked.
No missing lions.
He's my secret.
I mean it.
If you tell anyone,
they'll come and take him away.
- Who?
- I don't know.
The cops?
Animal control?
Look, someone brought him
out to the swamp,
I'm sure
they're worried sick.
Okay, okay. Tomorrow.
I'll check tomorrow,
I promise.
All right, well,
it's getting pretty late.
I think we stalled
your dad long enough.
He probably left
the peeps and poops for me.
Peeps and poos?
What are you, ?
- Let's go!
- All right, I'm going.
I'm going, I'm going.
[Rob indistinct]
You can just get him to...
I don't know, just tell him...
- Bye, Mr. Bickle.
- Oh, hold on a second.
Good night, Jake.
It was a pleasure meeting you.
You too, sir.
Hey, uh, do you think
I could come by again
and see you tomorrow?
You mean,
see Snowball?
Yeah, obviously.
Sure.
Good night, Jake.
[Rob] Yeah, I told him
if he went with optical,
he-he wouldn't be
having this problem.
[snoring]
[purring softly]
Apparently, I'm supposed to be
feeding you whole milk...
from a bottle.
[chuckles]
You're a long way from home,
aren't you, buddy?
But nobody's gonna
hurt you ever again.
♪♪
You got this, Lena.
You got this.
[indistinct chatter]
Hi... [stuttering]
Mr. Van Norman.
Hello there, Lena.
Hey, Lena.
Did you come for a mint chip?
Hi, J-Jake.
So what can I do for you
today, young lady?
I was...
[stuttering]
wondering if you had any old
milk bottles I could have?
It's for her art.
She makes amazing stuff.
Yeah, uh, I'm just trying
to make some extra money.
I've got a growing furball
at home I need to feed.
Is that so?
Well then, yes.
I'm sure I have some stuff
in the back you can use.
On one condition.
- Yes, sir?
- You make me something special.
I'll pay you for it,
of course,
but I want something
that I could put
right here on this counter.
Deal. Thanks,
Mr. Van Norman.
How's the furball?
He's fine.
It was fun hanging out
with you yesterday.
Yeah, it was.
I was going to text this,
but I never got your number.
Well, I mean,
I'm on the school portal,
but I'm kind of old school.
[chuckles]
Uh, text me what?
[phone clicks]
Jake, don't show that
to anyone.
Well, I just wanted
to show you.
Here you are, Lena.
Hup... Create a masterpiece.
I will. Thank you,
Mr. Van Norman.
Please delete it.
Can I get your number?
I'll delete it
if you give me your number.
You're good.
Consider it deleted.
What is that thing
she's feeding?
- No, give me that back!
- It's so... fluffy.
- Is that a bear cub?
- No, stop being dumb.
Dude, you're acting
as weird as she is.
Maybe he bought it
for his girlfriend.
Well, she couldn't be that far.
I'll just go ask her.
No. No, you can't.
So she is
your girlfriend?
I'm just over seeing you guys pick on her.
It's not cool.
Well, either you're going
to tell me or she is.
Fine. Fine, okay?
But you can't tell anyone.
- It's a baby white lion cub.
- [sighs]
- Bull.
- Then what did she name it?
Snowball.
Snowball?
What's so funny?
This guy's got a girlfriend
- whose cat's name's Snowball.
- Dude!
You're going to take us
over there to meet Snowball.
I'm not.
You're going to take
us over there...
or I'll tell everyone
what she's hiding.
I don't think your
girlfriend would like that.
Do you?
Personally,
I don't care...
but I think she does.
It's up to you, buddy.
The school could use another
loser on Romeo and Juliet.
[door bell chimes]
[door closes]
Oh, man. That sandwich smells good.
Air smells good.
I really can get used
to this town, bro.
Well, you can move here
after this nightmare is over.
Oh, I just might.
- [mumbling]
- Okay.
Hey, hey, hey, look.
Look, look, look.
A wagon and bike tracks.
Oh! Hey, we're back in business!
- Come on, let's start the car!
- [engine starts]
Hey, hey, hurry up!
Hurry up!
- She won't start!
- Wait, wait, wait. Relax.
Let's jump it.
Got any cables?
♪♪
[phone chimes]
- [whispers] I'm sorry.
- What?
Hey, Lena.
Where's Snowball?
[stutters]
You guys can't be here.
My dad's not home.
[mock-stutters]
Where is Snowball?
Oh, suck it up, buttercup.
Where is the...
[mock-stutters] lion cub?
Hey, man. Back off!
You trying to act all tough
for your girlfriend?
Stop!
I'll take you
to where Snowball is.
Lena, no.
You're lucky your girlfriend's
smarter than you, dork.
Don't come inside.
I-I don't want him to bite you guys.
Whatever. If it hasn't eaten
you, it's not going to eat me.
[Lena] Snowball...
Snowball...
No way.
[barks]
So you're telling me the white thing
in the picture was just a little dog?
Real funny, Jake.
You wait until everybody
at school hears about this.
You two losers
deserve each other.
♪♪
Dog treats?
I was gonna try and lure out
Smitty, trick those guys.
- Why did you even bring them here?
- I had to.
- They said if didn't, they would tell everyone...
- I trusted you!
You said you were my friend.
You promised
not to show anyone!
I am, okay?
I'm sorry, I-I had to.
You know what? Save it,
I don't care.
Just get out
and don't come back.
Lena...
I said...
[stutters] get out.
[sighs]
[growls]
[sniffles]
I'm home!
Lena?
- Honey, you here?
- I'm in here, Dad!
Get in, Snowball.
Get in, Snowball.
[knocking]
Hey.
- Something wrong, honey?
- No.
Come on downstairs.
I'll make some cocoa, marshmallows.
Yeah?
Ah... come on,
kiddo.
Look, I try
to give you your space,
but I'm not just gonna let
my baby girl sit here
and cry in her room
all alone, okay?
So, we can either do cocoa,
or I can come in,
and we can paint
each other's toenails.
It was hot pink last time,
wasn't it?
I got so many compliments
at the gym.
[closet opens]
[purring]
Okay, uh, marshmallows.
I'll take it
with marshmallows.
All right.
Whenever you're ready, kiddo.
I'll see you downstairs.
Behave, you two!
I'll be right downstairs.
♪♪
- Thanks.
- Mm.
I'm sorry, kiddo.
Sorry for what?
[sighs] All of it.
I know this
isn't what you wanted.
If I'm being honest
with you,
it's not what I
expected either.
I already feel like
I failed with your mom.
Now I feel like
I'm failing you too.
I see you struggling, honey.
I'd do anything to help.
I know.
How are things
with Jake?
They're fine.
Well, they're not fine.
It's whatever.
I shouldn't have
pushed you like that.
I was just so happy
to think that you'd made a...
It's these guys.
They're jerks,
and he hangs out with them,
which is why I didn't
want him to come here.
I have some classes
with Jake,
and when he's not around them,
he's different.
He's so sweet.
He listens.
He's so nice.
It's like... he's
a different person.
He can't be himself.
Yeah. Yeah, well,
I can speak with some
authority when I say...
boys are dumb.
- So dumb.
- [chuckles]
Hey, I don't mean to be an old
tired movie cliché or anything,
but do you need my help?
Do you want me to say
something to someone?
'Cause so help me,
I will call their parents.
No, not really.
I mean, it's not against
the law to be jerks.
I just...
I don't know what to do.
I fix things for a living.
I spent the last year not being
able to fix what matters most.
Hey, just knowing you tried
is all I care about.
- I love you.
- [soft chuckle]
I love you too, kiddo.
You just got to keep putting
one foot in front of the other.
Just know I've always
got your back.
Thanks, Dad.
Actually I have a piece I'm working
on for Mr. Van Norman, so...
- Yeah.
- ...I think I'm gonna go finish that.
Yeah, you know, you can make
a pretty good career
out of being an artist
commissioning work.
Just saying.
- Bye.
- Bye.
- What are you doing?
- Looking for stray cats.
For what?
- A lion cub is a cat, right?
- Yeah. Right.
So if a little cat finds
this kind of comfortable,
then a big cat's gonna
find this comfortable.
Hey, that's not
a bad idea.
- [phone vibrates]
- Oh, hold on.
- There's Mr. Percy.
- Answer it.
Ooh. Hi, Mr. Percy.
- Vincent.
- We're closing in.
We're closing in.
On?
Oh, the lion cub,
you know,
we've got it and we-we're...
we're gonna...
we're gonna deliver it
to you as promised.
Yes, you did promise delivery
tomorrow, Vincent,
and you're being paid
to keep that promise.
Well, you know,
we might not quite be able
to get it to you by
tomorrow, but it's possible.
You know, I'm not
unreasonable, Vincent,
and I-I realize how you and
Steven have done the best you can.
- Really?
- No. Not really.
I need you to understand how
important it is for your health
to fulfill
your end of our deal.
Yeah, yes, sir.
[clears throat]
Excellent.
[crickets chirping]
We got it, huh?
We got...
[phone clatters]
We broke the phone.
All right.
No more games.
No more games.
- Okay.
- We're gonna get that girl.
♪♪
This place looks nice.
What do you think?
[soft chuckle]
If we don't find
where you came from,
maybe this can be
where you're going.
I wish we could
stay together forever.
But one day, you're gonna
weigh, like, pounds,
and you're gonna
wanna stretch out.
It's like the perfect
home for you.
I got your back, buddy.
♪♪
[door bell chimes]
- Lena!
- Good morning.
[Mr. Van Norman chuckles]
I have something for you.
That sure was fast!
I might be able to do more
with what you gave me,
but this is
what I saw first.
What do you mean,
what you saw?
It's like that quote
by Michelangelo:
"I saw the angel
in the marble
and carved until
I set him free."
Hm. The only Michelangelo I've
ever quoted was a Ninja Turtle.
Wow!
These are gorgeous.
[laughs]
Okay. How much
do I owe you?
I-I don't know.
I've never sold a piece before.
How about $ each?
Oh, I couldn't.
That's too m-much.
I insist. These are going
to be very valuable one day.
[high-pitched] Yes, we are!
[laughs]
[normal voice]
A Lena Bickle original.
Cowabunga.
- [both laugh]
- Have a good day.
What are you doing here?
[boy] Yeah, I thought
you'd be off
practicing for the circus,
lion tamer.
Yeah, you
and your clown boyfriend.
Jake's not a clown.
But he is your boyfriend,
right, lion tamer?
That's it.
I've heard enough.
Back off, you three.
Because if you don't act
like you've got some sense,
you're not gonna be
welcome here.
You think you're the only ones
who can ruin someone's day?
Do you feel like big men now?
[door bell chimes]
Huh?
[door bell chimes]
[phone buzzing]
Hey! Why you running off
so fast, darling?
What's up, kid?
Somebody bothering you?
[Ronnie] Have fun making more
of your ugly art!
And say hello to your
clown boyfriend for us.
By the way,
nice lion cub, freak!
Oh, so you're the
tough guy in town, huh?
You like picking on
little girls?
[clears throat]
Little helpless girls,
you like that, huh?
Hey. How about
picking on me?
You want to pick on
somebody, pick on me.
Pick on me. You know what?
I've dealt with punks
like you my whole life.
Want to be "king of the hill"?
Want to be "top of the heap," huh?
You wanna... You wanna take a sh*t
at the crown? Come on. Come on.
- Give me one. Right here! Come on!
- What?
Now I want you to tell me where that
girl with the bike and the trailer lives.
- Tell me right now.
- What's it to you? She's nuts.
She's a crazy artist chick.
She says she has a lion,
but it's a lie.
Oh, is that so?
All right, boys!
We wanna know
where she lives.
Someone's going to tell us.
Who's going to tell us, huh?
Yeah, um, she's, like,
two miles that way.
White house,
artsy sign in the front.
You can't miss it.
Hey, you feel that heavy
weight in your gut?
Like a heavy rock,
hot and cold at the same time.
You know what that is?
That's fear, son.
Cold, hot fear.
What's your name?
What's your name?!
[stutters] Ronnie.
All right then, Ronnie.
I'm gonna be
keeping an eye on you.
And if I ever hear about you
picking on people again,
then we're gonna have
a real problem.
A real problem.
Capisce?
Come on, kid.
All right, come on up!
[sighs]
[engine rumbling]
[laughs]
[sniffs]
[Lena] Dad, please
don't be mad,
but I need to leave
for a while.
I'm trying to fit in,
but things are just too tough here.
But I did make a friend.
Meow!
A friend who needs my help.
Meow!
- [Lena] I'll be back.
- Meow!
But I'm not sure when.
I love you.
Lena.
[doorbell rings]
You again.
Can-can I help you?
Well, I don't mean to alarm
you, young lady,
but, well, actually,
I'm in town from Animal Control,
and there's a-a dangerous
beast on the loose.
Wh-what kind
of dangerous animal?
[Vincent] Well, uh-uh...
Well, I don't mean to...
I don't mean to cause a panic,
but I-I...
Just let me
speak to your father.
No, he's sleeping.
He works nights.
He's a... cop.
Oh, yeah?
He might be able to help.
[Snowball screeches]
Meow? Meow!
[purring]
[laughs]
Meow!
There's a lion
been spotted in the area.
Unfortunately, the locals have
been told to sh**t it on sight,
but it's my plan
to capture it safely
and return it home
before anything bad happens.
I'm sure your father
can confirm this.
Oh...
My name's Vince.
What's yours?
[stutters] Lena.
Lena.
Pleasure to meet you.
[grunts]
Meow!
[banging]
Hold it, now.
There's brave,
and then there's stupid, kid.
I'm trying to be nice here...
- Let go of me!
- ...but you're trying my patience,
so, listen, just let me
give you one warning.
Just behave, please.
Behave!
[Lena grunting]
Meow?
Meow.
- Dude, dude, I saw it.
- Saw what?
The lion!
The lion cub!
That was just a rumor
I made up to impress a boy!
- Oh, was it now?
- Ooh.
Yeah, I-I photoshopped
a picture of my dog.
- Oh. Artistic type, look at this.
- Ooh!
Is that your tile work there?
- That is beautiful tile work.
- That is nice.
- Did you do... That is beautiful.
- What is this? [laughs]
I don't wanna have to break this thing.
I want to know, where is the lion cub?
Smash it, Steve.
- Oh! Oh!
- [Vincent] Oh, ain't that too bad.
That was really beautiful.
Hey, is there any other original work?
- Yes. Oh, look at that.
- Anything for sale in here?
Look at that beautiful
green expressionistic...
Oh!
- [Lena grunts]
- Oh, now.
You wanna say
anything, kid? Huh?
[screeching]
[purring]
Leave him alone!
Hey, shut up, kid.
He was our lion
to begin with.
- Yeah, you should've stayed in school.
- What?
Learn something.
No lions in the swamp.
- Go ahead and call him.
- My phone's broke, remember?
Go and use the phone
in the house!
What do you want me to do,
leave a note for the police
where we're going
to be, dummy?
We'll use a phone
along the way.
[growls]
Go get him.
Go on, get him.
Come on, scaredy-cat.
Go and get him.
I'm not a scaredy-cat.
[warning growl]
What are you
gonna do with him?
What am I going to do with him?
I don't know.
I'm going to give him
back to his original owner.
Know what I mean?
And, uh, you know,
maybe we're gonna make
a nice furry coat out of it.
And then maybe
we're going to go ahead
and teach it
how to fight an alligator.
I don't know.
Not my call.
- [groaning]
- Help!
All right. If you're gonna
make this difficult,
I guess we're gonna have
to do it the hard way.
♪♪
- [horn honking]
- [Steven and Vincent singing indistinct]
[doorbell rings]
Lena?
Lena, you in there?
Please, I-I just wanna talk.
♪♪
Lena?
Lena?
[barking]
[Smitty whines]
- Lena!
- Jake! Jake!
[grunts]
[panting]
[stutters] Thank you.
Wait. Wh-what are you
doing here?
A peace offering.
Th-that's sweet,
but these-these guys
kidnapped Snowball.
I have to go get him.
Kidnapped? Lena, we need
to call the cops.
There's no time for that.
Because of your stupid photo!
[barks]
It wasn't my picture, okay?
I mean, it was,
but Ronnie took it off my phone.
The picture
doesn't matter.
I'm not letting you go
off alone after some guys.
Stay out
of my way, Jake.
You don't want
my help, fine.
Which way are you
gonna go?
Make the wrong turn
and Snowball's gone forever.
What did they look like?
There was...
there was two of them.
One of them,
I think his-his name was Steve.
He was tall, he had a mullet.
The other guy was bald.
They said they were going to
take Snowball back to his owner,
and just do
awful things to him.
I think they were
driving an old pickup.
An old pickup?
I think I saw those guys
when I was
heading over here.
They went that way.
They could be
anywhere by now.
They had to use a phone,
but they wouldn't use my house phone.
They wanna call
from a public place.
Let's go try and find them.
- Jake, you don't have to.
- I know.
♪♪
[purring]
[groans]
[coughs, sniffles]
- What?
- Nothing.
Dude, are you sniveling, man?
I'm not sniveling.
You're sniveling.
Don't snivel.
I'm not sniveling,
but I just...
Don't you think we were a little too
hard on that girl? I mean, come on.
All those... all those jerk boys
are already picking on her,
giving her... giving her a hard
time, making her life miserable,
and then we just bust in
and steal her best friend.
- Her best friend?
- Yeah.
Dude, we have a job to do.
[sighs] You saved her life.
You saved her face.
You know? That cat...
[growling]
All over her face,
would've ripped it out.
- I know. It's a kitten, and they do scratch, man.
- Okay?
You don't think it was gonna just live
in that garage all its life, do you?
- No, he'd get too big. You can't keep it...
- That's right!
I-I just know how it is,
you know?
I got picked on, too.
And I... I thought this
was going to be an easy,
easy as pie gig, and...
[sighs] How did we
turn into bad guys?
I don't want...
I don't like being a bad guy.
I appreciate you
opening up to me, okay?
Bro love, mano a mano.
I got that, but hey,
you know what?
We got the cops behind us.
We got Mr. Percy
out in front of us,
and we gotta finish
this thing up, okay?
And when this is over,
you can go ahead
and open up to me,
and get it off your chest,
get it out of your boots.
But right now,
I want to get paid!
You know, you're right, Steve.
You're so right.
You know, you always
bring me right back
to what really matters
in life, and that's money.
- Call the boss.
- Call the boss.
- Right, let's call the boss.
- All right.
First things first.
Come on, let's go.
- Come on.
- And you gotta support me in this.
You gotta be
right there with me.
[Steve] Don't ever snivel.
[Lena] There!
That's the truck!
[Jake] Yep.
That's the one I saw.
Let's go.
- Après vous, monsieur.
- Merci beaucoup.
Merci.
People are different.
Steve, I know they are,
and remember that.
♪♪
[growling]
I think I hear him.
Snowball, it's me!
We're going to
get you out of here.
It's locked.
Well, can we just move
the entire thing?
Okay, we're gonna
get you out of here, buddy.
Jake, can you find us
a saw or something?
There's nothing.
Okay, all right,
I'm going to go look over there,
and you stay here
and hide in the bushes
- in case they come back.
- No! I'm not leaving him.
[sighs] Okay.
Hey, buddy. We're gonna
get you out of there, okay?
Hey, hi there, darling.
Can I... Can I use
your phone for a second?
Oh, thank you so very much.
- [dial tone]
- All right.
[phone beeping]
♪♪
[phone buzzing]
Uh, hi there, Mr. Percy.
Uh, it's Vince.
We have your delivery
ready, sir.
Excellent.
Intact and unharmed,
I trust?
Oh, your delivery
is "purr-fect," sir.
Beautiful.
Like a snowball,
white fluffy piece of cotton.
All right,
get it here. Now.
Unless you don't care about
the rest of your payment.
Oh. Oh, no.
We're on our way, sir.
We're rolling in the truck now.
See you soon.
We'll be ready
when you get here.
Thank you, sir.
Thank you very much.
Me-ow.
♪♪
- I missed you, buddy.
- I found something!
♪♪
[Mr. Percy]
They're on the way.
Get the bags ready
and prepare the weights, Mike.
Yes, sir, Mr. Percy.
"Be extremely subtle,
even to the point
of formlessness.
Be extremely mysterious,
even to the point
of soundlessness.
Thereby you can be the director
of the opponent's fate."
Sir?
It's Sun-Tzu.
Art of w*r?
No?
You gotta read more,
my friend.
There's a reason
why it's a classic.
[chuckles]
[upbeat music playing]
[Steve singing indistinct]
Let's get
our money, son!
Cash money for us,
let's go.
- Money?
- Half for you, half for me.
Let's go.
It's too dull.
It'll take forever.
Well, I don't really have cell
service out here to call Home Depot.
We're on our own.
[Steve] I'm gona buy something.
I'm gonna buy...
I was thinking
about buying a new car.
Hey, listen to me.
We got two hours, two hours...
- Oh, my God. They're coming.
- We have to go.
You go. Tell my dad
what happened.
I'm not leaving him
here with those guys.
This is crazy!
Okay, you're not leaving him,
but I'm not leaving you.
- Of course.
- Gonna leave this life behind...
[both]
...in the rearview mirror.
Okay?
[Vincent] So whatcha gonna
do with your money?
Oh, I don't know... I think I
might buy myself a nice El Camino.
- [Steve] It's hard to tell these days.
- [Vincent] King of the jungle.
- All right, come on. Get that cash money.
- All right, here we go!
Cash money, honey.
[engine starts]
Hey, what do you say
to some pizza tonight?
Like, maybe a Hawaiian
or something of the like?
Lena?
♪♪
- [line trilling]
- [phone buzzing]
- [cell phone beeping]
- [line ringing]
[man on phone] .
What's the emergency, please?
Uh... it's-it's
my daughter, I...
I think she might be missing.
♪♪
- Jake, do you have your phone?
- Yeah.
Okay.
- [number dialing]
- [line trilling]
- [woman on phone] . What's your emergency?
- Hello, this is Lena Pickle.
We're in a car with criminals.
We've been kidnapped.
Hello?
[phone beeping rapidly]
I lost service.
How's it coming?
Almost there.
I say if we get the cage open,
once they stop,
we grab Snowball
and make a run for the woods.
♪ We got the lion, baby,
we got the lion! ♪
- ♪ We're going to Mr. Percy's now! ♪
- We got the lion! Yeah!
We're going to get paid, man!
We're going to get paid! [laughs]
Every mile behind us
is a mile closer
to our new lives.
A mile closer
is one less mile
that we got to go
to get there. [laughs]
- I-I got it!
- [padlock clinks]
Steve, stop!
[yells]
[groans] Did you see
that alligator?
Jumped right out in front of us, man.
I could've hit it!
I could've hit it,
and then...
[engine revs]
Man! I can't...
I can't get it, man.
I can't get it!
We gotta get out
and get us out of here.
We're stuck! Now get out.
We gotta fix it.
Swamp? You want me to go...
go out there in the swamp?
Go in the swamp.
I can't do swamp
anymore, man.
It's getting in my head.
I can't do swamp anymore.
We got a job to do,
and it means getting in the swamp,
so get in the swamp.
It's a new life.
You get in the swamp,
you get us out of here,
heads us right to our new life.
Golden sunrises,
golden sunsets,
gold bullion
at the end of the road.
Get in the swamp, please.
Come on, man!
- Man, we are really stuck.
- Get us out, man!
Shh.
Hey, how you doing?
I'm gonna lay some board
underneath the tire.
[sighs]
- You want me to help you?
- I got it.
You got it? You ready?
You need a hand?
No, Mr. Swamp.
Stay right there.
[grunts]
Put on the collar.
All right.
[engine starts]
Are you ready?
Okay, man. Punch it.
[engine revs]
Whoo-hoo! Yeah!
Whoo-hoo!
Whoo!
We are back in business!
[Steve] Yeah, baby!
Get on the road, baby!
[Vincent] I put on the brake
in this thing.
- [Steve] I got it.
- [Vincent mumbles]
- I got it. I got it. I got it.
- All right.
We got...
[singing indistinct]
♪♪
Jake, once they realize he's
not on the back of the truck,
they're gonna come back.
That's why we gotta go faster.
Get to a landline.
I'm saying, they're
gonna be on the road.
We're on the road.
[sighs]
This is not gonna be fun.
Look, if he can make it through the
swamp, then so can we.
Yeah, well, you're the one
who got him out of the swamp.
See? We're already
ahead of the game.
♪♪
[sheep bleating]
[Vincent]
When we get our money, man.
We're gonna get
our money. Yeah.
Gentlemen.
Welcome to my manor,
although I guess it's become a
bit of a hunting lodge for me.
Mr. Percy, I'm Vince.
It's a pleasure
to meet you, sir.
No, it's Ben to my friends.
Okay, then, Ben.
No, that's Mr. Percy
to you. Where is it?
Oh, Mr. Percy.
The prize awaits you, sir.
How you doing?
Well... where is it?
♪♪
Whoa, whoa, g*n. g*n!
g*n! [chuckles]
Forgive me.
Wait, okay?
- [mumbling]
- [clears throat]
There's gotta be
an explanation for this.
Yes, there's
an explanation for this
because I saw
it was right there,
and that was the truth,
and you locked it up.
Remember?
You locked it up, and then...
It was...
It was that kid.
- Kid?
- Kid?
Yeah, the...
the kid's the only one
that knew there was a lion
in the back of the truck.
What kid?
Well, Mr. Percy,
there was a kid who had the lion.
But we tracked her down
and got it back.
Yeah, she must've
got out somehow.
Somebody must've come home.
She got it out of the truck.
- [Steve] How'd she get it out of the truck?
- I don't know,
maybe she ran off with
the lion when we stopped?
Stopped?
Well, there was an alligator,
and he didn't wanna hurt the alligator,
and it was, like, well, you know...
Well, you know...
I didn't wanna hit the alligator,
we swerved,
we ended up in a ditch,
and she must've gotten out
with the lion and ran away.
It was only three miles
back or so.
They couldn't have gone far.
Shh.
You have done quite enough.
Mike will take it from here.
Whoa, wait, wait, wait.
Michael's never been to the swamp, sir.
He's never been in the swamp.
We are swamp people,
and we'll take care
of it. Okay?
We gotta go. We gotta go.
We gotta go.
- So sorry. We'll find it.
- That's right, no problem!
Take the SUV and follow them.
If these amateurs can
lead a kid to my doorstep,
who knows who else
is on the way?
Go get my lion!
Make sure
they don't come back.
♪♪
[growls]
- Shh. Don't move.
- Why?
[growling]
Oh, no.
We gotta find it, dude.
He had a g*n.
That guy had a g*n.
Go slow! Go slow, Steve!
I can't see anything.
- Ho!
- There it is, right here.
It was right here. [mumbles]
Pull over.
Pull over.
This is it.
Okay, all right.
Quietly, go back to the road.
I'll distract it.
No. No, I'm not
leaving you.
[growling]
Snowball!
♪♪
Got you.
- Snowball! Wait!
- Snowball!
[branch snaps]
Jake!
Snowball!
Which way did he go?
How you doing, kid?!
[grunting]
- Huh, how are you?
- Let her go! Let her go!
- Hey, where's the cub, kid?
- He's g-gone!
You'll never f-find him!
We don't hurt kids.
Just give us the cub,
then you can go home
to your mommies, okay?
Yeah, yeah,
we're not gonna hurt you.
We just gotta have
that lion cub
or we're dead.
There's just one problem.
You already are.
Oh...
He's got a g*n.
Hey, come on, now.
There's no need
for that firearm.
No, we got the situation
under control here.
Don't worry, sir.
Don't worry.
- We can work this out with words.
- Yeah.
- Where's the merchandise?
- Well, you know, we had it...
But the girl, they let it go.
You know, it hadn't gone far.
Just around here.
- It's just a little fluffy thing.
- Yeah. Yeah, fluffy.
And with your help,
we'll get it in no time.
Help us help you.
You help us, we help you.
[Vincent] That's right.
Hey, why don't you
get the lion out of...
- [overlapping dialogue]
- Let's go!
Hey, now, we'll find that thing.
I'm sure it's not gone far.
- What is that?
- Where?
- Right over there.
- Mike, I think I see it.
- Where?
- [Steve] Over there, near the road!
Look, there it is,
right there by the truck!
I think that's it!
There! Right there! Look!
- Where?!
- Look, look! Right there!
[both yelling]
Run, kids, run!
I got it! I got it!
I got it!
[growling]
[all screaming]
Come on! Come on!
Come on! Come on!
Come on!
Over here!
[Vincent yells]
[sirens wailing]
Lena!
Are you all right?
[laughs]
I'm so happy
to see you, sir!
- Are you hurt?
- Uh, no. We're not hurt.
Uh, they're in there, though.
Be careful, because
one of them has a g*n.
Freeze!
I'm sorry.
♪♪
How did you find us, Dad?
They were able
to track the location
of Jake's phone
after your call.
I found your letter.
I had no idea
you were so unhappy, Lena.
I'm sorry, Daddy.
We're going to
figure this out, okay?
And, Jake, I know you
needed my daughter's help,
but dragging her out here
in the middle of nowhere was...
No, Dad,
it wasn't Jake.
He actually helped me.
Well, who were you talking
about in the letter, then?
I was trying
to save Snowball.
Who's Snowball?
He's my friend.
A baby lion.
A-a what?
♪♪
It looks like they
didn't find Snowball, honey.
I'm sorry, kiddo,
but we gotta go, okay?
Are you okay?
[crickets chirping]
[screeching]
Snowball!
Come here!
[purring]
♪♪
[engine starts]
Hey. You want this?
[siren chirps]
Officer Ivy? I'm here
for the baby lion.
[Rob] I know it's hard, Lena,
but it's the right thing
for Snowball.
Dad, we can make it work
keeping him in the house.
He can play and run
around outside
and I'll walk him every day.
I know you would, honey.
Hey.
Remember that sanctuary
we saw?
He's going to take you there.
You're gonna be able
to play all day,
and you're going to get so big.
They know how
to take care of you.
I'm so happy we met.
Lena, you'll be able to come
visit Snowball anytime you like.
You hear that, buddy?
[screeches]
I love you, Snowball.
Wait!
This is for him.
[soft chuckle] Okay.
Bye, Snowball.
[clicks tongue]
♪♪
Hey!
No cages, okay?
He hates cages.
No cages. Promise.
I'll be fine.
I have new friends now.
Well, at least one.
[Lena] If you had told me
four days ago
that life in this town
would become that adventurous,
I would never
have believed you.
My life in Fitzgerald
used to be quiet and reclusive,
but when Snowball
came into my world,
he turned it upside down.
Mike was sentenced
to several years in prison.
He's become a model prisoner and is
teaching a class on The Art of w*r.
Steve and Vince were sentenced
to several months in prison.
They were released
for good behavior,
deciding to leave the
smuggling business for good,
and they started a new ventur.
They're now producing
moonshine in the swamps.
Ben Percy, the guy behind the
entire animal trafficking ring,
thought he got away.
[sirens wailing]
But he didn't.
Mr. Percy's collection
of animals was seized,
and is now on display in several
museums around the world.
My social problems cleared up.
Thank you.
Apparently, owning a lion cub
and fighting poachers
and smugglers
does wonders for street cred.
Fitzgerald's a great place
to live now.
Do you want mine? [laughing]
Yeah. That's new.
[laughs] But good.
[growling]
And, of course, Snowball.
He loves the sanctuary,
and he's found other lions to play with.
I go visit my friend
all the time.
Well, three times a week
to be exact.
We play,
and he's as happy as can be.
So am I.
♪♪
Lena and Snowball (2021)
Moderator: Maskath3